US2194381A - Sorting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 19, 1940. H. w. CADMAN SORTIING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 16, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 19, 1940. H, w, CADMAN 2,194,381

SORTING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 16, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 Hi-fin": W flflg March 19, 1940. I H, w, CADMAN 2,194,381

. SORTING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 16, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v jnrevf/l March 19, 1940. H. w. CADMAN SORTING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 16, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 19, 1940. H. w. CADMAN ,194,381

SORTING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 16, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 J55 J55 7 JJQJY/ jzi ww W Patented Mar; 19, 1940 I I ,sonrmonrrAaArns liuberjt william Gadman, Eltham, London, Eng I land, assignorto sovex Limited, Erith, England, '3 qa cornpany of' Great Britain 7 Application*SeptenibrLlB, 1937, Serial No. 164,224 I h H In Great. Britain January 26, 1937 16 Claims. (01. 214-11) This invention concerns improvements relav ing to sorting and distributing apparatus for parcels, particularly for the use of postal authorities, of the kind in which an endless distributing -5 conveyor passes a sorting station and a series of receiving stations and a sorting oiiicial' at the sorting stationm'anually sets a selective control means wherebyparcelstransported'by' the conveyor are caused to be 'dischargedtherefrom at the proper receiving stations. object of the invention is to provide a simple. apparatus which takes proper account of the diiiiculties to be overcome if parcels" areto be reliably and safely sorted and distributed. These difficulties 6- are not the same as those which'are encountered in the sorting ofletters-or cards andaarise" especially from the necessity forcaring for avery wide range of sizes and kinds of parcels, including bulky parcels and also fragile parcels. 0 'According-tothe' invention, parcel-sorting and distributing apparatus comprisesa continuously operating distributing conveyor havi'ng'a series of compartments and, arranged topass a sorting station and a series of receiving-stations, com- 25 pertinent-discharging means at each receiving station, and control means including manually set selection means located at the, sorting station and discharge-effecting means each allotted to 'the discharging means at a respectiverece'iving '30- station, each discharge-effecting means- -being directly associated'with the selection means for be- 7 ing selectively rendered active upon actuation ua'ereof'and associated with'the conveyorfor' being advanced in step with theoonipartrnent's .to-

wardsa' discharge-enacting condition in such fashion that the compartment passing the sorting station at the time when the selection; means i is actuated is caused to be discharged as it passes the aforesaid receiving station,

40;, In contradistinction to arrangements inserting.

apparatus proposed heretofore,- the aforesaid dis- I charge-effecting means is rendered active, that is, prepared for effecting discharge, directly by. the.

selection means, that is, without. the interme' 45 diary of register devices carried by orotherwise permanently allotted to; respective; compartments of the conveyolx, v I

' Also in accordance with the present invention,

parcel-sorting and distributing;apparatus comto, prises acontinuously operating distributing conveyor having a series of compartments and arranged to pass a sorting stationanda series of receiving stations, manually actuated, selection urea-us at. the sorting station,v timing means opermated, by or with the conveyor, compartment quired number of sorting selections.

charging means at the sorting station adapted for "being caused to operate by actuation of. the

selection means and under control 'ofth'e timing means so that each parcel is charged into a" definite compartment in position'for receiving it, .5 discharging means at each receiving station; dis-- charge-effecting means '-eaol1 adapted for being selectively set in action by actuation of the r'selectio'n means and under control of the timing means and each allotted to a respective rec'eiv- 10- ing station and operatively related; to the dis,- charging means at thesaid station for causing discharge there of that compartment which is. in position for receivingthe parcel when the charging means is caused to'ope'rate.

- A preferred embodiment of the invention in-. tended for the sorting. of postal'parcels will now he described by Way of example and with refs,

erence to the accompanying drawings, in which: 7 Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of'a'n installation of apparatus in accord'ance with the invention, I, p I

Fig, 2 a similar plan View of the conveyors; V Fig. 3 aside elevation to a larger scale of'paiit:

of a distributing conveyor-and the associated chute and trap-door gear, Fig. .4 a plan 'view to a larger scale ofhpa'rts of several distributing conveyors, v Fig. 5 a side' elevatio'n partly in section on V-V..

in Fig.- 6, to yet a larger scale of electro-mechan 3o,

, ical discharge-control means,

. Fig. 6 a view at right angles to Fig. 5, Fig, 7 a side view of a box showing the latchj ing J means, I 1

Fig. 8 a vertical section of the far end of a' distributing conveyor, showing the" relatchin'g' means, and j ,Y i

:Flg. 9 a circuit diagram; -.r Referrin primarily to Figs. 1' and 2, the disk tributing conveyors comprise a train of boxes i of shallow hopper shape carried between'endlfess roller-chains 2 which run over sprocket-wheels.

'3, r A number of such conveyors (four in Fig. 2) corresponding to. the number of sorting stations 4 extend parallel to each other in a horizontal plane. The receiving conveyors comprise ar-a1 lel endless conveyor bands 5 5 5 -extend-fi ing, with partitions 6 betweenthem, at right time jg'le's to'the distributing conveyors and-located;

below the upper, effective, flights of ,the 1atter.-50'-,

There is a number, of these receiving conveyors (as illustrated, twelve) -,corresponding to' the re- Y The range of sorting stations 4 ,extends above adjacent ends ofthe; distributing conveyors and will generally be accommodated upon the next floor of the building. Preferably the stations each comprise a sorting table containing an opening normally vated platform Ill.

At each station '4, there is a. row of press-button switches H H H M (Fig. 4), one" As hereinafter, de-

" chanical and the secondelectrical.

each switch except H controls electro-mechanclosed by trap-doors 1 from below which an in clined chute 8 leads down to a point above the end of the associated distributing conveyor. Each station is suitably supplied with parcels to be sorted, for example by a'glissade 9, from an elefor every receiving conveyor. scribed, the switches serve twofunctions. Firstly, each switch, when depressed, allows the trapdoors I to open when a box of the distributing conveyor is approaching the correct positiornor is correctly positioned, to receivea parcel byway of the chute 8. For this purpose',.-.the control gear for the trap-doors is made to comprisetwo elements, a first element which operates in timed relation with the associated distributing conveyor. and which would permit release, of the trap-doors each time a box l approaches the corv rect position and a second element which permits one such release only when a switch has been depressed. Conveniently the first element is me- Secondly,

ical means over one particular receiving conveyor 5 5 whereby the box. I into which the parcel has been deposited is caused to discharge the same upon arrivingabove that conveyor.

v A preferred formof control for the trap-doors I is illustrated in Fig; .32 Forthe first element of this control, rollers E2 on the axles li 'l carry.-

ing the1'rollers2 and connecting the links 2 of one of the chains 2 are utilized as operating members. These rollers 12 co-act with a shaped lever 1.3 which is pivoted at Hi and is connected by an arm l5 and link It to a bell-crank lever I1 pivoted at it. An abutment l9 pivoted on the.

lever 11 is held upwardlyby a strong compression-spring 20 and is capable, in the position illustrated by chain lines, of afiording support to a. lever 2| freely pivoted at iii-and connected by a link 22 to trap-door release linkage 23. The

lever, 2| is normally supported in the, position illustrated by a catchz i which is connected to the plunger of a normally unexcited solenoid 25...;This1ast arrangement constitutes the sec-g ond element of the control; g

It will be seen that'as long as the solenoid 25 remains unexcited, the linkage 25-523 will be held in the position illustrated and the doors closedirrespective of the condition of the linkage I-3.-l1. If, however, the solenoid operates to re lease the catch 24, the doors 7 will be held closed only while the linkage iii-ll" is in the position shown by chain lines in Fig. 3, that'is while the lever 13 is engaged on one of its flats I3 43 by'a. roller l2. As soon as a roller. enters therecess l3 ,however, the linkage 2I-23 will be completely released and thetrap-doors will fall 1 open. The recess I3 is sodesigned that this happens when a bowl is approaching the correct position for receivinga parcel. As the'roller sub sequentlyruns on to the fiat R3 the doors '1 will. be raised through the linkage l3-H-,'the

.abutment l9 and linkage 2l--23 and willthenbe ,locked closed by the catch 2d controlled by the solenoid, 25, now unexcited.- A

-Inthe arrangement illustrated in Fig. 3,'c1o-' sure means for the lower end of the chute B and control means therefor are also provided: A loop .;:of beltingilfi is anchored at one end 2'1 and is;

rollers l 2.

the chute and catches without shockparcels fall,-

ing from the trap' doors 1, while the upper part of the said mouth is closed by a stop-flap 3i hav-Y ing an arm 32 connected to'a link 33. This link has a" pin and slot connection 34 with the lever ,i

29an'd a pivotalconnection with a shaped lever 35 which is pivoted at 35 and is actuated by the Each time a box 1 reaches the correct 7 positionbelow the chute, the lever 35 moves from- I I the full-line the chain-line position in Fig; 3 and thereby causes the belting 26 to be lowered and the stop 3! -'raiseds'o'that any parcel in the loop is connected at the other end to a cross-bar 28. I supported by a lever '29 pivoted at 3! This loop normally closes the lower part of the mouth'of.

deposited safely and correctly in the box 'i. Pare;

- ticularly with a'more gently sloping chute, this ad- Y ditional closure means may be dispensed with, but

the controlmea'nsfor the trap-doors I must then be carefully timed so that a parcel therefrom reaches: the box tion. t;

A preferred form of electro-mechanical means over 'each receiving conveyor, 5 -5 is shown-in lqwhen it is in the correct posi- Figs. 5 and 6: A round disc 31 containing a ring of studs 38 slidable-in a .direction parallel to the axis of therdisc-is connected to a ratchet wheel: 33 engaged by a spring loaded pawl 40 whichis. carried by'an oscillatory lever ll. This lever is mounted freely on a stub 42 projecting from the wheel 39 and is connected by a, link 43ttoajseesaw lever .434 having-one end 45 elevated for en.- gagementby a part connected to each passing box as illustrated, a'roller l2.v ment results in the'lever M being rocked clockwise, raising its bevelled end 45 into position for engagement bly the next roller 12 by which the lever is returned toitsf initial position before being rocked again. The mechanism is support ed from the frame-rail 66, onwhich the rollers Zlrun, by a bracket 46%..

The lever is thus rocked Such engagee and actuates the; pawl 48 once :for .each box 1 that passes. The arrangement is made. such that the disc lllis thereby advanced ,byythe pitch-distance between two studs 38 each timea box passes. The-studs,

each controlled by aspring. detent 38 normally occupy an inoperative position in which: they an s t 1 project upon one side of the disc, the right hand side inFiglfi'; Mounted on the other side of the I disc one pivot His a spring-loaded trip-lever 49- whichnormally occupies; an -inoperative'.po--

sition, illustrated in full lines inFig. 61- in which 56 on its edge .engag'eable byxtl'ie side of any stud it overlaps the disc. "This lever has a cam-face '1 38 projected from the adjacent side of the discfz inafter described, on a passing box for causing the latter to discharge its contents. The proj'ec tionof ias'tud- 35 to the operative position is e'f-.

fected through a rocking lever. ,53' by theat-- traction of the co're 5'4 o'f'a solenoid SEQ In Fig-I ure-5', the uppermost stud-has just bee-n projected and the 'core'fiihas returned-"to its normal po-p sition. In themechanis m over 1 each receivingconveyor 5 5 the angular interval 56(-Fig. 6)" between the'point atwhich the lever 53 can 'op-" erateto-project a stud 38 and the/point atwhich that smagcan actuate the trip-lever i9 is equal 2,194,381 to the angular pitch of 'the studs multiplied by v the number of boxes 1 in the interval between the chute 8 and the receiving conveyor in question. Consequently, a-studprojecited at the time whena parcel is deposited in a box engages the edge-cam 59 of the trip-lever to cause opening of that box just as it reaches the required con'veyon The stud, after riding over the same cam it, runs on to the rear face cam at 5| and is returned to its initial position.

The bottom of each box 1. consists of two hinged fiapsfi t, 65 (Fig. 7),"the flap 64 being longer than'the flap 55 and having-a lip S4 engaged under the edge of the latter; The flaps are normally held closed by hook-members $5 which are mounted at the ends of a shaft a! carried on the flap M and-are engaged over studs (58 on the fixed'sideewalls 69 0f the box. An extension of one hook-member 6B beyond the shaft 61 carries a pin H3 located for engagement by the finger 52 of any projected lever 49' (Fig. 6). The hook-membersfit are normally maintainedyin engagement'with the studs ill? by a spring I! (Fig. 6) acting on the shaft Bl. When encountered by a finger 52, however, the hook members are unlatchcd from the said studs 58 and the flaps 54, 65 fall down todischarge the contents of the box upon the respective receiving conveyors -5 5 Over the last receiving conveyor 5 a stop It, in effect a permanently projected. finger 52, is providedfli'o'r tripping all of the box-latches to ensure that. any parcels remaining in the boxes I, whether by error or V otherwise, are deposited on that conveyor. The

hanging flaps-of the boxes are closed partlyby gravity and partly by ramps '53 (Fig. 8) as each box passes around the remote sprocket wheel 3. Each longer flap G l encounters the ramp l3 and is :swung and held up as shown in Fig. 8. Each shorterflap clears the ramp l3 and inits.

hanging condition comes to lie inside the lip @54 on the flap 64 .as the box passes downwardly around the sprocket wheel 3. As the box becomes inverted, the liapltrfalls under gravity upon the flap 55 and the hookr-members 65 be come relatchedautomatically with the studs 68.

An appropriate circuit arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 9: The switches Il -l E are connected in series with respective solenoids 55 --55 and are'arranged upon depression to make con ,nection between the said solenoids and a common negative bus-bar 56. A common lead 5'! to the solenoids is connected through the winding 58 of a relay and the contacts of a master The contacts 60 of this relay are connected in series with the solenoid 25 on the one hand and with the winding 58 and switch 58 on the other. It will be seenthat the relay winding 58, the solenoid 25 and a preselected one of the solenoids ES -55 are not excited immediately upon depression of one of the selectedswitches I 1 -4 E the master switch 59 must first close. This switch is closed automatically and periodically for a short interval of time as each box l approaches the mouth of the chute and ensures that the solenoid 25and selected solenoid 55 55 are synchronously excited in proper timed. relation to the movement. of the'boxes l. The

timing is preferably'also such that the discs 3:?

are at rest when the master switch 59 is closed,

This switch may be located as shown in Fig. 3 and actuated by the rollers l2.

The switch I I is connected to the relay -winding 58 through a resistancefil equivalent to-the resistance of a' winding 55 -55 Depression of the switch H is thus followed by operation of the relay and excitation of the solenoid 25 only.

Whenever one of the switches il -4 {12 is depressed, it is maintained in the depressed condition automatically until the trap-doors l op erate. For this purpose the switches may be of the kind which, upon depression, is automatically engaged by a catch and is released only when the catch is withdrawn. As shown, an electro-1nag' net 62 for withdrawing the catch to release the switches ilk-l I is connected in series withv a switch 53 which is arranged to be closed momentarily by the link 2?. (Fig. 3)-' as the trap-doors "I operate.

The manner of operation o1 the apparatus as a whole will be readily understood: During sorting, the distributing and receiving conveyors are driven continuously. A sorter, standing at one" may be commenced at once, that is without wait-v ing for the actual discharge of the'parcel at the receiving conveyor. A convenient sorting speed 7 of about 20 parcels per minute may be maintained in this fashion. v

In the installation illustrated, the four dis tributing conveyors are arranged in pairs (Figs. 2 and 4) with common driving gear extending up between the pairs. Each pair of conveyors is supported between two chains 2 and the control means for the trap-doors l and for the discharge of the boxes l is disposedon the outer sides of the conveyors tor co-action with respectively adjacent chains.

I claim: i 1. Apparatus of the kind set forth, comprising fa sortingstation, a series of receiving stations, an endless conveyor composed of a chain of com partinents and moving continuously past the sorting station and the: receiving stations in sucsession, charging means at the sorting station, timing means operated. by the conveyor and arranged to control the charging means sothat an article is charged into a definitecompartment in position for receiving the same, compartmeno.

discharging means at the receiving stations, de layed-action devices operated by the conveyor and arranged each'for setting a respective discharging means, and selective control meansopveratively associated. with the timing means and the delayed-action setting devices whereby any setting device can be selected by the control means for being directly set in action by the timing means at the time of charging, the delayed action. of each setting device being such that the respective discharging means is set to discharge'the article after the time-period required by the charged compartment to move from the sorting station to the respective receiving station." i

2. Apparatus of the kind set forth, comprising a sorting station, a series of receiving stations, an endless conveyor composed of a chain of compartments and moving continuously past the sorting station and the receiving stations in :suc-

cession, charging means including a trapdoor at the sorting station, timing means including a master switch closed periodically by the conveyor, an electro-magnet excitable by the said switch and a catch normally operative upon the charging door to maintain the same closed but releasable upon excitation of the electro-magnet by the switch to open the door in timed relationship with the conveyor movement, compartmentdischarging means at the receiving-stations, delayed-action devices at the receiving stations including a rotatable member with a ring of projectable pins and a ratchet device for driving the said member from the conveyor and in timed relationship therewith, the rotatable member being arranged so that a projected pin in the course of the rotation of the said member will encounter and cause operation of the compartment-discharging means at the same station, electro-magnetic means arranged adjacent to each rotatable member for projecting a pin therefrom, v selective switches at the sorting station each adapted for preparing exciting circuits through the master switch for a selected electro-magnetic means and .the electro-magnet, the angular interval measured on the rotatable member between the elec-v tro-magnetic means and the compartment-discharging means at a series of charging means at each receiving station being proportional to the numper of compartments separating that station from the sorting station.

3. In combination with sorting apparatus comprising a conveyor, conveyor-charging means adjacent to a sorting point, an conveyor-disreceiving points; control apparatus comprising an electro-magnetic release device operatively connected to the charging means, delayed action operating devices respectively engageable with each of the discharging means and arranged to be driven by the conveyor, electro-magnetic means respectively adapted for setting theoperating devices for engagement with the discharging means after the delay in action of the said devices, manually operated selective switch means for preparing circuits to the electro-magnetic release device andto a selected 'electro-magnetic setting means,

and a master switch arranged for being closed in timed relation with the movement of the con- I veyor and for completing the said circuits.

4. In parcel-sorting apparatus, in combination with a conveyor comprising a chain of compartments moving past a charging point and a series of discharging points, manually operated selective control means at the charging point and discharging means for each discharging point including a compartment-discharging member, a counting device driven by the conveyor and adapted for actuating the said member after counting a number of compartments equal to the number thereof between the respective discharging point and the charging point and means directly connected to the selective control means for setting the said counting device in operation.

5. In parcel-sorting apparatus, in combination with a compartmental endless conveyor moving continuously past a charging point and a series of discharging devices, control apparatus comprising, for' each discharging device, a compartmerit-counting element, means for rendering the said element operative for actuating the discharging device whereby the latter is actuated after the said element has been rendered operative and has counted the number of compartments separating the respective discharging de- I vice from the charging point, and selection means near the'charging point directly connected to the I means for rendering the counting elements operative whereby any selected element can be so rendered operative.

6. Control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the counting element comprises a rotatable member, means operatedby the conveyor compartments for rotating the said member in steps, aring of normally retracted but project able studsslidably mounted in thesaid rotatable member and engageable, when projected, with the discharging device and the 'meansforren-f dering the counting element operative comprises.

an electro-magnetic device positioned adjacently to the ring of studs and adapted for projecting that stud which is opposite toit when it is ex-v cited, the angular intervalon each. rotatable member between the operative positions of the electro-magnetic device and the discharging device being proportional to' the distance from the charging point of the respective discharging device. 1

7. In combination with'a sectional endless conveyor moving continuously past a charging device and a series of discharging devices, control. apparatus comprising first control meansqior.

rendering the charging device operative, second control means for rendering the discharging devices operative, selective manual devices adapted for preparing the. first control-means and one second control means for rendering the charging device and onefrequired discharging device operative, and 'anautomatic device driven from the sectional conveyor and adapted for 35. causing the prepared first and second control means to render the said charging and discharging devices operative in syrlchronism with each other and in fixed time-relation with the 1 movement of the conveyor-sections past the said devices. g k l 8. Control apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the control means is electrically actuated and the manual and automatic devices respectively comprise selective switches and an automatic switch arranged in the vicinity of the con-' veyor so as to be closed and opened by the conveyor sections 'as they pass. i

9. Control apparatus for controlling ajcombi: nation of a sectional endless conveyonwhich moves continuously past a charging device, and

past a series of discharging devices, comprising,

firstly, means for controlling operation of the I I charging device, secondly, a manually actuated means for preparing the control means for calls.-

ing operation of the charging device and consist ing of an electrical switch, and electro-magnetic device excited under the control of the said 1 switch, and a locking means connected to the electro-magnetic device and acting upon the control means, and thirdly an automatic device driven from the sectional conveyor and adapted for actuating the prepared control means to cause i operation of the charging device in timed rela tion with the movement of theconveyor sections past the charging point, the said device consisting of a further locking means acting upon the control means and an operative mechanical connection between the sectional conveyor and the:

latter locking means. v

10. Parcel-sorting and distributing apparatus,

comprising a sorting station, a continuously oper-- ating distributing conveyor having a series of;

compartments and arranged to pass the sorting station, a series, of receiving stations along said" distributing conveyor, selectively controlled compartment-discharging means at each receiving station, control means including manually actuated selection means corresponding to each receiving station located at the sorting station,

and operating means for the 'compartment-discharging means at each receiving station, said operating means comprising elements each corresponding to one of the compartments of the distributing conveyor, means for moving said elements in, timed relation with the conveyor to bring said elements into the, proximity of the compartment-discharging means,- and means controlled by said manual selecting means for moving said elements into operating position to operate the compartment-discharging means to discharge its corresponding compartment when it is in position to discharge at the proper" receiving station.

11. Parcel-sorting and distributing apparatus, comprising a sorting station, a continuously operating distributing conveyor having a series of compartments and arranged to pass the sorting station, a series of receiving stations arranged along the distributing conveyor, manually actuated selection means at the sorting station, timing means operated in timed relation to the conveyor, charging means at the sorting station,

, control means for said charging means responsive to the selection means and the timing means for charging each parcel into a definite compartmerit when'said compartment is in position for receiving it, discharging means at each receiving station, operating means for each of said discharge means at each receiving station, each.

controlled and selectively set inaction by actuation of the corresponding manual selection means and under control of the timing means, each of said operating means corresponding to a respective compartment of theconveyor and operatively related to the discharging means at itsstation for causing discharge thereof thatcompartment which is in position for receiving the parcel when the charging means is caused to operate and the station selection means has been actuated. I

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the selection means comp rises manually operated electric switches and the timing means includes a switch arrangedto be closed periodically by the conveyor for completing a circuit, se-

1 such release each time a compartment reaches the charging point.

14. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the charging means includes a chute, a'loop of flexible material which normally closes the chute at itsvlower end for catching falling parcels with little shock, means for lowering the said loop to deposit the parcel gently in the compartment, and control means for the saidlooplowering means operated periodically by the conveyor each time a compartment reaches the charging point under the chute.

15. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each compartment of the distributing conveyor comprises a bottom divided transversely into two .flaps and a self-engaging latch which normally holds the said flaps closed and is disengageable by the discharging means for allowing the flaps to fall.

' 16 Apparatusaccording to claim 10, and cam means at the returning point of the distributing conveyor and, for each compartment of the latter, a bottom divided transversely into two flaps and a self-engaging-latch which normally holds the said flaps closed and is engageable by the discharging means for releasing the said flaps to allow them to fall open, the trailing flap normally engaging inside the leading flap and being shorter than thelatterso that, in its fallen position, it clears the cam-means whereas the leading fiap, inits fallen position, is engageable by the cam-means for rocking the said leading flap up outside the freely hanging trailing flap,

whereby the said flaps become re-engaged and secured by the latch. r

' v HUBERT WILLIAM CADMAN.

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