Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
T~L I~IVEN~ ~ VE I MPROVEMENT
Vibratory pile feeders are useful for feeding objects
from an input region to an output region where the objects
can be accepted by receiving equipment, and it is often
desirable to give such a feeder an accumulation capacity so
that a supply of objects can build up in the feeder without
causing jams or possible damage to the objects. If the
objects are allowed to collect at the output end of the
feeder under the normal feeding force of the device, they
tend to jam together forcefully, and can stop the output
altogether. It is desirable to have the objects collect
somewhere on the feeder in an available supply, but it is
difficult to do this without causing jams that stop the
flow.
The invention involves recognition of a way that
a vibratory pile feeder can be arranged and operated as an
object accumulator to store up a substantial supply of
objects and continuously present objects to the receiving
equipment without producing jams or damage to the objects,
so that the feeder does not have to be closely regulated to
the rate of acceptance of the receiving equipment. Then
input to the feeder can be relatively steady and undisturbed
until the feeder accumulates a full capacity, and the feeder
can continue to present its accumulated supply of objects
to the receiving equipment for a substantial interval
after the input of objects has been shut off. The invention
aims at a simple, effective, and economical way of giving
a vibratory pile feeder a substantial capacity as an object
accumulator to relieve the problems involved in matching
input rate to output rate.
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The invention uses a substantially direct path
from the input to the output to provide an output as quickly
as possible after input of objects, and the invention
involves recognition of the desirability of arranging the
accumulator for quickly recirculating a relatively small
accumulated supply of objects, and for more slowly re-
circulating a larger number of accumulated objects
to eliminate any delay in waiting for the last of the accumulated
objects to reach the output. In other words, the output is pre-
ferably supplied quickly and steadily without interruption from a
minimum interval after input of objects until the last of the
objects is output, without any gaps or delays in the output of
objects. The invention also involves recognition of simple ways
of meeting these re~uirements to provide an optimum accumulator
for a vibratory object eeder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention, an object accumulator
for a feeder having a vibrated pile material oriented to
direct the flow of objects, a feed portion of the pile material
being oriented to form a substantially direct object feed route
from an input region to an output region, an accumulator portion
of the pile material being arranged adjacent and alongside the
feed portion at the output region and at the same level as the
feed portion, is provided. The accumulator comprises a removal
portion of the vibrated pile material directly adjacent the
feed portion at the output region and oriented relative to the
vibration direction of the accumulator to move the objects
generally rearwardly relative to the direction of motion of
the objects in the feed portion of the output region so that
objects crowded out of the feed portion in the output region
are pushed onto the removal portion without resistance from the
orientation of any of the pile material to prevent jamming if
the objects in output region, and the crowded-out objects are
moved generally rearwardly of the feed direction; a re-entry
portion of the vibrated pile material directly adjacent the
feed portion upstream of and adjacent to the removal portion and
oriented in a direction extending toward the feed portion for
receiving the crowded-out objects from the removal portion and
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moving the crowded-out objects back toward the feed portion;
the removal portion and the re-entry portion being or~.ented
and dimensioned relative to the size of the objects and the
vibration direction of the accumulator to cooperate ln moving
the crowded-out objects in a generally arcuate swirl held
outside the feed portion by crowding contact with the objects
in the feed portion of the output region, the swirl variably
accumulating from one to many of the objects, the distance
across the swirl varying with the number of the objects crowded :~
into the swirl, and the objects in the swirl being in crowded-
together contact with each other and with the objects in the
feed portion; the radially inner portion of the swirl forming
a relatively short path of substantially minimum length for a
relatively rapid re-entry to the feed portion for the crowded-out
objects pushed just outside of the feed portions; portions of
the swirl radially outward from the inner portion forming relatively ~.
longer paths up to many times the length of the short path for
relatively slower re-entry to the feed portion for the crowded-out
objects pushed relatively far away from the feed portion; and
the swirl returning the crowded-out objects to the feed portion
as soon as space in the feed portion in available.
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Embodiments of the invention will now be described,
with reference to t~e accompanyins drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a partially schematic plan view of one
form of the inventive accululator for an object feeder showing
one preferred flow of objects;
Fig. 2 is a partially schematic plan view of another
form of the inventive device;
Fig. 3 is a partially schematic side elevational view
of the device of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view of a preferred embodi-
ment of the inventive accumulator showing two accumulator swirl
patterns in series; and
Figs. 5-7 are partially schematic plan views of other
preferred embodiments of the inventive accumulator.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS:
Accumulators for vibratory object feeders according to
the invention all involve some common components generally includ-
ing vibrators and a vibrated base covered with a pile material
having uniformly inclined bristles that support and move the
ojects along as the base vibrates. Vibrators can be formed and
mounted in several different ways, and they vibrate the base
preferably in a vertical plane and preferably at an angle inclined
above the horizontal. The bristles of the pile material are stiff
enough and strong enough to support the objects being fed, but are
also resilient enough to flex under the objects during the vibra-
tion for moving the objects along. The desired feed and accumulation
is accomplished by arranging portions of the pile material with
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bristle inclination directions oriented in different ways
to accomplish both a rapid direct feed of objects, and
accumulation paths or regions both for accommodating as many
objects as desired and for moving the objects promptly into
the main feed path whenever space is available there to
provide a steady and uninterrupted output of objects.
The accumulators 10 and 11 of Figs. 1 and 2 are
similar enough so that Fig. 3 would be representative of
either one. Each includes a base 12 underlying the entire
feed path and extending from an input region 13 to receivin~
equipment 14. A pair of vibrators lS support base 12 and
drive base 12 in a generally reciprocal vibration in a
vertical plane extending along the feed path from input
region 13 to receiving equipment 14. As best shown in Fig.
3, the angle of vibration produced by vibrators 15 is
inclined up from the horizontal toward receiving equipment
14. Bristle pile material 16 covers the upward facing
surface of base 12 and has bristles uniformly inclined for
resiliently supporting objects 20 on the bristle tips, and
the angle of inclination of the bristles of pile material
15 is preferably from 5 to 25 from the vertical.
Base 12 can be formed of many materials in many
shapes, but is preferably relatively elongated to extend from
input region 13 to receiving equipment 14. Vibrators 15
can be made in many ways and can support base 12 through
many different couplings to achieve the desired inclined
vibration. Pile material 16 is preferably formed of
resilient monofilament bristles secured in a base or backing
and having a uniform height and sufficient density to form
a relatively even surface of bristle tips supporting objects
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20. The bristles of pile 16 are preferably resilient to
flex slightly when vibrated against objects 20 to move
objects 20 in the direction of bristle inclination.
The first or main feed portion 17 of pile material
16 extends continuously from input region 13 to receiving
equipment 14 with bristles inclined in the direction of the
arrows leading straight toward receiving equipment 14 from
input region 13. Pile portion 17 then cooperates with the
vibration angle established by vibrators 15 to provide
relatively fast movement of objects 20 from input region 13
straight through to receiving equipment 14.
A second pile portion 18 extends along one side
of pile portion 17 in the embodiment of Fig. 1, and along
both sides of the main pile portion 17 in the embodiment of
Fig. 2, and has bristles inclined in the opposite direction
from the inclination direction of pile portion 17. The
bristles of pile portion 18 then incline from the vertical
away from receiving equipment 14 and back toward input
region 13 as indicated by the arrows. Pile portions 18
extend only part-way back to input region 13, and because
of the reverse bristle inclination direction, tend to move
objects 20 back toward input region 13. However, because of
the vibration inclination toward receiving equipment 14, the
bristles of pile portions 18 are not as effective in feeding
objects 20, and move objects 20 relatively slowly back toward
input region 13. This means that if an oversupply of objects
20 occurs at receiving equipment 14, some of the objects 20
are crowded out onto second pile portion 18 and begin a
_ relatively slow journey back toward input region 13.
3a Because of the slow rate of travel of objects 20 along pile
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portions 18, a considerable number of objects 20 can accumu-
late on pile portions 18 as best shown in ~ig. 1. Meanwhile,
objects are delivered to receiving equipment 14 at the
relatively faster rate provided by the main feeding pile
portion 17 so that receiving equipment 14 is steadily
supplied with objects, and pile portions 18 take up any
oversupply in a relatively slow, reverse flow of objects
20.
A third or intermediate pile portion 19 fits between
pile portions 18 and 17 at the end of pile portion 18 remote
from receiving equipment 14. The bristles of pile portion
19 are inclined from the vertical in a direction indicated
by the arrows which is angled relative to the bristle
inclination directions of both pile portions 17 and 18.
The bristle inclination direction of pile portion 19 is
preferably about 45 relative to the bristle inclination
direction of pile portion 18 and extends toward adjacent
pile portion 17 for moving objects 20 from the output end of
pile portion 18 laterally toward main pile portion 17 for
2Q movement back toward receiving equipment 14. Pile portion
19 also diverts any incoming objects 20 from input region 13
laterally into main feed portion 17 to prevent any jamming
of objects at the end of pile portion 18 remote from
receiving equipment 14. Substantially all of the incoming
objects 20 are then directed first into the main feed portion
17, and accumulated objects flowing slowly back along pile
portions 18 are directed back into main portion 17 for
recirculation back toward receiving equipment 14.
~ A sensor 21 arranged in the region of third pile
portion 19 detects any overaccumulation of objects 20
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crowding into third pile portion 19 for recirculation and
operates input control device 22 for stopping the input of
objects 20 because a full supply of objects 20 has been
accumulated. Sensor 21 can have many different forms, and
input control device 22 can also be many different de~ices.
Conveyor 30 of Fig. 4 schematically shows a
preferred objective in forming the inventive accumulator for
an object feeder. It includes a base 31 that can be divided
into as many sections as desired and powered by as many
vibrators as desired for convenience in vibrating the entire
base 31. Base 31 is covered with pile material having
bristles uniformly inclined in directions indicated by
straight arrows. The main feed portion of conveyor 30
extends along a relatively wide feed channel 32 extending
for whatever length is desired from an input region, and
leads to a converging portion 33 that directs the wider
feed channel 32 into a narrower output portion or region
34. Output of objects through region 34 can be a single-file
line of objects, or a stream several objects wide, depending
upon the objects involved and the needs of the equipment
receiving the objects. Accumulation of objects occurs
in regions 35-38 as explained below.
Whenever an excessive number of objects are fed
into output region 34, either because the output has tempor-
arily stopped, or because the input rate exceeds the output
rate, the objects jostle together, and some of them are
crowded off of output region 34. The region that the objects
are most likely to be crowded onto first is removal region
- 35 that has pile bristles oriented in a direction opposite
to the main feed direction in output region 34. Removal
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region 35 then receives the crowded-off objects and moves
them rearwardly onto re-entry region 36 which has pile
bristles oriented toward the main feed portion in output
region 34. Region 36 then moves the crowded-out objects
back toward the feed portion for re-entry into the output
region if s~ace permits. Objects seeking re-entry into the
main feed flow in output region 34 can be moved along the
edge of output region 34, and can be crowded back onto
removal region 35~ Also, as the number of objects increases
above the possible output capacity, more and more objects
are crowded onto removal region 35 where they are pushed
farther and farther from output region 34 as they seek a
path into re-entry region 36. This produces an arcuate
swirl of objects schematically represented by the arching
arrowed lines. The swirl grows in diameter with increase
in the number of objects crowded out of output region 34.
As space becomes available in the flow of objects
proceeding along output region 34, re-entry section 36 moves
objects into the available space as they swing around the
2Q arcuate swirl pattern, and re-entry of objects into output
region 34 gradually reduces the diameter of the swirl, so
long as additional objects are not crowded out of the output
region 34 and back into the swirl pattern. The swirl of
objects can also stop spinning temporarily and remain nearly
motionless for a brief interval, especially if additional
objects are not crowded into the swirl, and if space remains
unavailable in output region 34.
Accumulator portions 37 and 38 form another swirl
- pattern in removal portion 37 and re-entry portion 38 to form
two swirls in series for accumulating a larger number of
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objects. The swirl in sections 35 and 36 can become large
enough so that some objects are crowded onto section 37
where they f low toward section 38 and then toward the main
feed portion 34 for re-entry. Also, objects can be crowded
directly onto removal section 37 from output region 34.
The swirl pattern established in sections 37 and 38 behaves
in the same general way as the swirl in sections 35 and 36,
and the two swirls can accumulate substantially twice as
many objects as a single swirl.
The same pattern of removal sections and re-entry
sections can be repeated for three or four or more swirls
along one side of an output path, and can also be arranged
on opposite sides of the output path. As space in the
output path permits, each of the swirl re-enters objects
into the output path and reduces in diameter as the number
of objects in the swirl diminish so that there is substan-
tially no delay in re-entering the last of the accumulated
objects into the output path. This means that if the input
stops, the last of all the objects in the accumulator will
follow a preceding object directly into the output without
any delay, and it is not necessary for object-receiving
equipment to wait for the last few objects to make their
way in from a remote region of the device.
Section 38 also assists in funneling the wider
flow of objects from path 32 into the narrow output path
34 by reinforcing the oblique diversion of objects accom-
plished by section 33.
Feeder 40 of Fig. r has a main feed path 41 leading
to a narrower output path 42, and a pair of accumulators 43
are arranged on opposite sides of output path 42. Two
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opposing swirl patterns are established by accumulators 43
in the same general way as described above relative to
Fig. 4, except that bristle orientation directions are some-
what different. Removal regions 44 have bristles inclined in
the direction of the arrows obliquely away from output
region 42 in a generally reverse direction, and re-entry
regions 45 have bristles oriented in a direction inclined
back toward output region 42. Intermediate portions 46 are
arranged at the output ends of removal portions 44 and have
bristles oriented directly toward re-entry portions 45 for
directing objects from removal section 44 back toward re-
entry section 45. As viewed in Fig. S, the swirl of objects
below output path 42 is clockwise, and the swirl of objects
above output path 42 is counterclockwise. Each swirl grows
in diameter, as explained above, with the addition of
objects crowded out of output region 42. Also, re-entry
regions 45 and intermediate regions 46 help in forming a
funnel flow of objects from wider feed portion 41 into
narrower output path 42.
Peeder 50 of Fig. 6 is div~ded into sections 51-54,
with sections 51-53 providing the main feed flow, and
section 54 assisting in the main feed flow and providing
the accumulator. Regions 55 and 56 of section 54 have
bristles oriented obliquely to funnel objects flowing in
the wider stream established by sections 51 and 52, into
the narrower output region 57 of section 53. Sections 51-53
are preferably vibrated in a vertical plane in a reciprocal
motion angled above the horizontal to move toward output
region 57 on the upstroke and away from output region 57
on the downstroke. The vibration of section 54 is preferably
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reversed to move away from output region 57 on the upstroke
and toward output region 57 on the downstroke. This gives
objects a sli~ht reverse flow bias in section 54 and enhances
the diverting or funneling effect of regions 55 and 56.
Section 54 has an accumulator formed of regions 58-62
providing two swirl patterns for objects crowded out of
output region 57. The bristle inclinations of the pile
material in regions 58-62 are oriented as shown by the arrows,
and a first swirl pattern is formed by regions 58-60 and a
second swirl pattern is formed by regions 61 and 62.
The bristle inclination in region 58 is oriented
transversely away from output region 57, but the preferred ~.
vibration direction for section 54 biases the crowded-out
objects in a reverse direction, so that objects tend to flow
obliquely in a reverse direction across removal region 58.
Region 59 can be considered either as a second removal region
for objects crowded out of out-put region 57, or as an
intermediate region directing objects in a reverse flow
toward re-entry region 60. The swirl path for a few crowded-
out objects then leads into removal regions 58 and 59 and
flows in a reverse direction alongside the output path of
region 57 and re-enters output region 57 from re-entry region
60 as soon as space is available. As more and more objects
are crowded into regions 58-60, the diameter of the swirl
pattern increases as explained above.
Spillover from the swirl pattern of regions 58-60
moves into removal region 61 along with any objects crowded
directly into removal region 61 from output region 57. A
second swirl pattern then forms in removal region 61 and
3Q re-entry region 62 and changes diameter with the number of
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crowded-out objects as explained above. Re-entry region
62 also assists f~nnel flow region 56 in forcing the wider
stream of objects into the narrower stream through output
region 57.
Feeder 70 shows another preferred embodiment of
the invention having à base divided into three sections 71-73
for convenience of size and configuration and to allow each
section to be driven by separate vibrators. These all
preferably vibrate at an angle inclined above the horizontal
and oriented in the direction from section 71 toward section
73. Output from feeder 70 is through a channel 74 and input
is in region 75, and feeding and accumulating are produced
by arrangement of bristle inclination orientations as
described above.
The bristles of the pile material in input region
75 are inclined in an bblique direction leading toward a
main feed path formed by regions 76 and 77 leading toward
output regions 78 and 79. This moves objects obliquely
across section 71 for travel along the edge of feeder 70
having the main feed path. Regions 81 have bristles inclined
directly toward feed path region 76 to assist in urging
objects toward the main feed path.
Regions 82-85 form accumulators according to the
invention and have bristle inclination directions as shown
by arrows. Objects crowded out of output region 79 are
received by removal region 82 which cooperates with re-entry
region 83 in forming a variable diameter swirl pattern as
previously described. Removal region 84 and re-entry region
85 form another swirl pattern for objects crowded out of
3Q feed path 77 and into removal path 84, and the swirl pattern
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in regions 84 and 85 also varies in diameter. Spillover
from the swirl pattern in region 83 enters region 84 to join
its accumulator swirl. Objects in the swirls are re-entered
into the main feed path as soon as space is available, and the
diameters of the swirls are related to the number of objects
accumulated as previously explained.
One of the advantages of arranging pile material to
form swirl patterns for accumulation of objects according to
the invention is that the objects that are pushed just outside
of the feed portion follow a relatively short path along a
radially inward part of the swirl and are re-entered to the
feed portion-relatively rapidly if space permits. When
accumulation of a relatively larger number of objects pushes
objects relatively far away from the main feed portion, they
travel in a much lon~er path along a radially outer portion
of the accumulator swirl, and the longer path is many times
the length of the shortest possible path for a relatively
slower re-entry of the outer objects of the swirl. The
swirl diameter reduces directly and automatically as the
number of objects accumulated in the swirl diminishes so that
the last of the accumulated objects is re-entered into the
feed portion as soon as space is available without any un-
necessary delay.
An accumulator recirculation path having a fixed
distance for object travel lacks these advantages. For
example, if one of the last few objects in the output is `
crowded out of the output region onto the accumulation path,
it might have to travel along a relatively long predetermined
route for a considerable time before it returns to the output
3Q region, and this might cause a gap or delay in retrie~ing
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the last few objects fro~ the feeder. Accumulator swirls
according to the invention avoid this and also have a size
automatically related to the number of obiects accumulated
in the swirl for automatic adjustment and elimination of
delay.
The several preferred embodiments illustrated in
the drawings show variations in ways the invention can be
applied to different feeders and also suggest to those skilled
in the art that many other variations are possible in applying
the invention to specific feeders. Workers in the art will
also appreciate the many ways that feeders can be divided
into sections, can be supported and vibrated, and can use
variations in pile material oriented as generally suggested
by the invention to achieve accumulation of objects in swirl
patterns alongside the main feed output.
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