US3664220A

US3664220A - Sheet working machine and feed control apparatus therefor

Info

Publication number: US3664220A
Application number: US15691A
Authority: US
Inventors: Boyd C Blair
Original assignee: Brackett Stripping Machine Co Inc
Current assignee: BRACO Inc A CORP OF KS; Brackett Inc
Priority date: 1970-03-02
Filing date: 1970-03-02
Publication date: 1972-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 1989-05-23

Abstract

A high speed sheet working machine and a feed control apparatus therefor which is operative to precisely control the amount of material to be cut from a strip, fed from a roll, to form sheets with edges thereof in precise registry, as if stacked and trimmed all at one time. The feed control apparatus holds the strip in firm engagement with a feed roller which is rotatably mounted on a drive shaft engaged by an overrunning clutch to permit only feeding rotation of the feed roller, whereby the strip is intermittently advanced by the feed roller. Brake shoes engage discs on the feed roller for stopping same after a selected feeding advancement of the strip to avoid overruns and underruns of the selected feeding advancement.

Description

O United States Patent 1151 3,64,220

Blair 5] 23, 1972 541 SHEET WORKING MACHINE AND 2,825,403 3/1958 Davidson et a1. ..83/245 x FEED CQNTRQL APPARATUS 2,721,612 10/1965 Almgren ..83/236 X TPEREFOR FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [721 'lnvenmrl 0 Blair T0Peka, Kans- 1,020,994 2/1966 Great Britain ..s3/245 [73] Assignee: Brackett Stripping Machine (30., Inc.,

Topeka, Kans Pnmary Exammer-Andrew R. Juhasz Attorney-Fishburn, Gold & Litman [22] Filed: Mar. 2, 1970 21 AppL NO.Z 15,691 [571 ABSWCT v A high speed sheet working machine and a feed control ap- [52] U 8 CI 83/214 83/245 paratus therefor which is operative to precisely control the 83/2'64 83/273 226/137 5 amount of material to be cut from a strip, fed from a roll, to [5 I 1 1m Cl B2621 5/20 B65h 17/10 form sheets with edges thereof in precise registry, as if stacked 58] Field i 214 5 245 257 and trimmed all at one time. The feed control apparatus holds 5 the strip in firm engagement with a feed roller which is rotatably mounted on a drive shaft engaged by an overrunning clutch to permit only feeding rotation of the feed roller, [56] References cued whereby the strip is intermittently advanced by the feed roller. UNITED STATES PATENTS Brake shoes engage discs on the feed roller for stopping same after a selected feeding advancement of the strip to avoid 2,564,434 8/ 195 l Holt ..83/245 X overruns and undernms ofthe Selected feeding advancemem 2,839,138 6/1958 W1lhelm ..83/264 2,710,565 6/1955 Schroeder ..83/236 X l 1 Claims, 6 Drawing figures PATENTEDHAY 23 I972 SHEET 1 OF 2 v INVENTOR.

Boyd C. Blair ATTORNEYS SHEET WORKING MACHINE AND FEED CONTROL APPARATUS THEREFOR The present invention relates to sheet working machines and more particularly to a feed control apparatus which is operative to precisely control the amount of material to be cut from a strip to form sheets with edges thereof in precise registry.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide a high speed sheet working machine operative to perform sheet working operations, such as punching, shearing and the like wherein the machine has a feed control apparatus which is operative to precisely control the amount of material fed into a sheet working portion of the machine within which the material is to be cut to form sheets having edges thereof in precise registry, as if stacked and trimmed all at one time; to provide such a sheet working machine and a feed control apparatus therefor having novel driving and braking means for driving and stopping a drive roller after a strip has been advanced the desired length to thereby avoid overruns and underruns of the selected length to be fed into the sheet working machine; to provide such a feed control apparatus having novel adjusting means for adjusting the selected length of strip advancement into the sheet working portion of the machine; to provide such a feed control apparatus having cooling means associated with the braking means to maintain same at a sub stantially constant temperature to prevent overheating of the braking means, thereby maintaining a substantially constant braking action and avoiding overruns and underruns resulting from changes in braking action; to provide such a feed control apparatus having an unrestricted intermittent feeding action which supplies a precise selected length of a strip to be cut off wherein a plurality of such cut of? portions of the strip will stack with the edges thereof in precise registry; and to provide such a sheet working machine and feed control apparatus therefor which is economical to manufacture, easily and precisely adjustable, positive and direct in operation and particularly well suited for the proposed use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings, wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one side of a sheet working machine and a sheet feed control apparatus therefor embodying features of the present invention with portions broken away to better illustrate the component parts.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the other side of the sheet working machine with portions broken away to better illustrate the component parts.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the sheet working machine showing the strip feed control apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the sheet working machine taken on line 4-4, FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of an adjustment device for adjusting the length of strip fed into the sheet working machine.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 66, FIG. 3.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 generally designates a high speed sheet working machine which performs operations, such as punching, shearing, slitting, creasing, and the like. The sheet working machine 1 has a strip feed control apparatus 2 mounted thereon for accurately controlling the amount of a strip 3 fed into the sheet working machine 1 for processing therein. The strip 3 is mounted on a roll 4 spaced from the machine 1. The feed control apparatus 2 is operative to precisely control the amount of the strip 3 which is intermittently fed into the machine 1, wherein, when the strip 3 is cut into sheets, their edges will be alignable in precise registry, as if stacked and trimmed all at one time.

A strip delivering structure 5 is spaced from the sheet Working machine 1 and is adapted to feed the strip 3 thereto at a substantially constant speed which is coordinated with the operation of the strip feed control apparatus 2 and the sheet working operations in the sheet working machine 1. In the illustrated structure, the strip delivering structure 5 includes a frame 6 having a suitable drive motor 7 mounted thereon for suitably driving a rotatably mounted shaft 8 having the roll 4 thereon, as by means of sheaves and belts or chains and sprockets.

It is important that the feed control apparatus 2 not be required to overcome tension in the strip 3 or any other resistance to intermittent movement of the strip 3 into the sheet working machine 1. Therefore, the strip delivering structure 5 is operated in coordination with the feed control apparatus 2 thereby providing sufficient slack in the strip 3 whereby the strip is not placed in tension during the intermittent feeding thereof into the sheet working machine 1.

The strip 3 is unsupported between the roll 4 and the feed control apparatus 2 whereby the strip 3 is free to assume a curvilinear path therebetween and the curvilinear path has a length sufficiently greater than the straight line distance therebetween so that the intermittent feeding of the strip 3 does not take up the entire slack in the strip.

The sheet working machine 1 is mounted on a frame 9 having a base member 10 and a pair of transversely spaced upright walls 11 and 12 suitably secured thereto, as by welding, and extending upwardly from the base member 10. Suitable bracing members 13, such as beams, channels, angles, pipes and the like, extend between and are suitably secured to the walls 11 and 12 preferably adjacent their upper ends and at intermediate points above the base member 10 to form a substantially rigid structure to support the feed control apparatus 2 and other sheet working apparatus, as later described, mounted on the machine 1, such as for punching and shearing a portion of the strip 3 fed into the sheet working machine 1.

Suitable power means, such as a drive motor 14, is operatively connected to the feed control apparatus 2 to drive same to intermittently feed a selected amount of the strip 3 into the machine 1. In the illustrated structure, the drive motor 14 is mounted on one of the upright walls, for example wall 12, and rotates a motor driven shaft 15 extending therefrom with a portion of the shaft 15 extending beyond the upright wall 12. An elongate main shaft 16 has opposite end portions thereof rotatably mounted in the walls 11 and 12, as in suitable bearings (not shown), and a large pulley 17 is mounted on the end portion of the main shaft 16 which extends beyond the upright wall 12. Suitable power transmission means, such as a belt 18, extends between a pulley mounted on the motor driven shaft 15 and the large pulley 17 to rotate same. The main shaft 16 is rotated and the feed control apparatus 2 is operated in response to activating suitable clutch means, such as an air clutch 19 having the operating elements thereof engageable with the pulley 17 and the main shaft to transfer the rotation of the pulley 17 to the main shaft 16.

The feed control apparatus 2 is driven by rotation of the main shaft 16 wherein a reciprocable member, such as a rod 20 is operatively connected to the other end portion of the main shaft 16 adjacent the other wall 11, as later described, in a manner whereby the rod 20 is reciprocated in response to rotation of the main shaft 16. The rod 20 is an elongate member having a rack gear 21 formed on an end portion thereof. The rack gear 21 engages a spur gear (not shown) fixedly mounted on a drive shaft 23 forthe feed control apparatus 2. The drive shaft 23 extends transversely to the rod 20 whereby each rotation of the main shaft 16 is operative to rotate the spur gear and the drive shaft 23 a predetermined amount in one direction and then rotate same a like amount in the opposite direction to return the spur gear and the drive shaft 23 to their original position.

In the illustrated structure, the drive shaft 23 is rotatably supported on

suitable brackets

24 and 25 which extend outwardly from the frame walls 11 and 12 respectively and have suitable bearings 26 mounted thereon for rotatably receiving and supporting the drive shaft 23 adjacent opposite ends thereof.

A feed roller 28 is rotatably mounted on the drive shaft 23 and is positioned substantially transversely to the path of the strip 3 from the roll 4. It is necessary that the feed roller 28 rotate in a feeding direction only, therefore suitable clutch means, such as an overruning clutch 29, is mounted on the drive shaft 23 and operatively connected through its elements to the drive shaft 23 and to the feed roller 28 so as to drive the shaft 23 and roller 28 in one direction for feeding the strip 3 and rotation of the drive shaft 23 in the opposite direction leaves the feed roller 28 stationary, thereby permitting only forward or feeding rotation of the feed roller 28 for advancing a precise selected length of the strip 3 into the sheet working machine 1.

It is necessary to hold the strip 3 in firm engagement with the feed roller 28 during the feeding rotation thereof for advancing the strip 3 a selected distance, therefore adjustable holding

arms

30 and 31 are mounted to bear against the strip 3 and hold same in firm engagement with the feed roller 28. In the illustrated structure, an alongate shaft 32 is positioned above the reed roller 28 and has one end of each of the

holding arms

30 and 31 pivotally mounted thereon. Opposite ends of the shaft 32 are supported in

suitable brackets

33 and 34 extending outwardly from the frame walls 11 and 12 respectively and positioned above the

brackets

24 and 25.

It is preferred that the strip 3 be smoothly fed into engagement with the feed roller 28, therefore an apron 35 is positioned to guide the strip 3 onto the feed roller 28. In the illustrated structure,

arms

36 and 37 extend outwardly from the

brackets

24 and 25 respectively for supporting an outer edge of the apron 35. A guide bar or rod 38 is spaced from the outer edge of the apron 35 and has opposite ends thereof adjustably supported on the free ends of the

arms

36 and 37. A plurality of spaced planar guide plates 39 are pivotally mounted on the guide bar or rod 38 and positioned to engage the strip 3 and hold same in engagement with the apron 35 thereby guiding the strip 3 into engagement with the feed roller 28.

The apron 35 is illustrated as a planar member having the outer edge mounted on a brace or support member 40 extending between and suitably secured to the

arms

36 and 37. The inner edge of the apron 35 is adjacent the feed roller 28 and is mounted on a similar brace or support member (not shown) also extending between the

arms

36 and 37 adjacent the fixed ends thereof.

It is desirable to provide means for adjusting the stroke or length of travel of the reciprocable rod to thereby control the amount of rotation of the drive shaft 23 and feed roller 28 to thereby control the selected distance for advancing or feeding the strip 3 into the sheet working portion of the machine 1 for processing same therein. In the illustrated structure, the operative driving connection between the rotatable power or main shaft 16 and the drive shaft 23 includes the reciprocable rod 20 which has a connecting portion 42 and an end or gear portion having the rack gear 21 thereon. One end of the connecting portion 42 is rotatably mounted on an adjustment housing 43 which is mounted on the rotatable main shaft 16 for rotation therewith. Rotation of the main shaft 16 rotates the adjustment housing 43 therewith to move the end or gear portion having the rack gear 21 thereon longitudinally within a gear housing 44 supported on the drive shaft 23 by suitable bearings (not shown) and having suitable guides therein for maintaining the rack gear 21 in a longitudinal path which is tangent with the spur gear to effect interengagement between the rack gear 21 and the spur gear on the drive shaft 23.

The adjustment housing 43 is adapted to selectively adjust the forward advancement distance of the strip 3 into the sheet working machine 1 by adjusting the length of the reciprocating stroke of the rack gear 21. In the illustrated structure, the adjustment housing 43 has a slide member 45 movably mounted therein. The slide member 45 is positioned to be moved transversely to the-rotatable main shaft 16 and has an arm 46 extending therefrom, with the arm 46 being substantially parallel with the rotatable main shaft 16 and spaced therefrom. The one end of the connecting portion 42 of the reciprocable rod 20 is rotatably mounted on the arm 46.

Adjusting the transverse or lateral spacing between the arm 46 and the rotatable main shaft 16 varies the length of the reciprocable stroke of the rack gear 21, thereby controlling the amount of the strip 3 moved into the sheet working machine 1 by the feed roller 28. In the illustrated structure, a screw shaft 47 is operatively engaged with the slide member 45 and is turned by a knob 48 to move the slide member 45 within the adjustment housing 43 for selectively adjusting the spacing between the arm 46 and the main shaft 16, thereby shortening or lengthening the forward advancement distance of the strip 3. A pointer 49 is mounted on the slide member 45 and is movable along a scale 50 mounted on the adjustment housing 43 to thereby visually display the amount of the forward advancement distance for strip 3 into the sheet working machine 1.

In precisesheet working operations, particularly high speed operations, it is necessary that only a precise length or selected amount of the strip 3 be fed into the sheet working machine 1 for processing therein therefore, a plurality of spaced annular discs 51 are mounted on the feed roller 28 and a brake shoe 52 is positioned to frictionally engage at least each of the end discs 51. It is essential that overruns and underruns of the selected advancement distance of the strip 3 into the sheet working machine 1 be avoided, therefore, the brake shoes 52 are each adjustable to control the frictional resistance applied to the respective discs 51, thereby providing braking means associated with the feed roller 28 for stopping same after the selected forward advancement of the strip 3.

In the illustrated structure, a bracket 53 extends outwardly from the frame wall 12 for supporting a brake housing 54 having the shoes 52 adjustably mounted therein. Adjustment screws 55 are mounted in the brake housing 54 for engagement with each of the brake shoes 52 to move each brake shoe 52 toward or away from the respective disc 51 controlled thereby whereby the braking frictional resistance between the shoes and the discs may be selectively controlled.

It has been found that friction between the brake shoes and the discs 51 creates heat and that the heat effects variations in the braking action of the brake shoes 52, thereby permitting underruns or overruns of the strip 3 into the sheet working machine 1. Therefore, it is desirable to maintain the discs 51 and the brake shoes 52 at a substantially constant temperature to maintain a substantially constant braking action relative to the feed roller 28. In the illustrated structure, an air blower 56 is mounted on the bracket 53 and the air blower 56 is positioned to direct air streams around the annular discs 51 and the brake shoes 52 to cool same and dissipate the heat developed by the braking action. The air streams from the air blower 56 are directed substantially transverse to the drive shaft 23 and feed roller 28.

The sheet working operations on the portion of the strip 3 which has been fed into the sheet working machine are effected in response to rotation of the main shaft 16. Eccentrics or cams are mounted on the main shaft 16 and a band or housing 57 is carried on and encloses each of the eccentrics or cams. A pitman rod 58 has one end pivotally connected to each housing 57 and the other connected to a suitable housing 59 mounted on a movable work or tool head 60 which has opposite ends guided within suitable guides mounted on the walls 11 and 12 for vertical reciprocation in response to rotation of the main shaft 16.

The tool head 60 is positioned above a stationary lower bed plate and tool holder 61 which has opposite ends suitably secured to the walls 11 and 12. The upper tool head 60 and the lower tool holder 61 have cooperating punches and dies 62 and 63 respectively mounted thereon and positioned for movement of the strip 3 therebetween whereby vertical reciprocation of the upper tool head 60 effects punching of the strip 3 in response to rotation of the main shaft 16.

An upper knife blade 64 is adjustably mounted on a lower surface of the upper tool head 60 and a lower knife blade 65 is fixedly mounted on an upper surface of the lower bed plate and tool holder 61. The

knife blades

64 and 65 extend transversely to the path of the strip 3 through the machine 1 and are positioned in vertical alignment and overlap each other along their full length whereby the cutting and punching operations are substantially simultaneously performed.

In the operation of the feed control apparatus 2 for accurate intermittent high speed feeding of the strip 3 into the sheet working machine 1, it is important that the strip delivering structure 5 be spaced from the feed roller 28 and that the strip 3 be unsupported between the strip delivering structure 5 and the feed roller 28. The drive motor 7 operates at a substantially constant speed to deliver the strip 3 to the guide bar 38 and the apron 35, whereby the strip 3 is free to assume a curvilinear path of a length substantially greater than the straight line distance or spacing between the strip delivery structure 5 and the guide bar 38 adjacent the outer edge of the apron 35. Operation of the drive motor 14 and the drive motor 7 is suitably coordinated whereby the feed roller 28 intermittently feeds the strip 3 into the sheet working machine 1, but does not take up the slack in the strip 3 which would straighten the curvilinear path and thereby place the strip 3 in tension during the feeding thereof. The position of the slide member 45 is adjusted within the adjustment housing 43 for selectively adjusting the forward advancement distance of the strip 3 and each of the selected forward advancement distances of the strip 3 is always less than the difference between the length of the curvilinear path and the straight line distance or spacing between the strip feed means 5 and the guide bar 38 adjacent the outer edge of the apron 35. It is particularly noted that the feed roller 28 does not advance the strip 3 far enough to pull the strip 3 into astraight line so as to place the strip 3 in tension, because tension in the strip 3 would result in an underrun or a lesser amount of the strip 3 being moved into the sheet working machine 1 than desired. The guide bar 38, guide plates 39, apron 35 and holding

arms

30 and 31 cooperate to guide the strip 3 into firm engagement with the feed roller 28. The drive motor 14 of the sheet working machine 1 and the feed control apparatus 2 rotates the main shaft 16 thereby moving the reciprocable rod 20 through its reciprocating stroke to rotate the drive shaft 23 whereby the overruning clutch 29 and the brake shoes 52 and discs 51 cooperate to insure that only a selected amount of the strip 3 is moved into the sheet working machine 1. The punches and dies 62 and 63 and the cutting blades or

knives

64 and 65 are operated in response to rotation of the main shaft 16 for performing desired sheet working operations on the portion of the strip 3 advanced into the sheet working machine 1. The brake shoes 52 are adjusted to provide the desired frictional engagement with the respective annular discs 51 to maintain a substantially constant braking action to stop the feed roller 28 after the precise selected forward advancement of the strip 3 into the sheet working machine 1. It is preferable that the least amount of frictional engagement for positive stopping of the feed roller 28 be used because heat builds up rapidly with tight brake shoes and the air blower 56 will be taxed to cool the brakes sufficiently to prevent overruning.

The drive shaft 23 and the feed roller 28 thereon are rotated in a feeding direction in response to rotation of the main shaft 16. The brake shoes 52 and discs 51 cooperate to stop and hold the feed roller 28 at the end of the feeding rotation thereof and the clutch 29 permits the drive shaft 23 to rotate in a reverse direction. After the feed roller 28 has stopped, the punches and dies 62 and 63 are operated to punch that portion of the strip 3 fed into the machine 1 by the prior rotation of the feed roller 28. The punches are withdrawn and the feed roller 28 is again rotated to move that portion of the strip 3 which was previously punched to a position beyond the cutting blades or

knives

64 and 65 thereby moving an adjacent portion of the strip 3 between the punches and dies 62 and 63. After the feed roller 28 has stopped, the cutting blades or

knives

64 and 65 are operated to cut ofl the previously punched portion of the strip 3 and simultaneously the punches and dies 62 and 63 are operated to punch that portion of the strip 3 therebetween.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A sheet working machine comprising:

a. a frame having a main shaft rotatably mounted thereon;

b. drive means operatively connected to said main shaft for rotating same at a substantially constant speed;

c. means operatively connected to said main shaft for intermittently feeding a portion of a strip into a sheet working machine, each of said portions of the strip having a precise selected length, said intermittent feeding means including a drive shaft having a feed roller rotatably mounted thereon, a reciprocable shaft movable transversely to said drive shaft in response to rotation of said main shaft, interengaging gear means on said drive shaft and on said reciprocable shaft for successively rotating said drive shaft a selected distance in a feeding direction and rotating same a like distance in a reverse direction, said feeding and reverse rotation being high speed, means operatively engaging said drive shaft and said feed roller for effecting only feeding rotation of said feed roller;

d. means adjacent said feed roller for holding the strip in firm engagement with said feed roller;

e. brake means operatively connected to said feed roller for stopping same after the selected feeding rotation of said feed roller and the feeding of the portion of the strip engaging same whereby each of the portions of the strip has a precise selected length; said brake means including, a plurality of spaced annular discs connected to said feed roller; and a brake shoe for each of said discs, said brake shoes being positioned to frictionally engage said respective discs, each of said brake shoes being adjustable to a selected frictional resistance to be applied to said respective disc;

f. means operatively connected to said main shaft for punching a plurality of holes in the portion of the strip fed into the sheet working machine;

g. means operatively connected to said main shaft for cutting the portion from the strip after said portion is fed into the sheet working machine and punched therein whereby each portion cut from the strip is of the same size.

2. The sheet working machine as set forth in claim 1 including:

a. means associated with said brake means for maintaining same at a substantially constant temperature whereby the brake means maintains a substantially constant braking action relative to said feed roller.

3. The sheet working machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein:

a. said means for maintaining said brake means at a substantially constant temperature comprises an air blower positioned to direct air streams around said annular discs and brake shoes; and

b. said air streams are substantially transverse to said feed roller.

4. The sheet working machine as set forth in claim 1 including:

a. means associated with said reciprocable shaft for selectively adjusting the feeding advancement distance of the strip by adjusting the distance of feeding and reverse rotation of said drive shaft.

5. The sheet working machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for adjusting the feeding advancement distance of the strip includes:

a. a housing mounted on said main shaft for rotation therewith;

b. a slide member movably mounted within said housing,

said slide member being movable transversely to said main shaft;

d. means on said housing for adjusting the spacing between said arm and said main shaft; and

e. means associated with said reciprocable shaft and said arm for rotatably mounting said reciprocable shaft on said arm of said slide member whereby rotation of said main shaft effects reciprocation of said reciprocable shaft and adjusting the spacing between said arm and said main shaft adjusts the length of the stroke of said reciprocable shaft.

6. A sheet working machine comprising:

. a frame having a main shaft rotatably mounted thereon;

. a drive shaft having a feed roller rotatably mounted for engaging a strip for feeding into a sheet working portion, thereon;

d. a reciprocable shaft operatively connected to said main shaft and movable transversely to said drive shaft in response to rotation of said main shaft;

e. interengaging gear means on said drive shaft and on said reciprocable shaft for successively rotating said drive shaft a selected distance in a feeding direction and rotating same a like distance in a reverse direction, said feeding and reverse rotation being high speed;

an overrunning clutch means operatively connecting said drive shaft and said feed roller for effecting only feeding rotation of said feed roller;

g. brake means operatively connected relative to said feed roller for stopping rotation thereof at the end of each feeding rotation;

h. means cooling said brake means whereby it maintains a substantially constant braking action relative to said feed roller;

i. means adjacent said feed roller for holding a strip in firm engagement with said feed roller whereby a portion of the strip is fed into the sheet working portion of each feeding rotation of said feed roller, each of said sheet portions intermittently fed into the sheet working portion having a selected precise length;

j. means operatively connected to said main shaft for work on the portion of the strip fed into the sheet working machine;

k. means operatively connected to said main shaft for cutting the portion from the strip after said portion is fed into the sheet working machine and worked therein whereby each portion cut from the strip is of the same size.

7. The sheet working machine as set forth in Claim 6 wherein said brake means includes:

a. a plurality of spaced annular discs connected to said feed roller;

b. a brake shoe for each of said discs, said brake shoes being positioned to frictionally engage said respective discs, each of said brake shoes being adjustable to a selected frictional resistance to be applied to said respective disc; and

c. an air blower positioned to direct air streams around said annular discs and brake shoes to maintain same at a substantially constant temperature thereby maintaining a substantially constant breaking action relative to said feed roller.

8. sheet working machine as set forth in Claim 7 wherein:

a. said frictional resistance between said brake shoes and discs is of a magnitude to instantly stop said feed roller at the end of said feeding rotation thereof; and

b. said overrunning clutch has the elements thereof in operative engagement with said feed roller and said drive shaft to instantly overcome said frictional resistance at the start of said feeding rotation of said feed roller.

9. The sheet working machine as set forth in claim 8 includa. means spaced from said feed roller for feeding the strip toward said feed roller at a speed coordinated with the speed of said feeding rotation of said feed roller to maintain slack in the strip after each intermittent feeding of the portion of the strip, said strip being unsupported between said feed roller and said means for feeding the strip toward the feed roller; and

b. means adjacent said feed roller for receiving the strip and guiding same into engagement with said feed roller and with said means for holding the strip in firm engagement with said feed roller.

10. A sheet working machine comprising:

a. a frame having a main shaft rotatably mounted thereon;

c. means including a drive shaft operatively connected to said main shaft for intermittently feeding a portion of a strip into a sheet working machine, each of said portions of the strip having a precise selected length;

d. said drive shaft having a feed roller rotatably mounted thereon;

e. means operatively engaging said drive shaft and said feed roller for efiecting only feeding rotation of said feed roller;

f. means adjacent said feed roller for holding the strip in firm engagement with said feed roller;

g. brake means operatively connected to said feed roller for stopping same after the selected feeding rotation of said feed roller and the feeding of the portion of the strip engaging same whereby each of the portions of the strip has a precise selected length, said brake means including, a plurality of spaced annular discs connected to said feed roller, and a brake shoe for each of said discs, said brake shoes being positioned to frictionally engage said respective discs, each of said brake shoes being adjustable to a selected frictional resistance to be applied to said respective disc;

h. means operatively connected to said main shaft for punching a plurality of holes in the portion of the strip fed into the sheet working machine;

i. means operatively connected to said main shaft for cutting the portion from the strip after said portion is fed into the sheet working machine and punched therein whereby each portion cut from the strip is of the same size.

1 l. A sheet working machine as set forth in claim 10 including:

a. means for cooling said brake means to maintain a substantially constant operating temperature whereby the brake means maintains a substantially constant braking action relative to said feed roller.

Claims

1. A sheet working machine comprising: a. a frame having a main shaft rotatably mounted thereon; b. drive means operatively connected to said main shaft for rotating same at a substantially constant speed; c. means operatively connected to said main shaft for intermittently feeding a portion of a strip into a sheet working machine, each of said portions of the strip having a precise selected length, said intermittent feeding means including a drive shaft having a feed roller rotatably mounted thereon, a reciprocable shaft movable transversely to said drive shaft in response to rotation of said main shaft, interengaging gear means on said drive shaft and on said reciprocable shaft for successively rotating said drive shaft a selected distance in a feeding direction and rotating same a like distance in a reverse direction, said feeding and reverse rotation being high speed, means operatively engaging said drive shaft and said feed roller for effecting Only feeding rotation of said feed roller; d. means adjacent said feed roller for holding the strip in firm engagement with said feed roller; e. brake means operatively connected to said feed roller for stopping same after the selected feeding rotation of said feed roller and the feeding of the portion of the strip engaging same whereby each of the portions of the strip has a precise selected length; said brake means including, a plurality of spaced annular discs connected to said feed roller; and a brake shoe for each of said discs, said brake shoes being positioned to frictionally engage said respective discs, each of said brake shoes being adjustable to a selected frictional resistance to be applied to said respective disc; f. means operatively connected to said main shaft for punching a plurality of holes in the portion of the strip fed into the sheet working machine; g. means operatively connected to said main shaft for cutting the portion from the strip after said portion is fed into the sheet working machine and punched therein whereby each portion cut from the strip is of the same size.

2. The sheet working machine as set forth in claim 1 including: a. means associated with said brake means for maintaining same at a substantially constant temperature whereby the brake means maintains a substantially constant braking action relative to said feed roller.

3. The sheet working machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein: a. said means for maintaining said brake means at a substantially constant temperature comprises an air blower positioned to direct air streams around said annular discs and brake shoes; and b. said air streams are substantially transverse to said feed roller.

4. The sheet working machine as set forth in claim 1 including: a. means associated with said reciprocable shaft for selectively adjusting the feeding advancement distance of the strip by adjusting the distance of feeding and reverse rotation of said drive shaft.

5. The sheet working machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for adjusting the feeding advancement distance of the strip includes: a. a housing mounted on said main shaft for rotation therewith; b. a slide member movably mounted within said housing, said slide member being movable transversely to said main shaft; c. an arm extending from said slide member, said arm being substantially parallel with said main shaft and laterally spaced therefrom; d. means on said housing for adjusting the spacing between said arm and said main shaft; and e. means associated with said reciprocable shaft and said arm for rotatably mounting said reciprocable shaft on said arm of said slide member whereby rotation of said main shaft effects reciprocation of said reciprocable shaft and adjusting the spacing between said arm and said main shaft adjusts the length of the stroke of said reciprocable shaft.

6. A sheet working machine comprising: a. a frame having a main shaft rotatably mounted thereon; b. drive means operatively connected to said main shaft for rotating same at a substantially constant speed; c. a drive shaft having a feed roller rotatably mounted for engaging a strip for feeding into a sheet working portion, thereon; d. a reciprocable shaft operatively connected to said main shaft and movable transversely to said drive shaft in response to rotation of said main shaft; e. interengaging gear means on said drive shaft and on said reciprocable shaft for successively rotating said drive shaft a selected distance in a feeding direction and rotating same a like distance in a reverse direction, said feeding and reverse rotation being high speed; f. an overrunning clutch means operatively connecting said drive shaft and said feed roller for effecting only feeding rotation of said feed roller; g. brake means operatively connected relative to said feed roller for stopping rotation thereof at the end of each feeding rotation; h. means cooling said brake means whereby it maintains a substantially constant braking action relative to said feed roller; i. means adjacent said feed roller for holding a strip in firm engagement with said feed roller whereby a portion of the strip is fed into the sheet working portion of each feeding rotation of said feed roller, each of said sheet portions intermittently fed into the sheet working portion having a selected precise length; j. means operatively connected to said main shaft for work on the portion of the strip fed into the sheet working machine; k. means operatively connected to said main shaft for cutting the portion from the strip after said portion is fed into the sheet working machine and worked therein whereby each portion cut from the strip is of the same size.

7. The sheet working machine as set forth in Claim 6 wherein said brake means includes: a. a plurality of spaced annular discs connected to said feed roller; b. a brake shoe for each of said discs, said brake shoes being positioned to frictionally engage said respective discs, each of said brake shoes being adjustable to a selected frictional resistance to be applied to said respective disc; and c. an air blower positioned to direct air streams around said annular discs and brake shoes to maintain same at a substantially constant temperature thereby maintaining a substantially constant breaking action relative to said feed roller.

8. sheet working machine as set forth in Claim 7 wherein: a. said frictional resistance between said brake shoes and discs is of a magnitude to instantly stop said feed roller at the end of said feeding rotation thereof; and b. said overrunning clutch has the elements thereof in operative engagement with said feed roller and said drive shaft to instantly overcome said frictional resistance at the start of said feeding rotation of said feed roller.

9. The sheet working machine as set forth in claim 8 including: a. means spaced from said feed roller for feeding the strip toward said feed roller at a speed coordinated with the speed of said feeding rotation of said feed roller to maintain slack in the strip after each intermittent feeding of the portion of the strip, said strip being unsupported between said feed roller and said means for feeding the strip toward the feed roller; and b. means adjacent said feed roller for receiving the strip and guiding same into engagement with said feed roller and with said means for holding the strip in firm engagement with said feed roller.

10. A sheet working machine comprising: a. a frame having a main shaft rotatably mounted thereon; b. drive means operatively connected to said main shaft for rotating same at a substantially constant speed; c. means including a drive shaft operatively connected to said main shaft for intermittently feeding a portion of a strip into a sheet working machine, each of said portions of the strip having a precise selected length; d. said drive shaft having a feed roller rotatably mounted thereon; e. means operatively engaging said drive shaft and said feed roller for effecting only feeding rotation of said feed roller; f. means adjacent said feed roller for holding the strip in firm engagement with said feed roller; g. brake means operatively connected to said feed roller for stopping same after the selected feeding rotation of said feed roller and the feeding of the portion of the strip engaging same whereby each of the portions of the strip has a precise selected length, said brake means including, a plurality of spaced annular discs connected to said feed roller, and a brake shoe for each of said discs, said brake shoes being positioned to frictionally engage said respective discs, each of said brake shoes being adjustable to a selected frictional resistance to be applied to said respective disc; h. means operatively connected to said main shaft for punching a plurality of holes in the portion of the strip fed into the sheet working machine; i. means operatively connected to said main shaft for cutting the portion from the strip after said portion is fed into the sheet working machine and punched therein whereby each portion cut from the strip is of the same size.

11. A sheet working machine as set forth in claim 10 including: a. means for cooling said brake means to maintain a substantially constant operating temperature whereby the brake means maintains a substantially constant braking action relative to said feed roller.