Patent GB-632396-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for measuring and sorting work-pieces
IPC: B07C5/08
Filed: 1947-06-20
Abstract: 632,396. Sorting by gauging. SIGMA INSTRUMENT CO., Ltd., and BOOSEY, F. R. June 20, 1947, No. 16382. [Class 106 ii)]) An apparatus for measuring and sorting work-pieces includes a gauging-member which, on progressive displacement, successively operates a series of switches, each connected to a gas-filled thermionic valve so that the valve fires when the switch is operated, relays associated with the valves being so connected that the last valve to fire prepares for operation of a selector member which is operated, when gauging has taken place, to determine which of several positions will be taken up by a sorting mechanism capable of assuming a number of different positions to direct work-pieces into several different groups. The gauge, Fig. 4, comprises a fixed anvil 103 and a gauging anvil 104 carried by a tubular spindle 105 which is supported by leaf-springs 106, 107 and which carries, say, three knife-edges 109, each of which can engage a block 114c resiliently mounted on an adjustable lever 114. The spindle 105 is connected to the cathodes of four gas-filled thermionic valves 1-4, Fig. 1, the knife-edges and associated blocks respectively forming switches 16-18 which connect the control grids of the valves 2-4, which are normally negatively biassed, to a positive potential sufficient to raise the grid-potentials to the firing points. The fixed anvil 103 forms part of a switch 15 connected to the grid of the first valve so that when a metallic work-piece is in position, this valve fires and operates a relay 24. This relay prepares circuits through relays 30 and 31 which respectively operate counters (not shown) for the total number of work-pieces submitted and for the number of undersize - work-pieces respectively. However, if the switch 16 is then closed, the valve 2 fires and actuates a relay 25-which breaks the circuit for the " under size relay 31 and prepares a circuit for a " first grade relay 100. Similarly, firing of the valve 3 operates through a relay 26 to open the circuit of the " first grade" relay 100 and prepare a circuit through a " second grade relay 101 while a relay 27, actuated when the valve 4 fires, prepares a circuit for a " over size " relay 102 and opens that for the relay 101. The closing of a switch 34 then causes the operation of the appropriate relay 31 or 100-102 and the " parts submitted " relay 30. On the closing of a switch 54, a starting winding of the appropriate one of four relays 41-44, corresponding to the four classifications, is energized through contacts closed by the associated one of the relays 24- 27, and closes contacts which complete a holding circuit through a switch 48 which is momentarily opened at this point to break the circuit of the previously-energized relay. Operation of any of the sorting relays 42-44 breaks the circuit of the " under-size " sorting relay 41. The switches 34 and 54 are then opened and a switch 29 is momentarily opened to break the anode circuits of the valves 1-4. The relays 41-44 each comprise an electromagnet 144, Fig. 3, which acts through an armature and links to rock a latch 137 so as to engage a tail 134 carried by a tube 132 which an electric motor 131 continuously tends to rotate. The work-pieces, which may be fed through the gauging position on the periphery of a rotating wheel, are dropped into the tube 132 and so pass through a radial discharge shoot 133 into an appropriate bin. The motor 131 is controlled by a relay 200 so as to be energized only while one of the sorting relays 41-44 is operative. The latter may also control indicating lamps. According to the Provisional Specification, operation of the gauge opens one or more pairs of normally-closed knife-edged contacts and so interrupts the application of a negative bias to one or more of the grids of the valves. Moreover, the primary relays 24-27 directly operate the sorting mechanism which comprises deflectable shutters.