GB1254507A - Improvements in flexible sheet-handling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,254,507. Delivering sheets. UNION SPECIAL MACHINE CO. 31 March, 1969 [16 April, 1968], No. 16662/69. Heading B8R. Workpieces W, Fig. 7, are conveyed from the output of a sewing machine 12, Fig. 1, to a stacking bar 51 by a gripper member carried on pivotable arms 32, 34, the gripper member being constructed to smooth the gripped edge of the workpiece during conveying. Gripper mechanism.-U-shaped upper gripping element 42, Fig. 8, is pivotable on bar 30 into co-operation with a lower gripping element 44, fixedly mounted on a bar 31, under the control of pneumatic cylinder 39, Fig. 6. Also mounted on bar 31 and pivoted at 45b is a further lower gripping element 45. Pivoting movement of element 45 (under control of pneumatic cylinder 47) against portion 42b of element 42 serves to smooth the edge of a workpiece initially gripped between elements 42 and 44. The gripper elements are carried on arms 32 and 34 movable between the positions shown in Figs. 6 and 7 under the control of pneumatic cylinder 48. The degree of swing of arms 32 and 34 is adjustable to accommodate workpieces of varying size. Suspending deliveries.-The forward edge of a workpiece is released on the far side of stacking bar 51 while the trailing edge is deposited on the rear side by engagement with a driven roller 57, Fig. 1. The pneumatic cylinders are operated by a control circuit which is activated in response to the detection of a workpiece between the gripping elements. The detector may comprise an air jet which is interrupted by insertion of a workpiece between the elements.