GB912640A - Improvements in or relating to measuring instruments - Google Patents

Abstract

912,640. Counting-apparatus; sorting by gauging. GAUTHIER G.m.b.H., ALFRED. Nov. 19, 1959 [Feb. 14, 1959], No. 39223/59. Classes 106 (1) and 106 (2). In an apparatus for checking at a plurality of sensing stations the linear dimensions of articles, separate counts are made at each station of the number of articles above and below a predetermined tolerance range, each counter being incapable of being actuated except when an article is present at the associated station. As described, articles are fed on to a circular conveyer 1 with which are associated eight sensing heads. One head 3 is shown, with an article 2 present, Fig. 1, and without an article present, Fig. 2. The head 3 has fixed but adjustable contacts 3a, 3b and a movable contact 3c mechanically connected to a sensing rod 3d. The number of articles having a particular dimension lower than a first value is counted on a counter Ia and the number of articles having the dimension greater than a second value is counted on a counter Ib. The sensing movement of the heads 3 is obtained from cams 12 on a control-shaft 11, each head 3 being fixed to a member 10 which is raised or lowered under the control of a pin 14 co-operating with the associated cam 12. The cam 12 is adapted to raise the member 10 and lower it so that the rod 3d comes into contact with an article 2. An adjustable abutment 31 is arranged so that if an article 2 is present, it comes into contact therewith, preventing further lowering of the member 10 and keeping a switch 7 closed. The switch 7 is in the cathode circuit of a double triode 4 in the actuating circuit for the counters Ia, Ib and ensures that only those counters Ia-VIIIa, or Ib-VIIIb at whose sensing station an article is situated, are actuated. To ensure that the counters are actuated only during an actual sensing operation, a further switch 16 is arranged in the counter circuits and is actuated by a cam 17 on the control-shaft 11. The articles on the conveyer 1 pass a plurality of sensing stations for different dimensions of the articles and at the final station (Fig. 3, not shown) there are provided two additional counters for counting the total number of articles passing through the apparatus and for counting " good " articles, the " good " article counter circuit having a switch opened when an article is outside predetermined tolerance limits, by a " storage device " which stores the measured dimensions. Modified arrangements for actuating the switch 7 are described (Figs. 4, 5, not shown). The articles leaving the conveyer can be sorted into " good " and " reject " categories by known sorting devices.