US3690643A

US3690643A - Article distributor

Info

Publication number: US3690643A
Application number: US82619A
Authority: US
Inventors: Eugene A Anderson; Clifford R Strain
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-10-21
Filing date: 1970-10-21
Publication date: 1972-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 1989-09-12

Abstract

Copy sorting and distributing apparatus for automatically depositing a preselected number of copies in particular storage spaces. A switch selects a particular program which is arranged to indicate particular numbers of copies or articles to be deposited in particular bins. The program units together with switch mechanism represent copy counting mechanisms which automatically reset themselves and set up the apparatus for depositing copies in a succeeding space. Program units may be changed automatically.

Description

United States Patent Anderson et al.

[ 51 Sept. 12, 1972 ARTICLE DISTRIBUTOR [72] Inventors: Eugene A. Anderson; Clifford R.

Strain, both of Lombard, [IL

[73] Assignee: Eugene A. Anderson, Lombard,

221 Filed: 0ct.21, 1970 211 Appl. No.: 82,619

[52] US. Cl ..270/58, 271/64 [51] Int. Cl .3651: 39/02, B65h 29/58 [58] Field of Search ..27 1/64; 270/58 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1968 Andersonetal. ..27l/52 1/1960 Worswick ..271/64 De Vecchio et al. ..27l/64 Mazzio et al. ..27l/64 Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles Attorney-Mann, Brown, McWilliams & Bradway 5 7 ABSTRACT Copy sorting and distributing apparatus for automatically depositing a preselected number of copies in particular storage spaces. A switch selects a particular program which is arranged to indicate particular numbers of copies or articles to be deposited in particular bins. The program units together with switch mechanism represent copy counting mechanisms which automatically reset themselves and set up the apparatus for depositing copies in a succeeding space. Program units may be changed automatically.

26 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PROGRAM SELECTOR UNITS PROGRAM N01 PROGRAM No.2 PROGRAM "0-3 PATENTED SE? 1 2 m2 SHEEI 1 [IF 8 M0672 F071; 6 72 6 A.A rzcZenram 1 :liilL -Hwm mW w- 7 H FATE NIH] SEP 1 2 I972 PATENTED 3.690.643

sum 8 ur a PROGRAM 153 SELECTOR SWITCH -PRESELECTOR 160a SWITCH I72 z/aizicons' Faye/2e A.A2zdensvw/ 4 Clfcwd K523712512 Wm 3 cmw W I {ML W The operating coil 28 for the

bin selector switches

23, 24, and 26 has a number of switch contacts associated therewith. Contacts 28a and 28b are normally closed contacts which open when coil 28 is energized. The rotary element of the stepping switches rotates a cam 28c in synchronism with movement of the contact arms 23a-26a. Cam 280 is adapted to

close switch contacts

28d and 28e in one position of the cam corresponding to the home or bin No. 1 position of the stepping switch. When cam 28c rotates away from this position, the

contacts

28d and 28e open while a contact 28f is closed (as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4).

The operating coil 29 for the copy counting switch 27 has a number of contacts associated therewith in a fashion similar to the coil 28. For example, switch contacts 29a are normally closed but are opened whenever coil 29 is energized. The rotary element of the stepping switch operated by coil 29 rotates a cam 29c in synchronism with the rotation of the movable contact arm 27a. When the movable contact arm 27a is in the home position, which is the position illustrated in FIG. 2, or a position immediately preceding the contact for copy No. 1, cam 29c holds

switch contacts

29d and 29a closed. When cam 29c moves away from the home position, it allows movable contacts operated thereby to open the

contacts

29d and 29c and close contacts 29f and 29g (as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4).

The circuit also includes

relays

56, 57, 58 and 59, each having a number of contacts operated thereby. Relay 56 establishes a holding circuit for energization of coil 29 for returning switch 27 to the home" position each time the count is satisfied for a particular bin. Relay 56, for example, when energized, opens normally closed

contacts

56a, 56b, 56c and 56d and closes

contacts

56e, 56f, 56g and 56h (as shown in dotted lines). All of these contacts may be armature type in which an armature normally closes the

contacts

56a, 56b, 56c and 56d when relay 56 is deenergized while opening these contacts and closing

contacts

56e, 56f, 56g and 56h when the relay is energized.

Contact 56b is in the power line 54 leading to the copy counting switch. This power line is thus opened whenever relay 56 is energized for purposes of returning the copy counting switch to the home" position. This prevents extraneous signals during this time period.

Relay 57 also has armature type switch contacts operated thereby. Relay 57, for example, has normally closed contacts 57a and 57b which are opened when relay 57 is energized, and contacts 57c and 57d which are closed (as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3) when relay 57 is energized. The normally closed contacts 57a are in the main power line 53 leading through switch 23 to the bin control relays 19. Power is thus cut off to the bin control relays when relay 57 is energized to eliminate unnecessary relay action.

Relay 57 and another relay 58 are used to control circuits for selectively energizing coil 28 of the bin selecting stepping switches 23-26, inclusive, for returning the movable contact arms thereof to the home" position. Relay 58 includes a number of armature type switch contacts operable by the relay. These contacts are normally closed

contacts

58a, 58b, 58c and 58d. These contacts are opened when relay 58 is energized and the movable contacts then close

contacts

58e, 58f,

58g and 58h (as shown in dotted lines). Diodes 58: and 58j are in line from the arrnatures for

contacts

58b and 58c and to a line to the armature for the contact 58a.

Another relay 59 may be termed a bin shift relay and controls pulses of current to coil 28 for purposes of stepping the switches 23-26 from one bin position to the next. Relay 59 includes armature type switch contacts operated by the relay. It includes normally closed

contacts

59a and 59b which are opened when relay 59 is energized, and normally open contacts 590 and 59d which are closed when relay 59 is energized (as shown in dotted lines).

The circuit includes a circuit line leading to relay 58 through an on-off switch 60 to a contact in selector switch 23, which is the next contact in sequential order in the switch after the last bin relay connected contact. This circuit line is to establish an automatic return of the bin selecting switches to the home position after the required number of copies have been distributed in all bins in a manner which will be described. The circuit also includes a pair of

leads

62 and 63 which are adapted to bypass the

switch contacts

58a and 58e under control of a manually operated switch 64 or an external switch input, as indicated at 65 and 66, for purposes of selective energization of relay 58 independently of use of circuit line 61 for automatic return of the bin selector switches and copy counting switch to the home position.

At the start of operation, and with the bin selector contact arms 23a and 24a in the bin No. 1 position, power is supplied through line 53 to the bin relay 19-1 to close contacts l9-la and energize bin solenoid 16-1 to open the gate for bin No. l and close contacts l9-lb for energizing the detector switch 17-1. This sets up the copy counting cycle. The power present in the circuit at this time is represented by the heavy lines in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. Pulses of momentary power in line 29a are represented in heavy dash lines in these figures. As the leading edge of a copy passes into the bin, it closes switch contact l7-l which energizes coil 29 through line 29a and cocks the stepping switch. When the trailing edge of the copy passes switch 17-1, switch 17-] opens and breaks the power to coil 29. Prior to the time that the stepping switch advances one contact, the movable contact arm 27a is in the home" position which is illustrated in FIG. 2, and the circuit through the program selector unit is thus open. After coil 29 operates the arm 27a through one step in response to opening of switch 17-1, this corresponds to one copy and the contact arm 27 moves to the first contact corresponding to one copy. If it is assumed that a contact point P is present at line 31 for designating bin No. 1 for one copy only, the circuit is then completed from switch 27 to switch 24 and power is then supplied from line 54 to movable contact 27a and through the point P at the intersection of lines 31-41, through movable contact arm 24a, through line 51 and through the now closed contact 29g to relay 56 (cam 29c has rotated with the switch to open contact 29f and close contact 293). Upon energization of relay 56, power through the program selector unit is broken by opening contacts 56b while the energization of relay 56 is maintained by the closing of holding contacts 56f. The momentary count complete signal in line 51 is represented in heavy dash lines in FIG. 5 while heavy full lines indicate the power condition in the circuit after holding relay 56 is energized. Contact 56/: also closes, which closes a circuit line 67 through the interrupter switch 29a to coil 29 and the energization of coil 29 is maintained to step contact arm 27a around to the initial or home position. The circuit to the coil 29 is broken when home" position is reached because of the opening of contacts 29g and 29f by cam 29c which breaks the power to relay 56. The counting cycle for bin No. 1 is thus complete.

If bin No. 1 was set for more than one copy, the circuit through the program selector unit would not be completed for energization of relay 56 until a number of stepping pulses to coil 29, corresponding to the passage of a desired number of copies to the bin, had advanced the movable contact arm stepwise to the required or selected contact position connected to line 41. At that time the circuit through the program selector unit would be momentarily completed to energize relay 56 and cause energization of coil 29 and return of contact arm 27a to the home" position as previously described.

After the count for the first bin is satisfied, the circuit automatically disables the power to bin control relay 19-1 to thereby deenergize gate solenoid 16-1 while moving the movable contact arms 23a-26a to the bin No. 2 position. At the bin No. 2 position, the contact arms energize the bin control relay 19-2 and the bin gate operating solenoid 16-2 in the manner described for solenoid 16-1 and set up the circuit lines in the program selector unit for bin No. 2 operation.

The circuit for advancing the switches 23-26 to the next bin control relay will now be described. At the time of initial operation, normally closed contacts 56b establish power through a circuit line 68 through the movable contact for contact 59a to relay coil 59. This energizes relay 59. When relay 59 is energized, it closes

contacts

59c and 59d which establishes a holding circuit for the relay through contact 59c. This holding circuit establishes power to the relay through the interrupter switch contacts 28a and line 68a. This circuit condition is represented by the heavy full lines of FIGS. 3 and 4. When the signal from the program selector unit indicates that the count for a particular bin is satisfied, relay 56 is energized as previously described and this closes contact 56g which in turn supplies current through line 68b,

contacts

59d, 58d, and through a circuit line 68c to the coil 28. The condition of power in the circuit to relay 59 and coil 28 at the time of initial energization of coil 28 is shown in heavy full lines in FIG. 5. Energization of the coil cocks the switch for stepping the switch through one position, and this energization opens normally closed contacts 28a which breaks the holding power circuit to relay 59, which in turn discontinues the power to coil 28. The switch is then advanced one step which moves the

movable contact arms

23a, 24a, 25a and 26a to the next contact position which is the bin No. 2 position. When the coil 28 advances the rotary arms away from the number 1 or home" position, cam 28c opens contact 28e and closes contact 28f. Contact 58d prevents extraneous signals to coil 28.

In the event that the program for the next bin in the series is set up for no copies in the bin, a signal from the program selector unit is immediately established when the movable contact arm 24a moves to this bin position. This is represented in FIG. 2 by point P for bin No. 3. The zero" copy line 30 is connected to a DC source. At this time, if contact 29c is closed because the copy counting switch is at the home" position, a signal is passed from the program selector unit directly through the contact 29c and through a circuit line and through interrupter switch 28b to relay 28. If the copy counting switch 27 has not returned to the home" position at the time of the zero copy signal from the program selector unit, power is then supplied to the coil 28 through a line 71 (connected to line 51) and through contact 56c (relay 56 is energized until switch 27 returns to the "home" position) and then to the power line 70. Energization of coil 28 in either fashion causes the switch to step to the next bin position.

The stepping of the copy counting switch 27 followed by homing of the switch and one step of the

bin selecting switches

23, 24, 25 and 26 and/or skipping of bins when no copies are required, continues until the movable contact arms 23a-26a have moved through all of the bin positions and satisfied the count for each bin. Then bin selector switches 23-26 may be returned to the home position in one of several ways under control of reset or homing" relay 58. Relay 58 is operative to reset both the copy counting switch 27 and bin selecting switches 23-26 to home" position when energized. This may be effected by control of an external signal, a manual closure of the

lines

62 and 63 which energizes relay 58, or automatically through line 61.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of circuit conditions for resetting the counting switch through energization of coil 29, and FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of circuit conditions for energizing coil 28 to reset or home the bin selecting switches. In FIGS. 6 and 7 the heavy dash lines represent momentary power for energizing relay 58 to in turn energize the holding relays 56 and 57 for the switch operating coils 29 and 28, respectively. Power for the holding relays 56 and 57 is established through the cam operating switches and

switch contacts

28f and 29f associated with the

coils

28 and 29 so that when the switches and the cams are at the home" position relay 58 is ineffective to activate the coils. If one switch is at the home position while the other is not, relay 58 will be effective to energize the circuit to the coil to insure return of the switch associated with that coil to the home" position. In FIGS. 6 and 7 the power path to the coils is represented in heavy full lines.

Relay 58 is energized in one of several ways. It may be energized through closure of the manual switch 64 or by closure of a switch across

lines

65 and 66 and actuated by an external signal. In either of these two events, power to the relay is established through cam operated switch contact 29f and the armature for contact 58b (FIG. 6). An independent power supply for relay 58 is established through cam operated switch contact 28f, the armature for contact 5712 and through the armature for contact 58c. Thus, relay 58 may be energized by the manual switch or the external signal when one or the other of the

cams

28c and 29c is not at the home position or when both are away from the home" position. When relay 58 is energized, it closes

contacts

58e, 58f and 583. Contact 58c establishes holding power for relay 58. A momentary source of power is then supplied to holding relay 56 for coil 29 through contact 58f. Relay 56 then locks itself in by virtue of closure of contact 56f and power is supplied to coil 29 through contact 56h as shown in FIG. 6. Power to holding relay 57 is supplied through contact 58g when relay 58 is energized. Relay 57 then locks itself in through contact 57d at the same time contact 57a is opened which discontinues the power to the bin control relays. Once relay 57 is energized, power is supplied through line 72 to the coil 28 until the coil returns the rotary switch arms to the home position. When coil 29 has returned its switch arms and cam to the home position, power supply to the holding relay 56 is broken by opening of switch contacts 29f. When coil 28 has returned its movable contact arms and cam to the home position, power supply to its holding relay 57 is broken through opening of switch contact 28]. When both

cams

28c and 29c return to the home position, the power to relay 58 is broken because of opening of the

contacts

28f and 29f.

For automatic return of the bin selector switches to the home" or bin No. 1 position, switch 60 is closed. After the count of the last bin has been satisfied, coil 28 will have stepped the movable contact arms 23a-26a to the contact next beyond the last bin position. Current from line 53 then passes through the selector switch 23 and through line 61 to energize relay 58.

When relay 58 is energized, it causes energization of the holding relays 56 and/or 57 (depending upon whether one or both of the switches need returning to home" position), and the circuit then operates as described for the manual or external signal homing" operation.

When the stepping switches have been returned to the home position so that

contacts

28d and 29d are closed, a circuit is established between these contacts and the power supply. This circuit may be utilized to operate a pilot light indicating that the apparatus is ready for another program. This circuit may also be utilized to automatically operate the program selector switch or external equipment.

The program selector switch 50 may be automatically advanced to the next program through use of electrically operated rotary stepping switches of the same type described for switches 23-27. The automatic homing" signal line 61 may be utilized to actuate the operating coil for such a switch so that, when one program is completed, the next program designated is automatically switched into the line and a new programmed distribution of copies is automatically brought about. Alternatively, a signal for this purpose may be picked up from contact 28d. For each new program, the sequential opening of bins through operation of the control relays and deposit of a preselected number of copies in each bin is the same as has been previously described.

The control circuitry as disclosed herein enables a rapid change from one order of distribution to another. The manual homing" switch 64 allows an operator of the apparatus to immediately reset the apparatus to a zero or home position in the event an erroneous program has been selected, or if the operator for some reason or another wishes to stop a particular program after it has once begun. The use of the signal from the copy counting switches and programs to cause shifting of the bin selector switches enables a very rapid closure of an open bin and opening of the next succeeding bin. The use of the direct signal from the programmer when zero copies are desired enables an almost instantaneous energization of the bin stepping relay coil 28 from one position to the next. This direct signal from the program unit is supplied just as soon as movable contact arm 24a is in circuit through one of the lines 41-45 with the DC source. The circuit is arranged so that the bin shifting circuitry to the bin control relays is broken (through opening of contact 58d) whenever manual, external homing" or automatic homing" is in operation. This prevents erroneous operation of the bins during the homing cycle.

The program circuit may be switched off by opening switch 52 when desired so that an operator can use manual switches 20-1 to 20-4 to hold particular bins open for as long a time as desired.

FIG. 8 discloses an automatic program selector unit which allows the operator to immediately select the next program for use in automatic sequence after a particular program is started. ln P10. 8 a multicontact program selector switch is utilized in place of the program selector switch 50 in FIG. 2. The selector switch has a movable arm 150a selectively engageable with a first bank of

contacts including contact

151 and 152 with leads to the

switches

24 and 25. Switch 150 has a second movable arm 150b selectively engageable with an additional bank of

contacts

153 and 154 which lead to the operating coils 155 and 156 for latching relays. Coil 155, for example, is adapted, when energized, to move a movable armature 155a into closing relation with a contact 157 which leads to switch 24. Coil 156, when energized, is adapted to move the movable armature 155a against a contact 158. Only a pulse is necessary to cause the armature to move from one contact to the other and once so moved the armature stays with that contact until a coil is again energized. Contact 158 has a lead to the switch 25.

It should be understood that, when more than two program units are utilized, switch 150 will have additional contacts for the additional programs, i.e., one contact for each program. The movable arm 1500 of switch 150 is then selectively movable into engagement with a selected one of the contacts when preselection is not desired so as to complete the circuit to the particular program selected. Switch 150 also has an additional bank of contacts for arm 1 150b and corresponding to the number of program units. Additional coils similar to coils 155 and 156 and their associated switches are utilized for the additional programs to enable a combination of coils and preselection of any particular program.

A preselector multicontact switch 160 has a first position wherein one movable contact 160a completes the circuit between the movable contact 150a and line 51. When the switch is in this position, the switch arm 15% and coils 155 and 156 are not used. The operator may then select a particular program after a program has been completed by moving switch arm 150a from one contact position to another. Switch 160 has an additional contact 1606 adapted to be closed by a movable arm 160a and this contact leads to the switch armature 155a. Switch 160 has a second movable arm l60b which is adapted to close a contact 160d when arm 160a closes contact l60c. The circuit is then set up to allow an operator to set up the next program unit for automatic connection in the circuit. The movable arm 160d is connected to a line 161 which may be connected to a part of the circuit indicating completion of a program. For example, it may be connected to the reference point R of switch contact 28d which is energized when the stepping switches have returned to home position. Alternatively line 161 may be connected to receive a pulse from the line 61 which signals the completion of a particular program and insures the return of the stepping switches to the home position.

After preselector switch 160 closes contacts l60c and 160d, contact l60c sets up the signal circuit line 51 through a particular program unit by connection with the movable annature 155a and the particular contact with which it is engaged. The coils 155 and 156 are deenergized at this time and the armature 155a stays in position because of its latched-in" characteristic. After one particular program unit, as for example program unit No. l, is started, the operator can immediately select the next program for use as, for example program unit No. 2, by moving switch 150 against contact 154 which sets up the energizing circuit for coil 156. When the signal, as aforementioned, indicating completion of program unit No. l is passed along line 161, the momentary pulse to coil 156 will disconnect armature 1550 from contact 157 for program unit No. l and connect it to contact 158 for program unit No. 2 and thus set up the signal circuit line through switch 25 and program unit No. 2.

If the same program is to be repeated, switch 150 is left in the same position, in which case switch armature 155a stays in the same position.

In lieu of the arrangement of the coils 155 and 156, the movable switch arm 150b, for program preselection, may have a bank of contacts leading through corresponding contacts in a rotary stepping switch and to particular programs. Actuation of the signal line 161 is then arranged to energize the operating coil for the stepping switch to step to a contact in circuit with the contact selected by switch 150, at which point the circuit to the operating coil of the stepping switch is interrupted. The particular program thus preselected is then set up for operation with the remainder of the circuit.

It should be understood that while the invention has been disclosed for use with distribution of copies in bins, this should be taken as generally representative of distribution of articles which are moved in single file along a path. Articles other than copy paper may be distributed by means of apparatus and control circuitry as described herein.

We claim:

1. Program control means for automatically depositing preselected numbers of articles in spaced article receiving bins as articles are successively fed in single file relation along a path, including means defining a plurality of successive article receiving and storage spaces spaced along a path, gate means for opening and closing entrance areas for each of said spaces to allow articles to be deposited in selected spaces, article counting means for each of said spaces, selective circuit means for selectively operating said gate means in successive order, signal circuit means energized by said counting means in response to deposit of a preselected number of articles in a space for disabling the circuit operating means for that space and for simultaneously energizing the circuit means for the next succeeding space, and reset means operated in response to energization of said signal circuit means for resetting said counting means to a base figure.

2. Program control means as set forth in claim 1 characterized by and including reset means for said selective circuit means and automatically operative after operation of the gate means for the last space in successive order to reset said circuit means for the first storage space.

3. Program control means as set forth in claim 1 characterized by and including automatic means responsive to a zero count setting for bypassing said article counting means and for energizing said signal circuit means.

4. Program control means as set forth in claim 1 characterized by and including a plurality of programs each of which is adapted to be associated with said article counting means at a single time, each program including preset means for completing signal circuit means for particular numbers of articles for particular spaces.

5. Program control means for automatically depositing preselected numbers of articles in spaced article receiving bins as articles are successively fed in single file relation along a path, including means defining a plurality of article receiving and storage spaces spaced along a path, gate means for opening and closing entrance areas for each of said spaces to allow articles to be deposited in selected spaces, circuit means for each of said gate means adapted when energized to open a selected gate means, stepping switch means having plural successive contacts each of which is connected to a circuit for one of said gate means, counting means including a multicontact stepping switch adapted to advance one contact in response to deposit of each article in a space, said stepping switch means including a plurality of additional contacts adapted to be successively closed in synchronism with closing of said first named contacts, and a program selector unit having circuits connected to said additional contacts and to the contacts of said copy counting switch, said program selector unit including preset means for closing a circuit through said copy counting switch and through said additional contacts corresponding to a time when a preselected number of copies have been deposited in a preselected space, and means operated in response to completion of said circuit for energizing actuating means for said stepping switch means to disable the circuit means for an open article receiving space while energizing the circuit for the next successive article receiving space.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said program selector unit includes means for bypassing the circuit through said copy counting switch and for directly energizing said actuating means in response to a zero article setting for a particular space in said program selector unit to thereby increase speed of changing from one bin to another selected bin.

7. The system of claim 5 characterized by and including a plurality of program selector units connected to said copy counting switch in identical fashion, each program selector unit being connected to the additional contacts in said stepping switch means, and means for selectively connecting one of said program selector units and the contacts associated therewith with the contacts of said copy counting switch at a single time.

8. The system of claim characterized by and including automatic circuit means for energizing said actuating means to return said stepping switch means to its initial position after said switch has energized the gate operating circuits for all spaces.

9. The system of claim 5 characterized by and including automatic circuit means for returning said copy counting switch to its initial position in response to closure of said circuit through said program selector unit.

10. The structure of claim 5, characterized by and including an operating coil for said stepping switch means, and means responsive to closing of said circuit for operating said coil.

11. Program control means as set forth in claim 5, characterized by and including an operating coil for said multicontact stepping switch, and circuit means for operating said coil to return said switch to an initial position in response to closing of said circuit.

12. Program control means as set forth in claim 5, characterized by and including operating coils for said stepping switch means and said multicontact stepping switch, and means for operating said coils to return said stepping switch means and said multicontact switch to an initial position.

13. A program control means as set forth in claim 12, wherein said means for operating said coils includes au: tomatic means responsive to completion of the article deposit in the last space in programmed sequence for causing operation of said means.

14. Program control means as set forth in claim 5, characterized by and including manual means for disabling said stepping switch means and said multicontact switch and for opening each gate means individually.

15. Program control means for automatically depositing preselected numbers of articles in spaced article receiving bins as articles are successively fed in single file relation along a path, including means defining a plurality of successive article receiving and storage spaces spaced along a path, gate means for opening and closing entrance areas for each of said spaces to allow articles to be deposited in selected spaces, selective circuit means for selectively operating said gate means in successive order, and a plurality of program units for establishing particular numbers of articles in particular spaces, each program unit including means for establishing a signal circuit in response to deposit of a preselected number of articles in a preselected space, means operated by said signal circuit for closing an open gate means while opening the gate means for the next successive space, means for connecting one of said programs in circuit at a time, and means for returning said selective circuit means to its original condition after all of the articles have been deposited in all of the spaces as established by the program unit connected in circuit.

16. Program control means as set forth in claim 15, characterized by and including a stepping switch and an operating circuit therefor for advancing the switch one step in response to each article deposited in a space, and means operated by said signal circuit for returning said switch to an initial position.

17. Program control means as set forth in claim 16, wherein said operated means actuates means for opening said signal circuit.

18. Program control means as set forth in claim 15, wherein said selective circuit means includes a stepping switch having successive contacts connected to operate each gate in successive order, and means for operating said stepping switch through one step in response to establishment of said signal circuit.

19. Program control means as set forth in claim 18, characterized by and including means operative independently of said signal circuit for actuating said stepping switch to return it to an initial position.

20. Program control means as set forth in claim 19, characterized by and including holding circuit means for returning said stepping switch to its original position.

21. Program control means as set forth in claim 20, characterized by and including automatic means responsive to deposit of a preselected number of articles in the last space in sequence for energizing said holding circuit means.

22. Program control means as set forth in claim 21, characterized by and including manual means for energizing said holding circuit means.

23. Program control means for automatically depositing preselected numbers of articles in spaced article receiving bins as articles are successively fed in single file relation along a path, including means defining a plurality of successive article receiving and storage spaces spaced along a path, gate means for opening and closing entrance areas for each of said spaces to allow articles to be deposited in selected spaces, and a plurality of program units for establishing preselected numbers of articles for deposit in particular spaces, each program unit including means for establishing a signal circuit in response to deposit of a preselected number of articles in a preselected space, means connectable with said program units and operated in response to said signal circuit for opening and closing the gates of selected spaces in an order established by a program unit, means for connecting one particular program unit with said operated means, selection means for selecting a different program unit for later connection with said operated means while said particular program unit is connected, and means operative automatically through said selection means to disconnect said particular program unit from said operated means and to connect said different program unit to said operated means after completion of said particular program unit.

24. Program control means as set forth in claim 23, characterized by and including means responsive to completion of said particular program for causing a signal to pass through said selection means to actuate said operative means.

25. Program control means as set forth in claim 23, wherein said program unit connecting means includes a set of latching relay contacts for each program unit and said operative means includes an operating coil associated with each set of contacts, each operating coil being formed and adapted to close the contacts associated therewith and to open the contacts associated with other coils in response to momentary energization thereof.

26. Program control means as set forth in claim 25, characterized by and including manual switch means 5 for disabling said selection means and operative means while enabling selective manual connection of a selected program unit to said operated means.

i I! i i

Claims

8. The system of claim 5 characterizEd by and including automatic circuit means for energizing said actuating means to return said stepping switch means to its initial position after said switch has energized the gate operating circuits for all spaces.

13. A program control means as set forth in claim 12, wherein said means for operating said coils includes automatic means responsive to completion of the article deposit in the last space in programmed sequence for causing operation of said means.

26. Program control means as set forth in claim 25, characterized by and including manual switch means for disabling said selection means and operative means while enabling selective manual connection of a selected program unit to said operated means.