Patent GB-736857-A (GB)
Title: Automatic signature feeding mechanism for book stitching machine
IPC: B65H5/32
Filed: 1952-05-06
Abstract: 736,857. Feeding sheets &c. SILBERSTEIN, V., AIRCRAFT STEEL STRUCTURES, Ltd., and BREN MANUFACTURING CO., Ltd. July 31, 1953 [May 6, 1952], No. 11442/52. Class 100 (1). In automatic signature feeding mechanism for book-stitching machines of the kind having a saddle 3 containing looper mechanism which is oscillated between loading and working positions, and a loading table 1 which forms an extension of the saddle when the latter is in its loading position, the signature 32 is located on the loading table against a retractable stop 33, gripped at its leading edge by a gripper 23, 24, and then pulled by the gripper on to the saddle 3, and against a stop thereon. A pad, bar, &c. 58 is, as described below, adapted to press the signature on to the saddle 3 in the loading position, and maintain pressure thereon during the initial movement of the saddle, to provide a better seating of the signature on the saddle apex. The table 1, which comprises two inclined plates, is cut-away at 25 to allow the signature to be gripped, and the stop 33 comprises the tip of an arm mounted on a lever having a cam face adapted to be engaged by a roller on the saddle 3 to retract the stop 33 when the saddle moves into loading position The gripper comprises a rod 27, mounted in a tube 22 secured to a carriage 20, carrying an arm 26 on which is a roller 24 adapted to cooperate with a jaw 23 secured to the tube 22. The carriage 20 is adapted to reciprocate along rods 21 to convey a signature from the table 1 to the saddle 3, and is secured to a long rod 12 attached to a piston 10 working in a pneumatic cylinder 4 mounted below the table 1. Compressed air is supplied alternately to inlets 5, 6 in the cylinder 4, to reciprocate the piston 10, under the control of a valve 38 having a piston therein which is actuated by a bell-crank lever 45 having a roller 46 adapted to make contact with a cam 47 attached to an arm on the saddle 3; the reciprocation of the carriage 20 and gripper 23, 24 is thus synchronized with the reciprocations of the saddle 3. The air inlet 5 communicates with a small chamber 7 having inlet apertures 8, 9. In the position shown, the piston 10 obturates the apertures 8 so that the piston is not subjected to the maximum force until it moves clear of the apertures 8, and is thus given a gentle start on its forward stroke. Additional control is afforded by a needle valve 11 co-operating with the inlet aperture 9. The piston-rod 12 is secured to a tube 13 attached to the carriage 20, and a compression spring 14 within the tube tends to urge outwardly of the tube a pin 15 which is retained by a latch 17, Fig. 4. This latch is released by a trip or cam 19 on the saddle 3 when the latter reaches its loading position, whereupon the pin 15 moves an arm 28, biased by a spring 29, secured to the end of the rod 27, so that the roller 24 clamps the signature against the jaw 23. The carriageway rods 21 are attached to a frame 49, which overlies the saddle 3 in its loading position, having a spring buffer 50 which decelerates the carriage 20 and engages the arm 28 to open the signature gripper and, at the same time, pushes home the pin 15 into latched position. A second spring buffer 51 is engaged by the carriage 20 to cause rotation of a shaft 53 on the frame 49, this shaft acting through a crank 55 and pin-and-slot lost-motion device 57 to move a slide 62 which releases a spring-urged clamp 58 in a presser device 56, which bears against a signature on the saddle 3 and maintains pressure thereon during the initial movement of the saddle away from loading position to ensure that the signature seats firmly against the saddle. This initial movement of the swinging saddle is partly upwardly and transversely of the loading table 1.