Separator for Articles of Laundry

Abstract

A separator separates sheets from a bundle. Slack in the strap used to raise and lower a clamp is used to determine when the clamp reaches the bundle. A non-horizontal conveyor tilts beneath the clamp to receive multiple articles, and then tilts over another bin to deposit the articles. The second bin includes an angled surface, which is straightened to shift the articles for clamping. The clamp is supported by, but not attached to, a support connected with the drive. When the clamp reaches the pile, the clamp stops but the support may continue to move. The clamp is tiltable. The article is transferred by an air jet onto a surface with a roller separated from the surface. Upon transfer, the roller forms a nip with the surface. The article is deposited on an exit conveyor having a flexible, raised portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for separating sheets, the method comprising:
 first clamping one or more sheets from a first bundle;   first removing the one or more sheets from the first bundle while first clamping;   positioning the one or more sheets into a bin as a second bundle;   second clamping a first sheet of the second bundle; and   second removing the first sheet from the second bundle while second clamping.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first bundle is in a laundry cart;
 further comprising: 
 ceasing the first clamping and the first removing while another laundry cart is positioned; 
 wherein the second clamping and the second removing continue during the ceasing. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein first clamping comprises clamping with a weighted clamp, the weighted clamp having a first size for clamping multiple of the sheets, and wherein second clamping comprises clamping with a second clamp, the second clamp having a second size for clamping the first sheet as an individual sheet. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 third clamping a second sheet of the second bundle; and 
 third removing the second sheet from the second bundle while third clamping; 
 wherein the second and third clamping and removing use different clamps and operation in synchronization. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein positioning comprises:
 depositing the one or more sheets on a conveyor; 
 tilting the conveyor from above the first bundle to above the second bundle; and 
 conveying the one or more sheets towards the second bundle while tilting. 
 
     
     
         6 . A clamping arrangement for clamping an article of laundry, the clamping arrangement comprising:
 a first laundry clamp;   a first clamp support positioned to support the first laundry clamp; and   a drive operatively connected with the first clamp support, the first clamp support moved in response to operation of the drive, wherein the first laundry clamp moves with the first clamp support until the first laundry clamp is blocked, the first clamp support operable to move away from and then return to the first laundry clamp when the first laundry clamp is blocked.   
     
     
         7 . The clamping arrangement of  claim 6  wherein the first clamp rests on the first clamp support such that gravity positions the first clamp against the first clamp support unless the first clamp is blocked. 
     
     
         8 . The clamping arrangement of  claim 6  wherein the first clamp support is beneath the first laundry clamp, the first clamp support operable to lift the first laundry clamp and an article of laundry clamped in the first laundry clamp and operable to continue downward movement when the first clamp rests against a bundle of laundry. 
     
     
         9 . The clamping arrangement of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a belt connecting the drive with the first clamp support; 
 a guide along which the first laundry clamp and first clamp support travel; 
 wherein the belt is operable to move the first clamp support between two positions on the guide, the first laundry clamp operable to move between the two positions without a blockage and operable to move between one of the positions and the blockage with the blockage and while the first clamp support moves between the one of the positions and another of the two positions. 
 
     
     
         10 . The clamping arrangement of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a second laundry clamp; 
 a second clamp support connected with the drive and positioned to support the second laundry clamp; 
 wherein the drive is operable to move the first and second clamp supports in opposite directions at a same time. 
 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for separating articles of laundry, the apparatus comprising:
 a first clamp tiltable towards and away from a bin and operable to clamp an article of laundry from the bin while titled towards the bin; and   a deposit platform spaced from the bin, the first clamp movable from the bin to the deposit platform while the article of laundry is clamped, the first clamp operable to release the article of laundry while adjacent to the deposit platform;   wherein after release of the article of laundry, the first clamp is operable to tilt away from the bin while returning to the bin.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the deposit platform comprises a conveyor fixedly positioned adjacent to a run of the first clamp, the first clamp operable to move past the conveyor while clamping the article of laundry;
 further comprising: 
 an air jet operable to blow the article of laundry onto the conveyor. 
 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the first clamp is operable to move back and forth from a bin position to a release position, the first clamp operable to tilt towards the bin while moving from the bin to the release position and operable to tilt away from the bin while moving from the release position to the bin. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the first clamp is operable to change the tilt after releasing the article of laundry and before moving from the release position to the bin and is operable to change the tilt after reaching the bin and before clamping the article of laundry. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for separating articles of laundry, the apparatus comprising:
 a clamp moveable between a gripping position and a release position;   a strap connected with the clamp;   a drive connected with the strap, the drive operable to raise and lower the clamp with the strap;   a spring trigger adjacent the strap, the spring trigger operable to change position in response to the strap being slack; and   a sensor adjacent to the spring trigger and connected with the drive, the sensor operable to sense the change in the position, the drive operable to reverse direction in response to the sensor sensing the change in the position.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the clamp moves in response to gravity for the lowering and is hoisted by the strap for raising, the clamp raising at least one article of laundry while being hoisted. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the strap comprise a belt, wherein the spring trigger comprises a pulley on which the belt rests, an axle supporting the pulley, an pivotable arm connected with the axle, and a spring connected with the pivotable arm, the axle, or the pivotable arm and the axle, the spring disposing the axle upward and the belt under tension acting against the spring force. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for assisting in separating articles of laundry, the apparatus comprising:
 a bin for a bundle of the articles of laundry;   a clamp operable to clamp one of the articles of laundry from the bundle in the bin and remove at least part of the one article;   a plate forming a barrier for the bundle in the bin, the plate having first and second positions with first and second, different amounts of angling, respectively;   a drive operable to move the plate between the first and second positions;   a sensor operable to control the drive as a function of a position of the bundle relative to the clamp.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the plate comprises first and second surfaces hinged together, the drive operable to move the plate between the first and second amounts of angling by changing an angle between the surfaces. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the sensor is positioned to sense a height of the bundle adjacent to the plate. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising:
 a member positioned at a bottom of the bin and movable from a first side of the bin to a second side of the bin, the clamp operable to clamp at a location adjacent to the first side. 
 
     
     
         22 . A method for separating articles of laundry, the method comprising:
 gripping a plurality of articles of laundry from a first bin:   depositing the plurality of articles onto a non-horizontal conveyor;   tilting the non-horizontal conveyor to another position;   conveying the plurality of articles from the non-horizontal conveyor into a second bin;   clamping individual ones of the articles of laundry in the second bin;   depositing the individual ones of the articles of laundry onto a second conveyor; and   conveying, on the second conveyor, the individual ones of the articles of laundry to an exit location.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein gripping the plurality of articles comprises lowering a first clamp into the first bin with a strap, sensing arrival of the first clamp at the plurality of articles by the strap going slack, and performing the gripping and lifting the gripped plurality of articles after sensing arrival. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein clamping individual ones of the articles comprises clamping with a clamp separable from a support, the clamp moved by the support. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein clamping individual ones of the articles comprises:
 tilting a clamp downwards for clamping the individual ones of the articles; 
 moving the clamp upwards while tilted downward; 
 releasing the individual ones of the articles; 
 tilting the clamp upwards after releasing; and 
 moving the clamp downwards while tilted upwards. 
 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising:
 decreasing a volume of the second bin by increasing an angle away from horizontal of a plate, the increased angle causing articles of laundry to move. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22  wherein conveying the individual ones of the articles of laundry comprises conveying the individual ones from the second conveyor onto a third conveyor, the third conveyor conveying at a right angle to the second conveyor.