US1894622A - Sheet feeding machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 17, 1933. H. E. LINDBLADH SHEET FEEDING MACHINE Filed May 8, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l R m m V m 1933- H. E..LINDBLADH 9 SHEET FEEDING MACHINE Filed May 8, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet" 2 INV NTOR Jan. E7, 1933. E, LQNDBLADH 1,894,622

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE Filed May a, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet s INVEN TOR quarter inch or less of Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNlTEfi Sl rtTES FATENT @LFFEQE RABIES}; LIIILBLADH, OF BEOOKLINE,

LINDBLADI-I COEPQE-ATIOII, 0F BOS'IGN, MASSACHUSETTS,

r-LSSIGFJZOR TO THE A CORPORATION OF FEEDING- IVZAGl-IENE Application filed May S, 1930. Serial No. 450,651.

This invention relates to sheet feeding machines in which sheets of paper are fed from a pile, one by one, on to an endless conveyor.

In the embodiment described herein the invention is shown attached to a machine for ruling or striking used in down-lining, Faint lining, and cross ruling paper, and includes a feeder, conveyor, an overlapping device, and a regulating gate, together with driving and control means therefor.

Prior well-known types of sheet feeding machines have included suitable feeding means, such as a power driven suction whee or mechanically operated lingers, and such means have been used to urge the top sheet from a large pile of sheets and feed it forward to endless conveyor tapes, a plurality of which carry the sheet toward the ruling machine while flags, or deflector plates, push the sheet against the side gauge; and finally the sheet reaches the gate or regulating means where it is halted, and then allowed to pass on through the ruling machine spaced considerably from the preceding sheet. This considerable spacing of the sheets on the ruling machine belt is necessary because of the variableness of the sheet feeding mechanism. Each sheet must be held at the gate the aggregate or maximum time of these variables to insure the desired equal spacing on the ruling machine he l". it will be seen that since the ruling machine belt is moving fast, even an instants delay means a considerable open space on the belt and four inches or so between sheets is considered eificient for such feeders. However, an open space causes the pens toink and dampen the belt, causes a loss of time and consequent less efiicient use of the machine, also the smaller the sheets being ruled the greater the loss of machine time, for the number of open spaces is multiplied.

With the foregoing provides a means to in View, this invention eliminate all but one this space. The sheets are overlapped before they reach the so the ga)e may engage the following sheet beftu'e the preceding one has entirely passee. by the gate.

Another object of the invention is to elimipath describing a helical screw thread by means of forks and small flanged rollers, or when using a plurality of tapes guided in a like manner, the conveying surface thus former is flat and has a slight lateral movement toward the side gauge as it advances which moves the sheet laterally against the ange without any rufiiing, buckling or 'easin Another prior practice in use to inclement the action of the flags is to twist tapes. 1

This causes the tapes themselves mate and throw the sheet against the side gauge, but here as with the flags, and usually both are used, the rough handling of the stock leads to damage or misalignment of the sheets. All this loss is eliminated by the use of my invention.

Another object of my invention is to provide a table to hold the pile of sheets to be ruled which can accommodate loads of such great weight as to distort the table from a horizontal position, and yet not bind the raising means.

From the viewpoint of the user or the machine, is desirable to have the feeder made so the conveyor can be detached easily from the ruling machine and folned up out of the way, leaving room for an operator to step in front of the ruling machine and feed sheets by hand. lhis is an advantage where hand feeding is found to be more economical in running through a small number of sheets. Special means for the last named purpose have been devised and combined with the other instrument-alities of this invention, all of which will be described now in detail on re erence to tl e accompanying drawings, in which 2- Fig. l is a general view in perspective of the sheet feeding machine attached to a ruling machine.

Fig. 1a is a view of an adjustable side gauge.

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Fig. 2 is a view oftlie sheet lapping means and of the continuous tape showing the parts which coact therewith to produce the novel conveyor of this invention.

Fi 3 is a view in perspective showing the c utch and control means used to insure the machine starting with the gate, the suction wheel and the overlapper properly timed.

Fig. 4 is a view in cross section of the table.

Fi 5 is a cross sectional view on line of F1 2 and shows one spiral of the tape and t e overlapper in inoperative position.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the means for op erating the overlapping rollers.

Fig. 7 is a detail View of the conveyor 'fapc guide pulleys 71.

F i 7a is another view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 7, showing the angular mountin of the pulleys.

Fig. 7b is a view in perspective showing a modification of the tape guide device.

Fig. 8 is a View of my improved shect' guard used to keep the pile of papers in proper position on the table.

In Fig. 1 is shown the preferred embodiment of this feeder assembled to a ruling machine, the end of the ruling machine to which the feeder is attached being shown. A shaft 2, mounted in the main frame 1, of the rulin machine has mounted on it the large 0 lin rical roller 3. A similar roller (not s own) is mounted at the other end of the main frame and over these two rollers passes the belt 4, which is of canvas or other suitable material and serves to convey the flat sheets 10 and to support them while they pass under the inking pens (not shown). The passage of the sheets 10 on to the belt 4 is controlled by the gate 5, mounted in uprights 8, 8 of the main frame and controlled by the cam 6 carried on shaft 7. The control arm 11, made integral with the gate 5 is held in engagement with the face of the cam 6 by a spring (not shown) and when said arm is at the innermost point 12 on the cam face the gate 5 is raised and the sheet 10 passes beneath it. Before the next sheet has been fed to the gate, the cam 6, acting through control arm 11, has restored the gate to a position to stolp the oncoming sheet.

t has long been the practice to provide a table on which is placed the pile of sheets to be ruled and which table has automatic provision for raising it as the sheets are drawn one by one from the top of the pile. In Fig. 1 is shown such a table 20 provided with guides 21, 21 adapted to slide on uprights 22, 22 which uprights are firmly mounted in a base 23 and top members 24, 24. The table is raised and lowered by means of long screws 25, 25, rotatably mounted in said base and top members. The table 20 has passing horizontally through its base a shaft 27 whose ends are mounted in screw blocks 26, 26, on the screws 25, 25. Heretofore it has been the practice to attach the screw blocks 26, 26 rigidly to the table 20 but in practice it is found that very large loads will distort the table from a horizontal position and cause the screws 25, 25, to bind in the screw blocks 26, 26. The novel means described attach the screw blocks 26, 26, to the table 20 in a manner to avoid any binding of the screw. It is understood, of course, that the guiding and lifting means for the table 20 as shown in Fig. 1 is duplicated at the other end of the table. (See Fig. 4).

The turning of the screws 25, 25, by automatic means to raise or lower the table 20 has long been understood, therefore these parts will be dealt with briefly. Mounted in the top members 24, 24, is a cross shaft 31. with beveled gears 32, 32 attached at each end and engaging with similar beveled gears 33, 33, attached to the upper ends of the screws 25, 25. The shaft 31 can be turned by means of hand crank 34 or automatically by means of a ratchet mechanism (not shown). It is thus seen that by turning the screws 25, 25, in the proper direction the tables position can be adjusted and the pile of sheets 28 carried by it can be raised into proper working position. WVhen once in such position the arm 35 carrying a roller 36 engages the top of the pile and through interconnected parts 37, 38, 39 and other parts not shown, automatically controls the ratchet mechanism which lifts the table 20 as fast as the sheets are withdrawn from the top of the pile.

In Fig. 8 is shown a novel form of sheet guard which serves to keep the paper in proper position on the table. Mounted on arm 50 is adjustable bracket 57 in which a pin 58 is loosely fitted. A collar and set screw 59 holds the pin at the proper height beside the pile of sheets 28. Being loosely fitted in the bracket the pin can move up as the table approaches its upper limits, whereas, prior devices have been interfered with by the table. Two or more of these devices are suitably placed at the sides of the pile 28 and are adjusted to hang about an inch below the top of the pile. Feeding of the sheets one at a time from the top of the pile 28 has in the past been accomplished either by means of mechanical fingers, or by means of a vacuum applied on the top sheet through a rotating perforated Wheel. For the purposes of this description there is shown the latter form of mechanism but it will be understood that either means can be employed. The shaft 41 is mounted to rotate in suitable bearings provided in the top members 24, 24. The perforated suction wheel 42 is adjustably mounted on shaft 41 and has fitted inside and above its lower portion only, the suction pipe 43 (hidden by wheel 42) which is attached to the pipe 44 mounted in the top members 24, 24.

direction of the ruling machine.

Pipe 44 connects with an elbow 45, then with a tube 46 leading to an air valve chamber 47 and thence through tubing 48 to a vacuum pump 49. The air chamber 47 (see Fig. 3) is provided with an opening 51 over which fits a valve 52 suitable actuated by a link-56.

When the valve is closed the suction created in the pump 49 acts through the perforated wheel 42 to lift the top sheet into engaging contact with it. The suction continues until cam 54 opens valve 52. Plate borders the suction wheel 42 and serves to steady the sheet. In practice the suction period is timed so that the suction feed wheel 42 will feed the leading edge of the sheet 10 beneath the weighted roller wheel and then shut off. From this point on, the sheet is pulled forward by the feeder conveyor which will be described later. Until the proper time for another sheet to be fed from the top of the pile 28 the valve 52 is held open by cam 54 acting through cam roller 55 attached to the link 56 the wheel 42 however continues its rotation. The timing of this cam with relation to the overlapper and the gate is of importance and will be hereinafter fully eX plained.

The conveyor which carries the sheets 10 from the pile 28 to the ruling machine belt 4 will now be described in detail. The conveyor frame members 61, 61 attached to the top members 24, 24 and to the main frame 1 of the ruling machine. Rollers 62, 68 are mounted near the ends of frame 61, 61 and tightening rollers 64, 65 are placed in intermediate position.

In this apparatus there is preferably employed a single tape passing over these rollers in a path describing a helical screw thread. To insure uniform alignment of the sheets 10 entering the ruling machine it is necessary that one edge of the sheet be in engaging contact with the side gauge 68 and in the past this has been assomplished by means of flags adjusted to press against the opposite edge of the sheet to force it against the side gauge, and also by twisting the tapes so they are caused to rotate and throw the sheet against the gauge. The disadvantages associated with these practices have been overcome by the novel means now to be described.

In Fig. 2 is shown one long tape 70, and this continuous tape is wound over the rollers 62, '63 beginning at the point A until the point B is reached. From the point B the tape is carried on the lower side of the conveyor over the pulleys 66, 67 suitably mounted in the conveyor frame, until it reaches the starting point A. The path described by the continuous tape is that of a spiral or helical screw thread, which spirals toward the side gauge 68 when the upper surface -'of the conveyor tape is moving in the Thus there :is provided a conveyor having a regular flat bend the sheets. A plurality of tapes may beused instead of the single tape 70 illustrated. To provide the tape or tapes with this lateral movement the forks 7 4 and s1ngle flanged guide pulleys 71 hold the tapes in By making these guidtheir proper path. ing parts adjustable on the shaft 73 the pitch of this la eral movement can be varied to suit the job being done. lVhile the use of forks and pulleys is preferred it is contemplated that other and equivalent guiding means could be employed. 7

here paper is being run through twice in order to rule on both sides, it is often advisable to have an adjustable side gauge 6864 (Fig. 1a and Fig. 2) opposite to the side gauge 68. This often avoids having to reset the pens and the striking cams. If the gauge 68a is being used the lateral movement of the conveyor 70 must be toward it and this is accomplished by switching the tapes to the oppositely flanged pulleys 71 (Figs. 7 and 7 a) and then adjusting them on their shaft 73 to get the lateral movement to the extent desired. The adjustable side gauge 68a is mounted on shafts 73 and 75 and when adjusted is held in place by means of set screws 69a. The fastening brackets 69 are fork shaped to allow the side gauge to be inserted between the tapes 70 at whatever point is correct to line up the sheets 10 with the ink ing pens (see Fig. 2).

Since the natural tendency is for the tape or tapes to move in paths at right angles to the rolls 62 and 63, they will oppose the action of the forks 74 and pulleys 71 which determine their lateral movement. It is not possible to use forks in place of the pulleys 71 on the conveying surface for their projecting above the surface would halt the sheets 10 and defeat the purpose of the conveyor. The single-flanged guide pulleys 71 function as a guiding means for the tape, and do not obstruct the surface of the conveyor. t is important to note that to prevent the tape from crawling over the flange 71a the axle on which the pulley rotates must be set at an angle to the axis of the roll 63 sufliciently large so that the flange 71a is out of contact with the tape as it enters on to the pulley. An angle of 7 degrees has been found sufficient to keep the tape from contacting the flange 71a as it enters onto the pulley, even in those cases where a maximum lateral movement is given to the tape. By this means the tape is constantly being urged by the flange into contact with the pulley face and never does the tape tend to overrun the flange, because of the general downward movement of the flange at the points of maximum contact with the tape.

Lil

In Fig. 7 b is shown a modified form of tape guide means which is especially applicable to those cases where reversal of the tapes lateral movement is required. Mounted on the shaft 7 3 is a bracket 173 provided with a vertical bearing for a shank 174 into which is set the axle 172 for the pulley 171. The shank is held in the bracket by a small spring 178 mounted on the shank and engaging appropriate shoulders on the shank and brackct. Fastened to the shank 174 is a small pin 175 which cooperates with grooves 177, 177 in the bracket to hold the pulley in either of its two proper operating positions. It is readily seen that in reversing the tapes, the

operator can reverse the pulley 171 by lifting up until the pin 175 is out of one slot, then rotating it until the pin is snapped into the other slot by the spring 178. The slots 17 7, 177 are spaced to give the pulley the position required for its successful operation as above described.

This invention makes possible very close spacing of the sheets 10 on the ruling machine belt 4. The liability of variation in time when the vacuum feed wheel will place a sheet on the conveyor, and the factor of minor slippage of the sheet while on the conveyor and in contact with the side gauge combine to prevent reliance on the sheet feeding apparatus alone, to give a correct spacing of the sheets fed to the ruling machine. For this reason a gate has long been used to regulate the entry of the sheets on to the ruling machine belt 4. Making due allowance for these several variables the practice has been to set the gate for a gap of several inches bet-Ween sheets on the belt 4, the reason being that a certain period of halt at the gate is requisite for even spacing, the length of the period being slightly longer than the period of the combined variables. Even if it were practical for the sheets to be closely spaced on the conveyor this space would vary slightly and a halt at the gate to even the spacing would still make a considerable gap between sheets on the belt 4. However, by bringing the sheets to the gate with the leading edge of one lapped over the trailing edge of the other, practically all of the gap between sheets on the belt 4 is eliminated. The minimum overlap of the sheets is set at whatever space is calculatcd as required to eliminate the period. of the combined variables. The gate of the ruling machine halts one sheet before the preceding one has entirely passed it. Also, the gate 5 is set to release this held sheet within a fraction of an inch after the )rcceding one is clear.

Prefera ly the overlapping takes place while one sheet is held at the gate. The overlapping rolls 80 are adjusted in their frame 84, 85 to a position on the conveyor frame 61, 61 which allows the rolls when raised, to barely clear the trailing edge of the sheet at the gate (see Fig. 6). The cam 90 is adjusted to lift the rolls 80 into raised position just preceding contact of the next sheet 10 with the rolls 80. The rolls guide the leading edge of the sheet 10 over the one at the gate 5 and then drop below the conveyor (see Fig. 5). The peripheral speed of the rolls 80 and the conveyor 70 is approximately the same. As the rolls 80 drop below the conveyor 70, the conveyor continues to push the top sheet 10 on to the lower one, increasing the overlap, until the gate 5 opens, at which time the lower sheet advances at ruling machine belt speed and the top sheet at conveyor speed until the gate 5 halts it.

For practical results in overlapping it is better that the leading edge only of the sheet be lifted above the conveyor 70 and then only long enough to feed it over the trailing edge of the preceding sheet. This result is accomplished by this invention.

It is believed to be novel to provide a sheet feeding machine combined with a ruling machine where the feeder conveyor runs faster than the ruling machine belt 4, whereby such a great increase in efliciency and output is realized. This overfeed of the conveyor is secured by driving the conveyor from the ruling machine belt. The latter is driven from roller 3 mounted on shaft 2, the former from roller 62 mounted on shaft 123. The shaft 2 is connected to shaft 127 through bevel gears 124, 124a (not shown), the ratio of these gears being such as to drive shaft 127 faster than shaft 2. Shaft 127 is connected to shaft 123 (Fig. 2) through bevel gears 130, 131 in a 1: 1 ratio.

The sheet lapping means comprises overlapping rolls 80 mounted on a rotating cross shaft 81 itself mounted in links 82 which are rigidly attached to cross shaft 83 (see Fig. 6). The overlapping rolls 80 in their lower position are flush with the upper surface of the conveyor 70, while in their raised position the rolls 80 project above the surface of the conveyor. After asheet- 10 has reached the gate 5 of the ruling machine the shaft 83 is rotated by means of cam 90 and finger 92 attached to link 82. Overlapping rolls 80 rise above the surface of the continuous tape 70 and lift the leading edge of the next sheet over the trailing edge of the sheet which is against the gate. This mechanism is mounted in frame members 84, 85 in sliding engagement on the conveyor frame 61, 61. In the lower section of the frame member 84 is a short shaft 87 carrying idler wheel 88 and adjacent to it is a short cam shaft 86 mounted to rotate in a bearing in the frame member 84. Toothed wheel 89 is rigidly attached to the shaft 86, which shaft also carries a cam 90 provided with a thumb screw 91 to permit the adjustment necessary to time properly the rising of the rolls 80.

While there are shown rolls as overlapping means it is contemplated that fingers of suitable material, attached to shaft 83 may be substituted for the links 82, shaft 81 and rolls 80. These fingers would serve to lift bodily the leading edge of one sheet and thrust it over the trailing edge of the preceding sheet.

The mechanism carried in the frame members 84, 85 must be repositioned on the conveyor frame 61, 61 whenever the size of sheet being run is changed. To preserve alignment between the two frame members 84, 85 there are mounted in the conveyor frame 61, 61, cross shafts 94 and 103 with sprocket wheels on them adjacent the side members 61. Chains are passed over these sprockets and are suitably attached as at 104 to the frame members 84, 85. At the end of the shaft 103 is fixed a crank 105 and it is easily seen that by turning this crank, the

verlapping mechanism can be advanced to any position along the conveyor.

Movement of the above mechanism along the conveyor frame necessitates a flexible drive both to the cam shaft 86 and to the cross shaft 81. The latter is achieved by means of a belt 101 passing over the rollers 62, 63 and passing between the pulley wheels 100 and 102 on shafts 83 and 81 respectively. Pulley 102 is rigid with shaft 81 whereas pulley 100 is free to rotate on the shaft 83. The cam shaft 86 is chain driven in practically the same manner as the cross shaft 81. Lifting of the overlapping rolls 80 must be correlated with the gate 5 and the suction feed wheel Therefore it is convenient to mount a drive sprocket 106 on shaft 41 (see Fig. 3 and Fig. 1). At the opposite end of conveyor frame 61, 61 is mounted on cross shaft 94 a sprocket wheel 95. The sprockets 95 and 106 (Fig. 1) carry a chain fed through the frame member 84 where it engages the cam drive sprocket 89 and is held in Contact therewith by idler sprocket 88.

It is contemplated that the sheet feeder and conveyor can be driven by an independent source of power, or the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings illustrates, the sheet feeder and conveyor are driven from the ruling machine.

Proper iming or correlation of the overlapping device, the suction feed wheel 42 and the gate 5 is important. The overlap-ping rolls 80 when properly adjusted on the frame 61 will barely clear a sheet held at the gate 5 and when properly timed they should appear above the surface of the conveyor as one sheet is held by the gate 5 nd as the next sheet approaches on the conveyor ready to be overlapped. This operation requires that each sheet should be started from the pile 28 at the correct interval with relation to the opening of the gate 5 and the rising of the overlapping rolls 80. In other words, each of these three actions should be timed to occur in a fixed time cycle. These parts are timed by driving the overlapping control cam 90 by chain from sprocket 106 on shaft 41. Bevel gears 110, 111 connect shaft 41 to shaft 114 which carries suction wheel control cam 54; and bevel gears 117, 118 connect shaft 14 to shaft 7 which carries the gate control cam 6. The sprockets 106 and 89 the bevel gears 110 and 111, and the bevel gears 11? and 118 are each in a 1: 1 ratio to each other as is requisite to properly time the parts. A measure of flexibility in the assembly of the sheet feeder to the ruling machine is made possible by employing imiversal joints 113 and 115 in shaft 114 and universal joints 126 and 128 in shaft 127. The coupling 163 in shaft 114 permits severing the shaft 114 during the setting up operation to be described later.

Assuming a constant speed for the ruling machine belt 4 it will be obvious that for a given time, with a long sheet being run, the gate 5 will open fewer times than if short sheets were being run, thus fewer sheets will be started from thepile 28, and the overlapper will have fewer sheets to lap. The operation cycle of the gate, the feed wheel, and the ov'erlapper being constant, the only change required in the machine to accommodate varying length sheets is to change the ratio of gears 120 and 121 as these gears con trol the ruling machine belt speed with relation to the gate and connected parts.

During the running of a batch of paper it is often found advisable to halt the feeding of sheets while changing the adjustments of pens, striking cams, etc. The practice is to stop the feeding of more sheets from the pile and then wait until the last sheet fed from the pile has passed through the ruling machine before stopping it. When the suction feed wheel 42 stops, and a much better feeding job is done if it is stopped when the feedis stopped,there are several sheets en route between itand the gate 5 and as the latter must operate and the sheets must be overlapped there is provided a novel control means (see Fig. 3) which will allow these three carefully timed parts to operate separately to run through these few sheets, and yet when full operation is resumed will antomatically start them in properly timed relation each to the other. The control means 151 is positioned to act when the cam 90 has the overlapping rolls lifted above the conveyor 70, thus ensuring the overlapping of these sheets, and, it acts to open the suction valve 52 at the same instant, but does not disconnect the gate 5, which continues to open and close until the ruling machine is stopped.

The mechanism is shown in Fig. 3, the control shaft 142 is shown cut-off to properly expose the other parts, but in Fig. 1 it is shown extending across the machine to control handle 140. Rigidly attached to shaft- 142 are three control arms 144, 150 and 151. Control arm 144 is shown in position with the suction stopped. The arm as lowered shows depending cam part 145 against part 143 attached to link 56, thus opening the suction valve 52. At this same instant the arm 151 contacts the pawl 155 at point 5 which disengages the clutch parts 154, 153 and brings cam 90 to rest in a position to hold the overlapping rolls 80 above the conveyor 70. To close the suction valve 52 and start the overlapping mechanism the control shaft 142 is rotated anticlockwise. This movement brings control arm 150 into momentary engagement with the pawl 155 at point a, throwing it down into locking position with the clutch dog 153, and. of course, lifts depending arm 145 away from part 143. One member of the clutch is composed of a flange 154 attached to the bevel gear 110, mounted freely on shaft 41, and on the face of the flange 154 is pivotally mounted the pawl 15!. The driven member of the clutch is a single lug 153 made fast to shaft 41 and positioned for engagement with pawl 155. 7

When the clutch 153, 155 is disconnected shaft 41 ceases to rotate. as does suction wheel 42 with the advantageous result that no sheets can possibly be fed from the pile 28 on to the conveyor, which, of course, is still moving. Thisis not true in prior art machines where the wheel 42 continues to rotate and even though the suction is inactive through it. the blower forces sheets into contact with the wh eel an d they are fed out when not wanted.

In certain cases it is found convenient to have the conveyor detachable from the ruling machine. This is accomplished by hinging the conveyor frame 61, 61 to the top members 24, 24 at 160. The other end of the conveyor frame 61, 61 is detachably secured in lugs 161, 161 attached to the ruling machine frame. It will thus be seen that by detach.- ing the conveyor frame 61, 61 at points 161. 161 the entire conveyor can be folded out of the way and leave room for an operator to feed the machine by hand.

The vacuum pump 49 can be driven from any suitable source of power or from the machine itself.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The sheets to be ruled are placed on the table 20 which is raised to a height which will place the top sheet of the pile 28 almost into contact with the plate 40. From this position the suction feed wheel 42 can lift the top sheet into contact with it and feed it out on to the conveyor 7 0.

Next the length of the sheet 10 is measured and gears 120 and 121 of a ratio are installed which will open the gate 5 once for that travel of the belt 4 equal to the length of the sheet 10 thus measured plus about one quarter of an inch. The machine started and the first sheet is fed from the pile 28 and allowed to barely contact with the gate 5 when the machine is thus stopped. This gives thetiniing of the suction lied wheel 42 which must next be correlated with the openingiof the gate 5, controlled by cam 6. The period the sheet must be held at the gate is calculated and this distance on the cam 6 is estimated to be a point X (see Fig. 1). Clutch 163 on shaft 114 is disengaged, are being taken not to disturb the suction. control cam 54. This permits free rotation of the cam 6, and the bar 11 is set to contact with it at the point X. C llt ill 163 is then re-engagcd. Next the operator makes sure that the overlapping rolls 80, when raised, will ljiarely clear the sheet herd at the gate By turning crank 105 this adjustment can be made correct. The other adjustment on the overlapping necessary at this point is to cam 90 in the position shown in Fig. 6. This insures that the overl apping rolls 80 will appear above the conveyor after one sheet is against the gate and just before the next sheet arrives to be overlapped, and also that the rolls 80 will drop below the conveyor 70 after a very short travel of the upper-sheet upon them. The feeder is now ready to operate.

Having described the invention, what it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame. rollers mounted in said frame, a drive to transmit motion to said rollers, tape. passing over said rollers. means to lift the leading edge of one sl eet above the trailing edge of the preceding sheet. a sheet feeding means mounted above the paper to be fed, a support for the paper stock. a gate to control the entry of the paper into the ruling machine, means adapted to stop temporarily the feeding of shoe 1 while permitting said gate to function d when dc sired to 'autmnaticallv roost s the correlation between said lifting and feeding means and said gate noon the resumption of sheet feeding, and a so rce of power to provide movement to said p r 2. In a sheet feeding machine of the class described the combination. of a main frame, a gate pivoted to said main frame. a cam to control said gate, a drive for said cam. a sheet feeding means mounted above the paper to be fed, rollers mounted in said main -frame, tape passing ovcrsaid rollers, a horizontal shaft extending across the name under said tape, means to ra se and lower said. sh driven rolls on sa. shaft which when it is in its uppermost position protrude above said 5T tape, means to produce correlated action between the raising of said shaft the opening of said gate and said feeding means, a support for the paper stock, apparatus to raise said support as the paper is fed out. and a source of power to provide movement to said parts.

3. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollers mounted in said frame, tape passing overv said rollers, horizontal shaft extending acrossthe frame under said tape, apparatus to raiseand lower said shaft, driven rolls on said shaft which when it is in its uppermost position protrude above said tape, a suction feed wheel mounted in said frame above the paper to be fed, a. valve to control the suction period of said wheel, a suction creating device, a support for the paper stock, apparatus to raise said support as the stock is fed out, a gate to control the entry of the paper into the ruling machine, a cam. to control said gate, a drive for said cam, a source of power to provide movement to said parts except said cam shaft, and means to produce correlated action between all of said parts including said cam shaft.

at. In a machine of the class described the combination of a main frame, a gate pivoted to said main frame, a cam to control said gate, a drive for said cam, a suction eed wheel mounted aoove the pap r to be f d, means to control the suction period of said wheel, a suction creating device, rollers mounted in said main frame, a drive to transmit motion to said rollers, tape passing over said rollers, a gauge against which said tape urges the paper, a horizontal shaft extending across the frame under said tape, apparatus to raise and lower said shaft, driven rolls on said shaft which when it is in its uppermost position protrude above said tape, means to produce correlated action between the raising of said shaft, the opening of said gate, and said suction control means, a sup port for the paper stock, apparatus to raise said support as the paper is fed out, and a source of power to provide movement to said parts.

5. In a machine of the class described the combination of a main frame, a gate pivoted to said main frame, a cam control said gate, drive. for said cam, a shee feeding means mounted above the paper to be fed, means to control said sheet feeding means, rollers mounted in said main frame, a drive to transmit mot-ion to said rollers, tape passing over said rollers, a gauge against which said tape urges the paper, a horizontal shaft extending across the frame under said tape, a device to raise and lower said shaf driven rolls on said shaft which when it in its uppermost position protrude above said tape, means to produce correlated action between the raising of said shaft. the opening of said gate, and said sheet feeding means, a support for the paper stock, apparatus to arise said support as the paper is fed out, and a source of power to provide movement to said parts.

6. In sheet feeding machine, the combi nation of a frame, a gate to regulate the passage of sheets by a set point at definite time intervals, means for conveying the sheets to said gate, a horizontal shaft extending across the frame under said conveyor, apparatus to raise and lower said shaft, and rolls on said shaftwhich whc-n it is in its uppermost position protrude above said conveying means to lap the leading edge of one sheet over the trailing edge of the preceding sl ect.

7. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollers mounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers, and sin le flanged pulleys set at an angle to said rollers sufficient so that the flan e does not contact with said tape until the tape is well onto the pulley whereby the flange acts to press the tape down ontothe pulley.

8. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollers mounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers, and single flanged pulleys set at an angle to said rollers sufficient so that the major portion of contact of said tape with the flange is on that side of the pulleys axis from which the tape exists, whereby the flange acts to prevent the tape from being lifted over it.

9. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollers mounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers, and single flanged pulleys set at an angle to said rollers suflicient sothat the flange is out of contact with said tape as it enters onto said pulley whereby the flange cannot exert a lifting action on the tape.

10. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollers mounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers, and single flanged pulleys set at an angle of 7 degrees to said rollers so that the flange is out of contact with said tape as it enters onto said pulley whereby the flange cannot exert alifting action on the tape.

11. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollers mounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers, a single flanged pulley, a rotatable shank on which said pulley is carried whereby said pulley can be positioned to co operate with said tape to give it a predetermined lateral movement to the right or left as desired, and means for securing said shank in either of two positions.

12. In a sheet feeding machine the com.- binat-ion of a frame, rollers mounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers in substantially straightupper and lower flights, means to give said tape a predetermined lateral movement, and a gauge against which said tape urges the sheets.

13. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls.

an endless conveying member operating over the rolls, and intermediate guide-rolls for the conveying member provided with flanges rotatable in substantially vertical planes, the flange of each rotatable guide-roll contacting with the conveying member only at its down-going side.

14. A sheet-feeder comprisin spaced rolls, an endless conveying member operating over the rolls, an intermediate support extending transversely of the conveyin member, and guide-rolls for the conveying member mounted upon the support and rotatable about axes extending transversely of said conveying member but lying atan angle to the direction of extension of the support.

15. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls, an endless conveying member operating over the rolls, an intermediate supporting spindle having its axis extending transversely of the conveying member, and flanged guide-rolls for said conveying member mounted upon the spindle and'rotatable about axes lying at an angle to that of the spindle.

16. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls, an endless conveying member operating over the rolls, an intermediate support extending transversely of the conveying member, brackets carried by the support, and guiderolls for the conveying member rotatable upon the brackets about axes lying at an angle to the axis of the spindle.

17. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls, an endless conveying member operating over the rolls, intermediate guide-rolls for the conveying member provided with flanges rotatable in substantially vertical planes, the flange of each rotatable guide-roll contacting with the conveying member only at its down-going side, and means arranged to ad just the p sitions of the guide-rolls independently of one another.

18. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls, an endless conveying member operating over the rolls, an intermediate support extending transversely of the conveying member, brackets caried by the support, guide-rolls for the conveying member rotatable upon the brackets about axes lying at an angle to the axis of the spindle, and means arranged to adjust the brackets upon the spindle.

19. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls, an endless conveying member operating over the rolls, an intermediate support extending transversely of the conveying member, brackets carried by the support, guide-rolls for the conveying member rotatable upon the brackets about axes lying at an angle to the axis of the spindle, and means arranged to adjust upon the spindle the angular relation of the brackets.

20. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollers mounted in said frame, a drive to transmit motion to said rollers, tape passing over said rollers, means to lift the leading edge of one sheet above the trailing edge of the preceding sheet, rotating sheet feeding means mounted above the paper to be fed, a support for the paper stock, a gate to control the entry of the paper into the ruling machine, means adapted to stop temporarily the rotation of the sheet feeding means while permitting said gate to function and when desired to automatically reestablish a correlation between said lifting and feeding means and said gate upon the resumption of sheet feeding and a source of power to provide movement to said parts.

21. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination of a frame, a gate to regulate the passage of sheets past a set point at definite time intervals,means for conveying sheets through said gate, a horizontal rotating shaft extending across the frame under said conveyor, ap paratus to raise and lower said shaft, and driven rolls on and rotating with said shaft, which when it is in its uppermost position, protrude above said conveying means to lap the leading edge of one sheet over the trailing edge of the preceding sheet.

22. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a main frame, a gate pivoted to said main frame, a cam to control said gate, a drive for said cam, movable suction sheet feeding means mounted above the paper to be fed, means to control the suction period of said sheet feeding means, means to control the motion of said sheet feeding means, rollers mounted in said main frame, a drive to transmit motion to said rollers, a tape passing over said rollers, a gauge against which said tape urges the paper, a horizontal shaft extending across the frame under said tape, a device to raise and lower said shaft, driven rolls on said shaft which, when it is in its uppermost position protrude above said tape, means to produce correlated action between the raising of said shaft, the opening of said gate, the suction period of said sheet feeding means and the motion of said sheet feeding means, a support for the paper stock, apparatus to raise said support as the paper is fed out, and a source of power to provide movement to said parts.

HARMON E. LINDBLADH.

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