Patent GB-656780-A (GB)
Title: System for selectively collecting and/or distributing articles
IPC: B65G47/10
Filed: 1947-10-14
Abstract: 656,780. Shop and warehouse fittings. COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING PTY., Ltd. Oct. 14, 1947, No. 27544. Convention date, Oct. 16, 1946. [Class 116] A system of selectively collecting and/or distributing articles from storage in which bins 12a &c. are arranged in groups 11a, 11b, 11c with associated conveying means 14, comprises a control station 1, an indicating device 10a, 10b, 10c for each group of bins including indicating means 17, 18, 19 for each bin, switching means including the control station for selectively operating the indicating means, and means operable to indicate when all of the selected articles have been passed onto the conveying means to complete an order. The control station 1 has rows of keys 2, each key 2 representing part of a code allotted to one kind of article in one of the bins, a key 3 which is to be operated whenever an order has been completed, a "busy" lamp 4 to indicate when the system cannot accept any more orders and a key 5 to indicate the quantity required of each kind of article. The control station is connected by cable 6 with a selective switching device 7, e.g. as described in Specification 656,771 and by a cable 27 with a relay group 28 which, when an order is completed, shifts the indications of the next order from one group of indicating means, e.g. 18, to another, e.g. 17 and, when the system is full, operates the busy lamp 4. The selective switching device 7 is connected by cables 8a, 8b, 8c to order routing devices 9a, 9b, 9c which are in turn connected to the indicating devices 10a, 10b. 10c. Considering only the first storage group, the order routing device 9a receives as many leads in the cable 8a as there are kinds of articles and comprises a switching arrangement 25a, which may be a rotary switch with gauged contact arms, one for each lead 8a, and which, with switch 25 in relay group 28 and switches in the storage groups 9b, 9c corresponding to the switch 25a is operated by an electromagnet 64; three relays 60 for each lead 8a with connections to the switch 25a (only one being shown in Fig. 2); a relay group 58 and a switching device 59 for each relay 60; a switching arrangement 26d, an electromagnet 37, a relay 34 and three relays 48. A key 65d, under the control of an assistant who fills the chute 13a from the shelf 11a, is connected to the order routing device 9a by a cable 20a. A switching arrangement 26, with three contacts each connected to one of the 'relays 48, is common to the whole system. The operator at the control station 1 presses the combination of keys 2 to give the code for one kind of article and the selective switching device 7, functioning, e.g. as described in Specification 656,771, selects the appropriate lead 8a. A circuit is then closed for the appropriate relay 60, through contacts 32, 42, 52 in the relay group 28 and thus relay 60 operates its contacts 61, 62, 63 and so: (i) breaks its connection with the switch 25a but locks itself via the switch 65a and the selector switch 26d (ii) lights its lamp 17 by direct current over the switches 59 and 26a (iii) connects its relay group 58 over the switch 25a with the key 5 at the control station. The lamp 17 for the required bin 12a thus lights and is kept lit by the self-locking of the relay 60 and shows the assistant the kind of articles wanted but does not show him how many. The keys 2 are also used to indicate quantity and for this purpose the operator presses the key 5 and so (i) removes earth from the selected wire 8a so that this wire cannot be picked up for further selection (ii) connects the keys 2 so that when one of them is pressed its A.C. source 29 (each being connected with such a source of different frequency or phase), is conected via the switch 25a to the selected relay group 58. The relay group 58 operates in accordance with the special frequency or phase of the source 29 to move the selected selector switch 59 to a contact which causes alternating current to make the selected lamp 17 flicker in a rhythm corresponding to the operated key 2. When the first order has been completed the operator presses the key 3 and the electromagnet 64 is thereby energized and the switches 25, 25a &c. advance one step, so connecting the selective switching device 7 with the sets of relays for the next order. Similarly the switches 25, 25a &c. are advanced when the key 3 is pressed after the second and third orders and then the system is full and cannot deal with any more orders till those already registered have been cleared. The busy lamp 4 therefore lights up, this being brought about by the operation of relays 30, 40 and 50 when the key 3 is pressed the first, second and third time, whereby the contacts 33, 43 and 53 are closed in series: at the same time the contacts 32, 42 and 52 are opened in parallel and so a keying of a new order at the keys 2 would be without effect. When a store assistant has passed all the articles indicated in the first order through the shoot 13a on to the conveyer- 14 he operates the key 65a and so interrupts the holding circuits of the relays 60, corresponding to the lamps 17 indicating the first order, which release and by the change over of their contacts extinguish the lamps 17 and connect each relay 60 with its contact arm of the switch 25a. The busy lamp 4 remains alight and the circuit 8a remains interrupted until the first orders have been fulfilled at the other shelf groups, this condition being maintained by relays 34, 44 and 54 which are not energized until the keys 65a at the respective storage groups are operated. When all the store assistants have operated their keys 65a a circuit is completed' through contacts 55, 45 and 35 to operate the relay 48 and so break the holding circuit of the relay 30. The release of relay 30 extinguishes the busy lamp 4 and reconnects the selector switch 25 to the control station 1. Thus all indicating means corresponding to the articles belonging to one order are held simultaneously operated and means are operable to give a signal when all the articles of one order have been placed on the conveyer. Also, when all the store assistants have operated' their relays 65a the electromagnets 37, 47 and 57 are energised in series and all the electromagnets move the switches 26, 26d, 26e and 26f and the order sequence switches 26a on one step forward and so shift the indications of each order from one group of indicating means to another group whenever all the articles of a preceding order have been placed on the conveyer. The electromagnets 37, 47 and 57 operate break contacts such as 38 and the effect is to restore the whole circuit to its original position with the exception that the switches 26, 26a, 26d, 26e and 26f are now stepped one step forward.