US2946427A - Garment sorting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 26, 1960 A M. P. FRIEDMAN 2,946,427

GARMENT SORTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNl/EA/ Mjg By I

y 1960 M. P. FRIEDMAN 2,946,427

GARMENT SORTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN l E N TOR.-

GARMENT SORTING APPARATUS Merrill P. Friedman, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Identification, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 766,476

Claims. (Cl. 198-38) This invention relates to ,a garment sorting apparatus, and more specifically, to an apparatus particularly suited for use in laundries or in dry cleaning establishments for segregating processed garments into groups belonging to different customers.

While garment sorting machines are known in the art, such machines have been generally unsatisfactory because of their large size, complexity and functional defects. Also, such machines have not been readily adaptable for installations of different size and capacity. Thus, there has been a definite but unsatisfied need for an expandable garment sorting unit which might be installed in a plant of relatively small capacity and then might be easily enlarged at a later date to accommodate an expanding volume of work.

Therefore, one of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a compact sorting apparatus which occupies a relatively small floor area and which may be easily disposed adjacent one side wall of a laundry or dry cleaning room. Another object is to provide a garment sorting apparatus composed of a series of interconnected units, the number of units so arranged depending upon the desired capacity of the apparatus. A further object is to provide a positive acting apparatus in which garment-supporting hangers are urged along a track to selected releasing stations, the garments of a group belonging to the same customer being released at the same station. In this connection it is a specific object to provide means for normally bridging successive seg ments of a support track and for insuring the release of selected garment-carrying hangers therebetween when said means is electrically actuated.

Other objects will appear from the specification and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a broken perspective view of a portion of an apparatus embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal section of a switchactuating device, along with a switch adapted to be actuated thereby;

Figure 3 is'a broken top plan view in reduced scale of the garment support track and the take-01f means therefor; and,

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken along a plane extending longitudinally of the track showing details of construction thereof.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates a garment sorting apparatus having a longitudinally elongated frame 11, a garment sorting track 12, and means in the form of pushers 13, one of which is shown in Figure 1, for advancing garment hangers, such as hanger 14, along track 12.

In Figure 1 it will be seen that the frame 11 comprises a series of box frame sections interconnected at their ends to form a longitudinal series. While only two such sections 15 and 16 are represented for the purpose of clearly illustrating the remaining structure, it will be "understood that a larger number of such sections will ordinarily be connected together to form a composite frame. For example, an average size frame would consist of ten to fifteen of such units or sections arranged in a longitudinal series. The actual number of such sections for any' given installation depends of course upon the desired capacity of the garment sorting assembly.

In the illustration given, each of the frame sections has a group of four longitudinally extending angle irons 17 and a pair of opposing C-shaped end plates 18 secured thereto. Brackets 19, secured to the end'portions of the longitudinal angle irons by bolts or rivets 20, hold the successive frame sections in end-to-end relation while at the same time providing apertures 21 by which the composite frame may be bolted or otherwise secured to a suitable mounting structure for supporting or suspending the entire frame.

Along the bottom of each frame section and spaced closer to one side thereof is an inverted L-shaped mounting plate 22. Each of the mounting plates has a horizontal portion secured to the bottom surfaces of the C- shaped end plates and has a depending portion to which L-shaped track-supporting brackets 23 are secured. In Figure 4 it will be seen that the L-shaped arms are arranged in pairs and are provided at their upper ends with apertured plates 24 which are inturn connected to the depending portion of the L-shaped bracket 22 by means of bolts 25 (Figure 1).

The garment hanger support track 12 comprises a plurality of elongated and inverted Ushaped channel segments 26. These segments are arranged in a longitudinally extending series with the ends thereof spaced apart and normally bridged by pivotally mounted bridging elements 27. Each track segment is connected by transverse straps 28 and screws 29 to the horizontal end portions of a pair of L-shaped arms 23. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, each frame unit is provided with two pairs of track-supporting arms 23 so that two track segments are suspended from each frame unit. It will be understood, however, that the frame units may be made in any desired length and that therefore a greater number of track segments may be supported by each unit.

Referring again to Figure 1, it will be seen that the pusher element 13 has an inverted Y-shaped configuration with legs 30 extending outwardly and downwardly and partially straddling track 12. Rollers 31 on opposite sides of the pushers upstanding central portion 32 ride within the channels of opposing O-shaped rails 33 supported directly above track 12'by L-shaped support members 34 which are welded or otherwise secured to the bottom surfaces of frame end plates 18. Similar rails 35 are supported along the upper portion of the frame by mounting members 36. 'A plurality of uniformly spaced pusher elements of the character illustrated in Figure l are secured to an endless chain 37 driven by a suitable drive sprocket and power plant (not shown). Sprockets (not shown) at the ends of the elongated frame 11 support the chain and therefore guide the pusher elements between the lower guide rails 33 and the upper guide rails 35 at the ends of the frame.

As shown in Figure =1, the leading edges of the pushers legs 30 are flared outwardly 'to insure proper engagement between that element and the hook of a hanger advanced thereby. Since the depending legs of the pusher are spaced closer to the vertical outer surfaces of the track segments 26 than the hook portion of wire hanger 14 and since these legs converge to form the central upper portion 32, itis apparent that a hanger cannot escape engagement and advancement by a forwardly moving pusher element unless, of course, that hanger is completely unhooked-from the track.

.Patented July 26, 1960 Like track segments 26, the bridging elements 27 have inverted U-shaped cross-sections defined by top walls 38 and depending side walls 39." As shown in Figures 1 and 4, these depending side walls. 39 are triangular in shape so that when the elements are inftheir normal bridging positions the lower edges of these sidewalls extend down.- Wardly and forwardly. Each element is pivotally connected to a track segment'by a hinge 40 secured to'the forward portion of the bridging elements 'top wall and to the trailing edge portion of the segment. 'A'solenoid it is disposed within the channel of each track segment and is equipped with a plunger 42 which is operatively connected to the bridging element at the rear end of that segment by links 43 and 44 or by any other suitable'means. Therefore, when the solenoid is actuated the solenoid plunger 42 moves rearwardly and the bridging element is lifted into the raised position illustrated in broken lines in Figure 4. It will be noted that the upward movement of each bridging element is limited by links 43 and 44 and by the strokeof plunger 42 so that the lower edges of the elements side walls 39 do not extend in vertical directions but instead retain at least a slight downward 1 and forward inclination.

The take-off or discharge means comprises a plurality of smooth rods 45 which angle downwardly, forwardly and laterally from the forward end portions of each track segment 26. As shown in Figure 4, the rods 45 are fla tened at their upper surface of the segments adjacent the forward ends thereof. The rods may be of any desired length, although it has been found that rods of about four to six feet are sufficient in length to support an ample number of garments which have been discharged from the track and which await collection, packaging, etc.

While any suitable means might be used for independently and electrically actuating the solenoids 41 of the bridging elements, I prefer to provide switches 46 adjacent lower rails 33 and slightly in advance of each of the bridging elements. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, switches 46 are each provided with a vertical series of switching arms 47 adapted to be engaged and pivoted by the extended contact members 48 of an actuating device 49 mounted upon each pusher 13. In Figure 2 it will be seen that the contact elements are mounted for pivotal movement between laterally extended positions and retracted positions and that coil springs 50 disposed within the recesses 51 of the contact elements tend to hold those elements in either fully retracted or fully extended positions. A lever 52 carried by vertical shaft 53 operates to shift all of the contact elements into extended positions when lever arm 54 (Figure l) is pivoted inwardly and rearwardly.

Each of the switches 46 is preset to actuate its particular solenoid only when a selected combination of switching arms 47 are pivoted into closed positions. During operation of the apparatus, the contact fingers 48 associated with each pusher element 13 are set to actuate one and. only one of the several switches 46. Thus, if the switch for actuating the desired solenoid-operated bridging element is closed only when the uppermost arm 47 is pivoted forwardly, then the actuating device provided by the pusher element will be set so that only the uppermost contact element 48 is in extended position. As a result, when the pusher element passes that particular switch, the solenoid will be actuated, the bridging element will lift upwardly, and the garment-supporting hanger will drop downwardly upon the exposed take-off rod 45 leading to the desired collection station. After each pusher element has reached the end of the segmented track 12. arm 54 of the actuating device 49 sweeps into engagement with a suitable projection (not shown) to pivot shaft 55 and force all of the contact elements of that device into fully extended positions.

It is believed apparent from the foregoing that the apparatus of the present invention constitutes a relatively simple and efficient structure for sortingarticles of clothing. The cleaned or laundered garments are placed upon hangers, the hangers are placed upon track 12, and the pusher elements then urge the hangers to the predetermined discharge zones where' elements 27 automatically open and the hangers drop upon the inclined discharge or take-oif rods 45.

In the operation of the sorting apparatus each of the take-off rods 45 will support the garments of an individual or a designated group of individuals until all of those garments have been collected. Thus, the capacity of the apparatus depends largely upon the number of take-off rods which in turn depends upon the length of frame 11. As pointed out above, any selected number of frame segments may be connected in longitudinal alignment to form an apparatus of the desired size and capacity.

One important aspect of the present invention lies in the positive and reliable operation of the apparatus. Thus, a hanger suspended from the track cannot avoid being pushed by one of the pusher elements. When the hanger reaches its pre-selected discharge station, the downwardly and forwardly inclined lower edges of the open or raised bridging element tend to deflect the hanger downwardly to insure proper discharge of that hanger upon the take-off rod 45 while at the same time the upstanding bridging element positively prevents further advancement of the hanger along the segmented track. Therefore, the garment-supporting hanger will drop readily through the open trap and onto the take-off rod while the pusher element will pass over the raised bridging element and will continue along the track.

While in the foregoing I have disclosed an embodiment of the present invention in considerable detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of these details may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A garment supporting apparatus comprising a track for slidably supporting garment hangers by the hooked portions thereof, said track comprising a plurality of longitudinally aligned segments spaced apart at the ends thereof to provide a plurality of hanger release stations therebetween', a plurality of bridging elements pivotally mounted upon said track segments at the ends thereof, means for independently pivoting each of said bridging elements between a first position bridging the space between a pair of adjacent track segments and a second position wherein the space between said pair of segments is opened to release a hanger from said track, means for advancing garment-supporting hangers along said track, and means adjacent each of said release stations for supporting the hangers dropping through each of said spaces.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said means for pivoting each of said bridging elements includes a solenoid mounted upon each of said segments and having the plunger thereof operatively connected to a bridgin element.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said track has an inverted U-shaped cross-section.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which said means for advancing hangers along said track includes a plurality of uniformly spaced pusher elements movable therealong, and means supporting said pusher elements for movement along said track.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which each of said pusher elements has the general configuration of an inverted Y with depending leg portions straddling said garment supporting track.

6. A garment sorting apparatus comprising a frame having a plurality of frame units connected to form a longitudinal series, a garment hanger support track comprising a plurality of longitudinally aligned track segments spaced apart at their ends, means connecting a plurality of said track segments to each of said frame units, bridging elements pivotally mounted upon said segments at the ends thereof and being pivotally movable between lowered positions bridging the spaces between said segments and raised positions exposing said spaces, means for advancing garment-supporting hangers along said segmented track, and a plurality of supports each being disposed below one of the spaces between said segments for receiving and supporting the garment hangers discharged therethrough.

7.. The structure of claim 6 in which electrical means are provided for selectively and independently pivoting each of said bridging elements between said raised and said lowered positions.

8. The structure of claim 6 in which said means for advancing hangers along said track includes at least one pusher element supported by said frame for movement along said track.

9. The structure of claim 8 in which said pusher element has a generally inverted'Y configuration and is provided with depending legs at least partially straddling said track.

10. The structure of claim 6 in which said bridging elements each has a pair of depending triangular shaped side walls providing downwardly inclined edges for deflecting garment hangers downwardly when said element is raised.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 704,450 Eichhom July 8, 1902 1,806,879 Lindgren May 26, 1931 2,491,300 Condit Dec. 13, 1949 2,774,458 Keuper Dec. 18, 1956

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