CONVEYOR CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 3,803,556 A
• Filed: 05/11/1971
• Issued: 04/09/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Torrence L. Duffy
• Original Assignee: Torrence L. Duffy
• Inventors: Duffy, Torrence L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henon, Paul J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woods, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US05/142,205
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 214/11 209/122 118/2 198/21 307/40 340/172.5
• US Class Current: 700/226
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/50 according to destination signals stored in separate systems

Abstract

Individual tote pans which are to be diverted at selected stations along a conveyor are uniquely identified by a binary address which directly identifies a memory core address location. At a dispatch station, data identifying selected divert stations for a particular tote pan is stored in a register. The address of that particular tote pan is then scanned and used to directly address the memory core for transfer to core of the divert station identification data. At each divert station, a scanner reads the address of the adjacent tote pan to directly access the memory. If the stored data identifies that divert station, a divert mechanism is actuated. Additional controls provide safety overrides and special handling capabilities for special tote pans and divert stations.

Claims

1. A control system for a material conveyor, comprising:

memory means having a plurality of separate data storage locations each identified by a unique memory address, address data output means, and input means for transmitting data from a storage location identified by a memory address to the data output means;

a plurality of material carriers each carrying a different one of said memory addresses;

input means for storing in each storage location data identifying a desired routing of the carrier having the same memory address as that storage location;

write initiating means for transmitting the memory address of a single carrier to said address input means; and

utilization means for routing said single carrier under control of the data at said data output means.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein said memory means includes data input means for storing data in the storage location identified by a memory address at said address input means when said memory means is in a read initiate mode, said input means includes reader means for reading the memory address carried by a selected carrier and for transmitting the read memory address to said address input means, entry means for generating data for routing said selected carrier, and read initiating means for coupling said entry means to said data input means and for establishing said read initiate mode.

3. The control system of claim 2 including stop means effective when enabled for stopping the passage of said selected carrier, and error means for enabling said stop means when an error occurs during said read initiating mode.

4. The control system of claim 3 wherein said error means includes safety means for generating a signal when said reader means does not correctly read the memory address carried by said selected carrier, said safety means being coupled to enable said stop means.

5. The control system of claim 2 wherein said utilization means includes a plurality of divert stations for diverting an adjacent carrier when enabled, said entry means generates data words selectively identifying desired divert stations which are to be enabled when the selected carrier passes adjacent thereto, said write initiating means includes a separate scanner means associated with each of said divert stations for reading the memory address of the carrier routed adjacent thereto, and said utilization means further includes decoding means for decoding the data word at said data output means to enable the divert station associated with the scanner means which read the memory address transmitted to said address input means.

6. The control system of claim 5 including time share means for time sharing said memory means with each divert station and associated scanner means.

7. The control system of claim 6 wherein said entry means includes keyboard means having a plurality of separate switch means each associated with a different divert station, register means for storing a data word representing actuation of desired ones of said separate switch means, said time share means being effective to couple said register means and said reader means to said memory means to store said data word in the storage location identified by the memory address read by said reader means.

8. The control system of claim 1 wherein said utilization means includes a plurality of route stations individually actuable to control the routing of a carrier adjacent thereto, said write initiating means includes a plurality of scanner means each associated with a route station for reading the memory address carried by the material carrier adjacent the route station, and selection means for coupling a selected route station to said data output means and the associaTed scanner means to said address input means.

9. The control system of claim 8 wherein each of said separate data storage locations stores a data word consisting of unique indicia representing selected route stations which are to be actuated when the carrier having the same memory address as the storage location is routed adjacent said selected route stations, and decoding means associated with each route station and effective when said selection means couples the associated route station to said data output means for decoding said data word to actuate said route station.

10. The control system of claim 9 wherein said data storage locations each comprise a plurality of separate bit storing areas each associated with a different one of said route stations, each area storing a bit indicating that the associated route station is to be actuated, and said decoder means includes separate register means for storing each bit from said areas, and means coupling each separate register means with a different route station to control actuation thereof.

11. The control system of claim 8 wherein each of said scanner means includes storage means effective independent of said selection means for storing the read memory address whenever a carrier passes adjacent the scanner means, and said selection means couples the storage means of the associated scanner means to said address input means when coupling the selected divert station to said data output means.

12. The control system of claim 11 wherein each scanner means further includes completion means for effectively generating a blocking signal when the associated storage means does not have a complete address stored therein, and safety means responsive to said blocking signal for preventing said selection means from coupling the storage means to said address input means.

13. The control system of claim 12 wherein said completion means includes carrier indicator means for generating a signal when a carrier is adjacent the associated scanner means, said storage means comprises a shift register having a plurality of stages, means responsive to said carrier indicator means for setting a bit in one of said stages of said shift register, clocking means for stepping said shift register to store the memory address read by the scanner means, valid read means coupled to a selected stage of said shift register for generating a valid read signal when the selected stage stores said bit, and safety means effective in the absence of said valid read signal for blocking the transmission of the address stored in said shift register.

14. The control system of claim 1 wherein each of said material carriers comprise container means having a plurality of walls for containing articles therein, and said memory address for each container means comprises a plurality of scannable elements mounted on an external one of said walls.

15. The control system of claim 14 wherein the write initiating means includes source means for emitting an energy beam along a path which intercepts the scannable elements on each container means conveyed thereby, and detector means responsive to a change in level of said energy beam for producing a signal indicating the presence or absence of a scannable element.

16. The control system of claim 14 wherein the scannable elements comprising said memory address are located within a first area on the external wall, a plurality of second scannable elements each comprising the complement of a corresponding one of the scannable elements in said first area and arranged within a second area on the external wall, said write initiating means includes first area scanning means for developing an address signal representing the scannable elements within said first area, second area scanning means for developing signals representing the complemented address within said second area, output means for transmitting the address signal from said first area scanning means to said address input means, and error means responsive wheN the signal from said second area scanning means is not the complement of the signal from said first area scanning means for effectively disabling said output means.

17. The control system of claim 1 wherein said utilization means includes a plurality of divert stations individually actuable to divert a carrier adjacent thereto, said input means includes memory alter means for changing the data stored in each memory location as the carrier having the same memory address is diverted at each of said divert stations, at least one of said divert stations including decoder means coupled to said data output means for actuating the associated divert station only when the data indicates that the carrier has previously been diverted at predetermined ones of said divert stations.

18. The control system of claim 17 wherein said memory alter means erases data identifying a selected divert station after the carrier having the same memory address has been diverted at the selected divert station, and said decoder means is responsive when the data indicates no divert stations other than said at least one divert station remain to be actuated for actuating the associated divert station.

19. The control system of claim 1 wherein said utilization means includes full indicator means for preventing the routing controlled by the data at said data output means, special means for indicating that a desired carrier is to receive special handling with respect to other carriers, and override means responsive to said special means for effectively disabling said full indicator means to allow routing of said desired carrier.

20. The control system of claim 19 wherein said override means includes emergency full indicator means for indicating when carriers to receive special handling are to be prevented from being routed by said utilization means, and emergency means responsive to said emergency full indicator means for effectively disabling said override means.

21. The control system of claim 19 wherein said special means comprises a detectable element mounted on said desired carrier and separate from said memory address, and special handling means responsive to detection of said detectable element for enabling said override means.

22. The control system of claim 21 wherein said detectable element comprises a reflector with removable mounting means for attaching said reflector to any desired one of said material conveyors which are to receive special handling.