GB1577546A - Method of monitoring products and apparatus for use in the method - Google Patents

Description

(54) METHOD OF MONITORING PRODUCTS AND APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE METHOD (71) We, YOSHINO KOGYOSHO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, also trading as YOSHINO KOGYOSHO CO. LTD., a corporation organised and existing under the laws of Japan, of 6 of 2 Ohjima 3, Kohtoh-ku, Tokyo, Japan, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly decribed in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to a method of monitoring products which are intermittently moved along a plurality of work stations, and to apparatus for carrying out the method.

Such systems can be used for inspecting the quality of various moulded articles such as bottles or cans moulded of synthetic resins, metals or the like; for example, inspecting to determine the quality of the moulded articles in inspection for flaws in the outer surface of the articles, air-tight inspection, dimension inspection, strength inspection and the like, which can accurately perform inspections in an intermittently moving mechanism for continuously performing operations such as attaching d labels, mounting of caps and the like, and obtain operation results therefrom, and wherein a single device is used to continuously perform a variety of inspections and operations.

In the past, in intermittently moving mechanisms for intermittently moving the products to be inspected or machined, an inspection mechanism has been arranged so as to issue an inspection signal, i.e., work signal at the limited operation timing of the intermittently moving mechanism, and during the operating step of the intermittently moving mechanism limited in accordance with the generation of said detection signal, the desired operation, i.e., the bad product, if so, had to be removed.

Therefore, in the case where a plurality of different inspections are made of one product, that is, where a plurality of inspections, which include the neck, the body and the bottom, are required, the product found to be bad by the respective inspections had to be removed from the intermittently moving mechanism in that inspection step or in the subsequent inspection step. This results in the provision of a multitude of steps and a multitude of product removing outlets in the intermittently moving mechanism, and hence, the entire construction of apparatus becomes complicated.

Further, even if the apparatus should be designed to move and deliver the products irrespective of the good or bad ones to the final step, the reception of signals for deciding the good or bad product at the time of final step and the operation according to said signals would be subject to considerable timed restriction (the time capable of permitting entry of instruction signals is extremely short).

In consequence, it was hard to adjust timing between rhe mechanical operation and electric signals, and the operation itself of the intermittently moving mechanism often become poor.

In addition, in a shift register mounted on the intermittently moving mechanism of the type as described above, the obtained inspection results may be shifted to the final step without modification. Therefore, in case of the intermittently moving mechanism, wherein an article not completed in the machining in the preceding step is finished in the succeeding step, there poses an inconvenience that the signal representative of incompletion is hung about the product notwithstanding that the latter is in fact finished in said succeeding step.

For this reason, the typical intermittently moving mechanism adapted to effect the machining operation of the type as described uses a plurality of independent shift registers, which becomes necessary to provide with an electric device of large capacity or to provide with an intermittently moving mechanism every machining.

According to this invention there is provided a method of monitoring products which are intermittently moved along a succession of work stations, in which a shift signal is generated on one of two lines during each moving period and stopping period respectively, a process block is associated with each work station, and when a process block simultaneously receives a shift signal and a work signal from the work station an output signal is generated from that process block and which is successively shifted by subsequent shift signals to the succeeding process blocks in synchronism with the movement of the product.

The invention also provides a shift register for use in the above-defined method, as defined in the appended claims.

The invention will be described in more detail, by way ob example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a typical turn-table in an intermittently moving mechanism embodying the present invention, illustrating a stopped position of the turn-table for purpose of explaining the operation mode of the mechanism; and Fig. 2 is an electric circuit diagram showing the electric wiring of a shift register embodying the present invention.

The illustrated arrangement has been achieved in an effort to overcome the disadvantages and problems noted above with respect to the control method and control circuit in the prior art intermittently moving mechanism, and provides an arrangement wherein a shift signal divided into moving time and stopping time of the intermittently moving mechanism always remains released irrespective of presence of the work signal, and rhe work signal provided at a suitable time is added to said shift signal to thereby generate an output signal, which is shifted by the shift signal as the product moves.Further, the shift signals are continuously generated during the whole period including the moving time and stopping time of the intermittently moving mechanism to thereby render input time of the work signal, and in addition, where the output signal is not required to be shifted, the shifting of the output signal may suitably be stopped by a alear signal from a power source to extinguish the output signal.

Before a detailed description of the system is given, a general intermittently moving mechanism will be described with reference to Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, which is a plan view of a turnstable in an intermittently moving mech anism KD or indexing mechanism, the turn- table is intermittently rotated by a uniform angle about its centre in a manner such that rotation of a prime rotating shaft rotated at a constant speed by means of a drive source such as a motor is converted into intermittent rotat ing operation by means of Geneva mechanism or the like.

That is, the operation portion having been positioned at position 1 of the tuna table is intermittently rotated by succeeding one rota- tion of the prime rotating shaft to assume position 2, and said operation is successively repeated in accordance with the rotating operation of the prime rotating shaft to intermittently rotate the turn-table, whereby the product held on the turn-table is displaced from one position to another, and the desired operation such as inspection or machining is applied to the product in a predetermined stopped position or moving position during a period of said displacement or transportation.

The product transported in the intermittently moving mechanism KD has necessarily a stopped mode period and a moving operation period within a period of one rotating operation of the prime rotating shaft, as is evident from movement of the turn-table.

In this manner, the intermittently moving mechanism KD is stopped for a predetermined period of time at a predetermined position and is moved at a constant speed to a succeeding predetermined position for the remaining time within a period of one rotating operation of the prime rotating shaft.

A shaft signal is obtained in accordance with the rotating operation of the prime rotating shaft in the aforementioned intermittently moving mechanism KD.

That is, in the case of the illustrated embodiment (see Fig. 2), a cam disc CM for setting a stopping period and a moving period of the intermittently moving mechanism KD is mounted on the prime rotation shaft, and a detection switch KS such as a reed switch or limit switch is suitably mounted in the vicinity of the cam disc CM so that the switching state thereof may be reversed according to the stopping period and moving period of the intermittently moving mechanism KD.

A shift signal generating portion SH is provided to divide an output from the detection switch KS into one appearing on line L1 di?effy f?om amplifier AM1 and another appearing on line L2 from an amplifier AM2 through an inverting circuit.

For example, when the detection switch KS is turned on, during the stopping period of the intermittently moving mechanism KD set by the cam disc CM, to provide an output from the detection switch KS, an output or shift signal appears only on the line L1, and conversely, when the detection switch KS is turned off during the moving period of the intermittently moving mechanism KD, the shift signal appears only on the line ILl.

The shift signal appearing on the line L1 or L2 from the shift signal generating portion SH is entered into a shift circuit portion SC which provides an output signal when said shift signal and a work signal (described below) are simultaneously entered, and shifts said output signal in accordance with the shift signal, that is, in accordance with the operation of the Intermittently moving mechanism KD.

The shift circuit portion SC has process blocks KB disposed In correspondence to respective operating processes of the intermittently moving mechanism KD, that is, processes from the stoppage thereof at a predetermined position to the movement thereof to next position, these process blocks being successively connected in series in accordance with the operating order of the intermittently moving mechanism KD.

Each process block KB consists of a first block portion B1 corresponding to the stopping period (or moving period) of the intermittently moving mechanism KD and a second block portion B2 corresponding respectively to the moving period (or stopping period) following the first-mentioned stopping period (or moving period). Both the block portions B1 and B2 are designed so that an AND circuit AND1, into one input terminal of which is entered an output of an OR circuit OR having two input terminals, has its output entered into an output block a (set input) of a bistable flip-flop circuit FF, whereas the other AND circuit AND2 having two input terminals has its output entered into an inoperable block b (reset input) of the flip-flop circuit FF, whereby the output from the output block a of the flip-flop circuit FF ceases.

In the illustrated embodiments, the output from the preceding process block KB is entered into one input terminal of the circuit OR in the first block portion B1, the remaining input terminal of the AND circuit AND1 is connected to the line L1 to receive a shift signal entered into the line L1, and one input terminal of the AND circuit AND2 is connected to the line L2 to receive a shift signal entered into the line L2, whereas an output from the flip-flop circuit FF in the first block portion B1 is entered into one input terminal of the OR circuit OR in the second block portion B2, and the remaining input terminal of the AND circuit AND2 is connected to the line L2 and one input terminal of the AND circuit AND2 is connected to the line L1.

Entered into the remaining input terminal of the AND circuit AND2 in the block portions B1 and B2 is an output of the succeeding block portion B, that is, the output of the second block portion B2 in the first block por tion Bi, and an output of the first block por tion B1 in the subsequent process block KB in the second block portion B2.

Further, the work signal is entered into the remaining in us terminal of the OR circuit OR in each block portion B.

It will be noted in the illustrated embodiment that there is provided no OR circuit OR in the first block portion B1 in the first pro cess block KB, and in the second block portion B2 in the final process block KB, because of the fact that in case of the first block portion B1 in the first process block KB, no process block KB is provided in the preceding stage so that it is not necessary to receive an input from the preceding process block KB, and in case of the second block portion B2 in the final process block KB, it is not necessary to further shift the output signal.

The work signal entered into the first block portion B1 or second block portion B2 in each process block KB is generated on the basis of the same purpose. For example, the work signal is generated when the product, which is intermittently moved while being held by the intermittently moving mechanism KD, is suffered from some kind of inconvenience, said work signal serving as the inspection result signal.

However, a first work signal entered into the first block portion B1 in the first process block KB is the most basic detection signal to detect if the product is held without fail on a proper position of the intermittently moving mechanism KD, and a first work signal generating portion WS, which generates the first work signal is directly connected in the circuit, different from the work signal as other cut-in signal.

In the case of the illustrated embodiment, it is designed so that the work signal is entered into the respective process blocks KB through a switch SW from a line L, connected to a power source of the shift circuit portion SC, but inputs of the work signals into process blocks KB with the exception of the first and final process blocks KB are entered selectively into either the first block portion B1 or the second block portion B2 through change-over switches KSW, instead of being entered simultaneously into both the block portions B1 and B2 The work signal is selectively cut-in during the stopping period or moving period in each process operation, but the reference of said selection is determined according to the nature of the work signal entered and the operation and purpose of external output due to the output generated by the input of the work signal.

Further, connected to the inoperable (reset) block b of the flp-flop circuit FF in each block portion B is a line Li from the power source through a clear switch KS. This line L4 is provided so that the clear switch KS (one shot switch) may be turned on to render all the flip-flop circuits FF inoperable, that is, no output is released.

The line L is variously used. One method is that at the time of starting the intermittently moving mechanism KD, the entire shift circuit portion SC is placed in a state where no output is present, that is, a waiting state. The other is that the shift circuit portion SC will not shift the output of the same purpose as the product moves, but some kind of operation as intended is carried out in response to the work signal different in meaning by the respective process blocks KB during the respective process period of the intermittently moving mechanism.

That is, the work signal is entered into the first block portion B1 in the process block KB in accordance with a certain inspection, and if an output from the first block portion B1 is present, the operation in accordance with the work signal is effected in accordance with the aforesaid output signal within a period set by the second block portion B2, and at the same time of completion of the corresponding period of the second block portion B2, the clear signal is applied through the line L to the flip-flop circuits FF in the first and second block portions B to permit the output of the process block KB to assume zero so that output is not transmitted to the succeeding process block KB.

In this case, strictly speaking, the shift circuit portion SC does not constitute a shift circuit.

Connected to output terminals of both block portions B in the process blocks KB, i.e., output terminals of the output blocks a in the flip-fiop circuits FF are external output lines, which transmit output signals of the block portions B to the desired external output portions GS through the change-over switches KSW.

Each external output portion GS is provided to effect the operation necessary for actuation in response to an input of the work signal. In the illustrated embodiment, an output signal is entered into a relay through an amplifier so that the change-over switch may be changed over to its ON position by the actuation of the relay to permit the desired operating mechanism to effect the desired operation.

In the illustrated embodiment, an external output portion GS is provided in each process block KB. It should be noted however that the output portion GS can be provided as necessary and is not always required to be provided in all the process blocks KB.

The operation of the circuit in accordance with the present invention will now be described by way of preferred embodiments.

The first process block KB1 in the shift circuit portion SC shown in Fig. 2 is the portion corresponding to the position 1 in which the product on the turn-table in the intermittently moving mechanism KD shown in Fig. 1 is carried-in and held. The first block B1 corresponds to said portion during a period when the product holding portion of the turn-table is stopped at the position 1, and the second block B2 corresponds to said portion during a period when the product holding portion is moved from the position 1 to the position 2.

Similarly, the second process block KB2 corresponds to the position 2, the third process block KB3 to the position 3, and the fourth process block KB4 to the position 4, which is the position for delivery of the good product.

The position 2 is the portion for inspecting the quality of the neck in the product, and the position 3 for inspecting the quality of the body in the product so that the work signal is entered into the second process block KB2 corresponding to the position 2 and the third block KB, corresponding to the position 3 only when the inspection result is "bad".

connected to the first process block KB1 is the first work signal generating portion WS which inspects if the product is fed and held properly on the turn-table, and when the pro duct is not fed and held on the turn-table, the first work signal is generated.

When the product holding portion of the turn-table is stopped at the position 1 by intermittent rotation of the turn-table, the shift signal is fed from the shift signal generating portion SH to the line L1 so that the shift signal is entered into one input terminal of the AND circuit AND1 in the first block B1 in the first process block KB1.

At the same time, the product is fed to the product holding portion stopped at the position 1 from a product carrying-in mechanism (not shown) in synchronism with the intermittent rotation of the turn-table, and when the product is fed and properly held on the product holding portion stopped at the position 1, a first work signal is not generated from the first work signal generating portion WS and hence, no input is entered into the remaining input terminal of the AND circuit AND1 in the ;first block B1 in the first process block KB, resulting in no output from the first block B1.

When the product holding portion, on which the product is held at the position 1, starts to move, the shift signal is fed to the line L2 so that the shift signal is entered into the AND circuit AND1 in the second block B2. However, since no output from the first block B1 is present in the remaining input terminal of said AND circuit AND1, there is no input therein so that no output is present from the AND circuit AND2, whereby the flip-flop circuit FF in the second block B2 is not inverted to produce no output.

Namely, there is no output from the first process block KB1.

When the product holding portion on which the product is held is stopped at the position 2, the shift signal is again generated and fed from the shift signal generating portion SH to the line L1 and is applied to one input terminal of the AND circuit AND1 in the first block B1 in the second process block KB2. However, since no output from the first process block KB1 is present and the OR circuit OR has no work signal entered, there is no output from the first AND circuit AND1 whereby there is no output from the first block B1.

If the neck of the product has been found to be good as a result of inspection of the neck in the position 2, a work signal is not generated.

That is, the switch SW located in the line, which connects the second process block KB2 to the line Ls, is not turned ON (closed), and therefore, the product holding portion having been stopped at the position 2 starts to move towards the position 3, and even if the shift signal is generated in the line L2, an output is not released from the second block B2 in the second process block KB2.

If the product holding portion is stopped at the succeeding position 3 and the body of the product held on said product holding portion is found to be "good", no output is released from the third process block KB2 similarly to the previous case.

Thus, when the product holding portion on which the product is held is stopped at the position 4, which is the position for carrying out the good product, no product is released from the first block B1 in the fourth process 'block KB4. The absence of the output permits the product to be carried out from the turntable in accordance with a preset basic program.

That is, when a good product is carried into the intermittent moving mechanism KD, the process blocks KB in the shift circuit portion SC release no output and zero outputs are successively shifted to the process blocks KB as the good products move.

Next, in the event the product is not fed and held on the product holding portion of the turn-table stopped at the position 1 for some cause, the first work signal is generated from the first work signal generating portion WS so that the shift signal from the line L1 is entered into one input terminal of the first AND cir cult AND1 in the first block B1 in the first process. block KB1 whereas the first work signal is entered into the remaining input terminal thereof. Thus, an output is released from the first AND circuit AND1 and said output causes the flip-flop circuit FF in the first block B1 to be changed over to the output block portion a and releasing the output from the first block B1.

The output from the first block B1 is entered into the first AND circuit AND1 in the second block B2 through the OR circuit OR, which state is retained during a period the product holding portion is stopped at the position 1.

When the product holding portion having been stopped at the position 1 starts to move towards the position 2, the shift signal generating portion SH is changed over to feed the shift signal to the line L2 so that the output and the shift signal from the first block B1 are entered into the first AND circuit AND1 in.

the second block B2, whereby the flip-flop circuit FF is changed over to the output block portion a to release the output.

The output signal of the first process block KB1 is entered to the first block B1 in the second process block KB2 and at the same time entered into one input terminal of the second AND circuit AND2 of the first block B1 in the first process block KB1.

Since the shift signal from the line L2 is being entered into the other input terminal of the second AND circuit AND2 in the first block B1 in the first process block KB1, an output is released from the second AND circuit AND2. This output causes the flip-flop circuit FF in the first block B1 to be changed over (reset) to the inoperable block portion b to cut off the output from the first block B1.

Next, when the product holding portion is stopped at the position 2, the shift signal generating portion SH is changed over to feed the shift signal to the line L1, which is entered into one input terminal of the first AND cir cuit AND1 in the first block B1.

However, since the output signal from the preceding first process block KB2 is entered into the other input terminal of the first AND circuit AND1 through the OR cir cuit OR, an output is released from the first AND circuit AND1. This output causes the flip-flop circuit FF in the first block B1 to be changed over to the output block portion a to generate the output signal.

When the output signal is generated from the first block B1 in the second process block KB2, this output signal is entered into the succeed ing block B2 and at the same time entered into the preceding block B, that is, into the second AND circuit AND2 in the second block B2 in the first process block KB1 to permit an output to be released from the second AND circuit AND2 which has already received the shift signal from the line L1, whereby the flip-flop circuit in the second block B2 in the first process block KB1, is changed over to the inoperable block portion b to cut off the output from the second block B2.

In this manner, the first work signal generated from the first work signal generating portion WS in accordance with the intermittent movement of the turn-table, that is, the signal representative of a state where the product is not retained on the corresponding product holding portion is shifted as the product holding portion moves and at the same time, the thus shifted output signal is fed back to the preceding block B to thereby change-over the flip-flop circuit FF in the preceding block B to the inoperable block portion b, that is, the waiting state.

When shifted to up to the fourth process block KBA in a manner as described above, that is, when the product holding portion with the product not held thereon reaches the position 4, the operation of a counter or the like which counts the number of the good products by utilization of the shifted output signals may be stopped to issue instructions thereof to various mechanisms associated therewith.

Further, in the event the product, of which neck is inconvenienced, is fed to the turn-table, when the product holding portion with such a product held is stopped at the position 2, in the illustrated embodiment, a switch SW in serted in the connection line which connects the line L3 to the second process block KB2 is turned on to apply the work signal representative of "bad neck" to the OR circuit OR in the second block B2 in the second process block KB2.

In consequence, when the product holding portion starts to move toward the position 3 upon completion of the stopping period at the position 2, a shift signal appears in the line L2 and the shift signal and the work signal from the line L3 are applied to the first AND circuit AND1 in the second block B2 in the second process block KB2 so that an output is released from the first AND circuit AND1 to change over the flip-flop circuit FF to the output block portion a and generating an output signal from the second block B2 in the second process KB1.

That is, the output signal is shifted starting the second block B, in the second process block KB2.

Furthermore, in the event the product fed to the intermittently moving mechanism KD is inconvenienced in the body thereof, an output signal is not generated in the process block KB corresponding to the product holding portion until the product holding portion with such a product held thereon reaches the position 3.

However, when the product holding portion reaches the position 3, a switch SW which is positioned in the connection line which connects the line L2 to the third process block KB,, is turned ON to apply the work signal to the first AND circuit AND1 in the second block B2 in the third process block KB2 through the OR circuit OR.

In consequence, when the abovementioned product holding portion starts to move from the position 3 to the position 4, the shift signal from the line L2 is entered into the other input terminal of the first AND circuit AND1 in the second block B2, into one input terminal of which is already entered the work signal, and hence, the second block B2 releases an output and thereafter, the output signal is shifted to the fourth process block KB4 in accordance with the operation of the turntable.

That is, where the product is not fed and held on the product holding portion, where the product is inconvenienced in the neck thereof, where the product is inconvenienced in the body thereof, or where the turn-table for carrying the good product from the position to position 4 is inconvenienced because of various reasons just mentioned above, the output signal representative of such inconveniences is released, and this output signal is shifted to the process blocks KB in accordance with the intermittent movement of the product holding portion until it reaches the fourth process block KBi corresponding to the position 4, which is the position for carrying out the good product.Thus, removal of the product at the position 4 is stopped by the output signal shifted to effect operations, for example, in which the bad product is carried out at the position 5, or in which the operation of a counter for counting the number of good products carried out is stopped.

Instructions of these operations for remov- ing the bad product at the position 5 instead of the position 4 or for stopping the operation of the counter for the carry-out of good products may simply be accomplished by issuing such instructions from the external output portion GS connected to the process block KB.

While the work signal is entered into the second block B2 when the turn-table is stopped and when the turn-table starts to move, the shift signal and work signal are applied to provide the output signal, in the abovedescribed explanation, it should be noted that timing od input of the work signal is not limited, but a change-over swictch KSW inserted in series with the switch SW in the connection line between the line L2 and the process block KB may be changed over reversely to that as in the illustrated embodiment, whereby the work signal may be entered in the midst of the stopping period od the turn-table.

That is, the shift signal is applied to the process blocks KB during the appropriate period irrespective of whether during a stopping period or a moving period. In addition, the output signal is generated as long as both the shift signal and work signal are applied simultaneously even in a moment so that input timing of the work signal is not at all limited.

While the above description has been given of the operation of one product holding portion, a number of product holding portions are simultaneously operated in practice.

These product holding portions are not always in coincidence in state (in which the product is not held on the product holding portion, or in which the product held thereon is inconvenienced or not). However, when a certain product holding portion is in stopping period or in a predetermined position, other product holding portions are similarly stopped m their predetermined stopping position, and conversely, when a certain product holding portion is being moved, other product holding portions are also being moved.Therefore, considering the adjacent product holding portions, when the preceding product holding portion is stopped in a predetermined stopping position, that is, said portion is opposed to the first block B1 of the corresponding process block KBn, the preceding product holding portion is opposed to the first block B1 of a process block KBn-1 preceded by said process block KBn.

Accordingly, even if the output signal is shifted from the process block KBn-1 to KBn in accordance with the intermittent movement of the product holding portion because of some kind of inconvenience given to the preceding product holding portion, a part of the output signal from the first block B1 of the process block KBn causes the second block B2 of the process block KBn-1 to be changed over to the waiting state when the preceding product holding portion is stopped so that the later product holding portion may always correspond to the block B in the waiting state.

In the foregoing, the operation for successively shifting the output signals generated by the work signals fed on the basis of the same purpose has been described. However, by utilization of the line L in the form of a clear line, which is provided to place all the flipflops FF in waiting state when the intermittently moving mechanisms KD are started or complete in operation, the circuit is not used as the shift register for the output signal of the same purpose but may be used even for an application in which the process blocks KB are operated corresponding to work signals entirely different from those in the other process blocks KB, and in the event the output signal is generated, said output signal is not shifted to the following process block KB.

Such a method of utilization of the system may advantageously be used for an inter- mittently moving mechanism KD, which is designed so as to inspect the state of products and to apply machining or operation to the product, instead d an intermittently moving mechanism KD, which is designed merely to inspect the products while being intermittently moved.

For example, in the case of an intermittently moving mechanism KD wherein a cap is mounted on the product at the position 2 and inspection is made if the cap is mounted on the product without fail, and when the cap is not mounted on the product at the position 2 for some cause, the cap is mounted on the product without cap at the position 3, the operation for mounting the cap on the product at the position 3 is preset so that when the output signal is generated in the second process block KB2 corresponding to the position 2, said output signal is removed and introduced into the external output portion GS to serve as the instruction signal, and in case where the product intermittently moved is stopped at the position 2 and the cap is properly mounted thereon, the switch SW inserted between the second process block KB2 and the line L, is not turned ON so that the work signal is not applied to the second block B2 of the second process block KB2 and therefore, the output signal is not generated in the second process block KB2.

Thus, where the output signal is not generated in the second process block KB2, that is, where the external output portion GS connected to the second process block KB2 is not operated, the operation for mounting the cap on the product at the position 3 is not at all carried out.

Conversely, where mounting of the cap on the product intermittently moved and stopped at the position 2 has not been achieved for some cause, the fact that the operation of mounting the cap on the product has been unsuccessful is detected and the switch SW inserted in the connection line between the second process block KB2 and the line L2 is turned ON whereby the work signal is impressed to the second block B2 of the second process block KB2.

When the product starts to move towards the position 3 after completion of the stopping period of the product at the position 2 from the above-mentioned state, the shift signal is appeared in the line L2 and hence, both the work signal and the shift signal are applied to the second block B2 of the second process block KB2 so that an output signal is generated from the second block B2 to actuate the external output portion GS connected to the second process block KB2, whereby assuming a state where a mechanism for mounting the cap on the product corresponding to the position 3 is operated.

Immediately before the product reaches the position 3, that is, immediately before termination of the moving period, the clear switch KS inserted between the power source and the clear line L4 is instantaneously turned ON to change-over the flip-flop circuits FF in the blocks B in a releasing state into inoperable mode.

That is, the second block B2 in the second process block KB2 is brought into the inoperable state immediately before the product reaches the position 3.

Thus, even if the product reaches the position 3 and the shift signal appears in the line L1, there is no input other than the shift signal in the first block B1 in the third process block KB3, that is, the output signal from the second process block KB, is not shifted and as a consequence, the circuit may not be changed over into the releasing state.

Furthermore, when the product reaches the position 3, the external output portion GS connected to the second process block KB2 is actuated to again effect the operation for mounting the cap on the product.

That is, in the case of the intermittently moving mechanism KD including an operating process in which failure in one operation with respect to the product is corrected into a perfect mode in the succeeding step, there is provided an operation wherein even if an incomplete article is appeared, said incomplete article may be corrected into a complete article, and hence, it is inconvenient that the output signal representative of the incomplete article is shifted to the end. It is desirable that the output signal from the process block KB is used as the operation instruction signal for the operating mechanism positioned to which the other process block KB corresponds so as not to allow the output signal to be shifted at all.

As is seen from the foregoing, the shift signals may be generated during the entire period of the stopping and moving periods of the intermittently moving mechanism KD so that the work signals can be impressed any time, and as a consequence, mounting location of a part to be inspected on the intermittently moving mechanism KD is not strictly limited to provide a simple mounting operation of the part on the intermittently moving mechanism KD. In addition, since the output signal shifted at free time may be removed, the intermittently moving mechanism KD may readily be controlled. Furthermore, since the output signal in each block B is necessarily fed back to the preceding block B to cause the preceding block B to assume the waiting state, each process block KB may accurately correspond to the product carried to each stopping position of the intermittently moving mechanism KD.Thus, the system affords a variety of excellent operations and effects relating to monitoring of rhe products in the intermittently moving mechanism KD and information control of the inspection results.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of monitoring products which are intermittently moved along a succession of work stations, in which a shift signal is generated on one of two lines during each moving period and stopping period respectively, a process block is associated with each work station, and when a process block simultaneously receives a shift signal and a work signal from the work station an output signal is generated from that process block and which is successively shifted by subsequent shift signals to the succeeding process blocks in synchronism with the movement of the product.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a clear signal can be entered into a process block to clear the signal therein so that it is not shifted to subsequent process blocks.

3. A method of monitoring products sub stantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

4. A shift register with an intermittently moving mechanism comprising a shift signal generating portion adapted to feed a shift signal to one line during a moving period of the intermittently moving mechanism and to another line during a stopping period thereof, and pro cess blocks associated with work stations of the intermittently moving mechanism to receive shift signals appearing in said lines and to generate an output signal when a work signal is entered externally simultaneously with a shift signal, wherein the output signal from each process block (other than the last) is entered into the succeeding process block, the output signal from each process block (other than the first) is fed back as a clear signal to the preceding process block, and the output signals from one or more of the process blocks are removed outside through a relay.

5. A shift register with an intermittently moving mechanism according to claim 4, wherein said process block comprises a first block portion including an OR circuit, which has one terminal adapted to receive the output signal from the preceding process block and another terminal adapted to receive the work signal, an AND circuit which has one terminal adapted to receive the output from said OR circuit and the other terminal connected to a first one of the shift signal lines, the output of said AND circuit being applied to the set input of a bistable circuit, and a second AND circuit which has one terminal connected to the other shift signal line, the output of said second AND circuit being applied to the reset input of said flipflop circuit; and a second block portion including an OR circuit which has one terminal adapted to receive the output of said first block portion and another terminal adapted to receive the work signal, an AND circuit which has one terminal adapted to receive the output of said OR circuit and the other terminal connected to the said other line, the output of said AND circuit being applied to the set input of the flip-flop circuit, and an AND circuit which has one terminal connected to the first shift signal line, the output of said second AND circuit being applied to the reset input of said flipflop circuit, the output of said blodr. being entered into the remaining terminal of the said second AND circuit in the preceding block portion.

6. A shift register with an intermittently moving mechanism according to claim 4 or 5, including a dear line connected to a power source circuit to feed a clear signal to the reset input of the flip-flop circuit in each block portion so that said flipflop circuit is placed in a state where no output is released.

7. A shift register with an intermittently moving mechanism, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. is used as the operation instruction signal for the operating mechanism positioned to which the other process block KB corresponds so as not to allow the output signal to be shifted at all. As is seen from the foregoing, the shift signals may be generated during the entire period of the stopping and moving periods of the intermittently moving mechanism KD so that the work signals can be impressed any time, and as a consequence, mounting location of a part to be inspected on the intermittently moving mechanism KD is not strictly limited to provide a simple mounting operation of the part on the intermittently moving mechanism KD. In addition, since the output signal shifted at free time may be removed, the intermittently moving mechanism KD may readily be controlled. Furthermore, since the output signal in each block B is necessarily fed back to the preceding block B to cause the preceding block B to assume the waiting state, each process block KB may accurately correspond to the product carried to each stopping position of the intermittently moving mechanism KD.Thus, the system affords a variety of excellent operations and effects relating to monitoring of rhe products in the intermittently moving mechanism KD and information control of the inspection results. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of monitoring products which are intermittently moved along a succession of work stations, in which a shift signal is generated on one of two lines during each moving period and stopping period respectively, a process block is associated with each work station, and when a process block simultaneously receives a shift signal and a work signal from the work station an output signal is generated from that process block and which is successively shifted by subsequent shift signals to the succeeding process blocks in synchronism with the movement of the product.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a clear signal can be entered into a process block to clear the signal therein so that it is not shifted to subsequent process blocks.

3. A method of monitoring products sub stantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

4. A shift register with an intermittently moving mechanism comprising a shift signal generating portion adapted to feed a shift signal to one line during a moving period of the intermittently moving mechanism and to another line during a stopping period thereof, and pro cess blocks associated with work stations of the intermittently moving mechanism to receive shift signals appearing in said lines and to generate an output signal when a work signal is entered externally simultaneously with a shift signal, wherein the output signal from each process block (other than the last) is entered into the succeeding process block, the output signal from each process block (other than the first) is fed back as a clear signal to the preceding process block, and the output signals from one or more of the process blocks are removed outside through a relay.

5. A shift register with an intermittently moving mechanism according to claim 4, wherein said process block comprises a first block portion including an OR circuit, which has one terminal adapted to receive the output signal from the preceding process block and another terminal adapted to receive the work signal, an AND circuit which has one terminal adapted to receive the output from said OR circuit and the other terminal connected to a first one of the shift signal lines, the output of said AND circuit being applied to the set input of a bistable circuit, and a second AND circuit which has one terminal connected to the other shift signal line, the output of said second AND circuit being applied to the reset input of said flipflop circuit; and a second block portion including an OR circuit which has one terminal adapted to receive the output of said first block portion and another terminal adapted to receive the work signal, an AND circuit which has one terminal adapted to receive the output of said OR circuit and the other terminal connected to the said other line, the output of said AND circuit being applied to the set input of the flip-flop circuit, and an AND circuit which has one terminal connected to the first shift signal line, the output of said second AND circuit being applied to the reset input of said flipflop circuit, the output of said blodr. being entered into the remaining terminal of the said second AND circuit in the preceding block portion.

6. A shift register with an intermittently moving mechanism according to claim 4 or 5, including a dear line connected to a power source circuit to feed a clear signal to the reset input of the flip-flop circuit in each block portion so that said flipflop circuit is placed in a state where no output is released.

7. A shift register with an intermittently moving mechanism, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.