US2545116A

US2545116A - Package assorting machine

Info

Publication number: US2545116A
Application number: US60269A
Authority: US
Inventors: John R Sousa
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-11-16
Filing date: 1948-11-16
Publication date: 1951-03-13
Anticipated expiration: 1968-03-13

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. R. SOUSA PACKAGE ASSORTING MACHINE \W w hm mmmw NW \N kw E NW 3 NI MSN. WQNN mm? .n.

March 13, 1951 Filed Nov. 16, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 13, 1951 J. R. SOUSA PACKAGE ASSORTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1948 Rw A IN VEN TOR. 6*]0622/2602234,

March 13, 1951 J. R. sousA PACKAGE ASSORTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 16, 1948 INVENTOR. cfarz/Z 602160,

ATTU RN EYE March 13, 1951 J. R. sousA PACKAGE ASSORTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 16, 1948 R m m V m cforz/Z 6 02162,

ATTD RN EYE Patented Mar. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to parcel carriers or conveyors of the type including sorting elements and adapted to handle packages of various sizes, mail, and similar articles or devices, and in particular a carrier traveling in a horizontally disposed track with a plurality of stations positioned in the track and with means positioned in the different stations for tripping operating devicesfor arresting the carrier, and also means for actuating the carrier to and from the stations.

The purpose of this invention is to provide improvements in sorting and distributing parcel or package carriers wherein it is only necessary for an operator to press one button as he places a parcel in a carrier and the carrier delivers the parcel to a selected station and immediately returns for another parcel.

This invention is an improvement over the parcel sorting devices of my prior Patents #1521,- 405; #l,7l8,087; #1340378; and #1,838,460

In these parcel sorting devices of the prior patents and also in similar devices in the art, it has been difficult to set the trips and actuate a carrier to and from a station with a single button or lever, particularly as the reversing clutches require separate operating means. With this thought in mind, this invention contemplates a carrier rotatably mounted in a horizontally disposed track with the carrier operated by cables and with the cables controlled by reversing clutches operated by trip instrumentalities at the different stations in the track.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an improved parcel sorting and distributing carrier or conveyor wherein reversing clutches for returning the carrier are automatically operated as the carrier reaches a station in which the trip elements have been set.

Another object of the invention is to provide carrier actuating instrumentalities in a parcel sorting conveyor in which two clutches are actuated by a single motor with one clutch operating means for taking a carrier to a station and the other clutch operating means for returning the carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved trip mechanism for parcel conveying and sorting device wherein a single button or lever sets means for removing parcels from the carrier and also means for starting the return movement of the carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for mounting friction cone clutches in parcel sorting devices wherein forward and reverse clutches are mounted on a common shaft and operated by clutch levers connected to a common bar.

A further object of the invention i to provide an improved parcel sorting device having automatic return clutches for a carrier therein, which is of a comparatively simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of the new and useful combination, construction, and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the claim appended hereto, and disclosed in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the improved parcel sorting conveyor with parts broken away;

Figure 2 is a' similar view showing the upper part of the conveyor with only one set of trip actuating instrumentalities thereon, with parts broken away, and with other parts omitted for the purpose of illustration;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the parcel sorting conveyor showing the trip of the last station thereof in the position of arresting the carrier;

Figure 4 is a detail showing the arrangement of the trip levers with the levers set in the tripping position;

Figure 5 is a part longitudinal section through the conveyor with the ends broken away and showing the carrier in the position of engaging the trip levers with the levers set as shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a similar fragmentary section at the starting end of the conveyor illustrating the position of the lever for returning the trip actuating levers as the carrier returns to the starting position; Y I

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the trip and operating levers with the trip of the last station set in the position for arresting the carrier;

Figure 8 is an end elevational view illustrating the relative positions of the cone clutches and pulleys with the motor for operating the clutches and showing the clutches in the neutral position;

Figure 9 is a similar view through the upper part of the frame with the lower part broken away and with the clutches set in the position of actuating the carrier forwardly to deliver a parcel to a station;

Figure 10 is a similar view, also with parts broken away, and showing the clutches in the reverse position;

Figure 11 is a longitudinal section through the clutch shaft with the clutches shown in section and with the shaft in elevation and showing the clutches in a neutral position and with parts of the mounting elements broken away;

Figure 12 is a similar view showing the clutches in the position of actuating the carrier forwardly;

Figure 13 is a detail showing a side view of one of the hangers for supporting the intermediate part of the clutch shaft;

Figure 14 is a cros section through th conveyor showing the parcel carrier in one of the stations thereof;

Figure 15 is 'a detail showing a longitudinal section through the conveyor with the ends broken away and with the carrier therein shown in elevation;

Figure 16 is a detail showings. cushioning cylinder for arresting the carrier at the end of its travel;

Figure 17 is a detailshowing a small cam on the side of the trailing end of the carrier;

Figure 18 is a detail illustrating the path of the cam shown in Figure 17 as it passes over a trip lever of one of the stations;

Figure 19 is a similar view showing the trip lever set to engage the cam;

Figure 20 is a similar view showing the trip lever in the position to which it has been moved by the cam in which position the parts are released and the return movement of the carrier is initiated.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the sorting parcel carrier of this invention includes a carrier Ii] having rollers H positioned to ride on tracks i2 and-l3 with bars M positioned below the tracks for supporting operating parts of the machine.

The rails l2 and I3 on which the carrier [6 is mounted by the rollers H are supported in a frame having vertical posts connected, at the upper ends, by horizontally disposed bars !6, and the extended ends of the rails are supported by posts I! on which a platform I8 is provided for supporting a motor I 9,

At the opposite end of the frame, and supported on the end post I5 is an upper frame having vertically disposed struts Ziland 2| which are positioned on horizontal beams 22 and a transversely disposed horizontally positioned beam 23 is mounted on the strut 26 which rovides a support for the operating handles 24 which are pivotally mounted thereon bypins 25. The outer face of the bar 23 provides an area 26 for a name plate to correspond with the leversiZd.

The levers 24 are provided with arms 21 which are connected by rods 28 to one arm of levers 29 and the levers are pivotally mounted by :pins -38 on a transverse beam 3!, as shown in Figure 3. The levers 29 are rigidly mounted on the pins 39 and the pins are also provided with arms 32 which are connected by rods 33 to bell cranks 34 thatare pivotallymounted on a pin 35. The opposite arms of the bell cranks 34 are connected by rods 36 to the ends of arms 31 which extend downwardly from transverse shafts v3B on which fingers '36 are provided. The levers 24 at one side are connected directly to the arms 3? by rods 36a, as shown in Figure 3. The fingers 39 are normally horizontally positioned and when one of the hand levers 24 is moved downwardly from the position shown in Figure l to that shown in Figure 2,the rods, levers, and bell cranks actuate the shaft 38 to the position shown by the lastshaft shown in Figure with thefingers 39 extended vertically upward, in this movement, the arms 31 move from the position shown by the two shafts 38 to the position shown by the single shaft wherein the fingers 39 extend upward. In this position, a pin 40 on the inner surface of the arms 3'! engages a lever 4| which is pivotally mounted on a bar 42 by a pin 43. The lever 42 is also pivotally connected to a clutch bar M by a pin 45. The bar 42 may be provided with depending hooks 48 that may be used for holding parcels or the like, when desired.

The opposite ends of the shafts 38 are provided with arms 47 from the lower ends of which pins '48 extend and the pins 48 are positioned to engage projections 49 on trip levers 5B which are pivotallymounted by pins 5| on lower rails I l. The trip levers 5B are also provided with laterally extending fingers 52 that are positioned to be'engaged by a cam 53 on the lower rear corner of the carrier 16 when the shaft 38 associated therewith has been turned with the fingers 39 thereof extended upward. It will be noted in Figure 18 that when the fingers 39 are horizontally disposed so that the trip levers 50 hang downwardly with the lower end resting on the shafts 38, the cam 53 passes over the fingers 52.

The clutch operating levers 4| extend vertically upward when the machine is inoperative and when a parcel has been placed in'the carrier and one of the hand levers 24 is actuated, the pins 48 of the armslBT engage the associated lever 41 moving all of the levers 4| with the bar 44 forwardly, thereby actuating the clutch to start the operation of the carrier. With the same movement thearm-Al on the opposite end of the shaft 38 moves upwardly to position the trip lever 50 so that the finger 52 thereof is in the path of the cam 53, whereby the cam will raise the .trip'lever 5B, releasing the pin 48 so'that the pin and arm 41 will drop downward actuating the arm 31 to release the lever 4|.

Arod 55 is connected to the end of the clutch operating bar-54 and the opposite end of the rod 55 is connected to a bellcrank 56 which is pivotallymounted by a pin v5'! in the brackets58 and the opposite'end of the bell crank is connected to a bar '59 which is connected to a spring 69 in a "bracket El. The bar 59 is pivotally connected to the ends of the clutch levers 62 and 83 suspended from

hangers

64 and 65 and the levers areprovided with slots 66 and 6?, respectively.

The slots 65 and 61 arepositioned to receive pins .68 and 69 on rings 10 and 'H of the sliding clutches l2 and 13, respectively. The clutch 12 is .provided with a cone shaped friction face l that is positioned to engage a conical inner surface 15 of a clutch pulley 76 which is freely mounted on a clutch shaft Ti. The-clutch I2 is slidable on and keyed to the shaftby a clutch key '18 and resiliently held in'free position by'a spring '33. An inner'clutch collar 89 is positioned on the shaft intheclutch pulley and a thrust bearings! is positioned on the shaft 11' between the clutch pulley'and hanger 82. A-similar hanger 83 with a thrust bearing 84 is positioned at the end of the clutch pulley 85 in which the clutch "I3 is positioned. The lower ends .of the hangers are provided with slots, as indicated by the numeral .86 that receive the clutch shaft TI and the hangers are carried by a cross-bar 87, as shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10.

The clutch pulley 76 is driven from a cone pulley 88 on a jackshaft 89 by a belt 90 and the clutch pulley-'85 is driven by "a belt from a cone pulley 91 on a jackshaft92, as shown in Figure 8.

l, as shown in Figure 16.

5 The jackshaft 92 is driven from the motor l9 by pulleys A and B with a belt C and the jackshaft 89 is driven from the jackshaft 92 by gears D and E which reverse the direction of rotation of the shaft 89 in relation to that of the shaft 92.

The clutch shaft ll is provided with

cable pulleys

93 and 94 over which

cables

95 and 96 are trained and similar pulleys 91 and 98 are provided at the starting end of the conveyor, and with the ends of the cables connected to the sides of the carrier It, as shown at the points 99 and Hill, Figure 15, the carrier will travel backward and forward, as the cables are actuated. The sides of the carrier l are provided with horizontally disposed rollers IOI that engage side flanges of the rails of the track to provide lateral guiding means to facilitate the travel of the carrier.

The staring end of the conveyor is provided with a crank "32 pivotally mounted in a bearing I03 formed in the upper rail of the side of the frame and this crank extends downwardly into the path of an angle m l on the carrier wherein it will be engaged by the angle as the carrier returns to the starting position. The crank is provided with a downwardly extending arm 15 that is connected to the clutch bar 44 by a rod I05, as shown in Figures 6 and 14, and as the carrier returns to the starting position, the crank I62 willbe moved upwardly and the bar 44 will be drawn forwardly, positioning the levers 4| vertically and returning the clutch operating levers to the neutral position.

The carrier I0 is also provided with a stop I01 that is positioned to engage a head H18 on a piston rod I09 of a piston H6 in an air cylinder The cylinder is provided with a spring H2 and a bleeder opening H3 is provided in the end thereof with a thumb screw 1 l4 having a point in the opening providing a needle valve to regulate the flow of fluid through the opening. It will be noted that as the stop [Ell engages the head 158 the travel of the'carrier 10 will be arrested and the cylinder will provide cushioning means to reduce the striking force thereof.

The main supporting frame of the conveyor, formed by the members l and I6 is divided into stations with one of the shafts 38 in each station and receiving bags or bins H5 may be provided below the track in the station, wherein with the bag suspended by the hooks 66, parcels will be dropped therein as the carrier reaches one of the stations.

It will be understood that these sorting or distributing conveyors may be used in batteries, positioned side by side or one above the other and each unit may be of any suitable length, having any number of stations desired.

In use, the carrier l 0 is positioned at the starting end, as shown in Figure 1 and when one of the levers 24 is actuated, the shaft 38 corresponding therewith, is turned with the fingers 39 thereon extended upwardly, as shown in Figure 7, and with the trip lever 50 at the opposite end of the shaft elevated by the pin E8 on the arm 41. The pin 48 provides locking means retaining the shaft in the position with the fingers 39 extended upwardly and with the levers 4i sloping forwardly until the trip lever 56 is released. Drawing the arm 41 forwardly also moves the levers 4! thereby drawing the clutch bar 45 and pulling the clutch levers from the position shown in Figure 8 to that shown in Figure 9 wherein the clutch pulley 85 will rotate the clutch shaft and 4 with the lever 24, that has been actuated, the

cam 53 will engage the finger 52, thereby elevating the trip lever 50 and releasing the pin 48, at which timethe shaft 38 is released and the spring 60 draws the clutch bar 4 3 toward the clutch end of the frame and at the same time moves the clutch levers from the position shown in Figure '9 to that shown in Figure 10 wherein the, clutch pulley is released and the clutch pulley i6 is driven by the jackshaft 89, which reverses the direction of travel of the cable, thereby returning the carrier to the starting position. As the carrier arrives at the starting position, itwill engage the crank I02 and, as hereinbefore described, return the elements to the neutral position in which the parts are inoperative.

It will be understood that modifications may" be made in the design and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What'is claimed is:

1. A parcel sorting conveyor comprising a horizontally disposed track, a carrier mounted to travel in said track, said track including a plurality of stations, cables trained over pulleys at opposite ends of the track and connected to the carrier, means operating the cables, means in the operating means for reversing the direction of the travel of the cables and carrier, trip means at the stations for stopping the cable operating means to stop the carrier, a plurality of manually actuated levers positioned on a shaft extended across the starting end of the track, bell cranks pivotally mounted on a vertically disposed shaft at one side of the track, means independently connecting the levers to the bell cranks, rods connecting the bell cranks independently to levers at the different stations for setting the trip means from the starting end of the conveyor, means actuated by the trip means for starting the said reversing means as the carrier arrives at the station, and means actuated by the carrier as it returns to the starting position for actuating the cable operating means to the inoperative position.

A parcel sorting conveyor comprising a horizontally disposed track, having upper and lower rails, a carrier mounted to travel in said track, said track including a plurality of stations, cables at opposite sides of the track trained over pulleys at opposite ends thereof and connected to the carrier, means operating the cables, means in the operating means for reversing the direction of the travel of the cables and carrier, trip means at each station for removing parcels from the carrier, a plurality of manually actuated levers positioned on a shaft extended across the starting end of the track, bell cranks pivotally mounted on a vertically disposed shaft at one side of the track, means independently connecting the levers to the bell cranks, rods connecting the bell cranks independently to levers at the diiferent stations for setting the trip means and starting the cable operating means from the starting end of the conveyor, means retaining the trip means in the position for removing parcels from the carrier until the carrier arrives at the station, means releasing the trip means and actuating the reversing means as a carrier arrives at the station, and means actuated by the carrier as it returns to the starting position for actuating .theicableoperating zmeans-to ithe inoperative .position.

3. .A parcelsorting conveyor comprising a horizontally disposed xtrack having upper and lower railspacarrier having rollers on the'sides thereof mounted .to travel ain saidtrack, said track including a p'lura'lityzof stations, cables trained over pulleys at opposite ends 'of the track and-connected to "the carrier, a clutch-shaft 'on which the pulleys at one end of the track are mounted,

cone clutchipulleys mounted on the clutch shaft, imeans driving the said cone clutch pulleys in oppositedirectionatrip meansfor removing parcels from the carri'eras the carrier arrives 'at a station, a pluralityof manually actuated levers positioned on a shaft extended across the starting end of thetrack, bell'cranks pivotally mounted on a vertically disposed shaft atone sideof the track, means independently connecting the levers to the bell cranks, rods connecting the bell cranks independently to levers at thedifierent stations for setting :the trip means from the starting end of the conveyor, said setting means including means for starting'one of the cone clutch pulleys to actuate the carrier from the starting point to the station, and means releasing the formercone clutch pulley and actuating another cone clutch pulley to reverse the directionof travel of the carrier as the carrier arrives at the station in which the. trip means is'set to remove a parcel from the carrier.

4. A parcel sorting conveyor comprising a horizontally disposed track having upper and lower rails, a carrier having rollers on the sides mountedto travel in said track, said track including a plurality of stations, cables trained over pulleys at opposite ends of the track and connected to the carrier, a clutch shaft on which the cable pulleys at one'end of the conveyor are mounted, a pair of clutch pulleys mounted on the clutch shaft, a pair of jackshafts positioned parallel to the clutch shaft'andspaced therefrom, means actuating the clutch shaft from the jackshaft through the cone clutch pulleys, means rotating the jackshaft in opposite position, trip means at the station for removing parcels from the carrier, a plurality of manually actuated levers positioned on a shaft extended across the starting end of the track, bell cranks pivotally mounted on a vertically disposed shaft at one side of the track, means independently connecting the levers to the bell cranks, rods connecting the bell cranks independently to levers at the different stations for setting the trip means from the starting end of the conveyor, means actuating the clutch of one of the cone clutch pulleys by the trip setting means to start the carrier away from the starting end of the conveyor, and means actuating the clutchof the other cone clutch pulley to return the carrierto the starting position as the carrier arrives at astation.

5. A parcel sorting conveyor comprising a horizontally disposedtrack, a carrier with rollers thereon -mounted to travel in said track, said track including a plurality of stations, cables trained over pulleys at opposite ends of the track and connected to the-carrier, a clutch shaft on which the cable pulleys at one end of the track are positioned, a pair of cone clutch pulleys mounted on said clutch shaft, a pair of jackshafts having cone pulleys thereon aligned with the cone pulleys of the clutch shaft, belts on the said cone and clutch pulleys, gears driving one jackshaft in a direction opposite to that of the other, means driving the said jackshafts,

clutch .levers for-actuating the clutch elements or the cone clutchpulleys, a'spring for actuating the clutch levers to the position of reversing the direction of travel of the carrier, trip means for removing parcels :from Ethe' carrier, said trip means positioned at the stations, means setting the trip means and actuating the clutch levers for starting the'carrier from the starting position to the station, means retaining the trip :means of the stations in the set position until the carrier-arrives atthe station, and means r'eleasing the retaining means and springs as the carrier arrives at the stat-icnin whichthe trip means is set.

'6. A'parcel sorting conveyor comprising a horizontally disposed track, a carrier with rollers thereon mounted to travel in said track, said track including a plurality of stations, cables trained overpulleys at opposite ends of the track 'and'connected to the carrier, a clutch shaft on the other, means driving the said jackshafts,

clutch levers for actuating the clutch elements of'the cone clutch, pulleys, aspring for'actuating the clutch levers to the position-of reversing the direction of travel of the carrier,'trip means for removing the parcels from'the carrier, said-trip means positioned at thestations, means setting the trip means and actuating the clutch levers 'for starting the carrierrfrom the starting :position 'tothe station, means retaining the trip means of thestaticns-in the setposition until the carrier arrives at the station, means releasing the retaining means and springs as the carrier arrives at the station in which the trip means is set,

and cushioning means for stopping'the carrier as it returns to the starting position.

7. Aparcel sorting conveyor comprisinga horizontally disposed track, a carrier with rollers thereon mounted to travel in said track, said track including a plurality 'of s'tations, cables trained over pulleys at opposite ends of the-track and connected to the carrier, a clutch shaft on which the cable pulleys at one end of the track are positioned, a pair of cone clutch pulleys mounted on said clutch shafts, a pair "of jacks'hafts having cone pulleys thereon aligned with the cone pulleys 0f the clutch shaft, belts on'the said cone and clutch pulleys, gears driving one jackshaft, in'a direction opposite to that of the other, means driving'the said jackshafts, clutch levers for actuating the clutch elements of the cone clutch pulleys, a spring for actuating the clutch leverstotheposition of reversing the direction of travel of the carrier, trip means for removing parcels from the carrier, said trip means positioned at the stations, means setting the trip means and actuating the clutchlevers for starting the carrier from the starting position to the station, means retaining the trip means of the stations in a set position until the carrier arrives at the station, means releasing -as it returns to the starting position for actuating the clutch levers whereby the clutch elements assume neutral positions.

8. A parcel sorting conveyor comprising a horizontally disposed track, a carrier with rollers thereon mounted to travel in said track, said track including a plurality of stations, cables trained over pulleys at opposite ends of the track and connected to the carrier, a clutch shaft on which the cable pulleys at one end of the track are positioned, a pair of cone clutch pulleys mounted on said clutch shaft, a pair of jackshafts having cone pulleys thereon aligned with the cone pulleys of the clutch shaft, belts on the said cone and clutch pulleys, gears driving one jackshaft in a direction opposite to that of the other, means driving the said jackshafts, clutch levers for actuating the clutch elements of the cone clutch pulleys, a spring for actuating the clutch levers to the position of reversing the direction of travel of the carrier, trip means for removing parcels from the carrier, said trip means positioned at the stations, a plurality of setting levers at the starting end of the conveyor corresponding with the stations, means connecting the setting levers to the parcel removing means 9. A parcel sorting conveyor comprising a horia zontally disposed track, a carrier with rollers thereon mounted to travel in said track, said track 10 including a plurality of stations, cables trained over pulleys at opposite ends of the track and connected to the carrier, a clutch shaft on which the cable pulleys at one end of the track are positioned, a pair of cone clutch pulleys mounted on said clutch shaft, a pair of jackshafts having cone pulleys thereon aligned with the cone pulleys of the clutch shaft, belts on the said cone and clutch pulleys, gears driving one jackshaft in a direction opposite to that of the other, means driving the said jackshafts, clutch levers for actuating the clutch elements of the cone clutch pulleys, a spring for actuating the clutch levers to the position of reversing the direction of travel of the carrier, transverse shafts in the stations having fingers thereon for removing parcels from the carrier, means actuating the shaft to set the fingers in the position of removing parcels from the carrier and also for actuating the clutch levers for starting the carrier from the starting position, means retaining the shaft with the fingers thereon in the parcel removing position, and means releasing the shaft whereby the clutch levers are actuated to reverse the direction of travel of the carrier as the carrier arrives at the station in which the fingers are set in the parcel removing position.

JOHN R. SOUSA.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Sousa Dec. 29, 1931 Number