SORTING APPARATUS

• US 3,759,381 A
• Filed: 04/26/1972
• Issued: 09/18/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clarke Mercadie, Pierre Taussac
• Original Assignee: Clarke Mercadie, Pierre Taussac
• Inventors: Mercadie, Clarke, Taussac, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Knowles, Allen N.
• Application Number:
  US05/247,663
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 214/11R,11A 209/74R,74M,73,125
• US Class Current: 209/559
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/082 In which the objects are carried by transport holders and the transport holders form part of the conveyor belts conveyors with carriers B65G47/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/50 according to destination signals stored in separate systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/933 Accumulation receiving separated items
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/942 Operator selects destination of item

Abstract

A sorting apparatus having two superposed conveyors with each of which are associated a loading station, an indexing station and a plurality of receiving stations, each conveyor having a plurality of receptacles and a control memory being provided to initiate unloading of a carrier at the receiving station with which the carrier has been associated at the moment of indexing.

Claims

1. Apparatus for directing articles to a plurality of receiving stations, the apparatus comprising a loading station, an endless conveyor passing in front of the loading station, as well as in front of the receiving stations, and provided with a plurality of carriers capable of being loaded with articles to be conveyed to the different receiving stations, and an indexing station associated with the different carriers and comprising a control memory to initiate unloading of a carrier at the region of a receiving station which has been associated with it at the instant of its being indexed, characterised in that the apparatus comprises at least one other endless conveyor superposed above the first and provided with a plurality of carriers for receiving objects of a size group different from the size group of the objects conveyed by the first conveyor, a loading station, an indexing station and a control memory all associated with this other conveyor and an intermediate receiver located between each receiving station and the first conveyor and the other conveyor.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises upstream of the loading stations a common pre-selection station for separating articles coming from a store into at least two groups of articles classified as a function of their size or weight, the exits of the preselection station being connected, by conveyors, to one of the loading stations, so that the exit for articles of large size will direct them to the loading station associated with the lower conveyor.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that the preselection station comprises a hinged trap which will open under predetermined load and which is interposed in the path of articles between the common entry and the two exits of the preselection station.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the loading stations and indexing stations are grouped together near one of the ends of the conveyors.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that said other endless conveyor and its corresponding loading and indexing stations are all associated with the artiCles of small size and said first conveyor and its analogous stations are associated with the articles of large size.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that each carrier comprises a plate which is generally horizontal and hinged at its end located adjacent a base on a horizontal shaft fast with a vertical liaison bar between the two superposed endless chains of a conveyor, and in that the liaison bar comprises, at its lower part, a base which projects outwardly of the apparatus and has an outwardly and downwardly inclined surface provided, at its lower extremity, with a shock absorber cooperating with the corresponding carrier.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the intermediate receivers associated with the upper conveyor and located above the corresponding receiver each comprises a discharge shutter or plate hinged about a pivot member mounted in bearings in the sides of the intermediate receiver, the shutter or plate being operable to open and close the exit of the upper intermediate receiver.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterised in that on the pivot member of the shutter or plate is articulated an intermediate stop shutter movable to lie against a part of the upper intermediate receiver to prevent exit of articles falling in the said intermediate receiver, the stop shutter being, preferably, fast with the discharge shutter or plate.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that each receiving station comprises, below the lower extremity of the intermediate receiver associated with said first conveyor, a receiver having a pivot member, rotatably fast with the receiver, and mechanically coupled at least to an intermediate stop shutter of the upper intermediate receiver associated with said first conveyor, so that this shutter closes the exit of at least the upper part of the corresponding intermediate receiver associated with said first conveyor when the receiver is in a position to receive articles leaving the upper intermediate receiver associated with said first conveyor.

10. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterised in that the lower extremities of the sides of the upper intermediate receiver extend toward the outer lower extremity of the central chute of the intermediate receiver, in that the extremities of the sides are coupled by a cross-member and in that in the opening defined by the lower extremity of the chute, the lower free edges of the sides and the lower edge of the cross-member is located the discharge plate which by pivotal movement, frees that opening and which in the closed position lies in a plane substantially parallel to that of the central chute and preferably displaced downwards relative thereto.

11. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterised in that the discharge shutter or plate is mechanically coupled to the receiver so that the discharge shutter or plate permits exit from the upper intermediate receiver when the receiver is in the position which allows it to receive articles leaving the upper intermediate receiver.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that a pivotal stop is associated with the receiver and can close the lower extremity of the intermediate receiver associated with said first or lower conveyor when the receiver occupies the position in which it can receive articles leaving the intermediate receiver associated with said other or upper conveyor, this pivotal stop being preferably formed by a cylindrical shield fast with the rear of the receiver.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one of the intermediate receivers associated with a receiving station and with said first or said other of the conveyors, is subdivided into two parts one nearest the corresponding conveyor being above the other part and the lower extremity of that upper part overlapping the upper extremity of the lower part which lower part is located adjacent the receiver of the corresponding receiving station, and the upper part is displaced upwardly at its lower part so as to form a springboard for articles discharged on the upper part of the intermediate receiver.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterised in that the upper part of the intermediate receiver associated with said first conveyor and called lower intermediate receiver is movable relative to the fixed lower part of said lower intermediate receiver so that it is movable between two positions in one of which it is in alignment with the lower part and in the other of which it forms a springboard displaced upwardly relative to the lower part and in that said movable upper part of the lower intermediate receiver is linked to the livot member of said receiver by a mechanical coupling operable so that the movable upper part occupies its springboard position when said receiver is located so as to receive articles leaving the intermediate receiver associated with said other conveyor, the rear end of the movable upper part, that end nearest said first conveyor, being preferably mounted on a hinge member whose axis is substantially in the plane of the lower fixed part of the intermediate receiver associated with said first conveyor.

15. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterised in that the receiver comprises three parts which together present a Z-shaped section, the parts being located relative to one another so that in a normal attitude of the receiver, the attitude in which articles falling on the lower intermediate receiver associated with the first or lower conveyor are automatically discharged into the receiver, the upper part of the receiver is aligned with the lower part of the said intermediate receiver, the medium part is approximately vertical and the lower part is substantially horizontal.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, characterised in that the upper part of the receiver is provided with a groove defining a plane perpendicular to the base and sides of the upper part of the receiver and formed either in the base and sides of the receiver or in a member of U-shape open away from the base of the receiver and fast with the receiver, this groove being adapted to receive the open end of a sack and to hold the sack onto the receiver.