Patent GB-1137747-A (GB)
Title: Counter-stacker-systems
IPC: B65H43/00
Filed: 1966-11-03
Abstract: 1,137,747. Delivering sheets. BROOKHIRST IGRANIC Ltd. 3 Nov., 1966 [19 Nov., 1965], No. 49349/66. Heading B6H. [Also in Division G3] A system for stacking units of flexible material flowing in a stream comprises a means for stacking predetermined numbers of units to form a batch and accumulating batches to form a stack, and a means for controlling the stacking means to deliver successive stacks having desired numbers of units according to a programme, the control means comprising means for registering information, from a code bearing media for each stack, indicative of the number of units in each batch and the number of batches in a stack. As shown, Fig. 3, a programming console 12 is provided with wheels 17 so that it can be moved to and connected with a known newspaper counter stacker 2, Fig. 1, and is controlled from a panel 18. Above a shelf 20 is a hopper with a glass window for punched cards which are sequentially fed to a card reader 24 which is driven through timing belts 30, 34 by a motor DM. A card transport 36 extends from a card exit at the back of the reader to a hinged transport 14. Four stripes of glue are applied to a card from a manifold 42 fed from a tank 38 through a pump 43 and feed regulator 44. A panel 46 contains the electrical control elements including push buttons to stop and start card feed, to switch from manual control, for uniform stacks, to programmed stacking and for running all the cards out of the hopper without reading or gluing. A card 16, Fig. 1, is presented on the transport 14, and dropped on to a table 8, having a pile of top wrap 10 thereon, in synchronism with the movement of stacks 4 along a conveyer 6 from the newspaper stacker 2. The stacks are built up in the stacker with batches which are alternately rotated so that the folded edges of the papers are on opposite sides. The top wrap, bearing the punched card, is placed by an attendant over the passing stack which continues along the conveyer to a wire tier where a bottom wrap is automatically placed below the stack and a wire then wrapped around the stack to form a secure bundle. Each card is programmed with the number of newspapers in a batch, the number of batches in a stack and, when required, a N-1 code whereby each alternate batch contains one newspaper less than the batch number. The programming system, Figs. 7-11, not shown, comprises a card reader wherein relays are actuated by fingers contacting a roller through holes in the punched card. The rows in the card are read sequentially with the rotation of a cam switch. The contacts of the energized relay set up the complement to ten of the tens count in a first binary bit relay register, the complement to 9 of the units count in a second register and the complement to 8 of the batches per stack in a third register in sequence with the rotation of the cam switch. The register relays have holding coils whereby the count is maintained. Simultaneously with registration, the sequentially read counts are transferred to the binary counters of a stacker counting control. The newspapers flowing in an overlapped stream into the stacker actuate a switch which momentarily energizes a count relay to increase the complement number when the count in the binary counter reaches a preset value a count out signal is generated, through a programmer, which clears the binary counter and inserts the complement number, and initiates batching in synchronism with the conveyer and the stepping of the batch counter. The N-1 code modifies the action of the programmer through a flip-flop so that the number in a batch is reduced for alternate batches.