US3166182A - Handling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 19, 1965 R. 1-. VAUGHAN ETAL 3,166,182

HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 21. 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR5 05577 7. 16406664 00/1/1410 5, K511i) BY W/(Z/JM 1% 16'07'7 irnmwir Jan. 19, 1965 R. T. VAUGHAN ETAL 3 15 132 HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 21, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 19, 1965 R. 'r. VAUGHAN ETAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 21, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 .47 J! 7 j [a Jan. 19, 1965 R. T. VAUGHAN ETAL HANDLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 21, 1962 INVENTOR; 4051547 7. V4 6174/1 0044410 16'. AZ'ZZZ') y W/ZZ/A/i/ A. 15077 3,lo,l82 HANDLING APPARATUS Robert T. Vaughan, Cheltenham, Donald E. Kelley, Glenide, and William H. Scott, Seiiersville, Pa, assignors to Phiico Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Delaware Filed Bee. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 246,447 14 (Ilaims. (6i. I98I3) The present invention relates to handling apparatus and more particularly to conveyor systems for transporting data-carrying articles to and from a station where the data is interpreted to provide for subsequent sorting of the articles. While the invention is applicable to the handling of a variety of articles, it has particular application in the field of modern mechanization of postal operations to effect automatic processing of letter mail.

A customary pr cedure followed in mechanized mail handling is to arrange and stack letter envelopes in proper oriented relation for feeding in one-by-one processional order to a sorting machine which automatically sorts and directs the envelopes to receptacles arranged according to cities and States. In order to carry out automatic sorting and envelope-directing operations, it is necessary to provide the automatic handling equipment with means capable of identifying an envelope being progressively advanced towards the sorting machine.

For that purpose it has recently been proposed to utilize character recognition systems in which electronic means, located at a so-called reading station in the path of movement of the addressed envelopes, scans the City-State portion of the address to efiect activation of controls which precondition the sorting machine the function of which is to direct the envelopes to the appropriate receptacles. Such systems are considered most advantageous because of the rapidity with which they perform their character-reading and control-setting functions, makes it possible to expedite the process ng of letter mail at desirable rate, for example, 180 letters per minute. To accomplish this result, it is required: that the envelopes be moved at rapid rate; that a predetermined spacing be maintained between the trailing edge of a leading envelope and the leading edge of a trailing envelope; that an envelope be momentarily arrested and stabilized at the reading station; that an arrested and stabilized envelope be brought into a position where it can be read by the electronic scanning device; that an envelope be removed from reading position and released for departure from the reading station in timed relation with the arrival of the next succeeding envelope at that station.

It is with apparatus capable of fulfilling these requirements that the present invention is concerned, and accordingly it is a primary object of the invention to provide a novel arrangement and combination of elements which insure the attainment of such requirements. T owards that end, a preferred embodiment of the app ratus is featured by the use of a continuously moving conveying system, in novel combination with mechanism which stops the conveyed envelopes, or the like, during a scanning or reading interval.

Other and more specific objects and characteristic features of the invention have to do with the provision of apparatus which incorporates improved and simplified mechanisms for handling letter envelopes in the manner refered to above, which in operation requires minimum personnel attention, and which is readily adaptable for interposition between and cooperative association with other mechanisms, such as a letter envelope feeder and a letter envelope sorter.

3,ldti,l82 Patented Jan. I 9, 1%65 ice To obtain these objectives and features, a preferred embodiment of the invention basically involves the use of conveyor means mounted to travel in a path passing the location of the recognition device to bring the data bearing articles to said location in succession, interceptor means for first arresting an article in said location to prevent movement of the article with the conveyor means for a predetermined time period and thereafter releasing the article for continued movement with the conveyor means, article-engaging means operable during the aforesaid time period for first removing the arrested article from the conveyor means and placing such article in position to be recognized by the device and for thereafter removing the article from said position and redepositing the article on the conveyor means for'continued movement therewith, and means for receiving and transposting the recognized article away from the conveyor means.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided structure including a-first section with which there is associated means for successively feeding letter envelopes, or the like, to that first section from a stack on a stacking table, and a second section which moves in a path passing beneath a character recognizing device of an electronic system adapted to store information, for example information as to city and State on 'an addressed envelope, and to transmit that information to a sorting machine. In this second section there is interposed means for momentarily preventing movement of an envelope upon reaching the location of the electronic scanning device, and means for raising and lowering such envelope between the mentioned second section and rec-' ognizing device so as to bring the envelope into position to be read by the device and then into position to be conveyed to-the sorting machine which is set in response to signals transmitted in accordance with information recognized by the device.

The invention, as well as its objects and advantages, will be more fully understood from the followingidescript-ion based on the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational side view of a mail handling machine incorporating the principles of the invention, portions of the housing structure being broken away to illustrate cooperative elements enclosed therein;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational end view looking in the general direction of arrows 2-2 of FIGURE 1, outer wall portions. being broken away to illustrate normally hidden parts;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View looking in the general direction of arrows 3-3 of FIGURE 1 and showing the main conveyor sections of the machine; FIGURE 4 is an enlarged elevational sectional view looking in the general direction of arrows 4-4- ofFIG- URE 1; Y 7

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary detailed view ofapor- HOIIVO'I the gate mechanism shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6' is an elevational sectional view looking in the direction of arrows 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an explanatory schematic view illustrat ing the operation of the gate mechanism;

- FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged sca ile, taken substantially on line 8-8 of FIGURE 4; an

FIGURE 9 is an elevational-sectional view looking in the general direction of arrow 9 -9 of FIGURE 8.

With more particular referenceto the drawings, the

mail handling machine illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 is provided with a conveyor structure which basically comprises a first conveyor section designated generally. at 1tl,

a second conveyor section designated generally at '11,

ferring data-carrying articles, in this instance addressed letter envelopes E, from a stack on a table 14,to the first conveyor section, and a transport mechanism designated generally at for transporting letter envelopes from the second conveyor section'to the mailsorting apparatus (not shown) of any suitable known type. These basic components of the illustrated machine are supported on framework 16, the first and second conveyor sections 10 and 11 being housed by an enclosure 17 de.

fined by paneling 18. As seen in FIGURE 3, the first conveyor section It"; includes a plurality of parallel endless belts 19 arranged in engagement with a driven drum 20 disposed at the central portion of the machine and with a series of coaxial pulleys 21 disposed at the forward or input end portion of the machine, and the second conveyor section 11 includes also a plurality of parallel endless belts 22, the latter being arranged in engagement with the drum 2t! and with a series of coaxially rotatable pulleys 23 disposed at the rearward or output end portion of the ma chine. The driven drum 20 is affixed to a shaft 24 rotatably supported in standards 25 mounted on the framework. As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the drum is driven at predetermined speed in the direction of arrow A through the shaft 24 which is connected by means of a belt drive 26 through a gear reduction unit 27 coupled to motor 28. I

Assbest seen in FIGURE 3, the series of pulleys 23 associated with belts 22 are supported for rotation on an axle 29 in bearing bracket arms 30 mounted on the framework 16, whereas the series of pulleys 21 associated with belts 19 include two pulleys 21a and 21b which, as shown in FIGURE 3, are supported on bearing bracket 31a and 31b, respectively, the remaining pulleys 21 being rotatably supported on an axle 32 carried in brackets 33 also mounted on the framework 16. The conveyor belts 19 and 22 are maintained under proper tension and'guided in their travel by slack take-up roller means 34 in engagement with the belts. j

Transfer mechanism 12 is of the pneumatically operative and mechanically actuated type, the general construction and basic functions of which are known in the art.

As represented in FIGURE 1 such transfer mechanism 4 V envelope picked up by and moving with a suction head 42 is picked off by the corresponding suction heads. 46 of the upper assemblyand carried thereby to the input end of the first conveyor section 10 where the envelope is deposited on belts 19. These belts 19 convey the letter envelope to the input end, of the second conveyor section 11 whereupon the belts 22 advance the envelope towards a data reading station indicated at 47 where the latter envelope is temporarily arrested and held in predetermined position.

For that purpose there is provided a gate mechanism 48 located in the path of movement of the letter envelope as it travels along with the conveyor belts 22. As clearly shown in FIGURE 4 the gate mechanism includes an elongated gate element 49 suspended immediately above and extending transversely of the endless belts 22, the gate element being formed with recesses 50 to accommodate said belts. The gate element is rigidly mounted on a horizontal shaft 51 rotatably supported in bearings 52 at the upper end of vertical rods 53 which are mounted for reciprocating motion in sleeves 54 on upstanding posts 55 arranged on the framework 16. As more clearly appears in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, each end of the shaft 51 is provided with a pinion 56. These pinions mesh with racks 57 fixed on the posts 55 so as to cause the shaft 51 to rotate in bearings 52 as the latter move up or down with reciprocation of the rods 53 which, for that purpose, are provided with guide rollers 58 (FIGURES 5 and 6) running between guide blocks 59 on said posts and with cam followers 66 (FIGURES 4 and 5) disposed in riding engagement with eccentric cams 61 affixed on a rotatable cam shaft 62. As shown in FIGURE 1, this shaft is driven by means of a belt-and-pulley drive 63' connected to the belt-and-pulley drive 26 which, as here! 'inabove described, is connected to the motor driven gear reduction unit 27.

The operation of the gate element 49 to prevent a letter envelope at the reading station from moving with the belts 22 and to permit movement of an envelope with said belts after its recognition at the reading station, will be best understood upon reference to schematic FIGURE 7. As represented in this figure, the gate element 49 is normally resting in a lowered position (full line position). where the leading edge of a letter envelope Ecomes in' abutting engagement with said gate element and, is restrained thereby while the belts 22 continue to travel. When, through function of the associated cam and rod mechanism described above, the rigidly interconnected,

' shaft 51 and gate element 49 are lifted as indicated by tact with and to pick up the leading letter envelope in the stack on the stacking table 14 which is provided with conveyor means 14:: for progressively advancing the stack in the direction ofarrow C.

The upper assembly 36 also comprises a rotatable housing 43 provided with projecting suction conduit 44 which, in particular accordance with the present invention and as more clearly shown in FIGURE 3, are each provided with a set of three suction arms .45 each terminating with the suction head 46. These arms 45 with their respective suction heads are spaced laterallywith respect to each other so that with rotation of the housing 43 in a direction of arrow D (FIGURE 1) they will pass unobstructedly through the space on either side of the hereinbefore mentioned set of pulleys 21a and 21b (FIGURE 3).

driving and suction-creating systems (not shown) customarily employed in' transfer mechanism of the general and the suction heads 46 of theupper assembly meet in the position shown at P; At'this position, the letter The lower and upper assemblies 35 and 36 are adapted to rotate in unison and to function syn-' chronously through operation of associated conventional.

to scan the City-State portion of the address appearing;

on the letter envelope arrested at the reading station by, the gate mechanism 48. The electronic equipment forms. no part of the present invention and therefore need notbe described. However, for electronic equipment suitable for use with the apparatus of this invention, reference may be had to copending application Serial No. 166,082

filed January 15, 1962 filed in the names ofv James S. Bryan and Charles F. Teacher and assigned to the; assignee of the present application. The electronic equip ment is housed in cabinetry 64 wherein there is incorpov rated a support structure 65 for a scanner glass panel 65a (FIGURE 8) located at the reading station 47 where there is also located an enclosure66 containing article-f engaging means for bringing a letter envelope into and out of contact with said glass panel.

As seen in FIGURE 3, the last mentioned means include a plurality of elongated lifting members 67, one between each two adjacent belts 22. These members have an envelope engaging portion 68 which registers with apertures or slots 69 in the top of the enclosure 66, and, as shown in FIGURE 8, each member 67 is connected at one end 70 to a pivot 71 supported within the enclosure 66. The other end 72 of each member 67 has secured thereto a depending rod 73, best seen in FIGURE 9, which slidably passes through upper wall 74 and lower wall 75 of a transverse rail 7 6 mounted for vertical movement in the enclosure 66. A coil spring 77 arranged about the depending rod bears against the lower wall 75 of the rail and against a collar 78 on the rod so as to impose thereon a thrust which serves to maintain the collar against the upper wall 74 of the rail and thus yieldably sustains member 67 in position where its envelope engaging portion 68 normally lies in predetermined spaced relation with respect to said upper wall of the rail. As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the opposite end portions 79 of the rail 76 are each provided with a vertically extending rod 80 which as more clearly shown in FIGURE 9 is received for axial sliding motion in vertically aligned bearings 81 carried on bracket 82, the latter being supported on bottom wall 83 of the enclosure 66. Also as illustrated in FIGURE 4, the rods 86 project through said bottom wall and carry rollers 84 which are disposed in riding engagement with eccentric cams 85 affixed on the cam shaft 62 to rotate therewith.

The manner in which the above described envelope lifting mechanism operates will best be understood by referring to FIGURES 8 and 9. As seen in these figures the mechanism normally rests in a lowered position (full line position in FIGURE 8) where the envelope engaging portions 68 of each member 67 is substantially flush with the top of enclosure 66 to clear belts Z2 and envelope E thereon. Following the arrest of the envelope by the gate element 49, the eccentric cam surfaces represented by curved lines XX and Y-Y function to raise the mechanism to an elevated position (broken line position in FIGURE 8) where the aforesaid envelope-engaging portion 63 lifts the envelope and, by reason of the spring 77 in association with the rod 73 of each member 67, holds the envelope snugly against the scanner glass panel a. To avoid damage to the glass panel 65a, the mounting structure 65 is suspended from spring biased pins 86 which normally locate the mounting structure and glass panel in proper position for envelopes of normal thickness but which will allow the panel and its mounting structure to give should articles of abnormal thickness be brought to the reading station.

It will be understood that the various portions of the machine, for example the gate mechanism and the envelope lifting mechanism, operate coordinately in timed relation to the predetermined speed of belt advance.

After the City-State portion of the address has been recognized for conditioning the sorting machine (not shown) to which the envelope is to be fed, the lifting mechanism returns to its normal lowered position thus redepositing the envelope on belts 22 to be removed thereby from the reading station, gate element 4% having in the meantime been lifted and swung to envelope-releasing position in the manner hereinbefore described.

In accordance with the invention, suction is utilized to effect positive retention of a letter envelope in proper position while being lifted from and redeposited on belts 22 by function of the envelope-engaging portion 68 of members 67. For that purpose, the enclosure 66 for the lifting mechanism is provided with a port 87 (FIGURE 8) communicating with'an air duct 88. This duct, as seen in FIGURE 2, leads to the inlet side of a suction pump 89 which can be driven from the gear reduction unit 27 by means of suitable belt and pulley drive 90. With this arrangement, it will be understood that as the pump operates there is created below an envelope at station 47 (FIGURE 8) a sub-atmospheric pressure condition whereby the envelope is prevented from shifting with respect to the portion 68 of members 67. Moreover, it will be understood that because the pump will cause air within. the enclosure '17 to flow as represented by the arrows in FIGURE 8, the envelopes restingrupon and travelling with the conveyor belts are subjected to air pressure which effectively restrains the envelopes against uncontrolled shifting with respect to said belts.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated 7 that the machine of the invention incorporates a novel combination of improved conveyor and article-control mean which cooperate in a novel manner with datarecognizing means to facilitate the handling and disposition of articles supplied with identifying data. Particularly it will be recognized that a machine constructed in accordance with the invention facilitates the'rapid disposal of letter mail in main post office centers where a large volume of letter mail is handled for distribution to local post office branches.

While a preferred embodiment has been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to specific structures of that embodiment but embraces such changes and variations as come within the scope of the subjoined claims.

V /hat we claim is:

1. Mechanismfor conveying data bearing articles past a data recognizing device, comprising: conveyor means a mounted to travel in a path passing the location of the recognizing device to bring the data bearing articles to said location in succession; intercepting means for first arresting an article at said location for a predetermined time period, and thereafter to release the article for continued movement; article-engaging means operable during the aforesaid time period for first removing the arrested article from the conveyor means and placing such article in a position to be recognized by the device and for then removing the article from said position for continued movement; and means for receiving the recognized article after its removal and release from said position.

"2. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which the intercepting means includes a gate element movable to a lowered position for arresting the article and movable to a raised position for releasing the article.

3. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which the intercepting means includes an elongated gate element, a horizontal shaft rigid with .the gate element and having end portions projecting longitudinally from said element, vertically slidable bearings ro'tatably receiving said shaft portions, pinion carried by said shaft portion adjacent the bearings, fixed racks disposed inengagement with the pinions,'-and cam means connected with the bearings to slide the same for raising and lowering the gate element and simultaneously imparting thereto opening and closing movements through the aforesaid pinions and racks.

4. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which the article engaging means includes lifting members movable to a raised position for-engaging the arrested BI- ticle to remove it from the conveyor means and movable to a lowered position to remove the recognized article from said position.

5. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which the article engaging means includes elongated lifting members each pivoted at one'end and having an article engaging portion at the other end, rods depending from said portion of the lifting members, a rail extending transversely of and slidably receiving therods, spring means between the rail and rods and biasing the latter upwardly with respect to the rail, and cam means connected with the rail for raising and lowering the same to pivot the lifting members and thereby raise and lower their mentioned portions through the'aforesaid rods- 6. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which the article engaging means includes lifting members movable to a raised position for engaging the arrested article to remove it 'from the conveyor means and movable to a lowered position for lowering the recognized article from said position, an enclosure containing therlifting mernbers and apertured for movement of the members into engagementwith the arrested article, and a source of suction communicating with the interior of said enclosure,

7. Mechanism as set'for-th in claim 1, in which the intercepting means includes a gate element movable to .a lowered position for arresting an article and movable to a raised position for releasing the article, in which the article engaging means includes lifting members mo-vable to a raised position for engaging the arrested article to remove it from the conveyor means and movable to a lowered position for lowering the recognized article from said position, and in whichmeans is provided for moving the gate element and lifting members in predetermined synchronism with respectto each other.

8. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1, in which the mentioned conveyor means include .a section having a series of coaxial pulleys disposed adjacent the transfer means and a plurality of parallel endless belts in engagement with said pulleys, brackets separably supporting certain of said pulleys to provide spaces therebetween, the transfer mean including a rotatable housing and sets of suction'arms provided thereon, the suction arms of each set being spaced later-ally with respect to each other to register with and pass through the spaces .beV-V .tween the aforesaidseparably supported pulleys.

9. Mechanism for conveying data bearing articles past a data recognizing device, comprising: conveyor means mounted to travel in a path passing the location of the recognizing device to bring the data bearing articles to said location in succession; intercepting means for first arresting an articletat said location to prevent movement of the. article with the conveyor means for a predetermined time period, and thereafter to release the article for continued movement with the conveyor means; article-engaging means operable during the aforesaid time period for first removing the arrested article from the conveyor means and placing such article in a position to be recognized by the device and for then removing the article from said position and redepositing thearticle on' the conveyor means for continued movement therewith; and means for receiving and transporting the recognized article away from the conveyor means.

10. Mechanism as set forth in claim 9, in which the article engaging means includes lifting members movable to a raised position for engaging the arrested article to remove it from the conveyor means :and movable to a lowered positionfto remove the recognized article from said position, and to redeposit the article on the conveyor means. r

-Il. Mechanism as set forth in claim 9, in whichthe article" engaging means includes lifting members movable to a raised position for'engaging'the arrested ar- 7 ticle to remove it from the conveyor means and mov- V intercepting means includes a gate element movable to a lowered position for arresting an article and movable to a raised position for releasing the article, in which the article engaging means includes lifting members movable to a raised position for engaging the arrested ar ticle to remove it from the conveyor means and movable to a lowered position for lowering the recognized article from said position and redeposiu'ng the article on the conveyor means, and in which means is provided for moving the gate element and lifting member in predetermined synchronism with respect to each other. l3. Mechanism for conveying data bearing articles past a data recognizing device, comprising: a first conveyor section; transfer means for moving a data hearing article from a stack to the first conveyor section; a second conveyor section mounted to travel in a path passing the location of the recognizing device and to receive an article from the first conveyor section and bring it to said location; intercepting means for first arresting an article at said location to prevent movement ofthe articlewith the second conveyor means for a predetermined time period and thereafter releasing the article for continued movement with the second con-f veyor sect1on;-means operable during saidtime period for first removing an intercepted article from the second conveyor section and placing said second article in position to be recognized 'by the device and for then remov ing the article from said position and redepositing the article on the second conveyor section for continued movement therewith; and means for receiving and transporting the recognized article away from the second conveyor section.

14. Mechanism as set forth in claim 13, in which the mentioned first conveyor section includes a series of co-,

spaced'laterally'wi-th respect to each other to register ,Wrth and pass through the spaces between the aforesaid separably supported pulleys.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,636,602

Stoate Apr. 23, 1953=

Claims (1)

1. MECHANISM FOR CONVEYING DATA BEARING ARTICLES PAST A DATA RECOGNIZING DEVICE, COMPRISING: CONVEYOR MEANS MOUNTED TO TRAVEL IN A PATH PASSING THE LOCATION OF THE RECOGNIZING DEVICE TO BRING THE DATA BEARING ARTICLES TO SAID LOCATION IN SUCCESSION; INTERCEPTING MEANS FOR FIRST ARRESTING AN ARTICLE AT SAID LOCATION FOR A PREDETERMINED TIME PERIOD, AND THEREAFTER TO RELEASE THE ARTICLE FOR CONTINUED MOVEMENT; ARTICLE-ENGAGING MEANS OPERABLE DURING THE AFORESAID TIME PERIOD FOR FIRST REMOVING THE ARRESTED ARTICLE FROM THE CONVEYOR MEANS AND PLACING SUCH ARTICLE IN A POSITION TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE DEVICE AND FOR THEN REMOVING THE ARTICLE FROM SAID POSITION FOR CONTINUED MOVEMENT; AND MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE RECOGNIZED ARTICLE AFTER ITS REMOVAL AND RELEASE FROM SAID POSITION.

Images