US1202315A

US1202315A - Feeding mechanism.

Info

Publication number: US1202315A
Application number: US82166514A
Authority: US
Inventors: James D Reifsnyder; Henry G Schwerdtle
Original assignee: Stokes and Smith Co
Current assignee: Stokes and Smith Co
Priority date: 1914-02-28
Filing date: 1914-02-28
Publication date: 1916-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1933-10-24

Description

3. D. REIFSNYDER & H. G. SCHWERDTLE.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEE T I- J. D. REIFSNYDER & H. GLSCHWERDTLE.

FEEDiNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 28. I914.

Pntsn'red (M. 24, 1916.

4 SHthTS-SHEET 2.

H WH A wwo J. D. REIFSNYDER & H. G. SCHWERDTLE.

FEEDING MECHANISM,

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28. IQIII PMQIH'Ud Oct. 24, 1916.

4 SHEhIS-SHEET 3- mma.

IZ L 'JJI I J' I I I I I I I. D, REIFSNYDER & H. G. SCHWERDTLE.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28. 1914.

1 ,QQQfil 5.. Patentvd Oct. 24, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

JAMES E. REIISNYDER AND HENRY G. SCHWERDTLE, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- ITANIA, ASSIGNOES TO STOKES & SMITH COMPANY, OF SUMMERDALE, PENNSYL VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA. 1

FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2%, 191 3.

Application filed February 28, 1914. Serial No. 321,665.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, JAMES D. REIF- SNYDER and HENRY G. SCHWERDTLE, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to printing presses of the rotary type containing mechanism for successively feeding thereto sheets to be printed from the bottom of a pile of sheets, and has for one object to provide in connec: tion with an automatic sheet feeding mechanism, including areciprocating table supporting the sheets to be printed and a suction picker in the form of an oscillating roller, that engages the bottom sheet of the pile of sheets as it reciprocates over said roller and draws the edge of said sheet away from the pile, of means connected to the rear edge of said table and extending to the suction picker roller to span the space therebetween and support the rear of the pile of sheets that projects over said space, said means adapted to decrease and increase in length as the table reciprocates toward and away from said suction picker.

A further object of the invention relates to a separator that enters between the sheet being fed and the stack of sheets to prevent said sheet returning to the pile of sheets should it be disengaged from the suction picker, and also to direct said sheet downwardly between positively driven feed rollers by which it is drawn from the pile and advanced to the printing mechanism.

Another object of the invention relates to an attachment for said separator by means of which heavy paper and cardboard are fed to the printing devices as readily as a thinner and more flexible paper.

Withthese and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a printing press with the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is a Similar View of the feed table and its carrying frame. Fig. l is a bottom plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail sectronal view, enlarged, of a portion of the feeding mechanism showing the attachment used When printingcardboard. Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged detail views of the cardboard feed attachment.

In the drawing, 15 indicates the main frame of a printing press at the top of which are arranged in parallel relation a form cyl inder 16, an; impression cylinder 17, and a take-off frame 18, their axes lying in a common horizontal plane. A driving pulley 19 on a shaft 20 rotates a pinion 21 that engages a gear wheel :22 on one end of the form cylinder, which gear meshes with a gear wheel 23 of the same diameter on the impression cylinder, and the latter gear wheel in turn drives the gear wheel 21 on the take-off frame. The impression cylinder 17 carries as usual one or more gripper fingers 25 that are opened at the proper time by a fixed cam 26 and then closed to clasp the edge of the sheet to be printed against the impression cylinder. Other gripper fingers 27 on the take-off frame 18 and actuated through a fixed cam 28, receive the printed sheet from the impression cylinder and carry it to a delivery table 29 when the grippers open and permit the sheet to drop on the table. In rear of the form cylinder 16 are arranged the inking rollers 30.

Hinged to the front of the main frame 15 near the top thereof is a swinging frame 31 having depending legs 32 pivoted at 33 to a bracket 34 projecting from the main frame upon which the frame 31 is adapted to swing from its normal position overlying the impression cylinder and take-0d frame, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, to an elevated position, see dotted lines same figure. The rais ng and lowering of the frame 31 may be performed, directly by grasping it with the hands, but preferably by means of a worm 35 turning in bearings on the main frame operating a toothed segment 36 affixed to said swinging frame.

Upon the swinging frame 31 is mounted automatic feed mechanism which will now be described. The swinging frame 31 comprises two parallel side bars 37 secured together by suitable cross-braces, from each of which bars one of the legs 32 depends. These bars 37 have each a rail 38 projecting from its inner face upon which a longitudinally ill reciprocating table 39 is supported, said table having side flanges 40 that rest upon the rails 38. On the top of the table 39 are carried three vertical plates or boards 41'curved outwardly at their upper ends which abut against three sides of the pile of sheets to be printed. and which are adjustable on the table. These boards or plates are adjustable to the size of the sheets by securing bolts 42 and thumb nuts 43, the heads of the bolts engaging undercut grooves 44 in the top of the table. Bolted to the rear of the table at each side is an upwardly and backwardly inclined bracket 45 between the free ends of which extends a rod 46 on which is pivoted a fourth upright board 47 that abuts against the rear side of the pile of sheets that overlies the rear edge of the table, and prevents movement of said sheets as the table reciprocates. The board is substantially fixed, but may be given a slight swinging movement on the rod 46 by means of an adjusting screw 48 on the bracket that engages an 'arm 49 rigid with the board 47. De ending from the underside of the table 39 is a bracket 50 to which is pivoted a link 51 that is also connected to the free end of an arm 52 projecting upwardly from a shaft 53 that extends crosswise of the swinging frame 31 and is pivoted in the legs 32 thereof. Preferably there are two of these arms 52 and their accompanying links 51 and brackets 50, one on each side of the machine. An arm 54 depends from one end of the shaft 53 and is joined at its lower end to a rod that extends rearwardly to a crank-pin 56 on the end of the shaft of the form cylinder 16, see Fig. 2. From this construction it will be evident that at each rotation of the form and impression cylinders the feed table 39 with the pile of sheets to be printed thereon will be given a single longitudinal movement back and forth in the swinging frame 31.

J ournaled in the frame 31 is a feed roller 57 on one end of which is a pinion 58 that, through an idle pinion 59 turnin on a stubshaft projecting from the frame 31 and meshing with the gear wheel 23 on the impression cylinder 17, is rotated at the same superficial speed as the periphery of the impression cylinder, the two

inions

58 and 59 being of the same diameter. A second feed roller 60 is carried in arms 61 on a rock shaft 62 and vibrates to and from the feed roller 57, the two being brought into engagement whenever a sheet is to be fed to the impression cylinder. The feed roller (50 may, if desired, be mounted to remain always in contact with the roller 57 and yield only sufiiciently to permit a sheet to pass therebetween and be fed thereby. It is preferred however to support the roller in the arms 61 as shown. Overlying a portion of the impression cylinder and projecting upwardly in an inclined direction toward the feed roller (30 are one or more fixed guide fingers 63 that direct the edge of the sheet to be printed toward the impression cylinder, and between the same and the gri per fingers Above and slightly in advance of the feed roller 57 is a suction picker 6- in the present instance in the form of a hollow roller carried on a hollow shaft 65 in communication with a suitable suction device of anydesired type. Through the periphery of the roller 61 is a small opening (36 preferably formed in a disk of soft rubber 67 inserted in the roller. On one end of the roller shaft 65 is afiixed a pinion 68 in engagement with a rack 69 fastened on the feed table 39, by means of which the suction roller is oscillated back and forth as the feed table reciprocates. The parts are so timed that at the beginning of the feeding movement of the table 39 the rear side of the pile of sheets will be just beyond the center of the suction roller 61, as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 2, and the suction opening (56 will be slightly back from said side. As the table 39 begins to move, the rack 69 thereon turns the pinion 68 and the suction roller in the direction indicated by the arrow in F At the same time the suction through the roller is opened. This draws the edge of the lowermost sheet of the pile away from the pile and carries it downward beneath a guide finger 70 toward the

feed rollers

57, 60. After turning about av quarter revolution, the suction through the roller (54 is discontinued, thus releasing the edge of the sheet being fed, which edge oontiniies its downward movement, because of the reciprocation of the table 39 and the pile of sheets thereon, to the

feed rollers

57, 60, the finger 70 serving to guide the edge of the sheet toward said rollers. As soon as the edge of the sheet enters between the feed rollers, the latter draws the sheet from the bottom of the pile and carries said edge toward the impression cylinder 17and the gripper fingers 25 thereon. The table 39 advances in the direction of the feeding rollers a sufiicient distance to cause the edge of the sheet being fed to the press to be engaged by the

rollers

57, 60, after which it returns to initial position. the same movement retracting the suction roller (54. As the'table advances, the overhanging edge of the pile of sheets is supported and guided on the upper face of the finger 70 which is substantially in the plane of the upper face of the table. The finger 70 by which the sheets are directed toward the feed rollers comprises a relatively narrow plate 71 having a curved end 72 adjacent the suction roller (34. ()n the under surface of the plate 71 below the curved end 72 is a depending lug 73, the side adjacent the suction roller being inclined rearwardly as at 71 and spaced from the suction roller only sufficiently far to permit the sheet to pass freely therebetween. The finger is adjustably supported on the underside of a cross-bar extending between the forward ends of the side bars of the swinging frame 31, by bolts 76 that pass through slots 77 in the plate 71 and screwed into said cross-bar to hold the finger 70 in the desired position. On account of the fact that the upper face of the finger 70 is in the plane of the upper face of the table, this face operates to guide the sheets on the-table in a straight line and without forcing the sheets up or down.

When printing sheets made from paper ranging from the thinnest to moderately heavy material, the finger 70 is suiiicientto insure the entrance of the sheet between the suction roller and the inclined surface 74:, but when sheets of cardboard and the like, which are somewhat stiff and for this reason are liable to become disengaged from the suction roller through their resiliency, are to be fed, a plate 80 of thin sheet metal is adjustably and reversibly secured to the finger 70 for different grades of cardboard by screws 81 fastened through a slot 82 in the plate 80. The forward end of this plate is'm ade quite narrow, as at 72, so that a thin and narrow point may be presented to the cardboard which projects a short distance beyond the curved end 72 of the finger in position to extend over the edge of each sheet the moment it is separated from the pile of sheets by the rotation of the suction dish 64, thus preventing the return of the sheet that is being fed to the pile should it bepome released from the suction roller by its resiliency. Plate 80 may be adjusted to bring its front end close up to suction roller 64.- to adapt the finger to operate upon sheets of heavy material. The edge of the sheet being below the plate 80 the sheet will be carried by the movement of the feed table 39 to the

feed rollers

57, 60. Upon loosening the bolts 76 the guide finger TO-may be adjusted to and from the suction picker with great accuracy by the thumb screw 83 threaded into the cross-bar 75 the enlarged head of said screw engaging a slot 8st in the outer end of the finger. By this means the thumb screw may be turned when the bolts 76 are loosened and the guiding finger 70 adjusted to suit the sheets that are to be fed to the press.

I provide take-up means between the rear edge of the table 39 and the suction picker to support the pile of sheets. For this purpose I prefer to fasten against the rear edge of the feed table 39 a plurality of tapes 85 which extend rearwardly from said table in parallel lines and around the hollow shaft 65 of the suction picker, or rollers on said shaft and from thence in a forward direction to rollers 86 on a cross shaft 8? the ends of which are mounted in the side bars of the swinging frame 31. After passing around the roller 86 the tapes entend thence a short distance in a forward direction and are each connected to one end of a spiral spring 88, the other ends of the sprlngs being fastened to pins 89 that pro, ject from the bottom of the feed table. That portion of the tapes 85 between the table 39 and the suction picker 6- supports the rear of the pile of sheets that projects beyond said table in order to overlie the picker and prevents the sheets dropping between the table and picker. The tapes are taken up by being drawn around their guiding rollers as the table moves rearwardly, and lengthen out on the reverse movement of said table, The function of the springs 88 is to maintain proper tension of the tapes and prevent them yielding to the weight of the pile of sheets when stretched. These springs do not expand and contract as the table reciprocate-s as both ends of each tape are fastened to the table, one directly, and the other through the spring, there is therefore no variation in tension due to the movement of the table.

What is claimed as new is,

1. In a printing press, the combination with a main frame, a form cylinder, an impression cylinder, and a take-off frame, arranged in parallel relation, a vertically swinging frame hinged to said main frame and overlying the impression cylinder and take-off, a reciprocating sheet supporting table on said swinging frame, automatic feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder carried by said swinging frame, and driving means supported on said main frame for actuating said automatic feeding mechanism, arranged to, permit the free swinging movement of said swinging frame without disconnecting said driving means.

2. In a printing press, the combination with a main frame, a form cylinder, an impression cylinder, and a take-off frame, arranged in parallel relation, a vertically swinging frame overlying the impression cylinder and take-0E, a reciprocating table movable in said frame for supporting the pile of sheets to be printed, said pile overlying the rear edge of the table, automatic feeding mechanism delivering sheets to the impression cylinder carried by said swinging frame, and over which the overhanging portion of the pile of sheets projects, means between said table and the feeding mechanism for supporting the overhanging portions of the pile of sheets, and drivingmeans supported on said main frame for actuating said automatic feeding means, arranged to permit the free swinging movement of said swinging frame without disconnecting said driving means.

3. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, an automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder comprising a pair of revolving feeding rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile of sheets that project rearwardly over said table, an oscillating suction picker operated by said table, a member coiiperating with said suction picker for separating a sheet from the bottom of said pile and directing it toward said rollers, said member having a. fixed flat upper face in the same plane with the upper face of the said table, and having an inclined face for guiding the sheet toward said rollers, and take-up means for supporting the projecting portion of a pile of sheets.

4. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, an automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder comprising a pair of revolving feeding rollers,'a reciprocating table for supporting the pile of sheets that project rearwardly over said table, an oscillating suction picker operated by said table, a member cooperating with said suction picker for separating a sheet from the bottom of said pile and directing it toward said rollers, said member having a fixed fiat upper face in the same plane with the upper face of the said table, and having an inclined face for guiding the sheet toward said rollers, and take-up supporting means between the rear of the reciprocating table and the suction picker for supporting the projecting portion of said pile of sheets.

5. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, an automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder comprising a pair of revolving feeding rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile of sheets, a fixed guiding finger and an oscillating suction picker adjacent said finger and operated by said table to select a sheet from the pile of sheets and guided by said finger direct the same toward said feeding rollers, and a separatin plate adjustably attached to said finger anc overlying the forward end of the same.

6. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, an automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder comprising a pair of revolv ing feeding rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile ofsheets, a guiding finger and an oscillating suction picker adjacent said finger and operated by said table to selecta sheet from the pile of sheets, and, guided by said finger direct the same to ward said feedingrollers, and a, separating plate adjustably attached to said. finger and formed with a narrow end projecting beyond said finger. I

7. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, an automatic sheet feeding mechanism for delivering sheets to said cylinder comprising a pair of revolving feed rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile of sheets, an oscillating suction picker adjacent to and operated by said table to select a sheet from a pile of sheets on the table, a guiding finger arranged in the plane of the table and overhanging a portion of the suction picker, said finger having a downwardly inclined front wall, and a separating plate adjustably supported in a recess formed in the upper face of said finger, said plate being adapted to have its forward end projected beyond the forward end of the finger.

8. In a printing press, the combination with a main frame, printing mechanism, a swinging frame, automatic feeding mechanism carried by said swinging frame in cluding a reciprocating sheet supporting table, and means on said main frame for driving said automatic feeding mechanism and arranged to permit the swinging movement of said swinging frame without disconnecting the said driving means.

9. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, an automatic -sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder comprising feed rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile of sheets that project rearwardly over said table, an oscillating suction picker for drawing a sheet from the bottom of said pile and directing it toward said rollers, a cross-shaft below the table, a plurality of pulleys mounted on said cross-shaft, and a plurality of flexible members passing around said pulleys and connected with said table, and also passing around said suction picker and attached to said table near the rear portion thereof so as to form a loop passing around said suction picker.

10. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, an automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder comprising a pair of revolving feed rollers, means for driving the said feed rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile of sheetsthat project rearwardly over said table, an oscillating suction picker for drawing a sheet from the botto of said pile and directing it toward said rollers, a plurality of tapes for supporting the projecting portion of the pile of sheets, a plurality of guide pulleys for said tapes under said table, said tapes passing in loops around said guide pulleys and around said suction picker, the ends of said tapes being connected with said table.

11. In 'a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, an automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder comprising a pair of revolving feed rollers, means for driving the said feed rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile of sheets that project rearwardly over said table, an oscillating suction picker operated by said table for drawing a sheet from the bottom of said pile and directing it toward said rollers, a plurality of tapes for supporting the projecting portion of the pile of sheets, a plurality of guide pulleys for said tapes under said table, said tapes passing in loops around said guide pulleys and around said suction picker, the ends of said tapes being connected with said table, said tapes having tension devices for maintaining the same taut.

12. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder of an automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder, comprising a pair of revolving feeding rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile of sheets, a fixed guiding finger and an oscillating suction picker adjacent said finger operating to draw a sheet from a pile of sheets, and guided by said finger to direct the same toward said feeding rollers, and a relatively thin and narrow separating plate adjacent to said finger and overlying the forward end of the same.

13. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder of an automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder, comprising a pair of revolving feeding rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile of sheets, a fixed guiding finger and an oscillating suction picker adjacent said finger operating to draw a sheet from a pile of sheets, and guided by said finger to direct the same toward said feeding rollers. and a relatively thin and narrow separating plate removably attached to said finger and overlying the forward 40 end of the same.

14:. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder of an automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder, comprising a pair of re- 5 volving feeding rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile of sheets, a fixed guiding finger and an oscillating suction picker adjacent said finger operating to draw a sheet-from a pile of sheets, and guided by said finger to direct the same toward said feeding rollers, said finger having a groove in the upper face thereof. and a separating plate secured in said groove and overlying the forward end of said guide finger, and projecting beyond the forward edge of said guide finger.

15. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, an automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder and comprising feeding rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile ofv sheets, a fixed guiding finger-and an oscillating suction picker adjacent said finger and operating to draw the lowest sheet from the pile, and guided by said finger, to direct the same toward said feeding rollers, and a relatively thin and narrow plate projecting in advance of the forward edge of said guide finger.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscril ing witnesses.

JAMES D. REIFSNYDER. HENRY G. SCHWERDTLE. Witnesses CARL E. SCHAEFFER, SILAS E. CHILD.

@epllea of tilde patent my be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the "Commilaaioner. or Patenta,

- whine-ton, JD. (2.