GB996997A - Improvements in sheet feeding devices - Google Patents

Abstract

996,997. Feeding sheets. LINOTYPE MACHINERY Ltd. Dec. 13, 1963 [Dec. 14, 1962], No.47218/62. Heading B6B. In a swing feed gripper system including pairs of co-operating top and bottom gripper elements, each top gripper element closes onto the bottom gripper element at the sheet take point to grip a sheet therebetween, the gripper elements then being swung through an arc to transfer the sheet to a sheet transfer point, at which point each top and bottom gripper element is rocked relative to the arc of travel, the motion of the top gripper element being positively halted at a preselected datum line, the motion of the bottom gripper element continuing to separate the gripper elements and thereby release the sheet. The swing- feed gripper system comprises pairs of spaced co-operating gripper jaws 1 and 3 carried from a shaft 8 rotatably mounted in arms 9. The jaws 3 are attached to an L-shaped crossmember 4. The latter is fixed at each end to a block 6 pinned to the shaft 8. The position of the jaws 3 is adjustable vertically by screw- and-slot connections 5 between the member 4 and blocks 6 and by bolts 26 passing through the blocks and having heads 25 bearing against the underside of the member 4. The jaws 1 are secured to a cross-bar 2. End members 13 attached to the cross-bar are freely mounted on the shaft 8. An L-shaped arm 18 freely mounted on the shaft 8 is attached at one end to the cross-bar 2. The other end is anchored by a spring 20 to one arm 9. A set screw 23 limits movement of the arm 18 in a clockwise sense. A lever 11 fixed to one end of the shaft 8 carries a cam follower 12 and a lever 15 fixed to one end of the cross-bar 2 carries a cam follower 17. Initially, the jaws 1 and 3 are closed and positioned with the arm 18 out of contact with the set-screw 23. Rotation of a first cam with which the follower 12 co-operates, rotates the shaft 8 clockwise to lower the jaws 1 and 3. Movement of jaws 1 ceases when the follower 17 strikes a second cam, the jaws 3 being lowered still further to open the jaws. Next, the second cam is rotated to allow the jaws 1 to close on to the jaws 3 under the action of spring 20 and grip a sheet therebetween. With the sheet held between the jaws, the arm 18 is just clear of the set-screw 23. The arms 9 are swung through an arc to feed said sheet to a printing press. At the termination of this movement, the first cam is rotated once more to rotate the shaft 8 clockwise. Jaws 1 and 3 rotate together for a short distance until the arm 18 strikes the set-screw 23, whereupon the jaws 1 are halted on a preselected datum line. The jaws 3 continue moving to open the grippers and release the sheet. Specification 996,996 is referred to.