US3638828A

US3638828A - Device for selecting and removing stacks of flat items from a magazine

Info

Publication number: US3638828A
Application number: US884836A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lester M Koelsch
Original assignee: RO BAND CORP
Current assignee: RO BAND CORP
Priority date: 1969-12-15
Filing date: 1969-12-15
Publication date: 1972-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-01

Abstract

An eccentric having a top cam surface is rotatable from a position in which it supports laminations in a magazine to a position in which a stack of laminations of predetermined height is permitted to fall onto a locating nest, the eccentric being then movable to shift the selected stack into a laterally offset located position on the nest from which it can be deposited by the nest onto a transfer platform. During the latter movement the eccentric either moves an uppermost critically positioned lamination beneath a cutoff blade at the bottom of the magazine, or if said lamination will not pass beneath the cutoff blade, a spring allows the cam surface to move beneath said lamination so that lateral movement of the selected stack is accomplished without interference from the critically positioned lamination, the eccentric then supporting the laminations in the magazine until the next selecting cycle begins.

Description

United States atent Koelsch Feb. 1, 1972 [54] DEVICE FOR SELECTING AND 3,275,191 9/1966 MacDonald ..221/236 X REMOVING STACKS ()F FLAT ITEMS 3,338,370 8/1967 Maulini ..22l/238 X FROM A MAGAZINE Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves [72] Inventor: Lester M. Koelsch, Brookfield, Wis. Assistant Examiner-Thomas E. Kocovsky A M [73] Assignee: Ro-Band Corporation, Menomonee Falls, "omey arse & Morse" 57 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: An eccentric having a top cam surface is rotatable from a posi- {211 APPL No; 384,836 tion in which it supports laminations in a magazine to a position in which a stack of laminations of predetermined height is permitted to fall onto a locating nest, the eccentric being then [52] US. Cl ..22l/l76, 221/224, 221/238 movable to shift the selected stack into a laterally offset [51] Int. Cl ..B65h 5/00 located position on the nest from which it can be deposited by [58] Field of Search ..221/175, 176, 182, 224, 231, the nest onto a transfer platform. During the latter movement 221/277, 296, 255, 262, 236, 238; 133/5, 6 the eccentric either moves an uppermost critically positioned lamination beneath a cutoff blade at the bottom of the [5 References Cited magazine, or if said lamination will not pass beneath the cutoff blade, a spring allows the cam surface to move beneath said UNITED STATES PATENTS lamination so that lateral movement of the selected stack is accomplished without interference from the critically posi- 2,721,683 10/1955 Pottle ..221/236 X timed lamination, the eccentric then Supporting the lamimb 13;} tt g g tions in the magazine until the next selecting cycle begins. arnswo 3,187,940 6/1965 Harris ..221/236 X 16 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures Q 35 i l 7 3 0 35 t a? g H 37 j 1 l l 34 2a 27 at f V l Z l 3 22 21 ii 6 "113,

m2 ajamza SHEET NF 3 36 INVENTOR LESTER M. KOELSCH WQM ATTORNEYS FAYENY ES $55 3 972 INVENTOR LESTER M. KOELSCH ATTORNEYS WENTEMB 11m 3,558,828 SHEET! EMF 8 INVENTOR LESTER M. KOELSCH ATTORNEYS DEVICE FOR SELECTING AND REMOVING STACKS OF FLAT ITEMS FROM A MAGAZINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is particularly useful in selecting and delivering stacks of laminations of predetermined height which are used in the manufacture of parts for electromagnets. However, the invention is capable of use in any field requiring the selection ofstacks of flat items.

2. Description of the Prior Art In Farnsworth U.S. Pat. No. 3,108,715 a device is disclosed for accomplishing a similar purpose. Here, however, the laminations are releasably held in the magazine by a releasable friction-exerting device and this is not always a reliable type of arrangement and the weight of the items in the magazine is limited. Furthermore, the device of the Farnsworth patent must always be used in such a position that the laminations are fed downwardly by gravity. In the present invention the laminations are releasably held in the magazine by means forming a positive shelf.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides cam means movable from a position in which it supports laminations in a magazine to a position in which a stack of laminations of predetermined height is permitted to move onto a nest, the cam means being then movable against the selected stack to shift it laterally into an offset, properly located position on the nest from which it can be deposited by the nest onto a transfer platform. During the latter movement of the cam means it either moves an uppermost critically positioned lamination beneath a cutoff blade at the bottom of the magazine or, if said lamination will not pass beneath the cutoff blade, spring means allows the cam surface of the cam means to move beneath the lamination so that lateral movement of the selected stack is accomplished without interference from the critically positioned lamination, the cam means thereafter supporting the laminations which remain in the magazine until the next cycle begins.

A general object of the invention is to provide a device for selecting and removing a stack offiat items from a magazine in which the items in the magazine are positively supported at the end of the magazine against discharge movement as distinguished from prior art wherein there is frictional gripping.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described in which a rotatable eccentric controls discharge of a stack of items from a magazine and also acts to laterally displace the removed stack to a position for further handling, while simultaneously preventing further discharge until the next cycle begins.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described in which there is cam means operable in conjunction with a cutoff blade, the high portion of the cam means determining the minimum stack height, and the maximum stack height being determined by the position of a cu toff blade located to prevent lateral displacement of a lowermost lamination in the magazine where any of its thickness is above the plane of the cutoff edge.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for selecting and removing a stack of flat items from a magazine in which cam means, in conjunction with a cutoff blade, operates to automatically determine whether a critically positioned lamination adjacent the cutoff blade is to remain in the magazine or be the uppermost lamination on the displaced stack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which can, with minor modifications, handle flat items of various shapes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described in which an infinitely fine adjustment for stack height may be readily made.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described in which the stack selection is accomplished in a foolproof manner regardless of the weight of the laminations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for selecting and removing laminations or the like from a stack in which the cutoff of the uppermost lamination in the stack is accomplished regardless of effects of oil, grease, or burrs, which might cause laminations to stick together, and in which there is a minimum of possibility of trouble due to abnormalities in the laminations such as taper.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which can operate in any desired position and which is not dependent upon a gravity type feed of the laminations from the magazine.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved device for selecting and removing a plurality of flat items from a magazine, and all of its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawings, illustrating several preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

FIG. I is a vertical sectional view through the improved device;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3- 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partially diagrammatic elevational view showing the eccentric cam in a position supporting the laminations in the magazine against downward movement, the nest being withdrawn;

FIG. 5 is a similar view showing the nest in elevated receiving position and showing the eccentric cam rotated to a position to allow a stack of laminations from the magazine to fall onto the nest;

FIG. 6 is a similar view showing the eccentric cam swung to a position to cause lateral displacement of the dropped stack with the eccentric cam again supporting the remaining laminations in the magazine;

FIG. 7 is a similar view showing the nest being lowered with the selected stack thereon;

FIG. 8 is a partially diagrammatic view looking down on the top of the eccentric cam and showing a bottommost lamination in the magazine being supported on top of the flat high portion of the cam;

FIG. 9 is a similar view showing the cam rotated l to a position to allow the laminations to drop;

FIG. 10 is a view showing various positions of the cam as it is laterally displacing the selected stack;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the device equipped for the handling oflaminations of different contours, such as I-bar laminations;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing the position of the cam when the I-bar laminations are permitted to drop from the magazine;

FIG. I3 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing various stack shifting positions in the handling of I-bar-type laminations;

FIG. 14 is a plan view looking down on a transfer rail having an opening of the shape required for a nest of a type suitable for handling I-bar laminations;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of a modified type of eccentric cam member;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view through the cam member of FIG. 15; and

FIG. 17 is a partially diagrammatic vertical sectional view showing a typical relationship between the cam surface of the eccentric and the cutoff blade.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawings, first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is a suitable automatically reversible prime mover having a projecting drive shaft 21 which drives a gear 22 meshing with a pinion 23 which is keyed to a shaft 24.

Above the pinion 23 is a control member 25 or cam means which, in the principal form of the invention, is in the form of an eccentric through which the shaft 24 eccentrically extends, as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, the member 24 being fast on the shaft. A washer 26 spaces the eccentric above the pinion 23. The shaft 24 is journaled through a bore 27 in a plate 28, the shaft being of enlarged diameter above the plate to provide a shoulder 29 which is normally maintained a short distance above the upper surface of the plate by the action of a spring 30 surrounding the shaft, the spring acting against a washer 31 which is adjustably positioned by nuts 32 on a threaded upper end of the shaft 24. The arrangement is such that forces acting to push the cam means 25 downwardly can do so against the force of the spring 30 as permitted by the spacing between the shoulder 29 and the upper surface of the plate 28. The upper face of the eccentric 25 is flat as at 25' for half of its area and the other half is tapered slightly downwardly as at 33 (see FIGS. 4-7, 8, 9 and 17). In the case of laminations having a thickness of 0.025 of an inch the amount of taper (a) in FIG. 17 will be in the neighborhood of 0.025 of an inch for a purpose to be hereinafter explained in greater detail.

The plate 28 has an opening 34 for receiving the lower end of a magazine 35 which is shaped to accommodate the particular type of flat item being handled, the magazine having spaced guiding side projections 36 which project downwardly through the opening 34, and there being a space between the side projections 36 to allow entry of the eccentric 25, and an oppositely disposed space between the side projections 36 to allow lateral shifting of the selected stack.

Adjustably supported on the plate 28 is a cutoff member 38 having slotted openings 39 through which adjustment bolts 40 extend. The cutoff member has a depending nose with a cutoff edge 41, the cutoff edge being located, in the case of a magazine for handling laminations which are 0.025 of an inch thick, about 0.010 of an inch above the high flat surface 25 of the eccentric 25 to provide this much tolerance over the thickness ofa single lamination (see FIG. 17).

Suitably supported in a lower portion of the frame 37 is a double-acting, double-ended pneumatic cylinder 42 having a piston rod 43 which projects from both ends of the cylinder. The forward end of the piston rod carries an adjustable fitting 44 which is pivoted to toggle links 45 as at 46. The lower toggle link is pivoted as at 47 to bearing blocks 48 on the base of the machine, and the upper toggle link is pivotally connected as at 49 to a vertically reciprocable carriage 50 which carries a locating nest element 51 on its upper surface, the nest being shaped to receive the particular shaped lamination with which the machine is operating. In the case of U laminations 52 of the type shown in FIGS. 3, 8, 9 and 10, the nest is shaped as illustrated with a front stop extension 53 and with side guide extensions 54 (see also FIG, 2). In FIG. 1 the nest is shown in full lines in a nearly retracted position. When the pneumatic cylinder is operated in an extending direction the toggle links 45 straighten out to elevate the nest to the broken line position of FIG. 1, the nest passing through an opening 55 in a transfer rail 56 (see FIG. 3). In the case of laminations of the shape shown at 52 in FIGS. 3, 8, 9 and 10 the opening 55 in the transfer rail 56 will be of such restricted size that its forward edge 57 will be overlapped by the front ends of the laminations 52, with the inner edge ofthe opening 55 spaced from an upstanding ledge 58 so as to provide a seat 59 for supporting the rear edges of the laminations, as shown in FIG. 3, when the latter are lowered onto the transfer rail by the nest as will be hereinafter explained.

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 show how the device may be adapted for handling differently shaped laminations of the type generally referred to as I-bars. Here the magazine 35 (not shown) will be shaped to properly position and hold laminations of the shape shown at 152 at the angle shown in FIG. 11, and the cutoff edge 141 will be angled as illustrated instead of straight as at 41 in FIG. 8. In addition the transfer rail I56 of FIG. I4 will have an opening I55 of the shape shown in FIG. 14 and the locating nest 153 will be shaped as illustrated.

Various types of control members may be employed to accomplish the function performed by the member 25. One modified type of member 25 has a large flat high area and has an arcuate taper 129 extending for about 180, there being an arcuate low area 130 which, when dealing with laminations which are 0.025 of an inch thick, would be 0.025 of an inch below the main surface of the eccentric member 25. Separating the arcuate low surface 130 from the arcuate tapered surface is an arcuate slot 131.

OPERATION In operation of the device illustrated in FIGS. 1-10, the eccentric control member 25 will start in the position shown in FIG. 4 with its high side underlapping the laminations in the magazine to support them against movement out of the magazine, which movement may be urged either by gravity, in the case of the vertical installation illustrated, or by other discharge means in the case of other installations. As shown in FIG. I7 there will be a tolerance of 0.010 of an inch between the high surface of the cam and the edge 41 of the cutoff blade when operating with laminations which are 0.025 of an inch thick. The nest 51 is in the withdrawn position shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. FIG. 8 also illustrates the position of the parts corresponding to the position of FIG. 4. Next, the eccentric 25 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow to the position shown in FIG. 9 to remove the support for the laminations in the magazine, the pneumatic cylinder 42 having been operated and being in a position to act through the toggle links 45 in elevating the nest to the position shown in FIG. 5 to receive a stack of descending laminations. While gravity action of this type is the most convenient, it is to be pointed out that the structure of the present invention is such that the magazine can be disposed in various positions because the eccentric control device 25 provides a positive supporting shelf when in the position of FIG. 4. Means other than gravity may therefore be provided to cause advancing movement of the laminations in the magazine from the position of FIG. 4 to the position of FIG. 5.

In view of the fact that laminations may vary very slightly as to material thickness it is important that a device operating on the principle of the present invention be capable of displacing a stack of selected height within a tolerance of one lamination plus allowance for variation in material thickness. Accordingly, when the eccentric 25 is rotated to the position of FIG. 6 to laterally displace the selected stack, the construction is such that the eccentric cam means automatically makes a decision as to whether a lamination which is critically positioned adjacent the cutoff edge is to remain in the magazine or be removed to form the uppermost lamination of the selected stack. This function is performed by the cam surface 33 in combination with the ability of the cam to give in a downward direction against the spring 30 an amount as allowed by the shoulder 29 ofFIG. 1.

Accordingly, as the cam rotates from the position of FIG. 5 to the position of FIG. 6, preferably in reverse rotation as shown by the arrow in FIG. 10, then if the critically positioned lamination has part of its thickness below and part above the cutoff edge 41 the low part of the cam surface will wedge beneath this critically positioned lamination as the eccentric rotates from the position of FIG. 9 toward the position of FIG. I0, and the eccentric 25 will give in a downward direction against the action of the spring 30 and the critically positioned lamination will stay in the magazine and the remaining laminations in the stack can be smoothly displaced in a lateral direction as shown in FIGS. 6 and 10. Thus minor variations in lamination thickness which would affect the ultimate height of the selected stack, such as might be caused by slight variations in the thickness of individual laminations, by burrs, or by tapers in the feed material, will not cause jamming or interference with the proper displacement of a stack of selected height as in FIG. 6.

If the top of the critically positioned lamination is below the top line (b) of FIG. 17, then the lamination will pass beneath the cutoff blade without difficulty, it being noted that there is a tolerance of 0.010 of an inch when dealing with laminations which are 0.025 of an inch thick.

The height of the selected stack is determined by the adjusted position of the receiving surface of the nest 51 when the nest is in the fully raised, broken line position of FIG. 1. It is the distance between the receiving surface of the nest and the cutoff edge 41 which determines the maximum height of the stack. The initial selection of laminations to be displaced is a stack having a height equal to the distance between the receiving surface of the nest, when in the broken line position of FIG. 1, and the lowest portion of the eccentric cam 25. The position of the receiving surface of the nest may be varied by adjustment of the nut 60 on the outer end of the piston rod 43 which controls the position of a circular stop edge 61 on a stop member 62. The control member 25 must have such thickness that its lower surface is not substantially higher than and preferably somewhat below the lowest receiving position of the receiving surface of the nest. In FIG. 1 the stacks to be selected are relatively low in height. FIGS. 4-7 show eccentric controls of greater thickness for displacing a stack of greater height.

After the stack has been displaced as in FIG. 6 the pneumatic cylinder 42 retracts, causing lowering of the nest from the broken line position of FIG. 1 to a position below the bottom of the transfer rail 56. This results in placing the stack on the transfer rail 56 as shown in FIG. 3 with the front and rear portions of the laminations overlapping the opening 55 through which the nest is withdrawn. The stack may then be delivered to a point of use by reciprocating the transfer rail, and the opening 55 of the transfer rail may then be moved back into position ready to receive another stack.

Laminations of various shapes may be handled, it being merely necessary that the magazine be shaped to properly feed and support laminations of the desired form and, in certain instances, the cutoff edge 41 must be angled or shaped to conform to the particular item being handled. In FIGS. 11-14 the I-shaped laminations 152 are handled in the same manner heretofore described in connection with FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 except for the fact that they are disposed at a slight angle in the magazine and the cutoff blade 141 is similarly angled. Also, the eccentric 25 operates at one end to displace the laminations toward a straight position as shown by full lines in FIG. 13. The transfer rail opening and nest shape will be as shown in FIG. 14 to accommodate the differently shaped laminations, so that after the lamination stack is straightened out to the position shown by full lines in FiG. 13, the inner edge of the bottommost lamination will be supported on the ledge 159 and its forward portion will overlap the edge 157 of the opening of FIG. 14.

Various types of control members may be employed in lieu of the eccentric control member 25, it being merely necessary that the member be shiftable to and from a position at the end of a magazine and have a cam surface which will function to carry out the objective heretofore described. Another form of eccentric cam 125 is illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16. This device operates the same as the cam of FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. However, here the taper 129 is in the form of an are near the periphery which extends approximately 180 and which performs the same function as the semicircular tapered portion 33 of FIGS. 8 and 9, the distance between the top 125 and the arcuate portion 130 being the thickness of one lamination. Where the shape of the laminations requires it, it is entirely practical to employ more than one control member to act on the stack oflaminations. Also, where critical adjustment is not important a lower edge portion of the magazine may perform the function ofthe cutoff blade 38.

As heretofore described, the motor is automatically reversible and adjusted to drive the eccentric I80 from the position of FIG. 8 to the position of FIG. 9 and then to reverse and drive the eccentric l in the reverse direction indicated in FIG. 10. While this reverse rotation is the most satisfactory, it is not essential and the action of FIG. 10 may be accomplished by continuing the rotation in the same direction as illustrated in FIG. 9. There will be any suitable control means for correlating the action between the motor 20 and the pneumatic cylinder 42 so that the arrival of the nest in the broken line position of FIG. 1 is properly timed with the rotation of the cylinder.

It is to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. Also, the control member 25 may be used in multiple where the shape of the stacked item requires multiple forces to obtain positive direction of movement.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for selecting stacks of flat rigid items from a magazine having a discharge end with a discharge opening, said items having flat sides arranged transversely of the magazine, cutoff means in said discharge opening, a locating nest having a receiving surface supported for movement in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the magazine toward and away from a receiving position spaced a predetermined distance from said cutoff means depending upon the height of the stack desired, a movably supported control member having a cam surface facing said discharge opening mounted for movement from an overlapping position with respect to said discharge opening to block discharge of items therefrom to a position permitting discharge, said control member being also positioned and movable to cause lateral displacement of a discharged stack supported on said nest and being of a thickness at least equal to the distance between the receiving surface of the nest and the cutoff means, and spring means associated with said control member whereby the latter may yield in a direction away from the discharge opening of the magazine when a portion ofthe cam surface is passing beneath the flat surface ofa flat item which is critically positioned with respect to said cutoff means.

2. In apparatus for selecting stacks of flat items from a magazine having a discharge end with a discharge opening, cutoff means in said discharge opening, a locating nest having a receiving surface supported for movement in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the magazine toward and away from a receiving position spaced a predetermined distance from said cutoff means depending upon the height of the stack desired, a movably supported control member mounted for movement from an overlapping position with respect to said discharge opening to block discharge of items therefrom to a position permitting discharge, said control member being also positioned and movable to cause lateral displacement of a discharged stack supported on said nest and being of a thickness at least equal to the distance between the receiving surface of the nest and the cutoff means, and a transfer rail having an opening through which the nest is adapted to move from a withdrawn position beyond the transfer rail to a receiving position between the transfer rail and the magazine in a position to receive items thereon, said opening being of restricted size to support the stack of laminations when the nest is withdrawn through the opening.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the nest has upstanding guiding projections which are so positioned as to align the stack with the opening in the transfer rail so that it is supported on the transfer rail after the nest has been withdrawn through the opening in the rail.

4. In apparatus for selecting stacks of flat items from a magazine having a discharge end with a discharge opening. cutoff means in said discharge opening, a locating nest having a receiving surface supported for movement in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the magazine toward and away from a receiving position spaced a predetermined distance from said cutoff means depending upon the height of the stack desired, a movably supported control member in the form of an eccentrically mounted cylinder mounted for rotation on an axis which is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the magazine for movement from an overlapping position with respect to said discharge opening to block discharge of items therefrom to a position permitting discharge, said control member being also positioned and movable to cause lateral displacement of a discharged stack supported on said nest and being of a thickness at least equal to the distance between the receiving surface of the nest and the cutoff means.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said control member has a cam surface facing said discharge opening and in which said control member is mounted for yielding movement in a direction away from the discharge opening of the magazine when a portion of the cam surface is passing beneath a flat item which is critically positioned with respect to said cutoff means.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the nest has upstanding guiding projections positioned to guide and locate the displaced stack as it is pushed by the control member.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which there is means for reciprocating the nest and in which there is an adjustment on said reciprocating means for adjusting the receiving position of the receiving surface to control the height of the removed stack. 1

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which there is a transfer rail having an opening through which the nest is adapted to move, said opening being of restricted size to support the stack of laminations when the nest is withdrawn through the opening.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the nest has upstanding guiding projections which are so positioned as to align the stack with the opening in the transfer rail so that it is supported on the transfer rail after the nest has been withdrawn through the opening in the rail.

10. In apparatus for selecting stacks of flat items from a magazine having a discharge end with a discharge opening. cutoff means in said discharge opening. means forming a receiving surface supported a predetermined distance from said cutoff means depending upon the height of the stack desired, an eccentrically mounted control cylinder rotatable on an axis which is generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the magazine for movement from an overlapping position with respect to said discharge opening to block discharge of items therefrom to a position permitting discharge, said control cylinder also being positioned to cause lateral displacement of discharged stack supported on said receiving surface when the cylinder is eccentrically rotated.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which said cylinder is of a thickness greater than the distance between the receiving surface and the cutoff means.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which about half of the top surface of the cylindrical control member is flat and in which the other approximate half is tapered downwardly from a bisecting diameter toward the periphery.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the top of the control cylinder has a tapered cam portion positioned to wedge beneath a critically positioned lamination upon rota tion of the control cylinder.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the magazine is vertical and in which the discharge is by gravity.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the stack of flat items has a side opening and in which the cutoff means is elongated and projects into said opening and has a cutoff edge.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 in which said cutoff means is transversely adjustable.

Claims

1. An apparatus for selecting stacks of flat rigid items from a magazine having a discharge end with a discharge opening, said items having flat sides arranged transversely of the magazine, cutoff means in said discharge opening, a locating nest having a receiving surface supported for movement in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the magazine toward and away from a receiving position spaced a predetermined distance from said cutoff means depending upon the height of the stack desired, a movably supported control member having a cam surface facing said discharge opening mounted for movement from an overlapping position with respect to said discharge opening to block discharge of items therefrom to a position permitting discharge, said control member being also positioned and movable to cause lateral displacement of a discharged stack supported on said nest and being of a thickness at least equal to the distance between the receiving surfaCe of the nest and the cutoff means, and spring means associated with said control member whereby the latter may yield in a direction away from the discharge opening of the magazine when a portion of the cam surface is passing beneath the flat surface of a flat item which is critically positioned with respect to said cutoff means.

4. In apparatus for selecting stacks of flat items from a magazine having a discharge end with a discharge opening, cutoff means in said discharge opening, a locating nest having a receiving surface supported for movement in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the magazine toward and away from a receiving position spaced a predetermined distance from said cutoff means depending upon the height of the stack desired, a movably supported control member in the form of an eccentrically mounted cylinder mounted for rotation on an axis which is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the magazine for movement from an overlapping position with respect to said discharge opening to block discharge of items therefrom to a position permitting discharge, said control member being also positioned and movable to cause lateral displacement of a discharged stack supported on said nest and being of a thickness at least equal to the distance between the receiving surface of the nest and the cutoff means.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which there is means for reciprocating the nest and in which there is an adjustment on said reciprocating means for adjusting the receiving position of the receiving surface to control the height of the removed stack.

10. In apparatus for selecting stacks of flat items from a magazine having a discharge end with a discharge opening, cutoff means in said discharge opening, means forming a receiving surface supported a predetermined distance from said cutoff means depending upon the height of the stack desired, an eccentrically mounted control cylinder rotatable on an axis which is generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the magazine for movement from an overlapping position with respect to said discharge opening to block discharge of items therefrom to a position permitting discharge, said control cylinder also being positioned to cause lateral displacement of discharged stack supported on said receiving surface when the cylinder is eccentrically rotated.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the top of the control cylinder has a tapered cam portion positioned to wedge beneath a critically positioned lamination upon rotation of the control cylinder.