US1790457A

US1790457A - blaine

Info

Publication number: US1790457A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1931-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 1948-01-27

Description

Jan. 27 1931. J. R. BLAINE 1,790,457

SHEET FEEDING MEGHANI SM Fi1ed Dec. 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Josepizfl. 1520 1726,

Jan. 27, 1931. BLAINE 1,790,457

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 27, 1931 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH R. BLAINE, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOIL TO THE MIEHLE PRINTING PRESS & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SHEET-FEEDING MECHANISM Application filed December 7,1928. Serial No. 324,409.

gaging grippers arranged to oscillate between sheet supporting means and the printing couple of a press for the purpose of transferrin g a sheet of material from the sheet supporting means to such printing couple.

The primaryobject of this invention is to provide a device which will assure positive register of the sheets fed to the printing press.

My improved mechanism will also permit of the feeding of sheets at an exceedingly high rate of speed without, however, impairing the accurate register ofthe sheets fed.

Other objects and novel features of this invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claims.

I have illustrated a preferred form of my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows the position of the improved stop gripper device immediately before a sheet is engaged to betransferred to the cylinder of a press;

Figure 2 shows the relative position of the cooperating parts after a sheet has been engaged by the stop grippers and immediately before the grippers begin their transfer movement; s

Figure 3 is an end elevation of Figure 2; and s Figure 4 illustrates the stop gripper mechanism in its position when a sheet is transferred to the grippers of an impression cylinder or the like, also indicating in broken lines the position of the stop grippers in the end position of their reciprocating motion.

According to the preferred form which I have chosen to describe my invention, the

sheet transfer means, hereinafter termed stop grippers, is mounted on a rock shaft 10 which is preferably arranged above the impression purpose of slidabl I ated' operating ro 31 and32. The lower 100 cylinder 11 and the front edge of the feed board 12 of the printing press to which my invention is applied.

The sheet transfer grippers 13 and cooperating gripper pads 14 preferably made of yieldable material such as rubber, are carried by shafts 15 and 16 respectively and are actuated by means of earns 17 and 18 as will be hereinafter described. Rigidly secured to the rock shaft 10 is a bracket 19 which has two downwardly extending

arms

20 and 21, the former of'which pivotally supports at its free end a bracket 22, which in turn carries the gripper shaft 15 and the gripper pad supporting shaft 16.

As shown in Figure 3, a cam roller 23 is,

mounted at the free end of the shaft 16 and in the path of the cam 18 so that as the latter rotates, the bracket 22 will be rocked about its fulcrum 24 for the purpose hereinafter indicated. The outer end of the gripper shaft 15 has rigidly secured thereto a bracket 25 'which in turn carries a roller 26 which cooperates with the gripper operating cam 17 to actuate the gripper shaft 15 for the purpose of opening and closing the grippers 13. The

cams 17 and 18 are carried on a hub 27, which inder 11 at the time when the sheet is transferred from the stop grippers 13 to the grippers of the cylinder indicated in broken lines in Figure '4. However, the actual driving mechanism whereby the rock shaft 10 is operated does not form part of this invention 1 but is described and illustrated on a separate application, Serial No. 324,476 filed December 7, 1928, by A. G. Jacobson.

The bracket 19 mounted on the rock shaft 10 is formed with

lugs

28, 29, and 30 for the supporting spring actuend of the rod 31 is pivotally connected to a bracket 33 which is rigidly secured to the gripper shaft 15 to rock therewith so that by the action of the spring 34, the roller 26 is maintained in contact with the gripper shaft operating cam 17. Similarly, due to the connection of the lower end of rod 32 with the arm 35 of the bracket 22, the roller 23 will be maintained in constant engagement with the cam 18 by the action of the compression spring 36.

The gripper pads 14 which cooperate with the grippers 13 to hold and convey the sheets from the feed board 12 to the cylinder 11 are mounted on arms 37 which are rigidly secured to the shaft 16.

According to the preferred form of construction I provide an adequate number of front guides 38 which are preferably mounted on brackets 39 carried by a rock shaft 40 so that they may be adjusted longitudinally of said shaft. This rock shaft 40 is actuated by any suitable mechanism so that the front guides 38 will be swung downwardly out of their operative position as shown in Figure 1 immediately after the grippers 13 and pads 14 have engaged the front edge of the sheet 41.

The operation of the stop gripper mechanism just described is as follows:

The rock shaft 10 is oscillated through a predetermined angle by means of driving mechanism, which, as already indicated, forms part of a separate application, and

whereby the bracket 19 will move from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position indicated in broken lines in Figure 4, and vice versa. 7

The cams 17 and 18 preferably rotate at a constant rate of speed in the direction indicated by the arrows. The cam 17 is so timed that the grippers 13 will be closed when the bracket 19 reaches the position shown in Figure 2 and will maintain the grippers closed until the bracket '19 reaches the position shown in full lines in Figure 4, at which time the sheet carried by the grippers 13 and pads 14 will be taken over by the cylinder grippers, or by any other equivalent means provided on the cylinder or the like 11.

From the time the grippers 13 engage the sheet 41 fed down on the feed board 12, and at which time the shaft 10 will commence its motion in a clockwise direction to the position indicated in Figure 4, the speed of the bracket 19, and therefore of the grippers 13 and pads 14, will be gradually accelerated so that at the time when the grippers of the cylinder 11 take over the sheet from the stop grippers 13, the latter will have reached the surface speed of the cylinder 11. This feature is exceedingly important in sheet feeding apparatus where positive register of the sheets has to be maintained; it will eliminate any possible slipping of the sheet as the latter is taken over by the cylinder grippers which usually travel at an exceedingly high rate of speed.

After the grippers 13 have reached the position shown in Figure 4, and after the sheet 41 has been transferred to the cylinder 11, the roller 26 on the bracket 25 will begin to ride over the high portion 42 of the cam 17 for the purpose of opening said grippers, thereby releasing the sheet 41, which will now be held to the cylinder 11 by the cylinder grippers, which latter may be operated in any suitable manner.

Upon continued rotation of the bracket 19 toward its position indicated by broken lines in Figure 4, the grippers 13 will again close as soon as the roller 26 reaches the low portion of the cam 17. However, before the bracket 19 reaches its end position, the roller 23, carried on the shaft 16 supported in the bracket 22, will ride over the low portion 44 of the cam 18, whereby, due to the action of the spring 36, the operating rod 32 will be moved outwardly and consequently the bracket 22 will be rocked about its fulcrum 24 in an anti-clockwise direction to bring the grippers 13 and associated parts into a withdrawn position indicated by broken lines in Figure 4.

The purpose of withdrawing the grippers 13 to a position within their normal plane or circle of transfer operation AA is to provide clearance between said grippers and the surface of the cylinder 11 so that during the return stroke of the bracket 19, the grippers will not foul the cylinder or any part thereon. Therefore, the arrangement is such that the IOU roller 23 will remain on the low portion 44 of cam 18 by following the movement of the cam until the grippers 13 and gripper pads 14 have returned to their relative positions shown in Figure 1, whereupon, they will enage the next following sheet placed on the eed board 12.

It will be evident from the drawings that when the grippers and gripper pads 14 reach the position in Figure 1, they are still withdrawn from their plane of transfer operation, and therefore when they reach that position, they will not interfere in any way with the register of the sheet placed on the board 12. Moreover, when stock is being handled that is apt to curl, then as the pads are lowered into co-operative position with the grippers 13, they will flatten out the leading edge of a curled up sheet before the sheet is gripped, thereby, assuring perfect register of the sheet.

The lowering of the pads 14 is accomplished by the high portion 45 of cam 18 en? gaging the roller 23, see Figure 2, the bracket 22 will then be rocked downwardly and move the gripper pads 14 down onto the sheet 41 previously positioned to register against the front guides or stops 38 by any suitable mechanism. By that time, however, the high portion 43 will have passed the roller 26 and the grippers will be closed.

. During the movement of the bracket 19 from its position where the grippers take thev sheet from the feed board 12:, to its position where the sheet is transferred to the cylinder grippers, the roller 23 will ride over the high portion of cam 18, while the roller 26 will remain in contact with the low portion 46 of cam 17.

As shown in Figure 4, thestop grippers and associated parts have reached their position where the sheet carriedthereby will be sheet. After the cam cusp 42 has passed the roller 26, the latter will ride over the low portion 47 of cam 17, thereby closing the grippers 13. At the same time the roller 23 will have reached the low portion 44 of the'cam 18 and subsequently the grippers 13 as well as the gripper pads 14 will be withdrawn to a position within their circle of transfer operation AA' as indicated in broken lines in Figure 4.

After the stop grippers 13 and associated parts have reached their position shown in broken lines in Fig. 4, the motion of the bracket 19 will be reversed by mechanism which forms the subject of said co-pending application, and the stop, grippers will be moved in an anti-clockwise direction, and held within their withdrawn position until the roller 26 is engaged by the cusp 43 of cam 17 to open the grippers 13 as shown in Figure 1. Thereupon, the pads 14 will be lowered onto the sheet and the grippers closed to engage the sheet before the bracket 19 commences its sheet transfer motion towards the cylinder 11.

, It will be readily understood that the mechanism just. described is subject to modifications Without departing from the principle of the invention, and therefore, it is my intention to cover any such modifications that will come within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a movable sheet carrier, including sheet holding means on said carrier, and means for withdrawing said sheet holding means from its plane of transfer operation for clearance purposes.

2. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a reciprocating sheet carrier, including gripper means on said carrier, and continually rotating means for withdrawing said gripper means from its plane of transfer operation.

' 3. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a reciprocating sheet carrier having a variable speed, gripper means on said carrier, and rotating means, concentric with said sheet carrier for withdrawing said gripper means from its plane of transfer operation.

4. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a reciprocating sheet carrier, including sheet engaging grippers mounted on said carrier to move therewith, and rotating means for withdrawing said grippers from their plane of transfer operation.

5. In sheet feeding mechanism, the com-.

bination of a reciprocating sheet carrier having a variable speed and includmg a sheet engaglng gripper and pad mounted on said carrier to move therewith, and rotatingmeans concentric with said sheet carrierfor withdrawing said gripper and pad from their plane.

6. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of sheet supplying means, a printing couple, a reciprocating sheet carrier having sheet engaging elements to engage a sheet of'material while at rest on said sheet supplying means. and to convey it to'said printing couple, and continually rotating means for withdrawing said sheet engaging elements from their plane of transfer operation.

7. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of sheet supplying means, a printing member, a reciprocating sheet carrier having sheetengaging grippers to engage a sheet ofmaterial while at. rest. on said sheet supplying means and to convey it to said printing member, and means for,withdrawing said sheet engaging grippers from their plane of transfer operation.

8. In sheet feeding mechanism, the com bination .of a sheet transfer member, sheet engagingelements on said member, sheet supplying means, a printing member, means for reciprocating said transfer member to convey a sheet of material from said sheet supplying means to said printing member, and rotating means to withdraw said sheet engaging elements from their plane of'transfer operation after a sheet of material has been transferred to said printing element.

.9. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member, sheet engaging elements on said member, sheet supplying means, a printing member, means for reciprocating said transfer member to convey a sheet of material from said sheet supplying means to said printing member,

rotating means to Withdraw said sheet engaging elements from their plane of transfer operation after asheet of material has been transferred to said printing member,

and means to hold said elements in withdrawn position during the return movement of said transfer member.-

10. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member, sheeten-g pression cylinder, a sheet transfer member having sheet engaging grippers mounted to move therewith for transferring a sheet of material from said sheet supplying means to said impression cylinder at an accelerating speed, and means continually rotating for withdrawing said sheet engaging grippers from their operative position after a sheet of material has been transferred to said impression cylinder.

12. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member, sheet engaging grippers and cooperating supports mounted to move with said transfer member, means to impart reciprocating motion to said member, and rotating means concentric with said transfer member to withdraw said supports from their plane of transfer operation.

13. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member having a variable. speed, sheet engaging grippers and cooperating supports mounted to move with said transfer member, and continually rotating means to withdraw ,said grippers and supports from their plane of transfer operation.

14. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member having sheet engaging elements, means to impart reciprocating motion to said member, sheet guides operable independently of said sheet transfer member, and rotary means to withdraw said sheet engaging elements from their plane of transfer operation.

15. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination ofsheet supplying means, a printing member, a sheet carrier having a variab e speed and adapted to transfer a sheet of material from said sheet supplying means 7 to said print-ing member, sheet registering -means, and means to Withdraw said registering means when a sheet of material is engaged by said transfer member.

16. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member having sheet engaging grippers and cooperating gripper supports, sheet registering guides,

means to move a sheet of material to register with said guides, means to withdraw said of November, 1928.

sheet registering guides, means to move a sheet of material into register with said guides, means to withdraw said gripper pad supports from their plane of transfer operation, rotary means concentric with said transfer member to move said supports on to the sheet when the latter is presented to said guides, and means for imparting accelerating motion to said transfer member.

18. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member mounted on a rock shaft and adapted to move at an accelerating speed, sheet engaging meanspivotally carried on said transfer member to swing about a fulcrum eccentric with respect to said rock shaft for the purpose of moving said sheet engaging meansin and out of the normal plane of feeding operation.

19. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member mounted on a rock shaft and adapted to move at an accelerating speed, sheet engaging means pivotally carried on said transfer member to, swing about a fulcrum eccentric with respect to said rock shaft for the purpose of moving said sheet engaging means in and out of its sheet carrying position.

20. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member mounted on a rock shaft and adapted to move at an accelerating speed, sheet engaging means pi'votally carried on brackets mounted on said transfer member to swing about afulcrum eccentric with respect to said rock shaft for the purpose of moving said sheet engaging means in and out of the normal plane of feeding operation.

21. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a movable sheet carrier, including a gripper and a cooperating yieldable gripper pad, and means for radially withdrawin said gripper and pad fromtheir plane 0 transfer operation for clearance purposes.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 30th day JOSEPH R. BLAINE.