U.S. patent number 3,655,030 [Application Number 05/047,812] was granted by the patent office on 1972-04-11 for system for sorting mail bags.
Invention is credited to Ernest B. Hardwig.
United States Patent |
3,655,030 |
Hardwig |
April 11, 1972 |
SYSTEM FOR SORTING MAIL BAGS
Abstract
A sorting apparatus comprising a train of carriers each having a
tiltable support provided with a gripper device for releasably
retaining an empty mail sack on the carrier. The carriers follow a
loop track and are advanced therealong to and past a loading
station and a plurality of unloading stations. Each carrier
includes a coding device which may be set by an operator at the
loading station at the time an empty sack is positioned in the
gripper device. A cyclic drive is provided which includes an
endless chain carrying a pawl in a path which approaches the track
to engage the pawl with a carrier and move the train a
predetermined distance, which is an even multiple or submultiple of
the distances between loading and unloading stations, and then
departs therefrom to disengage the pawl. As a carrier reaches the
loading station, it trips an indexing device which stops that
carrier and, accordingly, the train, in proper position. The pawl
in departing from the carrier contacts the indexing device and
returns it to retracted cocked condition removing the stop element
from the path of the carrier, whereby the train may again be moved
upon engagement of the pawl with the next carrier. Code sensing
arrangements are located at the unloading stations operative to
actuate mechanism to tilt the support of a correspondingly coded
carrier. In tilting, the support moves the gripped sack laterally,
and releases the gripper device. Mechanism at the station is also
actuated to restrain the lower portion of the sack against lateral
movement whereby the sacks are deposited in horizontal position on
a table at the station one on top of the other to form a stack.
Inventors: |
Hardwig; Ernest B.
(Jacksonville, FL) |
Family
ID: |
21951114 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/047,812 |
Filed: |
June 19, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
198/352;
104/172.3; 198/355; 198/803.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G
47/487 (20130101); B65G 47/48 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65G
47/48 (20060101); B65g 015/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;198/108,135,203
;104/172B |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Blunk; Evon C.
Assistant Examiner: Lane; Hadd S.
Claims
What is claimed as new and what it is desired to secure by Letters
Patent of the United States is:
1. In a sorting apparatus for empty sacks, a plurality of carriers,
a continuous loop track for said carriers, means on each carrier
for releasably retainining an empty sack thereon, means for moving
said carriers around said loop, an indexing device adjacent a
predetermined portion of said track, at least one said carrier
comprising means for actuating said indexing device into an
extended carrier stopping position, thereby to stop said one of
said carriers at said portion, and said carrier moving means
comprising means to actuate said device into a retracted position
thereby to release said one carrier for movement along said
track.
2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said carriers are
linked each to the next, and said carrier moving means comprises a
continuous loop element having a path in one part adjacent said
track and in second part remote from said track, and a carrier
engageable pawl on said element for engaging a carrier on said
track while moving along said one part of said path.
3. The combination in accord with claim 1 wherein said actuating
means comprises an actuator moving in a predetermined path into a
position first to encounter and move said carrier and then to
depart from said carrier to encounter and move said indexing
device, and means whereby the movement of said carrier when moved
by said actuator through said predetermined distance effects the
movement of said indexing device to said stop position.
4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said actuator after
departing from said carrier moves said indexing device from said
stop position toward a retracted release position.
5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the plurality of
carriers is movable cyclically together around said track loop, and
said actuator being a pawl moving in a second fixed path in part of
which it encounters each of said carriers one at a time in
sequential cycles and moves said carriers in each cycle through
said predetermined distance and then encounters and moves said
indexing device into said retracted position.
6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of
said carriers are positioned end to end for movement together
around said loop track, said carrier moving means comprises a pawl
mounted for movement in a second fixed path in part of which it
encounters said carriers one at a time sequentially and moves said
carriers a predetermined distance during each such encounter and in
part of which it departs from said carriers and encounters and
moves said indexing device from said stop position to a release
position while said carriers are stationary.
7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said pawl departs
from said indexing device after moving it to release position, and
wherein each said carrier comprises means to actuate said indexing
device to said stopping position when each respective carrier is
moved to said predetermined portion of said track by said pawl.
Description
A further object of the invention is to provide an empty mail bag
carrier having a gripper device adapted to quickly and easily grasp
an empty mail bag and to quickly and easily release the same onto a
horizontal stack at the selected unloading or collection
station.
The invention further relates to apparatus for conveying, sorting
and stacking flexible articles, such as empty mail bags and the
like, the sorting and stacking being performed in a rapid and
accurate manner.
Certain of the detail mechanisms of the present invention and the
overall combination bear resemblance to prior art mechanisms and
systems, such as are exemplified in the following U.S. Pats. Nos.:
Re. 16,195- Baitinger; 1,353,996- Hall; 1,681,859- Jones 2,516,985-
Hecht; 2,614,506- Mullerheim; 2,669,323- Hilliker; 2,804,965-
Anderson et al; 3,092,235- Kemp; 3,269,524- Canfield; 3,282,400-
Jonson 3,286,811- McWilliams 3,314,675- Rothfuss et al, and
3,373,623- Gutting. Such prior art fails, however, to teach
mechanisms or systems which could be adapted in any obvious manner
to achieve the results or perform the functions of the apparatus
and system described and claimed herein.
The invention herein is particularly applicable to the sorting of
empty mail sacks or bags as used in postal systems. Such empty
sacks are collected at a mail terminal, for example, and must be
checked to remove any envelopes or other articles which may remain
in the sack after normal emptying; for condition, i.e. whether in
good condition or requiring repair before further use or beyond
repair and ready to be discarded; and for size or type. In accord
with this invention, an operator or inspector at the loading
station picks bags one at a time from a group fed to him, for
example, by carts or conveyor, inspects the ag for emptiness,
condition, size or type, clips the bag to the carrier at the
station and codes the carrier to deliver the bag to a selected
unloading station. There may be, for example, three unloading
stations for three different sizes of bags in good condition, one
unloading station for bags requiring repair and a fifth for bags
beyond repair. Of course, the number of unloading stations, and the
number of coding possibilities of the carrier, will be selected to
conform to the number of types, sizes, conditions and the like into
which sortation is desired. Thus parcel post, air mail, foreign
mail, and surface mail bags may be sorted, and there may be
different sizes of some or all of such different types, requiring
one unloading station for each such size of each such type.
Each unloading station is preferably provided with a lowering
spring-supported table or pallet onto which the bags are
horizontally deposited, the springs operating to maintain the top
of the stack at a predetermined constant height. The stacks of bags
are removed periodically from each station manually or, if desired,
by known conveyor or other transporting means.
The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this
invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.
The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and
method of operation, together with further objects and advantages
thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the improved empty bag or sack sorting
apparatus of this invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along line
2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along line
3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of
FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 6--6 of
FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a view, similar to FIG. 5, showing portions of the
apparatus depicted in FIG. 5 in a second position after partial
operation of the apparatus;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus depicted
in FIG. 7 showing the same at another point in its operation.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 9--9 of
FIG. 6;
FIG. 10. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 10--10
of FIG. 9; and
FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the
apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With detailed reference to the drawings, and in particular to FIG.
1, the improved sorting apparatus 10 for empty bags and the like,
is seen to include a closed loop track 12 along and around which a
plurality of vehicles or carriers 14 travel. Carriers 14 are
connected together each to the next by substantially rigid
connecting bars or links 16 into a train, and said links 16
maintain the carriers 14 spaced apart a distance approximately
equal to one-half the length dimension of each carrier 14.
The sorting apparatus for empty bags 10 of this invention is run
and attended by a single attendant 18 who is usually positioned
along one of the straight runs or sides of the track or conveyor
path, as at loading station 20, while a plurality 22, 24, 26 and 28
of sortation or stacking stations are positioned along typically
the straight run or side of the track conveyor opposite operator
18, as at 30.
Track 12 includes a pair of spaced L-shaped rails 36 and 38, as can
be more readily seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The rails 36 and 38 have
vertical walls 40 and 42, and horizontal legs 44 and 46 over and
along which the carriers 14 move, the carriers being retained on
the rails of track 12 by the generally vertical side walls 40 and
42. Rails 36 and 38 of track 12 and mounted on and maintained
spacedly above floor 48 by means of a plurality of posts or columns
50 as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 5.
Each of the carriers 14 includes a generally horizontal base or
platform 52 positioned between rails 36 and 38 of the track 12, and
is supported on rails 36 and 38 and therebetween by six (6) small
wheels or rollers. Three of the wheels or rollers 54, 56, and 58
are in contact with and roll along the vertical side walls 40 and
42 of the rails 36 and 38 maintaining each carrier 14 therebetween,
with two of these three rollers being positioned adjacent the end
portions of one side of base 52 and the third being positioned
adjacent the mid-portion of the opposite side thereof. The other
three of the six wheels or rollers 60, 62 and 64 are in contact
with and roll over the generally horizontal legs 44 and 46 of the
rails of track 12, maintaining each carrier 14 in rolling contact
therewith, with two of these three wheels being positioned adjacent
the end portions of one side of base 52 and the third being
positioned adjacent the mid-portion of the opposite side thereof. A
connecting link or bar member 16 is pivotally attached to each end
portion of base 52 of each carrier 14 by a pin 66 extending
therethrough, thereby forming a train of carriers.
Mounted on base 52 of each carrier 14, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and
6, is a pair 68 and 70 of supporting and mounting posts or brackets
positioned closely adjacent the respective ends of said carrier. A
rod 72 is pivotally positioned in and connected to mounting posts
68 and 70 and has attached thereto angular frame members 74 on
which a thin panel member 76 is mounted. Panel member 76 is formed
of plastic or other non- magnetic material, and is generally
enclosed by frame members 74 which give strength and rigidity
thereto, all as can best be seen in FIG. 6. Panel 76 and
surrounding angular frame members 74 are pivotal with, and about
the longitudinal horizontal axis of, rod 72 from a generally
vertically upright position to a generally horizontal position as
can be seen in FIG. 5. Panel 76 and its frame members 74 are
maintained in their generally vertical position by a coiled spring
78 encircling rod 72. A mounting member 80 secures one end of
spring 78 to rod 72, while the opposite end of spring 78 engages a
post 82 fixed to base 52 of the carrier as seen in FIG. 6. Panel 76
and its frame form a tiltable support for a bag gripper.
The carriers 14, and more particularly the train thereof, are
driven or propelled along and about the closed loop track 12 in the
direction of arrow 84 by a driving pawl 86 including a roller 88
rotatably mounted adjacent the outer end portion thereof. Roller 88
of pawl 86 contacts and engages a driving lug 90 which is fixed to
the mid-portion of platform 52 of each carrier 14, and which
depends downwardly therefrom into the path of pawl 86, all as can
be clearly seen in FIGS. 2 through 4. Driving pawl 86 is mounted on
a continuous flexible member in the form of sprocket chain 92,
extending generally outwardly therefrom, and the pawl moves with
chain 92 in the direction of arrow 94 as the chain traverses its
closed path. Chain 92 passes over a plurality of sprockets 96, 98,
100 and 102 which determine its path of movement and the path of
pawl 86. One of the sprockets, as for example sprocket 102, is
driven by a motor 104 mounted on floor 48 to drive chain 92.
Each carrier 14 is driven in the direction of arrows 84 and 94 by
pawl 86 only while pawl 86 moves over that section of the chain's
path between sprockets 96 and 98, after which pawl 86 departs from
driving lug 90, and follows the other three sections of the course
of chain 92 from sprocket 98 over sprockets 100, 102, and back to
the upper side of sprocket 96 to repeat the cycle. In this manner
each carrier 14 is cyclically moved, and is stationary in front of
operator 18 for the loading thereof, for a predetermined period,
during which other carriers remain at sortation stations 22 -28 for
discharge of the empty bag loaded thereon. Thus, while pawl 86
moves from its position adjacent the upper portion of sprocket 98,
as at reference numeral 106, down and around the three remaining
sides or sections of the course of chain 92 and back up to its
position adjacent the upper surface of sprocket 96 (see FIG. 2),
the train of carriers is stationary so that the operator 18 may
place an empty sack on the particular carrier 14 in front of him,
while other carriers positioned adjacent sortation stations 22
through 28 may be unloaded. As pawl 86 moves over that portion of
its path between sprockets 96 and 98, pawl 86 is in contact with a
lug 90 of one carrier and moves the train and all of the carriers
14 thereof forward one complete position, corresponding to the
distance between sprockets 96 and 98. The speed at which the
sortation operation takes place can be varied by varying the speed
of motor 104 driving sprocket chain 102. Sprockets 96, 98 and 100
are rotatably mounted on brackets 108 attached to supporting
columns or posts 50, or other like members, extending between floor
48 and track 12, as can be seen in FIG. 5.
To insure that each carrier 14 stops directly in front of operator
18 at the loading station 18, and also directly in front of and in
registry with the sortation stations 22 through 28, a registration
indexing mechanism 110 is mounted to the under side of track 12
adjacent sprocket 98, and to one side of the same, so that chain 92
and pawl 86 do not interfere with the operation of the indexing
mechanism. Indexing mechanism 110 includes an obtuse L-shaped lever
112 having legs 114 and 116, lever 112 being frictionally mounted
on a pin 118 just below track 12 for pivotal movement thereon. An
elongated connecting rod 120 has one of its end portions pivotally
attached to the end portion of leg 114 of lever 112 and its other
end portion pivotally connected to one end portion of an operating
element 122. Operating element 122 is mounted just below track 12
on a pin 124 for pivotal movement thereabout, and its other or
upper end portion includes a roller member 126 rotatably mounted
thereto. Leg 116 of L-shaped lever 112 has a tab 128 fixed to its
mid-portion and depending downwardly therefrom in a generally
perpendicular manner.
As lug 90, when driven by pawl 86, strikes roller 126 on the upper
end portion of operating element 122, the pawl pawl deflects the
upper end of element 122 to the right, or clockwise, and downwardly
into its dashed-line position 130, thereby, through rod 120,
tripping L-shaped lever 112 to pivot clockwise into its dashed-line
position 132. This places leg 116 of lever 112 of indexing
mechanism 110 in its extended or stop position. When lug 90 reaches
the outer end portion of leg 116 it is stopped, thereby stopping
the entire train of carriers 14, with one of the carriers 14 in
registry with operator 18 at his position of operation, and others
in registry with sortation stations 22 through 28. Simultaneously,
pawl 86 continues to move with chain 92 about sprocket wheel 98,
departing from contact with lug 90 so that the carriers 14 are not
driven further but remain stationary. Continued movement of pawl 86
causes it to engage depending tab 128, thereby pivoting L-shaped
lever 112 back into its solid line retracted position 134, and
effecting movement of element 122 through connecting rod 120 into
its position shown in solid lines at 136. In this manner the
indexing mechanism 110 is returned to its original cocked position
ready for operation by the lug 90 of the next carrier 14 within the
train of carriers as pawl 86 completes a cycle and once again
encounters lug 90. It will be seen that the friction pivot at 118
acts as a simple detent mechanism to retain lever 112 in one and
the other of the two positions into which it is operated by the
lugs 90 and the pawl 86 respectively.
Each carrier 14 includes a coding system, positioned along the
right front and left rear side of panel 76, which includes four
coding keys 138, 140, 142, and 144 as best seen in FIG. 6. Each
coding key 138 through 144 includes portions extending through
openings in panel 76, as can be more readily seen in detail in
FIGS. 9 and 10, wherein coding key 144 is depicted. Each coding key
138 through 144, as with coding key 144, includes an L-shaped
member 146 mounted to a shaft or pin 148, which in turn is mounted
in a bushing 150 for pivotal movement, the bushing 150 being fixed
to the back or rear side of panel 76. L-shaped member 146 includes
a leg 152 extending through opening 154 in panel 76, so as to be
exposed at the front side thereof, and a key or finger tab 156 is
attached to the outer end of leg 152. L-shaped member 146 includes
also a second leg 158 which is positioned on the rear or back side
of panel 76. Obviously, member 146 may be pivoted from a non-coded
position 160, shown in solid lines in FIG. 9, to a coded position
162, shown in dashed-lines in FIG. 9. Member 146 is provided with
an over-center coil spring 164, one end of which is attached
thereto and the other end of which is attached to panel 76, to urge
the L-shaped member to remain in the coded or non-coded position
into which it is operated.
The coding system of the sorting apparatus of this invention
further includes four coding switches, two of which are depicted at
reference numerals 166 and 168 in FIG. 11. These switches are
mounted on respective coding switch posts or columns 170 and 172
for contact and operation thereof by respective coding keys 144 and
138, for operation of the empty bag release mechanism as will be
described hereinbelow. Equal numbers of coding switches and coding
keys are provided, and there is, in the preferred embodiment, a
number of sortation stations equal to the number of keys. While
four sortation stations and four coding keys are depicted in the
drawings, it will be understood that more or less than four may be
provided as desired. Only tow coding switches 166, 168 are shown in
the drawings for simplicity but it will be understood that four are
required for the proper operation of the specific sorting system
described herein.
Each carrier 14 includes a clamp or gripper mechanism 174 and 176,
as best seen in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, such mechanism serving to
attach and hold the empty bag 178 to the front of gripper support
panel 76 for its movement from the operator's station about the
track to its point of discharge and release from panel 76 at one of
the sortation stations 22 through 28. Each clamp or gripper
mechanism 174 and 176 includes an elongated member 180 pivotally
mounted adjacent its mid-portion on a bracket 181 attached to the
upper edge portion of frame 74 of panel 76. Attached to the lower
end portion of pivotal member 180 is a strong permanent magnet 182
which is attracted to a second strong permanent magnet 184
positioned on the back side of panel 76 when the magnets are in
juxtaposition and which operate to clamp and maintain an empty bag
therebetween and against the front surface of panel 76, as can be
more clearly seen in FIG. 5.
A small coil spring 186 extends between the upper end portion of
member 180 and an attaching bracket 188 mounted on the rear side of
panel 76 and frame member 74 adjacent their upper edge portions.
Spring 186 urges permanent magnets 182 and 184 away or apart from
each other, such that upon non- alignment thereof, as depicted in
FIG. 7, magnet 182 will be released from magnet 184 and pivoted
away from panel 76 by spring 186 to release the empty bag or sack
178 which has been retained thereby. This separation of magnets 182
and 184 and release of bag 178 therefrom occurs at each sortation
station 22 through 28 so that an empty bag may be released and
discharged from the gripper support panel 76 of a carrier 14
positioned in registry therewith.
Permanent magnet 184 is mounted upon the upper end portion of a
release rod 190 positioned adjacent the back surface of panel 76
and movable therealong through guides 192 mounted to the rear
surface of panel 76. The lower end portion of release rod 190 is
pivotally connected to a linkage including rod element 194 which in
turn is pivotally mounted to the upper end portion of a mounting
post 196 attached to the platform or base 52 of vehicle 14. Upon
the pivoting or swinging of the gripper mechanism with panel 76 in
a manner be set forth below, release rod 190 will move downward
through guides 192 along the rear side of panel 76, due to the
off-setting or off-centering of post 196 as compared to post 68 and
70, thereby sliding magnet 184 downward, as can be more readily
seen in FIGS. 5, 7 and 11.
In order to vary the point in the movement of panel 76 where the
sack is released by movement of magnet 184, a lost motion
connection 199 may be embodied in rod 190. This lost motion
connection may be of any standard construction designed to effect
movement of magnet 184 only after some movemement of the lever
portion of rod 190 by linkage element 194 takes place. In this
manner the release of the bag from the magnetic gripping mechanism
can be adjusted relatively to the position of panel 76.
Permanent magnet 198 of clamping or holder arrangement 176 is
attached, as seen in FIG. 6, to the upper end portion of an
elongated release rod 200 which moves upwardly and downwardly
adjacent the rear surface of panel 76 through a plurality of guides
202 mounted thereto. The lower end portion of rod 200 is pivotally
attached to a linking element 204 which has its lower end portion
pivotally connected to a mounting post 206 affixed to base member
52 of carrier 14. Upon tipping of panel 76, magnet 198 attached to
the upper end portion thereof moves downwardly along the back
surface of the panel, releasing the bag or sack held on the front
of the panel, all as can be seen in FIG. 5. Release rod 200 has
connected thereto, in a generally perpendicular manner, four coding
re-set rods or fingers 208, 210, 212 and 214, which are correlated
with respective coding keys 138, 140, 142 and 144, which re-set or
uncode each and any of the coding keys which is then in "set"
position when release rod 200 moves downwardly through guides 202.
Such movement of rod 200 occurs in response to the downward and
laterally outward tilting or pivoting of panel 76 as the bag is
being discharged therefrom.
It will be noted that movable magnets 184 and 198 slide relatively
to panel 76 and are not in contact with the mail sacks. This
permits free movement of the magnets for releasing the outer
magnets actually in contact with the sacks for swinging away from
the sacks under the influence of springs 186.
Each sortation station 22 through 28 includes means for dumping or
discharging the empty sack 178 carried on each carrier 14 by the
swinging or pivoting of panel 76 thereof, and means for stacking or
accumulating the discharge or dumped sacks or bags in a neat and
orderly stack of horizontally disposed sacks for later bundling and
transportation thereof, all as can be seen in reference to
sortation station 22 as depicted in FIG. 5.
Each discharge mechanism includes an L-shaped member 216 which is
pivotally mounted on pin 218 adjacent the upper end portion of a
column 220 which is supported at one side of track 12 by bracing
members as at 222. L-shaped member 216 includes an elongated arm
224 having a roller 226 rotatably mounted on its upper end portion,
and a shorter arm 228 fixed at an angle of approximately
90.degree.to longer arm 224. The outer end portion of arm 228 is
pivotally mounted to one end portion of a piston rod 230, the other
end of which is attached to a piston 232 within pneumatic cylinder
234 which has its lower end portion pivotally attahed to a bracket
236 mounted to floor 48. Pneumatic cylinder 234 is supplied
pressurized air through flexible tubes 238 and 240 which are
connected to a source of pressurized air through a solenoid
operated air valve means 242 which controls the supply of air to
the cylinder. L-shaped member 216 is pivotal from its non-
operative position 244, as depicted in solid line configuration in
FIG. 5, to its operative position 246, as depicted in dashed- line
configuration in FIG. 5, when the gripper support panel 76 has been
swung or pivoted from its generally upright position to a generally
horizontal discharge or dumping position 248 as depicted in
dashed-line configuration in FIG. 5. The empty bag 178 is released
therefrom to fall into horizontal position.
L-shaped member 216 is operated between positions 244 and 246 by
cylinder 234, piston 232 thereof and piston rod 230 connected to
member 216. The actual release of the bag 178 from the magnetic
holding or clamping mechanism 174 and 176 is incidental to the
swinging of panel 76 just described, and is controlled as to actual
point of release by lost motion means 199.
A release switch 250 is mounted to track 12 at sortation station 22
(FIG. 5) for contact thereof by panel 76 when the same is pivoted
to position 248, whereby the electrical circuit is broken and
solenoid valve 242 is closed such that piston 232 within cylinder
234 is driven in the downward or opposite direction by a spring
contained within cylinder 234 (or by air pressure if cylinder 234
is a double acting cylinder) to return L-shaped member 216 to
position 244 and permit panel 76 to return to its generally upright
position, all as seen in FIG. 5.
As a vehicle 14, with its coding key 144 pressed or coded, comes
into position or registry for sortation station 22, coded coding
key 144 operates and closes coding switch 166 (normally in any open
position) thereby energizing a relay 252 and opening solenoid valve
242, whereby air flows through line 238 to pneumatic cylinder 234
to operate L-shaped member, pivot 76 and dump, discharge and
release bag 178 retained on the front thereof at this sortation
station. When panel 76 reaches position 248, release switch 250 is
opened (normally in a closed position), thereby opening relay 252
and permitting the closing of solenoid operated valve 242, the
return of L-shaped member 216 to position 244 and panel 76 of
carrier 14 to its normally upright position for further movement
along track 12. Switches 166 and 250, relay 252 and solenoid
operated valve 242 are connected and wired to an appropriate source
of electrical energy or power.
Empty bags or sacks, as at 178 are deposited, collected or stacked
on stacking tables, as at 254, at each sortation station 22 through
28. Each table 254 includes a generally flat, horizontal top or
surface 256 supported by a plurality of generally vertical legs or
columns 258 at a height above floor 48 approximately equal to the
height of platform or base member 52 of each carrier 14, or at a
height slightly thereabove, see in particular FIG. 5. Each stacking
table 254 is provided with a frame 255 for accepting and
controlling the bags or sacks as they are released from panel 76.
This frame includes roller bar or roller member 260 which is
rotatably mounted between the end portions of a pair of side arms
262 of the frame 255. Side arms 262 are pivotally mounted to the
side edges of table top 256 adjacent their lower end portions, as
at 264, for pivoting thereabout from position 266 to dashed line
position 268, as seen in FIG. 5. Each side arm 262 has its lower
most end portion connected by a coiled spring 270 to table top 256
to urge frame 255 and roller bar 260 into the solid line
configuration 266 depicted in FIG. 5.
As panel 76 is pivoted or tipped toward position 248, roller bar
260 engages one side of vertically hanging bag 178, rolling and
smoothing the same into a horizontal position on table top 256, and
thereby preventing the bag from folding upon itself or otherwise
being deposited on table top 256 in other than a smooth manner or
fashion, see also FIG. 7. It will be noted that roller bar 260 and
frame 255 are moved by contact with the bag and the gripper support
panel 76. When roller 260 has been moved with frame 255 by panel 76
and bag 178 to its dashed-line position of FIG. 5, it is beyond the
bottom edge of the bag 178, and when panel 76 moves back to a
vertical position when released from roller 226 of arm 224, roller
260 and arms 262 of frame 255 move back to the full line position
of FIGS. 5 and 7, ready for accepting the next bag. This last
movement is by spring 270.
The tables 256 preferably comprise a lowering central section 286,
as seen at unloading station 26 in FIG. 1, which receive the sacks
in a stack thereon. As each sack is deposited, the table section
286 lowers itself such as by having a weighing spring support
thereby to maintain the top sack of the stack at a predetermined
elevation. Such automatic lowering tables are well known in the
art, and the specific mechanism to be employed forms no part of
this invention.
In operation, the operator or attendant 18 checks, inspects and
applies an emptied bag to the grippers of the carrier 14 which has
paused in front of his station, and he codes the proper coding key
on gripper support panel 76 for the particular bag which he has
secured on that particular carrier 14. As the loaded carriers 14
move along and about track 12, the same are unloaded at their
proper respective sortation stations 22 through 28 under control of
the coding switches, such as 166 and 168, whereby stacks of sorted
bags are received and accumulated upon stacking tables 254 for
later binding, transportation and use. Unloading is effected by
L-shaped levers 216 in cooperation with frames 255 and rollers 260,
the gripping mechanism being released as each panel 76 of each
carrier 14 is pivoted to swing downwardly and laterally outwardly
under pressure of L-shaped lever 216 actuated by pneumatic cylinder
234.
Although the invention disclosed herein has been described and
depicted in conjunction with four sortation stations 22 through 28,
as mentioned above, more or less may be provided as required or
desired, with the only major changes being the provision of any
such additional stations and the provision of an equivalent number
of coding keys on each carrier 14.
While the invention has been described with respect to a certain
specific embodiment, it will be appreciated that many modifications
and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without
departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended,
therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications
and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention.
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