US3147010A - Device for stacking sheet material - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 1, 1964 L. MOORE ETAL 3,147,010

DEVICE FOR STACKING SHEET MATERIAL Filed May 28, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS= $540051. Lfiooee 66 0865 flow/v.5

A'rroRNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. L. MOORE ETAL DEVICE FOR STACKING SHEET MATERIAL Sept. 1, 1964 Filed May 28, 1962 INVENTOR$= mw mm NN ATTORNEY Sept. 1, 1964 L. MOORE ETAL DEVICE FOR STACKING SHEET MATERIAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 28, 1962 2 R E mww .N Q MW MM m QM WA A Nu m M N Mn 1:! W A WM I Ell! v h W WW A n NN Q NN 1 6. m W N M l r L E: k k W M ww MW g n R W w n mmu NM u E a l1 JNJIII w Nv {111m E qiq "E N. .I I H h- N ww g Sept. 1, 1964 1.. MOORE ETAL 3,147,010

DEVICE FOR STACKING SHEET MATERIAL Filed May 28, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Z l/EL L fi g o g EM Geo/84E. flown/s Sept. 1, 1964 1.. L. MOORE ETAL DEVICE FOR STACKING SHEET MATERIAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 28, 1962 United States Patent Wee 3,147,010 DEVICE FOR STACKIN G SHEET MATERKAL Lemuel L. Moore and George W. Downs, Hamilton, Ala. Filed May 28, 1962, Ser. No. 198,227 11 Claims. (C1. 271-72) This invention relates to a device for stacking sheet material, and more particularly to a device for automatically feeding and stacking strips of sheet material.

One object of this invention is to provide a device which is particularly adapted for stacking strips of fabric of uniform length, such as cuffs, collars, sleeves, belts, and other garment pieces.

Moreover, this device is particularly adapted for use as an attachment to a machine which operates upon sheet material, such as a sewing machine, a cutting machine, a printing machine, or any other type of cloth or sheet material finishing machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stacking machine which will automatically begin operation as soon as a strip of sheet material is fed to it, will continue to operate automatically as long as it receives sheet ma terial, and will automatically stop when the feeding of the sheet material ceases.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sheet material stacking device incorporating a pivotal sheet material supporting plate, and means for automatically reciprocating the plate between a dumping position and a material supporting position every time a strip of sheet material is fed to the plate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stacking device having a pair of sheet material feed rolls, the separation of the feed rolls by the sheet material automatically starting the operating cycle of the device.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front end elevation of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit employed in both modifications.

Referring now more particularly to the stacking device disclosed in FIGS. 1-4, a pair of angle members 10 and 11 (PEG. 1) may be provided to extend from the table of a sewing machine, or supported in any other convenient manner, to support the front and rear channels 12 and 13 upon which the device is mounted. An elongated trough 15 is mounted across the channels 12 and 13 and fixed thereto by means such as screws 16.

One longitudinal edge of the trough 15 forms a semicylindrical housing 17 for a hinge rod or flip shaft 18. The hinge rod 18 is journaled at opposite ends in the bearings 19 and 20. A plurality of elongated screws 22 are secured in threaded engagement with the hinge rod 13 and extend therefrom to be threadedly secured by bolts 23 to a bracket 24 which supports a sheet material or fabric support member or plate 25. The plate 25 is provided with spaced longitudinal ribs or paddles 26, which are adapted to support the fabric above the plate 25 with a minimum of contact to reduce static electricity and friction. It will be seen that the plate 25 is securely fixed to the hinge rod 13 for swinging movement therewith when the hinge rod 18 is rotated in the bearings 19 and to flip or dump the fabric from the plate 25.

Supported alongside the plate 25 and adjacent the hinge 3,147,010 Fatented Sept. 1, 1964 rod 18 is a tray 29 for receiving and stacking the articles of sheet material flipped or discharged from the plate 25. One longitudinal edge of the tray 29 may be secured to the trough 15 by means such as the cotter key 36, as disclosed in FIG. 3. The bottom of the tray 29 is further supported by means of vertically adjustable bolts 31 supported in the free ends of the channels 12 and 13. Proper adjustment of the bolts 31 will permit the tray 29 to slant downward away from the plate 25 so that the discharged strips of sheet material will gravitate away from the plate when stacked on the tray 29. In this manner, the tray 29 will receive a greater number of stacked articles than if the tray 29 were level.

Depending from the rear channel 13 is a support plate 34, behind and on which is mounted a flipper motor 35 by means such as the bolts 36. The flip-per motor 35 drives a shaft 37 which carries the radial arm 38 for rotation therewith. The outer end of the arm 38 carries a capped pivot pin 39 which is adapted to rotate within and slidably reciprocate in an elongated slot 40 formed in the lower end of a lift bar 41. The upper end of the lift bar 41 is pivotally connected to a lever arm 42 by means of a pivotal bolt or pin 43. The lever arm 42 is in turn rigidly attached to the hinge bar 18 by means of the corresponding threaded bolt 22.

The relation of the parts thus described is such that rotation of the motor shaft 37 will cause the pin 39 to continuously rotate about the shaft 37 and reciprocate within the elongated slot 40. As long as the pin 39 is reciprocating freely within the slot 40, which is while it is traveling through the major portion of each cycle, there is lost motion which causes the lift bar 41 to dwell and the fabric support plate 25 to remain in its substantially level supporting position. As the pin 39 rotates upwardly to engage the upper end of the slot 40, the lift bar 41 is forced upward to rotate the lever arm 42 and the hinge bar 18 within its bearings 19 and 20, and swing the fabric support plate 25 upwardly in the direction of the arrow disclosed in FIG. 3. The lift bar 41 is set so that at its extreme upward position, the plate 25 will be about to from its original fabric supporting position. Any fabric carried by the support plate 25 will be flipped or discharged upon the tray 29.

Continued rotation of the pin 39 will cause it to move away from the upper end of the slot 40. However, the retractible spring 45, connecting the lift bar 41 through a hole 46 and some stationary part of the machine, such as a screw 47 on the switch housing 48, withdraws the lift bar 41 to counter-rotate the lever arm 42, the hinge rod 18, and the fabric support plate 25 to their original supporting position disclosed in FIG. 3. The pivot pin 39 then begins to move toward the lower end of the elongated slot 40 while the fabric support plate 25 dwells until it receives another fabric, and the cycle is repeated.

Mounted transversely in front of the trough 15 is an upper feed roller 50 and a lower feed roller 51. The upper feed roller 50 is rotatably mounted in stationary bearings or standards 52 and 53. One end of the upper roller 50 is provided with a pulley 54 adapted to be driven through a belt 55 and a pulley 56 supported on a motor shaft 57 driven by a motor 58.

The lower roller 51 is journaled for rotation in the side rocker brackets 59 and 60, mounted on the rocker plate 61. The rocker brackets 59 and 60 are fixed to a transverse rocker shaft 62 journaled in the sides of the upper roller standards 52 and- 53. A trip bar 65 is mounted on the rocker plate 61 and extends longitudinally beneath the fabric support plate 25. The trip bar 65 is maintained in its raised inoperative position by means of a spring 66 attached to the rear channel 13. The upward movement of the trip bar 65 is limited by the lower roller 51 contacting the upper roller 50 in rolling 3 engagement. Mounted on the outside of the trough 15 is a switch housing 67 enclosing a switch 68 (FIG. 8), and having a depending button 69 adapted to be depressed and released by an actuating arm 70 extending upwardly from the rear end of the trip bar 65. It will be observed from FIG. 2, that when the trip bar 65 is biased to its extreme upward position by the spring 66, not only will the lower roller 51 engage the upper roller 50, but the actuating arm 70 will depress the button 69. On the other hand, when a strip of sheet material is fed between the rollers 50 and 51, the thickness of the strip will force the lower roller 51 downwardly to pivot the rocker brackets 59 and 60, the rocker plate 61, the rocker shaft 62 and the trip bar 65 downwardly to cause the actuating arm 70 to disengage and release the switch button 69. Because of the great leverage, the thickness of the strip need only be a fraction of the travel distance of the actuating arm 70 necessary to release the button 69.

The lower roller 51 is preferably provided with spaced annular grooves 78. The purpose of these grooves 78 is to receive the parallel wire fingers 79 which are secured to the rocker shaft 62 by means such as screws 80. The fingers 79 extend around and forwardly across the top of the lower roller 51 through the grooves 78, and beneath the upper roller 50 until the fingers 79 terminate adjacent the front end of the support plate 25. The purpose of the guide wires 79 is to prevent fabric or sheet material passing between the rollers 50 and 51 from dropping and wrapping around the lower roller 51, and also to guide the fabric upon the support plate 25.

The switch housing 48, encasing the switch 73 (FIG. 8), is supported on the front face of the mounting plate 34. A depressible cam follower 74 operatively connected to the switch 73 extends out of the switch housing 48. Extending substantially normal to the outer end of the motor arm 38 in the direction of rotation is a cam 75 adapted to engage and depress the cam follower 74, when the cam 75 is rotated by the shaft 37 into operative position. As best disclosed in FIG. 3, the cam follower 74 will remain disengaged through the major portion of the rotary cycle of the shaft 37. However, after the discharging or flipping phase of the cycle has been com pleted and the support plate 25 has been returned to its original supporting position, the cam 75 will have rotated to engage and depress the cam follower 74 to actuate the switch 73.

FIG. 8 discloses a preferred form of electrical circuit for operating the device. It will be noted that the motors 35 and 58 are connected in parallel circuits 83 and 84 between the input power lead 85 and the output power lead 86. Switches 68 and 73 are in turn connected in parallel circuits 87 and 88, respectively, in the flipper motor circuit 83.

The operation of the invention will now be described as follows:

When the stacking device is in its normal inoperative position before any sheet material, such as fabric, is fed to it, the lower roller 51 is biased upward into engagement with the upper roller 50, and the actuating arm 70 is biased upward to depress the switch button 69, by virtue of the upward pull of the retractible spring 66 on the switch bar 65. Although the starting position of the motor shaft 37, the arm 38, the lift bar 41 and cam 75 is not too material, so long as the support plate 25 is in its fabric supporting position, as disclosed in FIG. 3, generally the cam 75 will be in a position depressing the cam follower 74. With both the switch button 69 and the cam follower 64 depressed, the switches 68 and 73 will be open in their dashed-line positions disclosed in FIG. 8, to de-energize the flipper motor 35. Assuming the power lines 85 and 86 are connected to their proper power source, the motor 58 will be energized to continuously drive the upper feed roller 50, which in turn will drive the abutting lower feed roller 51.

When a strip of sheet material, such as fabric, is introduced between the rollers 50 and 51, the fabric will be fed between the rollers, across the guide wires 79 and out upon the ribs or paddles 26 for support above the fabric support plate 25. As the fabric passes between the rollers 50 and 51 the thickness of the fabric will depress the roller 51 to pivot about the rocker shaft 62 and thus swing the trip bar 65 and the actuating arm 70 away from the switch housing 67 to release the switch button 69. The switch button 69 is operatively connected to the switch 68 to close the switch 68 to permit current to flow through the circuits 87 and 83 to energize the flipper motor 35. Energization of the motor 35 will drive the shaft 37 and motor arm 38 to move the cam 75 away from engagement with the cam follower 74, to release the cam follower 74 and close the switch 73. When the switch 73 is closed, current will also flow through the circuit 88 and the circuit 83 to energize the flipper motor 35.

Since the rollers 50 and 51 are driven at a rather rapid rate, the feeding of a length of fabric through the rollers is completed much sooner than the completion of a flipping cycle. Thus, as soon as the fabric is fed upon the support plate 25, the lower roller 51 is again biased into engagement with the upper roller 50, and the actuating arm 79 again depresses the switch button 69 to open the switch 68 and the circuit 87. However, even though the circuit 87 is now open, the circuit 38 remains closed to keep the flipper motor 85 energized to complete the cycle.

As the shaft 37 continues to rotate, the pin 39 will engage the upper end of the slot 40 to lift the bar 41 and cause the lever arm 42, the hinge rod 18, and support plate 25 to swing upward and flip or discharge the fabric into the tray 29. When the plate 25 has reached its extreme upward flipping position, it will then be returned to its original position by continued rotation of the shaft 37. When the cam 75 again engages and depresses the cam follower 74, the switch 73 is opened, so that both circuits 87 and 88 are open, and the flipper motor 35 is de-energized to immediately stop the rotation of the shaft 37. Thus, complete operation is stopped until another strip of sheet material or fabric is inserted between the rollers 50 and 51. The roller 50 will continue to be driven until the motor 58 is cut off.

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 disclose a modified form of stacking device incorporating parts similar to those dislosed in FIGS. 1-4, such as the trough 115, hinge rod 118, and fabric support plate having ribs or paddles 126. The plate 125 is operatively connected to the hinge rod 118 in the same manner as the plate 25 is connected to the hinge rod 18, in order to function in the same manner. A tray 129 is fixed alongside the trough 115 for receiving stacks of fabric strips 100.

A clutch is provided instead of the flipper motor 35 in order to drive the rotary shaft 137. A radial arm 138 supports a pivot pin 139 which pivotally supports a slide block 140. A cylindrical hole, not shown, is provided in the slide block 40 to slidably receive the lift bar 141. The hinge rod 118 is fixed to a lever arm 142, the outer end of which is pivoted to the upper bent end of the lift bar 141. A collar 144 is fixed around the lift bar 141 between the slide block and the upper end of the lift bar 141. The collar 144 is so located that it will be thrust upward by the slide block 140 during a portion of the rotary cycle of the shaft 137, to lift the bar 141, and swing the lever 142, the hinge rod 118 and the fabric support plate 125 to discharge the fabric strips 100 upon the tray 129. Upon the return cycle, the slide block 140 will be moving downwardly away from the collar 144. However, the slide block 140 will tend to compress the retractible coil spring 145, which is secured to the lift bar 141, to urge the lift bar 141 downward, and counter-rotate the hinge rod 118 to return the support plate 125 to its original position.

The upper feed roller is driven by sprocket 154, a

chain 155, sprocket 156, motor shaft 157, and drive motor 158.. The lower roller 151 is supported in the side rocker bracket, such as 159 and rocker plate 161. The rocker bracket 159 is adapted to pivot about the rocker shaft 162. A trip bar 165 extends rearwardly of the rocker plate 161 and is biased downwardly by means of the retractible spring 166. It will be noted that in this modification, the roller 151 is on the opposite side of the rocker shaft 162 from the trip bar 165, while in the modification disclosed in FIG. 2, both the roller 51 and the trip arm 65 are located on the same side of the rocker shaft 62. Since the actuation of the switches will be the same, the switch housing 167 and switch button 169 are located below the trip arm 165 and the actuating arm 170. FIG. 7 discloses a strip of sheet material 100 passing between the rollers 150 and 151 to depress the lower roller 151 about the rocker shaft 162 and thus raise the actuating arm 170 to release the switch button 169 and thereby close the switch 68 to energize the clutch 135. It will be noted that the constantly driven disc of the clutch 135 is driven through sprocket 190, chain 191 from the motor drive shaft 157.

The switch housing 148 is quite similar to the switch housing 48 and is provided with a cam follower 174 for actuation by the cam 175 formed on the motor arm 138.

The circuit diagram of FIG. 8 is equally applicable to the operation of the device disclosed in FIGS. 5-7, except that the drive motor 158 will be substituted for the drive motor 58, and the clutch 135 will be substituted for the flipper motor 35. Except for the minor changes already described, the operation of the two devices is substantially identical.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A stacking device comprising:

(a) a plate member for supporting a sheet material strip,

(b) means for pivotally supporting said plate member along one edge,

(c) a rotary shaft,

(d) an arm extending radially from said shaft,

(e) means for linking said arm to said pivotal support means for converting the rotary motion of said shaft to a reciprocable motion for said plate member between a sheet material supporting position and a dumping position,

(7) means for driving said shaft,

(g) first and second feed rolls for feeding strips of sheet material upon said plate member,

(h) means for driving said feed rolls,

(i) means for mounting said first roll to move toward and away from said second roll, and

(j) means operatively associated with said roll mounting means for energizing said shaft drive means When said first roll is moved away from said second roll, and for de-energizing said shaft drive means when said first roll is moved toward said second roll.

2. A stacking device comprising:

(a) a plate member for supporting a sheet material strip,

(b) means for pivotally supporting said plate member along one edge,

(0) a rotary shaft,

(d) an arm extending radially from said shaft,

(e) means for linking said arm to said pivotal support means for converting the rotary motion of said shaft to a reciprocable motion for said plate member between a sheet material supporting position and a dumping position,

(f) an electrical motor for driving said shaft,

(g) first and second feed rolls for feeding strips of ma terial upon said plate member,

(h) means for driving said feed rolls,

(1') means for mounting said first roll to move toward and away from said second roll,

(j) a first switch electrically connected to said motor and operatively associated with said roll mounting means for energizing said motor when said first roll is moved away from said second roll, and for deenergizing said motor when said first roll is moved toward said second roll,

(k) a second switch electrically connected to said motor independently of said first switch, and

(1) means on said radial arm for actuating said second switch to energize said motor for one complete cycle of said rotary shaft and to de-energize said motor after the completion of said cycle.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which said first and second switches are connected in parallel to said electric motor, so that the closing of either switch will energize said motor.

4. The invention according to claim 2 in which means are provided for pivotally supporting said first roll in operative engagement beneath said second roll, an elongated trip bar fixed to said roll mounting means for pivotal movement therewith, means on said trip bar for operatively. engaging said first switch so that pivotal movement of said first roll away from said second roll causes said lift bar to close said first switch and movement of said first roll toward said second roll causes said tripbar to close said first switch.

5. The invention according to claim .2 in which said second switch is provided with a cam follower for actuation of said switch, said arm comprises a cam adapted to engage said cam follower once during each revolution of said shaft, so that engagement of said cam and cam follower opens said switch to deenergize said motor, and disengagement of said cam and cam follower closes said switch to energize said motor.

6. The invention according to claim 1 in which said feed roll driving means comprises a motor, said shaft drive means comprises a clutch, said motor being operatively connected to said clutch, and said energizing means being adapted to engage and disengage said clutch with said drive shaft.

7. The invention according to claim 1 in which said first feed roll is mounted below said second feed roll,

spaced annular grooves formed in said first feed roll, a

guide finger for each groove, and means for mounting said fingers to extend through said grooves between said feed rolls and in the direction of feeding said strips.

8. A stacking device comprising:

(a) a sheet material supporting member,

(b) means for pivoting said supporting member between a material supporting position and a dumping position,

(c) a rotary shaft,

((1) means linking said rotary shaft to said pivoting means for converting the rotary motion of said shaft to a reciprocating motion for said supporting member between said supporting position and said dumping posltion,

( e) means for driving said shaft,

(f) means for feeding sheet material to said supporting member,

(g) first means for actuating said drive means,

(h) said first means being operatively connected to said feeding means for energizing said drive means when sheet material is being fed by said feeding means and to de-energize said drive means when said feeding ceases,

(i) second means for actuating said drive means independently of said first actuating means,

(j) said second means being adapted to de-energize said drive means automatically, after said support- (2) means for driving said shaft through a rotary cycle,

(f) a lever fixed to said hinge rod operative to pivot said plate member,

(g) an elongated lift bar,

(It) means for pivotally connecting one end of said lift bar to said lever,

(1') means fixed to said radial arm slidably engaging said lift bar for longitudinal movement thereof, and

(j) abutment means spaced on said lift bar between said pivotal connecting means and said slidably engaging means for engagement by said slidably engaging means through a portion of said rotary cycle to reciprocate said plate member between said supporting and dumping positions.

10. A stacking device comprising:

(a) a plate member for supporting a sheet material strip,

(1;) a hinge rod for supporting one longitudinal edge of said plate member for pivotal movement between a strip supporting position and a dumping position,

(c) a rotary shaft,

(d) an arm extending radially from said shaft,

(e) means for driving said shaft through a rotary cycle,

(f) a lever fixed to said hinge rod operative to pivot said plate member,

(g) alift bar,

(11) means for pivotally connectingone end of said lift bar to said lever,

(i) an elongated slot of pie-determined length in said lift bar,

(j) a pin fixed to said radial arm and slidably received in said slot for operative engagement with one end of said slot during a portion of said rotary cycle to reciprocate said plate member between said supporting and dumping positions.

11. A stacking device comprising:

(a) a plate member for supporting a sheet material strip,

(b) a hinge rod supporting one longitudinal edge of said plate member for pivotal movement between a strip supporting position and a dumping position,

(c) arotary shaft,

(d) an arm extending radially from said shaft,

(e) means for driving said shaft through a rotary cycle,

(1) a lever fixed to said hinge rod operative to pivot said plate member,

(g) an elongated lift bar,

(11) means for pivotally connecting one end of said lift bar to said lever,

(i) ablock,

(j) means for pivotally connecting said block to said radial arm,

(k) means in said block for slidably receiving said lift bar, and

(l) abutment means fixed to said lift bar for driving engagement with said block during a portion of said rotary cycle to reciprocate said plate member between said' supporting and dumping positions.

References Cited in the file of' this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims (1)

1. A STACKING DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) A PLATE MEMBER FOR SUPPORTING A SHEET MATERIAL STRIP, (B) MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID PLATE MEMBER ALONG ONE EDGE, (C) A ROTARY SHAFT, (D) AN ARM EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM SAID SHAFT, (E) MEANS FOR LINKING SAID ARM TO SAID PIVOTAL SUPPORT MEANS FOR CONVERTING THE ROTARY MOTION OF SAID SHAFT TO A RECIPROCABLE MOTION FOR SAID PLATE MEMBER BETWEEN A SHEET MATERIAL SUPPORTING POSITION AND A DUMPING POSITION, (F) MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID SHAFT, (G) FIRST AND SECOND FEED ROLLS FOR FEEDING STRIPS OF SHEET MATERIAL UPON SAID PLATE MEMBER, (H) MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID FEED ROLLS, (I) MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID FIRST ROLL TO MOVE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID SECOND ROLL, AND (J) MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ROLL MOUNTING MEANS FOR ENERGIZING SAID SHAFT DRIVE MEANS WHEN SAID FIRST ROLL IS MOVED AWAY FROM SAID SECOND ROLL, AND FOR DE-ENERGIZING SAID SHAFT DRIVE MEANS WHEN SAID FIRST ROLL IS MOVED TOWARD SAID SECOND ROLL.

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