Patent GB-1242179-A (GB)
Title: Unit handling apparatus
IPC: B65H31/30
Filed: 1969-11-28
Abstract: 1,242,179. Feeding stacks of sheets on to an endless conveyer. PAPER CONVERTING MACHINE CO. Inc. 28 Nov., 1969 [3 June, 1969], No. 58381/69. Heading B8A. In apparatus for delivering stacks 38 of generally rectangular web units comprising a generally horizontally extending conveyer 37 and first and second stack-supporting fingers 42 and 41 respectively, means for reciprocating the fingers 42 whereby a stack is adapted to be transferred from the first stack supporting fingers to the conveyer, means for orbiting the fingers 41 in a generally vertical plane to a position below the fingers 42 whereby a partial stack is transferable from the fingers 41 to the supporting fingers 42, means are provided for transferring a stack of units from the fingers 42 to the conveyer. The means include a plurality of horizontally spaced apart table fingers 43 arranged to receive a unit stack from the fingers 42 as they pass downwardly between the table fingers 43, and a pusher mechanism equipped with a plurality of upstanding pusher elements 44 arranged to pass between the table fingers to horizontally move a unit stack from the latter. The stacks 38 are each formed of fifty 11-ply units. Each unit is delivered by a conveyer 59 (Fig. 4) to gripping mechanism 40 by which it is turned over (as at 39) and deposited on the fingers 42. The tips of fingers 41 are inserted into the stack at such a height as to isolate below themselves a stack 38 of the required number of units. The fingers 42 are then lowered so as to deposit the stack 38 on the fixed table fingers 43. Pushers 44 are then reciprocated so as to displace the stack 38 on to the conveyer 45. Meanwhile the fingers 42 rise and receive the growing stack on the fingers 41. The latter are then withdrawn and orbit so as to be able to be inserted into the stack as before, thereby defining the correct number of units in the stack thereby isolated on the fingers 42. The fingers 41 have a to and fro reciprocating component of movement derived from cams 79, 79<SP>1</SP> (Fig. 5) acting on followers 63, 63. A gear train between the cam 79 is directly driven by its cam shaft 46 (Figs. 5 and 9) and the cam 79<SP>1</SP>. The cam 79 thus acts as a lock-out cam in relation to the cam 79<SP>1</SP> which has a multiple of revolutions for each cam-shaft revolution. Thus a follower arm 65 carrying the cam follower 63, 63 can only follow depressions in the cams 79 79<SP>1</SP>, when the latter are in correct phase relationship. The follower arm 65 acts on a laterally-spaced arm 69 connected to a tubular housing 71 slidable on a correspondingly tubular-shaped member 72. The housing 71 carries the fingers 41. The vertical component of movement of the fingers 41 is derived from a cam 78 on the cam-shaft 46 acting on a follower 64. The latter is coupled to an arm 82 which is in effect unitary with the housing 71. By changing the gears of the train between the cams 79, 79<SP>1</SP>, the mechanism is adjusted to accommodate units of greater or lesser length. The vertical movement of the fingers 42 is derived from a cam 48 (Fig. 4) on the cam-shaft 46. A similar cam 96 (Fig. 6) operates the pushers 44.