Method and apparatus for product separation and stacking

Manufactured products, for example those produced by a die press, may be cleaned, separated, randomized and stacked with the apparatus of the present invention. A first conveyor system removes contaminants from the products. A second conveyor system separates and randomizes the products, for example, by allowing the products to cascade down an inclined conveyor belt. The conveyor is segmented to capture a portion of the products as they are pulled downward by gravitational forces. The products are aligned on a shaker table with any of several operator stations. In one embodiment the products pass through a funneling array, a slot and into a stacking tube from which operators may remove stacks of the product in preparation for shipping.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates to the separation and stacking of individual 
products, and more particularly to a method and apparatus utilizing a die 
press, conveyor system and shaker table to randomize, separate and stack 
individual products into a configuration suitable for packaging and 
shipping. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Historically, products that are the output of a die press have been dumped 
into bins or onto a table, then manually separated and stacked by human 
operators for packaging and shipping. A number of problems resulted from 
this process, however. 
The products emerging from the die press are frequently contaminated with 
dust or chaff resulting from the cutting process. This chaff makes the 
stacking and packaging process unpleasant and more difficult. The presence 
of chaff also makes the product less attractive to the consumer. 
The stacking operation is repetitive and tiring for the human operator and 
results in a labor-intensive and costly operation for the manufacturer. 
Production benchmarks are often difficult to forecast with certainty since 
the output resulting from the stacking operation is highly dependent on 
the manual dexterity of the individual worker. 
One major drawback of manual separation and stacking is that the nature of 
the process limits the flexibility of the manufacturers with respect to 
the work schedules of the individual workers. The demand for some products 
varies with the season and with market conditions. Since manual stacking 
is tiring and repetitive, a worker is limited in the number of hours he or 
she is able to perform the stacking operation. Thus, new workers must be 
trained or temporary workers brought in to increase the output of the 
plant to meet market demands. The training of new or temporary workers is 
expensive and burdensome to the manufacturer. 
The repetitive nature of the manual separation and packaging also means 
that mistakes are more likely, since the workers become distracted and 
bored. Mistakes in packaging can result in quality control problems and 
customer disappointment with concurrent loss of good will. 
Thus, there is a need for an automated system that separates and stacks 
products that are the output of a die-cutting operation. More 
specifically, there is a need for an automated system that makes the 
separating operation less tiresome for the worker, increases efficiency 
and worker output, reduces labor costs for the manufacturer, results in a 
higher quality, more consistent product and a more flexible manufacturing 
process. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention overcomes the foregoing problems associated with 
manual stacking operations by providing an apparatus for cutting, 
cleaning, separating, randomizing and stacking products that are the 
output of a die press. In accordance with the broader aspects of the 
invention, the articles cut by the die press are output onto a conveyor, 
wherein chaff and debris resulting from the cutting process are removed by 
a stream of air. 
The products are then introduced onto a second conveyor system having an 
incline. The products are allowed to cascade in the direction of the 
incline to separate them from one another, promoting a random distribution 
of products. Flows of product are halted by segmentation strips on the 
conveyor belt. After separation into a singulated product stream, the 
products are introduced onto the surface of a shaker table. 
The shaker table has a number of operator station positions arrayed around 
its perimeter. Products are further randomized as they progress down the 
shaker table and are distributed to the various operator stations. In one 
embodiment, the products are "walked" by the movement of the shaker table 
through a funneling array, into a slot. The movement of the shaker table 
provides the impetus for the products which were originally in a flat 
position upon the surface of the shaker table, to assume an upright 
position against the sides of the funneling array and the slot. 
As the now upright products near the terminus of the slot, the products 
drop individually into stacking tubes. Stacks of products accumulate in 
the stacking tubes, ready for the human operators to remove the stacks and 
place them into packing containers for shipping. 
The apparatus for separation, randomizing and stacking efficiently readies 
die-cut products for shipping without the tedious and tiresome manual 
labor required by packing methods known to the art. Use of the apparatus 
described herein also allows manufacturers to produce a higher quality 
product while using labor resources more effectively. Output per 
individual worker is increased significantly. 
Other advantages and applications deriving from the use of the invention 
will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art from 
consideration of the following Detailed Description taken in conjunction 
with the accompanying Drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the Drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown 
an apparatus 10 for separating and stacking products 15 that are the 
output of a die press 20. The products 15 fall from the die press 20 onto 
a conveyor 25 where contaminants are removed by, for example, a stream of 
air. The products 15 are then moved up an inclined conveyor belt 30 where 
the products 15 are separated one from the other by a combination of 
gravitational forces and friction. The products 15 are then delivered onto 
a shaker table 35 where movement of the table "walks" the products into 
the funneling array 40, the slot 45 and the stacking tube 50. 
Die presses, such as one produced by the Consolidated Corporation of 4501 
S. Western Blvd., Chicago, Ill. 60609 are well known in the art. In the 
operation of the apparatus of the present invention, the die press 20 
excises individual products 15 from arrays of products, such as sheets 55, 
as is shown in FIG. 2. Products 15 fall from the die press 20 onto the 
surface of the air blast conveyor 25. 
As shown in FIG. 3, an air blast conveyor 25, such as the one made by Roach 
Conveyors, Inc., which can be obtained through Interlode Material Handlers 
of Ft. Worth, Tx., projects a stream of air upwards from apertures 61 to 
remove any remaining debris or cutting chaff 58 from the products 15. The 
presence of cutting chaff 58 makes the further processing of the products 
15 unpleasant and the products less desirable to the consumer. The cutting 
chaff 58, blown upwards by the stream of air directed over the products 15 
is collected by vacuum system 65. 
Referring now to FIG. 4, the air blast conveyor 25 delivers the products to 
an inclined conveyor 30 which separates the products 15 into individual 
pieces by gravity and frictional forces. The products 15 with surfaces 
contacting that of the inclined conveyor 30 will be retained in place on 
the inclined conveyor 30, held stationary by frictional forces. Individual 
products 15 lying atop one another will cascade downward, however, as 
gravitational forces overcome the forces of friction, effecting a 
separation of the products 15. The products 15 are prevented from 
cascading to the base 68 of the inclined conveyor 30 by the presence of 
segmentation strips 70. These segmentation strips 70 catch products 15 
that are being drawn downwards by gravitational forces to prevent an 
accumulation at the base 68 of the inclined conveyor 30. 
As can best be seen in FIG. 5, the products 15 are delivered from inclined 
conveyor 30 onto shaker table 35. The shaker table 35 has a truncated 
semi-conical shape, although other shapes may be used in the apparatus of 
the present invention. Feeder attendants (not shown) stationed at the 
intersection of the inclined conveyor 30 and the shaker table 35 may be 
used to direct the flow of products 15 as the products progress down the 
shaker table 35. 
The downward movement of the products 15 is due to both gravity and a 
vibratory movement of the shaker table 35. The vibratory movement of the 
shaker table 35 may be produced in many ways. A preferred method of 
producing vibratory movement is to attach sources of vibration 80, such as 
the rotary electric vibrators sold by Houston Vibrator, Inc. of 9921-K 
Houston, Tx. 77280 to the shaker table 35. The vibrators 80 preferably 
operate at 3460 vibrations per minute to produce movement of the products 
15 down the shaker table 35. The shaker table 35 is preferably constructed 
of a rigid material, such as sheet metal, that will transmit the vibratory 
motion to the surface of the shaker table 35 and the products 15. 
As the products 15 progress down the shaker table 35, they are directed by 
the vibratory motion and gravity and/or the feeder attendants (not shown) 
into one of a number of funneling arrays 40, one of which is shown in 
detail in FIG. 6. There is one funneling array 40 for each seated 
attendant station 85. The funneling arrays 40 direct the products 15 
toward the slots 45. 
The products 15 are generally in a flat position on the shaker table 35 as 
they approach and pass through the funneling array 40. As the products 15 
enter the slot 45, however, the vibratory motion coupled with the 
proximity of the walls 88 of the slot 45 cause the products 15 to assume 
an upright position, or to stand on edge. This position allows products 15 
to enter the stacking tube 50 individually, and in an orientation suitable 
for stacking. 
Seated attendants 92 at the seated attendant stations 85 remove the stacked 
products 15 when a suitable number of products have accumulated in the 
stacking tubes 50. Typically, three to four inches of product are allowed 
to accumulate before the seated attendant transfers the product to a 
suitable container, such as tray 96, for packaging and shipping. 
One advantage of the apparatus of the present Invention is that the 
products 15 are randomized as they progress over the conveyors 25 and 30 
and shaker table 35. In markets such as those for collectable items, pogs 
or trading cards for example, some members of a group become more valuable 
and desirable to the ultimate consumer than others. It is, thus, necessary 
that the individual products 15 be thoroughly mixed or randomized so that 
the consumers are assured of a mix of products 15 and an equitable chance 
of obtaining the highly desirable Individual products. The products 15 are 
randomized by separation by gravity and frictional forces on inclined 
conveyor 30 and by the mixing of the products on the shaker table 35. 
The method and apparatus of the present invention 10 allows as many as 
222,000 products 15 per hour to be cut, processed, stacked and packaged 
for shipping. The seated attendants 92 have improved their productivity 
from ten trays per hour to 22 trays per hour, with less repetitive 
movement and its accompanying stress. 
Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in 
the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed 
Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to 
the embodiment disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements and 
modifications of parts and elements without departing from the scope of 
the invention.