EP0115208B1 - Card feeder control - Google Patents

Card feeder control Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0115208B1
EP0115208B1 EP19830307980 EP83307980A EP0115208B1 EP 0115208 B1 EP0115208 B1 EP 0115208B1 EP 19830307980 EP19830307980 EP 19830307980 EP 83307980 A EP83307980 A EP 83307980A EP 0115208 B1 EP0115208 B1 EP 0115208B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
stack
friction wheel
cards
platform
stepping motor
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19830307980
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0115208A1 (en
Inventor
John Albert Long
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Longford Equipment International Ltd
Original Assignee
Longford Equipment International Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Longford Equipment International Ltd filed Critical Longford Equipment International Ltd
Publication of EP0115208A1 publication Critical patent/EP0115208A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0115208B1 publication Critical patent/EP0115208B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
    • B65H3/02—Separating articles from piles using friction forces between articles and separator
    • B65H3/04—Endless-belt separators
    • B65H3/042—Endless-belt separators separating from the bottom of the pile
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H1/00—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated
    • B65H1/08—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated with means for advancing the articles to present the articles to the separating device

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method and apparatus for feeding cards or like paper stock singly from a stack onto a movable conveyor system.
  • a method of feeding cards or like paper stock singly from a stack thereof, using a friction wheel positioned above a movable platform to feed the cards singly from the bottom the stack forwardly onto the platform from the stack and to pass the cards singly through a gap between the friction wheel and the platform to issue therefrom characterised by the steps of:
  • each card actuating pulse count control means connected electrically with the drive means to gate the pulses received from the oscillator whereby the issuing cards are optimally spaced apart.
  • a device for feeding cards and like paper stock singly from a stack thereof in which a friction wheel is positioned above a movable platform and the cards are fed singly from the bottom of the stack through a gap between the friction wheel and the platform to issue therefrom, characterised by:
  • Feeder 10 comprises a movable feeder platform in the form of an endless belt 12 carried by an idler wheel 14 rotatably mounted on a shaft 16 and a drive wheel 18 keyed on a drive shaft 20. Both shafts 16 and 20 are journally mounted on a frame 22 and drive shaft 20 is suitably connected with drive means (not shown).
  • a friction wheel 24 is mounted immediately above drive wheel 18, wheel 24 being keyed on a drive shaft 28 which is journally mounted in a pair of bearing shafts 30 adjustablyfixed on frame 22.
  • Belt 12 and friction wheel 24 are positioned between a pair of spaced upright side walls 32 (only one of which is shown in Figure 1) mounted on frame 22.
  • a curved guide bar 34 mounted on a forwardly projecting plate 36, is located above belt 12.
  • the upper portion of guide bar 34 forms an arm 38 sloping downwardly and rearwardly and the guide bar curves in its lower portion in an arc 40 to form a forwardly projecting tongue 42 spaced from belt 12 to define a passage (see Figure 2).
  • Friction wheel 24 is located in a slot 46 in arc 40 of guide bar 34 and is so positioned that its rim 48 extends downwardly slightly below the lower surface of tongue 42 but does not extend laterally beyond the rearward surface of arm 38 or arc 40, i.e. only the lower portion of friction wheel 24 is exposed below guide bar 34.
  • a gap 50 is formed between the lowest point of rim 48 and belt 12.
  • Rim 48 of friction wheel 24 is of hard rubber, or other material such as a tungsten carbide coating on steel, of a high coefficient of friction.
  • plate 36 of guide bar 34 is adjustably mounted on a pair of crossbars 52 on frame 24 which also carry a slidable lateral guide rod 54for bearing laterally against a stack of cards.
  • An adjustable retainer plate 56, spaced behind guide bar 34, is mounted on a further crossbar (not shown) on frame 22.
  • drive shaft 28 of friction wheel 24 is driven from a stepping motor 60 through a reducing gear 62.
  • Stepping motor 60 is connected electrically to a drive 64 which is controlled by a variable frequency oscillator 66 in known manner.
  • a photoelectric cell and light beam unit 67 attached to frame 22 is located forward from belt 12 and friction wheel 24 in line with gap 50.
  • Photoelectric unit 67 is connected electrically with a pulse count control device 68 which is in turn connected electrically with stepper motor drive 64 to gate the pulses received by the motor from variable frequency oscillator 66.
  • a direction control switch 69 is connected electrically to stepper motor drive 64 for rotating friction wheel 24 in either direction and also acts as an on-off switch.
  • a stack 70 of cards is placed between guide bar 34 and retainer plate 56, as seen in Figure 2, which hold the stack sloping downwardly in a forward direction with the lower cards of the stack being fanned forwardly.
  • the leading edge of that card touches belt 12 and is pulled forward into gap 50 by the continuous movement of the belt in the direction of arrow 74 as seen in Figures 2 and 3.
  • the forward movement of bottom card 72 allows the trailing edge of the card to clear the bottom edge of retainer plate 56 and drop onto belt 12.
  • Gap 50 is adjustable to be of a width sufficient only to pass a single card 72 freely.
  • bottom card 72 As the leading edge of bottom card 72 passes into gap 50 the leading edge of the card immediately above it, namely second card 76 and third card 78, are forced forwardly by the weight of the stack and the slope of retainer plate 56, aided by the friction created as bottom card 72 is pulled from stack 70. Atthis point the leading edge of card 76 comes into contact with friction wheel 24 which is geared to rotate at an extremely slow speed, say 1:3,000 in relation to the speed of belt 12, and the friction wheel draws card 76 further forward into a position where its leading edge is against bottom card 72 and closer to gap 50. Bottom card 72 continues to be carried forward by belt 12through gap 50 and then passes through photoelectric unit 67.
  • the speed of rotation of friction wheel 24 is controlled by photoelectric unit 67.
  • pulse counter 68 which may be preset to a given count, usually calibrated from 1 to 9.
  • Pulse counter 68 permits a preselected count of pulses, transmitted from oscillator 66 to be received by motor drive 64, causing stepping motor 60 to rotate friction wheel 24 through a predetermined arc and allowing the next card in stack 70 to pass through gap 50 in feeder 10.
  • stepping motor 60 is operated electrically to index one step per pulse received from oscillator 66 and the indexed movement of the stepping motor is translated through reducing gear 62 to rotate friction wheel 24 a predetermined amount, allowing the controlled advancement of the cards from stack 70.
  • the arcuate movement of friction wheel 24 is determined by the thickness and/or texture of the cards of stack 70 and counter 68 is preset accordingly. Usually it is necessary to make a trial run to arrive at the correct setting for pulse counter 68, i.e. that setting which will feed cards from stack 70 evenly and with the predetermined optimum spacing between each card issuing from feeder 10. If it is desired to rotate friction wheel 24 continuously, pulse counter 68 is provided with a setting to permit such continuous rotation.
  • Direction control switch 69 acts as an on-off switch as well as setting drive 64 to rotate stepper motor 60 in either direction.
  • card is meant to include any flexible sheet material, suitable for feeding by the device of the invention, irrespective of relative thickness or stiffness.
  • single friction wheel 24 is replaced by a stack advancer 80
  • movable platform belt 12 is replaced by a multiple feeder platform 82
  • an auxiliary feeder 84 replaces retainer plate 56.
  • a chute 86 may be positioned adjacent the nip between stack advancer 80 and feeder platform 82, such a chute being useful also in the previous embodiment.
  • Stack advancer 80 comprises a frame 88 carrying a pair of parallel endless belts 90 which engage a pair of idler wheels 92 journally mounted on a shaft 94 axially rotatable in journals 95 which are slidable in slots 96 in frame 88 adjacent platform 82.
  • belts 90 engage a pair of pulleys 98 keyed on a shaft 100 which is journally mounted on a pair of slotted brackets 102 fixed by bolts 104 to frame 88 for slidable adjustment.
  • a further pair of pulleys 106 are keyed on a drive shaft 108 which is journally mounted on frame 88 between shafts 94 and 100.
  • Pulleys 106 engage a further pair of endless belts 110 which lie parallel to belts 90 and engage further pulleys 112 keyed on shaft 100.
  • drive shaft 108 is connected by a belt 114 with a tensioning pulley 116 and a stepping motor 118.
  • Plates 120 and 122 are fixed to frame 88 to support the upper run of belts 90 and 110.
  • a pair of adjustment screws 124 are mounted on a crossbar 126 which is fixed to frame 88 and engage bosses 128 on journals 130 of shaft 94. Adjustment screws 124 rotate freely in crossbar 126 but cannot move axially in the crossbar.
  • Shaft 94 is driven by a stepping motor 132 slidably mounted by bolts 134 on a slotted bracket 136 on frame 88.
  • a pair of friction wheels 138 are keyed on shaft 94 for rotation by stepping motor 132.
  • Auxiliary feeder 84 comprises a drum 140 having an axle 141 journally mounted on a frame 142 and driven by a stepping motor 144 which is also mounted on frame 142.
  • Drum 140 circumferential ribs 145 adjacent each end of the drum and carries a pair of parallel endless bands 146 which also engage a pair of idler pulleys 148 journally mounted on a shaft 150.
  • Shaft 150 is slidably mounted for lateral adjustment on a pair of slotted brackets 152 fixed to frame 142.
  • Frame 142 is mounted for free rotation on a shaft 154 which is parallel to the axis of drum 140 and fixed to an extension 156 of frame 88.
  • a screw 158 mounted on frame extension 156 selectively engages a ring of apertures 160 in frame 142 concentric with shaft 154.
  • Feeder platform 82 comprises a plurality of parallel endless belts 160 passing around an upper set of pulleys 162 and a lower set of pulleys 164.
  • Upper pulleys 162 are journalled on a shaft 166 the ends of which are slidable laterally in slots 168 in extension 156 of frame 88.
  • Lower pulleys 164 are keyed on a shaft 170 which is journally mounted in extension 156.
  • a tension adjustment screw 172 on each end of shaft 166 moves the end of that shaft laterally in slot 168.
  • Chute 86 comprises (1) an upper set of parallel bands 180 engaging an upper grooved roller 182 and a lower grooved roller 184 which are journally mounted on frame 88 and (2) a lower set of parallel bands 186 engaging an upper grooved roller 188 and a lower grooved roller 190 which are journally mounted on a bracket 194 fixed to the frame.
  • a pair of adjustment screws 196 are thread-mounted on the ends of shaft 198 of roller 184 which are slidable laterally in slots 200 in brackets 194.
  • the ends of adjustment screws 196 engage the ends of shaft 201 or roller 190.
  • a compression spring 202 on each screw 196 urges shafts 198 and 201 apart.
  • a pair of adjustment screws 203 are mounted on a further crossbar 204 fixed to frame 88, the screws being freely rotatable but non-movable axially in the crossbar.
  • Each screw 203 engages a boss 205 which pivotally engages an arm 206 pivotally mounted on a pin 207 fixed on frame 88 and pivotally engaging shaft 188 of roller 182 of upper bands 180.
  • An endless chain 208 engages both adjustment screws 203 to provide a uniform adjustment of each end of roller 182.
  • a larger diameter sprocket 210 is keyed on the end of lower shaft 170 of platform 82 and is connected by a chain 212 to a drive sprocket 214 driven by a variable speed direct current motor (not shown) through a drive shaft 215.
  • a further sprocket 216 is also keyed to lower shaft 170 and is connected by a chain 218 to sprockets 220 and 222 keyed on upper rollers 182 and 188 respectively of chute 86. Chain 218 also engages an idler sprocket 224.
  • delivery platform 80 slopes downwardly in one direction at a shallow incline towards feeder platform 82 while the feeder platform slopes downwardly in the other direction at a steep incline, the planes of the two platforms being approximately normal one to the other.
  • a gap 264 is formed between belts 160 of feeder 82 and friction wheels 138 of delivery platform 80.
  • a stack 260 of cards is placed on advancer 80 to bear against delivery platform 82, with a sliding prop 262. resting on belts 90 and 110 and bearing against the rear of the stack to keep it compact.
  • auxiliary feeder 84 is pulsed together with friction wheels 138 (by stepping motor 132) but each pulse of the auxiliary feeder is of longer duration than the pulse of the friction wheel. In this way the lower cards of stack 260 are pushed towards 264, the bottom card 266 passing freely through the gap while the second lowest card 268 is drawn forward as previously described. In this manner auxiliary feeder 84 overcomes the excessive friction between the individual cards caused by the weight of the stack.
  • Advancer 80 is pulsed by stepping motor 118 to urge stack 260 against platform 82 with a substantially constant pressure, operating when the bottom card 266 of the stack has been pulled into gap 264.
  • Friction wheels 138 are pulsed by stepping motor 132 in the manner described in the previous embodiment of Figures 1 to 4.
  • bottom card 266 passes through gap 264 it enters chute 86 as seen in Figure 6 which shows an individual card 269 being delivered by the chute to a further apparatus such as a collator (not shown).
  • a collator not shown
  • Figures 5 to 8 provides a consistent feed from a stack of individual cards, of thicker card material, achieving a much higher consistent feed rate than in conventional machines.
  • axle 141 of drum 140 of auxiliary feeder 84 is journally mounted on a pair of brackets 230 each of which includes a channel member 232 slidable vertically on a plate 234 and secured to the plate by bolts 236 slidable in a vertical slot 238 in the plate.
  • Plate 234 is in turn secured to extension 156 of frame 88 by bolts 240 slidable in a horizontal slot 242 in the frame extension.
  • Shaft 150 is journally mounted in a pair of flanges 244 which are mounted for free pivotal movement on axle 141 of drum 140.
  • a sprocket 246 is fixed to one of flanges 244 and a ratchet 248 is also mounted on the same flange for pivotal movement about a pin 250 and engageable with sprocket 246, the ratchet being releasably held in engagement with the sprocket by a tension spring 252 attached at one end to the ratchet remote from pin 250 and at the other end to a peg 254 on bracket 230.
  • FIG. 9 The embodiment of Figures 9 and 10 is useful to provide a more precise position and angle of auxiliary feeder 84 with respect to stack 260.
  • feeder 84 may be adjusted in mutually perpendicular directions as indicated by arrows 270 and 272 while the angle of bands 146 with respect to the trailing edge of the bottom of stack 260 may be adjusted by pivoting ratchet 248 in the direction of arrow 274 to disengage the ratchet from sprocket 246 and rotating drum 140 to move roller 150 in the direction of arrows 276.
  • Stepping motors 118, 132, and 144 are each controlled in the same manner as stepping motor 64 in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, that is by a variable frequency oscillator.
  • a one-way clutch bearing may be coupled to shaft 141 to eliminate backlash.
  • card may further include multiple sheets stapled or otherwise formed as booklets.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
EP19830307980 1983-01-03 1983-12-23 Card feeder control Expired EP0115208B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US45503283A 1983-01-03 1983-01-03
US455032 1983-01-03

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0115208A1 EP0115208A1 (en) 1984-08-08
EP0115208B1 true EP0115208B1 (en) 1987-11-19

Family

ID=23807094

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19830307980 Expired EP0115208B1 (en) 1983-01-03 1983-12-23 Card feeder control

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0115208B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS59182133A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA1208670A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE3374553D1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4432124A1 (de) * 1994-09-09 1996-03-14 Ryll Richard Transportanl Gmbh Vorrichtung zur kontinuierlichen Vereinzelung von flächigen Gegenständen, insbesondere Zeitschriften, aus einem Stapel
DE19606833A1 (de) * 1996-02-23 1997-09-04 Boewe Systec Ag Blattstapelvoranlegevorrichtung
RU2112279C1 (ru) * 1993-08-02 1998-05-27 Акционерное общество открытого типа НИИ точной механики Машина для счета банковских билетов
US6758616B2 (en) 2000-01-21 2004-07-06 Fargo Electronics, Inc. Identification card printer

Families Citing this family (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS634926U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1986-06-28 1988-01-13
JPS63196422A (ja) * 1987-02-06 1988-08-15 Toyo Commun Equip Co Ltd 紙葉送り出し装置
JPH01172135A (ja) * 1987-12-25 1989-07-07 Toyo Commun Equip Co Ltd 紙葉類の剥離装置
US4928944A (en) * 1988-12-19 1990-05-29 Intelligent Technologies Corporation High speed sheet feeder singulator
JPH0462228A (ja) * 1990-06-30 1992-02-27 Katsumi Kitanaka 杭孔底部のスライム除去装置
US5342036A (en) * 1991-10-09 1994-08-30 Roll Systems, Inc. High capacity sheet feeders for high volume printers
US5167408A (en) * 1991-10-09 1992-12-01 Intelligent Technologies Corporation High capacity sheet feeders for high volume printers
JPH0546830U (ja) * 1991-12-06 1993-06-22 サンエス化学工業株式会社 角柱状部材の送出し装置
US5430664A (en) * 1992-07-14 1995-07-04 Technitrol, Inc. Document counting and batching apparatus with counterfeit detection
US5335899A (en) * 1992-10-01 1994-08-09 Roll Systems, Inc. Apparatus and method for automatically adjusting sheet feeding pressure
US6932527B2 (en) 1999-01-25 2005-08-23 Fargo Electronics, Inc. Card cartridge
DE29920730U1 (de) * 1999-11-26 2000-03-02 Pfankuch Maschinen GmbH, 22926 Ahrensburg Vorrichtung zum Friktionsanlegen von Papier-, Kartonzuschnitten o.dgl.
US6945524B2 (en) * 2002-09-05 2005-09-20 Fargo Electronics, Inc. Card singularization gate
JP4737432B2 (ja) * 2006-09-07 2011-08-03 セイコーエプソン株式会社 被記録材給送装置、記録装置、液体噴射装置
DE102009042469B3 (de) * 2009-09-23 2011-01-27 Köra-Packmat Maschinenbau GmbH Reibanleger und Verstellplatte für einen Reibanleger
CN110526018B (zh) * 2019-09-05 2021-03-16 安徽玄同机电科技有限公司 一种包装设备用供料机构

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3705719A (en) * 1970-09-28 1972-12-12 Xerox Corp Article handling apparatus
US3754754A (en) * 1971-12-03 1973-08-28 Honeywell Inf Systems Document separator for accidental bunching
DE2348386A1 (de) * 1972-11-15 1974-05-22 Avery Products Corp Vorrichtung zum zufuehren von gegenstaenden
US3908983A (en) * 1973-02-07 1975-09-30 John Albert Long Card feeder
JPS5341888U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1976-09-14 1978-04-11
JPS53112497A (en) * 1977-03-09 1978-09-30 Thomson Csf Method of monitoring ion working for piezooelectric wafer
JPS5699136A (en) * 1979-12-21 1981-08-10 Jujo Eng Kk Separating feeder device of piled paper
JPS606863B2 (ja) * 1980-07-07 1985-02-21 田辺紙工機械製造株式会社 給排紙装置における堆積紙押下装置

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
RU2112279C1 (ru) * 1993-08-02 1998-05-27 Акционерное общество открытого типа НИИ точной механики Машина для счета банковских билетов
DE4432124A1 (de) * 1994-09-09 1996-03-14 Ryll Richard Transportanl Gmbh Vorrichtung zur kontinuierlichen Vereinzelung von flächigen Gegenständen, insbesondere Zeitschriften, aus einem Stapel
DE19606833A1 (de) * 1996-02-23 1997-09-04 Boewe Systec Ag Blattstapelvoranlegevorrichtung
US6105952A (en) * 1996-02-23 2000-08-22 Bowe Systec Ag Stacked-sheet prefeeder
US6758616B2 (en) 2000-01-21 2004-07-06 Fargo Electronics, Inc. Identification card printer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0115208A1 (en) 1984-08-08
JPH0227254B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1990-06-15
CA1208670A (en) 1986-07-29
DE3374553D1 (en) 1987-12-23
JPS59182133A (ja) 1984-10-16

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