FR2638145A1 - AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS - Google Patents

Abstract

Automatic document distribution apparatus 20 such as newspapers, magazines or the like, stacked on a platform 7, comprising gripping means 39 gripping the upper face of the upper document from the stack of documents 56 to extract it in the direction of 'a rework station 6a by dragging it onto the next lower document. This device comprises guide means 21 extending vertically, support means 22 extending above the stack of documents and mounted on the vertical guide means 21 so as to be movable vertically parallel to themselves, and drive means 29 mounted on the support means 22 and adapted to move the gripping means 39 horizontally from a rear position to a front position in order to extract the above-mentioned upper document and vice versa to bring these gripping means back in the back waiting position on the next document in the document stack.

Description

AUTCOATIC DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS

DOCUMENTS

  The present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus

  automatic bution of documents such as newspapers, magazines or the like. Distribution devices of this type are already

  known. In particular, patent FR-A-1,526,949 describes a distribution

  stacked newspaper striker which comprises a shaft which extends across and above the stack of newspapers and the ends of which are held in vertical slots in side walls adjacent to the stack. This shaft rests on the stack of newspapers via rollers and is rotated by a cable mechanism to slide the upper newspaper. In this device, the drive shaft of the upper document always keeps the same position relative to the direction of movement of the log and the rotary drive mechanism of this shaft is relatively complicated when it comes to

  distribute newspapers from different stacks.

  There is also known a mechanical device for distributing

  log burner which comprises a manually movable arm which carries a plate provided below with spikes gripping the upper face of the upper newspaper of the stack of newspapers, this stack of newspapers being carried by a platform movable upwards by a spring and the upper face of this stack abutting against rollers. The thicker the stack of newspapers, the greater the force on these rollers so that the newspaper to be extracted can be damaged. In addition, this mechanical device is not at all suitable in the case where it is desired

  place several piles of newspapers on top of each other.

  The present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus

  automatic bution of documents not particularly presenting the aforementioned drawbacks and which is particularly suitable for distributing. documents from stacks of

different documents.

  Automatic document distribution machine

  such as newspapers, magazines, or the like, stacked on a platform

  form, according to the invention, comprises gripping means gripping the upper face of the upper document from the stack of documents to extract it towards a recovery station by sliding it onto the next lower document, guide means extending vertically, support means extending above the stack of documents and mounted on the vertical guide means so as to be movable vertically parallel to themselves, and drive means mounted on the means support and adapted to horizontally move the input means from a rear position to a front position in order to extract the above-mentioned upper document and vice versa to bring these input means back to the waiting position on the upper document

next to the stack of documents.

  According to the invention, the support means are preferably provided with support means coming to bear on the upper face of the stack of documents. In a variant, these support means comprise at least one support roller whose axis extends

  transversely to the direction of movement of the gripping means.

  These support means can advantageously be supported on

  the back area of the top side of the document stack.

  According to the invention, said gripping means are preferably adapted to be movable vertically over a race

  substantially equal to or greater than the thickness of the documents.

  In an alternative embodiment, said drive means

  ment comprise a horizontally movable slide and a shoe articulated transversely on this slide, this shoe carrying the gripping means. Preferably, the hinge axis of articulation

  on the slide is vertically movable.

  In a preferred embodiment, the gripping means are constituted by at least one point extending behind in front and downwards and fixed on the shoe in a place such that it

  is pressed on the upper side of the document stack.

  According to the invention, the travel of the gripping means gripping the upper face of the above-mentioned upper document is preferably such that these gripping means go forward.

  beyond the front side edge of the document stack.

  The apparatus according to the invention preferably comprises means forming a stop for the rear side wall of the stack of documents, these means being mounted adjustable in the direction

  movement of the gripping means. In a variant of reali-

  preferred position, these means forming a stop are provided on their height with a flap or the like on which acts part of the drive means or gripping means, this flap being movable backwards, against a reminder, for

  act on a rear limit switch.

  According to the invention, the support means are preferably

  with a front limit switch on which comes

  act part of the drive means or gripping means.

  The device according to the invention can advantageously be provided with an limit switch activated when the last document is extracted. In one embodiment, the support means are provided with a vertical limit switch having an actuating arm adapted to plunge into an opening in the platform when the last document in the stack of documents

is extracted.

  According to the invention, in front of the document stack can be provided a vertical corridor into which the document falls

  extract to the rework station.

  According to the invention, hooking means carried by the support means can be provided to allow these support means to be hung in a position located at a distance

of the platform.

  In a simple embodiment, the support means comprise at least one arm, the rear end of which is slidably mounted on a column, the entrainment means comprising a screw driven by a motor and on which is mounted a slide guided by the arm and carrying the gripping means. The present invention also relates to an automatic distribution cabinet for documents such as newspapers,

journals or the like.

  In accordance with the invention, this cupboard comprises several platforms forming shelves placed above and at a distance from each other and intended respectively to carry stacks of documents, these platforms extending forwardly at an angle, automatic dispensing devices associated respectively with document stacks, a front door in which a vertical document guide corridor is provided

  with access openings for documents coming from the respective-

  stacks of documents located in the front edge area of the front extensions. platforms and at the base of this

  corridor, an external opening for the resumption of documents.

  According to the invention, the means for supporting the dispensing devices mounted in the cabinet are preferably movable on common vertical guide means extending behind

  on the front side of the document stacks.

  The present invention will be better understood from the study of a cabinet containing automatic document distribution devices such as newspapers, magazines or the like, described by way of nonlimiting examples and illustrated by the drawing in which: - the figure 1 shows a vertical section in the depth direction of a distribution cabinet containing two automatic distribution devices according to the present invention, one being partially in section and the other being in lateral view; - Figure 2 shows a horizontal section of the cabinet of Figure 1, the automatic dispensing apparatus being in top view; - Figure 3 shows an enlarged top view of the rear part of the automatic dispensing apparatus of Figure 1; - And Figure 4 shows a rear view of the

  part shown in Figure 3.

  Referring to Figures 1 and 2, we see that there is shown a cabinet generally identified by the reference 1 of parallelepiped shape which includes a bottom 2, a rear wall 3, two side walls 4 and 5 and a wall

U638145

  front or front formed by an access door 6, the part

  upper part of this cabinet not being shown.

  In the cabinet 1 are arranged two shelves or platforms 7 which extend horizontally one above the other and at a distance and whose lateral edges are fixed to the side walls 4 and 5 of the cabinet 1. In the direction of the depth of the cabinet 1, the rear longitudinal edge 8 and the front longitudinal edge 9 of the shelves 7 are located at a distance

  respectively of the rear wall 3 and of the door 6 of the cabinet 1.

  In addition, from their front edges 9, the shelves 7 have inclined extensions 10 which extend forward and downward, the front longitudinal edge 11 of these extensions 10 being

located away from door 6.

  On its inner face, the door 6 is provided with a vertical front corridor 12 delimited by a front longitudinal wall 13 located at a distance from the door 6 and is full and by a rear longitudinal wall 14. This wall 14 has an opening

  extending opposite and above the front edge 11 of the extension

  gement 10 of the upper shelf 7, this extension being slightly -20 engaged in the opening 15. In addition, the horizontal lower edge 14a of the wall 14 is located above and at a distance from the front edge

  ll of the extension 10 of the lower shelf 7.

  The door 6 has in its lower part a recovery station 6a. For this purpose, its wall has an opening 16 through which the plate forms a deflector.

  17 tilted forward and downward, and located in the

  gement of the extension 10 of the lower shelf 7. This plate 17. has, outside the door 6, a longitudinal edge 18 turned upwards. In the middle of plate 17

  and the rim 18 is formed a notch 19.

  The horizontal lower edge 13a of the front wall

  13 of the corridor 12 is located above and at a distance from the plate 17.

  In cabinet 1 there are two distribution devices

  automatic bution generally identified by the references 20 and 20a which are respectively associated with the upper shelves

  and lower 7 and which are of identical structure.

  The distribution apparatuses 20 and 20a comprise in common a vertical guiding means constituted by a vertical cylindrical column 21 which extends in the space separating the

  rear edges 8 of the shelves 7 and the rear wall 3 of the cabinet 1.

  The lower end of this column 20 is fixed to the bottom 2 of the cabinet 1 and its upper end is fixed to the wall

  upper part of this cabinet not visible in the figures.

  Each dispensing device 20 and 20a comprises a support generally identified by the reference 22 which has, in the example, two horizontal arms 23 and 24 which extend side by side in the direction of the depth of the cabinet 1 substantially at equal distance from its side walls 4 and 5, and whose front and rear ends are respectively connected by transverse plates 25 and 26. A bearing 27 is fixed on the side and at the rear of the arm 23 and is crossed by the column so that the support 22 is slidably mounted on this vertical column 21 parallel to itself. To prevent the support 22 from rotating around the column 20, the bearing 27 carries a key 28 adapted to slide in a longitudinal groove

from column 20.

  The horizontal arms 23 and 24 of the support 22 of each dispensing device 20 and 20a extend forwardly so

  slightly beyond the front edges 9 of the shelves 7.

  The support 20 of each distribution device 20 and 20a carries drive means generally identified by the reference 29 which include a screw 30 which extends in the depth direction of the cabinet 1, between the arms 23 and 24 and which is rotatably mounted on the transverse plates 25 and 26. To rotate this screw 30, an electric motor 31 is fixed on a plate 32 carried by the rear ends of the arms 23 and 24 and is mounted on the 'opposite of the bearing 27 relative to these arms. The axis of rotation of the electric motor 31 is connected to the rear end of the screw 30 by means of a train

of gears 33.

  On the screw 30 is mounted a slide 34 which extends between the arms 23 and 24 so as to be guided by the latter in the direction of the depth of the cabinet. On this slide 34

  and below is mounted a shoe 35 which is constituted by a plate.

  This shoe 35 carries a yoke 36 which extends upwards on either side of the slide 34. The branches of this yoke have vertical oblong slots 37 through which extend transverse axes 38 carried by the lateral sides of the slide 34, so that this shoe 35 is suspended in order to be able to pivot along an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement of the slide 34 and is movable vertically. In the vicinity of its front end, the shoe 35 carries, below, gripping means constituted by two points 39 spaced in the longitudinal direction of the cabinet 1, these points 39 being oriented from rear to front and down. It should be noted that the shoe 35 extends in front and behind the axes 38 and is suspended from the slide 34 so that its front part, and consequently

  the tips 39, tend to descend.

  The horizontal arms 23 and 24 are provided on their outer side with transverse arms 40 which carry rollers 41 whose horizontal axes extend perpendicular to the

  direction of movement of the slide 34.

  The support 22 is provided with an electrical limit switch 42 which is actuated by the slide 34 when

  the latter arrives at its most forward position.

  As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 3 and 4, each shelf 7 carries on its rear part two vertical stops 43 which extend upwards and whose lower ends are fixed by bolts 44 which extend through slots in the shelf so that they can be adjusted in the

  cabinet depth direction 1.

  One of the vertical stops 43 is provided with a pivoting flap 46 of the same height and which is articulated by vertical hinges 47, this flap 46 being pivoting backwards against a spring 48. When the slide 34 moves back and forth and a side finger 34a which it carries reaches the flap 46, it pivots the latter backwards against the spring 48 and this flap 46 acts on an electrical contact of limit switch

  rear 49 carried by the stop 43.

  As can be seen in FIG. 1, the support 22 of each distribution device 20 and 20a is provided in its part

  upper rear of a hook 50 on which a spring 51 acts.

  This hook 50 is intended to hang on a pin 52 of the cabinet 1 so as to keep the devices 20 and 20a away from the shelves 7. In FIG. 1, the device 20a is in this high position. As seen in Figures 1 and 2, one of the arms 40 carrying the rollers 41 carries an electrical end contact

  53 which has a vertically movable actuating arm 54

  lement. When the support 22 is in its low position in which the rollers 41 are supported on the shelf 7, the actuating arm 54 of the electrical limit switch 53 is adapted to

  engage in an opening 55 formed in the shelf 7.

  The cabinet 1 and the automatic dispensing apparatus and 20a described above work and can be used

as follows.

  The devices 20 and 20a being in their high position, held by the hooks 40, and the door 6 being open, the shelves 7 are accessible. There are respectively on the shelves 7 stacks of documents 56 so that their rear faces 57 are in abutment against the rear stops 43, these rear stops 43 having been previously adjusted so that the front face 58 of the stacks of documents 56 either substantially at the

  vertical from the front longitudinal edge 9 of the shelves 7.

  Beforehand, lateral guides 49 will also be adjusted extending in the depth direction of the cabinet 1 and between which the stacks of documents 56 are disposed, these lateral guides 59 being fixed on the shelves 7 by means of

  bolts not shown extending through longitu-

  oblong dinales 60 formed in these shelves 7.

  The document stacks 56 being thus disposed, hooks 50 are removed and the distribution apparatuses and 20a are lowered along the column 21 so as to arrange them

  above the stacks of documents and we close door 6.

2638 1 45

  In the above position, the distributors

  bution 20 and 20a rest by their weight on the upper face of the document stacks 56 by means of their rollers 41, these rollers preferably being in the rear zone of the document stacks 56. The actuating arms 54 of the electrical contacts 53 are also supported on the upper face of the stacks of documents 56 and are raised, thus authorizing the operation of the motors 31. In this position also, the shoes 35 rest, by their rear part and by the tips 39, on the upper face stacks of documents 56, their axes of articulation 38 being in the vicinity of the upper end of the lights

  oblong 37 of the yokes 36 connecting to the slides 34. -

  We will now describe how the distribution apparatus 20 which rests on the stack of documents 56 arranged

on the upper shelf 7.

  The slide 34 being in the rear position, in abutment against the flap 46, when the motor 31 is activated, it rotates the drive screw 30 so as to move its slide 34 forward. At the start of this movement, the points 39 carried by the shoe 35 engage slightly and grip the upper face of the upper document 56a of the stack of documents 56 and drives this document forward, this document being guided by the lateral guides 59. When the rear edge of the upper document 56a passes beyond the rollers 41, the support 22 slides down along the column 21 so that the rollers 41 rest on the next document in the stack of documents 56, the shoe 35 rising in thickness from document 56a by moving to the

  top of the yokes 36 on the hinge pins 38.

  The slide 34 continuing its course forward, the document 56a plunges into the space separating the rear longitudinal wall 14 of the corridor 12 of the door 6 and the front face 58 of the stack of documents 56. When the slide 34 arrives at front limit switch, detected by the contact. 42 which causes the motor 31 to stop, the tips are beyond the front face 58 of the document stack 56 while the rear end of the

  shoe 35 is above stack 56.

2638 1 45

  As soon as the front limit switch electrical contact 42 is activated, the motor 31 is activated in the opposite direction and

  brings back the slide 34 and the shoe 35 which it carries towards the rear.

  When the tips 39 are beyond the front face 58 of the stack of documents 56, the document 56a is released. It falls on the inclined extension 10 of the upper shelf 7, crosses the opening 15 and plunges into the corridor 12 to the bottom of this corridor or it is diverted outwards by the plate 17 through the opening 16 of the door 6 to come into abutment against the outer rim 18 and extend on the plate 17 and on the extension 10 of the lower shelf 7. The document 56a can then be extracted from the cabinet 1, this extraction being facilitated

by notch 19.

  When the slider 34, which moves backwards, reaches the flap 46 carried by one of the stops 43, it pivots this flap 46 backwards and the latter acts on the rear limit switch 49 to stop the motor 31. The slide 34 is then in its rear waiting position for the extraction of the new upper document

from the document stack 56.

  The operations which have just been described are repro-

  picks for each of the documents in the document stack 56 and, when the last document in the document stack 56 is extracted and the slide 34 is returned to its rear standby position, the actuating arm 54 of the electrical contact 53 enters the opening 55 of the upper shelf 57 and activates this electrical contact 53 so as to signal the absence of documents on this shelf and prohibit the operation of the electric motor of

the dispenser 20.

  The distribution apparatus 20a operates in the same way as the distribution apparatus 20. This time however, the documents successively extracted from the stack of documents 56

  carried by the lower shelf 7 fall, are deflected by the p.olon-

  inclined position 10 of the lower shelf 7 and engage directly through the opening 16 of the door 6 by sliding on the plate

  17 to come into abutment as previously against the rim 18.

  l1 The cabinet 20 is preferably equipped with a coin changer and a document selector, not shown, which include keys respectively associated with the document stacks 56 arranged on the shelves 7 so that a user can be issue and extract the document of your choice through

of the opening 16 of the door 6.

  Of course, the automatic operation of the distribution apparatuses 20 and 20a as well as the coin changer and the selector are managed by electronic control circuits.

  that there is no need to describe here.

  The example described above comprises two shelves 7 and two dispensing devices 20 and 20a. The cabinet 1 could however include other superimposed shelves 7 to which they would respectively be associated with distribution devices identical to the devices 20 and 20a, the corridor 12 being extended upwards and provided with openings corresponding to the opening 15 in view from guiding the documents down to the rework station 6a. In addition, several cabinets thus equipped could be arranged next to each other and controlled by a

  coin changer and a common document selector.

  The present invention is not limited to the example described above. Many other variants are

  possible without departing from the scope defined by the claims

attached.

Claims (19)

  1. Automatic document distribution apparatus (20)   ment such as newspapers, magazines or the like, stacked on a platform (7), comprising gripping means (39) gripping the upper face of the upper document from the stack of documents (56) to extract it towards a rework station by sliding it onto the next lower document, characterized in that it comprises: guide means (21) extending vertically - support means (22) extending above the stack documents and mounted on the vertical guide means (21) so as to be movable vertically parallel to themselves, - and drive means (29) mounted on the support means (22) and adapted to horizontally move the input means (39) from a rear position to a front position in order to extract the above-mentioned upper document and vice versa to bring these input means back to the waiting position on the document   next top of the document stack.   2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the support means (22) are provided with support means (41) bearing on the upper face of the stack of documents.   3. Apparatus according to 'claim 2, characterized in that said support means (41) comprise at least one support roller whose axis extends transversely to the direction   movement of the gripping means (39).   4. Apparatus according to one of claims 2 and 3,   characterized in that said support means (41) bear on the rear region of the upper face of the stack of documents (56).   5. Apparatus according to any one of the claims   above, characterized in that said gripping means (39) are adapted to be movable vertically over a race   substantially equal to or greater than the thickness of the documents.   6. Apparatus according to any one of claims   above, characterized in that said drive means 2638 1 45   ment (29) comprise a slide (34) movable horizontally and a shoe (35) articulated transversely on this slide, this   shoe carrying the gripping means (39).   7. Apparatus according to one of claims 6 and 7,   characterized by the fact that the hinge pin (38) of the shoe   (35) on the slide (34) is vertically movable.   8. Apparatus according to one of claims 6 and 7,   characterized by the fact that the gripping means consist of at least one point (39) extending behind in front and downwards and fixed on the shoe (35) in a place as it is   by pressing on the upper face of the stack of documents (56).   9. Apparatus according to any one of claims   above, characterized in that the travel of the gripping means (39) gripping the upper face of the above-mentioned upper document is such that these gripping means go forward beyond   from the front side edge (58) of the document stack (56).   10. Apparatus according to any one of claims   previous, characterized in that it comprises means forming a stop (43) for the rear side wall (57) of the stack of documents (56), these means being mounted adjustable in the direction   movement of the gripping means (39).   11. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that said stop means (43) are provided on their height with a flap (46) or the like on which comes a part (34) of the drive means or gripping means, this flap being movable backwards, against a means of   reminder (48), to act on a rear limit switch.   12. Apparatus according to any one of claims   above, characterized in that the support means (22) are provided with a front limit switch (42) on which part of the drive means or gripping means acts.   13. Apparatus according to any one of claims   above, characterized in that it is provided with a contact   limit switch activated (53) when the last document is extracted.   14. Apparatus according to any one of claims   previous, characterized in that the support means are provided with a vertical limit switch (53) having an actuating arm (54) adapted to plunge into an opening (55) of the platform (7 ) when the last document in the stack of documents (56) is extracted.   15. Apparatus according to any of the claims   previous, characterized in that in front of the stack of documents (56) is provided a vertical corridor (12) in which   the extracted document falls to the rework station (6a).   16. Apparatus according to any one of claims   above, characterized in that it comprises hooking means (50) carried by the support means (22) and making it possible to hang these support means in a position located at a distance of the platform (7).   17. Apparatus according to any one of claims   above, characterized in that the support means (22) comprise at least one arm (23) whose rear end   is slidably mounted on a column (21), the drive means   ment comprising a screw (30) driven by a motor (31) and on which is mounted a slide (34) guided by the arm and bearing the gripping means (39).   18. Automatic distribution cabinet (1) for documents such as newspapers, magazines or the like, characterized in that it comprises: several platforms (7) forming shelves placed above and at a distance from each other and intended respectively to carry stacks of documents (56), these platforms extending forwardly in an inclined manner,   - devices (20, 20a) according to any one of the claims   previous, associated respectively with the stacks of documents, - a front door (6) in which is formed a vertical corridor (12) for guiding the documents having access openings (15) for the documents coming respectively from the stacks   of documents, located in the area of the front edge (11) of the extensions   inclined gements (10 of the platforms (7) and, at the base of this   corridor, an external opening (16) for the resumption of documents. 2638 144   19. Cabinet according to claim 18, characterized in that the support means (22) of the aforementioned devices are movable on common vertical guiding means (27)   extending behind the front side of the document stacks.