Patent GB-1174303-A (GB)
Title: Deflector Device for use in a Sorting Machine.
Inventor: FRAENKEL HERBERT
IPC: B07C5/36
Filed: 1967-02-01
Abstract: 1,174,303. Separating solids. GUNSON'S SORTEX Ltd. 1 Feb., 1968 [1 Feb., 1967; 15 Jan., 1968], Nos. 4970/67 and 2168/68. Heading B2H. [Also in Division G1] In a sorting machine, Fig. 1, a stream of objects 12 is supplied by means such as 11 to a deflection area 14 where they are separated into streams containing differently graded objects by a deflector device 20 having deflector members 21 which are continuously movable cyclically into and out of the area 14, means responsive to signals indicative of the grade of the objects as they pass through an examination area 13 upstream of the deflection area 14 controlling the setting of each deflector member so that, when the latter is in the deflection area, it does, or does not deflect a particular object, most, or preferably the whole, of the time taken to alter the setting of each deflector member occurring while the member is out of the deflection area. As shown, the objects 12 fall successively by gravity from an endless belt 11. Alternatively, they may be fed in a stream of liquid. They may alternatively travel upwardly or in any other direction between the areas 13 and 14 or they may be carried on a support while passing through the area 14. In the examination area 13, light from a visible source 15 is reflected from an object 12 and is directed by a lens 16 onto a photoelectric cell 17 from which a signal representative of the reflectance characteristics of the object 12, passes through an amplifier 18 and is transmitted to a discriminator 19 where it is compared with a datum. If the signal received indicates that the particular object in the examination area 13 is unacceptable, a signal is sent by the discriminator 19 to the deflector device 20 to cause a deflector member 21 to move to a setting in which the respective object 12, instead of being allowed to pass into an "accept" chute 22, hits the member 21 and is deflected thereby into a "reject" chute 23. The visible light source 15 may be replaced by a source of X-rays or ultra-violet light or the conductivity of the objects may be examined. The objects may be pre-graded according to size so that the signals produced by the cell 17 are not affected by the size of the objects, or, alternatively, the discriminator 19 may, in addition to reflectance signals, receive signals indicative of the size of the objects. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the deflector device 20 is protected by a shroud 19 and comprises a rotary plate 24 mounted on a spindle 25 and carrying pivotable deflector members 21, each comprising a rubber casing containing longitudinally extending springs. The device is continuously rotated by an electric motor 27 in order to move the members 21 into and out of the deflection area 14. Each member 21 is actuated between its deflecting and non-deflecting positions by a ram 30 supplied with compressed air from a chamber 34 through a line 31 and a solenoid operated control valve 32. A drum 37 is mounted on the spindle 25 and has a number of capacitive plates 38, one for each of the deflector members 21. The plates are stepped so that at any moment either a single plate, or two adjacent plates, are disposed adjacent a fixed capacitive input bar 39 connected to the discriminator 19. Each of the plates 38 is connected to a univibrator 41 which is itself connected to one of the solenoid valves 32 so that when a univibrator receives a signal from the discriminator 19 it causes the respective valve 33 to be maintained in its operative position for a length of time equal to the time interval between successive deflector members 21 entering the deflection area 14. Alternatively, commutation provided by the bar 39 and plates 38 may be effected by slip rings and brushes by an electromagnetic system or by a system of radiation emitters and sensors. Instead of pivotable deflector members 21, nozzle members (50), Fig. 8 (not shown), may be carried by the plate 24, each supplied with compressed air through one of the lines 31. Each member has a solenoid-actuated valve (51) which is controlled by one of the univibrators 41 and which, when it receives a signal therefrom, sets the nozzle member (50) in on operative setting in which it directs a puff of air at an object to be deflected in the "reject" chute 23.