Patent GB-387853-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in paper sorting machines
IPC: B07C5/36
Filed: 1932-03-10
Abstract: 387,853. Sorting paper sheets. ARMSTRONG, J. J. V., 12, Church Street, Liverpool.-( Maschinenfabrik Zum Bruderhaus; Reutlingen, Wurtemburg, Germany.) March 10, 1932, No. 7167. [Class 117.] In apparatus for separating faulty from immaculate sheets of paper, the sheets are fed singly to a conveyer band 22, Fig. 3, which carries them over an inspection area and then transfers them to a device consisting of a roller 30 and an endless belt 38 which delivers them, under control of the operator, alternatively to delivery conveyers 51 or 36. The control means, in the apparatus shown, consists of two air nozzles 45, 46 communicating by pipes 34, 35 and a valve 33 with a pressure conduit 32a. Normally the valve is set to admit air pressure to the nozzle 45 and cut it off from 46 so that the sheet passes directly to the delivery belt 51. The valve is connected by the segmental gear 74 and lever 72 to the armature of the solenoid 70 which is energized when it is desired to direct a sheet to the alternative delivery point. One or other of the nozzles may be replaced by a mechanical guide which is actuated in unison with the air-pressure controlling valve. The energization of the valve is controlled by a switch 21 in the circuit I of a solenoid 75 which normally maintains open the switch 76 in the circuit IV of the main solenoid 70. To ensure that this action takes place only at the proper time, the solenoid 75 is included in a second circuit II having a switch consisting of the sliding contact 77 and roller 78. This switch is opened by the entrance between the contact and roller of a sheet delivered from the conveyer 22. To prevent premature closing of the hand switch 21 from energizing the solenoid 75 and breaking the circuit of the solenoid 70, a switch 82 in circuit I is opened automatically by movement of the armature 71. The main solenoid 70 is also energized by the main circuit V which includes a switch 80 normally kept open by a solenoid 81 in the circuit of which is a switch consisting of the sliding contact 79 and the roller 30. The function of this device is to maintain the valve in its required position until the tail of the deflected sheet has passed the contact 79. The roller 30 is in the form of a number of discs spaced axially, the nozzle 45 consisting of a number of pipes disposed in the spaces. Alternatively the roller may be in the form of a hollow perforated drum connected internally to a source of suction. Fig. 1 shows the arrangement of the apparatus in elevation. The sheets are fed from the pile 10 by a pneumatic pick-up arm 9 driven from the motor 90 at variable speeds so as to regulate the spacing of the sheets irrespective of the speed of the conveyer 22. The sheets are held flat on the conveyer by endless cords 25, and a lamp 24 illuminates the underside of the conveyer which is of transparent material. The inspection area is defined by an opening in a blind which is wound on spring rollers 18, 18a. The position of the opening is adjusted by a pinion shaft 19 attached to the blind engaging a rack on the frame of the apparatus.