CN1064637C - Magazine for parcels, in particular parcel post - Google Patents

Abstract

A magazine for receiving and distributing stackable parcels (S) has a guiding section (FP) with a L-shaped cross-section for stacked parcels (S) and advancing means, preferably designed as conveyor belts (FB1, FB2), for moving the parcels (S) stacked in the guiding section (FB) in the direction of a front picking-up position (AP). In order to make it easier to load the magazine, a loading device (BE) with a L-shaped cross-section and capable of moving together with the advancing means in the guiding section (FP) has front holding means (HV1; HV2) for the parcels (S) already stacked in the guiding section (FP) and rear holding means (HH) for parcels (S) to be introduced into the guiding section (FP). After the loading device (BE) is loaded, the parcels (S) stacked therein are held and transferred to the guiding section (FP) when the loading device (BE) is withdrawn.

Description

Parts repositories, especially mail repositories

As a characteristic number designating a place, a delivery area, a post office box, or a bulk mail receiving unit, a machine-readable Read zip codes, making quick machine-distributed mail possible. Sorting of incoming mail is carried out, for example, by means of controllable bulk carriers, which are each loaded with a mail item at a specific loading position, and the mail item is then forwarded to a sorting unit assigned to a specific postal code. container or a corresponding sorting box. Since the sorting containers or sorting boxes can be located on different levels, the individual parts carriers which circulate on the transport device must also be able to bridge different position heights depending on the situation. After the mailpieces have been transferred to the sorting container associated therewith or the sorting box associated therewith, the empty bulk carrier can be reloaded with a mailpiece while passing through a loading position. The loading of mail items on the bulk carrier is carried out, for example, by means of a recirculating impeller, the blades of which form slots which receive the separated mail items which have been delivered by a transport device and which are diverted to the recirculating operation bulk carrier. The sorting of the mail items and the transfer of the mail items to the transport device leading to the blades can be carried out by means of a rotor whose radially adjustable and rotatably arranged suction claws catch the mail items already in the pick-up position of the mail magazine , and transferred to the transport device after the rotor rotates one revolution. Further details of such a device for separating and transferring mail are described, for example, in patent application P-4424944.6.

The magazine for receiving and delivering mail has, for example, an L-shaped guide frame into which incoming mail is manually inserted in stacks and moved by means of a feeder towards a forward extraction position. In order to be able to insert the mail items in stacks, two spaced-apart diagonal braces are provided, which are moved on a guide towards the removal position. The front struts swing out when moved a short distance from the extraction position, return on the second guide, and swing inward again into the guide frame in the returned position. In another disclosed embodiment, there is a strut on each individual guide, whereby the two struts can be alternately swung outward and back. In both cases, the swinging out and inward swinging of the braces results in a large footprint for the mailroom. Furthermore, the automatic swinging in and out of the braces and their movement can only be realized with a substantial investment in automation.

The object of the present invention is to provide a structurally simple and functionally reliable magazine for receiving and supplying stackable individual parts which requires only a small footprint. At the same time, the library should be particularly suitable for accommodating and serving thin letters of various sizes.

The bank of the present invention can be used to hold and deliver mail in a public post office or in a large company's internal postal service. Furthermore, the magazine according to the invention can also be used, for example, in vending machines with similar tasks, in which stacked parts are to be accommodated in the magazine and used for subsequent sorting.

A magazine for receiving and providing stackable loose parts according to the invention, which has: a guide frame whose cross-section is L-shaped, and stacked loose parts rest against the two sides of the guide frame , a feeding device for moving the stacked loose parts in the guide frame to the forward extraction position and a loading device whose cross section is L-shaped and moves in the guide frame through the feeding device, the loading device has A front holding device for those stacked parts already in the guide frame and a rear holding device for those new parts to be fed, wherein the newly fed parts hold the front holding device and the rear in the loading device between the holding devices and is turned onto the guide frame by withdrawing the loading device.

The invention is based on the realization that by means of a loading device whose cross-section is L-shaped, a front holding device for blocking loose parts already in the guide frame and a front holding device for blocking new parts to be fed are provided on the loading device. Under the condition of the rear holding device of the loose parts, the space required for placing the loose parts in the guide frame can be provided with a simple device. The advantage of this loading device is that the loading device can be driven by any existing feed device and has only to be withdrawn in order to transfer the supplied parts to the guide frame. The automatic retraction of the loading device in the guide frame also requires only a small investment outlay.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the feeding device is constituted by a conveyor belt extending parallel to the sides of the guide frame. This kind of warehouse can feed bulk materials towards the front extraction position of the warehouse with a simple device and a minimum footprint. parts and loading devices.

According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the holding device is formed by the front end of the L-shaped loading device, and without additional investment, the bulk parts stacked in the guide frame are blocked by the front end of the loading device. If, for example, the end surface is not enough to reliably block thin loose parts due to low stiffness, according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the magazine can additionally include a second front holding device, which consists of a It is composed of an arm rotatably arranged on the loading device. The arm swivels out before withdrawing the loading device and swivels in again after transferring the loose parts to the guide frame.

An embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described in detail below. The accompanying drawings show:

Figure 1 is a very simplified perspective view of a library for containing and providing stackable loose parts;

Figure 2 is an end view of the magazine shown in Figure 1 and the loading device inserted into the guide frame of the magazine.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 2 .

FIG. 1 shows in a very simplified schematic form a magazine for receiving and providing stackable loose parts. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the stackable bulk items are thin letters of various sizes, the stack ST1 of which is only indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 1 . The main component of the library is a guide frame FP with an L-shaped cross section. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the rise angle α of the guide frame FP from left to right is 12°. The inclination angle β of the right side of the L-shaped guide frame FP relative to the horizontal plane is 60°, and correspondingly, the inclination angle γ of the left side of the L-shaped guide frame FP relative to the horizontal plane is 30°.

Due to the three-dimensional arrangement of the guide frame FP shown in FIG. 1 , all letters in the stack ST1 bear against both sides of the guide frame FP independently of their nature. A feed device VE, indicated only by an arrow in FIG. 1, advances the letter stack ST1 to the front, upper removal position. At this pick-up position, indicated by arrows AP, the uppermost letter in the letter stack ST1 is removed and forwarded to a forward transport device, not shown in FIG. 1 . For example, patent application P-4424944.6 describes a suitable device for sorting and forwarding letters with a plurality of radially adjustable and tangentially deflectable suction jaws.

Figures 2 and 3 show an end view and a longitudinal section of the library shown in Figure 1 . It can be seen that the feed device VE, indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1, is formed by conveyor belts FB1 and FB2 extending parallel to the sides of the guide frame FP. The two conveyor belts FB1 and FB2 transport the bulk parts S stacked in the guide frame FB and shown separately in FIG. Extract the raster LS at the height of position AP.

Immediately after the stack ST1 of the loose parts S which have been placed in the guide frame FP, there is a loading device BE whose cross-section is also L-shaped, which has a A front holder HV1 for S and a rear holder HH for new parts S to be inserted. The front holding device HV1 is formed by the front end of the loading device BE, on which the separate parts stack ST1 is supported. In this case, the loading device BE is also moved by the conveyor belts FB1 and FB2 of the feed device to the front, upper removal position AP, like the bulk stack ST1. New individual parts S to be inserted can be placed in stacks manually in the space formed between the front holder HV1 and the rear holder HH until the resulting individual part stack ST2 fills the loading device BE. Then, for example, in the direction of the arrow Ff1, the newly inserted stack ST2 is pushed forward, and the entire loading device BE in the guide frame FP is withdrawn, whereby the stack ST2 is transferred to the guide frame FP, And it is blocked by the front holding device HV1 at this time. The loading device BE can then be reloaded with the stacked parts.

In cases where the front holding device HV1 formed by the front side of the loading device BE is not sufficient to securely hold and feed the individual parts S in front of it, a second front holding device HV2 can additionally be used. The second front holding means HV2 is formed by an arm which is biasably arranged on the loading means BE. Before the loading device BE for transferring the stack of separate parts ST2 to the guide frame FP is withdrawn, the second holding device HV2 must be swung outwards in the direction of the arrow Pf2. After the transfer, the second holding device HV2 is swiveled back into the original position shown in FIG. 2 .

Claims (4)

1. A library for containing and providing stackable loose parts (S) having: - a guide frame (FP) whose cross-section is L-shaped, on which the stacked parts (S) rest against the two sides of the guide frame (FP), - a feeding device (VE) for moving the stack of loose parts (S) in the guide frame (FP) to the forward extraction position (AP) and - a loading device (BE) whose cross-section is L-shaped and which is moved in the guide frame (FP) by the feeding device (VE), which has a a front holding device (HV1) for stacked parts (S) and a rear holding device (HH) for those new parts (S) to be fed, wherein the newly fed parts (S) hold the front in the loading device (BE) between the holding device (HV1) and the rear holding device (HH) and is turned onto the guide frame (FP) by withdrawing the loading device (BE). 2. 1. The magazine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the feeding device (VE) is formed by a conveyor belt (FB1, FB2) extending parallel to the sides of the guide frame (FP). 3. 2. The magazine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front holding means (HV1) is formed by the front end of the L-shaped loading means (BE). 4. The library according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the library additionally comprises a second front holding device (HV2), which is formed by a rotatably mounted loading device ( BE) constituted by the arm on the.

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