APPARATUS FOR SORTING PARTICULATE ARTICLES

• US 3,722,674 A
• Filed: 06/12/1972
• Issued: 03/27/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Horst A. Schober, Kurt H. Hoppmann
• Original Assignee: Horst A. Schober, Kurt H. Hoppmann
• Inventors: Schober, Horst A., Hoppmann, Kurt H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knowles, Allen N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Church, Gene A.
• Application Number:
  US05/262,162
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 221/7,169 209/60,199,74,73,86 198/33AA 233/46,47R,27,2A
• US Class Current: 209/666
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/02 Measures preceding sorting, e.g. arranging articles in a stream orientating sorting and transport of caps B67B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/065 with multiple measuring appliances adjusted according to different standards, for example length or thickness, which detect the shape of an object so that if it conforms to the standard set by the measuring appliance, it is removed from the conveyor, e.g. by means of a number of differently calibrated openings

Abstract

Apparatus for sorting, including feeding, orienting and counting, particulate articles such as coins, shells, candy, pills and the like, wherein the articles are placed upon a rotating inner plane and centrifugally discharged through a peripheral gauging aperture defined at the edges of a rotating inner plane. The peripheral aperture is defined by a pair of top and bottom outer gauging rings rotated at speeds similar to or at variance with the rotating inner plane according to the character of the articles being counted. Also, the size of the gauging aperture may be varied by vertical adjustment of the top outer ring to accommodate centrifugal discharge articles of varying dimension. The discharged articles may be guided tangentially and single file past a conventional photo electric or similar counting device. The rotating inner plane may have a horizontal surface, alternately a concave, convex or contour profile.

Claims

1. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles comprising:

A. a rotating inner plate, supported in a stationary base;

B. a rotating circular support ring supported apart from said plate, as an extension of the periphery of said inner plate;

C. a vertically adjustable rotating circular top gauging ring superposed with respect to said support ring at the periphery of said inner plate, so as to define an exit aperture equivalent in height to the dimension of the articles being sorted; and

D. drivE means independently engaging said inner plate, said support ring and said top guaging ring, so as to rotate said inner plate at a velocity sufficient to discharge articles from said plate, and through said exit aperture.

2. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 1, including E. a tangential guide leading from said exit aperture, so as to guide away articles discharged through said aperture.

3. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 2, said drive means including means varying the speed of rotation of said top gauging ring with respect to said lower support ring.

4. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 3, including a stationary outer baffle extending vertically across said exit aperture intermediate, except in the area of said tangential guide.

5. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 4, said top gauging ring having an inner wall extending downwardly across said exit aperture, said wall including a plurality of apertures configured to register with articles being discharged there-through.

6. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 2, including a circular belt engaging the outer periphery of said top gauging ring and said bottom support ring ana laterally spaced pulley so as to extend over and above said aperture, except in the area of said tangential guide.

7. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 1, said drive means including means independently varying the speed of rotation of said inner plate, said top gauging ring and said bottom support ring.

8. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 4, including means tilting said apparatus with respect to vertical as an assistance in sorting.

9. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 8, including an article feeding hopper secured to said inner plate, so as to feed articles centrally of said plate.

10. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 9, said hopper being vertically adjustable with respect to said inner plate.

11. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 1, wherein said outer support ring and said inner plate are aligned horizontially.

12. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 11, said inner plate having a concave profile.

13. Apparatus for sorting particulate articles as in claim 11, said rotating inner plate having a convex profile and its outer periphery being aligned horizontally with said support ring.