US3520533A - Sheet feeding apparatus - Google Patents

Sheet feeding apparatus Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3520533A
US3520533A US721523A US3520533DA US3520533A US 3520533 A US3520533 A US 3520533A US 721523 A US721523 A US 721523A US 3520533D A US3520533D A US 3520533DA US 3520533 A US3520533 A US 3520533A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
stack
feed
feeding apparatus
sheet feeding
sheet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US721523A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Konrad Phleps
Gunter Schnall
Hermann Ullrich
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Agfa Gevaert AG
Original Assignee
Agfa Gevaert AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Agfa Gevaert AG filed Critical Agfa Gevaert AG
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3520533A publication Critical patent/US3520533A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H1/00—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated
    • B65H1/08—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated with means for advancing the articles to present the articles to the separating device
    • B65H1/12—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated with means for advancing the articles to present the articles to the separating device comprising spring

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to sheet feeding apparatus for use in or with duplicating, copying or other sheet consuming or sheet processing machines. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in sheet feeding apparatus wherein the height of the stack is reduced by removal of topmost sheets.
  • corner separators which are adjacent to the front corners of the topmost sheet and cooperate with the feed to insure that only one sheet is being removed at a time.
  • the corner separators normally abut against the front comer of the topmost sheet and, in order to insure that they remain in abutment with successive topmost sheets, it is necessary to provide rather complicated devices which move the corner separators at a rate corresponding to the rate at which the height of the stack diminishes.
  • corner separators must be mounted in such a way that they can be moved toward or away from each other in order to properly engage the corners of relatively narrow or relatively wide sheets. Additional problems arise in conventional sheet feeding apparatus if the quality (particularly the thickness) of sheets in successive stacks is not the same; it is then necessary to employ exchangeable weights, exchangeable feed members or other parts which can compensate for such changes in sheet thickness.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus wherein the corner separators can be adjusted, when necessary, in automatic response to adjustment of other parts of the apparatus which must change their positions when a relatively wide stack is followed by a narrower stack or vice versa.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus wherein the distance between the side rails can be regulated in a simple and time-saving manner.
  • An additional object of the invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus wherein the sheets are being removed from the top of the stack and which can operate properly without weights which are normally used on top of the stack in conventional sheet feeding apparatus.
  • An ancillary object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved mounting for the feed table in a sheet feeding apparatus.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus wherein the corner separators can be rigidly affixed to the side rails and wherein the front stop can be fixedly secured to the frame.
  • the improved sheet feeding apparatus comprises a frame supporting a feed table which is arranged to carry a stack of sheets, an intermittently operated feed preferably comprising two coaxial feed rolls mounted in the frame at a level above the front portion of the feed table and arranged to advance the topmost sheet beyond the front face of the stack so that the thus dislodged sheet may be engaged by two continuously driven advancing rollers or the like to be moved into a duplicating, copying or other sheet consuming machine, means for urging at least a portion of the feed table upwardly to maintain the topmost sheet of the stack in engagement with the feed, a front stop fixed to the frame and disposed in front of the feed table to abut against the front face of the stack, and a pair of stationary corner separators supported by the frame and each adjacent to one front corner of the topmost sheet of the stack on the feed table.
  • the corner separators are preferably rigid with two side rails each of which is adjacent to one side face of the stack on the feed table and at least one of which is adjustable in a direction toward or away from the other side rail.
  • the rear portion of the feed table is preferably tiltable about a longitudinally extending horizontal axis and the means for moving the front portion of the table upwardly preferably comprises a spring which biases the topmost sheet of the stack against the feed.
  • the corner separators comprise top portions which overlie the top face of the topmost sheet but are spaced therefrom by a relatively small distance, preferably in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 millimeter.
  • FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a sheet feeding apparatus which embodies the invention, certain parts of the apparatus being shown in section;
  • FIG. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line IIII of FIG. 1.
  • the sheet feeding apparatus which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a frame including two spaced parallel upright supporting walls 1, 2. These walls support the end portions of a transversely extending horizontal shaft 3 which drives two elastic feed rolls 6, 7 secured thereto by screws 4 and 5.
  • One end portion of the shaft 3 carries a driver gear 8 which is coupled thereto by a helical choking spring 9 capable of transmitting torque when the gear 8 rotates in one direction but permitting the gear to rotate with reference to the shaft when the gear rotates in the opposite direction.
  • the gear 8 meshes with a reciprocable rack 8a so that, when the rack is in motion, the shaft 3 and feed rolls 6, 7 rotate intermittently in a counterclockwise direction, as view in FIG. 1.
  • the spring 9 can be replaced by another suitable one-way clutch which causes the gear 8 to transmit to the shaft 3 torque only when the gear rotates in one direction.
  • the walls 1, 2 of the frame further support a second shaft 10 which is parallel to and is located behind the shaft 3, as considered in the direction of feed (see the arrow A).
  • the shaft 10 extends with clearance through cutouts or recesses 11a, 11b provided in the rear portion of a feed table 11 located between the walls 1 and 2.
  • the rear portion of the table 11 is suspended on the shaft 10 by a bracket 12 which is located substantially midway between the walls 1 and 2.
  • the connection between the table 11 and shaft 10 by means of the bracket 12 is preferably such that the table can tilt slightly about a horizontal axis which is parallel to and extends midway between the walls 1 and 2.
  • the cutouts 11a, 11b are large enough to permit some tilting of the rear portion of the table 11 with reference to the shaft 10.
  • the front portion of the table 11 is engaged from below by a helical lifting spring 13 having a lowermost convolution secured to a stationary retainer 13a.
  • the spring 13 operates substantially midway between the lateral edges of the table 11 and biases the latter upwardly toward the feed rolls 6 and 7.
  • the table supports a stack 14 of paper sheets and the uppermost sheet of this stack is biased by spring 13 against the feed rolls 6 and 7. It will be seen that the bracket 12 and the rolls 6, 7 form a three-point locating unit which determines the angular position of the feed table 11 irrespective of the height of the stack 14. If the height of the stack is reduced, the spring 13 moves the front portion of the table 11 to a higher level so that the topmost sheet of the stack invariably abuts against the rolls 6 and 7.
  • the spring 13 invariably insures that the topmost sheet of the stack 14 bears against both feed rolls with equal force. This is important because, when the gear 8 drives the shaft 3 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, friction between the topmost sheet of the stack 14 and the roll 6 is the same as that between the topmost sheet and the roll 7, irrespective of the height of the stack.
  • the walls 1 and 2 further support a transversely extending fixed front stop 15 which is located in front of the shaft 3 and engages the front face of the stack 14 on the feed table 11.
  • the end portions of the front stop 15 are bent over to form two lugs 15a which are screwed or riveted to the walls 1 and 2.
  • These walls 1, 2 also support two side rails 16, 17 which engage the adjoining side faces of the stack 14 on the feed table.
  • the side rail 16 is provided with laterally outwardly extending projections or pins 20, 21 which are received in holes provided in the wall 1 and are releasably retained in such holes by screws 22, 23 or similar fasteners.
  • the other side rail 17 has two laterally outwardly extending guide pins 24, 25 which extend through and beyond holes provided therefor in the wall 2 but are not fastened to this wall.
  • the means for adjusting the distance between the side rails 16, 17 comprises a spindle 26 which is anchored in the side rail 17 and meshes with a spindle nut 27 which is rotatably mounted in the wall 2. By rotating the nut 27, the operator can move the side rail 17 nearer to or further away from the side rail 16 to insure that the stack 14 is properly oriented on the top face of the feed table 11.
  • the side rail 16 is also adjustable in a direction toward or away from the side rail 17.
  • Two corner separators 18, 19 are respectively secured to the side rails 16, 17 adjacent to the respective ends of the front stop 15. These corner separators have front portions which are in abutment with the front face of the stack 14 adjacent to the top part of the stack and top portions or lips which overlie the respective front corners of the topmost sheet but are spaced therefrom by a distance of between 0.1-0.5 millimeter, preferably about 0.3 millimeter.
  • the distance between the level of the lowermost portions of peripheral surfaces on the rolls 6, 7 and the level of undersides of the lips of corner separators 18, 19 is preferably about 0.3 millimeter.
  • the bottom edges 16a, 16b and 17a, 17b of the side rails 16, 17 are spaced from the top face of the table 11 by a distance which sutfices to insure that the table can tilt with reference to the shaft 10 in order to enable the spring 13 to bias the topmost sheet of the stack 14 against both feed rolls with an equal force.
  • the side rails 16, 17 are respectively provided with downwardly extending projections or skirts 16c, 16d, 16e and 17c, 17d, 17e which extend through lateral recesses or cutouts 11c, 11d, lle and 117, 11g, 11h of the feed table.
  • the walls 1, 2 further support two transversely extending horizontal shafts 30a, 31a which carry advancing rollers 30, 31 of rubber or the like. These rollers are driven in opposite directions (see the arrows in FIG. 2) by mating spur gears 28, 29 one of which is rotated in synchronism with operation of a consuming machine, e.g., a duplicator or the like, which receives a succession of sheets from the stack 14.
  • the rollers 30, 31 are preferably driven at a constant speed.
  • the apparatus of our invention can be used for feeding of wide, narrow, short, long, thick or thin sheets, irrespective of whether the sheets in a stack are or are not of the same thickness. All that is needed to convert the apparatus for feeding of wider or narrower sheets is to move the side rail 17 toward or away from the side rail 16 and/or to eventually change the position of the side rail 16 with reference to the adjoining wall 1.
  • the fact that the topmost sheet of the stack might bear against the feed rolls 6, 7 with a greater or lesser force does not influence the function of corner separators 18, 19 because the lips of these corner separators invariably remain at a chosen distance from the top face of the topmost sheet.
  • the characteristics of the spring 13 are preferably such that its bias against the topmost sheet changes very little irrespective of changes in the height of the stack, i.e., in response to changes in the distance between the front portion of the feed table 11 and the feed rolls 6, 7.
  • the characteristic of spring 13 is selected in such a way that its bias decreases substantially proportionally with reduction of the weight of the stack 14 on the feed table 11. Therefore, the pressure between the uppermost sheet and the feed rolls 6 and 7 is the same, or nearly the same, irrespective of the height of the stack 14.
  • the pressure with which the uppermost sheet bears against the rolls 6 and 7 corresponds to the difference between the force produced by the spring 13 and the combined weight of the feed table 11 and stack 14.
  • Such selection of the spring characteristic is important and desirable, especially if the feed table 11 is to accommodate a substantial number of sheets so that the weight of a stack may equal or even exceed the weight of the feed table.
  • a sheet feeding apparatus for use in or with duplicating, copying or like machines, comprising a feed table arranged to support a stack of sheets thereon; an intermittently operated feed located at a fixed level above the table and arranged to advance the topmost sheet of the stack forwardly beyond the front face of the remainder of the stack; means for urging at least a portion of said table upwardly so as to maintain the topmost sheet of the stack in abutment with said feed; a fixed front stop disposed in front of said table to abut against the front face of the stack thereon; and a pair of fixed corner separators each adjacent to one front corner of the topmost sheet of the stack.
  • said biasing means comprises a spring which stores energy when the stack is of greater height and dissipates such energy to move a portion of the table upwardly when the height of the stack decreases, the characteristic of said spring being such that the pressure between the topmost sheet of the stack and said feed remains substantially constant irrespective of the height of the stack on said table.
  • a sheet feeding apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said supporting means is arranged to support a rear portion of the table and wherein said feed comprises a pair of spaced feed rolls located above the front portion of said table, said biasing means comprising spring means disposed below said front portion of the table to bias the latter upwardly so that the topmost sheet of the stack abuts against both feed rolls.
  • a sheet feeding apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a frame for said front stop, said corner separators and said feed, supporting means carried by said frame and tiltably supporting said table, and a pair of side rails mounted in said frame adjacent to the side faces of the stack on said table and sufficiently spaced from said table to permit tilting of the table therebetween.
  • a sheet feeding apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a frame supporting said feed, said front stop and said corner separators, and a pair of side rails each mounted in said frame and each adjacent to one side face of the stack on said table, and adjusting means for moving one of said side rails toward or away from the other side rail.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
US721523A 1967-04-15 1968-04-15 Sheet feeding apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3520533A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE1967A0055461 DE1536957B2 (de) 1967-04-15 1967-04-15 Stapeltisch fuer buerokopier- und vervielfaeltigungsmaschinen

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3520533A true US3520533A (en) 1970-07-14

Family

ID=6940009

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US721523A Expired - Lifetime US3520533A (en) 1967-04-15 1968-04-15 Sheet feeding apparatus

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3520533A (cs)
DE (1) DE1536957B2 (cs)
FR (1) FR1570024A (cs)
GB (1) GB1216910A (cs)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2141690A1 (cs) * 1971-06-04 1973-01-26 Canon Kk
US3768805A (en) * 1972-05-18 1973-10-30 Scm Corp Paper feed apparatus
US4033577A (en) * 1974-09-18 1977-07-05 La Cellophane Sheet feeding devices
US4438915A (en) * 1979-06-01 1984-03-27 Nippon Electric Co., Ltd. Sheet feeding device
US4591141A (en) * 1983-03-14 1986-05-27 Burroughs Corporation Pivot point sheet feeder
US20060066705A1 (en) * 2004-09-29 2006-03-30 James Edmund H Iii Automatic edge guide assembly

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4343461A (en) * 1978-12-20 1982-08-10 Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Paper feeding cassette
US4444385A (en) * 1982-01-18 1984-04-24 Qume Corporation Sheet feeder

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3029074A (en) * 1959-02-26 1962-04-10 Heyer Inc Sheet feed control for duplicating machines
US3046007A (en) * 1960-01-15 1962-07-24 Old Town Corp Paper feed tray for duplicating machines
US3260521A (en) * 1963-08-12 1966-07-12 Minnesota Mining & Mfg Paper feed device
US3301551A (en) * 1964-12-31 1967-01-31 Xerox Corp Sheet feed mechanism
US3348838A (en) * 1965-12-27 1967-10-24 Heyer Inc Sheet feeding mechanism

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3029074A (en) * 1959-02-26 1962-04-10 Heyer Inc Sheet feed control for duplicating machines
US3046007A (en) * 1960-01-15 1962-07-24 Old Town Corp Paper feed tray for duplicating machines
US3260521A (en) * 1963-08-12 1966-07-12 Minnesota Mining & Mfg Paper feed device
US3301551A (en) * 1964-12-31 1967-01-31 Xerox Corp Sheet feed mechanism
US3348838A (en) * 1965-12-27 1967-10-24 Heyer Inc Sheet feeding mechanism

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2141690A1 (cs) * 1971-06-04 1973-01-26 Canon Kk
US3919972A (en) * 1971-06-04 1975-11-18 Canon Kk Automatic cut sheet feeding unit
US3768805A (en) * 1972-05-18 1973-10-30 Scm Corp Paper feed apparatus
US4033577A (en) * 1974-09-18 1977-07-05 La Cellophane Sheet feeding devices
US4438915A (en) * 1979-06-01 1984-03-27 Nippon Electric Co., Ltd. Sheet feeding device
US4591141A (en) * 1983-03-14 1986-05-27 Burroughs Corporation Pivot point sheet feeder
US20060066705A1 (en) * 2004-09-29 2006-03-30 James Edmund H Iii Automatic edge guide assembly
US7370860B2 (en) * 2004-09-29 2008-05-13 Lexmark International, Inc. Automatic edge guide assembly using springs and tapered surfaces

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1536957A1 (de) 1970-01-22
FR1570024A (cs) 1969-06-06
GB1216910A (en) 1970-12-23
DE1536957B2 (de) 1977-03-31

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3520533A (en) Sheet feeding apparatus
US4346879A (en) Sheet separating device for office machines
JPS63225043A (ja) 自動給紙装置
US4928951A (en) Automatic paper feed device
GB2038289A (en) Sheet separating apparatus
US4538799A (en) Sheet feeding apparatus
EP0069384B1 (en) Image scanning device
US3622238A (en) Copier machine feeding multiple size copy sheets
US4534551A (en) Document belt normal force control
US3178172A (en) Handling apparatus for folded material
US3599972A (en) Paper tray for photocopy machine
US2989307A (en) Sheet feeding apparatus
US4193590A (en) Sheet separator and feeding apparatus
US3687448A (en) Sheet feeding apparatus
US3672665A (en) Device for the feeding of sheets in copying machines or the like
US3369804A (en) Sheet feeding apparatus
US3239213A (en) Document feeder
US4702466A (en) Sheet material feeder for copiers and other sheet processing apparatus
US4418903A (en) Large capacity combination magazine and sheet feeder for copying machines
US3586317A (en) Sheet feed mechanism for paper
US3601389A (en) Sheet feeding apparatus
US3476381A (en) Duplicating machines
US4960273A (en) Dual mode document feeder
GB999935A (en) Sheet feeding mechanism having corner and centre stack restrainers
US4900004A (en) Sheet feeder