Sorting device for core handler

Claim 2

A sorter for magnetic core handling devices comprising means to deliver cores to said sorter, said sorter comprising a sorting block having first, second and third positions, said second position being between said first and third positions, said cores being transferred by said device from said block to a first location in said first block position, and to a second location in said third block position, a stepper motor having an output shaft, means mounting said stepper motor with respect to said means to deliver cores to said sorter, means to deliver a control signal to said stepper motor to cause said stepper motor to rotate said shaft in one direction to position said sorting block in its said first position to receive a core from the means to deliver a core to said sorter and to transfer said core to said first location corresponding to said first block position and in an opposite direction to position said sorting block in its said third position to receive a core from the means to deliver a core to said sorter and to transfer said last-mentioned core to said second location corresponding to said third block position, and spring means to normally urge said block to said second position to provide a rest position, said block having means at said second or rest position for obstructively preventing movement of said cores from said means to deliver said cores.

Claim 3

The combination as specified in claim 1 and spring means to normally urge said block to said second position to provide a rest position wherein a portion of said block prevents movement of said cores from said means to deliver said cores.

Claim 4

The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said preventing means includes an insert member aligned with the cores coming from said means to deliver said cores when said block is in its second or rest position.

Claim 5

The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said passage means in said block comprises first, second and third separate passageways, and said stepper motor shaft is actuable to two positions to shift said block in said one direction to move said block into its said first position with said first passageway below said means to deliver said cores and in said opposite direction to shift said block in said opposite direction to move said block into its said third position with said third passageway below said means to deliver said cores, and means to center said block to normally hold said second passageway below said means to deliver said cores, said stepper motor shaft selectively moving said first and third passageways below said means to deliver cores when the stepper motor is actuated to either of its said two positions respectively.

Claim 6

A core sorting device comprising a core supply, a delivery means to deliver cores from said core supply, test means to test cores coming from said core supply, a sorting block member and at least a pair of passageways defined in said member, said pair of passageways having spaced entrances, a stepper motor having an output shaft, means to mount said block on the output shaft of said stepper motor, said stepper motor being movable in opposite directions between at least two positions to position one or the other of said entrances of the pair of passageways adjacent said delivery means to receive cores comiNg from said delivery means, means to normally center said block member substantially midway between said two positions, and a support rest on said block between said spaced entrances to support cores from said delivery means when said block is centered by said means to normally center said block.

Claim 7

A core sorting device comprising a core supply, a delivery means to deliver cores from said core supply, test means to test cores coming from said core supply, a sorting block member and at least a pair of passageways defined in said member, said pair of passageways having spaced entrances, a stepper motor having an output shaft, means to mount said block on the output shaft of said stepper motor, said stepper motor being movable in opposite directions between at least two positions to position one or the other of said entrances of the pair of passageways adjacent said delivery means to receive cores comiNg from said delivery means, means to normally center said block member substantially midway between said two positions, and a support rest on said block between said spaced entrances to support cores from said delivery means when said block is centered by said means to normally center said block.

Claim 8

The combination as specified in claim 5 and adjustable support means to position said stepper motor and said block member with respect to said delivery means.

Claim 9

The combination as specified in claim 5 and means to supply a vacuum to said passageways in said block, said means to supply vacuum comprising a vacuum pump, at least one core storage bin, said storage bin comprising a container having an interior chamber and a connection to said vacuum pump adjacent the top of said interior chamber, an outlet tube opening to said passageways and leading from said bin adjacent the top of the said interior chamber whereby a flow of air from said passageways to said vacuum pump changes direction inside said storage bin.

Claim 10

The combination as specified in claim 6 wherein said adjustable support means for said stepper motor permits movement of said motor in at least two mutually perpendicular directions.

Claim 11

The combination as specified in claim 5 wherein said sorting block is a molded block of material.

Claim 12

The combination as specified in claim 7 wherein each of said passageways is connected to a sorting bin, and said vacuum pump carries a flow of air through both of said sorting bins.

Claim 13

A sorter for magnetic core handling devices comprising a core supply, a generally vertical chute connected at its upper end to said core supply and open at its lower end for discharging the lowermost of a stack of cores received in said chute from said core supply, an angularly shiftable sorting block having a pair of passageways extending downwardly therethrough from laterally spaced ports or entrances in its upper end, said upper end supporting the lowermost core in said stack when said sorting block is angularly positioned so that said ports or entrances are to either side of said lowermost core, means for testing the core next above the lowermost core in said stack while said block is supporting said lowermost core, and means responsive to said testing means for shifting said block so as to align one or the other of said ports or entrances with the lower end of said chute in response to a control signal derived from said test means as a result of having tested said lowermost core when it was previously the core next above, the lowermost core in each instance supporting the core next above during its said test.

Claim 14

A sorter for magnetic core handling devices comprising a core supply, a generally vertical chute connected at its upper end to said core supply and open at its lower end for discharging the lowermost of a stack of cores received in said chute from said core supply, an angularly shiftable sorting block having a pair of passageways extending downwardly therethrough from laterally spaced ports or entrances in its upper end, said upper end supporting the lowermost core in said stack when said sorting block is angularly positioned so that said ports or entrances are to either side of said lowermost core, means for testing the core next above the lowermost core in said stack while said block is supporting said lowermost core, and means responsive to said testing means for shifting said block so as to align one or the other of said ports or entrances with the lower end of said chute in response to a control signal derived from said test means as a result of having tested said lowermost core when it was previously the core next above, the lowermost core in each instance supporting the core next above during its said test.

Claim 15

The combination as specified in claim 11 including a hardened insert located between the ports or entrances of said passageways, said hardened insert engaging and supporting the lowermost core in said stack until said block is angularly shifted to locate the port or entrance of either of said passageways beneath said chute.

Claim 16

The combination as specified in claim 11 including a leaf spring connected at its upper end with said block and having its lower end fixedly mounted so that said leaf spring normally positions said block so that said ports or entrances are to either side of the lower end of said chute.

Claim 17

A sorter for magnetic core handling devices comprising a core supply, a chute extending downwardly from said core supply having an open lower end for discharging cores, a sorting block, a shaft supporting said sorting block for angular movement, a leaf spring connected to said block subjacent said shaft for normally maintaining said block in a vertical position, said block having a pair of spaced passageways extending downwardly through said block from spaced ports or entrances in the upper end of said block, said block having its upper end centrally located beneath said chute when said block is held vertical by said leaf spring to support on a central portion of said block between said ports or entrances the lowermost of a stack of cores contained Within said chute, test means for testing the particular core in said stack of cores immediately above the lowermost core, and a stepper motor responsive to said test means for shifting said block in the proper angular direction to move the appropriate port or entrance beneath said lowermost core in response to a control signal derived previously from said test means when said lowermost core was then the particular core immediately thereabove.

Claim 18

A sorter for magnetic core handling devices comprising a core supply, a chute extending downwardly from said core supply having an open lower end for discharging cores, a sorting block, a shaft supporting said sorting block for angular movement, a leaf spring connected to said block subjacent said shaft for normally maintaining said block in a vertical position, said block having a pair of spaced passageways extending downwardly through said block from spaced ports or entrances in the upper end of said block, said block having its upper end centrally located beneath said chute when said block is held vertical by said leaf spring to support on a central portion of said block between said ports or entrances the lowermost of a stack of cores contained Within said chute, test means for testing the particular core in said stack of cores immediately above the lowermost core, and a stepper motor responsive to said test means for shifting said block in the proper angular direction to move the appropriate port or entrance beneath said lowermost core in response to a control signal derived previously from said test means when said lowermost core was then the particular core immediately thereabove.

Claim 19

A core sorting device comprising a generally vertical chute for containing a stack of cylindrical cores and gravitationally discharging said cores via its lower end, a block shiftable angularly about a horizontal axis having a portion of its upper end disposed below the lower end of said chute at a distance therebeneath less than the diameter of said cylindrical cores so as to support the lowermost core in said stack of cores and to prevent discharge thereof, said block having a pair of passageways extending downwardly therethrough from entrances to either side of said core supporting portion, and means for angularly shifting said block to selectively bring one of said entrances into registry with the lower end of said chute, whereby the lowermost core then drops into the passageway having its entrance in registry with the lower end of said chute.

Claim 20

A core sorting device comprising a generally vertical chute for containing a stack of cylindrical cores and gravitationally discharging said cores via its lower end, a block shiftable angularly about a horizontal axis having a portion of its upper end disposed below the lower end of said chute at a distance therebeneath less than the diameter of said cylindrical cores so as to support the lowermost core in said stack of cores and to prevent discharge thereof, said block having a pair of passageways extending downwardly therethrough from entrances to either side of said core supporting portion, and means for angularly shifting said block to selectively bring one of said entrances into registry with the lower end of said chute, whereby the lowermost core then drops into the passageway having its entrance in registry with the lower end of said chute.

Claim 21

The combination as specified in claim 15 in which said block is of plastic and said support portion contains a hardened insert.

Claim 22

The combination as specified in claim 15 including means for testing the core next above the lowermost core to provide a control signal for subsequently causing said shifting means to move said block in the appropriate direction from a position in which said supporting portion is directly under the lower end of said chute to effect registry of the proper entrance with the lower end of said chute in accordance with the test results determined when the lowermost core was the one next above.

Claim 23

The combination as specified in claim 17 including spring means for normally positioning said supporting portion beneath the lower end of said chute.

Claim 24

The combination specified in claim 18 in which said spring means constitutes a leaf spring fixedly mounted at its lower end and extending upwardly into the lower end of said block.

Claim 25

A sorter for magnetic core handling device comprising means to deliver cores to said sorter, said sorter comprising a sorting block having first, second and third positions, said second position being between said first and third positions, said cores being transferred by said device from said block to a first location in said first block position, and to a second location in said third block position, a stepper motor having an output shaft, means mounting said stepper motor with respect to said means to deliver cores to said sorter, means to deliver a control signal to said stepper motor to cause said stepper motor to rotate said shaft in one direction to position said sorting block in its said first position to receive a core from the means to deliver a core to said sorter and to transfer said core to said first location corresponding to said first block position and in an opposite direction to position said sorting block in its said third position to receive a core from the means to deliver a core to said sorter and to transfer said last-mentioned core to said second location corresponding to said third block position, a second sorting block, said first and second blocks being arranged in series to receive cores coming from said means to deliver said cores, and said first block being selectively movable to one of its first or third positions in response to the control signal, a second stepper motor having an output shaft, said second block being mounted on said output shaft of said second stepper motor and movable to first, second and third positions independently of said first block, said second block being arranged to receive cores coming from said first block when said second block is in only its said first posItion.

Claim 26

A sorter for magnetic core handling device comprising means to deliver cores to said sorter, said sorter comprising a sorting block having first, second and third positions, said second position being between said first and third positions, said cores being transferred by said device from said block to a first location in said first block position, and to a second location in said third block position, a stepper motor having an output shaft, means mounting said stepper motor with respect to said means to deliver cores to said sorter, means to deliver a control signal to said stepper motor to cause said stepper motor to rotate said shaft in one direction to position said sorting block in its said first position to receive a core from the means to deliver a core to said sorter and to transfer said core to said first location corresponding to said first block position and in an opposite direction to position said sorting block in its said third position to receive a core from the means to deliver a core to said sorter and to transfer said last-mentioned core to said second location corresponding to said third block position, a second sorting block, said first and second blocks being arranged in series to receive cores coming from said means to deliver said cores, and said first block being selectively movable to one of its first or third positions in response to the control signal, a second stepper motor having an output shaft, said second block being mounted on said output shaft of said second stepper motor and movable to first, second and third positions independently of said first block, said second block being arranged to receive cores coming from said first block when said second block is in only its said first posItion.