Patent GB-656827-A (GB)
Title: Stock distributing systems
IPC: H05H11/00
Filed: 1946-01-24
Abstract: 656,827. Dispensing articles stored on conveyers. SKILLMAN, T. S. Jan. 24, 1946, No. 19244/49. Convention date, Feb. 24, 1945. Divided out of 656,771. [Class 116] A system for dispensing articles of different kinds comprises an electrically controlled article-issuing device for each kind of article including a horizontal endless conveyer storing the articles and operable to carry these articles to a point where the foremost article parts from the remaining articles by the action of gravity, a selector device operable in accordance with the code allotted to any article, and a selective switching arrangement controlling the circuits of the respective article-issuing devices and operated from said selector device to perform the release of a wanted article. The selector device 1 comprises a number of rows of keys and each row is associated with a group of article-issuing devices. One such group, associated with the row of keys 2, 3-4, is shown in Fig. 1, and comprises stock bins represented by squares 8, 9-12 &c. in each of which is articles of one kind are stored (shown as 23 in Fig. 3, which is a view at right-angles to Fig. 1) and each of which has a release mechanism, as shown diagramatically at 7 in the bin 8. Travelling bins 13, 14 &c. pass across and below the openings of each horizontal row of bins and convey the released articles to shoots 15 from which they fall on to another travelling belt 16 which carries them to waiting receptacles. The code consists of a preliminary digit or letter, telling the operator which row of keys to select, followed by two further digits representing the particular bin in the group chosen by the preliminary digit. When the key in a selected row corresponding to the first of the two further digits is depressed it operates one of a group of relays in the selective switching arrangement which closes contacts in the circuits of a group of release relays without completing their circuits and changes over contacts in the key circuits to connect the keys to the release relays of the selected group instead of to the first group of relays in the selective switching arrangement. For one hundred bins there are ten groups of ten release relays, each group being controlled by one of ten selective switching relays of the first group. When the key in the selected row corresponding to the second of the two further digits is depressed it completes the circuit of one of the release relays whose circuits have been partly closed by the first key, and the relay operates with the result that the conveyer belt in the selected bin is put in motion. In Fig. 3, the release relay is shown as an electromagnet 26 which, when energized, causes a flexible steel wheel 28 to mesh with a driving wheel 29. A relay in the selective switching arrangement which operates when the first digit key is depressed also closes the circuit of a "busy" lamp 18 which lights up and' indicates that the selective switching arrangement cannot accept any more codes. When an article, e.g. 21 in Fig. 3, falls away from the remaining articles on to the travelling belt 13 it knocks a lever 24 and this opens contacts 25 in the circuit holding the release relay in which circuit a second relay causes the operation of a third relay which disconnects the busy lamp and releases the relay in the selective switching arrangement which was operated when the key corresponding to the first digit was depressed. Contacts 62 on the trip lever 24 are used if required to operate a register 63 to indicate the number of articles issued from the bin. A trailer mechanism 60 closes a contact, when the bin is empty, which, through the circuit of the release relay of the bin, lights a lamp 19 to show there is no stock. When this lamp lights the operator presses a key 20 which opens the circuit holding the group of selective switching relays and so cancels the operation. A second row of keys may be provided to indicate quantities operating in conjunction with a counting relay train. A printer can be electrically connected over contacts 39 and 40 to produce a ticket recording stock number and cost. The system may be used in conjunction with a register so that the operator can key in the whole series of codes without waiting for an article to be released every time. Receptacles can be brought to the stock bins and the articles transferred to them and the receptacles moved on by mechanism of the nature described. The conveyers such as 23 may be dispensed with and the articles stacked in vertical bins and removed with the aid of gravity. Specifications 656,828 and 656,829 are referred to.