US2290966A - Distributor - Google Patents

Description

`July 28, 1942. w. A. HOOVER v 2,290,966

DISTRIBUTOR y Filed July 10, 19.41 3 Sheets-Sheet l i l I .Wa'ffoover July 2s, 1942.v

DISTRIBUTOR Filed July l0, 1941 w. A. HoovER 3 -sheetsr-Sheec 2 July 28, 1942. w. A. HoovER DISTRIBUTOR Filed July 10, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 e. a 4 n fK f TM@ M. 6 z 4W z /af d 7 7 7 W x 5 7 M o 6 7 f w 7 a M 9 3 7 4 .J

grime/wko@ Ill/H Patented July 28, 1942 UNETEDr TE ATEN'T FFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a powder distributor or spray gun, and more particularly to a distribu` tor which is adapted to be mounted on the delivery of a printing press and actuated byfmechanism`forming a part of the press for intermittently discharging powder into a passage and conveying the powder by air pressure from a discharge Vpipe onto a freshly printed sheet which has been moved to a position on the delivery of the press.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a novel distributor for powder of simple construction and forming a unit which can be readily and removablyv mounted on the delivery of a press and which is provided with an operator attached toA the press Yand arranged to be engaged by a movable -element thereof to intermittently agitate the powder container of the distributor to cause a quantity of powder to be discharged into the passage, and for also intermittently opening a valveof said passage to allow air under pressure to be admitted thereto for conveying the powder thus discharged from the container through the passage.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a distributor so constructed that conventional powder containing cans can be mounted thereonV in an inverted position and which is provided with a reciprocating rod,

forming the agitator, and which is actuated Vintermittently to strikethe apertured cap of the powder can for agitating the can to dispense a quantity of powder therefrom.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide means for adjustably positioning the agitator rod to cause the rod, when reciprocated, to

strike the discharge end of the powder container with varying amounts of force to vary the amount of powder that willbe dispensed from the container. l

Another aim of the invention is to provide a powder distributor having a blower driven Vby an electric motor for supplying air for conveying the powder, said motor being provided with a shutoff switch, and a lever for shutting off the switch and for locking the other parts of the distributor. for holding the valve in a closed position and for preventing operation of the agitator.

Other objects and advantages of the invention l will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description ofthe drawings, which illustrate a preferred-embodiment of the invention, and wherein:

Figure l'is a side elevational view showing the distributor mounted on the delivery of a convene Figure 5 is an enlarged vhorizontal sectionalv viewtaken substantially along the plane of the line 5 5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical sec'- tional view taken substantially along ythe plane of the line 6 6 of Figure 2',

Figure 7 is a side elevational view, partly in section of the automatic operator which is adapted to be actuated by a conventional part of a printing press for intermittently actuating the distributor or spray gun,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the dispensing endof the powder can,

Figure 9 is a similar view of the dispensing end of another powder can,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectionalY view, partly in elevation of thev means for detachably retaining a powder can in an invertedn position on the distributor, and

Figure 11 is a horizontal sectional View takenv substantially along the plane of the line Il-II of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly rto the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, H designates generally a portion of theY delivery of a conventional printing'press which is provided with a table I2 to receive freshlyl printedsheets YI3, as they are discharged from the press and stacked on thetable or support l2 of the delivery Il. Y Y

The powder distributor or spray gun, designated generally i4 includes a head portion, designated generally l5 having a lateral extension ,lwhich is provided with a perpendicular bore I7. A stud .|8, as best seen in Figure ,1, projects upwardly fromvthe deliveryv l I and is adapted to be engaged by the lower end of a tubular standard standard |9 to the stud I8.

portion I6, which portion is provided with va set screw 2l for securingthe head l5 thereon. The

standard I9 forms the support for mounting the distributor or spray gun I4 on the delivery I I and thereabove.

The head I5 includes a main portion 22 which is provided with a removable top plate 23 which extends from one end to adjacent the opposite end thereof and which is detachably mounted by fastenings 24, Portion 22 is provided with a horizontal bore 25 which extends longitudinally therethrough and the plate 23 is provided with an opening 26 which opens into the bore 25, intermediate of its ends, and which is adapted to receive a cap or discharge end 21 of a powder container or can 28 which is mounted on the portion 22 and in an inverted position. Plate 23 is provided with a threaded opening 29 for receiving the lower threaded end of a rod 3D which projects upwardly from the head I5 and which is disposed adjacent to a portion of the side wall of the can 28. As seen in Figures 1 and 10, a lug 3I is provided with an opening 32 which slidably engages the rod 36 and a set screw 33 for adjustably securing the lug 3l to the rod 38. Lug 3I is provided, at one end thereof, with a depending extension 34 which is adapted to engage the inner side of the rim 35 of the bottom of the can 28 to provide means for effectively holding the can in an inverted position and with its cap 21 in engagement with the opening 26. Cap 21 is provided with apertures 36 and, depending upon the amount of powder to be dispensed from the container 28, cap 21 may be provided with four apertures 36, as seen in Figure 8, or a similar cap 21 having only two apertures 36 could be used. Likewise, the caps 21 could have one, three, or more than four apertures 38 if desired, and said apertures could be made of various sizes.

A pipe 31 has one end removably mounted in the discharge end 38 of the bore 25 and said end of the pipe 31 is secured in the discharge end 38 by means of a set screw 39, as seen in Figure A3, which is mounted in the portion 22. An elbow 49 is connected at one end thereof to the opposite end of the pipe 31 and has its opposite end directed and opening downwardly and above the stacked sheets I3, as seen in Figure 1.

The head I5 also includes a substantially flat horizontally disposed plate 4I through which project a plurality of fastenings 42 which are attached to the base 43 of an electric motor 44 which is supported thereby in a depending position beneath the plate 4 I The electric motor 44, which is of conventional construction, is connected by means of wiring 45 to a source of electrie current, not shown, and said wiring is also provided with a switch 43 adapted to be closed and opened for energizing and deenergizing, respectively, the motor 44. A blower 41 includes a casing 48 which is formed of detachable sides 49 and 59 connected by nut and bolt fastenings 5I and an intermediate portion 52 which is preferably Xedly connected to the inner side 49. The plate 4I, as seen in Figure 1, is provided with a depending flange portion 53, as seen in Figure 1, to which casing 48 is connected by certain of its fastenings 5I.

A propeller, designated generally 54, is rotatably mounted in the casing 48, The propeller 54 includes an outer disk 55 having a hub portion 56 which is keyed to the driven shaft 51 of the motor 44, an inner ring 58, which is spaced from the outer portion of the outer disk 55, and a plurality of radially projecting vanes 59 which are disposed in circumferentially spaced relationship relatively to one another and which are connected along their side edges to the disk 55 and the ring 58. The vanes 59, as best seen in Figure 4, are all curved similarly in a clockwise direction from their inner to their outer ends.

As seen in Figure 4, casing 48 is provided with an upwardly opening portion 88 formed by portions of the side walls 49 and 59 and by the ends of the casing portion 52. The side 49 is provided with a central opening 6I which opens toward the motor 44 and which forms the inlet of the blower casing 48. The outlet 60 communicates with the inner, inlet end 62 of the Ibore 25 and also is provided with a restricted opening 63 which opens outwardly of the top of the head I5 and beyond the rear end of the plate 23. A shaft 64 is journaled in the walls 49 and 58 and extends through the upper portion of the outlet 68. A valve 65 is keyed to the shaft 64 and is disposed in the outlet 69 and is arranged so that when in a closed position, as seen in Figure 4, it will close the entrance end 62 of the bore 25, When thus positioned, as seen in Figure 4, it will be readily apparent that the valve 65 will cause the air from the blower to pass upwardly and be discharged into the atmosphere through the opening 63. The valve 65 is provided with a lug 66 which projects outwardly from its pivoted end and at substantially a right angle to the plane of ,the valve. A set screw 61 is mounted in the rear end of the plate 23 and forms a stop to be engaged by the lug 66 to limit the swinging movement of the valve 65 in a counterclockwise direc- Ition, as seen in Figure 4, and toward an open position. It will be apparent that the set screw 91 can be adjusted for varying the extent to which the valve 65 can be movedtoward an open position, as indicated by the arrow 68.

The head I5 includes a flange 69 which depends from the under part of the portion 22, adjacent the blower casing 48. A plate 10 is provided with an angular end 1I which is attached to the outer side of the flange 69, adjacent its lower end, by means of fastenings 12 for mounting the plate 1|] substantially at right angles to the flange 69. A flat bar 13 is attached to the outer side of the flange 69, above the plate 19 by a fastening 14 and is provided with an outwardly projecting free end 15 which is disposed at an oblique angle to the plate 18, as best Seen in Figure 6. The plate 10, adjacent its free end, is provided with a threaded opening 16 to which is threadedly connected an externally threaded sleeve 11.- The lower portion of the part 22 is provided with a perpendicular bore 18 which is in alinement with the bore of the sleeve 11 for slidably engaging the upper end or stem 19 of an agitator, designated generally 80, which is provided at its lower end with a stem 8I which slidably engages the bore of the sleeve 11. Between the stems 19 and 8|, the agitator 89 is provided with an enlargement 82 and an enlargement 83, disposed beneath the enlargement 82 and which is of a greater diameter than the enlargement 82 to form at the top thereof an annular upwardly facing shoulder 84. The upper end of the stem 19 is adapted to engage against the underside of the cap 21 when the agitator 80 is in a raised position, as seen in Figure 4, and when thus positioned the upper end of the enlargement 82 is disposed slightly below the portion 22. An expansion coil spring is mounted on the stem 8| and has one end thereof bearing against the upper end of the sleeve 11 and its opposite end bearing against the underside of the enlargement 83 for normally holding the agitator '80 in araised position. A nut. viS Carriedby thesleeve 7 1, beneath the plate 10, andit will be readily apparent that the sleeve 'H can be adjusted relatively to the opening l for varying the tensionon the spring ,85. andthe nut 86 may be tightened against the underside of the plate '|0 to hold the sleeve 'l'l in adjusted positions.

rAn L- shaped lever 8l, as best seen in Figures 2 and@ is provided with an enlarged inwardly projecting hub. portion. 88. at its apex through whichloosely extendsa pivot pin 89. Pivot. pin 89 extends into the side of the headiportion A22, adjacent the discharge .end 3.8, andis Secured therein by means of, a4 set Screw 90 for pivotally mounting the Alever 8J on the side of the portion 2,2, opposite to the portion I5. 'Ilhelever 81 is provided wth a longer substantially` horizontally.

disposed arm 8| kwhich extendstoward the blower 41 andY a shorter, r`depending arm .92 which is disposed substantially at a rightv angle to the.

arnfilll,V A stop 953 projects outwardly from the portion 22 to engage theunderside .of the `varm 9| to limit the swingingY movement. of the lever 81 in a clockwise direction,A as seen in Figure 2, and a similar stop 9d projects outwardly from the portion, 2,2 and` is disposed. to engage the upper vsideof the arm 9| to limit its swinging movement in a counterclockwise direction.

lheferringV to Figure 5, the ,depending arm 9.2 isY providedqadjacent its lower endjwith. an inwardly projecting flange 95 anda forwardly projecting lug which is providedwith a recess .91 on its inner side. A lever 98 is. pivotally connected at` one end thereof by means of a pivot pin 9,;9 to the upper side of. the flange e5 for piv. otally mounting the lever 94 for swinging movement. in a horizontal plane. The lever 99 is. a substantially fiat b-ar, as seen in Figure 6, and is provided with notches |00 in one longitudinal edge thereof and adjacent itspivotedend, for seating one end of an expansion coil spring |0|, the Opposite end of whichis seated in the recess. 91 for urging the lever 98 to swing toward the portion 212. Asseenin Figures and 6, the free end of the lever 98 is disposed to engage against the inclined plate portion. Niwhichformsa cam surface and its intermediate portion adapted to rest on the shoulder d4. i

As seen inFigu re2icne end of the shaft B4 projects outwardly through the outer side 50 .of the casing d3 and a calmY member |02 is keyed thereto by meansv o fa set screw |03. The upward swinging* movement of, the caml member |02 in a clockwise direction, as seen in, Figure 2, is limited by a stop pin |04 which projects from aivportion of head I5. The under, roundedy side of the cam i 02 rests on the upper side ofthe arm 9|, adjacent its free end. A leafspringw is attached to the upper side ofthe arm 9| at one end thereof by a fastening |05Y and projects therefrom toward the free end of, the arm,9.|,. Thefree end of the leaf Spring |05v engages Ythe upper side of the cam4 |02, for a purpose which posed end of the shaft m9k and has itsup'per:end

bearingagainst. the underside of the head |0, andits lower end bearing against the upper end of the clamp; |01: for urging the lever arm 9| upwardly to thereby hold the parts 9B and |02 in the positions, as seen in Figure 2, in which positionsthe valve 65 is held in a closed position,.as seen kin Figure 4, by the cam |02 and the agitator is held in an elevated position, as seen in Figure 4 by its spring 8.5.

Referringv to Figure 7, the opposite end of the conduit'l 08 is secured ina clamp 2 which forms a part of the plate! |.3 which is adapted to be fastened to apart of the printing press, not shown. An angular lever ||.4 is pivotally mounted at its apex by means of a. pin ||5 on the plate H3. One end ofthe lever lil is provided with a clamp portion MB. The opposite end of the flexible iaft '|39 projects through and `beyond the last mentioned end of the conduit |00 andis clamped to the lever I I4 by the portion I. A contractile coil spring i which is connected at one end to the plate l i3 and at its opposite end to the lever urges the lever I lli to swing in a direction for moving the flexible shaft M39, at its last mentioned end, inwardly of or toward the conduit |t8. A roller i8 is journaled on the opposite end of the lever H4 and is disposed to be engaged by an element H9, forming a conventional part of the printing press and which makes one revolution each time that a sheet I3 is discharged onto the table i2. The roller H8 is normally held by the lil in the path of movement ofthe element |59 to be engaged thereby at each revolution thereof for rocking the lever ||4 for moving the last mentioned end of the shaft IES outwardly of the conduit |08, and it will be readily apparent that after the roller lil moves out of engagement with the element ||9 the spring ii? will return the parts to the positions, as seen in Figure 7.

The switch i6 is supported by a bracket |20, as best seen in Figure 2, which is attached to the plate @E by fastenings |2i and which projects outwardly therefrom. The switch 4% is provided with a throw arm or operator |22 which projects upwardly from the bracket lZ. A lever |25 is pivot ally mounted intermediate of its ends on the plate di by means of a pin or bolt |2. A link |25 is pivotally connected at one end thereof at |26 to 1e lever 23, adjacent its pivot 24. The link |25 is provided with an opening |2l', adjacent its free end, which loosely engages over the operator |22. A plate |28 is attached to and projects laterally from the forward end of the lever |23 to form a stop.

In Figures 2 and 3, the lever |23, which controls the operation of the spray gun or distributor I4 is shown in a released position and in which position the switch 4S is closed. By swinging the lever |23 in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 3, the link |25 will be moved to the left to swing the operator |22 to the left to open the switch 46 to deenergize the motor 44, and the stop |28 will be moved into a position between the cam |02 and the arm 9| to prevent the cam |.i2 from swinging downwardly for opening the valve 55 and to prevent the lever 5l from swinging upwardly to its |23 is, inY its position of Figure and thereforev while the motor 44 is in operation. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, when the lever 81 is thus moved n a clockwise direction, the lever 98 will be swung downwardly and as it is engaging the shoulder 84 it will draw the agitator 80 downwardly. The free end of the lever 98 by engagement with the cam surface will be swung outwardly as it moves downwardly against the action of the spring ||l| so that after the lever 98 has moved a predetermined distance it will swing on its pivot 93 suiiciently to move out of engagement with the shoulder 84 to allow the spring 85, which has thus been compressed, to drive the agitator 80 upwardly to cause the stem 19 to strike the cap 21. The impact of the blow of the stem 19 will agitata the container 28 to cause a quantity of the powder |29 contained in the container 28 to be dispensed through the apertures 36 and into the bore 25. It will be readily obvious that, as previously explained, the amount of powder dispensed by the agitator 8|) can be varied by adjusting the sleeve 11 to vary the force with which the stem 19 strikes the cap 21. Also, the amount of powder to vbe dispensed can be controlled by providing the cap 21 with more or less apertures 36, as previously explained, and as illustrated in Figures 8 and 9. At the same time that the agitator 88 is being moved downwardly, the lever arm SI is moving downwardly and away from the cam |82 so that its spring |05 can swing the cam |82 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 2, for swinging the gate valve B5 in the same direction for moving it to an open position to allow the air from the propeller of the blower 41, which is revolving in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 4, to be admitted to the bore 25 so that when the powder is dispensed into the bore 25 it will be conveyed by the air through the bore 25, through the pipe 31 outwardly and downwardly through the elbow 4 to be discharged onto the uppermost freshly printed sheet I3 which has just been stacked on the table or support l2 in a conventional manner by the printing press.

After the element ||9 has moved out of engagement with the roller I8, the springs |1 and will slide the flexible shaft |619 in a direction toward the lever 81 to allow the lever to swing in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 2, by the action of the spring back to its original position. This will cause the cam |02, by

engagement with the lever arm 9|, to be turned in a clockwise direction for similarly turning the valve 65 to return said valve to a closed position, as seen in Figure 4, so that the air from the blower 41 cannot be admitted to the bore 25 but will be discharged into the atmosphere through the opening 63. At the same time, the lever 98 will be swung upwardly and as it moves upwardly its inner edge will slidably engage a Yportion of the periphery of the enlargement 83. As the lever 98 approaches its uppermost position it will move to the position above the level of the upper end of the enlargement 83 at which time its spring will swing the lever 98 inwardly to return it to the position, as seen in Figures 5 and 6. In this position, lever 98 will be resting on or disposed above the shoulder 84 for drawing the agitator 80 downwardly the next time that the element ||9 contacts the roller ||8.

It will thus be apparent that the distributor or spray gun I4 is operated automatically for Spraying powder on each freshly printed sheet I3 after it is conveyed by the printing press to the delivery and that the operation of the spray gun or distributor |4 is automatic and intermittent.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims, as only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A powder distributor comprising a head having a bore extending horizontally therethrough and adapted to be connected to a source of air supply, said head being provided with an opening adapted to receive the apertured cap of a powder container, said opening communicating with the upper portion of the bore and opening outwardly of the top of the head, the powder container being adapted to be supported in an inverted position on the head, a rod having a restricted stem at its upper end slidably mounted perpendicularly in said head and extending transversely through said bore, the free end of said stem engaging against said apertured cap, springmeans for urging said rod upwardly, and means for periodically drawing the rod downwardly and releasing the rod to allow the spring means to project the rod upwardly to cause the stem to strike the apertured cap for agitating the container for dispensing the powder into said bore.

2. A distributor as in claim 1, said means comprising a pivotally mounted lever, said rod being provided with an upwardly facing shoulder near its lower end, a spring for urging the free end of said lever to swing toward said rod to position a portion of the lever above said shoulder, a cam element mounted on said head and disposed to be engaged by the free end of said lever, and means for swinging said lever downwardly to cause it to engage said shoulder for drawing the rod downwardly, the free end of said lever engaging said cam during its downward motion and being swung thereby in a direction away from the rod, as said lever is swung downwardly, for moving the lever out of engagement with the shoulder when the parts have reached a certain position on their downward movement.

3. A distributor as in claim l, comprising a valve mounted at the inlet end of said bore and connected to said means to be moved to an open position when said rod is drawn downwardly.

4. A distributor as in claim 1, comprising a blower provided with a casing having a discharge opening connected to the inlet end of said bore and providing the source of air supply for the distributor.

5. A powder distributor comprising a head having a bore `extending therethrough and provided with means for supporting a powder container in an inverted position on the head and with its discharge end opening into said bore, a blower connected to the inlet end of said bore, a valve for controlling the passage of the air to the bore, a reciprocating rod slidably mounted in said head and extending upwardly through the bore for engaging the outlet end of said container, spring means for urging said rod upwardly, and intermittently actuated means for moving said rod downwardly and for simultaneously opening said valve.

6. A distributor as in claim 5, comprising an electric motor for driving the blower, said motor being provided with a shutoff switch, a control lever pivotally mounted on the distributor and provided with a link connected to said switch for opening or closing the switch when the control lever is actuated, and a stop element projecting from one end of said control lever and arranged to engage said means, when the switch is in an off position, for preventing said rod and valve from being actuated.

'7. A distributor as in claim 5, comprising a conduit connected at one end to the outlet end of said bore and projecting outwardly from the head, said conduit being provided with an opposite downturned discharge end from which the air `and powder is discharged.

8. A distributor as in claim 5, said means including a pivotally mounted arm, a rocker arm remotely disposed relatively to the distributor and adapted to be disposed in the path of and to be engaged by a moving part of a printing press for intermittently actuating said rocker arm, said arm and rocker arm being provided with connecting means for moving said arm downwardly, when said rocker arm is actuated for actuating said rod and for opening the valve, and spring means for returning said rod to its normal position and for closing said valve.

9. A distributor as in claim 5, comprising a sleeve member in which said rod is slidably mounted, said sleeve member being adjustable and movable toward and away from said head for adjustably positioning the rod relatively to the discharge end of said container for varying the force with which said rod will strike the container.

WILLIAM A. HOOVER.

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