US3663011A

US3663011A - Printing press nonstop side register mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3663011A
Application number: US881018A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry E Mowry; Guy V Carricato; Louis A Ricardo
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: 1972-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 1989-05-16
Also published as: CA930690A; DE2058606C3; GB1301500A; JPS4918722B1; SE379329B; DE2058606A1; CH531976A; FR2072593A5; DE2058606B2

Abstract

The side register mechanism is positioned between a sheet feeder mechanism and the feed rolls of the press and includes a plurality of spaced parallel endless tapes reeved around spaced pulleys mounted on a feed board. The tapes are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the press and are driven by certain of the pulleys to convey separate sheets from the feeder to the press. There are a plurality of parallel suction device guide members positioned below the upper run of the tapes and suction heads are arranged to move reciprocally in the guides. The guides are positioned at an acute angle to the tapes and the suction devices in the guides engage the sheet adjacent the leading edge and direct the sheet laterally toward a side of the feed board as the sheet is conveyed toward the press feed rolls by the tapes. The lateral movement of the sheet moves the side edge of the sheet beneath a rotating brush member that urges the sheet side edge against a moving vertical endless side guide tape. The rotating brush member urges the sheet side edge against and maintains the sheet side edge in abutting relation with the side guide tape. The sheet is thus brought into and maintained in side register and conveyed in side register to the feed rolls. Endless driven chains with stop members move at a slightly lower linear velocity than the main conveying tape so that the front edge of the sheet is maintained in abutting relation with the stops. The suction devices are arranged in pairs and are retracted as they move rearwardly toward the feeder.

Description

United States Patent Mowry et al.

[451 May 16,1972

[54] PRINTING PRESS NONSTOP SIDE REGISTER MECHANISM [72] Inventors: Harry E. Mowry; Guy V. Clrricato; Louis A. Ricardo, all of Pittsburgh, Pa.

Miller Printing Machinery Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.

22 Filed: Dec. 1,1969

21 Appl.No.: 881,018

[73] Assignee:

[52] U.S.Cl [51] Int. Cl [58] Field of Search [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,248,856 12/1917 Henry ..27l/49 X 2,165,161 7/1939 Spiess ..27l/49 2,638,342 5/1953 Luehrs ....27l/48 2,726,865 12/1955 Backhouse. ....27 1/60 2,798,720 7/1957 Morse ..271/49 Primary Examiner-.loseph Wegbreit Assistant Examiner -Bruce H. Stoner,'Jr. Attorney-Stanley J. Price, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT The side register mechanism is positioned between a sheet feeder mechanism and the feed rolls of the press and includes a plurality of spaced parallel endless tapes reeved around spaced pulleys mounted on a feed board. The tapes are parall'el to the longitudinal axis of the press and are driven by certain of the pulleys to convey separate sheets from the feeder to the press. There are a plurality of parallel suction device guide members positioned below the upper run of the tapes and suction heads are arranged to move reciprocally in the guides. The guides are positioned at an acute angle to the tapes and the suction devices in the guides engage the sheet adjacent the leading edge and direct the sheet laterally toward a side of the feed board as the sheet is conveyed toward the press feed tolls by the tapes. The lateral movement of the sheet moves the side edge of the sheet beneath a rotating brush member that urges the sheet side edge against a moving vertical endless side guide tape. The rotating brush member urges the sheet side edge against and maintains the sheet side edge in abutting relation with the side guide tape. The sheet is thus brought into and maintained in side register and conveyed in side register to the feed rolls. Endless driven chains with stop members move at a slightly lower linear velocity than the main conveying tape so that the front edge of the sheet is maintained in abutting relation with the stops. The suction devices are arranged in pairs v and are retracted as they move rearwardly toward the feeder.

18Clain1s, l0 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 16 m2 INVENTORS SHEET 1 BF 4 PATENTEDMAY 1 6 I972 3. 6 63 O1 1 SHEET 4 OF 4 w w v a a K) V w 7 N 2 [I] ff &

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \Nb N 9 I R HARRY E. HOWE), GUY ll CARR/CATO and LOU/S A. RICARDO Illa/r Aflbrnoy PRINTING PRESS NONSTOP 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 to 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 U. S. Pat. No. 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 portionof the not stopping the sheet for side register.

cylinder periphery not used to support the sheet being printed. I

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 THE INVENTION This invention relates to a sheet side register that includes a first conveying means to convey a sheet in a first direction preferably from a sheet feeder to the impression cylinder of the press. A second conveying means is arranged to engage and convey the sheet in a second nonparallel direction to the first direction to move the sheet laterally into abutting relation with a side guide mechanism positioned along the side of the first conveying means. The side guide mechanism engages the side edge of the sheet as it is being conveyed toward the impression cylinder and while the sheet is moving aligns the sheet side to a preselected side register.

The second conveying means includes reciprocating suction devices operable to engage a surface of the sheet and move the sheet in an angular direction to the direction imparted by the first conveying means.

The side guide mechanism includes a vertical, driven endless belt that is aligned to provide preselected side register. A driven device engages the upper surface of the sheet adjacent the vertical endless belt and urges the sheet side edge portion into abutting relation with the driven endless belt to maintain the sheet in side register as it is engaged by the feed 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 TI-IE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view in side elevation of the nonstop register drive arrangement positioned between a sheet feeder and the printing press.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the nonstop side register mechanism illustrating the adjustable positions of the suction device guide members and the sheet side register mechanisms.

FIGS. 30, 3b and 3c are fragmentary enlarged schematic views of the nonstop register mechanism in side elevation. FIG. 3b illustrates in greater detail the suction device guide member and the manner in which the suction devices are reciprocated thereon.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the side guide mechanism and the manner in which it is adjustable transversely on the feed board.

FIG. 5 is a view in section taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4 illustrating the vertical side guide tape in detail.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating the chain drive mechanism with the retractable stop members.

FIG. 7 is a view in rear elevation taken along the lines 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view in vertical section of the vacuum device illustrating the manner in which the vacuum head is retracted as the vacuum device is moved rearwardly on the feed board.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Refen'ing to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1-3, there is illustrated a feed board generally designated by the numeral 10 positioned between a sheet feeder mechanism 12 and the impression cylinder 14 of printing press l6. The feed board is suitably secured between the feeder 12 and press 16. A first pair of

shafts

18 and 20 are suitably supported in the feeder side frames 22 only one of which is illustrated in FIG. 2. Four

endless tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 are each reeved about a pair of pulleys 32 and 34 (FIGS. 1 and 3a) mounted on shafts l8 and 20. A tape tensioning shaft 36 with pulley 38 thereon is positioned between the upper and lower run of the tapes and is arranged to provide the desired tension on the tapes so that the upper run of

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 are in parallel spaced relation and arranged to frictionally engage the under surface of the sheetand convey the sheet toward the press 16. Positioned in overlying relation with the shaft 18 are pull-in wheels 40 associated with the feeder mechanism and arranged to frictionally engage the upper surface of the sheet and pull the sheet onto the upper surface of the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30.

Refen'ing to FIG/1, shaft 18 has a gear 42 thereon which meshes with gear 44 that is associated with the feeder mechanism 12 and provides the timed drive input for the shaft 18 which, in turn, rotates the pulleys 32 and moves the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 at a preselected velocity. The pull-in wheel 40 is also driven at the same velocity as the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30. Positioned above the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 is an adjustable roller 46 rotatably supported by straps 48 pivotally secured to a sleeve member 50. The sleeve 50 is movable longitudinally on member 52 fixedly secured at 54 to the feeder 12. The adjustable roller 46 is operable to exert a force on the reduce the size of the I force on the upper surface of different sized sheets while they are being conveyed along the feed board 10.

A shaft 56 is rotatably supported by the feeder frame 22 and has reeved therearound

endless tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64. The

outboard tapes

58 and 64 are reeved about idler pulleys on shaft 66 which is illustrated as broken away to more clearly illustrate the register mechanism. The

tapes

58 and 64 are shorter than

tapes

60 and 62 because of the lateral adjustment of the side guide mechanism, to be later explained.

Inboard tapes

60 and 62 are reeved about pulleys on a common shaft 68 positioned in front of the shaft 66. Each of the

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 are reeved about a pulley 70 nonrotatably secured to shaft 56. The shaft 56 has a sprocket 72 (FIG. 1) secured thereto and the gear 44 associated with the feeder mechanism 12 has a sprocket 74 rotatable therewith and an endless chain 76 provides drive between the gear 44 through sprockets 74 and 72 to the shaft 56 and

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64. Idler pulley 78 is positioned beneath the upper run of each of the tapes 58,

60, 62 and 64 and is arranged to maintain the upper run of

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 in a substantially horizontal plane and in the same plane with

tapes

24,26, 28 and 30 so'that the sheet being conveyed from

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 to

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 is maintained in substantially the same horizontal plane. The pitch diameter of sprockets 72 and 74 rotates the shaft 56 and moves the

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 at a higher velocity than the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30. For example, the

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 may be arranged to have three times the velocity of

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30.

A shaft 80 associated with the feed rolls 82 and 84 has a plurality of sprockets 86 nonrotatably secured thereto. Another shaft 88 is rotatably supported in the feed board side frame 90 with a plurality of sprockets 92 rotatably secured thereto.

Endless chains

94, 96, 98 and 100 are each reeved about

sprockets

86 and 92 for rotation therearound. Each of the

outboard chains

94 and 100 has pairs of

retractable stop members

102 and 104 thereon and the inboard chains 96 and 98 each has pairs of nonretractable stops designated by the numeral 106, only two of which are illustrated in FIG. 2. It should be understood, however, that stops 102 and 106 are arranged on the

respective chains

94, 96, 98 and 100 to move in parallel relationship with each other as the respective chains orbit about the

sprockets

86 and 92. The

stops

102 and 104 are retractable to permit the width adjustment of the sheet guide mechanism, as later explained.

Within the press 16 there is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 an impression cylinder 108 with a drive gear 110 that meshes with an idler gear 112 suitably supported within the press 16. The idler gear 112 meshes with gear 114 nonrotatably secured to shaft 80 on which the sprockets 86 are secured. With this arrangement the endless chains 94-96 and 98-100 are driven in timed relation with the impression cylinder 14 through

gearing

110, 112, 114 and the sprockets associated with the shaft 80. The ratio of the gears driving the sprockets on shaft 80 is such that the chain velocity is slightly less than the velocity of the

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64. With this arrangement the front edge of the sheet as it is being conveyed by the

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 is moved into and maintained in abutting relation with the stop members 102-106 or 104-106.

Positioned beneath the upper run of

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 are a pair of outboard suction device guides 116 and a pair of inboard suction device guides 118. The outboard guides are adjustable laterally to the position illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 2 for sheets of different widths. The inboard guides 118 are positioned at an elevation above the outboard guides 116 to permit the reciprocation .of the vacuum devices hereinafter described, An upper'vacuum device drive rack 120 has a bar 124 extending laterally therefrom. Secured to the end of the bar 124 is a suction device generally designated by the numeral 126 that is positioned in the guides 118 for reciprocal movement therein. Similarly, the lower rack member 128 has an extensible rod 132 extending laterally therefrom with suction device 126 secured to the end thereof and positioned in the guides 116. The

guides

116 and 118 and the

racks

120 and 128 are suitably supported by the feed board frame with the guides 116 and

rods

124 and 132 being extensible and retractable to compensate for sheets of different width.

The drive mechanism'for the racks and 128 is illustrated in FIG. 1. A cam mechanism diagrammatically illustrated at 134 is arranged to move the cam followers 136 and' 138 on the

arms

140 and 142 to the positions illustrated in solid and dotted lines in FIG. 1. The

arms

140 and 142 are pivotally secured to the feeder frame on shafts 144 and 146.

Arcuate gear segments

148 and 150 are secured to the ends of the

respective arms

140 and 142 and are arranged to rotate

pinions

152 and 154. A gear meshes with the upper vacuum rack 120 and has a pinion 162 associated therewith. The pinion 162 meshes with the gear 156 so that oscillation of the arcuate gear 148 on shaft 140 by rotation of cam 134 reciprocates the rack 120 to movethe suction devices 126 within the respective guide members 118. Similarly, the lower rack 128 meshes with a gear 164 that has a pinion 166 associated therewith. The pinion 166 meshes with the large gear 158 and oscillation of the arcuate gear 150 by cam followers 136 reciprocates the lower rack mechanism 128.

With this arrangement the suction devices 126 associated with upper rack mechanism 120 engage and advance a sheet while the suction devices 126 associated with lower rack mechanism 128 retract to the rearward position so that the suction devices associated with rack 128 are in position to engage the second sheet. It should be noted, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2, that the suction device guides 116 and 118 are arranged at an obtuse angle to the press center line 168 and also at an obtuse angle to the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 and 58, 60, 62 and 64. The

guides

116 and 118 are arranged to direct the suction devices angularly toward the operators side, as illustrated in FIG. 2 and designated bythe feed board side frame 90. It sliould be understood where desired the longitudinal axis of the vacuum device adjusted so that the

guides

116 and 118 are at an obtuse angle facing the other direction than illustrated in FIG. 2. This arrangement permits side registering the sheets on either side of the feed board.

A pair of side edge register mechanisms 170 are generally illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3c and are illustrated in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5. It should be understood that the side guide mechanisms 170 on opposite sides of the feed board 10 are similar in construction and similar numerals are intended to designate similar parts. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 the side guide mechanism includes a housing 172 that has a pair of

shafts

174 and 176 extending forwardly therefrom.

Pulleys

178 and 180 are supported on

shafts

174 and 176. The pulley 178 is nonrotatably secured to shaft 174 which, in turn has a bevel gear 181 secured to the other end thereof. An endless side guide tape 182 is reeved about the pulleys 178 and180 and is arranged to be driven from shaft 184 through

bevel gears

186 and 181. The shaft 184 has a longitudinal spline 188 in which a key 190 of gear 186 is positioned. Thus rotation of shaft 184 rotates gear 186 irrespective of the relative position of gear 186 on shaft 184. The housing 172 rotatably supports a shaft 192 above the side guide tape 182. The shaft is dn'vingly connected to shaft 184 through

gears

194 and 200 so that rotation of shaft 184 rotates shaft 192. A brush 202 having a generally conical configuration as viewed in top plan is arranged to rotate with shaft 184 and exert a force against the sheet and urge the sheet against the timing belt 182. The housing 172 has a rectangular support bracket 204 which is positioned on a support shaft 206 and movable longitudinally thereon. Referring to FIG. 2, the side guide mechanisms are movable on the support shaft from the position illustrated in full lines to the position illustrated in dotted lines. With this arrangement, one of the side guide mechanisms can be moved into desired side register position and the other side guide mechanism moved out of operative position. The side guide mechanisms can be moved along an axis transverse to the

guide members

116 and 118 can be press center line 168 to provide sheet side register for sheets of different width.

As will be apparent from FIG. 2,'the

stop mechanisms

102 and 104 on the

outboard chains

94 and 100 would interfere with the side guide mechanisms 170 when they are in overlying or inboard position relative to the

chains

94 and 100. As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the stop members, for

example stop members

102, 104 illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, are collapsible to provide clearance for the side guide mechanism 170. When the side guide mechanism 170 is in the inboard position illustrated in dotted lines in FIGS. 2, the

stop members

102 and 104 are manually movedto their down position and the front edge of the sheet only abuts stops 106 on chains 96 and 98. Thus, when the side guide mechanism is moved inboard of

chains

94 and 100 the

stop members

102 and 104 are collapsed and removed from service.

The side guide tape 182 and brush 202 are driven by the shaft 184 (FIG. 1) that has a pulley 222 nonrotatably secured thereto. A timing belt 224 is reeved about the pulley 222 and a pulley 226 on shaft 80. The shaft 80 is, in turn, driven through gears 112 and 114 from gear 110 on impression cylinder 108. With this arrangement the side guide tape and brush are driven in timed relation to the

chains

94, 96, 98 and 100 and

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64.

The stop mechanism 102 has a body portion 208 secured to the chain 100 and an upstanding bracket portion 210. A stop bar 212 has a depending hinge portion 214 which is pivotally secured to the bracket portion 210 on pin 213 and has laterally extending pins 216. Spring 218 is secured at one end to a pin 220 on the body portion 208 and at the other end on the pin 216 on the stop bar 212. The pivot point has an offcenter pivot arrangement so that the stop bar will remain in an up position against the resilient force of the spring and in a down position when moved over center. The stop bar 212 is manually moved from the up to the down position and also manually moved from the down to the up position depending on the relative position of the side guide mechanism 170.

The suction devices 126 have a body portion 228 with a cam follower 230 positioned in the guides as, for example, guide 116. The body portion has a horizontal passageway 232 that communicates with a vertical passageway 234. The body portion 228 has an upper wall 236 with an opening 238 therethrough. A tubular shaft 240 having an enlarged end portion 242 is positioned in the vertical passageway 234 with the portion 240 extending through aperture 238. A spring 244 abuts the enlarged portion 242 and urges the tubular member 240 downwardly. A rubber head 246 is secured to the tubular member 240 outside of the housing 228 and has an aperture 248 therethrough. The horizontal passageway 232 communicates with the vertical passageway 234 and with an angular passageway 250. With this arrangement the suction head is normally in the retracted position designated by the numeral 252 which is below the feed board line 254. When a vacuum is applied to passageway 232 the vertical chamber 234 is evacuated and the tubular member 240 with the rubber head 246 moves upwardly to the position wherein the top of the rubber head 246 is in the same plane as the top of the feed board 10. Upward movement of the tubular member 240 opens chamber 250 and evacuates the chamber beneath the enlarged portion of the tubular member 240 and exerts a vacuum or suction through the axial opening 256 in the tubular member 240 so that the under surface of the sheet is engaged to the upper surface of the rubber suction head by the suction. When the vacuum is turned off, the sheet is released and the spring returns the tubular member 240 to the position illustrated in FIG. 8.

OPERATION Referring particularly to FIGS. 1-3, the nonstop sheet side register mechanism operates as follows. A feeder l2 feeds single sheets through the pull-in rolls 40 onto the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30. The adjustable roller 46 maintains the sheets in engagement with the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 until the leading edge of'the sheet is engaged by a pair of the suction devices 126. The sheets on the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 have the front edge generally perpendicular to the center line 168 of the press and the sheet is conveyed in this manner from

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 to

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64. As previously discussed, the

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 are moving at approximately three times the velocity of the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 and are arranged to convey the sheets in a direction parallel to the press center line 168. The suction devices 126 associated with

racks

120 and 128 are arranged in timed relation with the other components of the feeder to position a pair of suction devices beneath the sheet adjacent the leading edge as the sheet is conveyed from the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 to

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64. The under side of the sheet is engaged by the suction devices 126 while the sheet is being conveyed by the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30. The drive mechanism for the vacuum racks 120 and 128 is so arranged to increase the velocity of the suction heads 126 so that the suction heads are moving at substantially the same speed as the

tapes

24, 26, 28 and 30 when the leading edge of the sheet is engaged by the suction heads 126. The velocity of the suction heads is increased to substantially the same velocity as the

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 while the suction devices 126 advance along the tracks or guides 116 and 118. When the suction devices attain the velocity of the

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64, the sheet is released by the suction heads. During the acceleration of the sheet the sheet is deflected or moved sidewardly toward, for example in FIG. 2, the operators side, designated by the numeral 90, by the suction heads 126. The sheet on

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 is then moving at the velocity of the

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 and is arranged to abut the

stops

102 or 104 and 106 on the

endless chains

94, 96, 98 and 100. The velocity of the stops and chains is slightly lower than the velocity of the

tapes

58, 60, 62 and 64 so that the front edge of the sheet is brought into and maintained in abutting relation with the sheet stops on the

chains

94, 96, 98 and 100.

As the sheet to be conveyed moves toward the press feed rolls 82 and 84 the side edge of the sheet is moved beneath the brush 202. The bristles of brush 202 urge the sheet side edge against the side guide tape 102 which is moving at substantially the same velocity as the

chains

94, 96, 98 and 100. With this arrangement both the brushes 202 and side guide tape 182 and

chains

94, 96, 98 and 100 are moving at the same velocity so that the sheet edge portion is moved into abutting relation with the vertical side guide and is conveyed thereby into the feed rolls 82 and 84. The side guide tape 182 is positioned along a desired line of side register for the press and the sheet side edge is in abutting relation with the vertical side guide tape-and in side register. The sheet in side register is conveyed between the feed rolls 82 and 84 at a velocity slightly higher than the velocity of the impression cylinder 108 so that the sheet front edge portion abuts the register bar on the impression cylinder to provide front register for the sheet as it is engaged by the grippers on the impression cylinder.

With this arrangement the sheet is continually conveyed from the feeder mechanism 12 to the impression cylinder 14 and moved into side register without stopping the sheet as has been the practice in the past. With the two pairs of vacuum devices 126 and the pairs of

stop members

102, 104 and 106 on the

chains

94, 96, 98 and 100 it is possible to rapidly feed sheets to the press inside register without waiting for repositioning of the side guide mechanism to accept and side register the following sheet.

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

We claim:

1. A sheet side register mechanism comprising,

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

second conveying means including suction devices operable to engage a surface of said sheet and move said sheet in a second direction while said sheet is being conveyed by said first conveying means, said second-direction being at an acute angle to said first direction,

side guide means positioned adjacent said first conveying means to engage the side edge of said sheet and align said sheet with a preselected side register, and

said second conveying means operable to move said sheet toward said side guide means.

2. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

a third conveying means arranged parallel to said first conveying means,

stop means extending from said third conveying means to engage the front edge of said sheet,

said third conveying means arranged to move at a velocity slower than the velocity of said first conveying means so that said sheet front edge portion remains in abutting relation with said stop means as said sheet is conveyed in said first direction.

3. A sheet side register mechanism asset forth in claim 2 in which,

said suction devices are operable to be disengaged from said .sheet prior to said sheet front edge abutting said stop means on said third conveying means. 4. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 2 in which,

said first conveying means includes a plurality of parallel tapes operable to frictionally engage a surface of said sheet and convey said sheet at a preselected velocity, said side guide means including an endless side guide band positioned along the side of the outermost tape, means to drive said side guide band at a speed to propel said sheet side edge at substantially the same velocity as said third conveying means. 5. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said first conveying means includes a plurality of endless tapes arranged in parallel relation to each other and reeved about spaced pulleys, said tapes arranged to frictionally engage a surface of said sheet and convey said sheet in said first direction at a preselected velocity. 6. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said suction devices operable to engage the same surface of said sheet as said parallel endless tapes. 7. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said suction devices engage a surface of said sheet and accelerate said sheet to about the velocity of said first conveying means. 8. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said first conveying means includes a plurality of parallel tapes arranged to frictionally engage a first surface of said sheet and convey said sheet, and said side guide means including other conveying means to engage the opposite surface of said sheet and urge said sheet into side register position. 9. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 8 in which,

said other conveying means includes a brush member rotatably positioned above said sheet for engaging said sheet and urging said sheet into side register position. 10. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said second conveying means includes a plurality of guides positioned in parallel relation to each other and angularly to said first conveying means, and said suction devices positioned in said guides and operable to reciprocate therein to engage and convey said sheets in said second direction.

11. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 10 in which said suction devices include suction members movable toward and away from the surface of said sheet, and

means to retract said members while said suction devices are moving in a direction opposite to said second direction.

12. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 10 in which,

said suction devices include a first pair of suction members and a second pair of suction devices,

said first pair of suction devices connected to a first rack member, said second pair of suction devices connected to a second rack member,

drive means to reciprocate said first and second rack members so that one of said pair is moving in said second direction while said other pair is moving in a direction opposite to said second direction.

13. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

means to move said second conveying means and said side guide means laterally relative to said first conveying means to thereby provide side register for sheets of different widths.

14. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

third conveying means associated with a sheet feeder positioned adjacent the feed end of said side register mechanism,

said third conveying means operable to convey said sheets at a second velocity substantially less than the velocity of said first conveying means, and

said second conveying means operable to engage and accelerate said sheet from said second velocity to substantially the velocity of said first conveying means.

15. A method-for feeding sheets in side register to a press comprising,

supporting a sheet on a first conveying means arranged to convey said sheet in a first direction at a preselected velocity,

' engaging the under surface of said sheet by suction devices of a second conveying means and accelerating said sheet to said preselected velocity,

moving said sheet in a second direction toward a side guide mechanism by said suction devices while accelerating said sheet to said preselected velocity, moving said sheet side edge into abuttingrelation with said side guide mechanism while said sheet is being conveyed in said first direction to thereby side register said sheet,

moving said sheet front end portion into abutting relation with abutment members moving in said first direction at a velocity less than said preselected velocity, and

feeding said sheet onto a cylinder of a press while maintaining side register. 7 16. A method for feeding sheets in side register to a press as set forth in claim 15 which includes,

supporting said sheet on a third conveying means and conveying said sheet toward said first conveying means at a velocity substantially lower than said preselected velocity, and

thereafter transferring said sheet from said third conveying means to said first conveying means.

17. A method for feeding sheets in side register to a press as set forth in claim 15 which includes moving the upper surface of said sheet with a fourth conveying means adjacent said sheet side edge' and urging said sheet side edge into abutting relation with said side guide mechanism.

18. A method for feeding sheets in side register to a press as set forth in claim 15 which includes,

moving said side guide mechanism in said first direction at substantially said preselected velocity.

Claims

1. A sheet side register mechanism comprising, first conveying means to convey a sheet in a first direction, second conveying means including suction devices operable to engage a surface of said sheet and move said sheet in a second direction while said sheet is being conveyed by said first conveying means, said second direction being at an acute angle to said first direction, side guide means positioned adjacent said first conveying means to engage the side edge of said sheet and align said sheet with a preselected side register, and said second conveying means operable to move said sheet toward said side guide means.

2. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 which includes, a third conveying means arranged parallel to said first conveying means, stop means extending from said third conveying means to engage the front edge of said sheet, said third conveying Means arranged to move at a velocity slower than the velocity of said first conveying means so that said sheet front edge portion remains in abutting relation with said stop means as said sheet is conveyed in said first direction.

3. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 2 in which, said suction devices are operable to be disengaged from said sheet prior to said sheet front edge abutting said stop means on said third conveying means.

4. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 2 in which, said first conveying means includes a plurality of parallel tapes operable to frictionally engage a surface of said sheet and convey said sheet at a preselected velocity, said side guide means including an endless side guide band positioned along the side of the outermost tape, means to drive said side guide band at a speed to propel said sheet side edge at substantially the same velocity as said third conveying means.

5. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which, said first conveying means includes a plurality of endless tapes arranged in parallel relation to each other and reeved about spaced pulleys, said tapes arranged to frictionally engage a surface of said sheet and convey said sheet in said first direction at a preselected velocity.

6. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which, said suction devices operable to engage the same surface of said sheet as said parallel endless tapes.

7. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which, said suction devices engage a surface of said sheet and accelerate said sheet to about the velocity of said first conveying means.

8. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which, said first conveying means includes a plurality of parallel tapes arranged to frictionally engage a first surface of said sheet and convey said sheet, and said side guide means including other conveying means to engage the opposite surface of said sheet and urge said sheet into side register position.

9. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 8 in which, said other conveying means includes a brush member rotatably positioned above said sheet for engaging said sheet and urging said sheet into side register position.

10. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which, said second conveying means includes a plurality of guides positioned in parallel relation to each other and angularly to said first conveying means, and said suction devices positioned in said guides and operable to reciprocate therein to engage and convey said sheets in said second direction.

11. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 10 in which said suction devices include suction members movable toward and away from the surface of said sheet, and means to retract said members while said suction devices are moving in a direction opposite to said second direction.

12. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 10 in which, said suction devices include a first pair of suction members and a second pair of suction devices, said first pair of suction devices connected to a first rack member, said second pair of suction devices connected to a second rack member, drive means to reciprocate said first and second rack members so that one of said pair is moving in said second direction while said other pair is moving in a direction opposite to said second direction.

13. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 which includes, means to move said second conveying means and said side guide means laterally relative to said first conveying means to thereby provide side register for sheets of different widths.

14. A sheet side register mechanism as set forth in claim 1 which includes, third conveying means associated with a sheet feeder positioned adjacent the feed end of said side regisTer mechanism, said third conveying means operable to convey said sheets at a second velocity substantially less than the velocity of said first conveying means, and said second conveying means operable to engage and accelerate said sheet from said second velocity to substantially the velocity of said first conveying means.

15. A method for feeding sheets in side register to a press comprising, supporting a sheet on a first conveying means arranged to convey said sheet in a first direction at a preselected velocity, engaging the under surface of said sheet by suction devices of a second conveying means and accelerating said sheet to said preselected velocity, moving said sheet in a second direction toward a side guide mechanism by said suction devices while accelerating said sheet to said preselected velocity, moving said sheet side edge into abutting relation with said side guide mechanism while said sheet is being conveyed in said first direction to thereby side register said sheet, moving said sheet front end portion into abutting relation with abutment members moving in said first direction at a velocity less than said preselected velocity, and feeding said sheet onto a cylinder of a press while maintaining side register.

16. A method for feeding sheets in side register to a press as set forth in claim 15 which includes, supporting said sheet on a third conveying means and conveying said sheet toward said first conveying means at a velocity substantially lower than said preselected velocity, and thereafter transferring said sheet from said third conveying means to said first conveying means.

17. A method for feeding sheets in side register to a press as set forth in claim 15 which includes moving the upper surface of said sheet with a fourth conveying means adjacent said sheet side edge and urging said sheet side edge into abutting relation with said side guide mechanism.

18. A method for feeding sheets in side register to a press as set forth in claim 15 which includes, moving said side guide mechanism in said first direction at substantially said preselected velocity.