US3052352A - Magnetic selection apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 4, 1962 c. B. HEBELER 3,052,352

MAGNETIC SELECTION APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 4, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MAGNETIC CHUTE S ELE CTOR }FOR INTERCONNECTION CHARACTER DEVICE TRANSDUCER (READ HEAD) INVENTOR.

CHARLES B HEBELER AGENT Sept. 4, 1962 c. a. HEBELER MAGNETIC SELECTION APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 4, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IlllfelJ-RIII INVENTDR.

CHARLES B. HEBELER AGENT United States Patent Ofitice 3,052,352 Patented Sept. 4, 1962 3,052,352 MAGNETIC SELECTEON APPARATUS Charles B. Heheler, King of Prussia, Pa, assignor to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Continuation of application Ser. No. 771,851, Nov. 4, 1958. This appiication Jan. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 166,963

25 Claims. (Cl. 209-44) This invention relates to automatic selection apparatus and particularly to an improved high speed electromagnetically actuated selector or diverter for use with equipment for processing randomly arranged items in specified groups or sequences, and automatically rearranging items in a specified order. This application is a continuation of application Serial No. 771,851, filed November 4, 1958, now abandoned, in the name of Charles B. Hebeler, for Magnetic Selection Apparatus.

It is known, in the operation of certain magnetic apparatus, that in order to increase the speed and efiiciency of operation thereof, the magnetic forces employed must be increased, e.g., a larger magnet must be used to provide greater coercive force. Or, if the device is an electromagnet, the current thereto must be increased thus increasing both the coercive force and the magnetic reaction time, i.e., the time it takes to magnetize and demagnetize the device. Adding to such difficulties in improving operational efficiency are certain physical and mechanical limitations such as the increase in the size of the magnet structure and the disproportionately high current-ampere power requirements which tend to prevent complete realization of these desired objectives.

In magnetic selection apparatus wherein a plurality of chute forming blades having current carrying coils on one end thereof are disposed for movement in a magnetic field, increasing the current applied to the chute coils generally increases the heat generated thereby to an inordinate degree. In such apparatus, wherein small tolerances of moving parts and extremely confined areas are involved, dissipation of heat is a considerable problem.

To avoid having to increase the current appreciably, attempts have been made to utilize larger, more powerful magnets. However, the confined physical area of the equipment within which the apparatus must be housed considerably limits the size of the magnets which can be employed therein. Consequently, with known techniques it has become increasingly difficult to produce a more efficient and faster operating chute selecting apparatus.

In addition to the foregoing problems of increasing the speed of operation of the magnetic chute selection apparatus while maintaining constant or reducing the heat generated by the electrical parameters of the device, certain other problems present themselves.

One of these is an aerodynamic phenomenon which manifests itself as chute blade bounce occurring during selection of a chute, as blades are moved into contact with other stationary blades. Another problem, also aerodynamic in origin, is the vacuum eitect manifested when a plurality of relatively thin, flat surfaced members, such as chute blades, are stacked or bunched together during chute selection. In such cases the chute blade or blades selected for movement, sticks or adheres to other chutes in the stack and drags one or more blades along with it for a slight distance as the selected blade or blades are moved. Both of these conditions produce item missorts leading to additional sorting problems such as machine jamups, etc.

It is an important object of the present invention, therefore, to produce a faster operating and more efiicient magnetic selection apparatus which overcomes the foregoing problems in a simple and novel manner.

It is an additional important object of this invention to provide an automatic magnetic selection apparatus which overcomes the deleterious aerodynamic efi'ects efliciently and inexpensively.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic high speed electromagnetic chute selection apparatus wherein a portion of each chute member is preformed or shaped to prevent adjacent members from sticking together.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a novel chute selecting coil capable of interaction with multiple magnetic fields.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel aerodynamic construction for a high speed chute selection apparatus which overcomes the tendency for the chute blade to bounce when a plurality of such members are stacked together during sorting.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel tri-polar magnetic structure for increasing the speed of operation of the chute selection apparatus without appreciably increasing the size of the magnets used therein or the amount of heat generated by the apparatus.

In accordance with the above objects the present invention comprises at least two pairs of interacting magnetic fields having chute forming blades disposed therewith. Conductive current carrying means disposed on each blade and forming part of a closed electrical circuit with each blade being situated within and angularly related to the pairs of magnetic fields such that upon the application of electrical current to the current carrying means a force is generated due to the interaction between the pairs of magnetic fields and the current carrying means so as to move the blades within the fields.

The novel features which are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, but for a better understanding of the in vention itself, both as to its organization and method of operation together with other and further objects and advantages thereof, reference may be had to the following description of certain specific embodiments shown merely for illustration taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view partially broken away, illustrating one form of the novel chute selection apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1 showing the magnet and chute blade coil arrangement thereof;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the device of FIG. 1 showing the paths of the magnetic flux through the chute blades of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of a chute forming blade and associated magnet assembly illustrating the relative extent of the coil with respect to I the magnet poles;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the forces exerted upon a current carrying conductor disposed in a magnetic field;

FIG. 6 is an exploded isometric diagrammatic view of a plurality of conductors disposed perpendicularly to the magnetic field of a magnet structure similar to that of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan View of a magnet structure similar to that of FIG. 6 partially broken away, illustrating the compression of the magnetic field due to the closeness of the magnet structure;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of one end of a chute forming blade employing a rectangular printed wiring coil thereon;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of one end of a chute blade illustrating the novel aerodynamic construction used therewith to prevent adherence of one blade to another;

FIG. is a view similar to FIG. 9 but illustrating a different form of blade end construction; and

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of a portion of still another chute forming blade illustrating a novel conductive grid coil construction.

The present apparatus is a further development of apparatus described and claimed in a copending US. patent application to Walter Hanstein, Serial No. 732,920, filed May 5, 1958, now abandoned, for a Magnetic Chute Selection Apparatus, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

In general the magnetic structure of the present invention is designed to provide an automatic magentic selector apparatus for documents wherein four curvilinear, substantially W-shaped tri-polar magnetic members are disposed in a relatively closely grouped array in which upper and lower pairs of parallel magnetic members have their similar south-north-south pole faces arranged in confronting alignment forming upper and lower air gaps therebetween to produce interacting similar magnetic fields. A plurality of parallel chute forming blade members are disposed for side to side movement within each of said air gaps between oppositely disposed pairs of side wall members also located within the air gaps. Rigid document restricting throat members situated forward of the leading ends of the chute forming blades form a passageway leading to the chutes. The free end of each blade is provided with an elliptical or ovoidal shaped electrically conducting means in the form of a coil attached to one side surface thereof and provided with means extending along the blade a short distance for interconnection of each of the coils into a source of electrical control current. Each coil is of sufficient length to extend between opposed similar pairs of magnetic fields. The coil carrying end of each blade is further provided with means for reducing the aerodynamic vacuum or drag between blade ends when a blade is selectively moved. The latter means also acts to reduce the blade bounce due to the compressive force of the air which is expelled from between blades when a number of them are compacted together during a chute selecting operation. It is to be understood that other and different type construction and configuration of the magnetic members could be substituted for those herein described within the purview of the present invention.

Set forth hereinafter are certain definitions and terminology employed herein to explain certain observable magnetic phenomena and which affords a fuller understanding of the operation of the present invention.

Magnetic field.The condition of the portion of space surrounding a magnetic body (or a body carrying a current) in which the magnetic forces due to the body (or the current) are sensible and can be detected.

Magnetic force.-The force of attraction or repulsion experienced by a magnetic body.

Magnetic flwc.-The total amount of magnetic induction across or through a given surface or member.

Lines of force.A magnetic field is conveniently considered as being composed of individual lines of force. The lines as such have no actual existence but serve simply as descriptive aids.

Direction of fiela'.The lines of force comprising a field are not in motion if the source of the field is at rest. However, since a magnetic compass will always point in a given direction when placed in a magnetic field, field direction is arbitrarily defined as the path that an isolated north pole follows under the influence of the magnetic forces North and south poles.A north pole is defined as that end of a magnet from which the lines of force emerge into the air; in contrast, a south pole is that end of a magnet into which the lines of force re-enter the magnet. The lines of force have certain definite properties as follows: lines of force never cross each other; lines having the same arbitrary direction and lying adjacent each other repel each other; lines of force are under tension, and, like stretched rubber bands, tend to contract to the shortest possible length. Lines having different or opposite directions appear to attract each other. If these oppositely directed lines originate in two different magnetic bodies, the mutual attraction of the lines results in mutual attraction of the bodies.

Referring first to FIG. 5, for convenience of explanation, it is seen that whenever an electrical conductor 10, constituting part of a closed electrical circuit (the re.- mainder of the circuit being omitted) is disposed in a magnetic field, provided by magnets 12 and 14, and is not parallel to the flux 15, and is carrying an electrical current, a force is exerted upon the conductor which tends to move the latter side-ways through the field in the direction of the arrows 16. In order to determine the direction of the force on such a conductor, the so-called left hand rule can be used. If the thumb and first two fingers of the left hand are held perpendicular to one another, the forefinger pointing in the direction of the flux, the middle finger pointing in the direction in which the current flows in the conductor, then the thumb will point in the direction in which the force tends to move the conductor in the field. It is at once apparent that changing the current direction through the conductor reverses the direction of the force operable on the conductor. The amount of the force at right angles to the current has been found experimentally to be proportional to the current flux density, proportional to the current flowing in the conductor and proportional to the projection of the active length of the conductor perpendicular to the field. If the conductor is perpendicular to the field, the last factor becomes simply the length of the conductor in the field. See Principles of Electrical Engineering, Timbie and Bush, 4th edition, page 352.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, two curvilinear, double U or yoke shaped magnetic members lit-18 are each provided with alternate north and south poles 20 and 22 respectively, disposed in a tri-polar configuration, as shown. A central north pole 20 is disposed intermediate two south poles 22-42 of each magnet 18-18. The magnetic lines of force represented schematically by the dotted lines 24, emerge from the central north magnetic pole spread out into the space and re-enter the south pole of the magnetic member 18.

If means is provided for representing the field pattern developed by the lines of force emerging from the north pole and entering the south pole of the magnet, it is at once apparent with respect to the leftward portion of FIG. 7, that such flux field tends to form a rather elongated horse-shoe or balloon-like configuration and that the flux density is relatively weak since the flux must necessarily move through a high reluctance path, namely the air. In order to provide a more concentrated flux field, it is proposed to provide four such magnets in pairs, each pair of which is disposed with its poles in confronting re lation as the two shown, thus pairs of south poles are disposed opposite each other while pairs of north poles are disposed opposite each other. In this fashion, as is shown in FIG. 3 and in the rightward portion of FIG. 7, the magnetic field is flattened and concentrated. The flux density may be considerably increased by such compacting or compressing of the magnetic lines of force. In the present invention this is accomplished as seen at the right of FIG. 7, by positioning the second magnetic member 18' quite close to the magnet 18. Since the lines of force do not cross one another and since like fields repel each other it is apparent that a flattening or compressive effect is manifested when oppositely disposed similar lines of force are brought into close proximity with one another. This tends to warp or bend the flux lines from a free radiating balloon-like shape into a series of substantially straight line components as shown at 24. The magnetic flux density is thus substantially increased. It is apparent from the foregoing that the problems of increasing the magnetic flux density provided by a magnet without inordinately increasing its size has been solved in a novel manner.

With the tri-polar configuration of each magnet of the present invention, two sets of interacting similar magnetic fields are provided by each pair of magnets. And, since the two fields operate on two ends of each coil, substantially twice the force is exerted upon the chuteblade coils disposed therebetween as can be produced by a single magnetic field of comparable size.

Since the current carrying conductor by definition must be positioned other than parallel, e.g., perpendicularly, to the magnetic flux in order for the forces to be generated to move it, if the conductor of P16. 5 is fabricated as a loop 26, as shown in FIG. 6, wherein the end portions 28 and 28' are substantially straight line components, then, by introducing this loop into the interacting magnetic fields between the magnets 18 and 18' advantage can be taken of the dual magnetic fields and a substantially increased force thereby provided to move the loop sideways in the fields at a much faster rate. Since the opposite ends of the loop or coil 26 extend Within two different magnetic fields approximately twice the flux is made available to move the loop. Thus an increase in speed (sidewise movement) is obtained with little or no increase in the current which must be applied to the loop. By changing the direction of the current applied thereto the loop can be made to move back and forth between the confronting magnetic poles at will.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of one form of the improved magnetic chute selection apparatus of the present invention. Upper and lower pairs of tri-polar magnetic members 3030 and 3232' are disposed in parallel arrangement with their like poles in confronting relationship forming upper and lower air gaps therebetween with each pair of magnets arranged one on top of the other as shown rnost clearly in FIG. 2. In the exploded isometric View of FIG. I, the two pairs of magnets are shown horizontally separated by a considerable distance simply for clarity. In actual practice, in order to compress the magnetic field, as earlier explained, the magnets are disposed relatively close togther as in the top plan view of FIG. 3.

Within the air gap provided by the confronting magnetic north and south poles of the stacked magnets are located two pairs of oppositely disposed side wall members 34-34, one wall member being disposed on each side of each air gap thereby forming an upper and lower relatively narrow passageway extending rightwardly as as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, past the magnet assembly. An upper and lower pair of substantially fiat parallel members 3636' (FIG. 3) are located between the two leftward pair of south poles of the magnet assembly and together these members form a document or item restricting throat opening into the air gap passageway between wall members 3434.

Positioned in the air gap between similar sets of magnetic north and south poles are a plurality of vanes or blades 3S38' forming the forward entering portions of the upper and lower groups of chute forming members. Upper and lower chute members of each group are of varying extent and terminate at their rightward ends in document receiving hoppers or bins, not shown. For purposes of clarity, only one upper and one lower blade or vane is shown in FIG. 1, it being understood that a larger number of such vanes may be located in the gaps between the two sets of magnets. Each of the vanes 38-38 is constructed of relatively thin, resilient, flexible, nonmagnetic material such as, for example, beryllium copper and is capable of quickly flexing from 6 side to side within the air gaps of the magnet structure without undue fatigue.

Carried on the free end portion of each vane 3838' is a means for establishing a magnetic field therearound. For this purpose a plurality of electrical conductors are arranged on the vane in the form of a coil 40 so that when electrical current is flowing therethrough reactive forces may be produced thereby to cause the blade end to move, as will be described hereinafter. The opposite ends of the coil on each vane are connected to conducting leads 42-42 extending longitudinally of the vane away from the free end thereof and terminating respectively in separate terminals 44-44 projecting from one edge of each vane, as shown.

The electrical coils and conductors are insulatingly mounted upon or incorporated in the vane and are adapted to lie substantially flush with the surface thereof. Each coil may be elongated or elliptically shaped as shown in FIG. 4, or may take other and varied shapes as hereinafter described. In this manner a major portion of the leading and trailing vertical components 4646 (FIG. 4) of each coil may react within both pairs of magnetic fields set up between each pair of magnetic members, as shown most clearly in FIG. 3. Depending on the direction of the current flow through the coil 46, the coil and thus the chute selector blade to which the coil has been secured will move back and forth between the confronting poles of the magnets. Thus, for example, if the current flow is counterclockwise, as shown in FIG. 1, the blades 38*38 will move away from the observer. Conversely, if the electrical current is reversed, the blades will be caused to move toward the observer. It is to be noted that it is the components 46 and 46' of the current field through the coil which are angularly disposed and substantially perpendicular to the horizontally extending magnetic field that provides the force causing the blade or vane to move. The arcuate or straight line conductors, as the case may be, interconnecting the perpendicular portions of the coil, provide means to circulate the current through the coil.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the speed of operation of the magnetic chute selection apparatus can be substantially increased over that described and claimed in the earlier mentioned Hanstein application without any appreciable increase in the current applied to the coil. Thus the heat generated between the coils and magnets is maintained relatively constant. Also, by utilizing a plurality of tri-polar magnet structures the size of the magnets is kept relatively small while increasing the total effective flux produced thereby.

In order to prevent dog-cared, wrinkled or otherwise deformed documents from being trapped or caught on the coil or on the edges or ends of the blades themselves, each of the chute blade coils is covered, as will be described in detail later on, with a dielectric ma terial 51 (FIG. 10) which is adhered to the blade end in any well known manner. This covering material provides an even, regular, rfiat overlying surface for the coil carrying end of the blade and thus avoids the aforementioned damage to sorted documents.

The chute selector blades, which may, for example, be made of beryllium copper approximately .003 of an inch thick, are, when at rest, generally loosely grouped together in a bunch. Movement of one or more blades from side to side within the air gap tends to cause them to react aerodynamically with each other like thin sheets of paper. For example, when a blade is moved away from the stack, the iu-rush of air to fill the hiatus created by the sudden absence of the blade produces a vacuum-like effect which tends to drag along some one or more of the remaining blades together with the selected blade for a short distance. Such random blade movement tends to open more than one of the chutes thus causing misselection of the chutes with the attendant missorting of documents. Conversely, when a blade or a number of blades are moved together, from one side of the air gap to the other side, and into contact either with other stationary blades or the side wall member, the ambient air which normally lies between each blade face tends to be quickly compressed causing the blade or blades to bounce back and forth before finally coming to rest. The chute blade may even bounce back into the path of an incoming document thus producing a document missort.

In order to avoid such chute misselection, the construction of FIGS. 9 and 10 may be utilized. It is understood, of course, that other and different constructions may be utilized. in FIG. 9, for example, the end 48 of the chute blade 50 is coated or covered with dielectric material 51 having a plurality of projections 52 shaped thereon. These projections tend to restrain or prevent the adjacent pairs of chute selector blades from nesting together in too close parallel face to face relation. Also the ambient air is permitted to circulate between the adjacent faces of each pair of blades. Thus when high speed chute selection is being performed the aerodynamic effect, i.e., suction, is practically mullified since air can be drawn in between blade faces quite easily so that one blade does not have a tendency to drag additional blades with it as it moves back and forth through the air gap between the magnets. The projections as shown in FIG. 9 can be formed as lands 52 and grooves 54 by introducing the blade end between suitable dies and subjecting the dielectrically covered end to regulated heat and pressure. while increasing the planar thickness of the blade end by a negligible amount permits the desired degree of air circulation and prevents both the objectionable blade bounce as well as the adherence or sticking, herein earlier referred to.

FIG. 10 illustrates an additional modification of the blade end covering wherein a plurality of irregularly shaped projections 56 are formed thereon which are shown regularly spaced apart from one another. However, it is apparent that the projections may be randomly arranged to produce the same result as the configuration of FIG. 9.

It is noted in both instances, FIGS. 9 and 10*, the side wall members 5858' are also provided with projections, e.g., lands and grooves. It is to be understood that the shape and arrangement of the projections may vary with the apparatus. Due to the foregoing configuration of the blade ends and side walls, air is easily circulated between blades as well as between blade ends and side wall. Thus, the smooth side surfaces of one blade will not directly rest against the side of the next adjacent blade or side wall, as the case may be, but will be in contact with projections thereon. In this manner the ambient air can circulate quite freely between the projections and the blade or wall faces.

It was earlier seen with regard to the apparatus of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, that the chute blade coil utilizes the effects produced by the substantially perpendicular or vertical component of the coil reacting with the horizontally projected magnetic field produced by the tri-polar magnets to produce the forces which move the chute selectors to and fro.

Another and desirable coil configuration for use with the present invention is a type of configuration wherein the useful force-producing vertical component is at least equal to or, if possible, greater than the horizontal component. A rectangular or square coil tends to meet these requirements.

The coil 60 of FIG. 8 represents a printed wiring as sembly in which the conductors 62 are etched fro-m a material such, for example, as copper, after which the etched coil is adhered to a beryllium copper chute blade 64 by means of a suitable adhesive having the desired dielectric properties. In this manner the conductors 62 are electrically insulated from the conductive chute blade The resulting configuration material. The coil is suitably covered with dielectric material (not shown) for the purpose earlier referred to herein. Electrical energizing current is applied to the coil 60 over the conductive leads 66-66 in the directions of the arrows 68 from a source not shown.

A structural coil configuration providing substantially only vertical components for reaction with the tri-polar magnetic fields of the present invention is provided by the construction shown in FIG. 11. The groups of conductive elements 72 formed as grids 74 and 74 are insulatingly disposed on a chute blade end 76. Each of the grids is electrically insulated from the blade end, unless of course the blade is of dielectric material in which case electrical insulation is unnecessary. In order that the direction of the energizing current may be properly oriented with respect to each of the grids to provide for proper operation within the magnetic fields aforedescribed, a conductive crossover member, the arms 7378' of which are electrically insulated one from the other, interconnect the elements 72 of each grid. It is apparent that with a plurality of blades carrying the abovedescribed grid configuration thereon disposed within the multiple magnetic fields provided by the novel magnet structure of the present invention, that substantially all of the current carrying conductors are located at right angles to such magnetic fields. Thus an electrical current applied to the grids of each blade in the direction of arrows 8% will produce an exceedingly high coercive or moving force causing the chute blades to traverse the air gap between the magnets at an extremely high rate of speed.

It is possible to avoid much of the aerodynamic vacuum and compression eifects earlier referred to by means of aperture 182 strategically disposed in the chute blade end. In this manner the air compressed between the selected blade and the other blades or the side wall is permitted to escape as the blades are rapidly moved from one side of the air gap to the other during chute selection. The boundaries or rims of the apertures preferably are highly polished and are so located with respect to the blade end as to prevent the documents, which in some cases may be slightly deformed, dog-cared, torn, etc., from hanging up or engaging therein and jamming the equipment.

In a sorting operation, referring to FIG. 1, documents 34, such as checks, are first passed, by means not shown, before a transducer or read head 86. Magnetizable character indicia, such as the numbers indicated by the reference numeral 92 on each check, generate an electrical signal as the check is passed under the read head 86.

The signal output from the read head is passed over the conductors 88 to a character recognition device 90 which is provided with means for determining which character of a number of known characters is being sensed. The character recognition device produces a selective output signal indicative of the detected characters which signal is forwarded over conductors 94 to the magnetic chute selector apparatus '96. The magnetic chute selector automatically selects one pair of chute blade coils 40 to receive electrical current of the proper polarity. The current is fed from the selector 96 to the coils 40 over conductors 98. In a continuous feeding operation the check is then transported by means of the feed rollers 100 into the throat opening provided between the selected chute blades and the remaining blades for further transport into a hopper or bin, not shown. Since the chute blades operate in pairs and the coils on each chute blade end are designed and configured to permit the coil to operate within two sets of magnetic fields, the sorting speed which can be obtained with relatively low current and a relatively small size magnet is extremely high, being on the order of 400 inches per second.

In the present embodiment of the invention the electrical circuits for controlling the chute selection operation and the manner and means for energizing these controls are substantially identical to those set forth in the hereinbefore mentioned patent application of Walter Hanstein, Serial No. 732,920.

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic selection apparatus comprising, means establishing at least two pairs of interacting magnetic fields, a movable selector element disposed within said fields, electrical current conductive means carried by said selector element adapted to form part of a closed electrical circuit for establishing a magnetic field associated with said element, said current conductive means being disposed within and angularly related to said interacting magnetic fields, and means for applying electrical current to said current conductive means whereby a moving force is generated due to the interaction of the magnetic field created by the current in said current conductive means and said interacting magnetic fields causing said selector element to move within said fields.

2. Magnetic chute selection apparatus comprising, in combination, means establishing at least two pairs of interacting magnetic fields, a chute forming blade disposed within said fields, electrical current conductive means carried by said blade adapted to form a part of a closed electrical circuit and when energized establishing a magnetic field associated with the blade, said current conductive means being disposed within and angularly related to said magnetic fields, and means for applying electrical current to said current conductive means whereby a force is generated due to the interaction between the magnetic field produced by the flow of current through said current conductive means and said interacting magnetic fields so as to cause said blade to move sideways within said fields.

3. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus the combination comprising, a plurality of magnetic members defining an air gap, each of said members being provided with an odd number of magnetic poles, said magnetic members being disposed with like poles in confronting relationship thereby establishing a plurality of interacting magnetic fields therebetween, a plurailty of flexible chute forming blades disposed within said air gap, electrically conductive means carried by the end of each blade for establishing a magnetic field adjacent thereto, said conductive means extending between and being 'operatively located in said magnetic fields, and means to apply an electrical current to said conductive means to thereby establish a force between said blade ends and said magnetic members as a result of the interaction between the magnetic fields established on the blade ends and the magnetic fields established by said magnetic members for moving said blades within said magnetic fields.

4. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus, the combination comprising, a pair of tripolar yoke shaped magnetic members each having alternate magnetic north and south poles, said members being disposed with their like poles in confronting relationship forming an air gap therebetween to thereby establish similar multiple magnetic fields within said air gap, a plurality of chute forming members disposed in side by side relationship with their free ends within said air gap, electrically conductive means on the free end of each of said chute forming members with at least a portion of said conductive means located substantially perpendicularly of said magnetic fields, and means to apply electrical current to the conductive means of a selected chute member whereby a force is established on the selected member by the interaction of the magnetic field produced by said conductive means and the magnetic fields produced by said magnetic members so as to move said member within said magnetic fields.

5. A chute gate for a multiple magnetic chute selector device comprising, a pair of W-shaped magnets having their similar magnetic poles in confronting relation forming an air gap therebetween and establishing horizontally extending similar magnetic fields between them, a plurality of aligned chute forming blades of non-magnetic material arranged with adjacent free ends in face to face relation in said magnetic fields, means on said free end of each blade adapted to selectively establish a desired magnetic field about said blade end, the means on each said blade end being substantially perpendicular to the field between said magnet poles, and means for polarizing said means on each said blade end whereby a selected one or more of said blades may be moved in the direction of opposite field polarization of said magnets thereby to form a chute opening between the blades.

6. A document chute gate for a multiple chute device comprising, a pair of curvilinear magnets each one of which is provided With multiple magnetic poles, said magnets having their similar poles arranged in confronting relation forming an air gap therebetween and establishing horizontally extending opposing fields between them, means disposed within said air gap adjacent to and coextensive with said poles forming a document receiving throat, the confronting surfaces of said means forming said throat being provided with a plurality of projections, a plurality of aligned flexible chute forming blades of non-magnetic material arranged with adjacent ends in face to face relation within said throat in said magnetic fields, means on a free end of each blade adapted to establish a magnetic field about said blade end, the field about each blade end being substantially perpendicular to the fields between said magnet poles, dielectric, non-magnetic material overlying one side surface of each of said blade ends and also being provided with projections, and means for polarizing said means on said blade ends whereby a selected one or more of said blades may be moved in the direction of opposite field polarization of said magnets thereby to form a document receiving opening between said blades.

7. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus, the combination comprising, a pair of magnetic members, each one of said members being shaped to provide a plurality of individual magnetic poles and individual magnetic fields aligned with the direction of the chute, the like poles of said pair of magnetic members being disposed in confronting face to face relationship providing an air gap therebetween thereby establishing a plurality of opposed magnetic fields the lines of force of which are effectively additive, a plurality of chute forming blades disposed with the free end of each blade within said air gap, an elliptically shaped electrically conductive member on each blade end, each conductive member having a certain component thereof substantially perpendicularly disposed with respect to the magnetic fields within which they are situated, means applying a control current to said conductive members, whereby a magnetic force is generated reacting with the opposed magnetic fields of said magnetic members and responsive to the additive effect of the opposed magnetic fields for moving said blade ends within the magnetic fields.

8. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus for documents, the combination comprising, a first pair of tripolar magnetic members establishing a plurality of magnetic fields therebetween, a second pair of tripolar magnetic members establishing a like plurality of magnetic fields therebetween, said first and second pairs of magnetic members being disposed in parallel side by side relationship to form a document receiving throat therebetween and arranged with like poles opposite to one another so as to compress said magnetic fields into substantially straight line components, a plurality of chute forming blades disposed for sidewise movement between each of said pairs of magnetic members and within the magnetic fields thereof adjacent said throat, an electrical coil carried by the end of each blade, a portion of the coil of each blade end lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the straight line components of said magnetic fields within which the coil is located, and means connecting the coil of each blade end to a source of electrical control current thereby to produce a force reacting with the 1 i fields of the pair of magnetic members between which it is disposed and moving the blade within said magnetic fields to selectively open said throat for the reception therein of a document.

9. In a chute selection apparatus the combination comprising, a plurality of magnetic members, each of said magnetic members being provided with a number of spaced apart magnetic north and south poles, said magnetic members being disposed with like poles in confronting relationship thereby establishing a plurality of interacting magnetic fields and defining a relatively narrow air gap therebctween, a plurality of flexible chute forming blades disposed within said air gap, one surface of each of said blades being provided with a dielectric material forming a plurality of projections thereon, said projections providing means constraining said blades in spaced apart relationship while permitting the compressive release of air from between confronting blade surfaces when said blades are moved together into stacked relationship, electrically conductive means carried by each blade, said conductive means extending between and interacting with said magnetic fields when electrically energized, and means to apply an electrical current to said conductive means whereby a force is established between said blades and said ma netic fields for moving said blades Within said magnetic fields.

10. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus, the combination comprising, a pair of yoke shaped magnetic members each having poles of alternate polarity, said members being disposed with their like poles in confronting relationship to form an air gap therebetween thereby establishing multiple magnetic fields within said air gap, a plurality of chute forming members disposed in side by side relationship with their free ends in said air gap, electrioally conductive means on the free end of each of said chute forming members with at least a portion of said conductive means located substantially perpendicularly through said magnetic fields, non-conductive means on the surface of each free end and being coextensive with said electrically conductive means and forming lands and grooves thereon providing means for separating the free end of one chute member from its next adjacent parallel chute forming member, and means to apply electrical current to the conductive means of a selected one or more chute forming members whereby a force is established on the ends of the selected one or more members by the interaction of electrical current applied to the conductive means and the magnetic fields so as to move said one or more members within said magnetic fields.

ll. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus, the combination comprising, a plurality of magnetic means each having poles of alternate polarity and establishing multiple parallel magnetic fields, said means being disposed in confronting relationship to form an air gap therebetween, a flexible chute forming member disposed in said air gap for movement perpendicularly through said fields, a plurality of electrically conductive grid-like elements disposed in groups on said chute forming member, said groups of grid-like elements being coextensive with said magnetic fields, means to electrically interconnect said groups of elements for electrical energization in opposite directions, and means electrically controllably energizing said electrically conductive elements whereby to cause said chute forming member to move in response to the interaction between the magnetic fields and the forces generated due to the energization of said conductive elements.

12. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus, the combination comprising, a plurality of magnetic means each having poles of alternate polarity and establishing multiple parallel magnetic fields, said means being disposed in confronting relationship to form an air gap therebetween, a flexible chute forming member disposed in said air gap for movement perpendicularly through said fields, a plurality of electrically conductive grid-like elements disposed in groups on said chute forming member, said groups of grid-like elements being coextensive with said magnetic fields, means to electrically interconnect said groups of elements for electrical energization in opposite directions, said chute forming member being provided with a plurality of apertures permitting ambient air to escape from between the member and the means establishing said magnetic fields when the member is moved thereagainst, and means electrically controllably energizing said electrically conductive elements whereby to cause said chute forming member to move in response to the interaction between the magnetic fields and the forces developed in response to the energization of said conductive elements.

13. A multiple chute device comprising, means establishing at least two interacting opposed magnetic fields, a chute forming blade disposed in said fields, a plurality of projections disposed on said blade, each of said projections providing means for spacing said blade away from said means establishing said magnetic field permitting the circulation of ambient air therebetween, electrical current conductive means carried by said blade and adapted to form part of a closed electrical circuit for establishing a magnetic field associated with said blade, at least a portion of said current conducting means being disposed at right angles to said opposed magnetic fields, and means for applying electrical current to said current conducting means whereby a force is generated between said current conducting means and said opposed fields so as to cause said blade to move sideways within said fields.

14. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus, the combination comprising, a plurality of magnetic means having alternately arranged south, north and south poles and establishing multiple parallel magnetic fields therebetween, said magnetic means being disposed in confronting relationship to form an air gap, a flexible chute forming member disposed in said air gap for movement perpendicularly of said magnetic fields, electrically conductive means carried by said chute forming member and being coextensive with said fields, and electrically controllable means for energizing said electrically conductive means and thereby to cause said chute forming member to move within said air gap in response to the forces produced by the interaction between the magnetic fields and the magnetic field generated as a result of the energization of said conductive means.

15. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus for sorting documents the combination, comprising, a first pair of magnetic members having multiple poles establishing a plurality of magnetic fields therebetween, a second pair of magnetic members having mul-tipie poles establishing a like plurality of magnetic fields therebetween, said first and second pairs of magnetic members being disposed with their like poles in parallel opposed relationship forming a document receiving throat therebetween, a plurality of chute forming blades disposed for sidewise movement within said fields adjacent said throat, each of said blades being provided on one surface thereof with a rectangularly shaped current carrying conductive means including individual conductors, a major portion of said conductors being disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the magnetic fields Within which said blade is located, and means connecting the conductors of each blade to a source of electrical control current, means to energize said conductors whereby to produce magnetic forces which react with said magnetic fields and cause the blades to move within said magnetic fields to open a chute for the reception therein of a document from said throat.

16. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus the combination comprising, upper and lower parallel pairs of magnetic members, each one of said members being shaped to provide at least three individual magnetic poles aligned with the direction of the chute, like poles of each pair of magnetic members being disposed in confronting face to face relation providing an air gap therebetween and establishing a plurality of opposing magnetic fields in the air gap, a plurality of chute forming blades each having a free end disposed in the air gap between each pair of magnetic members, electrical conductors on each blade end, certain of said conductors having components thereof substantially perpendicularly arranged with respect to the magnetic fields within which they are situated, and means applying a control current to said conductors whereby a force is generated for reaction with said opposing magnetic fields for moving said blade ends within said magnetic fields.

17. In a magnetic selection apparatus, a selector member of non-magnetic material adapted to be secured at one end and to have the opposite end free to move within a magnetic field, an electrical coil carried on the free end of the member for reaction with the magnetic field, and dielectric means on said member enclosing said coil, said dielectric means being shaped to form a plurality of projections thereon.

18. The magnetic selection apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the projections take the form of spaced, parallel ridges.

19. In a magnetic selection apparatus, a selector member of non-magnetic material adapted to be secured at one end and to have the opposite end free to move within a magnetic field, an electrical coil carried on the free end of the member for reaction with the magnetic field, said member having one or more apertures extending through the free end from one side to the other side thereof to permit the passage of air therethrough during movement of the free end of the selector member.

20. An automatic mag-netic chute selection apparatus for use with a document sorter wherein documents are selectively moved at high speed into receiving hoppers of bins, comprising, a first pair of tri-polar magnetic members, a second pair of tri-polar magnetic members, each of said pairs of magnetic members having alternate southnorth-sout-h poles being disposed with like poles in confronting relationship, said pairs of magnetic members thereby forming an upper and lower aligned air gap therebetween and providing multiple pairs of similar interacting magnetic fields, a first plurality of chute forming members disposed in said upper air gap, a second plurality of chute forming members disposed in said lower air gap, electrically conducting means carried on each of said chute forming members, portions of each electrically conductive means extending into said multiple magnetic fields, and means selectively energizing each electrically conductive means to thereby establish a magnetic field around said electrically conductive means for interaction with the magnetic fields of said magnetic members whereby forces are developed due to the interaction for moving selected blades Within said fields to provide an opening for the passage therethrough of a document.

21. High speed chute selection apparatus including, in combination, a pair of magnetic members arranged in parallel slightly spaced apart relationship forming an elongated air gap therebetween, said magnetic members being so shaped as to provide a pair of opposing magnetic fields in one section of the air gap and a second pair of opposing magnetic fields in another section of the air gap, an assembly of chute forming blades, each chute blade having a free end portion extending into the air gap longitudinally thereof and through both pairs of opposing magnetic fields, and an electrical coil carried by the free end portion of each blade and mounted thereby so that diametrically opposite portions of the coil are located one in each of said pairs of opposing magnetic fields.

22.. High speed chute selection apparatus including, in combination, a pair of magnetic members arranged in parallel slightly spaced apart relationship forming an elongated air gap therebetween, said magnetic members being so shaped as to provide a pair of opposing magnetic fields in one section of the air gap and a second pair of opposing magnetic fields in another section of the air gap, an assembly of chute forming blades, each chute blade having a free, end portion extending into the air gap longitudinally thereof and through both pairs of opposing magnetic fields, an electrical coil carried by the free end portion of each blade and mounted thereby so that diametrically opposite portions of the coil are located one in each of said pairs of opposing magnetic fields, and a surface discontinuity on a face of the free end portion of each blade to provide a slight air space between the confronting faces of the free end portions.

23. High speed chute selection apparatus including, in combination, a pair of magnetic members arranged in parallel slightly spaced apart relationship forming an elongated air gap therebetween, said magnetic members being so shaped as to provide a pair of opposing magnetic fields in one section of the air gap and a second pair of opposing magnetic fields in another section of the air gap, an assembly of chute forming blades, each chute blade having a free end portion extending into the air gap longitudinally thereof and through both pairs of opposing magnetic fields, an electrical coil carried by the .free end portion of each blade and mounted thereby so that diametrically opposite portions of the coil are located one in each of said pairs of opposing magnetic fields, circuit mean-s for delivering elec trical current individually to said coils for flow therethrough, and means for exercising control over said circuit means and operable to direct current to the coils of one group of adjacent blade end portions for flow therethrough in one direction and at the same time to the coils of another group of adjacent blade end portions for flow therethrough in the opposite direction whereby the resulting magnetic reaction between the magnetic fields generated by the coils and the pairs of opposing magnetic fields causes the free end sections of the two groups oi blades to separate and form a chute opening therebetween.

24. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus, the combination comprising, a plurality of chute forming blades, a pair of magnetic members, each one of said members being shaped to provide at least three individual magnetic poles aligned with the direction of the chute, the like poles of each pair oi magnetic members being disposed in confronting face to face relationship to provide an air gap therebetween and to establish pairs of opposing magnetic fields each in a separate area of the air gap, the magnetic lines of force of which are virtually straight line for an appreciable distance between the poles of the magnetic members, the chute forming blades each having a flexible free end in said air gap, an electrical coil on each blade end, each coil having component portions perpendicularly disposed within the straight line portions of the pairs of opposing magnetic fields, means supplying electrical current to the coils of the blades for generating magnetic fields associated with the free ends of the blades which react with the pairs of opposing magnetic fields of said magnetic members to move the blade ends within the magnetic fields.

25. In a magnetic chute selection apparatus for documents, the combination comprising, a pair of magnetic members disposed in parallel side by side relationship to form a document receiving throat therebetween, each of said magnetic members having more than two poles and arranged opposite the other member with like poles confronting one another so as to establish at least two pairs of opposing magnetic fields therebetween having the fiux lines thereotf extending substantially straight between the poles of the magnetic members, an assembly of chute blades disposed for sidewise movement in the throat between said pair of magnetic members and within the pairs of opposing magnetic fields thereof, an electrical coil carr-ied by each blade, diametric opposite portions of the coil of each blade being located within and extending substantially perpendicular to the straight flux line components of each of said pairs of opposing magnetic fields, means 15 16 for connecting the coils of the blades to a source of elecopening between the blades for the reception therein of a trical current for producing a magnetic field associated oc men with each blade which reacts with the opposing fields of the magnetic members, and means for controlling the flow References Cited In the file of this patent of current to the coils for causing selective movement of 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS the blades within said magnetic fields to form a chute 505 04 Lokker May 9 1950

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