US1528349A - Signature-stuffing machine - Google Patents

Description

Mar. 3, 1925.

- J. c. THEBERATH SIGNATURE STUFFING magma File d March 30, 1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mar. 3, 1925.

J. C. THEBERATH SIGNATURE STUFFING MACHINE Filed March 30,1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 fire/122w 3 1L5 .mumk

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Mar. 3, 1925.

; J. C. THEBERATH SIGNATURE STUFFING MACHINE Filed March 50, 1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mar. 3, 1925.

J. c. THEBERATH SIGNATURE S TUFFING MACHINE Filed March 30, 1922 IIIlIII II; V

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Mar. 3. 1925.

J. THEBERATH SIGNATURE STUFFING MACHINE Filed Mafch so, 1922 x 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. c. THEBERATH smmwmm STUFFING MACHINE Filed March 30-, 1922 Mar. 3. 1925.

S SheetS-Sheet 7 Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFlfCE.v

JOSEPH C. TI-IEBERA'II-I, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SIGNATURE-STUFFING MACHINE,

Application filed March 36, 1922. Serial No. 547,962.

hoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Signature-Stuffing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the'accompanying drawings.

Machines of the class to which my invention relates are used in newspaper oflices and other printing establishments for inserting into another one or more sections of a newspaper, or signatures of a book, catalogue or other pamphlet. In newspaper oilices these machines are especially valuable for assembling the various sections of large Sunday editions. The sections of the paper come from the presses in folded condition, and

before the paper is ready for delivery; one of the sections must have inserted into it all the other sections. Ord narily this is done by hand and several extra employees are required for this work. As they are needed only a few hours each week, it is quite difficult to always have persons available for the purpose.

It is the primary object of my invention.

to provide a machine that will perform this service automatically and very rapidly, for obviously speed is highly essential in a machine of this character when one considers the rapidity with which the modern rotary presses, used for printing newspapers, opcrate.

My present invention waspreceded by those relating to the same subject disclosed in my earlier Patents Nos. 1,149,546 and 1,393,924, dated August 10, 1915, and October '18, 1921, respectively. My new ma chine, however, is entirely different in prin' ciple and mode of operation from its predecessors and these differences are responsible for its increased speed.

Qther objects of the invention are to provide a machine of the aforesaid class which occupies a comparatively small amount of floor space; which is so designed as to facilitate feeding it with newspaper sections or signatures; which operates positively and with accuracy and precision; which is comparatively simple of construction; is very durable; and is not likely to get out of order; and which requires very little attention asidefroni keeping it supplied with signatures.

The foregoing objects, with other and more limited ones, are attained in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof and wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig; 2 is an elevation of the machine as viewed from the left of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the opposite side of the machine from that shown in Fig. 1, the plane of section being indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is a sectlonal plan on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a detail, on a somewhat larger scale than the preceding views, of the spreading mechanism for the receiving signature; Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional plan views of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 6, showing the same in its two extreme positions; Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9--9 of Fig. 7; Figs. 10 and 11 ( sheets 2 and 5 respectively) are details of the mounting through which the signature feeding rollers are supported so as to yield one with respect to the other; Fig. 12 (Sheet 5) is a detail. of one of the pin wheels by means of which the signatures are drawn from the magazines or hoppers; Fig. 13 is a detail of the device for centralizing the receiving signature with respect to the spreading means therefor; Figs. 14, 15 and 16 are sectional views, somewh at diagrannmitic in character,

showing the progressive steps of the signature inserting or stuiiing operation; and 17 is view, similar to 4, showing the inventionembodied in what may be termed a multiple machine by means of which several signatures may be simultaneously; inserted into a receiving signature.

The frame of the machine is constructed of side plates 1 and 2 that are connected together and spaced apart by cross members 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, the last mentioned cross member constituting a shelf which supports an electric motor 10 that drives, through. a pinion 11, secured to its shaft 12, and through a gear 13 wherewith the pinion meshes, a shaft 14, journaled in the side plates land 2, the ends of the shaft 14 pro jecting a suitable distance beyond the side plates. In the present construction, there fore, the shaft 14 is the driving shaft of the machine, and obviously the same may be rotated by any suitable and well known means in place of the motor 10.

Inclined downwardly and inwardly from the respective cross members 3 and 1, and extending from one side plate to the other, are signature supporting plates and 16 which, with vertical plates 17 and 18 constitute hoppers or magazines A and B. The body portions of the plates 15 and 16 terminate adjacent the lower edges of the re spective plates 17 and 18, but extending therefrom are tongues 20 and 21 that ap proach each other quite closely and extend for some distance downwardly in parallel relationto each other between the upper edges of a fixed wall 22, and a movable wall 23, of an assembling pocket C. lhe former wall may be secured in any suitable manner to the side plates 1 and 2, while the latter wall has a pair of slides 21 at each end which reciprocate between guides 25 on the side plates. Springs 26, having one of their ends connected to the movable wall 23 and their other ends anchored at 27 to the adjacent side plates, serve to retract the wall and tend to hold it in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The bottom of the assembling pocket is formed by a door 30 which is secured to a rock shaft 31. journaled at its ends inthe side plates 1 and 2 and shown as projecting beyond the former plate where it has fastened to it an arm 32, the free end of which is connected by a link 3 1 with one end of a lever 35, pivoted at 36 to the side plate 1, and having, at its other end, a pin or roller 37 which projects into a groove 38 of a cam 39, secured to the driving shaft 14. An elongated vertically disposed opening 10 is formed in the side plate 2 in register with the assembling pocket C and extending laterally from said side plate near the upper end of the opening 40 is a track 11 composed of slotted rails 12 and 4-3 that are spaced a suitable distance apart and are parallel with each other. The outer ends of the rails are connected together by a cross beam d5, which supports a sheave 46. and diagonal braces 1 extend between the outer nude 0,. the rails and the lower portion of the side plate, the braces being shown as incorporating brackets 48 bv and between the outer ends of which a shaft 50 is supported that carries a cam 51. A sprocket wheel 52 is secured to the shaft 50, and an endless chain 53, which extends about the sprocket wheel is engaged over a sprocket wheel 54: that is fixed to a shaft 55, journaled in brackets 56 that extend from the side nlate 2. The end of the shaft oppositethat carrying the sprocket wheel 54 has secured to it a beveled pinion 58 which meshes with a similar pinion 59 that is fastened to the end of the driving shaft 1 1 where it projects beyond the plate 2.

A carriage 60, comprising side members 61 and 62 that are connected together at one end by a bar 63, has rollers 64 at its corners which engage within the slots of the rails 42 and 43 and is thus adapted to travel along the track 41. A sleeve 65 has its ends supported within the side members 61 and 62 and is held therein against endwise move ment by collars 66. A rod 67 slides within the sleeve and has its outer end pivoted to a lever 68 that is fulcrunied at 69 to a bracket 70 that extends from the side member 61 of the carriage through the slot of the'adjacent rail Pinned, as by a set screw 72, to the sleeve 05, is a disk 73 that has fixed to it the sections and 75 of a composite blade designated generally 76 and which I shall refer to as the signature spreading means. The sections 74: and 75 are secured to the disk 7 3 in such manner as to be always maintained in parallelism and in the same plane and spaced apart a sufficient distance to receive between them a blade section 7'? which is secured to a plate 73 that is slidable on the sleeve 65 between flanges 79 that extend laterally from the disk 7 3. A pin 80 eiztends through the hub 81 of the plate 78, through slots 82 of the sleeve 65, and through the rod 67. This se cures the plate 78 to the rod 6}" while permitting it to slide along the sleeve 65. The assembly comprising the disk 73, plate 76 and blade 76, with the sleeve 65 where'on said parts are mounted, is required to rock with respect to the carriage, as will be presently seen; and to this end the rod 67 is swiveled to the lever 68 by having its outer threaded end extended through an aperture in the lever and a substantially semispherical nut applied to the rod on each side of the lever.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, 85 is a lever that is pivotally supported at 86 by the side plate 2 somewhat below the lower ones of the braces 47 and between the vertical planes thereof, and at its upper end engages rearwardly of the sleeve 65 of the carriage 60. The lever 85 is in the path of the cam 51 so that when the cam rotates it will swing the lever 85 toward the side plate 2 and advances the carriage 60 along the track 71, projecting the blade 76 into the assembling pocket C. The blade will travel substantially the-full'length of the pocket at the angle shown in Fig. 2 and, in full lines, in Fig. 6. Just as the carriage 66 reaches the inner end of its travel, a lug 90, on the disk 73, will engage a stop 91 that extends from the side plate 2, causing the disk to he oscillated through an angle sufficient to bring the. blade '?6 to a substantially horizontal position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. iVhile this is going on, a pin or roller 93, which rises from the free end of the lever 68, transverses a cam slot 9-1: in a plate 95 that is supported adjacent the inner end of the rail 42 of. the track 4C1. By reason of the inclination of the cam slot 94, the lever 68 is swung inward to project the rod 67 further into the sleeve 65, and as a consequence of this, the plate 78, by reason of its connection with the rod through the pin 80, will be slid along the sleeve 65 and carry with it the blade section 77, thus spreading the blade sections for a purpose which I shall presently explain.

Adjacent to and on the outer side of the movable wall 23 of the assembling pocket C there is journaled within the side plates 1 and 2 a shaft 96 which carries cams 97 that engage bearing blocks 98 at the ends of the wall 23, as clearly seen from Figs. 2, a and 5. The shaft 96 is driven from shaft 14: by a chain 100 that is engaged over the sprocket wheels 101 and 102 on the respective shafts 96 and 1 1.

Where the shaft 96 extends beyond the side p1ate2 it carries a sprocket wheel 103 which drives a chain 104 engaged over a similar wheel 105 on the end of a shaft 106 that is journaled in the side plates 1 and 2. The shaft 106 carries cams 107 whereon arms 108 rest that are loosely mounted upon a shaft 109, the arms at their free ends having journaled in them a shaft 110 to which is secured pin wheels 111, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 12 (sheet 5). The pins of the Wheels 111 are adapted to be projected through slots near the ends of plate 15 when the arms 18 are elevated by the cams 107.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4c, and as indicated by dotted lines inFig. 1, a chain 115 is engaged about sprocket wheels 116 and 117 on the respective shafts 109 and 110, and the shaft 109, in turn, is driven at comparatively high rate of speed, from the shaft 14, by a chain 118 that is engaged about a sprocket pinion 119 on the shaft 109 and a sprocket gear 120 secured to the end of shaft 1 1, where said shafts project beyond the side plate 1.

The mechanism which I have just described is that for initiating the feed of signatures from magazine A. This mechanism is duplicated in connection with magazine B and, inasmuch as the parts of the two mechanisms are substantially identical, 1

have designated the corresponding parts of the two mechanisms by the same reference numerals, augmenting those associated with magazine B by the exponent a. Shaft 106 is driven from shaft 106 by a chain 122 that is engaged over sprockets 123 and 124; on the ends of the respective shafts where they e tend beyond the side plate 2. The shaft 109 is driven from shaft 109 through the medium of a transverse shaft 125 that journaled in brackets 126 carried by the outer side of the plate 2 and equipped at its ends with beveled pinions 127 that mesh with similar pinions 128 and 129 on the re spective shafts 109 and 109*.

Extending across the machine in operative relation to each other and immediately above the assembling pocket C are feed rollers 130 and 131. These rollers preferably have knurled portions, as will be seen from Fig. 2, so as to better grip the signatures or paper. The ends of the shaft or trunnions of roller 130 are journaled in the side plates 1 and 2, and beyond said plates have secured to them the spur gears 133. These spur gears mesh with similar gears 134 that are fixed to the ends of the shaft or trunnions of roller 131 and said ends or trunnions project through slots 135 in the side plates and are ournaled in bearing blocks 136 that are shown as slidable within the guiding re=- cesses 137 in the side plates, springs 138 be ing interposed between said blocks and opposed walls of the guiding recesses for urging the roller 131 toward roller 130. A plate 140 closes the outer side of each of the recesses 137 and has a slot 141 corresponding toand aligning with the slot'135 of the adjacent side plate.

Adjust-ably supported in properly spaced relation by lugs 145 that extend from the side plate 2 on opposite sides of the opening 40 adjacent the lower end thereof are guide plates 1416 between which the free end of the blade 76 reposes when in normal position. Immediately inside the plate 2, a positioning shoe 148 is supported by a plunger 149 that is reciprocable within a sleeve 150 carried by the movable Wall 23 of the assembling pocket C (see Fig. 13). A spring 151 is compressed between a plug 152 that closes the outer end of the sleeve 150 and a collar 153 that is secured to the plunger 14H". This spring tends to maintain the positioning shoe 1 18 in its extended position.

Projecting into each end of the assembling pocket through apertures in the wall 22 are justifying fingers 155 that are pivoted at their outer ends on pins 156 carried by ears 157 which extend inwardly from the side plates 1 and 2. The fingers are shown as guided on studs 160 which project inwardly from the side plates through apertures in the fingers and have nuts 161 -applied to their threaded inner ends. Springs 162 are compressed between the nuts 161.

is engaged over the sprocket pinions 169 and 170 on the respective shafts 106 and 163. From the same view it will be observed that driving connections are established between shaft 109 and the end of the shaft or trunnion of roller 130, where it projects beyond the side plate 1, through a chain 172 that is engaged over a sprocket wheel 173 on the shaft 109 and a similar wheel 17% on said shaft end or trunnion of the roller.

Operating within the lower portion of the machine beneath the assembling pocket C is a conveyor belt or apron 180 that is guided over a drum 181 supported on a shaft 182 that is journaled in the side plates 1 and The apron may be driven by any suitable means in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and i.

When the machine is in operation, the magazines A and B are kept supplied with signatures, and at a given point in the cycle of operation, the cams 107 lift the arms 108 to raise the constantly rotating pin wheels 111 so as to engage them through the slots in plate 15 with the lowermost signature in the magazine A. This will immediately start the lowermost signature toward the assembling pocket C, the tongues 20 yielding slightly to permit the witl'idrawal of the signature from beneath the lower edge of.

the plate 17. Before the signature has been freed from the pin wheel 111 it is picker up by the positively and constantly driven feed rolls 130 and lowered thereby into the pocket C. At this time the wall 23 is in its retracted position and the blade 76 is in normal position, as illustrated in 2. 1mmediately after the signature has been deposited within the assembling pocket, how ever, the wall 23 advances, through the ac tion of the cams 97, toward the fixed wall 22 to hold the signature in an upright position, it being slightly compressed by the shoe adjacent its folded edge where it rests upon the door 30. As soon as the signature is dcposited within the pocket C, cam 51 swings the lever in a direction to advance the carriage (30 and project the blade 76 into the fold of the signature.

Vhen the blade is fully inserted, the projection 90 will engage the stop 91 and oscillate the disk 73 to lift the blade toward the upper end of the signature and when the pin 93 rides into the cam slot 91 of the plate 95, it will cause the rod 07 to be projected inwardly to shift the plate 7 8 laterally as previously described. This will spread apart the blade sections carried respectively by the disk 73 and the plate 78 resulting in the opening up of the receiving signature, as illustrated in Fig. 15. lVhile these parts are assun'iing this condition, the cams 107 lifts the arms 108 to engage the pin wheels 111 with the lowermost signature in magazine l3, initiating the feed of this signatureto the feed rollers 130 and 131 which drop the signature into the one reposing in open condition in the assembling pocket. l/Yhen the entering signature is fully within the receiving signature the cams 165 swing the inner ends of the fingers 155 toward each other to straighten or justify the two signatures, and after this has been done the cam 39 swings the lever 35 to rock, by reason of its previously described connections therewith through the link 34 and arm 32, the shaft 131 that carries the door 30, opening the door and allowing the assembled signatures to drop upon the conveyor belt or apron 180. By the time this has occurred the cams 97 have withdrawn from the cam engaging parts of the wall 23, allowing the springs 26 to retract the wall and open the assembling pocket for the neat signature. Also, the cam 51 has completed its rotation allowing the lever 85 to drop back to normal position'and the carriage 60 to be propelled to the outer end of the track by a weight 185 that is attached to the carriage by a cable 186 that is guided over the sheave 46, as shown in Figs. 2, 5, 7 and 8.

In order to insert (or stuff as it is ordinarily termed) several signatures within an other by means of the machine above described, it would be necessary to take the assembled signatures from the conveyor belt or apron and place them in magazine B so that they, in turn, could be inserted into signatures placed within the magazine A. To avoid such a repetition of work, where it is desired to insert several signatures within another, I may modify the machine in the manner illustrated in Fig. 17 where pockets B, B and B are provided for the entering signatures, the receiving signatures being placed, asbefore, in magazine A. In all other respects this latter form of the invention may be identical with that already described, the mechanisms for initiating the feeding of the signatures from the pockets B and B being duplicates of the mechanisms occurring therebelow, the driven parts of the upper mechanisms being actuated through suitable connections, as by chains indicated at 190, from the corresponding parts of the lower mechanisms. Also, the feed rollers 130 and 131 may be duplicated as indicated at 130 and 131. The cams on the shafts which lift/the pin wheels are so timed that the signatures drop into assembling pocket at proper intervals in the op oration of the machine, those from pockets B, B and B preferably reaching the assembling pocketat the same time.

Attention is particularly called to the na ture of the pin wheels 111 andlll, a detail of one of these wheels being shown in Fig. 12 (Sheet It will be observed that the pins 195 are set within the hub 196 tangent thereto and that their points are advanced in the direction of rotation of the wheel. It is found, through experiments, that this arrangement is superior toradial pins because the tangential pins enter the paper and tend to draw it down against the bottom plate and away from the lower edge of the vertical wall of the magazine avoiding the possibility of the latter wall interfering with the feeding of the signature; and to the same end it is essential that the pin wheels be spaced as the are somewhat rearwardly of the folded edge of the signature where the signature engages the vertical wall. It is found, also, that by this angular disposition of the pins the paper is injured to no appreciable extent, the feed rollers 130 and 131 acting to withdraw the signatures from the pins.

A feature of importance is the manner of engaging the pin wheels 111 and 111*" with the paper. The direction in which the pin wheels rotate combined with the arcuate course through which they are traveling when presented to the paper has the effect of slowing down the orbital speed of the pin points at the instant they are engaged with the paper which causes them to gently penetrate the paper to a depth sutiicientto take an effective hold on it without danger of tearing the same.

Attention is recalled to the adjustability of the guide plates 14.6 which position the spreader blade with respect to the assembling pocket. These should be shifted for signatures of different thicknesses so as always to guide the blade 76 into the center of the signature. This, however, is but one of two very obvious ways in which the spreader blade may be adjusted with respect to the signature support. The other is to make the walls 22 and 23 adjustable transversely of the direction of travel of the blade. The essential thing is to provide relative adjustability of the signature supporting means and the spreading means.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a signature support, a second signature support, an assembling pocket, mechanism for feeding signatures from said supports to the pocket, spreading means adapted to be inserted into a signature fed from the first support and deposited in the assembling pocket, means for operating said spreading means to spread said signature after insertion therein, and driving mechanism for operating the feed ing mechanism and the spreading means in a given sequence whereby a signature is deposited in the assembling pocket and spread and a second signature is inserted therein.

2. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a signature support, a second signature support, an assembling pocket, a discharge device for effecting removal of signatures from the assembling pocket, mechanism for feeding signatures from said supports to the pocket, a composite blade adapted to be insertedinto a signature fed from the first support and deposited in the assembling pocket, means for operating said blade to spread said signature after insertion therein, and driving mechanism for operating the feeding mechanisms the composite blade, and the discharge do vice in a given sequence whereby a signature is deposited in the assembling pocket and spread and a second signature is inserted into the frat signature and the signatures are discharged from the pocket.

In a machine of the character set forth, incombination, elements defining a course of travel of signatures through the machine, means for arresting a signature in its passage through the machine, means adapted to be inserted into said signature and then actuated to spread said signature so that one or more following signatures may be deposited therein, and mechanism for actuating the arresting means and spreading means intermittently and in a given order.

i. In a machine of the character set forth, in combination, opposed elements defining an assembling space, members projecting into the space at the opposite ends thereof, means for depositing a signature within said space and between said members, and a plurality of elements adapted to be collapsed and inserted into said signature, means for actuating said elements to spread said signature, means for depositing a signature within the spread signature, mechanism for moving the aforesaid members toward each other thereby to justify the receiving and inserted signatures, and means effecting a discharge of the assembled signatures from the aforesaid space.

5. In a machine of the character set forth. in combination, opposed elements defining an assembling space and relatively movable toward and from each other, acomposite blade arranged to be inserted within said space, said blade comprising a plurality of sections aligned normally in a common plane but shiftable laterally with respect to each other, means for depositing a signature within the assembling space. means effecting a relative movement of said elements thereby to contract the assembling space and support the signature in an upright position therewithin, mechanism for advancing the lade into the fold of the signature while thus supported, means for effecting a lateral relative movement between the sections of the blade thereby to spread the signature, means for feeding one or more signatures into the spread signature, and means for effecting the discharge of said signatures from the assembling space.

(5. In a macnine of the character set forth, in combination, means for supporting a folded signature in a vertical position with its fold downward, a spreading device arranged to be inserted within the fold of the signature, said spreading means comprising members normally lying close together and capable of being shifted laterally with respect to each other therebv to spread the signature, mechanism for inserting the spreading means and subsequenlv shifting its members laterally with respect to each other, and means for depositing a signature within the spread signature.

7. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a signature supporting means, an assembly poclret, means for feeding a signature from the supporting means to the pocket, a guide extending laterally from the receiving pocket, a carriage reciprocable along said guide, a composite spreader blade pivotally supported by the carriage and adapted when the carriage is moved toward the pocket to insert the blade within the signature supported in the pocket adjacent the folded edge thereof, means acting to swing the blade on its pivot toward the open side of the signature, the blade comprising parts that are normally close together but capable of being shifted laterally with respect to each other, means for so shifting the sections of the blade thereby to open the signature, means for feeding one or more signatures from the supporting means into the open signature, and means for effecting the removal of the assembled signatures from the pocket.

8. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of means for supporting signatures, a vertically disposed receiving pocket, means for feeding a signature from the supporting means to the pocket with its folded edge downward, a guide disposed laterally of the receiving pocket, a carriage reciprocable along said guide, a member supported by the carriage for oscillation, a second member mounted to oscillate in unison with the first member but shiftable laterally with respect thereto. a composite spreader blade made up of sections carried respectively by said members and reposing close together when the members are in like position, the blade being adapted to'be inse ted into the fold of a signature within the pocket when the carriage is advanced toward the pocket, means for so advancing the carriage, a stop fixed with respect to the aforesaid guide, the iirst of the before mentioned members having a portion arranged to engage the stop thereby to oscillate said members as the carriage approaches the pocket and lift the blade to a position adjacent the open side of the signature, a cam fixed with respect to the guide and serving through operative connection therewith to shift the second member laterally with respect to the first, thereby to spread the sections of the blade and open the signature, means for feeding one or more signatures from the supporting means into the open signature, and means for effecting the discharge of the assembled signatures from the pocket.

9. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of signature supporting means, elements defining an assembling space, means for feeding a signature from the supporting means to the assembling space, a track extending laterally from the assembling space, a carriage reciprocable along the track, a hollow rock shaft journaled in the carriage, amember fixed to the rock shaft, a second member slidably supported on the rock shaft adjacent the first member, means maintaining the two members in the same angular position with respect to the shaft, a spreader blade comprising sections that are carried respectively by said members and reposing close to each other when the sections are in like relation, means tending to retain the carriage at the outer end of the track, means for advancing the carriage toward the assembling space thereby to insert the blade into a signature within said space adjacent the folded edges of the signature, at stop supported adjacent the inner end of the track, means operatively connected to the first mentioned member and adapted to engage said stop thereby to oscillate said member as the carriage approaches the assembling space, a cam adjacent the inner end of the track, a device having operative connection with the second member and arranged to engage the cam as the carriage reaches the inner end of the track thereby to shift the second member laterally with respect to the first so as to move the blade sections apart and open the signature that is within the assei'nbling space, means for feeding one or more signatures from the supporting means into the open signature and means'for effecting the discharge of the assembled signatures from the assembling space.

10. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a signature support, signature stutiing mechanism, means for feeding signatures from said support to the st-uiiing mechanism comprising a shaft supported beneath and adjacent the signature support so that it may be moved toward and from the same, means for constantly rotating the shaft, pin wheels carried by the shaft, said wheels having barbs arranged tangentially with respect to the axis of the wheels, the points of the barbs being in advance of their bases with respect to the direction of rotation, and means for intermittently moving the shaft thereby to engage the pin wheels with the lowermost signature on the support.

' 11. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of signature stutiing means, a support for signatures. means for positively feeding signatures from the support to the stuffing means, further means for initiating the feed of the signatures from the support to the first mentioned feeding means, the second mentioned feeding means comprising a shaft supported adjacent to and below the signature support and mo able toward and from the same, pin wheels carried by the shaft, the barbs of the pin wheels being tangentially arranged with respect to the axes of the wheels and having their points in advance of their bases with respect to the direction of rotation, means for rotating the shaft, and means for intermittently moving the shaft toward the support so as to engage the pinwheels with the lowermost signature on the support.

12. In a .machine of the character set forth, the combination of an inclined signature supporting plate, asubstantially vertical abutment wherewith the edges of signatures on the plate may engage, a shaft adjacent to and beneath the inclined plate in the vicinity of the lower edge of the abutment, the plate and abutment being spaced apart to permit of the passage of a signa ture therebetween, a second shaft, links pivoted to the second shaft and wherein the first shaft is journaled, driving connections be tween the two shafts, means for continually driving the second shaft, a third shaft, cams enthe third shaft whereon the aforesaid links rest, means for driving the third shaft, feeding wheels carried by the first shaft and adapted to engage the lowermost signature on the supporting plate when said links are raised by the cams, and signature stufi ing mechanism to which the signatures are fed from the supporting plate.

13. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of an inclined signa ture supporting plate, a substantially vertical abutment wherewith the edges of signatures on the plate may engage, a shaft adjacent to and beneath the inclined plate in the vicinity of the lower edge of the abutment, the plate and abutment being spaced apart to permit of the passage of a signature therebetween, I a second shaft, links pivoted to the second shaft and where- ?n the first shaft is journaled, driving connections between the two shafts, means for continually driving the second shaft, a third shaft, cams on the third shaft cooperating with the links to raise them when the cams are rotated, means for driving the third shaft, feeding wheels carried by the first shaft and adapted to engage the lowermost signature on the supporting plate when said links are raised by the cams, and signature stufiing mechanism to which the signatures are fed from the supporting olate.

14. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of an assembling pocket, means for feeding a signature thereto, the assembling pocket comprising a fixed wall and a wall movable toward and from the fixed wall, means tending to move the second mentioned wall away from the first, means for positively advancing the movable wall toward the fixed wall, a shoe yieldingly supported by the movable wall, the walls when contracted serving to support the sig nature in an upright position while the aforesaid shoe imparts to the folded edge of the signature a definite position within the pocket, spreading means movable into the fold of the si nature, a guide for definitely locating the spreading means with respect to the position of the signature with in the pocket, means for moving the spread ing means toward the open side of the signature, further means for actuating the spreading means to open the signature, means for feeding one or more signatures into the open signature, and means effecting a discharge of the assembled signatures from the pocket.

15. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of an assembling pocket, means for feeding a signature thereto, the assembling pocket comprising a fixed all and a wall movable toward and from the fixed wall, means tending to move the second mentioned wall away from the first, means for positively advancing the movable wall toward the fixed wall, a shoe yfeldingly supported by the movable wall, the walls when contracted serving to sup port the signature in an upright position while the aforesaid shoe imparts to the folded edge of the signature a definite position within the pocket, spreading means movable into the fold of the signature, a guide for definitely locating the spreading means with respect to the position of the signature within the pocket, said guide being adjustable laterally with respect to the assembling pocket, means for moving the spreading means toward the open side of the signature, further means for actuating the spreading means to open the signature, means for feeding one or more s gnatures into the open signature and means effecting a discharge of the assembled signatures from the pocket.

16. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of opposed signature supporting plates converging downwardly and terminating in vertically disposed guides that are spaced laterally with respect to each other, an abutment situated between said plates so as to constitute therewith magazines for signatures, the lower edge of the abutment being spaced from the plates so as to permit the passage of signatures between the abutment and plates, an assem- Hit) bling pocket situated below the guides,

means for positively feeding signatures through the guides, pin wheels situated below each of the plates and movable toward and from the same for initiating the feeding of the lowermost s gnaturefrom each plate toward the pocket, means for elevating the pin wheels of the respective plates alternately whereby signatures are fed first from one end then the other of the magazines, means for spreading certain signatures deposited within the assembling pocket whereby others following will be inserted into them, and means for intermittently discharging signatures from the assembling pocket. 1 t

'17. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a pair of signature supports, an assembling pocket, means for sustaining a signature in the assembly pocket, means adapted to project a spreading device into a signature sustained within'the pocket, means for actuating said de vice to spread said signature, means for feeding signatures from the supports to the pocket, and mechanism for operating alternately the feeding means associated with the respective supports and for intermittently actuating the spreading means and sustaining means in a given sequence thereto.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

JOSEPH C. THEBERATH.

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