U.S. patent number 3,724,657 [Application Number 05/143,366] was granted by the patent office on 1973-04-03 for switching device for delivering sheet-like articles.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Nippon Electric Company, Limited. Invention is credited to Kunio Hiromori, Takeo Katagiri, Kazuyoshi Suda, Jinichi Tanaka, Shoichiro Yoshimura.
United States Patent |
3,724,657 |
Katagiri , et al. |
April 3, 1973 |
SWITCHING DEVICE FOR DELIVERING SHEET-LIKE ARTICLES
Abstract
A switching device for interswitching the delivery of sheet-like
articles conveyed to a bifurcation through a feed route, between
the main and the branch routes, each route being formed of the
opposing surfaces of a pair of endless belts, comprising, instead
of the conventional wedge-shaped switching member disposed within
the bifurcation, a switching member located outside the
bifurcation. The device may be provided with means for rearranging
the dislocated sheet-like matters, if any.
Inventors: |
Katagiri; Takeo (Tokyo,
JA), Hiromori; Kunio (Tokyo, JA),
Yoshimura; Shoichiro (Tokyo, JA), Suda; Kazuyoshi
(Tokyo, JA), Tanaka; Jinichi (Tokyo, JA) |
Assignee: |
Nippon Electric Company,
Limited (Tokyo, JA)
|
Family
ID: |
26381464 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/143,366 |
Filed: |
May 14, 1971 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
|
|
May 16, 1970 [JA] |
|
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45/41795 |
May 16, 1970 [JA] |
|
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45/41798 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
271/301; 198/601;
209/606; 209/900; 271/185; 271/302 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B07C
3/065 (20130101); B07C 1/02 (20130101); Y10S
209/90 (20130101); B65H 2404/2613 (20130101); B65H
2301/321 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B07C
3/06 (20060101); B07C 1/02 (20060101); B07C
1/00 (20060101); B07C 3/02 (20060101); B07c
003/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;209/74 ;271/64 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schacher; Richard A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A switching device for delivering sheet-like articles conveyed
to a ramification through a feed route into a selected one of a
plurality of routes, all said routes being disposed on a single
plane, each of said routes being formed of a pair of driving wall
members having opposing portions, each of said portions being
substantially rectilinear in the direction perpendicular to said
plane, and the outermost wall members of said plurality of routes
being the extensions of the wall members of said feed route; said
device comprising switching means for effecting delivery of each of
said articles into a selected one of said plurality of routes, said
switching means being completely positioned outside of said feed
route, said plurality of routes and said ramification.
2. A switching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one
of said extensions of the wall members is deformable inwardly at
said ramification.
3. A switching device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said wall
members are endless belts, and said opposing portions are the
opposing surfaces of said endless belts.
4. A switching device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said
ramification is a bifurcation, said plurality of routes is the main
route and the branch route, said main route is the substantial
extension of said feed route, and wherein said switching means is a
swingable roller disposed outside said bifurcation in proximity to
said extension of one of said belts which is the common belt for
said feed and said main routes, said roller being operable between
a first position wherein said one belt is not deformed inwardly
when the selected route is said main route and a second position
wherein said one belt is deformed inwardly of said bifurcation
until said branch route becomes the substantial extension of said
feed route, thereby directing said sheet-like articles to said main
or said branch routes, respectively.
5. A switching device as claimed in claim 4, wherein detector means
is disposed along said feed route for detecting the dislocation of
said sheet-like articles, the predetermined one of said main and
said branch routes is a feedback route for feeding the sheet-like
articles delivered thereinto back to said feed route, and means is
provided for positioning said roller, responsive to the
discrimination made by said detector means, to direct the
dislocated sheet-like articles to said feedback route.
6. A switching device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said roller
positioning means causes said roller to direct the sheet-like
articles to said feedback route when the spatial relation of the
sheet-like articles passing said detector means is such that:
a. the spacing between the corresponding edges of the
last-mentioned sheet-like article and the sheet-like article
conveyed adjacent thereto is not equal to a predetermined
spacing,
b. the last-mentioned sheet-like article overlaps at least at a
portion the sheet-like article conveyed adjacent thereto;
c. the last-mentioned sheet-like article is conveyed in slanted
relation to said feed route, and
d. the last-mentioned sheet-like article is conveyed along a
misaligned path relative to said feed route.
7. A switching device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said switching
means comprises at least one swingable roller disposed outside said
ramification in proximity to said one extension of the wall
members, said roller being adapted to deform said one extension of
the wall members inwardly of said ramification to such an extent
that the selected one of said plurality of routes becomes the
substantial extension of said feed route.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a switching device for interswitching at
a ramification the delivery of sheet-like articles, such as letter
mail and cards, among a plurality of routes. The device is
applicable to apparatus for feeding the sheet-like articles one
after another.
This invention will hereafter be described, for illustrative
purposes, in particular conjunction with mail handling systems.
In a mail handling system now in use, mail such as letters or the
like is first subjected to sorting as to size. Letters of standard
sizes and postcards to which subsequent automatic disposition is
applicable are selected from the remainder which must be manually
disposed of. The subsequent disposition of the selected mail
involves a check of the postage by optical scan, sorting as to
destination by zip codes, and the like. Before such subsequent
disposition, it is necessary to feed the mail by equipment for this
purpose, one by one at a predetermined pitch of feed in order to
increase the efficiency of the postage check and the destination
sorting. In conventional equipment of this type, an endless belt is
provided with equally spaced holes or sets of holes for picking up
the mail one after another from a stack thereof and successively
feeding them to the output of the equipment, by suction, With this
one-by-one feeding equipment, it has been experienced that
nonuniformity of the thickness, the stiffness, the dimensions, the
quality of paper, and the like results in dislocation of the output
mail, such as irregular pitch of the feed and slant or misaligned
positioning relative to the path of delivery, which impairs the
efficiency of the subsequent disposition.
In such a mail handling system, devices for switching the feed of
mail from the main route to the branch route at each bifurcation
are necessary on sorting the mail matters as to the size, the
results of postage check, the destination, and the like.
Furthermore, it is desirable to relocate the dislocated mail in the
one-by-one feeding equipment. Such relocation also requires a
switching device of this kind.
As will become clearer from the description of the present
invention hereinafter, a conventional switching device comprises a
first and a second endless belt, the opposing surfaces of the belt
pair forming a feed route for the mail. The second belt departs
from the first belt at the bifurcation. The main route is formed of
that surface portion of the first belt disposed ahead of the
bifurcation and the opposing surface of a third endless belt, while
the branch route is formed of the departing surface portion of the
second belt and the opposing surface of a fourth endless belt. Two
or more parallel-running similar endless belts may be substituted
for each of the first through the fourth belts. A wedge-shaped
member rockable about an axis is positioned within the bifurcation
so that all mail conveyed to the bifurcation may be brought into
contact with one or the other side surfaces of the wedge depending
on whether the member assumes the normal position or is rocked away
from the normal position. The mail is fed to the main or the branch
routes as determined by the position of the wedge-shaped
member.
If an article reaches the bifurcation during the rocking movement
of the wedge-shaped member, it either runs against the edge or
comes in contact with the edge portion of the member to come to a
standstill, to hinder the movement of the member, to be damaged by
the edge, or to give rise to other troubles. Likewise, the edge of
the member often touches the side surface of an article to peel off
the imperfectly adhering postage stamp, damage the envelope at the
lap or the window, or cause other troubles. Furthermore, the edge
causes troubles to mail which happens to be fed to the bifurcation
in the folded state. Some of the troubles, such as jamming of the
mail, sometimes results in dislocation of the belt or even into
other serious damages of the switching device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
switching device for sheet-like articles which is not subject to
the troubles and disadvantages of previously used switching
devices.
Another object is to provide a switching device of the type which
is very simple in construction and yet highly reliable.
Still another object is to provide a switching device of the type
which is operable at a high speed.
Yet another object is to provide a switching device of the type
which increases the efficiency of a mail handling system or a like
system.
A further object is to provide a switching device of the type for
improving the spatial relation of each output sheet-like article to
another and to the path of delivery prescribed therefor.
According to this invention, there is provided a switching device
for delivering sheet-like articles conveyed to a ramification
through a feed route, into selected one of a plurality of routes,
said routes being disposed on a single plane, each route being
formed of a pair of wall members having opposing portions, each
portion being substantially rectilinear in the direction
perpendicular to the plane, the outermost ones of the wall members
of the plurality of routes being the extensions of the wall members
of the feed route, and comprising no switching means positioned
within the feed route, the plurality of routes or the
ramification.
According to an aspect of this invention, there is provided a
switching device as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, with the
ramification being a bifurcation, the plurality of routes being the
main route and the branch route, the main route being a substantial
extension of the feed route, the opposing portions being the
opposing surfaces of endless belts, wherein the switching means is
a swingable roller disposed outside of the bifurcation in proximity
to one of the belts which is the common belt for the feed and main
routes, the roller being positioned so as not to force the one belt
inwardly when the selected route is the main route, but to force
the belt inwardly of the bifurcation until the branch route becomes
a substantial extension of said feed route when the branch route is
the selected route, thereby directing the sheet-like articles to
the main and branch routes, respectively.
According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a
switching device as described in the preceding paragraph, with the
sheet-like articles being conveyed through the feed route in the
prescribed state of conveyance but with possible dislocation,
wherein detector means is disposed along the feed route for
detecting the dislocation, the predetermined one of the main and
branch routes is a feedback route for feeding the sheet-like
articles delivered thereinto back to the feed route, and means is
provided for positioning the roller, responsive to the
discrimination made by the detector means, to direct the dislocated
sheet-like articles to the feedback route.
The switching devices defined in the preceding paragraphs, although
very simple in construction, have been put into commercial use in
mail handling systems, after filing of the counterpart patent
application in Japan, and have proved to be quite excellent.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a switching device according to
this invention;
FIGS. 2(A), (B), and (C) are plan views of the switching device
shown in FIG. 1, showing various steps in the operation
thereof;
FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevational view of one-by-one feeding
equipment according to this invention;
FIGS. 4(A), 4(B), 5(A) and 5(B) are schematic views of the mail
articles being conveyed along the feed route of the equipment
illustrated in FIG. 3, for describing the operation thereof;
and
FIG. 6 is a schematic circuit diagram of the equipment depicted in
FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a switching device according to this
invention comprises first and second endless belts 10 and 11,
respectively, forming a feed route 12 for articles of mail 13. The
second belt 11 departs from the first belt 10 at a bifurcation 14
around a first roller 15 which rotates as the second belt 11 is
driven. The main route 16 is formed by that portion 10A of the
first belt 10 which extends beyond the bifurcation 14 and a third
endless belt 17. Similarly, a branch route 18 is formed by the
departing portion 11A of the second belt 11 and a fourth endless
belt 19. A conventional detector 20 is provided ahead of the
bifurcation to produce and electric signal when the front edge of a
mail article 13 reaches the position of the detector 20. It is
presumed that another detector (not shown) is provided ahead of the
detector 20 to produce, in a manner well known in the art, a
switching electric signal for indicating whether the mail article
13 fed in the feed route 12 passing by the latter detector should
be directed to the main route 16 or to the branch route 18. For the
purpose of describing the present invention, the detector 20 may be
regarded as producing a switching signal determining the route 16
or 18 of delivery of the mail article 13 in question.
According to this invention, a switching roller 21 is provided at
the bifurcation 14 outside of the first belt 10, in place of the
conventional wedge-shaped member (not shown) that is positioned
within the bifurcation 14. The roller 21 is swingable about a fixed
axis 22 in response to the switching signal and is placed either
out of contact with the outside surface of the belt 10 or in light
touch therewith as shown in FIG. 2(A) when the mail article 13 in
question is to be directed to the main route 16. The roller 21 is
swung to push the belt 10 inwardly of the bifurcation 14 when a
mail article 13 is to be delivered to the branch route 18, as
illustrated in FIGS. 2(B) and (C).
In the switching device according to this invention, the routes 12,
16, and 18 are defined by the inside surfaces of the driven belts
10, 11, 17, and 19 and do not include any member which is disposed
within the routes to cause interruptions to the delivery of the
mail articles 13 as is the case with the conventional switching
device having the wedge-shaped member disposed within the
bifurcation. Furthermore, the swingable roller 21 does not come
into direct contact with the mail articles 13. As a result, it is
possible to reduce the pitch of feed of the mail articles 13 to
such an extent that the roller 21 can be moved to its inner
position before the preceding mail article has completely passed
through the bifurcation 14 as can be seen from FIGS. 2(B) and
(C).
It will now be understood that each of the routes 12, 16, and 18
need not necessarily be formed of the opposing surfaces of a pair
of endless belts, but may be defined by other wall members, such as
feed rollers arranged in a pair of rows, the feed rollers of one
row being urged against those of the other row, provided that the
row of first wall members corresponding to the first belt 10 is
deformable inwardly at the bifurcation 14. Also, the number of the
routes, such as 16 and 18, to which the sheet-like articles are
selectively delivered may be three or more, provided that a
plurality of such routes are placed on a single plane for the
purpose of simplification of the device and that two stepwise
swingable rollers are disposed outside the ramification at the
outside proximity of the first and the second wall members,
respectively, for directing the extension of the feed route at the
ramification towards the selected one of the plurality of
routes.
Referring to FIG. 3, one-by-one feeding equipment according to this
invention comprises first and second endless belts 30 and 31,
respectively, cooperating to deliver the mail articles 13 fed into
the equipment as shown by an arrow A, towards a third endless belt
32 having equally spaced pawl-like portions 32A for carrying the
mail articles 13. The mail articles 13 are fed on a horizontal
guide table 33 in the sense illustrated by the arrow B by means of
conventional helical rollers 34A, 34B, and 34C and then subjected
to suction by first and second suction boxes 35 and 36 in a well
known manner. The suction is effected by the second suction box 36
through equally spaced holes or sets of holes (not shown) formed in
a fourth endless belt 37 to feed upwardly the mail articles 13 one
by one with a pitch of feed determined by the spacing between the
holes or sets of holes. The mail articles 13 are thus successively
fed to a feed route 12 formed by fifth and sixth endless belts 38
and 39 to undergo inspection by detector means mentioned with
reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
By way of example, the detector means comprises a first light
source 41 and an associated photoelectric transducer 41' positioned
at the entrance portion of the feed route 12, and a pair of second
light sources 42 and 43 cooperating photoelectric transducers 42'
and 43' placed remote from the entrance on a plane substantially
perpendicular to the route 12. The distance between the first
source 41 and the second sources 42 and 43 is substantially equal
to the length of the longest one of the standard-size mail
articles. The second sources 42 and 43 are so disposed that the
narrowest standard-size mail article may intercept the rays from
these sources so that a mail article, if fed in misaligned relation
to the feed route 12, may intercept the rays from only one of these
sources 42 and 43. Beyond the second sources 42 and 43, there is a
bifurcation 14 from which a main route 16 extends along the
extension of the feed route 12 between a fifth belt 38 and a
seventh endless belt 44, and a branch route 18 extends sideways
between the sixth belt 39 and an eighth endless belt 45. Outside
the bifurcation 14, symbolically depicted is a swingable roller 21
for delivering the mail articles 13 to the main or the branch route
16 or 18 as shown by arrows C and D, depending on the result of
inspection made by the detector means. In this illustrated
embodiment, the main route 16 serves as a feedback route for
feeding the mail articles 13 delivered thereto back onto the third
or pawl-carrying belt 32.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the mail articles 13 should perform
translation with the predetermined pitch p of feed illustrated in
FIG. 4(A). In practice, however, the mail articles 13 may be fed
with uneven pitches p.sub.1, p.sub.2, and
.sub.3 or with parts overlapped as shown in FIG. 4(B), or slanted
as illustrated in FIG. 5(A), or along a misaligned path depicted in
FIG. 5(B).
Such dislocation of the mail articles 13 is inspected by the
detector means. When the pitch of feed is small as exemplified by
p.sub.1 in FIG. 4(B), the time interval t.sub.1 during which the
light from the first source 41 is received by the associated
transducer 41' is shorter than a first predetermined time interval
T.sub.1. When two or more mail articles 13 are in overlapped
relation, the time interval t.sub.2 during which the light from the
first source 41 is not received by the associated transducer 41' is
longer than a second predetermined time interval T.sub.2. The mail
article 13, if fed in slanted relation to the feed route 12, as
exemplified in FIG. 5(A), intercepts the rays from the second
sources 42 and 43 at different time points. The mail article 13, if
fed along a misaligned path, intercepts the light emitted from only
one of the second sources 42 and 43 as shown in FIG. 5(B) by way of
example.
Referring finally to FIG. 6, the output signal of the first
transducer 41' is supplied to a pitch detector circuit 51 and an
overlap detector circuit 52 through a power amplifier 53. The pitch
detector circuit 51, supplied with another input signal
representative of the first predetermined time interval T.sub.1,
produces an output signal when the time interval t.sub.1 is shorter
than the predetermined interval T.sub.1. The overlap detector
circuit 52, supplied with another input signal representative of
the second predetermined time interval T.sub.2, similarly produces
an output signal when the time interval t.sub.2 is longer than the
predetermined interval T.sub.2. For comparison of the time
intervals, the detector circuit 51 or 52 may comprise means, such
as an integrator, for producing an output signal whose level is
representative of the duration of the input signal or the duration
between two successive input signals.
The output signals of the second transducers 42' and 43' are
supplied together to an inclination detector circuit 55 and an
alignment detector circuit 56 through power amplifiers 57 and 58,
respectively. These detector circuits 55 and 56 may be
differentiators. In the illustrated example, the output signal of
one of the second transducers 43' is applied to the inhibit
terminal of an INHIBIT gate 60 to whose other input terminal are
connected the output terminals of the detector circuits 51, 52, 55
and 56 through and OR gate 61. It will be appreciated by temporary
reference to FIG. 5(B) that the INHIBIT gate 60 is opened whenever
the front or the leading edge of a mail article 13 reaches the path
of rays from the particular one of the second sources 42 and 43.
Alternatively, the output signals of the second transducers 42' and
43' may be applied to the INHIBIT gate 60 through an AND gate (not
shown). The output signal of the INHIBIT gate 60, after being
processed by an amplifier circuit 62, is used to swing the
swingable roller 21 to direct the dislocated mail articles to the
feedback route 16.
It will now be understood that the pitch detector circuit 51, for
example, comprises a monostable circuit for keeping the output
signal for a time interval slightly longer than the time required
for a mail article 13 to travel from the position irradiated by the
first source 41 to the position on which the rays from the second
sources 42 and 43 are incident. The amplifier circuit 62 comprises
means for timing its output signal to place the swingable roller 21
in the desired position with correct timing. Incidentally, another
pitch detector circuit (not shown) may be provided to receive the
output signal of the first transducer 41' and to produce a
reference signal representative of the time interval for
discriminating too large pitch of feed and to supply the output
signal to the OR gate 61.
* * * * *