GB1474595A - Routing and conveying apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1474595 Sheet ordering apparatus DEAN RESEARCH CORP 8 May 1974 20240/74 Heading B8R Sheets moved along a table 10 by driven rollers 12 are directed to selected outlets 14 at the sites of the table by orienting groups of the rollers to displace the sheets laterally, Fig. 2. The rollers may be oriented by solenoid or pneumatic means which are controlled from a computer. Sensors 18 (photoelectric or pneumatic) sense the position of sheets on the table and feed the information to the computer. For handling a row of sheets 62, Fig. 8, leaving a belt conveyer 64 a lateral separation unit 60 may be provided. Rollers 66 of the unit are orientable in the manner of rollers 12 to separate the sheets laterally of the conveying direction before they reach the table 10. Detectors 70 sense the presence of a row so that orientation of the rollers 66 occurs at the right moment. To compensate for lateral shift of conveyer belt 64, sensors 74 detect the shift and feed information to the computer which then adjusts the orientation of rollers 66 to take account of the shift. The output stations may be provided with means to sense when they are full and the computer may be programmed to route sheets to alternative outlets. A faulty sheet sensor may be provided and such sheets may be routed to a reject station. The individual rollers 12 may be driven from shafts 24 via belts 46 and 48 and piston (or solenoid) activated rods 30 may move rods 56 to turn the roller supports 36 through the required angle.