US2843378A

US2843378A - Stacking apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2843378A
Application number: US586472A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry W Faeber
Original assignee: Time Inc
Current assignee: TI Gotham Inc
Priority date: 1956-05-22
Filing date: 1956-05-22
Publication date: 1958-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 1975-07-15

Description

July 15, 1958 Filed May 22, 1956 H. W. FAEBER STACKING APPARATUS 5 Sheefs-Sheet' 1 INVZ'NTOR. HARRY w. FAEBER J y 1953. H. w. FAEBER I 2,843,378

' STACKING APPARATUS Filed May 22, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR.

HARRY w. FAEBER w 61's JTTORA/EYS.

July 15, 1958 I w, FAEBER 2,843,378

STACKING APPARATUS Filed May 22, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I '46 #97 2 //6A /4a CI: F25

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HARRY W. FAEBER I BY ms 4 20mm;

22,843,378 Patented July 15, 1958 STAQKING APPARATUS,

Harry W. Faeber, Larehmont, N. Y., assignor ta Time, giccgrporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Application May 22, 1956, Serial No. 536,472 6 Claims. (Cl. 271 557) This invention relates to apparatus for stacking sheets of material such as signatures which have been produced by folding printed and cut sheets of paper from a printing press.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to cut or slit the continuous Web of into several ribbons of narrower width and cut and fold each ribbon of paper into individual signatures which are then conveyed, forexample, on a continuously moving belt or similar surface to a stacking station where they are removed from the moving surface and assembled and stacked manually by jogging.

Problems have been experienced with the type of operation described due to the difficulty (and therefore high cost) of manually assembling and stacking the signatures and the tendency of the freshly printed surfaces to be smudged and smeared when they are rubbed against other signatures or against the conveying surface. Moreover, with increasing press speeds more and more personnel is required at the stacking station, so that manual jogging becomes impracticable.

C'ne object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism for automatically assembling and stacking individual sheets of material.

Another object is to assemble and stack individual sheets of material which are conveyed on a horizontal surface away from a station where they are produced to an assembling and, stacking station.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for stacking individual sheets of material from the horizontal position on which they are conveyed into a vertical position.

Another object of the invention is to assemble signatures produced by the printing press folder in such a way as to prevent smearing and tearing thereof.

Still another object is to provide a simple mechanism which will stack sheets or signatures from a multiplicity of sources in a. confined space; for example, sheets or signatures formed by slitting, cutting and folding a printed web into two or more narrower ribbons and then into individuallengths or signatures.

The inventionmay be understood from the following description consideredtogether with the appended drawings in which corresponding reference numbers represent the same part on the various figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation view, partly in section, of the assembled apparatus constructed according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on plane 2-2 indicated on Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is an isometric View of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 with a portion of the machine frame broken away;

Figure 4 is a plan view of an apparatus. assembly constructed according to another embodiment of the invention; and

paper delivered by the printing press Figure 5 is a side elevation view, partly in section, of the apparatus assembly shown in Figure 4.

In the ensuing description the apparatus will first be described in detail, discussing only those features of the operation that are necessary to provide background for apparatus, following which the procedural features of the invention will be described.

Description of apparatus Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, supported on the machine frame are shafts 11 and 12 which turn in their respective bearings secured to the frame. Rolls 15 and 16, respectively, are mounted on the shafts 11 and 12 and serve to support continuously moving belts 20, 21

l. and 22 which are driven through shaft 12 by any suitable mechanism, which is not illustrated.

Signatures 25, shown on Figure l and in phantom on Figure 3, are deposited on belts -2122 in two

paths

26 and 27 which are separated by a small space 30 located near the center line of belt 21. It will be noted that the forward end of each signature 31 overlaps the rear edge 32 of the signature immediately in front of it as the signatures are conveyed on the belts 20-21-22. The processing of the signatures up until the time they are deposited on belts 24l-21-22 is in accordance with known procedures for printing, cutting and folding sheets of paper.

A signature arresting means is indicated, generally, at 35. The arresting mechanism consists of two continuously moving substantially vertically disposed

belts

36 and 37 which travel on upper roll 40 and lower roll 42. The rolls turn on shafts and 46 which are supported in bearings 10 mounted in the machine frame. The arresting mechanism 35 and, in particular,

belts

36 and 37 are provided with a back-up mechanism 50 which consists of a multiplicity of rollers 51 which turn on shafts 52 which, in turn, are supported in bearings 53, formed in yokes 55. Yokes 55 are integral with shafts 56 which are mounted in cylindrical seats 57 formed in brackets 60 secured to the frame 10 of the machine. Springs 61, which are also disposed in the seats 57, yieldingly urge the back-up mechanism 50 against the inside surfaces of the

belts

36 and 37.

Mounted on the machine frame below the lower edges 32 of signatures 25 as they approach the arresting mechanism 35 are helical members and 66 mounted in bearings 67 and 68, respectively, and driven by a worm and gear assembly 70 and 71 from power transmitted through shaft 12.

Mounted in the machine frame 11) below the arresting mechanism 35 and in substantially vertical position so as to receive signatures transmitted to it from the arresting mechanism, is a conveying mechanism 75 for-med of continuously moving belts 76 and 77 which are supported on upper rolls 80 and 81 and

lower rolls

82 and 83 mounted upon

shafts

85 and 86, respectively. The shafts turn in bearings mounted in the machine frame 10 as shown.

Referring to Figure 2, shaft 85, which drives the belts 76 and 77, is driven by a belt through a sheave 91 keyed to shaft 12 and a sheave 92 keyed to shaft 85.

Belts

36 and 37 are driven by shaft 46 to which a sheave 95 is keyed, which in turn is driven by a belt 96 and sheave 97 keyed to the shaft 85. It will be noted that the belt 96 is twisted as it passes from the sheave 97 to the sheave 95 in order that the belts 36-37 and the belts 7677 may travel in opposite directions. A suitable gear drive may also be used here to the same of feet.

Mounted in the bearings 100 and 101 is a hollow shaft MP2 that has an extended tube portion 105 of helical shape and is disposed on a substantially horizontal axis. The

walls of the extended portion 105 of the tube have a multiplicity of small holes 106 adapted to permit passage of air therethrough, and its end 107 is closed. Beyond bearing 101 there is provided a rotating seal 110 which is connected to a stationary pipe 111 which serves as a supply of compressed air. Collars 112 and 113, which are secured to shaft 102, serve to position the shaft with respect to the hearings to prevent lengthwise movement thereof. A multiplicity of similar helical tubes 115 and 116 (shown in Figures 2 and 3) are provided having form, mounting and air supply means similar to tube 105. It will be noted from Figures 1, 2 and 3 that

helical tubes

105, 115 and 116 are spaced apart so as to accommodate the vertically disposed signatures therebetween, as will be described presently. Moreover, the axes of the respective helical tubes are parallel and coplanar so that the spaces between adjacent helical tubes provide closely adjacent paths for the series of vertically arranged individual signatures.

The shafts 102 are driven through an arrangement of sprockets and chain drives shown most clearly in Figure 2, i. e.,

sprockets

120, 121 and 122 respectively, which are driven by an end-less chain 125. The chain 125, in turn, is driven by a motor 126 through a chain 127 and

sprockets

130 and 131. A sprocket 130 is keyed to the shaft 102 and a sprocket 131 is keyed to the shaft of motor 126, as shown in Figure 1. An adjustable idler sprocket 135 rides in the slack portion of chain 125 maintaining the chain taut. Looking at the machine as in Figure 2, it will be noted that, due to the arrangement of the sprockets and chain,

sprockets

120 and 122 and helices 107 and 116 rotate in a counterclockwise direction while sprocket 121 and helix 115 rotate in a clockwise direction.

Upper signature guides 140 and lower signature guides 141 (Figures 1 and 3) are mounted on the machine frame by means not shown and serve to keep the signatures in alignment. Receding back

plates

142 and 143 at the stack-receiving station 149 ride in tracks 145 and 1 46 in a plate 50.

Plates

142 and 143 are formed with downwardly extending flanges 151 (Figure l) to which there are secured springs 152 attached at their opposite ends to the machine frame. The springs yieldingly urge the

back plates

142 and 143 to the right, as viewed in Figure 1, against the opposing force applied to the signatures through

helices

105, 115 and 116 as the signatures are fed to the stack-receiving station, as explained hereinafter.

If desired, auxiliary means shown in Figure 3 may be provided for urging the vertically disposed signatures (that are between guide bars 140 and141) toward the stack-receiving station. These auxiliary means include continuously moving

belts

160 and 161 which are driven by

rollers

162 and 163, respectively, and another pair of rollers, not shown, the

rollers

162 and 163 being mounted on a drive shaft 165 journalled in supports 170. Movement of

belts

160 and 161 in the direction indicated by the arrows appearing in Figure 3 facilitates outward movement of the signatures by frictional contact thereof with the bottom edges 32 of the vertical signatures.

Description of operation In operation, the signatures 25 are fed to

delivery tapes

20, 21 and 22 in two streams or

paths

26 and 27 from another machine such as a conventional magazine folder not shown in the drawings. The forward edge 31 of each signature overlaps the rear edge 32 of the signature immediately in front of it. The rearward edges 32 are in frictional contact with delivery tapes or belts 20 2122, and this frictional contact supplies the force necessary to cause the signatures to slide over each other and pile up in a substantially vertical position at 25A as "the signatures approach arresting mechanism 35. At this point, the bottom edges 32 are engaged by the helical members 65 and 66 for the

respective paths

27 and 26, which urge forward said bottom edges so that when each signature in success-ion contacts the rotating belt 36 or 'by

helices

115 and 4 37 the entire forward surface of the now vertical signatures is flush with the adjacent surface of the belt. At

this time, each successive signature is forced by frictional contact with

belt

36 or 37 downwardly into contact with the continuously moving belt of feeding mechanism 75 and into the space between adjacent helices or 115-416.

It will be note-d from Figure 3 that the edges of the signatures extend a substantial distance into the helices so that each helix exerts a positive force moving the signature toward the packing or stacking station 149 adjacent the

back plates

142 or 143. Moreover, the need for excessive separation of the two paths is avoided. The farther the signature extends into the helix, the closer the two paths will be and the greater will be the saving of space. In fact, since the helices have no center shafts, the signatures may even extend past the center line of the outer helices, resulting in better control by greater surface area of engagement between the signatures and helix.

Another advantage of the structure illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is that a single helix 115 may be employed to convey two adjacent paths or streams of signatures such as 26 and 27. This structure not only reduces the cost of the mechanism, since one part is doing the work that would normally require two parts, but also simplifies the mechanism in that the signature paths or streams normally are closely adjacent each other as they leave the folder, and a single tubular helix of the type described, which preferably does not have a central core or shaft, may be readily fitted into the small space 30 between the

paths

26 and 27 as shown in Figure 3. If desired, more than two paths of sheets or signatures may be processed in a similar manner by providing helices in a number one greater than the number of paths so that each helix bounds a portion of a path and at least one helix bounds adjoining paths and engages the sheets in the two adjoining paths.

Furthermore, air is forced through

helices

105, 115 and 116 and is continuously blown through holes 106 thereby to minimize the contact between the signatures and the helices while the signatures are being moved in the desired path. Excessive contact of the printed signatures with other surfaces is thereby avoided with the consequent minimizing of smearing of the ink, etc.

As shown in Figure 1, the pitch of each helix decreases toward the end adjacent the stacking station so that as the signatures approach the stacking station, they are brought closer and closer together thereby to facilitate and expedite packing of the signatures in the stacking station as desired.

The centrally mounted helix 115 is a left hand helix and, in order that the signatures may be moved toward the stacking station, rotates in a counter-clockwise direction (as seen in Figure 3). It is preferred that the helices bounding each path rotate in a direction such that the portions of each helix adjacent opposite edges of the same signature move in the same direction, i. e., either upward or downward. With this object in mind, helix 105 is a right hand helix and rotates in a clockwise direction. The respective inward portions of

helices

107 and 115, therefore, are both moving in an upward direction thereby to balance each other and to prevent the signatures from going askew. In path 26, however, which is bounded 116, helix 116 is a right hand helix rotating in a clockwise direction as viewed from the stackreceiving station, while, as indicated before, helix 115 is a left hand helix rotating in a counterclockwise direction. Therefore, in path 26 the respective inward portions of the helices both travel in a downward direction, thereby balancing the forces so as to prevent or minimize the tendency of the erect signatures to go askew.

Description 0) modified apparatus In the apparatus shown in Figures 4 and 5, the various parts are indicated by reference numerals similar to those K applied in Figures 1-3, inclusive. The frame of the machine is shown at The

delivery belts

20, 21, 22 and 23' are supported and driven between rolls and 16'. The rolls are mounted on shafts 11' and 12', respectively, which are supported by bearings in the machine frame 10. Arresting mechanism 35' is constructed in a fashion similar to arresting member 35, shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Conveying mechanism 75 is similar to mechanism 75 shown in Figure 1. The arresting mechanisms 35' and the conveying mechanisms 75' are driven through a system of sheaves and belts 90', 91, 92', 95', 96' and 97 shown in Figure 4, which are substantially identical to the correspondingly numbered parts shown in Figure 2 and described above in connection therewith.

Helical members 65 and 66 are mounted and driven in the same manner as helical members 65' and 66, shown in Figures 1 and 2, that is, by worm and gear systems which receive power from shaft 12. Upper and lower-guides 140' and 141, respectively, guide the signatures in the desired path toward stack-receiving station 149, while bottom plate 150' supports the signatures at their bottom edges Back plates 142' and 143 are supported on shafts 144' and wheels 145 which travel in the channels 146'. The back ptlates have downwardly extending flanges 151, springs 152 extending between the machine frame and the flanges so that the back plates yieldingly resist the outward thrust exerted on the signatures.

The essential elements of difference between the apparatus shown in Figures 4 and 5 and that shown in Figures 1-3, inclusive, is that the former is provided with a wedge 200 mounted on the machine frame which contacts adjacent inwardly disposed edges of the signatures in the two streams 26' and 27', thereby to separate the paths or streams of the signatures and provide space for the helical conveyers 115a and 115!) which are presently to be described.

In order to convey and guide the signatures toward stacking stations 149', shown in Figure 4, from conveying mechanism 75, there are provided a series of helically formed members 105a, 115a, 1151; and 1160. These members are mounted on bearings secured to the machine frame in a manner similar to corresponding parts of the apparatus shown in Figure 2, and are driven by motor 126' through a system of chain drives and sprockets similar to the system shown and described in Figure 2. It will be noted that conveyer 1050 is in the form of a left hand helix and, looking at the apparatus from stacl' ing station 149, rotates counterclockwise, while members 115:: and HM are in left hand helical form and rotate clockwise. In each case, the inward portions of the helices, which contact opposite edges of the same sheet, move in the same direction, i. e., downwardly toward the supporting surface of the plate 150'.

In order to provide space for the two helical members 115a and 115b, a wedge 200 having its pointed end to ward the feed end of the machine is mounted between the

paths

26 and 27 so as to separate the paths sufficiently to provide space for the two helical members 115a and 115b. The wedge 204 is mounted on and secured to the machine frame 10 and serves to guide the respective streams of signatures into the arresting mechanisms 35, conveying devices 75' and stacking stations 149.

The foregoing description of the specific types of apparatus are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims include within their scope modifications and equivalents of the embodiments described specifically. all of which are within the inventive concept.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for stacking a plurality of individual sheets in edgewise fashion which are being fed to said stacking mechanism in a substantially horizontal position on a horizontal moving surface with the forward edge of each sheet overlapping the rear edge of the sheet immediately in front of it and the rear edge of each sheet in contact with said'moving surface, which comprises means for arresting the forward 'motion'of said sheets while the continued movement of said surface and the contact between the rear edges and said surface causes the sheets to slide over each other thereby raising the forward edge of each sheet until each sheet is raised in succession to a substantially vertical position, means engagingeach sheet in succession while it is in the vertical position to slide it downwardly, guiding means arresting the downward movement of said sheets, and means including a pair of rotating helical members mounted on horizontal axes adapted to engage opposite edges of each successive sheet and in cooperation with said guiding member to convey said sheets while in the vertical position toward a stack-receiving station, said helical mem hers being hollow tubes, one end of each tube being opened and the other end closed, the walls of said tubes having a plurality ofholes distributed throughout a substantial portion of its length and adapted to permit pas-- sage of air, and means for forcing air in said open ends and through said holes thereby to move said sheets toward said stack-receiving station with minimum contact between the tubes and the sheets.

2. In a mechanism for stacking a plurality of individual sheets at a stack-receiving station so that they are parallel and adjacent to each other, a pair of hollow tubes of helical configuration rotatably mounted on axes which are parallel so that one end of each tube is adjacent the stack-receiving station and the other end is remote there from, one end of each tube being open and the opposite end closed, the walls of said tubes having a plurality of holes distributed throughout a substantial portion of the length of the tubes and adapted to permit passage of air, means for placing the sheets in succession between said helical tubes at a point near said remote end of said tubes so that the sheets lie in a plane perpendicular to said axes and opposite edges of the sheet are engaged by the respective helical tubes, guiding means for holding said sheets between said tubes, means for rotating said tubes and means for forcing air in said open ends and through said holes thereby to move said sheets toward said stackreceiving station with minimum contact between the tubes and the sheets.

3. In a mechanism for forming at least two stacks in side-by-side relationship, of individual sheets at respective stack-receiving stations, said sheets being fed to said stations in a like number of separate parallel paths; a plu rality of helically formed members in number one greater than the number of paths, said members being rotatably mounted on axes which are spaced and coplanar, and parallel with said paths so that the number of such spaces is equal to the number of paths, each member bounds a portion of a path and at least one member bounds adjoining paths; one end of each member being adjacent the stack-receiving station and the other end remote there from; means for placing the sheets of each path in suc cession into the respective spaces between said helical members at a point near said remote end of said members so that the sheets lie in a plane perpendicular to said axes; said spaces being of size such that the respective helical members engage opposite edges of the sheets and at least the one said member engages the sheets in. the two adjoining paths; guiding means for holding said sheets between said members, and means for rotating said members thereby to move said sheets toward said stacking stations.

4. A mechanism according to claim 3 in which the helical members are hollow tubes, one end of each tube being open and the other end closed, the walls of said tubes having a plurality of holes distributed throughout a substantial portion of its length and adapted to permit passage of air, and means for forcing air in said open ends and through said holes thereby to move said sheets to- 'ward said stack-receiving station with minimum contact .between the tubes and the sheets.

- edge of each sheet overlapping the rear edge of the sheet immediately in front of it and the rear edge of each sheet in contact with said moving surface, said mechanism having a stack-receiving station, guiding means to guide successive sheets toward said station and means adapted to engage successive sheets and in cooperation with said guiding means to convey said sheets while in the vertical position toward said station, the improvement which comprises means for arresting the forward motion of said sheets while in horizontal overlapped position while the continued movement of said surface and the contact between the rear edges and said surface causes the sheets to slide over each other thereby raising the forward edge of each sheet until each sheet is raised in succession to a substantially vertical position, separate means mounted between said horizontal moving surface and said arresting -rneans for engaging the bottom edges of successive sheets and assisting the movement of said edges toward said arresting means and the movement of said sheets into the vertical position, and means engaging each sheet in succession while it is in the vertical position to slide it downwardly into said guiding means.

6. The mechanism described in claim 5 wherein said separate means for assisting the movement of the sheet edges is a helical member mounted on an axis that is sub-,

stantially parallel to said moving surface in a position such that the outer portions of the helix engage said sheet edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,576,243 Mentges Mar. 9, 1926 1,581,583 Low Apr. 20, 1926 1,685,945 Drake Oct. 2, 1928 1,791,569 Novick Feb. 10, 1931 1,960,311 Labombarde May 29, 1934 2,288,523 Grupe et al. June 30, 1942