US571601A

US571601A - Paper-feeding machine

Info

Publication number: US571601A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 1913-11-17

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets8heet 1. B. MGKEE.

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 17, 1896.

Ino'entor: Robe/Z J1. 91562 b fawuY/lc 7 neya Witnesses.-

m: Nona-s PETKRS coy. marauruo. waswmcmm n. c

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Mel) B. MOKEB.

PAPER FEEDING MAUHINB.

No. 671,601. Patented Nov. 17, 1896.

m: Muflms PETER; w. Pumaumxl. WASHIN IBM 0 L UNITED STATES A'rnNr intent ROBERT MCKEE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PAPER-FEEDING MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,601, dated November 17, 1896.

Application filed February 21, 1895. Serial No. 539,263. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT MOKEE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Paper-Feeding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The obj eot of my invention is to so construct a pneumatic paper-feeding device for printing-presses, folding-machines, or the like as to insure the positive and regular feed of sin gle sheets, the mechanism being devised with especial reference to the avoidance on the one hand of missing the feed and on the other hand of feeding more than one sheet at a time.

\Vith this object in View my invention consists in certain constructions and combinations of parts, as fully set forth and specifieally claimed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side View of sufficient of a paper-feeding device to illustrate my present invention. Fig. 2 is afront View of the same. Figs. 3, at, and 5 are views in different positions of those parts of the mechanism which act directly upon the sheet. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of the blast and suction mechanism used in connection with the machine, and Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the movable parts in different adjustments from those of Fig. (3.

The opposite frames of the machine are represented at a, and these frames have suitable bearings for screw-shafts a, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2,) said shafts engaging with nuts at the opposite ends of the table I), which supports the pile of sheets to be fed, the upper ends of the screw-shafts a being provided with bevel-wheels a which mesh with bevelwheels 0. on a transverse shaft or, adapted to suitable bearings on the fixed frame, said shaft being capable of being turned either by hand, through the medium of a crank a, or intermittently by power through the medium of a ratchet-wheel a and pawl a", the latter being hung to an arm a which has a longitudinal slot a", adapted for the reception of a sliding block'a mounted upon the crank-pin a of a disk a carried by one end of the main shaft A of the machine, which shaft may be rotated in any suitable manner. By this means a single vibrat-ion is imparted to the arm a on each rotation of the shaft A, and a partial rotation of the shaft ((1 and of the screw-shafts a is thereby caused, this rotation being sufficient to effect the elevation of the pile of sheets to the extent of a single sheet, so as to maintain the top of the pile always in proper operative relation with the selecting and feeding devices, to be hereinafter described.

In the event of an excessive elevation of the pile of sheets further elevation. of the same for a time is prevented by means of one or more detector-rods 11', two of these rods being shown in the present instance and the rods being carried by arms 15 on a rock-shaft b the rods being adjustable in respect to said arms by means of thumb-nuts b engaging with the threaded stems of the rods and suitably confined to the arms 12 so as to be free to turn thereon.

The lock-shaft b has an arm U with projecting pin Z), adapted to act upon a toe a, projecting from the pawl a so that whenever 7 5 the rods 1) are lifted the toe (1 will be depressed and the pawl a will be lifted, so as to be free from engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel a, further movement of the latter being therefore prevented until the rods 1) again drop to their normal position. The rods 1/ have at their lower ends enlarged heads b rounded on the underside and bearing upon the top sheet of the pile, and the rock-shaft b has an arm b carrying at its upper end an antifriction-rollerI), acted upon by a cam Z9 on the shaft A, as shown in Fig.

2, so as to provide for a positive lift of the detector-rods to an extent sufficient to free their heads If from contact with the top sheet 0 of paper during the feeding of the same, this lift of the rods however, not aifecting the proper performance of their function as a means of preventing excessive rise of the pile of sheets. 9 5

The devices which directly act upon the top sheet of paper in eifecti 11g the feed of the same are a series of ruffling-fingers (Z, a series of suction-nozzles f, a retainer or clamp-bar i, and a stop-bar k.

The bar 2' is adapted to act at intervals upon the forward end of the top sheet of paper, so as to clamp the same during the forward movement of the rufl'ling-finger, the bar being then raised, so as not to interfere with the free withdrawal and forward feed of the sheet by the suction-nozzles, and so as also to permit of the loosening of the top sheet up to the front edge of the same, which is prevented from advancing on the rise of the bar iby reason of its contact with the stop-bark, which end a spur wheel i engaging with a rack Fat the lower end of a guided bar t the upper end of the latter having an antifriction-roller i running in contact with a cam 2' on the shaft A, as shown in Fig. 2, and maintained in contact with said cam by means of a spring i so that intermittent reciprocating motions are imparted to the bar 2' The ruining-fingers (Z are carried by arms (15, secured to a rock-shaft (1 which is mounted so as to be free to turn in the lower ends of arms (Z loosely hung upon a transverse shaft 15 at the upper end of the machine, eacharm (I having secured to it another arm (1, which carries an anti friction-roller cl, acted upon by a cam d on the shaft A.

The arms (1 are connected by a rod (Z and to the latter is connected one end of a link (Z the upper end of which is hung to an arm d, swinging on the shaft B and having secured to it another arm (Z which carries an antifriction-roller (Z acted upon by a cam (Z on the shaft A.

The suction-nozzles f are carried by a transverse pipe f, which ismounted in the lower ends of links f hung to bell-crank levers f swinging on the shaft B, one arm of each of these levers f having an antil'riction -rollerf, acted upon by a cam 011 the shaft A. The pipe f is also connected by a link f to the lower end of an arm f hung to the shaft 13, and to this arm f is connected another arm f having an antifriction-rollerf, acted upon by a cam f on the shaft A.

The ruflling-fingers (Z and suction-nozzlesf are therefore capable of forward, backward, and vertical movement, the latter movement being controlled independently of the forward and backward movements, so that the lower ends-of the ruffiing-fingers and suction-nozzles can by proper formation of the operatingcams be made to take any course desired.

The cams which actuate the ruffiing-fingers (Z are preferably so formed that said fingers travel in a perfectly horizontal course over the top sheet of the pile and after they reach the limit of their forward movement are raised directly up from the paper, as shown in Fig. 4, are carried backward while so raised, as shown in Fig. 5, and are then again dropped down into contact with the paper preparatory to another horizontal forward movement.

The suction-nozzlcs f are first lifted so as to clear the front edge of the paper from the raised retaining-bar t' and are then carried forward so as to draw the sheet of paper over said raised retaining-bar and present it to the grippers or feed-rolls of the machine in connection with which the feeder is used.

The top sheet of paper is buckled or waved in that portion adjacent to the clamp-bar 'i,

and there is then an'indraft' of air into the nozzles f, so as to cause the sheet of paper to approach and attach itself to the lower end of the nozzles, to which the sheet is caused to adhere by reason of the maintenance of a partial vacuum in said nozzles due to the closing of the lower end of the same by the sheet of paper, this partial vacuum being maintained during the forward movement of the nozzles, the vacuum being broken by the admission of air to the nozzles as soon as the front edge of the sheet of paper has been outer end of the pile at a point close to the top of the same, these blasts being derived from a pipe m, suitably disposed.

The mechanism whereby the air is directed to the blast-pipe m and withdrawn from the suction-nozzles f is shownin Figs. 2, 6, and 7 The pipe f, which carries the suction-nozzles f, communicates through a pipe f with a chest f containing a sliding valve f, the

pipe f having a suitable valve f and having a flexible portion which permits the necessary movements of the pipe f. The chest f also communicates through a pipe f with the suction end of a combined suction and blast apparatus F, said pipe f having a valved branch f through which air may be permitted to enter said pipe f in volume regulated by the adjustment of the valve.

The blast end of the apparatus communicates through a pipe m with a chest m containing a valve m and said chest also com municates through a pipe m, having a regulated valve m with the blast-pipe m.

The pipe m has a valved branch on, permitting a discharge from said pipe, regulated by the adjustment of the valve. The valve f has a stem f, provided at the upper end with an antif-riction-roller f acted upon by a cam f on the shaft A, said roller being maintained in contact with the cam by means of a spring f acting on the valve-stem f". In like manner the valve m has a stem m7 with antifriction-roller m acted on by a cam m on the shaft A, a spring m serving to maintain the roller in contact with the cam.

Each of the valves f and m has a port or passage extending through it, and when the valve f 15 is depressed this port or passage provid cs a communication between the pipes f 11 and f and thus placesthe pipe f and its suc- IIO ii0n11OZZl6Sfil1 communication with the suction end of the apparatus F, so as to provide for the withdrawal of air from the suctionnozzles, the force of the draft, and conse V quently the degree of vacuum, maintained in the suction-nozzles being dependent upon the adjustment of the valves f 14 and f, the former regulating the freedom of flow through the pipe f while the valve f regulates the amount of leakage into the pipe f 15 and thus determines the eifcctive draft of the apparatus F during the time that the suction-nozzles are carrying the paper forward.

YVhen the valve f is raised, both of the pipes f and f 15 can. communicate freely with the open interior of the valve-chestf Hence the pipe f is cut off from connection with the suction apparatus F and air can freely enter the suction-nozzles through said pipe f and pipe f.

XVhen the valve m is raised, its port or passage provides a communication between the pipes at and m, and thus places the blast-pipe m in communication with the blast end of the continuous-exhaust apparatus F, and when said valve is depressed it partially cuts off this communication, as shown in Fig. 7 so that the blast-pipe m is continuously supplied with air under pressure, the flow of air being for a time restricted, so as to provide a gentle blast against the edges of the sheets of paper, and being then for a short time suddenly increased, so as to produce a sharper blast during the time that the suction-nozzles are acting to pick up the sheet of paper. In this case also the force of the blast can be regulated by the adjustment of the valve m and of the valve in the branch in, the former governin g the flow through the pipe m and the latter controlling the leakage of air from the pipe on. The use of these leakage-valves on the suction and discharge pipes is important, because it prevents the abrupt cutting off or obstruction of the supply to the suction end of the apparatus F or of the discharge from the delivery end, and thus permits of the maintenance of substantially uniform operative conditions at all times.

Although I have shown two levers f and two levers formed by the arms d (Z it will be evident that but one of each. of these, suitably disposed, might be used, or, on the other hand, in a wide machine the number of lovers used might be considerably increased. 1 have also shown an d prefer to use a number of ruttlingfingers and a number of suction-nozzles, but in feeding narrow strips of paper one of each of these parts might suifice.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination in a paper-feeding device, of lifting mechanism having as an element a ratchet and pawl, a vibrating arm carrying saidpawl, and a rock-shaft having three arms, one acted upon directly by a cam for rocking the shaft, the second having a projection acting directly on the pawl, and the third having a detector-rod bearing upon the pile of sheets, substantially as specified.

2. The combination in a paper-feeding device, of a support for the pile of sheets, a series of suction-nozzles, a pipe carrying the same, a pair of cams, a shaft having a pair of bell-crank levers acted 011 by said cams and so mounted that their outer ends swing in a substantially vertical plane, links connecting the suction-pipe to the vertically-swingin g ends of said levers, an arm mounted on the levenshaft and having its lower end swinging in a substantially horizontal plane, another arm on said shaft, a cam acting on said arm, and a link connecting the lower end of the horizontally-swin gin g arm to the suction-p ipe, substantially as specified.

3. The combination in a paper-feeding device, of a support for the pile of sheets, a buckling-finger, a suction-nozzle, a bar for clamping the front end of the pile of sheets, rocking arms carry-ing said bar, a shaft carrying said arms, a pinion on said shaft, a rack engaging with said pinion, and a cam for imparting movement to said rack, substantially as specified.

4:. The combination in a paper-feeding device, of a support for the pile of sheets, a blast pipe for delivering blasts of air toward the edges of said sheets, a pipe providing communication between said blast-pi pc and an airforcing apparatus, and means for controlling the flow of air through said pipe whereby provision is afforded for maintaining a gentle blast which is increased in force at intervals, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT MQKEE.

Witnesses:

WILL A. RARE, J osnrn U. KLEIN.