GB530850A - Improvements in sheet feeding mechanisms - Google Patents

Abstract

530,850. Feeding sheets. AMERICAN TYPE FOUNDERS, Inc. June 20, 1939, No. 18020. Convention date, Sept. 29, 1939. [Class 100 (i)] A sheet feeding device can be set to feed sheets in serial spaced relation or as an overlapping stream, and the sheets are separated from an automatically raised pile 12, Fig. 3, by means of reciprocating gripper devices which engage the rear edges of the sheets and withdraw them from pressing device 14 engaging the front edge of the pile over which the separated sheets are fed solely by the action of the grippers. The pile is carried by chains 20 the movement of which is controlled by the pressing-device 14. The device 14 is pivoted and also carries a depending portion 14' which acts as a pile register. The grippers comprise suction separators 13 which are controlled so as to move along the path indicated in Fig. 20, and are also given ,a pivotal movement so as to bend up the edge of the sheet. From the point d, Fig. 20, where the separator rests on the pile, it is first raised to c and then moved rearwards to b so as to withdraw the front edge of the sheet from the pressing device 14. The sheet is then advanced to a so that the front edge passes to the control of a sheet conveyer C the tapes of which are driven through a low gearing if overlapping feed is desired, or through a higher gear when serial feedings is desired. The mechanism for actuating the separators is mounted in a frame D carried by the main frames 11 of the machine, and the separators are carried by a longitudinally adjustable subframe M supported on a bar 53 secured to the frame D. The suction nozzles 13 are pivotally mounted in a swinging lever 65, Fig. 13, which is itself carried by a spring-controlled lever 60 normally controlled by a spring 63 which maintains its arms 60<SP>2</SP> in contact with a surface 64 on the frame M. A rising-and-falling bar 78 is actuated from a cam 110 by a .lever 103 and a parallel-link connection, and the lever 65 is oscillated by means of a fixed arm which is pivoted to a block 77 capable of sliding on the bar 78. From the position shown in Fig. 13 as the bar 78 descends the lever 65 moves clockwise around its pivot until the bar 78 contacts with a roller 80 on it, and then further movement of the bar 78 causes the lever 60 to move clockwise until finally the separators descend vertically on to the rear edge of the pile. The inclination of the separators is controlled by a cam 88 which engages a roller 87 on an extension of the rotary support 69 to which the separators 13 are attached. The support 69 is normally acted on by a spring 85 which maintains an arm 83 on the support in contact with a stop pin 84. As the bar 78 rises the movements of the levers 65, 60 are reversed and the support 69 is first moved clockwise to bend up the edge of the separated sheet so as to facilitate the action of an air blast device B to which is attached a pivoted adjustable deflector 97. The rear edges of the sheets are also acted upon by a pair of spring fingers 159 which also act to locate the frame M precisely. The fingers 159 curve the rear edges of the sheets and assist in separating the top sheet from the one below. The advance of the pile chains 20 which support the pile table 12 is controlled by a lever 26 on the shaft 25 of the pressing-device 14. The lever 26 is adjustably connected to lever which controls the oscillating movement of a lever fitted with a pawl which operates a ratchet to raise the chains when the pile is low. The conveyer C is driven from the press by a chain and sprocket 120, Fig. 5, which for serial feeding drives the conveyer drive shaft 118 by means of gears 135, 129 acting through an over-running clutch 131, which permits the shaft 118 to be driven at a lower speed for stream feeding. Final feeding is started by clutching a gear 124 to the sprocket 120 by means of a hand-operated clutch 140. The drive for stream feeding takes place through gears 124, 125 and the shaft 41 of the cam 110 is driven constantly from the gear 125.