US1693638A - Automatic top-lift grading and distributing machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 4, 1928;

L. A COGSWELL AUTOMA TIC TOP LIFT GRADING AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINE I, 1 m m 77M NM Mr M w Filed Aug. 20, 1921 Dec. 4, 1928.

L. A. COGSWELL AUTOMATIC TOP LIFT GRADINGAND DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20, 1921 -5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 Sheets-,Shee

Dec. 4, H928.

L. A. COGSWELL AUTOMATIC TOP LIFT GRADING AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20. 1921 Dec. 4, 11928.

1,693,638 L. A. COGSWELL AUTOMATIC TOP LIFT GRADING AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 MA- HO Dec. 4, I928.

L. A. COGSWELL AUTOMATIC TOP LIFT GRADING AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 20, 1921 Patented Dec, 41-, I928,

srs

' eas es PATENT names,

LEANDER A. COGSWELL, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO LACENE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, TION- OF MAINE.

OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORA- AUTOMATIC Tor-LIFT GRAIJING AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINE.

I Application filed August 20, 1921; Serial Nv 494 003.

My present invention is an improved and automatic machine for feeling, detecting and distinguishing successive blanks of material of varying thicknesses, sizes, dimensions or the like, and to sort or distribute the same automatically into corresponding piles,- groups or receptacles. There are two species of grading means (reverting to the terminology established in'this art by the Nichols patents) hereindisclosed and contained in the more complete embodiment of my invention, viz, skiving to the predetermined thickness measurement and distributing according to the same predetermined thickness measurement. The machine is particularly intended for operation upon leather blanks, such for example as soles, taps, heel lifts and the like, wherein successive blanks fed into the machine vary in thickness, grade,-or irons and I provide automatic mechanism which willsuccessively detect and determine the particular grade, thickness or iron of the blank and then distribute the blanks, delivering all the blanks of the same thickness into the same position, pile or receptacle. This feature of the invention is an improvement upon the grading and distributing machine illustrated in theprior patent to Elmer P. Nichols, No.

1,281,639, issued October 15, 1918. Prefer-z 3o ably I combine with the-feeler and detecting, and sorting and distributing mechanisms, means to skive or split the leather blank to a predetermined thickness throughout its length, this feature constituting'an evening operation similar to that illustrated in the wellknown Nichols evening and grading machine, to insure the uniform thickness of each. blank distributedfto its predetermined point, pile oi receptacle. In carrying out the present feature of the evening or splitting of the blanks, according to the desired thickness, determined by the detecting mechanism, I prefer to utilize a single bevel knife, such as dated November 14, 1916, this feature having special advantages in machines of thisk'ind, as explained and set forth in said patent.

' Important features of the present invention I is illustrated in Nichols-Patent 1,205,104,.

nesses and are frequently liable to be or to become curled or distorted, and the feeding mechanism must have a capacity to separate the blanks successively, irrespective of thickness, hardness or softness 'of the leather, and

to handle such blanks with curled up edges andthe like. I provide feeding mechanism wh ch will automatically separate and feed an extremely thin blank from an adjacent thin blank, as .Well as an extremely thick blank from the stack, although the combined thicknesses oftwo of the thinnest blanks, may approximately equal, for example, that of the thickest blank to be operated upon. These advantages are of great importance in a machineof this-kind, since the mechanism must be capable of handling all kinds, grades and qualities of leather before the blanks are skived, straightened or otherwise operated upon.

' A further feature of importance is the automatic distributing mechanism, which operates with greatspeed and yet gives ample time for the blanks, after they have passed through the skiving mechanism, to be sorted and distributed to the different piles or receptacles adapted to receive each graded blank. 1 In order to obtain the maximum capacity of the machine and permit the feeding in mechanism to work speedily, I arrange the distributing mechanism to operate in such timed relation that the feeding in action of a I other words the distributing mechanism is set and a blank which has been operated upon is being conducted to its predetermined point or receptacle while a succeeding blank is being or has been fed into and is traversing the machine, thus giving ample time for the sorting and distributing action without delaying the automatic feeding and the working of the machine to its capacity.

1, Various means have been heretofore proposed (and patented) of grading cut stock, by which is meant operating on blanks in response to their gaging or detecting as to thickness or usefully perpetuating or utilizing the .in shown how a series of such means may be coupled upso as to be adjusted or set dissimultaneously and released (or restored to be reset for the next blank), dissimultaneously either or both, in responseto one gaging (i. e.,. detecting or feehng) operation. I have presented the subject in connection with a series of two of such means, viz, skiving and distributing, but it will be understood that I am not limited to this series or selection of such blank-operating means or grading means as my invention is broadly new in connection with any series and I intend so to claim it. T he object, as to this feature, is to speed up the output of the machine. The invention, in other words, consists in detecting the grade of a succeeding blank and trans mitting its grade to the setting mechanism as soon as the first operating or grading means has completed or nearly completed its operation on a preceding blank and before the next operating or grading means has operated on said preceding blank, thereby enabling a plurality of blanks to be going through the machine simultaneously.

A still further feature of broad novelty and importance, which combines with the foregoing to facilitate speed, accuracy and general efliciency, is the arrangement for automatically and positively separating, opening or spreading apart the feeding-in rolls just as and while the blank is entering between them. This permits'the use of smooth rolls,

saves injuring the blanks, improves the deli cacy and accuracy of measuring or detecting,

permits higher speed of blank movement,

permits uniformity of operation and absence of shock and materially reduces the power required. As soon as the blank has been fed forward to the desired position betweenthe separated rolls, said rolls are instantly closed upon the opposite sides of the blank, thereby engaging the latter with the minimum grip and with no pounding or wedging action such as was invariably the case with the old con struction in which the separation of the rolls ,was accomplished by forcibly butting the blank endwise against the bite of the contact- 1 ing rolls. To insure quick riding up on the blank end, it was found necessary to employ expensive fluted or corrugated rolls, so that not only were the blanks apt to be bruiscd and bent up at their front ends but they were marred or indented and damaged by'the corrugations of the rolls. All these disadvan tages are eliminated by my present invention.

' This feature and the corresponding feature ofpositively opening the be broadly new and therefore I intend my claims therefor to be correspondingly construed. i.

In a machine of the present type, wherein these feeding rolls areemployed to gage the ate, I believe to reeacse rectly into the feeding and gaging rolls, Y

which have also been opened to receive the blank. It will be appreciated that, when soft or spongy leather is being operated upon, or other flexible material, the material itself might be insufiicient to pry or force open the gate or rolls, thereby becoming wedged,- jammed or the like and otherwise delaying and interrupting thefeeding in action and the operation of the machine' I consider that my arrangement of providing positive means which will lift and open both the gate and the feeding rolls, is of great importance, this action being timed to cooperate with the automatic feeding devices as above briefly explained.

While it is feasible to attach marking or indicating devices to the machine-to stamp and mark or permanently impress, or if desired, to visually indicate, the grades and sizes ofmaterial being operated upon by the machine, yet with the automatic-distributing feature, such indicating and stamping is entirely unnecessary, becausethe blanks are all sorted and distributed automatically, and delivered into a receptacle. In my present machine I provide means giving a comparatively wide scope or range to the material being operated upon. When leather blanks,

for example, are being put through the machine, a range of sizes of seven or eight difits grade determined, the receptacle to which it will be delivered is likewise predetermined, and therefore all the blanks of the same grade are delivered to the same receptacle.- No marking and indicating is therefore requisite and of course no subsequent sorting, piling and distributing is required: In this sorting and delivering I prefer to. utilize a chute movable to conduct each predetermined blank to its predetermined receptacle, such a chute being movable and set by the machine when the thicknessof the blank has been determined by the detecting rolls or other devices and when an evening knife is employed, the blank is necessarily evened or split to the eeaeea predetermined gage for which the gaging mechanism and chute have also been set by the stock itself. Thus errors are absolutely eliminated and the machine is positive in its setting and distributing action. As the movable chute is swung with considerable speed when the machine is operating at capacity, I provide means to hold, lock and steady the chute in any position to which it may have been moved and set, until the blank responsible for such setting and moving has been delivered to its receptacle.

As some appreciable time is required for this delivery, I provide mechanism which will hold the chute thus fixed, while permitting the mechanism operating the chute to determine the distribution of the succeeding blank to bemoved, only releasing the position to which the chute has been moved for the preceding blank when the succeeding blank has practically traversed the machine, thereby affording a substantially long and ample length of time for the distributing action.

In the preferred embodiment of the machine and as shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein I prefer to utilize a skiving knife, preferably a single bevel knife as above noted, I have also eniployedmeans to maintain the blank in a smooth, level or substantially level, and straight horizontal position or condition. As is well known in the art of-skiving leather, the action of a. skiving knife thereon necessarily results in curling or tending to curl, distort or disaline, the leather blank. and heretofore this has been oneof the difiiculties incident to the leather skiving operation. In my present machine .l have applied means operating on the leather after the skiving action, and preferably cooperating therewith to smooth out the blank and prevent it from curling or other distortion due to the cutting, skiving and trimming action. This feature is most important when treating leather blanks such as soles. taps,

heels, etc, because the stock should be thus delivered from the machine in condition for instant use in the shoe manufacturing processes. I carry out this feature by applying a pair of rollers in the line of travel of the stock and in position to act thereon after the skiving action or simultaneously with the completion of an operation of such skiving action. These rollsfurthermore serve to smooth. condense and stiffen and strengthen the stock, particularly when soft or spongy leather is employed. v'lthese rolls may (if desired, although not ordinarily) be set to act with considerable tension, thus consolidating the fiber and texture of the stock while passing therethrough, and thus levelling, smoothing and ironing out thesame. heated rolls for this purpose being employed if desired and thus each blank is effectually smoothed out,-

condensed, and its wearing qualities improved. Furthermore, acting uponthe leather blank afterskiving, the blank is ready for incorporation in a shoe, instead of being skiving devices, insuring the continuous speed of feeding and also a positive delivery of the blank tothe distributing chute.

The automatic feeding device has a further provision permitting a .wide rangeof adjustvment for the handling of blanks from the,

largest size mens soles, 12, to 14 inches in length, to childrens soles, and even to heel blanks and lifts, three or four inches in length. In order to facilitate the operation of the machine on the latter and similar types of materials, I have provided novel means whereby the range of adjustment is sufficient to enable one machine to handle all these varying lengths and for this purpose I have devised means permitting the reciprocating feeding member to feed or force the blank into the first rolls, i. e., the detecting and feeding rolls, back of the gate. In order to accomplishthis purpose I have provided.

mechanism permitting the reciprocating member to actually pass through or beyond the gate in the blank feeding action, to thus positively force the smallest heel blank into the feeding grip of the rolls.

Further advantages, novel combinations of parts, important improvements, and constructional features, will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

'Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my machine;

Fig. 2 is av side view, partially in cross section;

ill)

Fig. 3 isia longitudinal cross-sectional View on the line 3,3, Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a cross-sectional view on the line l l of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a front view partly in section on the line.55 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in cross-section taken just back of the ratchet plate and looking to the right, of the pawl and ratchet mechanism;

Tis a horizontal fragmentary view illustrating the mechanism for actuating the distributing chute;

Fig. 8 being a detailed view of the rack bar i and sleeve shown in Fig. 7;

' Fig. 9 1s a fragmentary plan view of the feed hopper devices;

Fig. 10 being a View, partly in cross-section. on the line 10 10 of Fig. 9;

Figs. 11 and 12 are views similar respectively to Figs. 9 and .10 but of a modified construction Figs. 11. 12 and 13 also show the blank device, Fig. 16 being a central vertical section of a fragmentary portion thereof, Fig. 17

' being a top plan view of the blank engaging reciprocator and Fig. 18 being a bot-tom plan view thereof;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary view and side elevation of a port-ion oif the gate opening means; and

Fig. is a fragmentary view in section showing, in side elevation, the distributor unlocking trip.

ltn the more complete embodiment of my invention as herein shown there are" six principal elements or groups, viz, a hopper or blank supplying mechanism for supplying and feeding the blanks one by one to the feeling or detecting mechanism, said feeling or detecting mechanism which transmits its de terminations to a distributor, a setter or setting mechanism which adjusts the distributor as well as the sk'iving means, the blank being passed along to an evening or skiving mechanism from which it is taken by a delivering mechanism and delivered to the distributor,

said distributor having meanwhile been adju sted and set by the distributor adjusting andsetting mechanism. In carrying out my invention l[ have availed myself of the principal parts of one type of the Nichols evening and grading machine, although it will be understood that I am not limited to this mechanism and that "for instance the evening feature may be omitted and that my invention in its principal objects may be carried out in connection with various other grading mechanisms or evening and grading mecha nisms. I

. The feed roll 1 and chain 2, detector or feeler plate 3 (and a detector or feeler roll 4;

.in connection therewith to facilitate the movement of the blanks) above which is a yoke 5 engaged adjacent its opposite ends by bell crank levers 6 and 7 held under tension at their upper ends by an equalizer spring 8,'and said yoke carrying vertical feelers or feeler posts or detectors 9 and 10 connected at 11 to arms 12 extending from a rock shaft- 13, may be and are in general type the same as in the Nichols Patent, 1,046,213, dated Dec. 3, 1912. The feeling or detecting and transmitting and adjusting mechanisms of my present machine are substantially the same, at least in general type, as in said patent and accordingly I have not undertaken herein to show all the details thereof. As herein shown a crank 14 is on the right hand end, Fig. 5, of rock shaft 13 and connects pivotally at 15, Fig. 7 to a pivot-ally mounted sector 16, having on its under side teeth 17 (corresponding to the teeth 34 of said patent) and at its opposite end is provided with a segmental rack 19 l'ncshing with the pinion 20, whose shaft 21 carries at its upper end a upward by springs to cooperate with the skiving or splitting knife 31 (shown as the knife construction of Patent 1,205,10 previously mentioned). The work travels over a bedv 32 beneath a shoe or presser plate 33 pivotally supported yieldingly at 34; from a bracket 35. The drive shaft 36, Fig. 2, drives a sprocket chain 37 and sprocket wheel 38 on whose shaft 39 is a pinion 40 meshing with a gear 41 whose shaft 42 carries the sprocket wheel 43 Fig. 3 which drives the sprocket chain 2 which in turn drives the front feed roll l. The shaft 36 also carries a gear at in mesh with a pinion 45 which engages a gear 4E6 on the near end, Figs. 1 and 2, of the upper out-feed roll or pressure roll 28. On its farther end, Figs. 1 and 2, the main shaft 36 has a pinion 47 which drives the gear 48 of the lower out-feed roll 29.

l have illustrated my invention in connection with the foregoing mechanism which is or may be in general type substantially the same as in the Nichols Patent No. 1,046,213 before mentioned, but it will be understood that although I have utilized much of this lll] old mechanism, the relations and combinations in which it is used are new and enable me to produce the automatic feeding, gaging, evening and'distributing as will be understood in the course of the following description, and enable me to accomplish the final result with speed and accuracy.

For convenience, and preferably, the feeding is accomplished from a stack, the blanks 1-9 being herein shown as deposited between. a stationary but adjustable front wall 50 and a fixed rear wall 51. 'llhe latter is shown in detail in Figs. 1, 2, 9 13. This wall 51 carries lateral vertical guides 52 held in true vertical parallelism by lateral members 53 fitting transverse grooves 54: in the front of the upright 51, and they are simultaneously moved toward 'or from each other by a right and left hand screw 55 mounted to turn in a fixed bracket 56 and carrying opposite nuts reeaeae or arms 57 extending thereto from the respective guide uprights 52, so that when the guide screw 55 is turned over to the left, Fig. 2 and Fig. 13, the guides 52 will be separated to fit wider stock thanpreviously might have been in the hopper. My machine is especially constructed to handle thin and difficult work. One difliculty with the previous machine (Patent No. 1,281,639) was that it might feed two pieces of work at the same time, particularly such as thin top lifts, and accordingly to prevent this I have mounted on the lower end of the rear of the hopper blank retarders, one form being shown in Figs. 9 and 1 and another form in Figs. 11 and 12. Referring to Figs. 9 and it will be seen that a bar 58 is mounted to move up and down in a way 59 provided at the rear of the wall 51, said bar being held down yieldingly by a spring 60 and provided with a beveled foot 61 in position to be engaged by the lower pieces of work, such as top lifts. Thus when a top lift is moved rearward in the machine by the feeding mechanism it moves against the foot 61 with only'slight resistance at the very bottom edge of said foot but if a second or third top liftshould be accidentally moved along f'rictionally by and with the bottommost top lift said upper lifts will engage forcibly against the upper portion of the foot and will thereby be heldback as the only way the said upper top lifts can get through is against the frictional resistance of the foot 61 and the resistance of the spring 60. lhis form of re-tarder is especially adapted to very small and thin top lifts. The form shown in Figs.

11 and 12 consists of two depending deflectors 62 pivoted at 63 in the lower ends of the guides 53. and normally held downward by springs 64 but otherwise acting very much the same as the foot 61. Opposite these deflec tors or at the rear side of the front wall I cut away said wall to provide a beveled recess 65 which enables the lower top lifts to drop down more readily to posit-ion for being fed into the machine when the reciprocating de vice returns after having fed forward the bottommost blank. If this wall were straight without said recess there would be a frictional resistance which might result in the next blank remaining stuck or not dropping into feeding position. In Figs. 1 and 3.1 have shown a feed hook orwork projector in the form of a hook 66 held under upward tendency by a spring 67 and pivoted at 68 to an adjustable plate 69 engaged by a yielding stud 70 held in a carrier 71 at the upper end of a reciprocating post 7 2, said carrier being mounted to reciprocate in ways 73 in the top of the table 74 which carries the hopper and blank engaging mechanism thus far described. As my machine is especially arranged to handls very small pieces of stock such as small sizes of heel lifts for instance,

it is necessary that the, reciprocator or work projector 66 shall move very close to the rolls 1 and 4:, so that the bevel or inclination of said projector between its pivotand the engaging shoulder or hook has to be quite steep. In view of this fact, together withthe necessity for handling curled and often very thin pieces of stock I have provided at each side of the raceway 73 stationary inclines 7 5 which serve to hold the rear edge of even badly curled pieces of stock in such a position that the hook is sure to engage said pieces sufficientlyto project them. In Figs. 1618 I have shown a form of projectorwhich can handle still smaller pieces of stock (because it can go closer to the feed and detecting rolls). This form consists of a projector plate 76 having a short bevel 77 and mounted on an adjacent plate 78 substantially the same as plate 69. Preferably this plate 7 6 is roughened or knurled at its top 79 to aid in bringmg back the next or second toplift when the first has just been fed or projected. The proector 66 and connected parts are actuated by a rotary shaft 80 whose crank 81 is connected by a link 82 to the reciprocating post 72. said rotary shaft being actuated by a gear 83 on its outer end, see Figs. 1 and 2, meshing with an idler 84 in engagement with a clutch gear 85 normally idle but actuated at the proper moment to engage a continuously rotating clutch part 86 fast on the outer end of the gate proper), so that even the thinnest or most refractory stock is sure to get in place between the detector rolls. KVithout this feature such stock would be apt to turn up against the gate or wedge or crumple against the rolls, but by this provision the gate is raised "just before the blank reaches it and then the blank is fed onward into position beneath the then separated rolls which immediately come down on it in the performance of their feeler or detecting operation and at the same time the gate or trip87 falls on the top surface of the stock where it rests until the stock passes out from under it. The gate is lifted by a cam lever 88 whose free end 89 loosely engages the arm 90 of the gate, said cam lever being pivotally connected at 91 to the under side of the table and having its cam portion in position to be engaged by the swinging end 92 of the crank 81 fast on the inner end of the shaft 80, see Figs. 2 and 19 as before described. The upper roll 4 is lifted by the engagement of a cam 93 mounted on the shaft 80, with a tripping shoulder 94 of a yoke 95, see Figs. 3, 5 and 14, pivoted'to the frame at 96 and whose opposite ends 97 project under the opposite ends of the upper roll 4 in position to lift said roll under the actuation of the cam 93. The top lift or piece of stock is carried along from the feeler or detecting mechanism by the chain 2 to the outgoing rolls 28, 29 where it is evened by the skiving knife 31 in accordance with the thinness measurement or detection to which said rolls have been set, and the evened or skived blank is then instantly grabbed by two dc livery rolls 98 and 99, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the former being driven by a pinion 100, Fig) 2, and idler 101 which is in turn driven by the pinion 41.

These rolls 98, 99 have several important andstriking functions but their main purpose is to insure delivery of the blank and also to make sure of a quick delivery. The main purpose of anautomatic feeding and distributing machine is to save labor, and therefore such a machine, to be successful, must do the work till quicker than skilled hand labor. Hence the parts of my machine areso coordinated that they hurry the blank into the machine and hurry it out of the machine with no liability of the blanks sticking or pausing or being delayed at any point. Therefore the rolls 98, 99 are providedto seize the blank and propel it rapidly forward into a chute 102 provided for it for distributing the successive blanks to different receptacles according to their grade. A second function of these rolls which also conduces to speed is due to the arrangement by means of which they positively and instantly start the blank feeding mechanism and means'for raising the gate and separating the ingoing rolls the instant that the outgoing blank has proceeded far enough to be sure of being distributed before the chute 102 changes to the next position. As herein shown this is accomplished by providing a cam 103, see Fig. 3, on or as apart of the roll 99 toengage an arm 104 on. a rock shaft 105 provided at its outer end, Fig. 2, with a rocker arm 106 connected by a link 107 to a trigger or actuator 108 pivoted at 109 on an adjacent stationary part of the machine and depending to engage and actuate the free end 110 of a cam carrier bar 111 pivoted at 112 to the frameof themachine whose cam or cam plate 113 is best shown in Fig. 1 in position to engage a pin 114 projecting into its path from the loose clutch member 85, and springs 115, 116 being preferably 7 provided to insure quick and sponding substantially to the finger 46 or to proper positioningof the parts. Thus as soon as the roll 99 has rotated sufficiently in its work of delivering or ejecting the skived blank to swing the arm 104 rearward the clutch is thereby connected so as instantly to start the feeding of the next blank and the raising ofthe gate 87 and the separation of the rolls 1, 4'to receive said blank. In view of the difference in lengths of difi"ere'nt blanks tripping of the clutch. The roll 98 is positively driven but as herein shown the roll 99 is'driven by the engagement therewith of the stock, and is returned to its original position by a spring 120 wound around itsfarther end, Fig. 1, and secured at one end to the bracket or journal and at the other end to the roll; To insure that the rolls98, 99 shall invariably grip the work, and bearing in mind that sometimes the front edge of a piece'of stock may be slightly thinner than the body of the stock,

I have mounted the roll 99 for movement slightly independent of the outgoing pressure gage roll 28. To this end the journal box 121 of the roll99, see Fig. 3, is mounted for vertical adjustment on the box 27, of the roll 28, being carried in a raceway 122 therein and provided with a stud 123 extending up from the box 121(and limited by a nut 124 in its downward movement and held. against said,

nut yieldingly by a spring 125 within the raceway. This gives a capacity for regulating'the tension of the roll 99 and permitting it to be normally slightly nearer the roll 98 than the adjustment of the roll 28 from the skiving knife 31. This construction also gives-acapacity for compressing the stock when desirable for certain qualitiesof blanks. I The gate loo constitutes governing means to control the I admission of blanks to the grade detector means and is itself under the control of the above described actuating means.

ll will now describe the mechanism which adjusts and sets the blank distributor. Pivoted at 126 on the gate is a depending link.

127 best shown in Figs. 3 and 15. This link 127 is pivotally connected at 128 to the free end of a bell crank 129 Whose lower end 130 engages a pin 131, see Fig. 7, of the detent detecting rolls and the latter begin their 132 to hold the same back to the right, Figs.

feeling or thinness-detecting operation the front edge of the blank strikes the upper end of a trip 134, see Figs. 3 and 15 (and come the roll trip 43 of Patent 1,046,213), carried by shaft 135 and normally held towards said rolls by a spring 136, said shaft having an arm 137 connected by a link 138 to lift a depressing arm 139 which is pivoted at 140 to the frame of the machine and normally depresses or holds out of engagement with the teeth 17 the pawl 141, see Fig. 6, said pawl lie being normally under tendency to move upward by a spring 142. As the work is .fed

, been moved to the right Fig. 6 or leftor clockwise Fig. 7 prior to this time when the rolls 1 and 4 were separated) and the successive increments of. thinness measurement are'preserved by the engagement of the pawl 141 with the teeth 17. Rigid with the sectors16 and 19 is an arm 143 bifurcated at its free end 144, Fig. 3, to embrace a sleeve 145 and provided with a vertical pin 146 passing through the upper and lower slots 147 in said sleeve. This sleeve at its left has a ratchet 148. A rod '149 reciprocates in said sleeve and is provided on its under side with a notched lock-plate 150, see also Fig. 8, whose righthand end, Fig. 3, constitutes a stop to abut against'said sleeve 1 45, and at its rear end said rod 149 has a rack 151 in engagementwith a pinion 152 fast on a post 153 to whose upper end is secured (preferably removably) the chute 102. The pinion 152 and shaft 153 are carried by a housing and bracket- 1-54, see Figs; 2, 3 and 7. A relatively light spring 155 is fastened at one end to a stud 156 on this bracket and at its opposite end to a pin 157 projecting from the rack bar 140. A relatively heavy. spring 158 is secured atone end to said pin 157 and at its opposite end to a pin 159 on the sleeve 145. Cooperating with the lock-plate 150 is a dog 160mounted on a rod 161 and under normal upward impulse by a spring 162, said rod being given vertical movement by a 'trip bar 4 or unlocking shoe 163, see Figs. 1, 3, 4 and/ 20, said shoe being mounted at its pivotal end' on any convenient member herein shown as loosely mountedon the shaft 135. On the rod 161 is secured a block 164 and here also is preferably a spring 165 for giving further upward impulse or tendency to the rod and all connected parts. said block 164 being engaged on its upper side by the upper end of a hook 166secured at its lower end to a dog or latch 167 in position to engage the ratchet 148. Thus while the top lift or piece of work is being felt of and its determinations transmitted to the sector 16 and adjacent setting mechanism and therefrom to the rack and wedge bar 23, 25, the pin 146 of the arm 143 is being simultaneously and similarly adjusted and vhen'finally the gate 87'falls and brings the feelertransmission to a halt by 1 locking said sector by means of its detent 132, said pin 146 likewise comes to a halt, thereby preserving the same final thinnessmeasurement that corresponds to the adjustment of the sector 16. As the latch 16 7 has been in a raised position out of engagementf with the ratchet 148 during this adjustment ,ess 57 of said pin 146 it follows that the sleeve 145 has been free to be moved by said pin in case the position in which it was left when the preceding blank was being detected requires said movement. Usually this is the case. The spring 158 always holds the sleeve as far as it can to the left, Figs. 3, 7, and 8. All the adj ustment just secured takes place without disturbing the chute 102. When roll 4 is raised, sector 16 is thereby usually swung forward or around to the left, clockwise, Fig. 7, the extent depending upon the grade of blank to which the parts were previously set. As previously set, the sleeve 145 is against the stop or righthand end Fig. 3 of lock-plate 150 and the pin 146 is against the righthand end of slot 147. If chute 102 is then at the near side Fig. 1 to deliver a blank into the receptacle 168 for the thinnest blank being handled, say 3-iron, and the succeeding blank proves to be a 3-iron blank the parts will remain unchanged, excepting that thepin 146 will move out to the left in the slot as the roll 4 is raised and will then go back again to its original position. But if the succeeding blank proves to be a thicker blank,say 4-iron, 5-iron, or 6-iron (the latter calling for a final positioning of the chute 102 as shown in the drawings) the arm 143 and its pin 146 will be adjusted in the slot 147 to the left Figs. 3 and 7, and then whenjthe detent 160 is unlocked from the lock-plate 150 the spring 155 will pull the parts to the left until the righthand end of slot 147 strikes against the pin 146 and is stopped thereby. If however the chute 102 is not set for a thin blank but is set for athick blank, say 9-iron, to, deliver into the receptacle 168 at the extreme rear of Fig. 1, and the neXt blank being detected proves to be a thinner blank, say 6, 7, or 8-iron, the adjusting movement of the arm 143 and pin 146 in response to the detection of the feeler mechanism Wlllbt. to the right Figs. 3 and 7 thereby separating the sleeve from its stop, the pin 146 maintaining continuous engagement withtlie righthand end of slot 147 and when the detection of said succeeding blankis completed and the arm 143 locked inits adj ustment, the unlocking of the detent 160 permits the heavy spring 158 instantly to bring together the sleeve against the stop 150 thereby pulling around to' the right the parts 149,

152', 153 and 102 and against the resistance I of spring 155. In all cases when the preceding blank has been delivered by. the chute to the receptacle for which the. chute was set, the lock-plate i's disengaged and there upon the sleeve and stop or righthand end of said lock-plate are brought together by the spring 158,.if not already together, and all the connected parts are'moved so far as may be required by the new adjustment of the setting mechanism due to the succeeding blank which has meanwhile been felt of, said movement being accomplished by either the spring i 158 of the spring 155 as just explained, leav-- ing the parts with the pin 146 hard .against the righthand endof the slot 147 and the sleeve and stop together. The rod' 149 is then .locked and so remains until the said next blank for which it has just been set has passed through the evening mechanism and been delivered into its proper receptacle 168. In other words the mechanism is so arrangedthat said chute is left undisturbed and locked as long as possible so as to be sure to receive and distribute the blank discharged from the rolls 98, 99 before the adjusting operation begins on said chute for the next blank. This constructio therefore, tends to increase the speed that is possible in handling blanks. In other words the succeeding blank is being fed into the machine'afid its thinness determined and said determinations transmitted and the.

' and distribution of the blank by the chute,

the succeeding blank, comes into contact with the unlocking shoe 163 which through the parts 161 and 160 unlocks the lock-plate 150, whereupon the spring 155 instantly ac- ;tuates said rack bar and causes the same to rock or rotate the chute in accordance with the position of the pin 146. At the same moment that the dog .160 was moved to unlock said rack bar, the latch 167 i was caused to holdthe sleevel against movement to the right, although it may move to the left by either the spring. 155 or spring 158' as may be required to bring the righthand' end of the. slot 147 against the pin 146 now stationary in its new adjustment so that by the time the chute 102 has swung to its new position under the influence of one or theother of said springs the parts are practically locked so as to resist the rebound of said chute and holdthe same steady in the new adjustment. As soon as the blank which has caused this op eration by depressing the shoe 163. passes i from said shoe between the rolls 28, 29, the

shoe springsup and thereby causes the detent 160 to lock into the lock-plate 150 and thereby hold the chute 102 immovable in its new adjustment while at the same time releasin the sleeve 145 and, right hand end of I the setting'onadjusting mechanism of the distributor so that said mechanism is now free to be adjusted and set again by the next blank to be fed. The feeding. of said next blank takes plate at about the same instant under the tripping action resultingfrom the cain 103 of the roll 99 acting through the parts which connect therefrom to the feeding mechanism at thefront of the machine. In the Nichols machines the mechanism was required to move back to a given starting point always from whatever adjusted position to which it might previously have been set, whereas here the movement is minimized and is usually simply from one receptacle 168 to the next selected one, and the chute and connected parts do not always have to move back to the front position Fig. 1, and thence swing around each time through a relatively large circuit. In other words, I have provided mechanism which goes from one adjustment to the next and does not, have to swingback to a given starting point and then swing from that starting point through the whole range to the next adjustment. This tends materially to aid in increasing the speed or output of the machine. Thus the chute 102 delivers the blank into the selected receptacle 168, Fig. 1, and as the blanks are ejected positively I provide a guard or deflector 169 to prevent, their jumping beyond or away from the chute. In some cases, as for chrome leather, it is sometimes deslrable that the roll 99 be heated, as by a gas jet 170, Fig.

In operat I per is filled with top lifts 49, it will be seen I that thebotto'm lift will be held at its opposite sides or edges slightly raised at its rear by the stubby 'inclines75 and the rear ends of 7 this lift and adjacent lift-s will be out of fricion, let it be supposed that the hoptional engagement with the front wall 50 i because of the recess 65, so that theprojector hook 66 or plate 76 will be sure to engage posii tively the rear end of thesmall, thin top lift sas it reciprocates forward under the action of its slide 71 and the connected parts 72,82,

80, 83, 84, etc.. Just as the forward end ofthis top lift nearly reaches the gate 87 the same rotary movement ofthe shaft 80 which moves the blank projector causes the arm 81 to engage the cam 88, Fig. 2 andFig. 19, and thereby lift the gate out of the path of the inwardly moving blank. Likewise the top roll 4 is moved upwardly out of the way of the blank, this movement being accomplished through the rotation of the same shaft 80 and theaction of its cam 93, see Fig. 14, on the parts 94, 95, 97, and-as soon as the leading end of the blank'gets just between the rolls' 1, 4 the roll4 closes down tight upon it in feeling position,whereupon, the trip 134 having been actuated, the feeling or detecting oplltl erat-ion takes place as in Patent No. 1,046,213,

and is transmitted to the central adjusting or setting mechanism 16, .17, 19, and 141 by the connections 10,11,12, 13, 14, 15, Figs. 1, 3, 6, 7,

and as the blank moves from under the gate 87 the latter drops and through the parts 127,

129, 131, 132,and 18, looks the said portion of the setting mechanism in its then adj ustment. This adjusting and setting mechanism has set the cam stops 25 thereby controlling mosses the gage roll 28 and hence the splitting operation and has also by reason of the rigid arm 143 adjustedthepin 146 (and usually the sleeve 145) into proper position for the sub sequent movement of the distributing chute 102 in accordance with the position of adjust ment of the gage mechanism as thus determined by the feeling or detecting operation on the blank. As the- rolls 1 and 4 and the chain 2 feed the blank onward the front end of the blank engages the unlocking shoe163, Figs. 1, 8 and 20, thereby depressing said shoe and through the parts 161, 164, 166, 167, and 148 unlocking the rack bar 149 (by the disengagement of its lock-plate 150 and dog 1.60) anduengaging the sleeve 145 so that the spring 155 instantly swings the chute 102 around to the blank delivering position which corresponds to the thinness determination and setting of the parts thus far explained. The tendency to rebound is prevented by the spring 158 and the ratchet members 148, 167.

As the blank continues onward it is engaged between the rolls 28, 29 and skived by the knife 31 being then grabbed by the positively driven roll 98 and the frictionally driven roll '99 and forcibly and positively ejected into the chute 102 to fall into the proper can, bag,

orother receptacle 168. While the blank is being ejected the next blank is being fed in and while the first blank is falling and getting into its receptacle tlie'fed in blank is being detected and the detections are being transmitted to the setting mechanism, so that the latter has adjusted the right hand end of the adjusting and controlling mechanism of the distributor by the time it is practicable to adjust the distributor, and then this right hand end of the mechanism which has just been adjusted'is locked and the lefthand end thereof unlocked so that the two can be brought into complete adjustment'by means of the springs 155, 158 and connections. In other words the parts are so coordinated that a maximum economy of time is made possible and therefore a hi gh rate of speed in handling the small pieces of stock results. As the frictionally driven roll 99 is rotated by engagement with the blank being ejected its cam 103 Figs. 1-3, isthereby turned to swing the arm 104 outward and thereby through the connections 105, 106, 107, 108. 111, 113, and 114 release the movable clutch member 85, Figs. 1 and 5, to engage the constantly rotating member 86 and thereby through the parts 84, 85,

81, 82, 72, etc., start the blank feeding mechanism to repeat the cycle of movements already described.

While I have shown my invention applied to a machine especially designed for handling small pieces such as top lifts, heel lifts, taps. half soles and the like, it. is not limited thereto as it will be understood that it may readily be changed in dimensions to accommodate soles and other relatively long and large died-out pieces. Also I wish it understood that many of the separate mechanisms and various sub-combinations and rearrange ments of parts as pointed out in the claims are separately Within the spirit and scope of my invention and that I am not limited otherwise than defined in the following claims.

My invention is accordingly further described and defined in the form of claims as follows:

1. A machine of the kind described, having means for gaging successive blanks according to their thickness, combined with automatic distributing mechanism for distributing said blanks as gaged, and ejecting rolls for receiving and embracing said blanks from the gaging means and positively grasping and feeding them to the distributing mechanism and deflecting means positioned to insure the ejected blanks arriving properly in said distributing mechanism:-

2. A machine of the kind described, hav ing detector means for detecting the grade of successive blanks, an adjustable chute to distribute said blanks in accordance with said detector means, and setting mechanism controlled by said detector means and controlling said chute and constructed and arranged to adjust said chute in accordance with the detected grade of one blank while receiving the detected grade of a succeeding blank from said detector means before said other blank has left said chute.

3. A machine of the kind described, having means for detecting the grade of successive blanks, an adjustable chute to-distribute said blanks in accordance with said detecting means, and setting mechanism controlled by said detecting means and controlling said other portion but timedto act dissimultane ously, and locking devices actuated to lock said respective portions alternately.

5. A machine of the kind described, having means for detecting successive blanks according to their thickness, combined with mechanism adjustable through a given range of irons for operating with reference to the detected blanks according to their irons as determined by said detecting means, means for holding said mechanism adjusted for any given iron during the operation thereof with reference to a blank of said given iron, and 'an adjusting portion adjustable by said de' tecting means to any given iron ascertained lun Hit

. by said detecting means irrespective of the particular iron to which said adjustable opcrating mechanism may be held at the time.

' ate on said series of blanks in accordance with their detected grades respectively, and adjusting mechanism for controlling said operating mechanisms including means for releasing the latter dissimultaneously.

7. A machine of the kind described, having, in combination,- automatic means for detecting the grade of each of a series of blanks, a plurality of blank-operating meclranisms to operate on said series of blanks in accordance with their detected gradesrespcctively, and adjusting mechanism for controlling said operating mechanisms including locking'inechanism to lock the latter dissimultaneously in their adjustments.

8. A machine of the kind described, having'means for gaging successiveblanks according to their thickness, combined with automatic distributing mechanism for distributing said blanks as gaged, and including a blank delivering member which is stationary while handlinga blank, means for adjusting a portion of said distributing mechanism in accordance with the gag ng'of a succeeding blank before the preceding blank has been 'fully distributed by said blank delivering member, and means for bringing said blank delivering member'into accord with said adjusted portion after said blank has been delivered by said delivering member and before the latter receives the next blank.

9. A machine of'the kind described, hav-g ing means for gaging successive blanks: according to their th1ckness,comb1ned with automatic distributing mechanism fordistributing said blanks as gaged, and including a blank delivering member which is stationary while handling a blank, means for so looking said' member stationary during its blank handling and delivery, and means for adjusting a portion of said distributin mechanism in accordance with the gagingo a succeeding blank before the preceding blank has beenfull distributed by said blank delivering mein er.

10. A machine of the kind described, having means for gaging successive blanks according totheir thickness, combined withautomatic distributing mechanism for t-ributi'ng said blanks as gaged, and including a blank delivering member which is staitioiiary while handling a blank, means for adjusting a portion of said distributing mechanism in accordance with the gaging of a succeeding blank beforethe preceding blank has been; fully distributed by said blank delivering member, and means for reeacse accord with said adjusted portion after said blank has been delivered by said blank delivering member and before the latter re-' ceives the next blank and means for locking said adjusted portion during said bringing .into accord of said member;

11. A machine of the kind described, having means for gaging successive blanks according to their thickness, a blank delivering member adjustable to deliver the gaged ing means for gaging successive blanks ac cording to their thickness, combined with a blank delivering member to distribute the blanks as gaged, controlling means to set said member to position for so distributing a blank, and adjusting mechanismfor adjusting said controlling means according to the gage of successive blanks, said controlling means being operable by said adjusting mechbringing said blank delivering member into anism while the delivering member is deliv-- ering ablank. I

13. llna machine ofthe kind described, blank distributing mechanism consisting of two portions, viz. a delivering member and an adjusting portion, separately adjusted, a spring connecting said two portions, and locking means arranged to hold said delivering member during the blank delivering operation of the latter and thereafter to release saidmember and permit said spring to move said member in accordance with said adjusting port-ion.

14. Ina 'machine of the kind described,

blank distributing mechanism consisting of .to move said member in accordance with said adjusting portion, and a'second spring connectc-d to said blank distributing mechanism for moving said-delivering member to final adjusted position.

15. In ainachine ofthe kind described, blank distributing mechanism consisting of a delivering member and an adjusting portion lie the blank delivering relatively movable, a spring forconnecting said member and portion, a pawhand ratchet for preventing the separation of said member and portion, a lockingdevice for holding said member immovable, adjusting means for adjusting said portion while said member is held immovable, and mechanism for holding said portion by the engagement of its pawl and ratchet and for unlocking said member to permit its adjustment by said adjusting portion.

16. In a machine of the 'kind described, blank distributing mechanism consisting 0-1" a delivering member and an adjusting portion relatively movable, a spring for connecting said member and portion, a pawl and ratchet for preventing the separation 01 said member and portion, a-locking devicefor holding said member immovable, adjusting means for adjusting said portion While said member is held immovable, and mechanism for holding said portion by the engagement of its pawl and ratchet and for unlocking said member to permit its adjustment by said adjusting portion, and a second spring for shitting said member in accordance with its said adjustment.

17. A machine of the kind described, having means for gaging successive blanks according to their thickness, combined with automatic distributing mechanism for distributing said blanks, said distributing mechanism including an adjustable adjusting portion responsive to said gaging means for its adjustment, and a delivering member subject to the control of said adjusting portion but independent of said control during the blank delivering operation of said member, said adjusting portion being constructed to permit its complete adjustment in response to said gaging means irrespective of the positionof said delivering member at the time.

i 18. A machine of the kind described, having means for gaging successive blanks ac cording to their thickness, combined with a delivering member movable through a given range of irons for distributing the gag-ed blanks according to their irons as determined by said gaging means, means 'for locking said member for any given iron during the delivery thereby of a blank of said given iron, and an adjusting portion adjustable by said gaging means to any given iron ascertained by said gaging means irrespective of the particular iron to which said delivering member may be locked at the time.

19. A machine of the kind described, having means for gaging successive blanks according to their thickness, combined with automatic distributing mechanism for distributing said blanks as gaged. a gate controlled by the position of a blank for locking said gaging means against further gaging adjust ment, and independent tripping means also controlled bythe position of a blank l or locking and unlocking said distributing mechanism. V

20. In a machine of the kind described, de-

llll

point.

'21. In a machine of the kind described, a gate and feeding-in devices at the front of the machine, including feeler mechanism adapted to receive and feed the stock to graded and to detect by continuous act the thinnest spot among a plurality of spots of varying thickness in a leather piece, responsive means for usefully perpetuating or utilizing said grade detection, and intermediate setting mechanism for setting said responsive means in response to said i'eeler mechanism. and including meanspermittingthe restoration of the gate-and feedingdn devices to normal position for receiving a succeedingpiece While said responsive means remains set in accordancewith the grade detection of the preceding piece.

22. in a machine of the kind described, a gate and feeding in devices at thei ront ot the machine, including feeler mechanism adapted to receive and i'eedthe stock to be gradet and to detect by continuous act the thinnest spot among aplurality of spots of \arying thickness in a leather piece, responsive means for 'usefully perpetuating or utilizing said grade detection, and intermediate setting mechanism for setting said responsive means in response tosaid feeler mechanisn'i. and including means permitting the restoration of the gate and feeding-in devices to normal position for receiving a succeeding piece while at least a portion of said setting mech anism remains set in accordance with the grade detection forthe preceding piece.

23. In a machine of the kind described, a gate and feeding-in devices at the front of the machine including feeler mechanism adapted 'to receive and feed the stock to be graded and to detect by continuous act the thinnest spot among a plurality of spots of varying thickness in a leather piece, means responsive to said feeler mechanism for utilizing said grade detection, and connecting mechanism permitting the restoration of the gate and feeding-in devices to normal position for receiving another piece While said responsive means remains set in accordance with the grade detection of the preceding piece, and including means for releasing said utilizing means from its said set position separately from the restoration of the feeding-in devices.

24. In a machine of the kind described, detecting mechanism. including a pair of rolls of said rolls responding to the unevennesses of stock and constituting a feeler roll, said roll having a small diameter with relation to :the other roll, a yoke embracing said small roll-from end to end of the latter, means connected with said yoke for transmitting the detecting movements of the small roll, and a litter engaging beneath the ends of said small roll in opposition to said yoke for lifting said small roll and yoke and thereby separating said rolls.

26. A blank sorting machine having, in combination means for measuring a blank, and spring-actuated means automatically responsive to said measuring means for causing the-blank to be delivered in accordance with its measurement.

27. A blank sortingmachine having, in combination, means for measuring a blank, an ad ustable spring-actuated discharge chute adapted to occupy a plurality of operative positions and automatically responsive to the measurements of said measuring means, and

.1 means for locking said discharge chute 1n its adjusted position until the blank for which it is adjustedhas been delivered.

,28. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, means for measuring a blank, means for subsequently discharging the blank, an adjustable chute for directing its discharge, means for moving the blank from the measuring to the discharging station, automatic means selectively responsive to said measuring means and operative during the movement of the blank from the measuring to the discharging station for adjusting said chute in accordance With the measurement of theblank, and means for locking the chute in its adjusted position until the blank has been discharged.

29. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, means for measuring a blank, an adjustable chute for directing its discharge, means for locking the chute in position temporarily, means responsive to the measurements of said measuring means for storing power while the chute is locked to be subsequently utilized when the chute is unlocked toadjust the chute to its proper delivery position, and means fornnlocking the chute to permit its adjustment.

30. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, means for measuring a blank, an adjustable chute adapted to occupy a plurality oft operating positions for directing its cupy a plurality of operating positions for directing its discharge, means responsive to said measuring means for selectively either moving said chute from Whatever delivery position it occupies to another delivery posi tion or permitting it to remain in its occupied position, according as the measurement of the blank differs from or conforms to the measurement for which the chute is already positioned. f

32. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, means for measuring a blank, an adjustable chute for directing its dis charge, means actuated to a definite position dependent upon the measurement of the blank by said measuring mechanism, and delayed means interposed between said last means and said chute for subsequently actuating said chute into a corresponding posi tion for delivering the blank.

33. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, means for measuring a dimen sion of a blank, means forsubsequently dis; charging the blank, an adjustable chute for directing its discharge, means for advancing the blank after being measured, and automatic means responsive to said measuring means and operative on the advance of the blank through the machine after having been measured, for adjusting said chute in accordance with said measured dimension.

3 1. A 'blank sorting machine having, in combination, means for measuring a dimention of a blank, means for subsequently discharging the blank,an adjustable chute for directing its] discharge, means for advancing the blank after being measured, automatic.

means responsive to said measuring means and operative on the advance of the blank llflit through the machine after having been meas ured, for adjusting said chute in accordance with said measured dimension, and means for thereafter locking the chute in its adjusted position. I

35. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, thickness detecting mechanism, blank discharging mechanism, means for susllltt taining blanks and feeding them to said dis charging mechanism, an adjustable chute cooperating with said discharging mechanism movable to guide the blank in a plurality of of directions but initially locked against movement, automatic chute actuating means, a-controlling device set in response to said thickness detecting mechanism for determining the extent and direction of movement of neeacas said actuating means, means for unlocking the chute after said device has been set to permit an adjustment of the chute as thus determined, and means for re-locking the chute before the measured blank is discharged.

36. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, blank discharging mechanism, means for sustaining and feeding blanks successively to said discharging mechanism, thickness detec ing mechanism, an adjustable distributor opposite said discharging mechanism, a movable distributor controL ling device the position of which determines the adjustment of the distributor and the actuation of which is responsive to the thickness detecting mechanism, means for locking the distributor against movement after it has been set and until the blank for which it has been set is discharged, and means for unlocking the distributor only after the controlling device has been re-positioned in response to the detected thickness of the succeeding blank.

37. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, a thickness detecting station; a blank discharging station at a point in the machine removed from said thickness detecting station; means for sustaining and feeding at least two blanks between said stations, one blank after the other; an adjustable distributing chute at the discharging station; chute controlling mechanism at the thickness detecting station responsive to the detected thickness of the first blank passing therethrough for determining the position of said chute; means for locking the chute in its adjusted position before said first blank is discharged and subsequently restoring said chute controlling mechanism to its normal position whereby it may respond to the detected thickness of the succeeding blank; and. means for unlocking the chute after each setting of said controlling mechanism.

38. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, means for measuring a blank, means adapted to occupy a plurality of operating positions for directing its discharge, and normally i'dle actuating means set in response to the measuring means for subsequently positioning said directing means to deliver the blank in accordance with its measurement.

39. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, means for measuring a blank, an adjustable chute for directing its discharge, a plurality of springs for actuating said chute in one direction or the other, and automatic means responsive to said measuring means for adjusting one of said springs to cause the chute to be adjusted to deliver the blank according to its measurement.

40. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, means for measuring a blank, an adjustable chute'adapted to occupy a plurality of operating positions for directing its discharge, spring actuated mechanism c0- operating with said chute, and automatic means responsive to said measuring means for causing said mechanism to actuate said chute into a position corresponding to the measurement of the blank.

41. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, means for measuring a blank, a pivotally mounted chute adapted to occupy a plurality of operating positions for directing its discharge, means responsive to said measuring means and comprising springs for adjusting the position of said chute in accordance with the measurement of the blank, and means for locking the chute in its adjusted position.

42. A blank sorting machine having, in combination, means for measuring a blank, an adjustable chute adapted to occupy a plurality of operating positions for directing its discharge, spring actuated mechanism for adjusting the chute, means for locking the chute in adjusted position, means responsive to said measuring means for varying the power condition of one of said springs while the chute is locked, and means for releasing said locking means to permit such spring to actuate said chute into a delivery position corresponding to the measurement of the blank.

43. lln a machine of the kind described, in

combination, automatic detecting means for detecting the rade of each of a series of blanks, a plurality of grading mechanisms operative with relation to said series of blanks in accordance with their detected grades re spectively, and adjusting mechanism for controlling said grading mechanisms including means for adjusting and locking one of said grading mechanisms and then adjusting another of said grading mechanisms.

44. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, mechanisms for splitting and sorting a series of blanks, and automatic mechanism controlled by each blank presented to the machine for dissimultaneously governing. and locking the said splitting and sorting mechanisms.

45. In a machine of the kind described, two I graders, of which one is an automatic distributing mechanism, both actuated in accordance with the thickness of each blank, said distributing mechanism including a movable blank distributing chute automatlcally rotatable to difierent predetermined delivering positions, together with means to temporarily lock said chute in moved position, means to temporarily lock said other grader during its grading, and means for sett ng said other grader and distributing mechanism including means for actuatlng sald locks to lochng position dissimultaneously.

46. In a machine of the kind described, two graders, one of which includes a pair of feed rolls and the other of which includes an adlUlE justable distributor chute, both graders being actuated in accordance with the thickness of eachblank, and a pair of delivering rolls adapted to receive a blank from said teed rolls a and deliver it to the distributor chute.

- ing means for gaging successive blanks according to their thickness, a blank distributor responsive to the gaging means, agate for cont-rolling the operation of the gaging means and a trip and connections therefrom to the ate adapted to be actuated by a blank be ore it leaves the distributor for controlling the gate.

49. A machine of the kind described, having means for gaging successive blanks according to their thickness, including upper and lower members adapted to receive the blanks between them for detecting their thicknesses, a blank distributor responsive to the gaging means, and a trip and connections therefrom to the gaging means adapted to be v Patent hie; iaaaaaa.

" ceartricarefoai eaaeiena resecae actuated-by a blankbetore it leaves the dis- 30 cording to their thickness, grading mechaas nism responsive to said gaging means, and means adapted to be actuated by a blank for starting the gaging means.

v51. A machine or the kind described, hav- 7 mg means fol-gaging successive blanks acac cording to their thlClUlGSS, grading mechanism responsive to said gaging means, a gate for controlling the operation of the gaging means, and means adapted to be actuated by a blank after it has left the gaging means for controlling the gate.

52. A machine of the kind described, having means for gaging successive blanks according to their thickness including upper and lower members adapted to receive blanks 5!? between them for detecting their thicknesses,

grading mechanism responsive to said gaging means, and means adapted tobe actuated by ablank, after it has left the gaging means for separating said members to receive a blank. 55

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

LEANDER A. COGSWELL Granted eeember 4, N28, to

I thhhhhlt a. cocswett.

lit is herehy eertitied that error appears in the artated saeeitieatiah at the ahave aarahered patent reauiriag eerreetioa as tollllovva: Page Lit, Maefihelaim 5h, Latter the Word "htaah" ia'aert the Wards "atter it has tett the gaging theatre"; and that the saiellLetters Patent sheiillel. he read with this correction thereiia the aerate may territories to the retard at the-case in the rt ateat- @t'ttce. I I ilhhea'l aati seated this 8th day at January, A. 1 H 929 I at a Metre (S hitting Geaaafissfiener at Patents

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