US2384768A - Apparatus for combining sheets - Google Patents

Description

sept- 1945= H. A. RAU

APPARATUS FOR COMBINI ZNG SHEETS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 26, 1941 Sept. '11, 1945. H. A. RAU

- APPARAIIUS FOR COMB INING SHEETS r 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26, 1941 Sept. 11,

kL.A.lQI\U APPARATUS FOR COMBINING SHEETS Filed June 26, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIHINNIW p 11, 1945. H. A.- RAU 2584 768 APPARATUS FOR COMBINING SHEETS Filed June 26, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 11, 1945 APPARATUS FOR COMBINING SHEETS Harry A. Rau, Baltimore, Md., asslgnor to Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of New York Application June 26, 1941, Serial No. 399,947

Claims. (Cl. 154.36)

The present invention relates to an apparatus for combining or, adheslvely uniting Sheets, such as paper and sheet metal sheets. More particularly, the invention provides a novel combinatlon of instrumentalities for bringing together and adhesively uniting a plurality of sheet metal and paper sheets in an efficient and expeditious manner.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for feeding from independent stacks, metal and paper sheets and for securing the same together in face to face relation. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for adhesively uniting such sheets with their edges in substantially exact registry.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for handling independent lines of paper and metal sheets.

A further object is to provide means for bringing together the individual sheets in the two lines in pairs, with their edges registered. Still another object is to handle the registered pairs of sheets, and to maintain the same ,in registry as they are adhesively united together.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel control means for the lines of paper and metal sheets, to the end that pairs of sheets are always fed to the combining machine.

A further object is to'provide positive means ior interrupting the feed of sheets in one line, in the event that corresponding sheets in the other line are not present.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel detector means, actuated by the absence of sheets in one line to prevent the delivery of sheets to the other line. To this end, the invention provides novel light sensitive cell means,

actuated upon the occurrence of a gap in one of the lines of sheets, to interrupt the delivery of sheets to the other line, thereby to create a corresponding gap in that line so that single sheets are never delivered to the combining machine.

A further object is to provide means for interruptin the delivery of adhesively coated metal sheets to the combining sheet machine, when the delivery of paper sheets to be combined therewith is inadvertently interruptedthereby preventing the delivery of adhesively coated sheets by themselves to the combining instrumentalities of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for bringing together, in superimposed registered relation, a plurality of metal and paper sheets. To this end, the invention provides a novel combination and arrangement of conveying means, adapted to deliver lines of metal and paper sheets moving in opposite directions, and to reverse the direction'of movement of the line of paper sheets and to superimpose the same, after reversal of their movement, upon' the continuously moving metal sheets.

In the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of the inventionis shown, but it must be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details or construction or combination of parts shown therein, as many modifications will occur to one skilled in the art, after considering this disclosure. r

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation o the apparatus of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a preferred form of reversing roll assembly.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the combining machine, proper.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view showing the central section of the machlne of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the machine of Figure 3, showing a preferred drive.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are transverse vertical sections, taken on lines 6-6, 1-1 and 88 of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary detail view of one of the supporting journals for one of the guide rollers associated with the, reversing roll, taken on section 9-9 of Figure 4.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view of a scraper bar assembly for the lower combining roll, said assembly being shown in section in Figure 3.

Figure 11 is a sectional detail of one of the supporting journals for the upper infeed roll associated with the combining rolls, and

Figure 12 is a fragmentary side elevation of the drive for said infeed rolls.

As shown in Figure 1, the present invention includes a combination of machines, interconnected together for adhesively uniting in face to face relation, a plurality .of metal sheets 20 and a plurality of paper sheets 2i, the respective sheets being piled in stacks at opposite ends of the apparatus. Although not confined to such use, the invention is of particular utility in uniting lithographed tin-plate sheets and paper liners, employed in the manufacture of receptacle closures of the type shown and described in the patents to Booth, Nos. 1,956,209, 1,956,213, 1,956,215 and 1,956,217. In the manufacture of such closures, tin-plate sheets. 20% inches in width and 28 /2 inches in length are lithographed on their outer surfaces with the individual label for the user of the caps, and paper sheets of the same size are adhesiveiy united to their undersurfaces. For ease of handling, it, is usual to coat the non-decorated surfaces of the metal sheets with a layer of adhesive and then to combine therewith, an uncoated sheet of relatively heavy paper. The present invention rovides an apparatus for mechanically performing these adhesive coating and sheet combining functions.

Metal sheets 20 are fed from the stack 22 by a mechanical sheet modem-represented diagrammatically at 24, which may be of the type shown in the patents to Goebel et al. 2,145,764 and 2,184,296. Since the specific details of the sheet feeder are not involved in the invention of this application, they will not be described in detail herein. Reference is made to the aforesaid patents for a complete disclosure of an entirely satisfactory sheet feeder.

The sheet feeder 24 delivers the sheets, one by one, to a conveyor 26 which carries them beneath a detector roller 21 and to a second conveyor 28. The latter, in turn, delivers the sheets to the applicator rolls 29, 30 of a glue-coating machine, which coats the upper, non-decorated surfaces of the sheets with a thin, even coating of adhesive. Since coating machines of suitable type are well-known in the art, the details of construction thereof need not be described herein.

The sheets 20 are delivered from the gluecoating rolls by a conveyor M to a plurality of parallel conveyor chains 32, associated with the combining machine proper 35, described in detail below.

The paper sheets 2| in a stack 23 are delivered, one by one, by a sheet feeder 26', which may be similar to the sheet feeder 2d, beneath a detector 21', to a conveyor 36, whichleads the sheets to the combining machine. As explained in the above identified Goebel at al. patents, the detector 21' is arranged to deflect downwardly any sheets that are fed, inadvertently, by the sheet feeder in pairs or in triplets. In other words, the arrangement is such that only single sheets can be delivered, successively, to the conveyor 36. If two or more sheets stick together and are picked by the suction cups hereinafter referred to, they will be deflected downwardly, by a means described in detail in said patents, to a receiving basket 31. In such case, of course, there will be a gap in the line of paper sheets on the conveyor. As explained in detail hereinafter, means are provided to interrupt the delivery of metal sheets upon the occurrence of a gap in the line of paper sheets.

The paper sheets are delivered successively by the conveyor 36 'to a reversing roll assembly 38, where their direction of movement, from right to left in Figure 1, isreversed to a movement from left to right, coinciding with the direction of movement of the metal sheets 20 on the conveyor 32. Pusher means, associated with the conveyor 32, described below, move the superimposed pairs of paper and metal sheets with their rear edges in registry, the paper sheets being spaced above the metal sheet by a supporting platform, described below. The side edges of the sheets are maintained in registry by suitable side guide.

means. As the pairs of sheets travel, the paper sheets are moved off of the supporting platform and are deposited upon the coated upper surfaces of the metal sheets. They are delivered by the chains 32 in this relation to infeed rollers 39, associated with the pressure applying or combining rolls 40. The latter. rolls apply sufllcient pressure to the sheets to adhesively unite the paper sheets to the metal sheets and then deliver the combined sheets to a receiving receptacle or jig represented generally at 4|, where they are collected in a stack.

It should be noted that the various machines in the combination shown in Figure 1 are interconnected and are driven in predetermined timed relation to each other. Preferably, an electric motor housed in the stand 45 for the glue applicator roll assembly 29, 30, drives a speed reduces 46, having a driving sprocket 41. A chain 48 connects the sprocket 41 to a sprocket on a shaft 50 associated with an angle drive unit 5! having a driving shaft 52 leading therefrom at an angle to the metal sheet feeder 24. Hence, the elements of the metal sheet feeder are actuated in timed relation to the glue applicator rolls and to other instrumentalities, as will be explained.

The shaft 50 of the angle drive assembly carries a pair of additional sprockets, one connected by a chain 53 to a sprocket on shaft 54, about which the conveyor belts 3! are trained. The second sprocket is connected by a chain 55 to a main driving sprocket 56, associated with the combining machine, represented generally at 35. By means shown in Figure 5 and "described below, the various parts of the combining machine are driven from the sprocket 56, including a shaft 61 having a sprocket 58 thereon, connected by a chain 59 to a sprocket 60 associated with a second angle drive assembly 6|, the latter being connected by a shaft 62 to the paper sheet feeder 242. Thus, all of the various instrumentalities of the present assembly are driven in unison and at predetermined speed ratios.

The combining machine proper (Figs. 3 and 5) comprises a frame made up of lower horizontal members 65, supported on legs 66, vertical members 67, 68, and upper horizontal members 69. The two rear members Bl arepreferably in the form of special castings and carry at their upper ends journals 10 for a transverse shaft Ii having pulleys and sprockets for the conveyor belts 3i and the chains 32. A transverse angleiron 72, secured to the uprights 61, supports longitudinal, inverted T-section members 13, which constitute tracks for the conveyor chains 32. The other vertical end members 68 carry journals '85 for. the transverse shaft 51 and, adjacent their upper ends,,are connected by transverse frame members 16. Side castings TI for the combining roll assembly 40 are carried by the horizontal frame members 69, I6 and by the upper ends of the vertical members 68.

Vertically disposed side castings for the various rolls in, the combining roll assembly 38 are appropriately secured to and are supported by the horizontal frame members 69, vertically disposed supporting posts 8| being disposed therebelow. The castings 80 carry transverse angle bars 82, 83, which, in combination with a similar bar 84 and the transverse bar 12, jointly support the longitudinal T-section members 13. Longitudinally arranged angle bars 85, supported by the transverse bars 82, 84, carry side guide plates 86, adapted to engage the side edges of the sheets as hereinafter explained.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the reversingroll assembly supporting castings 80 carry journal brackets 81 for a transverse shaft 88, about which the lower nd of the paper sheet infeed conveyor 36 is trained. An infeed roller shaft 89 in the castings 80, in predetermined spaced relation, each rod having secured thereon a plurality of spaced blocks 93 having guide shoes or plates 94 on their inner surfaces.

Each casting 80 is shaped to provide substantially radially disposed ways 95, 96, 91, carrying journal blocks 98 for guide roll shafts 99, I00,

- IOI, each shaft having secured thereon a plurality of spaced enlargements or rings constituting guide rollers I02, as shown in Figures 7 and 9. The several journal blocks 98 are urged inwardly toward the reversing roll 88' of the assembly 38 by compression springs I03 mounted in caps I04, bolted to the castings 80 and closing the outer ends of the ways 95-91. Hence, the guide rollers I02 are urged into contact with the periphery of the main roll 38'. L

The latter roll is secured by heads I 05-to a shaft W6, journalled in bearings disposed centrally of the castings 60 and-having a sprocket Il on one of its ends.

The castings 80 also support a transverse bar 0, to the undersurface of which a plurality of forwardly projecting arms I I I are bolted by means of laterally projecting flanges IIZ. As shown in Figure 7, the bar ii 0 preferably carries five of these arms.

The castings 60 also carry on their forwardly disposed edge faces-journal brackets II3 for an outfeed guide roll shaft N4, the latter having a plurality of rollers II5 secured thereon and disposed substantially in contact with small guide rollers IE6, projecting laterally from and carried by the arms iII. A sheet metal platform I" maybe carried by the three middle arms III and extended laterally to a line adjacent the outermost T-section track members I3, to assist in supporting the central portions of the paper.

sheets, or, if desired, the arms III alone may serve that purpose.

It will be understood that the paper sheets.

are delivered by the conveyor 36 to the space below the first series of guide shoes 94, into the bite between the first guide rolls I02 on the shaft 99 and the periphery of the reversing roll 38', which is positively driven, as explained below.

- The sheets are guided successively between the reversing roll and the guide shoes and guide rolls and are delivered to the upper surface of the arms III, where they are fed between the positlvely driven outfeed rollers H5 and the small idler rollers I I6 and delivered thereby to the platform ill or to the forwardly projecting portions of the arms II I.

The metal sheets, simultaneously with the above action, are delivered by the conveyor 3| to the upper surfaces of the chains 32 which are trained for movement below the aims III and the platform Ill, being supported by the T-section track members I3. The two outermost chains 32 carry a plurality of upwardly projecting pusher-lugs I20, spaced apart on the chains a predetermined distance, somewhat in excess of the longitudinal dimensions of the paper and metal sheets. The pushers engage the rear edges of the metal sheets as they are deposited on the chains and carry them through the machine. Retarding means are provided for the metal sheets, to make sure that their rear edges are firmly engaged by the pushers. Preferably, they comprise magnetic blocks I2I (Figs. 3 and 7) carried by brackets I22, secured to the outermost T-section track members I3 and positioned under the path of movement of the metal sheets, in closely spaced relation thereto.

The pusher-lugs I20 project upwardly a short distance above the upper surfaces of the paper sheet supporting arms III and platform III and engage the rear edges of the paper sheets on the platform; Friction retarding means in the form of a plurality of leaf springs I23 are positioned to engage the upper surfaces of the paper sheets, to make certain that the pusher-lugs engage their rear edges and register them accurately with the metal sheets positioned therebelow.- The side edges of the sheets are maintained in registered relation by the side guide plates 06. As

.the registered sheets are pushed forwardly in unison by the lugs I20, the paper sheets move off of th forward end of the supporting arms or platform and are deposited upon the metal sheets therebelow. In this position, they are fed to the combining roll assembly, now to be described.

The upstanding frame castings 11 for the combining roll assembly are provided with upwardly opening ways I30, in which journal boxes I3I for the shaft I32 of the upper combining roll I33, are mounted. The boxes are adjustably supported from below by bolts I34 threaded into bores in the bottoms of the ways (Fig. 8) to determine the lower limit of movement of the upper roll I33. The shaft I36 of the lower roll I35 is journalled in bearings I31 carried by the frame members 11 below the ways. The rolls are normally set so that the space between their peripheries is slightly less than the combined thicknesses of a metal paper sheet, the coating of adhesive thereon and a paper sheet. Hence, as the sheets pass through, they slightly raise the upper roller I33, against the force of compression springs I38, bearing against the journal boxes I3I and disposed within caps I39 bolted to the frame castings and closing the upper ends of the ways the upper ends of the springs bear against discs I40 carried by adjusting bolts I4I threaded in the caps I39.

As shown in Figure 8, roll shafts I36, I32 carry intermeshing spur gears I42, I43, whereby the rolls are caused to rotate in unison. The gear hubs also. carry sprockets I44, I45, adapted to drive the combining roll infeed rolls as hereinafter explained. The other end of the roll shaft I36 carries a, main sprocket I46, adapted to receive rotation from a sprocket chain I41, to drive the combining rolls.

Referring to Figures 3, 6 and 11, between the forward end of the conveyor chains 32 and the combining rolls I33. I35, there is positioned a lower infeed roll I48, fast on a shaft I49 journalled in bearings in the side frame'members 11. .An upper roller shaft I50 is journalled in vertically slida-ble blocks I5I guided in ways I52 in the side frame members 11 and supported by yokes I53, straddling the lower roll shaft I49 and carried by the upper ends of vertically reciprocable shafts I54. The shafts I54 are adjustable in length by means of threaded ends I 55,

I58, whereby the rods I58 are reciprocated vertically, to raise and lower the bearing blocks ISI for the upper feed roll shaft I50 as the shaft 51 rotates. As shown in Figure 6, the upper shaft I50 carries a-plurality of enlargements I6I, constituting upper feed rolls, while the lower roll I48 is of uniform diameter from end to end and is preferably rubber-covered.

The feed roll shafts I88, I50 carry sprockets I62, I63 on their ends (Figs. 6 and 12) connected by sprocket chains I66, 165 to the sprockets I46, I65, respectively. Tension rollers I66, I61, carried by bell crank levers I68, I68 and urged toward one another by springs I10, I1 I, ap

' lower combining roll shaft I36. Another sprocket 2! I' on shaft 201 is connected in driving relation by a chain 2I2 to a sprocket 2I3 on the transverse cam shaft 61, to impart rotation thereto and to drive the chain 85 trained about the sprocket 56 on the shaft, which, in turn, drives the angle shaft driving assembly for the paper sheet feeder '24. A fourth sprocket 2 on the shaft 201 is connected by a chain 2I5'(Fig. 5) to a sprocket 2I6 on the shaft 211 for'the conveyor chains 32, said shaft being iournalled in the side frame castings 11 for the combining roll assembly. As previously explained, the upper combining roll and the infeed rolls I48, I6I on the shaft I50 derive rotation from the lower combining roll I35, by means of the intermeshlng gears I62, I43 and the associated sprockets and chains.

When the apparatus is operating normally, pa-

I per and metal sheets are delivered by their feedupper roll I38, and'a plurality of rearwardly extending, spring arms I19. Tension is applied to the arms I19 by bolts I80 extending therethrough and threaded into blmks 18E carried by a second transverse bar I82,

A somewhat similar scraper blade'assembly for the lower roll I35 isprovided, reference being had to the same. figure. The blade I85 and its backing plate I86 are carried by apertured lugs I81 embracing a transverse bar I88 mounted in the frame members 11. Downwardly projecting arms I89 carried by the'blocks I81 have their lower ends positioned adjacent adjusting bolts I90, projecting through a transverse bar I8I and secured in adjusted position by nuts I92, I83. Hence, by adjusting the position of the set screws I80, the arms I89, the blocks I81 and the scraper blade I85 are pivoted aboutthe axis of the rod I81, to apply the desired pressure from the scraper bar I85 to the lower roll I35.

The two scraper blades are provided, in order to maintain the combining rolls in perfectly clean, high polished condition at all times.

As previously pointed out, the sprocket 56 (Figs. 1, 5 and '1) receives rotation from a chain 55, driven by the angle drive assembly 5i. The sprocket 56 is fast upon a transverse shaft I95, journalled in bearings carried by the frame cast: ings 80 for the reversing roll assembly. The shaft I95 has a second sprocket I86 thereon, connected to the reversing roll sprocket I01 by a chain I91, whereby rotation is imparted to the latter sprocket. Another sprocket I88 on the opposite end of the shaft I85 is connected by a chain I88 to a sprocket 200, fast on the corresponding end of the outfeed roll shaft I I I, whereby the outfeed rollers I I5 are rotated. The shaft I85 also carries a spur gear 20I, in mesh with a smaller gear 202, carriedby a transverse shaft 203 journalled in bearings carried by the horizontal frame members 68. The shaft 203 carries a sprocket 204, connected by a chain 205 (Fig, 5) to a sprocket 206 fast on a counter-shaft 201 which constitutes the main drive for the combining roll assembly, the shaft being journalled in bearings 208, carried by the under surfaces of the main side frame members 68. On one end of the shaft 201, there is a sprocket 208, connected by a chain 2E0 to the sprocket I46 associated with the ers simultaneously in succession to their'respective conveyor lines. It should be noted thatthe parts are so positioned that there are more paper sheets in the line from the paper stack 21 than there are metal sheets in the metal line from the metal stack 22. Counting the sheet on the top of the paper stack as #1, there are ten successive sheet positions between the stack and the receptacle flI, positioned to receive the combined paper and metal sheets. The second sheet in the paper line is opposite the double sheet detector 21'. The third sheet is opposite an absent sheet detecting station, hereinafter described. The fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh sheets are on the conveyor 36, leading to the reversing roll. The eighth sheet is being reversed or is just being discharged from the reversing roll. The ninth sheet is entering the combining rolls and the tenth sheet is being received by the receiving receptacle- II.

In the metal sheet line, sheets #III, 8 and 8 are combined with or disposed below their corresponding paper sheets, in registered relation. Sheet #1 has just been positioned upon the conveyor 32. Sheet #6, which will correspond to the sheet in the #6 position on the paper sheet conveyor, is emerging from the glue applicator-rolls 29, 30. Sheet #5 is on the conveyor 28, while sheet #4 is approaching the double sheet detector device 21. Metal sheet #3, corresponding to the paper sheet at the absent sheet detector station, is on the top of the stack of metal sheets, about to be picked up by the suction cups 225 associated with the metal sheet feeder'20.

Above the narrow belt conveyors 36, at the absent sheet detector station, there are a pair of lights 226, 221, spaced apart a distance greater than the normal spacing between the paper sheets moving along the conveyor, and adapted to project beams of light downwardly between the sh'eet supporting belts. In the path of the beams of light so projected, there, are a pair of light sensitive cell devices 228, 229, connected in series in a circuit 230, including a source of cur rent 23I, appropriate relays not shown, and a solenoid 232. These photoelectric cells 228 and 229 act, in a we11 known manner, as valves and permit the flow of electric current through the circuit 230 only when they are energized by the associated beams of light. Since the cells are in series, current can flow through the circuit only when both cells are energized simultaneously. When the sheets are moving along the conveyor 36 in the normal manner, they pass between the sources of light and the cells and shield the latter when in that position. The cells 228, 229

asserts the leading end of the next. Because the space between the sheets is less than the longitudinal spacing of the cells, the cells will not be illuminated simultaneously in the normal operation of the apparatus, and the circuit 230 will not be completed through the two cells.

If sheets are projected downwardly, however, by the detector device 21', there will be a gap in the line of paper sheets on the conveyor. Hence, both photoelectric cells 228, 229 will be energized simultaneously and current will flow from the source and, if desired, through appropriate relays, to energize the solenoid 23. The armature of this solenoid is connected by'a linkage system, represented diagrammatically at 233, to a valve 234 in the line 235 leading from a suitable source of vacuum, not shown, to the suction cups 225. When the valve 234 is shifted by the energization of the solenoid, communication from the source of vacuum to the suction cups is cut off and the cups are opened to atmosphere through port 236 in the valve 234. Hence, the suction cups 235 associated with the metal sheet feeder 24 will be ineffective to lift a metal sheet from the top of the stack, in the position in the metal sheet line corresponding to the position #3 in the paper sheet line where no paper sheet is present. Therefore, no metal sheet will be delivered to the metal sheet line in position corresponding with this absent sheet in the paper sheet line.

This arrangement is of importance, since otherwise a coated metal sheet would be fed, by itself, to and through the combining rolls, vwith the result that the layer of adh'esive thereon would be transferred to the combining rolls, which, in turn, would apply the adhesive to the surfaces of the succeeding combined sheets and ruin them.

It is thought that the operation of tho apparatus of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from a consideration of the foregoing description. Paper and metal sheets are delivered at the same rate to their respective conveyors 36 and 26, by the sheet feeders 24', 24, respectively. The metal sheets are passed through the glue coating rollers 29, 30, where their upper, non-lithographed surfaces are coated with a continuous, uniform layer of adhesive. They are moved by theconveyor chains 32, beneath the platform Ill and the arms Ill, being retarded by the magnetic blocks Hi, to cause the push'er lugs I20 carried by the sheets 32 to engage their rear ends.

The paper sheets are delivered by the conveyor 36 to the infeed roll 89 of the reversing roll assembly. The sheets are held in firm contact with the periphery of the reversing roll 38' by the guide rollers I02 and the guide plates or shoes 94. Therefore, they move around upon the periphery of the roll and are delivered to the upper surfaces of the sheet supporting arms ill and are fed outwardly. upon the platform ill by the outfeed rollers H5, cooperating with the small rollers H6. Movement of the paper sheets along the platform is retarded by the leaf spring members 523, so that the pushers engage their rear ends and register the paper sheets with the metal sheets. As the paper sheets are moved off of the front end of the platform, they are deposited upon the upper, adhesively.coated surfaces of the metal sheets. As the lightly combined sheets approach the infeed rollers 8, ISI, the upper roll shaft I50 is in raised position as a result of the action of the cam I60 which supports cam follower I58. Thus, the sheets meet no resistance as they enter the bite between these feed rollers. The cam I60 is so timed with respect to the pusher lugs on the chains 32 that, as soon as the combined sheets have been inserted between the separated feed rollers, the upper roll drops and frictionally engages the combined shets and positively forces the same forwardly until the leading edges of the sheets have been positively entered into the bite between the positively driven combining rolls. Thereupon, the feed rollers separate and the sheets are drawn through the combining rolls by the rotation thereof. The infeed rolls remain in separated position until the next pair of sheets have been inserted therebetween, whereupon the cycle is repeated.

The combined sheets, adhesively united together by rolling contact with the combining rolls, may be deposited automatically in an appropriate receptacle, as shown diagrammatically at 4|, or they may be manually stacked by an operator.

It must be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, or to the particular sequence of method steps, since many modifications will readily occur to one skilled in the art, from a consideration of this disclosure. The invention includes all modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Iclaim: i 1. In combination, a machine for adhesively uniting paper and metal sheets, a paper sheet feeder spaced therefrom, a metal sheet feeder spaced therefrom, a conveyor between each sheet feeder and said machine, means for projecting a beam of light across one of said conveyors, light sensitive cell means positioned to be energized by the absence of a sheet in normal position on the last-mentioned conveyor, and means controlled by said cell means for rendering inoperative the sheet feeder associated with the other conveyor, whereby no sheet will be delivered by the latter feeder .to the associated conveyor in the position corresponding to the position on the other conveyor of the absent sheet thereon.

2. In combination, a machine for adhesively uniting paper and metal sheets, separate conveyors leading to said machine adapted to 'deliver independent lines of individual-paper and metal sheets in predetermined spaced relation for union in said machine, a metal sheet feeder adapted to deliver the individual metal sheets to one conveyor, a paper sheet feeder adapted to deliver the paper sheets to the other conveyor, but spaced a greater distance from the said machine than the first feeder, means associated with the paper sheet conveyor adjacent the paper sheet feeder for detecting the absence of a sheet in the line thereon in the position normally to be combined with the metal sheet then in position to be fed to the first-mentioned conveyor by the metal sheet feeder, and means controlled by the detecting means for rendering the metal sheet feeder inoperative to deliver that metal sheet to its conveyor in said position to be combined with the absent paper sheet.

3. In combination, a machine for combining paper and metal sheets,apair of independent conveyors leading to said machine, means for delivering a line of metal sheets in predetermined spaced relation to one conveyor, means for delivering a line of paper sheets in similarly spaced relation conveyor, thereby preventing the delivery of only a single sheet to the sheet combining machine.

4. In combination, a machine for combining paper and metal sheets, a pair of independent conveyors leading to said machine, means for de-- livering a line or metal sheets in predetermined spaced relation toone conveyor, means for delivering a line of paper sheets in similarly spaced relation to the other conveyor, whereby the sheets arev normally delivered to the machine in pairs of corresponding paper and metal sheets, means for projecting a beam of light across the paper sheet conveyor, light sensitive cell means positioned to be energized by said beam of light in the absence of a sheet in the line on that conveyor, and means controlled by said cell means for rendering inoperative the means for delivering a metal sheet to the other conveyor, thereby preventing the delivery of metal sheets by themselves to the combining machine.

5. In combination, a machine for combining paper and metal sheets, a pair of independent conveyors leading to said machine, means for delivering a line of metal sheets in predetermined spaced relation to one conveyor, means for delivering a line of paper sheets in similarly spaced relation to the other conveyor, whereby the sheets are normally delivered to the machine in pairs of corresponding paper andmetal sheets, means for projecting across the paper sheet conveyor, two beams of light spaced apart a distance greater than the normal space between the sheets on the conveyor, a pair of correspondingly spaced light' sensitive cells in the path of said beams, whereby the cells are normally alternately shaded by the paper sheets on the conveyor, an electric circuit connecting the cell in series, and means controlled by said circuit for rendering inoperative the means for delivering a metal sheet to the other conveyor, when both of said cells areener gized simultaneously by the absence of a sheet in normal position on the first conveyor.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a conveyor adapted to move a line of paper sheets in one direction, and a reversing roll assembly for receiving said sheets and delivering the same for movement in substantially the opposite direction,

said assembly comprising a horizontally mounted,

positively driven, relatively large roll, guide means for delivering the sheets from the conveyor to the upper periphery of the roll, a plurality of spaced guide rollers in contact with the periphery of the roll, and a plurality of stationary guide means spaced from the periphery of the roll and positioned between the guide rollers,

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a conveyor adapted to move a line of paper sheets in one direction, a reversing roll assembly for receiving said sheets and delivering the same for movement in substantially the opposite direction, said assembly comprising a relatively large, positively driven roll, a smaller, positively driven infeed roll adapted to deliver the sheets to the periphery of the first-mentioned roll, and a plurality of guide'plates and guide rollers alternately spaced around a portion of the periphery of the first roll, to guide the sheets for movement therewith.

8. In an apparatus of the. class described, a conveyor adapted to move a line of paper sheets in one direction, a reversing roll assembly for receiving said sheets and delivering the sam for movement in substantially the opposite direction, said assembly comprising a relatively large, positively driven roll, a smaller, positively driven infeed roll adapted to deliver the sheets to the periphery of the first-mentioned roll, a plurality of guide plates and guide rollers alternately spaced around a portion of the periphery of the first roll to guide the sheets for movement therewith, means for receiving the sheets after such movement, and outfeed roll means for advancing the sheets relative to the receiving means.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a paper sheet reversing roll assembly, means for delivering paper sheets moving in one direction thereto, a platform for receiving the sheets from the roll, and means for moving the sheets along said platform in a directionv opposite to the first direction, said reversing roll assembly comprising a positively driven, relatively large roll, and means for guiding the sheets for movementwith said roll around the periphery thereof.

10. In combination, means for continuously conveying a plurality of pairs of superimposed, registered metal and paper sheets with a layer of adhesive interposed therebetween, a feed roll assembly, and a pair of pressure applying combining rolls, said feed roll assembly comprising a pair of rolls, means for separating the rolls in timed relation to the movements of the sheets on the conveying means, whereby the sheets enter the rolls when separated, and means for converging the rolls to apply positive feed pressure to the sheets, to deliver them to the combining rolls.

7 HARRY A. RAU.

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