Patent GB-1183957-A (GB)
Title: Control System Utilising Magnetically Recorded Signals
Inventor: MONOHAN FRANKLIN LEE
IPC: G05B19/04
Filed: 1967-08-21
Abstract: 1,183,957. Endless conveyers. F. L. MONOHAN. 21 Aug., 1967, No.38355/67. Heading B8A. [Also in Division H1] A control system for a conveyer comprises rotatable means 44 provided with a plurality of endless magnetizable track members 18, rotatably journalled on a base 32 encircled by a support 20, writing means 22 for imposing a coded magnetic signal on the track members 18, read-out switch-means 24 including switchmounting means connected to the support 20 at any desired circumferential position and extending parallel to the axis of the means 44, and a plurality of switches 92 actuatable by the coded track members 18 and carried by the said switch-mounting means with each switch being disposed in proximity to one of said track members 18, and erase means for removing the coded magnetic signal. A plurality of magnetic tapes 18 are carried by a drum 10 which rotates in synchronism with the conveyer. Code signals are recorded at 22 by a series of solenoids 82 (Fig. 10) respective to the tapes 18. At a series of positions 24 corresponding to stages of control of the conveyer read-out devices are positioned, and each provide a series of reed-switches 92 (Fig. 15) respective to each track 18. The switches are either normally-on or normally-off according to a pre-determined code for governing operation at the position considered. Each switch 92 may be associated with a bias magnet 112 in order to prevent sticking of the switch contacts (92a), (92b), (Fig. 6, not shown). The switch assembly at a position 24 may be arranged to control the dumping of loads to a road van on the left by a solenoid 122 (Fig. 18) or to a rail vehicle carriage by a solenoid 124. Reed switches 112a, 114, 116 are programmed to provide an open circuit to earth by a given signal on the tape 18. Load is thereby applied to the switches 118, 120, and whichever of these is closed, determines the load destination. The switches 92 may be connected in parallel and may be disposed radially relative to the respective tracks 18 (Fig. 15) or may be connected in series and disposed in tangential relation to the tracks (Figs. 4 and 5, not shown). An assembly of erase magnets 86 (Figs. 11 and 12, not shown) is positioned at 26. These may be cooled by a blower (92a). The solenoids 82 are carried by a member 84 which is secured to a fixed rim 20 surrounding the drum 10. The assemblies of switches 92 at each position 24 and the assembly of erase magnets 86, are similarly mounted on the rim 20. The drum 10 is driven through gearing 66, 68 (Fig. 3), and a belt drive 78 from a motor 14. The signals fed to the recording solenoids 82 are initiated by an operator at a keyboard (Fig. 19, not shown). After the passage of each load, the keyboard is cleared and reset for keying the destination of the next succeeding package by the action of a programmer(Figs. 20, 21, not shown). This consists of a motor (200) running synchronously with the conveyer, and which thus rotates a magnet (204) through 360 degrees for each movement of the conveyer corresponding to the interval between successive loads. The magnet (204) operates a reed switch (206) once during each revolution so as to reset the keyboard. The invention is also applicable to machine-tool control (see Division H1).