US2642196A - Carton feeding machine - Google Patents

Description

June 16, 1953 R. VAHLE cmrou FEEDING cams 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 "Filed Oct. 1B. 1946 R. VAHLE CARTON FEEDING MACHINE June 16, 1953 4 She ets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18. 1946 R. VAHLE,

cmwou FEEDING uncrmm June 16, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 18, 1946 N "II-2.747 9"! nlnil l zzlil &

June 16, 1953 R. VAHLE 2,642,196

CARTON FEEDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 18, 1946 V 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 16 1953 Raymond Vahle, Tap

m'esne assignments, to Robert Gain Company,

Inc., New York, York N. Y., a corporation of- New Application October is, I946, Serial-'No;704;.247 9 Claims; ('01. 214-45) This invention relates particularly toacontinuously operating machine for successively erectingcellularcartons, for eggs and-the like, in which assembledblanks in flat folded condi- "tion' are fedfiatwiseone at a time from aninclined hopper thenadvanced endwise into an erecting unit to lie-operated upon, the erected "cartons'being then discharged in operative relation to a" reciprocating stacker having an asso- "ciated accumulator or magazine into which the cartonsare' advanced in internested relation.

iAn'important object of' this invention is to provide a' hopper feed for flattened folded blanks, an erectingunit operable-upon the blanks as fed from the hopper, and astacker for the set-up cartons, all operating in coordinated'r'elation to 'attain'a' high'rate of production. A further 0ba complete-carton erecting machine-in which folded carton blanks, together with assembled partitions enclosed therebetween, are deposited in-a hopper to be fecl in succession therefrom-to -an'erecting'.unit:and then, when fully set .up, stacked innested relation within a magazine.

- Inthe present machine, the folded carton blanks r. are delivered to the hopper in inverted position,

the blanks are fed, with side walls partially spread, to the erecting unit: where the sidewalls are further-spread to produce a rotation of the cross p'artitions to transverse engaging positions,

and-the 'carton thus set up-is then delivered" to the magazine to be nested with other cartonsalready erected.

LRef'erring n'ow moreparticularly to the drawingsa folded carton-.blank;"with cross partitions ije'ctiis' to make continuous and automatic" the *fee'ding, erection, and stacking of'the cartons oi thiskind, so'that, it' is"necessary only to place "thefiatf folded, assembled carton blanks, into a Shopper at one'end'in order-*tobeassured of a continuous supply ofere'cted cartons accumulat- "ing' in the magazine at the other'end of themachine.

"Other'obje'cts" of the inv'ention*-'will 'a-ppear from the" specification, claims,- and accompanying drawings wherein: Y "Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a-cartonerect- "ingm'achine "embodying the-"special improve-r ''.ments of" this invention; thisfigurei1lustrating "thebl'ank receiving hopper at one end (the left), and an accumulator at the other end (the right) Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofamasseniloled "'cartonblankffolded into fiat condition, adapted".

"to beere'cted into a. cellular structure by the presentmachine;

Fig. Bis a side elevation "of thehoppefflhit looking toward the dischargeend thereof; F'ig. 4 is a plan view'of thehopp'enun'it; "*FigfS'is' a sectional detail showing theca'rt'on blank spreader;

TFig." 6 is a plan view of 'theere'cting unit; Figi 'Iis'an end'vi'ew'of the'erecting' unit';looking toward the" discharge end thereof Figl 8' is a cross sectionalview offtheereeting "unit; taken online B- -8 of Figf 6; 1

Fig? 9 is a; plan'viewof the accumulator and its "'associ'atedptacker mechanism; and

Fig; -10-*is an elevational view thereof.

In-"erecting difie'rent types of cellular cartons, it is often necessary to feed them by' hand" to a setting+up machineg andthen rem'o've them by ::hand .and/or-toldischarge' them upomarmovable beltior= carrier. The present invention relates-to assembled in place, isshown in Fig.1 2. Cartons erected from suchassembled blanksare shown in-Fig. 10. H Each carton blankiis formed of re- :silient sheet materialpofpaper board or the like,

"- having a-cent'er told I 6-; two oppositereverse folds I I lflto provide two inner plies l2 between outer -plies* i3, the latter'fbeing formedwith iold lines plies of this "slots E so -that cross partitions IT may be inerected carton covers 5 therefor. The innerand outer blank' are' formed with registering ser-ted within the- 'slots-of theinner plies for -sho'wnin Fig. 2. 1h

7 hinging movement whereby they are foldable flatly on opposite sides thereof when the assembled cartonblank 'is folded orcollapsed, as each end 1 ofeach partition H is-a'notch 2i adapted toengagejthe outer end -of the corresponding-slot]60f the outer ply 13 "which then becomes-one of the side walls or the 'ereeted c'a'rton; the resilience of the I walls 'pe'rmitting it to: be. sprung -'the-"outer:-end 'of the-notches 2| to seat there- 440" with the covers and cover over projections 22 at with-in. The carton-is initially supported or held in its erected condition, as shown in Figplo,

flaps extended.

When' the ca-r'ton blank is center-folded as shownin Fig'; 2, the-ext'remities of theouter cross partitions i I extend slightly beyond the endsof the blank. "-These projecting ends *of the p'a'rtitions' provide means for supporting'the associated -:bl'anks in 'subst'antially vertical uprightparallel position' in a" "receivinghopper, as shown more particularly-in:Figs. 1,3, and 4. The erecting machina as shown, comprises the hopper for reoeivingtheseblanks-together with feeding mechi anism at thebo 'ttom of the hopper for delivering *the blanks in succession :past a sprea'der to the erecting unit also astacker 'at the -end :of the the peripheries thereof erecting unit which is remote from the hopper, together with a framework for receiving the cartons and nesting them in a guideway that extends outwardly and away from the machine. The complete machine may be mounted upon a suitable base or support for receiving the carton blanks at one end and accumulating the erected cartons in stacked nested relation at the other end.

The hopper comprises a pair of inclined spaced parallel bars each having at its lower end an upright mounting bracket 25 suitably secured to a supporting base 21. Each bar 25 is supported at its lower end upon a pivot 28 carried by the bracket, and remote therefrom the bracket is provided with a slot 29 through which a fastening screw 30 is extended from the bar 25. By the means just described, the two bars may be adjusted and secured in selected inclined positions within the range of the slots 29. At the lower end of each bar is a steeply beveled extremit 31 upon which the projecting end portions of the portion ll of the leading carton blank rest just before the carton is discharged. The steep inclination of the bevel permits the leading carton to move to a lowered position relative to the other cartons when supported in this position and its front ply then swings forwardly toward a spread position when the preceding carton moves out of contact therewith.

Adjustably attached to the inside of each hopper bar 25 is a strip 32 having a centering projection 33 which extends just beyond the lower end of the bevel 3| of the side bar to accurately position the leading carton blank for its discharge movement. Each strip 32 is adjustable longitudinally by means of slots 34 in the adjacent side bar 25 and fastening screws 35 extending from the strip through the slots.

Also mounted upon the same base 21 as the hopper is a feeder mechanism for the carton blanks. This comprises a pair of spaced feeder wheels 36 afiixed to a shaft 31 that is mounted in an upwardly extending frame 33. These wheels 36 are located at the lower end of the hopper so that the adjacent portions of their peripheries constitute a stop for the lowermost blanks in the hopper. The feeder wheels have projections 39 aligned for movement together and adapted to engage the leading carton blank so as to advance it downwardly upon the beveled extremities 3| and over the projections 33.

In order to prevent a carton blank from adher- 7 ing to the wheels 33, a stripper 40, preferably in the form of a bail, is pivoted to the frame 38 between the wheels to extend outwardly beyond so that, as the wheels 36 rotate, the upper ends of the carton blank do not tend to adhere to the feeding projections 39 or to rotate with the wheels, but are discharged downwardly from the hopper bars to rest on the top face of the base 21.

When it is desired to prevent the feeding of the carton blanks at the bottom of the hopper without stopping rotation of the feeding wheels 36, a stop 4| in the form of a bail which is pivoted at its ends to the frame 38 is swung downwardly into the path of the carton blanks to hold them away from the feeding wheels. This stop is moved upwardly out of the path of the carton blanks when the machine is in normal operation.

A pair of guides 42 and 43 are supported upon the base 21, below the inner or lower end of the hopper, between which each carton blank will fall as it is discharged onto the base. The guide 42 is a straight plate extending upwardly, whereas 4 the guide 43 has an inwardly inclined angular projection 44 with a foot 45 extending oppositely therefrom so that it may be supported on the base 2"! laterally at a distance from the position of the carton blank when it has been discharged from the hopper.

To move the discharged carton blanks endwise, I provide an endless chain 46 which is mounted upon sprocket wheels 41 and 48 to extend lengthwise parallel to the carton blanks but out of alignment therewith. Connected to the chain so as to project laterally in alignment with the carton blanks are spaced push bars 49. One portion of the chain between the sprockets extends above the top of the base 2'! through suitable openings therein so that the push bars 49 are disposed in the path of the lower edges of the carton blank when resting upon the supporting base; and as the chain is advanced upon the sprockets, the push bars engage the ends of thecarton blanks successively and feed them toward the carton erecting unit.

To operate the feeding unit, the shaft 3'1 is connected by means of a sprocket 50, a chain 5|, and a sprocket 52, to a shaft 53 mounted in the base 21. This shaft is connected by a gear 54 with another gear 55 mounted upon a main driving shaft 56. To operate the carton feeding chain 43, a bevel gear 51 secured to the shaft 53 meshes with a bevel gear 58 secured to a cross shaft 59 that is mounted in the base 21. Thus the operation of the feeding wheels and the feeding chain are in timed relation, each carton blank being positively advanced by the feeding chain as soon as it is discharged from the hopper upon the supporting base.

In advance of the guides 42 and 43, and between the hopper and the erecting unit is a spreader blade 63 shown most clearly in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. As the carton blanks are advanced endwise by the feeder chain, they engage inwardly rounded guides 60 and GI each separately adjustable toward and from the other by a slotted mounting plate 62. These registering guides are flared outwardly both upwardly and rearwardly, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, for directing a descending and forwardly moving carton blank into correct alignment with the spreader blade.

Upon passing through the guides 50, BI, the carton blank encounters the spreader blade 63 whose ointed extremity 64 is positioned to enter between the plies of the oncoming carton blank on opposite sides of its center, thus initially spreading apart these plies preliminary to being operated upon by the erecting unit. This blade is adjustably mounted at the entrance end of the erecting unit, as by means of a slot 65 and fastening screws 66.

The erecting unit is of the type which utilizes a supporting base I0 (Figs. 1 and 6) having a longitudinal center rib H spaced from opposite side guides I2 which bow outwardly from a point substantially at the forward end close to the rear of the spreader blade 63, to a distance of maximum separation near the center of the erecting unit, and then inwardly again toward each other at the discharge end. At the outer side of each guide 12 is an endless belt 13 rotatable upon end pulleys 14 and intermediate idler pulleys [5 arranged close to the guides so that the inner run of the belt will engage therewith. The idler pulleys may each be mounted upon a stud 1'6 (see Fig. 8) which is anchored in the base 10. I provide also a plurality of stub shafts 1'! each carried by a slide plate 18 movable in a transage agiec verse slot 19 upon the underside of the base so as to be-clamped any-adjusted positionby a bolt extending through a slot inthe sli'de 1; plate 18 and mounted in a threadedopening 'or socket in the base Til-and clampingthesl-ide plate 18 in its adjustment. A contact roller -81is mounted on each stub: shaft Tl whose position is adjustable in responseto movements of :the slide plate l8. .Adjacent oneend-of the'erecting unit are tension pulleys; 82 each mounted upon a plate 83 and adjustable on the base .by means Of a slot 84 and a fastening bolt 85. The conw tact rollers 81 are adapted to engage the inner faces of the carton blank sides as they are slid' along the guides by frictional pressure: applied from the inner runs of the belts 13.

. A top guide plate 88 extends over the front end portion of the guides Hand rearwardly toplate'88, which flares upwardly at ward the central portion thereof, being supported by bridges 89 and Bil at the front and central longitudinal portions of the machine, the bridges being supported by side posts 9l.' This guide the starting end where it is highest, inclines slightly downward to a point in advance of the longitudinal center of the erecting unit from whence it again inclines upward slightly to terminate shortly therebeyond, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 6. Commencing atthe sides of the central portion of the top guide plate and extending in- *wardly from the upper edges of the side guides 12 are fiat deflecting bars 92 inclined inwardly 1 at the rear somewhat less than the inclination of. the sideguides 12 and terminating substantially above the rear extremities of the side guides.

These bars are united, as by welding, to

- .the lower end of supporting bolts 93 depending from the bridge and from a rear bridge 94,

' the bolts 93 at each bridge being adjustable in slots 95 fleeting bars 92.

to vary the lateral positions of the de-' These deflecting bars do not come into operation until after the outer plies ofa carton blank have been open'ed'and separated by advance of the assembled blank along the guides 12.

- and inwardly of the side i Extending longitudinally of the erecting'unit guides 12 is a'bottom support 95 which extends gradually"upwar'dly toward the discharge end from" apoi'nt slightly 1 in advance of its longitudinal center. "This sup Q2 as clearly shown in Fig. '7.

the upper end of a 10; at the shaft 'lower end is a shaft 1-90. sprocket wheel [EH secured thereto J. motor drive unit I and connected by a chain H32 '-of:the base 10, preferably'upononeof apairiof standards supported.

is secured the gear 55 isoperated from the cross: 65 m spredertheibldll I05 upon which the entire machine 'The'main drive shafted to which fshaft I00 by'means ofa-spiralgear ['01 .on the shaft H10 and a spiral gear IGS'meshing the'rewith and secured to the drive shaft 56.

After a carton is once set up, it is discharged from the erecting unit into a stacker-unit. As

shown more clearly in Figs. 1, '9, and 10, the

with a sprocket wheel [03' "ora HM mounted" at theunderside are mount'edru cn a -ba'se: l l l by means' f wardly extending side brackets l I 2,-: :an 1 xthe ii flaring' ends of -the railsjextend inwardly of the supportingposts' 9l-for -therear bridge-M ter 5 guiding each set: up 'carton between themand depositing it- -upona"reoiprocating' plunger H3 which is guided in anup and-down -directionby :r rods l-H 'secured to the plunger and extending slidingly through the base I. The plunger is o actuated by means =of'-a' pitrn'an H5 connected therewi'th and-*with a -cr'a'nk I 6 freely rotatable J on the shaft '5 B near i-ts end," but adapted' to "-be fiunidirectionally driven thereby. For thispurpose E- mayemploya" pm I 'l 'l-whichis projected i pin being -positioned-to advance against one side infuthe serank H 6-to impart-rotation' 'thereto, -but to diseng'age I therefrom" whenever the crank; in

:r'esponse te-gravityi dsimpelled to accelerate-its go 'i'movement. I

:Exten'ding -'upwardly from the supporting brack- 'e'ts I l 2 and at the s id'es beyond the plunger I 1 3 ia a framework forming anaccumulator "or magazine which-may comprise metallic strips l i 9 which 11 provide-a" guideway for receiving and storing the 'erectedcartons. *As shown; this frameworkis curved laterallymil; in 1 practice it may extend through 180" or-so whereby its" remote- 'end will point downwardly to deliver' the'cartonstherefrom' r ight side 'uponto a-* table, 'conveyonbelt,

or other'surface. v

f The set up cartons aredeliveredfromtheerect- -ing unit with the bottoms up "and th'e covers depending divergingly therefrom. *The plunger in I raising each' ca rton partially compresses its fiar- Ting open covers which remain in "tension engageme'nt with the-framework at the bottom of the framework I provide-inclinedcatches toenie-prevent a downward reverse movement of-'-ca1'- tons stacked within the framework. *These "inolined catchesl Zitmay be constituted by inwardly inclined-upper edges of the" guide-rails H 9. The

:imounting' :of the crank 1! son the shaft 56 is such tli'at the :crank -is' -free, when rotated beyond'its .::.high :point", to" swing-downand "forwardly' ahead wot" t-he' shaft Whereby -tdpermit the' plunger 1H3 ito 'descend veryrapidly so as to assume an opera- :irtiver:p'osition' beneath the.next *oncoming carton 54) prior to its arrival at the base of the framework. I

- 5.3 feedertrwheels :86 to displace'th lowermost folded blankwhfle undergoing this movement theear- .lton blank 'wil1 be stripped from-"the feeder wheels by the stripperi bail l ll 'so tl'fat' it' will descend to a position-"between the guid'es'flZ and' 43 where its 60 endwise movementzis-initiated..:intithis point me ofthe 'push bar's' 49 on-:the advancing feeder' chain 46 will-engagethe carton blank 'to slide it endwise .through' .the guides tll and' tl -which; center'riit relative to the. spreader blade 63. iInits movement carton is' opened; up sufficientlyv .to straddle'fthe two guides-J2 of the erecting unit atthe, entrance thereto.

' the carton blank continues. its-advance through "theerecting"unit,the potential carton -7o-'-sides are "further spread by "thegu'ides' 72, to the point 'of "being"fri'eti'onally engaged by the belts -"l'3.-"The*outer'sides of the carton'blankarethen bent along the *preform'ed fold lines a and'in this i movement the innerfolded plies' lrof the blank 75 are opened out to-c'ause a swingingofthebross partitions l1 upon their slot hinges to .transverse positions in which they are aligned with the registering slots l6 of the outer plies. Continued movement of the carton blank upon the diverging guides 12 and beneath the top plate 88 will force the two folds ll of the carton blank downwardly so that the cross partitions I! are brought into engagement with the slots it ready to be forced therethrough.

At an intermediate point in the travel of each assembled carton blank through the erecting unit the deflecting bars 92 engage the outer plies [3 of the blank to partially depress them, thereby causing the projections 22 at the partition ends to force their way through and beyond the registering slots i6. Further movement of the partially erected carton upon the bottom support 96 and below the deflecting bars 92 will cause the notches 2i of the cross partitions to be interengaged with the ends of the slots [6 of the outer plies l3 of the blank which at this stage have the side walls of the carton now set up and ready to be discharged from the erecting unit in a self-sustaining condition, as shown in Fig. 10.

The cellular carton upon leaving the erecting 5 unit is guided by the guide rails I Hi to a position over the plunger N3 of the stacker mechanism. This plunger which is reciprocated in timed relation to the delivery of the completed inverted cartons falls back rapidly from its most advanced position to its operative position below the next oncoming carton. As the plunger is moved upwardly, it engages the top edges of the partitions inasmuch as each carton is delivered bottoms up with the outer walls and covers l3 and I4 divergingly distended downwardly. As the plunger pushes each carton upwardly into the accumulator, the distended covers and flaps l4 and ill will frictionally engage the framework strips H9 whereby to sustain each carton in place. The cartons so stacked in column formation within the accumulator will total up to only a light weight. While the force of gravity will probably be insufficient to pull any of the cartons back, still if this happens the catches I28 will prevent any such reverse movement beyond a safe point. When so stacked within the accumulator the cartons will be nested partially within each other, as indicated in Fig. 10, so as to occupy a minimum of. space.

The operation of the three main units of the present machine are accurately coordinated so that feeding of the assembled blanks, setting up of the cartons, and stacking of the erected cartons in the accumulator proceeds in timed relation.

This results from utilizing a main drive shaft from which motion is transmitted to the feeding, erecting, and stacking units. In this connection the feeder chain 46 is caused to advance a predetermined distance equal to the spacing between two push bars, say while the feeder wheels rotate through 360, a 1 to 1 ratio being provided for this purpose. The gear ratio in the transmission to the erecting unit is such as to slightly accelerate the speed of movement of the assembled blanks at this station, thereby producing an enhanced distance of separation between them. This extra spacing is relied upon for completion of the plunger movement cycle, so that the plunger may return to an underlying position relative to each oncoming carton. In practice, the speed of the feeding and stacking operations may be the same, but timed so that one is in proper sequence to the other.

Iclaim: 1.,In an erecting machine for folded carton blanks having parallel plies, a hopper comprising inclined parallel supporting bars from which the blanks are vertically suspended for sliding move- :gment'toward the lower ends of the bars, an endwise adjustable strip carried by each bar below its upper edge and formed with means for holding the leading blank in a fixed position at one end of the hopper, and means for downwardly displacing each blank in turn from its fixed position at the end of the hopper.

. 2. An erecting machine for carton blanks having a plurality of folded interconnected plies with registering slots and cross partitions hingedly connected thereto and lying flatwise and between certain of the plies and projecting from the ends thereof, comprising a hopper having spaced inclined gravity feeding guides receiving said projecting ends of the carton blanks and supporting the same and suspending the carton blanks in a vertical positions, strips shiitable along sides of said guides to adjusted positions and having end portions constituting stop projections normally extending beyond the guides and a pair of spaced feed wheels located beyond the hopper and provided with projections arranged to engage the upper edges of the end carton blank at spaced points for positively feeding the carton blanks successively from the hopper.

3. An erecting machine for carton blanks having a plurality of folded interconnected plies with registering slots and cross partitions hingedly connected thereto and lying flatwise and between certain of the plies and projecting from the ends thereof, comprising a hopper having spaced inclined gravity feeding guides receiving said projecting ends of the carton blanks and supporting the same and suspending the carton blanks in a vertical position, continuously operating rotary feeding means located beyond the hopper and provided with radially projecting means arranged to engage the upper edge of the leading carton blank for applying downward pressure thereto and positively feeding the same from said hopper, and an arm adjustably movable toward and from the hopper for stripping a blank from the feeding means.

a. An erecting machine for carton blanks having a plurality of folded interconnected plies with registering slots and cross partitions hingedly connected thereto and lying flatwise and between certain of the plies and projecting from the ends thereof, comprising a hopper having spaced inclined gravity feeding guides engaging under said projecting ends of the carton blanks and supporting the same and suspending the carton blanks in a vertical position, strips slidable along side faces of said guides to adjusted positions and having ends projecting beyond the guides and formed with stop projections, continuously operating rotary feeding means located beyond the hopper and provided with projecting means arranged to engage the leading carton blank for positively feeding the same from said hopper, and means movable into and out of a position ahead of the leading blank in the hopper to engage the front face thereof and arrest the feed of the blanks to prevent engagement thereof by the rotary feeding means.

5. An erecting machine for carton blanks having a plurality of folded interconnected plies with registering slots and cross partitions hingedly connected thereto and lying flatwise and between certain of the plies and projecting from the ends thereof, comprising a hopper having spaced inclined gravity feeding guides receiving said projecting ends of the carton blanks and supporting the same and suspending the carton blanks in a vertical position, an extension member car ried by each of said spaced inclined guides and formed with stop projections normally extending beyond the guides, each guide being provided at its lower end with a steeply inclined upper surface arranged to effect downward movement of the leading carton blank from the rest of the blanks within the hopper, rotatable means located beyond the hopper and engaged by the leading blank when the same is resting on the steeply inclined surface for halting its movement at that point, and a projection on the rotatable means to engage the upper edge of said leading blank and exert downward pressure thereon for dislodging the same from the steeply inclined surface.

6. In an erecting machine for folded carton blanks having parallel plies, a hopper comprising inclined parallel supporting bars from which the blanks are vertically suspended for sliding movement toward the lower ends of the bars, adjustable holding apparatus at the lower ends of the bars engaging the lower edge portions of the blanks and including means for retaining the lowermost blank in a fixed position at one end of thehopper, and means for downwardly displacing each blank in turn from its fixed position at the end of the hopper.

7. Sheet feeding apparatus for feeding each of a plurality of sheets in timed relationship, comprising: a hopper including side guides for supporting a plurality of sheets in substantially vertical position and having inclined sheet supporting surfaces down which said sheets are caused to move, said surfaces including more steeply inclined portions adjacent to the lower ends thereof; retarding apparatus normally retaining the lowermost sheet below the remaining sheets and on said steeply inclined portions; and intermittently operable removing apparatus engaging said lowermost sheet and forcing said sheet downwardly across and beyond said inclined portions thereby permitting the next sheet to move into said steeply inclined portions and into position to be engaged by the removing apparatus.

8. The feeding apparatus of claim7 wherein the rearding apparatus includes a stop member spaced from said steeply inclined surfaces and against which said lowermost sheet is adapted to bear, and the removing apparatus includes a generally downwardly moving member engaging the top of said lowermost sheet and forcing said sheet downwardly over said steeply inclined portions and between said portions and the stop member.

9. Sheet feeding apparatus for feeding each of a plurality of sheets in timed relationship, comprising: a hopper including side guides for supporting a plurality of sheets in substantially vertical position and having inclined sheet supporting surfaces down which said sheets are caused to move by gravity, said surfaces including more steeply inclined portions adjacent to the lower ends thereof; a catch member adjacent to said steeply inclined portions for retaining the lowermost sheet on said portions; rotatable apparatus spaced from said steeply inclined portions and against which said lowermost sheet bears when in engagement with said catch member; and a projection on said rotatable apparatus striking the top of said lowermost sheet on rotation of the rotatable apparatus and forcing said sheet out of engagement with the catch member and downwardly across and beyond said inclined portions thereby permitting the next sheet to move into said steeply inclined portions and into position to be engaged by the rotatable apparatus.

RAYMOND VAHLE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Roberts Nov. 12, 1901 Sheldon May 6, 1902 Knapp May 21, 1907 Kerr Mar. 19, 1912 Burnham Jan. 8, 1918 Pedrick Jan. 28, 1919 Cameron Apr. 20, 1920 Anderson Feb. 15, 1921 Gunderson June 19, 1923 Chvojka July 27, 1926 Holman Oct. 18, 1927 Huckins Sept. 16, 1930 Steinman June 5, 1934 Burger Oct. 13, 1936 Ford Dec. 22, 1936 Brown et al Feb. 23, 1937 Beardsley Nov. 30, 1937 Bashore Mar. 12, 1940 Joa Sept. 2, 1941 Hohl Aug. 3, 1943 Benning Mar. 7, 1944 Hall June 20, 1 944 Albertoli May 13, 1947 Number

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