US3685819A

US3685819A - Sheet distributing device

Info

Publication number: US3685819A
Application number: US125384A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fritz A Deutsch
Original assignee: Multigraphics Inc
Current assignee: AB Dick Co
Priority date: 1971-03-17
Filing date: 1971-03-17
Publication date: 1972-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-22

Abstract

A device for distributing sheets of paper and the like including sheet conveying means and a movable deflector to direct the sheets from the conveying means into a receiving device. Drive means are also provided to move the conveying means and the deflector to convey the sheets to the receiving device. Counting means for controlling the count going to each pocket of a multiple pocket receiving device.

Description

United States Patent Deutsch 1541 SHEET DISTRIBUTING DEVICE [72] Inventor: Fritz A. Deutsch, Euclid, Ohio [73] Assignee: Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio [22] Filed: March 17, 1971 [21] App1.No.: 125,384

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 779,522, Nov. 27,

1968, abandoned.

52] us. Cl ..270/58, 271/64 [51 Int. Cl. ..B65h 39/02 [58] Field of Search ..270/58; 271/64 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,273,882 9/1966 Pearson ..270/58 2,823,031 2/1958 Rives ..271/64 2,076,391 4/1937 Whitehead ..271/64 1451' Aug. 22, 1972 2,241,168 5/1941 Truitt et a1 ..271/64 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell I Assistant ExaminerL. R. Oremland Attorney-Russell L. Root and Ray S. Pyle ABSTRACT A device for distributing sheets of paper and the like including sheet conveying means and a movable deflector to direct the sheets from the conveying meansinto a receiving device. Drive means are also provided to move the conveying means and the deflector to convey the sheets to the receiving device. Counting meansv for controlling the count going to each pocket of a multiple pocket receiving device.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SHEET DISTRIBUTING DEVICE RELATED PATENTS This application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 779,522 filed Nov. 27, 1968, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally as indicated .to a sheet distributing device and more particularly to such a device in which a single deflector is provided to direct I sheets of paper or the-like from a conveyor into a selected pocket of a receptacle. The deflector, if it is movable into a position that does not deflect, is referred toas a gate, and may be said to be open or closed according to its position.

Collating and distributing devices are widely used in conjunction with duplicating machines to receive copies from the machine and to distribute the selected number of copies to the designated pocket of a receiving device. Such collating and distributing devices include a transport system to more the copies from the duplicator to the receiving device with means to direct the copies to the selected pockets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Three schemes of distribution are generally known and used in such devices: (1) the receiving device is stationary and the transport means is movable relative to the pockets of the receiving device, (2) the transport system is stationary and the receiving device is movable to align the pockets thereof with the transport system, and (3) both the transport system and the receiving device are stationary and the copies are directed toward the selected pocket by means of gates which are provided adjacent each pocket of the receiving device.

Collating and distributing devices of the third scheme utilize a plurality of gates, one gate being assigned to each individual pocket of the receiving device. By engaging a gate into its active position, copies are deflected into the pocket with which the gate is aligned and that pocket continues to receive copies as long as the gate is activated. Due to the provision of a plurality of such gates, such a machine is expensive.

A main object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple form of sheet distributing device utilizing a sheet deflector means which can be moved into different station positions to divert sheets into selected paths.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a sheet device in which the number of copies conveyed to a selected pocket of a receiving device can be readily and easily controlled.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be understood by those skilled in the art after reading of the following more detailed description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating generally the FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, partially cutaway view on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a section view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now particularly to FIG. :1 of the drawings, the sheet distributing-device, designated generally by the numeral 10, includes a frame 11 within which a belt conveyor 12 is positioned. The conveyor rotates about taken a plurality of rollers 13 positioned at the comers of the I frame and rollers 14 and 15 which are positioned within a movable carriage 16. The conveyor thus forms a rectangular pattern about a receiving device 17 to which the sheets of paper or the like are conveyed through opening 18 between carriage rollers 14 and 15. A movable gate 19 is positioned within carriage 16. A chute 20 represents any feeding source, such as the output of a lithograph printing machine. By rotating the gate 19 to a horizontal position, the sheets which are being carried by conveyor 12 from the chute 20 will not be distributed to the receiving device but will by bypassed to a bypass receptacle 21.

A drive motor 25 is connected to one of the rollers 13 to drive the conveyor. A belt 26 is provided adjacent the bottom of the receiving device, which moves at a side of receiving device 17, and is moved along such rails on guide rollers 31.

Auxiliary rollers

32 and 33 are also provided adjacent rollers l4'and15 respectively. The belt conveyor 12 is endless. The belt makes a return loop over each roller 14 and 15 under the

rollers

32 and 33. The

rollers

32 and 33 provide a positive holding action for paper sheets at these positions. A handle 34 is connected-to gate 19 whereby the gate may be rotated into the inclined position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 or into a horizontal position, as explained above. a

carriage with the belt conveyor (shown most clearlyin FIG. 6), whereby the carriage and the conveyor are advanced together. Such means includes a sprocket 35 mounted on the shaft of roller 15. A bracket 37 extends from the carriage. A sprocket arm 36 is mounted on the bracket 37 by a pin 38.

Carriage 16 also-includes means to interconnect the.

- selected pocket.

v behaving as if they were two separate drive belts, each secured to the carriage at the roller location.

To hold the carriage in a fixed position for deposit of sheets in a selected pocket of device 17, a rail 40 is mounted 'onthe'frame of the distributing device adjacent guide rail 30 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Rail 40 has notches 41 therein spaced along .the length thereof ad- 4 mitted through arm 58 to the ratchet ratchet assembly 49 located at a particular pocket.

To establish a count, the dial at each pocket is rotated away from a zero position by the number of ratchet teeth representing the number of solenoid actuations necessary to return the dial to its iero position.

Each actuation of switch 55 causes the dial to advance negatively by one increment, and hence each sheet fed into the selectedpocket is subtracted'from the number preset on the dial. When the dial'has thus reached the 7 :zero position, the pocket has received .the preset.

jacent the pockets of the receiving device 17. When it is desired to stop the carriage adjacent a particular "pocket of the receiving device, the sprocket arm 36' is pivoted about pin 38 out of engagement with sprocket 35 whereby the lower extremity of the sprocket arm 36 will engage the appropriate notch 41 in rail 40. Then,

the. belt 12 will continue to drive, but the carriage will stop. The belt 12 v will use the rollers 14 and 15 as another set of belt supports and move relative to the carriage. o i Y I In the description of the drawings to this point, there has been described a sheet distributing device comprising, sheet conveying means, gate deflectorv means associated with the conveying means and mounted for movement to a plurality of selected positionsrelative to the conveying means. The deflector means is operable to intercept sheets moving from the chute along the top belt of conveyor 12 and into a pocket in the device l7.'There are numerous possible means for bringing the deflector to a halt adjacent a proper pocket position. One desirable. means is to lock the sprocket35 and to do so by a means which'will hold the sprocket locked and count the number of sheets deposited in a particular pocket, whereafter it releases the carriage and deflector for movement to the next selected pocket. In the development of this invention, there is I provided'a unique manner of stopping the carriage and of counting the number of sheets deflected into a A plurality of dials 44 are mounted on a common shaft 46 to control the number of copies to be distributed to a particular pocket of the receiving device. Onedial is provided for each pocket of the receiving device, but for purposes of brevity in illustration, only two such dials are illustrated herein. Each dial includes a ratchet wheel 48 and a ratchet assembly 49. The ratchet assembly includes a pawl 50 and a ratchet arm 51. The ratchet arm 51 is biased toward the machine frame 11 by tension spring 52. I

A switch 55 is also mounted under gate 19 in the carriage. Switch 55 reacts to each sheetdistributed to a particular pocket of the receiving device. The switch is electrically interconnected by conductor 56 with a first solenoid 57 which is mounted on the carriage. The solenoid has an arm 58 which is positioned to move into power transfer relationship with the various ratchet arms 51 as the carriage advances along the i rails. (See FIG. 4). -Thus, in any given stopped position of the carriage, 3 each sheet engages switch 55, solenoid 57 is actuated and the solenoid stroke is transnumber of copies.

which is adapted, when the dial is in the zero position to engage a normally open switch 61' (Seed-1G. 3)

mounted on the carriage. The switch6l'is electrically interconnected by conductor 62 with a secondsolen'oid 63 (FIGS. 3 and 6) which'is mounted on carriage 16.- The solenoid 63 is pulled by a spring 64 to urge the arm 36-into a locking condition with the rail 40. As aresult, sprocket 35 is released and the carriage is held in a fixedlocation engaged in rail 40 during those periods of time that solenoid 63 is not energized. The solenoid '63 is activated to drive the sprocket 36 out of engagement with rail 40 and into engagement with sprocket 35. Carriage 16 is advanced along the length of'the receiving device with the conveyor whenarm 36 engages sprocket 35. v I

In order to stop the carriage, the actuator of-switch 61 must be released to move to its normally closed con- .dition. In the illustrated embodiment the switch is physically actuatedbetween dials and at the end of a count.

Each of the notches 66 is adjacent a dial 44 which per mits the cam to extend to the lower surface of the rail 65 and hence block switch 61 againstentering the notch 66 when the carriage and the conveyor are moved into registration with such dial position. Accordin'gly, as the carriage and conveyor are advanced frompocket to pocket of thereceiving device, the rail 65 will hold theswitch 61 actuated toa non-energized condition.- The carriage will'continue to advance until a pocket is reached in which the dial has been rotated soas to be in other than the zero position, whereby the' cam 60 of that particular dial will be out of alignment with the notch 66 of rail 65. This permits switch 61 to enter notch 66, thus de-energizing solenoid 63 and lock fails to find an open notch, the carriage will continue to advance. In this manner, the carriage will sustain its advancement along the receiving device will not stop at a pocket in which the dial is in the zero position (which indicates that the particular pocket 'is' not to receive any copies), but will continue to-advance until it reaches a programmed pocket, viz. one in which the dial has been rotated to designate a specific number of copies for that pocket.

After a dial position has been located by the actuator of switch 61, the carriage will remain stationary and sheets will be deflected by the deflector gate 19. Each arm 51 of the sheet will cause the solenoid 5.7 to rotate the dial 44 one unit position. With each unit advance of the dial the cam 60 approaches one unit closer to the zero position where it is at home within the notch 66. Eventually mode contemplated, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention which is, therefore, not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be afforded the full scope of confrontation between the cam 60 and the actuator 5 invel'l ion h reinafter Claimedarm of the switch 61 takes place, when the dial attempts to move from the unit position to the zero position. When that confrontation takes place, the power exerted upon dial 44 through the ratchet system is sufficient to depress the actuator of switch 61 and de-energize the solenoid 63. Then the carriage immediately begins to advance in its search for the next notch not filled by a cam 60. Y

Because the carriage locks to the conveyor during carriage advance, the sheet deposited upon the conveyor during the period of time that the carriage is advancing will maintain a fixed position with respect to the carriage and will not overtake the carriage. Then, when the carriage reaches a stop position, the relative movement of the carriage and conveyor begins and the sheets once again advance to the deflector gate 19.

It will be appreciated that with the gate 19 in the horizontal position, the sheets carried by the conveyor 12 will not contact switch 55, and accordingly the copies that are bypassed will not be counted.

The return movement of the carriage is powered by reversing the motor drive, which may be initiated manually by pressing a carriage return button (not shown) or by the carriage itself actuating a reverse switch upon reaching the end position. Also, if desired, a sensing mechanism can be included which would return the carriage as soon as all of the dials have reached the zero position, which would shorten the carriage return travel time if only a few pockets near the input end are programmed.

Although a single belt conveyor has been described and illustrated, it will be appreciated that other conveying means can be used, such as a plurality of belts spaced laterally from one another.

The sheet distributing device may also function as a collator simply by setting each dial at one. As thus set, the device will feed sequentially one sheet into each pocket.

Whereas the present invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the best I claim:

1. A sheet distributing device comprising:

sheet conveying means for transporting individual sheets in a first path of established length;

a traveling carriage movable substantially along said first path;

sheet-deflector means separate from said sheet conveying means for diverting sheets from said first path into a path divergent from said first path;

said carriage including means for movingsaid sheet deflector means along said first path into a selected station position along said first path to pick sheets off said conveying means and divert them into t e corresponding divergent path; and said sheet de projecting through the line of sheet movement in said first path to deflect conveyed sheets from the first path into a divergent path. v

2. The sheet distributing device of claim 1 in which;

a receiving device having a plurality of pockets therein is positioned in communication with said conveying means, with a pocket at each station position aligned to receive any sheet diverted at said station from said conveyor means; and

means for detecting the number of sheets directed into each pocket of said receiving device.

3. The sheet distributing device of claim 1 in which;

a receiving device having a plurality of pockets therein is positioned in communication with said conveying means, with a pocket at each station position aligned to receive any sheet diverted at said station from said conveyor means;

means for detecting the number of sheets directed into each pocket of said receiving device;

means positioned along said first path for reacting to the means for detecting the number of sheets, and to negate the diverting action of said deflector means; 1

whereby, sheets will thereafter continue in said path beyond said sheet deflector.

ector means, in said station positron, I

Claims

1. A sheet distributing device comprising: sheet conveying means for transporting individual sheets in a first path of established length; a traveling carriage movable substantially along said first path; sheet deflector means separate from said sheet conveying means for diverting sheets from said first path into a path divergent from said first path; said carriage including means for moving said sheet deflector means along said first path into a selected station position along said first path to pick sheets off said conveying means and divert them into the corresponding divergent path; and said sheet deflector means, in said station position, projecting through the line of sheet movement in said first path to deflect conveyed sheets from the first path into a divergent path.

2. The sheet distributing device of claim 1 in which; a receiving device having a plurality of pockets therein is positioned in communication with said conveying means, with a pocket at each station position aligned to receive any sheet diverted at said station from said conveyor means; and means for detecting the number of sheets directed into each pocket of said receiving device.

3. The sheet distributing device of claim 1 in which; a receiving device having a plurality of pockets therein is positioned in communication with said conveying means, with a pocket at each station position aligned to receive any sheet diverted at said station from said conveyor means; means for detecting the number of sheets directed into each pocket of said receiving device; means positioned along said first path for reacting to the means for detecting the number of sheets, and to negate the diverting action of said deflector means; whereby, sheets will thereafter continue in said path beyond said sheet deflector.