US3695606A

US3695606A - Suction head in sheet feed systems for sheet processing machines

Info

Publication number: US3695606A
Application number: US45061A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arno Wirz
Original assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Current assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Priority date: 1969-06-11
Filing date: 1970-06-10
Publication date: 1972-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 1989-10-03
Also published as: JPS4935727B1; FR2049847A5; CS167285B2; CH511176A; SE373336B

Abstract

Suction head in a sheet feed system for sheet processing machines includes a drive shaft mounting a cam disc, a lever system periodically driven by the cam disc against the bias of a spring, separating suckers for raising sheets from a pile thereof automatically adjustable to a given level, and conveyer suckers for transporting the sheets to further conveying means of the sheet feed system. The lever system includes a steering lever having a free end whereon the separating suckers are carried and which are guidable in a vertical guide by an encapsulated antifriction bearing. The suction head also includes a pair of oscillating levers, an eccentric mounted on the drive shaft and operatively connected to the oscillating levers for oscillating the same, and a holder carrying the conveyer suckers and rotatably mounted on respective free ends of the oscillating levers. The suction head includes a suction head housing through which a free end of the drive shaft projects. A rotary valve for regulating flow of blowing and suction air is secured to the free end of the drive shaft outside the suction head housing, and a valve housing covering the rotary valve is releasably connected to the suction head housing by quick-opening locking means.

Description

United States Patent [151 3,695,606 Win 451 Oct. 3, 1972 SUCTION HEAD IN SHEET FEED Primary Examiner-Joseph Wegbreit SYSTEMS FOR SHEET PROCESSING MACHINES [72] Inventor: Arno Wirz,Schwetzingen, Germany [73 Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft, Heidelberg, Germany [ 22] Filed: June 10, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 45,061

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 11, 1969 Germany ..P 19 29 714.4 June 11, 1969 Germany ..P 19 29 715.5

[52] US. Cl. ..271/26 R, 271/12 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65h 3/08 [58] Field of Search ..271/26, 12

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,819,074 l/1958 Williams ..271/26 2,233,935 3/1941 Backhouse ..271/26 2,615,713 10/1952 Backhouse ..271/26 3,471,141 10/1969 Ruetschle ..271/26 2,756,049 7/1956 Stolz ..271/12 Attorney-Curt M. Avery, Arthur E. Wilfond, Herbert L. Lerner and Daniel J. Tick [5 7] ABSTRACT Suction head in a sheet feed system for sheet processing machines includes a drive shaft mounting a cam disc, a lever system periodically driven by the cam disc against the bias of a spring, separating suckers for raising sheets from a pile thereof automatically adjustable to a given level, and conveyer suckers for transporting the sheets to further conveying means of the sheet feed system. The lever system includes a steering lever having a free end whereon the separating suckers are carried and which are guidable in a vertical guide by an encapsulated anti-friction bearing. The suction head also includes a pair of oscillating levers, an eccentric mounted on the drive shaft and operatively connected to the oscillating levers for oscillating the same, and a holder carrying the conveyer suckers and rotatably mounted on respective free ends of the oscillating levers.

The suction head includes a suction head housing through which a free end of the drive shaft projects. A rotary valve for regulating flow of blowing and suction air is secured to the free end of the drive shaft outside the suction head housing, and a valve housing covering the rotary valve is releasably connected to the suction head housing by quick-opening locking means.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIEmEnumam 3.695.606;

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PATENTED m2- 3.695.606

' SHEU 2 OF 3 SUCTION HEAD IN SHEET FEED SYSTEMS FOR SHEET PROCESSING MACHINES My invention relates to suction head in sheet feed systems for sheet processing machines.

More specifically, the invention relates to suction head for forming an overlapped sheet feed and which is provided with separating suckers for raising the sheets from a pile thereof that is automatically adjustable to a given level, and conveyer suckers for transporting the sheets in direction to further conveying means of the sheet feed system.

Also more specifically, the invention relates to such a suction head that has a suction head housing in which a drive shaft is mounted carrying various regulating members such as a rotary valve for regulating blowing and suction air.

A suction head is known wherein the separating suckers are reciprocated through a lever system by a cam disc provided on a drive shaft. In this known suction head, a guide rod, which carries a holder for the separating suckers, extends through a rectilinear guide formed as a slide hearing, which must naturally be lubricated regularly. The danger therefore arises of soiling the sheet being conveyed or that binding may occur in the event the servicing personnel should forget to provide the required lubrication.

The drive for the conveyer suckers of this heretofore known suction head is effected by a cam disc mounted on the drive shaft. The cam disc has a closed curved groove wherein a roller of an oscillating lever travels, a holder for the conveyer suckers being mounted on a free end of the oscillating lever. This curved groove is subjected to great wear, resulting in frequent interruptions in operation during relatively long operating periods.

Furthermore, a suction head is known wherein the holder for the conveyer suckers is suspended on a double parallelogram which is reciprocated by a crank drive. The oscillating guide members are of great mass and require a correspondingly large, safe bearing load so that further increased outputs or efficiencies are no longer possible. The cost of material in this known device is out of proportion to the weight of the sheets being transported (note German Petty Pat. No. 1,775,234)

A drive for sucker is also known which is employed both for separating as well as conveying the sheets, i.e. raising the sheet (separating) from the sheet pile and also conveying means, such as rollers and belts, for example, occurs only with one device. The drive is formed of a link quadrilateral bell-crank having a drive crank that is actuated by an eccentric secured to the drive shaft. The use of the quadrilateral bell-crank as guide means for the suckers, however, permits the conveyance of only small and medium-sized sheets. In suction heads which are to process all sizes of sheets at relatively high speed, this known drive is unable to be used for corresponding power demands, as is generally known in the art (note German Pat. No. 1,161,596).

Suction heads are also known wherein a drive shaft is disposed transversely to the direction of conveyance of the sheets, the rotary valve being removably mounted on the drive shaft and being secured by a so-called Seege ring against axial displacement. With other known suction heads, the housing of the rbtary valve is fastened by screws to the suction head housing or is mounted between other components. To remove the rotary valve of the first-mentioned known device, which is possible only after loosening the Seege ring, or to remove the housing of the second-mentioned known device, in which case the screws must be removed, a tool or extractor is always required which is often not available to the printer when needed (note German Pat. No. 1,025,424). The removal of the housing also requires that the printer have a certain manual skill which he is often not endowed with so that an experienced mechanic is required. A skilled mechanic is not often immediately available and, furthermore, the machine down time and the salary of the mechanic must also be taken into consideration.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide 'suction head of the aforementioned type with a drive for the separating and conveyer suckers which affords the conveyance of paper of all routine sizes and which is of relatively simple as well as trouble-free construction while taking into account favorable cost from the standpoint of the user. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a suction head whose construction meets the requirements for further power increases. Another object of my invention is to provide suction head wherein soiling of the sheets with lubricating oil is prevented at all times.

Additional objects of my invention are to provide suction head with a rotary valve and a housing therefor which afford a rapid and effortless cleansing of paper dust and powder (which are used. to prevent smearing of the print) from the control channels of the rotary valve so that neither manual skills, tools nor experienced mechanics are required.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I provide in accordance with my invention, in a sheet feed system for sheet processing machines, a suction head for forming an overlapped sheet feed comprising a drive shaft, a cam disc mounted on said drive shaft, a lever system cooperating with said cam disc and being periodically driven thereby against the biasing action of a spring, separating suckers for raising sheets from a pile thereof, that is automatically adjustable to a given level, and conveyer suckers for transporting the sheets to further conveying means of the sheet feed system, said lever system including a steering lever having a free end whereon said separating suckers are carried, said steering lever being guidable in a vertical guide, an encapsulated anti-friction bearing, a pair of oscillating levers, an eccentric mounted on said drive shaft and operatively connected to said oscillating levers for oscillating the same, and a holder carrying said conveyer suckers and rotatably mounted on respective free ends of said oscillating levers.

The encapsulated, permanently or self-lubricated anti-friction bearings permit a maintenance-free, nonsoiling guidance for the separating suckers. Furthermore, the eccentric offers the coupling member which travels thereon, a large bearing surface with a correspondingly great capacity for absorbing forces whereby the wear of the stressed parts is reduced to an inconsequential amount.

In accordance with other features of my invention, I provide in a sheet feed system for sheet processing machines, a suction head comprising a suction head housing, a drive shaft mounted in said suction head housing and having a free end projecting therefrom, a rotary valve for regulating flow of blowing and suction air delivered through the suction head to a sheet, said rotary valve being secured to said free end of said drive shaft outside said suction head housing, a valve housing covering said rotary valve, and quick-opening locking means, releasably connecting said valve housing to said suction head housing.

In accordance with yet another feature of my invention, the quick-opening locking means comprises a snap lock formed of a hook-shaped spring, fastened within the suction head housing and a holder nose provided on the valve housing and adapted to be gripped from behind by the hook-shaped spring.

By simply pressing the hook-shaped spring to one side by hand, the holder nose is freed and the valve housing can be removed. Cleansing of the regulating channels of the rotary valve can thus be carried out simply and rapidly by anyone with the device of my invention without requiring the aid of a tool. The loss of costly production time is thereby avoided.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in suction head in sheet feed systems for sheet processing machines, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the suction head of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken approximately along the line 11-";

I FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the suction head wherein, in the interest of clarity, the conveyer suckers have been omitted;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the rotary valve of the suction head in FIG. 2 with the valve housing withdrawn from the valve; and

FIG. 5 is another view of FIG. 4, in part, showing the rotary valve housing secured to the suction head housmg.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown therein a suction head constructed in accordance with my invention. Almost all of the drive means for my novel suction head are mounted in a suction head housing 1 formed of two

halves

2 and 3, that are matchingly fitted together with aligning pins 4 and connected to one another by screws 5. Both of the

housing halves

2 and 3 are formed with respective sidewalls 6 in each of which a bearing 7 for a drive shaft 8 is provided. The drive shaft 8 has a free end that projects out of the suction-head housing half 3 and is provided with an end flange 9 to which a non-illustrated universal joint shaft of the suction head drive is connectible.

Within the suction head housing, an eccentric I0 is secured by an adjusting spring 1 l to the drive shaft 8. A coupling member 12 is mounted with roller or oilless slide bearings on the eccentric 10. The coupling member 12 terminates in an eye 13 which is articulatingly connected by means of a pin 14 with a crank lever 15. The crank lever 15 is fastened by an adjusting spring 17 to a bearing shaft 16. The bearing shaft 16 proper extends parallel to the drive shaft 8 and is mounted, similarly to the latter, in both suction-

head housing halves

2 and 3 by means of ball bearings 18. Directly adjacent both bearings 18, a respective oscillating lever 19 is fastened to the bearing shaft 16 within the suction-head housing 1. The free end 20 of each of the oscillating levers 19 extends out of an opening 21 at the underside of the suction-head housing 1, and forms a receiver for a conveyer sucker holder 22 which is of tubular construction and is rotatably mounted in the free end 20 of the oscillating lever 19. A respective conveyer sucker 23 is suitably mounted on the holder 22 at both sides of the suction head of my invention.

At each side of the suction head there is, moreover, located a guide rod or control lever 24 which is rigidly connected to the holder 22 and which has a free end armed with a roller 25 which runs along a horizontal guideway 26. (note FIG. 3 especially) The guide rod 24 functions cooperatively with the horizontal guideway 26 to maintain the reciprocating conveyer sucker 23 always in a horizontal plane. It should also be noted that the roller 25 is formed of an encapsulated anti-friction bearing.

By rotation of the drive shaft 8, in direction of the arrow 27 (FIG. I), the bearing shaft 16 is twisted or turned through the coupling member 12 and the crank lever 15 and is swung back and forth correspondingly with the oscillating lever 19. Accordingly, the conveyer suckers 23 are displaced from the forward, extended position thereof shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 to the rearward position 28 thereof shown in dotted lines and back again.

A roller lever 29 is rotatably mounted on the bearing shaft 16 in addition to and adjacent the oscillating levers 19 and the crank lever 15. It extends above the drive shaft 8 as viewed in FIG. 1 and is reciprocatingly oscillated through a roller 31 by a cam disc 30 fixed to the drive shaft 8. A helical spring 32 continuously biases the roller 31 which is rotatably mounted at the roller lever 29, toward the contact surface of the cam disc 30. At the free end of the roller lever 29, a link or steering lever 33 is pivotally mounted and has a lower end 34, as viewed in FIG. 1, which projects out of the suction head housing 1 and forms a receiver for a holder 35 of separating suckers 36. At each side of the suction head of my invention, a separating sucker 36 is advantageously clamped firmly to the holder 35 as shown in FIG. 2.

Vertical rectilineal guidance of the link or steering lever 33 and of the separating suckers 36 therewith, is effected by a guide 39 wherein the link or steering lever 33 is supported by two support rollers 37, respectively formed of encapsulated, maintenance-free ball bearings. Due to the use of two encapsulated ball bearings as support rollers, lubrication of the slide or rollway of the guide 39 is unnecessary, and the pile 38 of sheets located below the suction head of my invention, is accordingly prevented from being soiled, especially since all other bearing locations are encapsulated and consequently maintenance-free. The separating suckers 36 are firmly clamped onto the tubular holder 35, so that they can be swung in the direction of advancement of the sheets of the pile 38 and in opposite direction thereto. In a conventional manner, a tube 40 is located at the rear end of the suction head of my invention, i.e. the right hand side of FIG. 2. The tube 40 projects from both sides of the suction head and carries loosening blowers 41, pile stops 42 and holders 43 for wiper brushes 44. Furthermore, at the rear end of the suction head of my invention, as viewed in FIG. 1, there is provided a conventional sensing or feeling device 45 which senses or determines the level of the upper edge of the pile 38.

On the drive shaft 8, outside the suction head housing 1 and located toward the end of the shaft 8 opposite from the drive flange 9, a rotary valve 46 positively turnable through an entrainer pin 47 is mounted. This rotary valve 46 is surrounded by a valve housing 48 which is supported by two ball bearings 49 on the rotary valve 46. The coordination of the rotary valve 46 with the eccentric through the entrainer pin 47 and the adjusting spring 11 takes place in such a way that sheet transfer from the separating suckers 36 to the conveyer suckers 23 occurs exactly in the rearward position 28 of the conveyer suckers.

The valve housing 48 is firmly, yet easily releasably, connected by a snap or spring lock 50 with the suction head housing 1. Various details of the snap lock 50 are shown in FlGS. 3 to 5. The snap lock 50 is formed of a leaf spring 51 which is secured to the suction head housing 1 at one end thereof and is formed with a hook 52 at the free end thereof, as shown particularly in FIG. 4. The hook 52 grips a holder nose 53 at the rear thereof. The nose 53 is secured to the valve housing 48 and is formed with a recess 54, into which a guide pin 55 provided at the suction head housing 1 projects when the rotary valve housing 48 is attached. The holder nose 53 of the rotary valve housing 48 is slanted or beveled at the end face thereof in a direction toward the valve housing 48 so that when the rotary valve housing 48 is attached, the spring 51 is necessarily bent outwardly by the wedge-shaped end face until the hook-shaped end 52 of the spring 51 grips the rear surface of the holder nose 53.

The spring 51 is able to be bent outwardly by hand with little effort so that the rotary valve housing 48 can be withdrawn from the rotary valve 46 without the aid of any tools. It is thereby possible to cleanse the control channels 56 of the rotary valve 46 of paper or powder dust, always rapidly and without using tools. After the cleaning operation, the rotary valve housing 48 can be attached effortlessly, the locking pin 55, rotary valve 46 and housing 48 being necessarily adjusted relative to one another.

Connecting tubes 57 to the rotary valve 46 are connected by hoses 58 to the connecting tubes 59 of the separating and

conveyer suckers

23 and 36, respectively. Through a tube 60 and a hose 61, the rotary valve 46 is connected to a non-illustrated blower. The hose connections have the advantage that they can be rapidly loosened and removed for the purpose of cleaning or exchange of many parts of the suction head of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a sheet feed system for sheet processing machines, a suction head for forming an overlapped sheet feed comprising a drive shaft, first drive means comprising a cam disc mounted on said drive shaft, a lever system cooperating with said cam disc and being periodically driven thereby against the biasing action of a spring, separating suckers for raising sheets from a pile thereof that is automatically adjustable to a given level, a first holder carrying said separating suckers, said lever system including a link having a free end to which said first holder for said separating suckers is secured, said link being guidable by an encapsulated anti-friction bearing in a vertical guide for raising and lowering said separating suckers simultaneously, conveyer suckers for transporting the sheets in a direction to further conveying means of the sheet feed system, second drive means comprising an eccentric mounted on said drive shaft; a pair of oscillating levers, said eccentric being positively linked to said oscillating levers for oscillating the same, and a second holder carrying said conveyer suckers and rotatably mounted on respective free ends of oscillating levers, said first and said second drive means being operable simultaneously by said drive shaft respectively for displacing said separating suckers so as to raise sheets from the pile and for displacing said conveyer suckers so as to transport the sheets to said further conveying means.

2. Suction head according to claim 1, wherein a respective guide rod for said conveyer suckers is secured to said holder for said conveyer suckers on each side of said suction head housing, each of said guide rods having a free end on which a roller is carried, said rollers being guidable in a horizontally extending guideway located at said suction head housing.

3. Suction head according to claim 1, including a rotary valve mounted on said drive shaft, said rotary valve being coordinated with said eccentric by an entrainer pin so that sheet transfer occurs exactly when said conveying suckers are in furthermost position opposite to said sheet transporting direction. a

4. In a sheet feed system for sheet processing machines, a suction head comprising a suction head housing, a drive shaft mounted in said suction head housing and having a free end projecting therefrom, a rotary valve for regulating flow of blowing and suction air delivered through the suction head to a sheet, said rotary valve being secured to said free end of said drive shaft outside said suction head housing, a valve housing covering said rotary valve, and quick-opening locking means releasably connecting said valve housing to said suction head housing, said quick-opening locking means being openable for disconnecting said valve housing from said suction head housing and removing the same from said rotary valve.

5. In a sheet feed system for sheet processing machines, a suction head comprising a suction head housing, a drive shaft mounted :in said suction head housing and having a free end projecting therefrom, a rotary valve for regulating flow of blowing and suction air delivered through the suction head to a sheet, said rotary valve being secured to said free end of said drive shaft outside said suction head housing, a valve housing covering said rotary valve, and quick-opening locking means releasably connecting said valve housing to said suction head housing, said quick-opening locking means comprising a snap lock formed of a hook-shaped spring secured to said suction head and a holder nose provided on said valve housing and clampingly engageable from the rear thereof by said hook-shaped spring.

6. Suction head according to claim 5, wherein said holder nose is formed with a recess and including a guide pin fittingly projecting through said recess in closed condition of said snap lock.

Claims

3. Suction head according to claim 1, including a rotary valve mounted on said drive shaft, said rotary valve being coordinated with said eccentric by an entrainer pin so that sheet transfer occurs exactly when said conveying suckers are in furthermost position opposite to said sheet transporting direction.

5. In a sheet feed system for sheet processing machines, a suction head comprising a suction head housing, a drive shaft mounted in said suction head housing and having a free end projecting therefrom, a rotary valve for regulating flow of blowing and suction air delivered through the suction head to a sheet, said rotary valve being secured to said free end of said drive shaft outside said suction head housing, a valve housing covering said rotary valve, and quick-opening locking means releasably connecting said valve housing to said suction head housing, said quick-opening locking means comprising a snap lock formed of a hook-shaped spring secured to said suction head and a holder nose provided on said valve housing and clampingly engageable from the rear thereof by said hook-shaped spring.