US1732210A

US1732210A - Apparatus for handling laundry

Info

Publication number: US1732210A
Application number: US248503A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lawrence D Robinson; Frederick C Smail
Original assignee: SMAIL
Current assignee: SMAIL
Priority date: 1928-01-21
Filing date: 1928-01-21
Publication date: 1929-10-15
Anticipated expiration: 1946-10-15

Description

. ct. 15A, 1929. L D, ROBlNsoN ET AL 1,732,210

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LAUNDRY Filed Jan. 21, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l Q` N l" N 51, 'IIJ rlllll`l`- m v 7////////////////// *q 'y lter/u y Oct# l5, 1929.

L. D. ROBINSON ET AL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LAUNDRY Filled Jan. 21, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 15,1929. L. D. RoBxNsoN ET AL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LAUNDRY Filed Jan. 21, 1928. 5 Sheets-Sheet Freddi-icl( G Sm all Oct- 15, l929 L.. D. ROBINSON ET A1. v 1,732,210

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LAUNDRY Filed Jan. 21,/1928 S'Sheets-sneet 4 Oct 15, 1929. l., D. ROBINSON ET Al.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LAUNDRY Filed Jan. 21, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet man! y 41g) the proper owner.

Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAWRENCE D. ROBINSON AND FREDERICK C. SMAIL, F WOLLASION, HASSAUHU- SETTS; SAID ROBINSON ASSIGNOR T0 SAID EMAIL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LAUNDRY Application led January 21, 1928. Serial No. 248,503.

In the usual steam laundry, one of the most serious problems is the classification of the individual articles in any bundle lot to the end that the individual articles may not only be given the proper washing treatment according to their characteristics such as texture, color, etc., but that all of the articles comprising such bundle lot may afterwards be accurately reassembled and returned to As collected and delivered at the laundry, the individual articles comprising any particular lot are indiscriminately bundled in a suitable container. After weighing and recording each lot as a unit, it is necessary lto'open each individual lot and classify the several pieces comprising the same. Heretofore this has caused error not only as to classification of the individual pieces, but as to .subsequent regrouping of 2o all pieces for return to the owner, and in fact,

'the prinicipal source of complaint in the average laundry is due to errors occurring in one or the other of these operations.

Our invention, broadly, aims to reduce to the minimum the chance for error from either of these factors, and as such involves novelty both as to procedure and apparatus for carrying out such procedure. To this end, we have equipped our apparatus with certain locks and safeguards which are in themselves so related as to each other as to be incapable of operation until such time as conditions are ready for their operation, thus providing for that efficiency and accuracy which modern competitive conditions demand. By it, we not only effect economies not possible under methods heretofore in use, but obtain these results by procedure and efficient apparatus which actually increases the accuracy of classification and assortment. Among other advantages, we secure a material saving in iioor space in that we are able to reduce the number of sorting tables necessary to handle a given volume of business.

We also effect decided savings in operating costs as to both the number of sorting operatives needed and in the calibre of such operatives as regards wages. Our invention permits us to employ cheaperlabor to do the same work which heretofore has been done 'sion required and also avoids injury to the individual articles due to undetected errors of classification.

The method of carrying out our invention, together with suitable apparatus for the practice thereof, is described and shown in the accompanyin s ecification and drawings and the characteristic novelty thereof is particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagram of our installation.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation at the assorting station.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front view of Figs. 2 and 3 as viewed from the right in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary end view as seen from the end of the assorting drum opposite to that shown in Fig. 2 and particularly illustrating the signal mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of the assorting drum as Viewed from the left in Fig. 3, the signal mechanism being shown'in a condition corresponding to that shown in Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary sections of the key-tag controlled treadle operated lock for the assorting drum, Fig. 7 showing the parts intheir locked positions and Fig. 8 showing the unlocked position of the parts.

Fig. 8a is a front view of the key-tag hook 90 removed.

Figs. 9 and 9a are detail views of the curtain actuated lock at the assorting side of the assorting drum, Fig. 9 showing the lock applied and Fig. 9L showing the curtain drawn down and the lock released.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary detail view of a safety lock adapted to preent back-lash of the assorting drum, said lock being automatically moved out of locking position by the 100 drum as it rotates therepast and automatically returning to the position to prevent accidental rotation of the drumin reverse direction.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detail section at the axis of rotation of the drum and particularly illustrating the mounting of the compartment-forming shelves radially about said aXls.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12 of Fig.. 11, and

Figs. 13, 14, 15, and 16 are detail views illustrating the automatic lock for the turn table Fig. 13 showing the turn table lock in its non-applied position;

Fig. 14 showing the lock applied;

Fig. 15 showing the lock unapplied'as in Fig. 13, and

Fig. 16 showing the position of the parts after the lock has been applied and subsequently released to permit rotation of the turn table through another step in its rotation.

Referring to Fig. 1 which shows a diagrammatic view of the installation, the bundles of laundry in their original containers as delivered at the laundry by the collectors are first sent to a weighing and recording station 1 where they are weighed. At the same time, the name, address, and weight are entered as a permanent record and the lot is assigned a numbered key-tag which is mailitained for that particular lot throughout its travel through the laundry. This key-tag system is a standard article commonly used in laundries and forms no part of our invention. I

After being recorded, weighed, and tagged, the lot is passed to a handling station 2 which, as contemplated herein, consists of a turntable having a plurality of radial compartments, each compartment being intended to receive all of the articles of laundry comprised in a particular lot. From the station 2, each lot is successively passed to an assorting station 3. The asserting station 3 will be more particularly described hereinafter but for present purposes may be described as a compartmented drum or cylinder disposed between assorting and netting tables arranged on either side of its axis of rotation. y

Each lot as it is taken from the station 2 is assorted at the sorting table nearest said station, the individual pieces of that lot being classified and appraised according to their character as dark, light, shrinkable, fadable, etc., in the various compartments at that side of the assorting drum. When the assorting is completed as to this particular lot, the operative working on this side of the drum signals the operatives working at lthe other side of the drum and the drum is revolved through a part revolution to bring the assorted lot into position at the netting table at the far side of the drum.

The operatives working at the netting table remove the articles from the same compartments into which they were placed during the assorting operation and place the contents of each compartment in an individual net, attaching to this net a tag from the series of key-tags assigned to this particular lot of laundry and which were delivered to the netting operation while the assortingl operative was assorting that particular lot o goods.

The netted units com rising the-flot are then passed to a battery olf washing machines 4, according to the character of the articles contained in the individual nets, dark clothes,- for example, being passed to one washer and light clothes to another.

After washing is completed, the netted units of the lot are transferred to the battery of driers or extractors 5 from which they are passed to an assembly station 6 where the articles in the individual nets comprising the lot are removed from the nets and are reassembled as a unit lot, except in the case of such articles which may need to be ironed. The articles which require ironing are passed to suitable ironers (not shown) and after ironing are reassembled at the bagging stations? with the remaining articles of thelot which did not require ironing, the same identifying key-tags being retained so that when the entire lot is finally reassembled, they can be readily identified. When reassembling and bagging has been completed, the lot is checked with the record which was made at the time the lot entered the laundry and the lot is then ready for return to the customer.

While our invention involves broadly the systemmatic handling of each individual lots whereby the individual articles of the lot are identified at all times, it also involves novelty both as to structure and relation of the handling and asserting

stations

2 and 3. We will, therefore, now proceed to describe such stations in detail.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 which show these stations in detail, it will be noted that the handling stat-ion 2 linvolves a track-Way 10 elevated from the floor and as here shown of circular form. This track-way may be supported above the floor at any convenient height as by the supports 11. Revoluble on the trackway is a horizontally disposed drum or shell comprising a circular outer ring 12 of appropriate depth and a concentric inner ring 13 which is assembled as a unit andis provided with rollers 14 tracking in the trackway 10.

The rings 12 and 13 are spaced fromeach other at appropriate distances to define therebetween an annular compartment 15 whichis radially subdivided by partitions 16 into any desired number of individual compartments 17. The outer ring 12 may be provided with a door 12 to permit entrance and exit of the operative into the included working space 18,

the track-way being broken at this pointfas,l shown in Fig. 4. Each compartment is def1 signed to accommodate all of the articles comprised in any particular lot of laundry which are placed therein after the lot is weighed.

The inner ring 13 is of such diameter as to afford within it a working space 18 within which an operative stands and it is the duty of this operative to successively sort the articles contained in each compartment 17 and pass them to the assorting drum 3. For this purpose, there is provided adjacent the spaceV 18 an assorting table 19. This table is supported on suitable standards 19 rising from the floor and projects forwardly over the station 2 a convenient distance here shown as approximately to the center of such stations. At its outer edge, the table 19 is cut out as indicated at 19 to expose only the underlying bin or compartment of the turn-table. For convenience of designation, this bin has been marked 17 in Fig. 3 only. The operative within the space 18 is supposed to assort all of the articles of the lot contained within the compartment 17 and to place all of the articles of that articular lot in individual compartments of) the assorting drum before handling any other lot in any other comparte ment.

The assorting drum 3 may be variously constructed according to the particular requirements of any laundry but in general it consists of a cylindrical drum which is radially sub-divided into a plurality of assorting compartments, each compartment being further vertically sub-divided into individual bins. It is here shown as mounted on a ho1i zontally disposed tubular shaft 20 which is journalled at its ends in uprights 21 rising from the floor. Fast to or integral with the shaft 20 is a plurality of radially disposed

shelves

22, 22, 22", 22c which extend slightly beyond the periphery of the discs 23 constituting the ends of the drum. The shaft 2O is covered by a tubular moulding 24 which may be sectional as shown in Fig. 11 to fit against the inner ends of the shelves and cover the shaft 20.

The drum is designed to be rotated intermittently through successive phases of revolution. As here shown, the drum is providedy with four shelves and is turned a quarter of a revolution at each operation. The arrangement is such that each quarter turn of the drum brings one of the shelves 22 into each horizontal alignment with the sorting talle and an opposite shelf 22b into alignment with a netting table, (see Fig. 2). The sector shaped compartments A, B, and D which the shelves define with each other and with the end discs 23 of the drum are vertically sub-divided at suitable intervals by partitions 26 (Fig. 3). The asserting operative standing 1n the work space 18 and working from the indicated compartment 17 in Fig. 3 asserts and places the articles comprised init-the lot into the compartment of the drum opposite said Working space. This compartment would be the compartment A in Figs. 2 and 3. lVhen the assorting of any lot has been completed at the assorting table 19, a signal is given and the compartment A is rotated to the position now occupied by the compartment B in Figs. 2 and 3. If the netting operatives working opposite compartment B are ready to'liandle a new lot of articles, the drum is rotated through a' quarter revolution in the direction of the arrow, (Fig. 2), whereby to present the lot which has just been assorted to the operative 'at the netting station on the opposite side of the drum.

This netting station comprises a horizontally disposed table 27 disposed in line with the assorting table 19 and spaced therefrom by the drum itself. Projecting table 27, is a. series of net suspension arms 27 corresponding in number and spacement to the number and spacement of the subdivisions defined by the partitions 26 of the drum, (see Fig. 3). Each arm 27 is equipped with fasteners 28 from which the nets N are removably suspended. These nets are simply mesh bags held open at their upper ends by the fastenings 28. Each operative at the netting table removes from the bins of the compartment opposite her the articles contained in such bins, carefully inspecting such articles to see that no article has improperly been placed in such bin by the operative working at the assorting table 19 and finally empties the contents of such bin into the particular net intended to receive it. This net is then closed and one of the series of similarly numbered key-tags T supported on the key-tag holders 71 is affixed to the net after which the nets are passed to the washing machines. The key-tag holders are simple angle brackets which are removably attached to one of the cross frames 7 0 of the drum. The purpose of this arrangement will be later described.

In'developing our system, we have p'urposely tried to make the system as nearly failuige proof as possible, that is to say we have deliberately tried to eliminate the factor of human error. To this end, we have equipped the apparatus with certain locks and safeguards which have such an inter relation to one another that they cannot be operated independently but must be operated in unison. By this we mean that unless the operative at the assorting table of the drum has completed her work, it is impossible for the operatives at the netting side of the drum to rotate the drum to bring to them the lot, on which the operative at the asserting side of the drum is Working, and vice versa.

from thel We have also made it impossible for the assorting operative to rotate the turn-table to bring a diiierent compartment 17 into working position, until such time as the assortment of the lot in the compartment 17, at which she has been working, has been completedv and the guard curtain 30, Fig. 5, lowered as described hereinafter.

We have also established a signal arrangement which is actuated by the assorting operative when her task is completed. This signals to the netters that the drum is ready to be rotated and avoids the necessity for the several operatives at different sides of the drum to converse with each other. We have also provided that at this time the compartment into which the aassorted articles are being placed shall be covered, as by a iexible curtain, so as to prevent the accidental inclusion therein of `any articles other than those belonging to the particular lot being assorted.

To this end, we provide a iiexible curtain 30 which is mounted on a spring roller 31 mounted in suitable bearings at the top of the standards 21 and extending across the assorting compartment A of the drum from end to end thereof. This curtain is normally rolled up to permit the assorted to place the various articles in their individual bins of the compartment A. When the assorter, working in the space 18, has completed the assortment of the particular lot contained in the space 17', from which she is working, she is supposed to grasp the curtain 30 and pull i. it down over the compartment A into which she has been placing the assorted articles. This movement of the curtain is a voluntary movement on her part and must be made by her before the drum can be rotated.

The act of drawing down the curtain automatically sets into operation a number of mechanisms. It operates a signal mechanism which may be either audible or visible and as here shown, is a visible signal, (see Figure 5), in the form of an electric bulb L which is normally unlighted but which is automatically lighted by and in the movement of the curtain to closed position. We accomplish this by means of an arm 32, (Fig. 5), which is fastened at its lower end 33 to the frame 34 at the lower edge of the curtain and is pivoted at its upper end at 35 to the switch arm 36 of the electric bulb L.

The action is detailed in Figure 5 wherein the normal position of. the parts when the lamp is nnlighted is shown in dot and dash lines. In this position of the parts, the curtain is up. )Vhen the curtain is drawn down, the parts assume the position shown in full lines in Figure 5, in which position the switch arm of the lamp is actuated to close the circuit to the lamp and causes the lamp to be illuminated. The lamp is mounted in a signal box 38 and, when lighted, the rays from t-he lamp illuminate a translucent plate 39 containing any suitable legend as the designation Ready whereby to visually signify to the nettcrs, without the necessity of any conversation, that the drum is ready to be rotated.

The same closing movement of the curtain automatically takes off a drum lock, the normal function of which is to prevent rotation ofthe drum until such time as the Ready signal is displayed. This drum lock is shown in Figures 9 and 9a in it sWorking relation to the other parts of the apparatus shown in Figure 5. It comprises a leaf spring 40, the free end of which is disposed within the path of the curtain frame 34 so as to be actuated thereby as the curtain is drawn down. The spring is attached .at its opposite end at 41 to the cross piece 42 of the drum frame and carries a pin 43 between its ends which is normally disposed through an opening 44 in the cross piece 42 and is adapted to be engaged in any one of a series, here shown as four, locking openings 45 in the end discs 23 of the drum. (See Figure 9.) Vhen actuated by the frame of the curtain, as the curtain is drawn down, the locking pin 43 is withdrawn from the locking opening 45 in which it happened to be engaged so as to permit the rotation of the drum.

The same closing movement of the curtain is also utilized to automatically take off a lock for the turn-table. This lock is detailed in Figures 13, 14, 15, and 16 and is shown in its relation to the other parts of the machine in Figure 3, Such lock comprises a spring stop 50, the free end of which is normally disposed in the path of rotation of the turn-table. As here shown, the stop is disposed in the path of one of a plurality of laterally projecting lugs 51 on the outer rim of the ring 12 of the turn-table. There are as many lugs 51 as there are compartments 17 in the turn-table. The opposite end of the spring stop 50 is fastened at 52 to the frame 53. When the curtain is drawn down, it removes the stop 50 from the path of the lug 51 which it happens to be blocking and permits the rotation of the turn-table by the operative within the space 18 a distance of one compartment space 17.

For this purpose, the curtain frame 34 is operatively connected to the stop 50 through suitable motion transmitting connections, which, as here. shown, comprise a link 54, (see Figure 2), connected at one end to the curtain frame 34 and linked at 55- and 56 to a bell crank lever 57, (Figures 13, 14, and 15) which is pivoted at 58 in any suitable bearing and carries at its opposite end al latch 59 which is disposed through an elongated slot 60 in the stop 50 and normally latches over the edge of the slot to prevent movement of the stop 50, (see Fig. 14).

When actuated, through thev motion transmitting connections just described, the latch 59 draws down the spring stop 50 out of the path of the lug 51. This permits the turn table to be rotated one step. (See Fig. 15.)

In order to restore the stop 50 to its normal position in which it will be blocking the next lug 51 of the turn table, the lug 51, as it is rotated past the stop 50, contacts with the latch 59 moving it rearwardly in the slot 60, allowing the spring 50 to spring back into normal interfering position relative to the lu (See Fig. 16.)

his completes the description of the safety locks at the assorting side of the drum, but before the drum can be rotated to bring the articles which have been assorted over to the netting side of the drum, the netters must be ready to handle the new assortment. The act of rotating the drum itself is therefore left to the' netters and, in order to insure that they will not rotate the drum until all of them are ready, we provide an additional lock for the drum controlled by the key-tags T which are removably suspended from one of the cross-frames 70. (See Figs. 7 and 8.)

The key-tags are suspended from an angle bracket 71 which is provided with key-hole slots 72 adapted to removably fit over the heads of the studs 73 which fasten the bracket 71 to the cross piece 70. This bracket normally lies in the path of a horizontally disposed plunger 74 which is carried by a cross piece 75 which connects two stop rods 76 disposed at opposite sides of the drum and at their lower ends are hinged at 7 6 to a cross piece 7 6a carried by the frame of the machine.

At their upper ends, the rods 76 are cross connected as at 77. Anchored in the cross piece 77 is a pair of flexible cables 78 which operate over pulleys 79 fixed just beneath the netting table 27. The opposite ends of the cable 78 are anchored to a treadle 79 whichis pivoted at 80 to the frame of the machine.

The cross piece 77 normally lies in the path of the shelves 22 so as to act as a stop to prevent the rotation of the drum therepast so long as the treadle is not depressed and also so long as the key-tag bracket 71 is mounted on the studs 7 3, in which position the bracket 71 blocksthe plunger 74. When the bracket 71 is removed by the netters from the path of the plunger 74, this plunger can move rearwardly as shown in Fig. 8 as the treadle 79 is depressed. I

The act of rotating the drum one step counter-clockwise to bring the assorted lot of articlesover to the netting side of the drum automatically causes the curtain 3() to be again rolled up so as to allow the operative working in the space 18 to place the next assortment of articles of the next lot to be assorted in to the next empty assortment compartment of the drum as it is rotated into position Bop osite the assorting table 19. This is eect y the engagement of the next shelf 22 of the drum with the fra-me 34 of the curtain as the drum rotates into position. The outer ends of the shelves project slightly beyond the periphery of the drum for this purpose and also for the purpose of acting as stops against the crosspiece 77, (Fig. 7), to limit the step by step movement of the drum When rotated.

The rolling up movement of the curtain also automatically extinguishes the signal lamp and re-applies the drum lock 43 at the assorting side of the drum and the lock 50 for the turn-table.

In order to prevent back-lash of the drum as it is turned through its successive phases of revolution, we provide a spring detent 90 which is fastened at one end to the frame of the drum, (Fig. 10) and has its free end disposed in the path of rotation of the projecting ends of the shelves 22. As the drum rotates therepast in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 10, the detent is pushed inwardly to permit the shelf to move therepast but is automatically returned by its spring so as to bear frictionally underneath the projecting shelf-end to prevent accidental rotation of the drum in the reverse direction.

What we therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the class described, an assorting table, a netting table, and intermittently revoluble compartmented assorting drum disposed bet-Ween said tables.

2. In a device of the class described, an assorting table, a netting table, an intermittently-revoluble compartmented assorting 4. In a device of the class described, an`

assorting table, a netting table, an intermittentlyrevoluble compartmented assorting drum disposed between said tables, and a flexible closure manually operable by the assorter working at the assorting table for closing the compartment of the drum adjacent said assorting table when assorting has been completed, and a vnormally inactive signal mechanism automatically set in action by and in the movement of said closure to closed position. l v

5. In a device of the class described, an assorting table, a netting table, an intermittently revoluble compartmented assorting drum disposed between said tables, a flexible closure manually operable by the assorter working at the assorting table for closing the compartment of the drum adjacent said assorting table when assorting has been completed, a normally inactive signal mechanism automatically set in action by and in the movement of said closure to closed position, and a normally applied drum lock automatically removed by and in the movement of said closure to closed position.

6. In a device of the class described, anl

closure to closed position, and means permis-- sive of rotation of the drum'in one direction therepast but automatically eiective to prevent rotation of the drum in the reverse direction.

7. In a device ofthe class described, an.

assorting table, a netting table, key tag holders removably mounted on said netting table, an intermittently revoluble compartmented assortingdrum disposed between said tables, and a normally applied drum lock automaticall removed by the removal of the key tag hol ers from the netting table.

8. In adevice of the class described, an

assorting table, a netting table, an intermittently revoluble compartmented assorting drum disposed between said tables, an intermittently revoluble compartmented turn-table disposed adjacent said assorting table, a flexible closure manually operable by the assorter working at the assorting table for closing the compartment of the drum adjacent said assorting table when assorting has been completed, a normally inactive signal mechanism automatically set in action by the movement of said flexible closure to closed position, and a normally applied turn-table lock automatically removed by and in the movement of said closure to closed position.

9. In a device of the class described, an assorting table, a nettin' table, an intermittently revoluble assorting drum disposed between said tables, and presenting spaced end walls and a plurality of radially extending partitions disposed therebetween and defining therewith and with each other a plurality of sector-shaped assorting compartments each comprised by a partition al-ignable with either the assorting table or the netting table and a partition disposed intermediate of said tables according to the position of the drum, and partitions subdividing each com- 4movement of said closure to closed `partment into a series of individual assorting bins.

10. In a device of the class described, an`

assorting table, a netting table, an intermittently revoluble assorting drum disposed between said tables and presenting spaced end walls and a plurality of radiallyextending partitions disposed therebetween and de- 11. In a device of the class described, an.

assorting table, a netting table, an intermittently revoluble assorting drum disposed between said tables and presenting spaced end walls and a plurality of radially extending partitions disposed therebetween and defining therewith and with each other a plurality of sector-shaped assorting compartments each comprised by apartition alignable with either the assorting table or the netting table and a partition disposed intermediate of said tables according to the position of the drum, partitions subdividing each compartment into a series of individual assorting bins, a flexible closure manually operable by the assorter working at the assorting table for closing the compartment of the drum adjacent said assorting table when assorting has been completed, and a normally applied drum lock automatically removed by and in the osition.

12. In a device ofthe class described, an assorting table and a netting table disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane and spaced from each other, an intermittently revoluble assorting drum disposed between said tables, said drum presenting vspaced end walls and a plurality of radially extending partitions disposed therebetweenand delining ltherewith and with each other a plurality of sector-shaped assorting compartments each comprised by a partition alignable with either the assorting table or the netting table and a partition disposed intermediate of said tables according to the position of the drum, vertical partitions subdividing each compartment into a series of individual assorting bins, a plurality of net suspension arms associated with said netting table and equipped to permit quick detachable connection of the nets, a plurality of key tag holders removably associated with said netting table, plungers normallyblocked by said key tag holders, hinged stop rods operatively connected with said plungers and normally disposed for actuation by the compartment forming members of the drum to prevent rotation thereof, and a treadle operatively connected with said stop rods for withdrawing them from the path of the drum upon removal of said key tag holders from the path of the plungers.

13. In a device of the class described, an assorting table and a netting table disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane and spaced from each other, an intermittently revoluble compartmented assorting drum disposed between said tables, a flexible closure for the assorting compartment, and a signal mechanism automatically applied by the movement of said closure to closed pos1- tion and comprising a signal actuating arm fastened at one end to said closure whereby to follow the movements thereof, an electrical signal, and a switch arm for opening and closing the circuit to said signal and pivotally connected to said signal actuating arm, a flexible closure for closing the compartment of said drum into which the articles to be assorted are being placed, and a normally applied drum lock automatically removed by and in the movement of said closure to closed position and comprising a spring having one end thereof normally disposed in the path of the closure for actuation thereby in the closing movement of the closure and carrying at its opposite end a lock- .ing pin normally disposed to prevent rotation of the drum and automatically withdrawn into a position permissive of free rotation of the drum by and in the movement of the closure to closed position.

14. In a device of the class described, an intermittently revoluble compartmented assorting drum, and an intermittently revoluble compartmented turn-table disposed adjacent thereto and provided with a spaced series of stop lugs, a flexible closure for closing the compartment of said drum into which the articles to be assorted are being placed, a normally applied turn-table lock automatically removed by and in the movement of said closure to closed position and comprising a slotted stop having its free end normally disposed in the path of one of the lugs on the turn-table, and operative connections from said stop to the flexible closure, including a latch having one end thereof projecting through the slot in said stop and normally latching over the edge of said slot to prevent movement thereof and operative upon actuation of said stop by the closure initially. to move the stop out of the path of the lug which it is blocking whereby to permit rotation of the turn-table one step and subsequently contacted by said lug as the turn-table is rotated therepast to restore the stop to interfering position relative to the next following lug on the turn table.

15. In a device of the class described,han

intermittently revoluble4 assorting drum, an

assorting table, and an intermittently revoluble turn table disposed adjacent said assorting tablel and including a circular trackway, a horizontally disposed shell revoluble with said turn-table thereon and comprising spaced concentric inner and outer rings defining therebetween an annular com part-ment, partitions radially subdividing said compartment into a series of individual bundle bins, the space included within said inner ring constituting a working space for an operative located therein, the outer ring beingprovided with means permissive of entry and exit of the operative to said working space.

16. In a device of the class described, an intermittently revoluble asserting drum, and an intermittently revoluble turn-table operative in orderly relation thereto, and including a circular track-way, a horizontally disposed shell revoluble with said turn-table thereon and comprising spaced concentric inner and outer rings defining therebetween an annular compartment, partitions radially subdividing said compartment into a series of individual bundle bins, the space included within said inner ring constituting a working space for an operative locatedtherein, the outer Vring bein provided with means permissive of entry an exit of the operative to said work- .ing space, and a stationary assorting table disposed between the drum and turn-table in a plane above that of the turn-table and beneath which said turn-table revolves through a portion-of its travel, said assorting table having a cut-out ofa length and shape substantially. corresponding-to that of the underlying bundle bins and through which cut-out said bins are successively exposable on rotation of the turn-table intermittently therebeneath.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

LAWRENCE D. ROBINSON. FREDERICK C. SMAIL.l