US2377447A - Sheet feeder - Google Patents

Description

June 5, 1945. H. E. PEYREBRUNEETAL 2,377,447 v v SHEET AFEEDER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. Sept. 18, 1941 v INVENT June 5, 1945.

H. E. PE YREBRUNE ET AL SHEET FEEDER 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18, 1941,

1NVENTOR5- Hennl E Peyrezqfwze, EY .Era/ZOEPczguzea,

IIIIII June 5, 1945. H. E. PEYREBRUNE ETAL 2,377,447

SHEET EEEDER Filed Sept. 18, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 75 INVENTORS. HenmE/Ueyfebrm@ BY lira/20 BPgzazeZ,

June 5, 1945. H. E. PEYREBRUNE ETAL SHEET FEEDER vFiled Sept. 18, 1941 G Sheets-Sheet 4 June 5, 1945.' H. E. PEYREBRUNE Erm. n: 2,377,447

SHEET FEEDER.

Filed Sept. 18, 1941I 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 I 7 INVENTORS. HerzrbEPeyre-brfze,

Patented June 5, 194.5

SHEET FEEDER Henri E. Peyrebrnne, River Forest, and Bruno B. Pasquinelli, Chicago, Ill., Aassignox's to The Miehle Printingv Press and Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Iliinois Application september 18,1941, sena1No.411,s14

6 claims. (ci. 271-53) Our invention pertains broadly to the art of feeding sheets of paper and the like to printing presses and other sheet handling machinery.

. The invention more specifically relates'to that class of sheet feeding mechanism by means of which the sheets are advanced to the registering until the transferredv sheet is completely withe drawn from the registering table, or until the y next sheet is registered.

means in the form of a continuous stream of lapped sheets. n

The improvements which our invention providesare more particularly intended for embodiment in sheet feeders which include a rotary type f of stop gripper transfer mechanism, that is to say, a mechanism in which a sheet, after having been removed from the feeder pile, is first regis tered, then engaged by sheet gripping members while the transfer mechanism and the sheet are both at rest, whereupon accelerating motion is A device wherebythiscan be accomplished, and

an operating mechanism for such a device, are

described in United States Patents Nos. 1,790,457, issued to J. R. Blaine, January 27, 1931, and 1,764,104, issued to A. G. Jacobson, June 17, 1930, respectively, both patents having been assigned to the assignee of the present invention. It will be noted that the Blaine and the Jacobson structures are both shown as applied to sheet transfer gripper mechanisms of the oscillating type; however, it is evident that-by adequate modifications in the design of saidy structures, the broad princi-l ples disclosed in said 'patents are readily adaptable for embodiment in a sheet transfer mechanism of the rotary type. such as is described in said patent to Stevens.

Instead of receding the grippers of the sheet latter is decelerated andfeventually broughtto rest, ready to engage the next registered sheet.

A well `known mechanism' whereby these steps are accomplished, in single sheet feeding, is disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,991,003, issued February 12, 1935, to B. D. Stevens and assigned `to the assignee of the present invention.

It is the broad principle of said mechanism and drive therefor which we propose to introduce intothe embodiment of the present invention and which shall'be specifically adapted for handling sheets fed in. lapped sequence.

In order to take full advantage of the principles inherent in a device such as said prior patent discloses for single sheet feeding, it will be understood that numerous constructional 'improvements shall have to be introduced when 'such a device is to be embodied in afe'eder where sheets are to be handled in lapped sequence and in 'a manner that a. succeeding sheet shall have reached the front guides before the'preceding sheet has passed beyond said guide, thereby gaining time for registering the successive sheets and making possible also a reduction in the widthv oi' the gap in the printing cylinders.

It has previously been suggested, in single sheet feeders, to recede the grippers of a sheet transfer mechanism from'their normal plane of operation immediately after the leading edge of a sheet i is transferred'to the sheet receiving member, such as an impression cylinder of a printing press, and after returning to their sheet taking positions, to maintain the grippers in their receded position tween said grippers and a Asheet that isbeing withdrawn from the registering table4 could be provided by so mounting said table that its front end, together vwith the sheet or sheets thereon,v

would dip away from the transfer grippers and remain in its dipped position until the sheet to be transferred is completely withdrawn from the table. Y

Applicants have found that. when presses are run at extremely highl speeds, it is of advantage not only to recede the grippers of the transfer mechanism from their normal planes of operation during' the transferring of the sheet, but also to dip the registering table away from the transfer mechanism.

One of the outstanding objects of our invention, therefore.- is v'to provide a sheet feeder of the class referred to, whichV shall have embodied therein a novel combination of broad principles .such as are separately disclosed in said earlier patents, and which shall be adapted to meet the requirements called for when feeding sheets in lapped sequence at high rates of speed.

An additional object resides in the provision of an improved feeder whereby the productivity of a. sheet handling machine shall be considerably increased. l

Another object of the invention is a combination of means which shall function to provide more time for accurately registering a sheet without, however, reducing the relative press speed and therewith the productivity of the press.

A further object is to provide improved means whereby the sheet transfer mechanism shall be securely locked against movement during the registering period of a sheet.

A still further object to be accomplished by the invention is the provision of means whereby irregularly fed sheets shall be detected and the feeding operation consequently interrupted.

Other objects and novel features of our invention will be apparent from the following specification and appended claims read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which represent a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a ydiagrammatic view in side elevation of the improved feeder and of a printing press to which the sheets are to be fed;

Figure 2 is a fractional view of Figure 1, but showing certain parts in different positions;

Figure 3 is a detail view of the sheet registering table showing preferred means-whereby the front end of the table can be raised and lowered with relation to the sheet transfer mechanism.

VFigure 4 depicts the arrangement of the sheet grippers on the transfer mechanism and means whereby said grippers are actuated;

Figure 5 is a similar view but illustrates the grippers withdrawn from their normal plane of operation;

Figure 6 illustrates one preferred means for imparting variable motion to the sheet transfer mechanism;

Figure 7 shows, in side elevation, the front portion of the registering table and means thereon whereby the transfer mechanism is locked in a predetermined position during the registering period of a sheet; i

Figure 8 illustrates means whereby misfed sheets are detected, the parts being shown in their respective positions when a sheet is properly fed; and

Figure 9 shows the position of the detector parts when a sheet has not been fed in proper timed relation. Y

The printing machine selected for the purpose illustrating and describing the novel features which constitute our invention is of the rotary lithographic class. It shall be understood, however, that the improved feeder will find its usefulness on other types of sheet fed printing presses and on many kinds of sheet handling machinery other than printing presses.

Referring now to the diagrammatic showing of Figure 1, the arrangement includes a feeder pile board I0 onto which the sheets to be fed are stacked, forwarding tapes II, registering table I2, and a rotary sheet transfer mechanism I3.

Theprinting press which is to receive the sheets is of the conventional offset type and includes an impression cylinder I4. a blanket cylinder I5, a plate cylinder` I6, dampening mechanism I1, and inking mechanism I8. lThe printed sheets areto be conveyed to a delivery board I3 by means of a chain gripper, mechanism' 20.

Preferably, the sheets are separated from the pile 2I by means of suction shoes 22 arranged.

along the rear edge of the pile, which shoes en- I2 by means of the forwarding tapes II in order to be presented to the side guides 21 and front guides 28.

As depicted in Figure 1, the sheets are fed in lapped sequence so that sheet A is against the registering guides and ready to be transferred to the impression cylinder I4 by means of the transfer mechanism I3, sheets B, C and D are being advanced in spaced relation beneath sheet A and are still in the bite of said rollers 25 and 25, with the rear edge ofsheet D just about to be released by the suction roller 24.

In Figure 2, the sheet A has been advanced and transferred to the grippers of the impression cylinder I4 and the sheet B has reached the registering guides 28 while it is still in part covered by sheet A. As indicated in the preambleherein, the sheet transfer mechanism I3 is actuated so that, after having engaged a registered sheet, it will remove a sheet at an accelerating speed until it has reached cylinder speed, i. e., the surface speed of the impression cylinder I4.

The sheet is then taken over by the cylinder grippers 30, conveyed between the cylinders I4 and I5 to receive an impression and thereupon taken over by the chain grippers 3| of the de livery mechanism 2Il in order to be deposited onto the delivery board I9, see Figure 1.

According `to the position of the parts illustrated in Figure 2, the front end of the table I2 has been lowered, that is to say, the table has been swung about its pivotal support 32, thereby moving the front end away from its normal plane of operation. Furthermore, the grippers 33 of 35 the sheet transfer mechanism have been receded 4,0 sheet transfer mechanism is used, the grippers 33 will again have reached their sheet engaging position either before a sheet has been completely withdrawn from the table I2, or after the next v following sheet has already reached the front guides 28. Therefore, in order to avoid injury to a sheet while still on said table, the grippers of the sheet transfer mechanism and the front end of the registering table should be receded, i. e., withdrawn from their normal planes of operation and maintained in such withdrawn position until the rear edge of a transferred sheet has passed beyond the front registering guides 24.

Preferred mechanisms for accomplishing this are illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5 now to be described.

As shown in Figure 3, the table I2 which is pivoted at 32 to the frame of the press has provided thereon a lug 40 to which is pivoted at 4I an eye bolt 42, the free end of which extends through a block' 43. 'I'his block is carried within the ends of a bifurcated arm 44 which is integral with cam roller arms 45 and 46 and is mounted on s nxed shaft 41 to rock about its axis. From gage the top sheet and raise its rear edge above the pile and past one or more air blast nozzles 23, which eject a blast of air between the raised sheet and the top of the pile, as is common practice in the construction of sheet feeders. The separated sheet is then taken over by a forwarding member, preferably a rotating suction roller 24 which advances the sheet into the bite of a series of tape pulleys 25 and drop rollers, 'I'he -nm-.s x.. um hmmm-ANI num Han n'm'infnrinn table' opposite sides of the block 43 extend pintles 43 which are journaled in said ends of the arm 44 in a manner .that the block may turn freely therein. In order to more clearly illustrate the 'means whereby the eye bolt 42 is connected to the arm *44, the latter is shown in section taken along a plane which passes through the bifurca- -tion of said arm.

raise the table I2. The cam roller 52, which is carried by thev arm 46, rides over the cam disc 50 which transmits to the arm 44 a downward movement thereby to lower the front end of the table I2 in order to move it out of its normal plane of operation. The contour of said cam discs is such that positive movement shall-be imparted to the lever arm 44 in both directions of its movement.

In the position illustrated in Figure 3, the registering table I 2 is lowered so that an appreciable gap shall be provided between the top surface of said table and the reel 60 of the transfer mechanism. 'I'he leading edge of the sheet A, which is in the course of being removed from the table I2, has reached its point of transfer where the grippers 33 are about to release the sheet and the grippers 30 of the impression cylinder Ill have just engaged it. The cams '49 and 5d are so timed that the table l2 will remain in its lowered position until a sheet in the course of being transferred is completely withdrawn from the table.

The bolt ivand the arm td function to provide in effect a toggle link which is broken, as illustrated in'full lines in Figure 3, when the table i2 is lowered, but which is straight, as shown in broken lines, when the table is up. By means of the nuts 5d and 55, which retain the block d3 in its position on the bolt d2, the table I2 can be readily adjusted to maintain its tion with relation to the reel et.

In Figures 4 and 5 are illustrated partially in section those parts which constitute a preferred `means whereby the grippers 33 are receded from and returned to their normal plane of operation.

In the position of the parts depicted in Figure 4, the transfer grippers 33 are closed and have a Aregistered sheet A in their bite ready to be transferred to the impression cylinder of the press,` whereas in Figure 5 the grippers 33 are open and Withdrawn within the periphery of the reel 6d, whereas their cooperating pads remain in their original position.

The arrangement of the cooperating parts, whereby the grippers 33 are actuated to assume the positions, is as follows:

At each end of the transfer gripper shaft 8i is provided a bracket 62, which are secured are secured thereto preferably by means of anges t3 and te which embrace said-shaft and which are clamped onto it by any suitable means, such as bolts t5. f

While for the sake of simplicity we have chosen to illustrate only one of said brackets and associated parts, it will be readily understood as the description proceeds that the mechanism illusproper positrated in Figures d andv 5 is duplicated at the n opposite end of the shaft 6l. I

Journaled in said brackets is a rotary gripper rock shaft 66 to which is secured a gripper holder or bracket 51. The latter is constituted of a member 68 and of a holder cap GQ, which latter serves to clamp the member 68 onto the shaft 56, preferably by means of bolts 1G. Set screws 1l are provided in said cap'l, by means of which.

screws the holder 61v and the parts carried thereby are securely locked in ktheir required positions.

Preferably the grippers 33 are of the radial type, that is to say, they are arranged to move into and out of their operative position radially of the transfer reel rather than to swing about their axis from their sheet engagingl position into their inoperative position by such means of tumbler mechanism, or the like.

Each gripper is constituted oi' a gripper head and of an inwardly extending body portion .12, the inner end of which is preferably reduced to provide a stem 13 which passes through a block 'I4 pivotally carried by the arm 15 which extends from the bracket member 68 of the holder 61. The fr ee end of the stem 13 is embraced by an expansion coil spring 18 which bears against the upper face of the block It and against a tension adjusting nut 11 which is threaded to the free end of the stem 13. The purpose of the spring 16 and nut 11 is to provide for adjustment of the tension which the transfer grippers 33 are to exert against the gripper pad blocks 1t, one of which is associated with each gripper t3 for the purpose of grasping the leading edge of a sheet to be transferred from the registering table to the impression cylinder of the press.

Each pad block 18 is mounted on a stationary pad support I9 and all of these supports are removably secured to a bar 80 by means of bolts 8|, and which bar preferably is integral with the bracket 62.

To the outer end of shaft @t is secured a roller arm 85, which at its free end is provided with a stud 86 on which rotates a cam roller Si. The latter rides over a cam 8d mounted on the side frame of the transfer gripper mechanism and which cam i-s rotated preferably continually and in proper timed relation during the operation of the mechanism. In the arrangement illustrated, the cam 88 is rotated in opposite direction to that of the stop gripper mechanism. This .cam is shown in broken lines, and it will be understood that two ofthese cams and associated arms and rollers 81 may be provided, one on each side of the mechanism. As indicated, the roller 81 may be urged against its companion cam 83 by means of a tension spring 89.' One end of said springl is attached to a suitably 1ocated eye provided preferably "on the bracket 62, whereas the other end of the spring is attached to the arm 85.

The brackets 82 also have pivotally mounted therein a rockfshait 9d, which may be actuated to rock about its axis by any conventional cam means, or the like mechanism. preferably by means of a cam which rotates in the same direction as cam 88, namely iny opposite direction to the stop gripper mechanism.

The rock shaft 90 has secured thereto a gripper releasing blade 9i whereby the grippers are displaced from their position depicted in Figure 4 and swung away from the gripper pad blocks 18 so that the grippers maybe Withdrawn within the periphery of the reel SQ, into the position shown in Figure 5.

The function of the parts featured in Figures 4 and 5 isas follows:

First. in order to recede the grippers 33 from their normal operative path the rock shaft ed is actuated so that the blade el engages the stem I2 of. the grippers and displaces it to the right, as viewed in Figure 5, and to an extent that the tips oi the grippers become located beyond the edge of the pad blocks 18. `By that time the high portion 92 of the cam 88 will have reached the roller 81 in order to displace the arm 85 in the clockwise direction andv consequently rock the gripper holder 61 about the axis of the shaft- 66 so that the grippers 33 assume the position illustrated in Figure 5.

When the roller 81 reaches the low portion l position shown in Figure 4;' then due 4te the rocking o! 'shaft 66 in the counterclockwlse direction the gripprs are again moved outwardly sufficiently far to permit thethe blade 0| fromA engagement withthe stern 12. The grippers 00 are urged into their sheet gripping'position by means of tension springs 94.

It will be understood that the contour of cam 88 has a recessed portion located immediately adjacent the cusp of the high portion 92 and which is such that the grippers 03 are moved out radially somewhat beyond their sheet engaging position depicted in Figure 4 before they are swung away to be receded, and vice versa when the grippers are being returned to,their sheet holding position.

As indicated herein, the tension of the grlpf pers against the pad blocks may be adjusted by means of the adjusting nuts 11.

We will now proceed to describe one suitable l. I

- j the rollers |06 and |00 with their respective mechanism whereby the desired motion is imparted to the rotary sheet transfer mechanism I3 for the purpose of transferring registered sheets from the table |2 to the impression cylinder i4. The principle of such mechanism is more fully set forth in the U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,027,818, issued to H. E. Golber and assigned to applicants assignees.

Referring to Fig. 6 it will be seen that on the transfer shaft 0| is mounted a composite gear preferably built up of a centrodal segment |00, a circular segment |0I and a second centrodal segment |02. The remainder of the composite gear may comprise asegment l|00 which is circular, and a segment |04. Also secured to-the driven shaft 6| is a bracket |00 which carries a roller |06, the bracketbeing adjustable' with respect to the composite gear by means of the adjusting device |01. roller |00, is r'otatably mounted directly on the circular gear segment |00 so that adjustment of the bracket by means of the device |01 will function to set the relationship of the rollers with each other so that there shall not lbe any play between said rollers and their cooperating cams during the period of dwell -in the functioning of the rotary transfer gripper mechanism.,

The driving shaft |00 has keyed thereto a composite driving gear IIO having a plurality of gear segments including a centrodal segment III, a circular segment II2, a second centrodal segment |I0 anda circular segment III, comprising the greaterjportion of the gear. To complete the drivingmechanism a gear segment IIO is provided to mesh with the segment .|04 of the companion composite gear.

The hub I I6 which is preferably gear ||0 has formed integrally therewith the cam I|0, while similarly secured to said gear is a second cam Ill.` Both cams are provided at one end with a portion of more determinedl curvature and at their other end with an extension. In order to provide for adjustment of gear segment ||2 with relation to its adjacent segments an adjusting device is provided,

while the entire composite gear, includingjthe circular gear segment III, may be adjusted by a similar device I2 I.

With the parts in position as shown'in Figure 6 it is seen that rollers |00 and |00 ride upon the cams ||0 and I|0 respectively so that rotation of the driving shaft |00 lcontinues. while shaft 0| remains momentarily at rest. Initial movement ia a counter-clockwise direction is 'im- A roller |00, similar to,-

bolted to 'uneV `I00 and III without any impact. The meshing of these segments, it will be understood, causes accelerating motion to be imparted to shaft 6I, thereupon the circular segments IIJI and II2 begin to mesh when a predetermined speed of shaft 0| has been reached. During that period when the circular segments are in mesh, the delivery of the sheet froni the transfer mechanism tothe rotating impression cylinder grippers takes place. In the present arrangement the meshing of the segments |02 and ||3causes gradual deceleratingA motion of shaft 6I subsequent to which the circular segments |03 and II4 engage and the shaft 6I is rotated at uniq form speed. For the slow-down motion of the transfer mechanism the gear segments |04 and II5 -are provided, the meshing of which takes -place immediately prior to the engagement of cams whereby said shaft will beheld against rotation.

It will be understood that instead of making up said compositegears by series of segments, each gear could be cut as one continuous gear.

The mechanism illustrated in Figure 7, whereby the rotary sheet transfer device I3 and the registering table I2 are maintained in their interlocked position during the period of dwell of said device, includes a registering tooth |30 which may be bolted or otherwise secured to one end of the transfer mechanism by means of locking bolts -I3|, or the like. A cooperating feed table registering tooth |32 isarranged with a recess |33 formed in the table I2. This tooth is mounted in a manner that it can be adjusted' to a limited degree within said recess. The means for mounting the tooth may include a pair of locking bolts |04 and washers |05, whereby the tooth |32 is rigidly locked againstv displacement from its ad; justed position. At one end of said tooth is formed a bore |36 which. accommodates a compression spring I31, which latter, for convenience of adjustment, and vafter the bolts |34 have been released, urges the register tooth toward the adjusting bolt |08. The adjustment of the tooth is accomplished by suitably turning said bolt whicliis threaded into the other end of the tooth |02 land the head of which bolt bears against a shoulder |00 formed in the table I2. The spring I01,'on the other hand, bears against a shoulder |40, also provided in saidj table. f

As depicted in, Figure 7, the cooperating parts are in their positions when the transfer mechanism I0 and the table I2 are held interlocked, in `which position the locking faces Ill of the tooth |00, and |02 of the tooth |32 bear against each other. l

As explained herein, the table I2 is mounted to pivot, i. e., recede from its uppermost position,

see Figure 3, into alowermost position for the purpose of providing adequate clearancefor a sheet which is in the course of being withdrawn from said table.

It will be understood that at the moment when the table is being receded from the position shown in Figure '7, the transfer mechanism I0 has begun its rotation for the purpose of withdrawing a registered sheet from the table I2, and that the faces HI and |02 of the registering, i. e., 1ock. ing teeth |00 and |02 shall again assumetheir locking relation when at the end of the revolul 2,377,447' tion of the transfer mechanism i3 the table I2 is portion |83. the latter having by that time beenreleased by the hook I'H so that the pendulum can be swung about its pivot |11 and against the very light tension of the spring H8, the pendulum will be moved in a. clockwise direction and held by the sheet in the position depicted in Figure 8, so that the hook i 1i during its' next upward stroke shall not be restrained from its upward movement and consequently no tripping will take place.

in the interest of simplicity the front guides 23, see Figure 1, are not illustrated in Figures 8 the feeder, and the bracket i5!) is rigidly held on said tie shafts preferably by means of set screws ib and i5@ respectively.

'liheI bracket ii also carries a tripping shaft '$55 which is mounted within a bearing provided in said bracket and is rocked to and fro continually during the operation of the press in timed sequence with the feeder by any conventional tripping mechanism such as are Well known in the art of sheet fed printing presses and therefore not described or illustrated 'herein. A sheet detector hook lever 56 is held in locked position on said shaft by means of a set screw ibi' and preferably keyed thereto by means of a taper pin i158, or the like.

Said bracket furthermore supports a sheet detector holder arm i60 which is pivoted at iti tosaid bracket in a manner to permit a limited pivotal movement for the purpose of making possible a slight adjustment of the arm iSd, as will be explainedl later. The arm i6@ is securely locked to the bracket i5 by means of bolts H52 and i553 respectively, and upon loosening of said bolts the arm may be rocked about the pivotl iti by means of the adjusting screws li and i65, the heads of which are arranged to bear ragainst abutments such as dowel pins it@ and 67 respectively.

'io the arm E56 is pivoted at iiii a sheet detector hook lli which extends upwardly, and near its free end is pivoted at i'lZ to a link llt which, in turn, has a pivotal connection at llt with the arm ldii. At 'its extreme end the hook iii is formed with a notch H5 which accommodates a pendulum H6 pivoted to swing freely about a stud i'i'i carried by the upper, free end of the arm fitti.

The pendulum il@ is normally urged against the hook iii by means of a light tension spring iiii for the Apurpose of retaining the pendulum within said notch 15. The tension oi the spring iid may be readily adjusted by means of a detector spring rod il@ threaded into a bracket IS. where it is secured in its adjusted position by means of a set screw iti. The spring il@ may be attached to the pendulum W6 and to the screw ills respectively by such means as eye members itiii.

and 9, butlit shall be understood that when the leading edge of a sheet has reached the position shown in Figure 8, it abuts against said guides as depicted in Figure l, and the guides remain up until the sheet is to be withdrawn.

However, should a sheet fail to present itself in proper timed relation to the upwardly extending arm ist oi the pendulum, then the latter remains in the position illustrated in Figure 9 and conse quently, during the subsequent upward stroke oi Athe hook i'ii, the latter will be restrained from moving upward and the means for tripping the feeder, or the press, will be set up and rendered operative, thereby preventing misfed sheets from going through the press Preferably the arrangement and opeation of the coacting parts is such that in the event of a sheet being misfed, the grippers 33 remain in their receded position, so that such sheet shalll not be engaged by the grippers, and the front guides 2i? remain upa in order to prevent a sheet from sliding down beyond the front end of the registering table i2.

Should it become desirable at any time to adjust the arm E83 of the pendulum in the direction of travei of the sheets to be registered, then the bolts 62 and its are loosened and the adjusting screws itil and H are turned in a manner that the arm ist is rocked about its pivot iti to thereby position the pendulum as required.

While we have described and illustrated herein preferred embodiments of mechanism whereby un the objects of our invention may be attained, it

shall be understood that it is our intention to cover any such modiiications in the design and in the manner of operationl of the various mechanisms that will come within the terms of the ap- W pended claims.

mechanism just described is as follows: As indil cated herein, the rock shaft 55 is continually rocked to and fro during the operation ofthe press by means actuated through the tripping mechanism, so that the hook iii is moved up and down in proper timed relation to the feeder to thereby release the pendulum W5 from the notch ile just prior to the leading edge of a sheet reaching the upwardly extending arm |83 of said pendulum and which arm, as will be seen i to said forwardin mea s in ord r The manner of operation of the `detector g n e to advance from their' normal Vplanes of operation while a from the position illustrated in Figure 9, norunally` projects into the path of sheets to be registered.

As soon as the sheet contacts withthe pendulum 7g sheet is being withdrawn from said table, and means provided on said supporting table for engagingl sai/d sheet transfer member and locking it against rearward movement during the registering period oi a sheet. 2. In a sheet feeder -in lapped relation, the combination of a registering tablefhaving a normal plane of operation wherein sheets are fed 6 asma? and having a receded position with respect thereto sheet registering means associated therewith and operative to register the top sheet on the table when the table is in said normal planeof operation and to engage the leading edge of the underneath sheet when the table is receded, a

rotary sheet transfer mechanism for removing registered sheets from said table, and means for receding said table from its normal plane' of op table having a normal plane of operation and having a receded position with respect thereto, sheet registering means associated therewith and operative to register the'top sheet on the table when the table is in said normal plane of operation and to engage the leading edge of the underneath sheet when the table is recededa rotary sheet transfer mechanism for removing registered sheets from said table, a train of composite, noncircular gears for imparting a complete revolution to said transfer mechanism. sheet engaging members associated with said mechanism, means for raising and lowering said table, and means for receding said sheet engaging members from their normal plane of operation during the removal of the registered sheet from said table for the purpose set forth, the means for raising and lowering said table including adjustable elements having toggle action whereby the extent of raising and lowering of the table can be varied.

4. In a sheet feeder, the combination of means for advancing sheets in lapped sequence, a regisrotary sheet transfer mechanism having sheet engaging members, means for imparting to said mechanism a complete revolution before the rear edge of a sheet in the course of being transferred has passed beyond said registeringl means and while a succeeding. underlying sheet is approaching its registering position, and means respectively for receding said table and said members from their normal planes of operation during the removal of a sheet from said ltable for the purpose set forth, the means for receding the registering table including adJustable elements whereby the extent of such receding can be varied.

10 5. In a sheet feeder of the class adapted to advance separated sheets in lapped sequence to a sheetI handling machine, the combination of a registering table, sheet registering means, a rotary sheet transfer mechanism, means for imparting to said mechanism a complete revolution before the rear edge of a sheet in the course of being transferred haspassed beyond said registering means and after a succeeding, underlying sheet has reached such registering means, and locking means associated with said table and transfer mechanism and including an adjustable. yieldingly mounted member and a rigid member, arranged-in a manner that upon return of said table from its receded position into its sheet registering position, said members engage and. lock said sheet transfer mechanism against rearward rotationl to thereby retain the sheet transfer member in register during the registering period of a sheet. 6. In a sheet feeder wherein sheets are fed in 3o lapped relation, the combination of a registering when the table is in said normal plane of operation and to engage the leading edge of the underneath sheet when the table is receded, a rotary sheet transfer mechanism for removing registered sheets from said table; a train of composite gears y for imparting to said mechanism accelerating, tering table having a normal plane of operation and having a receded position with respect thereto, sheet registering means associated therewith and operative to register the top sheet on. the

v tame when the tame is msnm normal plane of 4 operation and to engage the leading edge of the underneath sheet when the table is receded, a'

uniform and decelerating motion, and means for receding said table from its normal plane of operation during the removal of the registered sheet from said table for the purpose of clearing the sheet with respectto the rotary transfer mechanism while it is being withdrawn from the registering table, said latter means including adjustable elements having toggle action whereby the extent of such receding can be varied.

' HENRI E. PEYREBRUNE. BRUNO B. PASQUINELLI.

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