Patent GB-413351-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in apparatus for conveying and distributing articles
IPC: B07C3/08
Filed: 1933-01-14
Abstract: 413,351. Endless belt and chain conveyers. POLLAK, J. E., 20, Holborn, London.-(Naamlooze Vennootschap Technische Maatschappij Marchand -Andriessen ; 2, Vondelstraat, The Hague.) Jan. 14, 1933, No. 1324. [Class 78 (i).] Relates to apparatus for distributing automatically articles such as letters to desired places of delivery by means of pivoted boxes mounted on an endless series of wheeled carriages. Directing mechanism such as keyboards, at the feeding point of the boxes, set elements on the carriages, which in turn cooperate with elements arranged along the path of the carriages, and cause the discharge of a box at the desired point. The mechanism for feeding the letters to the boxes is actuated by the cylinder 5, Fig. 1, which is rotated as the carriages advance by the engagement of a roller 3 on one axle of each carriage with a spiral groove 4. The shaft 6 of the cylinder is geared to a shaft 11 so that these shafts turn at the same rate. The shaft 11 is geared to a shaft carrying feeding rollers 12, and is provided with cams 16 which through rollers 17 on arms 18 and rods 15 effect the rocking of arms 14 carrying rollers 13. As the rollers 13 move towards the rollers 12, they press a letter against a series of fingers 33, Fig. 3, pivoted on a shaft 32, and the fingers enter grooves in the rollers 12, thereby allowing the letter to come into contact with the roller to be fed at high speed. This movement of the fingers causes a slight rotation of the shaft 32, and the consequent upward movement of the point of connection 25 of the links 26, 27 effects the actuation of the counting mechanism 23 by the link 24. The slot 12a through which the letters pass is closed periodically by a valve 12b suspended by pivoted arms 12e which are connected by links 12c to arms 12c on a shaft 30, and is opened by spring action when the roller 36 falls into a dwell on the cam 34 on the shaft 11. As the cam rotates, the roller 36 returns to the position shown in full lines, and the pin 37 pushes back the links 26, 27 to their original position. The discharge of a box at a particular point is effected by setting pins 106 on it in a particular arrangement at the feeding station by means of the key-actuated mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 7. Each key 39 acts on a system of levers 40, 41, 42 which after depression of the lever 40 are returned to the position shown by the upward movement of a roller 46 caused by the action of a cam 54 on the pivoted member 51. The keys 39 are locked by withdrawing a key 55, and so permitting the levers 56, 57 to swing under spring action to brink the hooked end of the lever 57 into engagement with the roller 46 in its raised position. The insertion of a key 55 may actuate printing mechanism of a known type which prints on the letter at that instant on the valve 12b, an indication of the identity of the operator. The levers 40 co-operate with combination levers 45, Fig. 7, having raised parts 45a mounted on a common pivot 93. The end of each lever is connected to a lever 94 carrying a roller 96 which bears against a tumbler cam 97 freely mounted on a shaft 98. The cams rest on a rod 99 suspended by members 100 from a shaft 101 which is rocked by a cam on the shaft 11. When the members 100 move to the left, the cams remain in the position shown with the exception of those which have been freed by the raising of the rollers 96. The freed cams turn on the shaft 98 until rollers 103 on arms 104 enter dwells 102. In this position the cams are engaged by the pins 106 on the boxes and further rotated. During this rotation the pins are pushed down, and the box moves away with the pins set in position according to the combination corresponding to the number touched on the keys. The cams return to their initial position by the action of springs 105 and the rod 99. The articles are fed to the feeding shoot by an endless belt 61 and a supporting plate 65<a> which is hooked on to endless chains 65. One of the chains 65 passes round a sprocket 66 on a shaft 68 which carries also a friction wheel 69 driven by a pawl 71 eccentrically pivoted in an arm 74 on the shaft. This arm is rocked by the movement of a cam 76 on the shaft 11 driven by the cylinder 5. A roller 77 bearing against the cam is mounted in an arm 79 on a shaft 78 to which a toothed segment 81 is fixed. This segment co-operates with a finger 82 pivoted on the pin of the pawl 71. The finger 82 is connected by a link 86 to two-armed levers 85, 88 which can swing on the shaft 63 and carry rollers 90 bearing against the first article. The advance of the pile of articles can be regulated so that the first article is always at the entrance to the shoot. The letter box on each carriage can swing around an axis 107, Fig. 8, and has a longitudinally slidable bar 108 carrying at its lower end a toothed block 109 which engages with a toothed segment 110 on the frame of the carriage by spring action when a pin 111, Fig. 11, is withdrawn from a socket in the bar by the action of a lever 113. This lever is actuated when another lever 115 on the same shaft 114 is engaged by a roller 130. The setting given to the pins 106 determines whether they will hit or miss feelers 125 at any particular station. The feelers 125 are mounted on a shaft 121 carrying a cam 122 having dwells 123, 124. A roller 126 on an arm 128 is pulled against the cam by a spring 129, and at its lower end carries the roller 130. If some of the pins 106 are raised, the shaft 121 will be turned, the roller 126 will enter a dwell 123, and the roller 130 will not engage the lever 115. Consequently the box will swing to neutral position. When each pin 106 corresponding to the feelers 125 is depressed, the feelers 125 are not engaged, and the roller 130 strikes the lever 115. The box is now locked in a particular inclined position, and its outlet will pass over the desired row of delivery slots while the contents are discharged by spring action. A roller 134, Fig. 8, on the bar 108 engages a groove of such form that the bar is pushed back as the carriage advances. A roller 120 on the lower end of the box is maintained in contact with the periphery of a guide plate 119 which in plan is like the blade of a spear. The performance of each attendant of a directing mechanism is registered by means of a time stamp, a counter and a printing electromagnet, the time stamp being synchronized with a master clock, the counter with the mechanical counter on the directing mechanism, and the printing magnet actuated by displacing the handle that switches on and off the directing mechanism. Means are provided for registering the number of articles conveyed to any particular place of delivery.