US3901555A - Material distributing system - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for distributing fibers pneumatically from a source to any of a plurality of distributors and electrical control circuitry for determining which distributors receive fibers in which order. Several electrical control circuits for sequentially checking each of the distributors in a system to determine which of them is demanding fibers and to sequentially satisfy the demands for fibers by opening valves associated with the distributors so that the air stream containing the fibers is drawn into a distributor, wherein the air stream and the fibers are separated, are disclosed. Also disclosed are a number of different distributors suitable for removing fibers from air streams.

Description

1 1 Aug. 26, 1975 1 1' MATERIAL DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM Cecil S. Wise, Dallas, NC.

Fiber Controls Corporation, Gastonia, NC.

[22] Filed: May 4, I972 [21 Appl. No.: 250,248

Related US. Application Data [60] Division of Ser. No. 848,133, July 9, 1969, Pat. No. 3,671,078, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 694,268, Dec. 28, 1967, abandoned, Continuation of Ser. No. 561,579, June 29, 1966, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 538,437, March 3, 1966, abandoned, which is a continuation-impart of Ser. No, 444,885, March 2, 1965, abandoned, which is a eontinuation-inpart of Ser. No. 217,154, July 15, 1962, abandoned.

[75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee:

3,386,773 6/1968 Ballard 302/28 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 342,731 3/1919 Germany 302/59 937,797 9/1963 United Kingdom... 302/28 924,147 4/1963 United Kingdom 302/28 Primary E.\'aminer--Evon C. Blunk Assistant Ii.rar'nir1erW. Scott Carson Attorney, Agent, or FirmCushman, Darby & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT A system for distributing fibers pneumatically from a source to any of a plurality of distributors and electrical control circuitry for determining which distributors receive fibers in which order. Several electrical control circuits for sequentially checking each of the dis tributors in a system to determine which of them is demanding fibers and to sequentially satisfy the demands for fibers by opening valves associated with the distributors so that the air stream containing the fibers is drawn into a distributor, wherein the air stream and the fibers are separated, are disclosed. Also disclosed are a number of different distributors suitable for removing fibers from air streams.

4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures szzzm 0F 7 Nbm PATENTED AUG 2 61975 SHEET 5 BF PATENTED $801,555

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\- 1 1! w R Q N A um M X Tm 7 Ir N l. 115 R ET De MATERIAL DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM This application is a division of application Ser. No. 848,133 filed July 9, 1969 and issued on June 20, 1972 as US. Pat. No. 3,671,078. US. Pat. No. 3,671,078 is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 694,268 filed Dec. 28. 1967, and abandoned Jan. 26, 1970. (A continua tion of Ser. No. 694,268 Ser. No. 5,981 was filed on Jan. 26, 1970 and issued as US. Pat. No. 3,649,082 on Mar. 14, 1972). Ser. No. 694,268 is a continuationin-part of Ser. No. 561,579 filed June 29, 1966 and abandoned Jan. 4, 1968. Ser. No. 561,579 is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 538,437 filed Mar. 3, 1966 and abandoned July 11, 1967. Ser. No. 538,437 is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 444,885 filed Mar. 2, 1965 and abandoned May 21, 1966. Ser. No. 444,885 is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 217,154 filed Aug.

15, 1962 and abandoned Mar. 29, 1965.

This invention relates to a distributor system, and, more particularly, to the electrical control system in a system for distributing material, for example, of the type that may be conveyed by a stream of fluid, such as air, to any one of a plurality of stations that demand the material.

The type of material with which this invention may conveniently be employed is such as may be found in textile mills, for example, any type of fiber or fibrous material, but no limitation to such material is necessarily intended. In textile mills, for example, there are many instances in which it is necessary to convey fibers from one processing system to another, and this is generally done by entraining the fibers in an air stream. In order to separate the fibers from the air stream at the point of delivery, an apparatus, conventionally termed a "fiber condenser" is employed. A condenser of this general type is described and claimed in the Lytton et a1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,149 and the disclosure of this patent is explicitly incorporated herein by reference. A plurality of such condensers, or of other types of material separators as in the Lytton et al US Pat. No. 3,039,151, the disclosure of which is also explicitly incorporated herein by reference, may be disposed at respective receiving points or stations where it is desired to distribute the fibers in accordance with the needs of a particular station. In such a condenser or distributor, there is an air intake channel and a discharge channel, along with a fiber outlet to a hopper or the like at the respective receiving station, and a controllable doffer or valve for extracting the air and material from the intake channel and separating them to the air discharge channel and fiber outlet respectively when the particular station requires more material. The inlet and discharge channels of each of the distributors are connected in an air circulating system, and the arrangement in such that if the doffer or valve is not actuated the material in the stream of air as it arrives at unaetuated station passes that station and proceeds to next. Each station includes a means for sensing the material requirements of that station, and stations are sequentilaly coupled to an electrical system which actuates the doffer or valve of the respective station or not in accordance with the instant determination of the sensing means thereat.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to convey material, for example in a fluid channel, from at least one source to any one of a plurality of different stations and distribute the material to the stations automatically in accordance with their respective requirements.

In order to effect this object, an electrical control system is employed to effect a sensing of the addition of the material sensing means at each station and actuate the distributor or not to cause the material to be deposited or to by-pass that station, and this electrical system, in one specific embodiment, includes stepping switches which operate automatically to deposit mate rial at each station requiring same and to step to the next station to determine its requirements.

It is therefore another object of this invention, in conjunction with the preceding object, to provide an electrical control system of the nature just indicated.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the course of the following detailed description and appended claims.

The invention may best be understood with reference to the accompaying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic and diagrammatic illustration of the system;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the stations to which material may be distributed;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of one of the distributors;

FIG. 4, which consists of FIGS. 4A and 43 joined, is a schematic illustration of another embodiment of the electrical control system of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of still another embodiment of the electrical control system of this invention;

FIG. 6 is yet another embodiment of the electrical control system of this invention; and

FIG. 7 is another embodiment of the electrical control system of this invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment of the electrical control system of this invention whereby material is distributed from two sources to a number of stations.

Before proceeding with a description of the electrical control system and overall pneumatic circulating system and supply therefor as shown in FIG. 1, reference is first made to some of the details of the receiving stations A, B, C and D, particulary to the condenser or distributor thereof.

There is no limitation as to what each of the stations A, B, C and D may be, but generally each will include some sort of hopper or the like into which the material in question may be deposited, temporarily or for storage purposes. In other words, each of the A, B, C and D stations may be respective storage bin, or a feeder which feeds a carding machine, or delivers fibers to an adjacent storage bin, or each may be picked, or a combination of any or all such units.

As above indicated, there is disposed at each of such stations A. B, C and D, means for removing the fibers from the air stream. One such removing means shown in detail in FIG. 2 for station A, is a distributor 10, a traverse cross-sectional view of which is shown in FIG. 3. Situated on end frame member or legs 12 is a doffer casing 14 which has a fiber discharge opening 16 around its bottom portion for a predetermined length between the legs 12. This length is generally a considerable portion of the distance between the legs. At its upper right arcuate portion, the doffer casing has other arcuate openings extending substantially the same length as fiber discharge opening 16. The upper left opening 18 is longitudinally encompassed by an inverted U-shaped member 19 forming with casing 14 an air and material intake channel. The right hand opening 20 in casing 14 is covered with a screen 22 and an upstanding inverted U-shaped air discharge channel member 24. Within casing l4-is a rotary member or doffer 26 which includes a rotatable cylinder 28 that carries a plurality of doffer blades 30. These blades extend the full length of the intake channel opening 18 and dischargechannel openingZO, as well as the fiber outlet 16. Cylinder 28 is disposed on shaft 32 to which is secured a pulley 34. This pulley, and consequently doffer 26, are driven clockwise as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, by a motor 36 to the shaft of which is connected a pulley 38 that is further coupled to pulley 34 by belt 40.

In operation, any fibrous material or the like that is traveling with the air stream lengthwise in the intake channel defined by U-shaped member 19, is diverted through the doffer casing opening 18 only if the doffcr or member 26 is then rotating. In such a case, the air and material are both pulled into the doffer casing in a clockwise direction with the air being further pulled through screen 22 and out through the discharge channel defined by U-shaped member 24. The material, however, cannot pass through screen 22, but is conveyed by vanes or blades into outlet 16. If doffer 26 is not rotating, then-any material and air present in the intake channel proceed straight through that'channel without being diverted by the distributor into the doffer casing and separated.

When the doffcr is not rotating, some of the material proceeding through the intake channel may drop by gravity into the distributor and be drawn against and clog the screen 22. If this clogging causes difficulties, the two channels can simply be shifted about counterclockwise from their illustrated positions so that the outlet channel is directly atop the distributor and-the inlet channel along the side of the distributor, half way between the top and bottom.

As will be appreciatedby reference to FIG; I, the intake channels of each distributor 10 are sequentially coupled. and in like manner the air discharge channels are sequentially coupled. For example, the outlet end of the intake channel of the distributor for station A is' connected to the inlet end of the intake channel of the distributor for station E, the outlet of that intake channel is connected to the inlet of the intake channel'of station D, the outlet of its intake channel is returned to the inlet of its air discharge channel, and at the opposite end of the pneumatic system, the inl'et of the intake channel and outlet of the discharge channel of station A are interconnected by tubing 42 in which is disposed an air forcing systemv Air is consequently continually circulated in pipe 42 in the direction of arrow 46 through each of the intake and discharge channels'of each of the distributors.

Material to be distributed to stations A, B, C and D in FIG.'1 is supplied to the air circulating system at point 48,"for example, in any convenient manner and from any desired source of supply, The type of supply diagrammatically illustrated includes a conveyor 50 onto which is deposited proportioned layers of different fibers from respective weight pans 52 which are in turn supplied by feeders 54. Such a system and its electrical controls 56 for automatically placing predetermined amounts of different fibers in continuous or interrupted stacks is fully disclosed and claimed in the co-pending application of Lytton et al Ser. No. 348,406, filed Apr. 13, 1953', now US. Pat. No. 3,071,202, and the disclosure of that patent is explicitly incorporated herein by reference.

In that patent, there is disclosed. in the upper left corner of FIG. 12 for example, a switch denoted PS, reference' thereby being made to a picker switch", which is closed when fibrous material should be supplied by the conveyor 50, and opened when it should not be. In

other words, switch PS operates the electrical controls of the apparatus to cause it to start and stop as required by other equipment. For purposes of the present disclosure, this switch is made a part of relay switch 52, which when energized closes switch PS. .Thercfore, whenever start switch 60 is closed conveyor 50 will supply fibrous material aslong as normally closed relay switch 62 and the normally closed pressure switch 64 are closed so as to energize relay 58 and close switch PS. I a

With the closing of start switch 60, pressure switch 64 will be closed as long as fan 44 is operating and forcing air through the pneumatic circulating system sufficiently to cause the pressure differential element 66 to pull in switch 64. Under such circumstances, fibrous material will be conveyed and drawn into the air circulatingsystem and conveyed therethrough for distributionat stations A, B and C according to the demand of such stations, any residual or excess of fibrous material being automatically emptied into station D due to its motorbeing run constantly, so that no fiber will ever come to rest in the circulating system itself and tend to.

choke air circulation.

' As has been previously indicated, each of the stations has a demand sensing means, and this may take any desired form, for example, a rake or other type level control 68 the height of which varies with the amount of material present at the station. When the station in question has a sufficient amount of material, then a limit switch is held closed by the level control 68. On the other hand, when'the station requires material, level control 68 holds the limit switch open until the demand is fulfilled, at which time the limit switch re closes. The respective limit switches are designated LSA, LSB, and LSC, with operation thereby in accordance with the respective level controls 68 being indicated by dash lines 70. Each of the limit switches may be paralleled by a respective hand switch 72 for the purpose of by-passing any or all of the stations A, B and C when not needed, but for purposes of considering the operation of the remaining electrical system, it will be assumed that all switches 72 are open as illustrated.

Depression of start switch 60 applies current to the movable arm or wiper 74 of bank A of selfstepping rotary switch system having two banks A and B, via the normally closed contact 76 of timer 78 and the off or Number 11 position of bank A. This supplies current on line 80 to timer 78 via line 82, thereby energizing the timer and causing its contact 76 to open until a predetermined time after wiper 74 returns to position Number 11 following its full stepping cycle around the switch bank. The stepping cycle is caused by supplying current from line 80 also to time delay relay TDI and stepper relay 84 via line 86 and self-stepping contact 88. Current proceeding from line 86 through contact 88 divides to energize relay TDI and cause its normally closed contacts to open immediately, and to charge condenser 90 sufficiently through rectifier 92 to operate stepper relay 84 and cause stepping contact 88 to open and wiper arm 74 of bank A and wiper arm 94 of bank B to rotate clockwise one step to position Number 1, The breaking of contact 88 de-energizes the coil of relay TDI and allows its switch contact to close after a delay of one or two seconds, as desired.

The purpose of delaying the closing of relay TD] contacts at this particular time is to prevent energization of wiper arm 94 on bank B with current from line 98, and thereby present energization of the motor of distributor at station A via line 100, until it is determined by wiper 74 whether that station is calling for material to be separated from the air stream and deposited thereat. In other words, if limit switch LSA is closed so as to provide current to wiper arm 74 and thereby effect another and immediate stepping by the stepping relay 84, the distributor motor at station A will not even be momentarily energized; nor will the motor at station B be immediately energized then (regardless of the position of limit switch LSB) since relay TDl was reset to its full delay time by current from the closed LSA switch. On the other hand, if the level control 68 at station A causes limit switch LSA to be open, wiper arm 74 is not then energized and stepper relay 84 will not cause movement of the wiper arm to their next position. Instead. after a short delay, the contact of relay TDl closes and supplies current to the distributor motor of station A via wiper arm 94 and line 100. This motor continues to run and fill the station with material extracted by the distributor from the air stream, until level control 68 closes limit switch LSA and effects a stepping of wiper arms 74 and 94 to their respective Number 2 positions.

At this second station, the level control will be causing the limit switch LSB to be open or closed in accordance with thcsensed requirements at station B, and accordingly the distributor motor at that station will operate or not to fulfill the requirements indicated. If there is no need for fibers at station B, the fibrous material in the air stream will continue in the pneumatic circulation system without any of the fibers being diverted into station B, and the stepping relay 84, will automatically move wiper arms 74 and 94 to their respective Number 3 positions, in the same manner above indicated.

This same procedure automatically occurs for station C. but when wiper arms 74 and 94 are moved to their respective Number 4 positions, there is no sensing of demand at station D as long as the electrical system is connected as illustrated in FIG. 1. As previously indicated, station D has its distributor motor connected continuously to a source of supply so to operate continuously and extract from the circulating air any left over fibrous material, to keep. same from choking or tending to choke the pneumatic circulation system.

It will be noted that in the bank A stepping switch, positions 4-10 are interconnected by line 102, which in turn is connected to the source of energy via line 104. Accordingly, wiper arm 74 is continuously energized from position Numbers 4l0, and consequently current results on lines 80, 86, and selfstepping Contact 88 to stepper relay 84, causing wiper arm 74 to move stepby-step from position Number 4 to position Number 11 automatically without delay. Of course, wiper arm 94 of bank B does likewise since it is also mechanically connected to relay stepper 84. The interconnection of bank B positions or terminals Number 4ll by line 104 has nothing to do with effecting the stepping itself, but causes relay TD2 to be immediately energized by current from line 98 through the TDl contact and wiper arm 94, while that wiper arm is at each of positions Number 4-11, inclusive. Relay TD2 delays closing its contact after de-energization for a time comparable to the TDl delay time, and renews its full delay time each time it is re-energized. This means the contact of relay TD2 opens beginning with position Number 4 and stays open until wiper arm 94 advances from position Number 11 to position Number 1 at the beginning of the next cycle, notwithstanding momenting cutoffs of current to the coil of relay TD2 by self-stepping contact 88 and the contact of relay TDl. Accordingly, while the stepping switches are at or between positions Numbers 4-11, the electrical controls 56 are turned off by the resultant deenergization of relay 58 and opening of its switch PS. 7

Each step of wiper arm 74 on bank A, except the off or Number 1 1 position, eventually, if not immediately, supplies current to timer 78. This timer, therefore, gets continually charged, and is not allowed to run out and close its contact 76 until wiper arm 74 returns to the off or Number 11 position, after which time the timer contacts close within a predetermined time, say 8 to l0 minutes. This delay in closing time contact 76 allows sufficient time for any one of the stations A to C to have any maximum requirement fulfilled by the fiber in the circulating air stream, and also allows time for the different stations A, B and C to utilize the material extracted from the air stream in accordance with the type of equipment thereat.

No limitation is intended by the number of receiving stations or number of rotary stepping switch positions utilized in the example discussed above, since with an 11 position switch any number of stations up through ten may be selectively coupled thereto and, of course, the number of switch positions may be increased to or more to accommodate whatever number of receiving stations that need to be involved in any given situation. The same is true for the embodiment of FIG. 4 which is now, described as operating with eight stations A. H (not'shown).

Like the embodiment in FIG. 1, the embodiment of FIG. 4 also erri'plo'ys two switch banks A and B, which have respective wiper arms and 112 stepped in unison by the stepping solenoid 114 from each of 25 different positions, represented by switch contacts numbered through 25,- to the next.

The active contacts of switch banks A and B, i.e., contacts Number l-8, are connected between eight demand indicating or limit switches LSA LSN and eight distributoractuators such as motors M A M The limit switches LSA, etc. are any type of desired hopper level control contacts, for example, similar to those in FIG. I which are connected to the level indicating element in the hopper at each of the stations. Actuators M etc. may be condenser motors in FIG. 1, or they may be transition valves or the like by which material being conveyed by the conveyor means is directed, or not, into the hopper at the station where the actuator is located, according to whether the corresponding level indicating or limit switch is in a closed condition indicating the hopper demands material, or in an open position indicating the hopper is full. In FIG. 4, the level switch LSA is associated with the same station as distributor actuator M level switch LSB is associated with the same station as distributor actuator M etc.

In a manner explained in more detail below, the eight level control switches LSA LSH are connected through terminal block 116 and respectively by eight relays RLA RLH to contacts Number 1-8 of switch bank A. In particular, level control switch LSA is connected at one side to the common ground line 118 and at its other side through one pole SlA of a double pole singlethrow switch which has its other pole, designated SIB, serially connected with motor M Switch S1A, which is closed whenever station A is to benefit from the control system, is connected to the coil 120 of relay RLA. As long as level switch LSA is open, current from the hot line 122 passes through a system master switch 124 to relay contact 126 which in its deactuated (illustrated) position connects to line 128. In turn, line 128 is connected to contact Number 1 of switch bank A. Consequently, when wiper arm 110 is on that contact, current passes through the wiper arm and the normally closed self-stepping solenoid contact 130, diode 132, and the solenoid coil 114, with a slight delay in operation of the stepping solenoid being effected by a condenser 132. Current returns to ground via line 134. Solenoid 114 not only steps wiper arm 110 and 112 to a second position so as to be on contact Number 2, but also opens the self-stepping contact 130, thereby initially breaking the circuit and dc-energizing coil 114.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that as long as the other level control switches LSB LSH are all open, the respective coil 136 of relays RLB RLH will remain de-energized, and their left contacts will therefore remain in their rightward position so as to apply solenoid stepping current to the respective contacts Number 2-8 of switch bank A. Consequently, wiper arm will, under the condition of all level switches LSA LSH being open, automatically step from contact Number 1 to contact Number 2, etc., until it arrives on contact Number 9 of switch bank A.

While it is not necessary for this invention to have.a group of switch bank contacts unused, FIG. 4 illustrates how a switch bank with an excessive number of contacts, may still be employed nevertheless. Unused contacts Number 9-24 are connected together by conductor 140, which in turn is connected to line 142 and thereby back to the current source on line 122. Consequently, wiper arm 110 is continually energized from terminals Number 9-24 and stepper solenoid 114 steps the wiper arm from one to the next of these terminals automatically. At terminal 24, it steps wiper arm to the of terminal Number 25. This last terminal is similar to switch bank terminal 11 in FIG. 1, in that the equipment is held in an off condition for a predetermined length of time before it is automatically recycled.

As may be noted in FIG. 4, contact Number of switch bank A is connected by line 144 to terminal 146 of a motorized delay relay 148 in a recycle timer 150. Since terminal 146 is not initially connected to relay contact 147 and therefore cannot receive current from line 152, it is apparent that the stepping solenoid 114 is not immediately energized via wiper arm 110 when it is on contact Number 25.

To show how it is finally energized, reference is made to switch bank B, where it will be noted at contacts Number 923 are connected together by line 154, which in turn connects to line 156. At the far left end of line 156 in FIG. 4A, line 158 connects line 156 to LII relay contact 160. Wiper arm 112 of switch bank B is continuously energized by virtue of its connection via line 162 to the hot line 122. Therefore, it is apparent that as soon as the wiper arm 112 makes contact with terminal Number 9 of switch bank B, current is conveyed thereby to line 156, and further over line 158 to relay contact 160 of the delay motor 164. This motorized delay relay 148 is of the variable delay type and does not actuate its contacts until the delay time manually set into the motor runs out. At the end of that time, which may be up to 12 seconds or so, relay contacts 147 and 160 shift over to their unillustrated positions, breaking the circuit to motor 164 and connecting wiper arm at contact Number 25 to current on line 152 so as to cause stepper solenoid 144 to step wiper arm from contact Number 25 to contact Number 1. This is done in one step since the opposite half of wiper arm 1 10 comes onto contact Number 1 immediately as the other half thereof moves off contact Number 25.

Since contact Number 24 of switch bank B is not connected to the common line 154, current over lines 156 and 158 ceases when wiper arm 112 steps onto contact Number 24. This would de-energize motor 164, if it were not for the fact that the clutch relay contact 166 was actuated when wiper arm I12 previously moved onto contact Number 9, since then the current over lines 156 and 158 also energized the coil of clutch relay 168. The relay immediately operates its contacts upon being energized or deenergized. When relay contact 166 was thereby pulled downwardly. the current on line 152 was transferred to line 170 so as to keep current continuously applied via relay contact 162, the delay motor 164 and clutch relay 168, thereby obviating any problem that might otherwise occur when wiper arm 112 steps onto a contact which is not connected to line 154.

When the motorized delay relay 148 times out so as to move its contacts 147 and 160 upward, the circuit to the delay motor 164 and clutch coil 168 is broken, and the relay contacts of each immediately return to their illustrated positions and the delay motor is automatically reset. As previously indicated, wiper arms 110 and 112 then step from their respective contacts Number 25 to Number 1, and the cycle beings all over again.

The foregoing describes a complete cycle of events when none of the level control switches LSA LSH is closed. However, the cycle is interrupted whenever it is sensed, in the sequence of sensing the condition of these switches that one of them is closed. If the first station served by the system is demanding more material be distributed into its hopper then the level control switch LSA is closed. This completes a circuit from ground through relay coil 120, lines 172 and 174, relay contact 166 and lines 152, 176 and 122. Accordingly, contact 126 of relay RLA is operated to its leftward position so as to apply current to lines 178 and 180, relay contact 182 and line 184 to the coil 186 of a delay timer 188. This timer waits for about the time to complete one cycle, for example about l0 seconds, until it closes its contact 190. This completes a circuit from a voltage source 192 through a manual feed switch 194 to a feed relay 196. This relay has as its contact the picker switch PS of the FIG. 1 apparatus which feeds material to the conveying and distributing system through the feeder electrical control 56, also shown in FIG. 1.

At the same time. wiper arm 112 of switch bank B, while it is on contact Number 1, feeds current from line 162 to line 198 back to relay RLA and therethrough via contact 200 which is not in its leftward position because of thee nergization of relay coil 120. From relay contact 200, current is conveyed by line 202 through the closed switch 818 and terminal of block 116, to distributor motor M This motor. therefore, is actuated and causes the material that is being fed due to the closure of the feed relay contact PS. into the hopper at the first station A. The delay by timer 188 allows motor M to come up to full speed before the material is fed toward it for distribution in the hopper of station A.

As soon as the hopper of station A becomes full, its limit switch LSA opens, thereby de-energizing relay RLA. This turns off motor M since relay contact 200 moves to the right. The rightwardv movement of the other relay contact 126 causes current to be applied over line 128 to contact Number 1 of switch bank A. As before described, this causes the wiper arms to step to contact Number 2.

From the above description, it is apparent that if any of the level control switches LSB LSH is closed, the coil 136 of the respective relay RLB RLH is energized to move its contacts 138 and 204 leftwardly so as to energize the respective motor M I MH and cause a feed of material by the closure of the picker switch PS.

After the condition of the last level switch LSH is sensed and material fed and distributed by motor M to station H, if required, wiper arms 110 and 112 move onto contacts Number 9. As previously indicated, this energizes the delay relay 148 and clutch relay 168 to start the recycle delay time that is set into the delay motor 164. During this time, the clutch relay contact 182 opens so as to prevent energization of the feed relay 196 until after the wiper arms return to their respective Number 1 contacts. Since line 156 from bank B is carrying current while wiper arm 112 is on contacts Numbers 9-23, and since that line is connected by respective lines 206 into each of the relays RLA RLH so as to deliver current through the right hand relay contact 200 in relay RLA and 204 in the others, all eight of the distributors M M are thereby actuated during that time. This clears the material conveying line by adding any remaining material into the adjacent machine hoppers, readying the whole distributing system for another cycle.

FIG. 5 of the drawings discloses a further embodiment of the invention. Valves or fiber condensers"indicated by numerals 301, 302 and 303 are transition valves which are normally closed but are opened when a demand is indicated by the station at which they are located. These valves or fiber condensers" are used to separate the fibers ofthe material from the conveying air stream at the point of-delivery. Apparatus of this general type is described and claimed in the Lytton et al US. Pat. No. 3,039,149. A plurality ofsueh transition valves or condensers, or other types of material separators as in the Lytton et al US. Pat. No. 3.039.151 are disposed at respective receiving points or stations where the fibers are to be distributed in accordance with the demand of a particular station. The circuit diagram controlling these valves will now be explained.

With the system initially at rest. master control switch 304 will be closed and it will energize power line 306. The pneumatic timer 307, including switch 308, which is normally closed. and coil 309, will not effect the operation until the recycling sequence of the system is to become effective. This part of the operation through 312 are open, indicating a demand at all the stations, line 306 will be energized when switch 304 is closed. The open condition of level control switch 310, as previously assumed, shows that the first station in line is demanding material. With the energization of line 306 and switch 310 being open, line 313 will be energized since switch 318 is normally closed. The power will be transmitted to transition valve 301 through lines 313 and 314 since relay contact B is normally closed. The circuit is completed through return line 317. Line 313 will concurrently also energize line 315 and 316 through normally closed relay contact D,. With the energization of line 316, coil 326 of feed timer 346 will be energized. This circuit is also completed by return line 317. The delay timer will close switch 327 after a definite elapse of time, usually in the range of 5 seconds. When switch 327 closes, coil 343 is energized,

which in turn will close three phase switch 344, thereby powering motor 328 which will begin the flow of material to conduits 329 and 345. Transition valve 301 being open, is now capable of transmitting the received supply of material to its respective station.

When this first station is filled, level control switch 310 will close, energizing thereby relay coil 319 through line 318. With the energization of coil 319,

relay contacts B and D which normally were closed,

are now open, and relay contacts A and C,, which were normally open, will now be closed. Coil 326 of course is not de-energized to stop feed motor 328 until all of the switches D, D and D, have been opened. With the closing of relay contact A,, power from line 313 will be transmitted to line 320'and through relay contact B which is normally closed, to line 32], thereby opening transition valve 302. Concurrently, power from line 313 will flow through line 315, through normally closed relay contact D to line 332 and 316. The supply of material is thus continuously fed to conduits 329 and 347, now being thereby deposited through transition valve 302 into its respective station.

When the level control switch 311 indicates that the station no longer needs any material, it will close, thereby completing a circuit through line 306 and 335, energizing relay coil 323, whereupon relay contacts D and B which were normally closed, are open, thereby closing transition valve 302. Relay contacts A and C which were normally open are now closed. As we had previously assumed. level control switch 312 was open and remains open indicating a demand in its respective station. This demand will now be fulfilled since the closing of relay contact A will transmit power to line 324, through normally closed relay contact 8;, and line 325 to thereby open transition valve 303. Power will now still be transmitted to the feed supply circuit through lines 313, 315, normally closed relay contact D to line 316. This keeps energized the coil 326, which in turn keeps closed coil 343 energized. three phase switch 344 closed and feed motor 328, which will feed the material through conduits 329 and 348 into the respective station which is fed by transition valve 303, operating.

It-will be noted from this specification that the contol valves 301, 302 and 303 are operably actuated when the level control switches 310, 311 and 312 are respectively open, indicating demand at each respective station. The station demand requirement was fulfilled in the system shown in FIG. 5, by first filling the station furthest away from the supply line, then sequentially filling the remaining stations, from the furthest in the line to the nearest in the line relative to the supply source. This sequence is established so that the conduits 345, 347, 348 and 329 will be kept substantially clear of residue material during the operable distributing time of the system. Through the use of this sequence any material residue which may remain in conduit 329 during the filling of the first station will be used to fulfill the demand of the second station thereby limiting the amount of residue material remaining in the conduits which will be purged therefrom during the purging operation described infra.

Upon the completion of the filling operation, level control switch 312 will close thereby energizing relay coil 333. The relay contacts 8;, and D which normally are closed, are now open and relay contacts A and C which normally are open are now closed. With the closing of relay contact A;,, power will be transmitted to all the relays through lines 313, 320, and 324 thereby assuring that relay windings will remain energized even though a level control switch may now be opened.

Concurrently with the closing of relay contact A;, power will flow through line 337 which will transmit power to lines 338, 339 and 340 which because relay contacts C, and C and C are closed, will open all the transition valves connected thereto, shown as 301, 302, and 303.

In this operation all the transition valves are open. However, no supply is being fed into the conduits, therefore, the opening of all the transition valves at the present time will insure that any residue material which has remained in the conduits during the distribution operation will be cleared therefrom and drawn into the respective stations. The duration of this purging operation is controlled by the pneumatic timer 307 since with the energization of line 337, line 341 will transmit power to coil 309 of the pneumatic timer. This will open switch 308, which is normally closed after a predetermined time interval, thereby cutting off all power to the system.

The opening of the transition valves 301, 302, and 303 during the purging operation which allows the residue material to be transmitted into the respective sta tion is also a safety feature since the fan 331 is continuously drawing out, and if allowed to do so for an extended period of time it will eventually collapse the conduits. The feed motor 328 is stopped after completion of the feeding operation and it does not commence the feeding until the complete operation is recycled after the conduits are purged. It is during this interim that the conduits may collapse, however, the invention eliminates this detriment by opening the transition valves, thereby purging the conduits and preventing collapse. The fan 331 could be electrically connected to the primary circuit, so that when switch 308 opens, thereby closing the system, it could concurrently also stop the fan. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the fan 331 is shown to be independent of the main circuit. for purposes of clarity and is not considered a limiting feature.

Pneumatic timer 307 can be set to any specified length of time. This time is dependent upon the required distribution of the operation, since with the energization of coil 309, switch 308 will once again assume its closed position thereby beginning the distribution cycle all over again. This embodiment, of course, is not limited as shown to three stations, since stations can be added to either side of the line without departing from the scope of the invention.

The number of stations can be changed, either increased or decreased, by any desired number at either end of the system. That is, stations can be added at the right end of FIG. 5 by merely removing line 337 and inserting the desired number of valve-relay combinations in parallel with those already existing. Line 337 would then be placed across the corresponding terminals of the last station. Other stations could be added at the left end of FIG. 5 by removing line 341 and inserting in parallel with the existing stations a desired number of additional stations with line 341 being replaced across the corresponding terminals of the left most near station. Reference is now made to FIG. 6 which shows another electrical control system similar to the circuitry illustrated in FIG. 5. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, as in the embodiment of FIG. 5, fiber is supplied from a suitable source 400 to a pneumaticline 402 which carries the entrained fibers to each of the stations in the system and these stations, in the embodiment of FIG. 6 are stations 404, 406 and 408. A fan 410 is connected to the pneumatic output line 412 to draw the entrained fibers through the line 402 and to a station to be supplied so that the entrained fibers are diverted through a station when valves V,, V; or V associated with a station is opened in the manner described above. As in the embodiment of FIG. 5, an electrical motor 420 causes the supply source 400 to supply fibers to the line 402 and the energy to operate this motor 420 is supplied from a conventional threephase source via ganged switches 422. These normally open ganged switches 422 are closed together when current flows through a conventional relay coil 424 which is connected to a suitable alternating current source via a normally closed switch 426, which is in turn controlled by relay coil 434 of relay 436. Relay coil 434 is connected to an energy source via normally closed switch 440, which is in turn controlled by relay coil 442. Should any of the rake or demand switches 428, 430 or 432 associated with stations 404, 406, and 408 respectively be open, indicating a demand for fibers at that station in the same manner as discussed above, then the relay coil 442 will be deactivated thereby allowing the normally closed switch 440 to return to its normally closed position permitting current to flow through coil 434, closing switch 426 which in turn completes a current path through relay 424, closing switches 422 and supplying the energy to the motor 420 which then supplies fibers to line 402 as described above.

If, for example, all of the rake switches 428, 430 and 432 are open, indicating a demand for fibers at each of these stations 404, 406 and 408, then the circuitry will operate substantially in the manner described above causing each of the stations to be served in turn. The

stations are served in order starting with the one furthest from the source 400 and proceeding toward source 400. Any stations not exhibiting demand are skipped and after being skipped if a station demands fiber it is not served until the cycle has been Completed and line 402 purged.

Thus, if the switch 428 is open then current first flows from line 448 through closed on-off switch 450 and normally closed switch 452 through the switch 442, which is a singlcpolc. double throw switch replacing the switches B and C in the embodiment of FIG. 5, through the valve V to the line 444 and from line 444 back to the other side of the energy supply connected to line 446. When the rake switch 428 subsequently closes indicating that demand has been temporarily satiated, a current path is completed through the coil 460 which responds by closing switch 462 and shifting the switch 442 into connection with line 464 in preparation for the purge. Similarly, if the stations 406 and 408 are demanding fibers, they are supplied in turn and the relays 466 and 468 are successively activated to shift the positions of the switches controlled thereby if no demand is indicated or after the demand has been satiated in the same manner as described above with regard to FIG. 5.

After demand at all stations has been completely fullfilled. a current path is completed through the relay 442 via switches 462, 470 and 472. The passage of current through coil 442 opens normally closed switch 440, causing coil 434 to be deactivated thus opening switch 426. The opening of switch 426 deactivates relay 424 which in turn opens switches 422 so that no more fibers are supplied to the line 402.

In the same manner as with FIG. 5, all of the valves V,, V and V;, are now opened to purge the line 402 of fibers which have been dropped within the line 402 and which will eventually clog it. if not periodically removed. The closing of all of the switches, 462, 470 and 472 completes a current path from line 448 to line 480 which is in turn connected to the line 444 through each of the switches 442, 482, and 484, which are shifted from their illustrated position. and valves V V and V so that current passes through the val'ves V V and V to cause them to open. Air then passes through each of these valves and to the fan 410 and the system is purged of fibers remaining in line 402.

Current also passes from the line 444 through the coil 490 of the relay 492. In the same manner as in FIG. 5, coil 490 is of the time delay type which pauses briefly in opening its normally closed switch 452. After a short time. the switch 452 is opened to interrupt the purging path through the valves V V. and V and to deactivate the coils 460,- 466 and 468. The system then returns to its initial state and again responds to demands at any of the stations 404, 406 or 408 as described above.

FIG. 7 illustrates another control system for controlling the supplying of fibers to a plurality of fiber stations connccted to a supply source by a pneumatic tube. As in the embodiment of FIGS. and 6, the source 500 supplies entrained fibers to a line 502 to which are connected stations 504, 506 and 508, having valves V,. V and V respectively associated therewith for the removal of fibers in the same way as described above. Also. as in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, a fan 510 or like device is attached to the return line 512 and the entrained fibers are drawn through the tube 502 toward the lan5l0 and through the valvcs V and V which are successively opened to withdraw the fibers as described above.

In contrast to the other embodiments described above, the arrangement shown in FIG. 7 has a built-in priority. By this it is meant that the circuitry is designed higher priority that is demanding fibers. Further, the. arrangement shown in FIG. 7 is designed to deal, at

least partially, with the problem of overfeed which can result with the arrangement shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 if any of the stations attached to the line 502 is not removing the fibers which are deposited therein during each purge. Since the station closest to the fan 510 normally receives the bulk of the fibers which are purged at the end of each cycle, this station in particular is susceptible to being overloaded. The circuitry shown in FIG. 7 solves this problem by only opening the valve of the last station actually served during a cycle for purging the line 502. Thus ifa station does not receive fibers during a cycle, it cannot receive fibers during purging.

Like the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, the arrangement in FIG. 7 employs level control or rake switches 520, 522 and 524 which operate in the same manner as described above, connecting to the lines 526, 528 and 530, respectively, when a demand condition and connecting to the lines 523, S34 and 536 when the station associated therewith does not want fibers. Thus, if any a of the switches 520, 522 and 524 are in the illustrated demand positions, the feed relay 540 which has 21 capacitor 524 connected in parallel with it and a diode 544 connected in series with it to rectify the current from the alternating current source 545 which is coupled to line 547 by conventional transfer549 is deactivated, permitting switch 546 which it controls to resume its normally closed and switch 580 its normally open position. The closing of switch 546 in turn activates relay 548 which in turn closes normally open switch 550 activating a feed motor 552 in the same manner as described in connection with FIGS; 5 and 6 to feed fibers to line 502 from source 500.

In the arrangement of FIG. 7, the priority of stations receiving fibers is from left to right with the station 504 having the highest 'priority, the station 506 having the second highest priority, and the station 508 having the lowest priority. It should be apparent that priority can be assigned any stations any way desired although stations are normally served beginning with those furthest from the source. Thus in this embodiment, assuming the station 504 is demanding fibers, it is served first as follows. The relay 554 is activated by the current flowing through the switch 520 and line 526 and rectified by the diode 556. A capacitor 558 is connected in par- 21110] with the relay 556 and is quickly charged to provide a DC. voltage across relay 554 to close switches 560 and 562. The closing of switch 560 completes a current path through the valve V which then opens and diverts the entrained fibers in the line 502 through station 504 in the same manner described above. The closing of switch 562 is in preparation for the purge of the system as described below. When the demand of station 504 has been satiated. and assuming station 506 is demanding fibers, the rake or level control switch 520 shifts into connection with the line 532 and a current path is thus completed via switch 522 through the relay coil of the next station to receive fibers. namely station 508. Relay 566 then closes switches 568 and 570 in the same manner as relay coil 554, completing a path through the valve V and also preparing for the purge. When the station 506 has been satisfied, switch 522 shifts into connection with line 534 and the relay 572 of the station 508 is activated to close switches 574 and S76 and complete a current path through valve V and prepare for a purge.

The system shown in FIG. 7 differs from the system shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in that should a station having a higher priority exhibit a demand for fibers when another station is being served, the system will skip back to the higher station and satisfy its demands. For example, if the station 508 were being served but was not satisfied and the switch 520 returned to connection with the line 526 indicating a demand, the relay 572 after a very short time period during which the capacitor 5 80 discharged, would be deactivated, cutting off the current path through valve V, which then closes. At the same time, relay 554 would be reactivated closing switches 566 and 562 so that the valve V is again opened to remove fibers. After the station 504 has again been satisfied switch 520 will shift again the into the connection with line 532 and once again the system serves the next station demanding fibers in priority.

Once the complete cycle has been finished with all of the rake or control level switches 520, 522 and 524 shifted to their satisfied condition in connection with line 532, 534, and 536, respectively, a current path is created through the relay 540 which charges a capacitor 542 and opens normally closed switch 546 which in turn cuts off the energy supplied to the motor 552. The purging operation now takes place and the charged capacitor 542 will cause the relay 540 to remain activated for a short time sufficient for purging even should one of the rake or control switches 520, 522 or 524 shift during purging indicating a demand. The activation of relay 540 also closes the normally open switch 580, completing a current path through the coil 554, 556 or 572 of the last station actually served. The values of the capacitors 558, 562 and 580 associated with the relays 554, 556 and 572 are carefully chosen so that the discharge rate will be usch to keep the coil with which it is associated activated for a shorter time after the current path is removed. The discharge time, however, is short enough so that by the time purging takes place all of the relays will be deactivated except the one which was served last. Of course, if the last station was served very quickly it is possible that more than one relay will be still activated during purging. However, a relay associated with a station which did not receive fibers during the cycle obviously could not still be activated. Thus, if station 508 was served last, which it normally would be, then the coil 572 will still be sufficiently charged to maintain relay 572 activated when switch 580 is closed completing a new path through relay 572 via switch 576 and diode 590. Valve V thus remains open during purging, and this valve will be the only one open during purging. Since the last station to be served during any cycle is the one through which purging takes place, the problem of over feeding is resolved.

Reference is now made to FIG. 8 which illustrates an embodiment of the invention in schematic whereby the distributing system has the ability to feed all of the stations from one of two sources or a predetermined number of stations from one supply and the rest from the other. Other embodiments employing more than one source are disclosed further in US. Pat. No. 3,649,082 filed Dec. 28, 1967. FIG. 8 however, clearly illustrates the scope of the invention of this application which covers multiple as well as single feed systems. The sys tem illustrated in FIG. 8 is especially versatile and flexible in that the source which feeds a given station can be changed by throwing a ganged switch, inserting a single plug or manual cutoff valve into the conduit 676 through which the fiber passes and removing another plug. In this embodiment, two sources of fiber, source A and source B, are adapted to feed fibers, which are suspended in a moving air stream, in the same manner as described in connection with FIGS. 1-3 of the above mentioned US. Pat. No. 3,649,082 to stations 650, 652 and 654. As will become apparent from the following detailed description of the operation of FIG. 8, this embodiment is not limited to any particular number of stations, and it will become obvious how more stations can be added or deleted.

In this embodiment, as in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the above mentioned US. Pat. No. 3,649,082 a Master Control comprised of a number of relays which cause the source to feed fibers into the conduit 676 and which cause purging after all stations demanding fibers have been supplied is associated with each source. Master control 656 is associated with source B, and master control 658 with source A. The distribution system for both sources is energized by applying an electrical potential, for example volts A.C., between lines 660 and 662. For purposes of illustration, line 660 is shown connected to the positive pole of an alternating current source, and line 662 to the negative pole.

As in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the above mentioned U.S. pat. No. 3,649,082, transition valves 666, 668 and 670 are associated with stations 650, 652, and 654 so that when any of these valves are opened, fiber is extracted from the conduit 676 and air which was carrying the fiber passes on into the conduit 678, drawn by the fan 680. Fan 680 may be energized by applying an electrical potential between the lines 682 and 684, or the fan may be energized only when fiber is being distributed or the system purged. Alternatively, each station may have an individual fan associated with it. The operation and structure of transition valves such as valves 666, 668 and 670 are described more fully in connection with FIG. 5 of the above mentioned US Pat. No. 3,649,082.

The distribution system of this embodiment is capable of supplying the fiber requirements of any of the stations 650, 652 and 654, whenever any of the level control switches, 682, 684 or 686, respectively associated with each of these stations, is opened, indicating thereby the need for additional fiber at that station. The position of each of the ganged switches 690, 692, and 694, each of which is comprised of five individual switches, determines from which source the station associated with that switch is to be fed. For example, when any of the ganged switches is positioned in the position that ganged swtich 690 is shown in, then that station will be fed solely from source B. When any of the ganged switches is positioned in the down position that ganged switch 694 is shown in, then that sta tion will be supplied solely from source A. This choice between up or down positions is of course arbitrary, and is made solely for the purpose of detailing the operation of this embodiment. This embodiment could also be used with more than two sources by adding additional positions which the ganged switches can assume and additional circuitry in the same manner as the circuitry already present. Therefore. whenever the ganged switches are in the positions shown in FIG. 8, stations 650 and 652 will be supplied from the source B and station 654 will be supplied from source A. It is apparent that all three of the stations could be supplied from either source or two could be supplied from one and one from the other. Any of the stations can of course be removed from the system so that no fiber is supplied to. it by throwing the appropriate on-off 1 switches as described below.

In this embodiment, stations which are shown closest to each supply need not be supplied from that source. Furthermore, if two or more stations are demanding fiber from either supply, stations to the left receive fiber first. Neither of the conditions necessarily is indicative of the actual physical arrangement since the stations can be physically disposed in any location, regardless of their position in the schematic of FIG. 8, so that station 650, for example, could be just as easily located next to source A as source B. It should then be obvious that the arrangement of stations on FIG. 8 is not a limitation.

Assuming that the ganged switches 690, 692 and 694 are all in the position shown and that the level control switches 682, 684 and 686 are all open, calling for fiber, the operation of this embodiment will now be detailed. Whenever all of the level control switches of all of the stations to be fed from source B are closed, indicating no need for fiber at any of the stations, current passes through coil 696 of recycle timer relay 698 and coil 700 of relay 701, preventing the distribution system which distributes fiber from source B from operating, while also interrupting the circuit which supplies the electrical excitation to cause source B to supply fibers. When this emboidment is then operated with the ganged switches 690, 692 and 694 in the positions shown in FIG. 8 with stations650 and 652 then supplied from source B and station 654 from source A,.a current path leads through coils 696 and 700via lines 660 and 702, normally closed switch 704, line 706, switch 7080f ganged switch 690, lines 710 and 712, closed level control switch 682, lines 714 and 716, switch 718 of ganged switch 690, line 720, switch 722 of ganged switch 692, lines 812 and 814, level control switch 684, lines 838 and 840, switch 726 of ganged switch 692, line 728, switch 730 of ganged switch 694, line 732, switch 734 of ganged switch 694, line 736, coils 696 and 700, and line 662.

The passage of current through coil 700 opens normally closed switch 737 immediately. cutting off the current which was flowing through coil 738 of feeder relay 739 via lines 660, 740 and 742, closed switch 737, and line 744. The normally, closed switch 746 then opens immediately preventing source B from supplying fibers to conduit 676 in the same maner as in FIGS. 1-3 of the above mentioned application Scr. No. 694.269. However. the switch 746 delays for a short time in closing after current begins to flow through coil 738 so that the system will be fully prepared to receive fiber fed into the conduit 676 from source B.

The normally closed switch 704 delays for a period of a few seconds in opening so that purging can be accomplished as described below. Switch 704 then opens a predetermined time after current begins to flow through coil 690 and interrupts the flow of current through coils 696 and 700. The interruption of current through coil 700 closes switch 737 and the interruption of current through coil 690 closes switch 704 recompleting the current path through coils 690 and 700.

Therefore current will flow through coils 690 and 700 except during momentary periodic intervals during which switch 704 briefly opens and switch 737 briefly closes. Switch 737 never closes however for a time sufficient to allow coil 738 to close the switch 746 which delays for a few seconds in closing.

However, when the passage of current through coils 690 and 700 is interrupted by the opening of either or both of the level control switches 682 and 684, switch 737 remains closed and current flows through coil 738 of feeder relay 739 until, switch 746 closes causing source B to begin to supply fibers.

Between the time when a level control switch opens and when switch 746 closes, the transition valve of the station demanding fiber which is to be supplied first is opened so that fiber can be supplied to that station. For the purposes of explaining the operation of this embodiment, the switch 682'will be assumed to open first followed immediately by the opening of switch 684. It will of course be understood that should one level control switch 682 or 684 open, and not the other, the stationassociated with the open level control switch alone will be fed.

Since stations 650 and 652 are both supplied from source B, station 650 receives the fiber from source B first since it is furthest to the left in the drawing. As pointed out above, this does not necessarily mean that station 650 is physically nearest to source B or to the left. Because the switch 682 is open, current flows through the relay coil 750, opening the valve 666. The positive pole of the potential connected to line 660 is then electrically linked to one side of the coil 750 via line 702, closed switch 704, line 706, switch 708 of ganged switch 690, lines 710, 712, 752 and 754, switch 756, line 758 and on-off switch 760. The negative pole attached to line 662 is attached to the other side of coil 750 via lines 762 and 744 so that the potential between line 660 and 662 appears across coil 750, opening valve 666.

The transition valve 666 remains open, supplying fibers to the station 650 until the level control switch 62 closes, indicating that the station has received a sufficient amount of fiber. The closing of switch 682 then completes a current path through the relay coil 790 of the relay 792. This path'leads from the positive pole through lines 660 and 702, normally closed switch 704, line 706, switch 708 of the ganged switch 690, lines 710 and 712, switch 682, line 800, coil 790, and lines 762, 744 and 662 to the negative pole. The passage of current through coil 790 immediately closes switch 802 and shifts switch 756 from contact with line 754 to contact with line 804. This interrupts the current flowing through coil 750 and the transition valve 650 closes immediately. The closing of switch 802 provides a parallel path around switch 682 so that current will flow through coil 790 until all the stations which are to be fed from source B have received fiher. even if switch 682 opens indicating a need for additional fiber.

The closing of switches 682 and 802, which occurs when the fiber needs of station 652 have been completely satisfied, also completes a current path through the relay coil 806 which in turn opens the transition In the same manner as described in connection with the 9 operation of station 652, valve 668 remains open as long as the level control switch 684 indicates a need for additional fibers by remaining open. "The closing of switch 684 connects the coil 824 of relay 826 between lines 814 and 762 which are respectively at the potential of the lines 662 and 660. The passage of current through coil 824, which results fromthe closing of level control switch 684, closes switch 830 and shifts switch 818 from line 816 to line 834, interrupting thereby the passage of current through coil 806 and closing valve 668.

Since station 652 is the last station which is to be fed from source B, the system is now purged in a manner similar to that discussed in connection with FIGS. 17. The closing of switch 684 completes a current path through the coil 700, opening the switch 737. The opening of switch 737 interrupts the current path through coil 738 of the feeder relay 73 9, opening the switch 746 immediately. The opening of switch 746 then removes the excitation which causes the source B to supply fibers. This current path through coil 700 leadsfrom line 660, through line 702, normally closed switch 704, line 706, switch 708 of ganged switch 690,

lines 710, 712, and 752, closed switch 802, lines 800,

714 and 716, switch 718 of ganged switch 690, line 720, switch, 7220f ganged switch692, lines 812, 814 and 816, switch 830, lines 836, 838 and 840, switch 726 of ganged switch 692 lines 72 8, switch 730 of ganged switch 694, lines 732, switch 734 of ganged switch 694, line 736, coil 700 and line 662. Since coil 690 is connected in parallel with coil 700 a path also passes through coil 690. After current passes through the coil 690 for a predetermined length of time the switch 704 opens interrupting the paths through the coils 690 and 700.

The closing of the level control switch of the last station which is to be fed from source B, in, this example switch 684, also completes a circuit through the relay coils associated with each of the transition valves of stations fed from source B so that purging occurs. The closing of switch 684 then connects coils 750 and 806 between lines 762 and 736, which are respectively at the potentials of lines 660 and 662. Current passes from line 762 through coil 750, on-off switch760, switch 756, line 804;, and switch 856 to line 736, and from line 762 through coil 806, on-offswitch .822, line 820, switch 818, line 834, and switch to=line 736.

Between the time when switch 746 opens and when switch.704 opens, the system is purged. All of-the transition valves associated with source B, in this example transition valves 666 and 668, are open but no additional fiber is supplied from source B. The opening of switch 704 interrupts the current path through coils 790 and 824, opening switches 802 and 830 and'shifting switch'756 from line 804 to 754 and-switch 818 from line 83410 816. The movement of switches 756 and 818 interrupts the current paths through coils 750 and 806, closing valves 666 and 668.

In addition. the opening-of switch 704, also interrupts the current paths through coil 690 and 700 closing switch 737 and switch 704. The closing of switch 704 recompletes the current path through coils 690 and 700, opening switch 737 immediately'and switch 704 after a predetermined time, as well as completing the path through coils 790, 824, 750 and 806. Therefore, the system will purge itself in the manner described each time switch'704 opens until a level control switch, inthis example switch 682 or 684, opens, indicating a need for additional fiber at which time the system will supply fiber to the station in the manner described. Often, the number of stations fed will be sufficient so that a level control switch will usually be open after a single purging.

At the same time that station 650 is being fed. station 654 is being simultaneously and independently supplied from source A. A plug or manual cut-off valve 835 would of course have 'to be inserted in the conduit between the stations 652 ans 654 to insure that each station would be fed by just one source The distribution system associated with source A operates similar to the system associated with source B in that Whenever all of the level control switches associated with source A are closed, source A is prevented from supplying fibers and the system is periodically purged. Since in this example only station 654 is supplied from source A, level control switch 686 when closed completes a circuit through coils 860 and 862 via lines 660, 740, 864, and 866, normally closed switch 868, line 870, switch 872 of ganged switch 690, line 874, switch 876 of ganged switch 690, line 878, switch 880 of gangedswitch 692, line 882, switch 884 of ganged switch 692, line 886,switch 890 of ganged switch 694, lines 892 and 894, level-control switch 686,

lines 896, and 898, switch 900 of ganged switch 694,

lines 902 and 904, coils-860 and 862, and lines 906,.

908, 762, 744 and 622. When switch 686 is closed, current also flows through coil 910 of relay. 912 from line I 762 which is at the potential of line 660 to line 902 1 which is at the potential of line 662 via lines 914, 896 and 898, and switch 900 of ganged switch 894. As described in connection with master contol 656 switch 868 will periodically open and the system will repeatably purge itself until switch 686 opens, indicating a needfor additional fibers.

When level control switch 686 opens, the current path through coils 862 and 860 is interrupted and the normally closed switch 916 closes. The closing of switch 916 connects coil 918 between line 762 which is at the potential of line 662 and line 864 which is at the potential of line 660, via line 920. The passage of current through coil 918 closes switch 922 which applies an excitation to the source A tocause fibers to be fed into the conduit 676. However, switch 922 delays a few seconds in closing so that the station will be fully ready to receive the fibers.

The opening of level control switch 686 also completes a current path through coil 924, opening valve 670 thereby, from line 886, which is at the potential of line 660, switch 890 of ganged switch 694, lines 892, 894 and 926, switch 928, on-off switch 932, line 934, and coil 924 to line 762 which is at the potential of line 662. When switch 686 closes indicating that enough fibers have been fed to station 654, a circuit is completed through coil 910 from line 894 to line 762 and switch 928 shifts from line 926 to line 930.

Since station 654 is the only station fed from source A, the system is purged after the fiber needs of station 654 have been satisfied. The closing of switch 686 completes a circuit through coils 860 and 862, opening switch 916 and halting the feeding of fiber into the conduit from source A. The coil 924 is also connected between line 902 which is at the potentialof line 662 and line 902 which is at the potential of line 660., via the onoff switch 932, line 934, switch 928, line 930, swithc 936 of ganged switch 694 and line 938.

This embodiment also has the further advantage that any of the stations can be wholly removed from the system. For example, station 650 can be removed by closing switch 940, shorting switch 682, and opening swtich 750, preventing the opening of valve 666. This feature could also be utilized with any of the other embodiments of the invention disclosed herein.

Thus, it is apparent that there has been described electrical control systems which provide for the stated objects and advantages of the invention. Other objects and advantages and even further modifications and embodiments of the invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art uponreading this disclosure. However, it is understood that this disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not limitative, the invention being described by the appended claims.

checking, only after one of said stations indicates a demand for fibers, each of said stations in a fixed sequence to determine which of said stations is demanding fibers,

halting said checking whenever a given station is determined to be demanding fibers, and entraining said fibers from said source in an air stream connecting said source to a given station, removing said fibers from said air stream at said station determined to be demanding fibers until said station is no longer demanding said fibers, and

continuing said checking until each of said stations in said fixed sequence has been checked.

2. A method as in claim 1, including the step of preventing the removal of fibers from said air stream at stations which are not demanding fiber.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said air stream is constrained in a pneumatic tube and including the step i of purging said tube after all of said stations in said sequence have been checked.

4. A method as in claim 1, including the step of delaying said entraining for a given time after said checking of all of said stations in said sequence is completed.

Claims (4)

1. A method of distributing fibers from at least a single source to a plurality of stations, comprising the steps of: checking, only after one of said stations indicates a demand for fibers, each of said stations in a fixed sequence to determine which of said stations is demanding fibers, halting said checking whenever a given station is determined to be demanding fibers, and entraining said fibers from said source in an air stream connecting said source to a given station, removing said fibers from said air stream at said station determined to be demanding fibers until said station is no longer demanding said fibers, and continuing said checking until each of said stations in said fixed sequence has been checked.

2. A method as in claim 1, including the step of preventing the removal of fibers from said air stream at stations which are not demanding fiber.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said air stream is constrained in a pneumatic tube and including the step of purging said tube after all of said stations in said sequence have Been checked.

4. A method as in claim 1, including the step of delaying said entraining for a given time after said checking of all of said stations in said sequence is completed.

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