Patent GB-974628-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the handling of metal billets and the like
Inventor: HARRIS AUSTIN TAYNE
IPC: B65G47/50
Filed: 1962-01-17
Abstract: Billets of various lengths leaving a four-face grinder or straightening machine are propelled along a conveyer which detects the passage of the front and rear ends of each billet as they cross a datum point and, by means of a control device with a first member moving with a speed proportionate to the speed of the billets and a second member which sets off at half the speed of the first member for as long as a billet takes to cross the datum point and then latches on to the first member to double its speed, the centre of each billet is estimated so that the billets may be ejected sideways from the conveyer when their centres reach a discharge point.  When so discharged from a conveyer the billets accumulate as a balanced load suitable for handling by a fork-lift truck.  Billets may be discharged either to left or right of the conveyer under command of an inspector or inspectors who pass the billets as satisfactory or defective.  The conveyer may have three discharge points along the length of the unloading tables, the forward and rear discharge points being selectively employed to accumulate separate loads of short billet lengths while the centre discharge point is selectively employed to accumulate a single load of long billet lengths.  The control device comprises a wheel with a rubber lined peripheral groove and geared to the same drive as the conveyer rollers so as to rotate at a speed related to the billet speed.  A ball carrier rotatable about the same axis as the wheel but at half the velocity of the wheel is set into motion as soon as the front end of a billet reaches a switch.  When the rear end of the billet releases the switch the ball carrier injects its ball into the rubber lined groove of the wheel where the ball is firmly held and proceeds at twice its former speed.  Switches positioned with operating arms projected into the groove of the wheel and corresponding in their radial disposition, relative to the starting position of the ball carrier, with the linear disposition of the discharge points on the conveyer relative to the position of the billet sensing switch, are operated by the passage of the ball.  The ball, once released by the carrier, simulates the position and speed of the centre point of the billet. According to which discharge point has been preselected for use, only the corresponding switch operated by the ball effects discharge. Once its ball has been injected the ball carrier returns back to its starting position and collects another ball from a magazine.  Balls carried past the discharge switches are scooped out of the rubber lined groove and returned to the magazine.  The control device described may be augmented by a second and identical device rotating about the same axis to enable inspectors to selectively discharge the billets to left or right. An inspector wishing to reject a billet by right hand discharge pushes a control button before the end of the billet releases the conveyer sensing switch (i.e. before the first control member has a ball injected into its groove) and causes a ball to be injected into the augmenting control member's grooved wheel. Thus before the first control member demands normal discharge to the left the augmenting control member reverses the order and causes the first control member to effect discharge to the right.  A third and identical control device may be provided where two sets of inspectors are employed at different positions along the conveyer.