US553713A

US553713A - Sheet-feeding machine

Info

Publication number: US553713A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-01-28
Anticipated expiration: 1913-01-28

Description

'(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. G. HOPKINS. SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 28, 18 96.

VVitnesses:

A ttorneyS ANDREW Bj RAHlM. PHDTO-LITHQ WASHING ON Ac 5 Sheets-Sheet .2.

L. 0. HOPKINS.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

% www 5 Qm wmjj m 7 Q W 24 m t n e v n I Patented Jan. 28, 1896.

AN DREW BJSRAHAM. PHOTO-WHO. WASHM G ON D c 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 Model 'L.'U. HOPKINS,

SHEET FEEDING MAGHINE.

Patented Jan. 28, 1896.

N' I V W Si g n a @g Q? Ti Q 0 T] 5 7 ,\&

kw, Q m

Vvitnesses vc-lmvient of.

Attor eyW,

7 ANDREW B.GRANAM PHOYOUTHQWASIJINGTONDb,

(No Model.) 5-S heets-Sheet 4. L. O. HOPKINS.

SHEET FEEDING MAGHINE.

No. 553,713. Patented Jan 28, 1896.

Witnsaes:

m 9%. 560cm Aworhey? (No Model.)

' 5 Sheets- L. O. HOPKINS.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

,713. PatentedJan. 28, 1896.

Jvembiz AN DREW IGRANAM. PHOTO UTHQWASNINBTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT @EEicE.

LIN"ON O. HOPKINS, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

SHEET-FEEDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,713, dated January 28, 1896.

Application filed June 19, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LINTON O. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States of America, and

a resident of Atlanta, in the county of Ful.-"

ton and State of Georgia, have made a certain new and useful Improvement in Sheet-Feeding Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to devices for feeding sheets of paper to a printing or binding press or to any machine which requires to be so fed, the object of the invention being to improve the sheet separating and feeding mechanism, as well as to provide several safety devices and an automatic table-act juster whereby the feeding-machine is rendered more satisfactory in its operations, and means for dissipating the electricity incidentally generated in the operation of the device.

The device is shown in the accompanying drawings as follows:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine from the side of the press on which the feeder usually stands. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of the lower end of the feeder as the sheet runs, same being omitted from Fig. 1 for lack of room. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the opposite side of the device from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary continuation of Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a continuation of Fig. 2. Fig. 2-3 is a plan view of the device. Figs. 1 and 5 are respectively front and side views of a detail of the pitman for operating the separating-tongue and its guide-post. Fig. (3 is a detail in side eleva tion of the separating-tongue, the rollers, and their tapes and grid, and also the front edge lifting-finger, the nozzles of the spraying device, and the paper-table. Fig. 7 is a detail of the feeding and separating wheel. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the head end of the sideshift table and the adjustable grid thereover. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the pick-up finger and the cams operating the same. Fig.

Serial No. 553,316. (No-model.)

10 is a detail of the quick-feeding arm, and Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11 11 in said figure. Fig. 12 is a detail of the table-raising mechanism, including the setting-rod. Fig. 13 is a plan of the said setting-rod and the shaft thereof. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the belt-shifting device, showing a portion of the lever connecting same to the automatic stop mechanism. Fig. 15 is a View in side elevation of the'dog 27 and adjacent and co-operative parts showing same in successive posit-ions.

In the figures like reference-marksindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

1 is a base which may be of any suitable form and construction to sustain the operative parts of the device, and may be either secured to the press or machine to be fed or rest upon a suitable base of its own.

2 is the paper-table,and 3 are uprights which are secured to the frame 1 and carry guides at for the head-blocks 5 secured to the said paper-table and nuts adapted to receive the lead-screws 6, the upper end of each of which lead-screws is journaled in the cross-bar of the uprights 3 and projects thereabove, bein g squared to receive a wheel or wrench in turning to a starting-point for the table. The lower ends of these screws are journaled in a step-bearing of suitable construction and carry a pinion 7 meshing with the pinions 8 on each end of the transversely-extending shaft 9 and operating to cause the said leadscrews to revolve in unison.

10 are uprights, of which there are two, one on each side of the machine, secured to the base 1 and projecting upwardly to a point above the paper-table,where they carry a shaft 11. A shaft 12 is journaled on the upper ends of the uprights 3, and the main drivingshaft 1% of the machine is journaled on the base 1 or in the lower ends of the uprights 10, the latter being the position shown. The main driving-pulley 13, Fig. 3, is secured on this shaft 1 1, a gear 15 being set on its opposite end, as shown in Fig. 2, meshing with the gear 16 on the shaft 17, which carries in turn a pulley 18, preferably adapted to carry a sprocket or chain belt 19, which runs also on the sprocket-wheel 20 secured to the shaft 11, on which shaft is another sprocket-whee1 El cz'trrying a belt and act-ing to revolve the shaft l2 through the said belt and the pulley 23 on said shaft 12.

On the shaft 12 is one or more feedingwheels 2-t,which are constructed substantially like those covered in my Patent No. 5-l5,86l., dated September 23, 1895, with the exception that the feeding-wheel there shown is provided with equidistant radial arms, while the wheel in the present instance has been mu.- tilated by the removal of all but three of said arms, so that its action may be intermittent. It consists of substantially three radial arms 25, on the end of each of which is a finger, either flexible in itself or flexibly mounted, so as to have an elastic and, if desired, an adjustable pressure on the upper surface of the top sheet of paper, which contact, by reason of the nature of the paper, is connnunicated to a considerable depth into the pile of paper on the paper-table and acts to move the same forwardly to a degree inversely as the distance of the sheet down in the pile of paper from the one directly acted upon increases. This wheel is mutilated so as not to interfere with the intermittent or successive action of the remainder of the separating and feeding mechanism.

On the shaft 11 is one or more-preferably twoarms 26, which carry on their distal extrcmities dogs 27, each of which dogs is provided with a block 28 of rubber or other clastic material whereby frictional contact between the dog and the paper is increased. On reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the angle of the dog 27 to the arm 26 is such that owing to the frictionalv contact of the rubber on the paper there is a tendency of the arm and dog to straighten out which presses the rubber very firmly against the paper and moves but one sheet at a time, moving that forwardly with a quick movement. Arms 29 are bolted to the cross-bar :30 supported on the ends of the arms 31 which project upwardly and forwardly from the uprights 10, said arms 2?) extending across the shaft of the arms 26 and parallel to the plane of revolution of said arms,their distal extremities being turned upwardly and flanged, as shown in Figs. and 11 in detail and in Figs. 1 and 2 in position on the machine. These flanges, numbered 32 in the drawings, form a guide for the dogs 27 and act to bring same into proper position for contacting with the sheet of paper, as shown in Fig. ll. These dogs 27 are each provided with a tail 33 inclined inwardly from the circular line of movement of the main body of the dog, which tail contacting with the pin S-l on the corresponding arm 22 acts to prevent a premature engagement of the rubber block 28 with the paper.

As the arms carry the dog 27 upwardly after the contact of the blocks 28 with the paper, the pins 35 on the arms 29 will contact with the dog, as shown in Fig. 14:, and prevent the swinging out of the end carrying the block 28 by centrifugal force, aided by the force from the horizontal movement of the block 28 as it moves the sheet fin-ward, and bring said dog with its tail into a substantially vertical position, in a n.-oximatcly which position. it will remain notwithstand ing the centrifugal force until it is brought into contact with flange $.32 and the pin l-l, there not being time for very great shifting of position of the said dog 27 between the time of its leaving the position shown by dotted line at the left in Fig. 15 untilit reaches the next position shown in said figure.

As seen in Fig. 9, a gibbous-shaped cam 2.3 which has one concentric peripheral surface 37 and one eccentric peripheral face 38, is mounted on the shaft 1.]. and revolves therewith. Also on this shaft on each side of the cam are other cams 3i] which have each a concentric face and an abutting end -ll projecting substantially as best seen in Fig. 1). An arm l2 is pivotally secured to the shaft 12, as shown, although it might be attached to any convenient stationary part of the machine, said arm resting upon the periphery of the cam 36 and being, in the construction shown, bifurcated, a guide-arm 43 being carried and projecting downwardly from each. side of each of the ends, a finger it being pivoted to the said arm and lyingbctwcen said guide-arms and upon the periphery of the cams each finger being dentated onv its lower end, as shown, whereby each is enabled to catch the edge of the sheet of paper as it is elevated and raise same from the pile of paper at that edge, as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 9. As the gibbous-shaped cam l rcvolvcs its eccentric side raises and. lowers the arm 42, the concentric side or the side having the major diameter holding said arm elevated for a sufficient period of time. There may be two single arms like the arm .in construction, but not bifurcated, together with a duplicate set of gibbousshaped cams, etc, although of course these parts may be duplicatcd to an y necessary extent.

Rollers l5 and L0 are journalcd in suitable bearings on the ends of the arms 3.1., the lower rollers, 4-5, being driven by the belt 1 7 from the pulley -18 and the upper set of rollers being vertically movable and resting upon the upper side of the rollers Projecting between the rollers l5 and iii are two tongues l9, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, said tongues having movement longitudinally, so that they may lie upon the top sheet of the pile on the paper-table and prevent the motion of the rubber block from being communicated to the paper below. These tongues are each secured to the upper end of a correlative arm 50, each of which is pivoted to the frame 1, said tongues lying just above the shaft of the rollers l5, and so that their upper sides are not above nor much below the pcripheries of said rollers at the top. A plunger 51 is pivotally secured to the lever near the lower end, passing through an upright 52, secured to the base 1, and carrying a roller on ICC its free end. A cam 53 on the main shaft serves to reciprocate this plunger 51 and move the lever 50 in a direction to Withdraw the tongue from its position above the pile of paper, a spring 54 acting to pull the tongue into place under the top sheet of paper. It is thought that two of these tongues will be suflicient for the purpose.

A shaft 55 is j ournaled in suitable bearingboxes 56, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 12, and 13, and an arm 57 is carried thereon, resting upon the upper side of the pile of paper on the paper-table. A plunger 58 slides vertically upon the upright 3 on one side of the machine, and is connected at its lower end with the free end of the curved pawl 59, one end of which is connected with the rock-lever 60, Figs. 2 and 12, which is rocked by a cam 61 on the main shaft of the machine and causes a reciprocation of the said curved pawl be tween predetermined limits of movement. This plunger 58 is provided with a pin 58, projecting across the plane of movement of and below the pawl 59, so that when said plunger is raised the pawl is also lifted, said pawl falling of its own weight upon the depression of the said plunger and lying thereon at all times, excepting such as the plunger descends below the point where the said pawl will contactwith the ratchet-wheel, which latter times do not occur in operation. On reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the lower the said pawl is when reciprocated the more teeth it will catch on the ratchet-wheel 62, said ratchet-wheelbeing mounted on the shaft 9. In order to regulate the depth of the descent of the pawl in proportion to the height of the paper on the paper-table an arm 63 is secured to the shaft 55 and its free end is connected with the upper end of the plunger 58, whereby on a partial revolution of the said shaft by the descent of the arm 57 there is a corresponding depression of the arm 63 and of the plunger 58, allowing the pawl 59. also to fall and engage one or more of the teeth on the ratchet-wheel, being reciprocated once to each sheet delivered, and upon said engagement the said ratchet-wheel will be partially revolved and the shaft 9 with it, imparting sufficient motion to the lead-screws to raise the table until a reverse action of the lever withdraws it from engagement.

In order that the movement of the paper shall not be interfered with by the arm 57 it is desirable to raise the end of said arm above the upper side of the paper just prior to the commencement of the movement of the top sheet, and for this purpose I mount a cam 63 on the shaft 1.1, as best shown in Fig. 12, which strikes thelower side of the arm 63 once in each revolution, and the said cam, having approximately one-half of its periphery concentric with its shaft, the arm 63 will be held elevated, as will also the arm 57, during the time of the movement of the paper forwardly on the table. 1

Running on the rollers 45 at their upper ends and on rollers 64 at their lower ends are tapes 65, which are kept tight by means of movable bearingboxes 66 for the rollers 64, adjusted by means of set-screws 67, as best shown in Fig. 3. A series of fingers 68, free at their lower ends, but connected at their upper ends by a cross-bar 69 and hooked to the shaft of the rollers 46 by a pair of hooks 70, lie upon these tapes and act to straighten the paper thereon and cause it to lie at right angles thereto, their free ends resting with their own weight upon the upper side of said tapes. These fingers act to cause a proper frictional contact between the paper and the tapes and do not impede the forward motion of the paper, as they only touch same by their points, said points obviously wearing very smooth if not made so at first. It is obvious that if a sheet is delivered onto these said tapes otherwise than at right angles thereto, one corner thereof will strikethe fingers on that side sooner than the other corner will strike the correlative fingers, and hence the motion of the side that is in advance will be impeded for a moment until the other side shall catch up therewith and the sheet go under the said fingers perfectly parallel to the feeding-rollers.

Resting upon the base 1 is atable 71, (best shown in Fig. 3,) extending from a point as near the periphery of the rollers 6 1 as possible without interfering with the sidewise adjustment of said rollers should such be necessary. I make the table and the upper sides of the tapes practically continuous by means of fingers 72, which lie upon the upper edge of the table, being loosely mounted on the shaft of the rollers 64 and lying between each of said rollers. The paper may pass over the top of said fingers in passing from the top of said tapes to the table 71. The said table is slotted transversely and at a slight angle to the line of forward motion of the paper, and rollers 7 3 are mounted in suitable bearings below said table, their peripheral surfaces being projected upwardly through said slots to a point slightly above said table, whereby the paper contacts therewith and is carried forwardly thereby. This angle should be not more than (say) five degrees, inasmuch as more than that will tend to bend the edge of the paper against the side guide '7 5 as the paper is brought forward. In the smallness of this angle is the essence of these rollers, as it will not do to bend the edge of the paper, as stated. The side guide 75 is secured to the upper side of the table along the edge thereof, screws 76 being used for that purpose and entering slots in the said table make same adjustable laterally to accommodate different widths of paper and different feeding-points on the press or ruling-machine being fed. Lying parallel to said table and over the top thereof is a grid which is composed of laterally-extending bars 78 and bars 79, connected at each end to said cross-bars 78, being secured to the under side thereof, so as to present an unbroken surface on their bottoms. The bars 78 are slotted throughout their entire length, excepting at their extreme ends, and thumb -screws serve to hold the bars 7 0 thereunder so as to be readily adjustable to any position laterally. Other bars may be inserted if desired. The screws 80 pass through the slotted bars 78, their threaded ends entering the bars 79. Hence it is obvious that the position of the bars 79 may be separately adjusted vertically relative to the table, the action of the bars along the edge especially being improved by accurate adjustment as to distance from the traveling sheet of paper. Obviously the table and this grid maybe extended to any desired length, its end being preferably beveled or tapered, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2", the better to approach the machine fed. The rollers 73 are driven by means of a chain belt 81 extending from the pulley 82 on the shaft of the rollers 45 driving the pulley 83 carrying a duplicate pulley 81, which is belted to another pulley 85 which has a duplicate pulley 86 secured to it, upon which runs the belt 80 passing over the pulleys S7 of these rollers, with a suitable number of idlers or deflectingpulleys S8 to carry the belt partially around each of said pulleys 87, as best shown in Figs. 1. and 1*. The shaft of the rollers 45 is driven, as before stated, by a belt from the pulley 18, said pulley 18 being driven by a belt 80 from the pulley 00 on the main shaft of the ma chine through a pulley 91. on the same shaft as the pulley 4L8 aforesaid. Obviously this belting might be performed in many ways, but the one shown and described is, at present, thought preferable.

.02 is a vaporizer which filled with water, 03 being the water-tube leading therefrom and 511 being the air-tube, both of which are led from the vaporizer to a position just opposite the space between the sheets of paper when one is lifted from the pile on the paper-table, and into which space they are adapted to deliver water in a line spray and so provide for the escape of any electricity which might, and usually is, generated in handling paper. Air is supplied for this device by an air-pump )5 (shown of a reciprocating variety) and operated by the pitman 06 from one of the shafts of the machine, said air passinginto the res ervoir 02 under pressure and forcing the water from same through the pipe 03, said outflowing stream of water being blown into a spray or vapor by the air issuing from the pipe 01 and impinging against said stream of water.

07, Fig. 1, represents the belt-shifting le ver of the press or ruling-machine which it is desired to feed, and in order to stop the machine it is necessary to move this lever. As it is desirable to prevent offsets in the printing, I have devised means for automatieally stopping the press and consequently the sheet-feeder on the failure of a sheet of paper to leave the paper-table. To this end I place a cam 08 on the main shaft 14 of the machine and mount a bell-crank lever 90 with its shorter arm in juxtaposition to said cam, but a short distance away from same. The other end of the lever 09 is connected to a vertical lever at its top end, said lever 100 being pivoted to the base 1 on a bearing 101, whereby when its upper end is caused to move inwardly its lower end will move outwardly, and being secured to the end of the lever 102, pivoted at 103 and connected at its other end to the lever 97, said lever 1.02 will swing in a corresponding manner and the upper end of said lever 07 be moved inwardly and the machine stopped. 13 y reason of the separation of the cam 98 and the short end of .the lever 09 said lever would not be actuated by said cam were it not for the block 101, which is suspended therebetween by a cord or chain 105, connected at its other end to the end of the lever 100, pivoted to the upright 10, and projecting .in the construction shown from. under the lever 107, which latter lever is pivoted to the crossbar 230, as seen in Fig. 1, its other end resting upon a striker-cam 108 on the shaft 11. On the lever 107 near its pivotal point is an upwardtvprojecting arm 100, and a latch is pivoted in the upper end of the upright 111 set on top of the cross-bar 30. This latch is adapted to engage and hold the upper end of the arm 109 until the said latch is lifted at that end, and consequently when the lever 107 is raised by the striker-cam 108 it will remain elevated until so released. The latch carries on its opposite end a cam-surface 112, which is traversed by the upper extremity of the pivoted lever 1.13, the lower end of which lever extends across the line of movement of the paper in passing from the paper-table and emerging from between the rollers. It is obvious that the swinging of this lever in. the direction of the paper-table will cause the end of the latch 110 to be depressed and release the lever 107, which by falling raises the end of the lever 100, to

llO

which the block 1.0-1 is attached, and withdraws said block from its position between the cam and the short arm of the bell-crank lever 90, thereby allowing another revolution of the cam without the operai ion of the aforesaid beltshifting mechanism.

Another block, 104:, is suspended ahmgside the block 101 on a cord or chain 1 14:, which cord extends to the lever 115, passing over a sheave 111 mounted directly over said blocl: 101, secured to a shaft 110, whichlies on the frame 1, transversely thereof, carryii'ig an arm 117 in the line of motion of the fly 115, Fig. 1., of the press, and lying between the lingers of said fly. Obviously the said lingers will not engage the said arm 117 ordinarilythat is, when no sheet has been thrown from the impressioncylinder of the printing-press thereuntoin which case the block 101 will remain in position between the cam 08 and the lever 90, and the press and feeder will be stopped. In case there is a sheet on said fly the arm 117 will be engaged by the face of has just been lifted.

said paper and swing in the same direction as the fly moves, pulling upon the cord 114 and raising the block 1071 for the purpose previously described in connection with the block 10st. It is obvious that when a sheet fails to leave the feeder or the press at the proper time, either the block lOl or 104, respectively, will be allowed to remain between the cam 98 and the short arm of the lever 99, and both the feeder and the press will be stopped,'practically instantaneously, as the presence of either or both of these blocks insures the action of the cam through it or them to move the lever.

No matter what the position of the fly of the press relatively to the sheet-feeder, the cord 11% may be extended to transmit motion therefrom to the block thereon. In the construction and arrangement shown, the sheetfeeder occupies the position of the ordinary hand feeding-table.

' The operation of this device is as follows: The operation of the table-elevator, the spraying device, the automatic. stop mechanism, the feed-table and grids having been set up in the description of the construction thereof, it is not deemed necessary to again describe them, but I will nowfpi'oceed to describe the means forseparatin g and delivering the sheets to the tapes. The action of the wheel L is to advance the sheets, three arms thereon being sufficient for this purpose, the remainder being omitted in order to allow the paper to be freely withdrawn from the pile by the other mechanism described for the purpose. The operation of the wheel 2i is practically continuous, as it'at all times keeps several sheets advanced to a position where they could be raised at the front edge. The dentated finger i4, reciproeated by means of the gibbous-shaped cam '36, engages this forward end of the papeigan'd by lifting it thoroughly separates it from the pile,'the tongues 4E9 being withdrawn to allow this lifting, and then returned to their placeon. top of the forward edge of the pile of paper under the sheet which As 'soon as the parts shall have reached the positions shown in Fig. 1tliat is, with the arm 42 raised by the cam 86 to its upward limit of movement, rais- .ing the fingers ll with itthe abutting ends 41 of the cams 39 strike the fingers it and cause them to swing forward, releasing their hold on the paper, which drops back on the pile of paper and the tongues 49. \Vhen the fingers are brought into this position they are held by the cylindrical faces of said cams until it is again time to raise the sheet, the next subjacent one of the pile. As seen in Fig. 1, the rubber block 28 on the dog 27 is just about to come into contact with the paper and said dog is being carried forward by the swinging or re v0- lution of the arm 26. Now, as soon as the paper is dropped from the dentated finger 44, this block is moved forward at a considerable speed and the sheet of paper is forced forwardly, entering between the rollers 45 and 4t and being thence carried by the tapes to the side shifting and forwarding bed, the said rubber-pressed sheet being separated from the pile bymeans of the tongues 49, and said rubber passing directly over said tongues so that the quick motion of the upper sheet is not transmitted to the subjacent one. The operation is thusonce completed and the parts are in the positions to again perform it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for separating and advancing the sheets, a gibbous-shaped cam revolubly mounted over the front edge of the pile of paper, a pivoted lever lying on said cam and carrying on its free end a pendulous finger provided with means for engaging the projected edge of the top sheet, when depressed, and lifting the same and means for causing the disengagement thereof on its elevation and of forwarding said sheet.

2. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for separating and advancing the sheets, a gibbous-shaped cam revolubly mounted over the front edge of the paper pile, a pivoted lever lying on said cam and carrying on its free end a' pendulous finger provided with means for engaging the projected edge of the top sheet when depressed and lifting the same and means for causing a disengagementthereof, consisting of a cam carried on the same shaft as the gibbous-shaped cam and adapted to strike said finger and swing it forwardly.

3. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for separating and advancing the sheets, a gibbous-shaped cam revolubly mounted over the front edge of the pile of paper, a pivoted lever lying on said cam and carrying on its free end a pendulous finger provided with means for engaging the projected edge of the top sheet when depressed, and lifting the same, and means for causing a disengagement thereof, consisting of a cam carried on the same shaft as the gibbous-shaped cam and adapted to strike said finger and swing it forwardly, and having a semicylindrical surface contacting with said finger and holding it swung outwardly during the time the first-named lever lies on the gibbousshaped cam, along its cylindrical peripheral surface, substantially as specified.

4;. In a sheet-feeding machine, the combination of means for proj eeting the edge of the top sheet and mechanism for lifting the front edge of the top sheets consisting of apivoted lever carrying a pendent dentated finger on its free end, the guides for said finger thereon, means for causing a vertical vibration of said lever and a cam adapted to swing said finger away from the engaged sheet of paper upon the ultimate elevation thereof and to allow said finger to swing back upon its depression and means for forwarding the sheet so separated, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

5. In a sheet-feedin machine, a paper-supporting table, means for separating the top sheet of paper from the pile and lifting its forward edge and a shaft revolubly mounted over said table and carrying an arm thereon, a pivoted dog on the end of said arm and a rubber block on the contacting end, said arm and dog being so proportioned and arranged as to tend to parallel their longitudinal axes upon the contacting of said dog with the paper, and pivoted arms carrying tongues on their free ends adapted to be inserted under the lifted sheet of paper alon the line of traveling contact of said block with said top sheet of paper, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

(5. In a sheet-feeder, a papei.--sup1 orting table, means for separating the top sheet of paper from the pile, a rotatable shaft journaled over said table and carrying an arm, a dog pivoted at about its middle to the said arm, a friction-block on the lower end thereof, said arm and dog being so proportioned and arranged as to force the said block downwardly against the paper as'said block is moved in contact therewith, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a sheet-feeding machine, a paper-ta ble, means for separating the top sheet from the pile of paper and for advancing the said sheet, the latter consisting of a rotatable shaft journaled over the aforesaid table, an arm carried thereon, a dog pivoted by about its middle on said arm, a friction-block carried 011 the lower end thereof, and a pin adapted to contact with said dog along its other end as it is carried through the first part of the lower half of its circle of rotation and acting to prevent the said friction-block from descending prematurely from its circular path, for the purpose Specified.

8. In a sheet-feeding machine, a paper-table, means for separating the top sheet from the pile of paper and for advancing the said sheet, the latter consisting of a shaft rotatably mounted over said table, an arm carried thereon, a dog carrying a friction-block on its lower end and pivotally secured to the end of said arm by about its middle, an arm projecting to a point near the descending line of motion of the said dog around the aforesaid shaft and carrying a flange parallel to said line of motion, for the purpose of guiding the said dog in its movement downwardlytoward the sheet of paper thereunder with the frictionbloelc foremost.

9. In a sheet-feeding machine, the combination of a vertically-mljustable paper-table and means for adjusting same consisting of a ratehct-whecl and means for connecting same operatively with said table, a pawl bent on its end at substantially a right angle to its body and adapted to partially encircle and engage said ratchet-wheel by depression, a plunger mounted on the frame and having movement longitudinally thereon, a pin on. the lower end of said plunger resting under said pawl,

a rock-shaft mounted on the machine, a lever thereon connected to the upper end of the aforesaid plunger and another lever secured to said rocleshat't its end eontz'ietingwith the upper side of the pile of paper, and :l'orming means for partially rotating this rock-shaft upon the removal of a predetermined thick ness of paper from the pile of paper on the paper-table, a distance correlative to said th ickness of paper previously removed.

10. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for starting the sheet forward, means for lifting the front edge after said movement forward, and means for injecting a spray of water under said sheet so lifted consisting of a reservoir and an aireompressor,an air-pipe leading from said air-compressor to said reservoir, a water-pipe leading from within said reservoirnear its bottom upwardly to a point at or al )ove the top thereof thence to a point nearthe fron t edge of the paper pile, a nozzle thereon directed at the space between the lifted sheet and said pile of paper, and with the aforesaid air-pipe extending to a point back of said. \vater-nozzle and a nozzle thereon directed so as to deliver a jet of air at and substantially pa rallel to a stream of water issuing from said. water-nozzle, substantially as specified.

11. In a sheet-feeding machine, a papertable, means for separating the sheets and advancing them singly, rollers mounted at one end of said table and arranged one set above the other, tapes running on the lower set of rollers and on idler-rollers, and fingers joined. at their upper ends and being provided with hooks adapted to engage the shaft of the upper set of rollers, said fingers lying by their ends upon the upper side of the upper half of said tapes,their bodies being at a slight a ngle thereto, for the purpose specified.

1.2. In a sheet-feeding machine, a papertable, means for separating the sheets and advancing same singly to a straighteningtable, said straighterring-table, a side guide thereon and a grid over said table consisting of slotted transversely-extending bars at the head and foot of said straightening-table, longitudinallyextending bars secured to the aforesaid bars over said straightening-tablc and laterally and vertically adjustable thereon by means of screws passing through said slotted, transverse bars and into said longitudinally extending bars, substantially as specified.

13. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for advancing the top sheet, stop mechanism consisting of a cam mounted on a p1.'o1 )erly-ti.med. shaft, a lever pivoted with one end a short d tanoe from the working face of said cam, and connected with belt-shiftin g mechanism, a block adapted to be inserted between said ea m and lover, and a finger pivoted and lying in. the path of the moving sheet of paper and means for operatively connecting said finger and said block, thereby forming means for insorting said block upon failure of the sheet of paper to pass aid finger.

14. In a sheet-feeding machine, means for advancing a sheet of paper and an automatic stop mechanism consisting of a cam, a lever mounted with its end near the working face thereof but with an intervening space, a beltshifting device and means for operatively connecting same with the said lever at one end, a block larger than the space between the said lever and the Working face of said cam and being normally seated between said cam periphery and lever, a lever pivoted on the frame and a cord connecting one end of said lever with said block, an arm pivoted on the frame and adapted to operatively engage the last-named lever, a latch engaging said arm when it is elevated and adapted to retain the same in its elevated position, and a finger projected across the line of motion of the sheet being advanced and connected to said latch so as to release the engagement between same and said arm.

15. The combination, with a sheet-delivery fly, of a lever extending across the line of movement of the said fly, a cam and a lever mounted with its end near the working face of said cam but with a space intervening between same and connected to a belt-shifting device, a cord attached to the first-named 1 lever, a deflecting-sheave vertically over said LINTON C. HOPKINS.

WVitnesses:

A. P. Woon, H. L. KEITH.