EP0084905A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Article sorting conveyor system
Assignee: Alvey Inc
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Filing: 1983-01-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-01-17
Abstract
Abstract An article sorting conveyor system having a principal article conveying surface (10) and spur or branch conveyors (12, 13) leading off of the principal conveying surface, platens (24) carried by the principal conveying surface so they may move crosswise of that surface when switching means (32) is actuated to direct platens for pushing an article onto a spur, and control means (65) to determine the distances from the switching means to the article entry location, to count the number of platens which agree with the length of articles for assuring the complete exit of the articles, and to establish the time when the switching means is to be actuated so that platens not being used to engage articles will not be jammed by premature actuation of the switch means.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold L. Turnbough
- 👤 John J. Rustemeyer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:51
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/74; B65G47/84; B65G47/841; B65G47/844
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
344 words
An article sorting conveyor system comprising : a) a principal conveyor (10) having an article receiving inlet and a plurality of article supporting elements (23) forming a moving surface which is part of an endless conveyor circuit ; b) article receiving spur means (12,13) in position to receive articles from said principal conveyor (10); c) guide means adjacent said article supporting elements in said moving surface including first guide (26) extending lengthwise of said principal conveyor, second guide (27) extending angularly relative to said first guide toward said spur means, and other guides (28,29,30) associated with said principal conveyor extending from said first and second guides to the receiving end of said prinipal conveyor; d) a plurality of platens (24) carried by said article supporting elements (23) of said principal conveyor (10) in regularly spaced order and having means (25)engageable with said first and second guides (26,27) for directing said platens (24) selectively lengthwise and angularly relative to said principal conveyor article moving surface, said engageable means on said platens engaging said other guides (28,29,30) for return to said principal conveyor inlet; e) means (52,53) adjacent said principal conveyor inlet for indicating the presence of an article moving onto said principal conveyor (10) and a dimensional characteristic of such article, said indicating means (52,53) being disposed a known distance in advance of said spur means (12,13); f) switch means (32) cooperating with said first and second guides and operative for directing the travel of said platens relative to said first and second guides; g) platen sensing means (55) for generating signal pulses upon passage of platens at said article indicating means; and h) controller means (65) responsive to said means for indicating the presence and the dimensional characteristic of an article moving onto said principal conveyor, and responsive to pulses generated by said platen counting means for converting said indication from said means and the counting of said generated pulses into a signal to control the operation of said switch means (32) and the direction of travel of said platens beyond said switch means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
344 words
An article sorting conveyor system comprising : a) a principal conveyor (10) having an article receiving inlet and a plurality of article supporting elements (23) forming a moving surface which is part of an endless conveyor circuit ; b) article receiving spur means (12,13) in position to receive articles from said principal conveyor (10); c) guide means adjacent said article supporting elements in said moving surface including first guide (26) extending lengthwise of said principal conveyor, second guide (27) extending angularly relative to said first guide toward said spur means, and other guides (28,29,30) associated with said principal conveyor extending from said first and second guides to the receiving end of said prinipal conveyor; d) a plurality of platens (24) carried by said article supporting elements (23) of said principal conveyor (10) in regularly spaced order and having means (25)engageable with said first and second guides (26,27) for directing said platens (24) selectively lengthwise and angularly relative to said principal conveyor article moving surface, said engageable means on said platens engaging said other guides (28,29,30) for return to said principal conveyor inlet; e) means (52,53) adjacent said principal conveyor inlet for indicating the presence of an article moving onto said principal conveyor (10) and a dimensional characteristic of such article, said indicating means (52,53) being disposed a known distance in advance of said spur means (12,13); f) switch means (32) cooperating with said first and second guides and operative for directing the travel of said platens relative to said first and second guides; g) platen sensing means (55) for generating signal pulses upon passage of platens at said article indicating means; and h) controller means (65) responsive to said means for indicating the presence and the dimensional characteristic of an article moving onto said principal conveyor, and responsive to pulses generated by said platen counting means for converting said indication from said means and the counting of said generated pulses into a signal to control the operation of said switch means (32) and the direction of travel of said platens beyond said switch means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The article sorting conveyor according to claim 1 characterized in that said controller (65) operates said switch means (32) to direct platens onto said second guide (27) substantially equal in number of platens to the dimensional characteristic of the article indicated by said means to be moving onto said principal conveyor (lo).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The article sorting conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that said spur means (12,13) lead off from said principal conveyor (10) at one side thereof, and said first guide means (26) are disposed on said principal conveyor along the side thereof opposite to said spur means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The article sorting conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that said spur means (12,13) lead off from said principal conveyor (lO)at opposite sides thereof, said first guide means (26) are disposed centrally of said principal conveyor, and said second guide means (27) extend angularly from said first guide means toward said spur means (12,13).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
71 words
The article sorting conveyor according to claim l,characterized in that said switch means (32) comprises a body (35) having switch plates (41,42) in spaced relation to form a channel therebetween defined by switch plate surfaces, and said platens each have projecting elements (25) adapted to enter said channel and be selectively engaged by said switch platen surfaces for determining the direction of travel of said platens moved beyond said switch means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
86 words
The article sorting conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that said article indicating means (52,53) identifies a platen corresponding to the leading end and the trailing end of an article, and said controller means(65) responds to said article indicating means for relating said identified platens to said platen counting means and to said switch means whereby said switch means operates to divert each of said platens corresponding to the leading and trailing ends and each intervening platens for diverting the article in the same direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
215 words
An article sorting conveyor system comprising : a) a principal article conveyor (10) having means defining an elongated article conveying surface movable in a closed path; b) an article receiving spur(12,13) having a receiving end communicating with said principal conveyor (10) ; c) platen elements (24) carried by said principal conveyor for movement therewith and transversally thereof; d) guide means (26,27) arranged in fixed positions adjacent said principal conveyor for selectively directing said platen elements crosswise of and obliquely relative to said principal conveyor; e) switch means (32) operative for engaging said platens and moving them into the influence of said guide means which diverts them across said principal conveyor to a spur; f) platen counting means operative upon operation of said principal conveyor; g) article induction means to signal the entry of each article to said principal conveyor and to identify a number of platens substantially corresponding to a dimension of each article entering said principal conveyor; h) and control means (65) responsive to said induction means and the substantially simultaneous count by said platen counting means for operating said switch means to divert only those identified platens which substantially match each article, said diverted platens being directed by said guide means obliquely of said principal conveyor for diverting the article onto said spur.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
215 words
An article sorting conveyor system comprising : a) a principal article conveyor (10) having means defining an elongated article conveying surface movable in a closed path; b) an article receiving spur(12,13) having a receiving end communicating with said principal conveyor (10) ; c) platen elements (24) carried by said principal conveyor for movement therewith and transversally thereof; d) guide means (26,27) arranged in fixed positions adjacent said principal conveyor for selectively directing said platen elements crosswise of and obliquely relative to said principal conveyor; e) switch means (32) operative for engaging said platens and moving them into the influence of said guide means which diverts them across said principal conveyor to a spur; f) platen counting means operative upon operation of said principal conveyor; g) article induction means to signal the entry of each article to said principal conveyor and to identify a number of platens substantially corresponding to a dimension of each article entering said principal conveyor; h) and control means (65) responsive to said induction means and the substantially simultaneous count by said platen counting means for operating said switch means to divert only those identified platens which substantially match each article, said diverted platens being directed by said guide means obliquely of said principal conveyor for diverting the article onto said spur.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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