CONVEYOR SYSTEM

• US 3,813,058 A
• Filed: 07/10/1972
• Issued: 05/28/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arthur George Wingrove, David Michael Arthur Barron, Robert William George Smith
• Original Assignee: Arthur George Wingrove, David Michael Arthur Barron, Robert William George Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Robert William George, Barron, David Michael Arthur, Wingrove, Arthur George
• Primary Examiner(s): Blunk, Evon C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carson, W. Scott
• Application Number:
  US05/270,457
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 243/16-19,30,36,38,29
• US Class Current: 406/2
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/50 according to destination signals stored in separate systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/46 according to separate signal systems

Abstract

A conveyor system including a pneumatic main ring having a number of branch loops accommodating a number of receiver/dispatch stations respectively, diverter means for diverting a carrier into each loop, sensing means or zone switches dividing the main tube into zones, a control unit having a memory for each zone (Zn) and arranged to receive the address signal from the memory of the preceding zone (Zn 1) to control the passage of the carriers around the ring, the sensing means or zone switches being arranged to sense the passage of a carrier from each zone to the next zone and arranged to move the address signal from the memory of the first zone into the memory of the second zone and there is a switch located in the main ring upstream from and associated with the diverter means, this switch being controlled by the control unit so that it is in an operable condition only when the memory of the zone in which it is located contains the address signal of a station in the loop controlled by the associated diverter means, this switch being capable, in its operable condition, of sensing the passage of the carrier and operating the associated diverter means to divert the carrier to its destination station.

Claims

1. A pneumatic conveyor system for dispatching a carrier from one to another of a plurality of stations, comprising a main tube line in the form of a ring, a branch extending from said ring, said branch including one of the stations, means for supplying a transport medium along the main tube line, said main tube line also having diverter means associated with each branch capable of diverting a carrier into the branch, a plurality of sensing means dividing the main ring tube into zones for sensing the passage of a carrier into the respective zone, a control unit including a zone memory for each zone, each zone including one of the stations, said memories being coupled and having means for receiving an address signal of a station to which a carrier is dispatched from the memory of the preceding zone and for selectively passing the address signal into the zone memory of the succeeding zone and sanctioning operation of the diverter means in its zone on the basis of the address signal, the sensing means being connected to control the passage of the address signal from one zone memory to the succeeding zone memory.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the diverter means includes an incoming switch located in the main ring upstream in the travel direction of a carrier from a carrier diverter means, said diverter means being located at the junction of a branch with the main ring, said incoming switch being arranged so that it is in an operable condition only when the memory of the zone in which it is located contains the address signal of the said station in the branch controlled by the said diverter means, said switch being capable of sensing the passage of the carrier and operating the associated carrier diverter means to divert the carrier to its receiving station.

3. A system as in claim 2, further comprising means for imparting an address signal to a zone memory when a carrier is to be dispatched from a station in that zone.

4. A system as in claim 2, wherein each branch has a receive switch located between the carrier diverter member and the station to which the carrier is dispatched, said receive switch being adapted to sense the passage of the carrier and return the carrier diverter member to its non-diverting condition.

5. A system as in claim 4, further comprising means for imparting an address signal to a zone memory when a carrier is to be dispatched from a station in that zone.

6. A system as in claim 5, wherein each of said zone memories includes means responsive to others of said zone memories for enabling receipt of address signal only when the zone memories of a predetermined number of previous and subsequent zones in the direction of carrier travel are clear.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each branch has a receive switch located between the carrier diverter member and the station to which the carrier is dispatched, said receive switch being adapted to sense the passage of the carrier and return the carrier diverter member to its non-diverting condition.

8. A system as in claim 7, further comprising means for imparting an address signal to a zone memory when a carrier is to be dispatched from a station in that zone.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein each of said zone memories includes means responsive to others of said zone memories for enabling receipt of address signal only when the zone memories of a predetermined number of previous and subsequent zones in the direction of carrier travel are clear.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for imparting an address signal to a zone memory when a carrier is to be dispatched from a station in that zone.

11. A system as in claim 10, wherein each of said zone memories includes means responsive to others of said zone memories for enabling receipt of address signal only when the zone memories of a predetermined number of previous and subsequent zones in the direction of carrier travel are clear.