Patent GB-1004674-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for feeding sheets to machines
IPC: B65H31/32
Filed: 1962-03-13
Abstract: 1,004,674. Feeding sheets. J. BOBST & FILS S.A. March 13, 1962 [April 17, 1961], No. 9663/62. Heading B6B. Pile tables.-In sheet feeding apparatus wherein the sheets are separated from the top of a pile which is maintained at a substantially constant level by known means, and the pile is replenished without interruption of the sheet feeding, the support 3 for the sheet pile 1 is formed of a grid-like nature which will allow an auxiliary support 8 to be moved transversely thereinto and take a depleted pile from the support 3, and similarly to allow the support 13 of a new pile 1<SP>1</SP> on a loading truck to be moved into loading position over the support 3 and between the limbs thereof. The pile support 3 is formed of five spaced cross-bars which are shouldered at their upper edges so that legs, forming the auxiliary support 8, can slide between the shoulders, and the cross-bars are secured on two end bars 4, 5 which are supported by hoisting chains 6, 7. When the support 3 is at ground level, the bars 4, 5 are received in recesses 12, and the loading truck, which is mounted on rollers 15, 16 and formed with legs spaced to enter between the bars of the support 3, is moved into position immediately over the support 3, whereupon the latter is raised by the chains to take the new pile. The auxiliary support 8, which is moved transversely between the cross-bars of the support 3 automatically when the latter is opposite the support 8, is mounted on a frame 33 supported by hoisting chains 36, 37, and the depleted pile 1 is raised thereby so that the main support 3 can be lowered to receive the new pile 1<SP>1</SP>. When the new pile is raised to engage the support 8, the latter is withdrawn to drop the depleted pile on the top of the new pile, and is then lowered to initial position. Figs. 9a and 9b show, respectively, the rear and front ends of the support 8. Friction between the bottom sheet of the pile and the support 8 is substantially eliminated by providing straps 22, 23 which are wound and unwound beneath the pile as the support 8 is withdrawn or introduced. The outer ends of the straps 22, 23 are secured, respectively, to fixed blocks 26, 27 on the wall 28; and the inner ends of the straps pass over pulleys 24, 25, 29, and are secured to the block 27. The parts 8, 8<SP>1</SP>, 8<SP>11</SP>, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 29 are all slidable. The chains 6, 7 of the main pile support 3 pass around wheels 30 and carry counterweights 31, and the wheels 30 are normally driven from the machine which processes the sheets to keep the top y of the pile 1, Fig. 10, at a constant level. Rapid descent of the support 3, when the support 8 takes the depleted pile, is effected by coupling the wheels 30 to a motor 41 through gears 42: the motor 41 also raises the support 3 with a new pile. The chains 36, 37 for the frame 33 of the auxiliary support 8 pass over wheels 38 and carry counterweights 40, and the wheels 38 can be driven by a motor 47 through gears 46, to raise and lower the support 8. The support 8 is driven horizontally of the frame 33 by a motor 34, and is mounted on the frame by rollers 35. An abutment 44 on the support 3 closes a switch 45 to cause the motor 34 to drive the support 8 forward. Either a manually-operated lever 43, or an electromagnetic push-button remote control can be used to control the operations of the motors and the coupling to the gearing 42, 46.