GB1099601A - Paper feed mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

1,099,601. Feeding sheets. J. & T. ENGINEERING Ltd., and J. J. HAYTHORNTHWAITE. Dec. 1, 1965 [Sept. 4, 1964], No. 36233/64. Heading B6B. Sheets are separated sequentially from the bottom of a stack 18 in a hopper by a rotating friction roller 14, arranged beneath a slot in the base-plate 10 of the hopper, and a rotating roller 20 which co-operates with two verticallyadjustable plates 26 to form a feed gap in the front of the hopper, the arrangement being such that the lowermost sheet is deflected downwardly to enter the feed gap. The roller 14 has a projecting insert 16 of rubber, the roller 20 has a precision ground facing 22 of hard rubber, and the lower ends of the plates 26 are tapered, and may be provided with rubber &c. inserts (27, Fig. 3). The base-plate 10 is pivoted at 40, and rests on a cam 42 which can be rotated to adjust the free end of the plate so that its upper surface is slightly above the periphery of the roller 20. The plates 26 are slidably mounted on the front wall 24 of the hopper, and are adjustable relatively to the wall, in a vertical direction, by screws 34 and compression springs 36. The plates 26 can also be urged upwardly away from the roller 20 and retained in that position by a lever (44, Fig. 2) and retainer plate (48), in the event of the feed gap being blocked by damaged sheets. Double feed of sheets through the feed gap is detected by a pair of rollers 52 on an arm 50 pivoted to a bracket on the wall 24, the arm having an adjustable abutment 54 at its upper end, facing a plunger 58 on a micro-switch 56. Thus, when two superposed sheets are separated, the rollers 52 are lifted, the arm 50 is rocked, and the switch 56 is operated to stop the drive of the rollers 14 and 20.