US2893731A - Sheet side gauging apparatus - Google Patents

Description

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ATTORNEYS July 7, 1959 R. E. J. NORDQUIST SHEET SIDE GAUGING APPARATUS Filed April 26, 1957 RONALD E. J. NORDQUIST July 7, 1959 R. E. J. NORDQUIST SHEET SIDE GAUGING APPARATUS ATTORNEYS INVENTOR.

RONALD E. J- NORDQUIST t 5M4 flJQ/AQ w. mm \N l AINRNN m. A w u Q Q MW m h M \w r July 7, 1959 R. E. J. NORDQUIST SHEET srmz GAUGING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 26, 1957 INVENTOR.

RONALD E. J. NORDQUIST ATTORNEYS The present invention relates to sheet gauging apparatus for machines in which sheet material is required to be located in a predetermined position for further treat ment and has particular reference to intermittently rotatable gauges for locating the sheets in proper position.

The invention is particularly adapted to the registering or accurate positioning of sheets of material, preferably metallic sheets such as tin plate and the like for passage through sheet treating machines, such as lithographing machines, printing presses, slitters, scroll shears, and

others for an operation upon the sheets. In such'machines the sheets preferably are side gauged a predetermined distance from the rear or following edge of-the sheets so as to gauge all sheets alike. Where rotary side gauges are most practical to use, the gauges rotate in time Since the gauging-takeswith the travel of the sheets. place at only one point in the length of the sheets, the gauges usually are designed to make one revolution for each sheet. Under this system of side gauging, difficulty is experienced in the excessive diameter of the gauging rolls for long sheets. It is often impossible to fit such gauging devices into machines because of the lack of sufiicient space.

The instant invention contemplates overcoming this difiiculty by the use of intermittently rotatable gauging devices. I

It is therefore an object of the instant invention to. pro vide a side gauging apparatus which is compact and of a novel construction which permits of readily fitting the. apparatus into a small space in a sheet treating machine; Another object is to providesuch an apparatus-in which the gauging elements are rotated intermittently in time with the travel of the sheets through the machine so that the gauging elements may be made of suitable proportions to readily fit into and efiiciently operate in the small space available in the machine.

Another object is the provision in such agauging apparatus of a yieldable side gauging element which requires a minimum of movement to efficiently operate and perform its gauging function.

Another object is to provide a novel mechanism for actuating and for accurately timing the actuation: of the side gauging elements so as to obtain gentlebut full' gauging action at a predetermined point in the length of each sheet as it passes through the machine. 7

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof. 7

Referring to the drawings: a

Figure l is a top plan view of an apparatus embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 22 in Fig. l, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view .70

taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged horizontal sectional views States P tent) 1C 2,893,731 P tented m 7, 1959 I 2r taken substantially along the lines. 4-4, 5-15 respectively,inFig. 3; i

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the broken line 6-6 in Fig. )5; Fig, 7 is'an' enlarged fragmentarysectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 in Fig. 2; i Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view'of a detail of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; and

Figs. 9, l0 and ll'are schematic plan views illustrating howasheetis side gauged. I g p g Asa preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, the drawings illustrate principal parts of a feeding mechanism of the. character disclosed in my United States Patent 2,484,845,'issued October 18, 1949, on Sheet Treating Machine, and United States Patent 2,529,513, issued November 14, 1950, to W. Pechy on Gauge Driving Device for Sheet Feeding and Gauging Mechanisms, including a gauging'apparatus for feeding and gauging sheets A (Figs'. 1 and 2) oftin plate or the like sheet material and foradvancing them into a sub sequent'operation machine such'a's 'a printing or lithographing machine, scroll shear, slitter, or other machine used for' preparing or converting the sheets into container or can parts. i

Insuch a feeding mechanism the sheets A are 'advanced continuously in spaced and timed processional order along a straightline' path 'of travel by a pair of' transversely spaced and parallel endless chain conveyors 21 (Figs. 1,2 and 3)"having feed dogs 22 secured thereto at spaced intervals therealong for engaging the rear or followingtransverse edges 'of the sheets. During this travel the sheets are supported" on a plurality of long:i-" tudinal support bars 23whi chare disposed 'adjacentthepath of travel of the'conveyors 21; *These support bars 23 are secured to cross-bars 24 which extend transversely of the machine and at their ends are attached to a pair of side frames'25 which constitute the main frame of the mechanism- The-chain conveyors 21 operate over a pair 'of driving I sprockets 2.7 located-at thedischarge end of the mechanism .and,over a pair of. idler sprockets 28 located at the oppositeendlof the mechanism. Thesesprockets 27, 28 1 are mounted respectively: am driving shaft 29 and an idler shaft. 31 journaled in hearing brackets 32 attached to.the---side frames .25.. The drivingshaft 29 is rotated.

continuously in any suitable manner.

The conveyors 21 feed a-s'heet A to a station immediately adjacent the subsequent operationmachine and at this station, while the. sheet is continuously moving forward, it is gauged for proper location and alignment and is then advanced into the subsequent operation machine while so gauged. The sheet preferably is first squared-up relative to its forward or leading edge or its rear or following edge in any suitable manner before the side gauge ing takes place. As .an example of such a squaring-up operation, the drawings illustrate a pair of squaring-up backjngauges or fingers 34 (Figs. 1 and 2)- for squaring-upthe .sheet relative to itsrear or following edge as shown in my Patent 2,484,845'hereinbefore mentioned. The backgauges 34 are disposed in the p-ath of travel of the. sheet at. a distance from the subsequent operationmachine slightly greater than the length of the sheet to fully. effect. the squaringup and .side gauging operations before, the sheet is discharged to the subsequent operationmachine. Forgthis purpose the fingers 34are located adjacent the conveyorchainsfl and are mounted on a cross-shaft 3S journaledin. bearingblocks 36 in the.

frame'25. The shaft 35 fand "tl1 e 1fin ger s 34 mounted thereon are rotated continuouslyin any suitable manner in time. with the conveyors 21 to rotate the fingers through] one revolution for each sh eet' such a manner as .to bring the fingers up behind the advancing sheet and engage them against the following or rear edge of the sheet. This action advances the sheet forwardly away from the conveyor feed dogs 22 and shifts it into a squared-up relation with the fingers 34 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This action, which results ina lengthwise-gauging of the sheet, is effected rapidly while the sheet travels through a very short advancement. V

Immediately following the squaring-up action, the sheet is gauged sidewise by a pair of intermittently rotated side gauge elements 38, 39 disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal path of travel of the squared-up sheet on the conveyor 21. These side gauges 38, 39 are located a predetermined distance from the axis or cross shaft 35 of the back gauges 34 (approximately ten and three eighths inches) so as to side gauge all of the sheets A at the same point along their side edges, with respect to their following or rearedges.

The side gauge 38 is an axially fixed gauge, and comprises a rotatable disc 41 (Figs. 3 and 9) disposed on one side of the apparatus and mounted on the upper end of a normally stationary vertically disposed shaft 42 journaled in an upper bearing 43 in the frame 25. and in a lower bearing 44 formed in a bracket extending inwardly from the frame. The disc 41 preferably is provided with top and bottom outwardly projecting, divergent flanges 46 which serve to hold the sheet against vertical displacement from the disc. The periphery of the disc 41 is formed as a spiral cam which terminates at a high spot or outwardly projecting protuberance or gauge lug 47 and then drops off abruptly along a radial line or shoulder 48 to the beginning of the spiral as best shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11.

The side gauge 39 comprises a flexible or resilient gauge located on the opposite side of the apparatus so that the advancing sheet passes between this gauge and the gauge 38. The resilient gauge 39 preferably further comprises a pair of horizontally disposed, vertically spaced top and bottom concentric plates 51, 52 (Figs. and 6) having divergent peripheral flanges 53 similar to the flanges 46 on the fixed gauge 38 and for the same purpose. The bottom plate 52 is provided with a centrally located hub 55 which extends up to the top plate 51 and to which the top plate is secured by screws 56. The hub 55, and hence the entire gauge 39, is mounted on a normally nonrotating axially fixed vertical shaft 57 (see also Fig. 3) journaled in an upper bearing 58 in the frame 25 and in a lower bearing 59 in a bracket formed on the frame.

The inner or adjacent flat faces of the top and bottom plates 51, 52 between their divergent flanges 53 and the hub 55 are cut away to provide an annular recess .61 defined adjacent the flanges 53 preferably by concentric retaining shoulders 62 for housing a flat annular spring 63 located on edge within the recess. The spring 63 throughout a major portion of its extent is concentric with the center of the gauge shaft 57 and presses radially outwardly against the retaining shoulders 62.

One end of the spring is fastened to a pin 65 secured in the bottom plate 52 within the recess 61. The pin 65 is located radially inwardly remote from the retaining shoulders 62 so that a portion of the spring extending from the pin projects outwardly at an angle into a short concentric portion 60 set inwardly from the retaining shoulders 62 and then gradually merges into the major concentric portion of the spring. This inwardly set por- .tion of the spring is a sheet clearance section which extends along a segment defined by an angle of substantially 45 degrees of the entire circumference of the spring.

The opposite end of the spring 63 is provided with a free tail portion 64- which partially overlaps the angular or pinned end of the spring as shown in Fig. 5. Like the pinned end of. the spring, the free end 64 gradually emerges from the major concentric portion of the spring and for a distance is concentric and set inwardly from the retaining shoulders 62 to cooperate with the adjacent set-in pinned portion 60 of the spring to extend the sheet 4 clearance section along a minor portion of the periphery of the spring as shown in Fig. 5.

The entire set-in or clearance concentric section of the spring 63 extends along substantially one quadrant or of the gauge 39 and is angularly located and timed with respect to the gauging high spot 47 on the cam surface 41 of fixed gauge 38 for cooperation therewith in side gauging a sheet passing between them. The normal stationary positions ofzthe two gauges 38, 39 are illustrated in Fig. 9, the relieved portions of the gauges being disposed opposite each other to permit a sheet to pass between them without being engaged. At the proper time the gauges 38, 39 are rotated simultaneously through one revolution in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 9, for each sheet, at a predetermined point in the travel of the sheet to eifect the gauging operation. During this rotation of the gauges 38, 39 the spiral portion of the gauge 38 rotates into engagement with the adjacent edge of the advancing sheet as shown in Fig. 10 and, gradually pushes the sheet laterally across the back gauges or squaring, up fingers 34 while the opposite edge of the sheet engages and presses against the major concentric portion of the annular spring 63 of the resilient gauge 39. This action compresses the annular spring 63 slightly and thus holds the sheet in firm engagement with the fixed gauge 38.

The lateral shifting of the sheet takes place substantially through the full rotation of the gauge 38 and at the termination of this one revolution the sheet is in fully side gauged position irrespective of the length of the sheet. In this gauged position of the sheet, the peak of the gauging protuberance 47 of the gauge 38 is exactly at the gauging point on the sheet edge and at the required distance from the following or rear squared-up edge of the sheet as shown in Fig. ll. Along the opposite edge of the sheet, the resilient gauge 39, rotating in time with the gauge 38, rotates the clearance portion of the annular spring 63 into position adjacent its sheet edge simultaneously with the rotation of the gauge protuberance 47 into gauging peak position along its side of the sheet. This action relieves the pressure on the sheet thereby permitting the sheet to stand in properly gauged position without any side pressure thereon.

In this side gauged position the sheet is advanced by the back gauges or squaring-up fingers 34, into the subsequent operation machine and the gauges 38, 39 continue their rotation to the point of origin as shown in Fig. 9 and then stop rotating. A pair of continuously rotating feed rollers 66 (Figs. 1 and 2) mounted on cross-shafts 67 disposed adjacent the discharge end of the gauging apparatus is shown by way of example for receiving the gauged sheets and for feeding them into the subsequent operation machine.

The normally non-rotatable gauges 38, 39 are rotated at the proper time through their one revolution cycle of operation for each sheet A, by normally disengaged, conventional free wheeling clutches, one of which is attached to each of the gauge shafts 42, 57. Each clutch comprises a normally stationary driven member 71 (Figs. 3 and 4) which is secured to the gauge shafts 42, 57 adjacent their bearings 43, 58 and which is surrounded by a driving member 72 freely mounted on the gauge shafts 42, 57. The outer periphery of the driven member 71 is provided with a plurality of wedge shaped notches 73 respectively housing rollers 74 backed-up by compression springs 75. The driving member 72 rotates in the same direction as the gauges 38, 39 which direction is against or toward the springs 75 and thereby normally resists driving of the driven member.

Rotation of the driving members 72 of the two free wheeling clutches preferably is effected continuously through gears driven from the conveyor driving shaft 29 of the conveyor 21. For this purpose each clutch driving member 72 is provided with a depending hub 77 on which is keyed a bevel gear 78. The two bevel gears 78 mesh with and are driven by bevel gears 79 mounted on a crossshaft 81 journaled in bearings 82 on the frame 25. The cross-shaft 81 is driven in time with the conveyor 21 through a gear 83 fixed on the shaft and meshing with a gear 84 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) on a cross-shaft 85 in the frame. The shaft 85 carries a gear 86 which meshes with a gear 87 on the conveyor driving shaft 29.

In order to provide for intermittent, timed rotation of the gauges 38, 39 the driven members 71 normally are held against rotation and are released at the proper time in the cycle of operation. This is effected through stop pins 87a (Figs. 1, 3 and 7) which project up from the top of the clutch driven members 71. The stop pins 87a engage against the free blunt ends of a pair of rocker levers 88 mounted intermediate their ends on pivot screws 89 carried in frame 25. There is one rocker lever for each clutch. Beyond the pivot screws 89, the rocker levers 88 carry cam rollers 93 which are engaged by a pair of rotatable beveled lugs 94 (Figs. 1, 3, and 7) one of of which extends inwardly from the inner face of the gear 86 and the other of which is formed on an arm 95 (Figs. 3 and 8) on the cross-shaft 85, to actuate the rocker levers at a predetermined time. Springs 96 hold the rocker levers 88 against pins 97 on the frame 25 (Fig. 7) to hold the cam rollers 93 in proper position for engagement by the beveled lugs 94. The shaft 85 which rotates the beveled lugs 94 makes one revolution for each sheet so as to trip the clutches once for each sheet and at the proper time.

Hence as the conveyor '21 and the back gauges or squaring-up fingers 34 operating in time therewith, advance a sheet A into side gauging position, the rotating beveled lugs 94 engage the cam rollers 93 and thereby rock the levers 88 in a direction away from the stop pins 87a on the clutch driven members 71. This action releases the driven members 71 for rotation and thereby permits the clutch springs 75 to wedge the clutch rollers 74 between the clutch driving members 72 and the clutch driven members 71, thus causing the driving members 72 to rotate the driven members 71 and the side gauges 38, 39 conneced thereto to eifect the sheet side gauging operation as hereinbefore described.

The beveled lugs 94 are of sufiicient width to merely withhold the blunt ends of the rocker levers 88 from the path of travel of the stop pins 87a, until the pins 87a move out of alignment with the adjacent rocker levers 88. The cam rollers 93 then ride 01f the lugs 94 and the springs 96 thereupon return the rocker levers to their original position (Fig. 7) with their blunt ends in the path of travel of the stop pins 87a to stop the clutch driven members 71 after they have completed one revolution and to thereby stop the rotation of the side gauges 38, 39 immediately upon completing a sheet side gauging operation as hereinbefore explained.

With such a sheet gauging apparatus, the rotatable gauges 38, 39 may be made of a sufficiently small diameter to fit into available crowded spaces on the machine, without regard to the length of the sheet or the speed of rotation of the gauges relative to the travel of the sheet A, the gauges being intermittently started and stopped to effect the gauging operation at a predetermined point on each sheet as best illustrated in Fig. 1.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A sheet gauging apparatus, comprising conveyor means for continuously advancing a sheet along a path of travel, a pair of rotatable gauge members disposed on opposite sides of the path of travel of the sheet for engaging the opposed sides of the sheet as it passes between said gauge members, and actuating means including a normally disengaged clutch for intermittently rotating said gauge members through a single continuous rotation only at a predetermined point along the side edge of said sheet for side gauging said sheet.

2. A sheet gauging apparatus of the character defined in claim 1 wherein said clutch is a free wheeling clutch having a normally stationary driven member for rotating said gauge members and a continuously operating driving member for rotating said driven member and wherein means are provided for locking said driven member to hold it normally stationary and means for releasing said locking means to effect the one revolution cycle of said gauge members.

3. A sheet gauging apparatus of the character defined in claim 2, having means for actuating said releasing means to disengage said locking means in time with the advance of said sheet by said conveyor means.

4. A sheet gauging apparatus of the character defined in claim 1, wherein one of said gauge members comprises an axially fixed rotatable member having a radial protuberance for engaging one edge of said sheet for side gauging said sheet, and the other of said gauge members includes an annular resilient spring member engageable against the opposite edge of said sheet for holding the sheet in contact with said axially fixed gauge member.

5. A sheet gauging apparatus of the character defined in claim 4, wherein said annular spring member is provided with a radially inwardly offset sheet clearance portion for clearing the sheet edge to relieve pressure on the sheet at the termination of the side gauging operation.

6. A sheet gauging apparatus of the character defined in claim 4, wherein said annular spring member is flat and is set on edge with one end fixed and the other end free, said spring member having a major portion concentric with its axis of rotation for pressing said sheet against said axially fixed gauge member, said spring member having an inwardly oifset clearance portion to clear said sheet and relieve pressure thereon at the termination of the gauging operation.

7. A sheet gauging apparatus of the character defined in claim 6 wherein said annular spring member is housed between a pair of spaced plates and wherein said plates are provided with retaining shoulders to confined said spring against radially outward displacement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,396,481 Wilckens et a1. Mar. 12, 1946

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