Patent GB-286393-A (GB)
Title: Sheet feeding and registering mechanism
IPC: B41F1/28
Filed: 1926-12-17
Abstract: 286,393. Marks, E. C. R., (Miller Saw-Trimmer Co.). Dec. 17, 1926. Rotary dial or table sheet feeds. - Sheets are fed to die-stamping presses and like machines by an intermittently rotated turntable 79, Figs. 1 and 4, fitted with spring-pressed gripper devices 168, the sheets being fed to the turntable while the grippers 168 are open and being registered against pins 128, 129, 130, carried by a ring and falling platform 213 provided with a conical pin 159 for engaging one of four recesses on the underside of the turntable 79 to lock and position the table in the sheet - receiving position. The sheets are preferably advanced by automatic suction separators 135 from a pile 125 which is maintained at constant level by ratchet mechanism con-. trolled by a feeler resting on the pile. In the form shown, the feed mechanism is mounted in a frame carried by a member 60 hinged at 62 to the frames of the press in such a manner that the turntable &c. can be moved aside as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 1, for make-ready of the press. The feeding mechanism is carried by a frame 73, which can be adjusted in longitudinal guides by a screw 75b, Fig. 1, and which carries with it the pile 125 and the screw 141. Fig. 4, for raising the pile. The feeding and registering devices are driven from a shaft 83 operated from the main gear 51 of the stamping-press by means of a universal-joint and a shaft splined to wormgearing so as to continue the drive in all portions of the frame 73. The shaft 83 drives by bevel gearing a cam-shaft 98 which controls the separating and registering devices, and on the shaft 83 is a. disc 109 of Geneva stop mechanism, which drives a cam plate 110, Fig. 10, attached to the table 79, which is, supported by a sleeve 119, and is thus rotated intermittently. The table 79 is provided with four sets of sheet-supporting fingers 400, which are adjustable for dealing with sheets of different widths, and which carry the sheets between the members 56, 57 of the stamping press. Pile tables and supports.-The screw 141, Fig. 4, for raising the pile is rotated intermittently by ratchet mechanism operated by a pawl which is moved out of engagement with the ratchet when the pile is at the right height. The screw 141 engages a spring-pressed half-nut which can be released from the screw when it is desired to adjust the pile table quickly. Sheet-separators.-The sheets are taken from the pile by suction-cups 135, Fig. 4, mounted in a reciprocating carriage 124 supported by a rack 281 which is reciprocated by an oscillating gear 280 engaged by a rack which is reciprocated by a crank on shaft 98. The cups 135 are normally raised by a spring action, but are depressed on to the pile by a lever 293 with a pin 294, which is engaged by a catch 295 on a lever 296. The lever 296 is operated by cam-and-lever mechanism from the shaft 98 to raise the right hand end of lever 293 and thus depress the cups 135. Sheet-registering device.-The suction separators deposit the sheets near adjustable front stops 128, Figs. 4 and 7, and a side stop 130 carried by the platform 213. The stops 128 are so set as to pass through an inner or outer pair of slots 162, Fig. 1, in the turntable, and the side stop 130 can be set to engage either the right or left edge of the sheet. The sheets are registered roughly against the stops 128, 130 by oscillating pushers 164, 165a formed of spring metal and mounted on shafts 176, 182 mounted in an adjustable frame 403 which can be set for dealing with sheets of different sizes. The shafts 176, 182 are connected by bevel gearing and are operated by an oscillating sector gear 178 operated by a link 169 and a cam on shaft 98. The sheets are finally registered by pulling grippers 166, 167, Fig. 20, mounted on slides 199 which are moved in slots 198 in the table by means of levers 207, 224 respectively to move the sheets diagonally towards the gauge pins 128, 129, 130, and then to retract the slide after the grippers 166, 167 have released the sheet by the action of a pin 212 on a vertically movable slide 211 operated by a spring-controlled lever 224 operated by a pin 220 and a cam 221 on a spur wheel 118 which rotates once for each quarter revolution of table 79. The grippers 166, 167 are pressed towards the sheet by a spring 204 acting on a pivoted member 203 carrying the gripper 166, and after the sheet has contacted with both sets of gauge pins, the grippers slide over the sheet without moving it. The levers 207, 224 have a pin-and-slot connection with the slide 199, and are operated respectively by a stud 210 mounted upon the hub of the cam 108, which operates the grippers 168 and by a pin 222 upon the wheel 118. Gripper mechanism.-The registered sheets are clamped to the table 72, Fig. 4, by grippers 168 spring-pressed towards the table by coiled springs 184, Fig. 7, and adapted to be held open by a cam 108 with a bevelled underside 188 which engages the inner bevelled end of each gripper as it reaches the sheet-delivery position. The grippers are held open until they reach the sheetreceiving position, and finally the cam is moved to release the grippers by oscillating the shaft of cam 108 by means of a spring-pressed lever arm 189, Fig. 10, with a roller 190 engaging a cam 106 on the shaft 83. The printed sheets are delivered by oscillating grippers.