Patent GB-676651-A (GB)
Title: A device for selectively controlling the sorting and delivery of material
IPC: D06F93/00
Filed: 1949-11-10
Abstract: 676,651. Conveyers. MACKEHNIE, J. G. Nov. 10, 1949. No 28862/49. Class 78 (i). ln a device for selectively controlling the sorting and delivery of material, e.g. laundry articles, a series of carriers travel in succession over a row of bins, each carrier having a tray on which an article is placed for delivery to a predetermined bin, and control mechanism is provided for dumping the contents of the tray at the predetermined bin comprising a group of partial electric circuits on each carrier and another group on each bin connected to characteristically positioned contacts on the carrier and bin respectively, the arrival of a carrier at a bin being operable to connect the carrier contacts with the bin contacts, and wherein each carrier circuit includes a separate presettable push button closing switch, the completion of a circuit by connection of said carrier contacts with said bin contacts to effect dumping being conditional upon one of said switches being closed. Carriages 1 are moved step-by-step in a closed path consisting of two parallel roller tracks 53 and two transverse roller tracks 50 at the ends of the tracks 53, by means of reciprocating pushers 16 adjacent the starting positions 2, 3 of the tracks 53, the carriages pushing one another along until on reaching the end positions 2<SP>1</SP>, 3<SP>1</SP>, each is engaged by a continuously driven endless chain 30 provided with pushers which transfers them to the starting position of the adjacent track. Each carriage, Fig. 4, is provided with resiliently mounted fingers 23 and notches 82, 83 and 87. Pushers 16 are reciprocated by a fluid pressure cylinder 108, Fig. 2 controlled by pedal 22, while fluid is synchronously admitted to two diaphram chambers enclosed in casings 160 each of which withdraws a plunger 85 from one of the notches on the adjacent carriage. A timing device in each casing 160 releases plungers 85 during the reciprocating movement to lock these adjacent carriages by engaging the next notches. The carriages which have just left the starting positions are locked by catches 92 after each movement, thus locking all the carriages. Each carriage is provided with a tray 67 pivoted at 64 in an opening in the carriage. Some of the carriage supporting rollers 58, Fig. 3, are double and the outermost rollers, which support the tray and prevent it from tipping, are retractable against spring pressure by a fluid cylinder 185. A cylinder 73 operated synchronously with cylinder 185 operates a plunger 70 to tip the tray, as it is freed from these outer rollers, into the chainline position, Fig. 5. A weight 72 attached to the tray causes the tray to remain tipped until on the next movement of the carriages the tray is returned by contact with the next double roller 58. The cylinders 185 and 73 are each provided along the tracks 53 at intervals of half a carriage length corresponding to the positions of bins 14, Fig. 2, arranged below the carriages to receive the articles tipped from the trays. Each carriage is provided with a row of disc contacts 195 insulatedly spaced on a vertical rod secured to the carriage and adapted to make contact with a corresponding set of spring contacts 196, Fig. 1, at positions corresponding with the line 14. Each carriage also has a box of push buttons 191 and each bin has associated with it a box of push buttons 190. In an arrangement illustrated to serve one hundred bins each box is provided with two rows of ten push buttons each row of buttons being of the type wherein the pressing of a button locks that button down and simultaneously unlocks any button previously locked down. The electrical circuit of one carriage is shown connected to the circuit of one of the bins by means of the contacts 195, 196 in Fig. 9. Current is supplied from a transformer 199. A circuit is completed through an electromagnetic valve 175 admitting fluid to the cylinders 73 and 185 corresponding to a particular bin only when the electromagnets 203 and 206 in the particular bin circuit are both energized. The electromagnet 203 is only energized when the same push button on the top row of buttons on both carriage and bin are pressed down and electromagnet 206 is only energized when the same push button on the bottom row is pressed down. The two rows of buttons thus give a hundred combinations. Each bin is given a combination (00 to 99) before sorting commences. As each tray passes starting position 3 an operator places an article e.g. a laundry article into the tray and presses the combination corresponding to the laundry mark on the carriage push button box. The carriages are then advanced by the operator who depress pedal 22 and performs the same operation on subsequent trays, and as each carriage arrives opposite the bin having the given combination the tray tips the article thereon into the bin. As soon as a tray is fully tipped, Fig. 5, a switch 75 is opened which breaks the circuit controlling cylinders 73 and 185 whereupon during the next advance of the carriage the outer roller of a double roller 76, Fig. 3, engages the tray lifting it to its original untipped position.