US3604321A - Programmed sheet distributing device - Google Patents
Programmed sheet distributing device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3604321A US3604321A US829274A US3604321DA US3604321A US 3604321 A US3604321 A US 3604321A US 829274 A US829274 A US 829274A US 3604321D A US3604321D A US 3604321DA US 3604321 A US3604321 A US 3604321A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- station
- sheets
- stations
- sheet
- switch
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H39/00—Associating, collating, or gathering articles or webs
- B65H39/10—Associating articles from a single source, to form, e.g. a writing-pad
- B65H39/11—Associating articles from a single source, to form, e.g. a writing-pad in superposed carriers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2408/00—Specific machines
- B65H2408/10—Specific machines for handling sheet(s)
- B65H2408/11—Sorters or machines for sorting articles
- B65H2408/112—Sorters or machines for sorting articles with stationary location in space of the bins and in-feed member movable from bin to bin
Definitions
- ABSTRACT A deflector of a sheet distributing mechanism is [73] Asslgnee or positioned at selected stations in response to the passage of Seattle, Wash. sheets past the deflector.
- a manually programmed crossbar switch determines the preselected numbers of sheets to be dis- [54] PROGRAMME], SHEET DISTRIBUTING DEVICE tributed to any one of several stations.
- a sheet stepping switch 6 claims 3 Drawing Figs and a station stepping switch join the programmed crossbars of the crossbar switch when the programmed number of sheets have been received at the selected station so as to index the deflector to the next station.
- the number of sheets and the number of stations programmed may be varied, stations may 4 l 3 3 h 5 6 B [Sl] Int. [50] Field C be skipped or the device may operate as a collator by distributing a single station at a time to one or more of the sheets.
- This invention pertains to sorting devices and, more particularly, to sorting devices that may be programmed to distribute selected numbers of sheets to selected stations.
- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Means for delivering successive numbers of sheets to a distributing mechanism for distribution into a plurality of stations or packets, The passage of a sheet into one of the stations is sensed and the signal received therefrom is directed to a program means which passes the signal according to the program to an indexing mechanism for distributing the sheets to another station.
- the program means may be set for collating, that is, delivering a single sheet to each of several sheet-receivers, or sorting selected numbers of sheet to selected ones of the stations.
- the program means may be set to skip various stations which is done with an anticipation device to prevent jerky shipping.
- FIG. I is an isometric, schematic view of a distributing mechanism capable of distributing sheets of copy or the like to various stations.
- FIG. 2 is a control circuit diagram for controlling the operation of the distributing mechanism and capable of being programmed to deliver selected numbers of sheets to selected statrons.
- FIG. 3 is a program circuit diagram illustrating the circuitry for operating the distributing mechanism according to a preset program and in conjunction with signals received from the control circuit illustrated in FIG. 2.
- the distributing mechanism of the instant invention is best illustrated in FIG. I and includes a pair of conveyor tapes 12 which carry sheets of copy S or the like around a pair of upper sheaves l4 and down a vertical run past a plurality of vertically spaced pockets or stations 16.
- a deflecting assembly 18 includes a deflector 20 that is positioned in the path of the sheets carried by the conveyor tapes l2 and deflects the sheets into one of the various stations.
- the deflector is moved along the vertical row of stations by a pair of chains 22 that pass over upper sprockets 24 that are keyed on an upper shaft 26.
- the upper shaft has an extension 28 for a purpose to be later described.
- the deflector assembly 18 also includes a lower shaft 30 to which is keyed a pair of lower sprockets 31 that carry the chains 22.
- the lower shaft 30 is rotated, thus positioning the deflector 20, by a continuously running motor M34 operatively connected to the lower shaft 30 by a clutch 33 and a brake 34.
- the brake and clutch are connected to a shaft 36 which, for purpose to be later described, is keyed a cam 37 having diametrically spaced cam lobes 370.
- a light 39 casts a beam to a photocell 40 with the beam being broken each time a sheet S is deflected into a station 16.
- the breaking of the beam by the sheet S and the resumption of the beam after the sheet has passed energizes the circuit for engaging the clutch and disengaging the brake to index the deflector to the next station.
- a switch 42 having an arm which rides on the cam 36 is activated when contacted by one of the lobes 37a to sense the position of the deflector 20 at the next station and to disengage the clutch and engage the brake.
- the switch 5-31 is at the top of the deflector assembly.
- a switch 5-25 is operated by a tab 46 that is rotated about a shaft 48 powered by the upper shaft extension 28. One complete cycling of the deflector assembly 18 will rotate the shaft 48 a single revolution.
- the tab 46 is manually positiona ble by a dial 49 in such a manner that the tab 46 will activate the switch 8-25 when the deflector 20 has been recycled to the station 16 corresponding to the setting of the dial 49.
- Proof fingers 43 may be lowered by a solenoid 42 into the path of the sheets to remove sheets for proofing by guiding them into a tray 10.
- the description of the control circuit of FIG. 2 for operating the distributing mechanism 10 will now be described.
- the distributing mechanism 10 will be used in conjunction with a feeding device, such as a press, copying machine or other printing apparatus, and will be activated by depressing the start switch 5-3, which is a double switch having normally open contacts S-3-I and normally closed contacts 5-3-2 to energize the power control relay R-16 between lines L-3 and L-2.
- the line L4, below the power relay circuit R-l6, is also energized through a diode D5 in conjunction with a capacitor C1 to provide DC voltage in the L4.
- Other forms of conventional rectifier circuits may, of course, be employed to produce constant DC voltage in line L4.
- the deflector 20 carried by the chains 22 will have reached its uppermost position (in the preferred embodiment) and contacted the arm of the switch S-3l.
- Closing the switch S-31 energizes the relay R-IS which locks itself in through one of its contacts R-lS-l and a normally closed brake set switch 5-25. Contacts R-I5-2 are also closed to energize relay R-l3.
- Contacts R-13-1 are then closed to energize the solenoid of clutch 33 to engage the clutch and contacts R-l3-2 are opened to deenergize the solenoid of brake 34 to disengage the brake so that the chains 22 are driven by the motor M-34 to move the deflector 20 through an uninterrupted recycling traverse.
- the third contacts, R-l5-3, of relay R-15 are also closed to energize the relay R-42.
- Energization of the relay R-42 closes contacts R-42-2 to energize the proof solenoid 42 lowering the fingers 43 into the path of the oncoming sheets S so that any sheet approaching the sheaves 14 on the conveyor tapes 12 will be diverted into the proof tray 44 and will not break the beam of the photocell while the deflector 20 is being recycled.
- Relay R-ll becomes instantaneously deenergized each time a sheet S passes between the photocell 40 and the light source 39.
- contacts R-ll-l are opened, however, relay R-l4 is provided with a conventional resistance-capacitance delay circuit 60 so that by the time the sheet has passed between the photocell and the light source into a station 16 the relay R-l4 is again energized so that contact R-l4-1 are not opened and thus motor M-34 remains in operation.
- the arm of the switch 5-138 is in the upper position, as shown in FIG.
- relay R-l3 engages the clutch 33 and disengages the brake 34 to index the deflector 20 upward toward the next station
- the cam 37 is rotated to remove the arm of switch 138 from a cam lobe 37a and positions the arm of the switchS S-l38 into the lower position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2.
- Switch 5-138 is a microswitch which has an arm that changes its position from the upper to the lower contacts instantaneously. Moving the arm of the switch S-l38 to the dotted line position deenergizes the relay R-l2; however, R-l3 remains energized by the circuit through switch 5-138 and diode D4.
- the deflector 20 may be manually controlled by depressing switch 5-2 which closed contacts S-2-l to energize relay R-12 and upon release of the switch closes contracts S-2-2 to energize relay R-l3.
- the indexing sequence then follows the foregoing procedure.
- the deflector 20 may also be recycled at any desired time during the normal operating cycle by closing recycle switch S-28 which energizes relay R-lS the same as if the count complete switch 5-31 had been closed.
- a proof switch S-203 is provided to selectively energize the relay R-42 to energize proof solenoid 42 so that sheets S may be removed for proofing to moving the deflector 20 to its next station.
- the program control circuit is illustrated in FIG. 3 with the reference characters P-3-l through P-3-6 and P-3-9 being connected to the control circuit shown in FIG. 2 at the corresponding similarly identified points.
- the purpose of the program circuit is to allow the operator to determine the number of sheets S to be delivered to each station 16 from the press or feeder. This is accomplished by manually presetting a crossbar switch or matrix 70 having sets of upper and lower contact strips 72 and 74, respectively. If desired, automatically controlled programming devices could be used.
- a typical crossbar switch is manufactured by Cherry Electrical Products Corporation, Highland Park, Ill. Basically this type of switch employs a series of manually positioned contacts 75 that connect individual strips of top level 72 with those of the lower level 74.
- the switch has provisions for 26 contact strips on the lower level and 10 strips on the upper level with the 26 strips on the lower level corresponding to 26 stations 16 and 10 strips on the upper level representing from zero to nine sheets.
- a contact 75 By manually placing a contact 75 at the desired coordinates the number of sheets delivered to each station is established. Zero sheets, that is a skipped station, is accomplished by placing the contract 75 at the upper level strip indicated as zero as illustrated for example at station No. 2. In this position the deflector 20 will skip station No. 2 delivering no sheets thereto.
- the strips 72 are joined to a circuit 75 by a sheet-stepping contact 77.
- the sheet stepping contact 77 is stepped around to various contacts or terminals numbered 1-11 by a conventional stepping coil to be later described.
- the lower strip 74 and thus an upper strip 72 when in contract with a lower strip 74 are connected to a circuit 78 via station-stepping contract 79 and a diode D3.
- the stationstepping contact 79 is of the type that is stepped by a spring each time its coil is deenergized.
- a suitable switch is manufactured by Automatic Electric as a Type 45 Rotary Stepping Switch. Further details of the operation of the station-stepping contact 79 will be given herein below.
- Each time the stationstepping contact 79 advances the sheet-stepping contact 77 is horned to the first position as illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 3.
- both stepping contacts 77 and 79 are returned to home positions, i.e. first positions. Unless changed by charging the position of a movable contact 75 the program is ready to be repeated.
- the program circuit of FIG. 3 is inserted at points in the control circuit of FIG. 2 and particularly at point P-3-3 so that the signal which causes the deflector bar 20 to be indexed to a next station after a sheet has been fed into a station 16 is fed into program circuit at point P-3-4.
- point P-3-3 and P-3-4 will be directly connected and the program circuit will be effectively bypassed so that the control circuit of FIG. 2 operates in its normal manner.
- the index signal being utilized at point P-3-3 is an appropriate positive DC voltage, transmitted when a sheet S begins entrance between the light 39 and the photocell 40.
- This DC voltage is applied to relay C through isolating diode D1, line 84, interrupter contacts 85, normally closed contacts R-l2-3, and line 86 to point P-3-9 which is connected to line L-2 in the control circuit.
- Relay C pulls in and latches through a set of its own contacts C-l which connects the high side of its coil to a steady source of positive voltage at point P-3-2. At the same time contacts C-2 are closed in the return circuit of the sheet stepper coil 87.
- this coil Since this coil is connected, on the high side, to the steady source of positive DC voltage at point P-3-2 (See FIG. 2), it is now ready to be energized when the return circuit is completed through isolating diode D2 and a normally open set of contacts R-1l-4 of the relay R-l 1.
- the reset signal for the sheet-stepper contact 77 is an appropriate DC voltage taken from the portion of the control circuit energizing relay R-13 and appearing at P-3-5 when the deflector 20 is endexed. This signal is applied to the reset coil 89 through the contacts 90 which completes the circuit only when the stepper is not in home position.
- the return circuit for this coil 89 is through a normally closed set of contacts C-3, isolating diode D2, a normally open set of contacts 11-114 of the relay R-l 1, line 86 to point 3-9 at line L-2 of the control circuit.
- relay C Since relay C is dropped out as described above when the relay R-12 is energized (contracts R-12-3 opened) the return circuit to the coil 87 is opened, the return circuit to the reset coil 89 is closed, thus homing the sheetstepper contact 77 in a conventional manner.
- the signal for stepping the station-stepper contact 79 is an appropriate positive DC voltage taken directly form the point P-3-11 in the line connected by switch 5-138.
- the signal is applied to the high side of the station-stepper coil 91 through a normally closed set of contracts R-3 of relay R. Contacts R-3 when opened prevent the station-stepper contact 79 from advancing beyond the home position when the station-stepper contact is being reset to home position.
- the lower strip contract 72 representing zero sheets is connected to point P-3-1 through normally closed relay contracts R-l.
- An appropriate DC signal appears at point P-3-1 form the control circuit in FIG. 2 whenever the arm of the index switch 8-138 is in the soild line position, that is, with the deflector 20 in position to feed a sheet at a station 16. Therefore, whenever the strip 72 representing zero sheets is connected to a lower strip 74 by a contact 75 this signal is applied, through the station-stepper contact 79, isolating diode D3, line 78, to point P34 causing the deflector 10 to be indexed immediately without deflecting a sheet S at the statron.
- a unique feature of the invention is the use of an anticipating device to insure a smooth skip by the deflector assembly 18 by keeping the relay R-l3 energized constantly until the desired number of receiving stations have been skipped. This prevents the instantaneous application of the brake and disengagement of the clutch at each station which in a series of consecutive skipped stations would produce an annoying jerky operation.
- the station-stepper is provided with a second level B of terminals 1 to 25 that are joined respectively to terminals 2 to 26 of level A.
- the station-stepper contact 79 has a corresponding level B station-stepper contact 179a which moves conjointly with the contact 79.
- Energization of relay SSA closes contacts SSA-1 connecting the steady source of DC voltage at P-3-2 to the zero strip contact 72 thus maintaining a steady source of DC voltage at P-3-4 until such time as the station-stepper contact 79a of level B no longer sees a voltage.
- Level B no longer sees a voltage indicating a skip at the next station when the terminal to which it is connected is a strip contact 74 that is not connected so a zero upper strip contact due to the absence of a contact 75. (ln other words, contact 75 has been placed to distribute sheets to that particular station.)
- a jerky skip is prevented since the clutch remains engaged and the brake remains disengaged so long as the next succeeding station is also to be skipped.
- the anticipation can be of several stations in advance, rather than a single station, to sense other advanced conditions.
- the upper strip contact 72 representing a sheet distribution of one to a particular station is connected directly to point P-3-3 by a line 95.
- the sheet-stepper contact 77 is in an off (open) position for a sheet delivery of one.
- the sheet stepper contract 77 is bypassed and the deflector assembly 18 and the control circuit, in effect, operate in a normal fashion with indexing of the deflector 20 to the next station occurring after the delivery of a single sheet.
- the signal for resetting the station-stepper contact 79 and 79a is taken from the same source as the reset signal for the sheet-stepper contact 77. It is applied through a normally open set of contacts R-2 of the relay R, through contact 97 which is normally open only when the station-stepper contact 79 reaches home or station one position and the interrupter contracts 92 to the high side of the station stepper coil 91.
- the return circuit to energize the coil is, as previously described, through contact C-3, diode D2, contact R-ll-4 line 86, to point P-3-9 at line L2. Due to the action of the interrupter contacts 92, the station stepper contacts 79 and 79a will move around to home position when the contact 97 is open to break the circuit.
- Unwanted currents generated by the inductance of the step coil 91 during the rapid making and breaking of the circuit by the interrupter contacts 92 are dissipated by a varistor 98 across the coil 91.
- the signal to energize the relay R is received through point P-3-6, from the high side of relay R-15 in the control circuit of FIG. 2.
- a signal to energize R is received at point P-3-6 when the deflector 20 is being recycled to begin another traverse.
- a resistor-capacitor delay circuit 100 is applied across the coil of relay R to delay the dropping out of this relay long enough to insure that the stepper contact the stepper contractor 79 does not accidentally advance one step.
- This insurance is provided by the normally closed contract R-3 and in the positive DC supply circuit form P-3-1 by the contacts R-l.
- a device for distributing selective numbers of sheets to selected stations comprising means for delivering successive numbers of sheets to a distributing mechanism for distribution into a plurality of stations; means for sensing the passage of a sheet into a selected one said stations; program means for passing an index signal when a preselected number of sheets is reached for said preselected one of said stations, said program means including a selector switch having contact strips on upper and lower levels and manually placed contacts connecting various of said upper and lower contact strips; and means responsive to said index signal for indexing said distributing mechanism to deliver sheets to another of said stations.
- said program means includes a sheet-stepper switch and a station-stepper switch and wherein said station-stepper switch includes anticipating means for looking ahead to the next station to determine a skipped condition.
- a device for distributing selected numbers of sheets to selected stations comprising means for delivering successive numbers of sheets to a distributing mechanism for distribution into a plurality of stations; means for sensing the passage of a sheet into a selected one said stations; program means for passing an index signal when a preselected number of sheets is reached for said preselected one said stations, said program means including a sheet-stepper switch and a station-stepper switch; said sheet-stepper switch including a stepping coil and reset coil and wherein said station-stepper switch includes indirectly driven, multilevel station-stepping contracts and means responsive to said index signal for indexing said distributing mechanism to deliver sheets to another of said stations.
- a device for distributing selected numbers of sheets to selected stations comprising means for delivering successive numbers of sheets to a distributing mechanism for distribution into a plurality of stations; said distributing mechanism including a deflector positioned in the path of said moving sheets and selectively alignable at a plurality of said station; means for sensing the passage of a sheet into a selected one of said switch operative sequentially engaged the other level of con-' tact strips, and means for advancing said station-stepper switch to a next contact strip and homing said sheet-stepper switch upon said sheet-stepper switch reaching a contact strip coupled to said station-stepper switch through said manually placed contact.
Abstract
Description
Claims (6)
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US82927469A | 1969-06-02 | 1969-06-02 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US3604321A true US3604321A (en) | 1971-09-14 |
Family
ID=25254041
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US829274A Expired - Lifetime US3604321A (en) | 1969-06-02 | 1969-06-02 | Programmed sheet distributing device |
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Country | Link |
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US (1) | US3604321A (en) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3834289A (en) * | 1973-04-02 | 1974-09-10 | Graphic Engineers Inc | Photoelectric counter for paper conveyor |
US4141546A (en) * | 1971-10-05 | 1979-02-27 | International Business Machines Corporation | Mini-collator/sorter |
US4548403A (en) * | 1981-11-18 | 1985-10-22 | Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha | Sorter |
US5011131A (en) * | 1988-07-11 | 1991-04-30 | Daverio Ag | Sorting apparatus |
Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3291010A (en) * | 1963-12-23 | 1966-12-13 | Johns Manville | Counting and stacking apparatus |
US3418895A (en) * | 1967-06-20 | 1968-12-31 | Charles G. Palmer | Control system for article stackers |
-
1969
- 1969-06-02 US US829274A patent/US3604321A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3291010A (en) * | 1963-12-23 | 1966-12-13 | Johns Manville | Counting and stacking apparatus |
US3418895A (en) * | 1967-06-20 | 1968-12-31 | Charles G. Palmer | Control system for article stackers |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4141546A (en) * | 1971-10-05 | 1979-02-27 | International Business Machines Corporation | Mini-collator/sorter |
US3834289A (en) * | 1973-04-02 | 1974-09-10 | Graphic Engineers Inc | Photoelectric counter for paper conveyor |
US4548403A (en) * | 1981-11-18 | 1985-10-22 | Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha | Sorter |
US5011131A (en) * | 1988-07-11 | 1991-04-30 | Daverio Ag | Sorting apparatus |
US5090687A (en) * | 1988-07-11 | 1992-02-25 | Daverio Ag | Method of sorting printing plates |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: NORFIN INTERNATIONAL, INC.,WASHINGTON Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SNELLMAN, DONALD L.;REEL/FRAME:004688/0034 Effective date: 19870114 Owner name: NORFIN INTERNATIONAL, INC., 526 FIRST AVENUE, SOUT Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:SNELLMAN, DONALD L.;REEL/FRAME:004688/0034 Effective date: 19870114 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: PACCOM LEASING CORPORATION, A OREGON CORP., OREGON Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:NORFIN INTERNATIONAL, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004862/0406 Effective date: 19880222 Owner name: PACCOM LEASING CORPORATION, 1221 SW YAMHILL, SUITE Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:NORFIN INTERNATIONAL, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004862/0406 Effective date: 19880222 |