US3866740A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of feeding discrete articles from a storage location and a machine therefor
Assignee: Post Office
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Filing: 1972-07-05
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Granted: 1975-02-18
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Expires: 1992-07-05
Abstract
Abstract The invention is applicable to a flow-line processing plant in which articles are processed in two distinct operations which are performed by two operators working at independent rates and is particularly applicable to the sorting of postal parcels in which one operator faces the parcels and a second operator reads the addresses thereon and keys their destination, in coded form, into a sorting machine. An arrangement of conveyors enables the articles to be stored in a storage location between the first and second operators, the articles being fed seriatim from the storage location to the second operator under the control of control means at the second operators working station. The conveyor arrangement comprises two conveyors with interjacent barrier means and moving means operable, under the control of the control means, alternately to permit and prevent transfer of the articles from one conveyor to the other. The conveyors can be arranged to separate one article from the others at the storage location, means being provided to sense said separation and signal the control means to permit the transfer of that one article alone. The term conveyor is not limited to belt conveyors but may include chutes or other gravity fed devices.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas William Greathead
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 04:59
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C1/00; B07C1/02; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/22; B65G47/26; B65G47/28; B65G47/29; B65G2203/00; B65G2203/04; B65G2203/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
352 words
A system for feeding discrete articles of diverse shape and size from a first work station to a second work station at which the articles are processed sequentially in an operation which takes a randomly variable time; said system comprising first conveying means for conveying the articles along a path from the first work station to a storage location; second conveying means for conveying the articles from the storage location to the second work station, each of said first conveying means and said second conveying means having a start and an end with the end of the first conveying means being adjacent to the storage location; a barrier interjacent the end of the first conveying means and the start of the second conveying means, means for moving the end of the first conveying means, transversely of said path, relative to the barrier between a first relative position in which the barrier is clear of said path and transfer of an article from the first conveying means to the second conveying means is permitted and a second relative position in which the barrier blocks said path and said transfer is prevented; intermediate conveying means located between the barrier and the start of the second conveying means above the level of the barrier to be engageable with each article during transfer thereof and arranged to be driven at a rate sufficient to convey the article being transferred towards the start of the second conveying means faster than the first conveying means conveys articles thereon towards the storage location thereby to effect separation between the article being transferred and other articles on the first conveying means; and control means for controlling the relative position of the barrier and the end of the first conveying means, said control means being operable at the second work station to cause the barrier and the end of the first conveying means to assume their first relative position and sensing means arranged to sense said separation and cause the barrier and the end of the first conveying means to assume their second relative position whereby the articles are transferred seriatim.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
352 words
A system for feeding discrete articles of diverse shape and size from a first work station to a second work station at which the articles are processed sequentially in an operation which takes a randomly variable time; said system comprising first conveying means for conveying the articles along a path from the first work station to a storage location; second conveying means for conveying the articles from the storage location to the second work station, each of said first conveying means and said second conveying means having a start and an end with the end of the first conveying means being adjacent to the storage location; a barrier interjacent the end of the first conveying means and the start of the second conveying means, means for moving the end of the first conveying means, transversely of said path, relative to the barrier between a first relative position in which the barrier is clear of said path and transfer of an article from the first conveying means to the second conveying means is permitted and a second relative position in which the barrier blocks said path and said transfer is prevented; intermediate conveying means located between the barrier and the start of the second conveying means above the level of the barrier to be engageable with each article during transfer thereof and arranged to be driven at a rate sufficient to convey the article being transferred towards the start of the second conveying means faster than the first conveying means conveys articles thereon towards the storage location thereby to effect separation between the article being transferred and other articles on the first conveying means; and control means for controlling the relative position of the barrier and the end of the first conveying means, said control means being operable at the second work station to cause the barrier and the end of the first conveying means to assume their first relative position and sensing means arranged to sense said separation and cause the barrier and the end of the first conveying means to assume their second relative position whereby the articles are transferred seriatim.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein the intermediate conveying means comprises a roller and the first conveying means comprises a belt conveyor driveable to urge articles thereon towards the storage location.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 2 wherein said roller has a greater co-efficient of friction, relative to said articles, than the belt of the first conveying means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprises a beam of light extending transversely across said path to be interrupted by articles conveyed there along by the first conveying means and a photo-electric sensor arranged to detect said beam during said separation.
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) | 1978-02-17 | 1978-08-19 | 1979-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-17 | 1982-08-19 | 1983-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-17 | 1986-08-19 | 1987-02-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |