EP0000817A1 - Appareil et méthode pour séparer des objets emmêlés - Google Patents

Appareil et méthode pour séparer des objets emmêlés Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0000817A1
EP0000817A1 EP7878300192A EP78300192A EP0000817A1 EP 0000817 A1 EP0000817 A1 EP 0000817A1 EP 7878300192 A EP7878300192 A EP 7878300192A EP 78300192 A EP78300192 A EP 78300192A EP 0000817 A1 EP0000817 A1 EP 0000817A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
slots
workpieces
container
slot
chamber
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP7878300192A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0000817B1 (fr
Inventor
Vivian Charles George
Cyril John Webb
Roy Whitmore
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
CONCENTRIC PROD RES
CONCENTRIC PRODUCTION RESEARCH Ltd
Original Assignee
CONCENTRIC PROD RES
CONCENTRIC PRODUCTION RESEARCH Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by CONCENTRIC PROD RES, CONCENTRIC PRODUCTION RESEARCH Ltd filed Critical CONCENTRIC PROD RES
Publication of EP0000817A1 publication Critical patent/EP0000817A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0000817B1 publication Critical patent/EP0000817B1/fr
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/02—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors
    • B65G47/04—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles
    • B65G47/12—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles
    • B65G47/14—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding
    • B65G47/1407—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S198/00—Conveyors: power-driven
    • Y10S198/953—Coil spring untangling apparatus

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an apparatus and method for disentangling elongate workpieces of the kind, such as coiled springs, which tend normally to become interengaged or entangled, the apparatus being of the kind comprising a container defining a chamber, inlet means for introducing air under pressure into the chamber, and outlet means through which workpieces pass in use, the container being provided with means to enable workpieces to be introduced into the chamber.
  • U.S. Specification No. 3 346 305 of J. Heymann discloses such a spring disentangler and dispenser comprising an inclined cylindrical closed container provided adjacent to its base with a single air jet which is arranged to blow springs placed within the container'in a helical path to a single outlet located in the sidewall of the container adjacent to a hinged lid of the container.
  • the outlet comprises a circular hole located at one end of a guide channel, and springs pass through the hole one by one into a dispensing tube. Since that device has only a single outlet the rate at which disentangled springs are dispensed is limited. Also, the capacity of that device is severely restricted since springs may only fill the lower portion of the container.
  • the outlet means disclosed in this latter Specification comprises one or more unions each having a circular bore and extending through the wall of a generally cylindrical chamber.
  • the unions are inclined to the axis of the chamber and have their inner ends flush with the inner wall of the chamber so that each bore presents an elliptical end to the interior of the chamber.
  • the present invention is concerned with a dispenser of the kind set forth in which the outlet means comprises one or more slots, rather than one or more holes as in previous constructions.
  • the outlet means comprises one or more slots each having a transverse width substantially equal to the transverse dimension of the workpiece to be dispensed.
  • Such an apparatus may be designed to have a substantially greater rate of disentangling workpieces than the prior art devices previously referred to, and will usually be capable of disentangling components which are too entangled to be separated and dispensed by the apparatus previously referred to. Often, the components may not be capable of being dispensed through the tubes of such apparatus because they would become entangled within the tubes.
  • the optimum width of each slot for maximum throughput of separate workpieces may be slightly less than the transverse dimension of the workpieces, since the workpieces may be capable of squeezing or screwing themselves through the undersize alot.
  • the cross-sectional area of the outlet means was relatively limited, and often a long dispensing tube was attached to the outlet means to convey the workpieces to a remote location. It was therefore necessary with such constructions to produce a substantial pressure within the chamber to provide an adequate flow of workpieces through the dispensing tube.
  • the container had to be carefully sealed to prevent wastage of compressed air, and a filler opening for insertion of workpieces had to be carefully sealed.
  • slots the working pressure within the chamber will usually be considerably less than with the prior art constructions, and it should therefore be understood that the devices in accordance with the invention need not necessarily employ a completely closed container. Sometimes it will be possible to provide the container with a permanently open filler opening through which workpieces may be inserted into the chamber, the flow of workpieces within the chamber being such that they are not directed to the filler opening.
  • each slot is adjustable in width to deal with workpieces of a range of sizes.
  • each slot is preferably defined by two relatively movable members, means being provided to move the members relative to each other to widen each slot and enable any jammed workpiece to release itself or be released.
  • Means may be provided to detect when a workpiece has become jammed, but preferably the slots are periodically widened and means are provided to cut off or substantially reduce the air flowing through the inlet means immediately prior to widening of the slot or slots, the slot or slots being closed again prior to restoration of the inlet air flow.
  • the sides of the slot may be defined by the edges of two co-planar plates, but when there is a plurality of adjustable slots conveniently these are defined by pairs of overlapping parallel slots formed in two relatively slidable plates held in face contact with each other.
  • Each slot may be curved or of any suitable shape, but preferably each slot is straight when the slot is of adjustable width to enable its adjustment to be effected by linear movement of one slot-defining member relative to the other.
  • Each slot is preferably defined in a flat plate assembly which is arranged at an angle of between O° and 90° to the upward vertical.
  • the angle will usually be in the range 25° to 65°, and is preferably 45°.
  • each slot may be orientated at any angle in the plane of the plate assembly but preferably each slot is orientated in a vertical plane.
  • one of the relatively slidable plates may be fixed in position relative to the remainder of the container, and preferably the fixed plate is the plate that is outermost of the container when straight slots are vertical or inclined in use to the vertical to enable dispensed workpieces to be led away from the lower ends of the slots in the fixed plate to separate locations.
  • the arrangement of the container and of the inlet means is such that a circulatory flow of workpieces is produced in the chamber of the container, the slot or slots extending substantially tangentially to the workpiece flow path so that workpieces are brushed along the slot or slots.
  • the arrangement is such that when the container is orientated with the inlet means lowermost the slot or slots are located in an upper region of . the container so that when the inlet air is cut off the workpieces fall into the vicinity of the inlet means.
  • the inlet means comprises a series of jet orifices.
  • the lower region of the container is preferably closed apart from said inlet means.
  • a method of disentangling workpieces comprises inserting them into apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the invention and then dispensing the springs through the slot or slots by blowing air through the inlet means.
  • the disentangler comprises a body 1 having an upper portion 2 comprising a substantially square-section tube integral with a lower portion 3 of distorted frusto-conical shape provided in its base with a round aperture 4 closed by an inlet assembly 55.
  • the centre of the aperture 4 is offset horizontally, to the left in Figure 1, from the axis of the upper portion 2.
  • the upper portion 2 is closed at its upper end by an outlet assembly 4' comprising an oblong-rectangular closure plate 5 secured by screws 6 to the body 1 and extending normally to a plate assembly 7 defining five parallel adjustable straight outlet slots 7'.
  • the plate assembly 7 extends at an angle of 45° to the upward vertical and comprises a thin transparent plastics cover 20 secured to.a relatively thick fixed . outer plate 8, and a thin inner plate 9 which is slidably guided in face contact with plate 8 in the horizontal direction B, indicated in Figure 2.
  • Each of the plates 8 and 9 is formed with a series of five equally spaced parallel straight slots of equal widths, and the plate 9 is capable of being moved to bring the corresponding slots of the two plates substantially into register with each other as shown in Figure 2.
  • the slots in both plates 8 and 9 are closed at their upper ends but open at their lower ends, so that plates 8 and 9 are each of the form of a comb.
  • Movable plate 9 is provided on its underside with a lug 10 to which is adjustably secured the piston rod 11 of a single-acting pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly 11 mounted by means of bracket 5' on plate 5 and capable of moving plate 9 between the position shown in Figure 2 and a position in which the slots are reduced in width to approximately the diameter of the components to be disentangled.
  • Lug 10 is secured tc piston rod 11' by means of two nuts 10', shown in Figure 3, threadedly engaged with a threaded end portion of rod 11'.
  • the travel of the piston rod 11' to the left in Figure 3 is controlled by an adjustable abutnent in the form of a screw 12' threadedly engaged with a lug 13' secured to plate 5.
  • screw 12' control the minimum width to which slots 7' are closed on actuation of piston and cylinder assembly 11.
  • Nuts 10' are adjusted during manufacture sot that the slots in plates 8 and 9 are substantially in register when piston rod 11 is fully retracted.
  • the inlet assembly 55 comprises a block 12 of round shape in plan provided in its upper surface with a stepped blind bore of square-shape in cros-section comprising bore portions 13 and 14.
  • An air inlet 15 communicates with bore portion 14 and an crificed plate 16 backed by a resilient annular gasket is received in bore portion 13.
  • the orifice plate is provided with any suitable pattern of holes constituting jet orifices. In one example the plate is formed with sixteen circumferentially spaced holes together with four holes adjacent to its centre.
  • the dispenser discribed is capable of disentangling a very wide variety of components often of intricate shapes, such as clips of cranked shape.
  • An electro-pneumatic circuit is connected to the air inlet 15 and to the piston and cylinder assembly 11 and is arranged every . three seconds to cut off the air supply to the inlet 15, de-actuate assembly 11 to open fully the outlet slots 7' and allow any tangled springs which have become jammed in the slots to fall back into the chamber, then to actuate assembly 11 and reconnect the air supply to inlet 15.
  • the open lower ends 19 of the slots in the fixed outer plate 8 may be connected to respective guides for conveying the individual springs to convenient locations.
  • the springs. may be allowed to fall into a suitable receptacle or hopper secured to or placed alongside the body 1.
  • the plate assembly 7 is pivotally connected to the remainder of the assembly to enable springs or other workpieces to be inserted through the upper end of the body, and the pivotal axis of the plate assembly 7 is made coincident with the axis of the piston and cylinder assembly 11 to allow a simple connection between the piston rod and plate 9.
  • the plate assembly 7 is inclined to the vertical, it would be possible for the plate assembly to be arranged in a horizontal plane, although additional means may then be required to convey away the springs issuing from the slots.
  • air jet or jets may be located in any part of the chamber provided that they cause the workpieces contained in the chamber to impinge upon the outlet slot or slots.
  • the single-acting piston and cylinder assembly 11 is supplied with air through a two-way flow regulator 21 by a first valve 22 operated by a first solenoid 23, and the inlet 15 of the inlet assembly 55 is supplied with air by a second valve 24 controlled by a second solenoid 25.
  • Inlets 26 and 27 of the,first and second valves 22 and 24 respectively are connected to a compressed air supply 28 thorugh adjustable pressure regulators 29 and 30 respectively provided with respective pressure gauges 31 and 32.
  • Valves 22 and 24 also have pilot connections 33 and 34 respectively with air supply 28.
  • Piston and cylinder assembly 11 comprises a piston 35 biassed upwardly in Figure 4 by a coil spring 36 to a retracted position in which the slots in plate assembly 7 are in their fully.open condition..
  • first solenoid 23 is de-activated pressure space 37 of assembly 11 is connected to atmosphere by first valve 22, and similarly when second solenoid 25 is de-activated air inlet 15 is connected to atmosphere by second valve 24.
  • energisation of the first and second solenoids 23 and 25 is controlled by microswitches 38 and 39 arranged to be operated by a variable rotary cam 40 driven by a constant speed motor 41, switch 39 controlling directly first solenoid 23, and the input 42 of switch 38 being fed from the output 43 of switch 39 such that second solenoid 25 is energised only when first solenoid 25 is also energised.
  • This ensures that air is not blown into the disentangler chamber when the slots 7' in plate assembly 7 are in their fully open condition, which would otherwise lead to tangled springs being dispensed through the wide slots.
  • the input 44 of switch 39 is connected to a supply line 45 through a fuse 46 and an indicator bulb 47.
  • Cam motor 41 has one terminal 49 connected permanently to supply line 48 and its other terminal 50 is connected by lead 50 to the output 43 of switch 39 when push-switch 51 is in the condition shown, or by lead 52 directly to supply line 45 when push-switch 51 has been actuated, the effect of this arrangement being to re-set cam 40 on de-actuation of switch 51, as will be further explained.
  • switch 51 is in the position shown in Figure 5, the slots are at their maximum width, and the air supply is cut off from both the piston and cylinder assembly 11 and form the air inlet 15.
  • the input 44 is live
  • output 43 is isolated from the live supply 45 because the switch arm of switch 39 is engaged with the low part of cam 40.
  • switch 39 is de-actuated by cam 40, and after a small time delay of approximately O.3 seconds switch 38 is also de-actuated.
  • pressure space 37 of assembly 11 is connected to atmosphere through flow regulator 21 which provides sufficient time delay in the retraction of piston 35 to ensure that the air supply to inlet 15 has been terminated before the slots have begun to widen.
  • the slots 7' are maintained fully open for approximately 0.75 seconds determined by cam 40 to allow any jammed spring to fall back into the chamber before a new cycle is initiated by the high. part of cam 40.
  • compressed air supply 28 has a pressure of 40-150 p.s.i.
  • pressure regulators 29 and 30 are set at 25 and 20 p.s.i. respectively
  • spring 36 is overcome by a pressure of 10 p.s.i. in chamber 37, the maximum width of slots 7' is 0.5 inch, and the adjusted reduced width of the slots 7' is 10mm for feeding springs of that diameter.
  • the modified disentangler of Figure 6 differs from the construction of Figure 1 only in that the lower portion 3 of the body 1 has a vertical rear interior wall 53 to enable the axis of orifice plate 16 to be displaced further to the left in Figure 6 than in the construction of Figure 1. This has the advantage that air issuing from orifice plate 16 tends to follow more closely wall 53 to enhance the circulation of the ball of springs.
  • the ball since the separation. of the springs is brought about mainly by brushing of the springs against the plate assembly 7, the ball may initially substantially fill the chamber, as compared with other constructions. This has the considerable advantage that the time between fillings of the disentangler may be substantially increased.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Feeding Of Articles To Conveyors (AREA)
EP78300192A 1977-07-26 1978-07-25 Appareil et méthode pour séparer des objets emmêlés Expired EP0000817B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB3123977 1977-07-26
GB3123977 1977-07-26

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0000817A1 true EP0000817A1 (fr) 1979-02-21
EP0000817B1 EP0000817B1 (fr) 1981-03-11

Family

ID=10320140

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP78300192A Expired EP0000817B1 (fr) 1977-07-26 1978-07-25 Appareil et méthode pour séparer des objets emmêlés

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US4215954A (fr)
EP (1) EP0000817B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPS5433469A (fr)
DE (1) DE2860521D1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2001940B (fr)
IT (1) IT1106005B (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE202011051568U1 (de) 2011-10-07 2011-11-03 Friedhelm Gerwig Entwirreinrichtung zum Vereinzeln von Montageteilen

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4411561A (en) * 1981-05-22 1983-10-25 Emerson Electric Company Spring feeding device
CN104724481B (zh) * 2013-12-20 2017-07-18 深圳富泰宏精密工业有限公司 筛选机构

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3679097A (en) * 1970-07-16 1972-07-25 Robertshaw Controls Co Coiled spring separator device and method

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1149595A (en) * 1915-02-23 1915-08-10 Arthur E Pipe Separator for attached or nested articles.
GB1281523A (en) * 1968-09-24 1972-07-12 Concentric Prod Res New or improved apparatus for dispensing workpieces
SU522042A1 (ru) * 1975-05-22 1976-07-25 Симферопольский Завод Телевизоров Им.50-Летия Ссср Пневматическое загрузочное устройство

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3679097A (en) * 1970-07-16 1972-07-25 Robertshaw Controls Co Coiled spring separator device and method

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE202011051568U1 (de) 2011-10-07 2011-11-03 Friedhelm Gerwig Entwirreinrichtung zum Vereinzeln von Montageteilen

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0000817B1 (fr) 1981-03-11
IT1106005B (it) 1985-11-11
IT7850490A0 (it) 1978-07-26
GB2001940A (en) 1979-02-14
DE2860521D1 (en) 1981-04-09
US4215954A (en) 1980-08-05
JPS5433469A (en) 1979-03-12
GB2001940B (en) 1982-02-10

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