GB2166719A - Articles feeding and processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatus comprising at least one stack assembly having an upper, inlet end 17; a lower, outlet end; an intermediate processing region 20; processing means in said processing region having means 22, 24 controlling the passage of articles into and out of said processing region; the stack having as guide means opposed walls from which staggered abutments 14 project alternately into the interior of the space between the walls, the abutments 14 being arranged such that the vertical spacing between them is equal to or slightly greater than the height of between two and a few of the articles to be received in the stack, and the distance between the free end of each abutment and the opposed wall is sufficient to permit the articles to pass therebetween. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stack assembly The present invention relates to apparatus for processing rollable articles and particularly the storage of rollable articles prior to and subsequent to a processing step, to provide a stock of processed articles. The invention is particularly useful where the articles in question are sensitive to being dropped from a substantial height, ie a height which is more than a few times the article height. The term "rollable articles" means articles which are shaped such that they can roll easily in at least one direction, for example spherical or cylindrical articles.

The apparatus is particularly though not exclusively suitable for use with articles which can be damaged if stacked more than a few high.

The present invention provides apparatus comprising at least one stack having an upper, inlet end; a lower, outlet end; an intermediate processing region; processing means in said processing region, means controlling the passage of articles into and out of said processing region; the stack having guide means to prevent articles falling out of the stack(s) and opposed walls from which staggered abutments project alternately into the interior of the space between the walls, the abutments being arranged such that the vertical spacing between them is equal to or slightly greater than the height of between two and a few of the articles to be received in the stack, and the distance between the free end of each abutment and the opposed wall is sufficient to permit the articles to pass therebetween.

The guide means are preferably opposed flanges provided on each stack, the space between the flanges being too small to permit the articles to pass therethrough yet allowing access to each of the articles.

Desirably the abutments each have an upper surface which slopes downwardly towards the free end thereof. Preferably the abutments project to a distance equal to between one and several article diameters. By limiting in this way the lateral distance of the serpentine path formed between the abutments, the minimum of vertical space is wasted between the serpentine loops.

Desirably a plurality of stack assemblies are provided, and distribution means is preferably provided whereby successive articles supplied to the apparatus are directed to the different stacks in turn. Desirably processing means common to all the stacks is provided in the intermediate processing region. Desirably also means are provided for adjusting the means controlling the passage of articles into and out of the processing region such that the processing region may be increased in size from a basic minimum to additionally occupy space formerly a part of the input and/or output regions, additional processing means being provided for processing more articles in the increased size region.

Where the articles are to be processed by a method which involves access to areas of their surface not accessible from the sides of the stacks the articles may be removed from the stacks for processing. However, it is desirable, for example where the articles are cylindrical and access is only required to the ends of the articles e.g. where they are cylindrical electric dry cells, for the articles to remain in the stacks during processing. Examples of the processing might be heat treatment, surface treatment, electrical treatment or the determination of some physical criterion such as weight or wall integrity.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single Figure of which is a schematic side view partially broken away showing apparatus according to the invention.

The apparatus shown in the Figure accepts cylindrical articles and comprises four stacks 10a,10b, 10c and 10d each having a pair of opposed walls 12 from which project, in a staggered configuration, abutments 14. These project by an amount substantially equal to one article diameter and the distance between a free end of each abutment and the opposed wall is slightly greater then one article diameter. The distance between one abutment and that above or below it is slightly more than two article diameters. Thus an article following a serpentine path under gravity through a stack only falls through about two article diameters, at most. At the head of the stacks there is a supply chamber 16 having an entry port 17 and sloping downwardly therefrom.Permitting access to each stack there is, in the supply chamber 16, a series of pivotable flaps 18a, 18b and 18c which in a first closed position (see 18a in Figure 1) closes off the stack so that an article cannot enter. In a second, open position an article may enter the stack. It will be noted however that if a flap, for example flap 18a, is open, articles cannot pass by the flap under gravity to the subsequent (second, third or fourth) stacks 106, 10e and 10d. The pivotable flaps 18a, 18b and 18c are normally orientated in the closed position and are selectively moved to the open position by respective solenoids (not shown) under control means (not shown) incorporating logic elements.The flaps are arranged to operate sequentially so that a first article entering the port 17 will pass over the flaps into the fourth (left hand) stack, the next article will meet flap 18c inthe open position and therefore be deflected into the third stack, and so on, the cycle being repeated.

In an intermediate region of the apparatus there is provided a processing region shown generally as 20 in which a batch of four articles in each stack are subjected to processing, in the present instance, by electrodes which contact opposed ends of the four articles of each batch in the processing region. Entry to the processing region is governed by a plunger 22 which, when extended prevents an article dropping through into the processing region. A similar plunger (not shown) governs the release of articles from the processing region. Photocells (not shown) detect whether one or more of the spaces in the processing regions are occupied and the control means advances the electrodes on to the articles only when all four spaces are filled.

After a desired time the electrodes are withdrawn and the articles allowed to pass into the outlet region. A new batch of articles is then allowed into the processing regions from the inlet region.

A single photocell for each batch may be used, it being aligned with the uppermost space in the batch, the control means being operative to advance the electrodes only when the photocell has detected the presence of an article for a continuous period of a few seconds. The plungers and photocells referred to above are preferably arranged to be repositionable to allow the processing region to be expanded, so that more than four articles can be processed simultaneously, additional processing means (electrodes and allied equipment) being provided for the extra articles to be processed.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, for example the abutments may be longer than about an articles length though they are preferably not longer than a few article diameters so that space is not wasted. The apparatus can be made from any suitable material.

Claims (1)

1. Apparatus for processing rollable articles comprising at least one stack assembly having an upper, inlet end; a lower, outlet end; an intermediate processing region; processing means in said processing region, means controlling the passage of articles into and out of said processing region; the stack having guide means opposed walls from which staggered abutments project alternately into the interior of the space between the walls, the abutments being arranged such that the vertical spacing between them is equal to or slightly greater than the height of between two and a few of the articles to be received in the stack, and the distance between the free end of each abutment and the opposed wall is sufficient to permit the articles to pass therebetween.