US3057268A - Counting mechanism for printing presses - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 9, 1962 A. v. PEDERSEN ET AL 3,057,268

COUNTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Jan. 21, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 SOLENOID r0 cou/vrm 1N VEN TORS Arne I/Pedersen, Haber! G Peierson By 8 I/krnan J Hl/goe.

Oct. 9, 1962 A. v. PEDERSEN ET AL 3,057,258

COUNTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Jan. 21, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 SOLENOID TO COUNTER INVENTORS Arne VPedersen, Robert G'Peferson y 8 Vernon J Hi/goe. W g QM Oct. 9, 1962 A. v. PEDERSEN ETAL 3,057,263

COUNTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 21, 1959 N &

INVENTORS a 1 kl #8 Ame VPedersen, Roberf 6 Pefersan By 8 Vernon J Hi/goe. W71, W, /-J 2 04M Alb s.

Oct. 9, 1962 A. v. PEDERSEN ET AL coum mc MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 21, 1959 I N V EN TORS Robe/1 G Peferson H/lgoe Arne T/Pedersen,

BY 8 Vbmon J United States Patent CDUNTING MEtlHANISM FOR PRENTING PRESSES Arne V. Pedersen, Des Plaines, Robert G. Peterson,

Downers Grove, and Vernon J. Hilgoe, Lombard, IlL,

assignors to Miehle-Goss-Dexter, Incorporated, Wilmington, DcL, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 788,191 '7 Claims. (Cl. 93-93) The invention relates to improved mechanism for counting newspapers and comparable printed articles as they are conveyed away from a printing press folder or other machine and for offsetting selected articles from their normal path of travel to mark discrete groups of predetermined sizes.

One object of the invention is to provide improved kicker mechanism for offsetting newspapers and the like on a moving conveyor which is particularly well adapted for use with simple electrical counting devices.

Another object is to provide a kicker characterized by its quick acting and positive operation, which is always properly timed with reference to the operation of the associated apparatus, regardless of the speed of the latter, and which is adapted to provide long, troublefree service when associated with high speed newspaper presses and folders.

Another object is to provide a counting device particularly well suited for use with the improved kicker mechanism which affords an unusually wide range of selection with respect to the sizes of the groups to be marked.

Still another object is to provide a counting device that can be set quickly and easily by the mere turn of a knob to vary the number of articles included in each group.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a counting device utilizing simple, readily available components characterized by their ability to operate efficiently and dependably for long periods with a minimum of attention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partly sectioned fragmentary elevational view of a kicker actuating mechanism embodying the features of the invention, the driving elements of the mechanism being shown as executing an idle stroke.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the mechanism with the driving elements at the beginning of an operative stroke.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing details of the kicker mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the improved counting device controlling the operation of the kicker mechanism.

While a single preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and will be described herein, it is to be understood that the detailed character of the disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the particular construction illustrated. The intention is to cover all adaptations and modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as more broadly or generally characterized in the appended claims.

For purposes of illustration, the invention has been shown as installed in the delivery end of a folder of the type commonly used with rotary newspaper presses. Assembled papers leaving the folder are received between the fans of a rotary fly which deposits them in suecession on a suitable conveyor as, for example, an endless belt conveyor 11 (FIG. 4). The fly fans are mounted on and rotatable with a fly shaft 12 driven in timed relation to the other elements of the folder in wellknown manner.

The folded papers, as laid on the conveyor 11 by the fly, overlap each other in a row or series with successive papers uniformly spaced apart. To facilitate removal of the papers from the conveyor for assembly in bundles of a desired number, it is customary to offset selected papers to mark discrete groups of convenient size. Accordingly, by simply observing the offset papers, an exact number may be picked up and handled without requiring the counting of such individual papers. Such offset is effected by a kicker 15- in the form of an elongated arm which normally has its tip portion 16 disposed well above the series of newspapers as they move along on the conveyor. FIG. 1 shows the kicker in the retracted position.

The kicker is supported for movement to a position in which its tip 16 intercepts one of the papers deposited on the conveyor by the fly and moves it slightly in relation to the other papers. Preferably the kicker is placed so 'as to engage the paper near one side edge whereby the engaged paper is cocked at an angle or offset with respect to the other papers and thus readily noted as the row of papers moves along.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention the kicker 15, which is in the form of an elongated arm or bar, has its end remote from the tip 16 clamped or otherwise nonrotatably secured on a kicker shaft 17 journalled in the frame of the folder or other machine with which the apparatus is associated. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the shaft 17 is disposed at one side of and parallel to the fly shaft 12 with the kicker 15 extending radially of the shaft over the path along which the papers are carried away from the fly.

Suitable spring means such as a torsion spring 17a acting on the shaft 17 is provided for yieldably urging the kicker 15 toward the retracted position. For -advanc ing the kicker to operated or paper intercepting position, power actuated means driven in timed relation to the rotation of the fly shaft v12 is provided. In accordance with the invention, this mechanism is constructed and arranged so that it is extremely rugged and durable and adapted to operate efficiently and dependably for long periods of time without attention. Moreover, the construction contemplated by the invention provides a kicker mechanism which is smooth and shockless in operation despite its high speed operation to enable it tofunction efliciently with modern newspaper presses producing as many as 60,000 papers per hour.

The kicker actuating mechanism in its preferred form includes a rocker lever 20 mounted on and freely rotatable relative to the kicker shaft 17. When the press is operating, continuous rocking movement is imparted to the rocking mechanism 20 by a cam 21 mounted on and rotatable with the fly shaft 12. The cam 'acts through a follower 22 mounted on one arm of a bell crank 23 pivotally supported as by a pin 24 on the frame of the folder. The other arm of the bell crank is connected by a pitman 25 with an integral arm 26 extending radially from the rocker lever 20.

To avoid any possible damage to the actuating mechanism or to other parts of the apparatus in case the rocker lever should be blocked against movement, the pitman 25 is of collapsible construction. As shown in FIG. 2, the pitman comprises a pair of generally cylindrical members 27 and 28 secured together in axial alinement for limited relative movement by a guide rod 29. The guide rod in this instance has one end threaded into the member 28 and locked in place as by a lock nut 30. The other end of the guide rod is slidably received in an axial bore 31 in the member 27, the bore being enlarged at its inner end to accommodate a head 32 provided on the rod which thus serves to limit outward a movement of the members. A heavy coiled compression spring 33 interposed between a stop washer 34 hearing against the nut 30 and a washer 35 bearing against a forwardly facing shoulder on the member 27 urges the members apart to the limit position permitted by the head 32 of the guide rod. The pitman is thus normally operative to function as a rigid push rod and yet, when its end remote from the actuating cam is blocked against axial movement, the spring 33 permits the members to move together or collapse and thus avoid imposing excessive strains on the parts.

Member 27 of the pitman has its end portion bifurcated to straddle one arm of the bell crank 23. Both are apertured for reception of a pivot pin 36 operatively connecting the member to the bell crank. Similarly, the pitman member 28 has its end portion bifurcated to straddle the arm 26 of the rocker lever and the parts are apertured for reception of a pivot pin 37 by which they are pivotally secured together. A tension spring 38 connected at one end to a lug 39 rigid with the member 27 and having an adjustable connection at its other end with an anchor pin 40 on the folder frame urges the pitman and bell crank 23 in a direction to maintain the follower roller 22 in continuous engagement with the cam 21.

While the cam 21 may be formed to impart any reasonable number of strokes to the bell crank 23 and rocker lever 20 for each revolution of the fly shaft 12, the exemplary cam is formed with a single lobe effective to rock the bell crank and the lever through one forward and return stroke in each revolution of the shaft. As will be seen by reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the cam surface is shaped so that the lever is advanced in its forward stroke relatively slowly while the return stroke is effected rapidly.

Movements of the rocker lever are imparted to the kicker shaft 17 through the medium of selectively operable motion transmitting mechanism or clutch. The particular clutch mechanism shown includes a pawl 40 pivotally mounted on a lever 41 which has an integral hub portion 42 keyed or otherwise nonrotatably fixed to the shaft 17. As shown in FIG. 3, the lever 41 projects radially of the shaft and is straddled by the bifurcated end of the pawl which is pivotally mounted to it by a pin .43. Moreover, the pawl lever is offset in an axial direction so that the pawl overlies a blocking segment 44 carried by the rocker lever 20. When the segment engages the pawl, the rotational movement of the rocker lever is transmitted to the pawl and through its mounting to the shaft 17. To insure positive engagement between the segment and the pawl, the end of the segment is notched as at 44 while the nose portion of the pawl is complementally tapered.

The pawl 40 is normally held in the inoperative or retracted position in which it is shown in FIG. 1 out of the path of the blocking segment 44 so that the rocker lever merely oscillates idly in synchronism with the rotation of the fly shaft. When a group of papers is to be indicated as determined by the counting mechanism, the pawl is pivoted to operative position into the path of the segment 44 so that the succeeding stroke of the rocker lever is effective to rock the kicker shaft 17 clockwise (as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2) and thus swing the kicker 15 from its normal retracted position to its operated or paper intercepting position shown in broken lines in FIG. 2.

The means for swinging the pawl 40 between operative and inoperative positions comprises a cam lever having 'a'sleev'elike body 45 dimensioned to fit around the hub portion 42 of the pawl lever for rockingmovernent therewith Integral with the body 45'is a radially extending segmental block 46 having its side face adjacent the pawl lever formed with a cam groove 47 The pawl 40 carries a follower 48 in the form of a roller dimensioned to ride in the groove 47. Support for the follower roller is provided by a pin 49 seated in a recess in one side face of the shaft.

the pawl adjacent its free end. A hole extending through the pawl from the bottom of the recess affords passage for the reduced end portion of the pin which is threaded to receive a nut 50 securing it to the pawl.

As shown in FIG. 3, the shape of the cam groove 47 is such that the pawl is swung outwardly or to the inactive position on rocking of the cam lever relative to the pawl lever to the right as shown in FIG. 1. With the pawl in inactive position the rocker lever oscillates idly without imparting movement to the kicker shaft 17. Upon relative rocking of the cam lever in the opposite direction the pawl 40 is swung inwardly to dispose its tip in the path of the blocking segment 44 carried by the rocker lever. Accordingly, in the advancing stroke of the rocker lever the blocking segment engages the pawl to rock the pawl lever, the kicker shaft 17 and kicker 16 into the operated position.

In the exemplary kicker apparatus, the cam lever is yieldably urged to the pawl retracting position by a tension spring 55. Rocking the cam lever relative to the pawl lever to swing the pawl from retracted to operative position is effected by power actuated means herein shown as a solenoid 56. In the present instance the arrangement is such that the pawl 40 is pivoted into the path of the blocking segment 44 when the solenoid is energized as shown in FIG. 2. Upon deenergization of the solenoid, the spring 55 rocks the cam lever in the reverse direction to return the pawl to retracted position. Energization and deenergization of the solenoid 56 is controlled by counting mechanism to be described later.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention the solenoid 56 is supported on the frame of the press or folder with its armature 57 disposed in a generally upright position at one side of the kicker shaft 17. A link 58 which is preferably adjustable as to length connects the armature with the cam, the link extending between a pair of lugs 59 projecting radially from the cam body 45 and pivotally connected thereto as by a pin 60. In

this instance, the spring 55 is adapted to act on the cam through the link 58, the upper end of the spring being anchored to the link as by a pin 61. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the other end of the spring 55 is anchored to the frame structure by adjustable fastening means 62.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the construction above described provides a very sturdy and dependable kicker mechanism. Power for moving the spring biased kicker arm 15 from retracted position to a position to intercept a paper or other article on the conveyor 11 is derived from the fly shaft through a disengageable driving connection which insures precise synchronism of the kicker with the delivery mechanism. Moreover, the power is delivered smoothly and gradually so that the moving parts are subjected to a minimum of wear and strain. The selective operation of the mechanism is effected by positively acting means which eliminates the need for conventional mechanical connections and permits the use of a simpler, more flexible counting device which will now be described.

The counting mechanism or device provided by the present invention is particularly well suited for use with the kicker mechanism above described. This counting device is characterized by its simplicity and dependability and especially by its ease of adjustment for marking groups of different sizes. While it may be associated with the delivery mechanism of the press or folder in various ways, it has been shown here as installed to receive impulses from a cam 70 mounted on and rotatable with the fly shaft 12. The cam 70 shown is constructed to produce one impulse for each revolution of the fly shaft. Accordingly, the counting device in this environment counts in units conforming to the number of papers or other articles delivered by the fly in each revolution of The particular fly shown is constructed and arranged to deposit five papers on the conveyor 11 on each revolution and consequently the unit of counting in '5 this instance is five. It will be understood that other cams may be used if desired and that they can be shaped to provide for counting in units of from one to any reasonable number that is a multiple of the delivery rate of the fly.

In its preferred form the counting device comprises a rotary stepping switch of the type widely used in the telephone industry. Such switches conventionally comprise one or more wipers or contact fingers 71 fixed on a rotatably supported shaft 72. The wipers are electrically insulated from each other and each is adapted to cooperate with an arcuate row of electrical contacts. The rows of contacts are assembled one above the other, or in successive levels to form a contact bank.

Commercially available switches of the type illustrated are commonly made with twenty-six contacts in each row or level, the contacts being uniformly spaced apart in an arc of approximately 180. With double ended wipers, that is, wipers with their contact elements extending symmetrically at opposite sides of the shaft 72, the wiper is in engagement with a contact throughout the complete revolution of the shaft. In other words, the arrangement is such that as one end of the wiper leaves the twentysixth contact of the level, the other end makes contact with the first contact of that level. Single ended wipers may also be used with the wiper positioned to cooperate with the contact group in either half revolution of the shaft 72. A suitable switch for this purpose is the Type 45 Stepping Switch made by the Automatic Electric Company.

In operation, the wiper shaft 72 is advanced in steps corresponding in length to the spacing of the contacts of the groups by a pawl 73 cooperating with a toothed ratchet wheel 74 fixed to the shaft. The pawl is spring urged in a direction to advance the ratchet wheel and shaft when released from a retracted or cocked position to which it is drawn by a stepping magnet 75.

Two independent circuits are provided for operating the magnet 75 in the exemplary counting mechanism. Operating current is supplied to the magnet from the secondary winding of a transformer T which has its primary winding connected across conductors L1, L2 of a power line supplying current to the folder or other machine with which the counter is associated. A manually operable shut off switch SOS permits the line to be opened to cut off all power from the counting mechanism when desired as, for example, when the folder is not running. A signal lamp L bridged across the line conductors at the transformer side of the switch provides a visual signal of the on or off condition of the power supply. To insure against power failure, the transformer T is preferably of the type having double primary and secondary windings. Accordingly, a supply of current will be available in case any one of the transformer windings becomes disabled.

One operating circuit for the stepping mechanism serves to automatically advance the wiper shaft to step the wipers over unused or dead contacts. That circuit will be described later. The other operating circuit is controlled by a counting switch CS actuated by the cam 70 and acts, in this instance, to impart an advancing step to the wiper shaft 72 for each unit of the count, that is), for each revolution of the fly shaft 12. The switch CS may be a conventional microswitch having a set of normally open contacts closed once in each revolution of the cam 70. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cam 70 is an edge cam defining a generally cylindrical track with a recessed seating 70 for a follower roller 71. The roller is carried on one end of a pivoted switch actuating lever 72' which has its other end positioned to engage an actuating plunger 73' for the switch CS.

Switch CS when closed completes an energizing circuit for the stepping magnet which may be traced from a secondary terminal 76 of the transformer, conductor 77, switch CS, conductor 78, winding of the stepping magnet 75, conductor 79, rectifier 80, resistor 81 to a secondary terminal 82 of the transformer. The magnet 75 when energized draws the pawl 73 away from the ratchet wheel (to the right as viewed in FIG. 4) and thus stores energy in its biasing spring. Upon deenergization of the magnet, the spring snaps the pawl back toward normal position and advances the ratchet wheel and the group of wipers one step.

To provide for actuating the kicker mechanism to mark groups of different sizes, the stepping switch is equipped with a plurality of wipers 71 and the contact sets or bank levels for the respective wipers are wired to produce an operating signal for the kicker upon a predetermined number of steps of the wipers, the number of steps being different for each contact level. Manually operable means, in this instance, a simple rotary selector switch SS, is provided for the selection of the particular wiper to be used in a counting operation, the others being rendered ineffective, although, of course, they continue to step across their contact banks.

The kicker operating signal is the closure of a circuit for energizing a control relay CR. This relay when energized closes contacts CR-1 to complete an energizing circuit for the kicker solenoid 56 as shown in FIG. 4. The closure of contacts CR1 connects the winding of the solenoid directly across the line conductors Ll-L2. Solenoid 56 initiates the operation of the kicker as previously explained.

The contact banks or levels of the exemplary counting switch are wired to permit selection between groups of three, four, five, six, eight or ten units. This, of course, is merely exemplary and any desired grouping between one and twenty-five units can be provided with a switch of the type illustrated. Likewise, selection between a greater or less number of groups than here shown may be had by equipping the switch with the required number of contact groups or levels. The contact arrangement illustrated, when used to count in units, five as in the exemplary installation, provides for the offsetting of every fifteenth, twentieth, twenty-fifth, thirtieth, fortieth, or fiftieth article on the conveyor, depending on the position of the selector switch SS.

To afford the groupings shown, the selector switch bank is made up of seven contact groups or levels. For convenience of identification, the levels have been designated, respectively, as a, b, c, d, e, f and g and a corresponding suffix is applied to the wiper 71 cooperating with that; level. Five of the wipers, in this instance, the five upper ones, are individually connected by conductors 85a, 85b, 85c, 85d and 85s with contacts 86a, 86b, 86c, 86d and 86s of the selector switch SS. Wipers 71] and "71g are connected together by a conductor 94 which in turn is connected by a conductor 85 with a contact 36 of the selector switch for reasons to be explained later on. The movable contact member or switch finger 87 of the selector switch is connected with the transformer terminal 76 by a conductor 88. Accordingly, When the selector switch member is moved to select a particular level, the wiper associated with that level is connected to receive power from one side of the transformer. The remaining wipers being unconnected with the power source complete no circuits as they travel over their contacts with the selected wiper.

As explained heretofore, each contact group or level of the counting switch consists of twenty-six contacts, of which the first may be considered as a home contact. To effect the three unit count, every third contact of the level a is connected in multiple with a conductor 90 which, in this instance, extends to one terminal of the control relay CR. The other terminal of that relay is connected to the transformer terminal 82 by Way of conductors 91 and 79, rectifier 80 and resistor 81. Accordingly, when the wiper 71a is connected with the other terminal of the power source between selector switch SS, its engagement with a multipled contact of the group 7 of level a completes an energizing circuit for the relay CR which initiates the operation of the kicker solenoid 56 as before explained.

As the three unit grouping of the level a is not an exact multiple of the contacts in that level, provision is made for automatically stepping the wipers over unused or dead contacts. In the particular wiring arrangement shown for the level a the second, fifth, eighth, eleventh, etc., contacts are connected in multiple and to the conductor 90. The twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth contacts in this case are unused or dead. They are accordingly connected to a conductor 92 which forms a part of the automatic stepping circuit for the stepping magnet 75 mentioned heretofore.

The automatic stepping circuit for the magnet 75 includes the conductor 92 which is connected through a normally closed off-normal switch ONS and a normally closed interrupter switch IR to conductor 78 which connects to one terminal of the stepping magnet 75. The other terminal of the magnet is connected through the rectifier 80 and resistor 81 to the transformer terminal 82. Accordingly, when the circuit for a wiper a is closed through one of the dead contacts of its bank and back through the selector switch contacts, an energizing circuit is completed for the stepping magnet. The magnet energizes to retract the pawl 73 and at the same time it opens switch IR to interrupt its own circuit. Upon deenergization of the magnet the pawl advances the ratchet wheel 74 and all of the wipers one step. Where two or more consecutive contacts are dead the stepping action is repeated until the wiper reaches the home contact at which time further advance is interrupted by the opening of the off-normal switch ONS. In switches of the type described, this automatic stepping action is extremely rapid.

In the four unit group level b, every fourth contact is multipled or, more specifically, the third, seventh, elev-. enth, fifteenth, etc., contacts are connected together and to the conductor 99. In this level also the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth contacts are dead and are connected to the conductor 92 of the automatic stepping circuit.

In the five unit group level 0, the fourth, ninth, fourteenth, nineteenth and twenty-fourth contacts are multipled and connected to conductor 90. The twenty-fifth contact is dead and is connected to conductor 92. In the six unit group level d, the fifth, eleventh, seventeenth and twenty-third contacts are multipled and connected to conductor 90. The twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth contacts are unused and are connected to conductor 92. In the eight unit group level e, the seventh, fifteenth and twenty-third contacts are multipled and connected to conductor 90. The twenty-fifth contact is dead and connected to conductor 92.

To avoid the idling of an excessive number of contacts and the consequent delays induced by automatic stepping when groups of ten or more units are involved, it is preferred to employ two separate levels with single ended wipers operating over them for such groups. Thus, in the exemplary counting switch, wiper 71 steps over the contacts of level 1 in one-half of the revolution of the shaft 72 While wiper 71g steps over the contacts of level g in the successive half-revolution of the shaft. The wipers 71 and 71g are electrically connected as by a strap 94 which in turn is connected by a conductor 85 with a con-tact 86 of the selector switch SS. To produce a kicker signal for every ten steps of the counting switch, the ninth and nineteenth contacts of level 1 and the fourth, fourteenth and twenty-fourth contacts of level g are multipled and connected to conductor 90. Only the twenty-fifth contact of each level is dead and is connected to the automatic stepping circuit conductor 92.

With the above described wiring of the f and g levels, it will be evident that one or the other of the wipers will engage a multipled contact in every tenth step of the shaft 72. Thus, with wiper 71g engaging the twentyfourth contact of its bank, ten steps of the switch (exclusive of the automatic stepping) will carry the wiper 71 to the ninth contact of its bank. Similarly with wiper 71f engaging contact nineteen of its bank, ten steps will bring wiper 71g to the fourth contact of its associated bank.

Since each of the wipers or connected wiper groups represents a group of a particular size, selection of the size to be marked is effected by simply turning the selector switch contact arm 87 to the position representing the desired group size. Thus, by way of example, if it is desired to mark groups of thirty papers upon their delivery by the fly 10, the selector switch is set with the contact arm 87 engaging the contact d. This renders the wiper 71d operative by connecting it through to one terminal of the power source.

Since the wiper of the counting switch will be standing on the last contact of the previously selected group as, for example, the twenty-third contact of the level, the first counting impulse from the switch CS will operate the stepping magnet 75 to advance all wipers 71 one step to the twenty-fourth contact of their associated level. As the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth contacts of level a. are dead, the automatic stepping circuit of the magnet is closed by the selected wiper 71d upon engagement of those contacts and the wipers are quickly advanced to the home contact. The succeeding five closures of the switch CS advance the wiper step-bystep, the fifth contact of the level d being engaged on the sixth step corresponding to the sixth revolution of the fly shaft coincident with the delivery of the thirtieth paper by the fly. Engagement of the wiper with the sixth contact of level d completes the energizing circuit for control relay CR. This relay energizes to close the circuit for kicker solenoid 56 which swings the pawl 44 into the path of the blocking segment 44 which is attached to rocker lever 20.

It will be understood that the cams 21 and 70 are timed so that the pawl 40 is swung to operated position just before the rocker arm starts its advancing movement. Accordingly, the rocker arm engages the operated pawl and swings the kicker arm to intercepting position in timed relation to the operation of the fly so as to intercept and offset the thirtieth paper in the group traveling along the conveyor 11. The quick release of the kicker arm due to the abrupt shoulder on the cam 21 insures retraction of the arm before the next adjacent paper is offset. Contacts CS are closed in the succeeding cycle of the fly shaft to step the wiper 71d from the fifth contact of the level d before the rocker arm is again advanced thereby precluding reoperation of the kicker until another group of twenty-nine papers has been deposited on the conveyor. Upon deposit of the thirtieth paper, the kicker is again operated to indicate the group.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the kicker mechanism may be conditioned to offset a paper or other article delivered by the folder to indicate any one of a plurality of different sized groups by simply turning the selector switch arm 87 to the position representing the desired group. No changing of cams or other mechanical adjustment of the apparatus is required. Selection is thus quick and easy and furthermore, it can be made at any time without stopping the press or the folder. In general, the counting mechanism is simple and durable in construction. It utilizes commercially available electrical components noted for their ability to operate efficiently and accurately for long periods of time without adjustment or other attention. The kicker mechanism itself is characterized by its sturdy construction and troublefree operation. Thus, the counter and kicker mechanism of the present invention is particularly well adapted to operate with high speed newspaper presses and their associated folders.

We claim as our invention:

1. The combination with the delivery mechanism of a high speed folder including a fly having a rotatably driven shaft operative to deliver a succession of folded newspapers or the like on a moving conveyor, a kicker including a shaft supported in laterally spaced relation to the fly shaft, an arm flxed to and projecting radially of said kicker shaft to swing between a retracted position and an operated position, said arm being effective in said operated position to intercept a paper on said conveyor and block it against movement with the other papers on the conveyor, a pair of cams mounted on and rotatable with the fly shaft, means including one of said cams operable to rock said kicker shaft to swing said arm to operated position, a solenoid operative when energized to initiate the operation of said shaft rocking means, counting mechanism including a switch having a rotatable shaft carrying a plurality of wipers each cooperating with a group of contacts, a stepping magnet operable to rotate said shaft to advance said wipers stepby-step over their associated contact groups, certain contacts of each group being connected to effect energization of said solenoid when engaged by their associated wipers, an operating circuit for said stepping magnet including switch contacts operated by the other of said cams, and a selector switch settable manually to condition a selected one of said wipers for operation.

2. The combination with the delivery mechanism of a high speed folder including a rotary fly operative to deliver a succession of folded newspapers or the like on a moving conveyor, of a kicker for displacing selected ones of the papers to mark successive groups comprising a shaft supported in laterally spaced relation to the fly, an arm on said shaft swingable in the rotation of the shaft between a retracted position and an operatecl position with one end portion disposed in the path of the papers on the conveyor, means yieldably urging said shaft and arm toward the retracted position, a rocker lever rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for oscillating said lever through a predetermined stroke in synchronism with the rotation of the fly, a member fixed to said shaft adjacent said lever, and means operable selectively for operatively connecting said lever to said member for rocking said shaft to swing said kicker arm from retracted position to its operated position.

3. The combination with the delivery mechanism of a high speed folder including a rotary fly operative to deliver a succession of folded newspapers or the like on a moving conveyor, of a kicker for displacing selected ones of the papers to mark successive groups comprising a shaft supported in laterally spaced relation to the fly, an arm on said shaft swingable between a retracted position and an operated position with one end portion disposed in the path of the papers on the conveyor incident to the rocking of said shaft, means yieldably urging said shaft and arm toward the retracted position, a rocker lever rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for oscillating said lever through a predetermined stroke in synchronism with the rotation of the fly, a member fixed to said shaft adjacent said lever, a pawl pivoted on said member to swing into and out of the path described by said lever in its oscillation, said lever being operative upon engaging said pawl to rock said shaft and kicker arm from the retracted position to the operated position, and mechanism including a counting device for swinging said pawl into and out of the path of said lever.

4. The combination with the delivery mechanism 915 a high speed folder including a rotary fly operative to deliver a succession of folded newspapers or the like on a moving conveyor, of a kicker for displacing selected ones of the papers to mark successive groups comprising a shaft supported in laterally spaced relation to the fly, an arm on said shaft swingable between a retracted position and an operated position With one end portion dis- 5 posed in the path of the papers on the conveyor incident 7 to the rocking of said shaft, means yieldably urging said shaft and arm toward the retracted position, a rocker lever rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for oscillating said lever through a predetermined stroke in synchronism with the rotation of the fly, a member fixed to said shaft adjacent said lever, a pawl pivoted on said member to swing into and out of the path described by said lever in its oscillation, said lever being operative upon engaging said pawl to rock said shaft and kicker arm from the retracted position to the advanced position, a cam supported for limited rotation relative to said member, said cam having a surface operative in one relative position of the cam and member for swinging said pawl out of the path of said lever and operative in another relative position for swinging the pawl into the path of the lever, power actuated means for relatively rotating said cam and said member, and a counting device controlling the operation of said power actuated means.

5. The combination with the delivery mechanism of a high speed folder including a rotary fly operative to deliver a succession of folded newspapers or the like on a moving conveyor, of a kicker for displacing selected ones of the papers to mark successive groups comprising a shaft supported in laterally spaced relation to the fly, an arm on said shaft swingable between a retracted position and an operated position with one end portion disposed in the path of the papers on the conveyor incident to the rocking of said shaft, means yieldably urging said shaft and arm toward the retracted position, a rocker lever rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for oscillating said lever through a predetermined stroke in synchronism with the rotation of the fly, a member fixed to said shaft adjacent said lever, a pawl pivoted on said member to swing into and out of the path described by said lever in its oscillation, said lever being operative upon engaging said pawl to rock said shaft and kicker arm from the retracted position to the operated position, a cam supported for limited rotation relative to said member, said cam having a surface operative in one relative position of the cam and member for swinging said pawl out of the path of said lever and operative in another relative position for swinging the pawl into the path of said lever, a solenoid operatively connected to said cam and effective when energized to rotate said cam to said one position, and a counting device controlling the energization of said solenoid.

6. The combination with the delivery mechanism of a high speed folder including a rotary fly for delivering folded papers to a conveyor in succession, a kicker effective when operated to displace one of the papers relative to the others on the conveyor, said kicker including a rotatably supported shaft extending transversely of the conveyor, a kicker arm mounted on said shaft, means yieldably urging said arm to a retracted position out of the path of the papers on said conveyor, a rocker member loosely mounted on said shaft, means for rocking said member in timed relation to the rotation of the fly, and solenoid actuated means operative to establish a driving connection between said member and said shaft whereby the shaft is rocked in a direction to carry said arm into a position to engage one of the papers on the conveyor.

7. The combination with the delivery mechanism of a high speed folder including a rotary fly for delivering folded papers to a conveyor in succession, a shaft supported in spaced relation to the fly, a kicker arm mounted on said shaft and projecting radially therefrom, means yieldingly urging said kicker arm to a retracted position with its projecting end out of the path of the papers on the conveyor, means for rotating said shaft to carry the projecting end of the shaft into position to intercept one of the papers on the conveyor, said shaft rotating means including a member rotatably mounted on the shaft, means for continuously oscillating said member about the axis of the shaft, motion transmitting means operative when actuated to establish a disengageable driving connection 12 between said member and said shaft, and a counting de- 2,048,765 Wood 2 July 218, 1936 vice operable to control the actuation of said motion 2,161,033 Foster June 6, 1939 transmitting means. 2,406,118 Whitehead Aug. 20, 1946 2 570306 Battersby Oct. 9 1951 Ref Ct d th fil f th t t e m e e O pa en 5 2,946,266 Calllngwood et a1 July 29, 1960 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,956,541 Spillane Apr. 24, 1934

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