Sorting apparatus and method
First Claim
1. Apparatus for sorting articles into a selected one of a multiplicity of article-receiving receptacles, said apparatus comprising a plurality of carriers, means for conveying said carriers together with said articles received therein along a path, a loading station along said path at which articles to be sorted are loaded into said carriers, a plurality of unloading stations along said path, each said unloading station having at least a first article-receiving receptacle on one side of said path and a second article-receiving receptacle on the other side of said path, means for supporting each of said carriers on said conveying means as said carrier is conveyed along said path in a generally vertical loading position, in a first inclined position in which an article unloaded from said carrier at a selected one of said unloading stations is delivered to said first article receiving receptacle, or in a second inclined position in which an article unloaded from said carrier at said selected one of said unloading stations is delivered to said second receptacle, means for prepositioning a selected one of said carriers in one of its said inclined positions as said selected one carrier moves along said path to said selected one unloading station, and means at said selected one unloading station for effecting the unloading of said article from said selected one carrier thereby to deliver said article carried by said selected one carrier to a predetermined article receiving receptacle at said selected one unloading station.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sorter (3) is disclosed in which an article (A) to be sorted is delivered to a carrier. The carrier is moved by a conveyor drive along a path to a selected one unloading station UL at which two or more receptacles or bags (3) are located and the article is unloaded (dropped) from its carrier into its predetermined receptacle. After an article is loaded into the carrier, the carrier is inclined in one direction or the other and is conveyed to its selected one unloading station such that the carrier is in position to deliver its article to the proper receptacle. At each turn of the conveyor, the carriers inclined toward the inside of the turn may, optionally, be moved back toward their centered (vertical) positions as they are moved into and through the turn thereby to prevent interference between the carriers. A method of sorting is also disclosed.
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Citations
40 Claims
- 1. Apparatus for sorting articles into a selected one of a multiplicity of article-receiving receptacles, said apparatus comprising a plurality of carriers, means for conveying said carriers together with said articles received therein along a path, a loading station along said path at which articles to be sorted are loaded into said carriers, a plurality of unloading stations along said path, each said unloading station having at least a first article-receiving receptacle on one side of said path and a second article-receiving receptacle on the other side of said path, means for supporting each of said carriers on said conveying means as said carrier is conveyed along said path in a generally vertical loading position, in a first inclined position in which an article unloaded from said carrier at a selected one of said unloading stations is delivered to said first article receiving receptacle, or in a second inclined position in which an article unloaded from said carrier at said selected one of said unloading stations is delivered to said second receptacle, means for prepositioning a selected one of said carriers in one of its said inclined positions as said selected one carrier moves along said path to said selected one unloading station, and means at said selected one unloading station for effecting the unloading of said article from said selected one carrier thereby to deliver said article carried by said selected one carrier to a predetermined article receiving receptacle at said selected one unloading station.
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13. In a sorter having a conveyor movable along a predetermined endless path from a loading station past a plurality of unloading stations and back to said loading station, each of said unloading stations having at least two article receiving receptacles there at, one on each side of the line of travel of said conveyor along said path, said conveyor having a plurality of carriers for receiving an article to be sorted, for transport of said article along said path, and for unloading said article at a selected one of said unloading stations for delivery of said article into a predetermined one of said receptacles at said selected on unloading station, said path having at least one turn therealong with said turn having an inside toward and an outside, wherein said improvement comprises:
- each said carrier having a carrier base movable with said conveyor along said path, a carrier body for receiving and holding an article, and means for coupling said carrier body to said carrier base, said coupling means comprising a pair of spaced attachment points on one of said carrier parts, latch means on the other of said carrier parts for receiving said attachment points such that with both of said attachment points received and latched by said latch means said carrier body is coupled to said carrier base in a centered position substantially centered with respect to said path, said latch means being operable such that with one of said attachment points unlatched said carrier body will pivot downwardly from said carrier base about said other attachment point received in said latch means thereby to assume a first inclined position in which said article carried in the carrier body is positioned for being unloaded at said selected one of said unloading stations such that said article will be delivered into its predetermined receptacle, and such that with said one attachment point received in said latch means and said other attachment point unlatched from said carrier base said carrier body pivots about said one attachment point received in said latch means thereby to assume a second inclined position in which said article carried in said carrier body is positioned for being unloaded at said selected one unloading station into the other of said receptacles at said selected one unloading station.
- View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. Method of sorting articles into a selected one of a plurality of article-receiving receptacles, said receptacles being arranged in groups along a path, with each group of receptacles constituting an unloading station, with at least one of the receptacles at each unloading station being on one side of said path and with another of said receptacles being on the other side of said path, a loading station along said path, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
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positioning a carrier in a generally vertical loading position; with said carrier in its said loading position at said loading station, loading an article into a carrier; moving said carrier along said path away from said loading station; prepositioning said carrier in either a first inclined position toward said one side of said path for delivery of said article into a selected one of said receptacles on one side of said path at a predetermined unloading station or a second inclined position toward said other side of said path for delivery of said article into a selected other of said receptacles on the other side of said path at said predetermined unloading station; and
with said carrier in one of its said inclined positions, effecting the unloading of said article from said carrier at said predetermined unloading station along said path for delivery of said article to said selected one or said selected other of said receptacles. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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- 34. Apparatus for sorting articles into a selected one of a multiplicity of article receiving receptacles, said apparatus comprising a plurality of carriers, means for conveying said carriers together with said articles received therein along a path, a loading station along said path at which articles to be sorted are loaded into said carriers, a plurality of unloading stations along said path, each said unloading station having at least a first article-receiving receptacle and a second article-receiving receptacle, means for supporting each of said carriers on said conveying means as said carrier is conveyed along said path in a loading position in which said carrier is generally vertical at said loading station for insertion of an article into said carrier, a first predetermined position in which an article unloaded from said carrier at a selected one of said unloading stations is delivered to said first article receiving receptacle, and in a second predetermined position in which an article unloaded from said carrier at said selected one of said unloading stations is delivered to said second article receiving receptacle, means for prepositioning a selected one of said carriers in one of its said first or second predetermined positions as said selected one carrier moves along said path from said loading station to said selected one unloading station, and means at said selected one unloading station for effecting the unloading of said article from said selected one carrier thereby to deliver said article carried by said selected one carrier to a predetermined article receiving receptacle at said selected one unloading station.
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38. A method of sorting articles into a selected one of a plurality of article-receiving receptacles, said receptacles being arranged in groups along a path, with each group of receptacles constituting an unloading station, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
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positioning said carrier in a loading position in which said carrier is generally vertically disposed; loading an article into a carrier while the carrier is in its said loading position; moving said carrier along said path; prepositioning said carrier in either a first predetermined position for delivery of said article into a selected one of said receptacles at a predetermined unloading station or in a second predetermined position for delivery of said article into a selected other of said receptacles at said predetermined unloading station; and with said carrier in one of its said predetermined positions, effecting the unloading of said article from said carrier at said predetermined unloading station for delivery of said article to said selected one or said selected other of said receptacles at said predetermined unloading station. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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Specification