US2334241A - Counting machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov.. 16, 1943. R. J. BOEDIGHElMl-:R

COUNTING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1942 s sheets-sheet 1 COUNTING MACHINE FiledbJune 1v, 1942 s sheets-sheet 2 Nov. 16, 1943. R. Y.1. BOED|GHEiM`ER 2,334,241

COUNTING MACHINE l Filed June l1'?, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 showninFig.1. 1 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detailed elevational.,

Patented Nov. 16, 1943 nayincna J. Boeaigheimer, Chicago, 111'., assignmto v,Chain Store Products Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware AppncanonJune 17, i942, serial No. 447,426 Y s claims. (ci. 16e-s) This Vinvention relates` to improvements in a hairpin counting and discharging device, and refers speciiically to a hairpin counting and discharging device which discharges a predetermined number of hairpins at a time 4and inthe event that a lesser numberiof hairpins are supplied to the counting zone, the discharging mechanism is rendered inoperative.

My present invention is an improvement upon a portion ofthe invention described in United.

States Letters Patent No. 1,326,925 to S. H. Goldberg, and is adapted to be employed inthe machine described in said patent in place `of the hairpin counting and discharging device therein described.

. In the operation-of the countingv and discharging device described in the Goldberg patent, supra, a counting zone is` provided Awhich A'is` adapted to accommodatea predetermined maximum number of hairpins. n' In the operation of the device the zone is periodically emptied by the operator Vby means of a suitable discharging means. However, inthe` event that a numberof hairpins less than the capacity of the counting zone is disposed in the counting zone when the discharge mechanism is actuated,A said les'serr number of hairpins will be discharged; -f ,1

In the present'inventionpa counting zonei's provided to accommodate a predetermined'maximum number othairpins.' However, mechanism is providedwhereby the discharge device willbe rendered inoperative `if alle sser number of hairpins is supplied to the `,counting gone, and the short-numbered group "of hairpins in the count,

ing zone will not be discharged thus eliminating the possibility of an operator packing aninsuiicient number of hairpins a package `or` box.

other objects and advantages-.cf imfennon,f` will be apparent from vthe accompanying drawings and Iollowingdetailed'Zdescriptionf` In the drawings,

Fig 1 is a top planviewo counting `and discharging device. .Y I

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view View of the discharge actuating cam.

Fig. 4 is a sectional viewftakenon ,line 1-tof` Fig. 1,showing `a proper numbered group ofy hairpins just discharged `from the'countingzone, the

latter being empty.

zonecompletelylled withhairpins.'`

Fig., (i4 vis a Ytransverse sectional View taken .onf

l improved hairpin ,I

pf the kdevicel the line E-Ii of Fig. showing the discharge control feeler.

Fig. 7` is a transverse sectional view-taken on line 'I-'I of Fig. 5 showing the discharge control pin. f

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar'to'Fig. 4 i1- lustrating the counting zone carrying'an insuiv cient number of hairpins to actuate the discharge Fig.' 9 is asimilar view,f illustrating the discharge cam in. discharge position.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary front elevational View of the discharge end of the device.

Referring indetail to the drawings, I indicates a supporting standard or foot which is adapted to carry a plate- 2,v the plate `being secured to the standard by means of bolt 3 threadedly engaged by nut 4.. `The plate 2 isof relatively at construction and only the forward portion thereof is illustrated in the drawings. Means (not shown) 1s also provided for supporting the rear portion of the plate. i The longitudinal axis of the plate 2 is disposed at an oblique angle "to the horizontal and thel front. portion 'of the plate 4is provided with a discharge arm 5 which extends substanuauyhorizontai when the plate is disposedat its proper angular position. A relatively thin j elongated platform blade 6, Figs. 6 and 7, is secured to the upper portion of ,thel plate 2 by Welding `or` other suitable attaching means. "1

As described in the Goldberg patent hereinbefore identified; the plate 2 is adapted to function as af guideand 'in the `patented machine means is providedffor' disposing hairpins 'I upon the plate'2, the hairpins being positioned upon the plate `with the legs of the pins straddling the plate,vv and the UA-'bent `portion of the pins being supported-uponthe upper `edge ofthe blade 6. The angle of inclinationo'f the plate 2 is such that hairpins positionedat the upper portion thereof slidefby gravity downwardly toward the forward end 'of the plate.

A bar 8 is secured to the standard I and eX- tends angularly upwardly at substantially'rightv angles to the longitudinal axis of the plate 2, the bar being secured `by` means ofthe bolt 3` and being fixed 4in angular position by means of pin 9 carried by the standard I which projects into an aperture I 0 Vprovided in the bar. `A spacing member II issecuredadjacent the upper portion of bar 8 by means of bolt I2 and said spacing member in turns supports a block I3. f The block I3 is disposed substantially parallel toY the upper edge ofthey blade 6 and said block carries a relatively I4 which is positioned at right angles to the plane of the plate 2, the platform being disposed immediately above the upper edge of the blade 6, providing a slot I5 between the upper edge of the blade and the lower sur face of the platform I4.

A guide bar I6 is secured to the block I3 by means of screw I1, the guide bar being spaced laterally from the block by means of spacer I8 which embraces the shank of the screw I1. The plane of thevbar I6 is in substantial alignment with the plane of the plate 2, and the lower edge of said bar is spaced from the upper edge Iof the blade 6 to provide a space I9. TheA oppol site end of bar I6 is carried by a suitable support (not shown) so as to maintain thebar being disposed one above the other. Rigidly secured to the shaft 39 by means of pin 4I is a lever 42 which is secured to said shaft adjacent one end thereof. The lever 42 is preferably constructed. of substantially rigid material. Secured to the shaft 4D by means of pin 43 is a lever 44 which may be constructed of a substantially rigid material. The lever 44 is secured to the shaft 40 at substantially its midportion.

A pin 45 is secured to the lever 44 adjacent `7one end thereof, said vpin extending downwardly from the lever. The lowermost end of the pin 45 is 'substantially flat as indicated at 48 in uniformly spaced throughout'its length from the" blade 6. The arrangement is such that when the hairpins 1 have been depositedupon the upper edge of the blade 6 as has been hereinbefore described, said hairpins slide downwardly along the upper edge of the blade 6 and are confined in the spaces I9 and I5, thus preventing the U-bend of .one hairpin from being jammedabove the U-bend of the next adjacent hairpin. In this manner a single row of hairpins is suspended upon the blade Ii.Y i A A controlelement 23. is pivotallyvsecured to block I3, the` pivotal attachment comprising a screw 2|. The control element 20 comprises a frame having opposite side plates 22 `and V23, i which are spaced from each other bymeans of blocks- 24 and 25, and are securedto said blocks by means of screws 26. Adjacent one end of the control element 26, a pin 21 is rotatably carried, said pin being rigidly secured toa discharge actuated lever 28, which latter isl constructed of a relatively resilient metal strip. The lower portion of the strip 28 is forked as shown best at 29 in Fig. 10, the armsof the forked. portionof the member'Z straddling the arm 5., The opposite end ofthe pin 2l is of semi-cylindrical construction as shown best at 30 in Fig. 3, said semi-cylindrical portion functioning as a cam when the lever, 28 is rocked about. the pivot .pin

l'sladeJ spring 3l is vsecured to. the :block -13 byrmean's ofk screwsw33, said screws extending through a. retaining , member 3,3. Aiportion. of the Spring ,3l overhangs Vthe end oflbloek I3 and carries a cam follower memberllxwhichis secured to `the overhanging portionzof the, spring tI'k by means of screws 35. Thearrangementis such that when the arm 28 is rocked-in a counterclockwise` directiomFig., 3, about rthepimt pin 21,r the cam 30 bears upon the lower :faceof the cam followerr34. A, forceris thus` exerted tending to` move the camA follower and* thecam laterally with respect to eachother. In View of the fact that the cam follower is securedto the spring 3I, which in turn, secured to the rigidly positioned block` I3, the major `portion of the lateral movement is taken up bythe pin ZI-which is carried upon the end portion of the vcontrol element 2l).V Hence,rthe control element, 2i! is rocked about the pivot 2I in a clockwise direction, `Fi'gjA 3. An arm Y36 is carried upon. block I3 and islfprovided .Withanlateral extension31 which" overhangs" the control elementl 20. A set screw' 38 is threadedly positioned, in the. overhanging member 31 andthe end of-saidscrew functions as a stop for the control element ,20

` when the same is rocked,l

are journalledin the wallsr22 @36.13, said. shafts.

Fig. 5, but adjacent one side thereof the pin` 45' terminates in a point 41. Threadedly positioned in an overhanging portion 48 of the block 25 is a set screw 49, the lower end of which is adapted to bear upon the upper portion .of the lever 44 adjacent the end thereof on the oppositev insaid slot and maybe adjustably disposed thereinby means of the screw member 54 which functionsto confine the lever 5I by the washers 55 andr56 .carried upon pin 52. Pin 52 is so disposed as to have the tapered end 53 thereof extend through the aperture 50 inthe platform I4. A

set screw 51 is carried by the lever 42 intermediate itsY length, the end 0f said set screw being adaptedto bear upon the upper surface ofthe lever 44.y A pin 58 is -transversely rdisposed between plates 22 and 23 and a coil spring 59 embraces said pin, one end of said spring being adapted rto bear. upon the upper portion of lever 42 and the other lend thereof being anchored uponthe .plate 23. rI Lher function of spring 53Y is to urge lever 42 toward lever 44 thereby causing the end of set` screw `51 to resiliently bear upon the upper surface of the lever 44.

vInY operation, a plurality of-hairpins 1 are continuouslyV deposited upon therupper edge ofthe made 6 by means such as described in the Gekr-v bergp'atent hereinbefore identified, The hair pins slide downwardly upon the blade 6 with their U-bends conned in the spaces I9 and I5 untilthe first "pin, of the'. group of "hairpins contacts the point 41 of pin 45' which normally contacts,

normallyl in `contact with the'upperaedge 0f bladeB. l

. It will 'be `noted that under normal conditions that is,--w'hen none ofthe hairpin's'ha's'f becomejammed upon blade` 6, a predetermined number' of hairpins 1 will be confined nfthe space I5fbetween pin 52 and the 'point'41 of pin 45; This zone is hereinref'erred to as the 'counting zone.

.. ofcourse, a. greater or lesser number-of hairpis f the tension of spring 59,.

Y discharged.

may be confined in\the1.cou`nting zonebyadjust- `ing. the. position of pin' 52-inslot 5|, 4as hereinbefore described.` With a free flow-of hairpins along the` blade 6, hairpins, will'be disposed between pin 45fand the upper edgexof blade when the free end of the control'element is in1upraised POSitOm' y 1 v WhenLthe-arm v28;is released by the operator,

the control element-tends;A to return to lnormal .lengthofl point 41 being less,than the V.thickness of` the hairpin at-its, U-bent-vportion. y Pin 45 and hence the end of lever- 44 which carries said pin israised. This,` `in vturn, tendsto raise `set screw l, rocking lever 4,2 about its' pivot against ,.Thefree .end of lever 42, and hencerpin 52 is raised above its normal position ya distancegreater than the said thickness of the hairpin by reason of thegreater effective length of lever 42 `than that of lever 44 fromtheir adjacent points of. pivot at 3'9 and respectively, therebympermitting'those hairpins connedfi'n the counting Zone to slideoif the end of blade 6 and'becaug'htby the arm `5. In this manner a predetermined number of hairpins may be periodically.. discharged andmade available tothe operator.

If, however, 'the hairpins are "obstructed in their travel along blade 6 and a number "of hairpins are discharged to lthe counting zone insuicie'nt to completely flll said zone and leave no hairpin beneath the pin 45, point 41 comes to rest on the edge `of blade 6, and tapered end 53 of stop 52remains lowered sufficient to impede passage of hairpins, with the result that the group of hairpins in the counting zone cannot be discharged to arm 5 by the manipulation of arm 28.

Referring particularly to Figs. 8 and 9, the operation of my device will be apparent under the circumstances hereinbefore noted. With a group 60 of hairpins l in the counting zone and no hairpins having followed the hairpins constituting the group 60, rocking of the arm 28, as hereinbefore described will Iraise the free end of control element thus raising pin 45. When,'how ever, the arm 28 is released and the control element 2l) returns to its normal position, the pin 45 and hence the lever 44 will return to normal position.V There being no` raising force exerted upon lever 42, pin 52 Will not be raised from its normal position and the group 60 will not be Due to the resilience of'spring 3l and arm 28,

-rend'er said feeler inoperative Aas'` a stop; a

second stop carried by said control element and'normally disposed in the path ofV travel of `said articles, said second stop being'spaced `from said zfeelerto conne a predetermined number, of-articles Mbetween said feelerand said, secondstOp, means for returning said control ele- .mentto-normal position whereby said feeler con- Vtactsj one ofgsaid articles adjacent the'group of said arm may be moved to the position shown.

in dotted lines in Fig. 5 to'permit the complete removal of the discharged hairpins upon the arm 5 by the operator. Y'

Although my invention has been specifically described in conjunction with the handling of hairpins, it is to be understood that it is equally applicable to the handling of like articles such as paper clips, safety pins and the'like.

I claim as my invention: Y

l. In a device for `handling hairpins or like articles the combinationwith means for feeding forwardly a plurality of such articles, a movable control element disposed adjacent the path Vof travel of said articles, a feeler carried by said control element normally disposed in the path of travelv ofV said articles to function as a stop against which said articles strike, means for moving said control element to Iarticlesconfined between said feeler andstop to `.prevent return of said feeler` to normal position, `means connecting said feeler and stopwhereby failure of the Yfeeler to return tonormal position holds said stop out of itsY normal position to permit discharge of said predetermined number of articles past Ysaid stop.

2. In a device for handling hairpinsor like ar- -ticles the combination with means `for feeding forwardly a plurality of such articles, a movable control-,element disposed adjacent ,the path of travelof said articles, a feelery carried by said control ,element normally disposed in theqpath ,of travel of said articles to `function asa stop ,against-,which said articles-strike, means for moving said control element torender said feeler inoperative asa stop and permitfarticles vto pass said feeler, a second stop carired by said'control element and normally disposedin the path of travel of said articles to prevent further .passage of said articles past said feeler, means for Areturning said control elementto normal position WlflerebyY saidfeeler contacts `one of 'said articles to holdthe same, the contacted article holding the feeler out of its normal position, means connecting said feeler and stop whereby failure of the feeler to return to normal position holds said stop out of its normal position to permit discharge of said articles previously held by said stop.

3. In a device for handling` hairpins or like articles the combination with means for feeding forwardly a plurality of such articles, a pair of` levers, one of said levers being influenced by movement of the other lever, a feeler carried by said last mentioned lever, a stop carried by said other lever against Which the articles strike, and

means for changing the position of the feelercarrying lever by the presence of one of said articles in contact with the feeler carried thereby to render the stop carried by the other lever inoperative.

4. In a device for handling hairpins or like articles the combination with means for feeding forwardly a plurality of such articles, a pair of levers, means carried upon one of said levers normally contacting the other of said levers whereby movement of said latter moves the former, a stop carried upon the last mentioned lever against which the forwardly moved articles strike, a feeler carried upon the` other lever normally positioned in the path of travel of said forwardly moved articles and spaced from said stop, means for moving both of `said levers to raise said feeler from its normal position to permit articles to pass therebeneath, and means for returning said levers to` an altered position whereby said feeler rests upon one of said articles to prevent the return of the stop to its article stopping position.

5. In a device for handling hairpins or like articles which comprises, a guide along which said a pair of levers positioned above said guide, one of said levers carrying a feeler and the other carrying a stop, said feeler and stop being spaced from each other along the guide, said feeler and stop being nor- Vmally -positioned in the path lof'travel of said articles, said stop-carrying lever being in contact with said` feeler-carrying lever whereby Inove-l ment of the latter toward the former causes movement 'of the former, means yfor .raising'said feeler-carrying lever to permit passageof said articles into contact with said stop, means vfor llowering said feeler-carryinglever, said .stop-carrying lever beingA raised to permit passage there-V by of articles when said vfeeler contacts articles upon said-guide when it is loweredand said-stopcarrying lever being maintained with the stop rin normal position when the feeler is vunobstructed by anylof said articles when it 4is lowered.

6. In `ar -device for `handling hairpins or like articles which comprises, a guide -along which said 'articles move lorwardly, a stop` -againstvvhich -said articles strike, a ffeeler normally in cont-act `vv-itlfi said guide andrspaced from said stop along said guide, means tor raising said 'eeler -to per-- mit articles to pass `therebeneathalong said guide, means for lowering -said 'feeler, and `means as-sol`ciating said freeler andstop to raise said -stop to permitlthe passage of articles therebeneath when theieeler upon being iov/ered -is 'prevented 'by one of lsaid articles from contacting said guide.

7i. InV a device for handling `vhairpins -or 'ilike :articles whichcomprises, a guidealong 'which said articles move forwardlyfa lever positioned above said guide, 4a stop 'carried by said lever against `'whichsaid articles strike, a second -lever posi-- Vtioned above said guide, -a -feeler carried *by said second lever normally-in contact `with said guide and 'spaced:along said .guide from' :said istop; means lorraising saidffeeler-carry-ing lever topermit'articlesfto pass beneath said f feeler, alongfsaid guide,

means' tor lowering said ,feeler-carrying lever,

:said feelerlcarrying lever' contacting saidlstop- 'carrying .clever `.whereby "said stop-'carryingilever is raised therebyraising said stop to permit passage of articles ntherebeneath When the feeler lupon beinglowered is prevented by one `of said articles from contacting said guide.

8.' In a device ifor handling .liairpinsor like iarltic'les 'which comprises, fa vguide along which `s L id articles movey forwardly, a lever positioned abo Ie `rying lever'contactin'g'said stop-carrying'lever intermediate the ylength of `the "stop-carrying lever Y `wherebysaid stop-'carrying lever'is raised thereby raising said stop I'to permit 'passage of articles therebeneath when ythe ifeeler upon being lowered is prevented by one of said "articles yfrom 'contacting said guide.

RAYMOND J. 12.oEnICfHinMER.'

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