GB1274331A - A plant for sorting articles - Google Patents

Abstract

1,274,331. Discharging laundry articles from an endless conveyer at selected points. VSESOJUZNY PROEKTNO-KONSTRUKTORSKY INSTITUT SVAROCHNOGO PROIZVODSTVA. 29 May, 1969, No. 27160/69. Heading B8A. By pressing an appropriate key 47 (Fig. 5) one of a series of carriers 9 (Fig. 2) is caused to drop an article of laundry on to a platform 4 at a predetermined station. As each article is deposited on a platform 4 the latter automatically lowers so as to keep the top of the pile at a constant height. Deposition of an article on to the platform 4 takes place by the action of a lever 10 on the machine frame when it is set to co-operate with a lever 7 forming part of the carrier mechanism. The lever 7 brings about the movement of a comb-shaped member 17 which interdigitates with fixed comb elements of the carrier. The lever 10 is set by the action of a member 61 of a memory device (Figs. 4 and 5). The lowering of the platform 4 is brought about by the action of a cam 6 carried by each lever 7. This coacts with a follower 31 to rotate an arm 19 which thus removes a pin from a member 28 carried by an arm 20. The arm 19 is connected by a spring 21 to the arm 20 and the latter is rigid with the pivot of a feeler arm 18. The outer end of the latter is thus turned by this action to rest on the top of the pile of articles on the platform 4, and the higher the pile the greater the degree of relative movement between the levers 19 and 20. This results in a proportional displacement of a pawl 22 and hence a member 25 which operates a ratchet mechanism 26, 27 (Fig. 2), for driving downwards the platform 4. The memory drum 44 is rotated by the action of a cam 41 on the drive-shaft of the conveyer. This operates (via a linkage 42, 43) a pawl and ratchet mechanism on the drum 44. The latter carries sliders 46 which are normally carried across the periphery of the drum 44 by the action of a member 54 (projecting through a slot in the fixed casing of the drum) of a dog 50 carried by an endless member 57. The latter is rotated in synchronism with the conveyer by a shaft 60. If a key 47 is depressed, the slider 46 is caused to stop at a position in its travel (axially of the drum), corresponding to the particular selected platform 4. As the drum rotates, the slider 46 then operates a read-out element 61 which in turn activates the particular lever 10 at the selected platform 4, thereby causing the desired conveyer carrier 9 to deposit its laundry article at the selected platform 4.