US3416640A - Automatic divider - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 17, 1968 L. SVOBIDA 3,41%,640

AUTOMATIC DIVIDER Filed Feb. 24, 1965 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F\G 4 INVENTOR LOREN SVOBIDA ATTORNEYS ec. 17, 1968 1.. SVOBIDA AUTOMATIC DIVIDER Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24 1965 INVENTOR LOREN SVOBIDA ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,416,640 AUTOMATIC DIVIDER Loren Svobida, 1837 W. 88th St., Chicago, Ill. 60620 Filed Feb. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 434,929 6 Claims. (Cl. 198-31) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A divider for dividing articles moving along a first conveyor line onto two second conveyor lines. Self-correcting and self-compensating counter means associated with each second conveyor line to actuate the divider.

This invention relates in general to an automatic divider, and more particularly to a device for dividing articles moving along a single conveyer line between two conveyer lines in accordance with a predetermined division ratio.

While the present invention has many applications, it is especially useful in a cannery or operation where cans are conveyed from a labeling machine to a case packer. In this application, it is usually desirable to divide the line of cans moving from the labeling machine into two or more lines for feeding into the case packer. The present invention is capable of dividing a single line of cans into a double line evenly or in accordance with a predetermined ratio at high speed. Usually in an installation where cans are divided from a single primary line into a pair of secondary lines, a gate is provided to direct the cans from the primary line into either of the two secondary lines. The present invention involves counting of the cans as they enter the secondary lines and thereafter operating the gate to divert the cans into either of the secondary lines in accordance with the number desired in each line.

More particularly, the present invention includes solid state circuitry detecting the movement of cans in the secondary lines and thereby operating the positioning of the gate to divert the cans from the primary line into the desired secondary line. Normally an even division of cans will be employed. The solid state circuitry includes a photoelectric detector for each line that detects the cans moving therealong, and each detector operates a feedback driver to drive binary counters. The binary counters for each secondary line in turn drive a bi-stable oscillator which is coupled to a power transistor by an emitter follower and drives the latter. The emitter follower drives the power transistor which operates a relay that in turn controls a solenoid for positioning of the gate at one of the secondary lines. Assuming that the binary counters are such as to count sixteen cans, after sixteen cans have passed by the photoelectric detector on one of the secondary lines, the gate is actuated to divert the flow of cans to the other secondaryline. If more than sixteen cans happen to pass along the first secondary line before switching of the gate, this count will be stored in the binary counters of that line and thereafter included in the next count of sixteen. And at that time if the counters have stored a count of two, only fourteen more cans pass through the gate before it is switched to the other secondary line. Thus, the division of cans between the two secondary lines is automatically corrected as the gate switches back and forth.

Heretofore, dividers have been employed for dividing articles in conveyer lines and where the articles are divided into two lines, but such dividers have been slow in operation thereby causing malfunctioning of the overall conveyer line and costly shutdowns. In these installations the cans are often damaged by jamming of the cans,

and these damaged cans sometimes go unnoticed into the cases and are thereafter put on the market.

In one specific example, it has been customary to use mechanical flip-flops to divide the cans from one primary line leading out of a case packer into two secondary lines and then further divide with additional flip-flops. Such mechanical flip-flops have a top speed of only 600 to 700 cans per minute. The very nature of the flip-flops is such as to damage many cans which often go undetected. In addition such mechanical flip-flops have a tendency to jam up, causing costly delays.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved automatic divider for dividing articles from a single primary conveyer line into a plurality of secondary conveyer lines, and to obviate the above named diificulties.

A further object of this invention is in the provision of an automatic divider for dividing a line of articles into two lines in accordance with a predetermined ratio.

Still another object of this invention is in the provision of an automatic divider for dividing articles moving along a single primary conveyor line into a pair of secondary conveyor lines, wherein the division between the lines may be even.

A further object of this invention is to provide an automatic divider for controlling the movement of articles from a single primary conveyer line to a pair of secondary conveyer lines which is self-correcting if more than the intended count of articles happens to pass to any one secondary conveyer line.

A still further object of this invention resides in the provision of an automatic divider for dividing articles from a single primary line into a pair of secondary lines wherein the articles may be cans or the like and wherein the invention eliminates damaged cans, increases the speed of operation by a material amount, and accurately divides the articles into the secondary line.

Other objects, features and advantages of the inven tion will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the present invention as applied to a conveyer for dividing the movement of articles from a single primary conveyer line to a pair of secondary conveyer lines;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the electrical circuitry of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the dividing of one line into two equal lines and the dividing of the two lines further into four equal lines as an application of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram. illustrating the dividing of one line into two first and second unequal lines and the further dividing of the first unequal lines into two equal lines of the same number as the second unequal line; and

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are electrical schematic diagrams of the circuitry of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, an application of the present invention is illustrated in connection with the movement of cans 10 by gravity along a primary conveyer line 11 and tofirst and second secondary conveyer lines 12 and 13, wherein a gate or guide means 14 of any suitable type is operated to shift the discharge end of the primary line 11 selectively into communication with the intake ends of the first and second secondary conveyer lines 12 and 13. Thus, when the gate 14 is in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1. the cans from the primary conveyer line 11 will be directed to the first secondary conveyer line 12, while when the gate 14 is in the position shown in dotted lines, the cans from the primary conveyer line 11 will be directed to the secondary conveyor line 13. A spring member 15 serves to normally position the gate 14 in alignment with the first secondary conveyer line, while an actuator in the form of a solenoid in the illustrated embodiment and designated by the numeral 16 will shift the gate 14 into alignment with the second secondary conveyer line 13 when it is energized. Deenergization of the solenoid permits the return of the spring 15 to bring the gate 14 back in alignment with the first secondary conveyer line 12. While a return spring and solenoid arrangement is shown for shifting the gate 14 between its first and second positions, it should be appreciated that other known actuating means may be provided if desired.

A photoelectric device or detector 17 is positioned at the inlet end of the secondary conveyer line 12, while a photoelectric device or detector 18 is positioned at the inlet end of the secondary conveyor line 13. These devices are activated by each can that passes thereby, thereby sending a signal into electronic counters 19 and 20, respectively, which in turn deliver a signal to a drive circuit 21 that controls the operation of a relay 22 for energizing and de-energizing he solenoid 16 and ulimately causing the shifting of the gate 14 between the first and second secondary lines. Each of the counters 19 and 20 may be set to count the same number of articles or cans or may be set to count different numbers of cans or articles so that the gate may be shifted when the predetermined number has been counted.

More particularly, the photoelectric device 17 feeds a signal to a feed-back driver 23 such as a Schmitt trigger, which in turn, triggers the first flip-flop circuit 24 of a binary counter that in this example includes additional flip- flop circuits 24a, 24b and 24c. Similarly, the photoelectric device 18 feeds a signal to a feed-back driver 25, such as a Schmitt trigger, which in turn, drives the first flip-flop circuit 26 in a binary counter including additional flip- flop circuits 26a, 26b and 260. The last flip- flop circuits 24c and 26c of each of the binary counters in turn actuate a further flip-flop circuit or bi-stable oscillator 27. The binary counter of the photoelectric device 17 will condition he bi-stable oscillator 27 one way, while the binary counter of the photoelectric device 18 will condition the bi-stable oscillator in an opposite way. An emitter follower 28 couples the bi-stable oscillator 27 to and drives the power transistor 29, that in turn, operates the relay 22. While each of the binary couners included in FIG. 2 are shown to have the same number of flip-flop circuits, it should be appreciated that the invention covers an example where the one counter would include more flip-flop circuits than the other. Wherein there are four flip-flop circuits in the binary counters as in the embodiment of FIG. 2, a count of sixteen cans will be made before shifting of the gate 14 to divert the cans to the other secondary conveyer line.

The circuitry is powered by a power supply such as shown in FIG. which includes a transformer 30 having a primary coil 31, a first secondary center-tapped coil 32 and a second secondary coil 33. The primary coil 31 is provide-Ad with overload protection in the form of a fuse 34 or the like, and is adapted to be connected to a suorce of 110 volt alternating current power. The secondary coil 33 merely powers the exciter lamps of the photoelectric device which may be designated 17a and 180, while the secondary coil 32 provides at 35 a full wave, rectified, negative, direct current voltage of about 14 volts and at 36 a half wave, rectified, positive direct current voltage used as a standoff voltage of about 14 volts. Power diodes 32a, capacitors 32b, and a bleeder resistor 32c are provided in the power supply.

Referring now to FIG. 6, upon interruption of the light beam between the exciter lamp 171: and the photocell 17, a signal is fed to the Schmitt trigger 23 to cut off the current flow of the first transistor 37 and turn the second transistor 38 on or in conducting conditions to in turn send a signal into the first flip-flop circuit 24 of the binary counter including flip- flop circuits 24, 24a, 24b and 24c. It should be appreciated that the Schmitt trigger 25 is the same as the Schmitt trigger 23 and that the electrical circuitry of one of the counters will be the only circuitry specifically described. Further, the flip- flops 24a, 24b and 240 are identical to the flip-flop 24 and are therefore not shown.

Within the Schmitt trigger 23, an isolation resistor 39 leads to the base of the first transistor 37, while a collector load resistor 40 is provided in connection with the collector thereof. A common emitter feed-back resistor 41 is provided in connection with the emitters of the first and second transistors. A cross switching capacitor 42 and a cross switching resistor 43 extend between the collector of the first transistor and the base of the second transistor 38, while a voltage divider resistor 44 extends between the base of the transistor 38 and ground. A collector load resistor 45 is provided for the collector of the second transistor 38. As already indicated, the first transistor 37 is cut off by operation of the photoelectric cell 17 thereby making the second transistor 38 conducting, and when the photoelectric cell 17 is not interrupted, the first transistor 37 will conduct and cut off the second transistor 38.

A coupling capacitor 46 connects the output of the Schmitt trigger with the input of the flip-flop circuit 24. The fiip-fiop circuit 24 includes a first transistor 47 and a second transistor 48. These transistors have collector load resistors 47a and 4811, respectively. Each of the flipfiop circuits additionally include an input 49 and an output 50, the input 49 being connected to the coupling capacitor 46, and the output 50 being connected to the coupling capacitor 51 that is in turn connected to the input 52 of the next flip-flop circuit. Any number of flip-flop circuits may be connected together depending upon the count desired for each of the secondary conveyer lines, and the last flip-flop circuit has its output connected to one of the inputs 53 or 54 of the bi-stable oscillator 27. Each of the flip-flop circuits additionally includes steering diodes 55 and 56, a recovery diode 57, cross switching capacitors 58 and 59, cross switching resistors 60 and 61, and holdotf resistors 62 and 63. Standoflf voltage is applied at 64 and the regular power voltage is applied at 65.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 7, the bi-stable oscillator or output circuit 27 includes first and second signal transistors 66 and 67. Along the input lines 53 and 54, coupling capacitors 68 and 69, respectively, and signal diodes 70 and 71, respectively, are provided. The transistor 66 is provided with a collector load resistor 72, while the transistor 67 is provided with a collector load resistor 73.

Additionally, cross switching capacitors 74 and 75, and cross switching resistors 76 and 77 are provided in the circuit. Holdolf resistors 78 and 79 extend between the bases of the transistors and the holdoff voltage supply 80, the latter of which would be the same as the holdoff voltage applied at 64 in the flip-flop circuit 24.

The emitter follower 28 includes a small sign-a1 transistor 81 having a base resistor 82 and an emitter load resistor 83.

A holdotf connecting resistor 84 extends between the output of the emitter follower and the power transistor 29. A power diode 85 insures complete cut off of the power transistor in the off condition, while a power diode 86 protects the collector of the power transistor from the self-induced voltages generated by the inductive load of the relay coil. The output 87 of the power transistor feeds into the relay 22 having relay contacts 22a that when closed energize the solenoid 16.

In a satisfactorily operating circuit according to the present invention, all of the transistors employed are PNP type, and the transistors employed in the Schmitt trigger 23, flip-flop circuits 24, :bi-stable oscillator 27 and emitter follower 28 are small signal transistors, such as the 2N396A type. In the power supply, the power diodes could be 1N540, while the capacitors are 500 microfarads, 25 volt, and the bleeder resistor is 1.5K and 1 watt. A suitable power diode would be a 1N540. A suitable power transistor would be a 2N627. All of the resistors employed may be rated at one-half watt with the following values.

Number of resistor: Value in ohms 17b 4.7K 39 1K 40 3.3K 41 .68K 43 1.8K 44 6.8K 45 2.2K 47a 6.8K 48a 6.8K 60 K 61 15K 62 100K 63 100K 72 5.6K 73 5.6K 76 15K 77 15K 78 100K 79 100K 82 1K 83 3.3K 84 1K Suitable values for the capacitors are as followers:

Number of capacitor: Capacitors in microfarads The diodes 70 and 71 are small signal diodes such as lN67A. The steering and recovery diodes 56 and 57 could be lN67A.

The operation of the automatic divider of the invention, and particularly the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, wherein there are four fiip flop circuits for each binary counter is as follows assuming that all of the flip-flop circuits are conditioned to receive a count wherein the first transistor of each circuit is off and the second transistor is on, and further assuming that the gate 14 is in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1. As the first article passes the photoelectric cell 17, a signal is imparted to the Schmitt trigger 23 cutting ofi the first transistor and conditioning the second transistor on to conduct. When the second transistor in the Schmitt trigger conducts, a signal is imparted to the first flip-flop circuit 24 to turn on the first transistor and turn off the second transistor. After the article completes the interruption of the photo electric cell 17, the second transistor cuts oil and the first one conducts. When the next article interrupts the photoelectric cell beam, the Schmitt trigger operates as above explained and sends a signal to the first flip-flop which then conditions the first transistor to off position and the second transistor to on position, the latter of which triggers operation of the succeeding flip-flop circuit 24a to turn the first transistor on and the second transistor off. This sequential operation continues through the remaining flip-flop circuits 24b and 240 and when the photoelectric cell beam has been interrupted sixteen times, the last flip-flop circuit 240 will trigger the bistable oscillator 27 to further operate the power transistor 29 through the emitter follower 28 and cause energization of the relay 22 to close the contacts 22a, thereby energizing the solenoid 16 to pull the gate 14 into alignment with the secondary conveyor line 13 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1 to thereby divert the movement of articles from the primary conveyer line 11 thereto. Thereafter, the photoelectric cell 18 and its associated Schmitt trigger and flip-flop circuits begin to count sixteen articles in the same manner as the circuitry associated with the first secondary conveyer line 12 to ultimately condition the bi-stable oscillator 27 to cut off the power transistor 29, thereby de-energizing the relay 22 to open its contacts and de-energize the solenoid 16. The return spring 15 then returns the gate 14 into alignment with the first secondary conveyer line 12. More particularly, in the operation of the bi-stable oscillator, if a signal comes in on the input 53, it will cause the transistor 66 to conduct, the transistor 67 to cut oil, the emitter follower transistor 81 to on, the power transistor 29 to on and the energization of the relay 22. On the other hand, if a signal is sent to the input 54 of the bistable oscillator, it would cause the transistor 67 to conduct the transistor 66 to off position, the transistor 81 to off, the power transistor 29 to off and the de-energization of the relay 22.

With the embodiment of FIG. 2, the articles or cans 10 will be divided equally between the secondary conveyer lines 12 and 13 inasmuch as the binary counters associated with each secondary line are of the same number. It will be appreciated that any number of flipflop circuits may be arranged in the binary counter of either of the secondary conveyer lines to obtain division of articles between the secondary lines in accordance with any binary ratio. Moreover, where it is desired that the binary counter count an odd number of articles, a suitable feed-back circuit can be employed. For example, if the count is to be nine, four flip-flop stages could be used with a feedback of the sixteenth count to reset the counter to seven where it would count nine to reach the full count of sixteen.

Referring again to the embodiment of FIG. 2, should a greater number of cans pass onto one of the secondary conveyer lines than sixteen or the count of a binary counter, the subsequent cans will be counted and stored in memory in the binary counter. For example, if eighteen cans passed the photoelectric cell 17 before the gate 14 could be shifted, the binary counter of that line would store a count of two and the next time it continues to count the cans, the gate 14 will shift after fourteen cans have. been counted. Thus, the automatic divider of the present invention is self-correcting and self-compensating so that the division between the secondary conveyer lines will be as desired at all times.

When setting up the automatic divider of the invention, the counting circuits may be initially set by hand by passing an article or hand of a person through the photoelectric cell beam until the gate switches. However, a zero reset device may be provided for the binary counter if desired.

An example of using the present invention wherein it is desired to split one primary line into four secondary lines is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3, wherein a gate and divider 87 are provided at the end of the primary conveyer line 88 for evenly dividing eight articles into each of the secondary conveyer lines 89 and 90. In this instance, the binary counters would include three flip-flop circuits. The secondary conveyer lines 89 and 90 thereafter become primary conveyer lines, wherein one gate and divider 91 are provided at the end of the line 89 and another gate and divider 92 are provided at the end of the line 90. The gate and dividers 91 and 92 further divide the line into additional secondary lines 93, 94, 95 and 96 in an equal manner wherein four articles are directed to each line. The dividers 91 and 92 would have binary counters with two flip-flop circuits. Thus. a division would be made to ultimately provide four secondary conveyer lines from a single primary conveyer line. It should be appreciated that the latter lines could again be divided or that the initial counts in secondary lines 89 and 90 may be of any desired binary ratio.

In the diagrammatic illustration of FIG. 4, a gate and divider 97 are provided at the end of the primary conveyer line 98 to bring out a two to one ratio of division wherein sixteen articles are delivered to the first secondary conveyer line 99 to every eight articles being delivered to the second secondary conveyer line 100. Thereafter, a further division is made in the line 99 by a gate and divider 101 for providing two additional secondary conveyer lines 102 and 103 having a one to one ratio of division wherein eight articles are delivered to one line and then eight to another and so on. The binary counters for the divider 101 would include three flip-flop circuits as would the binary counter for the line 100, while the counter for the line 99 would include four flip-flop circuits. Thus, a single conveyer line could be split into three conveyer lines of equal division.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention, but it is understood that this application is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In combination with a single primary conveyer line having articles movable therealong, first and second secondary conveyer lines, a gate arranged between the discharge end of the primary line and the receiving ends of the first and second secondary lines for selectively directing the articles from the primary line to one of said secondary lines, and an actuator for driving said gate be tween said first and second conveyer lines, self-correcting and self-compensating means counting the articles received by said secondary lines and for operating said actuator to divide the articles discharged from the primary line between said secondary lines in accordance with a predetermined ratio, said means comprising, first and second photoelectric devices adjacent the receiving ends of said first and second secondary conveyer lines respectively and arranged to be operated by articles passing thereby, first and second binary counters operated by said devices, and means operated by said binary counters to drive said actuator.

2. In combination with a single primary conveyer line having articles movable therealong, first and second secondary conveyer lines, a gate arranged between the discharge end of the primary line and the receiving ends of the first and second secondary lines for selectively directing the articles from the primary line to one of said secondary lines, and an actuator for driving said gate between said first and second conveyer lines, first counting means at the receiving end of said first secondary line for counting a predetermined number of articles and second counting means at the receiving end of the second secondary line for counting a predetermined number of articles, and means operated in response to the outputs of said counters to drive said actuator for shifting said gate between said secondary lines, said first and second counting means being self-correcting and self-compensating, whereby a greater than the predetermined number count during one cycle of a counter will be held and deducted from the next count thereof.

3. In combination with a single primary conveyer line having articles movable therealong, first and second secondary conveyer lines, a gate arranged between the discharge end of the primary line and the receiving ends of the first and second secondary lines for selectively directing the articles from the primary line to one of said secondary lines, and an actuator for driving said gate between said first and second conveyer lines, self-correcting and self-compensating means for counting the articles received by each secondary line and operating said gate actuator to divide the articles between the secondary lines in accordance with a predetermined ratio, said counting means including first and second photoelectric devices at the receiving ends of said first and second secondary lines respectively responsive to count each article passing thereby, first and second binary counters operated by the first and second photoelectric devices respectively, and means connected to the outputs of said binary counters for driving said actuator.

4. In combination with a single primary conveyer line having articles movable therealong, first and second secondary conveyer lines, a gate arranged between the discharge end of the primary line and the receiving ends of the first and second secondary lines for selectively directing the articles from the primary line to one of said secondary lines, and an actuator for driving said gate between said first and second conveyer lines, self-correcting and self-compensating means for counting the articles received by each secondary line and operating said gate actuator to divide the articles between the secondary lines in accordance with a predetermined ratio, said counting 7 means including first and second photoelectric devices at the receiving ends of said first and second secondary lines respectively, first and second feedback drivers having their inputs respectively connected to said first and second photoelectric devices, first and second flip-flop circuits having their inputs respectively connected to the outputs of said first and second feedback drivers, a bi-stable oscillator having first and second inputs respectively connected to the outputs of said first and second flip-flop circuits, an emitter follower having its input connected to the output of the bi-stable oscillator, a power transistor having its input connected to the output 0 fthe emitter follower, and a relay having its input connected to the output of the power transistor and having a normally open set of contacts, whereby closingof said contacts operates said actuator.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said actuator comprises a solenoid.

6. In combination with a single primary conveyer line having articles movable therealong, first and second secondary conveyer lines, a gate arranged between the discharge end of the primary line and the receiving ends of the first and second secondary lines for selectively directing the articles from the primary line to one of said secondary lines, and an actuator for driving said gate between said first and second conveyer lines, self-correcting and self-compensating means for counting the articles received by each secondary line and operating said gate actuator to divide the articles between the secondary lines in accordance with a predetermined ratio, said counting means including first and second article detecting devices at the receiving ends of said first and second secondary lines respectively responsive to count each article passing thereby, first and second binary counters operated by the first and second article detecting devices respectively, andmeans connected to the outputs of said binary counters for driving said actuator.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,697,757 1/ 1929 Dahlstrom 198-40 2,493,464 1/1950 Nelson 198- 10 2,933,185 5/1960 Coleman 250209 3,142,761 7/1964 Rabinow 2502O9 RICHARD E. AEGERTER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 198-40

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