US1226997A - Mechanism for cleaning the ends of intermittent endless-conveyer gummed-blank grippers. - Google Patents

Description

v M. E. PETERS, G. H. FATH & A. F. MILLER. 'MECHANlSM FOR CLEANING IHEENDS 0F INTERMITTENT ENDLESS CONVEYER GUMMED BLANK GRIPP ERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28. ms. 1,226,997. Patented May 22,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I'- r M. E. PETERS,,G. H. FATH & A. F. MILLER;

MECHANISM FOR CLEANING THE ENDS 0F INTERMITTENT ENDLESS CONVEYER GUMMED BLANK GRIPPERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1916.

Patented May 22, 1917.

2 SHEEIS-SHEET 2- MA flome MELVILLE E. Pn'rnns. enonen n.

PATH, im ALBERT F. MILLER, or DENVER". COLORADO.

MECHANISM FOR CLEANSING rnn nuns or ,rnrnniuir'rnn'r nivnnnss-convnirnn GUMMED-IBLANK GRIPPERS.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that we, MELVILLE E. Pn'rnns, GEORGE H. FATH, and ALBERT F. MILLER; citizens of the United States of America, residing in the city and county of Denver and'Stat'e of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Mechanism for Cleaning I the Ends of'Intermittent Endless-Conveyer Gummed-Blank Grippers, of-which the following is a specification. V 7 Our invention relates to mechanism for cleaning the ends of intermittent endless conveyor gummed blank grippers; and the objects of our invention are:

First, to provide an automatically operating wet wiper washing and cleaning mechanism for the blank gripping members of endless intermittent movement conveyers, that isadapted to engageeach set ofblank grippers at. one of-the predetermined stopping points in their endless movement after the grippers have been opened and the blank has beenremoved from them. And

Second, to providea simple gum coated blank gripper cleaning mechanism that is cooperatively connected toand Operated by the intermittent movement of endless chain conveyers that are adapted to grip the blanks one at atime as they are coated with gum in a blank gumming machine, and convey them away on suitably supporting.

aprons to the returning point of the endless conveyer wherethe conveyer stops and the grippers are opened and are locked in an opened position until the blank is removed from them, and in whichthese grippers are cleaned when in an opened position. t

We attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which: s.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a blank gumming machine having an endless conveyer and rows of blank grippers thereon at regular intervals, and showing the application of our improved mechanism for cleansi the blanks from the gumming cylinder to the aprons of the conveyer, if not very frequently washed'and-cleaned to remove the ing said grippers;

Fig. Q isaplanIvieW of aportion of the machine shown inFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of themechanism for wiping the grippers v g i Fig. 4 s asideview, partly in section, of one of the. gripperwiping arms. And

Fig. 5 is a plan view thereof:

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Pa ama 22, 1917.

Application filed April 28, 1916. Serial No. 94,206.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views. Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 designates an endless intermittent travelingconveyer, such asgrips and. conveys the blanks from the gumming cylinder 2 to its stop ping point, where they are removed from the gumming' machine. Such a conveye'r and a gripper cleaning mechanism is illustrated in our pending application Serial Number 30,471, filed May 25, 1915, for a pneumatically controlled and automatically Operating blank guinining and tempering machine i v i This endless conveyer is provided with an intermittent traveling and stopping move ment, and it' is provided with blank gripping finger-like members" 3 that grip the blanks one ata time at gum-coated advance feeding edge when at'a predetermined point of the rotating surface of the gumming cylinder 2, and feed them up over a gapped cylinder 1, which we term a transmission cylinder, onto aprons 5,.upon which theylie out flat. The blanks are held by thegripping fingers as they lie on the aprons, and as they are carried or conveyed away from the blank gumming cylinder, untilv they reach a point 6 in the traveling movement of the conveyor, where they are picked up and are removed from the aprons. The blanks are coated on one side either partially or wholly, as desired, by the gumming cylinder, and this gummed surface of the blank always remains uppermost. Cons'equently the finger grippers engage their gummed surface at its advancing edge portion, and

the faces or surfaces of the ends of these fin- -er 'ri) ers become stickv' 'withthe 11111 a u b sticky gum from them. a

We have found in practice that the bes results are obtained bycleaning these blank gripping fingers just after they have been 105 opened and locked in an open position and the blank has been removed from them, and we have provided means for automatically washing their gummed coated ends at a convenient point between their blank removing stopping station and their blank receiving and gripping station, where they are closed to grip the blanks by a cam 8 which engages pawls 9 on the bars 7 which engage toothed disks 10, on the adjacent ends of spring actuated rods 11, which are mounted in bearings 12 on the bars 7, the grippers 3 being rigidly mounted on the said rods 11.

In order that a clear understanding of the functions of our invention may be had, a brief description of the endless apron conveying mechanism is deemed necessary.

We desire it understood, however, that our invention contemplates broadly the application of our automatically operating gum coated finger cleaning mechanism to all kinds of gummed blank conveying mechanism. To this end, the apron conveyer consists briefly of the following instrumentalities, which are arranged as follows:

The conveyer consists of two oppositely positioned outside side sprocket chains 13, both having exactly the same number of links. These chains are mounted on sprocket wheels 14. and 15. Between these chains extending crosswise between them and at equidistant distances apart throughout the whole length of the endless conveyer the blank gripping cross bars 7 and the rods 11 are placed, with the finger grippers operatively mounted on the said rods 11, the bars 7 being secured to,the inside links of the opposite chains between which these bars come. To each bar 7 we secure one end of an apron, which preferably consists of a sheet of rubberized cloth, the other end of which is secured to an additional cross bar 16. e illustrate eight of these blank receiving aprons in the length of the endless conveyer, and each apron has a set of blank gripping fingers 3, which are thrown to engage the blanks by torsional springs 17 on the opposite ends of the rods 11, one end of each spring being secured to the adjacent bearing 12, while the other end thereof is secured to the hub of the adjacent gripper 3, as shown by Fig. 2. The grippers grip the blanks against the abutment bar 7 in the gap 18 of the gumming cylinder 2. The aprons with their blank grippers, of which there are several in a straight cross row, six being shown, pass over the gapped cylinder 4, which we term the transmission cylinder, which is positioned close enough to the gumming cylinder to allow the blank grippers to enter the gap of the gumming cylinder and grip the edge of the blank that is exposed there.

The gap in the transmission cylinder makes room for the gripper and apron supporting bars to rotate around the end of this cylinder, while the aprons lie flat against its curved surface, and the gripping fingers grip a blank as they move in unison with the gumming cylinder, and draw it off of the gumming cylinder onto their ad jacent apron, as the aprons move up over the transmission cylinder, which rotates in the direction of the arrow. The aprons at the opposite end of the conveyer turn on a gripped cylinder 19, and the conveyer chains and the aprons and the gripper bars travel in a straight horizontal plane from the top of the transmission cylinder to the top of the cylinder 19; from this cylinder and the sprocket wheels 15, both of which are mounted on a suitable supporting shaft 20, the conveyer extends downwardly at an inward angle to and over an idler sprocket Wheel 21, from which it extends up to and over idlers 22 to the transmission cylinder, which is mounted on a suitable power driven shaft 23. The conveyer has an intermittent blank receiving and conveying movement that causes each apron to stop at the end of its forward feeding movement. This intermittent blank feeding movement is imparted to the conveyer by gearing, which is arranged in timed relation to the gap in the gumming cylinder, but which we do not illustrate.

This intermittent blank receiving and feeding movement of the conveyer causes each apron with its blank to stop at what we call the conveyers blank removing station, long enough to permit each blank to be removed from its supporting apron, and just after the conveyer stops, the blank gripping fingers which retain their grip on the blank on their adjacent apron are all simultaneously opened or thrown up and back by a cam and lever actuated toothed segment 2 1, that engages a toothed pinion 25, that is mounted on the gripper carrying bar.

The grippers are thus thrown automatically to an opened position, and they are locked in this position by the pawl 9 and a ratchet toothed pinion 10 that is secured on a the bar 11 that supports the grippers. The

finger grippers remain in this open position until they travel back along the under side of the conveyer to the gap of the transmission cylinder, when at the right time they are released by the cam 8, and their springs 17 throw them over the edge of the blank. It is while the blank gripping fingers are moving in their wide opened position between the idler supporting mechanism and the transmitting cylinder that we apply our gripper cleaning mechanism. Consequently we apply this gripper cleaning mechanism at a point in the upward movement of the grippers when they come to a standstill.

The blank gripping finger cleaning mechanism comprises a pair of sprocket wheels 26, that are secured on a shaft 27 that extends across the machinebetween theiside frames A and B, and is journaled at'itsopposite ends'in bearing brackets 28', which are adjustably secured to the" side frames. 'The teeth ofthese sprocket Wheels .26 mesh into the links of'the chains l3,*that form' the opposite sides of the conveyor; Consequently When the conveyor "is' traveling along, thesesprocke'twheelsand the shaft 27" are beingrotated by the chains of'the conveyer. Upon the shaft 27 .we secure a number of wiper arms corresponding to the number-of grippers ona rod, placing an arm opposite to each one of the blank grippers. Each of these armscomprises two parts 29 and 3O.

The part 29 has a hub portion through which the shaft 27 passes and which isrigidly secured tosaid shaft, and an extension having a bifurcated end, in which the inner end of the member 30 is pivotally mounted. The pivoted end of the member 30 terminates in a right angled stop member 31, which bears against the flat intervening face '32 between the ears 33 of the bifurcated end of the member 29, and thisstop' prevents a swing ing movement of the member 30 in one direction. The part of thepivoted' end of the member 30 opposite the stop '31 is rounded, so as to permit the member 30 to swing in one direction. The member 30 is held under yielding tension, as respects "its swinging movement, by a coil spring :34, which is secured at one end to the stop 31, and'at its opposite end, to a pin 35, which is screwed into the hub; of the member 29. To the outer end of each arm 30, we secure a piece. of fabric or felt 36, that is adapted to absorb water or any other suitable solution, and

that isadapted-to form asuitable wiper.

Below the shaft and these arms a pan 37 is placed, which is secured on across bar 38, that extends across and is secured to brackets 39 on the inside of the side frames. This pan is. positioned to receive and partially inclose the wiper arms'throughout a part of their circumferential sweep below the shaft 27. This pan is partially filled with water, and as the felt wipers enter the pan and move through it, as they and their arm and the shaft are rotated by the sprocket wheels, they absorb enough water to present a thoroughly wet surface to the. gum coated ends of the blank engaging ends of the blank gripping fingers,which theyengage in the following manners.

There are the same number of sprocket chain links in. each of thesprocket chains,

and they are positioned exactly opposite to each other, and the two" chains are of a length to. exactly: subdivide intothe same number of links from-the center of. one

blank gripping bar and its apronhto the center of the next blank gripping bar and c its apron, throughouftfthe length of the if desired, by lengthening 0r shortening the conveyer enough to keep the distance between the blank gripping finger bars the same. i

The gum coated ends of the blank gripping ,fingers are exactly a certain number of sprocket chain links apart, and the conveyer stops when each gripper bar with its finger arrives at its blank removing point or station. Consequently the rotating wipers are so positioned that they arrive at the upper part of the top center of their rotative movement in time to meet and engage and bear against the gum coated blank engaging ends of the blank gripper bar ofo-pen blank grippers, as eachbar' of grippers is moved to and by thewipers and the wipers engage the blank engaging surfaces of these open finger grippers with a cushioningpressure, just as the'conveyer stops to allow a blank to be removed from the apron at the blank removing stat-ion. The stoppingv of the conveyer for the removal of a blank stops a bar of the open finger grippers at the top center ofthe along, these wipers move in acurved line while the conveyor with the grippers moves in a straight line away from the wipers.- Consequently the wipers wipe and rub across the ends of the gum' coated faces of the grippers, and thoroughly clean them. -Each row of blank gripping fingers of each apron is thus engaged and cleaned by the wipers, just as the conveyor stops and starts again.

While we have illustrated and described our invention applied to an endless intermittent traveling blank conveying or transmit ting conveyor, we do not wish to be limited to the construction and arrangement shown, as many changes might be made without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having describd our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is: r 1. Inadevice for cleaning the blank gripping fingers of the apron conveyers of blank gumming machines, the combination-of the conveyer chains and the grippers that engage: the gummed surface of the" blanks, with a pair of shaft supported sprocket wheels arranged in mesh with said conveyor,

shaft and arranged to engage the gum coated ends of said blank grippers.

2. In a device for cleaning the blank gripping fingers of the apron conveyers of blank gumming machines, the combination of the conveyer chains and the grippers that engage the gummed surface of the blanks, with a pair of shaft supported sprocket wheels arranged in mesh with said conveyer chains, a pan supported below said shaft provided with a supply of any suitable liquid, and wiper members mounted on said shaft and arranged to engage the gum coated ends of said blank grippers, said shaft being provided with a plurality of grippers and said wipers being each arranged to engage an individual gripper.

8. In a device for cleaning the blank gripping fingers of the apron conveyers of blank gumming machines, the combination of the conveyer chains and the grippers that engage the gummed surface of the blanks, with apair of shaft supported sprocket wheels arranged in mesh with said conveyer chains, a pan supported below said shaft provided with a supply of any suitable liquid, and wiper members mounted on said shaft and arranged to engage the gum coated ends of said blank grippers, said shaft being provided with a plurality of grippers and said wipers being each arranged to engage an individual gripper, each of said wipers comprising an arm secured to said shaft and provided at its end with a water or other liquid solution absorbing material adapted to take up a supply of water and rubbingly apply it to the gum coated surfaces of said grippers.

4. In a device as specified, the combination with the intermittently stopping conveyer provided with sprocket chain links and the blank grippers, of the shaft and the sprocket wheels, said sprocket wheels being arranged in mesh with the links of said sprocket chain, the water absorbing and distributing wipers on said shaft arranged to engage said grippers and the water holding pan provided with a body of water arranged to permit said wipers as they are rotated by said sprocket wheels and the carrying chains to absorb water, and means whereby said wet wipers engage each set of wipers at a pre determined point in the length of said conveyer at their intermittently stopping periods.

5. In a device as specified for an intermittent gummed blank transmitting conveyer, the combination with the sprocket chain links and the gummed blank gripping grippers of the conveyer, of the shaft supported sprocket wheels rotatably mounted below said conveyer, arms secured on said shaft each of which is provided with a wiper comprising a suitable water absorbing fabric at its end, one of each of said arms being positioned to engage one of said grippers as they arrive at and stop in the rotative path of said wipers as they are rotated by the endless intermittent traveling movement of said conveyer, a pan below said shaft provided with a supply of water and arranged to re ceive and wet the wipers of each arm as they rotate through the water in said pan,

said Wipers being arranged and positioned to engage each set of grippers at some convenient point in its traveling movement between where it receives the blanks and where they are removed from it, where each row of blank grippers stops and rests against said gum coated surfaces of said grippers during the intermittent stopping period of said conveyer.

6. In a device as specified, the combination with an endless gummed blank conveyer provided with intermittent stop blank releasing and removing stations, said conveyer being provided with blank supporting aprons provided with blank gripping fingers spaced at equi-distances apart in said endless conveyer, a shaft rotated by and in unison with the traveling nrovement of said conveyer to make a full revolution between each set of equi-distantly spaced blank gripping fingers, a set of water absorbing and distributing wipers secured on said shaft and rotating therewith and corresponding in number to the number of blank gripping fingers of each apron and arranged in the traveling path of said grippers, a pan provided with a supply of water positioned to receive and soakingly wet said rotating wipers between each set of grippers as the conveyer intermittently moves along said wipers being positioned to engage the gum coated surface of a set of grippers, each time the conveyer stops, and to exert a rubbing pressure against the gum coated surfaces of said grippers as the conveyer starts and moves away from said wipers.

7. In a device as specified, the combination of the endless intermittent movement sprocket chain conveyer, provided with a plurality of sets of gummed blank gripping fingers, the water containing pan provided with a supply of water, the shaft supported wipers rotating through said pan and absorbing water therefrom, and arranged to rotate in a complete circle, and to engage each set of grippers as they are moved and stopped when passing said wipers, and the sprocket wheel on said wiper supporting shaft arranged to mesh with the sprocket chains of said conveyer and to rotate said wet wipers a full revolution between the centers of each set of wipers, whereby said wipers rotate in unison with the feed and stop movement of each set of finger grippers and engage and wipingly apply water to and clean them.

8. In a gummed blank gripping finger CAD cleaning mechanism, thecombinatio-n of the sprocket chains, aprons, and the set of blank gripping fingers on each apron, said conveyer having an makea full revolution between each set-ofgrippers and to engage and apply to them a wet rubbing and cleaning pressure during the moving and stop periods ofleach set of grippers while passing said: wiper'mechamsm. i

9. The combination with power Vdriven parallel endless conveyer. chains, bars connecting said chains at regular intervals, and

grippers mounted on said bars, of a shaft, sprocket wheels on said shaft in mesh with said chains, arms on said shaft having yielding extensions, liquid absorbingpads on said I extensions, said sprockets being of a diameter as to impart a complete revolution to the arms, while the chains travel a distance equal to the space between two gripper bars,

whereby the said pads are caused to engage the blank supporting each row' of grippersas they pass, and a liquid holding receptacle below and in the path of said arms.

10. The combination with sprocket wheels,

power, driven parallel endless conveyer.

chains carried by said sprocket wheels, bars connecting said chains at regular intervals,

and grippers mounted on said bars, of a shaft, sprocket wheels on said shaft in mesh with and driven by said chains, and of the wheels, arms rigidly mountedon said shaft having hinged extensions, and springs for holding said extensions under yielding ten sion in one direction, absorbent pads on the ends of said yielding extensions, and a liquid holding pan beneath and in the path of said arms, said arms being in line with thegrippers and being given a complete revolution as the chains travel the distance between two gripper carrying bars, whereby the pads are brought intowipingengagement with each set of'grippersas they pass.

In testimony whereof we aliix' our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

MELVILLE E. PETERS. GEORGE H. FATH. ALBERT F. MILLER.

V Witnesses G. SARGENT ELLIOTT,- ELIZABETH SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D; C. p i

, same diameter as the chain carrying sprocket

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