SORTING DEVICE FOR BELT CONVEYORS SYSTEMS

Abstract: Device comprises a flat element (9), mounted on a pivot (12) substantially lying in the plane of symmetry of the conveyor belts, and having a stroke that runs from a first lateral sorting position of the carried objects (8), to a second symmetrical position with respect to the said pivot, and moreover a set of chutes (7) with convergent axis, placed symmetrically and below on both sides with respect to this pivot, to convey the objects being transported to their respective containers (3), situated below said chutes, said stroke being controlled by suitable actuator means.

Description: "SOEiCIliR DEVICE FOR COHrøEOR BELT SYSTEMS" This invention refers to a sorting device for conveyor belt systems of the type comprising a plurality of conveyor belt units that can be angularly oscillated from a basically horizontal position, to a downwards inclined position in the travel direction of the objects being conveyed. Conveyors of the above mentioned type are used widely in several technical fields. For example in the industrial field they are used as distributors in warehouses or as collectors/sorters in assembly lines. Moreover, in post offices they are used to select, forwards envelopes, packages, etc. As it is known, conveyor belts have a fairly simple structure, composed of conveyor belts wound around their respective motorized rollers. By placing several conveyor belts one behind the other, a chain or conveyor belt line is created. Each individual conveyor constitutes what experts in the field refer to as a "sorting unit". So that sorting takes place either on one side or the other of a conveyor belt line, several rollers assembled between one band and the other of a unit with axis that are perpendicuilar to those of the motor rollers that can be either raised or lowered to sort the package in a direction perpendicular to that of the line, have been designed. An example of a conveyor belt capable of this type of sorting has been described and illustred by the same applicant in the Italian patent no. 102586 to which reference is made for further details. Subsequent improvements have permitted to embody conveyor belts capable of transporting and sorting an increasingly larger number of products to be designed. At present the sorting devices designed on the basis of known technology are, generally speaking, efficient and their performance is optimum. However, should there be a desire to increase the number of outputs, while maintaining a simple structural modi ication, problems of cost and size arise. The main object of this invention is to solve the above mentioned problems and to design a sorting device with a simple and fairly inexpensive structure. Another object of this invention is to design a device with several outputs, whose overall size is smaller than that obtainable with any other type of known device with the same number of outputs. A further object of this invention is to design a sorting device that is easy to use when combined with existing conveyor belts. These objects and others, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are basically attained by using a sorting device for conveyor belts characterized by the fact that this device comprises a flat element, mounted on a pivot substantially lying in the plane of εimmetry of the above mentioned conveyor belts, and having a stroke that runs from a first lateral sorting position of the carried objects, to a second si metry position with respect to the above mentioned pivot, and moreover a set of chutes with convergent axis, placed symmetrically and below on both sides with respect to this pivot, to convey the objects being transported to their respective containers, situated below said chutes, said stroke being controlled by suitable actuator means. Further features and advantages will be clearer from a description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of this invention, illustrated by way of an indicative and not limitative example in the enclosed drawings, where : - figure 1 shows a schematic front elevation view of the sorting device in accordance with this invention ; - figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of the sorting device in the different working positions. With reference to the above mentioned figures, and in particular to figure 1, 1 indicates as a whole conveyor belt system. It is composed, in a fashion known per se, of a number of conveyor belts 2 to which several collecting containers 3 have been laterally added. The conveyor belts 2 are supported by a frame 5 (fig.l) and may angularly oscillate from a basically horizontal position to an inclined downwards position in the travel direction of the objects being transported. The containers 3 are provided with an access mouth 6 near to which there are arranged chutes 7a and 7b which are used at the end of the run to facilitate and direct the object 8 to be sorted. Moreover, each chute has a respective side containment board 7c and 7d situated in the conveying direction of objects 8. The actual device consists of a flat element 9 provided with a suitable board 11 running along its own front edge 10, in the travel direction of object 8. The flat element 9 is rigidly mounted on a pivot 12 which is inclined forwards with respect to the travel direction of the line of an anglee<2 equal to angled 1 of the maximum angutlar oscillation direction of conveyor belt 2. A cylinder 13 represents the actuating means that controls transportation of the above mentioned flat element 9 from one position to another. In fact, said cylinder 13 is constrained at the bottom to a portion of framework 5 and, slidingly engaged therein, there is a piston 14 whose rod is hinged to one end of an arm 15, while the other end is rigidly coupled to said pivot 12. As can be seen from the figures, the pivot 12 lies substantially in the plane of simmetry of the belt moduli 2. Having explained the purely structural layout, the functioning of the sorting device will now be described. The objects to be sorted and selected are conveyed by conveyor belts 2, which forms a substantially continuous surface, along -which the carried objects 8 can proceed without interruption. ITUTE SHEET When one of these objects has to be inserted in a specific container 3, a conveyor belt 2 is automatically oscillated in a downwards direction. This lowering action causes the gravity fall of object 8. At this point the piston 14 of cylinder 13, controlled in the right direction, brings about the conveyance of object 8, for example, towards container 3A as shown in the figures. In fact, as object 8 falls it bumps against board 11 and then slides onto the plane of chute 7a directed by the relative board 7c to finally land in container 3A. If on the other hand the piston 14 of cylinder 13 is controlled in the other direction, angular displacement of the flat element 9 occurs in a symmetrical position with respect to the previous one, thanks to an articulated system . composed of the aforementioned arm 15, enabling object 8 to be conveyed towards container 3B. As it can be seen, the forward inclination of the flat element 9, with respect to the travel direction of the line, determines the 90° rotation of objects 8, ensuring that the latter do however always maintain the frontal position of face 8a, in the travel direction, along the entire run right up to container 3ft or 3B. Moreover, as shown in figure 1, object 8 can also be sorted, instead of in a container 3, on one or more belts 2a with a view to further sortings. This invention is therefore capable of attaining the proposed goals. In fact the sorting device herein described is characterized by an extremely simple structure, including reduced dimensions with respect to other known systems with the same number of outputs. This enables a very wide range of sortings to take place. Furthemore, this sorting device is extremely versatile, in that it can easily be applied to other conveyor systems. Thanks to its design, this model can be modified or improved, in line with the inventive concept, and all particulars can be substituted by the equivalent technical elements. In particular the flat element 9 can be made to rock around a center line axis perpendicular to the containment board 11 instead of around the extremity side joined to pivot 12 (fi .2), said board 11 only protruding on the upper face of the flat element.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Sorting device for conveyor belt systems of the type including a plurality of conveyor belt units (2) that are angularly oscillated from a basically horizontal position to a downwards inclined one in the travel direction of the 05 objects (8) being conveyed, characterized by the fact that this device comprises a flat element (9) , mounted on a pivot <12) substantially lying in the plane of sim etry of the above mentioned conveyor belts, and having a stroke running from a first lateral position in which the carried objects 10 are sorted, to a second symmetrical position with respect to the aforementioned pivot, and a couple of chutes (7) with convergent axis, placed symmetrically and below on both sides with respect to the pivot, to convey the objects being transported to their respective containers (3) situated below 15 said chutes, said stroke being controlled by suitable actuating means. 2. Sorting device for conveyor belt systems according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said flat element (9) has its own axis of rotation parallel to that of the 20 direction of maximum angular oscillation of the a orementioned conveyor belt uinits. 3. Sorting device for conveyor belt systems in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that said flat element <9) is equipped with a containment board (11) 25 that extends εymetrically with respect to the flat element itself, along its front edge (10), in the travel direction of the objects lying on the conveyor units. 4. Sorting device for conveyor belt systems in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that said 30 actuating means includes a cylinder (13), constrained at the bottom to the frame (5) of the conveyor system, inside which a piston <14) is slidingly engaged, whose rod is hinged at one extremety of an arm (15), while the other extremity is rigidly connected to the aforementioned pivot on which the 35 flat element is mounted. SUBSTITUTE SHEET 5. Sorting device for conveyor belt systems in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that each of the above mentioned chutes (7) is provided, along its own external lateral edge with respect to the travel direction of the sorted objects, with at least one containment board. 6. Sorting device for conveyor belt systems in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that it comprises other sorting units of the same type, situated laterally with respect to several of the above ment oned conveyor belts.

Inventors: SCATA MARIO, SCATA, MARIO
Applicants: MPA MEC POSTALE & AUTOMAT
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B65G47
IPC codes: B65G47