Patent GB-657055-A (GB)
Title: A method of, and apparatus for sorting documents or like articles
IPC: B07C3/08
Filed: 1947-08-02
Abstract: 657.055. Sortine letters. CENTRE D'ETUDES M.B.A., MECANIQUE BALISTIQUE ARMEMENT. Aug. 2, 1947, No. 21131. Convention date, Aug. 3, 1946. [Class 78 (i)] A method of classifying and sorting letters which comprises introducing each article, after initial identification, into a separate container which is coded according to the identity of the said article, stowing a plurality of containers in a frame, subjecting the stowed containers to a sequence of classifying and sorting operations during each of which containers of one or more specific codes are withdrawn from the frame, and discharging the contents of the withdrawn containers to predetermined receivers or collecting boxes. General ((Fig.1).-Letters at 1 are observed visually by an operator who works switchboard 3 so that each letter at 2 is placed separately in a container coded with the address and the containers are boxed at 4 into frames which are (preferably) first sorted at 5 and further sorted and discharged at 6, the letters falling into the appropriate boxes 7 and the empty frame and container at 8 being returned for re-use. Container 10 (Fig. 2).- Has a back plate 12 having a retaining-slot 15, a front plate 11 carrying a discharge flap 13 which can be opened to release the letter within the container by the depression of bars 14 slidably carried by end walls 17. Apertures 18 in an end wall form the codable means and aperture 19 is a locating recess. Hooks 20 are for extracting the container from a frame loaded with containers. In each locating recess is a plug 119 which is set by arranging its rib 125 horizontally (see Fig. 14). Frame 21 (Fig. 3).-The containers 10 receive a letter apiece and are then slid into a frame 21 for convenient handling, the containers sliding into the open side of the frame along grooves.23 and being locked into position by rod 26 which passes through slot 27 in the frame and engages with the retaining slots 15 (Fig. 2) of the containers. The containers are freed to be pulled out along the grooves (by extracting means) when projection 26 at each end engages with a relatively-moving abutment of the sorting machine to slide up the rod 24 in the sockets 28. Inserting a Letter into a container ( Figs. 4, 7).- Letters are fed forward by endless conveyer 30 and held forward by means 31 so that an air current 33 holds the first letter against viewing glass 32 for the operator to read the address and the operator presses the appropriate switch. Transfer plate 37 is pushed up behind the letter by the anticlockwise movement of oscillatable drum 35 which drives band 36 secured to said transfer plate 37, and, having a rough surface, the transfer plate 37 withdraws the letter on its downward movement assisted by roller 38 mounted on glass 32. At the same time, lever 39 turns with the drum and, through thrust rod 40, permits slide 41 to descend under the force of spring 42 ; so that roller 44 on spring-urged pivoted lever 47 falls into the space 43 so created and drags with it roller 46 which franks the stamp on the letter. The letter is then passed downwards from transfer plate 37 by rollers 51 and 49 into the front container 34 of a series of containers 10 which are advanced step-by-step between conveyers 60, 61. The front container is coded at the same time by sections not shown. Coded container 34 now containing the letter is dragged downwards by roller 50 which is pivotally mounted on rack 56 reciprocated by reciprocally driven pinion 57, and the container is then fed backwards between conveyers 61, 62. When the backwards-moving containers reach the back of the conveyers 61 and 62 they operate a switch which causes a motor to move them sideways into a waiting frame. If the address of the letter is indecipherable the operator presses a pedal instead of a switch and this causes lever 67 to bear against bar 68 which passes down bars 14 (see above) on the container, the latter bars opening the discharge gate 13 and allowing the letter to pass out of the container and fall into receptacle 68. Normal sorting (Figs. 9 and 11).-Each frame 4 at X is supported at each end and so raised by brackets 81 fixed on endless belts 79 driven from motor 82 through gearing 82a, 101a, 101, 113, 103 and drum 104a. Owing to gear 113 being mutilated, each frame is advanced upwards step-by-step so as to give time at each stage for extractors (70, 71) to remove appropriate containers. At each stage it is necessary to advance and retract the extractors and also convey away the extracted containers by driving conveyers 72. These operations are performed from motor 82 which reciprocates bar 94 through gearing 82a, 101a, 112 (mutilated), 102 and crank-and-slot 93, 94a. The reciprocation of bar 94 causes, through rack 95 mounted thereon, the rotation of pinion 96 and of threaded shaft 97 on which pinion 96 is fixed ; and this causes the traversing of threaded hubs 98, 99. The hubs 98, 99 carry extractors 70, 71 inwards towards each other and at the same time release clutch-operating levers 109 and unclutch clutches 110 which drive the belt rollers 72. The levers 109 are so balanced that they only cause clutch engagement at the extreme positions of hubs 98 and 99 so that the extractors have advanced, withdrawn and deposited their containers on conveyers 72 before the latter start to take them away and to convey them to passage 75 where they accumulate and are displaced sideways into new frames for resorting. The empty frame is discharged at the top for re-use. Detail of sorting operations. Rack 95 and pinion 96 (Figs. 11, 12 A).-Rack 95 is pivotally supported on reciprocating bar 94 by link 100 and leans normally against pin 107 on said bar 94. As each ascending frame 4 takes one step upwards to position itself ready for the next set of extractors 70, 71, an abutment 105 on the frame presses against the rack 95 so that the latter engages pinion 96 and the reciprocating upward movement of bar 94 is changed into the reciprocating rotation of pinion 96 which thus reciprocates the extractors, the rack 95 then falling back to the normal position of Fig. 12A. Extractors (Figs. 13 A and 14) to work the sorting operation of Fig. 11.-Pegs 120 slidable in holes 118 in the extractor form the code, the code value varying with the number and position of the pegs, each peg being furnished with horizontal end slots, and co-operate with said apertures 18 in the sides of the containers 10 (Fig. 2, see above), the co-operation permitting catches 130 and 131 to move towards each other under the influence of spring 142 as the extractor goes forward to grip the hooks 20 of the container and to withdraw the letter as the extractor goes backward. Catches 131 are fixed to the end of sliding rods 128, 129, the rods having pins 141 positioned respectively above and below grooves 140 in pegs 120, and the rods having pins 136, 135 sliding in a diametrical groove in cam 137, and a lever 137a moving with the pins so that, as spring 142 presses up rod 129, the cam 137 is rotated and draws rod 129 (and catch 130) downwards and swings lever 137a up to the position shown in dotted lines, the case being held by the notch shown. Thus the catches grip the hooks 20 when the extractor has advanced till its pegs 120 have engaged in the side holes 18 of container 10 assuming that the codes of holes 18 and pegs 120 agree. If the codes are not the same, then ribs 125 in holes 18 have not been positioned to receive the slots 121 in pegs 120 and the ribs abut against the peg as the latter goes forward, so displacing the said peg backwards. Thus the pins 141 of rods 128 and 129 are not able to pass into the displaced grooves 140, and catches 131 do not contact hooks 20 and do not withdraw the container. After the extractor as a whole has moved backwards, release bar 143 is moved downwards and presses lever 137a downwards to reset the extractors and to release the container which moves off along conveyer 72. Selective discharge of containers (Figs. 16, 18).-The containers after sorting are passed step-by-step along a conveyer between two systems of elements 154. At each step each container is operated upon by a pair of elements in turn and when the codings of the pair of elements and of the container coincide, the container is discharged and the letter falls into the correct destination box beneath it. The discharge of the container is effected by the downward movement of two racks 173 which press down the bars 14 of the container (see Fig. 2) and release the letter into the location receptacle below. Power from motor 166 is transmitted through racks 167, 168, 164, 163, 159, 158 so that the two series of opposing elements 154 move bodily inwards towards each other until the code rods of each element 154 are inserted into the code holes of the container. If the two codes are identical then sliding bars 175 (cf. extractor, above) remain undisplaced and allow racks 173 to be actuated through pinions 172, 169, 170, driven from motor 166 ; and the racks 173 descend and accordingly discharge the letter. If the two codes are not identical, then rods 120 are displaced (as shown, to the right) ; and these in turn displace the pair of sliding bars 175 upwards, move blades 185 upwards, and these displace the shafts of the respective rotating pinions 172 so that the latter do not discharge the container. Compression spring 183 forces apart the two carriers 174 (left and right) which bridge the gap between the pair of elements 154, the carriers being pivoted on disc 178 for the purpose of operating the locking bar 153. The said locking bar 153 engages the containers 10 in the retaining slot 15 thereof and must be automatically locked and unlocked as the containers are moved step-by-step forward. This is effected by the sideways movement of the element, the part of the sliding bars 175 contacting arms 184 of the carriers 174 and, by consequent rotation of disc 178, pressing or