Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6250630
-
Patent Number
6,250,630
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, December 7, 199924 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 26, 200123 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Wobensmith, III; Zachary T.
-
CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 271 225
- 271 227
- 271 229
- 271 248
- 271 253
- 271 184
- 271 185
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International Classifications
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Abstract
An electronically actuated turning device for transport apparatus, which apparatus use endless belts for transport, which detects the presence of products being transported such as paper folders, activates a solenoid to cause an upper swivel ball to contact the product and engage a lower swivel ball, which grips and stops the product, and allows the product to rotate 90 degrees, and then releases the product, which product is then transported in the original direction by the apparatus for further operations as required.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electronically actuated turning device for transport apparatus, which apparatus uses endless belts for transport, and is of the type which detects the presence of products, grips and changes the orientation of the products by 90 degrees during their travel, and releases them to continue travel in the original direction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various folded paper products such as folded paper jackets often require that the product be turned 90 degrees for processing, such as performing pocket folds, or stacking.
Folded paper products are usually transported on endless belts, which deposit them on intersecting belts that are perpendicular to the original direction of travel, and from which they are further processed. The common prior art transport for turning products is expensive, requires additional belts and equipment, and takes up additional space.
In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,920, a mechanical turning device for transport apparatus is disclosed, that includes a bump housing attached to a support bar, with a rotatable bump ball above a metal plate, which ball intercepts products that are carried on an endless belt, stops the product by gripping it between it and the plate, with further belt motion rotating the product
90
degrees until it strikes a guide bar, and which then transports the product for further processing.
While my prior device is suitable for its intended purpose, it requires precise height adjustment to accommodate different thicknesses of product, and relies on friction between it and a metal plate to stop and turn the product.
In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,228 is disclosed an electronically actuated turning device for transport apparatus, which includes apparatus to detect a product, actuates a solenoid to cause a ball to contact a product and grip it between it and a metal plate, the product is rotated 90 degrees, the solenoid actuated to retract the ball, and the product continues to be transported.
While this device is satisfactory for its intended purpose, the product may become damaged due to the uncertainties of the frictional characteristics of this ball and plate combination.
The device of the invention does not suffer from the shortcomings of the prior art, and provides many positive advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been found that an electronically actuated device is available, that is used with a transport apparatus, that has endless transport belts, which device grips and stops products, changes their orientation by 90 degrees, and then releases them to continue being transported in the original direction.
The principal object of the invention is to provide an electronically actuated turning device for transport apparatus that changes the products' orientation by 90 degrees, while being transported.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character aforesaid that is fast and positive in its operation.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character aforesaid that is easily adjustable to accommodate products of different width and thickness.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character aforesaid that is durable and long lasting in operation.
Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and the claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof in which:
FIG. 1
is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the electronically actuated turning device of the invention, installed on a transport apparatus;
FIG. 2
is a left side view of the turning device of the invention;
FIG. 3
is a perspective view similar to
FIG. 1
illustrating the turning action of a product;
FIG. 4
is a view similar to
FIG. 2
of the product during its turning; and
FIG. 5
is a left side, fragmentary view of the device of the invention, in partial vertical section.
It should of course be understood that the description and drawings herein are merely illustrative, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
When referring to the preferred embodiment, certain terminology will be utilized for the sake of clarity. Use of such terminology is intended to encompass not only the described embodiment, but also technical equivalents which operate and function in substantially the same way to bring about the same result.
Referring now more particularly to
FIGS. 1-5
of the drawings, one embodiment of the turning device
10
, which includes an upper component
10
A and a lower component
10
B, is illustrated in operation on a transport apparatus
11
. The transport apparatus
11
is typical of such apparatus, which transport or convey various products, such as folded paper jackets
12
. The apparatus
11
includes a frame (not shown), having a bed (not shown), and at least one side rail
14
. The bed (not shown) includes a support pan
15
, which is smooth and preferably of metal, with a rotatable roller
16
extending from the rail
14
across the front of the apparatus.
A plurality of endless belts
18
of well known type are provided, engaged with roller
16
and extending along the bed (not shown) for transporting or conveying jackets
12
. The side rail
14
has a longitudinal bar
19
engaged therewith by blocks
20
and extends therealong. A bracket
21
is attached to bar
19
and carries one end of a support bar
24
, which extends transversely across the bed, and is attached to a bar (not shown) on the other side of the bed.
The support bar
24
has a bracket
25
attached thereto and movable therealong, with a thumbscrew
26
to secure it at selected locations on bar
24
. The bracket
25
has a top drive bar
29
attached thereto, with a thumbscrew
26
therein to restrain drive bar
29
at desired locations. The top drive bar
29
has brackets
30
engaged therewith, with rods
31
attached thereto and to marble holders
34
of well known type, which have marbles (not shown) which engage the folders
12
and restrain them from vertical movement but permit passage underneath the marble holders
34
. The bar
19
has a bracket
35
engaged therewith, with a thumbscrew
35
A to restrain its movement. The bracket
35
has a guide support bar
36
engaged therewith, which is restrained thereon by thumbscrew
37
, and which extends across the bed. An additional bracket
38
is engaged with bar
36
, with a thumbscrew
38
A therein for adjustment, with a rod
39
engaged therewith, with a thumbscrew
39
A for adjustment, and with a guide bar
40
which extends in the direction of travel of belts
18
. The guide bar
40
guides folders
12
after rotation to be described.
The support bar
24
also carries a mounting clamp
45
engaged with the upper component
10
A of turning device
10
, which has a thumbscrew
46
for positioning of clamp
45
on bar
24
.
As shown in detail in
FIGS. 2
,
4
, and
5
, the clamp
45
has a solenoid
50
mounted thereto, with a housing
51
secured in clamp
45
by a lock screw
52
. The solenoid
50
has a vertically movable stem
53
extending therefrom, with a ball bearing
54
secured thereon in well known manner, with a swivel ball
55
engaged with the ball bearing
54
and freely rotatable about stem
53
. The ball
55
can be formed of any suitable material with neoprene plastic being the preferred material.
The solenoid
50
has a cable
56
connected thereto and to a controller
60
of well known type, such as the Glue Bind Quadra Plex controller available from Dick Moll & Sons, Inc., Warminster, Pa. The controller
60
has a cable
61
connected thereto, and to an electric eye
62
, which is mounted by a clamp
63
to a bar
64
, and restrained from movement by a thumbscrew
65
, which bar
64
is mounted to bar
19
by a clamp
66
, and has a thumbscrew
67
therein.
The electric eye
62
is of well known type and detects the presence of a folder
12
, signals the controller
60
, which has a programmable delay time to enable the folder to come under ball
55
, at which time the solenoid
50
is activated and ball
55
is moved down to contact folder
12
to be described.
The controller also has a linear motion sensor (not shown), which signals the controller of the speed of belts
18
, which permits the controller to determine the position of the folder
12
.
As shown in the Figs., the upper component
10
A is located so that the ball
55
is positioned between the pan
15
and an endless belt
18
.
A lower support bar
70
is provided, connected to side rail
14
, and which extends transversely across the bed, and has a mounting clamp
71
thereon, with a thumbscrew
72
to secure it at selected locations on bar
70
. The clamp
71
has a shaft
73
therein, which is part of lower component
10
B of turning device
10
, and clamp
71
has a thumbscrew
75
therein for vertical movement for adjustment of component
10
B, as required for contact with folders
12
to be described.
The shaft
73
has a mounting stem
76
therein, which has a ball bearing
77
, retained thereon in well known manner. The ball bearing
77
has a swivel ball
78
thereon, which is free to rotate about stem
76
. The stem
76
also has a plastic shield
79
thereon, around the edge of ball
78
and over stem
76
.
The ball
78
can be formed of any suitable material with neoprene plastic being the preferred material.
The mode of operation will now be pointed out.
Folders
12
are fed onto belts
18
to be transported and turned
90
degrees during transport. The upper and lower turning device components
10
A and
10
B are adjusted for the thickness of the folders
12
.
As a folder
12
is transported it is detected by the electric eye
62
, which signals controller
60
, which controller starts the delay time running, and when a folder is between the swivel balls
55
and
78
actuates the solenoid
50
to cause stem
53
to move downwardly and ball
55
to contact folder
12
which is engaged by ball
78
. The controller has a programmable hold time to enable the folder
12
to be swung about turning device
10
. The belts
18
continue to move and the folder
12
is swung about the device
10
under marble holders
34
, which belts supply the drive to rotate folder
12
until it strikes guide bar
40
, at which time solenoid
50
is released and ball
55
moves upwardly releasing folder
12
, which has been turned 90 degrees and is transported on belts
18
for further processing. The operation continues with subsequent folders
12
.
It will thus be seen that a device has been provided with which the objects of the invention are achieved.
Claims
- 1. An electronically actuated turning device for turning products which are being conveyed on endless belts, which belts are carried on a bed of a transport apparatus, which products are turned at at least a 90 degree angle from their original orientationn while being transported, and which products continue to be transported in their original direction, which comprisesa side rail, a longitudinal bar attached to said side rail, support bar means attached to said longitudinal bar and extending transversely across said bed, bracket means attached to said support bar means and positionable at selected locations thereacross, marble guide bar means attached to said bracket means and positionable to engage said products which pass between it and said bed, a longitudinal support pan connected to said bed, mounting clamp means attached to said support bar means and positionable thereacross, upper turning component means engaged with said mounting clamp means, means for varying the vertical position of said upper turning component means, said upper turning component means includes a solenoid, a cable connected to said solenoid, controller means controlling the operation of said solenoid and connected to said cable means connected to said controller by a cable for signalling the controller of the presence of a product, said solenoid having a stem extending therefrom, upper swivel ball means connected to said stem for selective contact with said product for rotation of said product, a lower support bar connected to said side rail and extending under said belts, lower turning component means carried on said lower support bar and positionable therealong, said lower turning component means including a clamp carried on said lower support bar, a shaft carried by said clamp and vertically positionable, said shaft having a stem therein, lower swivel ball means in alignment with said upper swivel ball means, and carried on said stem for contact with said product for turning said product, a guide support bar mounted to said longitudinal bar and extending transversely across said bed, a bracket engaged with said guide support bar and positionable thereacross, a rod engaged with said guide support bar bracket and, a guidebar engaged with said rod, and which is oriented in the direction of conveyance of said product to receive and guide said product after it is rotated by said upper and lower swivel ball means.
- 2. An electronically actuated turning device as defined in claim 1 in whichsaid upper swivel ball means includes a ball bearing carried on said stem and a swivel ball engaged with said bearing for rotation about said stem, said lower swivel ball means includes a ball bearing carries on said stem a swivel ball engaged with said ball bearing for rotation about said stem and a plastic shield carried by said lower swivel ball.
- 3. An electronically actuated turning device as defined in claim 2 in whichupper and said lower swivel balls are formed of neoprene plastic.
- 4. An electronically actuated turning device as defined in claim 1 in whichsaid means for detecting the presence of a product is an electric eye.
- 5. An electronically actuated turning device as defined in claim 1 in whichsaid controller means has a delay tine for delaying the operation of said solenoid until said product is between said upper and lower swivel ball means.
- 6. An electronically actuated turning device as defined in claim 1 in whichsaid controller means has a holding time to determine the degree of turning of the folders.
US Referenced Citations (5)