Patent GB-981772-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for aligning and spacing articles of a conveyor
IPC: B65G47/22
Filed: 1963-10-22
Abstract: 981,772. Endless conveyers. BROOKHIRST IGRANIC Ltd. Oct. 22, 1963 [Nov. 9, 1962], No. 41637/63. Heading B8A. Stacks SA (Fig. 2) of newspapers in being delivered from a stacking device 16 (Fig. 1) to a tying device 30 by a roller slat endless conveyer 18 are aligned and spaced relative to the preceding stack by the action of transverse clamping members 40, 64. A light 114 operates in conjunction with a light sensitive relay 106 (Fig. 10) on the other side of the conveyer. Closure of the relay 106 by obstruction of the light beam by a stack SA causes reversal of a valve 1AV (Fig. 10). This causes the supply of pressure air from an air line via a reducing valve 140 and a valve 2AV2 to be reversed to opposite ends of jacks 60, 70 (Figs. 2 and 10) coupled to the clamping members 40, 64, and reversal of pressure between the ends of a cylinder 132. The latter normally holds a brake shoe 119 (Fig. 6) in engagement with rollers 18a of the conveyer 18 so that prior to reversal of valve 1AV, the speed of conveyance by the rollers 18a is twice the forward speed of the conveyer. The reversal of pressure in the jacks 68, 70 causes inward movement of the latter to engage and thereby align the stack. When a predetermined degree of pressure is attained between the members 40, 64 and the stack a switch LS4 is engaged by a stop 78a (Fig. 2) slidably mounted against a coil spring 80 on one guide 44 of two telescopic guide members 42, 44, of the member 40. Switch LS4 energizes the solenoid of valve 2AV (Fig. 10) thus causing the air supply to be caused to pass through a reducing valve 142 of lower pressure than that of the valve 140. The pressure is just sufficient to cause the jacks 60, 70, to extend the members 40, 64 into positions 40X, 64X (shown dotted in Fig. 2). Stops 78 in this position are engaged against fixed parts of the apparatus with a predetermined resistance being developed in associated springs 80. When the stack SA reaches a switch LS1 pivotally mounted on the downstream end of the member 64, the solenoid 2AV1 of valve 2AV is deenergized and the pressure of the valve 140 is resinstated. This causes the members 40, 64 to proceed to positions 40Y, 64Y in which the stack is held stationary against the action of the conveyer 18. A further switch LS5 closes after a predetermined travel of the members 40, 64 so that a relay 2R is energized. This opens contacts 2R2 so as to de-energize the solenoid 1AV1 of the valve 1AV thereby returning the members 40, 64 to their open (full-line in Fig. 2) positions. The brake shoe 119 is also re-applied to the rollers 18A to accelerate the stack SA on the conveyer 18. If however a preceding stack is still in engagement with a switch LS2 (Figs. 1 and 10), the relay 2R cannot be energized immediately on the closure of the switch LS5. Also a manual switch 150 may be provided to further delay the energization of the relay 2R when the tying device 30 is required to make a double tie. The stack has in addition to be clear of a switch LS3 (brought into the circuit by the switch 150, and controlling a relay 3R in the circuit of the relay 2R). The members 40, 64 may be held in permanent clamping position by manual closure of a hold switch 148. Specification 970,972 is referred to.