US3117500A - Method and apparatus for conveying, stacking and counting papers - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 14, 1964 L. o. DONAHUE ETAL 3,117,500

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING, sTAcKING AND COUNTING PAPERS Filed Jan. 28, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2771-6. j. /l, Il,//9 /7 /2 @a 7, AN HA '/HA 1N] l1; 80 @llwga 65 :I 76 :272-:-F2-lm' il I 33 'u i l /27 'EI 'i /Z 'I a N /7 /Z 65 7/ Z 46 //9 33 a //a ,I "HIM Il Il so 0. 00A/AWE, By Roy .E BEHREMS Jain. 14, 1964 L. o. DONAHUE ETAL 3,117,500

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING, STACKING AND COUNTING PAPERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 28, 1963 5,5 @w wm FJ A QQ mw QN @MN WWI# W n Il. sin" ,In Uu\ A y ww oo wm /5 w@ NN mw MR h QS )QS m m i mimm ...l LTLQ @uvm Hmm mm .06km mh m ,Ivm mm m mm. nm N @m v/m m l@ .r ww n QW@ wm. )ww QN mw WW. u@ Nk Mm.

.N @MVN M United States Patent O The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for conveying, stafling and counting papers delivered by a folder, operat .g either as a separate machine, or as tne final t it of a sheet or web-ted penecting press. The primary obiect of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for elevating the papers from the usual low-level delivery point on the folder or press, to a convenient height for removal by the operator, and also stacking ti e papers into stacl's, each of which contains an exact specied count of papers. The term papers as used herein includes signatures, newspapers, folders, brochures, and the lil-ze.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus o the class described which is extremely compact, and requires a minimum of loor space. This is an niportant4 cous' eration in many publishing lirms, where iioor space is limited and incapable of being cxpanded.

A further ob counter that is ble oi operating at high speed to handle the output of the highest speed folders and web-led perecting oresses in use at this time.

Another object is to provide a conveyor-staclrer-counter that is easily adaptable to various makes and models of folders and presses, and that is capable of dling all sizes and typ-cs or" material within the capacity of these machines.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, shown in the accompanydrawings, wherein:

l is a top plan view or a conveying, stacking and counting apparatus embodying the principles of our invention;

FGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the taken at 2--2 in FIGURE l;

FGURE 3 is a pi tially cut-away elevational view ol` the machine, as seen from the side opposite that shown in FEGURE 2;

FlGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken at i-d in FIGURE, 3; and

FGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken at 5 5 in FlGURE 2.

machine shown the drawings comprises a supporting `frame structure lil standing on legs ll. The frame structure f consists of laterally spaced .pairs of horizontal top bottom members l2 l, which are connected toge er by vertical members l@ and l5, and transverse angle irons il@ The frame is enclosed by side plates i7, end plate e, top plate ill, which strengthen the structure and enclose the operating mechanism. rhe frame is completed by two vertically spaced, horizontal table surfaces and 2l, the top table Ztl constituting a loading table, the bottom table 2l constituting a receiving table.

As best shown in FGURES 2 and 3, the bottom table is flush with the top surace 22 oi a conveyor 213, comprising a part of a holder (not shown) operating either as a separate machine or as the last unit of a sheet or web-fed perfectie:T press. The printed, assembled and ct is to rovide a conveyor-stackersame,

*O folded papers are delivered by the conveyor Z3 in a continuous line 24 of overlapping papers, which are initially ICC disposed With their leading edges exposed and overlying the trailing edges of the papers ahead. The conveyor Z3 is usually in the orm of a belt conveyor having a plurality of laterally spaced endless belts Z5, only one of which can be seen in FIGURE 2. These belts 25 are trained around pulleys, one of which is shown at 2o in FIGURE 2, and pulleys 26 are mounted on a rotatable shaft Sil, journaled in suitable bearings mounted on side bars 3l forming a part of the supportin traine ol conveyor 23. The bottom frame members 13 of our machine overlie the ends or the side bars 31 and are attached thereto by screws 32, thereby tying the machine to the conveyor 23.

The machine includes a drum 33 of relatively large diameter extending substantially the full th of the frame l@ adjacent one end thereof, and an idler 3ft of much smaller diameter extending between and rotatably supported on die top frame members l2. The drum 33 has circular end plates 35 and 36 that are mounted at their centers on a horizontal shaft 4d; the latter being journaled at its ends in bushings 41 (see FlGURE 5), contained within tubular bearing supports 412, which abut against the inner surfaces of vertical trarne members ld, and are attached thereto by screws e3. The tops oi the drum 33 and idler 34 are substantially tangent to tbe plane oi the top table 2li, and the bottom of the drum is substantially tangent to the plane of the bottom table 21.

The idler 34 may be a single roller, or it may consist orn a plurality of axially aligned rollers, which are spaced apart on a shaft dal, as inthe illustrated embodiment. The shaft del is journaled at its ends in bearings d5, which are mounted on inside faces of the top members l2.

A group of three laterally spaced, endless belts 46 is trained around the rum 33 and idler pulley 34, with the top` flight of the belts resting on and sliding over the load ing table ill. Another group of three laterally spaced, endless belts 47 is wrapped around the right-hand side ol the drum 33., as viewed in FEGURE 2, and are trained around a series of rollers 5b, Sl, 52 and 53, which are arranged as shown. Each of the rollers Sil, Si, 52 and :73 comprises a plurality (in this case, three each) of separate rollers rotatably mounted on supporting shafts, which extend transversely across the width of the trame lil and are supported at their ends in suitable bearings mounted on the frame. l

The two series of conveyor belts d6 and 47 cooperate to form a conveyor having a receiving end at 54 and a discharge end at 55. The former is disposed to receive the line of papers 24 discharged by the conveyor 23, and the latter is disposed to deliver the said papers to a stacking station, designated generally at 5d, on the loading table 2l). Between the drum 33 and roller. Sli, the belts rest onslide over the bottom table 2l, providing a short horizontal section or" conveyor length along which the papers 24; travel before being engaged by the belts d6. The purpose of this will be explained presently.

The conveyor belts 4d, 47 and the drum 33 are driven at a fixed speed ratio with respect to the operating speed ofthe folder or press, by means of a drive chain ed, which is trained around sprockets 6l and 62, mounted on shafts Sli and d3, respectively. Shaft Sil is the end pulley shaft of the conveyor 23, and is driven by the folder or press at a speed directly proportional to the operating speed of the said machine. Preferably, the sprocket 62 is slightly larger than the sprocket el (of the order of 16 teeth for sprocket 62, tol 13 teeth for sprocket 6l, for example), so that the belts i7 are driven at a slightly slower speed than the belts 2S of the conveyor 23. This causes the papers to bunchv together slightly as they are transferred from the conveyor 23 to the conveyor belts 47, which makes for easier stacking of the papers. The belts 46 and drum 33 are frictionally driven by the belts 47 with little or no slippage, and the conveyor mechanism of the present machine is thus driven at a certain lixed speed ratio with respect to the operating speed of the associated folder or press.

The conveyor belts 47 are drawn tightly around the drum 33 and rollers 50, 51, 52 and 53, by means of a tensioning device 64, which is incorporated into the rollers 52. The said tensioning device is an arrangement for mounting the rollers 52 so that they can be moved inwardly from their normal operating position to release the tension in the belts 47, together with means for spring-loading the rollers so that they are urged outwardly to take up any slack in the belts. The chief purpose of this tensioning device 64 is to allow the belts i7 to yield away from the belts 4d where they are both wrapped around the drum 33, so as to accommodate thick, bulky papers, as well as thin papers.

The tensioning device 64 consists of a pair of crank arms 65, which are swingably supported at one end on a pivot shaft 66; the latter being xedly secured to plates 67 on the frame structure 10. Shaft 70, on which pulleys 52 are rotatably supported, is mounted at its ends in the free-swinging ends of the crank arms 65. Torsion springs 71 are wrapped around the pivot shafts 66 and are hooked over their respective crank arms 65 to urge the latter in the clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 2. r,The springs 71 are anchored at their other ends to the plates 67.

1n traveling around the right-hand side (FIGURE 2) of the drum 33, the line of papers 24 is elevated to the height of the loading table and also inverted, so that the leading edge of each paper underlies the trailing edge of the paper ahead. This is an important step in the operation of the machine, as it enables the stacks to be built up by inserting the papers into the bottom end of the stack, thereby causing the stack to rise in place without the necessity of any lowering device, such as is required when papers are added to the top end of the stack.

As the line of papers 24 passes out from under the top rollers 53 and approaches the stacking station, the papers are engaged at their leading edge by a stop means 72, which is movable between the extended position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 2, and the retracted position shown in broekn lines. The stop means 72 preferably comprises a bar 73, which extends transversely across the frame just beneath the loading table Ztl. The bar is attached at its ends to the ends of two pivoted lever arms 74 and 75 extending generally lengthwise of the top frame members 12. Fingers 76 project upwardly from the bar 73 through slots Sti in the loading table Ztl beneath the belts 46 and at the outside thereof.

Lever arm 74 is pivotally supported at the end opposite the bar 73 on a transverse shaft S1, which is mounted at its ends on the frame members 12. Lever arm 75 is longer than lever arm 74, and is pivotally supported near its mid-point on the shaft 81. A spring S2 urges the stop means 72 up to the extended paper-engaging position, and the said stop means is periodically retracted by cam means 83 that will now be described, to allow the completed stacks of paper to move clear of the stacking station 56.

The cam means 83 of the illustrated embodiment, is an arrangement giving the machine an element of flexibility with respect to the count of papers going into each stack. With the machine shown herein, stacks can be built with any one of three specified counts, such as 25, or 100, the exact numbers being dependent upon certain dimensions of the machine, but the ratios of the three stack counts with respect to one another being l, 2 and 4.

Cam means 83 comprises a rotatable base member S4 mounted on end plate 35 of the drum 33. The base .4 member 84 is a circular plate that is bolted to one face of a sprocket 35, so that it stands out slightly from the face of the latter, as shown in FIGURE 5. The sprocket is journaled on a bushing 86, which is mounted on a shouldered bolt 57 that is secured to the drum end plate 35. A drive chain Sii is trained around the sprocket 85 and around a second, much smaller, stationary sprocket @il formed integrally with the tubular bearing support 42. The diameter of the smaller sprocket 9i) is onefourth the diameter of the larger sprocket 85, so that the latter turns in a clockwise direction (FIGURE 2) at one-fourth the speed of the drum 33 when the latter turns in a counter-clockwise direction.,

Four equi-angularly spaced, radial slots 91 are provided in the base member 34, and slidably disposed within these slots are cam lobes 92, which may be secured by means of bolts 93 at either an operative or inoperative position. The operative position for the lobes 92 is at the outer ends of the slots 91, while the inoperative position is at the inner ends thereof.

The cam lobes 92 are engageable with the arcuately curved underside 94 of a pivoted cam member 95, the curved outer surface S6 of which is engageable by cam followers 97 and 9?, on the end of the lever arm 75 opposite the bar 73; The cam member 95 is 'pivoted at 99 on the drum end plate 35, 'and when the underside 94 is engaged by one of the cam lobes 92, the cam is swung upwardly topa position where the outer surface 95 engages the cam followers 97, 93 as the cam passes under them. A spring ltlil pulls the cam 95 inwardly against an angle bracket stop 1tl1 on the drum end 35 when the cam is not lifted by one of the lobes 9?., and in this inwardly retracted position, the cam clears the followers $7, 98 and does not actuate the stop means 72. The two cam followers 97, 98 are spaced along the length of the lever arm 75 so as to extend the length of time that the stop means 72 is retracted without lengthening the cam 95 excessively. The number of cam lobes 92 is an evennumbered plurality, such as 2, 4 or 6, and the ratio of the diameter of the large sprocket 35 to the diameter of the small sprocket 9i) must have the same numerical value. Thus, the base member 84 is driven by the sprockets S5, 9d at a rotational speed that is a fraction of the drum rotational speed, the said fraction being the reciprocal of the number of cam lobes 92.

The underside Q4 and outer surface 96 of the cam member 95 are concentric arcs, the centers of which are at the axis of rotation of the drum 33 when the cam member is lifted by the lobes 92. Thus, once the cam member 95 has been lifted by one of the lobes 92, the position of the cam remains unchanged as the lobe moves along the underside 94, while at the same time, the outer surface 96 remains at a fixed position for the entire period of time that one or both of the cam followers 97, 98 is engaged. The cam followers 97, 9S are preferably rollers journaled on the lever arm 75, although stationary shoes would be used in their place. While it is the cam 95 that is engaged by the followers 97, 98, it will be apparent that the cam 95 is nothing more than an extension of the operative lobes, and it is actually the operative cam lobes 92 that are responsible for lifting the followers.

When the stop means 72 is retracted by the cam means the completed stack of papers is carried along the loading table 2t) by the belts 46 until it clears the stacking station 56, at which point the stop means 72 is restored to its extended, paper-engaging position to start the next stack.

In order to allow the stop means 72 to pass upwardly through the line of papers 24, gaps are opened up between successive papers in the line, and the stop fingers 76 are inserted up through these gaps. The means for opening up these gaps may be termed an intercepting means, and is designated as such by the reference numeral 105. The intercepting means consists of a pivoted, plate-like member 166 disposed above the bottom table 21 and extending transversely to the belts 47. The member 106 has downwardly projecting fingers 167 that are spaced apart laterally to allow the belts 46 to pass between them. The member 1li@ is attached to a shaft 168, which is journaled at its ends in hangers 11@ that project downwardly from the frame members 12. An arm lll projects from the shaft 19d, and a tubular member 112 is pivoted on the outer end of die arm.

Passing through the tubular member 112 and slidable freely therethrough is a vertical rod 113, the bottom end of which is threaded to receive two nuts 114 that are spaced apart a distance to receive a compression spring 115 therebetween. The upper end oi the rod 113 is likewise threaded, and is passed through a hole in one end or" a pivoted lever arm 116. Nuts 12d are screwed onto the threaded top end of the rod on opposite sides oi the arm le to provide a loose connection between the rod and the lever arm.

The lever arm 116 is pivoted intermediate its ends on the shaft 81, and cam followers 12d and 121i are provided on the end of the arm opposite the rod 113, which are engageable by another cam means 122 on the end plate 36 ofthe drum. The cam means 122 and associated cam member 123 are identical to the cam means S3: and cam member 95 just described, and therefore will not be described in detail again; the only diierences being a slight angular displacement between them, about the drum axis as a reference, and a slight diiierence in the length of the working surfaces on the cams 95 and 123. Cam i231 is somewhat longer than cam 9d to give a longer dwell time for the intercepting means 165 than for the stop means 72. The cam means $3 leads the cam means i252 slightly, causing the stop means 72 to be retracted a moment before the intercepting means i315 is swung downwardly. A compression spring 1lb bears downwardly against the left-hand end (FGURE 3) of the lever arm 116, causing the right-hand end thereof to abut against an angle bracket stop 119 when the cam followers 12d, 121 are disengaged from the cam member 123.

The intercepting means 16:3 is actuated by the cam means 122, and is swung downwardly to the position shown in phantom lines in RG-URE 3, where the fingers il? engage the exposed leading edge of the papers on the conveyor belts .17 and hold the same bach, while the papers that have passed beyond the lingers 197 are carried along by the belts i7 to open up a gap.

To facilitate extraction of the paper just preceding the one engaged by the fingers 1d from beneath the stopped papers, means is provided for pressing the said preceding paper down against the belts 47 to obtain more traction therewith. The means for accomplishing this is preferably in the form of two small rollers 124i carried at the ends of leaf springs 125, which are attached to the meL i er 1% in positions such that the rollers 124iride on two of the belts 47. The leaf springs 122' cause the rollers 1,24 to press the papers downwardly against the belts i7 with a light spring pressure, and this gives the belts i7 additional traction on the paper to pull it from under the stopped paper.

Additional traction between the papers and the belts 46 is also provided beyond the roller S3, where the papers are inserted into the bottom end o the stack. Here the problem is one of obtaining enough traction on the last paper to pull it all the way into the bottom of the stack, as the stationary paper just above exerts a retarding effect on the last paper, and there is no overlying paper to help hold the last paper down against the belt. ln this case, traction is provided by three small wheels 126 that are journaled on the ends of arms M7, which are pivotally supported at their other ends on a shaft 125 for vertical swinging movement. The arms 127 are curved to pass over the rollers 53, and the weight of the arms and wheels 126 causes the latter to press the trailing edge of tdel last paper down against the belts 47 for increased traction therewithm While we have shown and described in considerable detail what we believe to be the preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the shape and arrangement of the several parts thereof, without departing from the broad scope of the following claims.

We claim: l. Apparatus for conveying and stacking papers received from a machine into staclrs of a predetermined number of copies, comprising: a horizontal loading table; conveyor means disposed to receive a continuous line of overlapping papers from said machine and transport the same onto said loading table, said papers being initially disposed with the leading edge of each paper exposed and overlying the trailing edge of the paper ahead; said conveyor means including means for inverting the line of papers so that the leading edge of each paper is overlaid by the trailing edge of the paper ahead;

stop means engageable with the leading edge oi said papers as they are discharged onto said table, whereby said papers are stopped and caused to accumulate into a stack, said papers being inserted into said stack at the bottom end thereof; intercepting means engageable with the exposed leading edge of one of said papers ahead of said inverting means, for momentarily stopping the papers so as to open up a gap between tl e leading edge of said one paper and the trailing edge of the paper just ahead;

the distance between gaps being such that the predetermined number ot` papers to be inserted into each stack is carried by said conveyor means between them; means operable to remove said stop means from its engagement with said papers on said loading table for a time interval suiiicient to allow the stack to move along the table to a point clear of said stop means, and then return said stop means to engage the leading edge of the next succeeding paper following a gap opened up by said intercepting means; and

means operable to move said intercepting means into engagement with said papers in synchronisrn with the removal of said stop means, whereby the gap opened up in the line of papers by said intercepting means reaches said stop means as the latter moves into operative position after releasing a stack.

2. Apparatus for conveying and stacking papers received from a machine int-o stacks of a predetermined number of copies, comprising:

a horizontal loading table;

belt conveyor means disposed to receive a continuous line of overlapping papers from said machine and transport the same to a stacking station on said loadtable, said papers being initially disposed with the leading edge of each paper exposed and overlying the trailing edge of the paper ahead; said belt conveyor means including means for inverting the line of papers so that the leading edge of each paper is overlaid by the trailing edge of the parer ahead as said papers approach said stacking station; stop means engageable with the leading edge of said papers as they are broucht to said stacking station, whereby said papers are stopped and caused to accumulate into a stack, said papers being inserted into said stac-lr at the bottom end thereof; intercepting means engageable with 'the exposed leading edge of one of said papers ahead of said stacking station, lfor momentarily stopping the papers so as to open up a gap between the leading edge of said one paper and the trailing edge of the paper just ahead;

cam means mounted for movement around a circular path at a speed to complete one revolution in the ltime required by said belt conveyor means to travel from said intercepting means to said stop means;

a cam follower engageable by said cam and lifted thereby; and

means operatively connected to said cam follower and actuated thereby to remove said stop means from in yiront of said stack as the next succeeding gap apceive a continuous line of overlapping papers from said machine, and a 4discharge end disposed to deliver said papers to said stacking station, said papers being initially disposed with the leading edge of each paper exposed and overlying the trailing edge of the paper ahead;

said line oi' papers being inverted by said drum and `delivered to said stacking station with the leading edge oi each paper underlying the trailing edge of preaches said stop means, and to insert said stop the paper ahead; means into said next succeeding gap as the comstop means movable between a retracted position and pleted stach moves clear, in readiness to start the an extended position wherein the leading edges of next stack. the papers are engaged as they are delivered to said 3. Apparatus for conveying and stacking papers restacking station; thereby stopping said papers and ceived from a machine into stacks of a predetermined accumula-ting the same into a stack, said papers benumber of copies, comprising: ing inserted by said conveyor into the stack at the a horizontal loading table; bottom end thereof; belt conveyor means disposed to receive a continuous intercepting means movable into engagement with the line of overlapping papers from said machine and leading edge of said papers adjacent the receiving transport the same to a stacking station on said loadend of said conveyor to hold said papers back and ing table, said papers being initially disposed with the thereby open up gaps in the line of papers, said gaps leading edge of each paper exposed and overlying being spaced apart `from one another a distance such the trailing edge of the paper ahead; that the number of papers on said conveyor between said belt conveyor means including means for invertgaps is equal to the number of papers going into ing the line of papers so that the leading edge of each @Mh SlCk; paper is overlaid by the trailing edge of the paper means operable to move said stop means from said ahead; extended position to said retracted position so as to stop means engageable with the leading edge of said allow the completed stack to move clear of the stackpapers as they are brought to said sta-cking station, ing station; and whereby said papers are stopped and caused to aemeans operable to move said intercoupling means into cumulate into a stack, said papers being inserted into engagement with said papers in synchronism with said stack at the bottom end thereof; the retraction of said stop means; intercepting means movable into position to engage Said stop means being restored to said extended posithe exposed leading edge of one of said papers ahead tion as the next gap reaches said stacking station. of said stop means, for momentarily stopping the g5 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said means papers so as to open up a gap between the leading edge of said one paper and the trailing edge of the paper just ahead;

cam means mounted for movement around a circular operable to move said stop means between said extended and retracted positions comprises:

a cam mounted on said drum for rotation therewith; a cam follower engageable by said cam and operapath at a speed to complete one read-cycle in the tively connected to said stop means to move the time required by said belt conveyor means to insert latter from said extended position to said retracted said predetermined number of copies into a stack; position; and

means `actuated by said cam means, operable to remove spring means operable to restore said stop means to said stop means as each stack is completed, and alsaid extended position when said cam follower has low the same to move clear of said stacking station, been released by said cam.

said stop means being inserted into the next succeed- 6. Apparatus as delined in claim 5, wherein said means ing gap to engage the leading edge of the first paper following said gap; and other means actuated by said cam means, operable to operable to move said intercepting means into engagement with said papers in synchronism with the retraction of said stop means comprises:

move said intercepting means into position to engage said papers in synchronism with the removal of said stop means, whereby the space between gaps is such that the number of papers included between gaps is equal to the number of papers going into each stack.

4. Apparatus for conveying and stacking papers received from a machine into stacks of a predetermined number of copies, comprising:

a horizontal loading table having a stacking station;

a drum journaled for rotation about a horizontal axis adjacent one end of said table;

an idler rotating about an axis parallel to the axis of said drum `and on the side of said stacking station opposite said drum;

CJI

a second cam mounted on said drum for rotation therewith;

a second cam follower engageable by said second cam and operatively connected to said intercepting means to move the latter into engagement with said papers; and

a second spring means operable to remove said intercepting means from its paper-engaging position when said second cam follower has been released by said second cam,

7. Apparatus for conveying and stacking papers received from a machine into stacks of a predetermined number of copies, comprising:

a horizontal loading table having a stacking station; a drum journaled for rotation about a horizontal axis the top surfaces of said idler and said drum being subadjacent one end of said table;

stantially tangent to the top Sunface of said loading an idler rotating about axis parallel to the axis of said table; drum and on the side of the stacking station oppoa first endless het trained around said drum and said site said drum;

idler, and sliding over the surface of said loading the top sides of said idler and said drum being subtable; stantially tangent to the top surface of said loading a second endless belt wrapped around one side of said table;

drum on top of said iirst endless belt, said second a first endless belt trained around said drum and said endless belt being trained around a series of rollers; idler, and sliding over the surface of said loading said first and second endless belts cooperating to form table;

a conveyor having a receiving end disposed to rea second endless belt wrapped around one side of said drum on top of said rst endless belt, said second endless belt being trained around a series of rollers; said lrst and second endless belts cooperating to form a conveyor having a receiving end disposed to receive a continuous line of overlapping papers from said machine, and a discharge end disposed to deliver said papers to said stacking station, said papers being initially disposed with the leading edge of each paper exposed and overlying the trailing edge initially disposed with the leading edge of each paper exposed and overlying the trailing edge of the paper ahead;

said line ofpapers being inverted by said drum and delivered to said stacking station with the leading edge of each paper underlying the trailing edge of the paper ahead;

stop means movable between a retracted position and and extended position wherein the leading edges of of the paper ahead; the papers are engaged as they are delivered to said Said 1in@ 0f papers being inverted by Said drum and stacking station, thereby stopping said papers and dellVIed O Said Stacking Station Wlh the leadlllg accumulating the Sal-1e into a stach said papers be.. edge of each paper underlying the trailing edge of ing inserted by said conveyor into the stack at the the paper ahead; bottom end thereof;

Sio? mee-ns inoVelle between a reireolel Position and l5 leens for driving said drum and said endless belts at an eXiendefl Position Wliefeln tlie leading edges 0f a fixed speed ratio relative to the operatinfY speed the papers are engaged as they are delivered to said of Said machine;

Stacking Si'flilony merel)y Stopping Seid Papers and cam means mounted on said drum and rotatable thereaeellnllllaiing ille Same into a Sleek, Said Papers with, said cam means including at least one base liein inserted by Seid Conveyor inio ille Slack at member rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis ille bOiOm end liefeof; of said drum and spaced radially therefrom; means for driving said drum and said endless belts at Said base member having an evnqmmbgred plufallly a ilXed SPeeCl raiiO relative i0 ille operating Speed of equally spaced cam lobes that are selectively mov- 0f Said InaClllne'; able between operative and inoperative positions;

n Can assembly roiaiebly molmled on olle ond of Sold means for driving said base plate at a rotational speed drinn and having an even-numbered plurality of Cain that is a fraction ot the drum rotational speed, said lobes that are selectively movable between operative fracn being the reciprocal of the number of Said and inoPerellVe PoSiiionSS cam lobes on said base member;

means for driving said cam at a rotational speed that a first Cam follower Operable t0 be lifted by the opis a fraction of the drum rotational speed, said fraceratvely ,positioned ,lobes of Said ,Cam follower; lion being me reciprocal of the number of Sold Cam means actuated by said rst cam follower to retract lobes on Sold Cam assembly? said stop means from said extended position so as a Cem follower operable to be llfled by ally of Sald to allow the completed stack to move clear of said cam lobes that are at said operative positron; Stacking Station;

means aolllaleo l)y Sold com follower lo retract said intercepting means movable into engagement with the stop means from said extended position so as to kading edge of Said papers adjacent the receiving alloW the Completed Stack lo move Clear of solo end of said conveyor to hold said papers back and Smoking Slalloll thereby open up a gap in the line of capers;

mtercepting means movable into engagement with the a Second Cam OHOWM. Operable to be *lifted by the leerling edge of Sold Papers adiaoolll the rooelvlng operatively positioned lobes or said cam means' and end of Said Conveyor to hold Sold Papers back and means actuated by said second cam follower to inove merely open UP a gap lll lllollllo of Papers; alld said intercepting means into engagement with said means operable to move said interceptmg means into papers in synchro-msm with the retraction of said stop engagement Wllll Sold Papers lll Syllolllolllslll Wltll means, the .Gaps thus formed in said line of papers the relrlolloll ol solo slop moon?" the gaps thus l5 being spacedc apart from one another a distance such formed lll solo llllo o f Papers elng Spd aprt that the number of papers between gaps is equal to nom one another a distance sucn that t e num er ne number of papers going into each Stack; of PaPolSbolVeon gaps ls equal to the number of said stop means being restored to said extended posi- PaPerS golllg lolo oooh Slack; tion through the gan following the completed stack said stop means being restored to said extended position through the gap following the completed stack as the latter moves clear of said stacking station.

as each stack moves clear of said stacking station. 9. rEhe method of accumulating papers delivered by a machine into stacks of a predetermined number of copies, said papers being delivered in a continuous line of overlapping papers with the leading edge of each paper exposed and overlying the trailing edge of the paper ahead, said method comprising the steps of:

8. Apparatus for use with a machine to accumulate the papers delivered thereby into stacks of a predetermined number of copies, comprising:

a horizontal loading table having a stacking station;

a drum journaled for rotation about a horizontal axis adjacent one end of said table;

an idler rotating about an axis parallel to the axis of said drum and on the side of said stacking station opposite said drum;

the top sides of said idler and said drum being substantially tangent to the top surfaces of said loading table;

transporting said line of overlapping papers from said machine to said stacking station;

inverting said line of papers prior to delivery of the same at said stacking station;

momentarily interrupting the low of papers so as to open up gaps therein at intervals spaced to include the number of copies between successive gaps equal to the number of copies allotted to each stack;

a endless 1.36. trained around Said {hun} and Sold G5 inserting a barrier into said gap as it approaches said 52, and Shdmg over the Surface of Sald loadmg stacking station, so as to stop said papers in their a second endless belt wrapped around one side of said travel each paper beh-lg Successi-viali inserted under drum on top of said rirst endless belt, said second theljeflmg paper to form a Stool@ ao endless belt being trained around a series of rollers; roloasmg Salo Slack as tho next Sllcoeodmg gap all' said iirst and second endless belts cooperating to form a conveyor having a receiving end disposed to receive continuous line of overlapping papers from said machine, and a discharge end disposed to deliver said papers to said stacking station, said papers being proaches said stacking station, thereby allowing the completed stack to move away from said stacking before starting a new stack.

l0. The method of accumulating papers delivered by a machine into stacks of a predetermined number of copies, said papers being delivered in a continuous line of uniformly spaced, overlapping papers, with the leading edge of each paper exposed and overlying the trailing edge of the paper ahead, said method comprising the steps of:

transporting said line of overlapping papers from said machine to said stacking station;

inverting the line of papers prior to delivery of the same at said stacking station;

momentarily engaging the exposed leading edge of one of said papers prior to inverting the same, thereby stopping the travel of the papers so that a gap is opened up in the line of papers at a distance from said stacking station such that the number of papers between said gap and the stacking station is equal to the number of papers going into each stack;

inserting a barrier into said gap as the latter approaches said stacking station, and retaining said barrief in place so as to stop said papers in their travel;

building a stack of papers behind said barrier by inserting each paper successively beneath the paper ahead; and

removing said barrier as the last paper before the next succeeding gap is inserted into the bottom of the stack thereby releasing the completed stack and allowing -the same to move away from said stacking station.

No references cited.

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AND STACKING PAPERS RECEIVED FROM A MACHINE INTO STACKS OF A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF COPIES, COMPRISING: A HORIZONTAL LOADING TABLE; CONVEYOR MEANS DISPOSED TO RECEIVE A CONTINUOUS LINE OF OVERLAPPING PAPERS FROM SAID MACHINE AND TRANSPORT THE SAME ONTO SAID LOADING TABLE, SAID PAPERS BEING INITIALLY DISPOSED WITH THE LEADING EDGE OF EACH PAPER EXPOSED AND OVERLYING THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE PAPER AHEAD; SAID CONVEYOR MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR INVERTING THE LINE OF PAPERS SO THAT THE LEADING EDGE OF EACH PAPER IS OVERLAID BY THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE PAPER AHEAD; STOP MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE LEADING EDGE OF SAID PAPERS AS THEY ARE DISCHARGED ONTO SAID TABLE, WHEREBY SAID PAPERS ARE STOPPED AND CAUSED TO ACCUMULATE INTO A STACK, SAID PAPERS BEING INSERTED INTO SAID STACK AT THE BOTTOM END THEREOF; INTERCEPTING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE EXPOSED LEADING EDGE OF ONE OF SAID PAPERS AHEAD OF SAID INVERTING MEANS, FOR MOMENTARILY STOPPING THE PAPERS SO AS TO OPEN UP A GAP BETWEEN THE LEADING EDGE OF SAID ONE PAPER AND THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE PAPER JUST AHEAD; THE DISTANCE BETWEEN GAPS BEING SUCH THAT THE PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF PAPERS TO BE INSERTED INTO EACH STACK IS CARRIED BY SAID CONVEYOR MEANS BETWEEN THEM; MEANS OPERABLE TO REMOVE SAID STOP MEANS FROM ITS ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PAPERS ON SAID LOADING TABLE FOR A TIME INTERVAL SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW THE STACK TO MOVE ALONG THE TABLE TO A POINT CLEAR OF SAID STOP MEANS, AND THEN RETURN SAID STOP MEANS TO ENGAGE THE LEADING EDGE OF THE NEXT SUCCEEDING PAPER FOLLOWING A GAP OPENED UP BY SAID INTERCEPTING MEANS; AND MEANS OPERABLE TO MOVE SAID INTERCEPTING MEANS INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PAPERS IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE REMOVAL OF SAID STOP MEANS, WHEREBY THE GAP OPENED UP IN THE LINE OF PAPERS BY SAID INTERCEPTING MEANS REACHES SAID STOP MEANS AS THE LATTER MOVES INTO OPERATIVE POSITION AFTER RELEASING A STACK.

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