US3596902A

US3596902A - Printing press nonstop side register mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3596902A
Application number: US881102A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl O Siebke
Original assignee: MILLER PRINTING MACHINERY Co
Current assignee: MILLER PRINTING EQUIPMENT Corp A CORP OF DE
Priority date: 1969-12-01
Filing date: 1969-12-01
Publication date: 1971-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-03

Abstract

The side register mechanism has a feed board with endless tapes reeved about spaced pulleys for advancing the sheet toward the impression cylinder of a printing press. Endless driven chains with front stop members are arranged in parallel relation with the driven tapes. The tapes are driven at a slightly higher velocity than the chains to maintain the front edge of the sheet in abutting relation with the stops on the chains as the sheet is conveyed along the feed board. A side guide mechanism is arranged to advance with the sheet at substantially the same velocity as the sheet and has a pivotal finger member and an underlying plate member that move laterally relative to the feed board as the side guide mechanism advances toward the feed board delivery end. As the sheet is conveyed from the feed end toward the delivery end by the endless tapes, the side guide mechanism movable finger moves downwardly into abutting relation with the upper surface of the sheet and engages the sheet between the finger and the movable plate member. Both the sheet and the side guide mechanism advance at the same velocity toward the delivery end of the feed board and the finger and movable plate are moved laterally with the sheet therebetween until the side edge of the sheet abuts a side guide member. At this location the sheet is in side register. Continued advance of the side guide mechanism toward the discharge end of the feed board releases the sheet from between the finger and the movable plate.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Carl 0. Sleblte Gulfport, Fla.

[21] Appl No 881,102

[22] Filed Dec. I, I969 [45 I Patented Aug. 3, 1971 73] Assignee Miller Printing Machinery (In.

Pittsburgh, Pa.

[54] PRINTING PRESS NONSIOP SIDE REGISTER [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l,040,l68 l0/I9l2 Dexter et al. 271/49 2,699,941 l/l955 Huck et al. 271/49 X 2,840,373 6/]958 Socke 271/48 Primary Examiner-Even C. Blunk Assistant Ex miner-Bruce H. Stoner, Jr.

ArrorneyStanley J. Price, Jr.

ABSTRACT: The side register mechanism has a feed board with endless tapes reeved about spaced pulleys for advancing the sheet toward the impression cylinder of a printing press. Endless driven chains with front stop members are arranged in parallel relation with the driven tapes. The tapes are driven at a slightly higher velocity than the chains to maintain the front edge of the sheet in abutting relation with the stops on the chains as the sheet is conveyed along the feed board. A side guide mechanism is arranged to advance with the sheet at substantially the same velocity as the sheet and has a pivotal finger member and an underlying plate member that move laterally relative to the feed board as the side guide mechanism advances toward the feed board delivery end. As the sheet is conveyed from the feed end toward the delivery end by the endless tapes, the side guide mechanism movable finger moves downwardly into abutting relation with the upper surface of the sheet and engages the sheet between the finger and the movable plate member. Both the sheet and the side guide mechanism advance at the same velocity toward the delivery end of the feed board and the finger and movable plate are moved laterally with the sheet therebetween until the side edge of the sheet abuts a side guide member. At this location the sheet is in side register. Continued advance of the side guide mechanism toward the discharge end of the feed board releases the sheet from between the lfinger and the movable plate.

Patented Aug. 3, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 k INVENTOR CARL 0. S/EBKE his Affarnoy Patentefl Aug 3,, 1H

4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR I I H I cam o. SIfB/(E II I maN'H '1:

his; Affarnmy Patented Aug. 3, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 c I78 .L. 3%

IN VENTOR CARL 0. S/EBKE his Attorney PRINTING PRESS NONSTOIP SIDE REGISTER MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to apparatus for moving a sheet into side register and more particularly to apparatus for moving a sheet into side register as the sheet is being conveyed to the press.

2. Description of the Prior Art In substantially all sheet fed printing presses, where the sheets are fed sheet by sheet down a feed board to the press, the sheet is stopped on the feed board and moved laterally by a side guide mechanism into side register. The sheet is thereafter accelerated at a slightly higher velocity than the peripheral velocity of the printing press impression cylinder and the sheet leading edge is moved into abutting relation with the front register bar for front register of the sheet. The leading edge of the sheet is then engaged by the grippers on the impression cylinder and the sheet is thereafter conveyed through the press in both side and front register. A printing press side guide that requires stopping the sheet and moving the sheet laterally into side register is illustrated and described in US. Pat. 2,553,758.

One of the problems encountered with a sheet side register mechanism that requires stopping the sheet is the high acceleration and deceleration imparted to other portions of the press. A substantial load is imposed on the gearing, shafts and the like to start and stop the apparatus both associated with transporting the sheet and drivingly connected to other apparatus associated with the sheet transporting apparatus. A substantial amount of force is required to overcome the inertia experienced in the high acceleration and deceleration of the apparatus especially to accelerate the gearing, shafts and the like to attain the commercial speeds required for feeding sheets into the press. Also, the stopping of the sheets for side register requires substantially larger cylinders within the press. The diameter of the cylinder for a given press speed is dependent on the speed at which the sheets can be continuously supplied to the front register bar on the impression cylinder. Where it is necessary to stop the sheet for side register, cylinders of larger diameter are required for a given press speed to provide time for the sheet front edge to move into abutting relation with the front register bar on the impression cylinder. The oversized cylinders thus have a substantial portion of the cylinder periphery not used to support the sheet being printed. There is a need for a nonstop side register mechanism that does not require stopping the sheet on the feed board to move the sheet laterally into side register.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a sheet side register mechanism that includes endless tapes and endless chains having front stop mechanisms thereon for advancing the sheet toward the discharge end of the feed board. The endless tapes are driven at a velocity slightly higher than the chains so that the front edge of the sheet remains in abutting relation with the stop members on thechains as the sheet is transported by the endless tapes. A movable side guide mechanism is positioned along a side of the feed board and moves toward the feed board discharge end at substantially the same s eed as the sheet. The side. guide mechanism includes apparatus to engage the side edge of the sheet as the sheet is being conveyed across the feed board by the tapes and to move the side edge of the sheet into abutting relation with a side guide plate where the sheet is in side register. The side guide mechanism includes a pivoted flexible finger positioned in overlying relation with a movable plate member. The finger is arranged to be pivoted downwardly into abutting relation with the upper surface of the plate with the sheet edge portion therebetween. After the sheet edge portion is engaged between the finger and movable plate, both the finger and movable plate with the sheet therebetween are moved laterally to thereby move the sheet edge portion into side register against the side guide plate. After the sheet is in side register, the finger and movable plate continue to move laterally and release the sheet. I

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to eliminate stopping the sheet for side register as the sheet is conveyed to the printing press.

Another object of this invention is to reduce the size of the press cylinder by concurrently moving the sheet into side register as it is being conveyed to the impression cylinder.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate the high ac celeration and deceleration of the sheet feeding apparatus by not stopping the sheet for side register.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more completely disclosed and described in the following specification, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the nonstop register mechanism illustrating the side guide mechanism in retracted position and in phantom lines in an advanced position.

.- FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation talten along the lines II-II of FIG. 1 illustrating the drive for the side guide mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation taken along the lines III-III of FIG. l and illustrating the drive for the endless chains and schematically the impression cylinder of a press and the pullin rolls ofa feeder.

FIG. 4 is a view in side elevation taken along the lines IV-IV of FIG. I illustrating the drive for the endless tape.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the lines V-V of FIG. ll illustrating in front elevation the side guide support and the side guide with the sheet engaging finger in an up position.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 with the sheet engaging finger in a down and sheet engaging position.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrating the finger in a down and retracted position.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the side guide mechanism in the position illustrated in FIG. 6 with parts broken away to illustrate the diamond shaped cam member.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view in side elevation and partially in section illustrating the shaft and biasing means for the cam.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings and particularly FIGS. ll--4 there is illustrated a nonstop side register mechanism generally designated by the numeral 10 having a feed end 12 and a discharge end 114. The feed end 112 is positioned adjacent the pull-in rolls 116 (FIG. 3) of a conventional sheet-by-sheet feeder. The discharge end of the nonstop register mechanism 10 is positioned adjacent the impression cylinder 18 of a printing press. The nonstop register mechanism includes upper feed rolls 20 and lower feed rolls 22 that engage the sheet at the discharge end 14 and convey the sheet to the register bar Ed on the impression cylinder 11S at a velocity slightly greater than the velocity of impression cylinder 18 so that the sheet bulges slightly as illustrated at 26 to urge the sheet front edge 2% into abutting relation with the register bar 24. With this arrangement, the sheet will be in register when it is engaged by the grippers 29 on impression cylinder 13.

The side guide member ill} has a side frame member 30 and a fixed generally rectangular transverse support member 32. The side frame member is suitably supported on the transverse member 32 and provides support for the pair of spaced transverse shafts IM and 36. The frame member 30 has end apertures 3b therethrough with bushings 40 therein that permit the shafts M and 36 to rotate in the apertures 38. Extending transversely from the side frame members 30' are a pair of rods 42 which support depending air barsa l positioned in overlying relation with the conveyor tapes, later described. The air bars 44 are arranged to provide a downwardly flowing air stream onto the upper surface of the sheet and thereby urge the sheet into frictional engagement with the conveyor tapes.

The

shafts

34 and 36 are driven from a suitable drive means (not shown) and are arranged to drive the conveyor elements and the side guide mechanism of the side register mechanism 10. The shaft 34 has a longitudinal spline 46 and tape drive pulleys 48, 50 and 52 are nonrotatably positioned on the shaft 34 and are movable longitudinally relative thereto.

A central tape support casting 54 (FIG. 4) is secured to the generally rectangular transverse member 32 and has a tape idler pulley 56 rotatably positioned thereon adjacent the register mechanism discharge end portion 14. The casting 54 has a bracket portion 58 extending forwardly therefrom through which the shaft 36 extends. An endless central tape 60 is reeved about end pulleys S2 and 56 and maintained in tension by takeup pulleys 62 and 64. With this arrangement, rotation of drive pulley 52 by shaft 34 drives the tape 60 about the pulleys at a preselected velocity.

- An intermediate tape support casting 66 is movable supported on the transverse member 32 and is illustrated in elevation in FIG. 3. The casting rotatably supports an idler pulley 68 and takeup pulleys 70 and 72. An endless tape 74 is reeved about the respective pulleys and is driven by the shaft 34 through drive pulley 50. Similarly, an end tape support casting 76 is supported on the transverse member 32 and is illustrated in elevation in FIG. 2. An idler pulley 78 and takeup pulleys 8 and 82 are rotatably supported on the casting 76 and tape 84 is reeved about the respective pulleys and driven by shaft 34.

With this arrangement, the

tapes

60, 74 and 84 are arranged to be driven by shaft 34 at a preselected velocity to convey sheets from feed end 12 to discharge end 14. It should be understood that FIG. 1 is a fragmentary illustration of approximately one-half of the side register mechanism and intermediate and end tapes similar to

tapes

74 and 84 are positioned on the opposite side of the central tape 60. As will be later discussed, a side guide mechanism may also be provided on the opposite side of the assembly so that side register may be accomplished on either side of the mechanism 10 as the sheet is conveyed from the feed end 12 to the discharge end 14.

The intermediate and end

castings

66 and 76 have threaded apertures 86 and 88 therethrough and the center casting 66 has a shaft support passageway 88 therein above the transverse member 32. A shaft 90 having different pitch threads extends through the respective threaded apertures 86 and 88 and is supported in a passageway in central casting 54. Similar threads are provided for the portion of the shaft 90 on the other side of the central casting 54. A handle 92 is provided for the shaft 90 outboard of the side frame 30 for rotation of shaft 90 to thus move the

castings

66 and 76 relative to the central casting 54 and provide lateral adjustment for the tapes and side guide mechanism 10. With this arrangement, the side guide mechanism 10 may be used with sheets of different widths.

The casting 66 has an idler sprocket 92 rotatably supported thereon. A sprocket 94 is nonrotatably secured to shaft 36 by means of a key extending into the longitudinal spline 96 on shaft 36. An endless chain 98 is reeved about the

sprockets

92 and 94 and is maintained in desired tension by an adjusting pulley 100 secured to the casting 66. With this arrangement the chain 98 is driven by the shaft 36 through drive sprocket 94. There are two

stop members

102 and 104 on the chain member 98 against which the front edge of the sheet abuts as the sheet is conveyed toward the discharge end of the mechanism 10. A chain similar to chain 98 with the

stops

102 and 104 is positioned on the opposite side of the central tape 60 to provide symmetry for the side guide mechanism 10.

An elongated side guide support member 106 is arranged in parallel relation to and supported by the end tape support casting 76. The side guide support 106 is illustrated in elevation in FIG. 5 and in plan view in FIG. 1. The side guide support 106 has a pair of spaced recessed horizontal rail portions 108 located on opposite sides thereof and pairs of vertical rail portions 110. i

A side guide mechanism generally designated by the numeral 112 has a generally rectangular carriage 114'with pairs of legs 116 depending therefrom on opposite sides of the carriage 114. Rollers 118 are rotatably secured to the depending legs 116 and are positioned in the recessed portions forming the horizontal rails 108. Also depending from the carriage member 114 are horizontal rollers 120 that abut the vertical rails 1 10 on the side guide support 106. With this arrangement the side guide carriage 114 moves reciprocally on the side guide support 106 from the position illustrated in full lines in FIG. 1 to the position illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 1.

The side guide carriage 114 is driven by endless double chains 122 that are reeved about spaced

double sprockets

124 and 126 supported on

vertical shafts

128 and 130. The sprockets 126 are nonrotatably secured to shaft 130 and the shaft 130 has a bevel gear 132 nonrotatably secured to its lower end portion. Drive is provided for sprockets 126 by the shaft 36. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the shaft 36 has a spur gear 134 secured thereto that meshes with connecting

gears

136 and 138. The gear 138 meshes with a spur gear 140 on a horizontal shaft 142. A bevel gear 144 mounted on shaft 142 meshes with bevel gear 132 on shaft 130. With this arrangement, the chains 122 are propelled around the

sprockets

124 and 126 by rotation of transverse shaft 36.

The carriage 114 has a transverse channel 146 therein, FIGS. 5--7, in which there is positioned a roller member 148. The roller member 148 is rotatably secured to links of chains 122 by means of shaft 150. With this arrangement, side guide carriage 114 is reciprocated on the support 106 by engagement of the roller 148 with a side wall of the transverse channel recess 146. FIGS. 5 and 6, illustrate the transverse movement of the roller 148 in channel 146.

A guide member generally designated by the numeral 152 is secured to the side guide support 106 by a pair of spaced brackets 154. The guide member 152 has an inverted longitudinal channel 156, shown in FIGS. 57. The guide member 152 is supported by brackets 154 at an acute angle to the side guide support 106 and is arranged to move a portion of the side guide mechanism 112 laterally as the carriage 114 moves down along the side guide support 106 toward the side guide mechanism discharge end portion 14.

Supported on the carriage 114 are a pair of movable slide plates 158 and 160 (FIGS. 57). The upper plate 160 has a roller 162 extending upwardly therefrom and positioned in the longitudinal channel 156 of guide member 152. Plate 160 has a depending end portion 164 with an aperture 166 therethrough. The slide plate 158 positioned beneath slide plate 160 has a depending end portion 168 and a rod 170 extends through the aperture 166 in plate 160 and is secured in the depending end portion 168 of slidable plate 158. The rod 170 has an enlarged head portion 172 with a dimension greater than the dimension of the aperture 166. A coil spring 174 is positioned between depending

end portions

164 and 168 of

plates

158 and 160 and urge the depending end portions away from each other to provide a lost motion connection therebetween. The lower plate 158 has an insert 176 that has an upper surface at approximately the same level as the under surface of the sheet on the tape 84. The insert 176 moves laterally on carriage 114 with the slide plate 158. An upstanding bracket member 178 is secured to the upper slide plate 160 and has a pivot aperture 180 in which a pivot shaft 182 is positioned.

A sheet engaging device generally designated by the numeral 184 is pivotally connected to the bracket 178 by the pivot pin 182. The sheet engaging device 184 has a first portion 186 with a resilient pull finger 188 extending therefrom and a second portion 190 with a cam follower 192 rotatably supported thereon. The portion 190 has a longitudinal recess 194 therein in which a coil spring 196 is positioned. The coil spring 196 is suitably secured at one end to the first portion 186. An adjusting screw 198 is arranged to adjust the com pression of spring 196 and thus control the force of the sheet engaging finger 188 against the sheet when the finger 188 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 6. The spring urges the first portion 186 away from the second portion 190 and thus provides a resilient downward force on the end portion of finger 188.

The carriage 114 has an upstanding member 200 with a generally diamond-shaped recessed portion 202, the sidewalls of which form a cam surface for carn follower 192. The upstanding member 200 has a transverse passageway 204 extending therethrough with a shaft 206 rotatably positioned therein. The shaft 206 is nonrotatably secured at one end to an upstanding lever 208 and on the other end to a diamondshaped movable cam 210. Rotation of lever 208 thus controls the position of the diamond-shaped cam as illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. The upstanding member 200 has an upstanding bracket 212 with a rod 214 extending horizontally therefrom. The upstanding lever 208 has an aperture 216 and the rod 214 extends therethrough. The end portion of rod 214 is threaded and supports a knurled adjusting nut 218. A spring 220 is positioned between the upstanding lever 208 and the nut 218 and exerts a force against the lever 208 so that it normally assumes the position illustrated in FIG. and diamond-shaped cam member 210 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 5.

Torsional spring 222 is positioned around the pivot pin 182 and is engaged to the bracket member 178 and to sheet engaging device 184. With this arrangement, a torsion is exerted on the sheet engaging device 184 to urge the cam follower 192 into an upper track against the upper wall of the diamond recess 202 in member 200 when the bracket 178 and slide plate 160 move relative to member 200 secured to the fixed slide 114.

Extending upwardly from the member 200 is a side guide plate 224 that has an outer surface 226 against which the side edge of the sheet abuts when the sheet is in side register. The side register for the sheet may be adjusted by adjusting the entire side register mechanism laterally until the surface 226 of side guide plate 224 is aligned with the preselected line for side register of the edge of the sheet.

Before the operation of the side register mechanism is described in detail, the operation of the movable cam member 210 within the diamond recess 202 of member 200 will be briefly described. In the position illustrated in FIG. 5, the lever 208 is in abutting relation with the upstanding bracket 212 and the diamond cam member 210 is in the position illustrated. It should be noted that the cam follower 192 on sheet engaging device 184 is so constructed that it clears the pointed ends of the diamond-shaped cam member 210 when in the extreme positions. The torsion spring 222 urges the sheet engaging device 184 upwardly so that rearward movement of the plate 160 will move the cam follower 192 along the upper surface of the diamond-shaped cam 210 until it progresses to the position illustrated in FIG. 6. Continued lateral movement of the plate 160 moves the bracket 178 and sheet engaging device 184 laterally relative to the diamond-shaped cam 210 and pivots the diamond-shaped cam to the position illustrated in FIG. 6 and moves the lever 208 away from the bracket 212 and compresses the spring 220. There is, however, a force being exerted on the diamond-shaped cam 210 to rotate in a clockwise direction because of the compressed spring 220. Continued lateral movement of plate 160 moves the cam follower 192 to the position illustrated in FIG. 7. At the position illustrated in FIG. 7, the pointed end portion of the diamond cam 210 clears the cam follower 192 and pivots to the position illustrated in FIG. 5. When the diamond-shaped cam is in the position illustrated in FIG. 5 and the plate 160 is moved laterally in a direction from left to right as viewed in FIGS. 5-- 7, the cam follower 192 abuts the under side of the diamondshaped cam 210 to move the finger 188 to the position illustrated in FIG. 5. Although the cam follower 192 is urged upwardly by the torsion spring 222 when the diamondshaped cam is in the position illustrated in FIG. 5, there is not sufficient clearance between the cam and the upper surface of the recessed portion so that the cam follower 192 must move along the under side of the diamond-shaped cam 210.

The side guide mechanism 10 operates in the following manner. Sheets are fed singly to the side guide mechanism 10 by means of the pull-in rolls 16. The under surface of the sheet is frictionally engaged by the

endless tapes

60, 74 and 88 and are timed so that the front edge of the sheet is moved into abutting relation with the

stop members

102 or 104 on chains 98. The sheet is conveyed at a preselected velocity determined by the

endless tapes

60, 741 and 88 toward the discharge end portion of the side guide mechanism 10. The chains 98 are driven at a slightly lower velocity to maintain the sheet front edge portions in abutting relation with the stops 102 while the sheet is being transported by the

tapes

60, 74 and 84. The side guide mechanism 112 is in the position illustrated in full lines in FIG. 1 as the sheet front edge engages the stops 102, as illustrated. The side guide mechanism 112 is propelled longitudinally by the endless chains 122 at substantially the same velocity as the sheet so that there is little, if any, relative move ment between the side guide mechanism 112 and the sheet. The starting position of the side guide mechanism 112 is that illustrated in FIG. 5 where the engaging finger 188 is in an up position.

The sheet generally designated by the numeral 228 in FIGS. 5-7 has a side edge portion 230. The sheet as it is fed onto the side guide mechanism 10 has the side edge portion 230 beneath the finger 188 as illustrated] in FIG. 5. As the side guide mechanism 112 moves longitudinally along the side guide support 106 with the sheet 228, the roller 162 in longitudinal channel 156 of guide member 152 moves laterally because of the acute angle between guide member 152 and side guide support 106. Lateral movement of roller 162 moves slidable plate 160 laterally and moves bracket member 178 laterally to initiate movement of cam follower 192 of sheet engaging device 184 along the upper surface of the diamondshaped cam 210 to thus move the finger 188 into abutting relation with the sheet 228 positioned therebeneath.

Continued lateral movement of roller 162 moves plate 160 until the depending portion 164 abuts the enlarged head 172 on rod 170. After plate 160 has attained this position, further lateral movement moves both the slidable plate 160 and the slidable plate 158 positioned therebeneath. The sheet 228 is frictionally engaged between the finger 188 and the insert 176 in slidable plate 158. Further lateral movement of roller 162 in longitudinal channel 156 moves both

slidable plates

160 and 158 to thus simultaneously move the finger 188 and the insert 176 laterally to move the edge portion 230 of sheet 228 into abutting relation with the surface 226 of side guide plate 224 to thus move the sheet in side register against the side guide plate surface 226.

As the side guide mechanism 212 advances toward the position illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 1, both the finger 188 and the insert 176 continue to move laterally to the position illustrated in FIG. 7. The sheet side edge portion 230 remains in abutting relation with the surface 226 of side guide plate 224 and the finger 188 and insert 230 are disengaged therefrom so that the sheet is not engaged by the side guide mechanism 112 after it is moved into side register. The feed rolls 20 and 22 (FIG. 3) engage the sheet in side register and advance the sheet into the impression cylinder. It is preferred that the feed rolls are positioned to contact the advancing sheet as soon as the pull finger 188 clears the sheet.

As the carriage returns to the position illustrated in full lines in FIG. 1, both

slides

158 and 160 move together laterally to the right as viewed in FIGS. 5 and '7. The cam roller 192 is deflected downwardly by the diamond-shaped cam 210 to thereby raise the pull finger enough to clear the next sheet moving down the feed board. When nearing the end of the return stroke, the depending end portion 168 of slide plate 158 moves into abutting relation with carriage 114 and overlying slide plate 160 continues to move laterally to compress the spring 178 to the position illustrated :in FIG. 5. As previously discussed, in the position illustrated in FIG. spring 220 urges upstanding lever 208 against the bracket 212 so that the side guide mechanism 112 is again positioned to side register the next sheet fed to the feed board.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, 1 have explained the principle, preferred construction and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiments.

I claim:

l. Sheet side register apparatus comprising:

first conveying means to convey a sheet in a first direction,

a side guide support member along a side of said first conveying means aligned longitudinally in said first direction,

a side guide carriage mounted on said side guide support for reciprocal movement thereon in timed relation to said first conveying means,

a side guide plate mounted on said side guide carriage and having a surface parallel to said first direction, and

sheet engaging means on said side guide carriage operable to engage a side edge of said sheet and move said sheet laterally against said side guide plate surface to position said sheet in side register while said sheet is being conveyed in said first direction.

2. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

a side guide track secured to said side guide support member and extending angularly therefrom,

said sheet engaging means having a first plate member with a roller member secured thereto and positioned in said side guide track, said roller member operable in said track member to move the sheet engaging portion of said sheet engaging means laterally on said side guide carriage while said side guide carriage moves longitudinally on said side guide support.

3. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which:

said first plate member has an upstanding bracket member,

a sheet engaging device pivotally secured to said bracket member,

a second plate member positioned in underlying relation to said first plate member and having a side edge portion movable laterally beneath said side guide plate,

said sheet engaging device having an end portion movable into abutting relation with said second plate side edge portion, and

actuator means operable to pivot said sheet engaging device and urge said end portion against the upper surface of said plate member and engage said sheet side edge therebetween.

4. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 3 which includes:

connecting means between said first plate and said second plate to move said second plate with said first plate after urging said sheet engaging device end portion against said second plate upper surface.

5. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

an upstanding member with an internal cam surface on said side guide carriage,

a cam follower connected to said sheet engaging means operable on lateral movement to follow said internal cam surface and move a portion of said sheet engaging means toward and away from a surface of the sheet.

6. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which:

said side guide carriage having an upstanding member with an internal cam surface,

said first plate member having an upstanding bracket member with a sheet engaging device pivotally secured thereto,

said sheet engaging device having a sheet engaging end portion and a cam follower other end portion, said first plate member operable upon lateral movement to move said cam follower along said cam surface and move said sheet engaging end portion toward and away from a surface of the sheet.

7. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 6 which includes:

a second plate member positioned in underlying relation with said first plate member, said second plate member movable laterally on said side guide carriage,

connecting means between said first and second plate members operable to engage said second plate member to said first plate member after the sheet side edge portion is engaged between the upper surface of said second plate and said sheet engaging portion ofsaid sheet engaging device.

8. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 5 which includes:

guide means on said upstanding member urging said cam follower against said internal cam surface.

9. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 2 which includes:

adjusting means to control the force exerted by said sheet engaging device against a surface of the sheet.

10. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which:

said side guide support includes a pair of sprocket members positioned adjacent the opposite ends thereof, said sprocket members being rotatable on said side guide support,

an endless chain reeved about said sprockets, and

means connecting said side guide carriage to said endless chain so that said carriage moves reciprocally on said side guide support as said endless chain orbits about said sprockets.

Claims

1. Sheet side register apparatus comprising: first conveying means to convey a sheet in a first direction, a side guide support member along a side of said first conveying means aligned longitudinally in said first direction, a side guide carriage mounted on said side guide support for reciprocal movement thereon in timed relation to said first conveying means, a sIde guide plate mounted on said side guide carriage and having a surface parallel to said first direction, and sheet engaging means on said side guide carriage operable to engage a side edge of said sheet and move said sheet laterally against said side guide plate surface to position said sheet in side register while said sheet is being conveyed in said first direction.

2. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which includes: a side guide track secured to said side guide support member and extending angularly therefrom, said sheet engaging means having a first plate member with a roller member secured thereto and positioned in said side guide track, said roller member operable in said track member to move the sheet engaging portion of said sheet engaging means laterally on said side guide carriage while said side guide carriage moves longitudinally on said side guide support.

3. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which: said first plate member has an upstanding bracket member, a sheet engaging device pivotally secured to said bracket member, a second plate member positioned in underlying relation to said first plate member and having a side edge portion movable laterally beneath said side guide plate, said sheet engaging device having an end portion movable into abutting relation with said second plate side edge portion, and actuator means operable to pivot said sheet engaging device and urge said end portion against the upper surface of said plate member and engage said sheet side edge therebetween.

4. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 3 which includes: connecting means between said first plate and said second plate to move said second plate with said first plate after urging said sheet engaging device end portion against said second plate upper surface.

5. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which includes: an upstanding member with an internal cam surface on said side guide carriage, a cam follower connected to said sheet engaging means operable on lateral movement to follow said internal cam surface and move a portion of said sheet engaging means toward and away from a surface of the sheet.

6. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which: said side guide carriage having an upstanding member with an internal cam surface, said first plate member having an upstanding bracket member with a sheet engaging device pivotally secured thereto, said sheet engaging device having a sheet engaging end portion and a cam follower other end portion, said first plate member operable upon lateral movement to move said cam follower along said cam surface and move said sheet engaging end portion toward and away from a surface of the sheet.

7. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 6 which includes: a second plate member positioned in underlying relation with said first plate member, said second plate member movable laterally on said side guide carriage, connecting means between said first and second plate members operable to engage said second plate member to said first plate member after the sheet side edge portion is engaged between the upper surface of said second plate and said sheet engaging portion of said sheet engaging device.

8. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 5 which includes: guide means on said upstanding member urging said cam follower against said internal cam surface.

9. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 2 which includes: adjusting means to control the force exerted by said sheet engaging device against a surface of the sheet.

10. Sheet side register apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which: said side guide support includes a pair of sprocket members positioned adjacent the opposite ends thereof, said sprocket members being rotatable on said side guide support, an endless chain reeved about said sprockets, and means connecting said side guide carriage to said endless chain so that said carriage moves reciprocally on said side guide support as said endless chain orbits about said sprockets.