260,449. Hodge & Chilver, Ltd., W., and Ranger, A. W. Jan. 8, 1926. Delivery apparatus. -Delivery apparatus for stop-cylinder, two-revolution, or other printing-machines comprises gripper mechanism for receiving the sheet from the cylinder 1, Figs. 1 and 7, a support 9 of the roller-blind type which receives the sheet A from the gripper-Jaws 4, 76, and a reciprocating tape carrier 40 to which the sheet is transferred from the support 9 and which deposits the sheet on a pile table 111. The apparatus is arranged to be adjustable for different sizes of sheets, and the carrier 40 makes several reciprocations while each sheet is travelling to the pile table, so that the sheet has time to dry before delivery. To facilitate making ready, the delivery apparatus can be moved away from the printing-apparatus, at the same time being automatically disconnected from its driving-shaft 7. As applied to a stop-cylinder machine, one end of the support or apron 9 is attached to a fixed bar 10, and the other end is wound on a roller 11 which is reciprocated to draw out the apron under the sheet after it has been lifted by the grippers, as shown in Fig. 7. On the backward movement of the roller 11, the sheet is received on tapes 41 on the carriage 40, the .carriage moving in the same direction as the roller 11, and the tapes being held against movement in this direction by a detent 45, Figs. 4 and 7, engaging endless chains 46 passing over sprocket-wheels on the tape rollers 42, 43 of the carriage 40. The carriage 40 now returns to its initial position over the pile table 111, and during this stroke the tapes 41 may remain stationary relatively to the carriage, or if the sheets are small may be given a movement so as to feed the sheets thereon towards the delivery end of the carriage. For this purpose, a spring- controlled detent 47 is provided, which is normally held in inoperative position by the engagement of a pin 49 thereon with a latch 50. When, however, the carriage 40 approaches the bar 10, a spring plate 92 on the levers 30 operating the carriage, engages an extension 90 of the latch 50 and releases the detent 47. The time during which the detent 47 is in action, and therefore the extent of the movement given to the tapes. is determined by a stop 95 adjustable on a bar 96 fixed to the tape carriage 40, the stop engaging an arm 90<1> on the detent 47 so as to disengage the detent which is held inoperative by the latch 50 springing under the pin 49. The sheet is delivered to the pile by the detent 45 coming into action on the return movement of the carriage 40. The grippers 4, 76 are carried by an arm 3 oscillated either from a shaft 7 actuating the carriage 40 and roller 11, or from the shaft of the impression cylinder 1 through a cam and intermediate linkage. The carriage 40 and roller 11 run in guide frames 2, and the whole delivery apparatus is pivoted at one end 114 and is supported on uprights 99 at the other end, the uprights being operable by mechanism 115 for raising and lowering the apparatus. Means are provided for automatically disconnecting the drive for the delivery mechanism when the mechanism is raised. The driving- wheel 100 is mounted loosely on the shaft 7 and a clutch member 105 is provided thereon and adapted to engage a clutch member 104 feathered to the shaft, a spring 108<1> tending to move the clutch members apart. The member 104 has a cam face 113 coacting with a cam face 112 on a pulley 107 loose on the shaft 7 and rotated when the mechanism is raised by a belt 108 passing around it and connected at its free end to the frames 2. When the delivery apparatus is lifted, the cam faces 112, 113, and spring 108' separate the clutch members, and when the apparatus is lowered a spring 109 rotates the pulley 107 to cause the clutches to re-engage. The bar 10 may be detachably secured to the frames 2 so as to facilitate access to the cylinder 1. The delivery apparatus is modified slightly for use with a two-revolution machine, the delivery grippers 59, Fig. 12, being mounted on a reciprocating carriage 60 having attached thereto tapes 64 wound on a spring-roller 65, which receive the sheets from the cylinder grippers. Guides 61 for the carriage 60 receive a slight vertical reciprocatory movement so that the tapes 64 pass down between another set of tapes 71 corresponding to the apron 9 so as to deposit the sheet thereon, and from which the sheet passes to a tape carriage 40 as before. Gripper-mechanism.-The grippers, Figs. 1 and 3, consist of two spring blades 4, 76, the blade 76 being fixed to the arm 3, and the blade 4 being attached to a spindle 77 controlled by a spring 79 so as to be held in either its open or its closed position. A spring tongue 78 on the spindle 77 rests, in the upper position of the arm 3, on a pivoted block 78<1> having a blade spring 88 engaging its back edge. As the arm 3 descends to take a sheet, the engagement of the tongue 78 with the block 78<1> opens the grippers, which are closed to grip the sheets by the engagement of an arm 87 on the spindle 77 with a lever 83, Fig. 1, having a roller 82 running on a cam track 85 in the cylinder 1. The grippers are again opened to deposit the sheet on the apron 9 by the tongue 78 engaging the block 78<1> before springing back into its initial position.