Control apparatus for laundry system

Claim 2

Control apparatus for a laundry processing system including a variable speed portion followed by a fixed speed portion, said control apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a data signal upon detection of a defective article being processed by said system, b. a sensing device for continuously generating a variable rate clock signal which is a direct function of the speed of the variable speed portion of the processing system, c. a first shift register, d. means to combine the data signal and the variable rate clock signal in said first shift register to shift said data signal through said shift register and produce a first output, e. first output means responsive to said first output, f. means for generating a fixed rate clock signal, g. a second shift register, h. means to combine the first output of said first shift register with said fixed rate clock signal in said second shift register to shift said first output through said second shift register and produce a second output, and i. second output means responsive to said second output.

Claim 3

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said first output means includes a first indicator and said second output means includes a second indicator.

Claim 4

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said means for generating the fixed rate clock signal is adjustable to set the rate of the fixed rate clock signal.

Claim 5

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the time between actuation of said first and second indicator means is set by said adjustment to substantially equal the time required for an article to pass through the fixed speed p9rtion of the system.

Claim 6

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said first and second shift registers are integrated circuits.

Claim 7

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said first shift register has sufficient capacity to allow the data signal to be shifted through the same in substantially the time taken for an article to pass through the variable speed portion of the processing system.

Claim 8

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said second shift register has sufficient capacity to allow said first output to be shifted through the same in substantially the time taken for an article to pass through the fixed speed portion of the processing system.

Claim 9

Control apparatus for a laundry processing system including a variable speed portion followed by a fixed speed portion, said control apparatus comprising, data input means supplying signals representing defective articles being processed by said system, means for generating a variable rate clock signal which is a direct function of the speed of the variable speed portion of the processing system, first shift register means, means to supply the input signals and the clock signals to said first shift register means to shift said input signals serially through said first shift register means and produce a first output, first utilization means responsive to said first output, means for generating a fixed rate clock signal, second shift register means, means to supply the output from said first shift register means and said fixed rate clock signal to said second shift register means to shift the first output through said second shift register means and produce a second output, and second utilization means responsive to said second output.

Claim 10

Control apparatus for a laundry processing system including a variable speed portion followed by a fixed speed portion, said control apparatus comprising, data input means supplying signals representing defective articles being processed by said system, means for generating a variable rate clock signal which is a direct function of the speed of the variable speed portion of the processing system, first shift register means, means to supply the input signals and the clock signals to said first shift register means to shift said input signals serially through said first shift register means and produce a first output, first utilization means responsive to said first output, means for generating a fixed rate clock signal, second shift register means, means to supply the output from said first shift register means and said fixed rate clock signal to said second shift register means to shift the first output through said second shift register means and produce a second output, and second utilization means responsive to said second output.

Claim 11

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which each of said shift register means has sufficient capacity to shift a signal through the same in the time taken for an article to pass through a respective portion of the processing system.

Claim 12

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which said fixed rate clock generating means is adjustable to set the time between actuation of said first and second utilization means substantially equal to the time taken for an article to pass through said fixed speed portion of the system

Claim 13

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 8 including an additional utilization means deriving an output from said input signals.

Claim 14

Control apparatus for a laundry processing system including a variable speed portion followed by a fixed speed portion, said control apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a data signal upon detection of a defective article being processed by said system, b. a sensing device for continuously generating a variable rate clock signal which is a direct function of the speed of the variable speed portion of the processing system, c. a first shift register in the form of integrated circuit means, d. means to combine the data signal and the variable rate clock signal in said first shift register to shift said data signal through said shift register and produce a first output, e. means for generating a fixed rate clock signal, f. a second shift register in the form of integrated circuit means, g. means to combine the first output of said first shift register with said fixed rate clock signal in said second shift register to shift said first output through said second shift register and produce a second output, and h. output means responsive to said second output.

Claim 15

Control apparatus for a laundry processing system including a variable speed portion followed by a fixed speed portion, said control apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a data signal upon detection of a defective article being processed by said system, b. a sensing device for continuously generating a variable rate clock signal which is a direct function of the speed of the variable speed portion of the processing system, c. a first shift register in the form of integrated circuit means, d. means to combine the data signal and the variable rate clock signal in said first shift register to shift said data signal through said shift register and produce a first output, e. means for generating a fixed rate clock signal, f. a second shift register in the form of integrated circuit means, g. means to combine the first output of said first shift register with said fixed rate clock signal in said second shift register to shift said first output through said second shift register and produce a second output, and h. output means responsive to said second output.

Claim 16

Control apparatus for a laundry processing system including a variable speed ironer portion followed by a fixed speed folder portion, said control apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a data signal upon detection of a defective article being processed by said system, b. means responsive to the speed of the variable speed portion of the laundry processing system to generate a variable pulse rate shifting signal having a pulse rate which is a direct function of the speed of said variable speed portion, c. a first shift register having an input means for serially receiving said data signal and a plurality of bistable simiconductor shifting stages having input means for receiving the shifting signal, d. means to feed the data signal and the shifting signal to said respective input means to shift a pulse of said data signal serially through said first shift register and produce a first output, with said first shift register having sufficient stages to produce said first output at approximately the time a defective article leaves the variable speed portion of the system, e. clock pulse generator means independent from and unresponsive to said laundry processing system for generating a constant pulse rate shifting signal, f. a second shift register having an input means for serially receiving said output of said first shift register and a plurality of bistable semiconductor stages having input means for receiving said constant rate shifting signal, g. means to feed said first output and said constant rate shifting signal respectively to said input means of said second shift register to shift a pulse of said first output serially through said second shift register and produce a second output, with said second shift register having sufficient stages and the rate of said constant rate shifting signal being such as to produce said second output at approximately the time a defective article leaves the fixed speed portion of the system, and h. output means responsive to said second output.

Claim 17

Control apparatus for a laundry processing system including a variable speed ironer portion followed by a fixed speed folder portion, said control apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a data signal upon detection of a defective article being processed by said system, b. means responsive to the speed of the variable speed portion of the laundry processing system to generate a variable pulse rate shifting signal having a pulse rate which is a direct function of the speed of said variable speed portion, c. a first shift register having an input means for serially receiving said data signal and a plurality of bistable simiconductor shifting stages having input means for receiving the shifting signal, d. means to feed the data signal and the shifting signal to said respective input means to shift a pulse of said data signal serially through said first shift register and produce a first output, with said first shift register having sufficient stages to produce said first output at approximately the time a defective article leaves the variable speed portion of the system, e. clock pulse generator means independent from and unresponsive to said laundry processing system for generating a constant pulse rate shifting signal, f. a second shift register having an input means for serially receiving said output of said first shift register and a plurality of bistable semiconductor stages having input means for receiving said constant rate shifting signal, g. means to feed said first output and said constant rate shifting signal respectively to said input means of said second shift register to shift a pulse of said first output serially through said second shift register and produce a second output, with said second shift register having sufficient stages and the rate of said constant rate shifting signal being such as to produce said second output at approximately the time a defective article leaves the fixed speed portion of the system, and h. output means responsive to said second output.

Claim 18

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which said output means has an indicator.

Claim 19

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which said stages of said shift register each comprise a flip-flop circuit means.

Claim 20

Control apparatus for a laundry processing system including a variable speed ironer followed by a fixed speed folder, said control apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a data signal upon detection of a defective article being processed by said system, b. means responsive to the speed of the ironer of the system to generate a variable pulse rate shifting signal having a pulse rate which is a direct function of the speed of said ironer, c. a first shift register having a plurality of serially connected bistable semiconductor shifting stages, said shift register having an input means for receiving said data signal and each of said shifting stages having an input means for receiving the shifting signal, the number of bistable stages in said first shift register being selected relative to said shifting signal to shift a data pulse serially through said first shift register and produce a first output at approximately the time a defective article leaves the ironer, d. means to feed the data signal and the shifting signal to said respective input means, e. adjustable clock pulse generator means independent of and unresponsive to the laundry processing system for generating a constant pulse rate shifting signal, f. a second shift register having a plurality of serially connected bistable semiconductor stages, said second shift register having an input means for receiving said first output and each of said bistable stages having an input means for receiving said constant rate shifting signal, the rate of the pulses in said constant rate shifting signal and the number of stages in said second shift register being selected to shift a first output pulse serially through said second shift register and produce a second output at approximately the time a defective article leaves the folder of the system, said clock generator means including means setting the same at said selected pulse rate, g. means to feed said first output and said constant rate shifting signal respectively to said input means of said second shift register, and h. output means responsive to said second output.

Claim 21

Control apparatus for a laundry processing system including a variable speed ironer followed by a fixed speed folder, said control apparatus comprising: a. means for generating a data signal upon detection of a defective article being processed by said system, b. means responsive to the speed of the ironer of the system to generate a variable pulse rate shifting signal having a pulse rate which is a direct function of the speed of said ironer, c. a first shift register having a plurality of serially connected bistable semiconductor shifting stages, said shift register having an input means for receiving said data signal and each of said shifting stages having an input means for receiving the shifting signal, the number of bistable stages in said first shift register being selected relative to said shifting signal to shift a data pulse serially through said first shift register and produce a first output at approximately the time a defective article leaves the ironer, d. means to feed the data signal and the shifting signal to said respective input means, e. adjustable clock pulse generator means independent of and unresponsive to the laundry processing system for generating a constant pulse rate shifting signal, f. a second shift register having a plurality of serially connected bistable semiconductor stages, said second shift register having an input means for receiving said first output and each of said bistable stages having an input means for receiving said constant rate shifting signal, the rate of the pulses in said constant rate shifting signal and the number of stages in said second shift register being selected to shift a first output pulse serially through said second shift register and produce a second output at approximately the time a defective article leaves the folder of the system, said clock generator means including means setting the same at said selected pulse rate, g. means to feed said first output and said constant rate shifting signal respectively to said input means of said second shift register, and h. output means responsive to said second output.

Claim 22

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 16 in which said output means has an indicator.

Claim 23

The control apparatus as claimed in claim 16 in which said bistable stages of said first and second shift registers each comprise a flip-flop circuit means.