US2812567A - Manifold set separating machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 12, 1957 J. ZALKIND MANIFOLD SET SEPARATING MACHINE Original F iled March 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

JOSEPH ZQ-(A/M/D.

Nov. 12, 1957 I J. ZALKIND 2,812,567

. MANIFOLD SET SEPARATING MACHINE Original Filed March 15, 1949 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR. fiSL-PH ZmKm/a BYZ A TTURNE Y -adap'ted for facilitating separation at manner to United States atent"() 2,812,567 MANIFOLD SET MA CHINE Joseph Zalk ind, New-York, Y.

Original application March 15, 1949, serial No."81,439, no'w Patent No. 2,673,612, dated March 30, 1954. Divided and this application December 14, 195$,Serial No. 397,913

4 Claims. ,(Cl. 241-263) This invention ertains 'toya inach'i ne-"tor separating multiple interleaved terms or manifold fsfets, jr" "red to in the trade as Snapouts, and relates to-the eneral category of inventions asset forth by the present inventor Joseph Zalkind in his issued United States Ratent Number 2,289,161 for a Machine for Tearing olf Bill Folders which was issued July 7, 1942, and other machines "which .pull carbons simultaneousl -flh1 ja plul ality ,o'r stack J'of'f manifold sets. H

The present application is ,a division array patent application S. N. 81,439 filed March 15,1949, now Paterl't -No. 2,673,612, issued March so, 1954,. I v

The present invention hereinafter sfe't forth in detailis an improvement on said issued patent, but does utiliZeth'e function of the interleaved forms being shingled-and torn apart, which action takesplace with the new and novel'machine by employing techniques madepossible and fully set forth by the inventive concepts-presented herein.

Multiple interleaved forms are .variedantl manifold in a'mpleyusejs carbon their applications. One type, for 1 paper between the printed-sheets or ifo'r'in's, arid it isdesiitable to separate the carbon paper "from the printed forms, which forms to be separated have weakened portions provided along certain areas. "These weakened portions may be prearranged by a series of-peifo ations along the desired areas, such as aline forseparanon of the forms adjacent one end thereof. Throughout the Specification and claims it is to be understood that the e weakened portion or area means any area jot-demarcation which is adapted to "facilitate separation oi material or forms by being perforated, scored, preeut, a combination of same, or 'in any other 'rnaim' or in prearranged areas. I

It is a primary object Tofthe prese t invefitidn'tb'pfrbvide a novel method and'appa'r'fatiis forisep ati'ng aftei'ial or forms along certain areas"fclefin'ed by tion s, the separating -function being brought aboiit by application of strain 'or'tension on op osin sides ofgtlie weakened portions of the forms, withithe lens ion applied either gradually or suddenly. The somewhat sudden application of tension mayresult in a s'nap ation when the forms are properly torn apart or separated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of gripping means for holding the opposing "ends of the forms to be separated wherein either-one or ,both-of:the gripping means or jaws will have an increase in gripping action which is variable .with the .increlase of tension ,ap-

plied to the forms during Itheseparationaction.

Another object is to provide a. guide foif ihe interleaved forms so that a-cur'ved :contour may ,be formed in .the

stack of interleaved form's prior to their being gripped .the gripping means, so that when tension is applied .to the forms the strain will be absorbedby interleaved -forms ears-nee por- 2,812,567 at nted Nov- 1. v 5 5 2 takes place in a'single or unitary motion, or ,ten'sioning action.

Still another object is the provision of anau tomatically qper' ble' clutch used in conjunction with 'the manu'ally positionable jaws ofthe gripping means for initially seic'fure'lyholding the formsregardless of the thickness of the stack of forms, and wifl fidditional rocking-means forfithe Jaws to provide an increasing gripping action thereof relatively'proportional to the applied tension on the interrleavied'for'ms 'during the separating operation. Further and otherobjects of the invention may be and any beco e apparent to one skilledin the art from a ,p ei tt r the following disclosure, and it'is intended that the presentation herewith isby way .of illustration of ,one" form ,ofaPre-ferred embodiment, and it is notto be consid'ered'as ,a limitation except as defined by the scopeof the subjoined claims.

e In the drawings:

Figl is .a perspective view of a preferred. form (if the invention showing the jaws of both gripping mean open to greceive'the interleaved forms to be separated.

"Fig. 2 {is a side view of Fig. l with dotted portions indicated to illustrate the interleaved forms gripped by the jaws, and certain positions of parts to facilitate an .exaplanation of operation. i

Fig. 3 is .a plan view of the solid line showing. .of the invention presented, in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is ,a se otional view taken substantially alonglines Of Fig. 3 showing the rack and gear arrangement for operating the rocker gripping means, .andthe. adjustable means for accommodation of various sizesof interleaved forms while maintaining the suitablecnrvature :of the forms desirable for proper operation.

,Fig. 5- ,is a partial sectional view taken substantially ,al'ong lines "5."5 of Fig. 4 showingthe set o laws of the clutch-actuated"gripping means, with. .the clutch. ,per se ibeingdisposed'within the clutch housing.

, Fig; '6 is -a sectional viewta'ken along lines 6-6 of "Fig. 5 showing the relative position .of the various .components oflthe clutch. Y

I FigIJ is .a sectional view partially ,broken away taken substantially along lines 77 of Fig. 6 showingthe .clutch .carnnjing members. i

Fig. 8 is ,an exploded view of the clutch showing the clutch hou ng h in e ut g shaft d s sed ljtherein, the clutch cam, the cam release, and :a closure cap-allin relative position for assembly.

Fig. -9 isjajsectional view .taken substantially along lines 99 of 'Fig. 4 showing one of the gripping means with rack and gear arrangement for operating the jaws thereof, with certain other features for maintainir gthe jaws in a normally open, position, with means. 1d ,perniit sliding of ,thesaid jaws and their support .ona base number. I r

'Fig. 10 ,is a modification "of the jaws having ,a single protuberance on opposing jaws for .use with certain type interleaved forms.

Refe jingato t he drawings, and more particularly ,to Figs. '1; "2, f3. and .4, there -is is'hownia. multipleinterleaved to ms pa a o h n a supp n t tu e lw t .a dlutclh lever .22 for operating therear' grippingsmeans 1 2.3. .A mntg 'ipn n e n 24 (op e i an rew n .ver2 5 :by means ofa shaftlfi'whic'h'is tcarrliedon a sliding support 27 which-slide is moveable on .the ,upper surface .of the Supporting structure 21.

A Lbaseclosure means 28 has channelled edges 3293K) .perrriitlthelbasesclosure tobepositioned on the'base of-the supporting ,structure 121 by engaging .a ,rnaleiflange .mern- -,-ber' 30which1is formed on opposing sides andone, end of the s pportin l m tur ilis "secured "to one end of "the supporting 'structure"21 by 34 and a knurled screw head 35 to retain the screw in a fixed longitudinal position. The threaded portion of the screw fits into a threaded stud 36 which is secured to the lower portion of the sliding support 27in any convenient manner, but here shown as being staked. An arcuat'e portion 37 is formed on opposing edges of the sliding support 27 so that the multiple interleaved forms may rest thereon to form a curved contour in said stack of forms so that when said forms are placed in the machine there will be a longitudinal curve in the forms extending normal to the shaft 26 which shaft is parallel to the weakened portions normally provided in the interleaved forms to facilitate separating the forms when tension is applied to the machine during the normal separating operation. The rear gripping means23 has a shaft 38 which'is journalled in opposing sides of the supporting structure with one end of shaft 38 extending through into the clutch housing 39 to be engaged by the clutch lever 22 for operating said shaft 38. A gear 40 is pinned to the shaft 38 by a pin 41.

v The rear gripping means 23 has a lower jaw 42 which is freely pivoted on the shaft 38. The upper jaw 43 has a rack 44 secured thereon for engagement with the gear 40. A bracket 45 fits around the rear of the upper jaw 43 and hasside portions 19 connected to the lower jaw 42 by pins 46 to hold the rack of the upper jaw 43 in engagement with the gear 40 on the shaft 38. It will be seen that. the rear gripping means 23, whichconsists of the lower jaw 42 and the upper jaw 43, is freely moveable on the shaft 38. A spring 47. has one end thereof connected to a' pin 48 which is secured in the lower portion of the lower jaw 42, while the opposite end of the spring 47 is connected to a bracket 49 which is secured to the supporting structure 21. The purpose of the spring 47 is to maintain the rear gripping means 23 in a normally rearward or full clockwise position.

.23 is free to rotate or rock about the shaft 38 with the rack 44 in engagement with the gear 40. Consequently,

the rocking of the rear gripping means.23 in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 4 would cause the upper jaw 43 to be drawn toward the lower jaw 42. This action takes place in normal operation of the device and is the secondary tightening function of the rear gripping 23. The clutch action which will be explained in detail later, takes place when the clutch lever 22 is notbeing moved since the clutch action is automatic to. prevent the shaft 38 and its gear 40 from rotating at. all times except when there is actually takingplace a manual movement of the lever 22. V

Referring more particularly to Figs. 5, 6, 7. and 8, the clutch has a housing 39 which is actually a cylindrical drum secured to the supporting structure 21 so that the clutch housing 39 is at all times stationary. The shaft 38 has collars 50 which are pinned to the shaft 38 to align the gear 40 with the rack 44. Bearings 51 are formed on the lower portion of the lower jaw 42 to permit a rocking action of the rear gripping means 23 about the shaft 38. The rear gripping means 23 is aligned in the slot formed by guide portions 52 so that the rear gripping means 23 and its rack 44 are at all times properly aligned with the gear 40. A stop consisting of a screw which is threadedly connected in the lower edge of the upper jaw 43 has a washer 53 held by the screw to engage the lower portion of the bearings 51 to act as a limiting means for determining the extent of opening movement of the rear gripping means 23. One end of the shaft 38 extends laterally through the supporting structure 21 and into the clutch housing 39 and terminates with a transverse slot 54 thereacross. The cam 55 has three high portions 56 and three low portions 57. The cam has a central aperture 58 which fits over the end of the shaft 38 and into 8 the recess of the clutch housing 39. Roller bearings such as 59 are all identical and a pair of each of said roller bearings are placed adjacent each of the low portions 57 of the cam 55. An expansion spring 60 is placed intermediate each of the said pair of roller bearings causing said roller hearings to be urged outwardly from the spring 60 so that each roller bearing engages the clutch housing 39 and the low portion 57 of the cam. The high portions 56 of the cam are so shaped as to prevent the roller bearings from moving beyond a predetermined point in the direction caused by the expansion of the spring 60. The clutch lever 22 has three arcuate sectors 61 disposed equi-distant from one another on the interior surface of the clutch lever 22. The three arcuate sectors 61 are designed to fit in between the high portions 56 of the cam and the interior surface of the clutch housing 39. An aperture 62 formed in the clutch lever 22 is adapted to fit about the shoulder 63 formed on one surface of the cam 55. A slot 64 is formed on opposing sides of the shoulder 63. When the cam 55 is placed over the slotted end of the shaft 38 with the slot 54 of the shaft 38 aligned with the slot 64 of the cam 55, the clutch lever 22 may be positioned with its three arcuate sectors 61 each between a pair of roller bearings as shown in Fig. 6. A pair of diagonally disposed slots 65 are formed in the outer surface of the clutch lever 22 with the width of the slots 65 being somewhat wider than the slots 54 and 64 formed in the shaft 38 and the cam 55 respectively. A cover plate 66 has a key portion 67 formed in opposing relation so that the extended portions 68 will fit into the slots 64 and 54 when said slots are aligned, thereby keying the shaft 38 to the cam 55. The lower portions 69 of the key portion 67 is adapted to engage the slots 65 formed in the outer surface of the clutch lever 22. When the cover plate 66 is properly inserted so that the key 67 is properly aligned, a screw 70 is threadedly connected to the complementary screw portion 71 to hold the cover plate 66 in position and retain the cam 55 and the clutch lever 22 in proper relation with the clutch housing 39. When the clutch lever 22 is in normal position as shown in Fig. 6, it will be seen that the roller bearings 59 are forcibly urged under action of the spring between the low portions 57 of the cam 55 and the inner surface of the clutch housing 39 as previously explained.

In operation, when the clutch lever 22 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 6), the leading surface of each of the sectors 61 will engage the roller bearing contiguous therewith, thereby permitting the clutch to become unlocked due to the pressure of each particular sector 61 against, its respective roller hearing. The remaining roller bearing in each of the spaces between the adjacent sectors has no function in the counterclockwise rotation of the clutch lever 22. As soon as the manual movement of the clutch lever 22 ceases, the various springs 60 will again urge both roller bearings of each pair into locking position to lock the cam in fixed relation to the clutch housing 39. When clockwise rotation of the clutch lever 22 takes place, the action is just the opposite.

It will therefore be seen that the slots in the outer surface of the clutch lever 22 is of sufficient width to permit the clutch lever 22 to move sufficeintly to unlock the clutching action between the cam .55 and the clutch housing 39. Since the shaft 38 and the cam 55 are keyed to each other it will be seen that any movement in either direction of the clutch lever 22 will unlock the clutch, thereby permitting simultaneous rotation of the cam 55 and the shaft 38. Consequently, the rotation of the shaft.38 will cause rotation of the gear 40 and the ultimate movement of the upper jaw 43 in relation to the lower jaw 42. From the foregoing, it will be seen that either clockwise or counter-clockwise motion. of the clutch lever 22 will causeeither an opening or a closing of thejaws of the reargripping means 23. As soon as the clutch lever 22 is released sothat it is not in serene clutch a'ctioh will nerd the jawsin whateifer position they are placed by previous :movernentaif tlfe clutch lever If a Stab-k Of interleaved fbt' ms -are placed=lietween 111E jaws 42 and :43, and *the clutch-lever is moved clock- Wise 'see Fig. '2 to rota'te the shaft attend-its "gear 40 t'he stack for interleaved --tor rns will be-gripped. However, it is pointed out that the 'iiiere aeration the clutch leyer 22 to lightly compress the stack :of interleaved forins is suflicient for the :purposeiritentled sii'ice" an adrlitional gripping action is provided as soon as tension is applieii to the :e pesite end efithe stack et inteneavee forms. This is possible since the clutch-i-iig action holds the gear st'ationary. *However, the'nea'rgr'ipping means 23 is free to rock about the shaft 38 since the rack "44 is in engagement with the gear 40 during the racking action which takes place when tension is ?placed on "the "opposite "ends of the stack or interleaved forms. This rocking action which will cause the rear E'g'ripping "means '23 to "move to the *left, as seenin- Big. 4, will cause the rack '44 to draw downwardly abdut the gear- '40 thereby causing an increase in gripping action between the jaws 42 a'nd43.

The front gripping means 24 has a fro'nt upper jaw '72 F'with a rack 73 thereon which engages a gear sectdrfl t, which :gear-sector is secured to the shaft 26by'ineai1's of a pin 75. The front lower jaw '76 which rnay be clearly seen in relation to 'Figs. '4 and 9, has journals 77 with bosses 78 on the upper portion thereon as seen in Fig. I

9. Sleeves 79zare inserted through complementary :apertiires's'in the =bosses 78 and en'gage the= upper' l5ar 80 Iaritl the lower bar 81. Screws 82 are inserted through said sleeves 79 and are threadedly connected to the upper bars*80,"th'ereby holding the front upper jaw 72 and the -front lower :jaw 76 in moveablc relation. Operating lever '25 is'coupled by anrelbow 85 tothe-shaft L26, which TShaf-tiS securely connected bypin 75 (Fig; -4) to the gear sector 74. It will be seen,- therefore,"that rotation of thezshaft 26 will ordinarily cause the front upper jaw 72 "and theifront-lowersjaw 76 to haverelative-motion there- 'between. a

The 'end er the shaft .26 opposite to the 'end con'nected to the elbow 85 hasiasleeve 8.6 spaced at one end from said "shaft 26 by a collar 87. The space betweencolla'r 8/7 and ifh 'sleeve'86 permits a spring 88 'toz-be inserted therebetween with one end :'-of the spring being secured in-aihole-89 with the opposite end of the springeiitendin'gthroughthe slo't .90'Iformed in the sleeve-86 with the lastsaid'end of the spring--88 engageable with :-a :stop 91 which is'top is secured rto the sliding support 27. The sleeve 86 is secured in a fixed position'totheishaft f26by means of a pin 92.

When "the "operating lever 25 is in its forward position, as shown in *Fig. *4,-the jaws of therfront gripping means 24 will be open. in fa counterclockwise direction, as "seen in Fig. 4, the -r'a'c'k and gear function will cause thefjaws of "thef'f 'ront grippin means 24 to close, and continued pressurefin a "counterclockwisedirection of the operating lever 25 will caiise an increase in the gripping action of 'said' ja'ws. When the operating "lever'25 reaches its rearward j'posi- "tio'n as indicated by the dot=d0t dash "lines of thebper'ating lever 25 in Fig. 2, the end'of thespring 88 which extends through the slot 90 will engagethe stop 91 and cause-a tensiononthespring' 88. soon as pressure is released from the operating lever 25 shown in the dot-dot-dash portion of Fig. 2, the action of spring 88 will cause a counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 26, thereby causing the front upper jaw 72 to move away from the front lower jaw 76 thereby releasing the gripping action of the interleaved forms when between the aws.

Fig. 10 shows a modification of the gripping jaws shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 10 there are shown upper and lower protuberances 93 and 94 respectively, which pro- As the operating lever 25 is moved aitserimcjes are substantial theceriter er said 'aipper a nd lower jaws. Fhis inodification is m chiitr adi'stinctidn to the upper and flower :jawsshown in Fig, -5, where- 'in'there are four upper rotuberanees spaced from one another "across the Width "of the .jaw with complementary protuberances on the 'lower jaw. The stack of forms 95 shows one representative sheet 96 having a slot 97 therein. One or more "or the sheets 96 may "have similar slots 97. Howeven' the upper sheet of the stack shown in Fig; "10 would extend to cover the slot 97. If such a stack "of forms wereinserted-between the ja'ws shown in Fig. 10, with the apertures "such as 97"alig'ned b'etwe'en the ljawlprottiberance's 93 and 94, only the -sheets=which did not have an aperture such as 97 would be gripped by :the jaws while the remaining sheetswould remain free to be withdrawn from the stack of forriis during the separating foperation. While ithe"gr ipping"action between the jaws =shown in Fig.- 10 may be considered as a single point contact therebetween, this has an additional function in the separatingof the individual forms Wh6n1lSedilh IIh6 machine presented herewith, since the major :portion ofthe stress would be in'the center of the weakened :portion'of *the forms ifthe end of i the forms with the weakenedi-iportion were inserted in the jaws as shown in Fig, :10. This action provided by the jawsshowh in Fig. 1-0 would start -'-to separate the forms where they were gripped between protuber-ances' 93 and 94,' antl would tear-outwardly along the weakened portion of the forms. However, with the multiple iprotuberancesas presentedin Fig. -5, :there =would=be an identical -action-as that for the -:r'nodificatio'n 'sh'own in Fig. 10 --for each of the set-of protuherances. There would 'b'e-a Itendency for the weakened portion to be strained -in each place where the interleaved or-ms" are gripped by the protuberances shown in :Fig. -5.

I-tis-further pointed out that while protub'erances are shown in various forms herein, "it is 'to :lie understood that no protuberances at all may be desirable in some instances; or'protuberance-s may be used in one set of jaws while a modification'or noep'rotlibrancesat all fr'nafy be :usedin-the oppositigset of jaws.

{I he method of operation will be described primarily in conjunction with Fig. 2, wherein a stack of sinterleaved 'forms 96 shown bygtwo dotted lines representing the upperand the lower sheets eta stack;of interleaved forms is :restingjon the -a'rcuate portion :37 which forms the cur vaturerin'theinterleaved fornis as=shown. The stack of interleaved forms '96,"in-the dotted position, is'sliown withjone end gripped between the -;jaws of the rear gripping means 23, with the opposite end of said stack of forms -being gripped between the jaws of 'the front igripping means :24. In the solid line showingiof Fig. 2, the 'front and i-r'ear gripping vtn'eans :are .positioned' with the clutehlever;22 *in its full clockwise operatedlposition for tthe particular .stack f-of interleaved forms shown, while 'the operating lever 25 iSfShOWIl in.-a position slightly operated in a counterclockwise 'direction so that the jaw 72 shown by dotted "lines has been moved -fro'm 'said dotted line position to the :position'shown in solid lines, which was brought-about by 'moving'the operating "lever from its position shown "in-dottedlines :to its position shown in solid lines. ;In the s lid line position, both .the 'rear and front gripping' 'means 23 and ,24respectively a efshewn gripping the stack ,of interleaved forms 96 without the application of any longitudinal stretching or tensioning of said forms. The rear gripping means 23 having had its upper jaw 43 moved from the position shown in dotted lines to its position shown in solid lines was caused by movement of the clutch lever 22 shown in its dotted position to the position of the clutch lever '22 shown in solid lines. The interleaved forms 96, showing its upper and lower sheet represented by dash-dot lines, indicates that tension has been applied to the operating lever 25 in a counterclockwise direction so that the operating lever 25 would be in a slightly higher position than that shown in solid lines, wherein movement of the front upper jaw 72 shown in dash-dot lines has tensioned the forms shown in dash-dot lines so that the upper sheet of the stack of interleaved forms is taut, but before any tearing operation begins, while the lower sheet of the stack of interleaved forms shown in dash-dot lines has a decided curvature.

When the forms held by the front gripping means 24 are said to be shingled, the successive edges of the multiple interleaved forms are progressively staggered while substantially parallel to the axis extending across the width of the jaws. For clarification, we might say that the edges are in the same plane as the axis of the shaft 26.

When the operating lever 25 is moved in a counterclockwise direction to that shown by the dash-dot-dot lines, the front gripping means 24 will also be moved to the position shown by the dash-dot-dot lines. When the front gripping means is moved to this position last described, suflicient tension will already have been applied to the operating lever 25 so that the multiple interleaved forms will have been progressively separated, substantially one at a time, throughout the entire stack of forms until all of the interleaved forms have been separated. If only a slight gripping action of one end of the stack of interleaved forms was obtained, depending on the counterclockwise pressure applied to the clutch lever 22, a rocking action of the rear gripping means 23 would occur in a counterclockwise direction as an increase in tension was applied to the operating lever 25 in a counterclockwise direction only after the interleaved forms were drawn to a substantially taut position such as indicated by the top sheet shown in dash-dot lines. It will also be seen that since the front gripping means 24 rocks on its shaft 26, an increase in counterclockwise tension on the operating lever 25 would also cause a simultaneous increase in the gripping tension of the jaws of the front gripping means 24.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A device of the class described comprising a pair of jaws adapted to grip a margin of a stack of forms and having means mounting said pair for reciprocal rectilinear motion of the jaws thereof with respect to each other, a rotatable shaft having said pair rotatably mounted thereon, means for oscillating said shaft, means for biasing said pair of jaws to retard bodily rotation of said jaws upon initial rotation of said shaft, means mounted on said shaft engaging at least one jaw of said pair whereby rotary movement of said shaft will draw said jaws together to clamp the margin of said stack and means for locking said shaft against rotation after initial relative movement of said jaws to grip said margin, wherein bodily rotation of said jaws is effected when tension is applied to said stack operative to move said jaws relative each other through the engagement of said means mounted on said shaft.

2. A device of the class described comprising a pair of jaws adapted to grip a margin of a stack of forms and having means mounting said pair for reciprocal rectilinear motion of the jaws thereof with respect to each other, a rotatable shaft having said pair rotatably mounted thereon, means for oscillating said shaft, means for biasing said pair of jaws to retard bodily rotation of 8 said jaws upon initial rotation of said shaft, means mounted on said shaft engaging at least one jaw of said pair whereby rotary movement of said shaft will draw said jaws together to clamp the margin of said stack, wherein the means mounted on said shaft engaging at least one jaw comprises a pinion, said one jaw having a rack engageable by said pinion, and means for locking said shaft against rotation after initial relative movement of said jaws to grip said margin, wherein bodily rotation of said jaws is effected when tension is applied to said stack operative to move said jaws relative each other through the engagement of said means mounted on said shaft.

3. A device of the class described comprising a pair of jaws adapted to grip a margin of a stack of forms and having means mounting said pair for reciprocal rectilinear motion of the jaws thereof with respect to each other,,a rotatable shaft having said pair rotatably mounted thereon, means for oscillating said shaft, means mounted on said shaft engaging at least one jaw of said pair whereby rotary movement of said shaft will draw said jaws together to clamp the margin of said stack, wherein the means mounted on said shaft engaging at least one jaw comprises a pinion, said one jaw having a rack engageable by said pinion, including guide means on said shaft, a jaw of said pair being supported for reciprocal motion by said guide means, and means for locking said shaft against rotation after initial relative movement of said jaws to grip said margin, wherein bodily rotation of said jaws is eflFected when tension is applied to said stack operative to move said jaws relative to each other through the engagement of said means mounted on said shaft.

4. A device of the class described comprising a pair of jaws adapted to grip a margin of a stack of forms and having means mounting said pair for reciprocal rectilinear motion of the jaws thereof with respect to each other, a rotatable shaft having said pair rotatably mounted thereon, means for oscillating said shaft, means for biasing said pair of jaws to retard bodily rotation of said jaws upon initial rotation of said shaft, means mounted on said shaft engaging at least one jaw of said pair whereby rotary movement of said shaft will draw said jaws together to clamp the margin of said stack, including guide means on said shaft, a jaw of said pair being restricted to rotary motion with respect to said shaft, and means for locking said shaft against rotation after initial relative movement of said jaws to grip said margin, wherein bodily rotation of said jaws is effected when tension is applied to said stack operative to move said jaws relative each other through the engagement of said means mounted on said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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