GB1411161A - Apparatus for the automatic sorting of electrical components - Google Patents

Abstract

1411161 Sorting articles in predetermined groups PHILIPS ELECTRONIC & ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES LTD 21 March 1973 [24 March 1972] 13606/73 Heading B2H An apparatus for automatically sorting electrical components according to the measured value of a given characteristic of the components comprises a plurality of receptacles (one ' of which only is shown at 17) for receiving the sorted components, the receptacles corresponding in number to the groups, and a supply device 9 whose operation is controlled in accordance with the measured values of the components to be sorted and which is operable to supply the components in succession to the appropriate receptacles, the supply device comprising an outlet member 10 which is movable over a matrix of apertures 15 each of which communicates with a corresponding one of the receptacles 17 and which are arranged in rows and columns extending in orthogonal first and second directions X and Y respectively, the outlet member 10 being coupled to first and second driving members 11' and 11 which are movable in the directions X and Y respectively to shift the outlet member to a position above any of the apertures 15, and driving means 1, 2 being provided which operate in steps according to the measured value of each component to move the driving means 11', 11 so as to shift the outlet member to a position above the aperture communicating with the receptacle associated with said measured value. The supply device 9 comprises a telescopic tube having at one end a nozzle which forms the outlet member and which is connected to the driving members 11, 11' which are in the form of rails which cross each other at right angles and are formed with longitudinal slots 12, 12' in which the nozzle 10 is slidably guided. The rails are connected to toothed endless driving belts 7, 7' and 8, 8' meshing with toothed wheels 3, 3' and 4, 4' mounted on shaft 1a, 1b and 2a, 2b, the shafts 1a and 2a being driven by stepping motors 1 and 2 respectively. The apertures 15 are formed in a plate 14 arranged below the rails 11, 11', each aperture communicating with a respective receptacle through a guide tube 16. The components to be sorted are supplied one at a time through the tube 9. According to the measured value of a characteristic of the component to be supplied at a given instant to the nozzle 10, a control pulse is transmitted by a control apparatus (not shown) to cause the motors 1, 2 each to move through a certain number of steps so that the rails 11' and 11 move through corresponding distances in the X and Y directions respectively to shift the nozzle 10 to a supply position in which it is located directly above the particular aperture 15 of the sorting matrix which corresponds to the measured value of the component.