Patent GB-1036346-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for handling sheets
IPC: B65H35/00
Filed: 1964-04-23
Abstract: 1,036,346. Feeding and delivering sheets. MIEHLE - GOSS - DEXTER Inc. April 23, 1964 [Sept. 16, 1963], No. 16822/64. Headings B6B and B6H. A method of handling sheets comprises the steps of continuously feeding a stream of overlapping sheets to the bottom of a pile while feeding sheets one at a time from the top of the pile to a printing press or the like, and applying suction to the upper face of the second sheet in the pile without applying downward pressure on the pile, so that the second sheet is held while the topmost sheet is being fed from the pile. Delivering sheets.-Sheets cut from a web are delivered in an overlapping stream to the bottom of a pile by a high-speed conveyer 12, a slow-speed conveyer 13, a plurality of upper high-speed tapes 14 extending over the conveyers 12 and 13, an inclined conveyer 15, and a conveyer 16. The conveyers 12, 13, 15 and 16 each comprise a plurality of spaced parallel endless tapes. Two pairs of spaced rollers 38, 41 co-operate with the outer tapes 12 and back up rollers positioned beneath the tapes. The upper runs of the tapes 13 are spaced below the upper runs of the tapes 12 and stationary fingers 50 project beyond the forward ends of the tapes 12, to facilitate the formation of an overlapping stream. A freely rotatable roller 52 co-operates with each tape 13. Each roller is mounted between the arms of a yoke 53 freely mounted on a shaft 49 urged towards its associated tape 13. The shaft 49 is carried by side plates adjustable lengthwise of the tapes 13. An arm 65 at one end of shaft 49 carries a roller 69 engaging a pivotally mounted bar 66. A drive shaft 20 extending longitudinally of the apparatus carries a cam which rocks a bell-crank lever 68 once during each revolution to lift the bar 66 and pivot the rollers 52 away from the tapes 13. At the same time, a cam 78 on the shaft 20, reciprocates a transverse rod 77 to move L-shaped brackets 74 and 75 towards and away from each other to square the edges of the overlapping stream of sheets. The bracket 74 is fast with a transverse shaft 76 slidable in the side walls 10, 11 of the machine. The bracket 75 is slidable on the shaft 76 and is connected to the rod 77 by a pivoted link 82. A lever 79 pivoted on a stationary shaft 80 is pivoted at one end to the link 82 and at the other end to a block 81 fixed to the shaft 76. The sheets are guided around the far end of tapes 13 by a stationary guide 90 and two spaced rollers 91 co-operating with the outer tapes 13. The sheets are maintained against the tapes 15 and 16 by rollers 98, 99 mounted on levers 100. The latter are urged toward the tapes 15, 16 by telescopic rods 102. The tapes 16 pass over a table 97 to convey the sheets up to a fixed rail 110. Feeding sheets.-An overlapping stream of sheets is fed to the bottom of a pile by spaced endless tapes 16. The sheets are brought to rest by a rail 110. The top sheet is separated by suction grippers 112 and fed forwardly by suction grippers 113, as described in Specification 771,944. On lifting the top sheet, a foot 116 is inserted between the top sheet and the pile, Fig. 9. The foot has a lower chamber 120 apertured at 121. Suction is applied to the chamber 120 to hold the second sheet in the pile while the top sheet is being separated. The upper part of the foot has a second chamber provided with apertures 125 through which compressed air is blown to assist in separation of the top sheet. The foot is adjusted by screw means 140, 141, so that it does not apply downward pressure on the pile. The foot is carried by a member 137 riding on a roller 139 and moved by a cam-actuated lever 130 pivoted at 131.