Electronically actuated turning device for transport apparatus

An electronically actuated turning device for transport apparatus, which apparatus use endless belts for transport, which detects the presence of products being transported such as paper folders, activates a solenoid to cause an upper swivel ball to contact the product and engage a lower swivel ball, which grips and stops the product, and allows the product to rotate 90 degrees, and then releases the product, which product is then transported in the original direction by the apparatus for further operations as required.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 This invention relates to an electronically actuated turning device for
 transport apparatus, which apparatus uses endless belts for transport, and
 is of the type which detects the presence of products, grips and changes
 the orientation of the products by 90 degrees during their travel, and
 releases them to continue travel in the original direction.
 2. Description of the Prior Art
 Various folded paper products such as folded paper jackets often require
 that the product be turned 90 degrees for processing, such as performing
 pocket folds, or stacking.
 Folded paper products are usually transported on endless belts, which
 deposit them on intersecting belts that are perpendicular to the original
 direction of travel, and from which they are further processed. The common
 prior art transport for turning products is expensive, requires additional
 belts and equipment, and takes up additional space.
 In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,920, a mechanical turning device for
 transport apparatus is disclosed, that includes a bump housing attached to
 a support bar, with a rotatable bump ball above a metal plate, which ball
 intercepts products that are carried on an endless belt, stops the product
 by gripping it between it and the plate, with further belt motion rotating
 the product 90 degrees until it strikes a guide bar, and which then
 transports the product for further processing.
 While my prior device is suitable for its intended purpose, it requires
 precise height adjustment to accommodate different thicknesses of product,
 and relies on friction between it and a metal plate to stop and turn the
 product.
 In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,228 is disclosed an electronically actuated
 turning device for transport apparatus, which includes apparatus to detect
 a product, actuates a solenoid to cause a ball to contact a product and
 grip it between it and a metal plate, the product is rotated 90 degrees,
 the solenoid actuated to retract the ball, and the product continues to be
 transported.
 While this device is satisfactory for its intended purpose, the product may
 become damaged due to the uncertainties of the frictional characteristics
 of this ball and plate combination.
 The device of the invention does not suffer from the shortcomings of the
 prior art, and provides many positive advantages.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 It has now been found that an electronically actuated device is available,
 that is used with a transport apparatus, that has endless transport belts,
 which device grips and stops products, changes their orientation by 90
 degrees, and then releases them to continue being transported in the
 original direction.
 The principal object of the invention is to provide an electronically
 actuated turning device for transport apparatus that changes the products'
 orientation by 90 degrees, while being transported.
 A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character
 aforesaid that is fast and positive in its operation.
 A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character
 aforesaid that is easily adjustable to accommodate products of different
 width and thickness.
 A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character
 aforesaid that is durable and long lasting in operation.
 Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent
 from the description and the claims.

It should of course be understood that the description and drawings herein
 are merely illustrative, and that various modifications and changes can be
 made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the
 invention.
 Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 When referring to the preferred embodiment, certain terminology will be
 utilized for the sake of clarity. Use of such terminology is intended to
 encompass not only the described embodiment, but also technical
 equivalents which operate and function in substantially the same way to
 bring about the same result.
 Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings, one
 embodiment of the turning device 10, which includes an upper component 10A
 and a lower component 10B, is illustrated in operation on a transport
 apparatus 11. The transport apparatus 11 is typical of such apparatus,
 which transport or convey various products, such as folded paper jackets
 12. The apparatus 11 includes a frame (not shown), having a bed (not
 shown), and at least one side rail 14. The bed (not shown) includes a
 support pan 15, which is smooth and preferably of metal, with a rotatable
 roller 16 extending from the rail 14 across the front of the apparatus.
 A plurality of endless belts 18 of well known type are provided, engaged
 with roller 16 and extending along the bed (not shown) for transporting or
 conveying jackets 12. The side rail 14 has a longitudinal bar 19 engaged
 therewith by blocks 20 and extends therealong. A bracket 21 is attached to
 bar 19 and carries one end of a support bar 24, which extends transversely
 across the bed, and is attached to a bar (not shown) on the other side of
 the bed.
 The support bar 24 has a bracket 25 attached thereto and movable
 therealong, with a thumbscrew 26 to secure it at selected locations on bar
 24. The bracket 25 has a top drive bar 29 attached thereto, with a
 thumbscrew 26 therein to restrain drive bar 29 at desired locations. The
 top drive bar 29 has brackets 30 engaged therewith, with rods 31 attached
 thereto and to marble holders 34 of well known type, which have marbles
 (not shown) which engage the folders 12 and restrain them from vertical
 movement but permit passage underneath the marble holders 34. The bar 19
 has a bracket 35 engaged therewith, with a thumbscrew 35A to restrain its
 movement. The bracket 35 has a guide support bar 36 engaged therewith,
 which is restrained thereon by thumbscrew 37, and which extends across the
 bed. An additional bracket 38 is engaged with bar 36, with a thumbscrew
 38A therein for adjustment, with a rod 39 engaged therewith, with a
 thumbscrew 39A for adjustment, and with a guide bar 40 which extends in
 the direction of travel of belts 18. The guide bar 40 guides folders 12
 after rotation to be described.
 The support bar 24 also carries a mounting clamp 45 engaged with the upper
 component 10A of turning device 10, which has a thumbscrew 46 for
 positioning of clamp 45 on bar 24.
 As shown in detail in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, the clamp 45 has a solenoid 50
 mounted thereto, with a housing 51 secured in clamp 45 by a lock screw 52.
 The solenoid 50 has a vertically movable stem 53 extending therefrom, with
 a ball bearing 54 secured thereon in well known manner, with a swivel ball
 55 engaged with the ball bearing 54 and freely rotatable about stem 53.
 The ball 55 can be formed of any suitable material with neoprene plastic
 being the preferred material.
 The solenoid 50 has a cable 56 connected thereto and to a controller 60 of
 well known type, such as the Glue Bind Quadra Plex controller available
 from Dick Moll & Sons, Inc., Warminster, Pa. The controller 60 has a cable
 61 connected thereto, and to an electric eye 62, which is mounted by a
 clamp 63 to a bar 64, and restrained from movement by a thumbscrew 65,
 which bar 64 is mounted to bar 19 by a clamp 66, and has a thumbscrew 67
 therein.
 The electric eye 62 is of well known type and detects the presence of a
 folder 12, signals the controller 60, which has a programmable delay time
 to enable the folder to come under ball 55, at which time the solenoid 50
 is activated and ball 55 is moved down to contact folder 12 to be
 described.
 The controller also has a linear motion sensor (not shown), which signals
 the controller of the speed of belts 18, which permits the controller to
 determine the position of the folder 12.
 As shown in the Figs., the upper component 10A is located so that the ball
 55 is positioned between the pan 15 and an endless belt 18.
 A lower support bar 70 is provided, connected to side rail 14, and which
 extends transversely across the bed, and has a mounting clamp 71 thereon,
 with a thumbscrew 72 to secure it at selected locations on bar 70. The
 clamp 71 has a shaft 73 therein, which is part of lower component 10B of
 turning device 10, and clamp 71 has a thumbscrew 75 therein for vertical
 movement for adjustment of component 10B, as required for contact with
 folders 12 to be described.
 The shaft 73 has a mounting stem 76 therein, which has a ball bearing 77,
 retained thereon in well known manner. The ball bearing 77 has a swivel
 ball 78 thereon, which is free to rotate about stem 76. The stem 76 also
 has a plastic shield 79 thereon, around the edge of ball 78 and over stem
 76.
 The ball 78 can be formed of any suitable material with neoprene plastic
 being the preferred material.
 The mode of operation will now be pointed out.
 Folders 12 are fed onto belts 18 to be transported and turned 90 degrees
 during transport. The upper and lower turning device components 10A and
 10B are adjusted for the thickness of the folders 12.
 As a folder 12 is transported it is detected by the electric eye 62, which
 signals controller 60, which controller starts the delay time running, and
 when a folder is between the swivel balls 55 and 78 actuates the solenoid
 50 to cause stem 53 to move downwardly and ball 55 to contact folder 12
 which is engaged by ball 78. The controller has a programmable hold time
 to enable the folder 12 to be swung about turning device 10. The belts 18
 continue to move and the folder 12 is swung about the device 10 under
 marble holders 34, which belts supply the drive to rotate folder 12 until
 it strikes guide bar 40, at which time solenoid 50 is released and ball 55
 moves upwardly releasing folder 12, which has been turned 90 degrees and
 is transported on belts 18 for further processing. The operation continues
 with subsequent folders 12.
 It will thus be seen that a device has been provided with which the objects
 of the invention are achieved.