US1232662A - Sheet-feeding mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

F. DE IVHNICO.

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISNI.

APPLicATloN HLED JUNE 20,1913.

Patented July 10, 191?.

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F. DE MINICO.

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM.

MM am F. DE MINICO.

SHEET FEIEDING MECHANISIVI. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20,1913.

Patented July 10, 19W.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

TE STATES FAN Fl.

FRANK A.'DE MINICO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., SSIGNOR TO POLLARD-ALLING MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SHEET-FEEDING MECHN ISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten aan io, ieri.

Application ined June 2o, 1913. serial no. 774,755.

ed certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Feeding Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sheet feeding mechanisms, and has for its object to provide a mechanism of the class s ecified,

simple in construction, rapid and e cientin l action and so fully automatic as to be operable by unskilled attendants. f

With these objects in view, my improve ments comprise features illustrated in the drawings accompanying this specification and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevationof a machine embodying my improved mechanism, and Fig. 2 is a plan view corresponding therewith. Figs. 3, 4, and 6 are frag mentary side elevations respectively of details of my improvements illustrating successive features in the operation of a por tion of said improvements.

Before describing the invention in detail I desire to have it understood that the invention isnot limited to the particular oonst-ruction and arrangement of parts which I have illustrated and shall hereinafter defl scribe, and that various changes may be made in the mechanism without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and that the phraseology which I employ is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the present drawings I have chosen to illustrate my improvements embodied in a machine particularly adapted for printing addresses on the margins respectively of sheets. envelops, pamphlets or periodicals. Said machine is adapted for taking such periodicals one by one from a hopper or rack in which vthelv are stacked, and adi vancing those periodicals consecutively through the machine. printing a predetermined address on each one thereof and delivering those periodicals from the machine ready to be despatched in bundles or otherwise to their several destinations indicated by the respective addresses printed thereon.

My improved mechanism comprises side frames 2 and 3, provided with suitable bearings for the various shafts and supports for the various detail parts. At the left-hand end of the machine, Figs. l and 2, and which end may be the receiving end, I provide means for supporting a stack of sheets or periodicals 4 comprising a hopper or rack 5 adjustablyfixed by means of bolts as 6 to slotted portions as 7 ofv side frames 2 and 3. Said hopper is so positioned relatively to the horizontal plane that said sheets stand therein on edge in an approximately vertical position leaning slightly forwardly to the right from such vertical position. Front wall 8 of hopper 5 is provided for supporting the lower portion of said sheets, foremost sheet 9 bearing directly against said front wall and the other sheets of the stack resting against said foremost sheet.

For supporting the vupper portion of said sheets, I provide intermittently acting means for at one time engaging the upper portion of the foremost sheet of the stack and at another time for releasing that foremost sheet so lthat it may be conveniently withdrawn from the front of the stack. Said intermittently acting means comprises one or more downwardly reaching fingers l0 fixed to rock shaft 11 pivotally mounted on a fixed axis in arms 12 and 13. Said arms are fixed by set screws as 14 to shaft 15 rigidly fixed in upstanding members 16 and 17 of side frames 2 and 3 respectively by means of set screwsas 18. provided with a stop 20 for engaging the upper edges ofthe sheets as 9 respectively of` stack 4 whensaid finger is in an engaging position relatively to said sheets. For rocking finger 10 about shaft 11, as, for instance, from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 3, I provide rock arm 19 pivoted at 21 in a portion of upstanding bracket 17 on frame 3. Rock arm 1f) is bifurcated at its upper end for engagement with pin 22 eccentricall-v fixed to shaft 1l of finger 10. 'lo the other end of said rock arm 19 is pivotally fixed roll 23 for engagement with cam 4J. fixed to shaft 45 having bearings in side frames 2 and 3.

For removing successive foremost sheets as 9 from stack 4, I provide co-acting members comprising roll 24 and rotary segment 25. Roll 24 is mounted for free rotation on shaft 26 having bearings in the upper ends of arms 27 and 28 respectively fixed to rock shaft 29 pivoted in side frames 2 and 3. Arm 27 is provided with a downwardly extending portion 30 to which is attached one Said finger 10 may be4 end of pull spring 31, the other cnd of said spring being lixed to stud 32 inwardly reaching from frame 2. Member 30 of arm 27 may be prevented from excessive movement to the left, Fig. l, by stop pin 33. By the arrangement liust described it will be seenthat roll 24 is yieldably mounted for movement toward and from rotary segment 25, whereby sheet or periodical 9, introduced between said roll and segment, will kbe spring gripped therebetween. For folding the upper portion of said foremost sheet 9 downwardly around roll 24 to be gripped against said roll by segment 25, Fig. 4, I provide gripper 34, preferably pneumatic. Said gripper is preferably arranged for engaging the face of the foremost sheet, Fig. l, and may be mounted in the free end of arm 35 pivoted on shaft 15. Said gripper is pivotally mounted in said free end of said arm and is provided with means for causin it to rock on its own axis coincidently wit the rocking of arm 35 on its axis 15. VSaid rocking means comprises arm 36 fixed to gripper 34 and connected by link 37 to stud 38 in upright 16 of frame 2. For oscillating arm 35 on it-s pivot, I provide crank 39iixed to shaft connecting the free end of that crank to said arm 35 by link 40. By the means just described pneumatic gripper 3.4 is caused, after gripping the foremost sheet,

' to move downwardly in constant relationto the face of that sheet during its engagement therewith, whereby the integrity of itsconnection with said sheet is maintained. This action will be observed by inspection ofFigs. 1, 3 and 4, in the last of which said gripper has delivered said sheet to roll 24 and segment 25. The top edge of sheet 9, while it is being folded about roll 24, traverses an involute curve and the face of gripper 34 maintains a position of substantial normality to successive tangents of that curve. For providing pneumatic suction to said gripper, its tubular body 41 is connected by pipe 42() with pipe 43 mounted for oscillation coaxially with shaft 15. Said pipe 43 may be connected with solne suitable wellknown source of exhaust, not shown.

Finger 10 is not only eliicient for supporting the upper part of the stack of sheets or periodicals in hopper 5, but= having released the foremostsheet of that stack is efficient, Fig. 4, for lifting the remainder of the sheets in said stack, whereby the weight of those sheets is removed from unduly pressing against and hindering the removal of said foremost sheet.

Below segment 25, I provide one or more guide plates 42, curved throughout a portion of their lengt-li, concentric with the path of said segment. Said guide plates are efficient for directing the sheets as 9 downwardly and forwardly to the right after said sheets have been successively gripped and advanced by roll 24 and said segment. `'Below segment 25 on shaft 46 is fixed a sccond rotary segment 47 having an opposite similar member 48. Said segments 47 and 48 are for successive co-action with segment 25 thereabove for engaging and forwarding the sheets in a horizontal direction after those sheets have been delivered onto guide plates 42. Shaft 46 of said second rotary segments 47 and 48 is yieldably mounted similarly to shaft 26 of roll 24 and further description of Said yieldable mounting is deemed unnecessar For receiving the sheets horizontally advanced by segments 25 and 47 or 48, I provide a traveling carrier', comprising chains 49 and 50 whose upper operative runs respectively are preferably arranged horizontally. Said chains may be supported on the usual sprockets as 51 and 52 to chain 49. Said sprockets as 51 are xed -to studs as 53 in reaching from side frames 2 and 3 and said sprockets as 52 may be fixed to shaft 55 having bearings in said side frames. Between chains 49 and 50, I preferably provide table 56 having its top surface in the ,same plane as or slightly below the upperv face of the iilpper run of said chains. Said chains are e cient for delivering the sheets or periodicals successively to the addressing means and for advancing those sheets away from` the addressing mea-ns after` having been addressed thereby. For greater accuracy and precision of operation of chains 49 and 50, I preferably provide dogs as 57 spaced apart, on each of said chains fa distance greater than the greatest length of sheet which said machine is adapted to handle, plus a further distance equalto that traveled lby said chains during the retardation or stopping of the sheet incident to printing the address thereupon.

For printing the address upon the sheet, I employ a chain of address plates 58 comprising a plurality of individual articulated plates as 59 and 60, each bearing on its outer face a suitable address, not shown, but of a character well known in this art. For advancing these plates successively to printing position, I employ drum 6l mounted on shaft 62 having suitable bearings in upstandingbrackets 64 and 65 of side frames 2 and 3 respectively. Spring-urged flanged rolls 63 and 66 may be provided for holding chain 58 in proper contact with drum 61 and for providing suitable frictional resistance to the rotation of said drum.

Drum shaft 62 is slowly rotated at uniform speed from main shaft S() by means of gearing to be hereinafter described. Printing plates as 59 and 60 may be inked prior to their advancement to printing position, by some convenient well known means, not shown.V

For pressing the sheet against that printing plate which is in printing position, said printing position being approximately directly below shaft 62, I provide reciprocating platen 74. Said platen'is arranged to reciprocate approximately vertically and is further arranged for yielding in the direction of advancement of the printing plates. To these ends I provide arm 75 pivotally mounted at 76 in bracket 77 depending from table 56 and in the free end of said arm printing platen 74 is pivotally 'mounted at 7 8 and (zo-axially therewith is roll 79 for coaction with cain 81 on main shaft 80. Upstandiiig from arm 7 5 is post 82 through a hole in which screw 83 is Jr'ree to slideand said screw is threaded into platen 7-1. Spring 81 is provided about the body of screw 83 between post H2 and said platen for urging the head of' said screw against post 82 and by which means printing platen 74 is normally held in fixed position relatively to arm 7 5 but is free to yield against the pressure of' said spring toward the right,v

Figs. 1 and 6, when so moved as will appear later herein. In this connection, it will be noted that table 56 is conveniently provided with aperture 101 for the passage of said platen 7 4. For timing at the printing position, sheets as 9, as they are successively advanced by chains .19 and 50, I provide fingers as 85 and 86 mounted for projection across the path of sheet advancement for engagement with the leading edge of the'sheet. In soine cases I mount said fingers adjustably as shown in Fig. 5, whereby the relation of the leading edge of the sheet to the printing position may be changed as desired. While said fingers would be equally efficient for either stopping or retarding the sheet for timing that sheet with the printing plate and its carrier, I have chosen to illustrate them as operating for temporarily stopping the sheet in its advancement. and vto this end said pins are fixed to the free end of rock arms 87 and 88 respectively fixed to rock shaft 89 pivotally mounted in suitable brackets depending from table 56. Also fixed to .shaft 89 is arm 90 carrying at its free end roll 91 for engagement with cam 92 fixed to inain shaft 80. Said roll 91 may be urged to engagement by spring 93 pressing against heel 94 of arm 90. In the rapid operation of a machine of this character, it sometimes happens that the sheet is advanced at such speed against fingers 85 and 86 as to cause that sheet to rebound whereby its registration is impaired. To insure against this possibility, I provide means for engagement with the rearward edge of the sheet for urging that sheet in its direction of' I travel against said fingers comprising `fingers 95 and 96 adjustably mounted on shaft 45. Said fingers are in the form of angled arms, the operative ends of which project beyond the periphery of segment 25 and the other ends of which are slidably mounted in dogs 97 and 98 respectively, and which dogs are adjustable on said shaft 1:5. By means of said adjustable mounting, said fingers 95 and 96 may be timed to correspond with different lengths of sheets, as desired.

For driving the several rotary members of my improved mechanism at suitable speeds and timing, I connect them by means of toothed gears and sprockets and chains as follows: Main shaft 80 has fixed thereto sprocket 112 connected by chain 113 with sprocket 1111 fixed to shaft 55 whereby chains 49 and 5() are actuated to present one pair of op .iosite dogs as :37 behind each sheet as thatV slieet is advanced over table 56. Fixed to stud 5&1 of frame 3 1s gear 115 meshing with gear 116 fixed to shaft 45; also fixed to said stud 53 is small gear 117 driving through intermediate 118 gear 119 fixed to shaft L16. Said intermediate 118 is illusti'ated as mounted on fixed stud 120 outstanding froin frame 3, but, if desired, may lie-mounted as a fioating gear connected by links with studs 53 and shaft 16 respectively, as indicated in dot and dash lilies in Fig. 1.

For driving the printing plate carrier or drum 61 from main shaft 80, I provide a train of reducing gears including gear 121 fixed to shaft 80, gears 122 and 123 on stud 121, and gears 125 and 126 on stud 127, said gear 126 meshing ,with gear 128 fixed to shaft 62. By means of .this reducing gearing, drum 61 is rotated in anti-clockwise direction. Fig. 1. a peripheral distance equal to` one printing plate space for every coinplete rotation of' main shaft 8() whereby for each sheet advanced to printing position a printing plate is advanced to corresponding position. Main shaft 8() is provided with pulley 13() to which power may be conveyed by means of the usual belt, not shown, from some suitable source of power.

The operation of my improved mechanism is as follows: A stack of sheets or periodicals being supplied to hopper 5, as shown in Fig. 1, power is applied to pulley 13() and that pulley rotated in clockwise direction, Fig. 1, pneumatic gripper 34 being iii the position shown in said F ig. 1, in gripping position relatively to front sheet 9. Finger l() now swings to the right and the. upper edge of said front sheet is led downwardly around roll24 by gripper 341, Fig. 3, whereupon segment 25, rotating in anti-clockwise direction, passes downwardly behind said front sheet and between it and the next sheet of l[he stack and finger 10 swings back to its original position sustaining the remainder of the stack and lifting the remainder away from contact with the upper part of sheet 9, Fig. Ll. Coincidently gripper 34- swings still farther downwardly and segment 25 co-acts with roll 24 and delivers sheet 9 downwardly onto giuide plates 42. Presently thereafter and before roll 24 and segment 25 have released their hold on sheet 9, segment 47 rotates upwardly and forwardly in clockwise direction for coaction with segment 25 for advancing the sheet onto table 5G over chains 49 and 50, Fig. l. Stop fingers 85 and 86 are now projected upwardly across the path of the advancing sheet, Fig. 5, and said sheet 1s delivered against those fingers by seginentsQ and 4T or 48, or by chains 49 and 50 kand directly thereafter fingers 95 and 96 rotate into wiping engagement with the rearward end of said sheet, if that sheet is in anyway out of registry with lingers 85 and 86, thereby restoring said sheet in registration relatively to said stop fingers. 1f said sheet .was in correct. registry with said fingers 85v and S6, fingers 95 and 96 will pass the rearward end of the sheet without affecting the position of said sheet. Sheet 9 is now in registered position relatively to a printing plate on drum (Si, but before that sheet is urged by platen T-L into printing engagement with the printing plate, fingers 85 and 8G must be withdrawn, whereby said sheet will be permitted to move forwardly in thebite of said printing plate and platen' and in time with that. printing plate. Said-platen isis now moved upwardly by cam 81 and simultaneously with the withdrawal of fingers 85 and 8G, forces sheet 9 against the printing plate then in printing position and the movement of that plate in anticlockwise direction with drinn (5l moves sheet 9 a short distance forwardly to the right, carrying platen 74e therewith, all as clearly shown in Fig. G.-

During the. retarding or stoppingof the sheet by fingers 85 and 86, and during the slow forward movement of the sheet during the printing operation, chains 49 and 50 have been advancing at their usual speed, whereby dogs 5T have moved from the position of Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 6. Immediately after the releasing of the sheet from the grip of the printing mechanism, said sheet is again within the control of chains L9 and 5U for delivery to other operative mechanism not shown.

l claim: Y

1. A sheet feeding mechanism including in combination means for supporting a stack ot' sheets on edge, including means for supporting the lower portion of said sheets, a rotatable roll for engagement with the foremost sheet above said lower sheet Supporting means. a pivoted arm, a pneumatic gripper oseillatably mounted in the free end of said pivoted arm, means for oscillating said arm on its pivot, means for oscillating said gripper relatively to said arm for causing said gripper to flex said sheet about said roll and to maintain said gripper in constant relation to the face of said sheet during its engagement therewith, and means for forwarding the sheet from the pneumatic gripping means.

2. A sheet feeding mechanism including in combination means for supporting a stack 0f sheets on edge, including means for supporting the lower portion of said sheets, a roll mounted for free rotation on a horizontal axis for engagement with the foremost sheet above said lower sheet supporting means, means for folding the upper portion of said foremost sheet downwardly around said roll and an intermittently operable rotary segment for co-action with said rol-l for advancing the sheet after it has been folded around said roll.v

3. A sheet feeding mechanism including in combination means for supporting a stack of sheets on edge, including means for supporting the lower portion of said sheets, a roll mounted for free rotation on a horizontal vaxis for engagement with the foremost sheet above said lower sheet supporting means, means for folding the upper portion of `said foremost. sheet downwardly around said roll and an intermittently operable rotary segment for co-action with said roll for advancing the sheet after it has been folded around said roll, said roll being yieldably mounted for movement toward and from said rotary segment.

4. A sheet feeding mechanism includin incombiimtion means foi-.supporting a stac of sheets on edge. including means for supporting the lower portion of said sheets, a-

roll mounted for free rotation on a horizontal axis for engagement with the foremost sheet above said lower sheet supporting means, means for folding the upper portion of said foremost sheet downward-ly around said roll, a traveling carrier, an intermittently operable rotary segment for co-action with said roll for advancing the sheet after it has been folded around said roll, said roll being yieldably mounted for movement toward and from said rotary segment, a second intermittently operable rotary segment, yieldably mounted for movement toward and from said first mentioned rotary segment for (fo-action with said first mentioned rotary segment for delivering the sheet to said traveling carrier and spring means for urging said second segment to (eo-action with said first segment.

5. A sheet feeding mechanism including in combination means for supporting a stack' of sheets on edge` including means for supporting the lower portion of said sheets, intermittently acting means for supporting the upper portion of the foremost sheet, means for actuating said upper supporting means to alternately sustain and release said foremost sheet, a roll mounted for free rotav tion'. on a horizontal axis for enga ement with sald foremost sheet between sal lower and upper sheet supporting means, means for folding the upper portion of said foremost sheet downwardly around said roll comprising a pivoted arm, a pneumatic gripper pivotally mounted in the free end of said pivoted arm, means for oscillating said arm on its pivot, means for oscillating said gripper relatively to said arm for causing said gripper to maintain a constant relation to the face of said sheet during its on a horizontal a-Xis for engagement with said foremost sheet between said lower and upper sheet supporting means, a pivoted arm, a pneumatic, gripper pivotally mounted in the free end of said pivoted arm, means for oscillating said arm on its pivot, means for oscillating said gripper relatively to said arm for causing said gripper to vmaintain a constant relation to the face of said sheet during its engagement therewith, a rotary segment for co-action with said roll for advancing the sheet after the operation of the pneumatic gripper, a traveling carrier and a second rotary segment for co-action with said rst mentioned rotary segment for delivering the sheet to said traveling carrier.

7. A sheet feeding mechanism including in combination means for supporting a stackof sheets, a traveling carrier, means for removing the sheets one at a time from said stack and delivering them consecutively to said traveling carrier comprising a roll mounted for free rotation on a horizontal axis for engagement with the foremost sheet of `said stack, means for folding the upper portion of said foremost sheet downwardly around said roll comprising a pivoted arm, a pneumatic gripper pivotally mounted in the free end of said pivoted arm, means for oscillating said arm on its pivot and mea-ns for oscillating said gripper relatively to said arm for causing said gripper to maintain a. constant relation to the face of said sheet during its engagement therewith.

8. A sheet feeding mechanism including in combination means for supporting a stark of sheets, a. traveling carrier, means for removing the sheets one at a` time from said stack and delivering them consecutively to said traveling carrier comprising a roll mounted for free rotation on a horizontal axis for engagement with the foremost sheet of said stack, means for folding the-upper portion of said foremost sheet downwardly around said roll, aI rotary segment for co-action with said roll for advancing the sheet after the operatirm of the pneumatic gripper, said roll being yieldably mounted for movement toward and from said rotary segment, spring means for urging said roll to co-action with said vrotary segment, a second rotary segment for co-a'ction with said first mentioned rotary segment for delivering the sheet to said traveling carrier and spring means for urging said second segment to coaction with said iirst segment.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 18th day of June, 1913, before two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK DE MlNICO. W'Vitnesses:

Morris E. LEVY, CHAS. W. LA RUE.

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