Patent GB-191320737-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Pile Feeders for Printing Presses.
Inventor: BRANDSTETTER GEORG
IPC: B65H3/08
Filed: 1913-09-13
Granted: 1915-06-10
Abstract: 20,737. Brandstetter, G., and Freund, R. Nov. 14, 1912, [Convention date]. Sheet-separators; pile tables and supports.- In feeding sheets by suction separators to printing-presses, the separator comprises a reciprocating tube fitted intermediately with a series of suction nozzles and at each end with valves for controlling the connexion of the tube to a vacuum chamber or pump and to the atmosphere. Means are provided for assisting the separation of the sheets by an air blast, and there are two feed-tables which may be independently raised at different rates when dealing with two piles of sheets of different thicknesses; or the tables may be coupled together and raised together when dealing with sheets of larger size. The sheet-feeding mechanism is tripped when the throw-off mechanism of the press is operated. As shown, the means for feeding the sheets comprise a tube i extending across the machine and fitted with a series of vacuum nozzles l and at each end with a chamber m provided with valves n, o adapted to connect the tube i with a vacuum chamber S, Fig. 6, or pump P; and to the atmosphere. The tube i is reciprocated by levers g and links h from a crank-disk on a cam shaft c, and moves over rails j which are rocked by levers c<1> operated from a cam on the shaft c to bring the nozzles down on to the top of the pile. Simultaneously, the valves n are operated by stops s which operate levers q to open the valves n, communicating by flexible pipes and a cock H' with the vacuum chamber S and the pump P for maintaining the vacuum in the chamber. At starting, the cock H' is arranged in the position II and connects the valves n direct to the pump P, excessive suction serving to exhaust the chamber S through a check valve a<1> in the cock, and the cock is subsequently turned to the position I, in which case the suction pipe communicates freely with both the pump P and chamber S, and air from the atmosphere enters through the valve a<1> in case of excessive suction. The pump P also supplies compressed air to a chamber D and, by a tube z and valve u, to a pair of pipes t arranged in front of the pile of sheets to facilitate the separation. A cock H<2> connects the valve u to chamber D and pump P, this cock H<2> being in the position II at starting, when excessive pressure causes air to pass through a check valve b' into the chamber D, and being subsequently turned into the position I, in which case excessive pressure in the pipe t is relieved by air passing through the valve a' to the atmosphere. The cocks are operated from the trip-gear of the press and are in position I during printing. The valve u is operated'by stops v, w on a lever g acting through a lever x mounted on an eccentric pin x'. The tube i carries away the separated sheet or sheets, and finally the valve n is closed and valve o opened to connect the tube to the atmosphere, so as to release the sheet or sheets, by stops r acting on the levers q. A catch is arranged to hold the lever q against accidental movement. The throw-off mechanism of the press is adapted to turn the stop Sand the eccentric pin carrying the lever x so that the valves n, u, and therefore the feed of the sheets, is arrested when the machine is tripped. The pile tables e<1> are adjustable by means of cams k<1> on the table supports i<1>, which can be raised independently by screws f<1>, f<2>, f<3>, &c., respectively operated by ratchet-wheels h<1> on sleeves m<1> arranged at each end of the shaft c and carrying worm or skew gears for driving the screws or their nuts. When desired, the two hollow shafts can be coupled together so as to raise the two tables simultaneously, and the two central screws can be removed when large sheets are to be fed. The ratchets h<1> are operated from a shaft k, Fig. 2, by a link l<1>.