Collating apparatus and method

In a stacking apparatus of the type having tines for pushing one workpiece each out of the bottoms of a plurality of aligned reservoirs, an improvement is disclosed which comprises a ramp adjacent to the reservoirs and inclined with respect to the bottom line of the reservoirs for stacking the workpieces in stacks of increasing height.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to automatic machinery for sorting and stacking 
planar workpieces - more particularly, to apparatus for collating 
laminated plastic sample chips. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Laminated plastic building material, such as that available under the 
trademark FORMICA, is usually sold in large sheets, four feet by eight 
feet being one common size. In view of the difficulty purchasers have in 
perusing through selections of such sheets, which may be available in 
hundreds of different colors and patterns, laminated plastic is commonly 
selected for purchase through the use of chain loops of small samples 
("chips") of the available stock. 
Sample chip loops are compact and lightweight. They are cheaply 
transportable by the manufacturer, easily restocked with new selections 
and can be taken home by the prospective purchaser for on-site comparison 
with the intended decor. Insofar as stock may be ordered for delivery from 
the manufacturer or from a central warehouse through the use of stock 
numbers printed on the chips, such sample loops can reduce the need for 
the retailer to keep a complete stock of expensive inventory. 
Chip loops consist of scores of small pieces of laminated plastic, each 
typically about 2 inches by 3 inches, through which a conventional ball 
link chain (key chain) passes. The prior art method of assembling such 
loops has been to manually select one chip at a time from consecutive bins 
each containing chips of like color, pattern, composition or the like. 
Each succeeding chip is placed on top of the last, forming a collated 
stack of differing color, pattern, etc. 
Each chip is pierced by a round hole of significantly greater diameter than 
the balls of the ball link chain. The loop is assembled by dropping the 
chain through the cylindrically aligned holes of the stack, lifting the 
stack and then securing the ends of the chain together. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,872,020 to O. Hansel et al. teaches a stacking apparatus 
for planar objects which could be converted for limited use to 
automatically form laminate plastic sample chip stacks. However, the 
Hansel apparatus is only capable of forming stacks of a height which is 
limited by the height of vertical tines--the stack can be no higher than 
the tines, whose height is in turn limited by the torque which a revolving 
conveyor chain can support. Thus, there is a need in the art for an 
automatic stacking apparatus which can collate and stack scores, if not 
hundreds, of laminate chips for forming into sample loops. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is an improvement in a stacking apparatus of the type 
having tines for pushing one workpiece each out of the bottoms of a 
plurality of aligned reservoirs which comprises ramp means adjacent to the 
reservoirs and inclined with respect to the bottom line of the reservoirs 
for stacking the workpieces in stacks of increasing height. 
FEATURES AND ADVANTAGES 
An object of this invention is to provide an automatic stacking apparatus 
which can collate and stack laminate plastic sample chips for forming into 
loops for use by customers in the selection of laminate plastic sheets for 
purchase. This is accomplished by an apparatus which uses a fork-like tine 
of a plate containing a plurality of such tines to push a chip from the 
bottom of a reservoir onto the top of a chip stack in a receiver 
container. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a collating apparatus 
which can form stacks of very large height--stacks of up to at least 48 
chips in height, which stacks can be combined to form stacks of even 
greater height. Banks of the chip reservoirs can be sequentially arranged 
in a line and in the present mechanism the height (number of chips) of the 
chip stacks is not limited by the length of the tines. Theoretically, it 
is not limited at all--for each new color or pattern of chip, a new 
reservoir can be added to the line. 
Receivers can be half filled by one bank of reservoirs and then transported 
to a second bank for completion of collation. Alternatively, one set of 
stacks of a certain height can be formed and set aside. The reservoirs can 
then be filled with different chips and a second set of stacks formed. The 
two stack sets can then be combined to form a set of stacks of double 
height. 
Yet another object is to be able to form multiple collated stacks in 
continuous succession. A plurality of chip receivers passes by the 
reservoirs of the instant apparatus. The number of stacks is limited only 
by the supply of chips in the reservoirs, which supply can be continuously 
refreshed. 
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the chip receivers 
are independent modules which can be transported, manually or by separate 
apparatus, to a working area for insertion of the chain loop. The 
receivers are shaped to form an even stack with aligned chain holes and to 
keep the stack stable in the desired shape during movement of the stack. 
Still another advantage is that the sequence of chips within the formed 
loop can be varied merely by selecting the order of chip lots as they are 
placed within the reservoirs. 
Other novel features which are characteristic of the invention, as to 
organization and method of operation, together with further objects and 
advantages thereof will be better understood from the following 
description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in 
which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of 
example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are 
for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended 
as a definition of the limits of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown therein a collating apparatus generally 
designated as 2. In this embodiment there are illustrated two injectors 
30,31. In another preferred embodiment wherein a chain loop of chip 
samples of more than twelve chips is desired, additional injectors may be 
added, both in line with injectors 30,31 and directly opposite them. 
The embodiment illustrated will be described with respect to the operation 
of injector 30. The parts of injector 31 and any additional injectors are 
identical in form and function. 
Injector 30 comprises an air cylinder 11 which translates pneumatic piston 
12 as air 17 is introduced or removed from air line 15. Piston 12 is 
connected to plate 14 by fitting 18. Fitting 18 is welded or otherwise 
affixed to plate 14. A threaded end of piston 12 is secured to fitting 18 
by nut 19, but other equivalent methods of securing piston 12 to plate 14 
may easily be devised. 
Plate 14 has projecting fork-like planar tines 16 which are inserted into 
the bottom of dispenser 10. Dispenser 10 consists of a row of at least six 
vertically and horizontally aligned hoppers or chip reservoirs 6. The 
shape of the tines 16 (rectangular) is the same as that of the 
cross-section of the interior of the reservoirs 6, but the size of the 
tines 16 is slightly smaller in order to allow easy ingress and egress of 
the tines to the reservoirs 6. Reservoirs 6 are each filled with chips 4. 
While the chips 4 in any one reservoir 6 are all of one identical color, 
pattern or composition, each separate reservoir 6 holds chips 4 of a 
different color, etc. than the others. 
It is desired to distribute the chips initially stacked by single attribute 
in the reservoirs 6 into stacks 5 of chips which contain one chip from 
each reservoir, i.e. are collated into stacks where no two chips are of 
identical attribute. This is accomplished by tines 16 of plate 14 which 
push chips 4 out of the bottoms of reservoirs 6 one at a time into a line 
of awaiting receivers 8. 
Receivers 8 are orthogonal sextahedrons having an open top for unloading 
collated chips 5 and one open side for receiving uncollated chips 4 from 
the reservoirs 6. Receivers 8 are of a height at least equal to that of 
the maximum stack 5 obtainable from the number of reservoirs 6 in the 
dispenser 10. In FIG. 1 that stack is twelve chips in height, resulting 
from one chip from each of the twelve reservoirs 6. An effective apparatus 
may be built containing 96 reservoirs, and a section of such a machine is 
shown in FIG. 6. 
Injector 30 is mounted on a housing or platform 24 by bracket 13. Platform 
24 has twelve steps 20 descending in a straight line immediately in front 
of the face of dispenser 10. Each step 20 is lower that its predecessor by 
a height at least equal to the thickness of a standard laminate chip 
sample 4. In other words, the risers 21 of steps 20 each equal the height 
of a chip 4. An optional staging area 26 may be located on the platform 24 
adjacent the dispenser 10 and before the first step 20. A similar optional 
holding area 28 for full receivers 8 may be located at the end of the step 
ramp of the platform 24. A conveyor belt containing descending platforms 
of height equal to a chip 4 may be substituted for the fixed "stairway" of 
steps 20 illustrated in FIG. 1. 
FIG. 1 shows the first three steps 20 empty, for purposes of illustrating 
the location and configuration of slots 22 and steps 20. Slots 22 are 
aligned across the face of dispenser 10 and are of a shape and size which 
will allow the passage of only one chip 4 at a time from each reservoir 6 
into an associated receiver, one of which is located opposite each slot 22 
on each step 20 during actual operation. 
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown therein a top view in partial section 
of the collating apparatus 2 of FIG. 1. Piston 12 is retracted into 
cylinder 11 and tines 16 of plate 14 are nearly completely removed from 
the reservoir bays 6. Chip 4 shown in FIG. 2 is the lowermost chip in the 
stack in the reservoir 6. Also shown in FIG. 2 is the round aperture or 
hole 3 which pierces chips 4 and is used to insert a ball link chain (not 
illustrated) in the final stage of assembly of a chip sample loop. 
The position shown in the top view of FIG. 2 is repeated in the side view 
of FIG. 3 and represents the position of the injector 30 preparatory to 
injecting bottom chip 4 through slot 22 onto the top of chip stack 5. An 
increase in pressure of air 17 will cause piston 12 to move from the 
position shown in FIG. 3 to that shown in FIG. 4. The piston 12 then 
extends outwardly from cylinder 11 and moves tine 16 of plate 14 into 
reservoir 6. Tine 16 contacts lowermost chip 4 and ejects it onto the top 
of stack 5 of the receiver 8 which is at that point in time opposite the 
reservoir 6 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The restricted height of slot 22 
ensures that only one chip exits a reservoir per piston stroke. To 
complete the stroke, piston 12 retracts back into its cylinder 11 and is 
ready for the next cycle. Piston 12 can be made to retract either by the 
application of a vacuum or through use of a spring loaded cylinder 11 
which automatically retracts when air pressure is reduced below the point 
required to overcome the spring's resistance. 
The complete cycle of operation of collating apparatus 2 can be explained 
with reference to FIG. 5 in addition to the figures of the drawings 
already mentioned. Prior to automatic operation, the apparatus 2 must be 
primed as follows. An empty receiver 81 is placed on the first step 20 of 
inclined receiver ramp 86 opposite the first reservoir 61 of dispenser 
hopper 10 (note that receiver 81 is not shown empty in FIG. 5 because that 
figure illustrates the status following the first stroke). A single chip 
of the type contained in the first reservoir 61 is placed in a second 
receiver 82 and receiver 82 is placed in position on ramp 86 opposite the 
second reservoir 62. A chip of the type contained in the first reservoir 
61 is placed on the bottom of a third receiver 83 and a chip of the type 
contained in the second reservoir 62 is placed on top of this bottom chip. 
Third receiver 83 is then placed on the step corresponding to third 
reservoir 63. Loading of the remaining receivers proceeds in the same 
manner, i.e. each receiver is given a stack containing chips of types from 
all preceding reservoirs, but is not given a chip from the reservoir 
opposite from which it is to be placed prior to the start of automatic 
operation. In this manner, final receiver 84, number twelve in the 
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, is primed with chips of the types found 
in the eleven preceding reservoirs, is placed opposite the last (twelfth) 
reservoir 64, and is ready to receive a chip from its associated 
reservoir, as are all of the other receivers 81,82,83 . . . 
The apparatus is activated by the first pump of air, causing one chip per 
receiver to be ejected simultaneously into the twelve receivers 
81,82,83...84. FIG. 5 illustrates the status of the receivers immediately 
following this first stroke. At this point, an empty receiver 80 is 
introduced from staging area 26 of platform 24 by pushing it, either 
manually or through automatic operation, against receiver 81. This forces 
receiver 81 to drop down a step 20 on ramp 86 into position opposite 
reservoir 62, receiver 82 to drop opposite reservoir 63 and so on. 
Receiver 84, now full, is forced onto the holding area 28, from where it 
may be removed for assembly elsewhere into a chip sample loop. The stack 5 
of chips thus collated in final receiver 84 is removed, a ball link chain 
inserted in the aligned apertures 3 of the chip stack and the ends of the 
chain linked together in the manner known in the art (not illustrated). 
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of another preferred embodiment 102 of the 
invention in which a battery of sixteen or more injectors 
130,131,132,133,134 . . . may be assembled on platform 124. In this 
embodiment, no staging area is provided. Injector 130 is comprised of 
cylinder 111, piston 112, bracket 113, plate 114, six tines 116 and 
fitting 118. Tines 116 feed into reservoirs 106 of dispenser 110. Steps 
120 are provided for individual receivers (not illustrated). Injectors 
131,132, . . . are similarly configures and operate in the manner 
previously described. An important feature in the operation of collating 
apparatus 102 is that injector 130 is opposite and its center line is 
aligned with the center line of injector 134, both perpendicular to the 
axis of air line 115, and all other injectors 131,132,133 . . . are 
similarly paired. In this manner, each stroke of a piston, e.g. piston 112 
of injector 130, is counterbalanced by a simultaneous opposing stroke of 
the piston of the paired injector, e.g. injector 134. Torque forces, which 
otherwise might stress and eventually fracture tube 115 are thus avoided. 
Once a receiver has passed by all the reservoirs 130,131 . . . of the 
first row, it is carried to the beginning of the second opposite row where 
it is filled by reservoirs 134 . . . to complete the collation. 
While the above provides a full and complete disclosure of the preferred 
embodiments of the invention, various modifications, alternate 
constructions, and equivalents may be employed without departing from the 
true spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the above description 
and illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the 
invention which is defined by the appended claims.