793,696. Sheet-delivery apparatus. UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION Dec. 19, 1955, No. 36364/55. Class 100(1) A sheet piling mechanism includes a conveyer system 10, 14 for delivering sheets, a counter 17 for registering the number delivered, a piler 19 comprising means located at the exit end of the conveyer system for supporting a pallet 32 in position to receive sheets from the conveyer system with the sheets forming a pack P of a definite number on the pallet, a circuit connected to the counter for stopping feeding of the sheets to the conveyer system after a predetermined number several short of a full pack has been counted, means controlled by the counter for removing the pallet and sheet pack from the supporting means after a predetermined larger number equal to a full pack has been counted, and means for resuming feeding of sheets to the conveyer system when another pallet, is positioned to receive them. The sheets S from a conveyer 10 are fed over agate 12 and roller 13 to a conveyer 14, defective sheets being diverted by the gate 12 to a conveyer 16 and reject pile 20. The prime sheets are delivered by conveyer 14 over a roller 31 to the piler 19, a light-actuated electronic counter 17 registering the number of prime sheets which pass the gate 12. The piler 19 comprises a main frame 21 in which are rotatably mounted a pair of longitudinal shafts 23 which support a vertically movable roller 24 from chains 25. Raising and lowering of the table 24 is effected by a motor 26. An adjustable rear stop 28 is provided adjustment being effected by a handwheel 30. With the table 24 in its raised position and with a pallet 32 thereon delivery of sheets continues, the table being gradually lowered in known manner as the sheets are delivered, until the counter 17 registers a predetermined number of sheets short of a full pack when the feed of sheets is stopped. Preferably at this time there are a sufficient number of sheets on the line which have not yet been counted to allow for completion of the pack and two spares. The spares allow rejection of two sheets from the last few but if more than two sheets are rejected the missing sheets can be added manually later on, or if fewer sheets are defective any extras are nevertheless discharged to the reject pile 20. After the counter registers the full number of sheets it closes another circuit which operates the motor 26 to lower the table 24 sufficient delay being allowed for the conveyer 14 to be cleared of sheets. When the table 24 engages a bottom limit switch 36 the motor 26 is stopped and at the same time actuation of the limit switch completes a circuit to operate a pack-push cylinder 37 having a stripper' 38 which pushes the completed pack P on to a second roller table 39. Actuation by the stripper 38 of a switch 40 stops its movement and operates the cylinder to retract the stripper 38. An auxiliary frame 22 of the main pile 19 carries a pair of transversly spaced fluid pressure cylinders 45 which contain retracted reciprocable fingers 46. When the table 24 actuates the switch 36 it also completes a circuit for operating the cylinders 45 so that the fingers 46 are projected into position for temporarily supporting a pallet 32a. The pallets 32b are carried in a magazine 47 having a fixed rear upright 54 and a front upright 55 adjustable by means of screw-threade,d spindles 50 operated by a handwheel 53. The bottom pallet is supported on spokes 59 of feeding wheels 58 on shafts 56. The shafts 56 carry ratchet wheels which co-operate with pawls 61 supported by brackets 62. The pawls are normally spring-biased into engagement with the ratchet wheels but may be released by actuation of solenoids 64 so as to release a pallet on to the conveyer 14. The circuit for actuating the solenoids is completed when the table 24 engages the limit switch 36. Thus as a pallet is released on to the conveyer 14 the fingers 46 are simultaneously projected to receive it. When the fingers 46 are projected a switch 66 is actuated which as well as stopping movement of the fingers causes sheet feeding to be resumed. Meanwhile when the stripper 38 resumes its fully retracted position it actuates a switch 41 to stop further retraction and also to energize motor 26 to raise the table 24. When the table engages a top limit switch 27 the motor 26 is stopped and a circuit is completed to cause the fingers 46 to be retracted so that the pallet and sheets thereon fall on to the table 24. When the fingers 46 are fully retracted they actuate a limit switch 68 to stop their movement and thus complete the operating cycle. An electric circuit (Fig 7, not shown) for controlling the sequence of operations in accordance with the actuation of the various limit switches is described.