Patent GB-189709802-A (GB)
Title: An Apparatus for Feeding Successive Sheets to Printing and other Machines.
Inventor: IMRAY OLIVER
Filed: 1897-04-17
Granted: 1897-05-29
Abstract: 9802. Imray, O., [Lagerman, A.]. April 17. Feeding sheets.-The pile of sheets E is placed on a table E<1> which is preferably raised as the sheets are fed. The sheets are drawn or rubbed forward on to a table L<4> by rubbing-rollers B', one at each side of the pile. The rollers B<7> are mounted in levers B<9> pivoted at B<12>, and are driven by gearing from a shaft A journalled in side frames mounted on the sides of the table L<4>. On the shaft A are two cam discs B, portions of the peripheries of which are raised at B<18> for feeding the top sheet forward. The parts B<18> nip the sheet against a roller G<7> carried by spring- pressed arms on a shaft G<12>. The end of each lever B<9> is provided with a ratchet segment B<10> engaged by a pawl D<3> pivoted to an arm D, operated by the cam-groove B<13> to lift the roller B<7> while the sheet is fed by the discs B and roller G<7>. A cam B<14> lifts the pawl D<3> from the ratchet B<10> when the roller B<7> is lowered on to the pile so that it may descend to the height of the pile and bear thereon. If the top of the pile is kept at a constant height the ratchet arrangement may be dispensed with, and the levers B<9> be operated directly by the cams B<13>. Projecting through the table L<4> at each side is a finger F, which is engaged and moved forward by the front edge of the top sheet as it comes into position for feeding by the discs B. Each finger F when moved forward releases an arrangement operating through a rod G<3> and levers G<4>, G<5>, G<6> to lift the arm H' of a lever H, H<1> pivoted at H' on the lever B<9>. The arm H is thereby lowered on to the pile and the roller B<7> lifted. In case the front edge of the sheet is more advanced on one side than the other, the finger F first operated lowers its lever H, which acts as a brake on that side of the sheet until the other finger F is operated and the front edge of the sheet is thus brought into proper position. The table E<1> is preferably pivoted at its rear end, and its front end raised to keep the top of the pile at a constant level by means of bands connected to pulleys on a shaft C. The latter is operated from the shaft A by ratchet mechanism controlled by a finger arrangement resting on the pile. A plate carried by a lever operated by a cam on the shaft A is lowered on to the rest of the pile as the top sheet is drawn off by the discs B. The sheets are registered sideways before being taken by the printing-machine grippers &c. by means of laterally-moving grippers O<1>, O<2>. Each pair of grippers O<1>, O<2> is pivoted to an arm 0 on a shaft O<7> operated by a cam B<19> on the disc B. The upper jaw 0' of the gripper is opened and closed by a lever on a shaft O<8> operated by a cam B<20>. The edge of the sheet is registered by a sliding stop plate on the gripper-bar O<2>, and this plate engages a stop on the framing as the gripper moves outwardly. The spring closing the gripper on one side of the sheet is made stronger than that at the other side, so that the sheet is drawn sideways against the stop by the gripper having the stronger spring, the other gripper operating to pull the front part of the sheet straight. The shaft A of the feeding-apparatus is driven by a pulley and friction clutch from the printing &c. machine, the friction clutch being engaged and disengaged by a stop operated by the machine so that a sheet is fed at the proper time for each operation of the machine. The printing-machine may be automatically stopped, when a defective or uneven sheet is fed, as follows :-On the fixed part of the clutch on the shaft A are inclines and stops for operating the belt-shifting arrangement of the printing machine. The inclines engage a spring arm of a shaft and when a sheet is fed rock it so that the belt-shifting arrangement is out of position to be operated by the stops. This shaft is prevented from oscillating by the fingers F when either of them is not moved by the sheet, which would occur when a sheet is not fed properly up to them, or when a front corner is folded or torn off &c. The shaft is also prevented from being oscillated when the sheet is too narrow or one of its rear corners is torn, as the finger F would swing back too soon. When a narrow sheet is drawn with the sheet fed, it prevents the return of the fingers F, and a stop in this case operates the belt-shifting arrangement when the shaft has been oscillated by the corresponding incline.