DE6943776U - DEVICE FOR TURNING ENVELOPES AND OTHER OBJECTS - Google Patents

Description

Bell & Howell Company, Chicago, 111./USA

Device for turning over envelopes and other objects

The invention relates to a mail processing system '

for changing the position of envelopes and other items, especially on a rotating device for such attachments to the envelopes before forwarding them to a subsequent processing point with the address side to turn up or down.

The invention creates a device that turns the objects to be guided very quickly. The device comprises a machine stand, one on the
Machine stands mounted and around a horizontal axis

movable support frame with arranged on its circumference, the objects receiving pockets, a drive that the Support frame rotates intermittently and comes to a standstill between the rotation periods in such a way that one of the pockets is attached a delivery station for the objects and another bag is located at a receiving station for the objects and having means for conveying the item into the pocket at the delivery station and at the receiving station removes the turned object from the pocket of the carrying strap. The device also has each pocket assigned clamping jaw, which is at the delivery station captured object clamped on the support frame, while the support frame moves by an angle of rotation that is sufficient to pass the object on to the receiving station rotates further, and a cam control for the delivery and receiving station, which the clamping jaws at the delivery station to clamp an object in a flap closes and at the receiving station to remove the 'applied The object from the pocket opens Device is characterized in that each clamping jaw to the object clamped in the pocket of the support frame can be moved in parallel without this being able to be damaged during the rotational movement of the support frame.

In one form of mail processing equipment, letters, slips of paper or other items are placed in envelopes, with the back with the uraschiag flap of the envelope at the top and the front with the address facing down. The filled envelope is then forwarded to a station or forwarded where the flap of the envelope is glued, with the side with the flap still pointing upwards. In contrast, in this mail processing system, the franking machine works on top of the Letter, so that the envelope must be turned over or turned over so that the address side of the postage meter machine

is facing. Thus, in such mail processing systems between the sealing and the franking station for the envelopes required a device that each Turn the envelope back over so that the front is facing up.

As a result of the continuously increasing volume of outgoing mail, both in authorities and in industry, the The speed of the mail processing systems is considerable so that the mail can be processed in less time and with less effort for the user can. Due to the high working speed, however, relatively large inertia forces are in the system and on the Envelopes effective. These forces increase with the size of the angle through which the objects must be rotated. she are particularly effective in devices where the objects are rotated through a relatively large angle of 130 ° must, as is the case for the correct placement of the envelopes in the mail processing system described.

Various devices have already been devised for turning envelopes and similar objects in a horizontal or vertical plane, which work with expensive and complicated arrangements of straps, suction connections and clamps. However, many of these devices can operate at very slow speeds, are prone to clamping, and are not entirely reliable because they cannot securely hold or clamp the objects without damage. As a result of these inadequacies, the inertial forces acting on the objects cause them to slip out of the clamps and to be hurled away from the device. As a result, with the known devices for turning objects over, there is a great risk that some objects will be lost.

The invention avoids the disadvantages of the known devices for turning over envelopes by working with a drum-shaped support frame for the envelopes, the support frame being rotatable about a horizontal axis and a Geneva drive intermittently rotating the support frame by a certain angle in each work cycle. The support frame is provided with an even number of evenly distributed pockets on its circumference. The pockets form diametrically opposed pairs of pockets _t , each pocket being able to hold one or more envelopes. Each pocket contains a clamping jaw and an associated jaw actuating lever so that the jaw can close parallel to the envelope received in the pocket and can clamp and hold it without the risk of damage when the support frame is cyclically cycled through an angle of 130 turns.

The control cam has two cam-operated cam finger in the region of ^T ragrahraens for controlling the Backenbetätigungehebel on. The actuation of the cam and the movement of the cam fingers are controlled so that during the stationary Abschnit.es in each work cycle, the jaw at the delivery station at which the envelopes are fed to the support frame is opened to receive the envelope and then closed, whereby the envelope is held in the frame pocket. At the same time, the diametrically opposite jaw opens at the pick-up station and releases an inverted envelope that was picked up in a previous work cycle. The turned envelope is now in the correct position to be forwarded to the BVan kiermaechine.

The Malteeerkreuzantrieb has a cross of small diameter, so that interference between this and the

• ft «I

* * III

Envelopes cannot enter while they are being fed into the dispensing station.

The support frame for the envelopes is made up of two of each other separate side walls made by a central Flange to be worn. The frame is almost hollow in the area of its circumference, which is otherwise the case with the high one Operating speed occurring rotational moment of inertia is reduced.

The device according to the invention thus enables reliable Way to quickly turn over envelopes or

similar objects so that the address side is up |

and the flap side is facing down or upside down;

returns. This allows the device with mail processing [

systems that work together quickly and reliably

casual turning of envelopes or other items is required. Even with a very large number of items that need to be turned over Envelopes do not crease or otherwise damage the envelopes and prevent them from jamming nor are the envelopes from the device

thrown down. It shows itself intermittently:

rotating drum or the support frame several pockets for receiving the envelopes, with a jaw in each Pocket is provided which clamps the envelope in place. So that the jaw securely grips the envelope without damaging it and can hold on, the jaw is moved approximately parallel to the envelope.

The fiction, contemporary device also enables the Clamping jaws by a cam control near the The support frame can be opened and closed reliably and precisely when they are at the receiving or at the delivery | station. Special measures also ensure that the drive of the device is practical works free of play.

To further explain the device according to the invention Reference is made to the drawing, in which a preferred embodiment is shown. It shows:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the transport device that feeds the envelopes to the turning device and on a second device for removing the turned envelopes,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial vertical section. K through the device along the offset line 2-2 in FIG.

Fig. 3 is a view from the right side of the Geneva cross drive shown in Fig. 2 for the intermittent Rotating the envelope support frame,

FIG. K shows a slightly reduced side view of the extreme right-hand side of the envelope support frame, seen along the offset cutting line kk in FIG. 2;

5 shows a partial section of the envelope support frame in the mending direction to the axis of rotation, sectioned along the line 5-5 in Fig. 2 and

Fif. 6 is an enlarged partial section of the jaw actuating cam and its associated parts looking towards the axis of rotation, g-section along the line 6-6 in FIG Specify the position of these elements with the jaws closed,

Geaiäß Fig. 1 includes the turnover device 10 according to the invention a Geneva drive 12, the ik a rotatably mounted drives intermittently Umschlagtragrahrnen

and advances the support frame in each work cycle. The support frame is indexed so that a first pocket 16 of the support frame is brought to the level of a delivery station of a guide 19 for the envelopes which has a delivery chain, and that a second pocket 22 is brought to the level of a pick-up station 2k of a receiving guide, which works with a conveyor belt 26. Above the belt 26, two transport rollers 127 and 127 'are arranged in its direction of movement, which support the removal of the envelopes from the receiving station.

The pockets 16 and 22 are diametrically opposed Pairs of pockets. In the embodiment shown, parallel, separate guide tracks are provided, however, they can also be implemented in other ways.

The invention further comprises a cam control 27 which the jaws for receiving an envelope at the delivery station and for delivering the envelope at the receiving station opens or closes and the jaws during the movement of the support frame when the pockets are in between Positions, holds closed.

According to FIGS. 2 and 3, a vertical machine frame 26 carries the Geneva drive 12, the cam control 27 and the drum or the support frame 14 for the envelopes. A primary drive shaft 28 is rotatably supported between separate left and right supports of the machine frame 26. The shaft 28 carries a sprocket 38 over which a chain (not shown) runs, which is moved intermittently by a main table drive shaft (not shown). On the right end of the shaft 28 sits a Maltese cross curve ^ O with a crank arm k2, which carries a roller hk at the end. A second drive shaft k6 is parallel

-T-

♦ rr · ·

to the primary shaft 28 and rotatably mounted above this.

A Maltese cross 48 with eight radial switching slots 50 evenly distributed on its circumference sits on the outermost right. End of the upper shaft 46. The slots result in the engagement of the roller 44, the known Maltese cross drive. The diameter of the Maltese cross r 43 is much smaller than the diameter of the support frame 14, causing interference between the Maltese cross I.

and the envelopes when the latter are fed to the support frame are avoided. The slots 50 are selected in their size such that the roller 44 therein is tight, and a backlash of the drive chain is prevented.

During operation, the Maltese cross 48 performs an eighth of a turn by 45 for a full revolution of the gear 33 and the crank 40. However, the Maltese cross rotates in each work cycle only during a small part of the same, while it stands still during the larger part in each work cycle, so that there is an intermittent movement. For exact movement with the Maltese cross 48, the envelope support frame 14 is fixedly attached with an extension at the left end of the upper shaft 46 between a left bearing 47 and the machine stand 26, so that the support frame 14 with each full rotation of the crank 40 by an eighth of a turn is rotated and also stands still for the greater part of each work cycle.

Outside the left support of the machine stand 26, a small cam drive sprocket 52 is attached to the leftmost end of the primary drive shaft 23. On the secondary drive shaft 46 to the left of the stator 26 , a large cam gear 54 is mounted and on the left side of the large sprocket, between the sprocket and the

694377

Support frame 14, a jaw cam 60 is mounted. The cam and the large chain wheel are rotatably mounted and can rotate relative to the shaft ^ o. A vertically adjustable intermediate sprocket 56 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 57 of the left machine stand support in front of and below the drive sprocket. A cam drive chain 53 runs over the sprockets 52, ^ h and 56 and transmits a rotary motion to the baker's cam. Thereby also the cam 60 via the drive chain 58 and the 2 of the primary drive shaft 28 is also used in each full rotation, wherein the support frame ~ \ h is further rotated about the Maltese cross drive to an eighth revolution: 1 reduction between the sprockets 52-5 ^ to turned half a turn. The relative movement and control between cam 60 and support frame ~ \ k is required to open and close a pair of support frame jaws during the stationary part in each work cycle.

Vie also Figs. H and 5 show, is also the envelope support frame 1 k in w esentlichen tromtnelförmig and consists of an approximately flat, circular, right side wall 70 and a similarly shaped left side wall 72, the grgen the right wall in the axial direction in front of sets is, as well as from a central hub 7 ^ with an irregularly shaped hub flange 76. The hub and flange only rock between the inside of the left and right side walls, the walls being fastened to the flanges by means of screws 77. A square wedge 7 $ is used to fasten the hub 7h on the shaft 46.

The right support frame wall 70 is recessed or cut out at eight points 80 distributed around the circumference. The left support frame wall 72 is cut out at corresponding locations 32 so that the cutouts 80 and 32 in the walls 70 and 72 are parallel to the axis of rotation of the support frame

6 ^ 43776

lie and form the above-mentioned eight pockets, which are composed of the already mentioned two pockets λβ and 22 and further pockets Hk, 36, 38, 90, 92 and 9k . Each pocket can hold one or more envelopes. The eight pockets form four diagonally opposite pocket pairs 16-22, 9 '-> - Ö4, etc. The embodiment shows eight cover pockets. Of course, it is also possible to work with a larger or smaller number of pockets, although not even an even number of pockets is required. However, an even number of pockets is preferably chosen so that an envelope can be fed to the support frame and an inverted envelope can be removed from the support frame in each work cycle.

According to the invention, each support frame pocket is a clamping jaw and associated with a jaw actuator. To the simpler Description is a single Bac e 100 associated with the pocket 22 and its actuation device. the Klermnbackenkons trukt ion and the operation of the other pockets is identical.

How especially the Fig. 2, k and? 10, the jaw 100 includes a jaw plate 102 with a bent end that feeds the envelopes at the receiving station 13 into the pocket. In addition, the jaw has a foot 1 <jk , dvjr is rotatably connected to one end of an L-shaped arm 103 by means of a pin or rivet 10ό. The arm 10i sits between the side walls 70 and 72. The other end of the arm 06 is clamped around the center of a shaft 110 'which is rotatably supported at the ends in the flange 76. When the shaft 110 ' is rotated through an angle of approximately 30 °, the jaw 100 moves towards and away from two stationary guides 110 and 112 which are attached to the walls 70 and 72, respectively, on the opposite side of the pocket 22 are. The guides 112 and 111 form one

- 10 -

43776

acute angle, the part 103 of which assists the precise insertion of the envelope into the pocket. Next to arm 108 is also a substantial portion of the jaw 100 between the side walls 70 and 7 2 of the envelope support frame.

Ss should be especially mentioned that due to the threatened storage each cheek on her arm and the manner in which the arm is attached to its actuation assembly Parallel movement between the clamping plate and the cover is achieved will. This mobility prevents damage to the Envelope avoided while the envelope is still clamped in the pocket, so that the envelope does not get lost even at the high working speed of the support frame ti can.

On the right, the shaft IIO ¹ goes through an opening in the right side wall 70. An angled jaw actuating lever 116 sits with a first end 118 on the right end of the shaft 110 'and at the second end 120 carries a rotatably mounted roller or roller 121 delimits a small opening for receiving one end of a tension spring 1 2k . The other end of the tension spring is attached to a bolt 126 which extends from the wall 70. The tension spring 2k tries to turn the jaw actuating lever IIO, the shaft 110 'and the jaw arm 103 counterclockwise (see FIGS. K and 5) so that the jaw is normally closed and an envelope is clamped in the pocket. All clamping jaws, arms and jaw actuating levers work in exactly the same way as the arrangement described in connection with the support frame pocket 22.

As a result of the arrangement described, each jaw can be easily controlled from a point outside the support frame 14 without the need for a complicated actuating device for controlling the jaws from a point within the support frame.

- 1K -

As for the inverting cam assembly 27 already mentioned in FIGS. 2 and 6, the Cam 60 and cam sprocket 54 on the upper shaft 46 and can rotate relative to this and the machine frame 26. The cam 60 contains as an integrating Part of a cam track in channel 134, the two Cam followers to control the movement of two control fingers records.

The two elongated cam parts 137 and 133 are rotatably mounted on U-shaped, laterally extending collars 141 and 141, which are fastened to the stand 26. The cam control finger 137 includes a pin 136 'for rotatably supporting a cam follower roller 136, while the control finger 13 3 also has a pin 139' and a cam follower roller 139. The cam follower rollers are held and guided by the cam track 134, so that when the cam is threatened, the control fingers are pivoted outwards or inwards depending on the profile of the cam track 134. In FIG. 6, the outwardly pivoted fingers are drawn in solid lines, while in the inwardly pivoted position they are shown in dashed lines.

The control of the finger movement via the captured cam follower rollers eliminates the need for return springs and prevents breakage and jamming and the resulting damage to the device. The fingers 137 and 133 are long enough so that their ends engage the tabs 122 of the cam actuation levers 116. In particular, the two fingers are in engagement with two diametrically opposed cam levers 116, with the levers which cooperate with the support frame pockets 16 and 22, so that their clamping jaws are opened laterally controlled by the Geneva drive at the same time as the stationary setting of the support frame 14.

- 12 -

The profile of the cam track } 'jh is chosen so that every half revolution of the cam 60 the control fingers 137 to 138, which interact with their cam actuating lever 1 (6, open each jaw 100 via the lever and then release the lever again, so that the tension spring 124 can close the jaws again . The jaws are moved once in each working cycle, but only during the time in which the support frame is stationary the pocket can be inserted, whereupon the jaw closes again while at the same time the jaw of pocket 22 is opened so that an inverted envelope 1 ^ 3 can be removed from the pocket.

As already mentioned, a number is provided pairs of pockets on the periphery of the support frame '\ k, each of which may receive or more re-inverting envelopes or similar objects. Since the delivery station for the envelopes and the receiving station are approximately in parallel planes and on opposite sides of the support frame 1 ^ the support frame must be rotated through an angle of 30 ° to turn an envelope. This is achieved in four stages or cycles, in which, in each cycle, the support frame is rotated one eighth of a turn, the support frame rotation is stopped and the jaws at the delivery and receiving stations for the envelopes are opened and closed, in order to insert the envelopes and to be able to take out.

During the section in the work cycle in which the support frame stands still, run the slide rollers 136 to 139 of the Cam fingers 137 to 138 on a standstill section 1 ^ 0 of the cam track 13 ^ and the fingers are withdrawn, like in Pig. 6 is shown in phantom. In the retracted position, the cam fingers do not run on the

- 13 -

■ · ■ ·

Slide rollers 122 at the end of the jaw actuation lever 116. When the cam 60 rotates through an angle of approx. 90 °, the cam fingers are brought into an outer position by the raised parts of the cam track, whereby the levers I16 and arms 103 are moved through an angle of approx. 30 moved and the corresponding jaws 100 opened. When the jaws are open, i.e. not jammed, the envelope 1 ^ 2 is brought into the pocket 16 at the delivery station 13 by the chain conveyor 20. At the same time, the turned over envelope 143 is removed from the pocket 22 at the receiving station 2k by means of the conveyor belt 26 and wheel 27. Further movement of the cam 60 returns the actuating fingers 133 to their retracted position while the tension springs 12 ^ bring the actuating levers II6 and jaw arms 108 to their normal position, thereby closing the jaws and holding the envelopes in the pockets. When the support frame is in operation, there are envelopes in each of the four upper pockets, while the four lower pockets, on the other hand, are empty.

The turning device according to the invention can per se with work at different speeds. The Arbeitsgeschwi udigkeit of the illustrated embodiment is around 163 duty cycles per minute. However, this working speed does not set the limit for the Device represents, but rather depends on the respective associated mail processing system.

Claims (3)

. Device for quickly turning over zugefiinrten objects with a machine stand, with a support frame mounted on the machine stand and movable about a horizontal axis with pockets on its circumference that hold the objects, with a drive that rotates the support frame intermittently and stops it between the periods of rotation that one of the pockets is located at a delivery station for the objects and another pocket at a receiving station for the objects, with a device that conveys an object into the pocket at the delivery station and removes an inverted object from the pocket of the support frame at the receiving station , with a clamping jaw assigned to each pocket, which clamps the object picked up at the delivery station on the support frame, while the support frame continues to rotate by an angle of rotation sufficient to forward the object to the pick-up station and with a cam control fü r the delivery and the receiving station, which closes the clamping jaws of the delivery station for clamping an object in a pocket and opens the clamping jaw at the receiving station to remove the turned object from the pocket, characterized in that each clamping jaw to the one in the pocket dos clamped object is movable in parallel without this can be damaged during the rotational movement of the support frame. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the jaw cams have a cam track consisting of one piece with a certain profile for receiving and captive guidance of a cam follower, the movement of the cam follower depending on the Nockenprcfi ". To open and close the R θ numb acke η. s t, e it r- sn. - 15 - ß 0 Λ - V Qs < ¹ It Ij & 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the baking cam in the machine frame is rotatably mounted in the region of the supporting frame rotatable relative to this and in that two cam follower fingers are rotatably mounted in 'the range of the cam element on the machine frame, wherein a part thereof is located within the cam track and wherein each clamping jaw has a jaw actuating lever which is rotatably mounted outside the support frame inwardly in the region of its periphery for selective actuation by the fingers and wherein furthermore only the actuating levers of those jaws which are on the dispensing and the Pick up station, meet with the cam fingers and open the jaws. Device according to one of the preceding claims characterized by a Maltese cross drive with a certain Maltese cross with a number of slots, which is equal to the number of support frame pockets and with a largest radius that is smaller than the smallest Radiala ^ imessung the Tragrahraentascheti measured from The center of rotation of the support frame is up to the pockets, so that a disturbance between the objects and the Maltese cross wheel is prevented during the transport of the objects to the support frame. - 16 - 43776