US3715116A - Leveling device for sheet material feeding mechanism - Google Patents

Leveling device for sheet material feeding mechanism Download PDF

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Publication number
US3715116A
US3715116A US00189510A US3715116DA US3715116A US 3715116 A US3715116 A US 3715116A US 00189510 A US00189510 A US 00189510A US 3715116D A US3715116D A US 3715116DA US 3715116 A US3715116 A US 3715116A
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United States
Prior art keywords
sheet
support means
marginal portion
rear support
sensing
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US00189510A
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English (en)
Inventor
G Salvade
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Bobst Mex SA
Original Assignee
J Bobst et Fils SA
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Publication date
Application filed by J Bobst et Fils SA filed Critical J Bobst et Fils SA
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D43/00—Feeding, positioning or storing devices combined with, or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, apparatus for working or processing sheet metal, metal tubes or metal profiles; Associations therewith of cutting devices
    • B21D43/003—Positioning devices

Definitions

  • PATENTEDFEB 6 I975 3.715116 SHEET 20F 2 COMPRESSED AI R Fig.3
  • the sheet is curved convexly upwardly so that the forward edge is resting on the feed surface, but a marginal portion of the sheet slightly rearwardly of the forward edge is raised off of the feed surface.
  • the purpose of the present invention is to overcome this difficulty and to cause the forward marginal portion of each sheet to lie flat on the feed surface immediately after arriving there.
  • the present invention provides an arrangement for overcoming the difficulties above referred to and for causing the forward marginal portion of each sheet to lie flat on the feed surface immediately prior to being advanced into a machine for processing.
  • the novel apparatus for performing this function includes supporting each sheet at the feed station on forward support members which are fixed and which lie in the plane of the feed members of the machine; and to supporting the rear marginal portion of each sheet on a movable member or members which are arranged to be moved upwardly and downwardly to vary the height of the rear marginal edge of the sheet with respect to the forward supporting surface.
  • Sensing means is provided in the forward support'surface to detect whether either the extreme forward edge of the sheet is off of the support surface or whether the marginal portion spaced slightly rearwardly of the forward edge is off of the support surface.
  • the rearward edge supporting member When the extreme forward edge of the sheet is detected as being off of the support surface the rearward edge supporting member is raised, thus to rock the sheet on the support surface to lower theforward edge of the sheet.
  • the rearward edge supporting means When the marginal portion, spaced slightly rearwardly of the forward edge, is detected as being off of the support surface, the rearward edge supporting means is lowered to bring the marginal portion spaced slightly rearwardly of the forward edge, down to contact with the supporting surface.
  • Feed devices of the reciprocable shuttle type having suction cups for grasping the under surface of a sheet are known in the prior art.
  • the forward marginal portion of the lower sheet of a stack rests on guides located in the plane of the feed plate or shuttle.
  • the feed plate after grasping the sheet, moves it forwardly into the machine.
  • the feed plate then moves rearwardly to grasp and feed the next sheet of the stack.
  • a problem in this type of feed mechanism is that unless the sheet to be introduced or conveyed lies practically flat on the feed plate, it cannot be inserted below feed gauge of the processing machine.
  • the novel device of the present invention is designed to coact with and form an integral part of a feeding device of the above type which, when embodied in the feeding device, overcomes the aforesaid difficulties of the past.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a feed mechanism illustrating different positions a sheet might occupy on such a device
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic plane view of a feed mechanism which embodies the novel teachings of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a section along line IIIIII of FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 4 diagrammatically represents a conventional type pneumatic element used in the present invention.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings diagrammatically illustrate a device for feeding sheets into a machine for processing them.
  • the sheets are relatively large and are somewhat stiff, but nevertheless flexible, such as cardboard sheets, which are processed in a die cutting and creasing machine.
  • the device illustrated includes two front supports or rails l and 2 which are laterally spaced apart.
  • a feed plate or shuttle 3 is mounted for back and forth movement andas shown includes three sections, one lying between the supports 1 and 2 and the others lying on the outer sides. of the supports.
  • the upper surface of the supports and the upper surface of the feed plate lie approximately in the same plane. -As the feed plate moves forwardly (i.e., to the left in FIG.
  • a sheet is advanced below the gauge 4 into the processing machine (not shown) as indicated by the arrow A.
  • the rear marginal portion of the sheet before being advanced into the processing machine rests on rear supports which comprise a plurality of arms 5 rigidly carried on a rotatable shaft .6.
  • the outer ends 7 of the arms 5 are provided with rollers 8 upon which the rear portion of a sheet F rests.
  • FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows three possible positions of a sheet whose front marginal portion is supported on the front supports 1 and 2 and whose rear marginal portion is supported on the rollers 8 carried by the arms 5.
  • F the sheet is in a normal position with thefront marginal portion of the sheet lying flat on the horizontal portion of the front supports 1 and 2. No correcting adjustment is required in this position. If the sheet is in an upwardly convex position, as diagrammatically indicated at F the extreme front edge of the sheet rests on the front supports 1 and 2 and the rear edge is carried on the rollers 8 of the arms 5.
  • the front marginal portion of the sheet does not lie flat on the front supports 1 and 2, and, therefore, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the rear edge of the sheet is lowered until the entire front marginal portion of the sheet lies flat on the supports 1 and 2, as indicated at F' This is accomplished by rocking the shaft 6 in a counterclockwise direction to lower the outer end of the arm to the position indicated at 5".
  • the shaft 6 is rocked in a clockwise direction to lift the rear marginal portion of the sheet from the position shown at I to that shown at F This causes the entire front marginal portion of the sheet to rest flat on the supports 1 and 2.
  • the sheet When the sheet has its front marginal portion lying flat on the front supports 1 and 2, it is in a position to be seized by suction cups 3 of the, feed plate 3 and advanced below the gauge 4 into the processing machine.
  • means is provided to sense whether the front edge of the sheet is lying flat on the supports 1 and 2 and whether the rearward part of the front marginal portion is lying flat on the front supports 1 and 2. Should the sensing mechanism determine that the front edge of the sheet is not lying on the front supports 1 and 2, motor driven means rocks the shaft 6 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 1) until the front edge comes to rest on the front supports 1 and 2.
  • the motor driven means is actuated to rotate the shaft 6 counterclockwise until the rearward part of the front marginal portion comes down against the front supports 1 and 2.
  • FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates one form of sensing means and motor driven actuating means for accomplishing the above end.
  • FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view along the line III-III of FIG. 2. While only front support 1 appears in this view due to the location of the section taken, it will be understood that similar structure is provided for the front support 2.
  • two tubes 11 and 12 are provided, one adjacent the front edge of the sheet F, and the other adjacent the rearward part of the front marginal portion of the sheet F.
  • the tubes 11 and 12 are in communication with a compressed air source 13 through conduits 14, 14' and 14".
  • the upper surface of the support 1 opposite the ends of the tubes 11 and 12 is countersunk as at 21 and 22.
  • the lower ends of tubes 11 and 12 are closed, but smaller tubes extend up through the closed lower ends of the main tubes 11 and 12 and terminate below the surface of the front support 1 within the countersink. It willbe noted that the main tubes 11 and 12 also terminate below the upper surface of the front support 1, thus leaving a chamber defined by the countersink below the upper surface of the front support 1 when a sheet is lying flat on the support.
  • the lower ends of the inner tubes 15 and 16 connect tubes 19 and 20.
  • the lower ends of the tubes 19 and 20 communicate with electropneumatic members 17 and 18 which are arranged to actuate switches (not shown).
  • a reversible electric motor 25 is provided to drive a worm 9.
  • the worm 9 is in mesh with a worm wheel 10, fixed to the shaft 6. When the motor is rotated in one direction, the shaft 6 is rocked in one direction, and when the motor 25 is driven in the opposite direction, the shaft 6 is rotated in the opposite direction.
  • the electro-pneumatic members 17 and 18 may be of any conventional form. They include switches for electrical connecting motor 25 to a suitable source of electric power through electric lines 26. When the member 17 is actuated by a drop in pressure the motor is energized through lines 24 by connection to lines 26 with polarity necessary to drive motor 25'to raise arms 5. When the member 18 is actuated by a drop in pressure relative to that in member 17, the motor is energized through lines 24 and lines 26 with a polarity necessary to drive motor 25 to lower arms 5.
  • One conventional form of electro-pneumatic element of the type diagrammatically represented at 17 and 18 is a device available on the market as a Gutruckstauaggregat, manufactured by Bircher, Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
  • FIG. 4 exemplifies such a structure.
  • the electropneumatic member 17 includes a housing 26 having a diaphragm 27 mounted therein which separates the housing 26 into a chamber 28 and a chamber 29.
  • the chamber 28 opens into the tube-19 while the chamber 29 opens to the atmosphere through a tube 30.
  • An adjustable stop 31 extends through the wall of the housing 28 to limit the movement of the diaphragm 27 in one direction.
  • the adjustable abutment 31 acts as a contact and is connected to an electric line 32.
  • the diaphragm 27 carries an electrical contact 33 which is connected through the line 34 to a solenoid 35 which actuates a switch 36.
  • the air from compressed air source 13 flows rapidly by and causes a reduction of pressure in the chamber 28. This causes movement of the diaphragm 27 to move contact 33 into closing engagement with contact 31 and the switch 36 is then in its closed position.
  • the upper end of the pitotstatic tube 19 is closed off or restricted such as by having a sheet passed within five millimeters or less of its upper end, there is no appreciable reduction of air pressure in the chamber 28 and the diaphragm 27 moves to its central position within the housing 26.
  • the contacts 33 and 31 are thus separated, the solenoid is deenergized, and under a suitable bias not shown the switch 36 moves to its open position.
  • Device 18 is similar to device 17.
  • a levelling device for sheet material being fed one sheet at a time into a processing machine comprising fixed front support means for supporting the forward marginal portion of a sheet, rear support means for supporting the rear marginal portion of said sheet, means for vertically moving said rear support means, first sensing means for detecting whether the forward marginal portion of said sheet adjacent the forward edge of said sheet is resting on said forward support means, second sensing means spaced rearwardly of said first sensing means for detecting whether a second portion of said forward marginal portion of said sheet spaced rearwardly of said forward edge of the said sheet is resting on said forward support means, and means responsive to said first and said second sensing means for vertically adjusting the height of said rear support means.
  • a levelling device which includes means for raising said rear support means when said first sensing means senses the fact that the forward edge of said sheet is not resting on said front supporting means.
  • a levelling device which includes means for lowering said rear support means when said second sensing means senses the fact that said second portion of said forward marginal portion of said sheet is not resting on said front supporting means.
  • a levelling device in which said means for vertically moving said rear support means is deenergized when said first and second sensing means give the same response.
  • a levelling device for a material in sheets adapted for use at a feed station where sheets are fed into a machine for processing them comprising fixed front support means intended to support the lower sheet of a stack along a first marginal area, rear, vertically adjustable support means for supporting a second marginal area opposite said first zone, control means for causing the rear support means to rise or descend, said control means comprising at least one group of at least two detectors placed one behind the other in said front support means, motor means to cause the rear support means to rise or descend, and an energizing circuit for said motor means controlled by said control means to connect said motor means to said energizing circuit to selectively cause said motor to raise or lower said rear support means depending on the detection made by said detectors.
  • a device whereby the detectors of each group comprise air nozzles which have their openings in a surface located behind the plane of said front support means, a compressed air source connected to said nozzles, sensing means connected to said nozzles for controlling said motor means as a function of said pressure which varies according to the closing degree of the discharge openings of the nozzles in rela tion to the lower sheet of the stack.
  • the rear support means comprises rollers carried on arms fixed to a rotatable shaft, the position in. height of said rollers being adjustable by rotating said shaft through a limited angle.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
US00189510A 1970-10-20 1971-10-15 Leveling device for sheet material feeding mechanism Expired - Lifetime US3715116A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH1550570A CH524528A (fr) 1970-10-20 1970-10-20 Dispositif de nivellement pour une matière en feuille

Publications (1)

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US3715116A true US3715116A (en) 1973-02-06

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00189510A Expired - Lifetime US3715116A (en) 1970-10-20 1971-10-15 Leveling device for sheet material feeding mechanism

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US3715116A (fr)
JP (1) JPS5113302B1 (fr)
BE (1) BE774070A (fr)
CA (1) CA947689A (fr)
CH (1) CH524528A (fr)
DE (1) DE2151780C3 (fr)
ES (1) ES396406A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR2111723B1 (fr)
GB (1) GB1371523A (fr)
IT (1) IT938722B (fr)
SE (1) SE373550B (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3917259A (en) * 1973-06-21 1975-11-04 Bobst Fils Sa J Stepped rear strap for bottom feed separators
US3924523A (en) * 1974-12-19 1975-12-09 Monarch Marking Systems Inc Pinning machine and method
US5014973A (en) * 1988-08-12 1991-05-14 Michael Horauf Maschinenfabrik Gmbh & Co. Kg Apparatus for gripping and decollating a bottom blank of a stack of blanks in a book covering machine
DE19528608A1 (de) * 1995-08-04 1997-02-06 Reinhold Koeglmeier Inlinie-Richtmaschine

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SE408381B (sv) * 1975-08-01 1979-06-11 Carbox Ab Anordning vid maskiner for bearbetning av stora arbetsstycken, serskilt pressar for formning av plat
DE4216627C2 (de) * 1992-05-20 2001-06-07 Heidelberger Druckmasch Ag Bogenanleger an Druckmaschinen

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3476380A (en) * 1967-12-15 1969-11-04 Koppers Co Inc Article actuated pneumatic separator
US3490763A (en) * 1967-06-15 1970-01-20 Ibm Mechanism for feeding sheet material

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2974950A (en) * 1959-07-01 1961-03-14 Miehle Goss Dexter Inc Sheet feeding mechanism

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3490763A (en) * 1967-06-15 1970-01-20 Ibm Mechanism for feeding sheet material
US3476380A (en) * 1967-12-15 1969-11-04 Koppers Co Inc Article actuated pneumatic separator

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3917259A (en) * 1973-06-21 1975-11-04 Bobst Fils Sa J Stepped rear strap for bottom feed separators
US3924523A (en) * 1974-12-19 1975-12-09 Monarch Marking Systems Inc Pinning machine and method
US5014973A (en) * 1988-08-12 1991-05-14 Michael Horauf Maschinenfabrik Gmbh & Co. Kg Apparatus for gripping and decollating a bottom blank of a stack of blanks in a book covering machine
DE19528608A1 (de) * 1995-08-04 1997-02-06 Reinhold Koeglmeier Inlinie-Richtmaschine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2111723A1 (fr) 1972-06-09
JPS5113302B1 (fr) 1976-04-27
DE2151780C3 (de) 1982-01-07
BE774070A (fr) 1972-02-14
CA947689A (en) 1974-05-21
FR2111723B1 (fr) 1975-07-18
DE2151780B2 (de) 1981-05-07
GB1371523A (en) 1974-10-23
SE373550B (sv) 1975-02-10
CH524528A (fr) 1972-06-30
ES396406A1 (es) 1974-04-01
IT938722B (it) 1973-02-10
DE2151780A1 (de) 1972-04-27

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