JPS58197119A - Conveying and distributing device for mail - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable to convey and distribute thin and light-weight materials, by a method wherein a mail is discharged onto a chute by tilting a bucket of a loop form chain conveyor, and is guided to a return passage by inverting the bucket by a trolley roll and a rail. CONSTITUTION:When the chain conveyor 21a, 21b is stopped at the chute 32 where demand for distribution exists, a bottom surface of the bucket 25 is pushed up by a pusher 26, and the bucket 25 is invertingly rotated around a fulcrum 25a to discharged the mail. After maintaining the inverted condition for a predetermined period of time, the pusher 26 is returned, the bucket 25 is also returned, and the chain conveyor 21a, 21b is moved again. At a turning-back point, the trolley roller 24 is engaged to the trolley rail 27, and the bucket 25 is moved along the return passage in the inverted condition. An undistributed mail is transferred onto a recovering conveyor (not shown) through a belt conveyor 33 and is recovered. Accordingly, even thin lightweight mails can be conveyed and distributed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a mail conveying and distributing apparatus that conveys thin mail such as letters and distributes the mail to predetermined positions.

[Technical Clarity of the Invention] Conventionally used article conveyance and distribution devices include:
There are known devices that handle objects that are easy to handle in small units, such as small parcels, and devices that handle large numbers of small objects, such as gravel or grain.

Among the former devices, devices as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are known, and are used depending on the purpose and characteristics of the transported object.

The conveyance/distribution device shown in FIG. 1 has a plurality of shallow packets 2 fixed to a chain conveyor 1, and tilts the packets 2 carrying objects 3 at a predetermined position. It was designed to be distributed.

The conveying/distributing device shown in FIG. 2 is placed at a predetermined position along the belt conveyor 4, usually parallel to the bells 1 to 4, and is moved onto the belt conveyor 4 in response to a distribution signal. A guide arm 6 is provided to guide the transported object 3 to the distribution path 5.

The conveying and distributing device shown in FIG. 3 pulls the conveyed object 3 on the belt conveyor 7 into a distribution path 10 at a predetermined position along the belt conveyor 7 by a single-shaped arm 9 that advances and retreats with an air cylinder 8. This is what I did.

The conveying and distributing device shown in FIG. 4 includes a plurality of guide bins 1 which are placed at predetermined positions on a roller conveyor 11 and which move between rollers 118 in the direction of the arrow to guide conveyed objects 3 to a distribution path 12.
3 was erected.

On the other hand, as the latter device, as shown in FIG. 5, there is known a device in which several belt conveyors 14 are connected so that their ends partially overlap. In this device, by controlling the rotational direction of the belt conveyor 14, it is possible to normally convey the material in the direction of the arrow and distribute it in the direction of the double arrow as necessary. Note that the reference numeral 15 indicates a granular object to be transported.

□ Problems with the Background Art However, when the above-mentioned conventional conveying and distributing device conveys a thin and light object such as a letter, the depth of the packet 2 is shallow in the device shown in Fig. 1. There is a risk of scattering during transportation. Although it is possible to increase the depth of the packet 2, such a structure in which the chain conveyor 1 and the packet 2 are integrated cannot be tilted significantly, and there is a possibility that letters or the like may remain inside the packet 2. In addition, in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, letters can be prevented from scattering by placing letters on the belt conveyor 4.7 and surrounding the sides. It is impossible to branch 100% of a letter or the like with a thickness of less than 1 nm.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, there is a risk that letters and the like may fall from between the rows 511a, and in the apparatus shown in FIG.

[Object of the Invention] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of transporting and distributing even thin and light objects such as letters.

[Summary of the Invention] The mail conveyance and distribution device of the present invention includes a pair of chain conveyors of equal length that are circularly driven in a loop in a vertical plane, a plurality of support stands fixed to these chain conveyors,
A plurality of packets each having a trolley roller protruding near one side edge and the other side edge pivotally attached to the outer surface of each of the support stands so as to be rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the chain conveyor. , a packet reversing mechanism for reversing the packet placed at a predetermined position by sandwiching the chain conveyor in a plane orthogonal to the chain conveyor and returning the same; and a packet reversing mechanism disposed from the turning position of the chain conveyor to the return path a trolley rail that guides the trolley roller;
The present invention is characterized by comprising a υj control device that controls the operations of the chain conveyor and the packet reversing mechanism.

[Embodiments of the invention] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 7(A) and (B)
) is an enlarged front view of part A, 8 of FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a partial front view of the embodiment shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the apparatus of this embodiment has a driving device! 20, a pair of chain conveyors 21a and 21b are driven in a loop in a vertical plane, a plurality of support plates 22 are fixed across these chain conveyors 21a and 21b, and one side of each support plate 22. Support stands 23a and 123b made of square pipes are fixed along the edges and the center of the chain conveyors 21a and 21b, and a plurality of trolley rollers 24 are arranged in a row along one side edge of the bottom surface, and the other side edge is A hinge 25a is attached to the outer support stand 23b.
A plurality of wide-mouthed packets 25 are pivotally attached to each other, pushers 268, 26b are arranged at predetermined positions across the chain conveyors 21a and 21b, and a pusher 268. Its main portion is composed of a trolley rail 27 that guides and supports the disposed trolley rollers 24, and a control device (not shown) that controls the operations of the chain conveyors 21a, 21b and pushers 26a, 26b. .

The pusher 26a operates to press the packet 25 to reverse it, and the pusher 26b operates to press the reversed packet 25 to restore it. These bushings 26a and 26b are composed of an air cylinder 28 and a pressing hole 30 fixed to the tip of an operating rod 29 thereof. Note that a rubber sheet 31 is stuck on the support stand 23a fixed to the center of the support plate 22 for shock mitigation and noise suppression. Reference numeral 32 indicates a chute arranged at each reversal position of the packet 25 near the pusher 26b.

Further, a belt conveyor 33 is arranged below the chain conveyors 21a and 21b, and receives mail that could not be distributed due to circumstances at the destination, and transfers it to a collection belt conveyor arranged perpendicular to the exit side. 34. It is designed to drop upwards. The control device drives the chain conveyors 21a, 21b intermittently with the length of one packet as the medium, and the pushers 26a, 26b move the chain conveyors 21a, 21b at the position of the chute 32 where a distribution request is made.
During the stop period of 21b, the packet 25 is reversed and restored, and the mail in the packet 25 is controlled to fall into the shoe 1-32.

Next, the operation of the mail transport and distribution apparatus of the present invention will be explained.

First, each time the chain conveyors 21a, 21b are stopped, mail pieces are placed in individual packets 25, and are conveyed as the chain conveyors 21a, 21b move. When reaching the chute 32 where mail distribution is requested, the pusher t-26a pushes up the bottom of the packet 25 while the chain conveyors 21a and 21b are stopped, tilting the packet 25 by more than 90 degrees using the hinge 25a as a fulcrum. The mail is then turned over and discharged into the chute 32.

After the packet 25 has been inverted for a certain period of time, the pusher 26b is activated and the packet 25 is returned to the original 9 state, and the chain conveyor 2 carrying the packet 25 is
1a and '21b start moving again. Next, when the packet 25 reaches the turn-back position, the trolley roller 24 fixed to the bottom of the packet 25 engages with the trolley rail 27, and on the return path (lower side) of the chain conveyor 21a, 21ba), the packet 25 is connected to the hinge 25a. It is supported by trolley rails 24 and transported. Mail that has not been distributed by the return position is pushed onto the belt conveyor 33 and conveyed to a predetermined location by the collection belt conveyor 34. The above operations are controlled by a control device.

In the above description, an example is shown in which the reversing device section uses an air cylinder set pusher, but the packet can also be reversed using hydraulic pressure, a crank, or the like.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the conveying and distributing device of the present invention, even thin and light mail can be reliably conveyed and distributed, and a simple reversing mechanism consisting of a pusher is installed on the path of the packet. By simply adding more units, the number of mail delivery destinations can be increased, and mail such as letters can be transported and distributed at low cost and in a space-saving manner.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 5 are perspective views showing a conventional conveying and distributing device, FIG. 6 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged front view of sections A and B in FIG. FIG. 8 is a side view of one embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6. 20・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Drive device 2
1a, 21b...Chain conveyor 22...
・・・・・・・・・・・・Support plates 23a, 23b-・
・Support stand 24...Trolley roller 25...Packet 25a...・・・・・・・・・Hinged 26
a, 26b-Pusher 27・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Trolley rail agent Patent attorney Sa Suyama ~ / Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4-Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 8

Claims (1)

[Claims] A pair of f-air conveyors of equal length are driven in a loop in a vertical plane, a plurality of support stands are fixed to these chain conveyors, and a trolley is installed near one side edge.
] - A plurality of packets having a protruding side edge and the other side edge thereof being pivotably mounted on the outer surface of each of the support bases so as to be rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the chain conveyor, and the chain conveyor being sandwiched between the packets; A packet reversing mechanism that reverses the packet placed at a predetermined position in a plane perpendicular to the chain conveyor and returns it, and guides the trolley roller placed from the turning position of the chain conveyor to the return path. A mail conveying and distributing device comprising a trolley rail and a control device for controlling the operation of the chain conveyor and the packet reversing mechanism.