Installation for sorting articles by weight and shape
First Claim
1. A sorting installation for separating a first type of articles from a second type of articles fed mixed to the sorting installation;
- the first type of articles being relatively light and substantially two-dimensional and the second type of articles being relatively heavy and substantially three-dimensional;
comprising(a) a stationary article-supporting surface receiving the first and second type of articles in a generally mixed state;
said article-supporting surface having a length dimension and a width dimension perpendicular to said length dimension;
said article-supporting surface being inclined to the horizontal in a direction parallel to said width dimension for causing primarily said second type of articles to move by gravity downwardly on said article-supporting surface transversely to said length dimension and laterally off said article-supporting surface; and
(b) conveyor means travelling parallel and relative to said article-supporting surface in a travelling direction oriented at an angle to said width dimension for forwarding primarily said first type of articles on said article-supporting surface parallel to said travelling direction and transversely to said width dimension;
said conveyor means being an elongated endless conveyor oriented in said travelling direction;
said endless conveyor including holding means for causing articles of the first type to be entrained by said endless conveyor in said travelling direction;
said holding means extending uninterruptedly along the article-supporting surface in said travelling direction, whereby substantially all articles received on said article-supporting surface are encountering said holding means.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sorting installation for separating a first type of articles from a second type of articles fed mixed to the sorting installation. The articles of the first type are relatively light and substantially two-dimensional, while the articles of the second type are relatively heavy and substantially three-dimensional. There is provided an article-supporting surface which receives the first and second type of articles in a generally mixed state and which has a length dimension and a width dimension perpendicular to the length dimension. The article-supporting surface is inclined to the horizontal in a direction parallel to the width dimension for causing primarily the second type of articles to move by gravity downwardly on the article-supporting surface transversely to the length dimension and laterally off the article-supporting surface. There is also provided a conveyor travelling parallel to the article-supporting surface in a travelling direction oriented at an angle to the width dimension for forwarding primarily the first type of articles on the article-supporting surface parallel to the travelling direction and transversely to the width dimension.
11 Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A sorting installation for separating a first type of articles from a second type of articles fed mixed to the sorting installation;
- the first type of articles being relatively light and substantially two-dimensional and the second type of articles being relatively heavy and substantially three-dimensional;
comprising(a) a stationary article-supporting surface receiving the first and second type of articles in a generally mixed state;
said article-supporting surface having a length dimension and a width dimension perpendicular to said length dimension;
said article-supporting surface being inclined to the horizontal in a direction parallel to said width dimension for causing primarily said second type of articles to move by gravity downwardly on said article-supporting surface transversely to said length dimension and laterally off said article-supporting surface; and(b) conveyor means travelling parallel and relative to said article-supporting surface in a travelling direction oriented at an angle to said width dimension for forwarding primarily said first type of articles on said article-supporting surface parallel to said travelling direction and transversely to said width dimension;
said conveyor means being an elongated endless conveyor oriented in said travelling direction;
said endless conveyor including holding means for causing articles of the first type to be entrained by said endless conveyor in said travelling direction;
said holding means extending uninterruptedly along the article-supporting surface in said travelling direction, whereby substantially all articles received on said article-supporting surface are encountering said holding means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- the first type of articles being relatively light and substantially two-dimensional and the second type of articles being relatively heavy and substantially three-dimensional;
-
11. A sorting installation for separating a first type of articles from a second type of articles fed mixed to the sorting installation;
- the first type of articles being relatively light and substantially two-dimensional and the second type of articles being relatively heavy and substantially three-dimensional;
comprising(a) a stationary article-supporting surface receiving the first and second type of articles in a generally mixed state;
said article-supporting surface having a length dimension and a width dimension perpendicular to said length dimension;
said article-supporting surface being inclined to the horizontal in a direction parallel to said width dimension for causing primarily said second type of articles to move by gravity downwardly on said article-supporting surface transversely to said length dimension and laterally off said article-supporting surface;(b) conveyor means travelling parallel and relative to said article-supporting surface in a travelling direction oriented at an angle to said width dimension for forwarding primarily said first type of articles on said article-supporting surface parallel to said travelling direction and transversely to said width dimension;
said conveyor means comprising a plurality of parallel-spaced, side-by-side arranged endless conveyors distributed over the stationary article-supporting surface;
said endless conveyors including holding means for causing articles of the first type to be entrained by the endless conveyors in said travelling direction; and(c) stationary deflector members extending from said article-supporting surface at locations immediately above said endless conveyors and extending thereover for assisting articles of the second type to traverse by gravity said endless conveyors. - View Dependent Claims (12)
- the first type of articles being relatively light and substantially two-dimensional and the second type of articles being relatively heavy and substantially three-dimensional;
Specification