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US3750879A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sorting conveyors
Assignee: British Railways Board
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Filing: 1972-03-06
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Granted: 1973-08-07
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Expires: 1992-03-06
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides a compact and economical construction of sorting device including a circular carousel comprising a ring with radial segmental panels, which ring is caused to rotate, each segmental panel being pivotally mounted on the ring so as to be tiltable about a generally horizontal axis lying at right angles to the radius of the ring on which that respective segmental panel is aligned, the tilting axis of each panel being located at such distance below the load bearing surface of the panel that when the panel is tilted from the horizontal, all parts of the load bearing surface of the panel are moved radially outwardly of the carousel, there being also conveyor feed means arranged to feed articles on to the carousel, there being disposed about the periphery of said carousel a plurality of chutes and wherein means are provided for selectively tilting individual segmental panels, or groups of segmental panels while these selected segmental panels are adjacent a selected chute to cause an article carried on such tilted segmental panel or panels to leave the carousel and enter the respective chute.
Inventors
- 👤 C Luckett
- 👤 J Cosgrove
- 👤 G Holland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 08:25
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02; B65G1/04; B65G1/045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
267 words
A sorting device of the kind including a circular carousel comprising a circular ring on which a plurality of radially extending segmental panels are mounted for movement therewith which ring is caused to rotate substantially about its axis, said panels having a flat upper load bearing surface which is normally horizontal and the arrangement being such that when the flat upper surfaces of all the panels are horizontal the edges of the adjacent panels are juxtaposed and there is formed a substantially continuous, substantially flat, annular supporting surface, each segmental panel being pivotally mounted on the ring so as to be tiltable about a generally horizontal axis lying at right angles to the radius of the ring on which that respective segmental panel is located, the tilting axis of each penel being located below the load bearing upper surface of the panel so that when the panel is tilted from the horizontal, all parts of the upper load bearing surface of the panel are moved radially outwardly of the carousel, there being also conveyor feed means arranged to feed articles on to the carousel, there being disposed about the periphery of said carousel a plurality of chutes and including switch gear for selectively tilting individual segmental panels or groups of segmental panels while any segmental panel selected is adjacent a selected chute to cause an article carried on such selected panel or panels to leave the carousel and enter the respective chute, there being further switch gear for returning panels which have been tilted to a position where their upper flat load bearing surfaces are substantially horizontal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
267 words
A sorting device of the kind including a circular carousel comprising a circular ring on which a plurality of radially extending segmental panels are mounted for movement therewith which ring is caused to rotate substantially about its axis, said panels having a flat upper load bearing surface which is normally horizontal and the arrangement being such that when the flat upper surfaces of all the panels are horizontal the edges of the adjacent panels are juxtaposed and there is formed a substantially continuous, substantially flat, annular supporting surface, each segmental panel being pivotally mounted on the ring so as to be tiltable about a generally horizontal axis lying at right angles to the radius of the ring on which that respective segmental panel is located, the tilting axis of each penel being located below the load bearing upper surface of the panel so that when the panel is tilted from the horizontal, all parts of the upper load bearing surface of the panel are moved radially outwardly of the carousel, there being also conveyor feed means arranged to feed articles on to the carousel, there being disposed about the periphery of said carousel a plurality of chutes and including switch gear for selectively tilting individual segmental panels or groups of segmental panels while any segmental panel selected is adjacent a selected chute to cause an article carried on such selected panel or panels to leave the carousel and enter the respective chute, there being further switch gear for returning panels which have been tilted to a position where their upper flat load bearing surfaces are substantially horizontal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A sorting device according to claim 1 characterised in that each individual segmental panel is provided with rollers engaging non-rotating circular tracks concentric with said ring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
A sorting device according to claim 2 characterised in that said rollers engage primary tracks so as to maintain the segmental panels substantially horizontal, there being incorporated, adjacent a chute, switch gear selectively operable to divert the rollers of a selected segment from the primary tracks on to discharge tracks, whereby as the rollers are moved on to the discharge tracks, the segment is progressively tilted and remains tilted while its rollers remain engaged with the discharge tracks.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A sorting device according to claim 3 characterised in that further switch gear is arranged at the end of the discharge track adapted to return the rollers to the primary tracks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A sorting device according to claim 4, characterized in that at The last chute associated with the carousel, means are provided for diverting the rollers of all segmental panels to a discharge track so that all segments are tilted as they pass the said last chute.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
A sorting device according to claim 3 characterised in that there is provided adjacent said conveyor feed means a control console equipped with a plurality of electric switches, there being at least one for each individual chute, and wherein at least one of said switches requires to be operated before a package on the conveyor feed means is permitted to be fed to the circular carousel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A sorting device according to claim 6, characterised in that at the last chute associated with the carousel, means are provided for diverting the rollers of all segmental panels to a discharge track so that all segments are tilted as they pass the said last chute.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A sorting device according to claim 6 characterised in that there is provided a scanning device adapted to identify the location of each individual package on the circular carousel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
A sorting device according to claim 8, characterized in that at the last chute associated with the carousel, means are provided for diverting the rollers of all segmental panels to a discharge track so that all segments are tilted as they pass the said last chute.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
75 words
A sorting device according to claim 8 characterised in that there is provided a memory device adapted to receive signals from said control console and said scanning device, and after integration of said signals to operate at a suitable instant of time and for a suitable duration of time the switch gear associated with a selected chute, whereby at least one segmental panel is tilted and any package thereon is discharged into the selected chute.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
A sorting device according to claim 10 wherein said memory device includes a plurality of successive stages and including a pulse generator connected and arranged in conjunction with the circular carousel to emit a series of pulses at frequency corresponding and proportioned to rotational movement of the carousel, said pulses being fed to said memory device, a predetermined number of said pulses being arranged to shift a signal initially derived from said control console through successive stages of said memory device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
67 words
A sorting device according to claim 11 including a forward memory device interposed between said control console and the first of the successive stages of the memory device, said forward memory also receiving pulses from said pulse generator, and being activated by a first predetermined number of said received pulses to shift a signal derived initially from said control console to the first of said successive stages.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
A sorting device according to claim 12 wherein said forward memory is adapted and arranged to continue to shift a given signal into the first of said successive stages in response to a predetermined number of received pulses and to erase said code thereafter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
A sorting device according to claim 3 characterised in that at the last chute associated with the carousel, means are provided for diverting the rollers of all segmental panels to a discharge track so that all segments are tilted as they pass the said last chute.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1854453A
Cited
US2589561A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-08-06 | 1977-02-05 | 1977-08-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-06 | 1981-02-05 | 1981-08-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-06 | 1985-02-05 | 1985-08-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |