Patent GB-844503-A (GB)
Title: Method and means for collecting and stacking flexible sheets
IPC: B65H31/32
Filed: 1958-04-16
Abstract: 844,503. Sheet-delivery apparatus. STOBB, A. R. April 16, 1958 [Jan. 27, 1958], No. 12122/58. Class 100(1) A collector for flexible sheets such as papers which are disposed in an overlapped relation on an incoming conveyer which moves the sheets to a driven stack conveyer where they are stacked in aligned relation, is characterised by sensing means in contact with the end of the stack adjacent the conveyer for controlling the drive of the stack conveyer to move the latter at a speed according to the location of the end of the stack. The sheets are delivered in overlapping formation between two endless conveyers 11, 12, (Fig. 1) to the stack 37. The conveyers 11, 12 pass around pulleys 16, 17 fast on shafts 72, 71 on which are also mounted sprockets 23, 24 respectively. The sprockets 23, 24 are engaged by a chain 68 which also passes over a sprocket 67 on a shaft 66. The shaft 66 is driven through gearing from a variable speed pulley unit 54 in turn driven by an electric motor 52. Also driven from the unit 54 is a second variable speed pulley unit 73, the output shaft 78 of which drives a bevel gear 79 which is mounted on a shaft 81 carrying a worm gear 82. The worm 82 meshes with a worm wheel 83 to rotate a shaft 84 on which is fast a sprocket 31. The sprocket 31 serves to drive the stack conveyer 13 on which the stack 37 is supported so as to tend to keep the top of the stack at a constant height. The conveyers 11, 12 are trained over pulleys 18 and 26 adjacent the top of the stack 37. The pulleys 18 (Figs. 7 and 8) are compounded with pulleys 41 of a further endless conveyer 38 and are rotatably mounted between brackets 44 on a shaft 42 supported by arms 137 pivoted on the shaft 138 on which pulleys 19 for the conveyer 11 are also mounted. The conveyer 38 also passes over pulleys 39 mounted on rods 46 extending from the brackets 44 so that the conveyer 38 may pivot about the shaft 42. The ends of the arms 137 remote from the shaft 138 are resiliently supported in vertically slidable brackets 157 by means of springs. The brackets 157 also carry the shaft of the pulleys 26 so that the pulleys 18 and 26 are yieldingly urged towards one another and may also move vertically together if the height of the stack increases. Any such increase causes a rotation of the shaft 138 to which is attached a link 143 (Fig. 10) connected by a further link 144 to a T-connector 146. One end of the connector 146 is attached to a weight 147 having a roller 151 which rides on a fixed cam 149. The other end of the connector 146 is attached to a shaft 148 to which is also connected a link 152. The link 152 is connected to a link 153 in turn connected to an arm 154 which controls the variable speed unit 73. Thus, if the height of the stack increases, the shaft 138 is rotated and causes adjustment of the unit 73 to speed up the movement of the conveyer 13, the speed depending on the height which the stack 37 has attained. The stack 37 is supported on a board 101 disposed in front of a plate 102 of a backstop 97 which is removably supported on the chain 87 of the conveyer 13. The plate is adapted to pass between two projections 104 of the ram of an air compressor unit 106. When the stack has reached a proportion such that the stop 97 is aligned with the projection 104 an auxiliary support 112 is inserted into the stack. The support 112 is normally in the position shown in Fig. 7 being slidably mounted on brackets 132 pivoted on a cross-bar 127 extending between a support 126 mounted on the machine frame. The bar 127 is adjustable along the support 126 and carries a stop plate 128 for the sheets. When the support 112 is inserted the backstop 97 is removed and the stack below the support 112 lowered on the projection 104 of the unit 106. The stop 97 is then inserted under the new stack and, by means of a handle 123 and link 119 (Fig. 3), arms 116 are caused to engage the top of the old stack 37. The unit 106 is then actuated to compress the sheets against the arms 116 for subsequent tying together and removal, the arms 116 being held against a stop 117.