GB1604040A

GB1604040A - Garment storage and issue apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB1604040A
Application number: GB5437977A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: LV PURCHASING CO Ltd
Current assignee: LV PURCHASING CO Ltd
Priority date: 1977-12-30
Filing date: 1977-12-30
Publication date: 1981-12-02
Also published as: FR2413068B3; FR2413068A1; DE2856747A1

Description

(54) GARMENT STORAGE AND ISSUE APPARATUS (71) We, L.V. PURCHASING COMPANY LIMITED, a British company of LVP House, Park Royal Road, London NWl0 7LF, 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 described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to apparatus comprising a plurality of storage locations for storing garments, a conveyor system for conveying garments stored at the different storage locations to a single collect location, and a control means including a code signal input means by the use of which a user can initiate the automatic delivery, by the conveyor system, of a garment from a particular storage location to the collect location from where the user can take the garment.

Such apparatus will be known herein as "apparatus of the character defined".

According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus of the character defined wherein the control means includes a memory which is programmable or is programmed with information that particular groups of said storage locations are associated with garments each having a particular common feature, the feature being the same for the storage locations of any one group and being different for the different groups, and the apparatus is operable for receiving a code signal identifying a particular one of these features and then will be delivered to said collect location a garment from a storage location chosen by the apparatus from among the storage locations in the group associated with the particular feature identified by the received code signal.

The features common to the storage locations of the respective groups may be the size of the garment, i.e. so that garments of one size may be assigned to the storage locations of one group, another size to another group and so on, and the code signal entered by a user into the apparatus does not identify a particular storage location but instead a particular required size of garment and hence, indirectly, a particular one of the groups of storage locations. The apparatus itself selects which storage location, in the group thereof associated with the requested size, from which it will deliver a garment. Preferably, the apparatus will select the storage locations of a particular group in sequence, advantageously in cyclic sequence, on the respective occasions that a garment having the feature associated with that group is requested.

Not all of the storage locations need be assigned to groups. Instead, to take account of users who take non-standard sizes of garment, there can be some storage locations or groups thereof with which there are associated respective individual garments.

The garments may be uniforms for example and the users the staff of an establishment such as a hospital.

If desired, back-up storage locations associated with respective ones of the firstmentioned storage locations may be provided, each back-up storage location being able to hold one or more garments which cannot be picked up by said conveyor system while held at the back-up storage location but which can be transferred by an operator to the corresponding one of the first-mentioned storage locations to replenish this after a garment there previously has been delivered by the conveyor system to the collect location.

The collect location may be near a door, or preferably two doors, comprised in the apparatus which door or doors can be locked in a partly open position enabling a user to reach in and collect a garment from the collect location and which can be fully opened to allow entry into the apparatus.

The apparatus may also include a second conveyor system for receiving garments and for transferring them to a received garment storage location.

The apparatus can comprise control means which is arranged to ensure that a garment from one of the first-mentioned storage locations can only be delivered if a garment is put onto the second conveyor system by a user. Alternatively, the control means can be arranged so that a user can obtain a garment from a first-mentioned storage location whether or not a garment is given to the second conveyor system and to allow a gar ment to be given to the second conveyor system whether or not a garment is then delivered from a first storage location.Such an arrangement may be used where the apparatus is constructed as an "automatic cloakroom" in an establishment such as a hotel- the users in that case depositing coats and such on the second conveyor system which then conveys them to the received garment location from whence they can be transferred by an attendant to a particular one of the first-mentioned storage locations. From this location, the user can later have his garment delivered. This arrangement may also be used in a hospital say to deliver a uniform to a member of staff from a first storage location who then takes it away and changes into it, and then deposits his outer garments onto the second conveyor which transfers them to the received garment storage location.Later an attendant can transfer the received garments to the first-mentioned location from which that user obtained delivery of his uniform or to another associated location and then later still the user can retrieve his outer garments from that location. With this arrangement heaters can be fitted to the apparatus to dry off any received garments that may be wet.

The first-mentioned storage locations may be provided on two sides of the first-mentioned conveyor system and this system comprises respective means for sensing its position in relation to both of said two sides, whereby there can be different numbers of such storage locations per unit length on the two sides.

The apparatus may be provided with means for recording and indicating to an operator of the apparatus an analysis of the usage which has been made of the apparatus.

The code signal input means of the apparatus can be a punched card or token reader or a push-button assembly or the like.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the drawings accompanying the provisional specification, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic end view of one embodiment of apparatus for storing and issuing garments, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic top view of the apparatus, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side view of the apparatus, Figure 4 is a perspective view from below of part of a storage rail, part of a running rail and part of a gantry conveyor, and Figure 5 is a perspective view from below of part of what is shown in Figure 4 but from the other side of said rails.

The apparatus comprises a rectangular framework 1 consisting of a series of pairs of upright members 2 joined overhead by crossmembers 3, and pairs of horizontal members 4a, b and c extending along the length of the framework and connected to the upright members 2. Each of one of the pairs of horizontal members, the pair 4a, is formed as a hanging rail for garments 5. The pair of horizontal members 4b act as running rails for a wheeled gantry 6 which is electrically connected by electric cables 6a to a unit 11 containing control circuitry and a trolley drive power supply circuit (which circuits are not themselves shown). Each rail 4b also has a portion formed with slots 7 in registry with the hanging positions of the garments 5 on the members 4a.Sensors on the gantry 6 sense the passage of the gantry past the slots 7 and thereby indicate to the control circuitry the position of the gantry. The gantry comprises two pick-up mechanisms 8, one on each side of the gantry so as to co-operate with respective ones of the two members 4a, which are controlled by the control circuit for removing a garment from a particular position on one of the members 4a. An access panel 9, including a pair of swing doors 10, is attached to the framework 1 at any desired position along either long side thereof or at either end thereof. The remainder of the framework is boxed in either by having suitable wall panels (not shown) attached to the framework or by being enclosed in a room of the building where the apparatus is installed.

The doors 10 can be locked closed or, when the apparatus is in use, in a partly open position as shown. In this partly open position, a person standing outside the apparatus can reach in and remove a garment brought to just behind the doors by the gantry 6 but cannot himself get into the apparatus to reach the other garments still hanging on the members 4a. The control and power supply circuit unit 11 is attached to one of the doors 10 so that it is inside the apparatus and, in registry with the unit 11, i.e. so as to form the front panel of the unit 11, the door comprises a manual control panel 1 la by means of which the user can operate the apparatus to retrieve or obtain a garment therefrom.

Each member 4a is formed from aluminium girder sections each having a series of numbered slots along its length each slot forming a storage position for one or more garments.

The garments are hung on coat hangers which are hooked onto wire carrier members 12.

Each carrier member 12 comprises a length of wire which is bent round at the top to form a generally rectangular loop 13. The lower end of the piece of wire has been passed through a radially extending hole in one side of a ring 14 and through a washer 14a and then flattened out so that the ring and washer remain on the piece of wire but the ring can turn freely thereon. The hook of a coat hanger can be engaged in the ring 14. The straight middle portion of the length of wire is able to lie in one of the numbered slots in the member 4a with the loop 13 resting on top of the member and behind an upwardly extending flange portion 18 thereof.

Each pick-up mechanism 8 of the gantry 6 comprises an arm 15 which can be moved by drive means (not shown) in the direction of its length towards or away from the respective horizontal member 4a. The outer end 16 of the arm 15 is bevelled to a point and a catch 17 is pivotably connected to the arm so as to overlie the pointed end thereof. If the arm is advanced towards the loop 13 of one of the carrier members 12, the pointed end 16 of the arm enters the loop, and then, because of the bevel at this end, the carrier member is lifted up so that the loop 13 rises above the flange portion 18. The catch 17 is shaped so that it is pushed upwards as it moves past the loop 13 and then it drops down behind the loop so as to retain the latter on the arm 15. The arm 15 can then be retracted drawing the carrier member, and any garment carried thereby, away from the horizontal rail member 4a.

A short way in from each rail 4a there is mounted on the trolley 6 a switch 19 with a spring operating lever 20. The end 16 of the arm 15 moves over the lever 20 as the arm 15 is retracted so that the carrier member 12 held on the arm engages the operating lever 20.

If no garment is supported by the carrier member, i.e. if the selected storage position had no garment therein, the carrier member just rides up over the operating lever 20 and does not operate the switch 19. If there is a garment supported by the member 12, the weight thereof ensures that the carrier member 12 moves the operating lever 20 out of the way as it moves past thereby operating the switch 19 and indicating to the control circuit of the apparatus that a garment has been selected.

As mentioned, each running rail 4b has a portion formed with slots 7 in registry with the numbered slots on the garment hanging rail beneath it. The trolley has attached to each side thereof a position sensor in the form of a light source 22 which lies on one side of the slotted portion of the rail 4b and a photo-electric transducer 23 which lies on the other side of this portion so as to receive light from the source 22 when a slot is passed. A reversible counter (not shown) provided in the logic control circuit counts the electrical pulses produced by the transducer 22 as the trolley moves past the slots 21 and thereby retains a record of the position of the trolley at any time.Sensors are provided on both sides of the gantry and the pulses formed thereby are counted independently with the result that the slots in the hanging rails 4a on the two sides of the apparatus need not be aligned with one another and in fact there can be different numbers of slots per unit length on each side of the apparatus.

Along the outside of each horizontal rail 4a, there is provided a series of back-up storage slots 24 for supporting garments which may be used to replenish manually the storage positions at the inner side of each rail.

The apparatus described may be used in several different ways as will be described now.

The control circuit and possibly also the manual control panel may have to be varied depending on the type of operation required.

The control circuit and panel could be constructed so as to be capable of all possible types of operation so that the types of operation can be selected merely by operating programming switches and such which are then provided, or a particular customised control circuit and panel can be provided in a particular apparatus to give a desired selected one of the possible types of operation.

The apparatus may be used to issue uniforms, for nurses in a hospital for example.

Then, different sizes of uniform. may be stored at selected sets of storage positions.

More uniforms of some sizes would be needed than other sizes and this is easily allowed for by allocating different numbers of storage positions to different sizes according to the known requirements. A memory comprised in the control circuit of the apparatus is programmed with the information that it has one particular size of uniform in one particular set of storage slots, another size in another set of slots and so on. Where the access panel of the apparatus is in one long side of the frame work 1 intermediate the ends thereof, the apparatus can be said to have four hanging or storage areas A, B, C and D, these being the storage rail portions to each side of the access panel on the same side of the apparatus as that containing the access panel and the storage rail portions to each side of the access panel on the other side of the apparatus.The storage positions in each of these areas can be numbered from one to however many positions there are in that area and the positions can then be designated Al, A2...., B1, B2.... and so on. The memory is then programmed with the information that it has uniforms of size 42 medium, say, in slots C15 to C36, size 42 long in slots C37 to C51 and so on. Each nurse is provided with a punched card which she can insert into a card reader slot comprised in the control panel 1 la, the card being punched with the uniform size of that nurse and possibly also a code identifying a particular apparatus, if there is more than one in the hospital, to which that nurse is assigned.The card is then read by the apparatus and, if the identification code is correct for the apparatus, the particular uniform size required is noted by the control circuit. Say that size 42 medium is required, the control circuit will then direct the gantry 6 to position C15, if this is the first time that size has been requested, and will then operate the appropriate one of the two pick-up mechanisms so as to pick-up whatever uniform was hanging at position C15, and then the trolley would be brought back with the uniform to the access panel where the nurse can reach in through the doors and take it. A further memory comprised in the control circuit would at the same time record that position C15 has been emptied and operates so that the next time size 42 medium is requested the trolley is sent automatically to position C16 and so on.

Finally, when the uniform at position C36 has been removed, the next time size 42 medium is requested the trolley will be sent to position C15 again and the cycle continues as before.

Instead of a card reader, the control panel could be provided with a series of numbered push buttons or the like and each nurse could then be given an appropriate number code which she could punch out on the control panel push buttons in order to obtain the correct size of uniform. The logic control system is so constructed that it can be reprogrammed from time to time to allow for different breakdowns of sizes within the apparatus.

Such programming and re-programming can be done by a variety of means. One possible arrangement is for the operator to have a master control push button through which he can instruct the main memory on the allocation of positions to different sizes by inserting first the size, e.g. size 42M, next the starting number of that size, e.g. position C15, and on entering the next size, size 42L commencing at position C37, the number of positions allocated to the first size 42M is established. Particularly when the equipment is arranged to be used without punch cards but with a push button assembly, access to the master memory could be gained by the plant operator having a key which would allow him only access to the memory to reprogramme it.

Some or all of the storage positions could be used for personal uniforms. In this case, instead of a size code being stored on the punched card or included in the number code punched out by the nurse on the control panel push button assembly, there is instead a personal identification code. The control circuit of the apparatus just regards this as a particular unique size identification and issues the uniform which is appropriately stored at the corresponding storage position. Thus, the apparatus could be arranged to issue uniforms by size to some staff and to issue personal uniforms to those who are not of any standard size. Alternatively, all the uniforms could be issued on a personal basis. In that case, there could be provided two or more storage positions for each user.Then the user could obtain a uniform from the first position allocated to him on one day of the week, the second position on the next day, the third position on the third day and so on.

This means that the apparatus would not have to be restocked every day. The construction of the apparatus would be unaltered for this type of operation since the groups of storage positions allocated to each user would, as far as the apparatus is concerned, be regarded simply as a series of positions allocated to a particular size.

Whether the apparatus is programmed to issue uniforms by size or on a personal basis, it can be constructed so as to issue a clean uniform only in the event that a soiled uniform is given to it. For this, a small secondary conveyor assembly (not shown) is comprised in the apparatus onto which the user is required to deposit the soiled uniform, on a hanger, prior to requesting the delivery of a clean uniform. Various sensing means can be used to detect the presence of the hanger and soiled uniform on the secondary conveyor arrangement which would then free the clean uniform dispensing apparatus for use. When the card or push button entered information is received by the apparatus, it collects the clean uniform and then, while the clean uniform is being delivered, the secondary conveyor is operated to take the soiled uniform to a storage area.In an alternative arrangement, the apparatus could be programmed to automatically deliver a clean uniform whether or not the user deposits a soiled uniform in the secondary conveyor and, in the event that a soiled uniform is not deposited within the operating time cycle of the equipment, the card number of the user would be printed out for example on a paper tape fitted to an electronic printer, which would provide a visible record of such deficiencies to the operator of the apparatus.

The apparatus is arranged to collect whatever garments are hanging from a particular selected storage position. There can be up to five uniforms hanging at one position. Thus, a whole week's clean uniforms can be delivered at one time or alternatively only one uniform can be supplied and the storage positions are then replenished daily. To facilitate this, at some time during the week, one uniform is hung at each storage position and several further uniforms are hung at the corresponding back-up storage position. Then it is only necessary, on each other day, to transfer one of the uniforms from the back-up storage position to the corresponding pick-up storage position. The apparatus may include an indicator, such as an electronic printer, which would allow the operator to interrogate the control circuit of the apparatus and obtain an indication, e.g. a print out, showing the number of uniforms in various sizes required to replenish the machine. The same or a further indicator can be used to show the number of users who have attempted to collect uniforms of various sizes and found no such uniforms available. This provides a guide to the operator to extend the stock of particular sizes.

The apparatus can be constructed so as to rcccive the outer clothing of the person who is required to wear a uniform and to issue a clean uniform. Each user is assigned two storage positions in the machine, one for uniform storage and one for the storage of that persons outer clothing. Each user may have a punched card which, when it is inserted into a card reader slot provided in the control panel of the apparatus in one direction, obtains delivery of a clean uniform. The user can then take this uniform and change into it and then return and deposit his outer gar ments onto a secondary conveyor assembly, the garments being enclosed in a plastic garment bag and fitted with a numbered disc.

A wet outer garment can also be deposited onto the secondary conveyor assembly, not enclosed in the garment bag, and fitted with another identifying disc. The garments de posited on the secondary conveyor are trans ported to a storage position at the rear of the apparatus and an attendant is required to remove these garments at some point during the working shift and to rearrange them at the appropriately numbered storage positions in the outer wear storage area of the apparatus.

When coming off duty, the card user inserts his punched operating card upside down into the card reader slot of the apparatus and the equipment is then programmed for the gantry to proceed to the outer wear storage area and to collect all the garments stored at the appropriately numbered storage positions.

Heaters can be fitted so as to make the in terior of the apparatus a drying chamber which ensures that wet outer garments are thoroughly dried whilst held in store.

The apparatus could be modified so that it can be used only for the storage of outer garments and thereby provide an automatic cloak room facility in places such as hotels.

In such an arrangement, the apparatus would retain the punched card once delivery of the garment had been obtained whereas in the case where uniforms are issued to staff, the apparatus returns the card to the user so that he can use it again on his next working shift.

The doors 10 of the access panel can be opened by an operator to enable him to enter and replenish the stock of uniforms or to perform servicing or to allow the owners of garments stored in the apparatus or people requiring uniforms to enter should there be a failure of the apparatus so that the operator can then supervise collection of the garments by their owners. As may be seen, the apparat us is constructed, in particular there is sufficient space between the hanging rails on each side of the apparatus and the gantry 6 is sufficiently high, so that people can easily enter the apparatus when necessary and walk between the hanging rails to reach any of the garments hanging thereon.

Referring to the carrier member 12, the separate ring 14 mounted on the lower end of the length of wire of which the upper end is bent to form the loop 13 can be discarded and the lower end of the length of wire can instead be bent round to form a second fixed loop for receiving the hook of a coat hanger in the same way as the ring 14.

The aforementioned indicator which enables the operator to interrogate the control circuit of the apparatus could be provided at a remote point, e.g. at an address different from that where the apparatus is located, and can be connected, for example by way of a telephone line, to the control circuit, the circuit being constructed appropriately to allow such remote interrogation. This is useful in cases where say the operator of the apparatus is independent of the establishment where it is used since the operator can find out, at his own premises, what is required to replenish the apparatus and can then send out only what is required.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus of the character defined wherein the control means includes a memory which is programmable or is programmed with information that particular groups of said storage locations are associated with garments each having a particular common feature, the feature being the same for the storage locations of any one group and being different for the different groups, and the apparatus is operable for receiving a code signal identifying a particular one of these features and then there will be delivered to said collect location a garment from a storage location chosen by the apparatus from among the storage locations in the group associated with the particular feature identified by the received code signal.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the said feature relates to the size of the garment.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said memory is programmable or is programmed with information that one or each of some of said storage locations is associated with a respective individual garment, and the apparatus is also operable for receiving a code signal identifying that garment and then that garment will be delivered to said collect location.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein on the respective occasions the apparatus receives a code signal identifying the feature associated with a particular group, the apparatus selects the storage locations of that group in sequence, preferably a cyclic sequence.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. number of users who have attempted to collect uniforms of various sizes and found no such uniforms available. This provides a guide to the operator to extend the stock of particular sizes. The apparatus can be constructed so as to rcccive the outer clothing of the person who is required to wear a uniform and to issue a clean uniform. Each user is assigned two storage positions in the machine, one for uniform storage and one for the storage of that persons outer clothing. Each user may have a punched card which, when it is inserted into a card reader slot provided in the control panel of the apparatus in one direction, obtains delivery of a clean uniform. The user can then take this uniform and change into it and then return and deposit his outer gar ments onto a secondary conveyor assembly, the garments being enclosed in a plastic garment bag and fitted with a numbered disc. A wet outer garment can also be deposited onto the secondary conveyor assembly, not enclosed in the garment bag, and fitted with another identifying disc. The garments de posited on the secondary conveyor are trans ported to a storage position at the rear of the apparatus and an attendant is required to remove these garments at some point during the working shift and to rearrange them at the appropriately numbered storage positions in the outer wear storage area of the apparatus. When coming off duty, the card user inserts his punched operating card upside down into the card reader slot of the apparatus and the equipment is then programmed for the gantry to proceed to the outer wear storage area and to collect all the garments stored at the appropriately numbered storage positions. Heaters can be fitted so as to make the in terior of the apparatus a drying chamber which ensures that wet outer garments are thoroughly dried whilst held in store. The apparatus could be modified so that it can be used only for the storage of outer garments and thereby provide an automatic cloak room facility in places such as hotels. In such an arrangement, the apparatus would retain the punched card once delivery of the garment had been obtained whereas in the case where uniforms are issued to staff, the apparatus returns the card to the user so that he can use it again on his next working shift. The doors 10 of the access panel can be opened by an operator to enable him to enter and replenish the stock of uniforms or to perform servicing or to allow the owners of garments stored in the apparatus or people requiring uniforms to enter should there be a failure of the apparatus so that the operator can then supervise collection of the garments by their owners. As may be seen, the apparat us is constructed, in particular there is sufficient space between the hanging rails on each side of the apparatus and the gantry 6 is sufficiently high, so that people can easily enter the apparatus when necessary and walk between the hanging rails to reach any of the garments hanging thereon. Referring to the carrier member 12, the separate ring 14 mounted on the lower end of the length of wire of which the upper end is bent to form the loop 13 can be discarded and the lower end of the length of wire can instead be bent round to form a second fixed loop for receiving the hook of a coat hanger in the same way as the ring 14. The aforementioned indicator which enables the operator to interrogate the control circuit of the apparatus could be provided at a remote point, e.g. at an address different from that where the apparatus is located, and can be connected, for example by way of a telephone line, to the control circuit, the circuit being constructed appropriately to allow such remote interrogation. This is useful in cases where say the operator of the apparatus is independent of the establishment where it is used since the operator can find out, at his own premises, what is required to replenish the apparatus and can then send out only what is required. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Apparatus of the character defined wherein the control means includes a memory which is programmable or is programmed with information that particular groups of said storage locations are associated with garments each having a particular common feature, the feature being the same for the storage locations of any one group and being different for the different groups, and the apparatus is operable for receiving a code signal identifying a particular one of these features and then there will be delivered to said collect location a garment from a storage location chosen by the apparatus from among the storage locations in the group associated with the particular feature identified by the received code signal.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding

claim, wherein back-up storage locations associated with respective ones of the firstmentioned storage locations are provided, each back-up storage location being able to hold one or more garments which cannot be picked up by said conveyor system while held at the back-up storage location but which can be transferred by an operator to the corresponding one of the first-mentioned storage locations to replenish this after a garment there previously has been delivered by the conveyor system to the collect location.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the collect location is near a door, or preferably two doors, comprised in the apparatus which door or doors can be locked in a partly open position enabling a user to reach in and collect a garment from the collect location and which can be fully opened to allow entry into the apparatus.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, and including a second conveyor system for receiving garments and for transferring them to a received garment storage location.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, and including control means for ensuring that a garment from one of the first-mentioned storage locations can only be delivered if a garment is put onto the second conveyor system by a user.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7, and including control means arranged so that a user can obtain a garment from a firstmentioned storage location whether or not a garment is given to the second conveyor system and to allow a garment to be conveyed by the second conveyor system whether ar not a garment is then delivered from a firstmentioned storage location.

10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9, including heating means for drying off any wet garments transferred to the received garment storage location.

I 1. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the first-mentioned storage locations are provided on two sides of the first-mentioned conveyor system and this system comprises respective means for sensing its position in relation to both of said two sides, there being different numbers of such storage locations per unit length on the two sides.

12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein there is provided means for recording and indicating to an operator of the apparatus an analysis of the usage which has been made of the apparatus.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the recording and indicating means is operable for being interrogated from a remote point, for example from a terminal connected to the recording and indicating means by way of a telephone line.

14. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the code signal input means of the apparatus comprises means for reading an information storage member such as a punched card or token.

15. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the code signal input means of the apparatus comprises a pushbutton assembly.

16. Garment storage and issue apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.