Singulator for sorting random items

#The present application is related to commonly-assigned, US Patent applications for Tray for Orienting and Conveying Items, Ser. No. 13/053,531, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,474,597 and for Automatic Spike Feeder System, Ser. No. 13/053,523, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,516,965.

#The present invention relates generally to material handling equipment, and more specifically to equipment for sorting and orienting loose items provided in bulk such as rail spikes and similar fasteners.

#Currently, rail spikes used in a rail maintenance gang are stored in bulk and delivered in relatively small groups to an operator station by a reciprocating ram, as disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,590 which is incorporated by reference. In conventional rail maintenance operations employing the reciprocating ram, a designated operator draws individual spikes from the small group supplied by the ram, manually orients them in proper top-to-bottom and front-to-back position, and inserts them into a feed tray of a rail fastener driver magazine, of the type disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,398,616; 5,465,667 and 7,104,200, all of which are incorporated by reference.

#FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the present singulator;

#FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top perspective of the singulator of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the present singulator, with portions removed for clarity;

#Referring to FIG. 1, the present singulator is generally designated 10 and is preferably used with a bulk bin loader as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,590 which is incorporated by reference. The bulk bin loader (not shown) is mounted on a mobile track maintenance unit, such as a rail fastener driver of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,104,200 incorporated by reference. A large bin (not shown) is provided for storing a supply of items to be sorted. In the preferred embodiment, the items are rail spikes, however it is contemplated that other types of rail fasteners, such as lag screws, Lewis bolts or the like, or other types of bulk stored items could be used. The bin loader also includes a hopper at the bottom of the bin, and a reciprocating ram receives a small supply of the items stored in the hopper, separates them and pushes them towards an outlet of the loader.

#The present singulator 10 is constructed and arranged to be operationally disposed adjacent the outlet of the loader, so that the supply of items separated by the reciprocating ram is available to the singulator. While in the preferred embodiment, the singulator 10 is mounted in a rail fastener applicator vehicle, preferably a spike driver, it is also contemplated that the singulator could be a stand-alone unit or could be configured for working with another type of bulk loader if needed.

#Basically, the purpose of the singulator is to deliver single, sorted and oriented items from a supply of bulk, randomly oriented items. As described above, the preferred item is a rail spike, but other similar items are contemplated. The singulator 10 includes a frame 12 having a pair of parallel sidewalls or plates 14 spaced apart by at least one and preferably a plurality of rear walls or plates 16 (FIG. 16). A cavity or work chamber 18 is defined by the plates 14 and 16. Also, the frame 12 is configured so that a front vertical edge 20 is disposed below and in front of a top rear edge 22 of the frame. It will be appreciated that the front edge 20 is preferably disposed in close operational relationship a supply of the items 24, such as are delivered by the reciprocating ram of the bulk bin loader, described above.