EP0512363B1 - Device for pouring out and for stacking flat objects, in a container, in particular mail item out of a sorting machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for dumping and stacking flat in a tray, flat objects in particular of folds at the outlet in particular of a sorting machine in which the folds are routed arranged vertically and released above of the device which comprises a chute provided with a main concave surface for sliding and deflection and with an associated secondary convex surface. A similar device for spilling and stacking slides is known from document WO 88/09224.

More precisely, in such a sorting machine, each fold whose destination has been previously recognized, is arranged vertically in a bucket. The buckets are conveyed in a carousel and their bottom is open above the appropriate outlet to release each fold. At this exit, the folds are stacked flat in a tray which is used for their transport and their subsequent treatment.

The spill and deflection device must therefore receive the vertical fold and deflect it so that it arrives horizontally in the bin, where the folds must be stacked flat satisfactorily. This spill and this stacking must be carried out perfectly whatever the stiffness of the fold, which can be a relatively flexible simple mail such as a prospectus or a relatively rigid magazine and whatever the material constituting the envelope of the fold which can be of a nature varied, especially paper or plastic wrap.

Furthermore, the device must meet space requirements. According to the invention, the difference in level between the bottom of the bucket and the bottom of the tank is less than or equal to about 600 mm.

Finally, avoid blocking the mail in the device which would cause jams. Indeed, commonly, we observe in such devices the effects of "sticking" of the fold on the deflection surface due to a sort of suction cup effect when the fold descends against the surface.

To solve these problems, according to the invention, the convex secondary surface is extended by a pallet articulated along a transverse horizontal axis and the lower edge of which rests on the folds stacked in the container.

Thus are obtained the required deflection qualities and stacking.

Preferably, the main surface consists of a perforated sheet metal sealed at the rear by a film which can be made of plastic or metallic material. In this way, excessive adhesion is avoided, resulting from aerodynamic effects created between the fold and the main surface and which tend to expel air from this interface. Thanks to this arrangement, a multitude of small air tanks are provided in the main surface, capable of generating an air mattress allowing the supply of the interface during the sliding of the flat object on the surface in order to limit the force of adhesion between the object and the surface.

According to another embodiment, these air tanks can be obtained by stamping cells in the sheet forming the main surface.

In order to improve the sliding coefficient, the sheet is at least partially coated with "Teflon".

According to a preferred arrangement, the planar pallet is freely articulated on the secondary surface and comprises a stop position of maximum inclination where its lower edge is near the bottom of the tank. Thus arranged, the pallet serves as a guide for the fold at the outlet of the chute and as a braking stop on the one hand and ensures its correct stacking on the bottom of the tank or on the folds already stacked on the other hand.

In order to stop the filling and to order the prohibition to send folds to this tray at this time, near the upper edge of the pallet is arranged a mechanical sensor with lamella detecting the maximum filling position of the tray.

According to another characteristic, the rear and front edges of the pallet are of profiled shape, the minimum width of the pallet being at its lower edge, to form a lifting stop edge against the rear wall of the tank when the latter is removed or put in place. This removes a command to lift the pallet in the high position to remove the full tray or install an empty tray. Due to its inclined shape, the front or rear edge slides on the rear wall of the tank, external or internal, and thus the pallet is raised automatically.

For safety, to stop the use of the output in case of jamming of a fold, the device includes a photoelectric sensor detecting the presence of a fold at the outlet of the chute.

According to a preferred embodiment, the sensor is fixed on the main surface on its convex side.

According to a constructive feature, the device as described above consists of an assembly consisting of a main surface, an adjacent non-associated secondary surface and the constituent elements which are fixed thereto.

To form an output module, such assemblies are fixed one beside the other, forming the chutes between them.

The invention is set out below in more detail with the aid of drawings representing only one embodiment.

Figure 1 is a front view of a sorting machine module comprising devices according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view corresponding to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front sectional view of a device according to the invention.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views of details IV and V of Figure 3.

Figures 1 and 2 are general views of devices according to the invention arranged at the outlet of a sorting machine. A module comprises five outlets each comprising a chute 1 in which are freed folds contained in retractable bottomed buckets routed according to the guide path formed by the rails 12. The modules are juxtaposed and end units are installed, the path buckets being in carousel.

The module comprises a chassis 13 and support structures 14 for the tanks 6, only one of which is shown. The tank 6 is retained by a conventional means, its installation being done by pushing in its receptacle and its removal by pulling out of the latter. Sorted in their respective bin 6, the folds can be transported for further processing.

The troughs 1, which receive the vertical fold at their upper part, consist of a concave main surface 2 and a convex secondary surface 3, extended by an articulated pallet 4 along a transverse horizontal axis. In the low position, the pallets 4 are in abutment and their lower end is near the bottom of the tank 6.

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 show in more detail the device according to the invention.

For constructive reasons, the device is formed by the juxtaposition of assemblies 15 which delimit the troughs 1 between them.

The chute 1 comprises a concave main surface 2 for sliding and deflecting the fold. According to a first variant (FIGS. 4 and 5) this surface 2 consists of a perforated sheet 7 comprising a plastic or metallic film 8 preferably adhesive on its face opposite to the sliding face. In order to improve the latter, the perforated sheet 7 is teflonized 9 on its area of curvature A.

According to a second variant (FIG. 6), the sheet 7 is provided with cells 7 ′ produced by stamping. In this case, in the area of curvature A, it can also be teflonized.

A secondary surface 3 also delimits the chute 1. At the lower end of this secondary surface 3.3 ′ is disposed a flat pallet 4.4 ′, which is articulated along a horizontal axis transverse to the device. This articulation is produced by a pivot pin 16 secured to an L-shaped fitting 17 and articulated on the front and rear walls of each assembly 15. Furthermore, these walls include a profile 18 provided with a noise-canceling stop 19 in rubber on which abuts part of the fitting 17, when the pallet 4 is in the low position where it is tilted to the maximum.

At the upper edge of the 4.4 'pallet is arranged a mechanical sensor 10 with a strip 20 supported on the 4.4' pallet. This sensor 10 controls the order to prohibit the release of folds at this outlet, when the pallet 4,4 'is in the high position, the least inclined, corresponding to the maximum filling of the tank 6. This sensor 10 is fixed on the surface secondary 3.3 '.

On the inactive face of the main wall 2 is fixed a photoelectric cell 11 which makes it possible to detect the possible blocking of a fold at the outlet of the adjacent non-associated chute. The light ray passes through the pallet 4 'provided with an orifice and is reflected near the end of the main surface 2' associated.

Pallet 4 has its profiled rear and front edges, for example inclined example, the minimum width of the pallet being at its lower edge 5. Thus, when introducing an empty container 6, the rear wall of the latter slides along the front edge and pushes the pallet upwards until it is positioned inside the container 6. Conversely, once the container 6 is full, it is removed and the wall pushes the rear edge to release the container 6.

• un pli vertical est libéré au-dessus de la goulotte 1 et vient glisser sur la surface principale 2 où il est dévié,
• il vient alors buter par une de ses arêtes contre la palette 4, où il est freiné et stabilisé, tout risque de déviation latérale du pli étant supprimé,
• le pli glisse le long de la palette 4 et vient s'insérer sur les plis déjà empilés dans le bac 6, par pivotement de la palette 4 vers le haut.

The operation of such a device is as follows:

• a vertical fold is released above the chute 1 and slides on the main surface 2 where it is deflected,
• it then comes up against one of its edges against the pallet 4, where it is braked and stabilized, any risk of lateral deviation of the fold being eliminated,
• the fold slides along the pallet 4 and is inserted on the folds already stacked in the tray 6, by pivoting the pallet 4 upwards.

It should be noted that the trapezoidal shape of the pallet 4 not only allows its automatic lifting upon insertion and removal of the tank 6, but also reduces its inertia thanks to this "pointed" shape, which facilitates the engagement of light folds under the pallet 4.

As an indication, as can be seen in FIG. 3, the main surface 2 is formed from top to bottom of a flat section inclined by about 70 ° with respect to the horizontal, of a curved section of a radius of curvature of approximately 250 mm, of a slightly inclined flat section and a convex curved rim of radius of curvature of approximately 40 mm.

Claims (10)

1. A device for inclining and stacking flat in a box flat objects, especially letters exiting particularly from a sorting machine, in which the letters are fed vertically orientated and are released above the device, which comprises a chute (1) with a concave main slide and deflecting surface (2) and an associated convex secondary surface (3), the device being characterized in that the convex secondary surface (3) is continued by a flap (4) hinged about a transverse horizontal axis and with its lower edge (5) in contact with the letters stacked in the box (6), and in that the main surface (2) is formed by a perforated metal sheet (7) sealed on the back by a film (8).
2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the film (8) is of plastics material.
3. A device for inclining and stacking flat in a box flat objects, especially letters exiting particularly from a sorting machine, in which the letters are fed vertically orientated and are released above the device, which comprises a chute (1) with a concave main slide and deflecting surface (2) and an associated convex secondary surface (3), the device being characterized in that the convex secondary surface (3) is continued by a flap (4) hinged about a transverse horizontal axis and with its lower edge (5) in contact with the letters stacked in the box (6), and in that the main surface (2) is formed by a perforated metal sheet (7) with embossed pits (7').
4. A device according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the metal sheet (7) is at least partially coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (9).
5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flat flap (4) is freely hinged to the secondary surface (3) and has a stop position of maximum inclination in which its lower edge (5) is adjacent the bottom of the box (6).
6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a mechanical tongue sensor (10) is located adjacent the upper edge of the flap (4) for detecting the maximum filling position of the box (6).
7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rear and front edges of the flap (4) are shaped, the minimum width of the flap (4) being at the level of its lower edge, to form a lifting abutment edge acting against the rear wall of the box (6) when the latter is removed or put in place.
8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a photoelectric sensor (11) detecting the presence of a letter at the output of the chute (1).
9. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that the sensor (11) is fixed on the main surface (2) on its convex side.
10. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is formed by a main surface (2), an adjacent, non-associated secondary surface (3) and components (4, 10, 11) fixed thereto.

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