US2027818A - Drive mechanism - Google Patents

Description

H. E. GOLBER DRIVE MECHANISM Jan. 14,1936.

' Filed May 11, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l H. E. GOLBER DRI VE MECHANISM Jan; 14, 1936.

Filed May 11-, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. E. GOLBER DRIVE MECHANISM Jan. 14, 1936.-

Filed May 11, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ffyma/Z E Golbe/f H. E. GOLBER DRIVE MECHANISM FiledMay 11, .1931 4 Sh e'ets-Sheet 4' Patented Jan. i4, 193% DRIVE MECHANISM Hyman 1E. Golber, Chicago, ill, assignor to ll/lliehle Printing llress and Manufacturing @ompany, flhicago, llll., a corporation of llllinois Application May I1, 1931, Serial No. 536,346

24! Elairns.

The invention relates to mechanism for conveying and transferring sheet material to operating machines, such as printing presses and the like, and has reference more particularly to operating mechanism for imparting the desired motion to a sheet transfer device.

In automatically operated sheet handling machinery a stack or pile of the material to be fed is preferably placed on a supporting table where the sheets are separated and subsequently conveyed individually to registering means, where each sheet is properly positioned prior to its being transferred to a sheet receiving member, such as an impression cylinder of a printing press.

In an application of the present invention to printing presses, for example, a sheet to be printed is engaged after leaving the pile, and prior to its engagement with the registering means, by heet transfer mechanism which initially functions to decelerate the sheet and to bring the sheet to rest in a position engaging the registering means. It will be appreciated that, should the sheet of paper contact with the registering guides at a high speed, it would rebound from the guide and portions of the leading edge which touch the guides would probably become indented, thereby not only preventing accurate positioning of the sheet, but also marring the paper.

To eliminate such conditions and in order to prevent contact of a sheet against the guides at a high speed, the present invention provides means which controls the sheet handling mechanism so that at the instant when the leading edge of the sheet comes into contact with the guides it will have nearly come to rest. Subsequent to the registering of the sheet of paper the sheet transfer device, after having engaged the sheet, is accelerated by means of mechanism forming part of the present invention so that at the moment when the sheet is being transferred to the sheet receiving means of the printing member or the like the sheet will have attained the surface speed of that member.

In addition to the above it is necessary for the present invention to function in a manner whereby extreme accuracy in the registering of the sheets can be secured. Modern printing presses and similar machinery operate at a much higher speed and moreover require an accuracy of registry far greater than was necessary heretofore. In order to take care of these present day requirements it was found desirable to employ as few operating parts as possible. Therefore, in

the 'present invention the operating members, by

means of which the sheet controlling elements (oi. ii-r35) are actuated, have been reduced to a minimum of two, namely, a uniformly rotating driving member and a follower directly driven thereby. By eliminating the use of links, rods or other intermediate connections the maximum accuracy in registering the sheets is possible and the present device therefore operates efficiently over an unusual range of speeds hitherto unattained.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved operating mechanism for sheet transfer means, which will function to decelerate the transfer means for the. purpose of registering the sheet and to accelerate the transfer means, after a sheet has been engaged thereby, for the purpose of transferring the sheet to a uniformly rotating printing member at the peripheral speed of the member.

Another object is to provide operating mechanism for sheet handling machinery of simple construction for imparting rotary movement to a follower, i. e., to a driven shaft from a driving shaft, the movement being transmitted directly through gears and cams rigid with the respective shafts and wherein a complete rotation of the driving shaft will impart to the follower predetermined variable movement whichwill depend upon the design and configuration of the gears and cams.

An important feature of the present device and one which contributes much to the successful operation thereof is the construction by which the follower is initially rotated from a position of rest. Essentially the structure includes cams having engagement with rollers to which their motion is imparted, the motion being continued by the gears. By permitting the gears on the driver to engage those on the follower after rotation of the latter has begun, strain on the parts is reduced, backlash is eliminated and a smooth and uniform operation results,

Another object is to provide a device for operating a sheet transfer mechanism which will employ a minimum of parts, securing thereby the highest degree of accuracy in its operation and which will impart to the mechanism intermittent motion, the initial motion from rest being accomplished by cams and being continued by gears and vice versa.

A still further object is to provide a composite gear built up of segments of centrodal contour in one plane, the segments where their contour forms a concave cusp having a. tooth and where the contours form a convex cusp having a tooth space. The above feature has been found to give successful operation while other arrangements have been found to cause interference of the teeth and consequent locking of the mechanism.

A further object is to provide means for driving a. sheet transfer member directly from the rotating printing cylinder of the press, which will impart variable peripheral speeds to the transfer member in addition to bringing the member to rest once in each of its revolutions; the above being accomplished without shock from entrainment of the mechanism, thus providing a smooth running machine and one wherein accurate timing of the movements of the transfer member can be secured.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved operating mechanism for sheet transfer means, wherein a" uniformly rotating driver will impart variable motion to the transfer means, the acceleration and deceleration of the revolving masses being accomplished by centrodal gear segments, securing by means of the resultant centrodal motions the most eificient operation.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, which will be positive and reliable in operation and which will fulfill the necessary requirements of service and manufacture.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is a front view of the operating mechanism constructed in accordance with the present Invention, whereby motion is transferred from a driving shaft to a follower;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a front view of the mechanism showing the same with certain gear segments in mesh;

Figure 4 is a front view showing the mechanism in a different position of its operation;

Figure 5 is a front view showing the mechanism in still another position of its operaton;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken through one end of the transfer shaft showing a preferred form of locking means therefor;

Figure 7 is a detail view of the sheet transfer means showing the position of the same immediately after a sheet has been engaged thereby;

Figure 8 is a view showing the position of the transfer means when the sheet is in contact with Its registering guides and after it has been engaged by the transfer grippers;

Figure 9 is a view showing the relative position of the transfer means and sheet gripping elements of a printing member as a. sheet is being transferred to the latter;

Figure 10 is a front view of a modified form of the operating mechanism, and

Figure 11 is a. detail sectional view showing the mounting for the rollers.

More particularly describing the invention with reference to Figures 7, 8 and 9, a sheet transfer mechanism I0 is disclosed including sheet engag ing grippers I I which are pivotally mounted at i2 and may be operated in any well known manner to open and close. Preferably the member I3 of the transfer mechanism is provided at its lower end with a shoulder I4 which serves as a means for straightening out the leading edge of a fed sheet and which in this particular form of the arrangement also acts as a support or pad for the grippers II. The member I3 furthermore is provided with a projection or projections I5 which extend into the path of a fed sheet and which will operate to slow down a sheet for registering purposes, as will be explained later. Obviously, any desired number of grippers and operating parts may be arranged on the transferring member, depending on the width of the sheets to be handled.

In order to provide clearance for the grippers II and the projections I5 the front edge of the registering table I6 is recessed so that a plurality of tongues I! are formed, which function to support the leading portion of a sheet across its entire width. Positioned immediately below the end of the tongues I! are a plurality of registering guides I8, mounted to swing about an axis in order to move into and out of their registering position, as is well known in the art. As shown in Figure 9 the transfer mechanism is positioned adjacent a printing cylinder 2| having associated therewith cylinder grippers 22 adapted to rotate on axis 23, the grippers being actuated by any suitable means to open and close upon the sheet of paper delivered thereto by the transfer mechanism.

The transfer mechanism I0, which is secured to the rotatably mounted transfer shaft 25, transfers a registered sheet from the table I6 to the grippers 22 at an accelerating speed, in other words, the sheet will be engaged by the grippers II while at rest and advanced at an increasing velocity so that when the sheet is presented to the grippers 22 it will have reached the surface or uniform speed of the cylinder 2|. Thereupon the transfer mechanism continues to rotate until of the transfer mechanism commenced and the motion continues until the mechanism comes to rest in a position as shown in Figure 8, so that projections I 5 have a gradual slowing down movement. This slow-down motion which is imparted to the members and the angular relation of the face of the fingers I5 to the path of a fed sheet will avoid any rebounding of the sheet or entraining of its leading edge, since the moment when a sheet engages the fingers, the speed of the same is approximately that at which the sheet travels,

necessarily somewhat less and the retardation of the fingers and thus the sheet is gradually and preferably parabolic.

The present invention is primarily concerned with operating or driving means for imparting to the sheet transfer mechanism its rotary accelerating and decelerating motions and it will be clear that the transfer shaft or follower constitutes the driven shaft and is directly operated from the driving shaft which may or may not comprise the rotating printing member of the printing press.

Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated one form of mechanism including the driven shaft 25 or the one adapted to operate the transfer mechanism described and the driving shaft 40 rotated at uniform speed. Mounted on the shaft 25 by means of the hub portion 3| is a centrodal gear segment 32. Also mounted on the shaft 25 is a similar manner is a circular gear segment 33, the segment 32 having a definite angular position with respect thereto. A second centrodal gear segment 36, suitably secured to the shaft, completes the gear elements for the follower. An arm 34 is provided with studs 35 upon which are mounted the rol ers 31 and 38 respectively, the

rollers being adjustable on the bracket by means of the eccentric ends 39 of the studs which are rotatably fitted in openings in the bracket as shown. The bracket and thus the rollers rotate with the shaft 25 as the bracket is rigid therewith, being secured to the shaft in any suitable manner.

The driving shaft 49 has bolted thereto the hub portion 4| to whichls secured the centrodal gear segment 92 comprising the complementary gear for the gear 32 and which meshes therewith. The circular gear segment 33 is rigidly afixed to the driving shaft by bolts M and transmits its motion to the follower by meshing with its complementary segment 33. Hub 95 is integral with the centrodal gear segment 45 and secures i gear to the shaft.

Positioned intermediate'the gear 92 and the gear it and suitably bolted to the shaft by bolts 59 are cams i and 52 respectively, each cam having at one end a portion of more determined curvature such as 53 and 54, and at its other end an extension 55 and 55, respectively. In every revolution of the shaft said cams engage the rollers 31! and 38 on the driven shaft or follower 25, roller 3i riding on the cam 5I, while roller 59 engages cam 52.

The operation of the mechanism will be understood by referring to Figures 1, 3', 4 and 5, which show the different positions the parts assume during a revolution. It will be understood from what has been explained that shaft 49 rotates at a uniform speed and that once in every revolution shaft 25 periodically comes to rest for a considerable length of time to permit the registration of the sheet prior to the closing of the grippers II thereon. With the cams 5I and 52 engaging the rollers 31 and 38 the driving shaft rotates at its uniform speed while shaft 25 remains at rest. It is during this period that the sheet is registered and held to the transfer mechanism by the grippers II. Continued rotation of the driving shaft results in extension 56 imparting a constantly accelerating counter-clockwise movement to roller 38 which is transmitted to the bracket 34 and thus to the follower. This initial rotation of the follower permits gears 32 and 42 to mesh without any impact. Further rotation of the driving shaft is thus imparted to shaft 25 through the meshing of the centrodal gear segments 32 and 42 which function to cause further acceleration in the rotary motion of the shaft so that the transfer mechanism operated thereby is accelerated driving shaft 40 rotates at uniform speed. During engagement of the circular gear segments the transfer mechanism is operated to deliver to the rotating printing cylinder the sheet held thereby, which is simultaneously grasped by the grippers 22 on the cylinder. The delivery of the sheet having been accomplished by transfer mechanism traveling at a rate of speed equal to that of the printing cylinder, it is then only necessary for the transfer mechanism to continue its rotation until it is in position to engage and slow-down the movement of the next sheet being fed on the table It.

In order to allow time for transfer mechanism to slow down and to come to rest while the sheet is being registered, the operating means in this particular arrangement is provided with the gear segments 35 and 45 secured to the driven shaft and driving shaft, respectively. Upon continued rotation of the driving shaft from the position of the parts as shown in Figure 4, these gears will presently mesh with each other and will function to impart to the driven shaft, first an accelerating motion and then a decelerating motion. In this manner time is secured to allow the transfer mechanism to slow down, caused by the decelerating motion and to come to rest as explained. The accelerating motion with the gears in mesh ends when the parts assume the position as shown in Figure 5, and the deceleration of the shaft commences and continues as long as the gears remain in engagement, whereupon it is taken over and continued by the cams until the follower is brought to rest.

During this slow-down motion of the driven shaft 25 the driving shaft will have rotated to a position where the arcuate end 59 of the cam 52 contacts with roller 38 rotating with the driven shaft. Further rotation causes the roller 37! to ride upon the extension 55 of cam 5i, whereupon the meshing of the centrodal gear segments 36 and d6 ends. The rotation of the follower is now under full control of the cams which function to impart gradually decelerating motion thereto and to finally bring the follower to a position of rest, whereupon the parts again assume the position shown in Figure 1.

As an additional micrometric locator, in order to prevent the smallest movement in either direction of the transfer device from a position of rest, even after the mechanism has become worn in actual practice, the transverse shaft 25 is pro- I vided on its end opposite to the driving gears with a disc 90, Figure 6, having formed on its periphery a notch 9I for receiving the locking member 92. A support 93, suitably secured to the frame, has pivotally connected thereto at 94 an arm 95, to one end of which is pivoted the member 92, and at the other end the rod 96. The spring 91 is positioned on rod 96 and engages at one end a shoulder provided on the support so that the spring resiliently urges member 92 in a direction to set within the notch when the same is correctly positioned with respect thereto. The member and notch are beveled on both sides, as shown, so that automatically with rotation again of the disc the member is lifted out of the notch. By the above structure the transfer arm is held in registering position but is released simultaneously with engagement of extension 59 with roller 38 to impart the intial movement to the transfer shaft from its position of rest.

In Figure 10 there is disclosed a modified form of driving mechanism wherein accelerating motion from a position of rest is imparted to the transfer shaft and then uniform motion for permitting the delivery of the sheet to the printing cylinder. Subsequent to ths operation uniform motion is again imparted to the follower or driven shaft since in this modification it is not necessary to gain additional time for the deceleration of the follower as in the previously described arrangement.

Suitably secured to or mounted on transfer shaft I25 is a composite gear built up of a centrodal segment I32, a circular segment I33 and a second centrodal segment I60. The remainder of the composite gear comprises a segment I6I which is circular, and a segment I62, the latter segment having a position adjacent the gear segment I32. Also secured to shaft I25 is a bracket I34 to which is pivotally secured a roller I31, the bracket being adjustable with respect to the composite gear by means of the adjusting mechanism I63. Aroller I38, similar to roller I31, is rotatably mounted directly on the circular gear segment ISI so that adjustment of the bracket by means of the mechanism I63 will function to vary the relationship of the rollers with each other in order to take up any play that might exist between said rollers and their cooperating cams.

The driving shaft I40 has suitably keyed thereto the driving wheel I10 to which are bolted semi-circular hub portions I13 and I14. This latter hub serves to mount rigidly on the driving shaft a composite gear having a plurality of gear segments including a centrodal segment I42, a circular segment I43, a second centrodal segment I and a circular segment IBI, comprising the greater portion of the gear. To complete the driving mechanism a gear segment I82 is provided as shown.

The hub I13 has formed integrally therewith the cam I5I, while similarly secured to the shaft is a second cam I52. Both cams are provided at one end with portions of more determined curvature and at their other end with extensions similar to the arrangement disclosed in the device of Figure 1. In order to provide for adjustment of gear segment I43 with relation to its adjacent segments an adjusting mechanism I85 is provided, while the circular gear segment IBI is adjustably positioned on the driving shaft by mechanism I85.

With the parts in position as shown in Figure 10 it is seen that rollers I31 and I38 ride respectively upon the cams I5I and I52 so that rotation of the driving shaft M0 continues while shaft I25 remains momentarily at rest. Initial movement in a counter-clockwise direction is imparted to shaft I25 when the extension formed on cam I52 engages the roller I38 which permits meshing of segments I32 and I42 without any impact. These segments, it will be understood, cause accelerating motion to be imparted to shaft I25, whereupon the circular segments I35 and I43 mesh when a predetermined speed of shaft I25 has been reached. During the period the circular gears remain in mesh, the delivery of the sheet from the transfer mechanism to the rotating cylinder grippers takes place. Provision in the present arrangment of segments fifl and I00 causes gradual decelerating motion of shaft I25 to occur, subsequent to which the circular gears NH and I8I engage and the follower is rotated at uniform speed. For the slow-down motion of the transfer mechanism the gear segments I62 and I82 are provided, the meshing of which takes place immediately prior to the engagement of the rollers I31 and I38 with their respective cams.

Frequently the space for the mechanism is limited, and then it is desirable to put the gear segments in one plane instead of two or more. Under the circumstances it has been found desirable as a practical expedient to form a gear tooth where the contours of the gears form a concave cusp and to form a tooth space where the contours of the gears form a convex cusp. The above is carried out in the present structure and is cleany shown in Figure 10, where gear segments I42 and I43, by reason of their contour,

form a convex cusp so that a tooth space I98 is provided at the joining line of these segments. The opposite occurs on the joining line of segments I33 and IE0, since the contours of these segments are such as to form a concave cusp so that on their joining line a tooth I99 is provided. It is possible mathematically to determine the centrodes or rolling pitch lines of the gear segments for securing parabolical motion of the follower from a uniformly rotating driving member. The contours of the segments, however, do not form true parabolas or true ellipses but are of a contour which may be termed centrodal. It is best that revolving masses be decelerated and brought to rest with a motion, the acceleration of which is constant, which motion is ordinarily called parabolic, if the most efficient and smoothest operation of the machine is to be secured.

The present mechanism functions to impart rotation to a follower in the manner above described, with the result that the sheets are taken under control, guided and brought to rest for registering, then positively engaged and transferred to a revolving printing cylinder, all operations being accomplished with the maximum smoothness.

It is seen that the accelerating motion of the follower is imparted by gears having a. centrodal contour, such as gears 32, 42 and I32 and I42,

which results in uniformly accelerating motion characteristic of the motion of a body falling under gravity. The same is true of gears I62 and I82 in the modified form whereby both the acceleration and deceleration of the transfer shaft occurs gradually in the manner described. The weight or mass of the revolving mechanism is speeded up and slowed down in such a manner as to result in the smoothest motion possible. Moreover, said centrodal motion, although initiated by the cams, is continued without the slightest shock by the centrodal gears, so that the cams and gears as a unit produce the desired smoothest possible motion of the follower, namely, the centrodal or parabolic motion.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown, which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation, as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. Means for transferring motion from a driving shaft to a follower including a plurality of gear segments on said driving shaft, gear seg- I ments adapted to mesh therewith on the follower, cams rigid with said driving shaft and located in different planes, and means on the follower having engagement with the cams to permit the shaft to rotate while the follower remains at rest, said means having a single point of contact with each cam respectively.

2. Means for transferring motion from a driving shaft to a follower including a plurality of gear segments on said driving shaft, gear segments adapted to mesh therewith on the follower, cams rigid with said driving shaft and located in different planes, and means on the follower having engagement with the cams to permit the shaft to rotate while the follower remains at rest, said means including a pair of rollers arranged in a manner whereby a cam has contact with only one roller.

3. Means for transferring motion from a driving shaftto a follower including a plurality of gear segments on saiddriving shaft, gear segments adapted to mesh therewith on the follower, a pair of substantially arcuate cams rigid with said driving shaft and located in different but parallel planes, and a pair of rollers on the follower adapted for engagement with the cams, the rollers being spaced and one roller contacting one cam with the other roller engaging the other cam.

4. In a sheet transfer mechanism, a uniformly rotating driver, a follower having'rotations imparted thereto through centrodal gear segments on the driver meshing with co-operating segments on the follower, and cams rigid with the driver for momentarily holding the follower at rest, said cams having a contour to cause accelerating motion of the follower from a position of rest and decelerating motion before coming to rest again.

5. In combination, a transfer shaft, a uni jformly rotating driving shaft, means for trans-- ferring motion from the driving shaft to the transfer shaft including gear segments on the driving shaft and transfer shaft fespectively,'

and cams rigid with the driving shaft and engaging rollers on the transfer shaft, said cams permitting motion of the driving shaft independent of the transfer shaft.

6. In combination, a transfer shaft, a uni formly rotating driving shaft, means for transferring motion from the driving shaft to the transfer shaft including gear segments rigid with said shafts respectively and adapted to have meshing engagement with each other, certain of said segments having a circular contour, other of saidsegments having a centrodal contour for imparting to the transfer shaft variable motion, and cams rigid with the driving shaft and engag ing rollers on the transfer shaft for permitting motion of the driving shaft independent of the transfer shaft.

7. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member mounted for rotary motion, a uniformly rotating driving member therefor, means operatively connecting said members for imparting to the transfer member accelerating, uniform and decelerating rotary motion, and other means including a bracket on said transfer member and-cams secured to said driving members, said bracket having secured thereto rollers for engaging the cams to permit said transfer member to remain at rest during a portion of a revolution while said driving member continues to rotate.

8. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member, ashaft therefor mounted for rotation, a uniformly rotating driving shaft, means for transferring motion from the driving shaft to the transfer shaft including gear segments rigid with each of said shafts respectively and adapted to having meshing engagement with each other, certain of the. segments having a centrodal contour, other of said segments located between said first mentioned segments and provided with a circular contour, and cams rigid with said driving shaft and located between said centrodal segments for engaging rollers on said transfer shaft, whereby said transfer shaft has intermittent rotation.

9. Means for transferring motion from a driving shaft to a follower including a composite gear rigid with the driving shaft, a composite gear rigid with the follower, said gears having centrodal segments meshing with each other, whereby said follower is rotated with an accelerating motion, a uniform motion and a decelerating motion respectively, a cam rigid with the driving shaft and located between certain of said gear segments, and roller means on said follower for cooperating therewith, whereby the rotation of the driving shaft for part of a revolution is not imparted to the follower.

10. Means for transferring motion from a driving shaft to a follower including a plurality of gear segments on said driving shaft, gear segments adapted to mesh therewith on the follower, and other means on the follower and driving shaft cooperating with each other whereby the follower remains at rest while the driving shaft rotates,

said means also functioning to impartv initial gear segments on said driving shaft, gear segments adapted to mesh therewith on the follower,

a cam rigid with said driving shaft and means on the follower adapted to engage therewith for permitting the shaft to rotate while the follower remains at rest, said cam functioning to impart initial movement to the follower from said position of rest.

12. The combination with a driving member and a follower member adapted to be driven thereby, of means operatively connecting said members including centrodal gear segments for causing variable motion of the follower, and cams on said driving member for beginning and ending the motion of the follower caused by the respective gear segments.

13. -The combination with a driving member and a follower adapted to be driven thereby, of means operatively connecting said members including centrodal gear segments for accelerating, uniformly rotating and decelerating the follower, and cams mounted on said driving member, said cams cooperating with means on the follower to cause decelerating motion thereof, to hold the follower at rest, and to accelerate the same.

14. In sheet transfer mechanism, in combination, a rotary gripper shaft, gears secured to said shaft, rollers secured to said shaft, and a uniformly rotating driver having gears and cams mounted thereon cooperating with said first mentioned gears and said rollers respectively for driving the shaft and permitting the shaft to come to rest while the driver rotates.

15. In operating means for sheet transfer mechanism, the combination of means including a driver and a follower having cooperating centrodal gears and cams thereon, to impart to said mechanism accelerating motion for transferring a sheet from a position of rest to amoving printing member, to move the mechanism at the surface speed of said member while the sheet is being transferred thereto, and to decelerate and bring to rest said transfer mechanism for slowing down a successive sheet prior to it being registered and transferred to said printing member.

16. In sheet feeding-mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member mounted for rotary movement, a uniformly rotating driving member therefor, means'operatively connecting said members for imparting to the transfer member accelerating, uniform and decelerating motion, other'means associated therewith including a cam on said driving member to permit the transfer member to come to rest subsequent to the decelerating motion, and locking means for the sheet transfer member for holding the member at rest.

17. Means for transferring motion from a driving shaft to a follower having sheet transfer means including a composite gear rigid with the driving shaft, a composite gear rigid with the follower, said gears having segments meshing with each other, said segments having varying contours whereby said follower is rotated with an accelerating motion, a uniform motion, and a decelerating motion, respectively, a cam rigid with the driving shaft and located between two gear segments to permit the follower to remain at rest while the driving shaft rotates for part of a revolution, and locking means for the follower to hold said follower at rest and said sheet transfer means in registering position.

18. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member mounted for rotary movement, a uniformly rotating driving member therefor, means operatively connecting Said members for imparting to the transfer member accelerating, uniform and decelerating motion, other means associated therewith including a cam on said driving member to permit the transfer member to come to rest subsequent to the decelerating motion, and locking means for the sheet transfer member for holding the member at rest, said locking means including a notched disc and a spring pressed cam for fitting in the notch thereof, said locking means being constructed and arranged'to be automatically disengaged by rotation of the follower.

19. Means for transferring motion from a driving shaft to a follower having sheet transfer means including a plurality of gear segments on said driving shaft, gear segments adapted to mesh therewith on the follower, means rigid with the driving shaft and cooperating with means on the follower for permitting the shaft to rotate while the follower remains at rest, and locking means for locking the follower in said position of rest and to accurately locate the sheet transfer means in registered position.

20. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member mounted for rotary motion, a uniformly rotating driving member, means operatively connecting said members including meshing gears forming the major portion of the periphery of said members respectively, a section of said gears having a circular contour for rotating the transfer member uniformly, other sections being constructed and arranged to cause the transfer member to have decelerating and accelerating motion, and cam means on the driving member having dissimilar contours on the ends thereof and cooperating with means on the transfer member to permit the latter to come to rest between the decelerating and accelerating motion, and to initiate the accelerating motion.

21. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member mounted for rotary motion, a uniformly rotating driving member, means operatively connecting said members including meshing gears forming the major portion of the periphery of said members respectively, a section of said gears having a circular contour for rotating the transfer member uniformly, other sections being constructed and arranged to cause the transfer member to have decelerating and accelerating motion, cam means on the driving member for engaging with cooperating means on the transfer member during the time the gears are not in mesh, whereby said follower comes to rest while said driving member continues its rotation, said cam means having a characteristic contour of one end thereof to initiate the accelerating motion of the follower.

22. In sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a sheet transfer member mounted for rotary motion, a uniformly rotating driving member, means operatively connecting said members including meshing gears forming the major portion of the periphery of said members respectively, a section of said gears having a circular contour for rotating the transfer member uniformly, other sections being constructed and arranged to cause the transfer member to have decelerating and accelerating motion, cams on the driving member for engaging with cooperating means on the transfer member during the time the gears are not in mesh, said cams having dissimilar contours on the ends thereof, one contour permitting the follower to come to rest and said other contour through its engagement with the cooperating means on the transfer member effecting initial rotation of said transfer member from its position of rest.

23. In combination, a transfer shaft, a uniformly rotating driving shaft, means for transferring motion from the driving shaft to the transfer shaft including gears on the driving shaft and transfer shaft respectively, and cams rigid with the driving shaft and engaging rollers on the transfer shaft, whereby said transfer shaft remains at rest and the driving shaft rotates independently thereof when the cams and rollers are in engagement, said rollers being adjustable to take up the play between the same and the cams.

24. In combination, a transfer shaft, a uniformly rotating driving shaft, means for transferring motion from the driving shaft to the transfer shaft including gears on the driving shaft and transfer shaft respectively, and cams rigid with the driving shaft and engaging rollers on the transfer shaft, whereby said transfer shaft remains at rest and the driving shaft rotates independently thereof when the cams and rollers are in engagement, said rollers being mounted for rotation on eccentric shafts respectively to permit adjustment for taking up the play between the rollers and the cams.

HYMAN E. GOLBER.

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