US3547432A - Sheet handling devices - Google Patents

Sheet handling devices Download PDF

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Publication number
US3547432A
US3547432A US737598A US3547432DA US3547432A US 3547432 A US3547432 A US 3547432A US 737598 A US737598 A US 737598A US 3547432D A US3547432D A US 3547432DA US 3547432 A US3547432 A US 3547432A
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United States
Prior art keywords
stack
sheets
sheet
face
cylinder
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Expired - Lifetime
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US737598A
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English (en)
Inventor
Donald F Herdeg
Oliver C Brett Jr
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Emhart Enterprises Corp
USM Corp
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USM Corp
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
    • B65H3/22—Separating articles from piles by needles or the like engaging the articles

Definitions

  • Brine ABSTRACT A machine for feeding a preselected number of flexible sheets of material from a stack of sheets which includes a device for effecting release from the stack of only the selected number of sheets to be fed.
  • the device has an element which engages the face sheet of the stack and moves it in a direction toward a point on the stack where pressure is applied by another element of the device. The operation is performed on each successive underlying sheet that is desired to be fed, forming a buckle in each of the sheets and thereby separating it from its underlying sheets, after which the remainder of the stack is clamped and the preselected number of sheets are fed from the stack.
  • the present invention relates to a machine for feeding flexible sheets from a stack and in particular to a device for effecting release of a preselected number of sheets to be fed from the stack.
  • one of the basic problems is that of separating the preselected number of sheets from the stack, so that they may be cleanly removed from the underlying sheets.
  • the operator should have the ability by simple adjustment to separate the preselected number of sheets such that they may be removed cleanly from the stack of material.
  • the present invention therefore has as an object to provide a machine for feeding a preselected number of sheets of material from a stack, the machine being both effective and reliable to feed single or multiple sheets having a wide range of material characteristics and thickness;
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for feeding sheets of material from a stack, the machine having a device which is capable of separating only the selected number of sheets to be fed from the stack.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a sheetseparating device to be employed in a sheet feeder which device is simple in construction and readily adjustable to separate only a preselected number of sheets from a stack thereof.
  • a device for separating the sheets is provided in the machine which comprises a means for engaging the surface of the face sheet of the stack and means for moving the surfaceengaging means in a direction having a component substan tially parallel to the face of the stack to slide the engaged sheet over the underlying sheets in the stack.
  • a plurality of the sur face-engaging means are employed, and operated in sequence, when it is desired to feed more than one sheet from the stack.
  • means for applying a clamping pressure to the underlying sheets of the stack is applied in the area where the sheet or sheets have been removed from the underlying sheets, to thus retain the stack while the pickoff means is operated to remove the sheet, or sheets, from the stack.
  • a pressure-applying means is disposed in the direction of movement of the surfacc-engaging means, and is effective when applied to the face of the stack to produce a buckle in the sheet of material being moved by the surface-engaging means.
  • the forming of the buckle thus releases the sheet being operated on from the underlying sheet by providing a lack of frictional engagement with the undcrlyingshcet, over the buckled area.
  • Those sheets having such lack of drug are then cleanly removed by the sheet p'ckoff means without disturbing the underlying sheets which are held together by a clamping means applied to the underlying sheets of the stack and by frictional engagement.
  • the sheet or sheets so separated from the stock remain in alignment during separation, but for the separator locations, and it is therefore possible to retain alignment of the sheets during the separation and pickoff process, if desired.
  • the pressure-applying means of the device is considered to establish a short length of column in a sheet from its point of application to the place where the surface-engaging means contacts the sheet.
  • the area of contact between the face sheet and the underlying sheet is generally small relative to. the total area of the sheet, thus, very little pressure need be applied to the surface-engaging means to break the frictional lock over this area.
  • the engaging means scuffs the sheet portion towards the pressure-applying means, the column thus formed in the face sheet experiences a buckling, forming an S-curve of bending, or buckle, in the sheet.
  • Theunderlying ply if still being carried by frictional attachment (fiber entanglement or surface roughness) to the face sheet, resists such buckling, as only a negligible force is being applied to this sheet in the direction of the pressure-applying means.
  • the resistance to buckling of the underlying sheet causedby the column effect together with the buckling of the face sheet thus overcomes any frictional lock between the two sheets and the underlying sheet falls back to its flat condition, where it is clamped with the remainder of the stack.
  • the separating devices are employed in pairs, each being provided at a corner of the stack of sheets rearwardly of the pickoff means.
  • the devices are generally so ar ranged that the surface-engaging means in their operation to release a sheet from the stack are moved with a component toward one another, or diagonally from the corners toward the center of the stack face.
  • FIG. I is an elevational view showing an illustrative machine embodying the invention for feeding sheets of material such as fabric or the like, in which the present invention is embodied;
  • H6. 2 is atop plan view taken along the line ll-ll of H6. 1, and showing details of the invention taken on an enlarged scale for clarity;
  • FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, taken along the lines Ill-Iii of FIG. 2 and showing details of the separating device as depicted in FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to that of FIG. 3 but showing the various elements of the device at another point in time during its operation;
  • FIG. 5 is a side elevational view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 but showing the various elements of the device taken at yet another point in time during machine operation.
  • FIG. 1 there is shown a machine for feeding flexible sheet material such as -"fabric, which has been constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention and which includes a frame I0 having an elevator 12 mounted thereon for movement in the vertical direction. Adjacent the upper portion of the frame while the lower sprocket 30 is driven in'bo th the clockwise and counterclockwise direction by suitable motor means (not shown).
  • the elevator 12 further comprises a substantially horizontal surface 32 on which a pallet -34 bearing a stack S of flexible pieces of material such as fabric may be located.
  • the carrier arm 14 comprises housing'38 having a lug 40 provided at one end thereof.
  • the lug 40' has a cylinder 42 pivotally connected to it which cylinder extends forwardly along the length of the arm 14.
  • the cylinder 42 is of the double action-type which may be operated by a suitable source of fluid pressure (not shown).
  • a carriage support rod 44 is affixed to the housing 38 at a point forward of the lug 40, and extends longitudinally along the greater portion ofthe arm 14.
  • the work head comprises a carrier member 46 attached to a housing 48 which is slidably mounted on the rod 44.
  • the sliding housing 48 and the carrier member 46 provide a carriage assembly for the various elements of the sheet pickoff device and movable along the rod 44 over a lengthwise portion of the carrier arm I4.
  • the cylinder 42 is provided with a piston rod 50 pivotally attached to the forward end of the housing 48 to connect the cylinder 42 to the carriage assembly.
  • the carrier member 46 is shown to be provided with a downwardly extending portion to which a horizontally extending mounting plate 54 is attached.
  • the plate 54 is generally provided with a plurality of slotted openings through which threaded fasteners 57 extend to support a plurality of tubular members 58.
  • the carrier arm 14 is provided with a pair of limit switches LSI and LS2 affixed at the extreme ends of the arm.
  • the housing 48 is in turn provided with an outwardly extending flange 60 having an upper surface aligned for contact with the act'ivating rollers of the switches LS1 and LS2.
  • These switches LS1 and LS2 are operatively connected in a control circuit which is effective to energize the various air valves and motors which operate the cylinder 42, the elevator 12 and which provides fluid for the pickoff means employed in the machine.
  • switches LS1 and LS2 may be used in conjunction with a suitable circuitry to initiate operation of, and time delay sequences in the novel-separating device which will be described in greater detail as the description proceeds.
  • the present device is generally provided with a pickoff means for removing the face sheet, or preselected number of sheets from the stack and delivering the sheet or sheets to the desired location.
  • the pickoff means generally designated by the numeral 62 may be of the type described in detail in US. allowed Pat. application Ser. No. 647,784, tiled June 2l, 1967 in the name of Richard R. Walton.
  • the device may be modified in accordance with the aforementioned I-Ierdeg application, or may be of the type more recently described in copending US. application Ser. No. 737,580, filed June 17, I968 in the name of Mason et al.
  • pickoff means is considered to be adequately described in the reference patent application. it is herein sufficient to state that the choice of any one of these, or other pickoff devices, may be made to meet the particular requirements of the application with regard to material to be handled as well as the number of sheets to be removed, and the precision required in stacking or mating at the location of deposit of the sheets or sheet.
  • a T-shaped support member 64 is attached to the frame 10 above the elevator 12; At each end of the cross portion of the T-shaped member 64 there is provided a sheet-separating device 66 comprising a mounting plate 68 which is disposed on the member 64. A pair of slotted openings 70 are provided in the plate 68, and a pair of fasteners 72' are received therethrough 'to connect the device 66 to the member 64 in-a manner providing for lateral adjustment of the device along the cross portion of the T-shapcd member.
  • Each of the devices 66 are identical in structure and in operation, and therefore only one such device will be described, like elements ofeach device being given like reference numerals as the description proceeds.
  • Support means for the various movable elements of the device 66 is further provided by a pair of pivot blocks 73, 75 and a centrally located pivot block 74 whichare each fixedly mounted on the plate 68.
  • the pivot block 74 has an opening therein for receiving a pin 78 and pair of pneumatic cylinders 80 and 82 of the double-action type in turn each receive the pin 78 in pivotal engagement.
  • Each of the cylinders 80 and 82 are further provided with a pivotal connection to a pair of pins 84 and 86 respectively which are received in the blocks 73 and 75.
  • the cylinder 82 is thereby pivotally attached between the blocks 74 and 73, while the cylinder 80 is independently, pivotally supported between the blocks 74 and 75.
  • the cylinder 82 as best shown in FIG. 2, is provided with an angle member 88 connected to a piston rod 90 activated by fluid pressure in the cylinder.
  • a guide pin 92 is received in a flanged portion of the cylinder 82 for slidable movement, and
  • t has one end connected to the angle member 88 to thus add rigidity to the member and prevent rotational movement thereof during operation ofthe device.
  • the cylinder 80 has a piston rod 94 connected to an angle member 96 which is connected to a slidable guide pin 98, all of which are designed to operate similar to the elements described in connection with the cylinder 82.
  • the angle members 96 and 88 comprise a downwardly extending tab portion terminating adjacent the face of the stack S.
  • the tab portion of the members 88 and 96 are each provided with a means for engaging the face surface of the stack S, in the form of strips of card cloth 100 and 102.
  • the card cloth elements [00 and 102 are oriented such that their points are directed toward the pickoff elements 62 thereby providing pushing action to the engaged sheet when moved in that direction.
  • the ele ments S8 and 96 might also be provided with a plurality of sharp pins having their ends oriented toward the pickoff member 62, or a sticky tape material, etc., each of which may be desirable for a particular application.
  • the pins 84 and 86 serve to pivotally attach a pair of substantially parallel arms 104 and 106 to the separating device 66.
  • the arms 104 and 106 extend over the stack 5 and are independently movabiewith respect to the cylinders 80 and 82, and to each other.
  • the arm 104 is provided with an angle bracket 108, having one flange provided with a pair of slotted openings through which a pair of fasteners are received to adjustably attach the bracket to the arm 104.
  • the lowermost flange of the bracket 108 has an opening provided therein through which the threaded portion of a presser foot 110 is received.
  • a nut is disposed on either side of the lowermost flange of the bracket 103, in engagement with the threaded portion of the foot 110, to hold the foot lockingly engaged on, but adjustable with respect to, the flange.
  • the opposite arm 106 is likewise provided with an angle bracket 112 having a lower flange provided with a presser foot 114 which depends downwardly from the arm.
  • Each of the presser feet 110, 114 when so disposed for pivotal movement is effective to contact the face of the stack 5 and provide means for applying pressure thereto.
  • a clamping means is provided in the separating device 66 in the form of a vertically disposed cylinder 116 having a portion threadedly received in an opening in the mounting plate 68 and held in place by a lock nut.
  • the cylinder 116 has a piston rod 118 which serves to support, and is received through an opening in, a clamping plate 120.
  • the plate 120 is adjustable along the length of the rod 118 and is held in place by a pair of lock nuts threadedly engaged on the piston rod.
  • the vertical cylinder 116 is attached to the mounting plate 68 in a posi tion whereby the clamping plate 120 is disposed above the stack S with the piston rod 118 in its retracted position, but is moved to a position clamping the stack S when the piston rod is in the extended position.
  • a slotted opening 122 is provided in the plate 120 for receiving the angle members 88 and 96 in their retracted position, thereby allowing both clamping and sliding of the material to be executed at substantially the same position on the face of the stack.
  • a pair of adjustable stops 124 and 126 are disposed beneath the cylinders 80 and 82 respectively to retain the orientation between the fabric-engaging means connected with each cylinder, and the face of the stack S, when the stack is removed from under the separating device 66 by the elevator 12.
  • the sheetseparating device 66 is employed as best shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Although the devices 66 as shown in these FIGS. are operative to effect separation of two sheets from the stack, to be picked off in registry by the device 62 it should here be mentioned that by closing off the fluid power to one of the cylinders 80 or 82, the device is effective to separate only one sheet from the stack S. It should further be evident that a third such cylinder and related structure might be added to the construction which would operate in like sequential manner to provide for separation of three-sheets from the stack. Also, by closing off the fluid power to one of the cylinders 80 or 82, the device is effective to separate only one sheet from the stack S. It should further be evident that a third such cylinder and related structure might be added to the construction which would operate in like sequential manner to provide for separation of three-sheets from the stack. Also, by
  • the separating device 66 is supported over the stack S with the lower extremities of the members 88 and 96, and hence the card cloth and 102, contacting the face of the stack.
  • the cylinders 80 and 82 are pressurized on one side so that the piston rods 90 and 96 are in their retracted positions.
  • Each of the presser feet and 114 are in contact with the face of the stack, one being located on either side of the line of movement of the members 88 and 96.
  • the cylinder 116 is pressurized so that the piston rod 118 is in the retracted position, thus locating the clamping plate in spaced relation with the face of the stack S.
  • the machine is now in position to feed a pair of sheets from the face of the stack.
  • the opposite end ofthc cylinder 80 has been pressurized so that the member 96 is caused to slide over the face of the stack.
  • the card cloth 102 contacting the face sheet becomes engaged therewith, and causes the sheet to move over the underlying sheets forming a buckle between the member 96 and the presser foot 114.
  • the member 88 With the elements so an ranged, the member 88 now rests on the secondmost face sheet of the stack, the face sheet having easily slid from under the card cloth 100 when moved in the direction of the engaging points of the card cloth.
  • the clamping plate 120 is still maintained above the stack S, the onlycylinder actuated being that connected to the member 96. 1
  • the cylinder 32 has now been actuated such that the member 88 is moved forwardly towards the presser feet 110, 114 so that a buckle forms in the now face sheet of the stack S between the member 88 and the presser feet 110, 114, directly behind the member 96.
  • the cylinder 116 is now actuated so that the clamping plate 120 is forced downwardly upon the stack S to clamp the third sheet and underlying sheets in place while the pickoffmembcr 62 is moved away from the separating devices 66 carrying, with it the two face sheets which have been separated from the stack S.
  • the elevator 12 may be lowered during operation of the pickoff device 62 to facilitate removal of the separated sheets from the stack, the elevator then being reciprocated to substantially its initial position to start a new cycle.
  • the elevator 12 when returned upwardly is generally positioned so that the top of the stack is always substantially at the same position relative to the device 66.
  • the plate 120 is also positioned in the device 66 such that it maintains its effectiveness over the initial portion of elevator downward travel.
  • each of the cylinders 82, 80 and 116 are connected to a common source of fluid pressure such that operation of the devices to separate the stack is sequentially synchronized.
  • the machine as herein described comprises two-separating devices 66. However, it should be evident that applications may exist where a single device 66 could be employed, or wherein more than two such devices would be necessary to adequately separate the material.
  • the location of the devices 66 at the corners of the stack has proved advantageous in the greater number of fabric shapes involved in the garment trade. While the invention herein described is not considered to be limited to use of the separating devices 66 at the corners of the stacks, such arrangement has proved advantageous in most stacks having such corners available.
  • a machine for feeding flexible sheets from a stack thereof comprising:
  • pickoff means for engaging the ing the sheets therefrom
  • mechanism for separating a preselected number of sheets from the stack said mechanism having a plurality of means disposed adjacent the stack for engaging the surface of the face sheet of the stack and movable in a common direction;
  • said separating mechanism further including a pair of presser feetdisposed one on either side of the path of travel of each of said surface-engaging means for applying pressure to the face of the stack at a location spaced from each of the surface-engaging'means in the direction of movement of said surface-engaging means whereby a face of the stack and removbuckle is formed in each of the engaged sheets between the respective engaging means and said presser feet during movement of the respective engaging means;
  • said separating mechanism further includes support means disposed above the stack and wherein said presser feet and said respective surface-engaging means are each pivotally connected to said support means for independent movement toward and away from the stack face.
  • a machine in accordance with claim 1 which comprises at least a pair of said separating mechanisms, said mechanisms being disposed at opposite sides of said pickoff means and rearwardly thereof with respect to the sheet pickoff movement ofsaid means.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
US737598A 1968-06-17 1968-06-17 Sheet handling devices Expired - Lifetime US3547432A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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US73759868A 1968-06-17 1968-06-17

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US3547432A true US3547432A (en) 1970-12-15

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US737598A Expired - Lifetime US3547432A (en) 1968-06-17 1968-06-17 Sheet handling devices

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US (1) US3547432A (fr)
JP (1) JPS548942B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE1929206B2 (fr)
ES (1) ES368798A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR2011087A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB1271433A (fr)
ZA (1) ZA694229B (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3813094A (en) * 1972-06-06 1974-05-28 Usm Corp Mechanism for transfering flexible work pieces
US4641827A (en) * 1983-06-02 1987-02-10 Richard R. Walton Fabric pickup and the like
US4645193A (en) * 1984-05-30 1987-02-24 Richard R. Walton Fabric pickup and the like
US4892298A (en) * 1983-06-02 1990-01-09 Richard R. Walton Device and method for pickup of sheet-form flexible fabric or the like
WO1990004558A1 (fr) * 1988-10-27 1990-05-03 Cimcorp Oy Procede et appareil servant a prelever et a manipuler des feuilles, en particulier de matiere poreuse et flexible
US11331812B2 (en) 2019-10-09 2022-05-17 Michel St-Amand Robotic manipulation of fabric pieces using a dropping-roller-type picker

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2132573A1 (en) * 1971-04-09 1972-11-24 Valton Sa Handling device - for picking a fabric panel of the top of a pile
US3940125A (en) * 1974-05-17 1976-02-24 Cluett, Peabody & Co., Inc. Picking and transporting means for fabric sections and the like
DE2631396C2 (de) * 1976-07-13 1978-02-16 Beine, Karlheinz, Dipl.-Ing, 4030 Ratingen In ein Bauteil einbettbare Ankerschiene mit Verankerungselementen
GB2007196B (en) * 1977-11-04 1982-02-24 Valton Sa Device for gripping and displaying knitting or woven articles
FR2456690A1 (fr) * 1979-05-17 1980-12-12 Anvar Procede de prehension et dispositif de manutention utilisant ce procede

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3813094A (en) * 1972-06-06 1974-05-28 Usm Corp Mechanism for transfering flexible work pieces
US4641827A (en) * 1983-06-02 1987-02-10 Richard R. Walton Fabric pickup and the like
US4892298A (en) * 1983-06-02 1990-01-09 Richard R. Walton Device and method for pickup of sheet-form flexible fabric or the like
US4645193A (en) * 1984-05-30 1987-02-24 Richard R. Walton Fabric pickup and the like
WO1990004558A1 (fr) * 1988-10-27 1990-05-03 Cimcorp Oy Procede et appareil servant a prelever et a manipuler des feuilles, en particulier de matiere poreuse et flexible
US11331812B2 (en) 2019-10-09 2022-05-17 Michel St-Amand Robotic manipulation of fabric pieces using a dropping-roller-type picker

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS548942B1 (fr) 1979-04-19
FR2011087A1 (fr) 1970-02-27
ZA694229B (en) 1971-02-24
DE1929206B2 (de) 1971-12-09
ES368798A1 (es) 1971-05-01
GB1271433A (en) 1972-04-19
DE1929206A1 (de) 1970-10-01

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