US3675770A - Silverware sorting means - Google Patents

Silverware sorting means Download PDF

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Publication number
US3675770A
US3675770A US60020A US3675770DA US3675770A US 3675770 A US3675770 A US 3675770A US 60020 A US60020 A US 60020A US 3675770D A US3675770D A US 3675770DA US 3675770 A US3675770 A US 3675770A
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Prior art keywords
bed
spoons
opening
silverware
pass
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Expired - Lifetime
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US60020A
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English (en)
Inventor
Ralph Ettlinger Jr
Frederick P Strobl Jr
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Avent Inc
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Avent Inc
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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
    • 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

  • a silverware sorting means for separating knives, forks and spoons which are delivered in random fashion to the sorting means.
  • a sorting bed is provided with vibrating means for moving silverware toward various discharge openings in the bed. Knives are passed through first openings at the leading end of the bed and then into collecting means located beneath the bed. Discharge openings at an intermediate location provide for the passage of spoons through the bed and into additional collecting means.
  • These discharge openings comprise slots dimensioned so that spoons of one size will pass through first into separate collecting means and larger spoons at a later time for discharge into further collecting means.
  • the spoons are held suspended by their bowls and the attitude of the spoons is controlled to determine the discharge point.
  • Separate discharge openings are then provided for the forks, the prior openings beingdesigned so that the forks will ride over these openings.
  • This invention relates to an apparatus for sorting silverware.
  • the apparatus is particularly designed for handling knives, spoons and forks so that these items can be automatically collected in separate receptacle without the need for manual sorting.
  • Copending application Ser. No. 23,855 entitled Silverware Sorter describes a means for sorting silverware as an operation apart from the sorting of other items of tableware.
  • the systems described in the other applications are quite satisfactory from the standpoint of separating various items of tableware, however, special problems remain insofar as silverware is concerned.
  • Naturally pieces of silverware represent a proportionally higher number of pieces when the total number of pieces used in a particular institution are considered. Accordingly, it is most important to provide means for reducing as much as possible the handling of silverware to thereby minimize labor costs, to save time in the over-all operation, and to eliminate handling of clean silverware prior to use in the dining area.
  • FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view taken about the line 1-1 of FIG. 2 illustrating a silverware sorting construction characterized by the features of this invention
  • FIG. 2 is a plan view of the construction
  • FIG. 3 is a lower level plan view taken about the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 4 is an end view taken about the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a track
  • FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of a track
  • FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;
  • FIGS. 8 through 12 are enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional views taken, respectively, about the lines 8-8 through 12-12 of'FIG. l;
  • FIGS. 13 and 14 are enlarged-fragmentary cross-sectional views taken about the lines 13-13 and 14-14, respectively, of FIG. 1.
  • 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 comprises first openings defined by the bed adjacent the front end. The knives are loaded on the bed, and are then passed through these openings onto a lower level bed. The knives are then moved along this bed until they fall into a suitable receptacle positioned at the end of the lower level.
  • Second discharge outlets are provided in the bed for collecting spoons.
  • the spoons all pass through these discharge openings with means being provided for separating spoons with larger and smaller bowls.
  • these separating means comprise a retaining wall which engages the spoon handles and maintains the angle of the spoons to thereby control the discharge position.
  • a third set of openings is formed in the bed, and these openings are dimensioned so that the forks will pass through the bed into suitable receptacles for the forks.
  • the bed preferably defines V-shaped troughs for receiving the silverware during movement over the bed, and this trough design causes the forks to by-pass openings through which the knives and spoons pass.
  • FIG. 1' illustrates a silverware sorting apparatus 10 characterized by the features of this invention.
  • This apparatus consists of an upper bed 12 which received silverware from a loading apparatus 14.
  • the loading apparatus 14 comprises a drum 16 mounted on rollers 18 with openings being defined by the drum whereby silverware will deposit on a delivery chute surface 20 as the drum revolves.
  • various loading means could be employed, including manual loading, in conjunction with the sorting construction of this invention.
  • the main bed 12 of the sorting apparatus defines a plurality of troughs 22 for receiving pieces of silverware. Openings in the form of elongated slots 24 and shorter and wider slots 26 are defined at the bottom of each trough. The end of each slot 24 defines an enlarged portion 28.
  • the sorting apparatus also includes a lower bed 30 which is attached through walls 32 to the upper bed 12. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower bed defines a plurality of grooved portions 36 and discharge openings 38 are defined at the bottom of each groove adjacent the end of the bed 30. Positioned beneath the openings 38 is a funnel structure 40. The outlet 42 of this funnel structure is located above a container 44 which is utilized for holding the silverware. The container 44 may be employed for holding soiled silverware where the sorting is accomplished prior to delivery of the silverware to a dishwasher. On the other hand, the construction of this invention is also ideally suited for the sorting of clean silverware. In that case, the receptacle 44 may comprise a cup structure of the type used in a cafeteria line whereby individuals can select particular pieces of silverware.
  • Similar funnel structures 40 are located beneath the slots 24 and 26.
  • the combination of the trough and slot designs provides for the passage of silverware through the bed 12 in a selective fashion whereby knives are delivered to the first funnel structure, teaspoons to the second funnel structure, soup spoons and other larger spoons to the third funnel structure and forks to the fourth funnel structure.
  • Each of the receptacles 44 will, therefore, receive silverware of only one type so that manual sorting is not required.
  • the silverware In order to accomplish the aims of the invention, the silverware must be transported along the bed 12.
  • a vibrator 46 is attached to the underside of the lower bed 30.
  • the assembly comprising the lower bed 30 and the upper bed 12 is then vibrated in a manner such that each piece of silverware loaded on a bed will move from left to right until that piece falls through one of the openings.
  • the vibrating action insures that each piece of silverware will move within one of the troughs 22 or 36.
  • the combination of vibrations and the trough designs insures that the silverware will settle at the bottom of the trough.
  • the width of the slot 24 is such that every knife loaded on the bed 12 will fall through onto the lower bed 30. Furthermore, every knife on the bed 30 will move to the opening 38 at which time the weight of the knife handles will cause each knife to fall into the funnel structures 40 beneath the openings 38.
  • each spoon will also pass through a lot 24, however, the bed 12 is designed so that the spoons will be suspended during movement along the bed.
  • this suspending action is accomplished in the manner shown in FIG. 9.
  • This figure illustrates a smaller spoon 50, and a larger spoon 52 suspended in a trough 22 with the handles of each spoon having passed through the slot 24.
  • the spoons are suspended, however, because of the thicker bowl dimensions and in the case of smaller spoons, because of the bed design.
  • a rectangular recess 54 is cut into the bottom of the bed 12 immediately beneath each slot 24.
  • the handles of the spoons bear against the wall of the recess 54, and this engagement cooperates with the spoon bowls for maintaining the smaller spoons 50 in a suspended relationship.
  • the engagement prevents the smaller spoons from moving to an attitude which would allow these spoons to slip through the slot 24.
  • the rectangular recess 54 communicates with an enlarged recessed area 56 toward the end of the bed. This enlarged recessed area allows the smaller spoons 50 to tilt to a position such that the spoons will slip through the slot 24
  • the second chute 40 and associated receptacle 44 are located for receiving the smaller spoons 50.
  • the larger spoons 52 will not pass through when this enlarged recess is encountered since the slot 24 is too narrow to permit passage of the larger bowls of the spoons.
  • the larger spoons 52 pass through the bed 12 when the enlarged ends 28 of the slots 24 are encountered.
  • the dimensions of these enlarged ends are such that any spoon which has not passed through will be collected by the third funnel and receptacle combination located beneath these enlarged ends.
  • the opening 26 is designed to permit passage of forks through the last funnel construction and into the receptacle 44 positioned beneath this funnel construction. It has been found that the use of V-shaped grooves of the type illustrated in FIGS. 8 through 12 will enable the forks to lie flat on the bed 12 until the forks have reached an opening 26. Thus, the weight distribution of a standard fork is such that there is no tendency for fork handles to slip through a slot 24. Similarly, the horizontal attitude of a fork will cause all forks to by-pass the openings 28.
  • the opening 26 is provided with sufiicient width to insure passing of a fork through the bed for collection in the last receptacle.
  • the handles of the silverware be located downwardly in a receptacle 44.
  • the construction of this invention takes advantage of the weight dis tribution of silverware to insure that each piece of silverware will fall into a receptacle in a handles down" position.
  • the handles are substantially heavier than the blades, and a knife will pass through the openings 38 whenever the center of gravity of a knife, which is in the handle portion, is located over an opening 38.
  • the spoons In the case of spoons, only the handles will pass through slots 24 and, therefore, the spoons will always drop from the bed 12 in a handles down position.
  • the handles of the forks on the other hand, will always drop through openings 26 first irrespective of whether the handles are the leading or trailing portion of a fork during movement of the bed 12.
  • the V- shaped configurafion of the troughs 22 serves to prevent movement of the fork handles through slots 24. As best shown in FIG. 8, the forks will lie against one flat wall of a trough 22 and they will remain in this position because of the weight distribution of a fork.
  • the angle included between the trough walls is approximately 70, and this angle is preferably maintained between 60 and Some variations are desirable where different types of silverware are to be employed; however, silverware for large restaurant and cafeteria operations is substantially uniform in size and weight distribution which provides distinct advantages in the manufacture of sorting constructions of the type described.
  • the base of each trough need not define a sharp angle since a radius or parabolic shape is satisfactory so long as the trough walls hold the silverware in the attitude illustrated.
  • the slot 24 will have a width of 0.280 inches. This will permit knives having a thickness of approximately 0.250 inches to readily fall on the lower bed.
  • the thickest dimension of a typical teaspoon (the dimension measured along a line extending perpendicular from the center of the bowl) is about 0.250 inches; however, the recess 54 is kept narrow enough so that the effective thickness of the spoon will exceed the width of the slot 24.
  • the width of the recess 54 is 0.625 inches.
  • the recess 56 is made large enough to permit tilting of the spoon bowls to a vertical position.
  • the dimensions of the recesses 56 are not critical beyond a minimum size.
  • the openings 28 are made large enough to pennit passage of larger spoons which would typically have a thickness of 0.350 inches.
  • the openings 28 may thus be about 0.380 inches at their largest dimension.
  • the width of the slots 26 is maintained so that forks will always fall through handles-first.
  • the spoons 26 are small enough so that a fork will remain in the attitude shown in FIG. 8 even after moving over a slot 26.
  • the slots 26 have a width of 0.5 inches and this width is sufficient to allow the curved handles of forks to fall through slots, and when this occurs, the head of the forks will follow.
  • the openings 38 in the lower bed may be substantially oversized when compared with the width of a knife handle since the weight of the handles relative to the knife blade is relied on to insure that the knives will fall through the bed handles-first. Openings of about 0.750 inches are quite suitable.
  • a vibrating means for moving the silverware along the beds 12 and 30 is particularly desirable from an efficiency standpoint. Both beds are connected to the same vibrator so that all movement can be accomplished with one vibrating means.
  • Other devices may, however, be employed for accomplishing movement of silverware, for example, brush means or water streams. The latter could also be used as a supplementary moving means and rinsing of the silverware.
  • the silverware will naturally position itselfin the manner described with the force of gravity, the design of the trough openings, and the "V groove design determining the attitude of the silverware relative to the bed to thereby control the discharge.
  • Gentle vibration is all that is required to move the silverware along the upper and lower beds, and the vibration frequency which will provide the best movement speed for a specific sorter can easily be determined.
  • a construction for sorting silverware including knives, forks and spoons, said construction comprising a loading end, a bed for supporting the silverware, means for moving the silverware along the bed away from said loading end, at least one series of openings defined by the bed for passage of silverware through the bed, said series comprising a first opening dimensioned so that knives will pass through the bed, said first opening also being dimensioned so that the handles of spoons will pass through the bed with the bowls of the spoons suspending the spoons on said bed, spoon handle engaging means located beneath said bed and extending along a portion of the bed, said handle engaging means inhibiting tilting of the spoons relative to the bed, said first opening being dimensioned so that spoons with smaller bowls will pass through the bed when these spoons move beyond said handle engaging means, a second opening comprising an enlarged area formed as a continuation of said first opening, said second opening being dimensioned so that spoons with larger bowls will pass through said second opening, a third opening positioned beyond said second opening, said third opening being dimension
  • a construction in accordance with claim 1 including separate collecting means for knives, smaller bowl spoons, larger bowl spoons, and forks, said collecting means being positioned beneath said bed whereby said silverware will drop into said collecting means.
  • a construction in accordance with claim 2 including a plurality of funnel structures extending downwardly from said bed for directing silverware from said bed into said collecting means.
  • said first opening comprises an elongated slot
  • said handle engag ing means comprising closely spaced apart walls defined by said bed immediately beneath said slot, said walls terminating short of said enlarged end portion of said first opening.
  • a construction for sorting silverware including knives, forks and spoons, said construction comprising a loading end, a bed for supporting the silverware, means for moving the silverware along the bed away from said loading end, at least one series of openings defined by the bed for passage of silverware through the bed, said series comprising a first opening dimensioned so that knives will pass through the bed, said first opening also being dimensioned so that the handles of spoons will pass through the bed with the bowls of the spoons suspending the spoons on said bed, spoon handle engaging means located beneath said bed and extending along a portion of the bed, said handle engaging means inhibiting tilting of the spoons relative to the bed, said first opening being dimensioned so that spoons with smaller bowls will pass through the bed when these spoons move beyond said handle engaging means, a second opening comprising an enlarged area formed as a continuation of said first opening, said second opening being dimensioned so that spoons with larger bowls will pass through said second opening, a third opening positioned beyond said second opening, said third opening being dimensioned
  • the improvement comprising a bed, a loading means for depositing spoons on the bed whereby the spoons are supported by the bed, means associated with the bed for moving the spoons along the bed, at least one opening defined by the bed for passage of the spoons through the bed, said opening including a narrow first portion dimensioned so that the handles of the spoons will pass through the bed with the bowls of the spoons suspending the spoons on the bed, spoon handle engaging means located beneath said bed, said spoon handle engaging means terminating short of the extent of said first portion whereby said handles are moved out of contact with said handle engaging means, said handle engaging means inhibiting tilting of the spoons relative to the bed whereby said spoons are free to tilt beyond the extent of said handle engaging means, said first portion being dimensioned so that spoons with smaller bowls will pass through the bed when these spoons tilt after moving beyond the extent of said handle engaging means, and a second opening portion comprising an enlarged area
  • said opening comprises an elongated slot
  • said handle engaging means comprising closely spaced apart walls defined by said bed immediately beneath said slot.
  • a construction for sorting silverware including knives, forks and spoons, said construction comprising a loading end, a bed for supporting the silverware, means for moving the silverware along the bed away from said loading end, and at least one series of openings defined by the bed for passage of silverware through the bed including a first opening dimensioned so that knives will pass through the bed, the improvement comprising a second bed positioned beneath said first bed adjacent the loading end of said first bed, said second bed being positioned for collecting knives passing through said first opening and additional openings formed in said second bed dimensioned so that knives will pass through said second bed, said second bed defining a plurality of grooved portions whereby the bed is characterized by an undulating cross section with the grooves defining tracks for movement of knives therealong, said additional openings comprising slots defined at the end of each track, said slots having a length less than the length substantially corresponding with the length of a knive handle whereby the knives will drop through the slots when the center of gravity of a knife is located over a slot.

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  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Combined Means For Separation Of Solids (AREA)
US60020A 1970-07-31 1970-07-31 Silverware sorting means Expired - Lifetime US3675770A (en)

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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
US20070204888A1 (en) * 2006-03-02 2007-09-06 Miller Kenneth M Apparatus and method for retaining discarded flatware
US20160074909A1 (en) * 2013-05-31 2016-03-17 Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. Mechanism and Method For Sorting Components, Component Feeding System
US9511953B1 (en) * 2013-09-26 2016-12-06 Amazon Technologies, Inc. Singulators with ports for diverting items

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3059771A (en) * 1959-06-19 1962-10-23 Joseph C Turdo Classification device
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 (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3059771A (en) * 1959-06-19 1962-10-23 Joseph C Turdo Classification device
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 (10)

* 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
US20070204888A1 (en) * 2006-03-02 2007-09-06 Miller Kenneth M Apparatus and method for retaining discarded flatware
US20160074909A1 (en) * 2013-05-31 2016-03-17 Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. Mechanism and Method For Sorting Components, Component Feeding System
US9943882B2 (en) * 2013-05-31 2018-04-17 Te Connectivity Corporation Mechanism and method for sorting components, component feeding system
TWI633943B (zh) * 2013-05-31 2018-09-01 泰科電子（上海）有限公司 零件分選機構及分選方法、零件供應系統
US9511953B1 (en) * 2013-09-26 2016-12-06 Amazon Technologies, Inc. Singulators with ports for diverting items
US20170036866A1 (en) * 2013-09-26 2017-02-09 Amazon Technologies, Inc. Singulators with ports for diverting items
US9694393B2 (en) * 2013-09-26 2017-07-04 Amazon Technologies, Inc. Singulators with ports for diverting items

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DE2124866A1 (de) 1972-02-03
FR2097747A5 (de) 1972-03-03

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