US226916A - tucker - Google Patents

Description

GSheets-Sheet 1.

I R. M. HOE & S. D. TUCKER. Sheet-Delivery Apparatus for Printing-Machines.

Patented April 27, usso.

' INVENTDBS'.

W |TNE SEES.

. w y j 6 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. M. H038: S. D. TUCKER.

" Sheet-Delivery Apparatus for Printing-Madhines.

Fig. 6.

Nb, 226,916. Patented April 27,1880.

WITNESSES. I INVENTDRS. a ax/Qm Jzc/b'u 7/619 "+4 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 3. R. M. HOE & S. D. TUCKER.

Sheet-Delivery Apparatus for Printing-Machines.

NO. 226,916. Patented April 27,1880.

INN/ENTURS.

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6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

R. M. HOB & S..D'. TUCKER. Sheet-Delivery Apparatus for Printing-Machines.

Patented April 21. 1880.

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6Sheets-Sheet 5. R. M. HOE & S. D. TUCKER. Sheet-Delivery Apparatus for Printing-Machines.

Patented April 27, i880.

WITNESSES. a/m M 6 Sheets-Shem; 6.

R. M. HOE & S. D. TUCKER. Sheet-Delivery Apparatus for Printing-Machines.

No. 226,916. Patented April 27,1880. [2g 6 WITNESSES 4. INVENTDHS. 44% L/Q/Za: //4

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UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFIC RICHARD M. HOE AND STEPHEN I). TUCKER, OF NEW YORK, N. 'Y.

SHEET-DELIVERY APPARATUS FOR PRINTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,916, dated April 27, 1880.

Application filed July 19, 1879.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that we, :tIcHARD M. HOE and STEPHEN l). TUCKER, both of thecity, county, and State of New York, ha\-'einvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Delivery Apparatus for Printing-lllachines and we do hereby declare that the following; specification, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is such a full, clear, and exact description thereof as will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same. [u said drawings, Figure 1 represents, by a side elevation, an apparatus embodying the said improvements, Fig. 2 representing a plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal sec tional elevation. Fig. 4 represents an arrangement of this delivery apparatus with a printing-machine. .hig. 5 represents a complete embodiment of said improvements. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate modifications of the sheet-directing devices.

In consequence of the high speed at which the well-known web-perfecting printing-machine is capable of operating and the great number of printed sheets it thus produces, it

is essential (if its maximum capacity is to beutilized or even a high speed attained) that its sheet-delivery apparatus shall operate at a like speed.

Such a sheet-delivery apparatus constitutes the subjectmatter of the present invention, said apparatus bein so constructed as to equal in capacity the highest speed attainable by the printing-machine.

Its object is twotold+viz, to direct successive sheets into two, three, or more distinct channels or pathways, from whence they may either be conducted to a like iiumber of separate and distinct delivery-channels, or be conducted to a common delivery mechanism.

Theinvention embraces the (30lllbllltl-tl0ll,\Vll'/ll a main sheet-conducting channel or pathway, of two, three, or more auxiliary sheet-conducting channels or pathways and a suitable nu n1- ber of devices for directing the sheets in sue cession into said auxiliary sheet-conducting channels or pathways.

It also includes an arrangement of such mechanisms wherein the auxiliary sheet-conducting channels or pathways lead to a common conductiug-channel, whereby many sheets are associated together one upon another and delivered in a single mass or body.

It further includes a novel construction of the sheet-directing device and various com binations of parts, hereinafter too fully set forth to need further preliminary description.

Inasmuch as the structure of the web-perfecting printing-machine may be any wellknown, only that part of it is shown that is constituted by the cutting-cylimlcrs 4t) 50, which are provided with cutting devices, as the blade 8 aml slot 9, whereby the printed web is divided into sheets, and though such cylinders are shown asconstituting a cutting mechanism, they may be simply cylinders delivering printed sheets. These cylinders 40 50 are geared together by means of toothed wheels 18 19, and will be driven from the printing-macliine by suitable connecting gearwheels.

The main conducting channel or pathway for the sheets emerging from between these cylinders 40 50 is constituted by a series of endless tapes, 10, stretched over rollers 60 near said cylinders andover rollers 80 located at a suitably-distant point. Above these tapes 10 are a series of rollers properly arranged to guide endless tapes constituting the auxiliary sheet-guiding channels or pathways. ()ne of these auxiliary channels or pathwi'tys is formed by endless tapes 11 running over rollers and 22 and endless tapes 12 running over rollers 21 and 23. A second such channel or path-' way is formed by endless tapes 13 running over rollers and 32 and endless tapes 14 running over rollers 3L and 33. A third such channel or pathway is formed by endless tapes 15 running over rollers J0 and 92 and endless tapes 16 running over rollers 91 and 93.

The rollers 60, and consequently the tapes 10, are driven by means of a pinion, 70, (see Fig. 1,) on their shaft, and a driving toothed wheel, 71, on the shaft of the cuttingcylinder 40, said pinion 70 being of such a size relative to its driver (the toothed wheel 71) as to more the tapes 10 slightly faster than the cylinders run.

The shafts of the rollers 20, 30, and 90 are each provided with gear-wheels, as 72 73 7 4, and are driven in unison by their connecting intermediates 75 76,-andat a'speed uniform with that 2 l aeaonc oi'the tapes 10, by means of an intermediate, 77, of suitable size, which meshes with the pinion 72 and with the driving-wheel 71. on the shaft of the cylinder 40.

The endless tapes 11, 13, and 15, running over the rollers 20 30 90, drive the rollers 22, 32, and 92, which latter, by means of gearwheels 81 82 S3 and 84 85 86, rotate the rollers 23 33 93 to-drive the tapes 12 14 16, which in turn properly rotate the rollers 21 31 91, so that a uniform speed in the proper direction is imparted to the several tapes.

It will be observed that the rollers 20 30 90 run nearly in contact with the tapes 10, (they might be in contact with them,) and that the rollers 21 31 91, in consequence of the direction of their motion, are raised considerably above said tapes and out of contact with them.

Any other system of gearing may be adopted so long as the tapes all run in unison in the proper directions and with like surface speed. The arrangement of these tapes and their actuating-rollers is such that the whole delivery apparatus runs with a speed slightly faster than that of the cylinders 40 50, whereby the surface speed imparted to the sheets by the tapes shall be sufficiently increased be yond that imparted to them by the cylinders 40 50 to separate successive sheets a distance apart, so as to prevent their interference with each other and permit their being properly directed into different channels or pathways.

The entrance-point of, each of the auxiliary channels or pathways is provided with a sheetdirecting device which" is capable of being brought into operation at the proper time to directa sheetinto said auxiliary channel or pathway. This sheet-directing device may have various constructions. It niiay'be constituted by pulleys, as 24 25 26, which are arranged in sets so as to turn freely on studs, as 1 2 3, which pulleys occupy vertical planes alternatingwith those occupied by the tapes 10. The studs 1 2 3 of these pulleys 24 25 26 are carried in arms 51 52 53, fast upon rock-shafts, as 45 '6,"to which motion isimpa-rted by rockarm's, as 54 55 56, and connecting-rods, as 57 58 59, that are appropriately reciprocated by means of cams, as 61, fast upon a properlyrota-ted shaft, as that carrying the' toothed wheel 62, which is driven by a pinion, 63, on the shaft of the cylinder 50. These pulleys, when held in the position occupied by those marked 25 26 in Fig. 3, are below the upper plane in which the tapes 10 run, and consequently do not aflect the onward movement of ,the sheet in the main channel or pathway; but when vibrated into the position occupied by that marked 24 in said figure they intercept the sheet traveling in said main channel or pathway and direct it into an auxiliary channel or pathway, such as that forme by the tapes 11 12.

The sheet-directing device may have the form of a. switch, as 34 3536, (see Fig. 6,) which is provided with meansfor automatically rocking it on its shaft, so as to hold it inthe position which that marked 34 has in Fig. 6-that isto say, with its point within the peripheral line of the rollers or pulleys 30-so as to direct a sheet traveling in the main channel or pathway onward therein, or so as to hold it in the position shown by 36 in said figurethat is to say, with its point projected below the plane occupied by the tapes 10--when its face will be concentric with the surface of the rollers or pulleys 90, so as to intercept the sheet traveling in the main channel or pathway and direct said sheet into the auxiliary channel or pathway formed by the tapes and 16. These switches, while described as a unit, will, of course, consist of several members fixed at proper distances apart, each set, as 34, 35, and 36, being so constructed, and so that their individual members shall play into the spaces provided between the tapes 10 and into grooves cut into the peripheries of the rollers 90, or in the spaces between pulleys, if pulleys are used in place of said rollers. These switches are suitably rocked, and at proper intervals, by means of connectingrods, such as the rods 57 58 59, and suitable cams, as the cams 61, fixed upon the shaft carrying the wheel 62 or any other properly-rotated shaft. These sheet-directingdevices may be constituted by blast-pipes, as 94 95 96, Fig. 7, which pipes, located at proper points and connected with a blast apparatus having suit-a ble automatically-operated controlling-valves, may, at the proper time, emit a blast of air against the leading end of the sheet traveling in the main channel or pathway, and thus force it against and cause it to follow'the periphery of one of the rollers or set of pulleys 20, 30, or 90, and thus be conducted into the proper auxiliary channel or pathway, as 11 12, 13 14, 15 16, and when this blast apparatus is used similarly constructed and operated blastpipes, as 97 98 99, may perform the function, at the proper time, of preventing the sheet from following the periphery of either of the rollers or. set of pulleys 20 30 90 and compel it to follow the tapes 10 of the main conducting channel or pathway.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 the delivery apparatus is shown as arranged quite close to the cylinders 50, which arrangement economizes space.

With the mechanisms thus arranged sheetconducting guides, as the curved bars 13, may be provided to guide the sheet up to the roller 20, and similar bars 14 to guide the sheet from the cylinder to and between the roller and bars 13. These bars 13 may at one end extend into narrow grooves 7 in the cylinder 40, the cutting blade of which is properly nicked to pass said bars, and at the other endextend into similar grooves in the periphery of the rollers 20, and the bars 14 may extend at one end into shallow grooves 15 in the cylinder 50, and have their other ends protruded into similar grooves in the periphery of the rollers 60. When pulleys are used instead of .rollers the rear ends of these bars 13 14 will exoperate to cause the sheets passing up over the rollers or pulleys 60 to follow the tapes 10, and so be carried into the main sheet channel or pathway.

The mechanisms being in operation andin the positions shown in Fig. 3, the first sheet emerging from the cylinders 50 will enter the main channel or pathway, whence itwill be directed into the tapes 11 12 by. the first sheetdirecting device, as the pulley 24, switch 34, or blast-pipe 94, the same having been put into operation, and thus be caused to travel in the first auxiliary sheet-conducting channel or pathway. As soon as it has fairly entered, and is within the controlof orjust beforeits tail end enters said auxiliary channel or pathway, the said sheet-directing device is reversed that is, it is so operated as to cause the next incoming sheet to follow or continue in the main channel or pathway. The second sheetdirecting device, as the pulley 25, the switch 35, or blast-pipe 95, now being put into operation, causes said second sheet to enter and travel in the second auxiliary channel or pathway constituted by the tapes 13 14. When this is accomplished the said directing device is reversed, so that ,the third incoming'sheet may travelon in the main channel or pathway and be similarly operated upon by the third sheet-directin g device, as the pulley 26, switch 36, or blast-pipe 96, and be thereby caused to enter and travel in the third auxiliary channel or pathway formed by the tapes 15 16. This accomplished, said sheet-directing device is reversed, as before described, with reference to the first and second sheet-directin g devices,

so that the fourth incoming sheet may travel in and be delivered from the main channel or pathway, its exit from which maybe aided by pulleys, as 68, (the shaft of which will be geared with and driven by the shaft of the pulleys S0,) or by a blast-pipe, as 69. The next successive four sheets will be delivered in like manner. From the delivery ends of these auxiliary or the main channel or pathway the sheets may be conveyed by suitable means, as tapes or other conductors, to a piling mechanism, as a fly-frame, or to any other common delivery mechanism, whiclrmay, as is apparent from the numbcrof sheets thus slowly delivered from each of said channels or pathways, beoperated quite slowly as compared with :the

speed at which such sheets are produced and delivered by the printing-machine. This apparatus for separating successive sheets and delivering them at diti'erent points thus provides a means for disposing of the sheets with great rapidity, considered as a whole, and at the same time enables said sheets to he manipulated singly by slowly-opin-atingmechanisms.

In the practical application of this sheetdelivery mechanism to a printing machine it may be situated a distance from the cutting cylinders, as in Figs. 4 and 5, in which case the tapes 10 11. may run from small pulleys or rollers 66 67, mounted in front of the cuttingcylindcrs 40 50, the tapes 10 then running. from the roller 66 over the roller 60, thence over the roller 80, and thence over a roller, 78, part of said tapes 10 running only from rollers to 80, if desired, as in Fig. 4. The tapes 11 are in like manner extended to run from the rollers 67 over the rollers 60, thence under rollers 20, and finally returning to said roller 67.

In the arrangements shown in Figs. 4 and 5 proper rotative movements are imparted to the mechanisms of the delivery apparatus from the toothed wheel 71 on the shaft of cut- The delivery apparatus shown in Fig. 4 is a duplication of that illustrated in Fig. 3. Said delivery apparatus may, however, be arranged so that each of its auxiliary channels or pathways shall, together with the main channel or pathway, have a common delivery-point, whereby as many sheets as there are channels or pathways maybe received in succession from the printing-machine and be associated together and delivered as a sin glepack or body. This is illustrated in Fi 5, where the delivery apparatus is arranged so that its tapes .11 run from the rollers 67 to the pulleys 20,

thence up. over rollers 41, thence to rollers 42, thence down over rollers 68, around which they return to said pulleys 67 over rollers 43 and 44. The companion series of tapes 12 run from the rollers 21 over the rollers 41 and 42 and return to the pulleys 21 over pulleys 45. The tapes 13 run from the rollers 30into contact with rollers 46 and return over pulleys 45 to the rollers 30. Their companion series of tapes 14 run from the rollers 31 upover the rollers 46 and return under rollers 47 and over rollers 48 to the rollers 31. The tapes 15 run from the rollers 90 into contact with rollers 49 and return to the rollers 90 around the rollers 48. Their companion series of tapes 16 run from the rollers 91 to and return around the rollers 49. The series of tapes 11 14 and their adjuncts.

10 11 thus constitute a long pathway, which is formed in part by the tapes 14 16 and guides 37 3S, bridging the spaces between the rollers 42 46 and 47 49.

The series of tapes 13 14 constitute a pathway of less length than that just described, but which has its delivery therein-namely, over the rollers 46.

The series :of tapes 1;") 16 constitute a still shorter pathway, having its delivery over the rollers 49 in the pathway formed by the tapes The main channel or pathway remains as before deseri bed, though its extreme end may be partiallyconstituted by the peculiar form of t he tails ot'the switches 36, as shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 5, however, one side of these switches coacts with the roller 80. and their sides or faces coact with the tapes 11 in forming a continuous channel or pathway for the sheets.

The sheet-directing devices may be of either form shownviz., rollers, switches, or blastpipes-as before explained.

The final delivering apparatus may be of any common form. As here shown itis a fiy-frame, 100, of the vibrating type, down before which the sheets are carried by the endless tapes 10. The first sheet emerging from the cylinders 50 and entered into the main channel or pathway will be directed into the first auxiliary channel or pathvmyt'ormed by the tapes 1.1 13,

and travel thereinE-IThe next succeeding or second sheet will be directed into the second auxiliar channel or pathway formed by the tapes 1314. The next succeeding or third sheet will be directed into the third auxiliary channel or pathway formed by the tapes 15 16, and the next succeeding or fourth sheet will be caused to travel directly through the main channel or pathway. Thencxtsucceedingfoursheetswill be directed in the same manner. As the head of the first sheet arrives at the rollers 46 the head of the second sheet will be passing over them, so that the two sheets will be laid one upon the other, the first sheet lying upon the second, and the two will together move down toward the rollers 49. As their heads reach this roller the head of the third sheet will be passing over them, and the first and second sheets will thus be laid upon the third sheet, and the three will pass together down toward the rollers 68 80. As they reach this point the fourth sheet will be passing over said roller 80,

and the first, second, and third sheets will be vibrating tly-frame 100.

By throwing one or more of the sheet-directin g devices'out of action and properlytiming the operation of the others packs of sheets less in number than four may be delivered.

The various tape-conducting rollers might, of course, be series of pulleys suitably arranged upon shafts, as isindicated in Fig. 6. In such case the pulleys 24 25 26 and the pulleys 21 31 91 will occupy the same vertical planes. If switches 34 35 36 are used, their points may vibrate between said pulleys and to points within and without the peripheral lines of the pulleys 20 30 90 and 21 31 91 and 68 80, and in such case the forward ends of the bars 13 14 will extend between the pulleys 60.

What is claimed is 1. The combination, with a main sheet-conducting channel or pathway, of two or more auxiliary sheet-comlucting channels or pathways leading therefrom. having independent points of delivery, and a corresponding number of sheet-directin g devices, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a main sheet-conducting channel or pathway, of two or more auxiliar Y sheet-cohducting channels or pathways, all of which have a common point of delivery, and a corresponding number of sheetdirecting devices, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the main sheet-conducting channel and one or more auxiliary channels or path ways formed by tapes leading from said main channel, of a corresponding number of vibrating sheetdirecting rollers co-operatiug therewith, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RIOHI). M. HOE. STEPHEN D. TUCKER.

Witnesses F. W. H. CRANE,

CHAS. W. CARPENTER.

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