US3453983A - Programmer for selection of operations on a remote conveyor - Google Patents

Description

G. R. ROSE 3,453,983

PROGRAMMER FOR SELECTION OF OPERATIONS ON A REMOTE CONVEYOR July 8,1969

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G. R. ROSE YROGRAMMER FOR SELECTION OF OPERATIONS ON A REMOTE CONVEYOR v July 8, 1969 Sheet Filed Oct. 18, 1966 United States Patent O 3,453,983 PROGRAMMER FOR SELECTION F OPERATIONS ON A REMOTE CONVEYOR Glenn R. Rose, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Programmed & Remote Systems Corporation, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Oct. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 587,609 Int. Cl. B05c 11/00; G05b 19/00 U.S. Cl. 118-7 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention has relation to programming devices and more patricularly to a 'programming device which is adapted for use in selecting a particular operation that is to be preformed on an object traveling on a remote conveyor, for example, selection of the color which an automobile is to -be spray painted while on an assembly conveyor line.

The present device is a very simple mechanical structure that utilizes a unique principle for permitting the foreman of a conveyor line for articles which are to be painted to make a preselection of the color that a particular item is to be painted. It is really an analog device which has a memory bar that will follow along with the article on the conveyor station for station until the article reaches the spray painting station, at which time the memory bar will actuate the proper controls so that the proper color of paint will be selected and ultimately dispensed. Further, the device is made so that two coats (one at each of two stations) can be applied to the object being spray painted.

In the usual case, the programmer will be used with an automobile conveyor line. As shown, the memory bars are made so that a selection of one of sixteen different colors can be made merely by pushing the proper button for the item to be painted entering the conveyor line controlled by the programmer. Then, when the item or automobile reac'hes the spray painting station, a memory bar will close a switch which in turn operates a solenoid that operates a valve to select the proper color paint to be dispensed. Then a separate control actuates a spray gun and the paint is applied to the automobile. Once the automobile passes through the spray painting station, the painter will be deactivated and purged so that the spray painter can be used for a different color when the next automobile enters the spray painting station.

Where two paint coats are necessary, at some later time on the conveyor line, after the rst coat is dry, the memory or selection bar for that particular automobile will depress another switch selecting the paint color at the second paint station so that a second coat can be applied to the automobile.

The device is simple to make and yet gives absolutely foolproof results. The device, of course, can be used to select one of as many different colors as desired so that a complete color range can be obtained.

The painters are controlled so that a denite sequence takes place each` time a paint cycle is completed. This can 3,453,983 Patented July 8, 1969 ICC include purging or cleaning of the paint from the spray guns 4between each paint cycle so that subsequent colors are not `contaminated by previous colors.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to present a mechanical programmer for controlling operations on a remote conveyor line.

It is a further object of the present invention to present a mechanical programmer for conveyors wherein the operation t0 be performed can be preselected well in advance of the time the object reaches the station at which the action is to be performed.

It is another object of the present invention to present a programmer which can be used for controlling the color of paint applied onto an object on a remote conveyor line.

It is another object of the present invention to present a mechanical programmer that advances one station at a time in response to external signals supplied from the conveyor line upon which the controlled function of the programmer is being performed.

Other objects are inherent in the specification and will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings,

FIG. l is a top plan view of a mechanical programmer made according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken as on line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of electrical controls for the programmer and the mechanism controlled by the programmer; and

FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic representation of a conveyor line having -paint stations controlled by the programmer shown in FIGS. 1-3.

Referring to the drawings and the numerals of refer-V ence thereon, the programmer illustrated generally at 10 includes a frame 11 which is mounted inside an outer housing 12. The outer `housing 12 has a cover plate 13 that can be slid back to provide access to the interior of the cover plate. The frame 11 rotatably mounts two spaced shafts 14 and 15 positioned adjacent to opposite ends of the housing, and each of these shafts drivably mounts a pair of spaced `apart sprockets illustrated generally at 16. The sprockets on the shafts are aligned so that they form two pairs of sprockets. A pair of spaced apart chains 17 and 18, respectively, are mounted over the aligning pairs of sprockets on the shafts. The chains are used to mount =a plurality of `crossbars 21. The crossbars are attached to special links in the chain in a conventional manner and are uniformly spaced along the length of the chain. As shown, the chains and crossbars form an endless conveyor belt with the crossbars or operation selection members 21 extending between the chains. Each of the crossbars 21 mounts a plurality of push button assemblies (or trip members) illustrated generally at 22. The push buttons are mounted through provided openings in the crossbars and as shown each of the buttons have two annular notches or rings 23 `and 24 dened therein. A detent ball 25 is used for holding the pushbutton assemblies 22 in position either eX- tended (with the detent ball in ring 23) or retracted (with the detent ball in ring 24).

As shown, each of the crossbars is used to mount sixteen of the push buttons evenly spaced along the length thereof. The push buttons each move (when the conveyor is driven) in a path identical to the corresponding push buttons on all of the other crosslbars.

A drum 26 is drivably mounted on the shaft 14. The drum 26 is of suflicient diameter so that when the crossbars move around the drum 14, when they are driven, the drum will engage the undersides of the push buttons 22 that have been depressed and will force these push buttons to position as shown at 27 in FIG. 2 so that the push buttons are all pushed outwardly to a point where the detent balls 25 lits into the respective grooves 23.

Suitable brackets 30 are mounted onto the frame. The brackets are used to mount a first transverse lbank 31 of microswitches 32. Each of the switches 32 is individually actuated and has an actuating linger 33 depending downwardly therefrom. As shown, the bank 31 of switches is positioned inside the conveyor or programmer assembly and the finger 33 faces the inside surface of the transverse crossbars 21. There are sixteen of the microswitches 32 in the banks 31 and each of the microswitches aligns with one of the push buttons. Thus, when the conveyor is moved, the push buttons will move past the lingers 33, and if one of the push buttons is depressed (in tripping position) it will touch the finger 33 of its aligned switch and close or trip the switch. The switches are the actuator means for selecting the paint color to be sprayed or they could actuate any other operation to be performed at the station.

A second bank 35 of microswitches 36 is positioned in spaced apart relationship to the rst bank 31. The second microswitches 36 also have fingers 37 that are used for operating the switches, and each switch 36 aligns with one of the push buttons on the crossbars as well.

In the painting operation, the irst bank 31 of microswitches is used for selecting the paint color for the rst coat on an object on the associated conveyor line (lirst paint station) and the second bank 35 of microswitches is used for selecting the paint color at a second coat spray painting station. The same color is selected at both stations.

The shaft 14 is driven from a sprocket 40 that is drivably mounted onto the shaft, and the sprocket 40 is driven through a chain 41 from a sprocket 42 that is mounted onto an output shaft 43 of a Geneva motion type drive illustrated generally at 44. The Geneva motion drive is driven from the motor 45 acting through gear box 46 to drive a sprocket 47 and chain 48 that extends to the Geneva drive.

The Geneva motion is made so that for every revolution of the driver wheel 50 the driven portion for the output shaft 43 (and thus the output shaft 43) will rotate 90. This represents one position advance for the programmer conveyor assembly. In other words the crossbars 21 will move ahead one position (a new crossbar gets to position to actuate the switches) each time the driver wheel 50 rotates a full revolution. The motor 45 is controlled through external means so that it will rotate the driver wheel 50 one revolution, at which time the driver wheel will open a mcroswitch 51 and break the circuit to the motor until an independent external signal has again been received.

The microswitches 32 each control a separate solenoid. The solenoids are illustrated schematically in a solenoid manifold at 52. The solenoids (there is one controlled by each of the switches) control the flow of air from a source 53 through lines illustrated vat 54 to a paint select head 55. The paint select head is a multiple valve head. Each of the valves in the head controls the flow of paint from a separate source of paint to a spray gun 56. Upon actuation of any one of the valves by its solenoid in manifold 52, paint under pressure coming through the paint lines from a source will be supplied to the gun, and when the gun is actuated from the solenoid control 57 it will spray out a particular color paint. Each of the valves in the paint select head controls a different color paint, and each switch 32 controlls a difierent valve.

A paint select head or valve of the type that will work is shown in the application of Robert S. Hedin, Ser. No. 568,103, filed Oct. 12, 1966 and assigned to the same assignee. Thus the only control necessary after one of the color switches has been depressed is to start r stop the spray gun through the use of solenoid control 57. Now, it is to be understood that only one spray gun and paint select head is shown, but is also should be understood that there are paint guns on 'both sides of the conveyor line, as shown in FIG. 4 and there will be two spray guns and two paint select heads controlled from the solenoid at each station.

In addition, if the top of the car is to `be painted, a separate select head and spray gun can be used for lthe top.

The solenoid 57 for the spray gun can be controlled in one of two ways. One way is manually by push buttons. For automatic spraying of the automobile, the solenoid 57 is usually controlled -by photoelectric detectors illustrated schematically at 58. When an automobile (see automobiles 72 and 73 in FIG. 4) breaks the light to the detectors, the solenoid 57 will be energized and the gun will spray the desired color onto the car. The solenoid 57 is a secondary control that actually starts the painting operation. The selection of the type of operation (in this case selection of the paint color) is done by the programmer including the microswitches and solenoids. Selection bar 72A will select the color for car 72 and selection bar 73A will select the paint color for car 73.

In order to advance the programmer and to accomplish the steps of cleaning out or purging the spray gun and the paint select head, separate controls are used. A pair of contacts 61 are provided on the conveyor line after the first paint station 66, and when a car has been completely painted at this station, the contacts 61 will be closed. This will initiate the first coat sequence controls relays illustrated schematically at 62. These relays include a time delay, after which suitable contacts are closed to the purge control mechanism and this in turn will actuate solenoids in the manifold 52 to send solvent and air from a pressurized source through the paint select head andV the spray gun 56 to purge the gun and the head of the previous paint sprayed. The purge control also independently actuates the solenoid 57 for the spray gun so that the spray gun will spray out this solvent and air. The purge is controlled through a timer and after the preselected time, the purging will stop. At the same time that the contacts 61 are closed, the program advance sequence relays are initiated. These are illustrated schematically at 63. In order to energize the motor 45, both the contacts 61 and contacts 64 (which are closed when the automobile at the second painting station has been completely painted) must close. The second painting station is illustrated at 65 in FIGURE 4.

While the automobiles on the conveyors are spaced so that the automobile in the first paint station and the second paint station will be painted substantially simultaneously and will finish painting substantially simultaneously, the program cannot be advanced until both of the automobiles have been completely painted. Thus the contacts 64 and 61 will both have to close before the program advance mechanism 63 energizes the motor 45. With both the contacts 61 and 64 closed the motor 45 will be energized and it will rotate the output shaft one revolution, indexing the Geneva motion so that shaft 43 rotates 90 and thereby advancing the programmer bars one position. Then, the switch 51 will be opened again and the motor 45 will be deenergized. A dynamic brake is used with the motor so that the motor stops almost immediately.

The second coat sequence control relays operate in eX- actly the same way as the rst coat. The dispensing of the second coat is controlled by the spray gun, and once the color select buttons are depressing the microswitches 32 and 36, the unit is ready to spray for both of the coats upon receiving a signal from the proper paint station.

The second coat sequence control relays illustrated at 67 also include a time delay to make sure the car clears the paint station, then the purge cycle, and then the shutting olf of the purge. After the programmer has been advanced by the motor (the proper switches in each bank are closed and the paint select head has been properly activated) the only control necessary to paint the automobile is the detection of an automobile in the paint station for either of the first coat or second coat stations. The switches 35 control solenoids in a solenoid manifold 68. The solenoids control the valves of a paint select head 55 which will direct paint to a gun 57 as in the iirst station. Then the solenoids 57 for the respective spray guns will be energized and the paint will be sprayed out until the painting is complete at which time the contacts 61 or 64 will be closed. When both contacts 61 and 64 are closed (the automobiles 74 and 75 in FIG. 4 would have closed these contacts when they cleared the respective paint stations) the program will advance. It should be noted that even though the contacts 64 are not closed and the contacts 61 are closed, the first coat spray head will go through its purging cycle. If only one coat of paint is to be applied, the device can be set so that the programmer will advance one station when the spraying is completed at the one paint station being used. This means that if only the first paint station is used, when contacts 61 close the programmer will advance.

It can thus be seen with a conveyor illustrated at 70 (FIG. 4) that when a car at the first station 71 is being programmed (the paint color is selected) the operator will depress the proper color select button back at the rst station on the conveyor illustrated at 71A. Then when this car moves to the first paint station, bar or selection member 71A will be positioned so a push button will be closing the proper microswitch in the bank 31 of the microswitches 32 for the proper color. This switch in turn will operate the proper solenoid and the proper valve in the paint select head 55 so that when the spray gun control is energized, the proper color of paint will be sprayed onto the car. When the painting is completed at both the iirst and Second paint stations 65 and 66, the programmer will -advance and the paint selection for the following cars will be made. When the same car moves to the second coat paint station, the same push button on selection member 71A will depress one of the microswitches 36 for the same color and this in turn will cause a second coat of the same color paint as being sprayed onto this particular car. The paint color for each of the automobiles is thus programmed when it enters the conveyor at the start and that particular selection har follows the car along the conveyor station by station while it is being assembled, and will control both painting operations. The depressed push buttons are returned to their undepressed condition by action of the drum 26 as the push ybuttons `go around the drum. The selection bar is reprogrammed -when a new automobile is entered on the conveyor line. If the :buttons are not depressed, the car will not be painted. The program can easily be changed after the initial depressing of the button it it is found that the car should be painted a different color than that originally programmed. Merely manually pulling the buttons out of their depressed position and depressing another button will accomplish this job. Y

Thus it can be seen that a very simple, inexpensive and foolproof mechanical programmer is obtained for automatic operation.

For manual operation, suitable push buttons can be provided for operating the spray gun at the proper time, and also a manual button for operating the program advance can be provided if desired. The programmer would still be automatic in that the proper microswitch which in turn would operate the proper solenoid, would still function as in automatic operation.

Any operation can be selected with the programmer.

It is merely a matter of connecting the switches 31 or 36 to the proper equipment to accomplish the job to be done.

While the example shown has electrical limit switches 31 or 36, these switch means could be magnetic or pneumatic switches as well.

The pushbuttons could also -be set remotely with solenoids or air cylinders and thereby eliminate the manual pushing of the selection buttons. The pushbuttons are each suitably coded to indicate the color they will dispense. The coding can also be on a crossbar aligned with the buttons adjacent to the station on the programmer corresponding to the first station of the remote conveyor.

What is claimed is:

1. A programmer for use in connection with a conveyor line having a plurality of objects to :be painted thereon, and having at least one station along the conveyor line where a selected color of paint is to be dispensed onto an object, said programmer including a frame,` an endless assembly comprising a pair of spaced apart endless flexible members mounted for movement in a closed path on the frame, a plurality of Abars extending transversely between said flexible members, said =bars corresponding generally to the position of objects on said conveyor line, a plurality of settable devices on each of said bars, said devices being movable to a set position, a plurality of switch means on the frame positioned transversely aligned between the endless fiexible members and each corresponding' in position to a portion of the path of travel of one of the settable devices, each settable device being positioned to actuate a predetermined switch means when the settable device is set, means responsive to each of the switch means to control a separate color of paint to -be dispensed onto an object at the one station on the conveyor line, and power means to move the programmer endless assembly to bring a different one of the bars into alignment -withy the switch means on the frame whenever an object on the conveyor reaches the one station at which the paint is to be dispensed onto the object.

2. The programmer of claim 1 -further characterized in that the settable devices are manually operable push buttons having a set position and a cancelled position, and detent means to releasably retain the push buttons in each position.

3. The programmer as specified in claim 2 and means including a surface at one end of the endless member to engage any push button in the set position and return it to cancelled position after the painting operation has occurred on the conveyor line. t

r4. The programmer of claim 1 and signal means for actuating the power means to advance the endless member to position the next cross -bar over the switches each time an object carried by the conveyor line has been completely painted.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,442,384 6/ 1948 Stewart 74-568 X 2,804,764 9/1957 Runt'on 118--11 X 3,192,796 7/1965 Peeps et al 118-2 X 3,348,774 10/196-7 Wiggins. 3,356,061 12/1967 Wiggins 118-2 ROBERT W. JENKINS, Primary Examiner.

J. P. MCINTOSH, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 239-69

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