US3106302A

US3106302A - Magazine stackerts

Info

Publication number: US3106302A
Application number: US127371A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nicholas J Mandonas
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1961-07-27
Filing date: 1961-07-27
Publication date: 1963-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 1980-10-08

Description

N. J. MANDONAS MAGAZINE STACKERS Oct. 8, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fjiled July 27. 1961 w @Qs IN VENTUQ N .J. /77 NEDA/F75 fl UR m/E Oct 8, 1 N. J. MANDONAS I 3,106,302

' MAGAZINE STACKERS Filed July 27, 1961 s Sheets-Sheet 2 as ,6 2c

/ NVE'NT'UR' Oct. 8, 1963 N. J. MANDONAS 3,106,302

MAGAZINE STACKERS Filed July 27, 1961 s Sheets-Sheet 3 v mmlmmu l .[NVE'NT'UFQ W N. J. m/ INUUNFE United States Patent This invention relates to magazine stackers, particularly magazine stackers for wafer-like articles such as mica laminations.

In the manufacture of electrical units of mica laminations, there are various processing steps through which the laminations must travel. It is important that due to the delicate or brittle nature of the mica laminations and, further, due to the importance of keeping the laminations free of foreign substances which they may be subjected to during handling, that the laminations be stacked in suitable magazines subsequent to certain of the processing steps.

iAn object of the invention is a magazine stacker which is simple in structure and highly eflicient in stacking wafer-like articles.

In accordance with the object, the invention comprises a magazine stacker for receiving successive wafer-like articles of like contours from a conveyor, guiding the articles in fixed paths to a magazine and causing the articles to drop singly therein.

More specifically, the magazine in the present instance is composed of four pairs of parallel rods supported by end members, one of which has a rectangular main aperture therein of a contour substantially identical to the contours of the like articles and with the rods disposed in apertures so that each inner surface of the main aperture is tangent with its respective pair of rods, causing for the articles stacked in the magazine.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

r the rods to function as guide-s and retaining members FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the magazine stacker,

portions thereof being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG; 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary isometric view of a portion of one of the stacking units.

In the present illustration, a main conveyor 10 in the form of a belt of a predetermined width is caused to travel through a treating unit, not shown, to bring about one of the processing steps for different types of articles 11, 12, 13, and 14, which may be, for example, mica laminations of similar thicknesses but of difierent sizes,

that is, different lengths and widths.

The articles are placed on the belt '10 in their respective positions but they may be caused to be positioned out of alignment with each other in their travel toward their respective magazines, indicated generaly at 15, 16,

3,106,302 Patented Oct. 8, 1963 stood that the only differences lie in the dimensions desired for their particular articles. The structure shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrates the main belt 10 which, in traveling for a considerable distance over suitable supporting means, including a roller 24 on a drive shaft 25, is guided so that its upper surface 26 will lie in a given plane and that its path of travel will be adjacent that plane. The structure shown in FIG. 2 includes a receiving unit 28 supporting a chute 29 having a curved undersurface 30, partially conforming to the path of the belt or conveyor traveling about the roller 24, and extending from a sharp edge 31 which is positioned a short distance beneath the plane 26 so that it will be positioned beneath each article .13 as it is about to leave the conveyor 10.

The chute 28! has a wide mouth composed of

arcuate surfaces

32 and 33 at the sides thereof and a curved surface 34 at the bottom thereof to guide each article 13 into a passageway 35 which is of a width substantially equalling, but slightly larger, than the width of the article 13. A transfer belt or conveyor 38 is mounted on

rollers

39 and 40 and caused to travel over a roller 41 so that the upper surface of the belt will receive the successive articles 13 and transport them to the left with sufficient speed to be aligned with the magazine 17 in as near a horizontal position as possible.

The roller 39 is driven by a motor 42 mounted on the frame 20 and provided with a sprocket 43 on its drive shaft 44; A sprocket 45 is mounted on 'a spindle 46, FIG. 1, and connected to -the sprocket 43. by a chain 47. The rollers 39 for each of the various belts 38 are connected by couplings 50 to provide a continuous drive connection with the sprocket 45 between its supporting spindle 46 and an aligned supporting spindle 51. Through this means, the belts or transporting conveyors 38 are driven simultaneously from the motor 42.

The magazines 15 to 18, inclusive, are adapted to be removably mounted in their respective positions and are identical with the exception of their lateral dimensions. In FIG. 2, the magazine 17 includes a bottom member -55 having pairs of rods 56 with their lower ends mounted fixedly therein and positioned so that each pair of rods will constitute its particular side of the maga zine. An upper member 57 has an opening 58 therein which is substantially equal in size, but slightly larger than the size of the articles 13 which are to be fed thereto. The rods 56 are positioned in apertures disposed adjacent their respective sides of the opening 5 8 so that their respective sides of the opening will lie tangent thereto. The rods 56 extend above the upper member 57 and are receivable in apertures 59 of a nestl ike portion of the receiving unit 28 so that there is a continuance in the joining of the opening 58 in the upper member 57 with the adjacent portion including an end 69 of the passageway 35.

There is a pair of equally spaced arms 62 at each position for removably supporting the magazine to be located therein. The upper portions of the arm 62 are grooved to allow the bottom member 55 to nest therein providing side retaining members 63 and end retaining members 64-. The arms 62 are supported by blocks 65 which -are supported for sliding movement in a guideway 66 and normally urged toward each other by springs 67 movably mounted therein by suitable means such as screws 21 on members 22 and other portions of the frame depending upon the locations selected on the belt 10 for their particular articles.

A description of one of these structures with its magazine will apply to all of the structures, it being underbacked up by blocks 68 at the ends and by companion blocks 65 in other instances.

Retaining screws 70 extend through elongated openings 71' in the blocks 65 and are mounted in the lower portion of-the guide 66. When the arms 62 are in the positions shown, they will'not'o-nly support the bottom members 55 of their magazines but will perform a squeezing action as the result of the force of the springs 67 to firmly hold the magazines in place. 'Thumb screws 3 73 are threadedly mounted in brackets 74 while their inner ends 75 are rounded to engage tapered surfaces '76 of the blocks 65 for each magazine to force the blocks and the arms away from each other to free the magazine, when loaded, so that the magazine may be removed and an empty magazine positioned to receive the articles.

With the arms 62, in each instance, spaced a sufficient distance apart, the magazine may be lowered to remove the upper ends of the rods 56 from the apertures 59 of its nest and through a reverse action, an empty magazine may be located on the arms. Each magazine is provided with an element 89 positioned to rest normally on the bottom member 55 and to ride in the space provided by the pairs of rods 56. A spring-pressed plunger 81 is movably supported in an aperture 82 of the element and has a half nut 33 with a threaded portion 84 mounted on one end thereof, a knurled handle 85 being mounted on the other end of the plunger.

A drive screw 87, journalled in bearings 88 and 89 of

brackets

96 and 91, is provided for each of the magazines to 18, inclusive, and positioned to be interengaged by the half nuts 83. A beveled gear 92 is mounted on the lower end of each drive screw 87 and is operatively connected to a motor 93 through a beveled gear 94 and a speed reduction unit 95. Through the aid of the half nut 83, the element 80 may be located at any desired position, preferably adjacent the top member 57 at the beginning of each stacking operation, the speed of the drive screw being such that the element 80 will be lowered a distance equalling the thickness of each article 13 as each article moves to the end of its passageway 35 and is ready to enter the magazine. This operation continues until the magazine is filled, at which time, the element 80 will be adjacent the bottom member 55 and the half nut 83 will have engaged a head 96 of a plunger 97 and actuated a switch $8 into open position, the switch 98 being in a circuit including the motor 93.

Operation Let it be assumed that all of the magazines 15 to 18, inclusive, are empty and that the shaft 25 is driven to start movement of the articles 11 to 1-4, inclusive, on the plane 26 of the conveyor or belt 10 toward the mouths of their various chutes. The sharp edges 31 of the chutes are positioned to lie beneath the successive articles as they move from the conveyor on the plane 26 of the upper surface of the belt 10. Therefore, the successive articles 111 to 14, inclusive, approaching and entering the various mouths of their chutes, will be guided as a result of the

curved surfaces

32 and 33 into alignment with their respective passageways 35 where they will be caused to slide down surfaces 34 onto the transporting belts or conveyors 38. With the belts 33 traveling at a desired speed, the articles will be caused to travel substantially horizontally to the ends of their passageways 35 where they will be aligned with the magazines and caused to drop therein.

Initially the element 80 in each magazine is at its top position ready to receive the first article, in each instance, and to be lowered through the driving of the screw 87, acting on the half nut 83 in each instance, so that the increasing stack of articles in each magazine will be lowered to maintain the upper portion of the stack in substantially the same position until the magazine, in each instance, is full. At this time, the switch 98 in the circuit to the motor 93 will be operated open deenergizing the motor and stopping the drive screw. If desired, the drive for the shaft 25 of the roller 24 of the main conveyor or belt 10 may be included in any one or all of the circuits for the motor 93 causing it to stop when the magazines are filled. At this time, the magazines may be removed individually through the actuation of the thumb screws 73 to space the arms 62 to permit the magazines to be lowered sutficiently to remove the upper ends of the rods 56 from the apertures 59 of the principles of the invention.

nest, after which the magazine may be tilted in any desired manner and removed after the plunger 8i, through the aid of the handle 85, is moved to the left sufficiently to disengage the half nut 83 from the drive screw 87.

After the filled magazines are removed, empty maga zines may be inserted in a similar manner keeping the half nut 83, in each instance, free of its drive screw 87 until the magazine is located with the upper ends of the rods in the apertures 59 of the nest and the lower member 55 resting on the arms 62. At this time, the element 80, through the connection of the half nut 83 with the drive screw 87, is located in its up or starting position.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A magazine stacker, for receiving successive wafer like articles of like contours from a conveyor traveling longitudinally with its upper surface in a plane of a given path and traveling downwardly about a roller when leaving the path, comprising:

a receiving unit mounted at a fixed position adjacent the roller,

a chute for the receiving unit mounted adjacent the roller and having an entrance edge disposed adjacent to but beneath the plane of the given path so that the successive articles will move over the entrance edge and into the chute,

magazines singly adapted to receive the successive a1- ticles in stacked formation from the receiving unit and be removed from the receiving unit when filled with the articles,

elements adapted to removably support the magazines singly in cooperation with the receiving unit,

means disposed in the receiving unit to removably receive and locate the upper end of each magazine relative to the chute,

means disposed in the receiving unit to convey the articles from the chute to the magazine,

the receiving unit having a passageway substantially equaling the width of each article extending from the chute to the magazine, and

a mouth for the chute open wide at the entrance edge and having guide surfaces curving inwardly to the passageway.

2. A magazine stacker, for receiving successive waferlike articles of like contours from a conveyor traveling longitudinally with its upper surface in a plane of a given path and traveling downwardly about a roller when leaving the path, comprising:

a receiving unit mounted at a fixed position adjacent the roller,

magazines singly adapted to receive the successive articles in stacked formation from the receiving unit and be removed from the receiving unit when filled with the articles,

the receiving unit having a passageway substantially equaling the width of each article extending from the chute to the magazine,

. '5 a mouth for the chute open wide at the entrance edge and having guide surfaces curving inwardly to the passageway, the conveying means in the receiving unit including relative to each other and the magazine to free the magazine for movement into and out of the nests. 5. A magazine stacker, for receiving successive Waferlike articles of like contours from a conveyor traveling a transfer belt mounted on rollers and extending longitudinally with its upper surface in a plane of a given from a position adjacent the mouth of the chute to a position adjacent the magazine, and a means to drive the belt to transfer articles successively through the passageway to the magazine.

3. A magazine stacker, for receiving successive waferlike articles of like contours from a conveyor traveling longitudinally with its upper surface in a plane of a given path and traveling downwardly about a roller when leaving the path, comprising:

a receiving unit mounted at a fixed position adjacent the roller, y

magazines singly adapted to receive the successive articles in stacked formation from the receiving unit and be removed from the receiving unit'when filled with'the articles, I elements adapted to removably support the magazines singly in cooperation with the receiving unit, means disposed in the receiving unit to removably receive and locate the upper end of each magazine relative to the chute,

each magazine including parallel rods disposed in their respective positions to be engaged by all edges of the successive articles to maintain the articles against lateral displacement,

a bottom member fixed to lower ends of the rods, and

an upper member having an opening to receive the articles and apertures adjacent thereto to receive and hold the rods.

4. A magazine stacker, for receiving successive waferlike articles of like contours from a conveyor traveling longitudinally with its upper surface in a plane of a given path and traveling downwardly about a roller when leaving the path, comprising: i

a receiving unit mounted at a fixed position adjacent the roller,

magazines singly adapted to receive the successive ar ticles in stacked formation from the receiving unit and be removed from the receiving unit when filled a with the articles,

a bottom member fixed to the lower ends of the rods,

an upper member having an opening to receive the articles and apertures adjacent thereto to receive and hold the rods,

a series of apertures for the rods in the receiving unit provide a nest for the upper end of each magazine, 7

path and traveling downwardly about a roller when leaving the path, comprising:

7 a receiving unit mounted at a fixed position adjacent the roller, 1

a chute for the receiving unit mounted adjacent the roller and having an entrance edge disposed adjacent to but beneath the plane of the given path so that the successive articles will move over the entrance edge and into the chute, 7

a bottom member fixed to lower ends of the rods,

an upper member having an opening to receive the articles and apertures adjacent thereto to receive and hold the rods, j

an article supporting element permanently disposed in each magazine and'movable therein, and

a drive means operable to lower the supporting element from a position adjacent the upper member a distance equaling substantially the thickness of each article as each article is fed to the magazine.

6. A magazine stacker, for receiving successive waferlike articles of like contours from a conveyor traveling longitudinally with its upper surface in a plane of a given path and traveling downwardly about a roller when leaving the path, comprising:

a receiving unit mounted at a fixed position adjacent the roller,

means disposed in the receiving unit to convey articles from the chute to the magazine,

a bottom member fixed to lower ends of the rods,

an article supporting element permanently disposed in each magazine and movable therein,

a drive means operable to lower the supporting element from a position adjacent the upper member a disthe like articles of like contours from a conveyor traveling longitudinally with its upper surface in a plane of a given path and traveling downwardly about a roller when leaving the path, comprising:

a receiving unit mounted at a fixed position adjacent the roller,

means disposed in the receiving unit to convey the 3 articles from the chute to the magazine, each magazine including parallel rods disposed in their respective positions to be engaged by all edges of the successive articles to maintain the articles against lateral displacement,

a bottom member fixed to lower ends of the rods,

a drive means operable to lower the supporting element from a position adjacent the upper member a distance equaling substantially the thickness of each article as each article is fed to the magazine,

the drive means including a drive screw mounted for rotation adjacent the magazine and driven at a predetermined speed,

a half nut for each supporting element,

a spring pressed plunger carried by each supporting element and having the half nut therefor mounted on one end thereof for engagement with the drive screw, and

a handle mounted on the other end of each plunger so that the half nut may be disconnected from the drive screw and connected to the drive screw at any desired position along its length.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 622,106 Berry Mar. 28, 1899 1,313,573 Beam Aug. 19, 1919 1,702,901 Hungerford Feb. 19, 1929 2,119,561 Smith June 7, 1938 2,701,650 Stevenson Feb. 8, 1955 2,797,098 Brodie June 25, 1957

Claims

1. A MAGAZINE STACKER, FOR RECEIVING SUCCESSIVE WAFERLIKE ARTICLE OF LIKE CONTOURS FROM A CONVEYOR TRAVELING LONGITUDINALLY WITH ITS UPPER SURFACES IN A PLANE OF A GIVEN PATH AND TRAVELING DOWNWARDLY ABOUT A ROLLER WHEN LEAVING THE PATH, COMPRISING: A RECEIVING UNIT MOUNTED AT A FIXED POSITION ADJACENT THE ROLLER, A CHUTE FOR THE RECEIVING UNIT MOUNTED ADJACENT THE ROLLER AND HAVING AN ENTRANCE EDGE DISPOSED ADJACENT TO BUT BENEATH THE PLANE OF THE GIVEN PATH SO THAT THE SUCCESSIVE ARTICLES WILL MOVE OVER THE ENTRANCE EDGE AND INTO THE CHUTE, MAGAZINES SINGLY ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE SUCCESSIVE ARTICLES IN STACKED FORMATION FROM THE RECEIVING UNIT AND BE REMOVED FROM THE RECEIVING UNIT WHEN FILLED WITH THE ARTICLES, ELEMENTS ADAPTED TO REMOVABLY SUPPORT THE MAGAZINES SINGLY IN COOPERATION WITH THE RECEIVING UNIT, MEANS DISPOSED IN THE RECEIVING UNIT TO REMOVABLY RECEIVE AND LOCATE THE UPPER END OF EACH MAGAZINE RELATIVE TO THE CHUTE, MEANS DISPOSED IN THE RECEIVING UNIT TO CONVEY THE ARTICLES FROM THE CHUTE TO THE MAGAZINE, THE RECEIVING UNIT HAVING A PASSAGEWAY SUBSTANTIALLY EQUALING THE WIDTH OF EACH ARTICLE EXTENDING FROM THE CHUTE TO THE MAGAZINE, AND A MOUTH FOR THE CHUTE OPEN WIDE AT THE ENTRANCE EDGE AND HAVING GUIDE SURFACES CURVING INWARDLY TO THE PASSAGEWAY.