DE1270852B - Arrangement for monitoring the separation process and determining the empty state of document flow memories - Google Patents

Description

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

GERMAN

PATENT OFFICE

EDITORIAL

Int. CL:

G06k

German KI .: 42 m6- 13/10

Number:
File number:
Registration date:
Display day:

1270 852
P 12 70 852.0-53
January 27, 1966
June 20, 1968

There are so-called flow memory known as an intermediate memory for documents in which the documents stored on one side and deducted on the opposite side. Are under evidence Index and punch cards, forms, documents, letters, postcards and other flat objects too to understand. These memories should, for example, contain the documents coming from a manual operation record in a buffered manner, so that irregularities in the feed to a subsequent machine Machining can be compensated and a continuous flow operation can be made possible.

The separation of the documents contained in such a memory can for example be based on the following How to achieve: On the one hand it is possible to arrange the stack of documents vertically or slightly inclined and remove the documents individually through a suction tube and z. B. to be handed over to a conveyor, which it feeds to a machine for further processing. On the other hand, the storage device be set up horizontally with upright documents, with the documents by a suction air upright, perforated pull-off tape can be pulled out of the storage unit from the side. The pneumatic one It goes without saying that the receipts can also be deducted using a perforated tape in the case of vertically arranged stores possible.

With these flow-through storage systems, it is generally difficult to control the function of the separator to monitor and to derive a criterion for the empty state of the flow memory. This criterion but is important for the document feed and for the control of the following transport devices. Under the assumption that it is a pass-through memory with band separator, which is in the Connection with an automatic coding station in a letter distribution device is one Complete emptying of the memory is necessary, for example, when a new distribution program is carried out shall be.

In many cases it is not possible to monitor the fill level of the memory and thus also the empty state by photoelectric scanning means, if z. B. the installation of photoelectric scanning fails due to lack of space or due to great stacking inaccuracy no location can be found for a photoelectric scanning that detects all mail items in the stack. Difficulties also arise in monitoring the level of storage with mechanical sensing levers or similar means when it comes to pulsating storage, which is used in each AbAnordnung to monitor the
Isolation process and determination of the
Empty state of document pass-through memories

Applicant:

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin and Munich, 8000 Munich 2, Witteisbacherplatz 2

Named as inventor:

Peter Schröer, 8000 Munich

train of a document are moved in the storage direction.

The invention is based on the object with one

ao multiple means for through memory to create an arrangement through which a monitoring of the dynamic separation process and a determination of the empty state of the memory is possible. This object is achieved for document pass-through memories from which data is stored in a timed manner in that a scanning device is arranged in a manner known per se at the output of the memory and in that a comparison device is also provided which controls the sequence of the signals from the singling cycle and scanning device and if they fail the sequence of signals feeds the separation clocks to a counting circuit which, when an adjustable counting level is reached, z. B. n - 3, triggers a signal. With the arrangement according to the invention, the separation process is monitored and the empty state of the memory is also displayed.

The principle of the arrangement according to the invention is based on the determination of the inevitable consequence of timed separation command and change of state of the scanning device by the separated Receipt. This sequence is guaranteed as long as there are documents in the flow memory or for as long the function of the letter flow storage is not disturbed is. When the last receipt has left the memory, or when the mail flow memory function is disturbed, the following isolation pulses occur without the associated signals of the scanning device on, from which in the circuit according to the invention the criterion "flow through memory empty" is formed.

U.S. Patent 3,204,950 discloses a stopped item indicator described and shown in a transport route.

809 560/225

In this known device, receipts from a separator are continuously received by a withdrawal device withdrawn and fed to a main transport route, from which branch off several secondary routes. By a series of photoelectric scanning devices arranged along the main conveyor line and their status (light or dark) is queried in a specific clock sequence, can be determined whether a document has stopped in the area of a scanning device. The dependent Signals delivered by the scanning devices from the presence or absence of a document arrive with it the separation clocks in a bistable comparison device. Subsequently to this comparison device an AND gate is provided, at the second input of which the separation cycle is applied and is applied the output of which is provided a circuit which triggers a signal.

In this known device, a fault is also displayed if the first at the output of the Stacker arranged scanning device by a document only partially withdrawn from the stacker is covered. However, due to such a disturbance or the signal caused by it, is not to recognize whether the document is pushed together and only partially out of the forklift was pushed out, whether the singling is disturbed or whether it is a stopped document acts somewhere on the conveyor line.

In the case of the display device described in the United States patent, it is only determined whether after one cycle a document has stopped on the transport route in the area of a scanning device. If the scanning diodes are bright because no new receipt has been removed at all, or the one on the Documents in the conveyor line have not changed their positions, no display is made. In the event of failure the separating device or with an empty stacker is accordingly in the known device no fault signal triggered.

With the arrangement according to the invention it is possible by evaluating the change in the receipt signal precisely monitor the separation process from light to dark to light and the empty state of a memory immediately.

According to a further development of the invention, a binary memory is used as the comparison device the pulses of the scanning device and the singling cycle act, and an AND gate is provided, that links the output signals of the memory and the applied transport cycle.

The invention is explained with reference to the figure, which shows a monitoring circuit.

With S a binary memory, e.g. B. a flip-flop, referred to, at the input of which the scanning device AE and the separation cycle ZT are present, which comes from the printer, for example, in an automatic letter distribution system and controls the entire system as a central transport cycle. The output of the memory leads to an AND gate G, at whose second input the central separation clock ZT is also applied. At the output of the gate, a counter Z is provided which, when a certain adjustable counting level is reached, e.g. B. n - 3, emits a signal "flow through memory empty".

When a document withdrawn from the flow-through memory passes the scanning device which is arranged behind the memory in the direction of movement and which works photoelectrically, for example, the change in state triggers a pulse that switches the binary memory to the "O" position. Due to the transport cycle applied to the second input of the storage unit, the flip-flop, which is used, for example, as a storage unit, is returned to its "!." Position. As long as there are documents in the flow memory, the scanning device sends an impulse when the front edge of the document is covered The output signal of the memory S and the applied separation cycle make the AND gate permeable to the cycle, which advances the counter Z by one digit Counting level, e.g. η = 3, the triggering of a signal »flow memory empty«.

The same result occurs if the trigger device is disturbed and in accordance with the exemplary embodiment no document leaves the memory on three separation commands, but with the difference, that the randomly occurring disturbance in the flow memory no command, z. B. for empty stacking, has preceded. In this way, monitoring of the trigger device is also achieved at the same time.

Claims (3)

Patent claims: 1. An arrangement for monitoring the process of separating documents within a flow-through memory and determining the empty state of this memory from which documents are stored in a timed manner, characterized in that a scanning device is arranged in a manner known per se at the output of the memory and that a comparison device (5 ) is provided, which controls the sequence of signals from the separation cycle and scanning device and, if the sequence of signals does not occur, supplies the separation cycles to a counting circuit (Z) which, when an adjustable counting level is reached, e.g. B. n = 3, triggers a signal. 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the comparison device (S) a binary memory on which the pulses of the scanning device and the central transport clock act and an AND gate (G) are provided, which the output signals of the memory and linked to the pending transport cycle. 3. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that at the output of the flow memory a photoelectric scanning device is provided. Considered publications:
German Auslegeschrift No. 1121 863;
U.S. Patent No. 3,204,950. 1 sheet of drawings 809 560/225 6.68 © Bundesdruckerei Berlin