US835805A

US835805A - Assorting apparatus.

Info

Publication number: US835805A
Application number: US29204205A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fridolf F Backstrom
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1905-12-16
Filing date: 1905-12-16
Publication date: 1906-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1923-11-13

Description

PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

F. F. BAUKSTROM.

ASSORTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-16, 1905.

4 SHEETS-$111121 1.

PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

adfya No. 835,805. PATENTED NOV.-13, 1906. F. F. BAOKSTROM.

ASSORTING APPARATUS.

7 APPLICATION FILED DBO. 1a. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHBBT 3,

. I ik ll .PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

- F. 11. BAGKSTROM.

, ASSORTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 16. 1905.

4' SHBETB -SHEET 4.

(War

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- FRIDOLF F. BACKSTROM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

' ASSORTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 190 6.

Application filed December 16, 1905. Serial No- 292.042.

To all whom it may concern: I

Beit known that I, FRDJOLEF. BACKSTROM, a citizenof the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use- Improvements in Assorting Apparatus;

and I do hereby declare that the followlng is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the-accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to sorting or grading a paratus designed to receive articles of. di erent sizes from a mass and to assort them into different groups characterized by uniform-sized individual artian improved ascles in each group. The machine is adapted for use in assorting fruits, nuts, fact, any article which is to be scribed.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a machine made in accordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, partially broken away. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the machine. Fig. 4 is an venlarged detail sect-ion taken on line4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a crosssection taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

pickles, or, in or commodity o varying size assorted m the manner deassorting apparatus made in accord ance with my invention embraces in general j terms, a plurality of sections located successively vided which one in advance of the other and prosorted drop, being made ing to the discharge end of the apparatus, so that the smallest articles are dropped through the spaces of the first sect ion of the apparatus,

the space of succeeding sections the larger articles are carried to-the delivery sections are spaced a mg and assortin with traveling forwarding -surfaces 5 carry the articles to be assorted from one end of the apparatus to the other, and the construction of which forwarding-surfaces is such as to provide longitudinal spaces in each 1 section through which the articles to be as-' gradually wider from the receiv ranged pulleys, and the ropes of the several art the required distance to. provide t through which the articles to be assorted are dropped. Means are provided which act upon the articles being assorted to facilitate e graduated spaces the passage of said articles through the assort-- mg-spaces formed between the forwarding,- ropes. This may be accomplished by mount-- ing the rollers eng' 1 said ropes in a frame which is given. lateral vibration or may be otherwise accomplished. Located beneath the ropes constituting the forwarding-surface of each section in positionto receive the articles dropping through the spaces between the ropes are means for con-'' veying away from the apparatus the several sizes of the assorted artic es. Said conveying means consists conveniently of transverselydisposed conveyer-belts which travel toward the sides of the a paratus.

I have herein i bodiment of my invention, whic is hereinafter described in detail with reference to the drawings; but it will be understood that the a paratus shown is merely illustrative and the detaileddescription which follows is not intended as limiting the scope of the invention.-

The illustrated apparatus comprises an outer frame consisting of a plurality of standards or posts 10 10 and two side rails 11 11, fixed to the upper side rails slanting from the receiving to the discharge end of the apparatus. 12 12 desi nate the ropes or strands the upper laps of which constitute the forwardsurfaces of the section. 'ng-ropes are arranged to lurality of asserting-sections,

The said forwar constitute a each section ifiering from the others in the width of spaces between the ropes. The several sections of forwarding-ropes are sup-,- ported upon a common frame, as will hereinafter appear, and, as shown, the ropes of each section are distinctfrom the ropes of the other sections. The forwarding-ropes of aged by the upper laps oflustrated one ap roved em- I ends of said posts, said each section are trained about -two upper and two lower rollers 13 13 and 14 14, respectively. The shafts 15 of the lower roll ers are mounted in bearing-boxes 16,;afiixed to the standards of the main frame, while the shafts '17 of the upper rollers are mount- ..ed in bearing-boxes -18, which are fixed to the side members 19 19 of an'inner frame, which latter is the vibratory frame herein-' IIO before described. 7 The transverse members i of said inner vibratory frame consist of shafts 20, as herein shown, which extend through and are fixed to sleeves 21,.Figs. 3 and 5, which are fixed to the side members or rails of the inner frame, the said sleeves 21 being herein shown as made an inte ral part of a casting 23, on which is formed t e bearin sleeves 18 for shafts of the adjacent u per ro lers 13, as indicated in Fig. 5. It wi 1 be observed that the upper roller 13 at the discharge end of each section is located somewhat above the level of the adjacent upper roller, '13 at the receiving-end of the adjoining section, so as to facilitate the delivery of the articles being assorted from one set of forwarding ropes to the next succeeding set. The bearing-sleeves 18 of such two adjacent u per rollers are therefore conveniently forms integ'ral with the casting 23, as are also the sleeves 21 for the shafts 20 at the points where such sleeves occur. Set-screws 22 22 fix the said shafts 20 to the sleeve 21, Fig. 5.

The roilers 13 and 14 are peripherally grooved to maintain the ropes properly spaced. The upper rollers 13 only partake ofthe vibratory motion of the inner frame, the lower rollers 14 remaining stationary. Said shafts 20 constitute not only the transverse members of the inner vibrating frame, but are also associated with the devices for giving vibratory motion to the frame, as will hereinafter ap ear. To this end the shafts extend latera ly beyond the outer side framesand have endwise-sliding movement in bearing brackets 24, that are fastened to thestandards 10, as shown in Fig. 3.

The upper rollers 13, about which the ropes are trained, are driven by means of a sprocket-belt 27, which is trained over sprocket-wheels 28, fixed to certain of the u per rollers 13. The said belt is trained aiiao about a sprocket-wheel 29, fixed to the shaft 29, extending transversely across the receiving end of the machine, and is trained also about idlersprocket-wheels 30 31, Fig. 1, at the delivery and receiving ends of'the ap aratns, respectively. The sprocket-belt is held in mesh with the sprocket-wheels 28 of the upper rollers 13 by means of idlers 32, mounted in brackets 32, fixed to the adja cent side rail 19 of the vibrating frame. The transverse shaft 29 constitutes the drivingshaft of the apparatus and is driven through the'mediu'm of a belt-wheel 33 at one side of theapparatus. It will be observed that, as herein shown, but one of the u per rollers 13 of each section (that at the disc arge end of the section) is driven by the sprocket-belt 27, while the other roller 13 and the lower rollers 14 are-idler-rollers. I

Referring now to the means for vibrating the inner frame and up er rollers and the upperglaps-of the forwar 'ng-ropes, these parts "are made as follows: 85 35 designate horizontal rotative shafts extending lon 'tudinally of the apparatus, one on each si e thereof, and mounted in bearing-brackets 36, extending laterally from the posts 10 of the outer frame of the apparatus. Said shafts are driven from the main shaft 29, through the medium of two vertical shafts 37 37, located at the feed end of the apparatus, which are connected at their up er and lower ends, respectively, by beveled gears with said main s aft and said longitudinal shafts 35. In this manner said shafts 35 are rotated inopposite directions Fixed to said rotary shafts 35 adjacent to each of the transverse shafts 20 of the vibratory frame are cams 38, which engage the lower ends of levers 39 39, pivoted to brackets 40, extending laterally from the main frame of the machine and bearing at their up er ends against the ends of said shafts 20. referabfy said shafts 20 are provided with antifriction-rollers 41, against which the u per ends of said levers 39 directly bear. T e cams 38 of the shafts 35 are so set that. the levers 39, associated with the opposite ends of each shaft, are swung alternately on their pivots, whereby the levers at one side shift the vibrating frame in one direction and the levers at the other side shift the frame in. the opposite direction.

The upper laps of the forwarding and as sorting ropes 12 of each section are disposed substantially horizontal, and the receiving end of each forwarding-surface formed by said separated ropes is located below the discharge end of the section in rear thereof, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Side boards 40 are provided at the sides of said forwarding-suriaces of the sections, which extend from end to end of the apparatus and hold the articles being assorted on the belts. The lower margins of said boards 40 are fashioned to fit closely the successively lower. elevations of the up or laps of the forwarding-ropes, as indicate clearly in Fig. 5.

Located beneath each section of the upper laps of the forwardingropes before described is a conveying device for conveying the assorted articles from the machine. Said conveying devices consist, as herein shown, of transverse belts 42, trained about rollers or pulleys 43 on the side shafts 35, each located centrally beneath the upper laps of the forwarding-ropes of its section. The assorted articles are directed to said shelf 42 b means of oblique directing-boards 44 44, w 'ch are fastened to the posts 10 of the main frame by means of brackets 45 45. Said pulleys 43 are fixed to the shafts 35 between collars 46, which hold the pulleys from endwise movement. The companion pulleys 43 on opposite sides of the apparatus, aboutwhich each belt 42 is trained, are loosely mounted upon the shafts 35, and one pulley of each pair is properly in place designed to be fixed to the shaft by pins 47, extending through the reduced ends of the pulley and the associated shaft, Fig. 6, while the other pulley of the air is designed to remain loose on its sha t.. The fast pulleys therefore constitute the drivin -pulleys, while the loose pulleys are idlers. ach belt or conveyer 42 may therefore be driven in either of two opposite directions by fixing one or the other of its pulleys to the rotating shafts 35. In this manner the articles being assorted may be delivered to either side of the machine. If desired, one orall of said discharging belts or conveyers 42 may be extended some distance laterally from the machine, so as to carry the assorted articles to a distant place. One of the belts 42 isshow'n in Fig. 2 as thus extending from the machine. The larger articles, which do not ass through the spaces between the forwar nigropes, are discharged from the last section upon a transverse conveyer-belt 50, like the belt 42, Fi s. 1 and 2, which direct the said larger artic es laterally away from the apparatus.

The apparatus may be provided with any number of asserting-sections desired. In some instances the len th of the ap aratus will make it desirable that each shar t 35 be made of two parts or sections disposed in dif-- ferent horizontal planes and connected at their ends by sprocket-belts 51, trained about sprocket-wheels on the adjacent ends of said sections. This arrangement is ads vantageous in a long apparatus, inasmuch as it avoids locating the ends of the shafts at the receiving end of the a paratus and the conveyer-belts 42, carrie thereby, too far be. low the upper laps of the assorting-ropes,

thus avoidlng too great a distance of the drop for the smaller articles.

Certain of the bearings 16 for the shafts 15 of the lower rollers 14 are fixed stationary to the posts 10 of the outer frame. To provide means of taking up the slack of the forwarding-ropes, others of the bearings 16 for the shafts of said lower rollers are fastened to said outer frame by means permitting movement of the bearings and said rollers. A convenient construction by which this result is effected is shown in Fig. 4, wherein two ad- 'acent bearings 16 are attached to an angle ar that is bolted to an adjacent post10 of the outer frame. Said bearings 16 are at tached to the said angle-bar by means of bolts 56, which extend through lugs of said bearings and through longitudinal slots 57 in the horizontal flange 58 of said angle-bar, the attachment being sufficiently loose to permit the bearings to move toward and from each other. Aspiral contractile spring 59 is stretched between and is connected with said two bearings in a manner to draw them to gether, and thereby take up the slack of the ropes of the two sections associated with said lower rollers. As herein shown, each spring 59 is attached at its ends to studs 60 60, that have screw-threaded engagement with said bearings. 16. The articles being assorted which do not pass between the ropes of the first section are carried to the succeeding sec tions, the various sizes of said articles finding and falling throu h their proper spaces.

The articles to be assorted are delivered to the receiving end of the apparatus by means of a delivery-belt 61, that is trained about a roller 62, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,)

fixed to the driving-shaft 29", said roller being located a distance over-the receiving end of the forwarding-surface constituted by the ropes 12 of the'first section.

The operation of my improved assorting a paratus will be obvious from the foregoing.

he articles to be assorted are delivered in mass by the feed-belt 61 to the forwardin and assorting surface of the first section. and are by the ropes constituting said surface advanced forwardly thereover. During the forward movement of said articles over said forwarding-surface the inner frame is vibrated laterally in a manner to facilitate the agitation of the articles and the smaller articles pass through the spaces between the ropes constituting the forwardin -surface of said first section. The articles 'ch do not pass through the ropes of any 'ven section are delivered successively to t e next forward section. The largest articles of the mass are finally delivered by the forwardingropes of the last section to the transverse conveyer-belt 50 at the discharge end of the apparatus. The articles of assorted sizes are carried by the conveyer-belts 42 to either side of the machine desired in assorted lots and delivered to suitable receptacles placed to receive the same.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an assorting-machine for the purpose set forth, a plurality of traveling forwardingsurfaces, each formed with a plurality of closely-spaced, parallel, longitudinal, assorting-spaces sorted drop, said forwarding-surfaces being disposed in sections located successively one in advance of the other from the receiving to the discharge end of the apparatus, and the spaces of each succeeding section being wider than the last section.

2. In an assorting-niachine, a plurality of traveling forwarding-surfaces having parallel, longitudinal, assorting-spaces through which articles to be assorted drop, said forwarding-surfaces being disposed in sections located successively one in advance of the other from the receivin to the discharge end of the apparatus, and t e spaces of each succeedin section being wider than the last section, the several forwarding-surface sections being located in different horizontal planes, and the discharge end of each section being located above and in position to deliver articles to the receiving end of the next for.- ward section. I

3. In an assorting-machine for the purpose set forth, a plurality of assorting and forwarding surfaces, each formed with a plurality of closely-s aced, parallel spaces through which artic es to be assorted pass, said surfaces being disposed in sections located successively one in advance of the other from one end of the machine to the other, the spaces of each succeeding section being wider than the last section, and means located beneath each traveling-surface section which receive'the assorted articles which drop through said spaces, and convey the assorted articles away from the machine.

4. In an asserting-machine for the purpose set forth, a plurality of traveling, laterallyvibrating, forwarding-surfaces, each formed with a l'urality of closely-spaced, parallel, longitu inal, asserting-spaces through which articles to be assorted drop, said forwardingsurfaces being disposed in sections located successively one in advance of the other from the receivin to the discharge end of the apparatus, an the spaces of each succeeding section being wider than the last section.

5. An assorting-machine including a forwarding-surface consisting of a plurality of elongated, transverse, grooved rollers and ropes trained about said rollers,- the upper laps of which constitute forwarding-surfaces,

and the spaces between the ropes constituting assorting-spaces through which the articles to be assorted drop by gravity, said rollers being arranged to dispose the said up er laps of the ropes one in advance of the other with the receiving end of each forwardingsurface in position to receive the articles being assorted from the forwarding-surface next in rear thereof.

6. An assorting-machine including a traveling forwarding-surface consisting of a plurality of ropes trained about rollers and spaced at gradually-widening distances a art from the receiving to the discharge .end of the machine, and means for laterally vibrating said rollers and the ropes.

7. An assorting-machine for the purpose set forth comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted transversely in saidframe, and closely-spaced parallel forwarding ropes trained about said rollers and disposed in sections, one in advance of the other, the upper laps of which constitute forwarding-surfaces, the ropes of the several sections being spaced gradually farther apart from the receiving to the delivery end of the machine to provide spaces of increasing width through which the articles to be assorted drop.

8. An assorting machine comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted transversely in said frame, and parallel forwarding-ropes trained about said rollers and disposed in sections, one in advance of the other, the upper. laps of which constitute forwarding-surfaces, the ropes of the several sections being spaced gradually farther apart from the receiving to the delivery end ofthe machine to provide spaces of increasing Width through which the articles to be assorted drop, and means operating upon the articles being assorted to facilitate the delivery thereof through spaces between said ropes 9. An assorting machine comprising a main frame, a frame supported thereby, means for vibrating the latter frame, a plurality of rollers mounted transversely in said latter frame, and arallel forwardingropes trained about said sections one in advance of the other, the'upper laps of which constitute forwarding-suraces, the ropes of the several sections being spaced gradually farther apart from the receiving to the delivery end of the machine to provide spaces of increasing width through which the articles to be assorted drop.

10. An assorting-machine comprising a main frame, a frame supported thereby, means for vibrating the latter frame, a pluralitylof rollers mounted transversely in said latter frame, and parallel forwarding-ropes trained about said rollers and disposed in sections one in advance of the other, the uper laps of which constitute forwarding-suraces, the ropes of the several sections being spaced gradually farther apart from the re ceiving to the delivery end of the machine to provide spaces of increasing Width through rollers and disposed in I which the articles to be assorted drop, and

the upper laps of the ropes of the several sections being disposed in different planes, with the discharge ends thereof located above and in position to deliver the articles to the receiving ends of the other sections.

11. An assorting-machine comprising a stationary frame, a vibratory frame support ed therein, transverse u per and lower rollers mounted respectively in the vibratory and stationary frames, means for vibrating the vibratory frame and the rollers mounted therein, and a plurality of parallel forwarding-ropes trained about the upper and lower rollers, the up er laps of which constitute forwarding-sur aces, said ropes and. rollers being so disposed as to constitute a plurality of sections of forwarding-surfaces located one in advance of the other, and the ropes of the several sections being spaced at gradually-widening distances apart from the delivery to the discharge end of the'machine.

12. An assorting-machine comprising "a stationary frame, a vibratory frame supported therein, transverse upper and lower rollers mounted respectively in the vibratory and stationary frames, means for vibrating the vibratory frame and the rollers mounted therein, and a plurality of parallel forwardrollers, the upper laps of which constitute forwardingesurfaces, said ropes and rollers being so disposed as to constitute a plurality of sections of forwarding-surfaces located one in advance of the other, the ropes of the several sections being spaced at gradually-widening distances apart from the delivery to the discharge end of the machine, and transverse conveying-belts located beneath the upper laps of the sections of the forwarding-ropes for conveying the assorted articles laterally away from the machine.

- 13. An assortin -machine comprising a main frame, a vi ratory frame supported therein, upper and lower rollers carried respectively by said vibratory and main frame, said vibratory frame comprising longitudinal rails in which the upper rollers are mounted and transverse shafts attached thereto and extending. outwardly through and having ticles to be assorted drop, said spaces increasing in width from the receiving to the discharge end of the machine, conveyer-belts extending transversely beneath the forwarding-surfaces and adapted to receive the articles that dro through the spaces of said forwarding-su ace, and means whereby said belts may be driven toward one side of the machine or the other as desired.

15. An ass orting-li achine comprising a*- traveling forwarding and assorting surface provided with spaces through which the articles to be assorted drop, said-spaces increasshafts, designed to fix one of the pulleys as-" sociated with each belt to its shaft and to release the other pulley from its shaft and vice versa, whereby the belts may be made to travel toward either side of the machine.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in resence of two witnesses, this 11th day 0 December, A. D. 1905.

FRIDOLF F. 'BACKSTROM.

Witnesses: W. L. HALL,

G. R. WILKINS.