GB802608A - Improvements in or relating to equipment for sorting numbered articles - Google Patents

Abstract

802,608. Record card sorting apparatus. STANDARD TELEPHONES & CABLES, Ltd. Jan. 25, 1957 [Jan. 31, 1956], No. 2777/57. Class 106(1). In a sorting machine of the kind having a plurality of sorting stages each having a plurality of sorting stages each having two inputs and two outputs, the outputs of each stage being the inputs of the next stage, the input and output stores for each stage are constituted by a continuously advancing converyer carrying the documents stacked against one another. The machine is adapted to handle documents such as cheques enclosed in transparent carriers 3, the carriers having a magnetic strip 35 on which is recorded the account number of the cheque and other data. The machine is adapted to arrange a series of cheques in order of their account numbers and it may operate by comparing the numbers of pairs of cheques, one from each of two input stacks with each other and with the last cheque fed to one of the output stores to determine whether one or both of these cheques may be fed to the same output store as the said last cheque and in what order or whether a new sequence must be started in the other output store. The Figure shows the lefthand side only of the sorting machine, the righthand side, which is not shown, also comprises a conveyer in the form of a pair of endless belts 2. The two conveyers are parallel and each feeds the carriers one at a time to an intermediate position 36 from which they pass to a position centrally placed between the two conveyers, above shaft 1. From this position they are sent to the left or right-hand output stores which, in the form shown, are constituted by another zone of the same conveyer belts. Ears 4 are provided on the carriers whereby they hang on the two belts 2, forming the conveyer, the stack of carriers being urged against an end-plate 7 by the continuous movement of the belts. The belts normally slip on the undersides of the ears. A lifting frame 8 is provided having arms 12, 12<SP>1</SP> having small ledges adapted to engage under the ears of the end carrier only so that when the frame is raised by rotation of cams 19, 19<SP>1</SP> it carries the end carrier with it and engages it between forwarding rollers 24, 25. When magnets 9, 9<SP>1</SP> are energized the arms 12, 12<SP>1</SP> are rocked away from the stack of carriers so that no carrier is fed from the stack when the frame is raised. Rollers 24, 25 pass the carrier to higher sets of rollers 32, 33, the magnetic strip 35 being read during this movement by a normal reading head. The carrier is thrown upwardly by the rollers 32, 33 into the intermediate position which is defined by a hollow box-like receptacle 36 with a one-way gate at the bottom so that the carrier cannot fall back. Rollers 37, 38 engage the carrier through slots in the box when a control magnet 40 is energized to displace rollers 37 through a linkage 42. The magnet 40 is controlled by circuits comparing the data read from the magnetic strip to determine whether the document in position 36 is the next to be fed to an output store. Movement of the carrier to the right causes it to pass between pairs of forwarding rollers 44, 49; 45, 54; and 46, 55 sliding meanwhile over a table surface not shown. On leaving rollers 46, 55 the carrier engages in a recess in the table in which it is retained. In this position the carrier is symmetrically placed with respect to the vertical shaft 1. A frame on the shaft supports rollers 56, 57 which when the shaft is rotated press the carrier against either driving roller 47 or roller 47<SP>1</SP>. The shaft is rotated by energization of one of the magnets 58, 58<SP>1</SP> which displace a rack 59 against the action of a restoring spring 63. If shaft 1 is rotated clockwise the rollers 56 press the carrier against driving roller 47 so that it is displaced towards the left being then forwarded in turn by pairs of rollers 46, 66; 45, 67; and 48, 68 to an output position defined by a flat rectangular box 69. The carrier is allowed to drop out of this box on to the bands 2, which constitute one of the input stores of the next sorting stage. If shaft 1 is rotated in the other direction the carrier is forced against roller 47<SP>1</SP> and moved to the right so as to enter the right-hand output store, not shown. In another form the bands 2 may be shorter, another pair of similar bands being provided to receive the carriers coming from the output position.