US3697064A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for producing an orderly stack of flat items
Assignee: Telefunken Patentverwertungs GmbH
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Filing: 1969-12-02
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Granted: 1972-10-10
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Expires: 1989-12-02
Abstract
Abstract An arrangement for producing an orderly stack of items from a conveyed flow of flat items arriving in irregular amounts and overlapping one another, such as mail shipments, the arrangement including a pass-through separator and a stacker disposed in the conveying path behind the separator, the pass-through separator and the stacker being disposed with respect to one another in such a manner that the suction trough of the separator and the stack formed in the stacker are disposed on respectively opposite sides of the conveying path defined by the items passing from the separator to the stacker.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl-Heinz Kummerer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:23
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H29/00; B65H29/24; B65H29/241; B65H29/242; B07; B07C; B07C1/00; B07C1/02; B07C1/04; B65H3/00; B65H3/46; B65H31/00; B65H31/04; B65H31/06; B65H2301/00; B65H2301/30; B65H2301/32; B65H2301/321; B65H2301/40; B65H2301/42; B65H2301/421; B65H2301/4214; B65H2406/00; B65H2406/30; B65H2406/32; B65H2406/323; B65H2701/00; B65H2701/10; B65H2701/19; B65H2701/1916
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
In a device for producing an orderly stack of items from a conveyed flow of flat items defining a conveying path and arriving in irregular amounts and with irregular overlapping, which arrangement comprises a pass-through separator composed of a suction trough, a rotating periodically effective suction conveyor belt passing adjacent the trough, and stripper means disposed on the side of the conveying path which is opposite that of the suction trough and suction belt, a stacker disposed downstream of the separator in the conveying path for stacking items which pass through the separator, and conveying means operatively disposed between the pass-through separator and the stacker and transporting the items to reach the stacker in essentially the same relative arrangement they had when leaving the separator, the improvement wherein said pass-through separator and said stacker are physically disposed with respect to one another in such a manner that said suction trough and the stack of items formed in said stacker are disposed to respectively opposite sides of said conveying path.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
169 words
In a device for producing an orderly stack of items from a conveyed flow of flat items defining a conveying path and arriving in irregular amounts and with irregular overlapping, which arrangement comprises a pass-through separator composed of a suction trough, a rotating periodically effective suction conveyor belt passing adjacent the trough, and stripper means disposed on the side of the conveying path which is opposite that of the suction trough and suction belt, a stacker disposed downstream of the separator in the conveying path for stacking items which pass through the separator, and conveying means operatively disposed between the pass-through separator and the stacker and transporting the items to reach the stacker in essentially the same relative arrangement they had when leaving the separator, the improvement wherein said pass-through separator and said stacker are physically disposed with respect to one another in such a manner that said suction trough and the stack of items formed in said stacker are disposed to respectively opposite sides of said conveying path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said suction belt is provided with suction openings spaced from one another by a distance sufficient to prevent any overlapping of successively conveyed items.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said stripper means comprise at least one pair of suction strippers and said strippers cooperate with said suction belt to eliminate that sense of overlapping in which the leading overlapping item is closer to said suction belt than is the trailing overlapping item.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
278 words
A device for producing an orderly stack of items from a conveyed flow of flat items defining a conveying path and arriving in irregular amounts and with irregular overlapping, which arrangement comprises a pass-through separator, item conveying means, at least one stripper means disposed on the side of the conveying path which is opposite a portion of the item conveying means, a stacker disposed downstream of the separator in the conveying path for stacking items which pass through the separator, and second item conveying means operatively disposed between the pass-through separator and the stacker and transporting the items to reach the stacker in essentially the samE relative arrangement they had when leaving the separator, the improvement wherein said arrangement further comprises two upright conveyor belts disposed upstream of said separator for conveying items to said separator, each of said belts being disposed to a respectively opposite side of said conveying path, said belts being arranged obliquely to one another to define a conveying channel which narrows toward said separator, that one of said belts which is on the same side of said conveying path as said item conveying means being driven in a sense to urge items in the conveying direction, and the other one of said belts being driven in a sense to urge items in a direction counter to the conveying direction to render more uniform the distribution of items along said conveying path and wherein said separator and said stacker are physically disposed with respect to one another in such a manner that said stripper means and the stack of items formed in said stacker are disposed on the same side of said conveying path.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
278 words
A device for producing an orderly stack of items from a conveyed flow of flat items defining a conveying path and arriving in irregular amounts and with irregular overlapping, which arrangement comprises a pass-through separator, item conveying means, at least one stripper means disposed on the side of the conveying path which is opposite a portion of the item conveying means, a stacker disposed downstream of the separator in the conveying path for stacking items which pass through the separator, and second item conveying means operatively disposed between the pass-through separator and the stacker and transporting the items to reach the stacker in essentially the samE relative arrangement they had when leaving the separator, the improvement wherein said arrangement further comprises two upright conveyor belts disposed upstream of said separator for conveying items to said separator, each of said belts being disposed to a respectively opposite side of said conveying path, said belts being arranged obliquely to one another to define a conveying channel which narrows toward said separator, that one of said belts which is on the same side of said conveying path as said item conveying means being driven in a sense to urge items in the conveying direction, and the other one of said belts being driven in a sense to urge items in a direction counter to the conveying direction to render more uniform the distribution of items along said conveying path and wherein said separator and said stacker are physically disposed with respect to one another in such a manner that said stripper means and the stack of items formed in said stacker are disposed on the same side of said conveying path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 4 further comprising guide rollers around which each of said further belts passes, and wherein that guide roller at the downstream end of said other one of said further belts is disposed opposite a portion of said item conveying means.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
158 words
A device for producing an orderly stack of items from a conveyed flow of flat items defining a conveying path and arriving in irregular amounts and with irregular overlapping, which arrangement comprises a pass-through separator, item conveying means, at least one stripper means disposed on the side of the conveying path which is opposite a portion of the item conveying means, a stacker disposed downstream of the separator in the conveying path for stacking items which pass through the separator, and second item conveying means operatively disposed between the pass-through separator and the stacker and transporting the items to reach the stacker in essentially the same relative arrangement they had when leaving the separator, the improvement wherein said pass-through separator and said stacker are physically disposed with respect to one another in such a manner that said stripper means and the stack of items formed in said stacker are disposed on the same side of said conveying path.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
158 words
A device for producing an orderly stack of items from a conveyed flow of flat items defining a conveying path and arriving in irregular amounts and with irregular overlapping, which arrangement comprises a pass-through separator, item conveying means, at least one stripper means disposed on the side of the conveying path which is opposite a portion of the item conveying means, a stacker disposed downstream of the separator in the conveying path for stacking items which pass through the separator, and second item conveying means operatively disposed between the pass-through separator and the stacker and transporting the items to reach the stacker in essentially the same relative arrangement they had when leaving the separator, the improvement wherein said pass-through separator and said stacker are physically disposed with respect to one another in such a manner that said stripper means and the stack of items formed in said stacker are disposed on the same side of said conveying path.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-10 | 1976-04-10 | 1976-10-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-10 | 1980-04-10 | 1980-10-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-10 | 1984-04-10 | 1984-10-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |