GB1065452A - Improvements relating to conveyor systems - Google Patents

Abstract

1,065,452. Endless conveyers. GENERAL PRECISION SYSTEMS Ltd. March 18, 1964 [March 29, 1963], No. 12594/63. Heading B8A. [Also in Divisions G4 and H2] A conveyer belt embodies modules which include movable permanent magnets 2 whose orientation is used for controlling the removal or diversion of articles being conveyed. Each magnet is contained within a capsule 1 of non- magnetic material and soft iron inserts 4 are contained in abutments 3. The magnet is thus releasably held in one or other of two extreme positions, respectively, along and across the direction of travel of the belt. These positions correspond respectively to the states " 0 " and " 1 " in the binary coding scheme. A write-in assembly, Figs. 3, 5 (not shown), using 6-bit identifying code signals comprises six write-in units (6) for setting the magnet position of the passing capsules (1). Each unit comprises a stationary U-form electromagnet with its poles close to the underside of the belt (5). By appropriate polarity energization, the units (6) may impress " 0 " and " 1 " at choice. A permanent bar magnet (11) ensures that all the magnets arriving at the write-in assembly are initially in their longitudinal " 0 " setting. For subsequently sensing the orientation of the capsule magnets, a read-out head comprises six dry-reed magnetic switches (8) connected in series, these sensors being positioned either along or across the direction of travel of the belt. In Fig. 5, the sensors are arranged to embody the signal 001001. Only when a passing article is accompanied by this signal will all the switches of the head be closed to initiate removal or diversion of the article. In place of the capsules, voids containing the magnets may be formed directly in the conveyer belt.