US2699939A - Registering mechanism for sheet-fed printing presses - Google Patents

Description

4 Sheets-sheet 1 I IN V EN TOR.

W. F. HUCK Jan. 18,v 1955 REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR SHEET-FED PRINTING PRESSES Filed Aug. 16, 1950 A WfL'LmM F. HucK I 2 @www @eA/fk5 Jan. 18, 1955 W. F. HUCK REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR SHEET-FED PRINTING PRESSES Filed Aug. 16, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mh. Nw

. INVENTOR. Wl LLIAM E HULK Jan. 18, 1955 w, F- HUCK 2,699,939

REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR SHEET-FED PRINTING PRESSES INVENTOR. WILLIAM F. HUCK y BY ,/45 /ffz paw D Jan. 1s, 1955 W. F. HUCK REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR SHEET-FED PRINTING PRESSES Filed Aug. 16, 1950 4 sheets-sheet 4` INVENTOR. W-ILLIAM F. HUCK Qua/4411 EVS United States Patent REGrsrnnrNn MEcnANisM non SHEET-FED rnnsrnsr; rnnssns William F. llfiuclr, Forest Hills, N. Y., assignor to Huck Company, New York, N.*Y.,ra copartnersl1ip Application Angust 1s, 195s, sarai No. 179,781 1r anims. (Ci. 271-43)l This invention relates to sheet feeding and registering mechanisms for sheet fed rotary printing presses or analogous apparatus to which sheets must be fed successively at very highspeedS. The invention may be applied 'advantageously for the feeding of limp sheet material, such as paper, that cannot be propelled satisfactorily by pushing its trailing edge, and also for feeding stiffer sheets of cardboard, metal or the like.

The general purpose of this invention is to provide improved sheet feeding and registering mechanisms by which sheets can be fed successively to a rotating printing press cylinder or the like at unusually high speeds and still can be assured of registering accurately with register points on the cylinder, all without buckling or wrinkllng the sheets or indenting their edges.

According to this invention each sheet is brought into register while it is being advanced to the press and accelerated to cylinder surface speed; whereas, in known sheet registering mechanisms for paper fed presses and the like, a slowing down or even a stoppage of sheet motion is generally required in order to establish a register position, after which the 'registered sheet must be accelerated to approach cylinder surface speed before it can be Vgripped to a spinning press cylinder. An exception to this exists in practice only in very large presses which make use of a special register cylinder operated at full press speed.

A specific object of this invention is to provide a sheet feeding and registering mechanism wherein sheets are accelerated and advanced successively to a gripping or take-up zone at the periphery of a rotating cylinder by slidable frictional engagement with a sheet supporting conveyor which contacts a face of each sheet and brings the sheet up to a desired speed and a desired register position as it approaches the take-up Zone.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of the character described, wherein both the leading edge and a side edge of each advancing sheet are brought simultaneously into accurate registering positions as the sheet is moved at high speed to a take-up zone, the side edge registration being effected by an even lateral pressure on a side edge of the sheet while the sheet is being advanced by slipping facial contact with a conveyor of tapes or the like moving it into the take-up zone.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet feeding and registering mechanism wherein sheets are advanced successively to a take-up or gripping device on 'a rotating cylinder by frictional contact with a conveyor which moves the sheets through a convex path tangential to the surface of the cylinder, the resulting convexity of an` advancing sheet serving to stitfen it and increase its resistance to buckling, wrinkling or side edge indentation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet feeding and registering mechanism wherein sheets are fed successively to a take-up device on a rotating cylinder by facial contact with a conveyor moved at a linear speed greater than the surface speed of the cylinder, and wherein the leading edge of each advancing sheet is brought to a register position by advancing it into contact with register members which are moved into the take-up zone at a speed less than the conveyor speed.

Another object is to provide a rotary printing press equipped with a sheet feeding and registering mechanism of the nature described, from which any sheet being advanced by the mechanism in mistimed or unregisterable relation to the press cylinder rotation will be automatically 2, ejected without passing between the press cylinders or interfering with continued high speed press operation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a sheet feeding and registering mechanism which will accelerate. sheets to cylinder surface speedA while propel-ling them successively to` a gripping o rV taker-up device on a press cylinder and at the same time will bring the leading and side edges of each sheet into register positions, all by the action` of conveyor tapes running in sliding contact with the, sheet. According tok embodiments ofthis nature, some of the propelling tapes can be arranged advantageously in paths, slanted from the general direction of sheet travel so as to move the sheet laterally to and then along a register guidek contacting its side edge, while at least one of the tapes near the oppositev side of the sheet is arranged in a path slanted toward that side so that the divergent tapes willkeep the sheet smooth and prevent buckling thereof;

It isl also an object of this invention tol provide a sheet feeding and, registeringv mechanism of generally improved construction and arrangement, and one which is durable and economicalv in' construction as well as practical, serviceable and etlcient in its use.

The foregoing. and other objects, features and advantages of thisl invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings of illustrative embodiments, while the distinctive novelty of the invention will: be dened in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts:

Figure l is a top plan view of one embodiment of the irilvention as applied to a sheet fed rotary printing mac me;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through the apparatus, taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section, taken on line 3*-3 of Figures l and 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the sheet conveyor, taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of another embodiment of the invention, in which side edge registration and control of each advancing sheet are `effected in a special manner;

Figure 6V is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, taken on line 6-6 ofl Figure 5, showing a sheet fedy rotary printing machine equ'pped with the feeding and registering mechanism of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of a portion of a detecting mechanism according to the present invention; and

Figure 8 is a side elevational View, partly broken laway and in section, of an embodiment of this' invention including a sheet detecting and rejecting mechanism.

The drawings illustrate sheet fed rotary printing presses which comprise in known working relation a printing cylinder 10, an impression cylinder 20 and a transfer cylinder 30. These cylinders are disposed between side frame members 11 and 12, with stub shafts on their ends journalled in bearings "carried by the frame members. Cylinder 10 carries laprinting plate or form 18 in known manner and forms a printing Vcouple in zone D (Fig. 3) with the adjacent impression cylinder 20, while the transfer cylinder 30 runs in contact with the impression cylinder at a location away from the printing couple.

The transfer` cylinder serves to carry sheets successively from a take-up zone B (Fig. 3), where each sheet is registered and gripped to its surface, to the line of its contact with the impression cylinder in a transfer zone C (Fig. 3). At that line, the leading edge of the sheet is released by transfer cylinder grippers 32 and simultaneously engaged by impression cylinder grippers 22, so that the sheet is thereafter carried on the impression cylinder and through the printing couple in known manner.

To accommodate their respective grippers, the impression and transfer cylinders. are formed with longitudinal grooves 23 and 33, respectively, which house rock shafts 2.4 and 34, respectively, journalled in the ends of the cylinders. Rock shaft 2.4 carries the impression cylinder grippers 22, and rock shaft 3,4 carries the transfer cylinder grippers 32. At one end these rock shafts extend beyond the cylinder ends and carry radial arms and 35, respectively, which have cam followers or rollers 26 and 36, respectively, fixed to their outer ends. Stationary cams 27 and 37, respectively, are fixed to frame member 11 and guide the cam followers of the respective arms. rock shafts and grippers as the cylinders 20 and 30 rotate.

Thus the impression cylinder grippers 22 are rocked from an open position as shown in full lines in Fig 3 to a closed position Where their ends 22a bear against an abutment 28 along the trailing edge of groove 23, so as to grip the leading edge of a sheet to the impression cylinder. Similarly, the transfer cylinder grippers 32 are rocked from an open position indicated by broken lines at zone A in Fig. 3 to a closed position indicated in full lines at the sheet take-up zone B. In closed position the free ends 32a of grippers 32 bear on the surface of an abutment 38 extending along the trailing side of groove 33, and they project over the abutment surface beyond the plane of the trailing faces 40a of register stops 40 which project radially from the periphery of the transfer cylinder from suitable mountings within groove 33.

The projecting stops 40 and abutment 38 provide register points at the surface of the transfer cylinder, to which the leading edge of a sheet advancing to this cvlinder in the take-up zone B is first to be registered both frontwise and sidewise and then to be held by closing movement of the grippers 32. Having been thus registered and gripped-to the transfer cylinder surface, the sheet is carried onward by it to zone B and there transferred to the impression cylinder for continued movement on the latter through the printing zone D. For reasons given more fully in a copending application, Serial No. 133,192, tiled December 15, 1949, the faces 40a of register members 40 are preferably curved as an involute of a circular section of the transfer cylinder surface so that the leading edge of a sheet contacting them as the cylinder rotates may move with them in continued register at the same speed as the cylinder surface speed.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the stub shafts of cylinders 1 0, 20 and 30 which are journalled in frame member 11 extend through that member and carry meshing spur gears 19, 29 and 39, respectively, by which the rotation of the several cylinders is synchronized so that the longitudinal peripheral grooves or recesses 33 and 23 of cylinders 30 and 20 lie opposite to each other in transfer zone C, and so that groove 23 similarly lies opposite to the longitudinal peripheral groove or recess 13 of printing cylinder 10 in the printing zone D. The printing cylinder groove 13 accommodates attachments for holding tlhoe printing plate or form 18 to the surface of cylin- The feeding and registering of sheets to the transfer cylinder 30 are effected by means of mechanism indicated generally at 50, which extends from a suitable sheet feeder (not shown) through a path leading tangentially to the surface of cylinder 30 in the take-up Zone B. This mechanism includes a travelling frictional sheet conveyor or support, which in this embodiment comprises a plurality of laterally spaced parallel endless tapes 52a, 52h, 52C and 52d guided in the desired path of the sheet by' laterally spaced, fixed, parallel feed table elements 54a, 54b and 54C. The mechanism also includes leading edge register members 56a and 5611 which are arranged in a line across the sheet path and advanced in said path ahead of a sheet therein by supporting endless chains 57a and 57h, respectively, as well as registering means indicated generally at 80 which extends along a side of said path so as to engage and position a side edge of a sheet advancing therein.

The feed table elements 54a, 54b and 54e` are longitudinally arcuate with the top surfaces thereof preferably being convex so that the top runs of the continuous tapes 52a, 521), 52e and 52d travelling over these top surfaces follow a curved, preferably convex, path. The feed table elements are positioned so that the top runs of the endless tapes extend tangentially to the surface of transfer cylinder 30 in take-up zone B, and the table elements are supported in that position by support members 58 secured to their under sides and having depending ears carried by lateral members 59 and 6l) which are mounted at their opposite ends on the frame members 11 and 12. The tapes 52a, 52b, 52e and 52d are made to follow closed paths by pulleys 61 and 62, tangential to titl the forward and rearward marginal portions, respectively, of the feed table elements, and over which the tapes are trained. Pulleys 61 and 62 are fixed on lateral, rotatable shafts 63 and 64, respectively, having their opposite ends journalled in bearings carried by the frame members 11 and 12, and respectively disposed below the forward and rearward ends of the feed table elements. Thus the tapes travel from the pulleys 61 over the top surface of feed table elements 54a, 54h and 54C, past the take-up zone B, in which zone they are substantially tangential to the transfer cylinder surface, and then over pulleys 62 for a return or lower run back to pulleys 61. In order to maintain the tension of the tapes, a tensioning pulley or roller 65 bears downwardly on the lower run of each tape and is mounted rotatably at the free end of an arm 66, of suitable weight, which is pivoted on a shaft 67 carried at its opposite ends by the frame members and extending between the upper and lower runs of the tapes.

The endless chains 57a and 57b, supporting the leading edge register members, are vertically registered with the longitudinal spaces between the side edges of the central feed table element 54b and the inside edges of the side table elements 54a and 54C, respectively. Each of the chains is trained over sprockets 68 and 69 fixed on shafts 63 and 64, respectively, and, as seen in Fig. 3, the pitch diameters of sprockets 68 and 69 are substantially smaller than the diameters of pulleys 61 and 62. Thus the linear speed of the endless chains is less than the linear speed of the tapes and the upper runs of the chains are disposed below the upper sheet supporting surfaces of the feed table elements. The upper runs of the chains 57a and 57b are guided to travel along paths parallel to the sheet supporting surfaces of the feed table, and hence parallel to the path of a sheet advancing on the latter, by chain guide members 70 having suitably curved top edges over which the upper runs engage, and formed with depending ears mounted on the lateral members 59 and 60. Chains 57a and 57b are tensioned by rollers 71, bearing downwardly on their lower mns, and rotatably mounted on the free ends of suitably weighted arms 72 which are pivoted on shaft 67.

The register members 56a and 56b' each replace a link of the chains 57a and 57h, respectively, and have portions extending outwardly to project upwardly, when on the upper run, through the spaces between the feed table elements ahead and in the path of a sheet advancing on the latter.

The sheets successively advanced over the feed table elements, by frictional engagement with the tapes, and into leading edge engagement with the register members, are made to lie smooth and follow the contour of the feed table elements by longitudinally extending top guides 73 positioned above the feed table and formed with suitably arcuate lower edges engageable with lthe top surface of a sheet on the feed table. The guides 73 are supported from cross-members 74 and 75 carried by the frame members 11 and 12.

In order to provide for the movement of tapes 52a, 52h, 52C and 52d and register members 56a and 56b in timed relation to the rotation of the printing, impression and transfer cylinders, a spur gear 76 is fixed on an end o-f shaft 63 extending through frame member 11, and driving means (not shown) mesh with gear 76 to rotate shaft 63 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, and are further synchronized with the driving means (not shown) for rotating the cylinders 10, 20 and 30 so that the register members 56a and 56E are facially aligned with the register elements 32 carried by transfer cylinder 30 in the take-up zone B. The respective driving means for the cylinders and for the feeding and registering mechanism 50 effect a single rota-tion of the cylinders for each complete passage of the register members and tape through their respective closed paths of travel, and shafts 63 and 64 are preferably spaced apart a distance sufficient to make the lengths of chains 57a and 57b greater than the circumferences of the cylinders 10, 20 and 30 so that the chains, and hence the register members, in completing one cycle during a single rotation of the cylinders, will move at a linear speed greater than the surface speed of the cylinders.

The registering means 80 in this embodiment for engaging and positioning a side edge of a sheet advancing to the take-up zone B over the feed table elements preferably includes a side register member S1 moving with register members 57a and 57h and carried by an endless chain 82 running in a vertical plane at the outside ledge of side feed table elements 54a (Fig. 4). Ch-ain l82 is .trained over sprockets 83 and 84 xed to shafts v63 and 64, respectively, and moves at a speed the same as that of chains 57a and 57b. Side register mem-ber 81 is pivoted for rocking about a longitudinal axis so as to be movable laterally at the side of the path of travel of a sheet on the feed table while moving toward the take-up zone B.

The side register member 81 is gradually moved laterally toward the side feed table element 54a yduring its movement to the take-up zone by a cam plate 85, positioned above the top run of chain 82, and formed with an inside edge slanted toward the side of the sheet path and engaging the pivoted register member 81. A suitable spring 86 connects to side register member 81 and to the supporting link of chain 82 for maintaining the side register member in Contact with the slanted edge of cam plate 85.

To complete the structure of side registering means 80, a chain guide member 87, similar to guide members 70, supports the upper run of chain 82, and guide member 87 and supporting brackets 88 carrying cam plate 85 are mounted on the cross-members 59 and 60.

To prevent buckling or indentation of -the side edge of the sheet against which the register member 81 acts, and to stiffen the marginal portion of the sheet -adjacent that edge, a cantilever spring member 90 is mounted on crossmember 75 and extends towards the take-up zone B to bear resiliently on the surface of that marginal portion of the sheet.

A feed table 91, being part of a suitable sheet feeder, otherwise not shown, extends under the receiving ends of the top guide members 73 with clearance being provided therebetween to accommodate the thickness of a sheet.

The operation of that portion of the device illustrated in Figures 1-4, and described above, is as follows:

A sheet S is moved forwardly over the feed table 91, and under the ends of the top guide members 73, until the leading edge of the sheet is frictionally engaged by the tapes 52a, 52b, 51C and 52d. The top guide members 73 act upon the top surface of the sheet S and keep the latter in frictional contact with the tapes. Since the tapes are moving forwardly at a linear velocity greater than that of the leading edge register members 56a and 56b, the leading edge of the sheet will be moved into contact with the register members. After such contact is effected, there will be continuous relative motion, or slipping, be-

tween the tapes and the sheet S, as the latter moves towards the take-up zone B and is restrained in such movement by the leading edge register members 56a and 56b.

During the progressive movement of the sheet S towards the take-up zone, the side register member 81 moves forwardly in contact with the slanted edge of cam 85 and the latter moves t-he register member 81 laterally against the adjacent side edge of the sheet S to effect the lateral registration of the sheet during the `forward movement thereof. The cantilever spring 90 resiliently engages the top surface of the sheet S adjacent the side edge contacted by the side register member 81 for stiffening the edge and preventing the buckling thereof under the inuence of the forces exerted on the edge by the side register member. Furthermore, by reason of the slipping of the tapes relative to the sheet, after the latter has engaged the register members 56a and 56h, the coefficient of friction between the sheet and the tapes is decreased thus diminishing the resistance to the lateral movement of the sheet by the side register member 81.

When the leading edge of the sheet S is at some intermediate point along the length of the feed table elements, the grippers 32 and the register elements 40 of the transfer cylinder 30 are disposed in the position shown in broken lines in Figure 3, and identified by the character (A). The grippers in this position are open or spaced outwardly from the point on the transfer cylinder surface at which the sheet is to be gripped to the cylinder. When the cylinder 3? 4arrives at the position, shown in full lines at B in Figure 3 and referred to as the take-up zone, the leading edge register members 56a and 56h and the leading edge register elements 40 come into facial alignment, with the leading edge of sheet S contacting the trailing faces 46a of elements 40. Since the register members 56a and 56h have a linear speed greater vthan that of the register elements 40, members 56a and 56b soon move away from the leading edge ot' the sheet. However, the sheet still is frictionally engaged by the faster movin-g tapes, which keep the leading edge in rm contact with the register elements 40. Meanwhile, the moving side register member 81 also will have progressed valong the forward portion of the slanted edge of cam 85 so as to effect accurate lateral registration of the side edges of the sheet by the time its leading edge registers against elements 40.

When the sheet S has thus been brought into the desired registered position, the grippers 32 are rocked to closed position by the coaction of cam 37 and cam follower 36 carried by arm 35 vfixed to gripper shaft 34. The Vleading edge of the sheet then is clamped firmly by grippers 32 to lthe surface of the transfer cylinder. Further rotation of transfer cylinder 30, with sheet S secured to the surface thereof, carries the leading edge of the sheet to the position indicated at C, ywhich has been referred to as the transfer zone. It will be noted that zone C is disposed upon a line extending through the axes of transfer cylinder 30 and impression cylinder 20. That is, the leading edge of sheet S, when in the transfer zone C is disposed tangentially to, and in contact with, impression cylinder 2t). During the rotation of cylinder 30 from take-up zone B to transfer zone C, the impression cylinder, and more particularly the grippers 22 thereof, move from the position shown in full lines to the position illustrated in Vbroken lines on Figure 3. The grippers 22 during this movement are disposed in open position, but at zone C the cam 27 rocks the grippers 22 to closed position upon the leading edge of sheet S, and simultaneously cam 37 opens grippers 32 of the transfer cylinder to release the sheet from the latter. Since cylinders 30,20 and 10 rotate together by reason of meshing gears 39, 29 and 19 fixed thereto, the registration of sheet S, established at the take-up zone B is maintained during and after the transfer of the sheet to the transfer cylinder. Continued rotation of irnpression fcylinder 20 carries the leading edge of sheet S between impression cylinder 20 and the leading edge of -plate 18, secured .to printing cylinder 10, for the printing operation, during which the meeting surfaces of printing member 18 and Acylinder 2 0 `hold the `sheet in proper position.

A s the `grippers 22 rotate beyond the printing zone be- - tween cylinders 10 and 20 they are moved to open or release position, thus clearing the leading edge of the sheet so that, when printed, -the sheet will pass freely out of the printing zone to a .suitable receiver.

The operation of the device as described above assumed that the sheets delivered to the receiving end of the feeding and `registering mechanism 50 were properly timed so that the excessive speed of the tapes would effect the advancement of each sheet into leading edge contact against the slower moving leading edge register members ata point substantially ahead of the take-up zone. However, for various reasons the delivery ofthe sheet to the mechanism 50 may be fmistimed or delayed, so that the `sheet is advanced to the take-up zone without lbeing properly registered. It is 4important that such an unregisterable sheet be rejected and not passed through the press cylinders.

Accordingly, further mechanism has been provided for this purpose, as illustrated in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 of the drawings, to reject .unregisterable sheets, that is, sheets delivered .to the feeding and registering mechanism 50 in such relation to the register members 56a and 56b thatthe sheets cannot be registered by the latter rbefore reaching the take-up :zone B. This further mechanism operates to prevent the closing of grippers 32 in the take-up zone in response to the presence of an unregisterable sheet on the feed table elements and includes a radialY cam (Figs. l and 8), having a prole similar to that of cam 37, and mounted rotatably about the stub shaft of cylin der 30 journalled in frame member 12. A cam follower 101 mounted on a radial arm fixed to rock shaft 34 engages cam 100 so that the grippers 32 are maintained in open position -du-ring the period when follower 36 and follower 161, or either of them, engage the raised portions of their respective cams. During the normal operation of the feeding and registering mechanism, that is when a registerable sheet is present on the feed table elements, the movable cam 100 is positioned in alignment with cam 37 when the leading edge of the sheet reaches the take-up zone Bso that the grippers are closed upon the .registered sheet in zone B to hold such sheet to the .surface of transfer cylinder 30, as described above. However., when an unressterablie sheet. is ,present Yen the y receptacle (not shown).

feed table elements, cam 100 is displaced clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 8, to the broken line position so that cam follower continues to engage the raised portion of cam 100 until the grippers 32 have been moved beyond the take-up zone. Thus, the unregisterable sheet is not gripped to the surface of cylinder and is instead defiected downwardly, as by the guide plates 102 and 103 at the discharge ends of the tapes, to pass into a suitable feature of preferred embodiments of this invention, the closing movement of the grippers 32 in the take-up zone B (Fig. 3) is brought about in two steps, the first of which confines the leading edge of a sheet when the sheet reaches register stops against buckling or deforming away from the adjacent surface of the cylinder 30 but still leaves the sheet edge free for a suitable interval to undergo further registering movement in firm contact with the register stops. The second closing step then clamps the registered leading edge tightly to the axis of the cylinder at abutment 38. For this purpose, as indicated in Figure 8, the cam or cams controlling grippers 32 not only have a high surface as appears at to hold the grippers fully open as they enter the take-up zone B, but they also may be formed with an intermediate surface 100g against which follower 101 is held for a suitable interval just before the grippers reach the desired final closing position by movement of the cam follower to the low surface of the cam.

To provide for the displacement of carn 100, as set forth above, a sleeve 104 is formed integral therewith and extends through frame member 12 concentric with the stub shaft of cylinder 30. A radial arm 105 is secured on the outer end of sleeve 104 and connects pivotally to a link 106. A spring 107 is secured at one end by suitable means (not shown) to the frame member 12, and at its other end is secured to link 106 to constantly urge the cam 100 to its broken line or displaced position of Fig. 8.

To prevent the movement of cam 100 to its displaced position while the grippers 32 are in the take-np zone, except when an unregisterable sheet is present on the sheet supporting surface, a bell crank having legs 108 and 109 is pivoted at 110 on frame member 12, with leg 108 being connected at its free end to link 106 and with leg 109 being formed with a lug 111 at its free end. An abutment 112 is fixed on frame member 113, pivoted adjacent its center on frame member 12, is formed with a projection 114 which normally extends between lug 111 and abutment 112 (full line position of Fig. 8) to prevent swinging of the bell crank and movement of link 106 by spring placement of cam 100 when a registerable sheet is present on the feed table elements.

The mechanism for operating rock lever 113 includes a bellows connected at one end to the rock lever and at the other end to a fixed pivot on frame member 12. As seen in Fig. 8, the projection 114 of the rock lever is disposed in blocking position when bellows 115 is contracted, and is moved to the broken line position, out of the path of travel of lug 111, when the bellows is expanded.

According to a further The expansion and contraction of bellows 115 is preferably controlled by air pressure, or to be more exact the degree of the vacuum therein. For this purpose a conduit 116 extends from a T-fitting 117 to the bellows with one branch of the fitting 117 being connected to a suitable vacuum source (not shown), and with the other branch of the fitting being connected to a conduit 118 extending to a detecting station at the feeding and registering mechanism 50 and having a suitable slide valve 119 interposed therein, It is apparent that the pressure within bellows 115 is at its lowest value when conduit 118 is closed either by the plunger of valve 119 or by a sheet at the detecting station, and that the pressure in the bellows increases, as a result of the entrance into the latter of air at atmospheric pressure, when the conduit 118 is unobstructed either by the valve plunger or by a sheet at the detecting station.

For the purpose of detecting the presence of an unregisterable sheet on the feed table elements a centrally disposed, longitudinal frame 120 is disposed at the underside of central feed table element 54b and is supported on rotatable shaft 60, which is journalled in bearings carried by frame members 11 and 12, and on cross-member 59. Frame 120 is formed with a longitudinal passage 121 to which conduit 118 connects. inwardly opening bell-shaped members 122a and 122b 12, and a rock lever f 107 and thus to prevent disy are fixed on shaft 60 and rotate therewith at the opposite sides of frame 120, with the central feed table element 54b having an opening 123 into which the wide portions of members 122a and 122b extend to positions iiush with the top surfaces of tapes 52a,` 521), 52e and 52d. Cylindrical members 124a and 124b are fixed to the opposite sides of frame 120 and extend into bell-shaped members 122a and 122b, respectively. Members 124e and 124b are formed with radial bores 12551 and 125b, respectively, opening substantially at the line of tangency of the wide portions of members 122a and 122b with the upper surfaces of the tapes, and an axially extending passageway 126 communicates the radial bores 125a and b with the passage 121. The bell-shaped members 122a and 122b are formed with circumferentially spaced openings 127a and 127b positioned to successively register with the open ends of bores 125a and 125b respectively. Sprockets 128a and 12812 are fixed on shaft 60 and engage chains 57a and 57b to rotate shaft 60 and thereby intermittently open conduit 118 as openings 127a and 127 b register with the radial bores.

Since a registerable sheet on the feed table has a predetermined relation to the position of the register members 56a and 56h, and hence relative to the positions of the cylinders 10, 20 and 30, it is possible by opening valve 119 at a time when a registerable sheet would be advanced to a position overlying the opening 123 to determine the presence of an unregisterable sheet on the feed table. For this purpose, a radial cam 129 is xed to the stub shaft of cylinder 20 at the inside of frame member 12 and engages a cam follower carried by one arm of a pivoted bell-crank 130. The other arm of bell-crank 130 is suitably connected to the stem 131 of valve 119. Thus, the cam 129 operates to depress the valve plunger, against the force of spring 132 in the valve housing, for opening conduit 118 during a predetermined interval corresponding to the presence of the leading portion of a registerable sheet in a position overlying the opening 123. lt can be seen that a registerable sheet closes the openings 127:1 land 127b and prevents the entrance of air at atmospheric pressure into bellows 115 through conduit 11S. However, an unregisterable sheet is not yet in position to close openings 127a and 127b when valve 119 is opened, that is during the detecting period, and the pressure in bellows 115 rises accordingly to extend the latter and remove rock lever 113 from its blocking position.

In order to separate lug 111 from abutment 112 during the detecting period so that the projection 114 may move therebetween in response to the presence of a registerable sheet on the feed table, a radial cam 132 is fixed on the stub shaft of cylinder 20 outside the frame member 12, and engages a cam follower 133 on bell-crank arm 109 to rock the lug 111 away from the abutment 112 when cam 129 is operative to open valve 119 (as shown in full lines in Fig. 8). k

The operation of the sheet detecting and rejecting mechanism is as follows:

l. In the case of a registerable sheet, the sheet S is advanced toward the transfer cylinder by frictional engagement with the tapes. When the valve plunger moves downwardly under the action of cam member 129, thus opening conduit 118, the leading portion of sheet S covers opening 123 in table element 54!) and the openings 127a and 127b in the rotating bell-shaped members. Since these openings are closed, the pressure in conduits 118 and 116 continues low, and bellows 115 is compressed or retracted for moving projection 114 into the path of travel of the free end of arm 109, which arm has been depressed by cam 132. When cam member 132 rotates further, positioning its portion of lesser radius opposite the roller 133 as shown in broken lines in Fig. 8, projection 114 prevents the counter-clockwise rotation of the bell-crank under the intiuence of spring 107. Therefore, cam member 100 will remain in the position shown in soid lines on Figure 8, to thereby effect closing of the grippers 32 upon the leading edge of the sheet S after the latter has been properly registered and moved into contact with the register elements 40 on the transfer cylinder, all in the manner set forth in the description of operation of the feeding and registering mechanism.

2. In the case of an unregisterable sheet, that is a sheet overly delayed in reaching the detecting position at which opening 123 is formed in feed table element 54b, cam member 129 effects the downward movement of the valve plunger at a predetermined moment, -as previous- 1y set forth, to thereby open conduit 118. However, at that predetermined moment an unregisterable sheet will -not be in a position to cover openings 127a and 12,7b, and air will enter conduit 11'8 through openings 127a and -127b in the bell-shaped members as these openings successively register with the radial bores 125e and 125b, respectively. Thus the pressure in conduits 118 and 116 will increase causing the extension of bellows 115. Extension of bellows 115 moves projection 114 out of the path of travel of the end of arm 109, and now further rotation of cam member 132 with the impression cylinder to the broken line position of Fig. 8 will permit counter-clockwise movement of the bell-crank by spring 107. Link 106 communicates such bell-crank movement to radial arm 105 for displacing cam 100 to the position shown in dotted lines on Figure 8. Cam 100 in this displaced position holds grippers 32 open until after they have been moved clear of the leading edge of the advancing sheet. Thus the sheet S, if unregisterable, is not taken-up by the grippers 32 on the transfer cylinder 30 and passes downwardly to a suitable receptacle as previously indicated.

Figures and 6 illustrate a modification of the sheet feeding and registering mechanism provided according to the invention wherein the side registration and control of each sheet are effected in a special manner. Parts in these ligures which correspond to parts already described are designated by corresponding but primed reference characters.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6, the feed and registering of sheets to the transfer cylinder 30 are eected by means of mechanism which extends from `a suitable sheet feeder (not shown) 'through a path leading tangentially to the surface of cylinder 30 in a take-up zone. This mechanism, being similar in many respects to that already described, includes a travelling frictional sheet conveyor or support, which comprises a plurality of endless tapes 140g, 140b, 140C and 140d guided in the desired path of the sheet by laterally spaced, fixed, parallel feed table elements 54a, 54b and 54c similar to the feed table elements previously described and bearing corresponding primed numerals. The mechanism also includes leading edge register members 5621 and 56bf which are arranged in a line across the sheet path and, advanced in said path ahead of a sheet therein by endless supporting chains 57rz and 57b, respectively, With the chains being driven and guided in the manner heretofore described. The present embodiment is distinguished from that illustrated in Figs. 1 4 in that certain of the propelling tapes, specifically tapes 140e, 140b and 140e, are arranged in paths slanted from the general direction of sheet travel so as to move a sheet thereon laterally to and then along with va side register member Slicarried by a supporting chain 82 for movement with 'thegA leading edge register members and guided by the straight inner edge of a plate 85 so that the vside register member 81 moves parallel to the general direction of sheet movement, as contrasted with the lateral movement imparted to the side register member of the first described embodiment, While at least one of the tapes near the opposite side of the sheet, in this case tape 140d, is arranged in a path slanted toward that side so that the divergent tapes keep a sheet thereon smooth and prevent the buckling thereof.

Tapes 140g, 140i), 140e and 140d are trained, at the receiving ends of the feed table elements, over pulleys 61 fixed on rotatable shaft 63', and at the discharge ends of the feed table elements, which extend beyond the takeup Zone, are trained over pulleys 141 which are indi-x vidually mounted on brackets 142 carried adjustably by Va lateral support 143. Thus, each of the brackets 142 is laterally spaced relative tothe related one of the pulleys 61' to impart the desired slant to the path of travel of the tape trained thereover. The structure for mounting each 'of the pulleys 14.1 on the respective bracket 142 preferably -includes an annularly adjustable fork 144 so that the plane of rotation of pulley 141 may be disposed in the slanted plane of travel of the respective tape. The tapes 140g, 140b, 140e and 140d, as wellY as the chains carrying the leading edge and side register members, ar'e tensioned by means similar to that described before and bearing -`corresponding primed numerals. i t Top guide members 73', supported by cross-members 74' and 75', are positioned abo've the central feed table element 54b in alignment with each of vtapes 140b and e and engage the top surface of a sheet to keep the latter smoothk and conforming to the convex vpath of travel.

Diverging endless tapes are positioned above the opposite side portions of the path of the sheets to engage the latter and are arranged in paths which are vertically aligned with vthe tapes 140e and 14061. Tapes 150 are trained over pulleys 151 and 152 which are rotatably on the lower ends of arms 153 and 154, respectively, and the arms are pivotally suspended from the overhead crossmernbers 74 and 75.

vIn operation of the device shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a sheet S to be printed is passed forwardly over the table 91 into the space between the back ends of the upper guides 73 and the upper runs of the tapes 14041, 140b, 140e and 1400.. Registration of the leading edge of the sheet S is obtained in the same manner as set forth in the description of the first embodiment, and side registration of the sheet is obtained as follows:

The tapes 140er, 140b and 140C, frictionally engaging the lower surface of the sheet S, move the sheet laterally towards the frame member 12', as well as forwardly towards the transfer cylinder 30. The tape 140d, simultaneously engaging a marginal portion of the sheet nearer to frame member 11', tends to move that portion laterally toward member 11', i. e. towards the right hand side of the press. Since the three tapes 140:1, 140b and 140C exert a greater combined lateral force than the single tape 140ml, the overall movement of the sheet is forward and towards the left-hand side of the press, and as this movement occurs the tape 1401i serves to draw the sheet taut and keep it even across its full width (if the sheet is one that bunches or twists easily). The diverging upper tapes 15e, engaging the top surface of the sheet S adjacent the opposite side edges of the latter, urge the sheet into contact with the tapes 140e and 140:2', and by reason of their divergence they also assist in smoothing the sheet. The

side register member S1 carried by the chain 82 moves forward with the sheet and engages the side edge thereof so as to limit the lateral movement of the sheet to the desired point of side registration thereof.

Thus the lateral positioning of each sheet being fed to the transfer cylinder is effected positively by the friction 'of feed tapes acting upon surfaces of the sheet, as well as by the moving side register element which acts upon a side edge thereof. The spreading and smoothing forces applied to sheet S and their effectiveness in either lateral direction may be controlled by adjusting the tension of the respective top tapes 150 relative to the underneath tapes 1MM, 1401;, 140C and 1401i.

With such an arrangement very limp sheets, of paper or other light material, can each be kept evenly spread out Aand accurately registered with the rotary cylinder to which it is to be gripped, as it is fed for printing, and the printing operations can be carried out on such sheets at extraordinarily high speeds.

l For the purpose of clarity, the sheet detecting and rejecting mechanism, previously described, has not been illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, however, such mechanism is intended for use with either the first or second embodiment of the sheet feeding and side registering mechanism.

Having thus described preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such precise embodiments, as obviously modifications and changes may be effected therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention which is intended to be defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a sheet fed printing press or the like, a rotary sheet-carrying cylinder having at its surface projecting stops the trailing edges of which provide register points movable through a take-up zone to receive therein the leading edge Aof a sheet fed thereto, said edges lying substantially on an involute of the cylinder surface sloping away from said leading edge in said zone, a mechanism for speedily feeding sheets into said zone and registering them with said stops comprising front register members movable into said zone ahead of an advancing sheet, means for. advancing said members so that their trailing edges align with said stop edges in said zone, a travelling side register member, a relatively fixed cam along the `sheet path for guiding said side register member, means for advancing the side register member along said cam toward and in said zone in sustained contact with a definite part of a side edge of the advancing sheet, a travelling frictional sheet conveyor for advancing sheets into said zone, said conveyor supporting and having slidable contact with a face of each sheet, and means for moving said conveyor at a speed exceeding the speed of said register members to advance a sheet into leading edge engagement with said front register members while a side edge of the sheet is in contact with the advancing side register member.

2. In a sheet fed printing press or the like, a `rotary sheet-carrying cylinder having at its surface projecting stops the trailing edges of which provide register points movable through a take-up zone to receive therein the 'leading edge of a sheet fed thereto, said edges lying substantially on an involute of the cylinder surface sloping away from said leading edge in said Zone, a mechanism for speedily feeding sheets into said zone and registering them with said stops comprising front register members movable into said zone ahead of an advancing sheet,

means for advancing said members so that their trailing edges align with said stop edges in said zone, a travelling side register member, a relatively xed cam along the sheet path for guiding said side register member, means for advancing the side register member along said cam toward and in said zone in sustained contact with a denite part of a side edge of the advancing sheet and at the forward speed of the front register members, a travelling frictional sheet conveyor for advancing sheets into said zone, said conveyor supporting and having slidable contact with a face of each sheet, and means for moving said conveyor at a speed exceeding the speed of said register members to advance a sheet into leading edge engagement with said front register members While a side edge of the sheet is in contact with the advancing side register member.

3. In a sheet fed printing press or the like including a sheetcarrying surface having register points moved repeatedly through a take-up zone to receive therein the leading edge of a sheet fed thereto, a mechanism for speedily feeding sheets into said zone and registering them with said surface comprising front register members movable into said zone ahead of an advancing sheet, means for advancing said members so that they align with said points in said zone, a travelling side register member, a relatively iixed cam along the sheet path for guiding said side register member, means for advancing the side register member along said cam toward and in said zone in sustained contact with a definite part of a side edge of the advancing sheet, a travelling frictional sheet coriveyor for advancing sheets into said zone, said conveyor supporting and having slidable contact with a face f each sheet, said conveyor and an advancing sheet thereon moving into said zone in a longitudinally convex path so that the sheet travels in a bowed condition, and means for moving said conveyor at a speed exceeding the speed of said register members to advance the sheet into leading edge engagement with said front register members and facilitates the lateral registration of the bowed sheet by said side register member.

4. In a sheet fed printing press or the like including a sheet-carrying surface having register points moved repeatedly through a take-up zone to receive therein the leading edge of a sheet fed thereto, a mechanism for speedily feeding sheets into said zone and registering them with said surface comprising front register members movable into said zone ahead of an advancing sheet,

means for advancing said members so that they align with said points in said zone, a travelling frictional sheet conveyor for advancing sheets into said zone, said conveyor supporting and having slidable contact with a face of each sheet, said conveyor and an advancing sheet thereon moving into said zone in a longitudinally convex path so that the sheet travels in a bowed condition, means for moving said conveyor at a speed exceeding the speed ofsaid front register members to advance a sheet into leading edge engagement with said members, and means along a side of the path of an advancing sheet to register the bowed sheet laterally as it approaches said zone in slipping contact with said side registering means comprising a relatively iixed cam presenting a side surface extended along said path and into said zone, a travelling side register member positioned by said cam surface, and means for moving said side register member along said surface in sustained registering contact with a side edge of the advancing sheet.

5. A mechanism as described in claim 4, said conveyor moving parallel to the path of the sheet, said cam surface having a backward portion slanted gradually toward said path and merging into an advanced portion parallel thereto.

6. A mechanism as described in claim 4, said conveyor comprising a plurality of tapes of which at least one moves in a path slanted toward said side registering means so as to bring an advancing sheet into contact therewith.

7. In a sheet fed rotary printing press or the like comprising a sheet carrying cylinder rotatable through a takeup zone to receive therein the leading edge of an approaching sheet, a longitudinally convex sheet feed table extending into said zone in a position substantially tangential to the cylinder and a plurality of continuously moved endless tapes having portions supported on and extending arcuately along convex portions of said table to advance sheets in bowed and thus stiffened condition into said zone by slidable frictional contact with a face of each sheet.

8. In a sheet fed rotary printing press or the like comprising a sheet carrying cylinder rotatable through a takeup zone to receive therein the leading edge of an approaching sheet, a longitudinally convex sheet feed table extending into said zone in a position substantially tangential to the cylinder, a plurality of continuously moved endless tapes having portions supported on and extending arcuately along convex portions of said table to advance sheets in bowed and thus stiifened condition into said zone path by slidable frictional contact with a face of each sheet, and concavely curved guide means spaced above and extending substantially parallel to said tapes to prevent buckling of a sheet thereon.

9. In a sheet fed printing press or the like comprising a sheet-carrying cylinder having register points rotatable through a take-up zone to receive therein the leading edge of an approaching sheet, a longitudinally convex sheet feed table extending into said zone in a position substantially tangential to the cylinder, a plurality of continuously moved endless tapes having portions supported on and extending arcuately along convex portions of said table to advance sheets in bowed and thus stiifened condition into said zone by slidable frictional contact with a face of each sheet, front register members movable along said path ahead of a sheet advancing therein, a side register member movable along said path in sustained contact with part of a side edge of such sheet, means for moving said members faster than the cylinder surface speed but in such timed relation thereto that the front register members align with said register points in said zone, and means for moving said tapes faster than said register members.

10. In a sheet fed rotary printing press or the like, a rotary sheet-carrying cylinder having register elements and gripping means thereon, a sheet conveyor leading tangentially into a take-up zone adjacent the surface of said cylinder and including a travelling support for frictionally advancing a sheet fed thereto, register members moved in the conveyor path so as to be engaged by the leading edge of a sheet on said support, means for driving said cylinder and said register members in timed relation so that the latter come into facial alignment with said register elements in said take-up zone, driving means for said support moving it at a linear speed exceeding that of said register members to bring a sheet into leading edge engagement with the latter, means normally operating said gripping means in said take-up zone adjacent the position of alignment of said register elements with said register members, shiftable means to render said gripping means inoperative, a sheet detector including a sheet contacting element adjacent a part of said conveyor remote from said cylinder, means for moving said element in contact with a sheet advancing oversaid conveyor, means for actuating said shiftable means when said register members reach a predetermined advanced position relative to said sheet contacting element, and means then responsive to contact between said element and a sheet on said conveyor to inactivate said actuating means.

1l. In a sheet fed printing press or the like including a rotary sheet-carrying cylinder, a travelling sheet support for frictionally advancing a sheet fed thereonto to a takeup zone adjacent the surface of said cylinder, said sup- 13 port extending to said zone in an arcuate path so as to curve longitudinally a sheet thereon to increase the lateral rigidity of the sheet, leading edge register members movable ahead and in the path of such sheet, means for yso moving said members in timed relation to the support movement and the cylinder rotation, registering means including a side register member movable along a side of the sheet path, and means for so moving said side register member synchronously with the movement of said leading edge register members and in sustained contact with a bowed side edge of a curved sheet advancing on said support.

12. ln a sheet feeding and registering mechanism for a sheet fed rotary printing press or the like, a travelling support for frictionally advancing a sheet fed thereonto to a take-up zone, said support and a sheet thereon extending to said zone in a longitudinally curved path, a register member movable along a side of the path of a sheet on said support for engaging and registering a bowed side edge of the advancing sheet, and a longitudinally ixed bearing member positioned over said support having in said path adjacent said register member an elongated portion yieldably biased against said support so as to bear slidably upon and thus stiften the adjacent side margin of such sheet.

13. In a sheet feeding and registering apparatus for a sheet fed rotary printing press or the like including a rotary sheet-carrying cylinder, a table presenting a longitudinally convex surface in substantially tangential relation to the cylinder, a plurality of continuous tapes trained over and along said surface in a convex path and forming a frictional support for advancing a sheet thereon to the surface of the cylinder, means for moving said tapes in timed relation to the cylinder surface movement, leading edge register members movable ahead and in the path of a sheet on said tapes, means for moving said register members in timed relation to the tape movement but at a lower speed, a register member movable along a side'of said path so as to engage a side edge of the advancing sheet, and means for moving said side register member synchronously with said leading edge register members.

14. In a sheet fed rotary printing press or the like comprising a sheet-carrying cylinder having cooperative means thereon for registering and for gripping the leading edge of a sheet to its surface, a conveyor operative asr said cylinder rotates to advance a sheet into leading edge engagement With said registering means in a take-up zone adjacent said surface, control means normally operating said gripping means in said take-up zone to grip the leading edge of a registered sheet to said surface, and means operative in response to the presence of an unregisterable sheet on said conveyor to displace said control means so as to prevent the operation of said gripping means in said take-up zone, including a sheet contacting element adjacent a part of said conveyor remote from said cylinder, means for moving said element in contact with a sheet advancing on said conveyor, means for actuating said displacing means when the conveyor reaches a predetermined advanced position relative to said sheet contacting element, and means then responsive to contact between element and a sheet on said conveyor to inactivate said actuating means.

15. In a sheet-fed printing press or the like comprising a rotary sheet-carrying cylinder having register stops and movable grippers thereon for registering and gripping the leading edge of a sheet advanced thereto in a takeup zone, means operative as the cylinder rotates the grippers into said zone to hold the grippers in open position, a continuously moved frictional conveyor for slidably engaging a face of a sheet so as to advance the sheet into leading edge engagement with said stops beneath the open grippers, a side register member moved with and in sustained contact with part of a side edge of the sheet in said zone, means operative as the grippers advance in said zone to move them first to a semi-closed position so as to confine the leading edge of a sheet contacting said register stops against movement away from the cylinder surface yet leave the sheet free to slide in its own plane, and means operative after an interval of further cylinder rotation to close the grippers tightly upon said leading edge, said register stops projecting from said cylinder in xed positions relative thereto and presenting trailing edges for engagement by said leading edge which lie on an iuvolute of the cylinder surface sloping away from said leading edge in said zone so that the sheet is unchanged in` speed as the grippers act upon the sheet.

ln a sheet fed rotary printing press or the like comprising a cylinder rotatable through a sheet takeup zone to receive therein the leading edge of a sheet fed thereto, a sheet feed table presenting a longitudinally convex surface extending into said zone in substantially tangential relation to said cylinder, and a exible conveyor supported on said surface and movable continuously therealong in a convex path to carry a sheet into said zone in a bowed condition.

1 7. In a sheet fed rotary printing press or the like comprising a cylinder rotatable through a sheet takeup zone to receive therein the leading edge of a sheet fed thereto, a sheet feed table presenting a longitudinally convex surface extending into said zone in substantially tangential relation to said cylinder, a flexible conveyor supported on said surface and movable continuously therealong in a convex path to carry a sheet into said zone in a bowed condition, and concavely curved guide means disposed over and along said conveyor to hold a sheet moving thereon to said path.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 671,377 Harris Apr. 2, 1901 1,029,159 Westerbeck June 11, 1912 1,066,528 Randolph July 8, 1913 1,562,271 Aldrich Nov. 17, 1925 1,567,361 Dudley Dec. 29, 1925 1,615,590 Low Jan. 25, 1927 2,200,367 Harrold May 14, 1940 2,219,892 Gibson Oct. 29, 1940 2,231,914 Huck Feb. 18, 1941 2,245,396 Harrold June 10, 1941 2,248,079 Harrold July 8, 1941 2,362,205 Huck Nov. 7, 1944 2,395,444 Belluche Feb. 26, 1946 2,406,006 Eckhard Aug. 20, 1946 2,488,551 Nordquist Nov. 22, 1949 2,508,608 Huck May 23, 1950

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