Molins Plc

Douglas J Seagrove

Jerzy W Czoch

Robert J Green

Martin D Morgan

Conveyor control circuit for use at a junction of conveyors at which articles move from one conveyor to another or between a number of conveyors. Speed signals from conveyors whose speeds are dictated by conditions elsewhere in the system are summed to produce a 'net flow signal' which is preferably corrected by the addition of a signal from a sensor at the junction, whose sensitivity may be adjusted in accordance with the net flow signal so that the correction is greater when the net flow towards or away from the junction is greater. The controlled conveyor may be used to move articles to or from a reservoir device. Additional speed correction may be applied if the sensor signal is outside a range which varies in size with the net flow signal.

Production line flow control

Apparatus for monitoring the flow of a stack of cigarettes in a conveyor system using a television camera tube or light-sensitive detectors positioned adjacent the ends of the cigarettes, preferably in an array or row covering the whole height of the stack, to monitor the formation of the stack and to produce pulse signals representing the articles present. The sensors are scanned by control circuitry which produces control signals in response to the number or speed of articles detected.

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London, United Kingdom

Douglas J Seagrove