US2947428A

US2947428A - Machine for stacking paper including oppositely withdrawable adjacent stack supports

Info

Publication number: US2947428A
Application number: US426496A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick B Curtenius
Original assignee: Rice Barton Corp
Current assignee: Rice Barton Corp
Priority date: 1954-04-29
Filing date: 1954-04-29
Publication date: 1960-08-02
Anticipated expiration: 1977-08-02

Description

Aug. 2, 1960 F. B. CURTENIUS 2,947,428

MACHINE FOR STACKING PAPER INCLUDING OPPOSITELY WITHDRAWABLE ADJACENT STACK SUPPORTS Filed April 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 izifii 57 INVENTOR; 2/ /?znfl/z% 45f 6409/7/05 i W/MOKM Aug. 2, 1960 F. B. CURTENIUS 2,947,428

MACHINE FOR STACKING PAPER INCLUDING OPPOSITELY WITHDRAWABLE ADJACENT STACK SUPPORTS Filed April 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i 5; 5,2 3/ 5 7 5 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 2,947,423 Patented Aug. 2., 1960 nice MACHINE FOR STACKING PAPER INCLUDING OPPOSITELY WITHDRAWABLE ADJACENT STACK SUPPORTS Frederick B. Curtenius, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Rice Barton Corporation, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 29, 1954, Ser. No. 426,496

12 Claims. (Cl. 214-6) This invention relates to a machine for stacking paper.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a machine for accurately and rapidly stacking a plurality of small piles of paper into a single stack with regular vertical sides. a

Second, to provide a machine which will transfer small piles of paper from a trimming machine to a straight stack of paper on a skid for further handling and shipment of the paper.

Third, to provide a machine which will load the piles of paper from a paper trimmer without requiring manual lifting and alignment of the piles on the stack on which they are disposed.

Fourth, to provide a machine which will transfer a pile of trimmed paper sheets to a support without disturbing the alignment of the sheets in the pile.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings of which there are two sheets, illustrate a highly practical form of the paper transferring and stacking machine.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partially broken away in cross-section of the paper stacking machine associated with a paper trimmer and stack supporting and elevating skid.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view from the front of the paper stacking machine.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the stacking machine with the table panels in open position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the plane of the line 4--4 in Fig. 3 with the table panels in closed position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along :1

In the process of manufacturing paper, particularly high grade paper used for books, it is presently the practice to rough trim a plurality of sheets to approximate size and after inspection the sheets are collected in piles and delivered to a trimmer which accurately squares and sizes all of the sheets in the pile. The operation of transferring the sheets to and from the trimmer is a manual operation requiring considerable effort and skill. The trimmed and squared piles are transferred manually to a stack usually supported on a skid for further handling and shipment. The individual piles are limited in height by the capacity of the trimmer and the ability of two men to lift the pile and deposit it accurately and squarely on the stack of sheets when theybuild on the skid.

The present invention provides mechanically operated means for quickly and accurately transferring successive piles of paper from a trimmer to a stack of sheets supported on a skid. In Fig. 1 there is conveniently illustrated a paper trimmer -1 positioned in spaced relationship to a hydraulic lift 2 having a platform 3 which can into a pit 4 as the height of the stack of sheets on table 5 and a hydraulic ram 6 for positioning piles of paper on the table and capable of pushing the piles forwardly oif the front edge of the table. The individual piles of paper 7 are accumulated in a stack 8 on a skid 9 positioned on the plaftorm 3.

The transfer of piles from the table 5 to the stack 8 is accomplished by a carriage 10 which rolls in tracks 11 from the front of the trimmer to over the pit 4 and stack 8. The carriage v10 may be made up in various forms but includes front and back rails 12 on which are slidably mounted two

plates

13 and 14 of a transfer table. Slideways or guides 15 (see Fig. 5) keep the plates in alignment on the rails and the top surfaces of the plates are level with the surface of the trimmer table 5.

Rotatably supported along the rails 12 as by bearings 16 are reversely threaded screws 17. The undersides of the

plates

13 and 14 are provided with depending traveling

nuts

18 and 19 respectively which mesh with the screws so that rotation of the screws will cause the plates to slide toward and away from each other on the rails 12. The screws 17 are driven by chains 20 from a motor 21 carried by the carriage.

Supported from the rails 12 and extending from front and rear across the table '13 is a side guide or fence 22 arranged to locate the side of a pile of sheets on the carriage. A back guide or fence 23 is supported from the back rail over the back edges of the plate to locate and align the back edge of the pile of sheets.

The area under the

plates

13 and 14 is substantially unobstructed so that the hydraulic lift 2 may raise the top of the stack 8 into close proximity with the undersides of the

plates

13 and 14 when the carriage is positioned over the pit 4. In order to facilitate positioning of the top of the stack 8, the motor 24 or other mechanism which controls the hydraulic lift is connected through a control cable 25 to an electric eye 26 mounted closely under the

plates

13 and 14. A coacting lamp 27 (see Fig. 3) actuates the eye 26 and motor 24 to stop the ascent of the lift when the top of the stack reaches the desired level. A control box having a lift controlling switch 28 and a switch 29 for controlling the screw operating motor 21 may be conveniently mounted on one end of the carriage. The photo electric eye 26 and manual switch may actuate a solenoid switch 28A to in-' directly actuate the lift motor 24. A stop 30 on the tracks llwill always locate the carriage over the same position on the platform 3.

Desirably the side fence or guide 22 is spaced from the junction of the

plates

13 and 14 by a distance more than half the width of the sheets being handled. This means that more than half the weight of the pile of sheets will be supported on the plate 13 and the friction force of the plate 13 on the bottom of the pile will be somewhat greater than the friction force of the plate 14 on the pile. Then when the plates begin to separate under the action of the reversely threaded screws 17 the pile will be drawn automatically into aligning engagement with the side fence 22. The action of the ram 6 on the trimmer functions to position the rear edge of the pile snugly against the rear fence '23. As the

plates

13 and 14 separate, a portion of the pile intermediate of its ends will sink through the widening space between the plates. Since the top of the stack 8 is located in close proximity to the undersides of the plates the piles do not have far to drop and the deflection or bending of the piles is insuflicient to disturb the squared and aligned relationship of the individual sheets on the pile. Desirably the distance between the top surfaces of the

plates

13 and 14 and the top of the stack 8 is maintained at about one inch or less. After the individual pile has been dis posed on the stack the stack and hydraulic lift can be lowered to clear the rails 12 of the table and the carriage is returned for a succeeding pile on the trimmer. Simultaneously the table plates are drawn back together.

, It is pointed out that the side guide or fence 22 determines the position or location of the side edge of the first pile deposited on the skid and will thereafter locate successive piles in the same position. The back guide or fence 23 and the carriage stop similarly determine the location of the back sides of the several piles so the stack that is built up on the skid is square and vertical. This greatly facilitates further handling and shipment of the stack.

Desirably the table forming plates 13 and 14- are of laminated construction with upper and

lower metal sheets

31 and 32 held together by screws 33. A plurality of intersecting grooves 34 formed in one of the metal sheets provide channels which are opened to the top surfaces of the plates by small ports 35. A source of compressed air is connected to the channels 3-4 as at 36 and this forms an air film along the surface of the plates and under the piles of paper to facilitate sliding of the piles across the surfaces of the table plates.

It is pointed out that the size of the sheets being handled and the position of the side guide or fence 22 have a direct bearing on the position of the stack of sheets relative to the junction of

plates

13 and 14. If the sheets are short and the side guide is moved away from the junction between the plates, the stack may rest entirely on the left plate 13 and not extend across the gap to the plate 14'. This will not defeat the operation of the piler because, particularly with a stack of short sheets, the side guide or fence 22 will prevent lateral movement of the stack as the plate 13' retracts. In this case the right free edge of the stack as viewed in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 merely sags over the retracting edge of the table onto the subadjacent skid or pile. In this operation of the piler, the right plate 14 merely idles and can be disregarded.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed to be new and is-desired to be secured by Letters Patent 1. Paper stacking apparatus in combination with a paper trimmer and a hoist spaced therefrom comprising, a carriage, guide rails for directing said carriage from said trimmer to over said hoist, a pair of table plates slidably mounted on said carriage and movable between opposed edge to edge relation and spaced apart relation, reversely threaded screws on said carriage connected to said plates to oppositely actuate the same, a control for regulating said hoist, an electrical eye limiting means connected to said control and carried by said carriage underneath said plates and coacting with material on said hoist to stop upward motion of the hoist with the top of the material not further than one inch below the tops of said plates, a side guide carried by said carriage and extending across one of said plates perpendicularly to its line of motion, a back guide carried by said carriage and extending across said plates parallel to their line of motion, and a stop limiting movement of said carriage on said rails in one position relative to said hoist, said plates having airpassages therethrough and ports opening from the passages to the top surface of the plates to form air films under piles of paper on the plates.

2. Paper stacking apparatus in combination with a paper trimmer and a hoist spaced therefrom comprising, a carriage, guide rails for directing said carriage from said trimmer to over said hoist, a pair of table plates slidably mounted on said carriage and movable between opposed edge to edge relation and spaced apart relation, reversely threaded screws on said carriage connected to said plates to oppositely actuate the same, a control for regulating said hoist, an electrical eye limiting means connected to said control and carried by said carriage underneath said plates and coacting with material on said hoist to stop upward motion of the hoist with the top of the material not further than one inch below the tops of said plates, a side guide carried by said carriage and extending across one of said plates perpendicularly to its line of motion, and a stop limiting movement of said carriage on said rails in one position relative to said hoist, said plates having air passages therethrough and ports opening from the passages to the top surfaces of the plates to form air films under piles of paper on the plates.

3. Paper stacking apparatus in combination with a paper trimmer and a hoist spaced therefrom comprising, a carriage, guide rails for directing said carriage from said trimmer to over said hoist, a pair of table plates slidably mounted on said carriage and movable from spaced positions into side by side relation, reversely threaded screws on said carriage connected to said plates to oppositely actuate the same, a control for regulating said hoist, an electrical eye limiting means connected to said control and carried by said carriage underneath said plates and coacting with material on said hoist to stop upward motion of the hoist with the top of the material in closely spaced relationship below said plates, and a side guide carried by said carriage and extending across one of said plates perpendicularly to its line of motion.

4. Paper stacking apparatus in combination with a paper trimmer and a hoist spaced therefrom comprising, a carriage, guide rails for directing said carriage from said trimmer to over said hoist, a pair of table plates slidably mounted on said carriage and movable from spaced positions into side by side relation, reversely threaded screws on said carriage connected to said plates to oppositely actuate the same, a control for regulating said hoist, and limiting means connected to said control and carried by said carriage underneath said plates and coacting with material on said hoist to stop upward motion of the hoist with the top of the material in closely spaced relationship below said plates.

5. Paper stacking apparatus in combination with a paper trimmer and a hoist spaced therefrom comprising, -a carriage movable from said trimmer to over said hoist, a pair of table plates slidably mounted on said carriage and movable from spaced positions into side by side relation, reversely threaded screws on said carriage connected to said plates to oppositely actuate the same, a control for regulating said hoist, limiting means connected to said control and carried by said carriage underneath said plates and coacting with material on said hoist to stop upward motion of the hoist with the top of the material in closely spaced relationship below said plates, a side guide carried by said carriage and extending across one of said plates perpendicularly to its line of motion, and a back guide carried by said carriage and extending across said plates parallel to their line of motion.

6. Paper stacking apparatus in combination with a paper trimmer and 'a hoist spaced therefrom comprising, a carriage movable from said trimmer to over said hoist, a pair of table plates slidably mounted on said carriage and movable from spaced positions into side by side relation, reversely threaded screws on said carriage connected to said plates to oppositely actuate the same, a side guide carried by said carriage and extending across one of said plates perpendicularly to its line of motion, and a back guide carried by said carriage and extending across said plates parallel to their line of motion.

7. Paper stacking apparatus in combination with a paper trimmer and a hoist spaced therefrom comprising, a carriage movable from said trimmer to over said hoist, a pair of table plates slidably mounted on said carriage and movable from spaced positions into side by side relation, reversely threaded screws on said carriage connected to said plates to oppositely actuate the same, and 'a. side guide carried by said carriage and extending across one of said plates perpendicularly to its line of motion.

8; Paper stackingapparatus in combination with a paper trimmer and a hoist spaced therefrom comprising, a carriage movable from said trimmer to over said hoist, a table plate slidably mounted on said carriage, screws on said carriage connected to said plate to reversely actuate the same, a control for regulating said hoist, limiting means connected to said control and carried by said carriage underneath said plate and coacting with material on said hoist to stop upward motion of the hoist with the top of the material in closely spaced relationship below said plate, a side guide carried by said carriage and extending across said plate perpendicularly to its line of motion, and a back guide carried by said carriage and extending across said plate parallel to its line of motion.

9. Paper stacking apparatus in combination with a paper trimmer and a hoist spaced therefrom comprising, a carriage movable from said trimmer to over said hoist, a plate slidably mounted on said carriage, means on said carriage connected to said plate to reversely actuate the same, a control for regulating said hoist, limiting means connected to said control and carried by said carriage underneath said plate and coacting with material on said hoist to stop upward motion of the hoist with the top of the material in closely spaced relationship below said plate, and a side guide carried by said carriage and extending across said plate perpendicularly to its line of motion.

-10. A device for handling piles of paper comprising, a carriage adapted to move over a support, a first plate reciprocably slidable on said carriage, a second plate reciprocably slidable on said carriage and co-planar with the first plate, reversely threaded screw means and driving means therefor mounted on said carriage, a travelling nut on each of said plates and engaged with said screw means to move said plates toward and away from each other, a guide plate carried by said carriage and extending across one of said plates transversely of its line of motion, and a second guide plate on said carriage and extending across the adjacent edges of said plates parallel to their line of motion.

11. A device for handling piles of paper comprising, a carriage adapted to move over a support, a first plate reciprocably slidable on said carriage, a second plate reciprocably slidable on said carriage and coplanar with the first plate, reversely threaded screw means and driving means therefor mounted on said carriage, a travelling nut on each of said plates and engaged with said screw means to move said plates toward and away from each other, and a guide carried by said carriage and extending across one of said plates transversely of its line of motion.

12. Apparatus for forming small piles of flexible sheets having insufficient rigidly to be self supporting into a larger stack comprising, a support for the stack to be formed, means for raising and lowering said support, a second support positioned above said first support and spaced laterally therefrom so as not to obstruct the area vertically above said first support, a pair of horizontal plates slidably mounted on said second support, said plates being coplanar, means for reversely and oppositely actuating said plates to move into adjacent position over said first support and to laterally retracted positions to the side of said first support, and a guide having a vertically extending surface positioned transversely across the path of movement of one of said plates and over one side of said first support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,787,572 English Jan. 6, 1931 1,951,178 Smitmans Mar..13, 1934 2,069,424 Seit Feb. 2, 1937 2,164,371 Ajello July 4, 1939 2,273,689 Boron et al Feb. 17, 1942 2,323,174 Wilke June 29, 1943 2,627,354 Isella et a1 Feb. 3, 1953 2,648,380 Socke Aug. 11, 1953 2,701,650 Stevenson Feb. 8, 1955 2,741,308 Meyer Apr. 10, 1956 2,771,948 Thumin Nov. 27, 1956