US1726010A - Machine for automatically gathering and collating sheets and the like - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 27, 1929. (s. w.. YOUNG MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY GATHERING. AND

COLLATING SHEETS AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Eiled Jan. 13, 1928 MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY GATHERING AND COLLATING SHEETS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 13, 1928 4 SheetsSheet 2 AFIGJ. I

Aug. 27, 1929. w, YOUNG 1,726,010-

G. w. YOUNG MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY GATHERING Aug. 27, 1929.

AND COLLATING srmms AND THE LIKE Flled Jan 15 1928 n 7 mm Aug. 27, 1929. l a. w. YOUNG 1,726,010 MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY GATHERING AND COLLATING SHEETS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 1a, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

PATENT OFFEQE.

GEORGE WILLIAM YOUNG, OF DULWICH, LONDON, ENGLAND.

IAQHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY GATHERING AND COLLATING SHEETS AND THE LIKE.

Application. Med January 13, 1928, Serial Ito- 246,605, and in Great Britain January 20, 1927.

This invention relates to automatic rotary gathering and collating machines for the use of printers and others, of the kind comprising a rotary framework or carrier adapted to carry the piles of sheets to be gathered, and suctlon means adapted to lift the top sheet from each pile in succession and deposit it upon a conveyor b which the sheets are transferred to a pac 'ng device.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved and simplified construction of such machine which shall be 'e ually adapted for handling single or folded s eets. A further object is to provide a machine of the 1 kind specified which shall be more compact and have a larger capacity than previously known machines.

As will readily be understood when suction devices applied from above are used for lifting folded sheets or signatures there is a tendenc for the under part of the sheet to sag an interfere with the proper working of the machine.

' Accordingly the present invention consists in providing in association with the sheet lifting devices means to support from the underside the sheets carried by the sheet lifting devices. Suitable mechanism is provided to ensure the withdrawal or removal of the said support means when the sheets are deposited on the conveyor band and to replace them under the next sheet lifted. The movement executed by the sheet lifting devices in transferring sheets from the rotary carrier to the conveyor band may take any desired form but preferably includes a vertical movement in taking the sheet from the carrier and a horizontal movement in transferring the sheet to a position over the conveyor.

The invention is hereinafter more fully explained with reference to the accompanying drawings in which one practical form of construction of my improved sheet gathering and collating machine is illustrated.

In these drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an improved sheet gathering and collating machine constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention. a

Fig. 1" is a detail elevation of the same from the reverse side and on a larger scale.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

Fig. 2 is a detail plan of the same corresponding with Fig. 1. on a lar er scale.

F1 3 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the (parts in different position,

Figs. 4 an 5 are plan views of one of the sheet lifting devices with the sheet supporting fingers in different positions and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are front elevations of one of the sheet lifting devices the views. being taken at different phases in the cycle of operation of the machine.

Referring to these figures it will be seen that the improved sheet gatherin and collating machine comprises a whee -like carrier a mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis and having pivotally suspended at points around its periphery cradles a on which the piles of sheets are supported. In the example illustrated each cradle is designed to carry four piles of sheets, and sheet lifting and transferring devices 0 corresponding in number to the piles of sheets on the cradles are arranged to operate on opposite sides of the rotary carrier. Rotary motion is imparted to the carrier a through worm and worm wheel gearing 7; connecting it to a drive shaft b which may be fitted with fast and loose belt pulleys b.

The. suction sheet-lift1ng devices are arranged to move first horizontally towards the axis of the rotary carrier, descend ver: tically on to the piles of sheets on the cradles, then lift vertically from said piles and move horizontally back to position over conveyor bands which assemble the sheets in the required sequence in packing devices provided for their reception. For this purpose the machine frame extends in opposite directions from the axis of the rotary carrier a and the terminal portions of the frame are each provided with equally spaced channel-shaped guide-ways d along which move slides e operatively connected by links f and levers f to oscillating cross shafts F. The various slides on each side of the machine may be connected by a cross bar (not shown) and rotary pinions e mounted on the slides may be arranged to mesh with fixed horizontal racks e to ensure unison of movement throughout the slides. Oscillatory motion is imparted to the cross shafts f by cams g through the medium oflevers g and links 105 9 the cam shafts being connected-through bevel or other suitable gearing g with the drive shaft 6' of the machine. The suction sheet lifting devices a are mounted upon travellers 0 arranged to detachably engage and move with the slides e along the guideways 03.

Between the rotary carrier a and the near ends of the guide-ways d vertically reciprocating columns h are provided having short horizontal channel-shaped guides h which when raised come into register with the guide-Ways d and receive the travellers 0 projected forwardly by the slides '6 after which the descending movement of the columns causes the connection between the travellers c and-the slides e to be severed until the columns rise again after the sheet lifting operation and re-establish said connec= tion. This connection is effected by 'a vertical pin 0 in the one part engaging a corresponding hole in the other part in a manner permitting separation when the traveller descends, whilst maintaining a positive connelction of the parts when aligned horizonta 1y.

The columns h are hollow and guided by .central guide rods k and upon cross-heads k oscillated vertically by cams 11 operating through lever mechanism 11', the cams being driven through spur gearing' (not shown) connecting with the shafts of the cams g. In order to achieve a rapid vertical movement in the colunms without throwing undue stress on the cam z" the gearing is so arranged that the cam z rotates twice as fast as the cam 9. Hence the columns descend idly between every two successive operative descents.

The connection between the vertically oscillating columns 72) and the rocking levers i is such as to permit of some lost motion between the parts in order that when the sheet lifting devices come into contact with the piles of sheets the motion of the levers may. continue unimpeded. In this way effective contact is established between the lifting devices and the sheets at each cycle of operations regardless of the variation in height of the different piles.

Extending transversely of the terminal portions of the machine frame is an endless band conveyor j which receives thesheets from the suction lifting devices and assemble them in packers (not shown). Said conveyor is driven by chain and sprocket gear j from the main drive shaft 6'.

Where small sheets only are to be handled the sheet lifting devices may comprise single suction plates but to enable sheets of varying sizes to be dealt with effectively each a sheet lifting device preferably comprises as shown in Figs. 4ito 8 two or more suction plates k adjustably mounted upon a hollow bar k engaged with the traveller a, each plate having on its underside a rubber sue bear by gravity,

tion cup is communicating through pipe connections k with the interior of the bar k. which forms a suction conduit connected by a. flexible tube to a pump (not shown). Each suction plate has a set screw is whereby it may be secured in any desired adjusted position on the bar .70;

The sheet supporting means which form a characteristic feature of this invention comprise fingers Z pivotally mounted on the suction plates and arranged to swing in horizontal planes close under the sheet as the latter is lifted from its pile and to remain in a position, for supporting the sheet until the latter is over the conveyor band 7' whereupon they are Withdrawn from underthe sheet-lifting device until next lifting operation.

The required movements are imparted to these fingers by pistons m operating in air cylinders m mounted on the top of the suction plates, the pistons being connected by links m to cranks Z rigid with the fingers l and operated by suction and pressure alternately conveyed through the hollow bar is and the flexible conduit. Communication between the suction pipe k and the interior of the cylinders m is controlled by taper plug valves n, normally retained in an open position by the action of tension springs n but adapted to be turned to a closed position as shown in Fig. 7 when contact is established between the sheet lifting device and the pile of sheets. For this purpose a crank pin n projecting from the plug of the valve h is operatively engaged between pins 0 projecting laterally from aplunger 0 sliding verticallyina guide aperture in the suction plate and depending from the underside thereof for contact with the pile of sheets. A gravity catch lever pivotally supported upon the hollow bar 70' and a spring influenced plunger 72 are arranged to assist in controlling the movements of the fingers Z in a manner hereinafter described.

As the sheet lifting devices move from over the conveyor i towards the cradles their sheet supporting fingers are in the retracted position and retained against movement by the gravity catch lever p and though suction exists throughout the conduit and such suction acts upon the pistons, the fingers Z are unable to move because they are held back by the gravity catch lever p. Fig. 6 illustrates the parts during this period of the cycle of operation. When the sheet lifting device drops on to the 'pile of sheets the plunger 0 is pressed upwardly causing the valve n. to be closed temporarily and at the same time the gravity catch lever p, by contact with the sheets, is raised from in front of the fingers Z as shown in Fig. 7. It will be noted that the pile of sheets is so placed that the gravity catch lever engages the backs as the suction devices lift from the piles thereby opening the valves n and causing the fingers to swing in under the sheet. The parts now remain in this position until on coming over the conveyor band j the spring influenced plunger p is depressed by engagement with a cam track g on the machinev frame said plunger bearing upon the tail of the catch lever and temporarily supporting the weight of the gravity catch lever 12 as shown in Fig. 8. The suction conduit is now temporarily connected by suitable valve mechanism to the compression side of the pump so that a wave of air pressure acts in forcing back the fingers Z to the retracted position. At the same time a ball valve '1' is blown down into, a valve seating within the rubber suction cup 70 thus cutting off the air suction from the top of the sheet which is allowed to fall to the conveyor below. This air pressure is continued whilst the suction lifting device moves forward sufiicient: 1y for the plunger 1) to clear the cam q and allow the catch lever p to descend to a nor mal position whereupon the air pressure is cut off and suction resumed,

I claim 1. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine, comprising a rotary carrier having suspended cradles, sheet lifting means provided with means to support from the underside work sheets 'carried by said sheet lifting means and means whereby said sheet lifting means are reciprocated vertically over the cradles. i

2. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine comprising a rotary carrier with suspended cradles, sheet lifting means guided reetilinearly towards and from said carrier, means whereby said sheet lifting means are reciprocated vertically over the cradles, and sheet supporting fingers co-opcrating with the sheet lifting devices.

3. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine according to claim 2 wherein the means for actuating the sheet lifting devices and the sheet supporting fingers are pneumatically operated.

4. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine as claimed in claim 2, including a sheet gathering conveyor band, travelers whereby the sheet lifting devices are carried and horizontal guideways extending over the sheet gathering conveyor band and on which said travelers operate.

5. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine, comprising a rotary carrier having suspended cradles, sheet lifting means, vertically reciprocating columns by which said sheet lifting means are lowered on to the cradles, a sheet gathering conveyor band, horizontal guideways extending over said band, travelers whereby the sheet lifting devices are carried, the said colunms having short guideways adapted in their upward position to align with the'said guideways which extend over the conveyor band.

6. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine according to claim 2, wherein the sheet lifting device comprises a plurality of suction plates each provided with a suction tube on the under side and a connecting bar upon which said suction plates are ad ustably arranged.

7. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine according to claim 2, where in the sheet supporting fingers are pivot d to swing in horizontal planes close under the lifted sheet and including air cylinders attached to the sheet lifting means and pistons operated in said cylinders and by which said sheet supporting fingers are actuated.

8. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine according to claim 2, wherein the sheet supporting fingers are pivoted to swing in horizontal planes close under the lifted sheet and including air cylinders attached to the sheet lifting means and pistons operated in said cylinders and by which said sheet supporting fingers are actuated and also including spring influenced valve and gravity catch devices to control the movements of the sheet supporting fingers.

In testimony whereof he has afiixed his signature. 4

V G. W. YOUNG.

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