Patent GB-1078898-A (GB)
Title: Article storage equipment
IPC: G06K17/00
Filed: 1964-11-26
Abstract: 1,078,898. Storage systems; endless conveyers. SPERRY RAND CORPORATION. Nov. 26, 1964 [Dec. 2, 1963], No. 48160/64. Headings B8A and B8E. [Also in Division B6] Article storage equipment comprises an endless conveyer 28, Fig. 2, suspended from which are a plurality of carriers 21, each carrier having a plurality of article carrying containers, e.g. card trays 22, disposed therealong in predetermined positions, a control mechanism for operating the conveyer to position any selected one of the carriers at an opening 24 adjacent a worktable 25, an extractor bar assembly 65 having a selectively actuable electromagnet 113 for each container on the carrier, and control mechanism for moving the bar assembly to bring a selected magnet into coupling relationship with a magnetic portion of the corresponding container, to withdraw the coupled container on to the table 25 and to restore the container to its position on the carrier. The conveyer 28 is driven by a motor 30 which is controlled through circuit means 31 and a commutator 32 governed by a keyboard 33 having carrier selector push buttons 34. Each end of the bar assembly 65 is connected to a roller chain 70, Fig. 6 (not shown), extending about a track plate 71, Fig. 7 (not shown), and beneath a track bar 74, the chains 70 being driven by a reversible D.C. motor 85, Fig. 3 (not shown). To control the motor 85 three switches A, B, C are provided which are engaged by a cam 103 attached to one of the chains 70. The bar assembly 65 comprises upper and lower magnetizable bars 106, 107, Fig. 4 (not shown), between which are disposed coil and core assemblies 110 in alignment with the trays 22, each magnet 113 being formed by an assembly 110 and adjacent portions of the bars 106, 107; the magnets are supplied with current from a multi-strip commutator track 117. A keyboard 120 is provided having push buttons 121 for selecting the tray 22 to be withdrawn and in addition an all push button (not shown), an on-off switch (not shown) and IN and OUT push buttons are provided. The operation of the bar assembly 65 as a unit independent of the operation of the conveyer 28 is controlled by a circuit, Fig 11 (not shown) in which the assembly is shown at a start position with the switch A actuated. To bring out a selected tray the operator closes the on switch to operate contact KS, then the OUT button to close contact OT and while this is closed the push button 121 for the selected tray to energize the corresponding magnet coil mc. If the all push button is pressed instead of the button 121 all the coils mc are energized. The bar assembly 65 then moves in to engage the tray and operate the switch B which reverses the motor 85, the assembly thereafter moving outwards until the switch C is operated to stop the motor and deenergize the coil mc. Dimples 125, Fig. 5 (not shown), on the tray bottom engage in a channel 23A on the carrier 21 to prevent full disengagement of the tray from the carrier. The operator presses the IN button when he wishes to return the tray to the carrier, the tray being pushed in by the bar assembly which then returns to its start position. To retain the trays 22 on the carriers 21 while the latter are moving a bar 130, Figs. 3 and 13 (not shown), extends across each carrier, the bar 130 being spring-urged to the retaining position and being movable by a plunger mechanism 134 to the release position when a selected carrier stops at the opening 24. The mechanism 134 includes a motor 135 (PMA) crank-connected to a vertically movable plunger 137 which is connected to a horizontally movable plate 140 engageable with the bar 130. The plunger 137 has cams 144 and 145 for operating a control switch 143 and a cam 147 for operating a control switch 146. The bar 130 is engageable with a spring-loaded plate 141 which operates control switches 142 and IS. The combined operation of the bar assembly 65, the conveyer 28 and the plunger mechanism 134 is controlled by a circuit, Figs. 12 and 13 (not shown), in which the bar assembly 65 is shown at a start position with the switch A actuated and the conveyer 28 and mechanism 134 are shown stationary with a carrier at the opening 24 and the bar 130 of the carrier in its release position. To bring out a selected tray the operator closes the on switch to operate contact KS, then presses the selected carrier push button 34 and the selected tray push button 121. The commutator 32 ensures that the conveyer 28 is driven in the correct direction to bring the selected carrier to the opening 24 by the shortest route, the plunger 137 being first driven upwards to the retaining position and then, when the selected carrier is in position at the opening 24, downwards to the release position. The bar assembly 65 thereafter moves in to engage the tray and then out until switch C is operated as above described. If the operator wishes then to select a second tray on another carrier he presses the corresponding push buttons 34 and 121 and the equipment operates automatically to return the tray first selected and to bring out the second tray. If the operator then presses the IN button the second tray will be returned to its carrier as above described. The operation of the bar assembly 65 may be combined with that of the conveyer 28 when the carriers 21 are not provided with tray retaining bars 130 by a circuit Fig. 15 (not shown), in which the bar assembly 65 is shown at a start position with the switch A actuated and the conveyer is shown stationary. A rotatable commutator 32A, Fig. 14 (not shown) is provided for controlling the conveyer to position a selected carrier 21 at the opening 24. Each carrier selector push button 34 has a brush connection 1<SP>1</SP> . . . 61 on the periphery of the commutator 32A; when conveyer 28 is operated the commutator rotates until the brush of the selected button 34 engages an insulated segment 152 of the commutator to stop the conveyer. The controls of the bar assembly 65 are interlocked with those of the conveyer 28 by a switch IST which cooperates with a notched disc 153 which rotates with the commutator 32A. Operation of the equipment is similar to that described above. One or more card trays 22 may be brought out at the same time.