US2398353A - Veneer edge gluing machine - Google Patents

Description

April 6, 4 o. s. BOLLING VENEER EDGE GLUING MACHINE Filed Feb. 8, 19.45 6 Sheetssheaf 1 April 16 1946'. 6. s. BOLLING VENEER EDGE GLUING MACHINE 5 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1943 Q J AINWINHQIMM ,iui i iiviniu l April 16, 1946.

o. s. BOLLING VENEER EDGE GLUING MACHINE Filed Feb. 8, 1943 5 Sheets-She et 5 A aril 16, 1946.

Q. s. BOLLING VENEER EDGE GLUING MACHINE 5 Sheets'-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 8, 1943 April 16, 1946. s BQLLING 2,398,353

VENEER EDIGE GLUIN MACHINE I Filed Feb. 8, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 16, 1946 VENEER EDGE GLUING MACHINE Oscar S. Bolling, Minneapolis, Minn.,assignor to Moreen-Johnson Machine Company, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application February s, 1943, sesame. 475,104

1 12 Claims.

My present invention provides an improved and highly efficient machine for assembling and gluing together the edges of wooden veneer sheets or strips and, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

As is well known, the wooden veneer sheets or strips are thin and have very narrow edges which must be brought together very accurately, immediately after glue has been applied to the edges thereof, and must be firmly held together while the glue is being dried or set. In this improved machine the operation just noted is performed by upper and lower feed chains or link belts of novel construction. As their major features these chain or belt links are provided with gripper, or vise-acting supplemental links or sections attached to the main links for lateral sliding movements. The chains, with their supplemental links, are caused to trave'lthrough very gradually contracted longitudinal channels or runways.

Glue applying means operate to apply glue to the edges of the veneers just prior to bringing the edges of the veneers together and by means of electrical heating strips or elements the applied glue is dried or set while the edges of the veneers are firmly held together, during their travelling movement through the machine.

The laterally movable supplementallinks or chain sections are arranged to run between lower skids or chain-supporting surfaces and overlying yieldingly downwardly pressed shoes which cause the co-operating upper and lower right and left supplemental links to grip the veneers with a vise-like action and then, under the action of the converging runway, to bring the glue-coated edges of the veneers into tight contact and hold the glue-coated edges of the strips firmly together while it is set and, hardened.

The improved machine also includesan initial or primary veneer feeding means operative on the veneers while the glue is being applied to the edges thereof and while the veneers are being presented to the feed chains or belts.

This so-called initial feeding and glue-applying mechanism is designed and operates in important relation in respect to the main feed chains or belts but is capable of use as an initial feeding means in machines employing other than the said novel feed chains or belts. On the other hand, the initial feeding and'gluing mechanism used in connection with the highly important and improved feed chains or belts may vary materially from that herein disclosed and made, a part of this application. p

The above and other important features'will be hereinafter more fully disclosed and described in connection with the drawings hereunto appended and forming a part hereof.

A commercial form of the improved machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate likeparts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective looking chiefly at the machine toward the receiving end thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective lookingvat the machine chiefly toward the delivery end thereof; Fig. 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section, some parts being broken away, and in which the left hand or delivery portion of the machine has certain parts sectioned on the line x-m of Fig. 4, and the right hand or receiving portion of the machine, as shown in Fig. 3, has certain parts sectioned on the line y-y of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section, some parts being broken away, taken on the line ie-4 of Fig. 3;

transverse vertical section taken in section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3;.

Fig. 7 is a plan View, with parts broken away,

showing the receiving table and immediately con.-

nected portions of the machine, structures above the table being removed or omitted;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, with some parts sectioned, showing the receiving end of the feed table and the glue applying mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a plan view showing one of the chainconveying sprockets for the feed chains;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line L40 of .Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a plan view showing a portion of one of the feed chains or belts showing, for example,

portions lying just below the line marked I l--l l on Fig. 3;'and' i Fig. 12 is a section taken on the line l2-l2 of Fig, 11.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, all of the parts of the machine are mounted on a supporting base,

preferably in the form of, a cast metal box-like structure I5 the top of which supports a horizontal feed table shown as made up of a primary or main section l6 and extended leaves Isa. The main table l6, see particularly Figs. l and 'Z, is

formed with a channel in which cam-acting chain-contracting rails I! are seated. Here it may be stated that these rails or surfaces ll extend longitudinally of and through the major portion of the feed table and converge in a direction from front to the rear of the table only about onefourth of an inch in eight feet, more or less, the importance of. which will behereinafter noted.

The feed table illustrated is very wide and pro.- jects far beyond the main table section 16. To support mechanism above the channel or chain runway of the table section IS the upper portion of the base 5, at one side of the table, has a. heavy steel arm l8 that is cast integral with the base, or otherwise rigidly secured. thereto, and overlies and is spaced from the feed table, and at its end is formed with heavy integrally formed or rigidly secured sleeves l9, see particularly Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

In this improved machine link belts or feed chains of novel construction are provided. These link belts, both upper and lower, are of similar novel construction, each involving main. or primary links 26' and supplemental or secondary links 2|, see particularly Figs. 3", 11 and 12; The links and 2| are pivotally connected by long transverse hinge pins 22. These hinge pins 22' connect together the links 29, connect together the links 2 and permit lateral shifting movements of the links 2| in respect to the main links 29.. During their operative feeding runs through the machine, the feed chain links. 20 and 2| pass through con verging. chamiels formed b the converging sur faces of the rails When the feed chain links start. their operative feed runs through the machine. the secondary links 2| are spaced laterally from their respective cooperating primary links, but asthey progress through the machine the. secondary links are progressively forced to move laterally toward, their respective main links 29 and, as will hereinafter be made clear, it is this lateral movement of the. secondary links 2| with respect to the primary links 20 that is responsible for maintaining. parallel veneer strips intight edgegluing relation one to the other during theirmovements through the machine. The main links .20, see particularly Fig. 12, are provided with V- shaped notches or, depressions 23 that adapt them to run on properly constructed sprocket wheels, such. as shown in detail in Figs. 9 and 10, wherein the sprocket wheels 24 are shown as provided with V-shaped teeth 25 and with laterally spaced knifeedged or wedge-acting flanges 26. Here it may be further statedthat the teeth 25 are. arranged to run in the notches 23 of the main links 20, while the wedge-acting flanges 26 are adapted to project between the main links 2|] and shiftable or secondary links 2| to cause the hereinafter more fully noted spreading action of the feed belts or chains. The flange 26 is shown as notched at 21 to clear the hinge points of the links.

Supported above the feed table and extending longitudinally of the chain or belt-guidingchannel thereof, is a hanger frame or hood 28 that is rigidly secured to the lower ends of a pair of suspending posts 29, see Figs. 3 and 4, that extend vertically through and are vertically adjustable in the head forming sleeves IQ of the rigid arm l8. The upper portions of these posts 29 are externally threaded and extend upward through the top 7 plates 30 and internal flanges 3| of said sleeves. Working as a nut on the threaded ends of the posts 29 are post adjusting elements shown as in the form of worm gears 32. These worm gears are held against endwise or vertical movements by the heads 30 and flanges 3i. As shown, the posts 29 are hollow and extended therethrough are nut-equipped rods 33, the lower ends of which are shown as screwed into seats in the hood 28. The nut-acting Worm gears 32 are in mesh with worms 34 of a shaft 35, which latter is journaled in the head forming sleeves I 9 and, as best shown in Fig. 3, is provided at its extended end with an. operating wheel or handle 36. By manipulation of the shaft 35 the two nut-acting gears 32 may be simultaneously operated to raise both ends of the. hood or to simultaneously lower the same. Rigidly secured to the hanger frame hood 28' and located below the same is an upper chaincarrying frame, shown as made up of laterallyspaced lower plates 31, an upper plate 38, and longitudinally spaced, struts or members 39. Housing plates 31a are shown as applied to plates 31 and 38. All of said elements 28, 31, 38, and 31a are tied tog ther for common vertical adjustments.

In Fig. 3 only the lower feed chain or link belt made up of the above noted elements 20, an 2| is indicated as an entirety. by the character A, and the upper feed chain or link belt made up of the said elements is indicated as an entirety by the character B.

In Fig. 3 the veneer receiving end of the machine is at the right hand and at this end of the machine the chains A and B are arranged to run over sprockets 24 of the detailed structure illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. At the delivery end of this machine, which is at the left in respect to Fig. 3, the chains, A and B run over sprockets 24 such as noted, except that at this delivery end of the machine the, knife edged flangesv 26 may be omitted.

The lower right hand sprocket 24, see Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7, is journaled on a stud or spindle that is. fixed ina block 4|, rigidly secured to the bottom of. the feed table. l6. Preferably ball bearings 42 hold the said sprocket against lateral displacement on said stud. This lower right hand sprocket, as willpresently be noted, is driven by the lower chain, but serves to transmit motion to a glue-applying wheel presently to be described; andv hence, said sprocket is provided with an axially projecting shaft 4.3 that carries asprocket, wheel 44.

The upper right hand sprocket 24, see particularly Figs. 3 and 6, is journaled on a spindle 45, the ends of which are rigidly secured to the depending arms 46 of a bell crank lever 41, the upper arm of which is subject to an adjustable coiled spring 48 of a tension device which, as shown, includes a nut-equipped stud 49. The arm 41 of the bell crank lever works freely on the stud 49 and the depending arms thereof work freely through a clearance passage 50;, as best shown in Fig. 3. Bell crank-41 is pivotally connected to frame or hood 28 by hinge bolt 41a.

The two sprockets 24 at the left, as shown in Fig. 3, drive the opposing portions of the feed belts or chains A and B in a direction from right toward the left, and hence, keep the cooperating adjacent portions of the two chains under tension to produce the proper feeding action, and without buckling of the chains. Otherwise stated, the upper and lower left hand sprockets are rotated in reverse directions, to wit: in the direction of the arrows marked thereon on Fig. 3. It may be here also noted that the lower chain A is caused to run on the bottom of the groove in the feed table, between the converging rails or surfaces ll. At points over an extension of a quite long shaft 52. The upper left hand sprocket 24 is secured to and carried by a shaft 53, see Fig. 3, which, by a knuckle joint 54 or otherwise, is connected to a long shaft 55, see particularly Fig. 2. The extended end of the shafts 52 and 56 are shown as journaled in a bracket 56 secured to the base of the arm 18, ,as clearly shown in the said Fig. 2. The bracket 56 is shown as formed with a gear housing 51.

Shaft 56 is provided with a spur gear 68 that meshes with a similar gear 59 on shaft 52. Both gears 58 and 59 are shown as located withina housing 51, i

so far as the driving mechanism of theprestreated as 'a major power-transmitting element that receives power from any suitable source,

such, for example, as from an electric motor 6| mounted in the base [5 and connected to shaft 52 by a well-known or any suitable speed-reducing transmission mechanism.

Set into the bottom of the lower plate 31 of the rectangular chain carrier frame are gathering rails or surfaces ll'a that directly overlie the gathering rails IT and, like the latter, converge slightly from the receiving toward the Otherwise stated,'

delivery end of the machine. the rails Ila are parallel with the underlying rails l! in a direction from right toward the left in respect to Fig. 7. By reference particularly to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the shiftable supplemental links 2! of the upper feed chain or belt, at their outer edges, are subject to the adjacent faces of the rails Ila while the corresponding links of the lower chain are subject to the gathering action of the rails H.

The supplemental or vise-acting links or chain sections 2! are arranged to run under and to be pressed downward by pressure shoes 62. These shoes are spaced along the chain channel and are pivoted or otherwise secured to the lower ends of vertically movable pressure plungers 63, see particularly Figs. 4 and 6. These plungers work through seats in the upper plate 38 and in the inturned flangesof the lower plates 31. Working with threaded engagement on the plungers 63 are nuts 64 and slidable washers 65 J and between the nuts and washers are coiled tension springs 66. In Fig. 4 there is shown a cross bar 6! that is not in any way attached tothe adjacent plungers 63 and the function of which willhereinafter be noted. This statement is made at this time to avoid confusion.

Mounted in the struts are block-like portions of the upper chain carrier frame, one at each side of the chain runways, is a pair of parallel rockshafts 68, best shown in Figs. 3 and 4.2 These' rock-shafts are provided with short inwardly jentmachine is concerned, the shaft 52 maybe a projecting tappet arms 69 that bear one on each of the washers or slide collars 65 of the respective plungers 63.

Each rock-shaft 68 has an outwardly and upwardly projected major arm 16 that extends to points above the crown plate 28 and are there provided with pivotally connected nut blocks H. The nut blocks 1! of the arms 16 are engaged by the reversely threaded ends of a transverse screwrod or shaft 12 thatis journaled in a bearing 13,

the latter being rigidly secured on the vertically adjustable crown plate 28. Thescrew-threaded shaft -l2 is provided witha bevel gear T4 that "meshes with a bevel gear 15, see Figs. 3 and 4, ofa'shaft 'I 6,-which latter is journaled in suitable 69 may be oscillated to vary the tension of the springs 66, and hence, the pressure of the shoes 62 on the link sections 2|.

Located immediately below the upper run of the-lower chain is a longitudinally extended elec trical heating coil orelement 8| contained in a heatradiating casing 82 located in a depressed channel of the feed table l6, see particularly Fig. 4. This lower heating element is approximately the width of the main elements 26 of the lower chain andthe said chain runs in contact with the upper surface thereof.- By means of nutequipped studs 83 this heating element 8| may be adjusted and kept level.

Located between the inner flanges of the plates 31 and running in contact with the lower run of the upper chain, also see Fig. 4, is an upper electrical heating element 84 contained in a heat radiating casing 85. This upper heating element is attached to and supported by a plurality of the heretofore noted cross bars 61. Engagement of the ends of the cross bars 61 with the top flange of the plates 31 limits the downward movement of 'theupper heating element which supports the latter so that it will rise and fall slightly and always rest on the main links 20 of the lower run of the upper feed chain or belt.

Both the lower and the upper heating elements just described extend longitudinally of the machine nearly or quite the full extent of the parallel co-operating portions of the upper and lower chains; but in Fig. 3, the section there illustrated shows the said heating elements only in the right hand portionof said figure. 1

In Figs. 5 and 6 the thin veneer strips that are to be assembled and glued together-by this machine aremarked with the character Z. In

co-operation with the machine so far described,

I provide an improved form of glue applying mechanism best shown in Figs. 3, 5, '7 and 8. To

'86 indicates a glue applying wheel carried by a transverse shaft 81 journaled in bearings 88 secured on the bottom of the table extension I611.

This shaft 81, at one end, has a sprocket 89 over which and the heretofore noted sprocket M of shaft 43 runs a sprocket chain 96, see particularly Figs. 7 and 8. Wheel 86 has a very thin or narrowglue applying blade 9| that is in a vertical plane aligned with the medial longitudinal plane of the feed belts or chains and projects through an opening 92 formed in the table extension l6a. Secured on the feed table and extending to the receiving portions of the two feed chains is a very thin or narrow aligning flange or blade 93 that is aligned with the blade 9| of the wheel notch H6 formed in said block I09.

86 but is segregated or cut away to clearthe said wheel and its flange. Y

The flan e, or blade of wheel 86 is arranged to run in the liquid l le of a glue pot 94. This glue pot is shown as adjustably supported by a screw 55 mounted in a supporting post 96 secured to and depending from the feed table I5. Glue pot 94 is shown as provided with a coldwater compartment 91 for keeping the glue in fluid condition. The glue preferably used in this machine is of a character that sets very rapidly under the action of heat and should be kept in cool condition while being applied to the edges of the veneer strips, and should not set until the edges of the veneer strips have been pressed together and subjected to the heating elements 8| and 84.

As a primary feed device the glue wheel carrying shaft 8? is provided'with spaced and externally serrated feed wheels 98 that project upwardly slightly through openings in the table extension Ifia. The location of the glue pot is such that it has been necessary to provide the pot 94 with a dry chamber 9d within which the right hand feed wheel 98 may run.

Located over the feed wheels 98 are primary pressure rollers Iilll shown as journaled to vertically movable plungers IGI which latter are vertically adjustable in a front end extension of the hood forming member 28.

Loosely rested on the top of the front end extension of the hanger frameor hood 28, see particularly Fig. 5, is an angle plate I02 which has upturned ears I03 in which a crank shaft I34 is journaled. This crank shaft, at one end, has a handle I65 and on its end portionadjacent to the ears of plate I02 said crank shaft has rigidly secured thereto lift lugs I06, see also Fig. 3 wherein crank shaft handle I05 and its lift lugs I86 are turned into inoperative positions.

The plungers IIJI, at their upper ends are formed with threaded trunnions equipped with nuts IG'I. Plungers IIJI, at their intermediate portions, are provided with inwardly projecting arms I98. Overlying the inner ends of the arms I08 is a floating coupling block I09 which has depending trunnions I ID that Work through slots or slightly enlarged holes in the free ends of the arms me.

As best shown in Fig. 5 the numeral III is a tension screw that works with threaded engagement through the front end extension of frame 28 and Works freely through an opening in the plate I92. This screw presses downward on the tension spring H2 and presses the latter against a pressure bar I13 that rests on top of the arms I 08 of the plungers IIJI and through the latter presses the upper rollers it!) onto the veneer strips Z.

The numeral H4, see Figs. 3 and 5, indicates an adjusting screw that is swiveled in a flange of the front end extension of frame 28 and has threaded engagement with the coupling block I09. Numeral H5 in the views just noted is a stud or pin rigidly secured to the depending flange of frame 28 with its extended end working in a Stud H5 simply guides the block for forward and rearward sliding movements free for vertical movements but against rotary movements.

The downward tension that will be exerted on the rollers I 06 may, as above indicated, be varied by adjustments of the tension screw III. By adjustments or the screw H4 the plungers Ifll may be oscillated, and rollers I00 may be set on angles slightly converging forwardly or in the when the rollers are thus set, they will tend to force the veneer strips against the aligning flange 93, and, hence, properly align for the application of the glue thereto from the flange 9| of the glue wheel 36. Here it may be stated that the lower feed rollers as are set parallel or preferably provided with transversely grooved peripheries which while they have strong frictional feeding action will not greatly resist the slightly shifting actions produced by the converging upper rollers. I

Again referring to Figs. 1 and 3 it will be noted that overlying the glue pot and glue applying roller is an initial guide shoe II! that is slotted or bifurcated to clear the flange SI of the glue applying wheel. This shoe III, by means of overlapping lugs and a coupling bolt H3, is hung from the lower end of a rod or plunger I I!) that works slidabl through a sleeve 52% that is rigidly secured to and depends from the front end extension of hanger frame 28. The upper end of sleeve I20 is flanged and rigidly secured to the frame 28, as best shown in Fig. 3. The upper end of plunger H9 is reduced and threaded and provided with a nut I2I by the adjustment of which later plunger H9 and shoe I I! may be verticall adjusted. Said shoe H1 is shown as provided on its under side with obliquely depending thin spring blades I22 that directly engage the veneer strips and press downward thereon with a predetermined pressure that is variably controlled by vertical adjustment of the plunger H9 and shoe H'l.

In Fig. 3 at the left hand end or delivery end of the machine the numeral I23 indicates chain wipers which, however, constitute no essential part of the invention. In Fig. 2 the group of elements I24 may beassumed to be parts of transmission mechanism which, however, constitute no essential part of the present invention and need not, for th purpose of this case, be considered.

Summary of operation The operation of the machine above described in detail may be summarized as follows.

The veneer strips Z are placed on the receiving end Ilia of the feed table [5 with their adjacent edges pressed against the aligning flange 93, and are manually delivered to the initial feed rollers 98 and I00 and by the latter will be fed forward with the adjacent edges of the veneers pressed against the blade 9| of the glue-applying roller 86. When the upper rollers I 30 are set slightly converging in a forward direction, they will keep the edges of the veneer strips pressed against the blade 9| and against the aligning flange 93. When the'veneer strips pass the deliver end of the aligning flange 93, see particularly Fig. 7, the veneer strips, with the glue applied to the edges thereof, will be delivered to the upper and lower main feeding mechanism, to wit, between the upper and lower feed chains or belts A and B, and thereafter the feeding movement of the veneer strips will be controlled by said chains.

Under initial engagement of the feed chains or belts, the veneer strips will be clamped with a vise-like action between the supplemental link sections 2i of the upper and lower feed belts. As the links of the belts move through their respective slightly converging guide channels or runways, the supplemental links 2| will be gradually forced closer together, thereby forcing the interposed veneer strips together and, insuring good pressure contact between the glue applied edges of. the veneer strips during their passage.

through the machine.

During substantially the entire travel of I the veneer strips through the machine, theirglue mental links 21 of the upper chain will be downwardly pressed by the yielding shoes 62 so that the gripping action between lower and upper supplemental links 2| willbemaintained. The tension thus produced on the supplemental links 2| may be varied by the heretofore described action of the rock shaft 68 and the connections thereto. In practice the tension between the upper and lower supplemental sections of the two link belts or chains would advisably be such that proper pressure between the glued applied edges of the veneer strips will be maintained with little slippage of the supplemental links on the veneer strips gripped between the same.

,The lower feed belt or chain does not require any slack adjustor but the upper belt should be kept free from slackand this is accomplished through meansalready described, to wit,'thebell crank lever 46 and springconnection 4849.

I have now described the various feature of my invention as incorporated in a, commercial machine, but it will be understood thatvarious alterations and changes therein may be, made within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and sought to be claimed.

l The feed chains or link belts with supplemental link sections attached to the main links with freedom for lateral shifting movements are thought to be broadly new and especially as combined with means for gradually forcing the laterally spaced supplemental links closer and closer together progressively in the direction of the travel of the chains. It is highlyimportant and thebest known means for effecting this gradual chain contracting movement of the supplemental;

links is thought to be the gradually converging, chain guideways. It is also important that theselink belts or chains with their supplementallinks or sections should bepower driven at the same traveling speed. Chain guideways and chain sup: ports must be arranged to guide the cooperating portions of the upper and lower feed belts'along cooperating courses and in such relation that the;

left hand supplemental links of upper and lower chains will move in veneer-gripping action and the right hand. supplemental links of the upper and lower chains will move in cooperativeveneen;

gripping action.

As the link belts or chains pass around the right hand sprocket wheels 21, the wedge-acting blades 26 enter between the mainand supplemental link sections and spread the chains, so that the upper and lower supplemental link sections 2| are brought into initial engagement with the veneer strips and into clamping and gripping action thereon, while the chains are thus spread. However, these chains are, as already indicated, very slightly laterally spread and, hence, will freely enter the contracting guide channels. The contacting and overlapping portions of the link members 20 and 2| may be slightly bevelled, if

round desirable, to make more certain the ro er engagement of the blades to produce the above spreading action.

a In' lf'igs. 3 and 5, the lever so that the initial. feed rollers I00 will be yieldingly pressed down by spring I I2. However, when lever I05 is pressed down, lift lugs I06 will raise the feed. rollers. l 00 out of co-operative relationin respect tothe lower. initial feed rollers 98. 7

Attention is again called to the fact that the rock-shafts 68 are mounted on the upper frame structure and, hence, are vertically adjustable therewith; that by oscillation of said shaftsand their arms 69, the tension of the shoe-pressingv springs 66 may be varied; and that such adjust ments for tension of the said shoe-pressing:

springs is not changed by vertical adjustments-of the upper frame to adapt the machine for veneers.

of different. thickness.

As already described, the upper frame or hood 28 is made vertically adjustable by rotation of shaft 35, and when this frame 28 is raised or lowered, all the parts carried thereby, including the upper link belt or feed chain and the yieldingly pressed shoes 62, will be also vertically adjusted. Such adjustments adapt the machine to be set for proper operation upon veneer that varies connected mainlinks andsupplemental links, the ;lat-

ter being arranged one on each side of eachmain link and mounted for lateral sliding movements in respect thereto, in combination with means for laterally contracting said link belt by progressively forcing the supplemental sections closer and closer to the main links during the feeding movement thereof, and means for laterally spreading the supplemental links with respect to the main links during inoperative movements of the chains.

2. The structure the main links are pivotally .connectedby pins that project laterally therefrom at both: ends and on the projecting ends of which pins said sup-.

plemental link sections are pivotally and slidably mounted.

, s. A feed mechanism of the time described, in

eluding a feed belt made up of pivotally connected main links and supplemental links, the latter being arranged one on each side of each main link and mounted for lateral sliding movements in respect thereto, in combination with a gradually contracting guideway through which the composite link belt is moved during the feeding action, and means for ,laterally spreading the supplemental links with respect to the main links during. inoperative movements ofthechains.

4. A feed mechanism of the kind :described, in which there is an upper and a lower link belt such as defined in claim 1, said feed belts being arranged so that the main links of said belts are aligned for cooperation, the left hand supplemental link sections of said upper and lower belts are aligned for cooperation and the right hand supplemental link sections of said upper and lower belts are aligned for cooperation.

l 05 is shown as raised defined in claim in which table having a gradually contracted link belt guideway, and an overlying belt-supporting frame and also having a gradually contracted belt runway, of cooperating lower and upper link belts each made up of main links and laterally shiftable supplemental gripper-acting links, movable through the respective guideways of said feed table and supporting fraine, belt .driving' and guiding Wheels for said feed belts mounted respectively on said table and overlying frame;

power-driven connections to certain of said wheels for driving said belts through their respective guideways, means laterally shifting the supplemental links outwardly during their inoperative movements, said gradually contracted guideways serving to gradually shift thesupplemental links laterally inwardly with respect to their main links during their operative feeding movements.

6. In a machine of the kind described, a feed table having a gradually contracted link belt guideway, and an overlying belt-supporting frame and also having a'gradually contracted belt guide- Way, of cooperating lower and upper link belts each made up of main links and laterally shiftable supplemental gripper-acting links on opposite sides of the main links, movable through the respective guideways of said feed table and supporting frame, belt driving and guiding wheels for said feed belts mounted respectively on said table and overlying frame, power driven connections to certain of said wheels for driving said belts through their respective guideways, means for, vertically adjusting said upper frame and the parts carried thereby means laterally shifting the supplemental links outwardly during their inoperative movements, said gradually contracted guideways serving to gradually shift the supplemental links laterally inwardly with respect to their main links during their operative feeding movements.

7. A feedmechanism of the kind described, including a belt made up of pivotally connected main links and supplemental links, said supplemental links being attached to the main links for limited lateral movements, and power-driven sprockets over which said feed belt is mounted to run, certain of said sprockets having wedge-like flanges operative between the main and supplemental links of said feed belt to spread the same,

and means for laterally contracting the link belt by progressively forcing the supplemental links closer and closer to the main links during their feeding movements through the machine.

8. A feed mechanism of the kind described, including a belt made up of pivotally connected main links and supplemental links, said supplemental links being attached to the main links for limited lateral movements, and power-driven sprockets over which said feed belt is mounted to run, certain of said sprockets having wedgelike flanges operative between the main and supplemental links of said feed belt to spread the same, and a converging guideway through which the links of said belt are arranged. to move and by which latter said belt is progressively contracted transversely.

5. In a machine of thekind described, 'a feed' 9. A feed mechanism of the kind described in which there is an upper and a lower link belt such as defined in claim 1, said feed belts being arranged so that the main links of said belts are aligned for cooperation, the left hand supplemental link sections of said upper and lower belts are aligned for cooperation and the right hand supplemental link sections of said upper and lower belts are aligned for cooperation, and guiding and driving sprockets for said link belt having projecting wedge-shaped flanges operative between the main and supplemental links of said belt to spread the same and means for laterally contracting the link belt by progressively forcing the supplemental links closer and closer to the main links during their feeding movements through the machine.

10. The structure defined in claim 5 in which certain of said belt-guiding wheels are providedwith radially-proj ecting wedge-shaped flanges operative between the main and supplemental belt sections to laterally shift the latter in the manner stated.

11. In a machine of the kind described, a feed table provided with a converging belt guideway, an upper supporting frame overlying said table and provided with a converging belt guideway, a lower feed belt Working in the belt guideway of said table, means supported from said table for guiding and driving said lower feed belt, an upper feed belt working in the belt gui'deway of said upper frame, means on said. upper frame for driving and guiding said upper belt, and which belts are made up of main links and laterally movable supplemental sections, the latter of which in the movement through the respective converging guidewaysare moved closer and closer to said main link belt sections by lateral pressure exerted thereon by the converging guideways, and means for spreading the'supplemental links after they leave the converging guideways.

12. In a feed mechanism of the kind described, cooperating upper and lower endless link belts each comprising pivotally connected main links and supplemental links, the latter being arranged one on each side of each main link and mounted for lateral sliding movements in respect thereto, said upper and lower feed belts being so arranged that the main links and left hand supplemental links and right-hand supplemental links of the upper belt will be respectively cooperatively aligned with the main links and left-hand supplemental links and right-hand supplemental links of the lower belt, guideways for the opposing portions of the upper and lower belts, said guideways having sides that converge from the input toward the output end of the mechanism, whereby to force the supplemental link sections gradually and progressively closer to their res'pective main links during their operative feeding movements through the guideways, and means for spreading the supplemental links of the upper and lower belts during their inoperative movements.

OSCAR S. BOLLING.

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