U.S. patent application number 10/579633 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-29 for method and a device for advancing essentially rectangular pieces of cloth to a feeder.
Invention is credited to Steen Nielsen.
Application Number | 20070068433 10/579633 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34609963 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070068433 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nielsen; Steen |
March 29, 2007 |
Method and a device for advancing essentially rectangular pieces of
cloth to a feeder
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and a device for
advancing essentially rectangular pieces of cloth (5) to a feeder
(60) comprising securing of a piece of cloth in securing means (31)
that are configured on a rail conveyor (30); wherein the rail
conveyor with the piece of cloth is transported in a direction of
conveyance (16) on an endless conveyor rail; and wherein the rail
converter with the piece of cloth is transferred to the feeder
(60). Hereby reduced operator time is accomplished, while
simultaneously an increase in capacity is achieved compared to the
prior art advancement devices.
Inventors: |
Nielsen; Steen; (Ronne,
DK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER;LLP
901 NEW YORK AVENUE, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-4413
US
|
Family ID: |
34609963 |
Appl. No.: |
10/579633 |
Filed: |
November 18, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
November 18, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DK04/00793 |
371 Date: |
May 17, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
112/141 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 67/04 20130101;
D06F 95/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
112/141 |
International
Class: |
D05B 35/02 20060101
D05B035/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 18, 2003 |
DK |
PA 2003 01710 |
Claims
1. A method of advancing essentially rectangular pieces of cloth
(5) to a feeder (60) comprising securing of a piece of cloth (5) in
securing means (31) that are configured on a rail conveyor (30);
wherein the rail conveyor (30) with the piece of cloth (5) is
conveyed in a direction of conveyance (16) on an endless conveyor
rail; and wherein the rail conveyor (30) with the piece of cloth
(5) is advanced to a feeder 60; and wherein the piece of cloth 5)
is transferred to the feeder (60), characterised in that a section
of an edge on the piece of cloth (5) is found and that the section
of the edge is straightened, following which the section of the
edge is mounted in the securing means (31).
2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the piece
of cloth (5) is transferred from a transfer position (14)
configured in an inlet station (12) to the securing means (31) in
that the securing means (31) are conveyed in between two parallel
sandwich conveyor belts (17) configured in the direction of
conveyance (16) of the inlet station; and that the straightened
edge of the piece of cloth (5) is mounted in the securing means
(31) in the transfer position (14) by the advancement by the
sandwich conveyor belts of the piece of cloth from a position of
introduction (13) configured in the direction of conveyance (16)
opposite the transfer position (14).
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the
piece of cloth (5) is conveyed on the endless conveyor rail (21)
with the straightened edge of the piece of cloth transversally of
the direction of conveyance (16) or essentially transversally of
the direction of conveyance (16).
4. A method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterised in
that the piece of cloth (5) is transferred from the securing means
(31) on the rail conveyor (30) to the feeder (60) in that the
straightened edge on the piece of cloth (5) is conveyed in between
a superjacent (63) and a subjacent conveyor belt (64) configured at
an end of a bar (65), which bar is arranged transversally to the
direction of conveyance (16) on the feeder (60).
5. A method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterised in
that a plurality of pieces of cloth (5) are mounted on each their
rail conveyor (30), and that each rail conveyor with a piece of
cloth is subsequently taken onto the endless conveyor rail (21),
where the rail conveyors with pieces of cloth form a buffer
storage.
6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims,
characterised in that the rail conveyor (30) with the piece of
cloth (5) is conveyed out of the buffer storage for being fed to
the feeder (60).
7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims,
characterised in that the rail conveyor (30) with the piece of
cloth (5) is conveyed onto a section of the conveyor rail (26b) and
is conveyed to another feeder (60).
8. A device for advancing essentially rectangular pieces of cloth
(5) to a feeder (60) comprising a rail conveyor (30) with securing
means (31), said rail conveyor being configured to convey
essentially rectangular pieces of cloth on a conveyor rail (21) in
a direction of conveyance (16) between an inlet station (12a, 12b)
and the feeder, characterised in that the securing means (31) are
configured for securing a piece of a straightened edge of the piece
of cloth (5); and that the securing means (31) are configured in
such a manner as to run between two parallel sandwich conveyor
belts (17) configured in the direction of conveyance (16) of the
inlet station; and that the securing means are configured to take
over the straightened edge of the piece of cloth (5) at a transfer
position (14), which transfer position (14) is configured in the
direction of conveyance opposite the position of introduction
(13).
9. A device according to claim 8, characterised in that the
securing means (30) are a pair of conveyor clamps arranged on the
rail conveyor (21) at a distance from each other and along an axis
(X) which is perpendicular to the direction of conveyance (16) of
the rail conveyor (30) or is essentially perpendicular to the
direction of conveyance (16) of the rail conveyor.
10. A device according to any one of claims 8-9, characterised in
that the conveyor clamps (30) are configured for securing the
straightened edge of the piece of cloth (5) in a position
transversally to the direction of conveyance (16) or essentially
transversally to the direction of conveyance (16).
11. A device according to any one of claims 8-10, characterised in
comprising a buffer area (32a, 32b), said buffer area being
configured in the direction of conveyance (16) on the conveyor rail
(21) between an inlet station (12a, 12b) and said feeder (60).
12. A device according to any one of claims 8-11, characterised in
comprising a buffer area (28a) configured on the conveyor rail (21)
between the feeder (60) and the inlet station (12a, 12b).
13. A device according to any one of claims 8-12, characterised in
that the conveyor rail (21) comprises one or more switchings (27).
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a method of advancing
essentially rectangular pieces of cloth to a feeder according to
the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a device
for advancing essentially rectangular pieces of cloth to a feeder
according to the preamble of claim 8.
[0002] Feeding of essentially rectangular pieces of cloth to a
feeder often takes place with the purpose of having washed and
still moist pieces of cloth straightened before being taken through
a laundry apparatus such as eg a rotary ironer. To this end a
feeder is provided before the laundry apparatus. The pieces of
cloth are taken one at a time from a pile of pieces of cloth and
are arranged in conveyor clamps for being conveyed to a feeder.
[0003] Thus EP 0 982 428 A1 teaches a method and a device for
advancing pieces of cloth to a laundry machine. At an inlet station
each individual piece of cloth is seized manually by an operator
and two opposed corners of a side edge is found. Then the corners
of the piece of cloth are arranged in two successive conveyor
clamps that are configured in an advancement conveyor. The piece of
cloth, which is arranged in the two successive conveyor clamps, are
conveyed "laterally" to a buffer storage. The buffer storage is
often integral with a conveyor rail that constitutes a part of the
advancement conveyor. From the buffer storage the pieces of cloth
are taken one at a time to a feeder for being fed to a rotary
ironer. At the front of the feeder, the pieces of cloth are
transferred from the conveyor clamps of the advancement conveyor to
spreader clamps configured in the feeder. The spreader clamps serve
to straighten the piece of cloth at the front, transversally to the
direction of conveyance of the feeder, following which the
straightened piece of cloth is conveyed into the feeder and on into
the rotary ironer.
[0004] The method according to the prior art, however, presupposes
disproportionately much manual handling of the individual piece of
cloth. First, each individual piece of cloth is to be seized by an
operator and two adjacent corners of a side edge of the piece of
cloth are to be found prior to the corners being subsequently
arranged in two successive conveyor clamps. Moreover, since the
pieces of cloth are frequently mixed up in piles of both large and
small pieces of cloth, the respective cycle times are not
necessarily the same for the large pieces of cloth and the small
pieces of cloth. The cycle time per piece of cloth thus varies in
response to the type/size of piece of cloth, and since moreover the
cycle time is comparatively long it is necessary to configure
several inlet stations with each their operator to even out these
differences. Not until then is it possible to feed sufficiently
many pieces of cloth to utilize the capacity of the advancement
conveyor optimally.
[0005] Thereby one of the drawbacks of an advancement system
becomes apparent since, in order to be able to use the increase in
capacity which is enabled by an advancement conveyor to advantage,
it is necessary that the limitation in capacity of the system is
transferred to the inlet stations where the pieces of cloth are
arranged in the conveyor clamps.
[0006] Increase in capacity is a general object of such advancement
systems that are used for advancing pieces of cloth to a feeder.
Therefore it is an aim to reduce the operator time (cycle time) per
piece of cloth, whereby--from an overall point of view--less
operator time is required, or to achieve increased productivity per
operator.
[0007] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a
method and a device, by which the drawbacks of the prior art are
obviated, and whereby an increase in capacity is also achieved
compared to the prior art.
[0008] This is accomplished by the method according to the
characterising part of claim 1 and by the device according to the
characterising part of claim 8.
[0009] It is hereby accomplished that the manual handling of the
pieces of cloth is reduced in that the operator time (cycle time)
for the individual piece of cloth is reduced. This is enabled in
that the operator is to find only an edge of the piece of cloth
which is subsequently to be arranged in a pair of conveyor clamps.
Precisely due to the straightened edge describing a well defined
section of the piece of cloth which can, in a simple and easy
manner, be arranged/mounted in the securing means by a simple
movement, the operator time for the individual piece of cloth can
be reduced considerably.
[0010] The method and the apparatus according to the invention can
advantageously be used for feeding pieces of cloth to a feeder of
the type which is known ia from WO 00/66828.
[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the method, the piece
of cloth is transferred from a transfer position configured in a
inlet station for the securing means, in that the securing means
are conveyed to a position between two parallel sandwich conveyor
belts configured in the direction of conveyance of the inlet
station; and wherein the straightened edge of the piece of cloth is
mounted in the securing means in the transfer position during
advancement of the piece of cloth by the sandwich conveyor belts
from a feeding position configured in the direction of conveyance
opposite the transfer position. Hereby it is advantageously
accomplished that the mounting of the piece of cloth in the
securing means can be automated and further simplified as the
extended fore edge of the piece of cloth is arranged in the feeding
position, following which the sandwich conveyor belts advance the
piece of cloth to the transfer position, where the straightened
edge is taken over by the securing means.
[0012] According to a further preferred embodiment of the method,
the piece of cloth is conveyed on the endless conveyor rail with
the straightened edge arranged transversally to the direction of
conveyance or essentially transversally of the direction of
conveyance. Hereby a method is accomplished by which it is
advantageous in particular cases to transport a straightened edge
of the piece of cloth on an endless conveyor rail.
[0013] According to a further preferred embodiment of the method,
the piece of cloth is transferred from the securing means on the
conveyor to the feeder in that the straightened edge on the piece
of cloth is conveyed between a superjacent and a subjacent conveyor
belt configured at the end of a bar, said bar being arranged
transversally in relation to a direction of conveyance on the
feeder. Hereby a method is accomplished by which it is advantageous
in particular cases to transfer the piece of cloth from the
securing means on the conveyor to the feeder.
[0014] According to yet a preferred embodiment of the method a
plurality of pieces of cloth are mounted on each their rail
conveyor; and wherein each rail conveyor with a piece of cloth is
subsequently conveyed out on the endless conveyor rail, where the
rail conveyors with pieces of cloth form a buffer stock; and
wherein the conveyor with the piece of cloth is conveyed out of the
buffer stock for being fed to the feeder. Hereby a method is
accomplished which is advantageous in particular cases in
connection with the advancement of pieces of cloth to a feeder.
[0015] According to yet a preferred embodiment of the method, the
rail conveyor with the piece of cloth is conveyed onto a section of
the conveyor rail and conveyed to another feeder. Hereby a method
is accomplished which is advantageous in particular cases in
connection with the advancement of pieces of cloth in advancement
systems that comprise a first feeder and a second feeder.
[0016] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention
the securing means comprise a pair of conveyor clamps that are
arranged on the rail conveyor at a distance from each other and
along an axis perpendicular to the direction of conveyance of the
rail conveyor or essentially perpendicular to the direction of
conveyance of the rail conveyor. Hereby a pair of conveyor clamps
is accomplished which is particularly advantageously used in
connection with advancement of pieces of cloth to a feeder by
securing of a straightened section of edge of the piece of
cloth.
[0017] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention
the securing means are configured for securing the straightened
edge of the piece of cloth in a position transversally to the
direction of conveyance, or essentially transversally to the
direction of conveyance. Hereby securing of the straightened edge
of the piece of cloth is accomplished in a position which is
advantageous in particular cases.
[0018] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention
the endless conveyor rail comprises a buffer area which buffer area
is configured in the direction of conveyance on the conveyor rail
between a inlet station and said feeder. Hereby a temporary storage
of pieces of cloth on conveyor rail is accomplished which is
advantageous in that particular case.
[0019] According to yet a further preferred embodiment of the
invention, the endless conveyor rail comprises a buffer area
configured on the conveyor rail between the feeder and the inlet
station. Hereby temporary storage of pieces of cloth on conveyor
rail is accomplished which is advantageous in other particular
cases.
[0020] According to yet a further preferred embodiment of the
invention the conveyor rail comprises a switching or one or more
switchings. Hereby it is accomplished that a rail conveyor can be
conveyed onto a rail section and that the rail sections can be
divided into advantageous subsections.
[0021] The invention will now be explained with reference to the
drawing, wherein:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a laundry area
with an inlet section, an endless conveyor rail comprising a
plurality of rail conveyors and a feeder configured in connection
with a rotary ironer; and
[0023] FIG. 2 shows a section of an inlet station; and
[0024] FIG. 3 shows a section of a feeder seen from one end of a
transverse bar; and
[0025] FIG. 4 is a schematic sketch of a pair of conveyor
clamps.
[0026] The configuration shown in FIG. 1 serves the purpose of
advancing laundered, essentially rectangular pieces of cloth 5 such
as eg sheets, tablecloths, bed linen and the like to rotary ironing
in a rotary ironer 10. The device comprises an endless conveyor
rail 21, on which conveyor rail 21 a plurality of rail conveyors 30
comprising conveyor claims 31 that are configured in pairs are
conveyed around in a conveyor device 16 on the conveyor rail 21.
The direction of conveyance of the rail conveyor 30 around the
conveyor rail 21 is shown by arrows 16.
[0027] In the following, reference is made to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.
FIG. 1 shows a principle sketch of a conveyor rail system for
advancing pieces of cloth 5 for being fed to a feeder 60. The
conveyor rail system comprises an advancement side and a return
side, wherein the advancement side is defined by the rail sections
that are configured in the direction of conveyance 16 between the
inlet stations 12a, 12b and the feeder 60, and wherein the return
side is defined by the rail sections that are configured between
the feeder 60 and the inlet station 12a, 12b in the direction of
conveyance 16.
[0028] At the beginning of the advancement process the conveyance
rail 21 comprises rail sections 22a, 22b. Each rail section 22a,
22b comprises a U-shaped course 23a, 23b that extends downwards and
upwards in a vertical plane. For each U-shaped course an inlet
station 12a, 12b is configured. Against the direction of conveyance
16 of the conveyor rail system, away from the inlet stations 12a,
12b, the rail sections 22a, 22b each comprises a 180.degree.-curve
course 24a, 24b that first extends away from the inlet stations
12a, 12b and again towards and past the inlet stations 12a, 12b in
a horizontal plane. At their ends, rail sections 22a, 22b are
connected to a common rail section 25 on the advancement side and
on the return side rail sections 22a, 22b are connected on another
common rail section 28.
[0029] On the advancement side the common rail section 25 divides
into two inlet sections 26a, 26b that each leads to a feeder 60.
Each inlet section 26a, 26b comprises a U-shaped course 27a, 27b
that extends downwards and upwards in a vertical plane. The
U-shaped courses 27a, 27b are configured for conveying rail
conveyors 30 with secured pieces of cloth 5 from an elevated
horizontally extending rail section down in level with the feeder
60. More specifically the rail conveyor 30 is conveyed downwards at
a superjacent and subjacent conveyor belt Configured at the end of
a bar 65. The bar 65 is positioned transversely in relation to a
direction of conveyance 61 on the feeder 60. The bar 65 is arranged
at a fore edge of the feeder and is configured for pieces of cloth
to be conveyed inwards from an end of the bar and across the bar,
following which they are conveyed in the direction of conveyance 61
of the feeder into the feeder 60 and on into a subsequent rotary
ironer 10. In the direction of conveyance at the end of the
U-shaped course 27a, 27b, rail sections 26a, 26b assemble in a rail
section 28 which again branches into two rail sections 22a, 22b
that lead past the inlet stations 12a, 12b.
[0030] In connection with each U-shaped course 27a, 27b an endless
conveyor belt 50 is configured which is provided with a plurality
of conveyance means for conveying the rail conveyors 30 around on
the U-shaped course 27a, 27b. The conveyance means are
advantageously mounted at the same distance from each other on the
endless conveyor belt 50. The endless conveyor belt 50 comprises
drive means for driving the conveyor belt 50 around in the
direction of conveyance 16 of the rail conveyor. The drive means
are configured for receiving signals from a signal emitter 66
mounted in connection with the rail section 27a, 27b and moreover
receiving signals from a signal emitter (not shown) in the feeder
60, whereby continuous supply of pieces of cloth to the feeder 60
is accomplished.
[0031] On the advancement side the rail sections are advantageously
configured with a vertical drop from the inlet stations 12a, 12b
and onwards to the feeder, and on the return side the rail sections
are advantageously configured with a vertical drop from the feeder
60 and onwards to the inlet stations 12a, 12b. Hereby it is enabled
that the rail conveyors 30 are able to use the slope on the rail
sections to advantage and "roll" down the rail sections.
[0032] FIG. 1 shows two inlet stations 12a, 12b that may each be
completely or partially staffed with an operator 11. However, in
particular cases, more inlet stations 12a, 12b may be provided, and
likewise the number of feeders 60/rotary ironers 10 and inlet
stations 12a, 12b will be adapted to the concrete operating
scenario.
[0033] In the example shown in FIG. 1, both inlet stations 12a, 12b
are staffed with operators 11 that each individually introduces
laundered pieces of cloth 5 in a position of introduction 13 onto
the inlet station 12. Thus, the operator 11 seizes a piece of cloth
5 and finds a section of an edge of the piece of cloth 5. The
section of the edge is straightened and the edge conveyed at the
inlet position 13 into two parallel sandwich conveyor belts 17. The
piece of cloth 5 is conveyed to a transfer position 14 configured
in the direction of conveyance 18 opposite the position of
introduction 13.
[0034] Since a U-shaped course 23a, 23b is configured that extends
in a vertical plane at each inlet station 12a, 12b, the rail
sections 22a, 22b are conveyed down in a level with the transfer
position 14. More specifically, the securing means 31 are conveyed
in between the two parallel sandwich conveyor belts 17 at the
transfer position 14. The securing means are advantageously two
conveyor clamps 31 that are mounted at a distance from each other
in such a manner that the conveyor clamps are able to take over and
secure the edge of the piece of cloth 5 in straightened state.
[0035] At the transfer position 14, the straightened edge of the
piece of cloth 5 is transferred to a pair of conveyor clamps 31
that are mounted on a rail conveyor 30 and are conveyed in the
direction of conveyance 16 along rail section 22a, 22b to the
subsequent rail section 25. Then the rail conveyor 30 with the
piece of cloth 5 is taken through a switching 27 and can thus be
conveyed out onto either rail section 26a or rail section 26b.
[0036] The feeder 60 is configured for the pieces of cloth 5 to be
conveyed into the feeder 60 at a side in parallel with the
direction of conveyance 61 of the feeder. The transfer of a piece
of cloth 5 from the rail conveyor 30 takes place by the piece of
cloth being taken down into the curvature 51 of the U-shaped course
where the straightened edge of the piece of cloth is conveyed in
between a superjacent endless conveyor belt 63 and a subjacent
endless conveyor belt 64 at an end of the transverse bar 65 on the
feeder 60.
[0037] The superjacent endless conveyor belt 63 is configured at an
end of the bar 65 and comprises a direction of movement 64a which
is in parallel with the expanse of the bar transversally of the
direction of conveyance 61 of the feeder 60. The subjacent endless
conveyor belt 64 extends on a horizontal top face of the bar 65 and
has an expanse essentially in the expanse of the bar transversally
to the direction of conveyance 61 of the feeder 60. The superjacent
endless conveyor 63 and the subjacent endless conveyor belt 64 is
configured with a direction of conveyance 64a that causes the
pieces of cloth 5 to be taken across the bar 65. Moreover the
feeder 60 comprises means for conveying the piece of cloth in the
direction of conveyance 61 of the feeder into the subsequently
arranged rotary ironer 10.
[0038] On the advancement side a buffer area can advantageously be
provided for temporary storage of a plurality of rail conveyors
comprising transport clamps with pieces of cloth to be advanced to
the feeder 60. The buffer area will in some cases advantageously be
configured on the rail section 25. In particular cases the buffer
area is advantageously configured on the two inlet sections 26a,
26b that each individually leads to a feeder 60.
[0039] On the return side a buffer area for temporary storage of a
plurality of rail conveyors is provided comprising transport clamps
so as to allow continuously supply of "empty" rail conveyors 30 to
the inlet stations 12. In some cases the buffer area will
advantageously be configured on the rail section 28. In other cases
the buffer area is advantageously configured on rail sections 22a,
22b.
[0040] Thus FIG. 4 shows a schematic sketch of a pair of conveyor
clamps 31 comprising clamp means 31a. The conveyor clamps 31 are
mounted with the clamp means 31a pointing in the same direction at
the ends of a carrier beam 71. Relative to the direction of
conveyance of the conveyor clamps mounted on the rail conveyor the
clamp means 31a are arranged to point in a direction opposite that
of the conveyance, which is indicated in the drawing by the arrow
16. The connection to the rail conveyor is indicated by the
reference numeral 71.
[0041] Conveyor clamps 31 are arranged on the rail conveyor 30 at a
distance from each other, and along an axis X which is
perpendicular to the axis of conveyance 16 of the rail conveyor or
is essentially perpendicular to the direction of conveyance 16 of
the rail conveyor. Pieces of cloth 5 that are conveyed around up
the endless conveyor rail are squeezed in place by the clamp means
31a. A straightened edge of the piece of cloth will thus be secured
between the conveyor clamps 31. In the drawing the straightened
edge is indicated by the distance 75.
* * * * *