US1607142A - Sheet gripper - Google Patents

Description

Patented Nov. ie, ieee.

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Application led. November 12, 1921. Serial No. 514,684;

This invention relates to sheet grippers for printing presses, being intended more par-v ticularly for use on presses of the type inr ployed with advantage in connection with other parts or mechanismsY of printing presses or other machines. v

The invention has fora general object t provide `an improved type of sheet gipper.

More specificallyv speaking, theinvention has for an object to provide sheet ,grippers of simple construction in which the sheet is gripped through `toggle means which act also to draw back the movable finger in a longitudinal direction and leave the tip of the fixed finger projecting to receive the sheet.

A `further object of the invention is toprovide an improved means for securing an operating arm, which may form part of the gripper or be applied to other purposes to its operating shaft.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and tothe appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly pointed out.

Fig. 1 of the drawings isa side elevation of a sheet gripper constructed according to the invention, the supporting bar and operating shaft being shown in transverse section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing a modified means for fastening the gripper on the operating shaft.

' In the drawings the reference nume-ral 10 indicates a bar which, in the application ofk the invention to presses of the type above referred to, extends between and is rigidly fixed at its ends to a pair of parallel rotary rings, commonly called carrier rings, and which advance the sheet to the printing means. The reference numeral 11 indicates r carica,jA

a 1"ock'shaft bywhichthe movable finger of the gripper is operated, this shaft being suita well known manner by a cam (not, shown).

Fixed to the underside of bar is a transF versely projecting rigid finger 12, between which and the movable finger operated by shaft 11, lthe sheet is gripped. While I have designated the fixed finger as being secured to thev under side of the bar, this being the position shown in the drawings, and the positions of the other parts are referred to in like manner, the bar is larranged on the carrier rings torhavve the finger pro- ]ecting in anapprommately tangential d1;- rection. rfhe Vfinger 12 progectsrunder the shaft `11- which V'is located at one side of the bar. 10. ,F or operatingjthe movable finger I provide a pair of rtoggle arms oneof which comprises asho'rt forked projection 16, from a hub 15 mounted on the shaft 11 directly above the finger.v thereto,vr as indicated at 17, the other toggle arin18, which latter carries the movable finger of the gripper which is here shown in F ig. 1 in theform of a fiat resilient strip which is secured to the underside of theV latter arm and projects therefrom as shown to engage the end of the .linger 12. rIhe end portion of the finger 12 is preferably beveled off `on'its top face as shown at 12', this beveled portion being slightlyV concaved in its outer half as shown, while the finger 20 preferably has a complementary curvature at its outer end. p

To obtain the desired movement of the finger 20 the outer end of the arm 18'is pivotally connected as at 21 to the upper' ends of a pair of rigid links 22 whose op: posite ends are pivotally connected to the fixedfinger as at 23, these links causing the thrust of the toggle arms to be transferred into a ydownward pressurerofthe finger 20 on the fixed finger v12. The gripper is closed by rocking shaft 11 in the direction indi- 'cated by the arrow, moving the toggle arms 16, 18 from the buckled position shown in broken lines to the nearly dead centered position shown in full lines. As will be apparent the arm 18 thrusts youtwardly on the links 22 which extend upwardly an-d outwardly at an acute angle to the fixed .finger 12 when the gripper is closed, and in conse-V Vably journaled at opposite ends inthe`carV Her rll's and bemg adapted tobe rocked in This arm 16 Vhas pivoted i quence the outward thrust of the arm 18 y is transferred by the links 22 to a downward thrust toward the fixed linger, the leverage secured by the toggle being thus applied 'to the finger 20 to clamp it against the finger 12, the path of the movable finger 20 being indicated by the broken line 35.

As will be apparent also, the working of shaft 11 in a direction to yopen the gripper causes the arm 18 and finger 20 to have a longitudinal retracting movement with relation to the fixed linger 12, withdrawing the tip of'finger 20 sufciently to clear the edge of theY sheet which is engaged by the end of the fixed finger 12. As the gripper opens, the outer end of arm 18 swings upwardly and the inner end swings downwardly imparting a tilting movement to finger 2O which liftsit off the fixed finger 12.

To enable the closing pressure of the gripper to be adjusted as desired l have devised a means for securing the arm 16 on the shaft 11 whereby slight angular adjustments may be readily obtained. As shown in F ig. 1 the shaft 11 is formed to present a lflattened surface 25, which may be obtainedV by grooving the shaft transversely or flattening the same on one side. throughout any desired portion of its length. In the application of the invention as in Fig. 1 the shaft is preferably grooved so as to localize the arm 16 Vabove the linger 12. rThis flattened surface is engaged at opposite sides by the ends of a pair of abutment screws 26 which are threaded through the hub 15,

A being approximately vertical to the surface 25. rhese screws 26 act to hold the hub 15 and integral toggle arm 16 against rotation on the shaft 11, and it will be apparent that by loosening one screw and tightening the other the arm can be given a limited angular adjustment on the shaft.

In F ig. 3 ofthe drawings l have shown a modified means for adjustably securing the toggle arm 16 on the shaft 11. In this construction a screw 30 bears against one side'of the surface 25 and may be provi-ded with a lock-nut 31.

Y surface 25 is engaged by one end of a coiled The other side of the- Y shown by the arrow to close the gripper it acts on hub 15 through spring 32, providing resilient pressure means acting to close the movable finger, the pressure being readily adjusted by tightening or loosening screw 34. Y

It is to be understood that I do'not limit myself to any particular application of the means here shown for securing the arm to shaft 11. The same may be applied to other types of grippers, orto other arms ork cams, the term arm, as applied to this feature in the claims being used` in a broad sense to include any part or element.

Having thus -described my invention what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letf ters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. A sheet gripper comprising a pair of fingers, one thereof being resilient with re spect to the other, a pair of toggle arms, one of said arms carrying one of said flngers, and a link connecting said ngers together.

2. ln a sheet gripper, a fixed linger, a movable finger, a link pivotally connecting said fingers together, and a shaft connection arranged to eect an adjustable gripping engagement between said fingers and to move one of said fingers both toward and away from and longitudinally of the opposite finger.

3. A sheet grippercomprising a pair of fingers, a link pivotally connecting said iingers together, and a rock-shaft connection pivoted to one of said fingers and operating through said link to effect a gripping ,move` ment between' said fingers,v the said gripping movement extending in a line substantially perpendicular to the clampingy faces of said fingers.

4. In a sheet gripper including a carrier-V bar, a finger fixed to said carrier-bar, a rock-shaft movable with said carrier-bar and extending transversely of said fixed finger, a toggle arm fixed to said rock-shaft, a toggle member pivoted to said toggle arm and having a finger movable therewith, and a link pivotally connecting the toggle member and fixed linger together.

Signed at New York, in lthe county of New York and State of New York this 9th day of November, A. D. 1921.

BRUCEv CLARK WHITE

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