US3375003A

US3375003A - Multiple feeder mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3375003A
Application number: US570944A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward S Godlewski
Original assignee: Edward S. Goldewski
Current assignee: EDWARD S GOLDEWSKI
Priority date: 1966-08-08
Filing date: 1966-08-08
Publication date: 1968-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1985-03-26

Description

March 2e, 196s A E. s. GODLEWSK. 3,315,003

' MULTIPLFEEDE MEGHANISM Filed Aug. E3, 1966 2 Sheets-'Sheetl l' s4 sa |04, --i-f Jy I 59864. 25 lfs, g4 f'2 7 IlA IWI l Inventor [Edward SGodjrIe'wski Bydff M Patented Mar. 26, 1968 3,375,003 MULTIPLE FEEDER MECHANISM Edward S. Godlewski, 531 Walnut St.,

Des Plaines, Ill.V 62526 Fired Aug. s, 1066, ser. No. 570,944 10 Claims. ('Cl. 271-9) This invention relates to a feeding mechanism of the type adapted yto feed sheet stock or cards to an associated processing machine such as a printer or collator.

A primary object of the invention is to devise a novel feeder which will simultaneously feed material from a plurality 4of sources and which is self-synchronizing.

The invention contemplates a mechanism which feeds a plurality of items at the same time from different supply sources and which comprises pull-out devices for each source and these devices being arranged to initiate operation simultaneously so that the items arrive at the same time at the receiving station, and the next pullout operation being arranged to commence after termination of the operation of the device having the longest feed cycle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel dual feeder for materials of different lengths, the feeder comprising a tray divided into a plurality of sections stocking sheet material and the like of different lengths and delivering such material to feeding mechanisms comprising coaxially arranged sets of rollers disposed in alignment with respective sections, the sets of rollers of each section being controlled by separate one-way clutches and the mechanism driving one set of rollers serving to connect and disconnect the clutch of the other sets of rollers, the feed rollers being operative for a sutiicient length o f time to feed the items to continuously running pull-out roller means so that even through the cycle of feed of either of said of sets of rollers should be less than the time it takes for the item to pass through the feed rollers, that item once it is in the grasp of the pullout roller means is insured of being discharged.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed bythe invention will become more apparent from the specifications and the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of a feeding mechanism incorporating my invention; Y

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; Y

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 4 and 4a areV enlarged sectional views taken generally Online 4--4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of FIGURE 1; and y FIGURE 6 isan enlarged cross-section taken essentially online 6-5 of FIGURE 5.

`Describing the invention in detail and khaving specific reference to the drawings, the feed mechanism generally designated 2 is.shown mounted on a support structure 3 and'comprises a frame 4 including a pair of

upright side members

5, 6 forming the sides of a tray 7 which has an inclined bottom wall 8. The tray 7 has dependent flanges 10 on its bottom wall 8 which are pivotally connected as by `a rod 12 to the upper end of a support rod 13 which lits through a vertical opening 14 in a bracket 15, the bracket 15 being pivoted on a horizontal bar 16 extending between and also secured to the

side members

5 and 6.

The rod 9 is secured in vertically adjustedv position by a set screw 13 to position the inclination of thebottom wall.3 about a lower pivot-structure 19 to

walls

5 and 6 to properly position its discharge edge 20 to the retard assembly 2:1 and the feed roll assembly 22 which structure is described in my copending U.S. application entitled Feeding Mechanism filed Apr. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 446,023 and which description is by reference incorporated herein.

In the present structure the tray 7 is divided into two side by

side feeder sections

23, 24 by dividers 25 disposed

intermediate members

5 and 6 and presenting vertical sides. The upper ends of the dividers are formed with dependent lug structures 23 which pivot and permit adjustment of the dividers laterally between

walls

5 and 6 on a horizontal bar 29 which is secured to the flanges 10.

The tray section terminates at its lower end in said discharge edge 20 from which the articles feed into a nip 31 between the feed roller assembly 22 and the retard assembly 21. The feed roller assembly 22 comprises a shaft 33 extending transversely of the tray above its lower edge, said shaft 33 extending through

bearings

34, 35 in

side frame members

36, 37 of the main frame 23.

The shaft 33 journals a clutch quill 38 which has a grooved collar 39 within which operates a fork 40 which extends upwardly through an opening 41 in a housing wall 42 of a housing 43 which is connected to the external side of frame members 37. The fork 40 is adjustably xedly connected to a shifter shaft 44 which slidable mounts on

upward extensions

45, 46 of the housing wall 42. A biasing spring 47 is sleeved on shaft 44 and compressed between the fork 40 and the interior of extension 46 and biases the fork in a direction engaging the clutch. The outer end of the shaft 44 is bifurcated and pivotally supports on a pin 48 a cam 49 which engages the external side 50a of the lug 4'5. The cam is connected to a handle 50 which in FIG- URE 5 is shown in the disconnected position ofthe clutch 51 which comprises interengaging jaw elements 52, 53 on the quill 38 and the shaft 33.

The shaft 33 carries a pair of

feed roller subassemblies

54, 55 which are aligned with` the

feeder sections

23, 24 respectively (FIG. 1).

The roller assembly 54 comprises a sleeve 56 sleeved over shaft 33 and connected thereto a set screw 57 which mounts a collar 53 on the sleeve, the collar 58 forming an .abutment for one end of a brake spring 59 which is sleeved over shaft 33 and bears against the internal side 60 of side frame member 36 (FIG. l). Thus shaft 33 is prevented from rotating freely whenever the clutch mechanism 51 is shifted leftwardly (FIG. 5) to disengaged position whereupon the pawl 62, which is mounted on a radial flange 63 on one side of a pinion 64 which is journaled on the quill 38 and one-way drivingly connected thereto with a ratchet wheel 65 with. which pawl 62 cooperates under the influence of spring 62a, is caused to freely rotate about shaft 33 as the rack 66 moves in the driving direction shown by the arrow in FIGURE 3, the rack riding on the lower edge on a pivoted slide assembly 68 fastened to the side member 37. The rack is driven by a crank 70 which is a component of the receiving mechanism such as a press. In the engaged position of clutch 51, the rack drives the pinion 64 which drives the pawl 62 which in turn drives the rack 65 which drives the quill 38 and the quill drives through the jaw clutch elements 52, 53 the shaft 33 which in turn rotates the pair of rubber or elastomer rollers 72, 713 which-are connected to the sleeve 56 by

set screws

74, 75 which are threaded to the metal core portions of the rollers 72, 73 and abut the sleeve 56. Thus rollers 72, 73 are adjustable 70 axially on the sleeve 56.

The roller assembly 55 is similar to 54 and comprises a pair of rubber or elastomer rollers 77, 78 (FIG. 1) in- 3 tegrally connected to metallic cores 79, 80 which are sleeved on a cylindrical tube 81, said tube 81 being rotatively mounted on shaft 33 and at one end abutting the adjacent end 82 of sleeve or tube 56 and at the other end being connected to a clutch 83a. The clutch 83a is connected as by a set screw 82b (FIG. 5.) to a cylindrical coupling element 83 which abutsas at 84 a companion coupling 85 which is connected as by set screw 86 t'o the shaft 33. Both couplings have central, cylindrical, codn'nensional areas 86, 87 upon which is loosely mounted a clutch spring 88 half of its coils 89 embracing surface 86 and the other half surface 87. The end of the clutch spring 88 upon surface 87 has a radially extending outturned end portion 90 which projects through a slot 91 1n an operating sleeve or element 92, the sleeve 92 being rotatably mounted on its end portions on

cylindrical shoulders

94, 95 on the

coupling elements

83, 85. The sprlng is so Wound that upon the sleeve 92 being free to rotate, the spring Winds up tightly engaging the coupling elements and driving the roller assembly 55. The sleeve 92 is provided with outwardly extending stop or

abutment pins

96, 97 which alternately are adapted to enter into a slot 98 and abut against a stop 99 on one end of a clutch operator generally designated 100 (FIGS. 1, 4 and 441:).

The operator 100 comprises an arm 101 connected to a pivot block 102 which is pivoted on a rod 103 mounted from

side wall

36, 37. The block 102 carries a yieldable cam 104 Which comprises a support 105 having a downwardly sloping ramp with a spring finger 106 connected thereto and extending upwardly over the ramp and enA gaged by a cam bar 107 of an actuator 108, the bar being part of the adtuator 108 which is a bracket of U-shape and having its outer leg 109 overlapping the rack and connected thereto adjustably by a slotted nut and bolt connection at 110 as best seen in FIG. 3 so that the actuator rray be adjusted lengthwise of the rack and vertically a so.

"lhus it will be noted at each time the roller assembly 54 1s driven the clutch 83a is engaged whereby the roller assembly 55 is also driven. It will be noted that clutch 51 may be disconnected and only assembly 55 may be driven. However, the primary purpose of the instant mechanism 1s to feed two items simultaneously and it will be apparent that in the present structure even though the complete cycles of operation may be different of the two

roller sections

54, 55, the two sections will commence their operations at the same time since both clutches will engage simultaneously and if one section runs longer than the other, then the clutches are overrun. In other words, clutch 83a is disengaged and clutch 51 is engaged, the roller section 54 will overrun the section S5. The items feed into a pair of continuously running

pullout rollers

112, 113 which are close to the pullout rollers, said rollers 112, which may be rubber being mounted on a free rolling upper shaft 114, the pairs of

rollers

112, 113 being in alignment with

sections

54, 55 to grasp sheets therefrom.

The lower roller structure 113 is connected to a driven shaft 115 journalled from

walls

36, 37 and shaft 115 is driven by a chain and sprocket assembly 115a from a conveyor roller shaft 116 which is also journalled on

walls

36 and 37, the shaft 116 being connected to a suitable power source by chain and sprocket 118 which is timed with the receiving mechanism, namely, the printing apparatus (not shown).

The conveyor shaft 116 mounts conveyor tapes 120 which run along guides 121 suitably mounted on the support and the tapes y120 carry the

stock

122, 123 fed from the trays beneath the hold down lingers 124 mounted on bar 103.

In order to control or stop overrunning of the roller assembly 55, a brake 12S is provided including a split band 126 adjustable about shaft 81 and having a react-ion arm 127 mounted about and to rod 103.

I claim:

1. A plural feeding deviceconiprising a plurality of side-by-side magazines each adapted to contain stock to be fed in synchronism to an associated receiving mechanism, 4a feed roller assembly associated with each magazine for discharging the stock therefrom item-by-item, common drive means for each said feed roller assemblies, clutch means between each feed roller assembly and said drive means for individually connecting and disconnecting the drive means thereto, pullout roller means disposed in grasping relation to stock items issuing from the respect-ive feed roller assemblies, Iand means for declutching the clutch means to selected feed roller assemblies to permit free Wheeling of said selected feed roller assemblies while the other of said assemblies continue to be driven whereby stock items not entirely discharged by the declutched feed roller assemblies are pulled out entirely by the pullout roller means While the clutched roller assembly is operating.

2. The linvention according to claim 1 and brake means associ-ated with each feed roller assembly to control overrunning thereof.

3. The invention according to claim 1 and said feed roller assemblies disposed in axial alignment and said magazines each including a tray having a bottom inclined downwardly toward the respective feed roller assembly and terminating in a discharge edge and retard means disposed at said lower edge of each tray bottom for regulating the discharge of stock items from the respective magazine.

4. The invention laccording to claim 1 and at least one of said clutch means comprising driving and driven coaxial elements each presenting cylindrical concentric surfaces, a helical spring sleeved over both surfaces, said spring having a relaxed driving position with an inner coil diameter slightly less than said surf-aces and embracing Ithe same, a clutch operating sleeve element telescoped over said spring and connected thereto for rotation therewith, and means having holding position with the sleeve for declutching said one clutch means by unwinding said spring whereby releasing the grasp of the coils of the spring with the driving and driven elements.

5. The invention according to claim 4 and brake means associated with each feed roller assembly for retarding free rotation thereof upon declutching the same.

6. The invention according to claim 1 and said common drive means including a rack arm and pinion driving train, and said r-ack arm having a timed driving connection with the associated receiving mechanism, and said declutching means including a connecting element adjustably secured to said rack arm and having a cam, Iand a trip linkage Lbetween 4a clutch of one of the assemblies and said cam engageable by the ca-m in timed sequence for engaging and disengaging the clutch.

v7. A feeding device according to claim 1 and said feed roller assemblies mounted on a common shaft, one o-f said roller assemblies directly connected to said shaft, another of said assemblies rotatable about said shaft, normally engaged clutch means between said shaft 'and said other assembly, and operating means connected between said driving means and said last-mentioned clutch -means for controlling the same.

8. In a feeding device according to claim 1 and said common drive means comprising :a shaft mounting all of said assemblies, at least one of said clutch means comprising driving and driven clutch elements connected respectively to one of said feed roller assemblies and to said shaft, a helical spring sleeved over said clutch elements and frictionally embracing the same, means for declutching said one clutch means including a sleeve telescoped over the spring and having a slot elongated axially of the spring, said spring having a transaxial portion extending into the slot and movable axially of the spring Within the slot pursuant `to winding up and unwinding of the spring attendant to clutching and declutching, and

means for grasping `and releasing the sleeve operatively connected to said drive means.

9, The invention Vaccording to claim 1 and said roller assemblies comprising rst and second units, said rst unit being intermittently driven for a predetermined period of time, and means for declutching the second unit within said period of time.

10. The invention according to claim 1 and said assemblies comprising a pair of units and each magazine having `a tray with -a bottom terminating in a discharge edge adjacent to the respective assembly, said drive means comprising a shaft extending generally parallel with the discharge edges of the trays and said roller assemblies mounted on the shaft in .alignment with `respective trays,

6 and one of said feed roller assemblies driven for a longer time period than the other, and means for retarding free rolling of the other of said assemblies While it is declutched to prevent overrunning.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,041,806 10/1912 King 270-46 2,479,060 8/1949 Davidson 270-58 2,770,456 11/1956 Margarinos et al. 270-58 2,984,480 5/1961 Cunningham 271-9 3,175,821 3/1965 Gibson 271-9 ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A PLURAL FEEDING DEVICE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SIDE-BY-SIDE MAGAZINES EACH ADAPTED TO CONTAIN STOCK TO BE FED IN SYNCHRONISM TO AN ASSOCIATED RECEIVING MECHANISM, A FEED ROLLER ASSEMBLY ASSOCIATED WITH EACH MAGAZINE FOR DISCHARGING THE STOCK THEREFROM ITEM-BY-ITEM, COMMON DRIVE MEANS FOR EACH SAID FEED ROLLER ASSEMBLIES, CLUTCH MEANS BETWEEN EACH FEED ROLLER ASSEMBLY AND SAID DRIVE MEANS FOR INDIVIDUALLY CONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING THE DRIVE MEANS THERETO, PULLOUT ROLLER MEANS DISPOSED IN GRASPING RELATION TO STOCK ITEMS ISSUING FROM THE RESPECTIVE FEED ROLLER ASSEMBLIES, AND MEANS FOR DECLUTCHING THE CLUTCH MEANS TO SELECTED FEED ROLLER ASSEMBLIES TO PERMIT FREE WHEELING OF SAID SELECTED FEED ROLLER ASSEMBLIES WHILE THE OTHER OF SAID ASSEMBLIES CONTINUE TO BE DRIVEN WHEREBY STOCK ITEMS NOT ENTIRELY DISCHARGED BY THE DECLUTCHED FEED ROLLER ASSEMBLIES ARE PULLED OUT ENTIRELY BY THE PULLOUT ROLLER MEANS WHILE THE CLUTCHED ROLLER ASSEMBLY IS OPERATING.