GB1342276A - Silverware sorter - Google Patents

Abstract

1342276 Silverware sorter AVANT INDUSTRIES Inc 19 April 1971 [30 March 1970] 25519/71 Heading B2H An apparatus for sorting silverware including knives, forks and spoons comprises a bed 10 supporting silverware, means, e.g. a vibrator 18, for moving the silverware along the bed towards a discharge end, the knives being retained in a substantially horizontal position during movement along the bed, a chute 25 adjacent the discharge end for receiving the knives from the bed, one or more discharge openings 34 provided in the bed through which forks and spoons drop. A plate 40 positioned beneath the opening(s) 34, a slot 44 in the plate 40 dimensioned to permit the passage of the forks 46 beyond the plate, a receptacle for receiving the forks, the slot 44 also permitting the passage of the spoon handles but being dimensioned to prevent passage of the bowl portions of the spoons so that the latter are suspended by the plate 40, means for moving, e.g. by means of connections 16 to vibrator 18, suspended spoons 50, 54 along the length of the slot 44, and a receptacle at the end of the slot for receiving the spoons. The sliverware is delivered via conduits 14 on to the bed 10 which is supported on a pan 12 mounted on vertical plates 16 connected to the vibrator 18. The bed 10 is formed with troughs 20 which move the silverware towards the openings 34. The knives are directed from the chute 25 through an opening 26 in the end wall 28 of the pan 12. Cam surfaces 36 midway along the troughs 20 locate the handles of the forks and spoons on edge to facilitate their discharge through the openings 34. Chutes 38 located beneath the openings 34 deliver the forks and spoons onto the plate 40 which is constituted by the bottom of the pan 12. A number of slots 44 are formed in the plate 40 and are sufficiently wide to permit forks 46 to fall through the plate 40 into suitable receptacles whilst being directed by guides 48. The slots 44 communicate at their ends with openings 52, Fig. 10, through which the spoons drop into a receptacle. A cam 56 positioned beneath each slot 44, Figs. 13d, 14, directs the handles of long-handled spoons 54 for movement along one side of a wall 58 while the short-handled spoons 50 move along the other side of the wall. Air streams discharged from openings 62 in nozzles 60 push the short-handled spoons 50 to said other side of the wall 58. A flexible brush or arm may be used instead of the air streams. Alternatively, other cams may be used for diverting the short-handled spoons. Suitable brushes or fluid streams may be employed for moving the silverware on the bed 10 and plate 40 either in lieu of, or in conjunction with, the vibrator 18.