US2997293A - Collating machine construction - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 22, 1961 J. A. PIDGEON 2,997,293

COLLATING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 15, 1960 v 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Josqvlz 14.Pid 9'e0n ATTORNEYS 1961 J. A. PIDGEON 2,997,293

COLLATING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 15, 1960 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR i 3 JosqvhAPiQeon LBW/8m, W

ATTORNEYS Aug. 22, 1961 J. A. PlDGEON COLLATING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 15, 1960 INVENTOR JosephAPMlgeon ATTORNEYS Aug. 22, 1961 J. A. PIDGEON COLLATING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 15, 1960 (III/11m IIIIH llIVlllllIlHll 1N VENTOR JosqvhAPidgeon ATTORNEYS 1961 J. A. PIDGEON 2,997,293

COLLATING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 15, 1960 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR Josqvhfl. Pidgeon BY Wok-9: M56

ATTORNEYS Aug. 22, 1961 J. A. PIDGEON COLLATING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed March 15, 1960 PNN I N VE NTOR JOSGfYlLflWBOIt ATTORNEYS Q Q; i 3% Aug. 22, 1961 J. A. PIDGEON 2,997,293

COLLATING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 15, 1960 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 |56 STATION NO.2

STATION NO.|

IN VEN TOR.

3 a? JoseyvhAPicqeon BY mwgwms w ATTORNEYS Aug. 22, 1961 J. A. PIDGEON COLLATING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed March 15, 1960 llfllllwmmlnm vyw ATTORNEYS nited tates My invention relates to improvements in collating machine construction and more specifically to a machine for collating preferably envelopes into stacks of a given number and in a given and predetermined order.

In present day printing business, the printing companies are frequently required to supply printed matter which must be arranged after printing into groups or stacks of a given number of pieces in a particular and predetermined order. One example of this type of printing is the printing of church collection envelopes, which are generally printed and packaged in a box containing somewhere between 52 and 90 or more of such envelopes.

These church envelopes are sometimes printed of various colors and usually with various weekly dates, so that at least one envelope is provided for each Sunday of the year, and other envelopes are provided in particular places throughout the year for special events and occasions. Further, each of these envelopes has printed thereon the particular date on which it is to be used, so that in a pack or box of envelopes that is sent to each church member at the beginning of the year, there is contained an envelope bearing the date of each Sunday and an envelope bearing the date of each of these special events or occasions.

In the particular printing companies at which these collection envelopes are printed, it is, of course, necessary to separately print the total group of envelopes required by a given church for each particular collection day, and it is then necessary for a worker to separate these en velopes into collated stacks containing merely a single envelope for each collection date and in proper order for use throughout the year. To my knowledge, prior to my present invention, this separation of envelopes into their individual collated stacks has always been accomplished by hand, that is, it has been necessary for a worker to pass along a table having stacks of the various dated envelopes, taking one envelope from each stack, and placing them in proper order to later be packed into a box for mailing to the church member.

This, of course, is a slow and tedious job and since the envelopes must be in an exact given order, there is considerable possibility of human error. Furthermore, due to the steady rise in labor costs, the necessity of arranging these envelopes in proper order has added greatly to the final cost to the religious groups requiring them.

it is, therefore, desirable to provide some form of me chanical means which will accomplish this operation formerly done by human labor alone. Also, in view of the possible mistakes by prior workers in accomplishing this operation, it is desirable to provide a mechanical means which insures that the proper number of envelopes will be provided in exact predetermined order with the minimum possibility of mistakes in such stack.

Certain prior constructions of collating machines have been provided for gathering in order various types of printed matter, but none of these prior machines have been entirely satisfactory for use in gathering into a predetermined order items such as printed envelopes which must be gathered into a stack containing 52 to 90 or more separate pieces. One such prior construction, for instance, has included a series of separate roller conveying means positioned side by side, each of which is opatent erable for conveying one or more items of printed material from a series of supply stacks to a series of positioning steps or tables.

In this prior machine, after the individual sheets of printed material have been positioned on the positioning steps, a pick-up mechanism, in the form of pick-up fingers, travels the length of the positioning steps progressively sliding one sheet on top of the other, so that at the end of the pickup stroke, it is intended to provide a stack of properly collated printed sheets. It has been found, however, that it is costly to provide the separate roller conveying means required at each positioning station or step, and also that as the pick-up fingers push the overlapped sheets by the pick-up one over the other for building the collated stack of sheets, the stack frequently becomes disarranged before reaching the finish end of the machine.

Still further, in such a collating machine it has been extremely difiicult, in order to provide maximum speed of operation, to correlate the timing between the various operable parts in order that a cycle of collating is carried out in a smooth and eflicient manner. If, of course, this timing is not maintained exactly, with the machine running at high speed there is the possibility of interference between the various parts of the machine and the further possibility of considerable damage being done to these parts.

A still further difliculty with this prior machine construction has been that if some portion of the conveying means at any of the individual stations or steps happens to fail, thereby not conveying a printed sheet to the positioning step at this particular station, because of the speed of operation of the machine, the stack of sheets is collected without this particular sheet in its proper order and this is completely unknown to the operator thereof. Furthermore, the same difiiculty occurs it two of such printed sheets stick together at a given station, so that two sheets are conveyed to the positioning step at that particular station.

Finally, when the collated stack of printed sheets has been delivered at the finish end of the machine, it has been necessary to have an operator immediately take this stack and manually convey it to another location. Where a mechanical means has been provided for accomplishing this particular operation, it has been complicated and added greatly to the cost of the overall construct-ion.

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide a collating machine construction which solves the foregoing problems and overcomes the disadvantages of the prior collating machine constructions.

it is a primary object of the present invention to provlde a collating machine construction in which all of the parts thereof, for performing the various operations of a collating cycle, are perfectly synchronized for operation and are arranged so that it is impossible for these parts to move out of proper timing.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide a collating machine construct-ion in which positioning steps are provided of improved construction for insurmg a perfect positioning of the printed matter to be gathered in properly collated form and also insuring that this printed matter may be finally provided in an even collated stack.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a collating machine construction in which improved, positive and simplified conveying means is used for conveyong the printed matter from the various supply sources to the positioning steps ready for being picked up by gathering means in proper order.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a collating machine construction in which each positioning step has a unique form of sensing means which will automatically indicate if either no printed item is provided at theis particular positioning step or an improper number of such items is provided at this positioning step.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a collating machine construction in which the foregoing sensing means at each positioning step operates at a predetermined time during the cycle of the machine and is inactive during the remainder of the cycle.

It is still an additional object of the present invention to provide a collating machine construction in which a means is provided at the end of each gathering stroke of the gathering means for receiving a properly collated stack of printed material and automatically moves each stack away from the machine, so that the stack can be later packaged at the convenience of the operator.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a collating machine construction which accomplishes all of the above objects in a simple and eificient manner at a minimum of construction and labor costs.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and subcombinations comprising the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, a preferred embodiment of whichillustrative of the best mode of which applicant has contemplated applying the principles is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming a part hereof.

In general terms, the collating machine construction comprising the present invention may be stated as including a series of adjacent supply bins or chutes aligned with and spaced from a series of adjacent positioning steps, with conveying means at each positioning step for conveying items of printed material from the supply bins to the positioning steps at a predetermined time. Further. the collating machine may include pick-up means movable along the positioning steps for gathering the individual items of printed matter from each positioning step and pro ressively arranging these items in a properly collated stack. in a given order. Also, the collating machine construction may include means for receiving each properly collated stack of printed matter and trans orting these stacks to a position remote from the delivery end of the machine.

More specifically. each supply bin or chute is preferably formed in a particular manner for preventing packing to ether of the various items of printed material contained therein so that these items can be easily separated by the conveying means. and further the conveying means is formed in a particular manner for accomplishin a positive conveying of the printed items from the supply bins or chutes to the adiacent positionin steps. Additionally, these positioning steps are constructed for improved reception, positioning and discharge of the printed items. with each positioning step including sensing means which is actuated preferably at a predetermined interval during the collating machine cycle, for determining if the particular positioning step is properly filled with a printed item and indicating if the positioning step does not contain or contains too many of such printed items.

Still further, according to the present invention, a particular arrangement of timing cams is preferably provided for regulating and synchronizing the movement and operation of the conveying means, positioning steps and sensing means, and also the various driving connections throughout the collating machine construction are arranged for insuring that the proper sequence of operation of the collating machine construction is correctly carried out. Finally, the present invention preferably includes a particular form of rotating receiving table, positioned at the finish end of the machine, synchronized and preferably driven by the main drive of the machine for receiving each properly collated stack of printed matter and moving these collated stacks away from the finish end of the machine to a position remote therefrom, at which remote position an operator may remove and pack the same.

By way of example, an embodiment of the collating machine construction of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the starting end of the machine showing the main portion of the drive and operating mechanism and the gathering means in position ready to start a gathering stroke;

FIG. 2, an end elevation of the starting end of the machine in the position of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, a fragmentary side elevation of the finish end of the machine;

FIG. 4, a fragmentary end elevation similar to FIG. 2, but showing the various parts of the machine in different operating positions;

FIG. 5, a fragmentary side elevation looking in the direction of the arrows 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6, a View similar to FIG. 5 with various parts of the machine in different positions;

FIG. 7, a fragmentary sectional View, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 77 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8. a fragmentary sectional View, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 8-8 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 9, a sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 9-9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10, a fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 10-10 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11, a fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 11--11 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 12, a fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 12-12 in FIG. 8',

FIG. 13, a fragmentary sectional view. part in elevation. looking in the direction of the arrows 1.3-4.3 in FIG. 9:

FIG. l4, a fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, similar to FIG. 8, but showing the various parts in position with the positioning step hinge covers partially open and the positioning step conveying means fully retracted;

FIG. 15, a view similar to FIG. 14, but showing the positioning step hinge covers fully open and the positioning step conveying means partially extended;

FIG. 16, a fragmentary sectional view. part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 16-16 in FIG. 14;

FIG. 17, a fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 1717 in FIG. 15;

FIG. 18, a fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 1818 in FIG. 2, and showing the vacuum operating means for the positioning step conveying means;

FIG. 19, a fragmentary sectional View, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows lit-19 in FIG. 2, and showing a portion of the vacuum operating means for the positioning step conveying means;

FIG. 20, a view similar to FIG. 19, but showing the operating means in a different position;

FIG. 21, a fragmentary top plan view of the finish end of the machine of FIG. 3;

FIG. 22, a fragmentary sectional view, par-tin elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 2222 in FIG. 21, and showing the positioning step hinged covers closed prior to the beginning of the conveying operation;

FIG. 23, a view similar to FIG. 22 with the positioning step hinge covers fully open and the positioning step conveying means moving a printed item toward the positioning steps;

FIG. 24, a view similar to FIG. 22, but showing the gathering means gathering the printed items from the positioning steps, but prior to the stack being received by the receiving table at the finish end of the machine;

FIG. 25, a fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, showing the receiving table of FIG. 24 having the finished properly collated stack of printed items positioned thereon;

FIG. 26, an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of one of the positioning steps of FIG. 22 with the hinged cover thereof in closed position;

FIG. 27, a fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 2727 in FIG. 26 and showing the positioning step of FIG. 26 in end elevation;

FIG. 28, a fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 2828 in FIG. 27, and showing the sensing means in inoperative position;

FIG. 29, an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 2929 in FIG. 27;

FIG. 30, a fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 3030 in FIG. 29;

FIG. 31, an enlarged top plan view of one of the gear segments which in assembly is operably connected for pivoting the hinged cover of one of the positioning steps;

FIG. 32, a front elevation of the gear segment of FIG. 31;

FIG. 33, a top plan view of one of the spring clips which in assembly is operably engaged with one of the gear segments of one of the positioning steps;

FIG. 34, a front elevation of the spring clip of FIG. 33;

FIG. 35, an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of certain of the racks for controlling the movement of the gear segments of FIGS. 31 and 32, looking in the direction of the arrows 3535 in FIG. 28;

FIG. 36, a fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 3636 in FIG. 35;

FIG. 37, an enlarged fragmentary view, similar to FIGS. 22 through 24, but showing two of the positioning steps in the sensing phase of the operating cycle with one positioning step sensing means indicating that no printed items are positioned on that particular positioning step and the other positioning step sensing means indicating that a single printed item is properly contained on that positioning step;

FIG. 38, a view similar to FIG. 37 but showing one of the positioning step sensing means indicating that two or more printed items are positioned on that particular positioning step and the other positioning step sensing means indicating that a single printed item is properly contained on that positioning step; and

FIG. 39, a wiring diagram ilustrating the electrical connection of the positioning step sensing means.

The main supporting frame of collating machine construction comprising the present invention is shown in the drawings formed generally from standard structural members of convenient cross section, as desired, with these structural members being fabricated in threedimensional frame form. It should be understood that the various framing parts of the machine may be in any convenient form to serve for mounting the various operating parts of the machine and that this phase of the construction shown is not critical. Thus, these varid ous structural members are merely indicated as vertical structural members, horizontal structural members, horizontal mounting plate members or other terms as are convenient and required.

As best seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 21, a series of adjacent generally laterally-extending supply chutes or bins, generally indicated at 40, are supported by the vertically-extending structural members 41 and angled structural members 42 at the top portion of the machine. This series of supply chutes 4% extends substantially the entire longitudinal length of the machine from the starting end, generally indicated at 43 and shown in FIGS. 1,2 and 4, to the finish end, generally indicated at 44 and shown in FIGS. 3 and 21. Further, there are preferably ninety of these chutes 40 in total number, but this total number can, of course, be varied as desired.

As shown, all of the supply chutes 40 are substantially identical, preferably being formed of sheet metal, and having a bottom member 45 and opposed side members 46 extending upwardly from each lateral edge of the bottom member, with the side members 46 terminating upwardly in an open upper side. Furthermore, each chute 40 is open at its loading end 47, that is, at its raised or upper end, as shown at the left in FIGS. 2 and 4, and extends at an angled position downwardly in a generally straight portion 48 for approximately onehalf of its length and then curves in an arcuate manner a greater extreme downwardly in a downwardly arcuate portion 49 for remainder of its length.

Finally, each chute 40 terminates at a given position and at a given angle to be hereinafter more clearly described, in a supply end 50 which is likewise open except for the longitudinally inwardly directed retaining tabs 51. Retaining tabs 51 are connected to and extend inwardly from the side members 46 at the supply end 50 for a slight distance, and serve the purpose of retaining printed items within the chutes 40 until deliberately removed therefrom, as will also be hereinafter more clearly described.

Thus, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, items of printed material 52 may be inserted in the loading ends 47 of the chutes 40 retained on the bottom members 45 and between the side members 46, and these items 52 may be slid downwardly to the supply ends 50 of the chutes until they engage the retaining tabs 51 where they will be retained in position within the chutes ready for removal one at a time therefrom. Further, a wheeled follower 53 may be inserted in each of the chutes 40 after the items of printed material 52' have been placed therein, so that the follower 53 by gravity will continue to urge the items 52 toward the chute supply end 50 as these items are progressively removed from the chute.

The particular configuration of the chutes 4i), that is, the straight portions 48 followed by the arcuate portions 49 are of importance in providing an easy one-at-a-time removal of the printed items 52 from the chutes. By providing the arcuate portion 49 on these chutes at the supply end 50 thereof, the printed items 52, as they enter this arcuate portion, tend to separate slightly because of having to pass over the arcuate path.

Thus, an amount of air is retained between each of the printed items 52 at the time they reach the supply end 50, thereby preventing these printed items from sticking together and possibly causing two such items to be removed from the chute supply ends, when only a single item is desired. This pocketing of air between the various printed items 52 is also permitted by the fact that the follower 53 is supported by a double laterally spaced roller support 54 behind the printed items 52, so that this follower being rearwardly of the printed items does not exactly follow these items but rather is at all times bearing against the lowermost portions of these items and remains spaced from the upper portions thereof.

Spaced downwardly from the chute supply ends 50 and positioned preferably in an arcuate path from these chute supply ends are a series of adjacent but spaced and 1ongitudinally aligned positioning steps, generally indicated at 55. There is one positioning step for each supply chute 4% with each positioning step being aligned with its respective supply chute in the aforesaid arcuate path, the importance of this particular positioning to be hereinafter more fully described.

Each of the positioning steps 55 is mounted on the horizontally-extending inverted channel member 56, as best seen in FIGS. 1 through 4 and 26 through 34, the latter views showing certain detailed parts thereof. Each of these positioning steps 55 is substantially identical and is mounted in substantially identical relation to each of the adjacent steps as shown.

Thus, the positioning steps 55 include the generally longitudinally-extending U-shaped base members 57 mounted on the channel member 56 and overhanging one longitudinally-extending side of the channel member, as shown in FIG. 27. The side flanges of base members 57 pivotally support the step members 58 through the pivot pins 59.

The step members 58 are generally longitudinally-extending inverted U-shape in configuration with the downwardly-extending flanges thereof receiving the pivot pins 59 laterally therethrough, and these pivot pins extending between the side flanges of the base members 57 and projecting laterally outwardly from the base members at the overhanging sides thereof, again as shown in FIG. 27. The step members 58' are secured to the pivot pins 59 in a particular relationship by means of the set screws 60 for a purpose to be hereinafter described more in detail.

Spaced longitudinally rearwardly from the step members 58, the hinge pins 61 are pivotally mounted through the side flanges of the base member 57, which hinge pins are provided with the generally longitudinally-extending hinged covers 62 secured thereto and generally longitudinally overlying the step members 58. The gear segments 63 are also mounted on the hinge pins 61 laterally adjacent the hinged covers 62', but these gear segments are freely pivotal with relation to the hinge pins 61.

Still further, the generally U-shaped spring clips 64 are mounted secured to the hinge pins 61 abutting the gear segments 63 within recesses formed in these gear segments at the sides thereof laterally between the gear segments and the hinged covers 62. The spring clips 64 are provided with laterally-extending flanges engaged over and normally spaced above upper surfaces and against lower surfaces of the gear segments 63 with the upper of these flanges being engaged with the springs 65 positioned extending downwardly within the gear segments 63, as best shown in FIG. 28.

Thus, with the spring clips 64 secured to the hinge pins 61 and thereby secured to the hinged covers 62, longitudinal movement of the gear segments 63 will cause a pivotal or hinged movement of the hinged covers 62. Furthermore, the springs 65 normally retain the gear segments 63 and hinged cover 62 in a particular relationship during such movement resiliently resisting any pivotal movement therebetween.

An upright channel member 66 is mounted extending longitudinally, spaced laterally from and slightly downwardly of the channel member 56, again as shown in FIG. 27, with this channel member having the mounting plate 67' secured thereto and extending substantially the complete longitudinal length of the machine, as can be seen in FIG. 1. A series of sensing mechanisms, generally indicated at 68, and best shown in FIGS. 26 through 28, are mounted laterally outwardly of the channel member 66 on the mounting plate 67, there being one of these sensing mechanisms generally laterally aligned with each of the positioning steps 55.

Each of the sensing mechanisms 68 includes the longitudinally spaced micrometer switches 69 and 70 with each of the switchs 69 and 70 being mounted on the generally vertically-extending pivot arms 71 and 72 respectively. Pivot arms 71 and 72 are, in turn, pivotally mounted on the mounting plate 67 as best seen in FIG. 28, with the lower ends of the pivot arms being resiliently urged longitudinally apart by the spring 73 and being retained in selectively adjusted positions by the adjusting screws 74 and 75 respectively.

As previously described, the pivot pins 59 pivotally mounting the step members 58 to the base members 57 extend laterally outwardly from the base members 57 and have secured thereto the actuating levers 76. The actuating levers 76 are vertically aligned longitudinally between the micrometer switches 69' and 70 and extend vertically downwardly adjacent these switches. The micrometer switches 69 and 70 are maintained positioned by the adjusting screws 74 and 75 for normally maintaining the lower end portion of the actuating levers 76 positioned therebetween abutting both of the switches but not actuating the same, and this positioning of the actuating lever 76 likewise maintains the step members 58 of the positioning steps 55 in a predetermined angled pivotal position with reference to the hinged covers 62 when the hinged covers are in normal closed positions, as shown in FIG. 28.

Further, as shown in FIG. 28, the upper surfaces of the step members 58 are provided with longitudinallyextending cutouts 77 forming the longitudinally-spaced positioning projections 78 and 79. Thus, as shown in FIG. 28, when the hinged covers 62 are in normal closed positions overlying the step members 58, the lower surfaces of the hinged covers are spaced vertically from the positioning projections 78 and 79 on the step members 58, with these step members being maintained pivotally in such positions through the pivot pins 59, actuating levers '76 and the micrometer switches 69 and 70.

The gear segments 63 are each operably connected through the gear teeth thereof with the gear teeth of separate rack members 80, which rack members are longitudinally slidably mounted on the machine frame through a common slidable bar 81. Bar 81 is longitudinally slidably mounted received in longitudinally-extending grooves formed in a vertically-extending plate member 82 mounted on the channel member 56 and a longitudinallyextending block member 83 mounted on the channel member 66 at the back surface of the mounting plate 67.

The individual rack members are secured to the upper surface of the slidable bar 81 through longitudinally-spaced vertically-extending bolts 84 received downwardly through the rack members and adjustably received in slots 85 formed in the bar 81, as shown in FIGS. 35 and 36. Thus, each of the rack members 80 is mounted for selective longitudinal adjustment with reference to its particular gear segment 63 so that the movement of the gear segments through the rack members and ultimately through the slidable bar 81 may be properly adjusted as desired, the advantages of which will appear later.

Spaced a short distance longitudinally from the starting end 43 of the machine, the slidable bar 81 is provided with an attaching clevis 86 to which is pivotally connected an operating mechanism through a pin 87, such operating mechanism to be hereinafter described in detail. Thus, vn'th the foregoing construction, the slidable bar 81 may be selectively moved longitudinally for simultaneously moving all of the rack members 80 longitudinally, and thereby pivoting the hinged covers 62 with reference to the step members 58 between generally vertically-extending open positions of the hinged covers and generally horizontally normally closed positions, overlying and spaced slightly vertically from the step members, this latter position being shown in FIG. 28.

The conveying or transfer means, generally indicated at 88, for conveying one item of printed material 52 from each of the supply chutes 40 to each of the corresponding positioning steps 55, are shown best in FIGS. 1, 2,

4 and 26 through 30. Each conveying means 88 for each supply chute and positioning step 55 includes a pair of laterally spaced suction cups 89, each of which are provided with a flanged suction opening 90 and are connected to rigid constant radius arcuate vacuum tubes 91. As shown in FIGS. 26 through 30, the suction cups 89 are normally positioned recessed within openings formed in the step members 58 with the vacuum tubes 91 extending downwardly by the base members 57 and through the channel member 56.

Vacuum tubes 91, after extending slightly more than 90, are connected at vertically spaced points to a connector 92 which is mounted at the lower end of an upwardly-extending substantially straight tubular operating arm 93. Finally, each of the tubular operating arms 93 are connected at their upper ends to a horizontally and longitudinally-extending vacuum header tube 94, with this header tube being mounted for pivotal movement around its longitudinal axis on the main frame of the machine through bearing blocks 95, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4.

This vacuum header tube 94 is connected to a vac uum supply tube 96, which supply tube is in turn connected to a vacuum supply and control means to be hereinaiter described in detail. Also, at the end of the vacuum header tube 94 outwardly of the extreme starting end 43 of the machine, a control collar 97 is secured around header tube 94 and to this control collar 97 is connected a downwardly-angled generally laterally-extending control arm 98, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Thus, when the hinged covers 62 of the positioning steps 55 are raised out of position from covering the suction cups 89 of this conveying means 88, for instance, so that these hinge covers extend substantially vertically, as shown in FIG. 4, by movements of the control arm 98 from its position shown in FIG. 2 to its position shown in FIG. 4, the suction cups 89, through the various vacuum tubes and operating arms hereinbefore described, will all be moved simultaneously from their positions recessed within the step members 58 of the positioning steps 55, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 27, in an arcuate path to an extended position resting against the lowermost of the printed items 52 contained in each of the supply chutes 40, as shown in FIG. 4.

To insure maximum results in this conveying operation, it is preferred that the supply ends of the supply chutes 40 terminate at an angle so that the suction cups 89 will each simultaneously contact the lowermost of the printed items 52 in the supply chutes and so that these suction cups contact the printed items in fiat contact with the suction openings 90 fully covered. In this manner maximum benefit is derived from the vacuum produced in the suction cups 89, and it is insured the lowermost of the printed items 52 in the supply chutes 40 Will be properly removed and transferred to the positioning steps 55.

In order to prevent interference between the various parts of the positioning steps 55 and the conveying means 88, it is obvious that the movement of the hinged covers 62 on the positioning steps must be closely synchronized with the movement of this conveying means 88. Furthermore, for each of the conveying means 88 to remove one of the printed items 52 from each of the supply chutes 40 and move this printed item down to the positioning steps 55, it is necessary to supply a vacuum at a predetermined period during the movement of the conveying means 88 after the suction cups 89 have contacted the printed items 52 and begin their return stroke downwardly.

Still further, it is necessary that there also be a precise timing of the turning off and on of the vacuum in the vacuum supply tube 96, and also this action of turning on and 011 of the vacuum must be closely synchronized with the movement of the suction cups 89 and again the hinged covers 62 of the positioning steps 55,

Thus, it is desirable to mount the control for the movement of the positioning step hinged covers 62, the control for the movement of the conveying means 88 and the control for the vacuum supply to the conveying means suction cups 89, so that all of these controls are movable on the same rotating shaft. In this manner, the timing of these controls can be preset in relation to each other and there is never the possibility of any one of these controls accidentally moving out of proper timing with any of the others.

Thus, as best seen in general view FIG. 2, movement of the positioning step hinged covers 62 and movement of the conveying means 88 are both controlled from a single cam plate 99, having the hinged cover cam side and the conveying means cam side 1411, and the turning off and on of the vacuum supply to the vacuum supply tube 96 is controlled by the cam plate 102, with both of these cam plates 99 and 102 being mounted on a single drive shafit 103. Drive shaft 193 is rotatably mounted on the horizontal structural members 104 and 105 through a pair of bearing blocks 106, and is driven through a gear reduction unit 107, shown at the right in FIG. 2, by a chain drive 108 from a combined gear reduction and main drive motor unit 109.

As shown in FIGS. 8 through 13, the hinged cover cam side 1% of the cam plate 99 is provided with a particular configuration of slot 118, which cam slot receives the cam follower 111 with this cam follower being connected to a generally horizontal follower 112 which is rigidly mounted on a generally vertical pivot arm 113. As shown, the lower end of the pivot arm 113 is pivotal around a fixed axis pin 114, which pin 114 is mounted on tht horizontal structural member 115 through a bracket 116.

The upper end of the pivot arm 113 is formed with a generally vertical slot 117 which pivotally receives the pin 87 of clevis 86. Thus, due to the slot 117 in pivot arm 113, the arm 113 may move the slidable bar 81 and rack members 80 longitudinally through the pin 87 and clevis 86 as this arm 113 is moved by the cam follower 111 in the cam slot 118, such movement being caused by rotation of the cam plate 99.

Furthermore, as is also shown in FIGS. 8 through 13, conveying means cam side 101 of cam plate 99 is also provided with a cam slot 118 which receives a cam follower 119, which in turn is directly laterally mounted on a generally horizontally extending pivot arm 120. Pivot arm 120 is pivotally connected at its right-hand end, as;

viewed in FIG. 8, to the same pivot pin '114and bracket 116 and at its left-hand end, as viewed in FIG. 8, there is; secured thereto an extension arm 121 upon which is; mounted a pivot bracket 122.

A generally vertically-extending control arm 123 is: pivotally connected to the pivot bracket 122 at its lowerend and is pivotally connected to a second pivot bracket 124 at its upper end, with this second pivot bracket 124'- being secured to the right-hand end of control arm 98, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, when the cam plate 99 is:

rotated causing upward and downward movement of the:

ing the normally closed portion 125, the opening portion, 126, the open portion 127, the closing portion 128 and the: clamping portion 129. The conveying means cam side 101 of cam plate 99 is provided'with the cam slot 118, as. shown in FIG. 8, having the down portion 130, the up-- wardly moving portion 131 and the downwardly moving portion 132.

Thus, through the various mechanisms, as hereinbefore' described, when the cam follower 1-11 is in the cam slgt;

normally closed portion 125 of the hinge cover cam side 1011, the hinged covers 62 are in their normally closed positions, as shown, for instance, in FIG. 28. Further, when the cam follower 111 is substantially midway through the opening portion 126 of the cam slot 119, the hinged covers 62 are substantially halfway open, as shown in FIG. 14, and finally when the cam follower 111 is in the open portion 127 of cam slot 110, the hinged covers 62 are in substantially vertically-extending position completely open, as shown in FIG. 15.

The closing of the hinged covers 6-2 is, of course, just the opposite of this foregoing opening movement and takes place as the cam follower 111 passes through the closing portion 128 of cam slot 110 at the end of which the hinged covers 62 have once again returned to their normally closed positions, as shown in FIG. 28. Immediately after the cam follower 111 passes through the closing portion 128 of cam slot 110, it enters the clamping portion 125 which causes an oven slightly greater closing of the hinged covers 62 to the position as illustrated under various conditions in FIGS. 37 and 38.

The purpose of this clamping portion for moving the hinged covers 62 to this tightly clamping position will be hereinafter more clearly described. In any event this clamping portion 129 of am slot 111) is relatively short, so that this clamping action takes place only for a short interval of time, after which the cam follower 111 moves once again into the normally closed portion 125 of cam slot 111), and the hinged covers 62 once again assume their normally closed positions, as shown in FIG. 28.

The movement of the cam follower 119 in the cam slot 118 on the conveying means cam side 101 is less complex, since it is merely necessary to retain the suction cups 89 of the conveying means 88 recessed within the step members 58 of the positioning steps for the major portion of the cycle of the machine, during which time the cam follower 119 is in the down portion 131) of cam slot 118, as shown in FIG. 8. After the hinged covers 62 have moved to halfway open position, as shown in FIG. 14, the cam follower 119 enters the upwardly moving portion 131 of cam slot 118, and as this cam follower moves along this upwardly moving portion 131, the suction cups 89 are moved upwardly in their arcuate path of travel toward the supply chutes 411, as shown in FIG. 15, while the hinged covers 62 simultaneously move considerably ahead of these suction cups.

Finally, as the cam follower 11) reaches the mid-point between the upwardly moving portion 131 and the downwardly moving portion 132, the suction cups 89 are in position to contact the lowermost of the printed items 52 in the supply chutes 4-4 as shown in FIG. 4, while the hinged covers 62 have previously reached their fully open positions. The downward arcuate movement of the suction cups 89, of course, takes place as the cam follower 119 passes along the downwardly moving portion 132 of the cam slot 118, so that as the cam follower 119 once again reaches the down portion 130 of this cam slot, the suction cups 89 are once again in their fully recessed positions within the positioning steps 55. The hinged covers 62 have, at this point, moved behind the suction cups 151, and are once again in their half-open position, shown in FIG. 14.

The vacuum supply tube 6, FIG. 2, at its lower end spaced from the vacuum header tube M, is operably connected to a rotatably acting valve 133, with this valve also being connected to the main vacuum supply tube 134-. Valve 133 is of a conventional form having the rotatable operating shaft 135, with the valve being mounted on the structural member 164, so that the axis of the operating shaft 135 extends substantially horizontally and laterally and so that the operating shaft 135 terminates adjacent the face 136 of the cam plate 102.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 18, 19 and 20, the operating shaft 135' is provided with a pair of radially-projecting circumferentially-spaced actuating lugs 137 and 138, with lug 137 being in position to be engaged by the laterallyextending cam lug 139 of cam .plate 102 and actuating lug 138 in position to be engaged by the laterally extending cam lug 141 of this cam plate. Furthermore, the cam lugs 139 and 146 are positioned at circumferentiallyspaced points around the circumference of the cam plate 102 and at different radial distances, so that when cam lug 139 engages the actuating lug 137, the valve 133 will be opened by the limited rotation of the operating shaft 13:1, and at a predetermined interval thereafter, when the cam lug 141) engages the actuating lug 138, the valve 133 will be closed.

Furthermore, by synchronizing the movement of the cam plate 162 with the movement of the cam plate which is done by having both of these cam plates operable on the same drive shaft 1%, the vacuum supply to the suction cups 89 is opened as these suction cups are approaching their position shown in FIG. 4, when they will engage one of the printed items 52, and this vacuum supply remains on so that each set of the suction cups will retain one of the printed items 52 thereon until each printed item has been moved by the suction cups down to the particular positioniru projections 78 and 79 of the step members 58 in the positioning steps 55. After this has taken place, of course, the valve 133 is again automatically closed, since the conveying operation between the supply chutes 40 and positioning steps 55 has been completed.

In order to maintain the various printed items 52 in a proper vertically aligned stack as this stack is being collected on the positioning steps 55 along the longitudinal length of the machine, as will be hereinafter described, it is desirable to provide the generally vertical and longitudinally-extending stationary guide plate 141 spaced laterally from the sides of the positioning steps furthest from the supply chutes 40, and the generally vertical longitudinally-extending pivotal guide plate 142 spaced laterally from the sides of the positioning steps nearest the supply chutes 48, as shown in FlGS. l, 2, 3 and 21. This operation of gathering the various printed items 52 into a properly arranged vertical stack will be hereinafter described in detail, but at this time it is only necessary to consider that some form of lateral guide is required in order to prevent lateral disarrangement of the stack as it is being gathered. As shown, the stationary guide plate 141 is secured at its lower edge to the horizontal and longitudinally-extending angle members 143. The top edge of stationary guide plate 141 extends upwardly above the upper extremities of the positioning steps '55 a suiiicient distance so as to serve as a lateral guide for a stack of printed items 52 equal in number to the number of the supply chutes 40 of positioning steps 55. Also, guide plate 141 extends longitudinally substantially the entire length of the machine, thereby p-roviding a lateral guide for each of the positioning steps 55.

The pivotal guide plate 142 normally extends vertically, as shown in FIG. 2, but is pivotally connected at its lower edge for tilting movement from vertical toward horizontal position by the hinge members 144. The upper edge of the pivotal guide plate 142 is pivotally connected preferably through a series of brackets 145 and pivot arms 1 46 to the vacuum header tube 94 of the conveying means 88, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 21.

The ends of the pivot arms 146 adjacent the header tube 94 are pivotally connected to short generally-vertically-extending control lugs 147, which lugs are secured spaced downwardly from the pivot arms 146 to the header tube. Thus, when the header tube 94 is rotated a limited amount for moving the conveying means suction cups 89 in their arcuate path upwardly and then downwardly for transferring one of the printed items 52 from each of the supply chutes 41) to the positioning steps 55, this rotatable movement of the header tube will, through the pivot arms 146, cause the pivotal guide plate 13 142 to tilt away from the lower edges of the supply chutes 40 to the position shown in FIG. 4, and then back to the position shown in F6. 2 as the suction cups 89 are once again recessed in the positioning steps 55.

This movement of the pivotal guide plate 142 and the synchronization thereof with the movement of the conveying means 83 permits the printed items 52 to be properly transferred from the supply chutes 46 to the positioning steps 55, but yet when this conveying or transferring action has been completed, pivotal guide plate 142 is once again in its vertically-extending position spaced laterally from the sides of the positioning steps 55, so that this pivotal guide plate can then serve as a lateral guide similar to the stationary guide plate 141. Furthermore, there can never be any accidental interference between this pivotal guide plate 142 and either the various parts of the conveying means 88 or the printed items 52 being transferred, since the movement of this pivotal guide plate out of its normally vertically-extending interfering position is controlled directly by the movement of the conveying means 88.

As before described, the cam slot 116 on the hinged cover cam side 100 of the cam plate 99 is provided with the clamping portion 129 which causes the hinged covers 62, after being closed to their normally closed positions, as shown, in FIG. 28, to move momentarily to an even more tightly closed position, as shown in FIGS. 37 and 38, the ultimate clamping positions thereof being dependent on the particular conditions present. The purpose of providing this clamping portion 129 in the cam slot 119 for causing this clamping action of the hinged covers 62 is for sensing and indicating if either an improper number or no printed items 52 are positioned beneath each particular hinged cover 62, which is termed the sensing portion of the collating machine cycle.

This sensing operation is provided by the particular pivotal mounting of the step members 58 in the positioning steps 55, and the operable connection of these step members through the pivot pins 59 and actuating levers 76 to the micrometer switches 69 and 70 of the sensing mechanisms 68, as hereinbefore described. The manner in which the micrometer switches 69 and 70 are connected into the electrical circuit of the machine for accomplishing this sensing operation is illustrated in FIG. 39, wherein a portion of a wiring diagram is illustrated.

Referring to FIG. 39, the micrometer switches 69 and 70, which are normally open switches, are illustrated diagramamtically along with a diagrammatic showing of the other necessary elements of the wiring circuit. As shown, the wires 148 and 149 represent the main power supply which is received through a circuit breaker 150.

The main power supply wires are connected to a conventional magnetic starter switch 151 through a second magnetic switch 152 having the electrically energized coil 153 which controls the normally closed contacts 154 and 155 thereof. The starter switch 151 controls the operation of the main drive motor unit 109 as previously described.

A series of substantially identical sensing circuits, generally indicated at 156, are provided in the wiring circuit of FIG. 39, with there being one sensing circuit 156 for each of the positioning steps 55. In the circuit shown in FIG. 39, merely the first two sensing circuits 156 are shown beginning at the starting end 43 of the collating machine construction of the present invention, with the first circuit 156 being indicated in FIG. 39 as Station No. 1, and the second as Station No. 2.

The first sensing circuit 156 indicated as Station No. 1, is, of course, for the first positioning step 55 at the starting end 43 of the collating machine construction, and the sensing circuit indicated as Station No. 2 is for the next consecutive positioning step 55. As shown in FIG. 39, these sensing circuits 156 are separated by broken lines 157 to indicate the start of another substantially identical sensing circuit and in view of these 14 sensing circuits being identical, only one need be described here.

The common wires 158 and 159 connect each of the sensing circuits 156 to the main power supply wires 14% and 149 respectively. Further each of the sensing circuits 156 includes one of each of the micrometer switches 69 and 7-0, these being the micrometer switches previously described and positioned for sensing at each of the positioning steps 55.

Also, as previously described, each of the micrometer switches 69 and 70 are normally open switches so that, as shown in FIG. 39, micrometer switch 69 has the normally open contact 160 and micrometer switch 71 has the normally open contact 161. In addition to these micrometer switches, each sensing circuit includes a magnetic switch 162 having an electrically energized coil 163 controlling the double position contacts 164 and 165. Finally, each of these sensing circuits includes a signal light 166 and a normally closed control switch 167.

Starting at the common wire 159 from the main power supply wire 149 and merely describing the first sensing circuit, a wire 168 is connected from the common wire 159 through the normally closed control switch 167, and through the coil 163 of the magnetic switch 162 to the normally open contact 164 of this magnetic switch. Contact 164 of magnetic switch 162 is also connected, through a wire 168a, in parallel to the normally open contact 160- of the micrometer switch 69 and the normally open contact 161 of the micrometer switch 70.

The wire 169 is connected to the micrometer switches 69 and 70 for receiving electrical energy from the contacts 160 and 161 of these micrometer switches when the contacts are moved to closed positions, which can result during the sensing operation as previously described, aud this wire 169 is also connected from the micrometer switches 69 and 70 to the common wire 158 from the main power supply wire 14-8. Due to the parallel connections of the contacts 169 and 161 of these micrometer switches 69 and 71 with the coil 163 of the magnetic switch 162, therefore, movement of either of the micrometer switches 69 or 70 to closed position will energize the coil 163.

A wire 170 is connected to the wire 168 between the control switch 167 and the coil 163, with wire 170 connecting through the signal light 166 to the normally closed side of the magnetic switch contact 165. Also, a wire 171 is connected from the common wire 158 to the magnetic switch contact 165, and a wire 172 is connected between the wire 171 and the normally open side of the magnetic switch contact 164.

Still further a wire 173 is connected from the normal- 1y open side of the magnetic switch contact to a common coil wire 174. Finally, the common coil wire 174 connects from each of the sensing circuits 156 through the coil 153 of the magnetic switch 152, and finally to the main power supply line 149.

As previously mentioned, all of the sensing circuit 156 are substantially identical and the common wires 158, 159 and 174 are common to each of these sensing circuits 156, as shown in FIG. 39. Further, if desired, a switch may be provided between each of these sensing circuits 156 in the common wire 159 in order that any number of these sensing circuit may be cut out and made inoperative as desired, that is, where only a portion of the positioning steps 55 of the collating machine construction are to be used.

In operation of the circuit of FIG. 39, the contacts 160 and 161 of the micrometer switches 69 and 70 are normally in open position, as shown in FIG. 39, with the control switch 167 normally closed, the magnetic switch coil 163 not energized, the magnetic switch contacts 164 and 165 in the normal positions, as shown, and the magnetic switch coil 153 energized, so that the contacts 154 and 155 of the magnetic switch 152 are norinally closed, as shown. Thus, electrical power is directed through the main power supply wires 148 and 149 and through the magnetic switch contacts 154 and 155 to the starter switch 151, and the main drive motor unit -9 may therefore be started through the starter switch 151. Further, the signal lights 166 are energized through the common wire 159, wire 168, wire 170, magnetic switch contact 165, wire 171, and the common wire 158.

Thus, during normal operation of the collating machine construction of the present invention, main drive motor unit 109 is normally and conventionally controlled through the starter switch 151. Further, each of the signal lights .166 in each of the sensing circuits 156 is energized indicating that the proper collating operations are taking place.

If, however, during the operation of the machine, any of the micrometer switches 65 or 76 of any one of the sensing circuits 156 is closed, moving the contact 1611 or 161 thereof to closed position, this completes a circuit from the common wire 159 through wire 168, control switch 167, coil 163 of the magnetic switch 162, wire 168a to the particular micrometer switch contact 166 or 161, and through wire 169 to the common wire 158. This, therefore, energizes the coil 163 of the micrometer switch 162, which in turn moves the contacts 164 and 165 of this micrometer switch to their alternate positions.

In this alternate position, contact 164 completes a circuit between the wires 168 and 172 which permanently establishes a circuit from common wire 159 through wire 168 and control switch 167, through the magnetic switch coil 163, through contact 164, through wire 172, and through wire 171 to the common wire 158, thereby permanently energizing the magnetic switch coil 163 despite any repositioning back to their normally open positions of the micrometer switches 69 and 71). Further, movement of the magnetic switch contact 165 to its alternate position interrupts the circuit through the signal light 166, so that this signal light is no longer energized and is off, and at the same time a circuit is established from the common wire through wire 171, through contact 165, through wire 173, and through the common 'wire 174- and the coil 153 of the magnetic switch 152 to the main power supply wire 149.

This, therefore, energizes the coil 153 of the magnetic switch 152, which moves the contacts 154 and 155 of this magnetic switch to their alternate open positions, thereby interrupting electrical power to the starter switch 151 and the main drive motor unit 109. The operation of the collating machine is in this manner automatically stopped when either of the micrometer switches 69 or 70 are moved to their closed positions, and at the same time, the signal light 166 in the particular sensing circuit 156 in which one of these micrometer switches has closed is turned off. Furthermore, the various elements of the particular sensing circuit 156 will remain in the latter positions described, despite any change in the micrometer switches 69 or 70, until the control switch 167 of the particular sensing circuit is deliberately opened to interrupt the electrical power to the magnetic switch coil 163, at which time the elements will assume their original positions as shown, provided both of the micrometer switch contacts 160 and 161 are in open position.

The operation of the sensing mechanisms 68 with the particular wiring circuit, as shown in FIG. 39 and described above, is illustrated in FIGS. 37 and 38, which show the various circumstances which can occur. Further, the sequence of operations of the machine will be described later in detail, so that for the present purposes, it is necessary to assume that certain of the printed items 52 have been transferred by the conveying means 88 from certain of the supply chutes 40 to certain of the positioning steps 55 and that the hinge covers 62 of these positioning steps have been moved to normally closed positions overlying the printed items '52.

Referring first to FIG. 37, it is seen that the positioning step 55 at the right contains a single printed item 52 whereas the positioning step at the left does not contain any of these printed items. For this reason, as the hinged covers 62 are moved into their clamping positions clamping tightly downwardly on the positioning projections 73 and 79 of the pivotal step members 58, these step members of the particular positioning steps 55 shown will assume different pivotal positions.

As shown, the upper surfaces of the positioning projections 78 and 79 of the positioning steps 55 are formed normally angling upwardly from the starting end 43 of the machine longitudinally toward the finish end 44 of the machine and these step members 58, although pivotal on the base members 57, are retained normally in a particular upward angled position by the actuating lever '76 in combination with the micrometer switches 69 and 71) of the sensing mechanisms 65, as previously described. Furthermore, as shown at the right in FIG. 37, the angling of the positioning steps 55 is precalculated such that when one of the printed items 52 is extending across and overlying the positioning projections 78 and 79 and the hinged covers 62 are moved into their clamping positions, there will be no pivotal urging of the step members 58 around the pivot pins 59, so that the actuating levers 76 will be retained in their normal downwardly-extending positions midway between the micrometer switches 69 and 76 and not actuating either of these switches.

if, however, no printed items are positioned extending across the positioning projections 78 and 79 of any one of the step members 58, this step member will be forced to pivot slightly clockwise as shown at the left in FIG. 37. This slight clockwise pivoting of the particular step member '53 causes the particular actuating lever 76 connected thereto to swing slightly to the left, as viewed in FIG. 37 thereby contacting and actuating the micrometer switch 69 at that particular positioning step 55. When the actuation or closing of the particular micrometer switch 69 occurs, it is obvious from the foregoing description of the wiring circuit that the particular signal light 166 at that particular positioning step 55 is turned off and magnetic switch 152 is energized, shutting down the operation of the entire machine as previously described. This thereby not only indicates that an error has occurred, but also indicates exactly at what location the error has occurred as well as stops the machine so that the complete cycle thereof cannot be carried out until the error is corrected.

Referring to FIG. 38, if two or more of the printed items 52 are contained on a particular positioning step 55, as shown at the left in FIG. 38, when this clamping action takes place, the step member 58 of that particular positioning step will be pivoted counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 38. This causes the actuating lever 76 at that particular positioning step to pivot to the right, contacting and actuating or closing the micrometer switch 70, which again turns off the particular signal light 166, and through the magnetic switch 152 shuts down the entire machine.

It should be noted that since the hinged covers 62 are connected for pivotal movement to the gear segments 63 through the spring clips 64, and the top laterally-extending flanges of these spring clips are spaced above the top edges of the gear segments connected thereto through the springs 65, when two or more of the printed items 52 are positioned on the step members 58, the gear segments 63 at these locations will still be permitted to pivot their complete extent as caused by the rack members 80. The two or more printed items 52 will, however, stop the pivotal movement of the hinged cover 62 short of the usual extent of movement of these hinged covers, but the gear segments 63 will be permitted to travel their full extent by compressing the springs 65 to thereby permit slight pivoting between the hinged covers 62 and gear segment 63 as shown in FIG. 38.

As is shown and described, the particular embodiment of the collating machine comprising the present invention is arranged for positioning merely a single printed item 52 at a time on and in each positioning step 55, so that this sensing means in one case would indicate that at the particular moment none of the printed items 52 are contained on the particular positioning step 55, or in the other case that two or more of such printed items are contained on the particular positioning step. It is obvious, however, that by the proper setting, or with elements of slightly altered size, the same arrangement could be provided for sensing and indicating when any of the positioning steps 55 contain more than any given number of printed items 52, without departing from the principles of the present invention.

Thus, not only is the operation of the entire machine stopped immediately when one of the foregoing errors occurs at any one or more of the positioning steps 55, but also the exact location of the error is quickly pointed out, so that it is not necessary to waste valuable time in attempting to determine just exactly where such error has occurred. This, also, virtually insures that an error in the final collated stack of printed items 52 cannot occur unknown to the operator of the collating machine.

After a single printed item 52 is contained in each of the positioning steps 55 and the hinged covers 62 have been closed and have gone through the foregoing sensing phase, the collating machine comprising the present invention automatically operates to progressively gather these printed items in proper sequence, one on top of the other, from the starting end 43 of the machine toward and to the finish end 44. This actual collating operation is accomplished by the gathering means, generally indicated at 175 and shown in FIGS. 1 through 7 and 21.

Considering the starting end 43 of the machine, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 through 7, the gathering means 175 includes a pair of vertically spaced and vertically aligned sprockets 176 and 177, with sprocket 176 being mounted on the rotatable shaft 178, which is, in turn, journalled on the vertical plate member 179 through the bearing 180, and the sprocket 177 being mounted on the rotatable shaft 181 and journalled on plate member 179 through the bearing 182. A driving sprocket 183 is also mounted at the end of shaft of the bearing 180 and at an opposite end from the sprocket 176, with sprocket 183 being connected through a driving chain 184 to a second driving sprocket 185 mounted on the main drive shaft 162 of the motor 109.

Sprockets 176 and 177 are operably connected through a chain 186 to a second set of vertically spaced and vertically aligned sprockets 187 and 188 at the finish end 44 of the machine, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 21. Sprockets 187 and 188 are substantially longitudinally and preferably substantially horizontally aligned with the sprockets 1'76 and 177.

Furthermore, sprocket 187 is mounted on a rotatable shaft 189 journalled on a vertical plate member 190 by a bearing 191, while sprocket 188 is mounted on a rotatable shaft 192 journalled on plate member 190 through a bearing 193. Thus, the chain 186 travels the entire length of the machine with the sets of sprockets 176 and 177, and 187 and 188, mounting this chain 186, being longitudinally ahead of the positioning steps 55 at the starting end 43 of the machine and being longitudinally beyond the positioning steps 55 at the finish end 44 of the machine, so that at least the vertically lowermost strand of chain 186 passes the entire longitudinal distance in a substantially horizontal plane and spaced above the positioning steps 55.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7, a guide track 194 is mounted on a horizontal structural member 195 vertically overlying and spaced above the sprockets 176 and 187, and a guide track 196 is mounted on the horizontal structural member 197 vertically underlying and spaced below the sprockets 177 and 188, with the guide tracks 194 and 196 and structural members 195 and 197 ex- 178, but outwardly 18 tending a distance longitudinally beyond these sprockets at either end of the machine, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A pair of longitudinally spaced, flanged guide rollers 198 are mounted engaged over the guide track 194, and a pair of longitudinally spaced, flanged guide rollers 199 are mounted engaged under the guide track 196, with these guide rollers longitudinally slidably mounting a vertical plate member 200 adjacent the left side of chain 186, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 4, that is, the side opposite the bearings 180, 182, 191 and 193.

Mounted on the outer side, that is, the left side as viewed in FIG. 4, of plate member 200, are a pair of parallel vertical guide bars 201 positioned longitudinally spaced and forming the vertical slot 202, which slot extends through the plate member 200 at least from the highest vertical point of chain 186 to the lowest vertical point of this chain. Further, from a point intermediate the vertical extent of chain 186, the slot 202 is closed at its outer side, spaced from plate member 200, by a guide bar 203.

Received vertically within the guide slot 202 and vertically slidable on the face of plate member 200 is the gathering finger mounting bar 204. A guide pin 205 is secured to mounting bar 204 and extends horizontally through slot 202, plate member 200 and is pivotally conneced to one of the links of chain 186. Attached to the lower end of this mounting bar 204 are a pair of vertically extending, laterally spaced and laterally aligned gathering fingers 206 and 207, with finger 207 being substantially aligned with mounting bar 204 and finger 206 being laterally spaced away from bar 204 by a laterallyextending generally horizontal mounting pin 208.

Gathering finger 206 extends downwardly from mounting pin 208 in a longitudinal and vertical plane spaced slightly laterally outwardly from the positioning steps 55 and laterally between positioning steps 55 and the pivotal guide plate 142. Gathering finger 207 extends vertically downwardly in a longitudinal and vertical plane spaced slightly outwardly of positioning steps 55 and' between positioning steps 55 and the stationary guide plate 141.

Guide pin 205 is positioned on the vertically slidable mounting bar 204, so that when this guide pin is in the lower strand of the chain 186, the gathering fingers 206 and 207 are positioned adjacent the positioning steps 55 and movable generally horizontally along and closely adjacent the sides of the positioning steps with the mount-- ing pin 208 spaced thereabove, as shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the mounting bar 204 is of sufiicient vertical height, so that the upper end thereof is merely spaced slightly below the upper end of guide plate 203, and thus the mounting bar 204 remains slidably guided by the guide bars 201 and 203 during this lower horizontal travel.

Still further, when the guide pin 205 is in the upper strand of chain 186, the gathering fingers 206 and 207 move in a horizontal plane spaced slightly above and free of the supply chutes 40, with the mounting bar 204 extending considerably above the top edge of the plate member 200, as shown in FIG. 4. In this manner, the] gathering fingers 206 and 207 are movable along the positioning steps 55 for the gathering stroke from the starting end 43 of the machine to the finish end 44 thereof, and then these gathering fingers are moved upwardly above the supply chutes 40 and away from the positioning steps 55, and at this height returned from the finish end to the starting end of the machine.

Finally, a spring plate member 209 is mounted on themounting pin 208 substantially equally laterally spaced from the gathering fingers 206 and 207, with this spring plate member being provided with the downwardly angled spring member 210, as best seen in FIG. 7. The provision of the spring plate member 209 and spring member 210 with gathering fingens 206 and 207 aids in build ing and evenly forming a uniform stack of printed items manage 19 .52, as w l be he e a e es e m r ful y with e .Qperation of the machine.

Thus, with the'fofegoing described construction, when the drive motorunit 109 is energized, the chain 184 is rotated between the sprockets 185 and 183, thereby rotating chain 186 through sprocket 176, so that this chain rotates around sprockets 176, 177, 187 and 1 88. With the particular mounting of the gathering fingers 206 and on the vertically slidable mounting bar 204, the control of this mounting bar from the guide pin 205 pivotally attached to the chain 186, causes the pick-up fingers 206 and 207, starting from the starting end 43 of the machine just before the first of the positioning steps 55, to move along these positioning steps to the finish end 44 of the machine. Next, the gathering fingers are raised to a vertical height above the supply chutes 40, at which height the gathering fingers return to the starting end 43 of the machine and then are lowered to their position previously described for starting another gather.- ing cycle.

. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 21, positioned at the finish end 44 of the machine, generally longitudinally aligned with and longitudinally spaced slightly from the last of the positioning steps 55, is located a receiving table, generally indicated at 211, with this table having a gfil'lel': ally cylindrical horizontally extending top member 212 secured to and rotatable with a centrally located gener! ally vertically extending gear reducer shaft 213. Shaft 213 projects vertically from a gear reduction unit 214, which is mounted on the horizontal. structural members 215v and is driven by a. sprocket 216 through a chain 217.

Chain 21.7 is connected at its other end to and driven byan idler sprocket 218 mounted on an idler shaft 219, which, shaft is journalled on a plate member 220 through a, bearing block 221. Also mounted on the idler shaft 219 is avsecond idler sprocket 222 which isdriven by and drives the shaft 219 through a chain 223, with this chain 223 being. driven by sprocket 24 mounted on the previously described shaft 189 of the gathering means 175.

Thus, when the chain 186- of the gathering means 175 is driven from the drive motor 109, this chain rotates the, sprocket 187, thereby rotating the shaft 189 and causing the receiving table top member 212 to be rotated at a predetermined speed. Furthermore, it may be noted at thisvpoint that since all of the driving connections for the various parts of, the machine, whether directly or indirectly from the drive motor 109, are chain sprocket drives, it is virtually impossible for the various working partsof the machine to move out of proper timed relation with, each other, so that the exact sequence of the operation, ofithe machine from the drive motor 109 is insured.

Equally circumferentially spaced around the receiving.

table top member 212 are a series of stack holders 225,. with each of these stack holders comprising a substantially horizontal base member 226 and a pairof upwardlycxtending generally inverted L-shaped holding members 227. The top horizontal surface 228 of each base member 226 extends in a plane slightly below the final raised edge of the last positioning step toppositioning. surface 61, sothat a stack being moved from the last positioning step. 55 to one of these stack holders 225 wouldmove slightly downwardly to the surface 228.

Also, when one of these stack holders 225 is positioned longitudinally aligned with the positioning steps 55, the holding members 227 will extend vertically upwardly and then forwardly toward the last of the positioning steps, thereby providing a means for receiving andvholding a stack of the printed items 52, as will be hereinafter more clearly pointed out. Also, the vertical position of the sprockets 187 and 188 is such that the chain 186 carrying the gathering fingers 206 and 207 overlies the top horizontal surface 228 of the stack holder base member- 226 to a point spaced slightly from the radial outward extremity of the holding members .227

when one of, these stackholders 225' is positioned aligned with the positioning steps 55 as described above and shown, for instance, in FIG. 21. In this manner, during the gathering stroke, the gathering fingers 206 and 207 will be brought to a position adjacent the radial outward extremity of the holding members 227 and then will move substantially vertically upwardly to clear these holding members.

Finally, the speed of rotation of the receiving table 211 is specifically timed so that one of the stack holders 225 will be in proper position at the end of the positioning steps 55 when the gathering fingers 206 and 207 reach the end of their previously described gathering stroke, so that the stack of printed items 52 which has been built will be deposited in the particular stack holder 225. Furthermore, at the finish of the next gathering stroke, the next stack holder 225 will be in its proper place for receiving the next stack of printed items 52, so that as each stack of printed items is received by the receiving table 212, it is immediately carried away to a position at which it can be removed by an operator and properly packed for shipment.

In operation of the collating machine comprising the present invention, the various printed items 52 to be collated are placed in the various supply chutes 40, that is, for instance, one separate supply chute might contain a group of printed items, such as, collection envelopes having a given date and beingof a given color,- with the next supply chute having a diflerent date and a different color and so on, with the printed item to be positioned at the top of the final stack being placed in the first supply chute 40 at the starting end 43 of the machine and the printed item to be at the bottom of the. stack to be positioned at the last supply chute 40 at the finish end 44 of the machine. Further, at the beginningof the cycle, the gathering fingers 206 and 207 are at the finish end 44 of the machine and have just moved up wardly above the stack holders 225 on the receiving table211.

Stillfurther, at this point, the cam plate 99 is in the position shown in FIGS. 8 and 13, so that the hinged covers 62 ofthe positioning steps 55 are closed and the suction cups 89 of the conveying means 88 are recessed within the positioning step main portions 58, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 27. Finally, at the start of the cycle,

thehinged covers 62 of the positioning steps 55 are in their normally closed positions, as shown in FIG. 28, thatis, spaced above the step member positioning projections 78 and 79.

To start the cycle, the power is turned on to the drive motor109 and solenoid brake 161, so that the solenoid brakeimmediately releases and the drive motor begins the operation of the machine. Without again describing in detail/the cam plate 99 first causes the positioning step hinged covers 62 to begin to open from their positions shown at FIGS. 22 and 28 toward their positions shown in FIGQ14, and when these hinged covers have reached approximately their half-open position, asshown in FIG. 14, the cam plate 99 causes the conveying means suction cups 89 to begin their arcuate movement toward the lower ends of the supply chutes 40.

As the cycle progresses, the positioning step hinged covers 62 continue to open and the conveying means suction cups 8) continue to move upwardly, so that when the hinged covers are completely open, as shown in FIG. 15, the suction cups are approaching the printed items 52 in the supply chutes 40, as shown in FiG. 15. Suction cups 89 finally complete their upward movement while the hinged covers 62 remain open, and just prior to the suction cups contacting the lowermost of the printed items 52 in the supply chutes 40, the suction in the conveying means 88 is turned on by the cam plate 102.

Thus when the suction cups 89 contact the lowermost of the printed items 52 in the supply chutes 40 and beenemas gin their downward return movement, the suction acting through the suction opening 90 of each of these cups causes one of the printed items from each of the supply chutes to move downwardly from engagement above the supply chute retaining tabs 51 and be carried by the conveymg means 88 downwardly toward the positioning steps 55. During the movement of the conveying means suction cups 89 toward the lower end of the supply chutes 40, the pivotal guide plate 142 has been moved from a vertically-extending position, as shown in- FIG. 2, to a position tilted toward the .vacuum header tube 94, as shown in FIG. 4, so that the downward movement of the suction cups 89 with the printed items 52 is permitted, without interference from guide plate 142.

Also, during this downward movement of the suction cups 89 with the printed items 52, the hinged covers 62 remain open, as shown in FIG. 23, until the suction cups 89 approach their position fully recessed within the step members 58 or the positioning steps 55. After the suction cups are fully recessed in step members 58, the printed items 52 are positioned on the step member positiomng projections 78 and 79, at which time the cam plate 102 shuts off the vacuum to suction cups 89 releasing these printed items. The positioning step hinged covers 62 are then closed by the cam plate 99 and are immediately closed downwardly beyond their normally closed position into a clamping position for bringing the sensing means into possible operation.

If, as before described, any one of the positioning steps 55.does not contain one of the printed items 52 below its hinged cover 62, one of the micrometer switches 69 will be actuated or closed, completing the electrical circuit therethrough, turning off one of the lights 166, and immediately shutting olf the power to the drive motor 109 and releasing the solenoid brake 161, so that the machine is immediately stopped. Also, if two or more of the printed items 52 are contained in any of the positioning steps 55, again as before described, one of the micrometer switches 70 will be actuated or closed completing the electrical circuit therethrough, turning ofi one of the lights 166 and again stopping the entire operation of the machine by de-energizing both the drive motor 109 and solenoid brake 161.

Assuming, however, that each of the positioning steps 55 is properly filled with one of the printed items 52, the sensing means will not be operable and the operation of the machine will continue. During this entire time that the various printed items 52 have been in the process of being conveyed to underlie the hinged covers 62 of the positioning steps 55, the gathering fingers 206 and 207 have been moving from the finish end 44 of the machine to the starting end 43 thereof in their raised position above the supply chutes 40, as shown in FIG. 4.

After the clamping phase of the hinged covers 62 has been completed and these hinged covers have been returned to their normally closed positions by the cam plate 99, as shown in FIG. 28, the gathering fingers 206 and 207 have moved downwardly at the starting end 43 of the machine, such movement being shown in sequence in FIGS. 5, 6 and 1, and these gathering fingers begin their gathering stroke along the sides of the positioning steps 55. At the start of the gathering stroke, the gathering fingers 206 and 207 first engage the first printed item 52 in the first positioning step 55 at the starting end 43 of the machine and slide this printed item onto the top surface of the hinged cover 62 of the next positioning step 55.

Thus, as the gathering fingers progress along the length of the machine, the printed items 52 are progressively slidably removed from the positioning steps 55 and are stacked one on top of the other, with each printed item 52 being removed from its positioning step 55 and moved onto the top surface of the hinged cover 62 of each successive positioning step 55. Due to the spaces between the positioning step hinged covers 62 being greater when 22 the hinged covers are normally closed than during the clamping phase, this sliding removal of the printed items 52 from the positioning steps 55 is easily accomplished.

Also, the spring member 210 of the spring plate member 209 moving with the gathering fingers 206 and 207 bears against the first of the printed items 52 that has been gathered, after a portion of the gathering stroke has taken place, so that as the stack of printed items increases in height to a point at which they might be in danger of becoming disarranged from their own weight, they are tightly held properly stacked by this spring member 210. Still further, during the gathering stroke, the stationary guide plate 141 and pivotal guide plate 142 act as lateral guides, preventing the stack of printed items 52 from becoming disarranged laterally.

Finally, as the gathering fingers 206 and 207 approach the finish end 44 of the machine, they are in the position shown in FIG. 24, with the stack nearly completely built and approaching the receiving table 211. As the last printed item 52 is removed from the last positioning step 55 at the finish end 44 of the machine, the gathering fingers 206 and 207 move the stack onto the top horizontal surface 228 of one of the stack holders 225, which stack holder is properly positioned for receiving the stack thereon because of the correlation and timing of the various parts of the machine.

As shown in FIG. 25, at the completion of the gathering stroke, the momentum of the stack of the printed items 52, as well as the urging by the gathering fingers 206 and 207, causes this stack to engage tightly beneath the holding members 227 of the stack holders 225, and at the same time the gathering fingers begin to move up wardly and away from the receiving table 211. This completes the cycle of the machine and a second cycle is immediately started, with the same sequence of events taking place, while the first stack of printed items 52 gathered is moved away by the receiving table 211 and another of the stack holders 225 is moved toward its position for receiving the stack of printed items at the end of the next cycle of the machine.

As can be clearly understood from the foregoing description of the apparatus and operation thereof, it is extremely important that the means determining and controlling the movement of the conveying means 88 be positively synchronized with the movement of the hinged covers 62 of the positioning steps 55, since if it is attempted to move the suction cups 89 of the conveying means 88 upwardly without the positioning step hinged covers 62 being open, damage will be caused both to the conveying means and positioning steps. Thus, it is highly desirable to have the movement of the conveying means 88 and movement of the positioning step hinged covers 62 controlled from the same cam plate 99, so that if either of these elements move, the other must move in perfect synchronization therewith, and it is impossible for either to be moved except in this proper timed sequence.

Also, in order for the conveying means 88 to properly transfer the printed items 52 from the supply chutes 40 to the positioning steps 55, it is necessary that the vacuum in the conveying means he turned ofi and on in proper sequence with the movement of this conveying means. For this reason it is also desirable to have the cam plate 102, controlling the turning on and off of the vacuum in the conveying means 88, rotatable on the same shaft which rotates and controls the movement of the cam plate 99, so that not only are the movements of the conveying means 88 and positioning step hinged covers 62 synchronized, but also the turning on and oil of the vacuum is likewise synchronized with these movements.

Still further, the particular configuration of the supply chutes 40, that is, the provision of the arcuate portion 49 at the supply ends 50, insures that the printed items 52 contained in these supply chutes will be maintained properly separated so that one of these printed items can be removed at a time from each of the supply chutes.

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