Patent GB-665833-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for sorting documents or like articles
IPC: B07C3/08
Filed: 1948-04-02
Abstract: 665,833. Sorting letters. CENTRE D'ETUDES M.B.A. (MECANIQUE BALISTIQUE, ARMEMENT). April 2, 1948. [April 3, 1947] No. 9287/48. Class 78 (i). Apparatus for sorting letters comprises a plurality of machines, each machine including a mechanism whereby, after articles have been identified individually and in succession by an operator, each identified article is loaded into an individual, container, the containers are coded in accordance with the identified characteristics of their respective contents, and batches of the loaded and coded containers are charged into frames, at least one final sorting station being provided with mechanism for extracting the containers from the frames, for emptying the containers and, for recharging the empty containers into the frames, and conveyers for transferring the frames from the said machines to the said sorting station and for returning the recharged frames to the said machines. General. Letters are placed individually in separate containers and these are grouped into frames for transportation. The containers are abstracted from the frames according to the code number impressed on each container and, after regrouping, are replaced in the frames and, after a similar sorting process, are discharged from their containers into the appropriate destination box. Fig. 8. Frame construction. The containers are slidden sideways into frame 14 through the side thereof to rest in grooves 15. The containers are retained therein by bar 19 engaging with corresponding slots in the containers in the grooves, and the containers are locked therein or released for withdrawal by means of lever 23, the movement of which is communicated to bar 19 through spring- tensioned rod 20 and ear 21 fixed thereon. The frame runs on rollers 26. Fig. 2. Distributor collector. The frames containing spent containers are fed from the upper tier of the two-tier intermittently-rotating circular conveyor 3 to the four-tier magazine 2 and, after the containers have received each their letters and have been correspondingly coded, the frame (with the containers) passes from the magazine 2 back on to the lower tier of the said conveyer and is thence elevated by elevator 4 to be assorted. Alternatively, the said magazines may be arranged on both sides of endless belt conveyors which convey the frames away to the elevator. Fig. 10. Magazine 2. Comprises four stages 31, 28, 29, and 32 in each of which the frame is accommodated in turn. Into stage 31 the frame containing empty containers is transferred automatically from the said upper tier of the circular conveyer or distributor collector 3 : thence, it is lowered to the next stage 28 where the empty containers are removed from the frame and transferred to the coding machine 1 : thence, the empty frame is lowered to the next stage 29 where it receives the containers now coded and containing each a letter : and finally the recharged frame is stored in the bottom stage 32 until ready to be thrust into the lower tier of the distributor-collector. Figs. 5, 6, 7. Discharge of frame from distributor-collector 3 to stage 31 of magazine 2. As each frame rotates on collector 3 into position in front of an empty stage 31 it raises plate 40 pivoted at 42 and causes the retraction by means of pin 43 (Fig. 7) of element 37a. As a result (see next paragraph) a pair of reciprocating claws 35 are permitted to pass forward to seize the frame by a crossbrace 18 thereof and to drag,it forward into the said stage 31. The' corresponding element 37b is forced to its outer position by contact of a crossbrace 18 with lever 39 as the frame enters the stage 31 so as to prevent the claws swinging to seize an incoming frame. Fig. 12. Reception of frame from distributorcollector 3 into said stage 31. The frame 14 is dragged from the lift into the stage 31 by claws 35 pivoted on nuts 34 reciprocated along screw 33. When either element 37 is in its right-hand backwards position the roller 36 of a claw 35 is free to swing at the left end of its run and so to contact a crossbrace 18 of a frame and to drag the frame into the stage. Abutment of roller 36 with fixed part 38 ensures that the claws 35 are withdrawn from engagement with the frame in the right-hand position. Figs. 11 and 13. Withdrawal of containers from a frame positioned in stage 28, their coding and filling with letters, and their re-entry into the said frame now positioned in stage 29. Frame 14 is lowered from stage 31 to stage 28 (see later). Another frame is positioned already in stage 29. Extraction of uncoded containers from stage 28 and the insertion of coded containers in stage 29 takes place simultaneously, being effected by nut 53 travelling along screw 52 and operating extractors 46 and pushers 48, so that the uncoded containers are received between conveyer belts 60 and 59 and are conveyed to position 58 where they are each loaded with a letter and simultaneously coded, displaced into the chamber 67 and are then pressed forward by feed plate 66 so that they pass to the right between belts 59 and 61, the feed plate simultaneously causing the movement to the left of the containers between the upper belts 60 and 59 until the foremost container between the lower belts contacts the switch 50 which starts up again the said screw 52 and causes reciprocation of the extractor 46 and pusher 48 so as to extract containers from the frame positioned in stage 28 and to insert containers into the frame positioned in stage 29. The frame passes downwards from stage 29 to stage 32 where it is inserted into an empty compartment in the lower tier of the distributor-collector 3 when one becomes vacant, by the same mechanism by which the frame had been transferred from the said collector to the magazine (see above). Figs. 14, 16. Coding and decoding of containers in position 58 (see above). Each container must be decoded (i.e. its code set at "neutral") before it is coded. This is effected by the operator of machine 1 who operates controller 68 (see Specification 657,044) the operation of the controller serving by operation of rods 69 to displace rods 73 which through rack and pinion 75 rotate the coding rods 74 which, when displaced bodily by buffer bar 82, cause the rotation of and the coding of the coding plugs 76 of the container shown at the right. The adjacent container is simultaneously decoded by the simultaneous operation of rod 71 which through rack rod 80 and the gears shown rotate the decoding rods 81 which, when brought into contact with the said previous container, bring the coding plugs 76 of the said previous container back into their neutral positions. Figs. 17, 18, 21. Lowering and positioning of frames in the stages of the magazine 2 for the purposes described above. The drive comes from motor 86 to the worm shafts 92, 93, 94 and 95 which are rotated in alternate directions so as to reciprocate frame-supporting toothed nuts 99. Each nut 99 lowers the frame on its roller 100, which roller is swung out of contact at the end of the movement and the sector 101 is swung beneath into contact to take the weight bv means of horizontal rack bar 96 actuated bv driving shaft 102, the nut 99 with roller 100 then rising up to the position from which it started. In its vertical movements the nut 99 is prevented from rotation by fixed arm 108. To fix the frame exactly in position for extraction or insertion, a plunger 105 is resiliently mounted on the magazine frame and is pressed by abutment 104 on the reciprocating horizontal bar into engagement with a crossbrace IS of the frame when the frame has reached a lowered position. Fig. 23. General plan of sorting. The frame containing the coded containers is elevated from the said lower tier of the distributor collector to position 111 where containers of a certain code are withdrawn (from both sides) to positions 122; to position 112 where further withdrawals are made to positions 124. the empty frames passing through the positions 110, 113, to 114 and 116 or to 115 and 117. 118 and 119, to finally reach one of the positions 121 or 120, the containers passing from positions 122 and 124 respectively to positions 123 and 125, whence they are inserted (now sorted) into the empty frames which await them in positions 120 and 121 respectively. Fig. 24. Longitudinal transfer of frame from position 110 to 113. After the frame is elevated through the positions 111, 112, and 110 by the same mechanism as is used for lowering the frame in the magazine (see above), it is progressed longitudinally to position 113 by endless conveyer 126, the bracket 127 or 128 fixed on the belt being adapted to contact a crossbrace 18 on the frame and to urge it forwards and to leave it in the position 113. Figs. 24, 25, 27. Distribution of frames from position 113 to positions 116 or 117. This is effected by three pairs of nuts 131, 130 and 129, which are each provided with heads or abutment members 137 to register with and transfer a frame and with tails 133 which engage with either of channels 134 or 136, the connection between the head and the tail being rigid for nuts 130 and pivotal for nuts 131 and 129 and the channels being such that when a tail engages with channel 136 the head is lowered so as not to engage and when a tail engages with channel 134 the head is elevated so as to engage. The position of the tail and its transfer from channel to channel is governed by the movement of bars 138, slots in the bars 138 contacting the said tail, which bars are formed in pairs at the right and left side respectively and as two singles in the centre of the figure, and the movement of said bars being respectively governed in turn by levers 140 (through rack-and-pinions 140a, 140b), the levers 140 being respectively displaced by a frame when the latter moves into the corresponding frame position. The screws 132 and therefore the nuts-and-heads are driven by the reciprocation of rack 139, so that a frame