US2640590A

US2640590A - Can label sorting device

Info

Publication number: US2640590A
Application number: US64282A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur H Mcclelland; Karl R Anderson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-12-09
Filing date: 1948-12-09
Publication date: 1953-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 1970-06-02

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet l 0 M. w 2% M mm 2 I E mm w 0 w 1 C N 1 9r cA v k E L y Z. R. m A v hl l v. WW m N A. H. MOCLELLAND ETAL CAN LABEL SORTING DEVICE June 2, 1953 Filed Dec. 9, 1948 June 2, 1953 A. H. MCCLELLAND l-n-AL 2,540,590

CAN LABEL SORTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 9, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 aye, NDEQSOAI,

Wm w

INVENTORS.

Hen/a2 H McCZEu.

- BY E I HTTOA/EYS.

June 2, 1953 A. MGCLELLAND EIAL CAN LABEL SORTING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 9, 1948 HIV flerwue ACMcCZEu. o, K024 E. fi/voaeso/g INVENTORS.

BY IQTiEA/EYS.

June 1953 A. H. MCCLEIELAND ETAL 2,640,590

CAN LABEL SORTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 9, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 0 10 as 0 L I 52 i 47 g 46 9 3 T 50 as n 55 49 flew/0e E MCCZELLAND,

[6421. R. Awos'esom I N V EN TORS.

W Y a 6 770 NEYS.

June 2, 1953 A. H. MCCLELLAND ETAL 2,640,590

CAN LABEL SORTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 9, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 i E 101 .IQQTHUE H Mc- CZELLAND, l 1 X12 21. .E.ANDE2SOIV, I INVENTORS. 109

l BY

M70 NE'YS.

Patented June 2, 1953 um'rso STATES PATENT Arthur H-McGiell nd nd Karl B. Anders n, Los Angeles, Cal f.

Application December 9, 1948, Seria-INo. 64,282

13 Claims. 1

The present invention relates generally to article selecting mechanisms, and more particularly to apparatus for ejecting an article from a moving row, the article being selected by the virtue of possessing one or more predetermined characteristics. We have particularly designed and adapted our invention to remove from a moving row a can that is improperly labeled; but it will be apparent from the following description that our invention is not necessarily limited thereto, at least in certain aspects. However, we shall show and describe our invention as embodied for this particular application in orderto describe in detail a typical form of our invention.

Particularly in canneries, but also in many factories, products are packed in tin cans which are subsequently labeled by machinery. 'Ihe machines apply the labels at a high rate of speed and as a result the labeling operation is sometimes incomplete or incorrectly performed. The resultant defects are of various kinds, Sometimes the label is not completely fastened at one end so that it tends to come unwrapped from the can. Another type of defect occurs when the label is wrapped around the can at an angle or on the bias, or when the label is shifted bodily towards one or the other end of the can. These classes of defects generally are minor but in some cases are sufiiciently great that the can should be rejected as improperly labeled. In extreme cases, "the label maybe entirely missing.

These, as well as any other types of defective labels, are undesirable and the improperly labeled cans should be removed from theproductionline and relabeled before packaging. However, it is prohibitively expensive to inspect and sort these cans by manual labor so that machines have been developed for the purpose of detecting imperfect labels and removing such cans from the production line. Machines of this character do not have always the high degree of accuracy and infallibility desired, especially when the rate at which the cans are-moved is stepped up in order to increasethe capacity of the machine.

Under such conditions, the selecting or sorting machine may completely miss a defective label and pass the improperly labeled can on to the packaging machine. But aworse situation-arises when the improperly labeled can gets stuck in the ejecting mechanism and blocks the passage of succeeding cansthroug-h the selecting machine. Another defect found in'the prior art is-that once the gate, through which rejected-cans pass, is

opened it may fail to .clese in time to properly pa he next can, with the resul tha er on ous selections are made. Either condition results considerable confusion and in delay of the entire production line which may be dinicult to rectify and in any event is, relatively expensive, especially if such incidents happen with ,any frequency. I

Thus it :becomes a general object of ur n.- vention vto provide an improved article selec ng mechanism which insures positive ejection or removal from a moving lineof. an article selected according to some predetermined charac 1c, Proper removal of the article from the. line, and ejection from the selecting mechanism insures that the production line moves smoothly at all times.

It is also a general object of our inventiQi sto provide a selecting mechanism which is -p itive in its selection .of articles, even though the articles are moving at .a comparatively high speed.

It is another object of our invention to provide an article selecting mechanism having a control circuit which is versatile in its operation and may be adapted to select an article in .difierent ways so that it mayoperate to select articles accollds ing to difierent characteristics, as for example different types of improper labeling, that may be detected in different ways.

It is a further object of our invention to :provide an article selecting mechanism having -a relatively high capacity with a minimum amount of equipment; or for a given piece of equipment, one-whichis adapted topassthe articles through at a comparatively high velocity without failure of operation.

A further object of "our invention is to devise a new improved article supporting element ,for a selecting mechanism which is adapted to render the operation of the mechanism more positive and accurate.

Theseand other objects of our invention are attained in an article selecting mechanism by providing a pair of spaced parallel rails for-guiding and supporting the moving articles, at least one of said rails but preferably both having article supporting means which is relatively rigid in one direction, to support articles, but flexible in another. The article supporting means in its normal positionis adapted :to resist vertical loading in order :to support the articles as they pass through the selecting mechanism, but is deformablein a horizontal direction to a DQ$,ition at Which support is removed ;for.one-.0.r mercie- 3 lected articles so that they may be removed from a moving row. Means are provided for so deforming a part of the article supporting means at the proper time to effect selection, and other means are provided for restoring the deformed supporting means to its normal supporting shape.

The flexible article supporting means in each rail may comprise a flexible elastic member over which one end of the can rolls, but in a preferred form it comprises a plurality of pivotally interconnected rigid links, the axes of the rigid connections extending upwardly so that the links may move in a horizontal plane with respect to each other. The flexible or articulated article supporting member is supported from below in order to adapt it to support articles moving over it and also to limit its movement to deformation in a substantially horizontal direction.

In order to obtain a desirable degree of speed in operation and quick response to an article to be removed from the line, we prefer to obtain deforming movement of each article supporting means by a solenoid and an electrical circuit controlling the operation of the solenoid. This circuit includes circuit establishing elements, such as mechanical contacts and switches or lightsensitive elements ahead of the flexible supportin means and responsive to the presence or passage of an article of predetermined character to establish the circuit and energize the solenoid. A relay is placed in series with the solenoid so that the circuit when once established is maintained for a time and the solenoid holds the article supporting means retracted until the relay is released. This is accomplished by one or more additional sets of circuit elements which, when actuated, release the relay and de-energize the solenoid.

How the above objects and advantages of our invention, as well as others not specifically mentioned, are attained will be more readily and fully understood by reference to the following description and to the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an article selecting mechanism constructed in accord with our invention, one housing being broken away to show the flexible article supporting means;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal median section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan of the flexible article supporting means shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 6-6 of Fig. 1 showing circuit establishing contacts;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line 1-1 of Fig. 1 showing another type of circuit establishing means adapted to detect loose labels;

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram of a preferred control circuit for operating the solenoid;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to Fig. 4 showing an alternative form of vertical supporting means including a resilient bar;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 3 of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to Fig. 4 of another variational form of our invention including a coil spring;

1. Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 11 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of the ferred manner.

4 article supporting spring shown in Figs. 11 and 12;

Fig. 14 is a semi-diagrammatic fragmentary plan view of the article supporting means illustrating how it conforms to a can to permit ejection of a selected can while supporting the succeeding one;

Fig. 15 is a wiring diagram of an alternative form of control circuit including another type of relay for operating the solenoid; and

Fig. 16 is a wiring diagram showing an alternative form of a portion of the control circuit, including light-sensitive elements for detecting characteristics of the articles to be separated.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a general plan view of an article selecting mechanism constructed according to our invention in a pre- The device comprises a frame 24 carrying a pair of spaced parallel rails indicated generally at 20 which provide a substantially horizontal track or way that supports and guides articles moving in a generally horizontal path through the device. Rails 20 each consist of two principal parts. Each has a vertically extending side flange or guide 20a to guide the articles laterally and a bottom part, described later, for supporting the articles. In this case, the articles are tin cans of a conventional type and they move along the rails from left to right as viewed in Fig. 1 either under their own momentum or under the influence of gravity. To assist in this passage, rails 20 may be inclined slightly. Cans are indicated at 2! and form a moving row in the machine.

Cans are received at the left-hand end from a pair of rails 22, or some similar device, leading from the labeling machine. At the right-hand end, the cans are discharged by rails 23 or other suitable means for carrying the cans to the packaging machine or other desired place. Located beneath rails 20 and attached to frame 24 is a discharge chute 25, shown in Fig. 2, onto which the selected or rejected cans fall and which conducts these cans to a suitable place where they are collected.

in at least one rail 20, and preferably both ralls, the bottom part for supporting the articles includes, for part of its length at least, a flexible, retractable article supporting member indicated at 26. The two members 26 are shown in Fig. 1 as constituting similar opposing sections of the two rails 20. The bed or bottom portion of each rail consists of an article supporting section 26 intermediate

stationary end sections

54 and 55 which all have top surfaces in a common plane. In a preferred embodiment, the article supportmg means 26 is a flexible, articulated member and comprises a plurality of individual links 30 which are pivotally interconnected by pivots 3| dis posed with their axes extending upwardly so that the links are free to move with respect to each other in a substantially horizontal direction. All links are alike except the end links 30a. Of course we are not limited to the exact shape of links shown but we prefer the form illustrated as it results in a relatively smooth top surface over which the cans roll. Links 30 rest upon and are supported by a platform which is divided into a movable section 32 and a fixed section 33. The platform is an angle-shaped plate with its outer edge turned up at 42 and 43 parallel to the extent of links 30.

Plates

32 and 33 are in turn supported upon horizontally extending stationary bar 35. Plate 33 is fastened to bar 35 but plate 32 slides on thetop of the bar which is provided on its upper'surfacewith transverse grooves 3.5a that receive short pins or studs 35 mounted in the plate to guide the movement of plate32.

As seen best in Fig. 4, the inner edge of platform 32-33 is substantially vertically aligned with the inner vertical face of guide 2|la'w-hich is spaced above the platform. Links 33 lie between the platform and the rail guide to be restrained against vertical movement .but are able to move horizontally. One edge of the links overhangs the. inner edge of

plates

32 and 33 in normal position to provide a support for cans 2| asshown in Figs. 1 and 4.

.As may be seen best in Figs. 4 and 5,, the several pivots 3| are of different constructions. The first pivot 3| at the leading end of flexible support 26., which is the end closer to the receiving end of the device and first engaged by the cans, is. headed over on topand bottom, as shown in Fig. 5. The first rivet preferably passes through plate .32 t fasten-the and link 38a at the leadingaendrof member 26 to the movable section of the platform. Of course other fastening means can be used. The next four pivots 31 to the right have projecting, pins 29 on their undersides which project downwardly through openings 38 in plate 32. Holes, 38 are preferably circular and :of larger diameter than the pivot pins in order to allow limited outward movement (to the right as seen in Fig. 4) of the pivot pin relative to .plate 32. Bar 35 is slotted or recessed as at 37 to permit the pivots and plate 32 to move relative, to the support bar 35.

The remaining pivots 3.1 to the right of plate 32 simply connect together links 35 and are headed over and flattened on their bottom .endsso that they slide over the top surface-of stationary plate 33. At the extreme right-hand end of the flexible member, thelast pivot 3| connects the end link 30a to plate 33, but passes througha slot 33a in plate 33 in order to fasten the end of the :flexible member to the plate. :Slot 33a. is elongatedin the direction of the extent of the flexible member to permit limited longitudinal movement of the fixed end of flexible support means 23. Thereason for this will become more apparent from sub.- sequent description.

As shown particularly in Fig, 5, there interposed between each pair of links :at each pivot 3| a thin disc or washer 39 which .has .at. one side an upturned flange to which is .attacheda later- .ally extending pin 4!). The outer or other end of each pin 40 is slidably mounted inan opening in the upwardly turned

flanges

42 and 43 of

plates

32 and 33 respectively. A compression spring M is mounted upon each pin 4.3 and is held between the upwardly turned :flanges on washer 39 and

plate

32 or 33, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Springs 4| are normally not under compression; and if compressed by outward movement of support means 26, they urge pivots 3| and links 3|) away from

flanges

42 and 43 back to their normal position of Figs. 1 and 3.

Under the influence of springs 4|, links =33znormally remain in the positionshown in Figs. 1 and 2 so that the article supporting means 26, extends in .a straight line lengthwise of rails 29. .In'this normal position each memberZG isadapted to support one end of a can 2| passing along rails 28. Because of the flexible character of the support means 26., the means may be deformed by movement in a horizontal direction so as to withdraw or retract the support for the articles. Themeans to so retract each article supporting member includes rod 46 attached by brackets .41 to flange 42 on movable plate 32-. Rod 46 isengaged by he bifurcated upper end of lever .50 which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on fixed pivot 49. The lower end of the lever is attached to plunger 5| of solenoid 52 so that when the solemold is energized the plunger is drawn into the solenoid and lever 5|] is moved to the dot-dash position 50a of Fig. 4. When the solenoid is deenergized, arm 50 and connected parts are restored to their full-line position by means of tension spring 53 attached to the stationary frame 24 and to the lever above its fulcrum.

Through the linkage just described, solenoid 52 is operatively connected to the leading end of the articulated member 26 so that the solenoid when energized causes the deformation or partial: re traction of the article supporting means in such a manner that the leading end of the means .25 is moved to a .position in whichit no longer affords support for .a can 2|. To accomplish this, the links '36 are withdrawn until they are even with or slightly outside the inner face of guide 20a. and then any can that moves along rails 20 past the stationary bed or bottom section 54, falls down between the rails as indicated at 2| a in Figs. 2 and 4.

Control of the solenoid action is obtained by means of an electric circuit which is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8. As may be seen from Fig; 8, the electric circuit has two main parts, a power circuit that includes two solenoids 52 and a control circuit that operates relay 5! that operates the solenoids. Two solenoids 52, one for each side, are electrically connected so that similar and simultaneous movement of the two article supporting means 26 is obtained in the preferred-embodiment of our invention.

The power circuit draws its electrical power from a. conventional v. A. C. circuit 6.2, or from any other suitable supply source. The two solenoids 52 are preferably connected directly to the 110 v. supply in order that they may have suflicient power properly to perform their functions. However, the various control elements are preferably operated in a lower voltage circuit for the sake of safety, and for this purpose a step-down transformer 53 is provided, receiving power from source 82. The transformer secondary supplies power at some conventional voltage, as 24 or 32 volts, for Operating the relay5'l that in turn controls the operation of the solenoids.

Relay 57 contains a pair of contacts 53 in the 110 v. line which energizes the solenoid. When these contacts are separated as shown in Fig. 8, the power circuit is open and the solenoids are tie-energized; when the contacts are closed, then the solenoids 52 are energized to retract the article supporting means. Solenoids 52 arepreferably connected in parallel as indicated in the wiring diagram, but may also be connected in series. The relay has a latch 5|) which is adapt. ed to hold contacts 58 closedonce they have been drawn together by means of the closing or operating coil 59. Latch fit! is biased toward this holding position by a spring 'tl, but can be re turned to the non-holding position of Fig. 8 by release coil 63.

The low voltage circuit includes circuit establishing elements in series with the operating coil 59 of the relay by means of which this low voltage circuit may be closed and coil 59 energized for the ultimate purpose of operating solenoids 52. These circuit establishing elements may take various forms. One form is normally open "microswitch 65 which is shown diagrammatically in Figs. 2 and '7. It is positioned over the path of the articles. However switch 55 has a depending member 56, here shown as a loop of fine wire, which is adapted to operate the contacts 65a inside the switch housing to close them. As will be further explained, loop 56 does not engage normal cans, but is positioned above the path of the cans at such position that a loose label projecting from a can strikes the loop and closes contacts 65a, thus closing the low voltage circuit to coil 59.

It is desirable that switch 65 be mounted for movement both vertically and horizontally in order that it can be properly positioned with respect to the cans moving beneath it; and for this purpose switch supporting means, comprising horizontal rods 61 and t8 and post 69, is provided. The connections between these three members are of a sliding character and thumb screws are provided at the connections to hold the rods relative to each other in adjusted positions, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Other circuit establishing elements provided to enable establishment of a circuit through coil 59, comprise a pair of contacts 12 which are located one in the fixed section 54 of each rail 20 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Rail section 54 is made preferably of non-conducting material as it simplifies the insulation of the several electrical elements from each other. Contacts 12 are located in the bottom of the rail adjacent the vertically extending face of guides 20a in order to be passed over and engaged by the ends of the cans, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 8. Contacts I2 are ahead of the article supporting means with reference to the direction of movement of cans 2|.

A preferred mounting of elements 12 is shown in detail in Fig. 6. Each contact element consists of a disc 12 rotatably mounted on the upper end of wire 13 formed with an integral spring coil portion M. The assembly of the disc and its supporting wire is positioned in an L-shaped slot 16 in the bed 54 of rail 29. The upper leg of the slot holds disc 12 loosely to permit contact 12 to move vertically within the slot and to rotate upon the end of wire '13, the disc 12 normally extending partially above the slot in order to engage a can as it rolls along the bed of rail 25. The other end of wire '33 is connected to a conductor 15 as indicated in Fig. 6, the conductor leading to control coil 59. As shown in Fig. 8, the two contacts "I2 are wired in parallel with each other and in series with relay coil 59.

The complementary contact which cooperates with contacts E2, is a horizontally elongated contact 11 which is seen best in Fig. 2 and is located in the vertically extending side face of one rail guide 20a. Contact Ti is located so that each can rollin along the two rails 28 brushes against the contact as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8. Since the cans are of metal, if either contact 12 engages an exposed portion of the can, the can bridges the gap and completes the circuit between contact 11 and one contact 12 to establish the low voltage circuit that energizes the operating coil 59 in relay 51. Contact 11 is grounded.

After coil 59 closes contacts 58, they are held in this position by latch 61) and it becomes necessary to release latch Gil in order to cle-energize solenoids 52. For this purpose there is a branch low voltage circuit which includes release coil 63 and circuit establishing elements in series 8 with the coil. A set of suchcircuit establish ing elements is the pair of contacts mounted on leaf springs and connected to coil 63 by wire 8!. The contacts are grounded through wire 81a.

As is shown in detail in Fig. 6, the contacts 80 are located in the bed section 54 of one rail 20 at a point in the path of the articles ahead of contacts 12. Contacts 80 are preferably located at the bottom of slot 84 in the rail bed 54 and are adapted to be closed by the passage of the article over the rail, pressure being transmitted from the article to the contacts through one or more discs 82 which are located in the upwardly extending slot. Both discs are free to rotate within the slot in order to reduce as far as possible any friction and hence diminish their retarding effect on the movement of the article over them. The lower disc 82 bears directly against the upper spring leaf carrying a contact 80, and the upper disc bears against the lower disc. The upper end of the slot is contracted slightly as at 83 in order to prevent the discs from being pushed upwardly out of the slot by pressure exerted on them by the contact spring leaf. As a can passes over the top disc 82, the two discs are depressed and bring contacts 80 together, closing the circuit to release coil 53 and moving latch 60 to the releasing position in which contacts 58 are separated.

We also prefer to locate other circuit establishing elements in parallel with contacts 80 and in series with coil 63. Such elements are here shown as micro-switch 85 which is shown in Figs. 1 and 3 as being located outside of and opposite one of the flexible article supporting elements 26. Switch 85 is located at this position so that upon deformation of an intermediate portion of the article supporting means sufiicient to allow a can to pass downwardly between the two means 26, a pin 40 engages and operates the switch to close its contacts. When closed, switch 85 completes the low voltage circuit through release coil 63 and releases the elements of relay 5'! to permit solenoids 52 to be de-energized. This action takes place independently of any similar action effected through closing contacts 80.

Although under certain circumstances it may not be desirable to do so, we have utilized conducting portions of the rails and their supporting framework to complete the low voltage circuits. This is indicated in the wiring diagram of Fig. 8 b grounding one side of transformer 56 and one side of

switches

65 and 85 and of contacts 80 and 17. It will be appreciated that the circuit operates in the same manner if the several circuit establishing elements or switches are connected directly by insulated conductors to the grounded side of transformer 56.

Having described a preferred form of our invention, we shall now describe its operation. The article selecting mechanism is placed in a position to receive articles from any desired source. Typically, it receives cans 2| which are discharged down rails 22 from a can labeling machine so that the sorting mechanism is used to detect cans which are improperly labeled. This it does by receiving and passing through the device in succession a plurality of moving cans, and by selecting from that plurality of moving cans those having predetermined characteristics. These characteristics are typically forms of improper labeling. Ordinarily the cans are not touching one another but instead there is a small interval between successive cans, as shown in Fig. 2. Of course, in any given instance, the interval may be more or less than indicated in the drawings. The cans move through the apparatus at a high speed so that a typical device handles 400 cans or more per minute, depending upon the rate of output of the labeling machine.

The cans roll down rails 22' and along the spaced parallelv rails 28- of the sorting mechanism. Perfectly labeled cans cause no movement of the parts of the mechanism and the flexible article supporting means 26 remain in the position shown in Fig. 1 so that rails 20 provide continuous supports for the cans for the entire passage of the cans through the selecting apparatus. As a result, properly labeled cans all pass over rails 20 and are discharged on rails 23.

One of the types of labeling errors which it is desired particularl to detect is when the label is askew or displaced toward one end of the can, thus exposing a portion of the can at one or both ends. This type of error is one predetermined characteristic of an article which forms a basis of selection of an article and this is done by means of contact discs 72.

Discs 12 are shown close to the upstanding flange Mia on the rail, the exact location being determined by the normal position of the label on the can. The end surface of each can engages contact l! with a sliding or wiping motion. If a portion of the metallic can is also exposed on one side near the end, that portion engages a contact 12. The body of the can acts as a part of the circuit since it is electrically conductive, and completes the circuit between contact 11 and one of contacts 12, so that operating coil 59 is energized and the relay contacts 58 are closed. Closing of contacts 58 energizes the two solenoids to draw plungers' 51 into the associated solenoids. The movement of the plunger moves lever 50 to the dot-dash line position 50a of Fig. 4 and retracts rod 46 and movable plate 32 to the dot-dash position shown in Fig. 3. This movement of plate 32 brings the sides of holes 38 into contact with the pins 29 on pivot 31 to move the initial portion of the flexible member 26 along with plate 3'2. This so deforms the flexible article supporting means that for a portion of its length at least it no longer affords a support to an article passing over it. Since the two article supporting elements are retracted simultaneously, the selected can 2| drops downwardly as at Zia between rails 20 into trough 25 and is discharged from the machine separately from the perfectly labeled cans.

Since relay 5'! is of the hold-in type, latch 60 holds contacts 58 in engagement; and as a consequence both of the flexible article supporting means are held in their deformed positions as long as solenoids 52 remain energized. De-energization of the solenoids is accomplished by the next succeeding can which engages disc 82 located at a position ahead of the contacts l2 so that the can reaches the disc 82 prior to contacts 72. The weight of the can is sufficient to depress discs t2 and bring contacts 80 into engagement with each other, thus establishing a circuit through release coil 63 that retracts latch Gil against the pull of tension spring 6!. Movement of the latch release contact 58. de-energizes solenoids 52, and permits restoration of the flexible article supporting means to their normal supporting position (as shown by the full lines in Fig. 3) under the restoring force exerted by tension spring 53 acting on lever 50.

In this way every can as it enters the select- Iii ing mechanism first energizes relay release coil 63 to re-set the mechanism to effect selection. If the preceding can has been perfectly labeled, no movement of the parts is necessary and none takes place; but if the preceding can were defectively labeled and therefore rejected bypassing downwardly between flexible members 26-, then the next article restore the flexible members to the normal article supporting position.

Of course other types of defects in labeling may occur, some of which should be recognized and selected by the device. If a can is completely unlabeled it is selected and ejected by the procedure just described. Another defectoccurs when one end of a label may not be properly glued down, although the label is otherwise properly positioned on the can. To select a can which has this characteristic, switch 65- is placed above the moving row of articles. It is located at the proper distance with respect to the labeling machine so that as the can rolls along rails 20, the loose end of label 88 is above the can and strikes the depending loop 66 of switch 65 a indicated in Fig. 7. Centrifugal force causes label 88 to project outwardly above the rolling can so that loop 66 is engaged only by labels that are loose at one end. The force behind the label is sufficient to move the loop from the solid line to the dot-dash position of Fig. 7, thus closing contacts 65a of microswitch 65 and energizing relay coil 59. This causes energization of solenoids 52 so that the flexible means 26 is deformed and a can removed from the row in the manner described above.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that other types of characteristics possessed by articles moving through the selecting mechanism may be made the basis of selection; and for this purpose other suitable types of circuit. establishing elements may be used in place of contacts 12 and 11 or switch 65.

Not only is it within the scope of our invention to provide additional circuit establishing elements, or elements of other types, which may be used to establish a circuit and energize solenoids 52, but we may also provide other types of switches to activate release coil 63 and deenergizethe solenoids. An example of this'is micro-switch which is located at one side of the flexible supporting means 26, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The switch 85 is closed in the event that the flexible member 26 at a point beyond the initial section, which is established by the length of plate 32, is deformed as by a can 2| moving downwardly past the links 30. This might occur if the can moving downwardly past the links had a sufficient forward component of velocity to cause it to engage the articulated member at a point past plate 32. In this case the flexible member would be deformed sufficiently for one of pins 40 to engage the operating roller 89 on the outside of switch 85 and thus close its contacts. The effect upon the circuit in the apparatus is exactly the same as described above upon the closing of contacts 80.

We have explained how the article supporting members 25 are positively deformed by the action of solenoids 52 in order to select a particular can and drop it out of its normal path by gravity. In addition to allowing this selection operation by deformation of the supporting elements 26, as opposed to moving or retracting the article supporting means as a unit, the horizontally flexible character of these article supports is important as it prevents the supports 26 from being held apart in non-supporting position by engagement with a can between them and also prevents a can from being held suspended between the two elements 26. The articulated nature of supports 26 combine with the resilient backing provided by springs 41, to give the article supporting means the ability to yield locally to small horizontal forces appliedat any point throughout the length of the article support. In yielding to such forces as may be applied to the inner opposing faces of links 30, the links move with respect to their supporting platform by compressing springs 41. The resultant deformation of the article supporting means may be of a minor or localized character causing it to assume a sinuous line. The springs 4| are purposely made light to make deformation easy, but can be made as strong as desired in order to control the ease with which the links yield to horizontal pressure.

There may be times when the article supporting members 26 come into engagement with cans which are positioned between the two elements 26, rather than being supported thereby, as shown at 2Ic in Fig. 14. In the first place, this may occur when the articles are following closely upon each other and after a can has been selected and starts to drop from rails 20 onto trough 25, the succeeding can 2i restores the rails to their normal supporting position before the selected can is entirely clear of supports 26. A second set of circumstances which bring about this engagement is when the cans are traveling at a relatively high speed so that a selected can falls from the rails with a relatively flat trajectory. Of course these two conditions may more or less combine, although in the first case the can is gripped chiefly opposite retractable plate 32 while in the latter case the can engages links 30 mainly opposite stationary plate 33. In either event individual links 30 move aside, compressing springs 4|, to allow the falling can Me to continue downwardly, while the remaining links are undisturbed and in supporting position. Subsequently, springs 4i restore all the links to the normal supporting position indicated in the full lines of Fig. 3.

It will be noted that both the inner and top faces of members 26, which may come into con tact with cans 21 or similar articles, are hard and relatively smooth. being free from projections that tend to grip a can or retard it in its movement from the rails downwardly onto trough 25.

These physical characteristics of the article supporting members 26 permit the members closely to conform to the shape of a can or other article moving downwardly between the two members 26 and in engagement therewith. When successive cans 2| are separated only by very short intervals, the initial end of support means 26 is restored to supporting position before the preceding can 21c of Fig. 14, which it is assumed has been selected, has entirely cleared the articulated members as it moves downwardly. Because of the flexible nature of the articulated support, the links 30 flow around an obstacle and return to place almost individually so that the initial links are able to move back into supporting position, as shown in Fig. 14, to support the next can 2ld even though some portion of the articulated member farther along the path of the cans is being deformed, as by a can 210. Even if the cans are traveling in contact with one another or substantially so, this is still true.

This is an especially valuable feature of our invention as it prevents cans from flooding through the opening between retracted mem bers 25 unless it is proper for the cans to do so.

In Figs. 9 and 10, we show another form of article supporting means 26 in which a bar of rubber, or rubber-like elastic material is substituted for the links 30. This variational form of article supporting means 26 is flexible, but is inherently elastic so that it naturally tends to restore itself to the normal straight line position in which it supports articles moving along rails 26. For this reason, it is possible to eliminate springs 4| or similar external resilient means for restoring the member to its normal supporting position; but it will be understood that springs similar to those shown in Fig. 4 may be used if desired.

Bar 93 is fastened at one end to stationary plate 33 and at the other end to retractable plate 32 by pins 93 so that it is supported by the platform 32-33 and held between this platform and guide 20a. in the same manner as previously described. In order to effect retraction of the initial portion of bar 90, it is provided with a plurality of pins 91 which extend beneath the bar and into openings 38 in plate 32, in the same manner as the depending pins on pivots 3| described above. As will be seen from Fig. 9, the opening 31 in horizontally extending bar 35 has been modified, and instead of extending through the bar as shown in Fig. 4, is formed as a shallow recess 92 in the top of the bar of a size to permit necessary movement of pins 9|.

Rubber bar 90 used as the article supporting means is preferably substantially rectangular in cross section in order to provide a flat upper surface adapted to support cans 2| and an inner face which has a minimum tendency to resist downward movement of the cans should they engage the rubber bar as they fall down onto trough 25.

Another modification of our invention is shown in Figs. 11 to 13 inclusive in which the article supporting means 26 comprises a coil spring 95 of generally rectangular cross section or in the shape of an oval with flat parallel sides. A spring of this shape afiords a relatively smooth, flat top surface over which the cans or other articles can pass, as shown in Fig. 11.

Spring 95 is mounted in the same position as either links 30 or rubber bar 90. It is fastened at one end to stationary plate 33 and at the other end to movable plate 32 by means of pins 96. Since the spring, like the rubber bar, is an inherently elastic member that normally assumes the straight line position shown, springs 41 may be omitted, if desired, as shown in Fig. 12, although similar resilient means may be used to increase the restoring force applied to spring 95, if desired.

In order to move the initial end of spring 95 by movement of plate 32, a wire loop 91 attached at both ends to plate 32 and passing through a portion of spring 95 is employed. As plate 32 is retracted, toward the right as viewed in Fig. 12, loop 91 carries a portion of spring 95 with the plate and deforms the article supporting means to effect selection of a can 21 in the manner previously described. The spring is free to move independently with respect to plate 32 in the event that horizontal pressure is applied to the spring by a can or other object.

Except for the differences in the construction and. mounting of the article supporting means- ZGI as just described in connection with Figs. 9 to 13v inclusive, the construction and operation of a selecting device embodying either of the: modifledv forms oi. article supporting means is the same as previously set forth.

We are not limited to a hold-in type of relay for establishing a circuit to solenoids 52 and coil: of Fig. 15, switch 6:5 is normally open and contacts I2 are spaced from sliding contact ll.

These features of the circuit are the same as shown in Fig. 8.

Relay Illfl includes: two switches I 02 and it which are ganged together so that they operate simultaneously. Switch Ill-2 is in the power circuit supplying solenoids 52: while switch I03 is in the lower voltage control circuit operating the relay. -It isconnected to transformer secondary and placed in series with switch 85 and contacts 80 It should be noted that in the circuit of Fig. switch 85 and contacts 88 are normally closed in contrast to these same members in the circult of Fig. '8 which are normally open in the latter circuit.

-In operation, the low voltage circuit can be established through operating coil IilI either by closing switch 65 or by bridging the gap between contacts I1 and T2, in the manner previously described, and the resultant energization of coil IOI closes both switches I02 and I03. When switch 102 is closed, both solenoids 52 are operated to retract the initial portion of the two flexible article supporting elements 2'5, as has already been described. Energization of operating coil IIII is now maintained because thecircui-t through the coil is completed through switch. I03 and the normally closed switch 85 and contacts 80'. The latter two are "in series now. The next succeeding can engages disc 82 and breaks this circuit by depressing disc 82 and separating contacts Bil, thus opening the circuit through coil I01 and die-energizing the coil to permit both switches Ill! and I63 to be opened by spring I04. A can which has operated solenoids 52 may also open switch 35, for reasons which have been explained, and in the same manner break the circult to coil 5M, causing the: relay "to open switch me. When switch I 02 is opened, solenoids 52 are de-energized and the article supporting elements then return to their normal supporting positions.

Fig. 16 shows a variational form of the relay control circuit of Fig. 8 for our article selecting mechanism, involving another form of circuit establishing elements ahead of means 26. This:

circuit is particularly adapted toselecting articles coming out of the cooker must be sorted accord-- ing to their contents before passing to the labeling machines. According to our invention and with the circuit shown in Fig. 16, this may be accomplished by applying one or more bands of paint or the like to the can.

The can indicated at 2! in Fig. 16 has applied to it near one end a band I06 of paint or any similar material which renders a portion of the can materially less light reflective. Mounted above the rails 20 are a pair of photoelectric cells I87 and I 08, provided with light sources I09, which replace contacts I2 and TI, and switch 65. The cells are so located with respect to the flexible" article supporting means that they energize operating relay 5? at the time the can passes the point where contacts 12 are installed in the embodiment previously described. One cell I08 is located so that it receives light reflected from the end zone of the can with the paint band I06. Thus the amount of light reflected from the can and received by the cell differs with the presence or absence of the band I96. The other cell I0! is located to receive light reflected from the central portion of the can that is normally never painted.

The two cells are hooked up in opposition to each. other and are connected in any convention-a1 type of bridge circuit. This may be done simply and typically by connecting together the corresponding terminals at one side of the cell as at I Hi to form two sides of the bridge and connecting the other terminals of the two cells toresistances I Ii and H2 forming the other two sides of the bridge. Either or both of resistances III and. H2 maybe fixed or variable. Across two sides of the bridge may be a battery H4, or other source of current if required; or the battery may be omitted if the photoelectric cells are of any conventional type that is adapted to generate its own E. M. F. upon being energized by receiving light. The output of the bridge circuit is connected to the input of a conventional type of amplifier H5 which is adapted to amplify the electrical pulse from the tube. One side of the amplifier output is connected to ground and the other side is connected to operating coil 59 of relay 5'! in place of contacts I2 and I5 or switch of the circuit shown in Fig. 8.

In operation, the currents generated by the two photo-electric cells Ill! and I08 oppose each other and it is the algebraic sum of these currents that passes to amplifier H5. When the output of the two cells is equal, the current in the circuit is zeroand no impulse exists to energize coil 59'. This is the condition that obtains when no cans are passing underneath the two light cells or" when an unpainted can. passes through, because under these circumstances the light reflected to the two cells is equal.

However, this condition changes when a can having a band IIll; passes the two light cells. The light reflected from band I'M is less than the light reflected from the unpainted portion of the can so that the output of cell I 0'! is greater than the output from the cell I08 and an electrical impulse reaches amplifier I I5 and energizes relay coil '55! to retract the initial sections of the flexible article supporting means in the manner described above. Since contacts operated by discs 82 remain in the circuit, the next succeeding can, whether painted or not, energizes coil E3170- release the relay latch 60 and restore the article supporting means 26 to sup combination comprising:

porting position, in the same manner already described.

In Fig. 16, can 2 if is provided with a band I06 at one end only so that the cans are selected according to the presence or absence of the paint band. The circuit can be made to operate either to drop all banded cans between rails so that they are discharged by chute 25, or the unbanded cans may be selected and discharged below while the painted cans pass through the machine and are discharged by rails 23.

With the arrangement and circuit just described, selection may be made on the basis of a band of paint at a specific position to divide a plurality of cans into two groups. It is possible to divide the original plurality of cans into three groups by providing a second selecting mechanism in tandem with the first one so that all the cans leaving the first selecting mechanism by rails 23 are fed into the second selecting mechanism. If some cans 2U are provided with a band of paint lot at another portion, as at the other end of the can, this second band may be made the basis of a second selection in the second selecting mechanism. By this arrangement cans may be sorted into a total of three groups; and it will be apparent that a larger number of groups may be obtained by additional selecting mechanisms arranged in series.

Having described a preferred form of our invention, and certain modifications thereof, it will be apparent that changes therein will occur to persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention; and therefore it is to be understood that the foregoing description is considered as illustrative of, rather than restrictive upon, the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an article selecting mechanism of the character described, the combination comprising: a pair of spaced, rigid, parallel guides directing by lateral engagement a plurality of moving articles from which one is to be selected; article supporting means beneath each guide at opposed positions and normally supporting the moving articles from beneath, each article supporting means comprising a horizontally elongated articulated member having a series of rigid links connected at each end to an adjoining link by pivot means having an upwardly extending axis and being deformable locally in a horizontal direction only to a position removing support from beneath a selected article; and retraction means for simultaneously locally deforming both said article supporting means.

2. The combination as in claim 1 in which the retraction means for the supporting means comprises means moving a portion only of each supporting means horizontally outward connected to a section of the supporting means at the leading end thereof; and which also comprises means connecting the retraction means to the supporting means that includes a plurality of pins fitting into holes of larger diameter than the pins allowing limited relative movement of the retraction means and the article supporting means.

3. In an article selecting mechanism, the a pair of parallel, spaced rails for guiding and supporting a plurality of moving articles from which one is to be selected; article supporting means arranged at opposed locations in each of said rails and adapted when in normal position to support the articles as they move over said means, said means at each rail comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected, rigid links with the axes of the pivots extending upwardly to form a horizontally elongated, laterally fiexible member over which the articles move in direct contact therewith and which is sufiiciently deformable in a horizontal direction that an intermediate section can be horizontally displaced to a position outside the range of article support and sections of the article supporting member ahead and behind the intermediate section remain in article supporting positions; and means for horizontally deforming a short portion only of both the article supporting members to initiate ejection of an article.

4. Article selecting mechanism as in claim 3 that additionally comprises a rigid bar extending parallel to and spaced from each article supporting member, and resilient means between the bar and the links pressing horizontally against the links and urging them toward a normal article supporting position.

5. In article selecting mechanism, the combination comprising: a pair of spaced parallel rails for guiding and supporting a plurality of moving articles from which one is to be selected; a pair of horizontally elongated, laterally flexible article supporting members incorporated one in each of the rails at opposed positions and adapted in normal position to support the articles, each article supporting member being deformable locally throughout its entire length to a position removing support for a selected article without displacing other closely adjacent portions from article supporting position; a pair of solenoids of which one solenoid is operatively connected to the leading end of each flexible article supporting means to move the leading end horizontally to a non-supporting position when the solenoid is energized; and electrical circuit means including switch means located ahead of the article supporting means and connected electrically to the solenoids whereby an article of predetermined character passing the switch means actuates said switch means to energize the solenoids to spread apart the leading ends of the flexible article supporting means.

6. Article selecting mechanism as in claim 5 in which the article supporting means comprises a plurality of pivotally interconnected, rigid links. I

'7. Article selecting mechanism as in claim 5 that additionally includes: a hold-in type of relay maintaining the circuit and energization of the solenoids; and a second switch means associated with one of the flexible article supporting members and operated by a portion of said one flexible member when in non-supporting position to release the relay and thereby de-energize the solenoids.

8. In an article selecting mechanism, the combination comprising: a pair of parallel, laterally spaced fixed rails adapted to guide and support a plurality of moving articles; article supporting means disposed in prolongation of at least one of said rails and adapted in normal position to support the articles as they move across the supporting means, said supporting means comprising a horizontally elongated, laterally flexible member capable throughout its entire length of localized lateral displacement to a non-supporting position without simultaneously displacing from article supporting position other portions of the flexible member closely adjacent the displaced portion; andmeans for horizontally displacing only a 17 short portion of the flexible member at the end first engaged by the articles to initiate rejection of an article.

9. In article selecting mechanism, the combination comprising: a pair of spaced parallel rails for guiding and supporting a plurality of moving articles from which one is to be selected; a horizontally elongated, laterally flexible member over which the articles pass in direct contact and which is sufficiently deformable horizontally throughout its entire length to permit a relative- 1y short section to be displaced horizontally to a position outside the range of article support without displacing from article supporting position other portions closely adjacent the displaced portion; restraining means beneath the flexible member supporting the flexible member against vertical deformation, said restraining means including a stationary section and a horizontally movable section connected to the leading end of the flexible member to move a short section at the leading end to non-supporting position; and means for moving said movable section horizontally.

10. Article selecting mechanism as in claim 9 that also includes a rigid bar mounted in two sections on the restraining means parallel to the flexible member; and spring means between the bar and the flexible member urging the flexible member to a normal article supporting position.

11. In an article selecting mechanism, the combination comprising: a pair of parallel, spaced rails for guiding and supporting a plurality of moving articles from which one is to be selected; article supporting means arranged at opposed locations in each of said rails and adapted when in normal position to support the articles as they move over said means, said means at each rail comprising a horizontally elongated, laterally flexible elastic member over which the articles move in direct contact therewith and which is sufflciently deformable in a horizontal direction that an intermediate section can be horizontally displaced to a position outside the range of article support and sections of the article supporting member ahead and behind the intermediate section remain in article supporting positions; means at each rail for restraining the elastic members against movement except in a substantially horizontal direction; and means for horizontally deforming a short portion only of both the article supporting members to initiate ejection of an article.

12. Article selecting mechanism as in claim 11 in which the flexible article supporting means is a coil spring of generally rectangular cross section with its axis extending along the rails.

13. Article selecting mechanism as in claim 11 in which the flexible article supporting means is an elastic rubber bar.

ARTHUR H. McCLELLAND. KARL R. ANDERSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS