Arrangements for sorting vehicle bodies by the colors of coating expected thereon in a vehicle body coating line

An arrangement for sorting vehicle bodies by the colors of coating expected thereon in a vehicle body coating line, comprises vehicle body conveying equipment including a plurality of branch conveyers disposed in parallel with one another for transporting and storing temporarily thereon vehicle bodies carried into the arrangement through a bringing-in conveyer and supplying the vehicle stored temporarily to a coating process through a bringing-out conveyer, and a control device for storing therein data indicative of color of coating expected on each of the vehicle bodies on said branch conveyers, with reference to a position of each of the vehicle bodies on the branch conveyers, and driving each of the branch conveyers selectively in accordance with the data stored therein so as to transport the vehicle bodies on the branch conveyers to the bringing-out conveyer in such a manner that the vehicle bodies from the branch conveyers are sorted in dependence on the colors of coating expected on the vehicle bodies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to arrangements for sorting vehicle 
bodies by the colors of coating expected thereon in a vehicle body coating 
line, and more particularly, is directed to an arrangement provided in a 
vehicle body coating line for storing temporarily vehicle bodies therein 
and supplying successively the vehicle bodies temporarily stored to a 
coating process in the vehicle body coating line in such a manner that the 
vehicle bodies are sorted in dependence on the colors of coating expected 
thereon. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
In an automobile production plant, uncolored vehicle bodies obtained from a 
body assembly line are transported successively to a vehicle body coating 
line including a undercoating process and second and final coating 
processes to be coated therein, and each of coated vehicle bodies obtained 
from the vehicle body coating line is further transported to a vehicle 
assembly line in which the coated vehicle body is provided with various 
parts or appliances. There has been proposed a vehicle body production 
system in which a plurality of vehicle bodies of various types, grades or 
colors are supplied to a common vehicle body coating line to be provided 
with respective coatings. In such a system, the manner of supplying the 
vehicle bodies to the vehicle body coating line is so controlled that work 
amount at each of working stages provided in the vehicle body assembly 
line is well-balanced, in consideration of the types and grades of the 
vehicle bodies. Since the vehicle bodies supplied to the vehicle body 
coating line are to be provided with respective coatings of different 
colors, a change of color in a coating process provided in the vehicle 
body coating line is carried out in such a manner that a worker detects 
color of coating expected on each of the vehicle bodies conveyed thereinto 
and makes arrangements for supplying a selected paint corresponding to 
detected color to a paint spraying device provided for coating the vehicle 
bodies from one of paint tanks, which contains the selected paint, as 
disclosed in, for example, the Japanese patent application published 
before examination under publication number 54-72243. 
In the previously proposed vehicle body production system as mentioned 
above, however, since the vehicle bodies are supplied to the vehicle body 
coating line without consideration of the colors of coating expected on 
the vehicle bodies, it is required to carry out frequently the change of 
color in the coating process provided in the vehicle body coating line, 
and such frequent changes of color in the coating process bring about 
waste of paints and increase of work amount in the coating process, so 
that the productivity of vehicle bodies is reduced. Further, the frequent 
changes of color at the stage of coating process result in a disadvantage 
that, in case of two successive coating operations by which vehicle bodies 
are coated in respective different colors, mist of paint produced in the 
preceding coating operation is apt to have a harmful influence upon the 
following coating operation and therefore the coating of the vehicle body 
colored by the following coating operation is deteriorated in color 
quality. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an 
arrangement for sorting vehicle bodies by the colors of coating expected 
thereon in a vehicle body coating line, which avoids the foregoing 
problems encountered with the prior art. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for 
sorting vehicle bodies by the colors of coating expected thereon in a 
vehicle body coating line, through which vehicle bodies are supplied to a 
coating process provided in the vehicle body coating line in such a manner 
that the frequency of changes of color in the coating process is 
effectively reduced. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for 
sorting vehicle bodies by the colors of coating expected thereon in a 
vehicle body coating line, which stores temporarily vehicle bodies therein 
and supplies the same to a coating process provided in the vehicle body 
coating line in such a manner that the vehicle bodies are sorted in 
dependence on the colors of coating expected thereon. 
According to the present invention, there is provided an arrangement for 
sorting vehicle bodies by the colors of coating expected thereon in a 
vehicle body coating line, the arrangement comprising a vehicle body 
conveying equipment including a bringing-in conveyer for carrying vehicle 
bodies into the arrangement, a plurality of branch conveyers disposed in 
parallel with one another for transporting and storing temporarily the 
vehicle bodies carried into the arrangement by the bringing-in conveyer 
and distributed thereto, and a bringing-out conveyer for supplying the 
vehicle bodies transported thereto from the branch conveyers to a coating 
process provided in the vehicle body coating line, and a control device 
for storing therein data which are obtained based on an information 
supplied thereto and representing color of coating expected on each of the 
vehicle bodies carried into the arrangement by the bringing-in conveyer 
and are indicative of color of coating expected on each of the vehicle 
bodies stored temporarily on the branch conveyers, with reference to a 
position of each of the vehicle bodies on the branch conveyers, and for 
driving each of the branch conveyers selectively in accordance with the 
data stored therein so as to transport the vehicle bodies stored 
temporarily on the branch conveyers to the bringing-out conveyer in such a 
manner that the vehicle bodies from the branch conveyers are sorted in 
dependence on the colors of coating expected thereon. 
In the arrangement thus constituted in accordance with the present 
invention, the control device which is supplied with the information 
representing the color of coating expected on each of vehicle bodies 
carried into the arrangement by the bringing-in conveyer and distributed 
to the branch conveyers, is operative to produce the data indicative of 
the color of coating expected on each of vehicle bodies on the branch 
conveyers based on the information supplied thereto and store the same 
with reference to the position of each of the vehicle bodies on the branch 
conveyers, determine the order of the vehicle bodies to be supplied to the 
coating process in accordance with the data stored therein in such a 
manner as sorted in dependence on the color of coating expected thereon, 
and control the vehicle body conveying equipment so as to cause each of 
the branch conveyers to operate selectively for supplying the vehicle 
bodies on the branch conveyers through the bringing-out conveyer to the 
coating process in the order determined. Consequently, a plurality of 
vehicle bodies which are to be coated in the same color are supplied in a 
group successively to the coating process. 
Accordingly, with the arrangement according to the present invention, the 
frequency of changes of color in the coating process is effectively 
reduced. This results in reduced waste of paints and decrease in work 
amount in the coating process, so that the productivity of vehicle bodies 
is improved. Further, the frequency of situations in each of which mist of 
paint produced in the preceding one of a couple of successive coating 
operations by which two vehicle bodies are coated in different colors, 
respectively, has a harmful influence upon the following one of the couple 
of successive coating operations, is reduced, and therefore the coating of 
each of the vehicle bodies is improved in color quality. 
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present 
invention will become apparent from the following detailed description 
which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
First, one example of a vehicle body coating line to which an embodiment of 
the present invention is applied will be explained with reference to FIG. 
1. 
Referring to FIG. 1, this example of the vehicle body coating line includes 
a pretreatment process 30, an electrodeposition process 31, a sealing 
process 32, a second coating and baking process 33, a process 34 of 
assortment by colors of coating, and a final coating and baking process 
35, as a series of principal processes. In the pretreatment process 30 to 
which uncolored vehicle bodies obtained from a body assembly line are 
supplied successively, each of the uncolored vehicle bodies is subjected 
to degreasing and then provided on the surface thereof with a layer of 
inorganic substance which is chemically stable. The vehicle bodies having 
passed through the pretreatment process 30 are undercoated by means of 
electrodeposition in the electrodeposition process 31 and sealed up in the 
sealing process 32. Then, each of the vehicle bodies is provided with a 
second coating and subjected to baking in the second coating and baking 
process 33. The vehicle bodies provided with the second coating are 
supplied to the process 34 of assortment by colors of coating, to which 
one embodiment of arrangement for sorting vehicle bodies by the colors of 
coating expected thereon according to the present invention is applied. 
In the process 34 of assortment by colors of coating, the vehicle bodies 
provided with the second coating are stored temporarily and then sorted in 
dependence on the colors of final coating expected thereon on the ocassion 
of being supplied to the final coating and baking process 35. Each of the 
vehicle bodies supplied to the final coating and baking process 35 from 
the process 34 of assortment by colors of coating is provided with a final 
coating covering up the second coating to be colored thereby and subjected 
to baking in the final coating and baking process 35. 
The vehicle bodies thus provided with the respective final coatings leave 
the vehicle body coating line successively for a vehicle assembly line in 
which each of the vehicle bodies is provided with various parts and 
appliances. 
FIG. 2 shows schematically the embodiment of arrangement for sorting 
vehicle bodies by the colors of coating expected thereon according to the 
present invention which is applied to the process 34 of assortment by 
colors of coating in the above described vehicle body coating line. 
Now, referring to FIG. 2, the embodiment is provided with a vehicle body 
conveying equipment including a bringing-in conveyer 3 for carrying 
vehicle bodies 2 obtained from the second coating and baking process 33 
into the arrangement, a distributing conveyer 4 coupled with the 
bringing-in conveyer 3, a plurality of branch conveyers 10 to 19 each 
having its input end portion engaged with the distributing conveyer 4, and 
a bringing-out conveyer 5 which is engaged with each of the output end 
portions of the branch conveyers 10 to 19 to receive the vehicle bodies 2 
from each of the branch conveyers 10 to 19 and supply the same to the 
final coating and baking process 35. 
The vehicle bodies 2 carried into the arrangement by the bringing-in 
conveyer 3 are transferred succesively to the distributing conveyer 4 and 
then distributed selectively to each of the branch conveyers 10 to 19. 
Each of the bringing-in conveyer 3 and the distributing conveyer 4 is 
installed on a floor with,for example, a plurality of carriages on which 
the vehicle bodies 2 are respectively placed. 
The branch conveyers 10 to 19 comprise trolly conveyers 10A to 19A of the 
overhead type and car type conveyers 10B to 19B installed on the floor, 
respectively. Each of the car type conveyers 10B to 19B is arranged to be 
able to receive, for example, ten vehicle bodies 2 in series thereon and 
transport simultaneously ten vehicle bodies 2 toward the lower course 
thereof. The trolly conveyers 10A to 19A have their respective first ends 
elongated to positions corresponding respectively to the locations on the 
car type conveyers 10B to 19B each distant from the input end of each of 
the car type conveyers 10B to 19B with a space therebetween in which two 
vehicle bodies 2 can be placed in series, and their respective second ends 
which are opposite to the respective first ends and elongated respectively 
to positions over the distributing conveyer 4, so as to transfer the 
vehicle bodies 2 from the distributing conveyer 4 to the car type 
conveyers 10B to 19B. On the car type conveyers 10B to 19B, the vehicle 
bodies 2 are stored temporarily to be arranged to form ten lines (lines 1 
to 10) elongating along the car type conveyers 10B to 19B, respectively, 
and ten columns (columns 1 to 10) each elongating across the car type 
conveyers 10B to 19B. 
The distributing conveyer 4 and the branch conveyers 10 to 19 including 
respectively the trolly conveyers 10A to 19A and the car type conveyers 
10B to 19B are independently driven to operate by a conveyer driving 
device 26 which is controlled in its operation by a controller 25. With 
the operations of the distributing conveyer 4 and each of the branch 
conveyers 10 to 19 thus controlled selectively through the conveyer 
driving device 26 by the controller 25, the vehicle bodies 2 at the output 
end portion of the distributing conveyer 4 are transferred through the 
trolly conveyers 10A to 19A to the input end portions of the car type 
conveyers 10B to 19B, the vehicle bodies 2 transferred to the input end 
portions of the car type conveyers 10B to 19B are transported and stored 
temporarily on the car type conveyers 10B to 19B, and the vehicle bodies 2 
at the output end portions of the car type conveyers 10B to 19B are 
transferred to the bringing-out conveyer 5. 
Further, a color detecting device 20 is provided in relation to the 
bringing-in conveyer 3 for detecting color of coating expected on each of 
the vehicle bodies 2 transported by the bringing-in conveyer 3, and a 
detection output signal of the color detecting device 20 is supplied to 
the controller 25. The color detecting devicc 20 is arranged, for example, 
to read a bar-code indication or indication of numbers corresponding to 
color and attached to each of the vehicle bodies 2 or each of carriages 
provided on the bringing-in conveyer 3 for supporting the vehicle bodies 
2. 
FIGS. 3 and 4 show a photodetecting system embodying the color detecting 
device 20, which is operative to read ind:cations of numbers corresponding 
to colors and attached to carriages on the bringing-in conveyer 3. 
Referring to FIG. 3, a carriage 40 comprises a supporting table 41 on which 
the vehicle body 2 is placed and a plurality of wheels 43 attached to the 
under surface of the supporting table 41. The wheels 43 is engaged with 
rails 44 which are laid to form the bringing-in conveyer 3 so as to run 
along the rails 44. A supporting member 45 is fixed between the rails 44 
and a guide rail 48 forming a groove looking down is supported by the 
supporting member 45 to elongate along the rails 44. 
A guide arm 46 is mounted on the under surface of the supporting table 41. 
The end portion of the guide arm 46 elongating from the under surface of 
the supporting table 41 is provided with a roller 47 which is engaged with 
the guide rail 48 supported by the supporting member 45, so that the 
carriage 40 can be moved freely along the rails 44 under the guidance by 
the guide rail 48. 
A mounting braket 42 is provided in the vicinity of the guide arm 46 on the 
under surface of the supporting table 41, and a coded plate 50 is mounted 
on the mounting braket 42. As shown in FIG. 4, the coded plate 50 is 
provided with a plurality of teeth 54 in a flat portion 50a thereof 
extending downward from the mounting braket 42. The teeth 54 are arranged 
to indicate a binary code representing an identification number 636 given 
to the carriage 40 in this example. The identification number corresponds 
to color of coating expected on one of the vehicle bodies 2 placed on the 
supporting table 41. 
In relation to a path for the coded plate 50 moved together with the 
carriage 40, an optical reading device composed of a light emitting 
element 51, such as a light emitting diode, which is supplied with driving 
power through a lead line 49a and a photodetecting element 52, such as a 
phototransistor, which is supplied with driving power through a lead line 
49b, is disposed between the rails 44. The light emitting element 51 and 
the photodetecting element 52 are face each other with the path for the 
coded plate 50 between so as to detect the teeth 54 provided on the coded 
plate 50 when the coded plate 50 passes through the path betwen the light 
emitting element 51 and the photodetecting element 52. That is, the 
optical reading device composed of the light emitting element 51 and the 
phtotdetecting element 52 is operative to read the identification number 
corresponding to the color of coating expected on one of the vehicle 
bodies 2 placed on the supporting table 41 and a read out signal is 
obtained from the photdetecting element 52 to be derived through the lead 
line 49b. 
As described above, the optical reading device composed of the light 
emitting element 51 and the photodetecting element 52 constitutes one 
embodiment of the color detecting device 20, and the detection output 
signal thereof, which is the read out signal obtained from the 
photodetecting element 52, is supplied through the lead line 49b to the 
controller 25. 
FIG. 5 shows an example of a control system for controlling the operations 
of the distributing conveyor 4 and the branch conveyers 10 to 19. This 
control system includes the color detecting device 20, the controller 25 
and the conveyer driving device 26. The controller 25 comprises a central 
processing unit (CPU) 21 to which the detection output signal of the color 
detecting device 20 is supplied, a read only memory (ROM) 22 in which a 
basic control program is stored, a random access memory (RAM) 23 in which 
a waiting memory area and first to tenth memory areas are partitioned, and 
a driving circuit 24 which is connected to the conveyer driving device 26 
and controlled by the CPU 21. The conveyer driving device 26 includes a 
distributing conveyer driver 4D for driving the distributing conveyer 4 
and first and tenth branch conveyer drivers 10D to 19D for driving the 
branch conveyers 10 to 19, respectively. 
In the controller 25, the CPU 21 produces data indicative of the color of 
coating expected on each of the vehicle bodies 2 on the bringing-in 
conveyer 3 and the branch conveyers 10 to 19 based on the detection output 
signal of the color detecting device 20 supplied thereto and stores the 
same selectively in the waiting memory area and the first to tenth memory 
areas provided in the RAM 23 with reference to the position of each of the 
vehicle bodies 2 on the bringing-in conveyer 3 and the branch conveyers 10 
to 19. FIG. 6 illustrates a conceptual model showing the data stored in 
the waiting memory area and the first to tenth memory areas of the RAM 23, 
by way of example. In FIG. 6, capital letters G, R, Y, W, BL and BR 
represent respectively the data indicative of green, red, yellow, white, 
black and brown as colors of coating. In the waiting memory area of the 
RAM 23, data of the colors of coating and the positions concerning the 
vehicle bodies 2 on the bringing-in conveyer 3 are stored and these data 
are renewed whenever one of the vehicle bodies 2 on the bringing-in 
conveyer 3 is transferred to the distriduting conveyer 4. In the first 
memory area of the RAM 23, data of the colors of coating, the positions 
and the turns of carrying-in concerning the vehicle bodies 2 on the car 
type conveyer 10B are stored and these data are also renewed whenever any 
change in number or positions of the vehicle bodies 2 on the car type 
conveyer 10B arises. Further, in each of the second to tenth memory areas 
of the RAM 23, data of the colors of coating, the positions and the turns 
of carrying-in concerning the vehicle bodies 2 on each of the car type 
conveyers 10B to 19B are stored and renewed in the same manner as the 
first memory area. 
With the control system thus constituted, a first assortment of the vehicle 
bodies 2 by the colors of coating expected thereon is performed when each 
of the vehicle bodies 2 on the bringing-in conveyer 3 is distributed to 
the branch conveyers 10 to 19 by the distributing conveyer 4 and a second 
assortment of the vehicle bodies 2 by the color of coating expected 
thereon is performed when each of the vehicle bodies 2 on the branch 
conveyers 10 to 19 is supplied to the bringing-out conveyer 5, under the 
control by the controller 25 in accordance with the control program stored 
in the ROM 22. 
In the first assortment of the vehicle bodies 2 by the color of coating 
expected thereon, each of the vehicle bodies 2 newly transferred to the 
car type conveyers 10B to 19B through the trolly conveyers 10A to 19A from 
the distributing conveyer 4 is intended to be positioned at such a 
location on one of the car type conveyers 10B to 19B as to follow one of 
the vehicle bodies 2 which is to be coated in the same color and 
positioned previously in one of the columns 1 to 10, so that a plurality 
of vehicle bodies 2 which are to be coated in the same color make a group 
in one of the columns 1 to 10. In the case where the vehicle body 2 newly 
transferred to the car type conveyers 10B to 19B is not permitted to join 
such a group in one of the columns 1 to 10, it is positioned at such a 
location on one of the car type conveyers 10B to 19B as to follow one of 
the vehicle bodies 2 which is to be coated in the same color and 
positioned previously on one of the lines 1 to 10, so that a plurality of 
vehicle bodies 2 which are to be coated in the same color make a group on 
one of the lines 1 to 10. The data of the colors of coating and the 
positions concerning the vehicle bodies 2 on the bringing-in conveyer 3 
stored in the waiting memory area in the RAM 23 are used to facilitate the 
first assortment of the vehicle bodies 2 performed as described above. 
Then, in the second assortment of the vehicle bodies 2 by the colors of 
coating expected thereon, on the occasion of movement of each of the 
vehicle bodies 2 from the car type conveyers 10B to 19B to the 
bringing-out conveyer 5, first, a group of vehicle bodies 2 which are to 
be coated in the same color and positioned to make the line column 1 on 
the car type conveyers 10B to 19B are supplied successively to the 
bringing-out conveyer 5, and then another group of vehicle bodies 2 which 
are also to be coated in the same color and positioned to make the column 
2 on the car type conveyers 10B to 19B to be transferable therefrom are 
further supplied successively to the bringing-out conveyer 5. The supply 
of the vehicle bodies 2 to the bringing-out conveyer 5 conducted in this 
manner is repeated. The vehicle bodies 2 in each group are supplied to the 
bringing-out conveyer 5 in sequence of their turn of carrying-in. 
In the case of the example of FIG. 6, first, five vehicle bodies 2 
positioned on lines 1, 3 and 6 to 8 in column 1, which are to be coated in 
white, are supplied successively to the bringing-out conveyer 5, and then 
two vehicle bodies 2 positioned on lines 3 and 7 in column 2, which are 
also to be coated in white, are successively supplied to the bringing-out 
conveyer 5, so that seven vehicle bodies 2 which are to be coated in white 
are sorted to be supplied to the coating process in a group. After that, 
three vehicle bodies 2 positioned on lines 2, 5 and 9 in column 1, which 
are to be coated in yellow, are supplied successively to the bringing-out 
conveyer 5, and then three vehicle bodies 2 positioned on lines 1, 2 and 8 
in column 2, which are also to be coated in yellow, are successively 
supplied to the bringing-out conveyer 5, so that six vehicle bodies 2 
which are to be coated in yellow are sorted to be supplied to the coating 
process in a group. 
Such first and second assortments of the vehicle bodies 2 as described 
above are achieved by the following operations of the controller 25 and 
the conveyer driving device 26. 
In the controller 25, the CPU 21 takes in the data stored in the waiting 
memory area and the first to tenth memory areas of the RAM 23 and makes a 
computation of those data in accordance with the control program stored in 
the ROM 22, so as to select one of the branch conveyers 10 to 19 to which 
the foremost one of the vehicle bodies 2 on the bringing-in conveyer 3 
should be distributed. Then, the CPU 21 supplies the distributing conveyer 
driver 4D and one of the first to tenth branch conveyer drivers 10D to 19D 
which drives the selected one of the branch conveyers 10 to 19 with 
respective driving signals, so as to cause the distributing conveyer 4 and 
that selected one of branch conveyers 10 to 19 to operate. As a result, 
the foremost one of the vehicle bodies 2 on the bringing-in conveyer 3 is 
distributed on one of the car type conveyers 10B to 19B belonging to the 
selected one of the branch conveyers 10 to 19 to be positioned in the 
column 9 or 10. With this distribution of the vehicle body 2, changes 
arise in the data of the colors of coating and the positons concerning the 
vehicle bodies 2 on the bringing-in conveyer 3 and the car type conveyers 
10B to 19B and therefore the data stored in the waiting memory area and 
the first to tenth memory areas in the RAM 23 are respectively renewed. 
The CPU 21 in the controller 25 operates to cause such vehicle body 
distributing operations repeatedly for each of the vehicle bodies 2 
conveyed into the arrangement by the bringing-in conveyer 3, so that the 
vehicle bodies 2 from the bringing-in conveyer 3 are positioned in the 
column 9 or 10 on the car type conveyers 10B to 19B to be sorted in 
dependence on the colors of coating expected thereon. 
Simultaneously with this, the CPU 21 in the controller 25 makes another 
computation of the data stored in the first to tenth memory areas of the 
RAM 23 in accordance with the control program stored in the ROM 22 so as 
to select a group of vehicle bodies on the car type conveyers 10B to 19B, 
which should be supplied to the bringingout conveyer 5 to be coated in the 
same color, and determine the order of the vehicle bodies 2 in the 
selected group to be supplied to the bringing-out conveyer 5. Then, the 
CPU 21 supplies the first to tenth branch conveyer drivers 10D to 19D 
selectively with respective driving signals so as to cause each of branch 
conveyers 10 to 19 to operate successively. As a result, each of the 
vehicle bodies 2 in the selected group is supplied to the bringing-out 
conveyer 5 in the order determined. With this supply of the vehicle body 
2, changes arise in the data of the colors of coating and the positions 
concerning the vehicle bodies 2 on the car type conveyers 10B to 19B and 
therefore the data stored in the first to tenth memory areas in the RAM 23 
are respectively renewed. 
The CPU 21 operates to cause such vehicle body supplying operations 
repeatedly for each group of vehicle bodies 2 on the car type conveyers 
10B to 19B, so that the vehicle bodies 2 stored temporarity on the car 
type conveyers 10B to 19B are supplied successively to the coating process 
through the bringing-out conveyer 5 so as to be sorted in dependence on 
the colors of coating expected thereon. In such case, the vehicle bodies 2 
in each group are supplied to the bringing-out conveyer 5 in sequence of 
their turn of carrying-in. 
As apparent from the above description, with the embodiment shown in FIG. 
2, the vehicle bodies 2 are substantially sorted into a plurality of 
groups of vehicle bodies 2 which are to be coated in the same color and 
each group of vehicle bodies 2 are supplied successively to the coating 
process, and therefore the frequency of changes of color in the coating 
process is effectively reduced. 
Although the first and second assortments of the vehicle bodies 2 by the 
colors of coating expected thereon are performed in the embodiment 
described above, the first assortment of the vehicle bodies 2 is 
omissible. In case of omission of the first assortment of the vehicle 
bodies 2, the vehicle bodies 2 from the bringing-in conveyer 3 are 
positioned in the column 9 or 10 on the car type conveyers 10B to 19B 
successively in sequence of carrying-in and then the second assortment of 
the vehicle bodies 2 is performed in the same manner as above mentioned. 
Further, although the color detecting device 20 is provided in the 
embodiment shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to eliminate the color 
detecting device 20, and instead to arrange so that an information of 
color of coating expected on each of the vehicle bodies 2 transported by 
the bringing-in conveyer 3 is supplied to the controller 25 by a worker 
who confirms the color of coating or through a computer at the outside in 
which a programmed information for color of coating is stored. 
Incidentally, it is also possible to have the RAM 23 used for storing some 
other data in the first to tenth memory areas in addition to the data of 
the colors of coating and the positions concerning the vehicle bodies 2 on 
the car type conveyers 10B to 19B, and to cause those other data to affect 
the first or second assortment of the vehicle bodies 2 by the colors of 
coating expected thereon. 
In the example of the vehicle body coating line shown in FIG. 1, the 
embodiment of the present invention is applied to the process 34 of 
assortment by colors of coating, which is provided between the second 
coating and baking process 33 and the final coating and baking process 35. 
However, the arrangement according to the present invention, which is 
embodied as described above by way of example, is not limited in such an 
application and may be applied to the vehicle body coating line in a 
different manner. 
In this connection, FIG. 7 shows another vehicle body coating line in which 
a process 34 of assortment by colors of coating, to which the arrangement 
according to the present invention is applied, is provided between a 
sealing process 32 and a second coating and baking process 33. In the 
vehicle body coating line shown in FIG. 7, a pretreatment process 30, an 
electrodeposition process 31 and the sealing process 32 are provided in 
the same manner as those in the vehicle body coating line shown in FIG. 1, 
but the second coating and baking process 33 is so arranged that vehicle 
bodies from the sealing process 32 are successively coated in their 
respective colors, and a final coating and baking process 35 is provided 
for giving each of the vehicle bodies from the second coating and baking 
process 33 a final coating which causes the color deposited previously on 
the vehicle body to remain.