GB322441A - Improvements in feeding mechanism for printing and like machines - Google Patents

Abstract

322,441. Waite, F., and Waite & Saville, Ltd. Sept. 3, 1928. Sheet separators and guides. - Sheets are separated from a pile 5, Fig. 3, by pairs of oscillating quadrants 11 operating through slots in a deflector plate 6a to pick up the uppermost sheet by suction and advance it between the plate 6<a> and a lower guide 6 to the usual forwarding-rollers 4, Fig. 1, and the shaft 12 carrying the quadrants 11 is actuated by cam mechanism 13-17 to give a slow starting movement accelerating so that the sheet finally has a speed equal to or slightly exceeding the speed of the rollers 4. The quadrants are formed with lateral flanges b, Fig. 8, having one or more rows of perforations b<1> for successive register with ducts 18a in a suction conduit 18 having a valve 20 controlled by cam mechanism 21-23; the meeting faces of the flanges and the ducts are inclined, as shown in Fig. 8, so that the quadrants can be adjusted for wear. The lifting action of the quadrants is assisted by air blast from one or more nozzles carried by a lever system O with adjustment for height and inclination. For thick sheets, additional assistance is provided by one or more reciprocating suction tubes 2 pivoted on levers 3 on a shaft 4 actuated by cam mechanism 7-10. For preventing feed of more than one sheet at a time, a calipering- device is provided comprising a pivoted frame 31, Fig. 9, having a short arm 33 resting on a sample sheet on the plate 6<a>, and one or more longer arms 30 extending through slots in the plate 6a and resting on the guide 6 when no paper is placed under the short arm.