Patent GB-758893-A (GB)
Title: Blank separating mechanism
Inventor: NOVICK ABRAHAM
IPC: B31B19/00
Filed: 1954-09-14
Abstract: 758,893. Feeding sheets. SMITHE MACHINE CO., Inc., F. L. Sept. 14, 1954, No. 26625/54. Class 100 (1). Sheet-separators.-In apparatus for separating envelope blanks from a pile which is partly supported by a pair of separating discs, and a sucker engages the forward central port tion of the bottom blank to deflect it downward for the separating action of the tips of the discs, the shafts carrying the discs are capable of independent adjustment in any direction at right angles to their axes and are driven by adjustable driving means, so that discs of equal or unequal sizes can be utilized. As shown in plan in Fig. 1, a stack 22 of envelope blanks rests upon a pair of discs 24 which are rotated in opposite directions so that fingers thereon enter the stack beneath the bottom blank, when the latter is first deflected by a sucker 44, to separate the bottom blank from the stack. The blank is then engaged by two pressure members 46 which press the leading edge against a slow-running conveyer belt 48, and a pair of rollers 49 move lengthwise of the conveyer to press the blank thereon. Since the conveyer 48 only travels a distance equal to the width of a gummed sealing strip for each separating cycle, the blanks are arranged thereon in overlapping relationship for conveyance to a gumming station. Part of the weight of the stack is borne by adjustable depending members 28, and a roller 32 in a bracket which is adjustable along a bar 36. Further, the forward end of the stack is slightly elevated by upper and lower fingers, the lower engaging beneath the bottom blank, and the upper one entering the stack at an intermediate position. The sucker 44 moves to and fro as well as up and down, and pulls down the bottom blank past the lower finger. Each separator disc 24 is secured to a vertical shaft 124 carried in a bracket attached to a long bar 98 which is slidably adjustable in a bracket 94 which can be rotated about an axis 78. Thus the shaft 124 of the disc can be adjusted to any desired position to accommodate different sizes or shapes of blanks, or to take different sizes of discs. A sprocket chain 84 passes around a sprocket 126 on the disc shaft 124 and around sprockets 104, 134 and 82, the latter being driven from a shaft 66 (not shown), and the sprocket 104 being carried by the bar 98. The sprocket 104 can be adjusted along a slot in the bar 98, and the sprocket 82 can be temporarily released from the drive shaft 66 during the adjustment of the separator disc so that the timing arrangement is not disturbed. The bracket carrying the disc shaft 124 is also secured to a support bar 162 secured to a block 154 by a screw 166 passing through a slot 164 in the bar, and the block 154 is adjustably secured on a cross-bar 20. The chain lines indicate a larger blank stack 22a supported by larger discs 24a. The separator discs need not be of the same size. In the modification shown in Fig. 11 (which is a front view), the stack 201 of blanks 22j is on edge and nearly vertical, and the separated blanks are pulled away by rollers instead of being conveyed in overlapping relationship. The blanks are supported by rods 28j and separator discs 24j<SP>1</SP>, 24j<SP>2</SP> and an oscillating sucker 202 first deflects the upper margin of the bottom blank to enable the discs to effect the separation of the blank whilst the latter is still gripped by the sucker, and the sucker then moves the blank into the bight of a roller 206 (not shown) and two segment rollers 208 which feed the blank to a conveyer. A transverse drive shaft drives two shafts 214, and each shaft drives a separator disc through sprocket and chain gearing. Each disc is secured to a shaft 220 supported in an arm 222 slidable in a block 226 which is slidable along a transverse shaft 218. The sprocket chain 225 passes also around an idler sprocket 231 on an arm 234 which is adjustable along the arm 222. This arrangement of drive for the discs may be modified to suit the construction of separator shown in Fig. 1. In a further modification, shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the separated blanks are fed in overlapping form by a conveyer arrangement as in Fig. 1, and supporting fingers or " shovels " which enter the stack periodically are used to support the stack, in addition to the separator discs and adjustable rods 28n. The blanks are separated in two stages by a pair of double separator discs 24n, 24p, assisted by a sucker 44n having upper and lower suction mouths 44an, 44p. The sucker moves in and then down, causing the mouth 44an to seize the margin of the bottom blank and carry it below the tips of the upper discs 24n which rotate to separate this blank from the stack, except at the point where it rests on ledges 28an of rear rods 28n, so that it extends between the upper and lower discs as at 22n. During the second cycle the upper suction mouth 44an moves in to engage the next blank as before, but the lower mouth 44p seizes the first blank and draws it further downward. Pressers 46n move in and press the fully separated first blank on to the conveyer 48n, and a roller 49n is then moved over that blank. The trailing end of each disc 24n has a downwardly-inclined plate 250 which displaces the partially-separated blank towards the lower sucker mouth 44p. The separator discs are mounted and driven as described in Fig. 1. Stack-supporting fingers 286, 292 are carried, respectively, by arms 288, 294 pivoted one above the other on a bolt 280, and each is oscillated to enter the stack, against the action of a return spring, by cam and slide link mechanism, the cams 306, 308 being secured to a shaft 274 which is driven through worm gearing from a shaft 260 which is itself driven by sprocket gearing from a shaft 262. The shaft 260 makes one revolution for each separating cycle. The shaft 274 may make one complete revolution for each twelve separating cycles, and each time the lower finger 286 is withdrawn, twelve blanks move downward past it before it re-enters the stack, and the same number also move downward past the upper finger 292 when it is withdrawn. Specification 467,097 is referred to.