US2856071A - Sorting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. M, 1958 v. L. WIILLIAMSON SORTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 24, 1956 \N w Mn .mm

ATTORNEY? V. L. WILLIAMSON SORTING APPARATUS Oct. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 24, 1956 tween the work platforms.

SORTING APPARATUS Victor L. Williamson, Daly City, Calif.

Application April 24, 1956, Serial No. 580,385

3 Claims. (Cl. 209-125) This invention relates generally to sorting apparatus and more particularly to sorting apparatus for use in cleaning establishments.

Heretofore, in cleaning establishments, the sorting of clothes after they have been cleaned has been a laborious and time consuming task. In general, few, if any, mechanical contrivances were used to facilitate such sorting.

'In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sorting apparatus which facilitates the sorting of articles such as clothing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sorting apparatus of the above character in which the articles can be sorted into a plurality of compartments or bins.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sorting apparatus of the above character in which the clothing is not damaged while it is being sorted and which protects the articles after they have been sorted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sorting apparatus of the above character in which the workers receiving the assorted articles do not interfere with the workers doing the sorting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sorting apparatus of the above character having a particularly novel bin construction and arrangement.

Additional objects of the invention will appear .from the following description in which the prefered embodiment is set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation-a1 view with certain parts cut away showing a sorting apparatus incorporating the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the sorting apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along theline '3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlargeddetail view of one of the doors to the bins.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 77 of Figure 6.

In general, the present invention consists of a .pair of raised platforms and an endless conveyor mounted be- A bin assembly is mounted adjacent each of the work platforms opposite the conveyor and is adapted to receive the articles as they are sorted. Each of the bin assemblies overlies a work area and is adapted to discharge the sorted articles onto a work table which is adapted to be moved into a region underlying the discharge openings of the bin assembly.

The sortingapparatus illustrated in the drawing consists of a framework 11 which carries a pair of work platforms 12 and 13. An endless conveyor 14 is mounted on the framework 11 between the platforms v12 and '13 and extends for a substantial distance along the length asaasri n 41 of the work platforms. Bin assemblies 16 are mounted on the framework 11 on the sides of the platforms 12 and 13 opposite that of the conveyor, but in a region in the vicinity of the conveyor 14. Each of the bin assemblies overlies a work region 17 and a plurality of work tables 18 which are adapted to be moved into this work region.

The framework 11 is made up of sections 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d and 11e to facilitate moving. Each section is fabricated of suitable material such as steel and can consist of lateral channel members 21 which rest upon leg members 22 connected by bracing members 23. A plurality of longitudinal channel members 24 are mounted on and extend across the top of the lateral members 21 to connect the lateral members 21 and to provide a support for the work platforms 12 and 13 and the bin assemblies 16.

As previously stated, an endless conveyor 14 is mounted between the work platforms 12 and 13 and comprises an endless conveyor belt 29 of suitable material such as canvas which is supported by a plurality of rollers journalled in a conveyor framework 32. The endless conveyor belt 29 is carried at an elevation above the work platforms 12 and 13 and preferably it should be carried at a height which is convenient to workers standing on the platforms 12 and 13 as shown in Figure 3. The conveyor belt is driven by a drive roller 33 also journalled in the framework 32 and the drive roller 33 is driven by a chain and sprocket wheel assembly 34. The chain and sprocket wheel assembly is driven by a gearing 36 which is driven by a motor 37 mounted on the framework 32. The conveyor belt 2? is maintained is a taut condition by a tension roller 38 which is journalled in the framework 32 and adapted to be moved longitudinally of the belt to loosen or tighten the belt by tension bolt apparatus 39 well known to those skilled in the art.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the conveyor belt 29 moves in a clockwise direction and serves to carry articles substantially from a ground level to a level above the work platforms 12 and 13.

Any suitable means may be provided for feeding articles such as clothing onto the lower end of the conveyor belt 29, such as another conveyor assembly 42 which is adapted to carry the articles under spot removing station 43 and discharge the articles onto the conveyor belt 29. The :conveyor assembly 42 is very similar to the endless conveyor 14 and is driven by drive means 44 as shown. The articles of clothing may be dumped on the conveyor assembly 42 by manual or other suitable means.

Suitable control means (not shown) is provided for each of the motors driving conveyors 14 and 42 so that the conveyors can be operated intermittently if desired. Such control is particularly desirous for conveyor 14 so that the work load to the sorters can be regulated.

The bin assemblies 16 consist of a plurality of bins 49 having openings 51 which lie in a vertical plane. The openings are aligned in horizontal and vertical rows and face towards the endless conveyor 14. Each of the bins is provided with another opening 52 which is downwardly disposed from the opening 51 and faces into the work area 17.

The bin assemblies 16 are sectionalized into a plurality of vertical bin sections 16a, 16b, 16c, etc. Each section is comprised of four bins and consists of a pair of side walls 53 and 54, an inclined top wall 56, a rear wall 57, an inclined bottom wall 58, another rear wall 59, a fiat bottom wall 61 and a front wall 62. Mounted within the enclosure formed by walls 53, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61 and 62 are a plurality of inclined wall partitions 63 which serve to divide the enclosure into the bins 49. The wall partitions are inclined beyond the angle of repose for a purpose hereinafter described.

Each of the openings 52 is adapted to be closed by suitable means such as a door 66. One of the doors is shown in detail in Figure 5 and consists of a flat member 67 which is pivotally connected to one side of the bin bysuitable means such as a piano hinge 68. The door' is mounted in such a manner that it will swing downwardly and outwardly away from the articles which may be resting in the bin. A suitable latch 69 is mounted on each door to hold the door in a closed position and consists of a handle 71 which extends through the door and is connected to a disc-like member 72. A pair of bars '73 are pivotally mounted on the disc 72 at 74 and extend through guides 76 mounted on member 67. The bars are adapted to engage U-shaped members 77 mounted on the sides adjacent the opening 52 of each of the bins to lock the doors in a closed position. A cover or shield 73 is mounted on the member 67 and serves to cover the latch mechanism 69 to prevent damage to clothing. Al the doors are mounted in a similar manner and open into the work area 17.

The bin sections are mounted side by side on the channel members 23 and are connected together by suitable means such as bolts 81 to form bin assemblies. As shown in Figure 2, a bin assembly is mounted on each side of the conveyor 14. The bin assemblies are tied together by angle members 32 which extend over the conveyor 14.

A plurality of work tables 18 are provided for each bin assembly and generally one work table underlies each four bin sections. Each of the work tables consists of a table top 88 which is mounted upon a plurality of angle members 89. One end of the table top 88 is supported by leg members 91 on which are mounted rollers 92. The other end of the table opposite the end carried by the leg members 91 is provided with a plurality of casters 93 which are adapted to ride in the channel members 21. It is apparent that the tables 18 are slidably mounted in the framework 11 and may be moved into and out of the work area 17 for a purpose hereinafter described.

Access stairs 96 are provided at each end of the work platform 12 so that workers may readily mount the platforms 12 and 13. Handrails 97 are provided for the safety of the workers.

A large bin 98 has been mounted on the framework 11 at the end of the conveyor 14 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The spot removing station 43 consists of a raised deck or wood platform 1.01 which may be mounted by the use of stairs 102. Handrails 103 are provided for safety of the workers. A spot removing table 164 overlies the conveyors 42 and 14. A raised bin 106 is provided adjacent table 104 for a purpose hereinafter described.

Operation of my sorting apparatus may now be described as follows: Let it be assumed that a large quantity of clothes had been received from various retail estab-- lishments and that the clothes had been mixed together when they were cleaned. Let it also be assumed that the cloths are now ready to be sorted. First, all of the clothing that contains spots which'have not been removed by the conventional dry cleaning operation are placed in the bin 166. The other clothes which have no spots and are ready to be sorted are placed on the conveyor 42 and travel under the spot removing station 43 onto the conveyor 14 where they are elevated by the conveyor 14 into the vicinity of the work platforms 12 and 13.

Now let it also be assumed that the bins 49 have been marked in a suitable manner to indicate the various retail establishments services by the dry cleaner. Let it further be assumed that the retailers have marked the clothing with suitable tags or the like. Then as soon as the cleaned clothing reaches the workers standing on the platforms 12 and 13, the workers examine the clothing to see whether any spots remain and at the same time examine the tags to determine which retail establishment sent in the clothing. The worker or sorter then throws the piece 4 of clothing through the proper opening 51 and into a bin 49. This operation continues until all of the clothes have been sorted.

It has been found that the novel bin assemblies herein provided make possible the placement of a large number of bins within the reach of a sorter or within a very few steps. The vertical openings in the bin assemblies also facilitate throwing the clothes into the bins. The tops of the bins are covered to prevent dust or the like from fall- :ing into the bins.

After the clothes have been sorted, or even while they are being sorted, the delivery man for the retail establishments enters the work area 17 and determines which bins belong to his retailers. He then pulls out the table 18 underlying his bins to position it so that when he opens the door 66 of the selected bin, the clothes will drop downwardly onto the table 18. The clothes may then be picked up and placed in a package or the like for delivery to the retailer. The same procedure is used for each bin.

it should be noted that the table can be moved inwardly in guide channels 21 to facilitate opening of the innermost bins. The doors 66 open outwardly and downward- .ly to facilitate the clothes dropping out of the bin. The inclined partition walls 16 are inclined beyond the angle of repose so that the clothes will readily slide down through the openings 52. However, the clothes must be lifted from the lowermost bin 49.

Workers are also placed at the spot removing station 43 and manually remove any spots which may be remaining on the clothes which have been placed in the bin 106. As soon as the spots have been removed, the clothes are dropped onto the conveyor 14.

It has been found that some retailers like to remove their own spots and hence the bin 98 has been provided.

' Thus, when a quantity of clothes have been cleaned from which spots need not be removed, the clothes are placed on the conveyor 42 and the conveyor is operated continuously until all of the clothes are discharged into the bin 98. The sorter then moves to bin 98 and sorts those clothes directly from the bin rather than from the conveyor 14.

The tables 18 have been placed close together so that clothes will not fall between them. The tables generally are of such a size that each table will underlie the number of bins normally serviced by one delivery man. By doing this, each delivery man has one work table for his own use.

It is apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a sorting apparatus which greatly facilitates the sorting of articles such as clothing. It has been found that such apparatus greatly expedites the sorting operation and at the same time greatly reduces the number of sorters required. The sorting apparatus also reduces mix-ups in clothing.

I claim:

1. In a sorting apparatus, a framework, a raised work platform mounted on said framework, an endless conveyor mounted on said framework adjacent said platform, a bin assembly mounted on said framework in the vicinity of said conveyor, said bin assembly comprising a plurality of bins, each of the bins having an opening lying in a substantially vertical plane and facing said conveyor, the openings in said bins and the conveyor being accessible from the work platform whereby articles carried by the conveyor may be sorted and placed in the bins, each of the bins having a bottom wall inclined beyond the angle of repose and having another opening downwardly disposed from said first named opening and facing into a work area, a substantial portion of the last named openings lying in a plane inclined from the vertical at more than 45, a door mounted on each of said bins and normally closing the last named opening in each of the bins, and a work table mounted under said bins and adapted to be moved into said work area to receive articles from the bins, the doors closingthe last named openings in the bins being adapted to be opened while standing in front of the work table, said work table being provided with a wheeled support at one end and having its other end slidably mounted in the framework so that the table may be moved to facilitate opening the doors.

2. In a sorting apparatus, a framework, an endless conveyor mounted on said framework, a work platform mounted on said framework on each side of said conveyor and being at an elevation below that of the conveyor, a bin assembly mounted on said framework on each side of said conveyor and adjacent the work platform on each side of the conveyor, the bin assembly rising at an elevation above the work platform, each of the bin assemblies comprising a plurality of bins having openings arranged in vertical and horizontal rows, said openings lying in a substantially horizontal plane and facing said conveyor, the openings in each of the bin assemblies and the conveyor being accessible from the work platform adjacent the bin assembly whereby articles carried by the conveyor may be sorted and placed in the openings in the bin assembly, each of the bins having a bottom wall inclined beyond the angle of repose and another opening downwardly disposed from the first named opening and facing into a work area, a substantial proportion of the last named openings lying in a plane inclined from the vertical more than 45", a door mounted on each of said bins and normally closing the last named opening, and a work table, one end of said table having a wheeled support and the other end of said table being slidably accommodated in the framework to permit the table to be moved in and out of said work area into and out of a region underlying the last named openings in the bins to receive articles placed in the bins, the doors and the last named openings in the bins being positioned to permit opening of the doors while standing in front of the work table.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein predetermined doors upon opening swing downwardly and outwardly from the work area to permit articles in the bins to fall freely onto the work table.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,616,693 Havighorst Feb. 8, 1927 1,847,264 Sandberg Mar. 1, 1932 2,054,843 Weber Sept. 22, 1936

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