US3653507A - Silverware sorter - Google Patents

Silverware sorter Download PDF

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Publication number
US3653507A
US3653507A US23855A US3653507DA US3653507A US 3653507 A US3653507 A US 3653507A US 23855 A US23855 A US 23855A US 3653507D A US3653507D A US 3653507DA US 3653507 A US3653507 A US 3653507A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
spoons
bed
handles
construction
forks
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
Application number
US23855A
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English (en)
Inventor
Ralph Ettlinger Jr
Frank J Kostohryz
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Avant Industries Inc
Original Assignee
Avant Industries Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Avant Industries Inc filed Critical Avant Industries Inc
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Publication of US3653507A publication Critical patent/US3653507A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
    • B07B13/00—Grading or sorting solid materials by dry methods, not otherwise provided for; Sorting articles otherwise than by indirectly controlled devices
    • B07B13/003—Separation of articles by differences in their geometrical form or by difference in their physical properties, e.g. elasticity, compressibility, hardness
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C99/00—Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S209/00—Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
    • Y10S209/926—Silverware sorter

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A silverware sorting construction for handling knives, forks and spoons.
  • a bed is provided with vibrating means or other devices for moving silverware toward a discharge end of the bed. Knives on the bed are maintained in position and are discharged into collecting means located at the end of the bed. Discharge openings are defined at an intermediate location, and both forks and spoons pass through the discharge openings.
  • a plate is positioned beneath the discharge openings, and slots are defined by the plate for receiving the forks and spoons. The slots are dimensioned so that the forks will pass through the plate into separate collecting means. The spoons are held suspended by their bowls and are moved along the plate to discharge openings at the end of the plate.
  • separating means may be employed for separating spoons of different size, for example separating spoons with longer handles from spoons with shorter handles. Separate collecting means are then provided for the different types of spoons.
  • This invention relates to an apparatus for handling silverware.
  • the apparatus is particularly designed for sorting silverware so that knives, spoons and forks can automatically be collected in separate receptacles.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view of a silverware sorting construction characterized by the features of this invention
  • FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the construction
  • FIG. 3 is an enlarged front end view of the construction
  • FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line 4--4 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 5 is a rear end view of the construction
  • FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken about the line 6-6 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view, partly cut away, illustrating the discharge end of the construction
  • FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary, sectional view taken about the line 99 of FIG. 8;
  • FIG. 10 is a top view of the structure shown in FIG. 9;
  • FIG. 11 is a plan view of a mechanism employed for separating forks and spoons taken about the line l111 of FIG. 14;
  • FIG. 12 is a vertical, sectional view taken about the line 12-l2 ofFIG. 8;
  • FIG. 13 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken about the line 1313 ofFIG. 11;
  • FIG. 14 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken about the line l4l4 ofFIG. 11;
  • FIG. 15 is a schematic illustration of the construction with silverware collecting receptacles associated therewith.
  • the construction of the invention generally includes a bed for supporting knives, forks, and spoons delivered onto the bed. Means are provided for moving the silverware along the bed toward a discharge end.
  • the system includes vibrating means for this purpose so that the movement can be rather precisely controlled and so that the silverware will move along desired paths, preferably provided by means of troughs defined in the bed.
  • a collecting means for knives includes a chute positioned at the end of the bed. The knives are loaded on the bed, and are retained on the bed until they fall into the chute which guides them to a suitable receptacle.
  • Discharge outlets are provided in the bed ahead of the chute for collecting knives.
  • the forks and spoons all pass through these discharge openings and onto a plate structure defined between the discharge openings.
  • this plate structure comprises a lower bed which forms a unit with the upper bed and which is connected to the same vibrating means.
  • Slots are formed in the lower bed, and these slots are dimensioned so that the forks will pass completely through the lower bed into suitable receptacles for the forks.
  • the handles of the spoons will also pass through the slots; however, the slots are not sufficiently large to permit passage of the bowl portions of the spoons.
  • the spoons remain suspended in the slots, and they are moved along the slots, preferably because of the vibrating action.
  • Discharge outlets are provided at the 'ends of the slots, and the spoons progress through these outlets.
  • spoons with longer handles for example, tablespoons
  • spoons with shorter handles such as teaspoons. This separation is accomplished by providing cam means which force the long handled spoons into one side of a separating wall. Means such as an air spray are then employed for forcing the short handled spoons onto the other side of the wall, and separate collecting means are provided for the different types of spoons.
  • the form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings comprises an upper bed 10 supported on a pan 12.
  • a plurality of delivery conduits 14 are provided for placing silverware of the bed 10.
  • the conduits 14 may be connected to an automatic dishwasher separating apparatus such as described in copending application Ser. No. 828,510.
  • the construction of this invention may be utilized immediately after silverware has been separated from other types of tableware.
  • the silverware may be collected in baskets or other receptacles for passage through a dishwashing machine. If the receptacles are of a suitable type, silverware may be immediately carried in the receptacles for reuse in a restaurant operation or the like. This arrangement will completely eliminate manual handling of the silverware by employees.
  • the system of this invention is also suitable for sorting silverware after the silverware has passed through a dishwashing machine.
  • the soiled silverware may be loaded in a dishwashing machine in random fashion which is sometimes preferable in order to maintain the individual pieces of silverware in a separated state.
  • the silverware can be delivered to the apparatus of this invention and automatically sorted into individual containers before reuse.
  • the pan 12 is mounted on vertically extending plates 16 which are secured to vibrator 18.
  • the mounting base 21 has springs 22 and 23 at its opposite ends to provide a conventional means for isolating the vibrator assembly.
  • the vibrator is set so that the silverware will progress from the entry end adjacent the conduits 14 toward the opposite end.
  • a plurality of troughs 20 are defined by the bed so that the silverware will move along defined paths.
  • the silverware is preferably delivered through the individual chutes, one piece at a time, so that there are no pieces on top of each other during travel along the bed 10.
  • Knives typically have handles which allow them to pass over slots 34 without dropping through the slots.
  • the width, weight, thickness, etc., of the handles causes the knives to remain in a horizontal position during travel along the bed.
  • the knives therefore, progress to the discharge end, and are then delivered into a chute 25.
  • This chute defines a narrow end portion 24 which directs all knives out through an opening 26 defined in the end wall 28 of the pan 12.
  • the knives may be collected by directing the knives down a guide member 55 and into a collecting receptacle 57.
  • collecting receptacles 59 and 61 may be provided, respectively, for the forks and spoons. Where, as will be described, the spoons are separated by size, a separate receptacle will be located behind the receptacle 61 for receiving spoons directed to the back side of the wall 58. It will be appreciated that a plurality of receptacles will be required depending upon the number of separate discharge positions of the various pieces of silverware.
  • suitable guide plates may be employed to insure that the respective types of silverware are directed to the proper receptacle.
  • the handles of these items are positioned at an angle relative to the bottom surface of the troughs 20. As shown in FIG. 8, the handle 30 is at a slight angle relative to the surface 32 of the trough 20. Slots 34 are provided adjacent the end of each trough 20, and these openings are dimensioned so that the handles of the spoons and forks will move into the openings. As indicated, the knives remain in a horizontal position and move past these openings 34.
  • the attitude of the spoon and fork handles is preferably controlled by providing cam surfaces 36 mid-way along the troughs 20. These cam surfaces tend to locate the handles on edge as shown in FIG. 4 to facilitate movement into the openings 34.
  • a plurality of short chutes 38 are located beneath openings 34 for delivering the forks and spoons onto the bed 40 of the pan 12.
  • This bed defines a plurality of troughs 42, each defining an elongated slot 44.
  • the slots 44 are sufficiently wide to permit forks 46 to fall through the bed 40.
  • Guide elements 48 are provided for directing the forks to suitable receptacles.
  • the handles of spoons 50 will also pass through the slots 44; however, the bowls of these handles will not pass through whereby the spoons are suspended. Because of the vibrating action, the spoons move along the slots 44 toward discharge openings 52. The spoons then drop through these discharge openings where they are collected by a suitable receptacle.
  • spoons of different types are employed.
  • the spoon 50 is intended to correspond to a teaspoon while the spoon 54 represents a tablespoon or soup spoon. Because of the relative length of the handles of these spoons, means have been developed which will separate the spoons according to size before the spoons drop through the discharge openings 52.
  • the separating means include a cam 56 positioned beneath each slot 44. This cam is located so that spoons with longer handles engage the cam thereby holding these spoons in a desired position. A wall 58 is located immediately beyond the cam 56 and the cams direct the handles of these longer handled spoons for movement along one side of each wall 58.
  • the shorter handled spoons are intended to move along the other side of the wall 58.
  • the position of the shorter handled spoons may be controlled by any means located to engage these handles after the longer handles engage the cams 56.
  • air streams may be discharged from one or more openings 62 in nozzles 60 with the air streams engaging each spoon moving along the slots 44.
  • a common air supply 64 is provided for each nozzle. As best shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the air streams operate to push the shorter handled spoons to one side of the wall 58. The streams also engage the longer handled spoons; however, these spoons are prevented from movement to that side ofthe wall 58 by the cam 56.
  • a brush, flexible arm, or other diverting means could be used in place of the air streams. It is preferable that these diverting means be flexible in nature so that the long handles which are in engagement with cams 56 can force their way by the diverting means. On the other hand, the cams 56 could be designed so that they push the long handles into a significantly different path with other stationary cam means then being employed for diverting the shorter handled spoons.
  • suitable cams can be designed for engaging the bowls of spoons with bowls of different size being diverted to different collection means.
  • both of the beds 10 and 40 are connected to the same vibrator and, therefore, all of the desired movement can be accomplished with one power source.
  • the bed 40 may be provided by means of a completely independent plate, and separate means may be utilized for moving spoons suspended on this plate. Suitable brush constructions or fluid streams could be employed for imparting movement to the silverware on either bed either as independent power means or in conjunction with the vibrating means.
  • a construction for sorting silverware including knives, forks and spoons, said construction comprising a bed for supporting silverware, means for moving the silverware along the bed toward a discharge end, the knives on said bed being retained in a substantially horizontal position during movement across the bed, first collecting means positioned adjacent said discharge end for receiving said knives from the bed, at least one discharge opening defined by said bed, said forks and spoons dropping through said discharge opening, a plate positioned beneath said discharge opening, a slot in said plate dimensioned to permit the passage of said forks beyond the plate, second collecting means for receiving said forks, said slot also permitting passage of the spoon handles but being dimensioned to prevent passage of the bowl portion of spoons whereby spoons are suspended by said plate, means for moving suspended spoons along the length of said slot, and third collecting means at the end of said slot for receiving said spoons.
  • said first collecting means for said knives includes a chute having an entry end positioned adjacent the discharge end of said bed and being substantially coextensive therewith, said knives moving along said bed and progressing directly from said bed into said chute.
  • a construction in accordance with claim 1 including means for separating spoons having shorter handles from spoons having longer handles, said separating means comprising a cam element for engaging spoons with a longer handle, and a wall positioned adjacent said cam element, said cam element directing the spoons with long handles on one side of said wall during movement of the spoons along said slot while the spoons with shorter handles move along the other side of said wall.
  • a construction in accordance with claim 6 including air discharge means directed toward the spoon handles during movement of the spoons along said slot, said air discharge means operating to force the spoons with shorter handles to a position for movement of the shorter spoon handles along said other side of said wall.
  • said third collecting means comprise separate receptacles for receiving spoons having long handles and spoons having short handles.
  • a construction in accordance with claim 10 including a chute positioned beneath said discharge opening operating to direct said forks and spoons handles-first onto said plate.
  • said plate comprises the bed of a pan structure, said first mentioned bed being mounted on said pan structure above said pan bed, and wherein the means for moving the silverware along said upper bed and along the length of said slot comprises a vibrating means connected to the bottom of said pan structure.
  • a construction in accordance with claim 1 including cam means defined by said bed for locating the handles of said forks and spoons on edge to facilitate dropping of the forks and spoons through said discharge opening.

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  • Combined Means For Separation Of Solids (AREA)
  • Table Equipment (AREA)
US23855A 1970-03-30 1970-03-30 Silverware sorter Expired - Lifetime US3653507A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US2385570A 1970-03-30 1970-03-30

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US3653507A true US3653507A (en) 1972-04-04

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DE (1) DE2114982A1 (enExample)
FR (1) FR2084224A5 (enExample)
GB (1) GB1342276A (enExample)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3877577A (en) * 1973-10-29 1975-04-15 Wilton Richard Culinary articles and apparatus for retrieving and/or sorting the same
US3883422A (en) * 1973-06-20 1975-05-13 Avant Ind Silverware feeder construction
US3956109A (en) * 1974-10-24 1976-05-11 Avant Industries, Inc. Automatic silverware sorting construction
EP0220832A3 (en) * 1985-09-24 1988-02-03 British Airways Plc Method and apparatus for sorting articles
WO1990014171A1 (en) * 1989-05-16 1990-11-29 Food Service Innovations, Inc. Flatware separating and cleaning apparatus
WO2014031397A1 (en) * 2012-08-20 2014-02-27 Premark Feg L.L.C. Cutlery holder

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105457901A (zh) * 2016-01-22 2016-04-06 安徽捷迅光电技术有限公司 一种色选机槽道防跳挡板

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3301397A (en) * 1964-09-23 1967-01-31 Roger A Stutz Silverware sorting device
US3545613A (en) * 1968-10-11 1970-12-08 Economics Lab Sorting various pieces of silverware by kind and size

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3301397A (en) * 1964-09-23 1967-01-31 Roger A Stutz Silverware sorting device
US3545613A (en) * 1968-10-11 1970-12-08 Economics Lab Sorting various pieces of silverware by kind and size

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3883422A (en) * 1973-06-20 1975-05-13 Avant Ind Silverware feeder construction
US3877577A (en) * 1973-10-29 1975-04-15 Wilton Richard Culinary articles and apparatus for retrieving and/or sorting the same
US3956109A (en) * 1974-10-24 1976-05-11 Avant Industries, Inc. Automatic silverware sorting construction
EP0220832A3 (en) * 1985-09-24 1988-02-03 British Airways Plc Method and apparatus for sorting articles
WO1990014171A1 (en) * 1989-05-16 1990-11-29 Food Service Innovations, Inc. Flatware separating and cleaning apparatus
WO2014031397A1 (en) * 2012-08-20 2014-02-27 Premark Feg L.L.C. Cutlery holder

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DE2114982A1 (de) 1971-10-21
GB1342276A (en) 1974-01-03
FR2084224A5 (enExample) 1971-12-17

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