Apparatus for calipering a collated assemblage

摘要

An apparatus (10) comprises a movable member (60) having an outer circumferential surface which engages a collated assemblage (20) on a collating conveyor (14) to compress the collated assemblage when the member is moved towards the collated assemblage. A light source (36) directs light (37) toward the outer circumferential surface of the member. The outer circumferential surface includes a light reflective surface (83) portion against which the light is directed and then reflected. The reflected light (38) has a characteristic which varies as a function of the thickness of the collated assemblage. The reflected light is sensed and a first electrical signal (42) is provided which varies as a function of the characteristic of the reflected light and thus as a function of the thickness of the collated assemblage. An electrical circuit (90) detects a value of the first electrical signal corresponding to a maximum compressed condition of the collated assemblage, holds the value for at least a predetermined time period, and provides a second electrical signal (96, 97) indicative of whether the value of the first electrical signal is within a predetermined value range.