US2406857A - Sheet handling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

, Sept. 3, 1946.

-Ag A. SAUL SHEET HANLING APEARATUS 3 Sheets-Shed 1- original Filed April 3,' 1941 WWN.

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Sept. 3, 1946.

SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Original Filed April 5, 1941 l 3 Shee'ts-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Q7 fumaba `ASM y 2,406,857?

Patented Sept. 3, ,1946

SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS August A. Saul, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Miller Printing Machinery Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application April 3, 1941, Serial No. 386,652. Divided and this application May 25, 1944, Serial No. 537,222

12 Claims. e 1

This invention relates to sheet handling apparatus and more particularly to sheet handling apparatus for use with a press or the like to handle sheets relatively thereto. While in its broadest aspects the invention is applicable to sheet handling apparatus generally it is in certain respects especially applicable to sheet delivery apparatus for delivering sheets from a press or the like. This application is a division of my copending Patent No. 2,371,190.

The invention will be described as embodied in a sheet delivery apparatus for delivering sheets successively from ja printing press wherein the sheets are printed. The invention in the structure selected for the purpose of explanation and illustration is concerned primarily with the means for changing the `elevation of the pile support. In a sheet delivery apparatus the pile support is gradually lowered as sheets are delivered thereto and the sheets at the top of the pile are periodically jogged, this ordinarily being done at each cycle--that is to say,upon the delivery of each sheet to the pile. The amplitude of the jogging movement is controlled depending upon the type of stock used and the size of the sheets.

I have devised sheet handling apparatus which incorporates a number of vimprovements facilitating operation of the apparatus and simplifying its structure. I provide relatively simple though desirably effective means for changing the elevation ofthe pile support'. In a sheet delivery apparatus the pile support is, as above stated, gradually lowered during the delivery of sheets to the pile and when a pile of sheets is removed the pile support is rapidly raised to its upper position so that a new pile can be gradually built up thereon.

I provide sheet handling apparatus comprising driving means, a lever, connections between the driving means and lever for oscillating the lever upon operation of the driving means, a pile support and means operated by the lever upon oscillation thereof for changing the elevation of the pile support. I preferably employ an oscillatable gear segment, together with means for oscillating the segment, and means operatedby the segment upon oscillation thereof for lowering step-by-step the pile support. I also provide sheet handling apparatus comprising an oscillatable carrier, means for oscillating the carrier, a pile support and means connected with the means for oscillating thecarrier and including an oscillatable gear segment for changing the elevation of the pile support.

Other details, objects and advantages ofthe invention will become apparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a present preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Figure lis a side elevational view of sheet delivery apparatus with a portion broken away,

Figure 2 is a top plan view to enlarged scale and with portions omitted and portions broken away of part of the apparatus shown in Figure l,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the apparatus shown in the lower right hand corner of Figure 2, part being `shown in horizontal cross section, y

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional View taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal cross-sectional View taken on the line V--V of Figure 4.

Referringnow more particularly to the drawings, there is shown asheet delivery apparatus adapted to deliver sheets from a printing press. The printing couple of the press is not shown but a portion oi the press frame is indicated at 2.

such frame having an extension 6 projecting to` acting on the sheets.

The delivery apparatus, which will be hereinafter referred to simply as a delivery, comprises opposed side frame members 4 and cross frame members 5 connected together to support and contain the delivery mechanism. The delivery is separate Vfrom the press and is adapted to be moved in a straight line toward and away from` the press into and out of cooperative relationship with respect thereto. This provides a working space between the press and delivery. The

delivery and press are relatively movable and while in the structure shown the press is stationarily mounted and the delivery moves over the floor the reverse mightbe the case or the press and delivery might both move.

The extension 6 above mentioned lies along the Y floor and the delivery is suitably supported and guided thereon to `move toward and from the.

The delivery has bearingsV Il and l2, re-

wherein are rotatively journaled press. spectively.

I23, I9, 20 and 24, as shown in Figure 1.

shafts I3 and I4, respectively. The shaft I3 is connected through a universal joint I with a screw I6 extending toward the press, and the shaft I4 is connected through a universal `joint I1 with a screw I8 extending toward the press. Fixed to the shafts I3 and I4 are sprockets I9 and 20, respectively. Journaled in the delivery are stub shafts 2| and 22 carrying idler sprockets 23 and 24, respectively. Mounted in the delivery is an electric motor 25 whose shaft 26 carries a bevel pinion 21. The bevel pinion 21 meshes with a bevel gear 28 fixed to a driving shaft 29 journaled for rotation in the delivery and to which is also fixed a driving sprocket 36. A sprocket chain 3| meshes with the sprockets 30, The mountings for the idler sprockets 23 and 24 may be such that these sprockets or one thereof may be shifted to suitably adjust the tension of the sprocket chain 3|.

The press 2 comprises a base 32 having xedly mounted therein nuts 33 and 34 with which the screws I6 and |8, respectively, are in threaded engagement. The screws I6 and I8 are of the same size, hand and pitch and the sprockets I8 and are of the same size, so when the motor is operated both of the screws I6 and I8 will turn in the same direction at the same speed and will cooperate in exactly similar manner with the respective nuts 33 and 34 through which they pass. Since the nuts 33 and 34 are fixedly positioned in the press base, driving of the screws by the motor 25 will inevitably result in movement of the delivery toward or from the press depending upon the direction in which the motor armature turns. Preferably the motor is a reversing motor so that it may be driven in either direction. Consequently when it is desired to move the delivery toward the press the motor is driven in one direction and when it is desired to move the delivery away from the press the motor is driven in the opposite direction.

Pivoted to the body of the delivery 3 by a cross shaft 35 is a frame 36 carrying one end of each of a plurality of endless conveyors 69 and 62. The frame 36 is adapted to be swung about the pivot 35 from its generally horizontal operative position as shown in Figure 1 to a position in which the right-hand extremity of the frame is raised. Means are provided, as will presently be described, for thus swinging the frame 36 automatically upon movement of the delivery away from the press and for swinging the frame back downwardly into operative position upon movement of the delivery toward the press. When the frame is in operative position the conveyors 60 and 62 are driven from the press with the upper reach of the conveyor 62 and the lower reach of the conveyor 60 moving toward the left viewing Figure 1 to deliver sheets from the press. The sheets normally rest upon the belts 62 and are conveyed away from the press thereby, the belts 66 serving to insure that the sheets do not y up during movement. The structure of the conveyors and the means for operating them form no part of the present invention. Such structure and means are shown in my Patents Nos. 2,309,671 and 2,363,556.

As above explained, the frame 36 is pivoted to the delivery by the shaft 35, the frame being fixed to the shaft 35 which is free to turn in its bearings 'in the delivery. Also fixed to the shaft 35 and extending toward the left therefrom viewing Figure 1 is an arm 65. Pivoted to the arm 65 at 66 is a link 61 which extends generally in that figure.

downwardly and is at its lower end pivotally connected at 68 to a lever 69 having a fulcrum 10 in the delivery and the opposite end of which carries a cam following roller 1|. The press frame extension 6 carries an inclined cam 13 the upper active surface of which extends upwardly and toward the left viewing Figure 1.

In Figure 1 the delivery is shown in operative position. When it is desired to move the delivery to inoperative position away from the press the motor 25 is energized to turn the screws I6 and 8 in a direction which will result in movement of the delivery toward the left viewing Figure 1. The entire delivery including the frame 36 will move rectilinearly toward the left for a substantial distance while the frame remains in ixed position relatively to the body of the delivery. Such movement will continue until the delivery reaches the position in which the follower 1| engages the cam 13. Further movement of the delivery toward the left is accompanied by riding of the follower 1I up the inclined cam 13 and consequent turning of the lever 69 about its fulcrum 19 in the clockwise direction viewing Figure 1. This results in pulling the link 61 downwardly and the link in turn through the arm 65 causes the frame 36 to pivot in the counter-clockwise direction about the axis of the shaft 35. Thus'as the delivery moves toward the left the frame 36 is automatically pivotally raised in the counter-clockwise direction viewing Figure 1 about the axis of the shaft 35. When the follower 1| reaches approximately the top of the cam 'I3 the frame 36 will have reached its extreme upper position and the delivery will have reached its extreme position away from the press, at which time the motor 25 will preferably be stopped by means presently to be described.

When the mo-tor is operated in the opposite direction the delivery is moved toward the right, which movement is accompanied by riding of the follower 1I down the inclined cam 13 and consequent swinging of the frame 36 generally in the clockwise direction about the axis of the shaft 35 viewing Figure 1 to the position shown Continued movement of the delivery toward the press is unaccompanied by any relative movement between the delivery body and the frame 36 and the entire delivery moves rectilinearly into operative position relatively to the press.

Mounted in the delivery for pivotal movement about a transversely extending pivot 14 is a lever 15. Pivoted to the lever 15 at its lower end at 16 is a link 11 having a hook-shaped end 18. The press driving gear is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1 at 19. Through gearing (not shown) it drives a gear 83 fixed to a shaft 84. Also fixed to the shaft 84 is a crank 85 to which is pivoted at 86 a connecting rod 81. The opposite end of the connecting rod 81 is carried by a reciprocable crosshead having a crosshead pin 88 preferably carrying an anti-friction roller as shown. The hook 18 is adapted to hook over the crosshead pin 88, When the parts are thus engaged operation of the press which is accompanied by reciprocation of the crosshead pin 88 is also accompanied by oscillation o-f the lever 15.

Mounted in the delivery frame is a shaft 89 having fixed thereto a manually operable control handle 98 which is positioned outside the frame. Also xed to the shaft 89 inside the frame is a pinion 9|. Mounted in the delivery frame is a shaft 92 to which is fixed a gear segment 93 meshing with the pinion 9|. Thus turning of the handle 90 causes through the pinion 9| and the segment 93 turning of the shaft 92 through a limited angle.

Fixed to the shaft 92 is an arm 94. Pivoted to the arm 94 at 95 is a link 96 having an elongated slot 91 in its opposite end. A stub shaft 98 is mounted in the delivery and has a bell crank lever 99 turnably mounted thereon. The bell crank lever has a generally downwardly extending arm |00 having at its extremity a pin |0I which enters the elongated slot 91 in the link 96. The bell crank lever 99 also has a generally laterally extending arm |02 to which is pivoted at |03 a generally downwardly extending rod |04 which in turn is pivoted to the link 11 at |05.

When the press and delivery are operating the cross-head pin 88 lies within the hook 18, as shown in Figure 1. moved away from the press the handle 90 is turned two revolutions in the counter-clockwise direction, viewing Figure 1. This, through the pinion 9| and the segment 93, causes rotation` of the shaft 92 through a-limited angle in the clockwise direction, viewing Figure 1. Such rotation of the shaft 9,2 pushes the link 96 toward the right against the pin |0| in the arm |00 of the bell crank lever 99 and turns such lever in the counter-clockwise direction about its axis 98. This lifts the rod |04, whichraisesthe link 11 about its pivot 16 and disconnects the hook 19 from the crosshead pin 88. In this manner the delivery drive is disconnected from the press so that the delivery can be moved away from the press. e

When the delivery is to be moved back into cooperative relationship with respect to the press the handle 90 is first returned to the position proximately the orientation shown in Figure 1 but as thus lowered the hook 18 is not engaged over the crosshead pin 88. Upon movement of the delivery toward the press the inclined nose surface |06 of the link 11 rides up on the crosshead pin 8B, thus raising the right-hand end of the link 11 about its pivot 16. As the delivery continues movement toward the press the righthand end of the link 11v is progressively raised until the hook 18 finally drops down over the crosshead pin 88. This movement of the link 11 is permitted by reason of the provision 'of the elongated slot 91 in the link 96, for when the right-hand end of the link 11 is raised by engagement of the inclined nose surface |06 with the crosshead pin 88 this pushes up the rod a limited extent in the counterclockwise direction, during which movement the pin |0| simply slides freely in the slot 91. Also during operation of the mechanism when the crosshead pin 8B oscillates back and forth carrying the link 11 with it such oscillation is accompanied by slight up and down movement of the rod i upwardly facing hook ||0 at its opposite end.f Mounted in the delivery frame `is a stationary, I

fulcrum pin lll. 'I'he arm |99 has a lateral'projecticn H2 which underlies the fulcrumpirrl I. The arm |09 is normally urged upwardly vby a` coil spring I|3 connected to thearm at I|4` and to the delivery frame at 4| I5. The press hasa latch When the delivery is to be I 04 and turns the bell crank lever 99 to y shown in Figure 1. This lowers the link 11 to api plate H6 with which the hook ||0 is adapted to cooperate tov mechanically latch the delivery to the press during operation.

As the parts are shown in Figure l the center of the eccentric |01 is generally to the left of the center of the shaft 92. As explained above in connection with the delivery driving mechanism, when the delivery is to be moved away from the press the handle 90 is turned through two revolutions in the counter-clockwise direction viewing Figure 1 and this turning of the handle is accompanied by rotation of the shaft 92 to a limited extent inthe clockwise direction. Such clockwise turning ci the shaft 92 swings the eccentric upwardly and toward the right viewing Figure 1. But since the fulcrum pin I is stationary such swinging `of the eccentric causes the arm |09 to pivot about the /fulcrum pin lli and the hook or latch I 0 moves downwardly and disengages from the latchplate l i6 on the press. This severs the mechanical connection between the delivery and press and frees the delivery for movement away from the press.

When the delivery is away from the press and ready to be moved back toward the press the handle 90, eccentric |01 and arm |09 are moved to the position shown in Figure 1. As the delivery approaches the press the inclined forward surface I i1 of the hook I0 rides down on the latch plate H6. For reasons presently to be explained the delivery ordinarily stops a fraction of an inch away from the press so that it does not move quite far enough for the arm |99 to swing back up under the action of the spring |I3 to engage the latch H9 over the latch plate IIS as shown in Figure l. When the parts are thus positioned the handle 90 is turned in the counterclockwise direction somewhat less than two complete revolutions. This, as above explained, is accompanied by turning of the shaft 92 and movement of kthe center of the eccentric |01 generally up, wardly and toward the right viewing Figure l. But the lateral component of such movement moves the arm |99 as a whole to the right suiiiciently for the latch Il@ to clear the plate H6 and when this has occurred the spring I3 pulls up the latch into latching engagement with the plate H6. The handle 99 is then turned back in the Aclockwise direction to the position Vshown in Figure 1, which swings the eccentric |01 downwardly and toward the left. This tends to move e the arm |09 to the left, but since the opposite end of the arm is firmly hooked or latched to the press the result isthat during such clockwise turning ,of the handle 90 the delivery is by the arm |99 through the eccentric |01 drawn up firmlyand tightly against the press.

While only a single arm |09 and associated mechanism have been described above I prefer to employ two such arms, one adjacent each side of the delivery, the two arms being identical and operating synchronously. This causes the delivery and press to be drawn together firmly adljacent both side frames.

It has been explained above that operation of the motor 25 in one direction or the other causes rotation ofthe screws I6 and i8 to move the delivery toward or from the press. The motor circuit is controlled by four switches, one for closing the circuit to start the motor in one direction to move the delivery out, a second for opening such circuit to stop outward movement of the delivery, a third for closing the `circuit to start the motor in the reverse direction to move the delivery in, and a fourth for opening aeoeem 7 such circuit to stop inward movement of the delivery. The delivery being in the out position, the handle 39 is tur-ned in the clockwise direction to the position of Figure 1. Fixed to the shaft 32 is a pair of switch operating arms H6 and H9. When the handle 30 is moved as above described the arm H8 operates a switch |20 which closes the motor circuit to operate the motor in the direction to cause the delivery to move inwardly toward the press. The switch |20 is mounted on the frame of the delivery adjacent the shaft 92 and in position to be operated by the arm llS upon movement of the handle 90 as just explained. The delivery continues its inward movement until a switch operating member l2! on the press operates a switch |22 on the delivery which opens said motor circuit and stops inward movement of the delivery toward the press. The switch |22 and switch operating member |2| are so positioned that the switch |22 is operated to stop the delivery a fraction of an inch before it reaches its fully operative position adjacent the press as above explained. Thereafter manipulation of the handle 96 as above explained draws the delivery up tight against the press.

When the delivery is to be moved out away from the press the handle 9|] is turned two revolutions in the counterclockwise direction viewing Figure 1. This causes the switch operating arm H9 to swing upwardly and operate a switch |23 carried by the delivery adjacent the shaft 92 to close the circuit which operates the motor in the direction oposite that in which the delivery is moved in toward the press. Consequently the delivery moves outwardly away from the press. This movement, as above explained, is accompanied by downward movement of the link 61. Such link carries a switch operating arm |24, which when the delivery has reached its full outward position operates a switch |25 carried by the delivery adjacent the link G1. Operation of the switch |25 opens the circuit and the delivery stops.

The handle 50 controls the motor for moving the delivery, the driving connection between the delivery and press and the mechanical connection or latch for holding the delivery in place against the press. When the delivery is in, as shown in Figure 1, turning of the handle 9|) through two revolutions in the counter-clockwise direction releases the latch lill, disconnects the driving connection 18 and iinally initiates operation of the motor to move the delivery out. The handle 96 also initiates operation of the motor to move the delivery in and positions the arm |69 and the link 11 to adapt them to cooperate with the press when the delivery moves in. The delivery automatically stops a fraction of an inch short of its ultimate position and again the same handle 96 simply by being turned somewhat less than two revolutions first in the counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 1 and then back in the clockwise direction to that same position causes the hook llll to draw the delivery firmly up against the press, this operation being accompanied by dropping of the hook 18 over the crosshead pin S8 to render the deliv'ery operable from the press drive. Thus a minimum of manual eifort is needed to move the delivery toward and from the press. This subject matter is claimed in my copending application Serial No. 386,651.

The lever 15 carries at its upper end a-gear segment |26 which meshes with a pinion |21 8 fixed to a shaft |28.. Also fixed to the shaft |28 is a gear |23 and another gear |30. The gear |30 meshes with a pinion l3| xed to a shaft |32. Also fixed to the shaft |32 is a pair of sprockets |33, one adjacent each side frame. Carried by each of the side frames of the delivery is a stud |34. Each stud |34 carries interiorly of the. side frame with which it is connected a sprocket |35.A Each sprocket |35 is in alignment with one of the sprockets |33. A sprocket chain |36 at each side of the delivery meshes with one of the sprockets |33 and the aligned sprocket |35'. Each of the sprocket chains |36 passes over idler sprockets |31, one or both of which may be adjusted for tensioning the chain.

Each of the sprocket chains |36 has one or more special links, the special links in the respective chains being positioned opposite each other. Each of such special links has connected thereto a bracket, the opposed brackets being connected by cross members to form a carriage 22,2 oscillatable in the horizontal direction viewing Figure 1. The structure of the carriage and the means for supporting and guiding it form no part of the present invention and are not shown and described in detail. The oscillatory movement of the segment |25 is transferred through the gear |21, the shaft |28, the gear |30, the pinion |3|, the shaft |32 and the sprockets |33 to the sprocket chains |35 and thence to the carriage itself. Thus during operation of the mechanism the reciprocable delivery carriage moves back and forth longitudinally of the delivery and toward and from the press. The carriage carries sheet handling means including tapes |44 cooperating with the tapes 6l] and 62 to receive and deliver sheets, but since such means form no part of the present invention they will not be described in detail. Sufiice it to say that the recprocable delivery carriage ordinarily receives a sheet from the tapes 60 and 52 upon each reciprocation thereof and delivers the. same to the delivery pile.

Meshing with the gear |29 is a segment |45 xed to a sleeve |46. The sleeve |46 is journaled for angular oscillation upon a shaft |41. The sleeve |46 passes through the delivery side frame as Shown in Figure 3 and carries at its outer end an arm |43. Since the segment |45 and the arm |48 are both i'ixed to the sleeve |46 they are to all intents and purposes unitary. The arm |48 carries a pawl |49 projecting laterally therefrom and engaging a ratchet |56 xed to the shaft |41. The pawl is normally resiliently urged into engagement with the ratchet |50 by a coil spring l5l. Upon oscillation of the segment |45 the paw1 |49 advances the ratchet |50 and, consequently, the shaft |41 to which it is xed, step by step. Means forming no part of the present invention are provided for adjusting the arc through which the pawl moves the ratchet upon each oscillation of the segment |45.

Fixed to the shaft |41 is a pinion |52. Such pinion meshes with a gear |53 which, in turn, meshes with a gear |54 fixed to a shaft |55. Also xed to the shaft |55 is a bevel gear |56 meshing with a bevel pinion |51 fixed to a shaft |53 carrying a worm |59 meshing with a worm wheel |58. The -worm wheel |60 is mounted loosely for rotation upon a shaft ll. Integral with the worm wheel |66 is a ratchet 26|). Fixed to the shaft |6l is an arm 20| which pivotally carries at 282 a pawl 253 engaging the teeth of the ratchet 296. The pawl 263 is urged into engagement With lGhe ratchet 200 by a compression coil spr-ingy2ll4.` Also fixed to the vshaft |6| is a pair of drums |62, oneadja'cent each side frame. A'pair of cables is adapted tobe wound up on and paid out by each of said drums |62. One of said cables-|63 passes over a sheave |64 and thence downwardly to the pile support |65. The otherl |66 of said cables passes overa pair of sheaves |61 and |68 and thence downwardly to the pile support |65.

The weight of the pile of sheets upon the pile support |65 causes-such support due to gravity to strain the cables |66 so as to` tend to turn the shaft 16| in the clockwise direction viewing Figure 5. But since the arm 20| is fixed to the shaft 16| the pawl 203 carried bysuch arm and engaging the ratchet 200 prevents the shaft |6| fromturning unless the ratchet 208 turns also. Oscillation of the lever 15 and the mechanism above described causes the ratchet 200to turn periodically in the clockwise direction viewing Figure 5 This allows the'shaft |61 to turn with a step-by-step'movement in the clockwise direcf tion viewing Figure 5 whereby to lower the pile support. In other words,the ratchet 200 gives way step-by-step before the "pawl 203 which is fixed to the shaft |6| through the arm 20| and this results in gradual lowering of the pile support as sheets are deliveredl to the pile during operation ofthe delivery apparatus.

,Thesearing above described for llowering the pile support is enclosed within a casing 205 applied to the outside of the side frame of the delivery. 'Ihe shaft-16| extends through the casing 205 and hasa reduced extremity 206 provided with a .pin 201. A handle isadapted to be applied over the reduced extremity 206 and engage with the pinV 201to turn the shaft 6| in the coun'- ter-clockwise direction viewing `Figure 5, whereby manuallyrto raise the pile support |65. When the pile support is thus raised the pawl 203 simply passes over the teeth of the ratchet 200 so that the position of such ratchet and the worm wheel |60 integral therewith is not disturbed.

Fixed to the shaft |28 is a cam |69. Journaled in the delivery frame is a shaft |10 on which is loosely mounted for rotation an arm |1| carrying at itsv extremitya roller `|12 adapted to lie against and follow` the cam |69. The arm |1| is urged down toward the position in which the roller |12 engages the cam |69 by a tension coil spring 208 acting between the arm |1| and a pin 209 carried by the delivery frame. Fixed to the shaft V|1/ll at each side of the delivery is a generally upwardly extending arm |13. Fixed to the shaft V |10 is an arm 2|0 `having a laterally pro'- jecting pin 2||. The pin 2|| is adapted to lie against a generally upwardly projecting finger 2|2 integral with the arm 1| which, as, above stated, is loose on the shaft |10. i A compression coil spring 2|3 surrounds a guide rod 2|4 connected with a hub 2 5 pivoted to the arm |1| and passing through an opening near the upper end of the arm 2|0. The spring 2|3 bears between the-arm` 2 I0 and the hub 2|5, thereby urging the pin 2| into contact with the finger 2 I 2.

A jogger operating rod |14 is pivoted to each of the arms |13 at 2|1 and is adapted to be oscillatorily moved thereby in a direction generally longitudinally of the delivery upon oscillation of the shaft |10. Fixed to the shaft |10 is a generally horizontally extending arm |15. Such arm underlies an eccentric turnable cam-like stop member |16 xed to a shaft |11 passing through the delivery side frame and having a control arm |18 xed thereto and disposed outside the side frame.' I The' position of the stop member '|16 is determinedby the position of the control arm |18 which may be moved to any one of a plurality of adjusted positions and maintained therein by means of a spring pin |10 in the arm |18 vwhich may `enter any one of a plurality of arcuately arranged'openings |80 in a plate |8| fastened to the outside of the side frame. The stop member |16 determines the extent to which the shaft |10 may turn in the clockwise direction viewing Figure 1. i'

Rigidly connected with the jogger operating rods` |14 are rear jogger carriers |82 carrying rear joggers i |83. Each Yoi the rods |14 is pivoted at |84 to a bell crank lever |85 pivoted tothe frame at |86 and having an arm |81 operating a transversely slidable rod |88. The respective .rods |88 at opposite sides of the delivery move always in opposite directions, that is, both of such rodsat any given time move inwardly or outwardly.' Each rod |88 has fixed theretoa bracket 2|8 carrying a rearwardly extending rod 2|9 carrying side joggers |89 and the rear" end of .which rests upon a transverse member 220 and has adownturned extremity 22| positioned rearwardly of the member 220. The delivery pile |90 is guided at its outer edge by stationary guides 0| and isadapted to be logged in the usual manner by the rear joggers |83 and the side joggers |80.

`While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be distinctly understood that the same is not limited thereto' but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scopeof the following claims.

I claim:

1'.Sheet delivery apparatus comprising `a pile support, a shaft, a flexible supporting elementV connected. with the pile support and wound about the shaft so that the mass of the pile support acting through the flexible supporting element tends to turn the shaft in such a direction as to cause lowering of the pile support, a pawl connected With the shaft, a ratchet mounted upon the shaft and with which the pawl engages so that the pawl tends to turn the ratchet about the axis of the shaft in the direction of turning of the shaft to cause lowering of the pile support and means turning the ratchet in said direction, thus permitting the pawl and consequently the shaft actuated by the mass of the pile support to turn about the axis of the shaft in said direction to lower the pile support.

2. Sheet delivery apparatus comprising a pile support, a shaft, a flexible supporting element connectedwith the pile support and wound about the shaft so that the mass of the pile support acting through the exible supporting element tends to turn the shaft in `such a direction as to cause lowering of the pile support, a second shaft, means for turning the second shaft and nondriving connections between the two shafts whereby the rst mentioned shaft actuated by the mass of the pile support is permitted to turn synchronouslywith the second shaft in said direction to lower the pile support.

3. Sheet delivery apparatus comprising a pile support, a shaft, a flexible supporting element connected with the pile support and wound about the shaft so that the mass of the pile support acting through the flexible supporting element tends to turn the shaft in such a direction as to causelowering of the pile support, a second shaft, means for turning the second shaft, a member mounted on the rst mentioned shaft, connections between the second shaft and said member whereby said member is turned about the axis of the first mentioned shaft in said direction and non-driving connections betweenvthe first mentioned shaft and said member whereby the rst mentioned shaft actuated by the mass of the pile support is permitted to turn synchronously with said member in said direction to lower the pile support.

4. Sheet delivery apparatus comprising a pile support, a shaft, connections between the pile support and shaft through which the mass of the pile support acts on the shaft, tending to turn it in such a direction as to cause lowering of the pile support, a movable control member and non-driving connections between said member and the shaft through which the shaft actuated by the mass of the pile support is permitted to turn in said direction synchronously with the movement of said member to lower the pile support.

5. Sheet delivery apparatus comprising a pile support, a shaft, connections between the pile support and shaft through which the mass of the pile support acts on the shaft, tending to turn it in such a direction as to cause lowering of the pile support, a movable control member, means for moving the control member in step-by-step movement and non-driving connections between the control member and the shaft through which the shaft actuated by the mass of the pile support is permitted to turn step-by-step in said direction synchronously with the movement of the control member to lower the pile support.

6. Sheet delivery apparatus comprising a pile support, a shaft, connections between the pile support and shaft through which the mass of the pile support acts on the shaft, tending to turn it in such a direction as to cause lowering of the pile support, an oscillatable driving element, a movable control member, connections between the oscillatable driving element and the movable control member whereby the former drives the latter in step-by-step movement and non-driving connections between the movable control member and the shaft through which the shaft actuated by the mass of the pile support is permitted to turn step-by-step in said direction synchronously with the movement of the movable control member to lower the pile support.

7. Sheet delivery apparatus comprising a pile support, means connected with the pile support limiting its downward movement, a movable control member and non-driving connections between the movable control member and said first mentioned means through which said rst mentioned means actuated by the mass of the pile support is permitted to move synchronously with the movement of the movable control member to lower the pile support.

8. Sheet delivery apparatus comprising a pile support, means connected with the pile support limiting its downward movement, an oscillatable driving element, a movable control member, connections betweenl the oscillatable driving element and the movable control member whereby the former drives the latter in stepby-step movement and non-driving connections between the movable control member and said first mentioned means through which said first mentioned means actuated by the mass of the Dile support is permitted to move synchronously with the movement of the movable control member to lower the pile support.

9. Sheet delivery apparatus comprising a pile support, means connected with the pile support limiting its downward movement, an oscillatable segment, a movable control member, connections between the oscillatable segment and the movable control member whereby the for mer drives the latter in step-by-step movement and connections including pawl and ratchet means between the movable control member and said first mentioned means through which said first mentioned means actuated by the mass of the pile support is permitted to move synchronously with the movement of the movable control member to lower the pile support.

10. Sheet delivery apparatus comprising a pile support, means connected with the pile support limiting its downward movement, an oscillatable driving element, a worm, means operated by the oscillatable driving element upon oscillation thereof for turning the worm step-by-step and non-driving connections between the worm and said first mentioned means through which said first mentioned means actuated by the mass of the pile supportv is permitted to move synchronously with the worm to lower the pile support.

1l. Sheet delivery apparatus comprising a pile support, means connected with the pile support limiting its downward movement, an oscillatable driving element, a worm, means operated by the oscillatable driving element upon oscillation thereof for turning the worm step-by-step, a pawl connected with said first mentioned means for movement synchronously therewith, a ratchet with which the pawl engages and connections between the worm and the ratchet for turning the ratchet step-by-step, whereby the pawl and consequently said first mentioned means actuated by the mass of the pile support is permitted to move to lower the pile support.

12. Sheet delivery apparatus comprising a pile support, means including a shaft connected with the pile support limiting its downward movement, a pawl connected with the shaft, a ratchet mounted upon the shaft and with which the pawl engages so that the pawl tends to turn the ratchet about the axis of the shaft in the direction of turning of the shaft to permit lowering of the pile support and means turning the ratchet in said direction, thus permitting the pawl and consequently the shaft actuated by the mass of the pile support to turn about the axis of the shaft in said direction to lower the pile support.

AUGUST A. SAUL.

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