US3525431A - Control apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Au 25,1970 E. F. KAMBER'GY" 3,525,431

CONTROL APPARATUS Filed March'2'5, 19 68 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug-..i25, 1970' -'E. F. AMBERG 3,52

' I CONTROL APPARATUS Filed March 25, 1968 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wmczflarzzmy United States Patent O 3,525,431 CONTROL APPARATUS Eduard F. Kamberg, Deer-field, Ill., assignor to Chicago Dryer Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 715,679 Int. Cl. B07c /342 US. Cl. 209-73 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A plurailty of colored-marker dispensers are disposed adjacent the feed ribbons of laundry apparatus, such as an ironer-folder combination, adapted to automatically carry out a laundry cycle on laundered items such as sheets or the like. An attendant energizes an appropriate dispenser upon noting a defect in the sheet being fed into the ironer. The dispenser then applies a marker to trailing end portion of the defective sheet. A device sensitive to the marker and disposed in the normal path of the sheet movement energizes a by-pass which removes the defective sheet from such normal path to a collection point for repair or discard.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention marked sheet is automatically divertedfrom the path of movement to a collection point for appropriate reprocessing.

Description of the prior art The prior art has recognized the desirability of removing defective sheets from a normal path of travel in a processing line. Such line may be composed of an ironerfolded combination which normally automatically processes a fed-in sheet by ironing, folding and delivering the processed sheets in neat bundles of predetermined number onto a discharge conveyor for desired disposition. Such prior art controls, however, generally utilize signals transmitted from a person located at the feed end of a processing line to an attendant disposed at the discharge end who manually removes the article so that the same may be removed from those finished pieces being delivered for use.

Such prior art devices, however, allow full processing of the sheet, including a plurality of ironing and folding steps, although the defective piece must be normally repaired, as by darning a tear, after which it must be relaundered and reprocessed.

The provided control requires only initial noting of the defect by an attendant after which the piece is rapidly removed from the processing line, eliminating needless steps, in an automatic manner.

SUMMARY It is an object :of this invention to provide a control for withdrawal of defective sheets or the like from a normal processing path such as would be utilized in a laundry or the like at an early stage whereby the performance of unnecessary processing steps which must be effected after repair of the defect is obviated.

It is another object of this invention to provide a control which automatically diverts a defective sheet from a normal processing path after the same has been noted by an operator disposed at the feed end of a processing line.

3,525,431 Patented Aug. 25, 1970 It is still another object of this invention to provide a flexible control which is readily adaptable for use with a variety of sheet-processing apparatus, and which may impart a number of different coded markings to a sheet to readily indicate the specific nature of the defect noted.

In one embodiment of the provided invention, a dis penser of paper markers is located above the feed ribbons of an ironer-dryer combination such as would be disposed in a laundry or the like. Upon noting a defect which necessitates sheet repair, a feed-in operator presses a button which energizes a relay coil. The button is pressed after the sheet has engaged a switch disposed in the normal path of sheet travel. Disengagement of the sheet terminal end with such switch establishes a circuit actuating the dispenser to apply an identifying marker to the moving terminal end of the underlying sheet.

A photosensitive device located along the path of travel of the sheet and in axial alignment with the identifying marker senses the marker on the sheet and completes a circuit moving a by-pass means into operative position. The by-pass means is actuated into a position forcing the sheet to be diverted from its normal path to a collection site where the defective sheet containing the marker may be repaired, relaundered and inserted again into the laundry cycle. The paper marker should be readily watersoluble, and a plurality of dispensers may be employed to apply different colored markers which are coded to reveal specific defects noted by the feed-in operator.

Description of the drawings For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side-elevational view illustrating an ironer-folder combination employing the novel control of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side-elevational view of a sheet member having an identifying marker affixed thereto, illustrated in the course of passing beneath an electric eye component of the provided invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side-elevational view illustrating the ironer feed ribbons and marker dispensers of the provided control of this invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom plan view illustrating the marker retention means employed by the dispensing means shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view illustrating the by-pass means and actuating mechanism therefor employed in FIG. 1; and

FIG. -6 is a schematic wiring diagram relating to the control provided by this invention.

THE INVENTION 'Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1 an ironer and folder adapted to iron and fold large laundry articles such as sheets or the like, are depicted in adjacent relationship. Ironer 10, schematically illustrated, bears the profile of a gas fired ironer sold by the Chicago Dryer Company of Chicago, Ill. under model designation GA 36. Folder 12 comprises a cross folder also sold by the Chicago Dryer Company, under model designations MLC and SLC.

In the normal course of apparatus operation a laundered article such as a sheet or the like, is fed by two attendents onto feed ribbons 13 of ironer 10 schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. The feed ribbons move the sheet or the like against the periphery of main ironing cylinder "14 against which the sheet is urged and stretched so as to remove any wrinkles by padded compression rollers :16. The ironed sheet may be then discharged from the back of ironer 10 by means of discharge conveyor 18. The ironed sheet then engages feed ribbons 20 of the tension in the ribbons 13 is usually adequate to form a support surface against which the marker 30 may be urged. If desired, a support plate may be disposed beneath the upper run of the ribbons 13 to provide a desired stop surface against which marker 30 may be urged in the course of engaging sheet S. By virtue of the configuration of the bottom periphery of housing 28 (see FIG. 4), the bottom marker 30 will be readily pulled from housing 28 as the sheet proceeds against the main ironing cylinder of the ironer.

Disposed between cylinders 24 and 26 (see FIG. 3), is a micro-switch 71 having switch actuators 72 disposed on opposed ends thereof. The projecting tongues 73 connected to the cylinder housing portions 28 are adapted to energize the adjacent switch actuator 72 in the course of the downward stroke of the piston rod housed in each cylinder. The moving tongue 73 will break the energizing hold down circuit 56, de-energizing coil 52 of the relay 54, preparing the control apparatus for'a subsequent sheet member.

It is apparent from FIG. 6 that the foregoing description given with respect to relay 54'and air cylinder 24 is equally applicable with respect to relay 70 which controls the actuation of air cylinder 26, the only difference being that relay 70 in addition to controlling actuation of air cylinder 26, also controls energization of the lights 75 connected in parallel which are of a different color than lights 60. Components of relay 70 bear the same identifying numeral as comparable components of relay 54 plus the adscript A in FIG. 6.

Referring once again to FIG. 1, it is seen that the sheet bearing the marker 30 will leave the discharge rib- 1mm 18 from ironer 10 and move onto ribbons 20 of folder 12. Inasmuch as there is substantially no lateral movement of the sheet in the courseof moving through the ironer and onto the folder ribbons, electric eye 38 is positioned on folder 12 so that a light source 74 of the electric eye 38 (see FIG. 6), is in line with the marker 30 if present on the sheet moving beneath the electric eye 38. The means for sensing the presence of a marker 30 is manufactured by the Tri-Tronics Company of Oakbrook, Illinois, and is identified as an electro reflective pickup, Model No. AR-200. The sensing device in addition to the electric eye or pickup 38 comprising light source 74 and photo cell 76, also includes a power pack unit 78 comprising a power supply 80, a relay 82, and a photo cell input 84 which is manufactured by the Tri- Tronics Company and identified as Power-Pack Model P-506.

Upon passing beneath photo cell 76 the change in light intensity striking the photo cell 76 is sensed as the marker 30 moves beneath the eye 38, creating a change in the electrical resistance within the cell 38, producing an electrical signal for a short-predetermined time interval. The signal is transmitted through line 81 from relay 82 thereby energizing coil 83 of relay 86 if switch member 88 is in the closed position.

Referring once again to FIG. 1, it will be seen that actuator 87 of switch 88 is disposed between ribbons of upper conveyor 90 of folder 12, and the switch will be closed as a sheet moves over the same. Assuming that a marker 30 has been sensed by the electric eye 38, and the sheet bearing such marker has closed switch 88, coil 83 of relay 86 will be energized. Disposed adjacent switch 88 of the folder 12 is a switch 92 which is normally in the closed position, unlike switch 88, and which in the closed position will permit current to flow through the now closed, normally open contact 94 of relay 86 (see FIG. 6) to the solenoid of the piston and cylinder unit 40 of FIGS. 1 and which controls the disposition of by-pass plate 42. The solenoid of piston and cylinder unit 40 is actuated by current flowing through the nowclosed contact 94 and the line 96 to move plate 42 into the dotted-line position of FIG. 5.

Current energizing the solenoid of piston and cylinder unit also passes through selector switch 98 which may have a movable contact 100' thereof in any of three positions. In the position illustrated in FIG. 6, switch 98 is set for automatic operation in conjunction with the power pack 78 and electric eye 38 of FIG. 6. If the movable contact 100 does not contact either of the two contacts straddling the same, the cylinder selector switch will be in an OFF condition, and if contact 100 engages contact 102, selector switch 98 will enable the air valve 40 to be manually operable, allowing the energizing current to by-pass the power pack 78 and electric eye 38. Thus in the event that some malfunction occurs in any of the components of the electric system employed to transmit a signal to relay 86 for energizing the solenoid of piston and cylinder unit 40, selector switch may be moved into the manual position enabling by-pass plate 42 of FIG. 5 to be readily moved into the lower by-pass position by manual actuation of the switch in the event a defective sheet is noted. FIG. 5 illustrates solenoid 41 employed in conjunction with piston and air cylinder 40, piston rod 43 pivotally moving by-pass plate 42 through interconnecting links 45.

As above mentioned, photo cell 76 of electric eye or pickup 38 upon noting the marker 30, causes a signal to be forwarded from relay 82 which is of short duration. Accordingly sheet S must close switch 88 disposed between ribbons of conveyor 90 of folder 12 as such signal is being transmitted.

Switch 92 must be in normally closed position to assure the fact that a sheet member (which may be passing through folder 12 in advance of a sheet S bearing the marker 30) does not contact the switch 92 so as to be in the path of by-pass plate 42 in the event that the same is actuated into the lower or by-pass position.

If the sheet S reaches switch 88 during transmission of the signal from relay 82, which may be of short duration e.g., two seconds, the solenoid of piston and cylinder 40 will not be de-energized to allow upward movement of by-pass plate 42 until switch 92 is closed and not engaged with a sheet. Termination of -a signal from relay 82 does not de-energize coil 83 of relay 86 since such coil continues to be energized by current passing through line 106, selector switch 98, lines 108, 110, closed, normally open contact 112, line 114, switch 88, and line 116. As a sheet S leaves switch 88, the circuit energizing coil 83 is broken.

Since as previously noted, marker 30 is applied to the terminal end of sheet S, the leading sheet edge will engage normally-open switch 88 during the transmission of the signal from relay 82. As also mentioned above, switch 92,

prevents jamming of a sheet in by-pass plate 42.

It is seen therefore, that an automatic system has been provided for affixing an identifying marker or the like to a sheet which is automatically processed by an ironer and adjacent folding machine. An automatic sensing device is provided to sense the presence of a marker on a defective sheet, moving the by-pass plate into a desired by-pass position whereby such defective sheet bearing the marker is discharged from the normal process path of a folding machine such as the illustrated folder 12.

It is apparent that certain modifications may be made in the foregoing apparatus which will not remove the modified apparatus from the scope of the invention disclosed. It will be noted for instance that the marker sensed by the electric eye 38 need not necessarily be a paper marker 30, but other means which may be readily sensed by the electric eye. A spray means may be employed spraying a water soluble dye onto a sheet in place of the piston and cylinder units dispensing the paper markers.

I claim:

1. In a laundry control substantially as described, the combination comprising means for moving laundry items along a predetermined path, signal-responsive means disposed adjacent such path for dispensing a marker means onto selected laundry items, moving along said predetermined path; means spaced from the dispensing means and disposed adjacent such path, sensitive to the presence of a marker means on a selected laundry item as it moves thereby along such predetermined path; means for directing a laundry item from such predetermined path when moved into a by-pass position; and means for moving the directing means into a bypass position, responsive to the means spaced from said dispensing means after a marker means is sensed by said means spaced from said dispensing means.

2. The laundry control of claim 1 in which the dispensing means comprises a reciprocating applicator which urges an adhesive-coated paper strip against such laundry item moving along such predetermined path.

3. The laundry control of claim 2 in which said applicator has an open-bottomed housing with a discontinuous ledge supporting said paper strips about a portion of the periphery thereof, said ledge being discontinued beneath the strip edge portions facing in the direction of laundry item movement.

4. The laundry control of claim 1 in combinations with spaced switch means through which current for energizing the moving means for the directing means passes, disposed in said predetermined path, the switch means disposed closer to the directing means being in the normally closed position; the switch means disposed farther from said directing means being in the normally open position whereby a laundry item is disposed between said spaced switch means when said directing means is moved into a by-pass position.

5. The laundry control of claim 1 in combination with means for initiating actuation of the dispensing means disposed on both sides of said predetermined path, and signal light means disposed adjacent each of the initiating means for indicating that actuation of said dispensing means has been initiated.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the means sensitive to the presence of said marker means comprises a photo cell, and a relay actuated by said cell which transmits an electrical signal for a predetermined time after sensing said marker means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the means for moving the directing means comprises a pneumatic piston 8 and cylinder unit controlled by a solenoid valve, said relay electrical signal energizing said solenoid valve whereby said directing means is moved into the by-pass position by said pneumatic unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in combination with a multi-position selector switch and a power supply which enables said pneumatic unit to be manually operable independent of said photo cell and relay.

9. The laundry control of claim 1 in which said marker means are readily water soluble, and a plurality of dispensing means are employed for dispensing diiferent marker means.

10. In a laundry control substantially as described, the combination comprising marker means having a light reflective property different from that of a laundry item such as a sheet or the like, means for moving laundry items along a predetermined path, means for dispensing said marker means onto a laundry item as it moves along such path, and means spaced from the dispensing means responsive to said marker means as it moves along such predetermined path for removing a laundry item having a marker means thereon from such predetermined path.

11. In the process for removing defective laundry items from a laundry cycle in which laundry items move along a predetermined path, the steps comprising mechanically applying a marker means, in response to a signal, to a selected, defective laundry piece as such defective piece moves along such predetermined path; automatically sensing such marker means as such defective piece moves along such predetermined path, and automatically removing said defective article from said predetermined path after said marker means has been sensed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,217,987 3/1917 Parce 209 X 1,836,113 12/1931 Garvey 10l2 X 1,872,258 8/1932 Elberty 209-l l 1.6 3,366,040 1/1968 Braun 1012 RICHARD A. SCHACHER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 20974, 111.6

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