GB1601592A

GB1601592A - Distributing and sorting apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB1601592A
Application number: GB4182777A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-11-04

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO DISTRIBUTING: AND SORTING APPARATUS (71) I, MARTYN RIDLEY TAMKIN, a British Subject, of Richmond House, Causeway End, Felstead, Great Dunmow, Essex, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to distributing apparatus for carrying articles and discharging the articles at predetermined locations. In preferred aspects, this invention relates to sorting apparatus comprising such distributing apparatus in combination with means for deciding the particular location at which any particular article carried by the distrubuting apparatus is to be discharged.

There have been many proposals for distributing apparatus based on forms of conveyor, there being means to remove articles from the conveyor at a required location. For example, in the case of a conveyor in the form of an endless, flexible belt, gates may be arranged to move across the belt so as to deflect articles carried thereby into receptacles disposed adjacent the belt. Instead of gates, plungers may be adapted to move transversely of the belt and physically to push articles off the belt at the required locations. Though these proposals are quite satisfactory for many purposes, it is found that when handling delicate articles, the operating speed must be kept very low in order to prevent damaging the articles, and even at low speeds the use ofsuch distributing apparatus can lead to the rejection of articles suffering from handling damage.The problems become especially acute when perishable foodstuffs are being handled, which of course are most prone to damage even when being handled particularly gently. Mention may be made of tomatoes and a wide variety of other fruits, all of which bruise very easily, greatly reducing both the saleable value of the produce and the maximum permissible storage time thereof.

Though it has been a principle aim of this invention to provide distributing apparatus capable of handling delicate fruits or other produce, and tomatoes in particular, the distributing apparatus of this invention can be used with a very wide variety of articles, both delicate or more robust in nature.

According to this invention, there is provided distributing apparatus for carrying articles along a path and discharging each article at a predetermined location for that article along the path, which apparatus comprises means defining the path along which the articles are to be carried, an endless chain conveyor supported by said path defining means so as to be capable of running along the path, the chain conveyor having a plurality of links pivoted together by hinge pins, at least some of the links each being adapted to support an article and each comprising a pair of adjacent link members at least one of which is slidably mounted on the associated hinge pins for lateral movement transverse to the direction of movement of the chain conveyor along said path, each slidable link member having a control arm attached thereto which arm is engaged with a guide extending parallel to the length of the path, the guide having a movable element at a location at which articles are to be discharged the element being movable selectively out of the general line of the guide whereby, when so moved and engaged by a control arm of a slidable link member on movement of the conveyor, the control arm is slid thereby transversely of the length of the conveyor, thereby separating the two link members of that link and allowing a carried article to fall under gravity therebetween.

It will be appreciated that in the distributing apparatus of this invention, when the movable element of the guide is aligned with the general line of the guide, no movement will occur of the slidable member of a link of the chain conveyor as the control arm thereof passes said location, as the conveyor is advanced along the path. However, when the element is moved out of the general line of the guide, the action of the element on the control arm separates the pair of link members forming an article-suporting link, allowing a supported article to fall free of that link between the members thereof.

It is clearly important for the members defining an article-carrying link to be suitably configured so that the two link members may support an article when the control arm of the slidable member runs along the greater part of the guide, but may allow the article to fall under gravity if the control arm is moved by the movable element of the guide. The control arm may itself engage the guide or movable element to effect the movement, or an indirect engagement may be used if more convenient.

The amount of movement which must be imparted to the slidable member of a link depends upon various factors, such as the expected variation in size and shape of conveyed articles.

However, when dealing with generally round articles such as tomatoes, it has been found that a particularly appropriate shape is for each link member to be generally planar, with the two adjacent surfaces facing each other of the two members being shaped to define an arcuate recess. Preferably also the arcuate face of each link member is bevelled, so as securely to support an article therebetween.The two link members should be disposed when the control arm is engaged with the main part of the guide such that the greatest separation of the two members in the region of the arcuate recesses is smaller than the smallest article which the conveyor is required to carry, and the movement imparted to the slidable link member by running over a selectively movable element of the guide when displaced should be sufficient to allow the largest article which is expected to be carried to pass between the two link members. To this end, it is preferred for each control arm to be adjustably mounted on the associated slidable link member, whereby the initial spacing between the two members of a link, when the control arm is engaged with the guide therefor, may be varied.

In order to allow the distribution of articles at more than one location along the length of the path, it is preferred for the guide to have a plurality of selectively movable elements spaced along the path, whereby the two members of any one article-carrying link may relatively be separated at any one of the locations at which such a movable element is provided. For many purposes, it is found that an arrangement in which two selectively movable elements are provided is particularly convenient, for such an arrangement may sort articles into three separate groups - two groups respectively at the two locations at which movable elements in the guide are provided and the third group comprising those articles which are not discharged at either of those two locations but instead are discharged at the end of the said path, as the conveyor is turned for the return run.

If the locations at which the articles are to be discharged from the distributing apparatus of this invention are relatively closely spaced, it is convenient to arrange for both link members of an article-supporting link to be slidable on the hinge pins, each member having an associated control arm engaged respectively with a guide therefor, the two guides extending one along each side of said path and each guide having at least one movable element. In this way, at one location where articles are to be discharged there may be a movable element in one guide, to one side of the path, and at the next location there may be a movable element in the guide to the other side of the path, where by at one location one link member of a pair thereof in a link can be moved and at the next location the other member of a pair thereof in a link can be moved.Moreover, if an exceptionally large separation is required between the two members of an article-carrying link at any one location - for example, if the articles to be carried and distributed vary considerably in shape and size - it would be possible to arrange movable elements in both the guides at the same location but on opposed sides of the path, whereby both link members of an article-carrying link may simultaneously be moved to increase the separation therebetween.

A particularly convenient construction for the chain conveyor employed in the distributing apparatus of this invention is for each hinge pin to be provided with a pair of idler wheels mounted one at each end thereof, each idler wheel running on an associated railway, the two railways together comprising the means defining the path. Advantageously, each control arm extends laterally of the slidable member of a link, parallel to the adjacent hinge pins, and is itself provided with a roller running in a second railway, comprising the guide for the control arm.

Conveniently, the railways for the wheeled hinge pins and for the control arms are in the form of a single rail provided with a pair of channels, the wheel of a hinge pin and the roller of a control arm running respectively in the two channels of the rail. An aluminium extrusion is most suitable for this purpose.

Fo the above described arrangement, it is preferred for the or each movable element of the guide to comprise a gate hinged to the guide and movable for instance by means of an electromagnetic solenoid so as to define a plane inclined to the general length of the guide, where by the control arm is moved laterally as it engages the inclined plane. Preferably, the gate is arranged automatically to return to its position aligned with the guide after the link carrying an article to be discharged has passed the discharge location. A convenient manner of effecting this for the case in which a roller is provided on the control arm and which runs in a channel constituting the guide, is to arrange both side flanks of the channel to be movable for instance by means of a solenoid, whereby the roller may leave the channel to run along the outside of the guide if the two flanks are moved from the normally-aligned position. The flanks can then be spring-biassed to the normally-aligned position, and only when the solenoid is energised can a roller leave the channel. Thus, by energising the solenoid only for a short time at the appropriate moment, only one roller will leave the channel, the spring bias automatically returning the side flanks when the solenoid is deenergised to constrain following rollers to remain in the channel unless the solenoid is energised once more.

Particularly for the case in which the distributing apparatus of this invention is to be used with delicate and perishable goods (for instance, tomatoes) it is preferred for there to be a liquid tank immediately beneath the location at which articles are to be discharged from the chain conveyor, into which articles may fall under gravity. By filling the tank with liquid - and conveniently water - discharged articles will fall under gravity into the liquid and in this way bruising of the articles can substantially be aovided. By pumping the liquid to flow along an elongate tank, the distributed articles can be conveyed by the liquid movement to the point at which they are further to be processed.

The distributing apparatus described above may be incorporated in sorting apparatus for articles. Such sorting apparatus thus may comprise distributing apparatus of this invention in combination with means to detect a physical characteristic of the articles carried by the chain conveyor, the detecting means providing outputs dependent upon the characteristic, and a control system adapted to move selectively the or each movable element of the guide at appropriate times dependent upon the received outputs from the detecting means, whereby the articles are sorted into groups at the said locations dependent upon the detected characteristics. For example, detecting means may comprise a colour sensor adapted to look at the colour of the conveyed articles, and to provide an output to the control system such that the articles are sorted in the basis of their colour.

For instance, in the case of tomatoes, the articles may be sorted into three groups - one red, one green and the third straw coloured tomatoes.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment of this invention will now be described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of distributing and sorting apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the left-hand end portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a detailed plan view of an enlarged scale of a part of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an apparatus intended to sort articles such as tomatoes on the basis of their colour into three groups. The apparatus comprises a main frame including a pair of spaced side plates 10 carrying along their upper faces a pair of rails 11, one rail 11 on each side plate 10 and extending parallel to each other for substantially the whole length of the apparatus. A chain conveyor 12 is supported by the rails 11, the chain conveyor 12 being endless and passing around end wheel assemblies 13 disposed one at each end of the apparatus. Each wheel assembly 13 comprises a pair of hexagonal wheels 14 attach in alignment to a horizontally-extending shaft 15, the shaft being journalled in plummer blockz 16, fastened to the side plates 10.Shaft 15 at the right hand end of the apparatus (as seen in Figure 1) is provided with a projecting portion 17, for the attachment of a drive sprocket (not shown) whereby the chain conveyor 12 may be driven in the direction of arrow A by the hexa gonal wheels 14 of the wheel assembly 13 at that end of the apparatus.

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 4, the chain conveyor 12 comprises a plurality of links 18 pivoted together by means of hinge pins 19. Each hinge pin 19 carried a pair of wheels 20, one at each end of the pin 19 and running in a channel 21 provided in the associated rail 11. In this way, the upper run of the chain conveyor 12 is constrained to move along a path defined by the pair of rails 11, the path extending substantially horizontally between th two wheel assemblies 13. The lower, return run of the endless chain conveyor 12 is allowed to hang between the two end wheel assemblies 13, though if the run of the chain is of a considerable length, spaced-apart guides may be provided to support the lower run.Between the side plates 10 and adjacent the lower run of the chain conveyor 12, there is a pair of blocks 22, between which the wheels 20 on the hinge pins 19 pass. The blocks therefore serve to maintain the hinge pins in the correct relative disposition, so that the wheels may enter the channels 21 of the rails 11 as the chain passes around the driver right hand end wheel assembly 13 (Figure 1).

It is also to be noticed that in the described embodiment, because the chain conveyor 12 is adapted to move in the direction of arrow A, the driven end wheel assembly will apply tension to the lower run of the chain 12, preventing excessive sagging thereof.

Referring now to Figure 4, each link 18 of the chain 12 comprises a pair of link members 23, each link member being hinged along one end edge 24 thereof to one hinge pin 19a and along the opposed end edge 25 to the next adjacent hinge pin l9b. The hinged connection to pin 19a is made by two lugs 26 projecting from the main area of the link member and provided with aligned bores through which the pin 19a passes, the lugs 26 being disposed adjacent the inner and outer side faces of the link member 23. On the other hand, the pivotal connection of edge 25 to the pin 19b is made by a single lug 27 having a bore through which the hinge pin 19b passes, the lug 27 being disposed midway between the inner and outer side faces of the link member 23.The arrangement ls such that there is considerable clearance between the lugs 26 of one link member and the lug 27 of the next adjacent link in the chain conveyor, whereby the link members of adjacent links may independently be slid laterally of the conveyor 12.

Each link member (though only one member is shown as such in detail in Figure 4) is provided with a rectangular aperture 28 adjacent the outer side face thereof, there being a bore 29 extending through the aperture 28 towards the centre of the conveyor 12, parallel to the hinge pins 19. A control arm 30 is mounted in the bore 29, and is locked in a required position by means of a pair of mrts 31 threaded on the control arm 30 and positioned one adjacent the outer edge of the link member 23 and the other within the aperture 28. Each control arm carries at its outer end a roller 32, the axis of which is vertical as the conveyor moves along the upper run, the roller normally being engaged in channel 23 of adjacent rail 11, channels 21 and 33 extending parallel and adjacent for the length of the top run of the conveyor.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the apparatus is arranged to discharge conveyed articles at two locations 34 and 35 intermediate the end of the apparatus, articles not being discharged at either of these two locations being discharged from the end 36 of the conveyor 12 remote from the driven end wheel assembly 13. Referring to Figure 4, there is shown the arrangement of the channel 33 in the region of one of the locations 34 or 35, at which carried articles can be discharged from the conveyor 12.A cut-out 37 is provided in the outermost flank 38 of the channel 33, the cut-out 37 being of such a size that the roller 32 carried by a control arm 30 may leave the channel 33 therethrough, The inner flank 39 of the channel 33, generally in the region opposed to the cut-out 37, is formed as a movable gate 40, the gate being hinged at 41 about a vertical axis whereby the gate may be moved from the position shown in broken lines, aligned with the inner flank 39 of the channel 33, to the position shown in solid lines, thus obstructing the channel 33. When the gate 40 is moved to this second position, a roller 32 carried by a control arm 30 is guided out of the channel 33, thereby separating the members 23 of the associated link 18 of the chan conveyor 12.

Appropriately mounted on the side plate 10 at the location 34 (or 35) is a solenoid 42, the armature 43 of which is adapted to move in a horizontal direction, normal to the length of the channel 33. The free end of the armature 43 carries a plate 44 of such a size and shape that the plate 44 may fit within the cut-out 37, so as to close the cut-out 37 and prevent the exit of a roller 32 therethrough. A spring 45 biases the armature 43 and plate 44 to this position in which the cut-out 37 is obstructed.

A connecting link 46 is pivoted to the gate 40 remote from its hinge point 41, the free end 47 of the link 46 being turned over to engage behind the plate 44, whereby movement of the armature to the position shown in Figure 4 moves the gate 40 to the position shown in solid lines in Figure 4. De-energising the solenoid 42 allows the plate 44 to move back to the position in which the cut-out 37 is obstructed, and the next following roller 32, moving along the channel 33 is thereby constrained to remain within the channel; the roller itself thus moves the gate 40 back to the position shown in broken lines in Figure 4.

Open-topped tanks 48 and 49 are provided immediately below the upper run of the conveyor 12 in the regions of the locations 34 and 35, and a further open-topped tank 50 is disposed adjacent the end 36 of the conveyor 12.

These tanks are filled with water when the apparatus is in use, so that articles distributed from the conveyor fall under gravity into the water. By arranging for the water to flow along the length of the tanks 48 to 50, articles deposited therein may be conveyed to the next point at which they are further to be processed.

The actuation of the solenoids 42 provided at the locations 34 and 35 is under the control of an electrical driving system (not shown), signals being provided to the driving system from a colour-sensing head 51. This head may comprise for example a form of television camera with an appropriate colour filtering system, so that an output may be obtained therefrom dependent upon the colour of the articles passing therebeneath. Said outputs are then provided to the driving system, in a synchronised manner with the movement of the conveyor 12, so that if an article is to be distributed at location 34 or location 35, an appropriate drive is provided to the solenoid 42 at that location when the detected article passes thereover.Such actuation of the solenoid moves the plate 44 and gate 40 in the manner described above, thereby guiding the roller 32 out of the dut-out 37, so that the roller thereafter runs along the outside of the outer flank 38 of the channel 33. This action separates relatively the link members 23 of that link 18, allowing a carried article to fall therebetween. To synclironise the operation of the electrical driving system with the conveyor movement o pick-off may be taken from the shaft 15 - for instance by means of a microswitch or a proximity switch.

A suitable guide (not shown) is provided adjacent the end wheel assembly at end 36 of the top run of the conveyor 12, to back towards one another the control arms of links the members of which have been separated, so that at the start of the top run of the conveyor 12, the rollers 32 all engage in the associated channels 33 of the rails 11. Adjacent the end wheel assembly 13 at the start of the top run of the conveyor 12, means are provided to load articles on to the members of the links thus disposed close to one another, such means being well understood in this art and are not described here.

The adjacent, but opposed, side edges of the link members 23 forming a link 18 must appropriately be shaped for the articles which are to be carried by the conveyor 12 and distributed thereby. For tomatoes, which are generally spherical, it is particularly preferred for the inner sides of the members 23 to be shaped as shown in Figure 4; thus, having an arcuate recess or cut-out portion 52 which portion is also bevelled as shown. Advantageous results are obtained when the radius of the cut-ou; portion 52 adjacent the upper face of the member is of the order of 40 mm, and the radius of the cut-out 52 adjacent the lower face of the member is of the order of 35 mm, the depth of the cut-out measured from the innermost side edge of the member to the deepest portion of the lowermost radius being of the order of 15 mm.

It will be appreciated that these dimensions may be varied as desired dependent upon the articles to be carried. Moreover, other shapes of cut-out may be employed for different articles.

With the above described apparatus, the movement of one of the link members forming a link 18 is fixed by the diameter of the roller 32 and the thickness of the outer flank 38 of the channel 33. However, by adjusting the position of the control arm 30 with respect to the member to which it is affixed by nuts 31, the minimum size of the spacing between the two members can be adjusted, so that the members will carry all articles of more than a certain size, and will discharge all articles of not less than some greater size, the difference between said two sizes being equal to the movement of the member at a location 34 or 35. Any articles not discharged in this way will of course be discharged at the end of the top run of the chain, into the tank 50.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. Distributing apparatus for carrying articles along a path and discharging each article at a predetermined location for that article along the path, which apparatus comprises means defining the path along which the articles are to be carried, an endless chain conveyor sup- ported by said path defining means so as to be capable of running along the path, the chain conveyor having a plurality of links pivoted together by hinge pins, at least some of the links each being adapted to support an article and each comprising a pair of adjacent link members at least one of which is slidably mounted on the associated hinge pins for lateral movement transverse to the direction of movement of the chain conveyor along said path, each slidable link member having a control arm attached thereto which arm is engaged with a guide extending parallel to the length of the path, the guide having a movable element at a location at which articles are to be discharged, the element being movable selectively out of the general line of the guide whereby, when so moved and engaged by a control arm of a slidable link member on movement of the conveyor, the control arm is slid thereby transversely of the length of the conveyor, thereby separating the two link members of that link and allowing an article carried thereby to fall under gravity therebetween.

2. Distributing apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each link member of an articlesupporting link is generally planar, the two adjacent surfaces facing each other of the two link members being shaped to define an arcuate recess.

3. Distributing apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the arcuate face of each link member is bevelled.

4. Distributing apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein each control arm is adjustably mounted on the associated slidable link member, whereby the initial spacing, when the control arm is engaged with the guide therefor, between the two slidable members of a link may be varied.

5. Distributing apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the guide has a plurality of selectively movable elements spaced along the path, whereby the two members of any one article-carrying link may relatively be separated at any one of the locations at which such a movable element is provided.

6. Distributing apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein two selectively movable elements are provided to allow articles to be sorted into three separate groups.

7. Distributing apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein each link member of an article-supporting link is slidable on the hinge pins, each member having an associated control arm engaged respectively with a guide therefor, the two guides extending one along each side of said path, and each guide having at least one movable element.

8. Distributing apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein each guide has a movable element aligned with an element of the other guide, whereby both link members of an articlesarrying link may simultaneously be moved to increase the separation therebetween.

9. Distributing apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein each hinge pin is provided with a pair of idler wheels mounted one at each end thereof, each idler wheel running on an associated railway, the two railways defining said path.

10. Distributing apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, wherein each control arm extends laterally of the slidable member of a link parallel to the adjacent hinge pins, the control arm being provided with a roller running in a second railway comprising the guide for the control am.

11. Distributing apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the railways on one side of said path for the wheeled hinge pins and for the control arms are in the form of a single rail provided with a pair of channels, the wheel of a hinge pin and the roller of a control arm running respectively in the two channels of the rail.

12. Distributing apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the or

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. spherical, it is particularly preferred for the inner sides of the members 23 to be shaped as shown in Figure 4; thus, having an arcuate recess or cut-out portion 52 which portion is also bevelled as shown. Advantageous results are obtained when the radius of the cut-ou; portion 52 adjacent the upper face of the member is of the order of 40 mm, and the radius of the cut-out 52 adjacent the lower face of the member is of the order of 35 mm, the depth of the cut-out measured from the innermost side edge of the member to the deepest portion of the lowermost radius being of the order of 15 mm. It will be appreciated that these dimensions may be varied as desired dependent upon the articles to be carried. Moreover, other shapes of cut-out may be employed for different articles. With the above described apparatus, the movement of one of the link members forming a link 18 is fixed by the diameter of the roller 32 and the thickness of the outer flank 38 of the channel 33. However, by adjusting the position of the control arm 30 with respect to the member to which it is affixed by nuts 31, the minimum size of the spacing between the two members can be adjusted, so that the members will carry all articles of more than a certain size, and will discharge all articles of not less than some greater size, the difference between said two sizes being equal to the movement of the member at a location 34 or 35. Any articles not discharged in this way will of course be discharged at the end of the top run of the chain, into the tank 50. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. Distributing apparatus for carrying articles along a path and discharging each article at a predetermined location for that article along the path, which apparatus comprises means defining the path along which the articles are to be carried, an endless chain conveyor sup- ported by said path defining means so as to be capable of running along the path, the chain conveyor having a plurality of links pivoted together by hinge pins, at least some of the links each being adapted to support an article and each comprising a pair of adjacent link members at least one of which is slidably mounted on the associated hinge pins for lateral movement transverse to the direction of movement of the chain conveyor along said path, each slidable link member having a control arm attached thereto which arm is engaged with a guide extending parallel to the length of the path, the guide having a movable element at a location at which articles are to be discharged, the element being movable selectively out of the general line of the guide whereby, when so moved and engaged by a control arm of a slidable link member on movement of the conveyor, the control arm is slid thereby transversely of the length of the conveyor, thereby separating the two link members of that link and allowing an article carried thereby to fall under gravity therebetween.

each movable element of the guide comprises a gate hinged to the guide and movable to a position in which the gate defines a plane inclined to the general length of the guide, whereby the control arm is moved laterally as it engages the inclined plane.

13. Distributing apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the gate is arranged automatically to return to its position aligned with the guide after the link carrying an article to be discharged by that gate has passed the discharge location.

14. Distributing apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein a liquid tank is porvided immediately beneath the location at which articles are to be discharged from the chain conveyor, into which discharged articles may fall under gravity.

15. Distributing apparatus as claimed in Claim 14, wherein pump means is arranged to pump liquid along the tank, whereby distributed articles will be conveyed by the liquid movement to the point at which they are further to be processed.

16. Distributing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

17. Sorting apparatus comprising distributing apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims in combination with means to detect a physical characteristic of the articles carried by the chain conveyor, the detecting means providing outputs dependent on that characteristic and a control system adapted to move selectively the or each movable element of the guide at appropriate times dependent upon the received outputs from the detecting means, whereby the articles are sorted into groups at the said locations dependent upon the detected characteristics.

18. Sorting apparatus as claimed in Claim 17, wherein the detecting means comprises a colour sensor adapted to look at the colour of the conveyed articles, and to provide an output to the control system such that the articles are sorted on the basis of their colour.