WO2002085765A1

WO2002085765A1 - Register device for a sheet pick-up system

Info

Publication number: WO2002085765A1
Application number: PCT/US2002/013035
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eber Lyle Goodwin
Original assignee: A.B. Dick Company
Priority date: 2001-04-25
Filing date: 2002-04-25
Publication date: 2002-10-31

Abstract

A sheet registration device is for a single sheet pick-up system for sheets (16) that are supplied from a pile feeder. The system has a pick-up member (106) that is moved in a reciprocating manner to successively pick-up and move each single sheet from the supply of sheets (16) provided by the pile feeder. The device includes a guide member for engagement with at least an upper portion of the supply of sheets (16). The device also includes a mechanism (70) interconnecting the guide member (66) and the pick-up member (106) such that movement of the pick-up member (106) caused movement of the guide member relative to the supply of sheets. An associated method provides for registering at least an upper portion of a supply of sheets (16) provided by a pile feeder for a precise pick-up by a pick-up member (106) that is moved in a reciprocating manner to successively pick-up and move each single sheet from the supply. A guide member (66) which is coupled to move as a result of movement of the pick-up member, is moved such that the guide member moves relative to the supply of sheets. The moving guide member (66) is engaged with the at least an upper portion of the supply of sheets (16).

Description

CONSTANT CONTACT ACCURATE REGISTER DEVICE FOR A SHEET PICK-UP SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sheet registration device, and more particularly to a system within which registration occurs for sheets of paper or the like that are fed by a pick-up system (e.g., vacuum) from a pile feeder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The basic requirement of a paper feeding function of a printed sheet producing device, such as a duplicator or a printing press, is to precisely position and accurately register sheets at stops near an infeed roller system, of the device, which positions each sheet for impression cylinder grippers . Once a sheet of paper is fed for printing, an impression cylinder is raised and locked at a print position, and the impression cylinder proceeds to transfer a print image from a blanket to the paper. The image on each must be in close register from top to bottom of the sheet. The register can be for a single color or for multiple colors. A single color register requires accurate sheet to sheet register so that lines or other images bleed off edges of the sheet in the same position. When printing multiple color work, sheets pass through the press as many as eight times, four colors on each side of the paper. Typical multiple colors are common on letterheads, business cards, graphs, charts, brochures, four-color process, etc. Sheets must register on all four corners of the sheet. When running sheets with the narrow edge to the gripper, it is difficult to hold accurate register at the trailing end of the sheet. When printing on both sides of the sheet, images such as border lines, pictures, or text lines on the front of the sheet must match accurately with those lines on the reverse side. Testing this is usually done by holding the sheet to a light source to check front and back image alignment. To get accurate register front and back requires mechanical devices to jog the stock from the same side of the sheet, known as right to left jogging. Accurate register must hold at different speeds, such as 5,000, 6,000 or 7,000 sheets per hour. There are two basic prior art register systems. A first one of those systems is a conveyor register board system with push guide sheet positioning. Generally, registration of the sheets is affected on the conveyor board just prior to feeding sheets into the press. The sheets of paper, when contacting the head stops, are laterally moved to the right or left. A jogger guide laterally moves a sheet to the right or left, and the sheet is stopped by a stop guide such as spring blades. This system has several disadvantages. On many types of stock, such as lightweight, small sheets (3 inches x 5 inches), long narrow sheets, i.e., 3% inches x 8 inches, or #10 envelopes (4¹/β inches x 9% inches), feed rates of 6,500 sheets per hour results in a contact slapping action of the rigid heavy jogger as it pushes the sheets laterally into the stop springs. The stopping action of the springs is not positive and register is not consistently and precisely accurate. Conveyor board systems are time-consuming to set up and skill-intensive to accomplish accurate commercial results. A typical conveyor board has 375 separate parts. Another register system is a pull guide system. A pull guide system also requires the use of a conveyor board to transport the sheet from the pile feeder to the head stops. In contrast to the push guide system described above, the pull guide function is to grip the sheet at the lead edge and pull the sheet laterally into contact with a small stop. The pulling mechanism then slips on the sheet. At a precise timing moment, the pull guide releases from gripping the sheet. Two infeed forwarding rolls contact the sheet. The rollers are forced together, thus driving the sheet into grippers on the impression cylinder. The grippers close, holding the sheet through each printing cycle. This type of mechanical device results in the paper being in a "free state" during the transfer process. Pull guide register systems, due to the mechanical parts, cannot handle small stock such as 3 inches x 5 inches. Going from lightweight stocks to 140 pound card stock requires mechanical adjustments. Pull guide register systems require a vacuum air source, mechanical valves, mechanical motions, and very sensitive precise cam devices . Since both the conveyor register board and the pull guide system require a conveyor board, additional floor space is needed between the pile feeder and the impression cylinder grippers. There is a need for a short couple feed mechanism between the pile feeder and the impression cylinder grippers which speeds job change time, which is simple to set up, which feeds paper directly from the paper pile and the grippers and which minimizes the floor space occupied by the feed mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a sheet registration device within a single sheet pick-up system for sheets that are supplied from a pile feeder. The system has a pick-up member that is moved in a reciprocating manner to successively pick-up and move each single sheet from the supply of sheets provided by the pile feeder. The device includes a guide member for engagement with at least an upper portion of the supply of sheets. The device also includes a mechanism interconnecting the guide member and the pick-up member such that movement of the pick- up member caused movement of the guide member relative to the supply of sheets. In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides a short couple sheet feed system. The system includes a pick-up member that is moved in a reciprocating manner to successively pick-up and move each single sheet from a supply of sheets provided by a pile feeder. The system also includes a registration device to register at least an upper portion of the supply of sheets. The device includes a guide member for engagement with at least an upper portion of the supply of sheets, and a mechanism interconnecting the guide member and the pick-up member such that movement of the pick- up member causes movement of the guide member relative to the supply of sheets. In accordance with yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of registering at least an upper portion of a supply of sheets provided by a pile feeder for a precise pick-up by a pick-up member that is moved in a reciprocating manner to successively pick-up and move each single sheet from the supply. A guide member, which is coupled to move as a result of movement of the pick-up member, is moved such that the guide member moves relative to the supply of sheets. The moving guide member is engaged with the at least an upper portion of the supply of sheets. It is to be appreciated that this invention provides a short couple feed mechanism which accurately registers sheets image to image and sheet to sheet at relatively high speeds and which is able to run and register to commercial standards on a great range of paper stocks including lightweight paper, heavyweight coated stocks, and card stock. In one example embodiment of the invention, which is not to be construed as a limitation on the present invention, the direct feed register system includes left and right pile guide plates that are vertically mounted at the lateral edges of the paper pile adjacent the vacuum bar shaft and the impression cylinder grippers of a printing press. The feed register system according to this invention may be original equipment with the press or may be retrofitted to presses in the field. Each pile guide has a slide block fixed to its outer face and each slide block is mounted on a transverse heavy-duty shaft, which in turn is mounted in bearing blocks secured to side plates of the printing machine. Screw levers extend into each slide block to releasably lock the slide blocks and, therefore, the guide plates to the shaft. This mechanism permits a rapid changeover when different sheet sizes are to be run. Anti-backlash, positive positioning of the sheets is accomplished by providing a mechanism which permits the shaft, and therefore, the guide plates to be shifted laterally in either direction in increments of 0.001 inches with a range of adjustment of 0.250 inches. This mechanism includes an internally threaded rotary dial threaded onto the shaft inboard of one of the side bearing mounts for the shaft. The circumference of the dial is provided with a multiplicity of notches which engage a detent spring clip or ball spring plunger. The thread pitch and notch spacing are designed so that each click of a notch on the detent moves the guide plates 0.001 inches. This operation can be accomplished manually without visual observation. An anti-backlash mechanism for thread clearance is provided by a heavy-duty spring on the other side of the shaft, inboard of the other bearing mount on the machine frame. A pin through the shaft mounts the shaft in the bearing block and prevents rotation of the shaft. The spring biases the dial against a roller bearing thrust washer positioned between the dial and its bearing block. Paper sizes are positioned to a detailed sheet size scale that is easily adjusted to the centerline of the machine side plates. A spring register guide blade is clamped to driver blocks provided on each slide block. Each driver block is provided with slots which receive pins projecting from each slide block to permit movement of the driver block relative to the slide block. A bar is attached to the vacuum bar shaft of the printing machine. The vacuum bar shaft is provided with a plurality of downwardly depending suction feet which are adapted to pick-up individual sheets and feed them to the impression cylinder grippers of a printing press. The bar is slidably received in slots provided in each driver block so that the register guide blades move in unison with the vacuum bar shaft in a reciprocating fashion during each revolution of the impression cylinder. The functional space of this register guide blade system is about 1 inches as opposed to about 20 inches on a conveyor board type machine, which requires about 250 more machine elements. The position of each spring register guide may be adjusted in micro-increments from 0 to 0.070 inches by a click controlled cam shaft associated with a notched lever. A cam rod is rotatably mounted in each driver block and has a cam fixed to its lower end. The upper end of each cam rod projects from its block and has a lever fixed thereto. Each lever has six notches therein which engage a spring loaded detent as the lever is rotated. This is easily accomplished with one finger and no visual observation is necessary. To register the sheets to the right pile guide, the right spring register guide is set at its zero position by its associated cam lever. The left cam lever is moved counterclockwise from one to six clicks to move the spring register guide inwardly in micro click increments to register and hold the sheet being fed against the right pile guide. To register the sheets against the left pile guide, the procedure is reversed. The register system components described above are connected to the pile guides for lateral movement therewith along the heavy duty shaft when moving the guides to accommodate different sizes of stock. This feature speeds operation and eliminates inconsistent results when setting multiple assemblies. When the printing machine is feeding paper, the feeder pile between the pile guides is raised every 6-20 sheets depending upon the thickness of the stock. Air jets are employed to fluff and separate the top 20-40 sheets. The right or left spring register guide blade reciprocates toward and away from the press to keep the top sheets positively contacting the opposite pile guide, either right or left. The fore and aft wiping action of the blade positively and accurately positions the sheet against the selected pile guide to enable the suction feet to pick up the sheet in register and position it in the feed rolls which move the sheet forward into the impression cylinder stops. The grippers close and hold the sheet in registered position. Multiple jogger spring blades or stronger spring blades can be used for heavier stocks. A hold down roller assembly floats on the sheets and maintains control of the sheets being fed. The roller assembly produces a slight buckle in the sheet resulting in lateral rigidity in the sheet to provide more register control by the constant contact of the register control blade.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates upon reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of a sheet registration device according to this invention within a short couple feed mechanism; Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the sheet registration device and feed mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1, with the view of Fig. 2 being from the opposite side from the view shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side perspective view of a portion of the sheet registration device and feed mechanism; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, the plane of the section being illustrated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 4A is an enlarged elevational view of a driver block; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a cam lever, the plane of the view being indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 4; Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 5A-5A in Fig. 4 ; Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary prospective view of one end of a transverse heavy-duty shaft of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary prospective view of the other end of the shaft illustrated in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an enlarged, plan view of right and left jogger assemblies shown in Fig. 2 ; Fig. 9 is an enlarged, elevational view of a support assembly for a paper hold-down mechanism shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 10 is a plan view of the assembly illustrated in Fig. 9; and Fig. 11 is an elevational view of a portion of the assembly illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a short couple feed mechanism 10 according to this invention. The mechanism 10 includes left and right pile guide plates 12 and 14, respectively, mounted at lateral edges of a sheet or paper pile 16 adjacent the vacuum bar shaft 18 of a printing press (not shown) . Each pile guide plate 12 and 14 has a slide block 20 bolted to its outer face and each slide block 20 is mounted on a transverse heavy duty shaft 22. The shaft 22 slidably extends through openings 24 (Fig. 2) in the blocks 20 and has reduced end portions 26 and 28 which extend into bearing blocks 30 and 32, respectively, mounted on a pair of side plates 34 and 36 of the printing machine, which is otherwise not shown except for the vacuum bar shaft 18, noted above. Screw levers 38 and 40 are received in threaded apertures 42 and 44 in each slide block 20 to releasably lock the slide blocks 20 and, therefore, the guide plates 12 and 14 to the shaft 22. To provide a more positive vibration free lock, springs 46 (Fig. 4) are provided in recesses 47 to apply holding pressure to the threads. This pressure also maintains the screw levers 38 and 40 in position at any angle when unlocked so that the levers do not fall to a downward position. The levers 38 and 40 are each spring loaded against a respective, mated serrated hub on the locking screw. This permits the lever being positioned to the preferred operating angle. The levers 38 and 40 have the leverage locking power of a 4-inch diameter knob which would be prohibitive due to space limitations. This mechanism permits the guide plates 12 and 14 to be rapidly adjusted on the shaft 22 for a rapid changeover when different sheet sizes are to be run. Anti-backlash, positive positioning of the pile 16 is accomplished by providing a mechanism which permits the shaft 22, and, therefore, the guide plates 12 and 14 to be shifted laterally in either direction in increments of 0.001 inches with a range of adjustments of 0.250 inches. This mechanism includes an internally threaded rotary dial 48 threaded onto a threaded portion 50 of the reduced end portion 26 of the shaft 22. The circumference of the dial 48 is provided with a multiplicity of notches 52 which engage a detent spring clip 54 mounted on the bearing block 30. A ball bearing spring plunger (not shown) may be substituted for the spring clip 54. The thread pitch and notch spacing of the dial 48 are designed so that each click of a notch 52 on the detent moves the guide plates in 0.001 inch increments up to a total travel of 0.025 inches. This operation can be accomplished manually without visual observation. An anti-backlash mechanism for thread clearance is provided by a heavy-duty spring 56 on the other side of the shaft 22, inboard of the bearing block 32 on the machine side plate 36. A pin 58 extends through the reduced end portion 28 of the shaft 22 and is received in a slot 60 in the bearing block 32 to prevent rotation of the shaft 22. The spring 56 is compressed between the block 32 and a shoulder 61 of the reduced end portion 28 of the shaft 22 to bias the dial 48 against a roller bearing thrust washer 62 interposed between the dial 48 and the bearing block 30. Paper sizes are positioned to a detailed size scale 64 that is easily adjusted to the centerline of the machine side plates 34 and 36. Spring register guide blades 66 and 68 are clamped to driver blocks 70 and 72 by clamping plates 74 and 76. The driver blocks 70 and 72 are provided with arcuate slots 78 and 80 there through. For reasons which will become apparent, the slots 78 and 80 have radii of curvature R_x and R₂ (Fig. 4) extending from a central axis A of the vacuum bar shaft 18. The slots 78 and 80 receive studs 86 and 88, respectively, have locking threads which are threaded into the slide blocks 20 and which slidably cooperate with the side walls of the slots 78 and 80. The studs 86 and 88 have threads, and self-locking nuts 90 hold the drive blocks 70 and 72 in contact with the slide blocks 20 to permit smooth, non-binding movement between the driver blocks 70 and 72 and the slide blocks 20. A rectangular bar 94 is fixed to the vacuum bar shaft 18 of the printing press by clamp block assemblies 96 and 98. Each assembly 96 and 98 comprises an upper clamp block 100 and a lower clamp block 102. The bar 94 is affixed to each lower clamp block 102 and a tab 104 extending from one edge of the scale 64 is clamped there between to mount the scale 64. The vacuum bar shaft 18 is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending suction feet 106 which are adapted to pick individual sheets from the paper pile 16 and feed them to the impression cylinder grippers of the printing press. The ends of the bar 94 are slidably received in transverse slots 108 in the driver blocks 70 and 72 so that the driver blocks 70 and 72 are driven by axial rotational movement of the vacuum bar shaft during each revolution of the impression cylinder. The extent of the rotational movement corresponds to the necessary feed stroke of the suction feet 106. It should now be apparent that since driver blocks 70 and 72 are coupled to and driven by the vacuum bar shaft 18, the radii R_x and R₂ must radiate from the bar shaft axis A. The spring register guide blades 66 and 68 attached to the driver blocks move in unison with the vacuum bar shaft 18 in a reciprocating fashion during each revolution of the impression cylinder. The stroke and functional space of transporting the sheet from the feeder to the infeed rolls of the press is about 1% inches as opposed to about 20 inches on a conveyor board type machine, which requires about 250 more machine elements. The position of each spring register guide blade 66 and 68 may be adjusted in very precise micro-increments from zero to 0.070 inches by click controlled cam shafts 118 and 120 rotatably mounted in bores 122 and 124 provided in the driver blocks 70 and 72. Cams 126 and 128 are fixed to the lower ends of the shafts 118 and 120. A respective upper end of each shaft 118 and 120 projects from each driver block 70 and 72 and has a lever 130 and 132 fixed thereto. Each lever 130 and 132 has six notches 134 therein which engage a spring loaded detent 136 as the lever 130 or 132 is rotated. This is easily accomplished with one finger and no visual observation is necessary. In the zero position of the cam 126 and the lever 130, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 5A, the spring register guide blade 66 is flush with the plane of the inner surface of the pile guide plate 12. Rotation of the lever 130 in a counterclockwise direction through 90° moves the guide blade 66 inwardly 0.070 inch in micro-increments . A similar result obtains for the cam 128 and its lever 132, except the lever 132 is moved in a clockwise direction. As may be noted in Figs. 4 and 5A, a pin 127 depends from the driver blocks 70 and 72 to prevent the cams 126 from moving past their zero positions. To register the sheets to the pile guide plate 14, the guide blade 68 is set to its zero position by its associated lever 132 so that the blade 68 is flush with the plane of the inner surface of the pile guide plate 14. The cam lever 130 is moved counterclockwise from one to six clicks to move the guide blade 66 inwardly in micro inch increments to register and hold the sheet against the pile guide plate 14. To register the sheets against the pile guide plate 12, the guide blade 66 is set to its zero position by its associated lever 130 so that the blade 66 is flush with the plane of the inner surface of the pile guide plate 12. The cam lever 132 is moved clockwise from one to six clicks to move the guide blade 68 inwardly in micro inch increments to register and hold the sheet against the pile guide plate 12. The register system components therefore described are connected to the pile guide plates 12 and 14 for lateral movement therewith along the heavy duty shaft 22 when moving the plates 12 and 14 to accommodate different sizes of stock. This feature speeds operation and eliminated inconsistent results when setting multiple assemblies. When the printing machine is feeding paper, the feeder pile 16 between the pile guide plates 12 and 14 is raised every 6 to 20 sheets depending on the thickness of the stock. The top 20 to 40 sheets are fluffed and separated by a mechanism which will now be described. Mounting blocks 140 and 142 are fixed to the plates 12 and 14 adjacent the leading edge of the sheets. Air jet tubes 144 and 146 extend through bores 148 and 150 in the blocks 140 and 142 and have a plurality of air jet openings 152 directed at the top 20 to 40 sheets in the pile 16. Each tube 144 and 146 is connected to lengths of flexible tubing 154 leading to a source of pressurized air (not shown) . Assuming that the register system has been adjusted to register the sheets against the guide plate 14 during the feeding operation, the spring register guide blade 66 reciprocates toward and away from the press to keep the top sheets positively contacting the guide plate 14. The fore and aft wiping action of the blade 66 positively and accurately positions the sheet against the guide plate 14 to enable the suction feet 106 to pick up the sheet and position it in the feed rolls which move the sheet forward into the impression cylinder stops. The grippers close and hold the sheet in registered position. Multiple jogger spring blades or stronger spring blades can be used' for heavier stocks. Of course, the opposite guide blade 68 is also reciprocating, but since its associated cam 128 is at its zero setting, it is reciprocating in the plane of the inner surface of the guide plate 14 and its reciprocating movement does not interfere with proper registry of the sheet. The action of the air jet tubes 144 and 146 on the top sheets causes a floating action of the sheets and a large buckle of the top sheet or sheets. This uncontrolled buckle may result in misfeeds, doubles, or jams. To minimize such a large buckle, the present invention provides a roller hold- down assembly 151 to permit only a slight buckle in the sheets. The slight buckle in the sheets provides lateral rigidity, thus adding more register control by the constant contact of the guide blade 66 or 68. Referring now to Figs. 2 and 9-12, the hold-down assembly includes a first link 153 which is pivotally mounted on the shaft 22. The body of the link 153 is provided with a longitudinal slot 155 which receives a threaded post 156 extending from one end of a connecting link 158. The link 158 is received in a groove 160 in the bottom of the link 158 and the link 158 is adjustably clamped to the first link 153 by a knob 162 threaded onto the post 156. The other end of the connecting link 158 forms a clevis 161 which pivotally connects the link 158 to one flattened end 163 of a second, cylindrical link 164 by a pin 166. The other end of the second link 164 forms a cradle 168 which receives a roller spindle 170 (Fig. 2) . A pair of hold-down rollers 172 are rotatably mounted on the spindle 170 by a plurality of spring clips 174. The cylindrical, second link 164 is slidably received within a bore 175 of a tube 176. The tube 176 is provided with a longitudinal slot 178 which receives a pin 180 projecting from the link 164. An arcuate extension 182 of the tube covers the cradle 168 to retain the spindle 170 therein. The tube 176 is provided with a counterbore 184 and a spring 186 is compressed between the counterbore end face and a shoulder 188 of the link 164. The spindle 170 may be released from the cradle 168 by retracting the tube 176 against the bias of the spring 186 so that the arcuate extension 182 clears the cradle 168. Differently sized spindles and roller assemblies (not shown) may be inserted in the cradle 168 to accommodate various widths of stock to be run. It may be noted that no screws or nuts need be manipulated to make a spindle change. It should also be noted that the position of the rollers 172 may be adjusted forward or backward by loosening the knob 162 so that proper pressure may be applied to the sheets. While the invention has been shown and described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, those embodiments are for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation, and other variations and modifications of the specific embodiments herein described will be apparent to those skilled in the art, all within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited in scope and effect to the specific embodiments herein described, nor in any other way that is inconsistent with the extent to which the progress in the art has been advanced by the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS :Having described the invention, the following is claimed:

1. A sheet registration device within a single sheet pick-up system for sheets that are supplied from a pile feeder, the system having a pick-up member that is moved in a reciprocating manner to successively pick-up and move each single sheet from the supply of sheets provided by the pile feeder, the device including: a guide member for engagement with at least an upper portion of the supply of sheets; and a mechanism interconnecting the guide member and the pick-up member such that movement of the pick-up member caused movement of the guide member relative to the supply of sheets.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the guide member is positioned to engage the sheets along a side edge with respect to a sheet movement direction for the movement provided by the pick-up member.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the guide member is a first guide member, the side edge of the sheets is a first side edge, with a second side edge of the sheets being located opposite the first side edge, and the device including a second guide member for engagement with the sheets along the second side edge.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the second guide member is stationary during the reciprocating motion of the pick-up member, and the motion of the first guide member cause movement of the at least upper portion of the supply of sheets into registration engagement with the second guide member .

5. A device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the first guide member includes a spring blade, and the second guide member includes a plate.

6. A device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the first and second guide members are adjustable along a direction transverse to the sheet movement direction.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6, including a mechanism interconnecting the second guide member and the pick-up member such that the reciprocating motion of the pick- up member causes movement of the second guide member relative to the supply of sheets .

8. A device as set forth in claim 7, wherein adjustment of the first and second guide members is such that only one of the first and second guide members engages the sheets during movement of the first and second guide members caused by the reciprocating motion of the pick-up member.

9. A device as set forth in claim 6, wherein the adjustment of the second guide member places the second guide member at a location to be stationary during the reciprocating motion of the pick-up member, and the adjustment of the first guide member places the first guide member at a location to push the sheets into register engagement with the second guide member.

10. A device as set forth in claim 9, including a rotatable transverse shaft and a manually actuated rotary dial located on the shaft for rotating the shaft, the second guide member being connected to the shaft such that the second guide member is adjusted via rotation of the shaft.

11. A device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the dial has a plurality of engageable detents for stepwise movement of the dial and the shaft and associated adjustment of the second guide member.

12. A device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the dial is actuatable by a single hand.

13. A device as set forth in claim 9, including a manually actuatable lever connected to the first guide member, such that the first member is adjusted via actuation of the lever.

14. A device as set forth in claim 13, wherein the lever has a plurality of engageable detents for stepwise adjustment of the first guide member.

15. A device as set forth in claim 13, wherein the lever is actuatable by a single hand.

16. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the guide member is a first guide blade, the device including a second guide blade and first and second guide plates, the first and second guide plates are adjustable along a direction transverse to a sheet movement direction for the movement provided by the pick-up member, the first and second guide blades are associated with the first and second guide plates, respectively, such that the first and second guide blades are carried with the first and second guide plates, respectively, during adjustment of the first and second guide plates.

17. A device as set forth in claim 16, wherein, the first and second guide blades are adjustable along the transverse direction relative to the first and second guide plates, respectively.

18. A device as set forth in claim 17, wherein adjustment of the first and second guide blades is such that either the first guide blade pushes the sheets into register engagement with the second guide plate or the second guide blade pushes the sheets into register engagement with the first guide plate.

19. A device as set forth in claim 18, wherein only the upper portion of the supply of sheets is pushed by either the first or second guide blade.

20. A device as set forth in claim 16, wherein the first and second guide blades are spring blades .

21. A device as set forth in claim 20, wherein the first and second guide blades each have a bend such that a portion of respective blade tapers away from the supply of sheets.

22. A device as set forth in claim 1, including an air supply mechanism to provide air flow that separates the portion of the supply of sheets .

23. A device as set forth in claim 22, wherein the guide member causes a registration movement of the portion of the supply of sheets while the portion of the sheets is separated by the air flow.

24. A device as set forth in claim 22, including a sheet hold down assembly for engaging the portion of the supply of sheets and maintaining a maximum sheet bend caused by the air flow.

25. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the interconnecting mechanism includes a cam arrangement to cause motion of the guide member during motion of the pick-up member .

26. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the interconnection mechanism moves the guide member in a fore and aft motion with respect to a sheet movement direction for the movement provided by the pick-up member.

27. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the guide member only engages the upper portion of the supply of sheets.

28. A device as set forth in claim 27, wherein the guide member is a first guide member, the device including a second guide member located on an opposite side of the supply of sheets from the first guide member, the first guide member transversely pushing the upper portion of the supply of sheets into register engagement with the second guide member.

29. A device as set forth in claim 28, wherein a lower portion of the supply of sheets is not engaged or moved into registration.

30. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pick- up member includes a vacuum pick-up arrangement that picks-up a single sheet for each successive reciprocation of motion of the pick-up member and moves the sheet from the supply, and the guide member is moved relative to the supply of sheets during each successive reciprocation of the pick-up member.

31. A short couple sheet feed system including: a pick-up member that is moved in a reciprocating manner to successively pick-up and move each single sheet from a supply of sheets provided by a pile feeder; and a registration device to register at least an upper portion of the supply of sheets, the registration device including : a guide member for engagement with at least an upper portion of the supply of sheets; and a mechanism interconnecting the guide member and the pick-up member such that movement of the pick-up member causes movement of the guide member relative to the supply of sheets.

32. A method of registering at least an upper portion of a supply of sheets provided by a pile feeder for a precise pick-up by a pick-up member that is moved in a reciprocating manner to successively pick-up and move each single sheet from the supply, the method including: moving a guide member, which is coupled to move as a result of movement of the pick-up member, such that the guide member moves relative to the supply of sheets; and engaging the moving guide member with the at least an upper portion of the supply of sheets.