Patent GB-581855-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in sheet stacking devices for card controlled or other machines
IPC: G06K13/12
Filed: 1944-05-25
Abstract: 581,855. Sheet-delivery apparatus. REMINGTON RAND, Inc. May 25, 1944, No. 10183. Convention date, May 25,1943. [Class 100 (i)] A device for stacking sheets or cards leaving a machine comprises a stack-supporting table beyond a part of one edge of which the sheets when on the table project, a flexible member operative in timed relationship with the delivery of the sheets to strike the projecting edges of the sheets and abutment means against which the sheets are pushed by the flexible member to align the sheets. In one form, Figs. 1 and 4, cards leaving the deliveryrollers 16 of a card-controlled machine, e.g. tabulating machine or a punching machine, drop into a hopper 30 the bottom 27 of which is supported by a spring 38. Pivoted fingers 41 swing down to engage the leading edges of the cards and align them against a wall 21 of the hopper, after being moved upwardly by the engagement of the cards with a flexible detector 39 which also serves to slow down the cards. The side edges are aligned by means of a bowed spring member 33 which moves into a recess in the table edge, the side edges projecting beyond the inner edge of the recess. The member 33 is adjustably secured by a screw-and-slot connection 44 to one side wall 34 of the hopper and caused to snap over into a reverse curvature to push the cards against the other side wall 24. For this purpose, the upper end of the spring 33 is fixed to one arm of a bell-crank lever 30 pivoted at 29 and having fingers 31, 46 engaging a projection 27 on an arm 26 fixed to a shaft 25 of the machine. The finger 46 is biased towards the finger 31 by a spring 47. In a modified construction, Figs. 8 and 9, the cards leaving the machine, drop on to ledges 74 projecting through openings 75 in the side walls 58, 59 of the hopper and formed integrally with members 72, 73 attached to levers 66 pivoted at 65 below the floor 57 of the hopper and linked together by a pin-and-slot connection 69. The ledges 74 are withdrawn to allow the cards to drop in turn on to the floor 57 by a cam 85 on a shaft 50 actuating a link 87 pivoted to a bell-crank lever 86 carrying a roller 94 bearing on a spring-retracted member 95 fixed to one of the levers 66. Tapering edges 76 on the ledges 74 cause the near edge of each card to drop before the front edge thus reducing friction. Secured to the member 72 is a flexible blade 77 which projects through an opening 78 in the side wall and bottom 58, 57 and on the inward movement of the member strikes the side edge of the card and aligns it against the side wall 59. Simultaneously the front edge of the card is struck by beadings 84 on spring-controlled members 82 pivoted at 83 so as to align its rear edge against rails 60 mounted on the rear wall 56 of the hopper. The members 82 are operated by roller-carrying arms 79 fixed to the levers 66 and bearing on cam-plates 81 fixed to the members. A button 93 on the lever 86 permits of manual operation of the aligning devices if required. To facilitate removal of a pile of cards, the floor 57 is cut away as shown at 97.