Patent GB-1131754-A (GB)
Title: Sheet sorter having pivoted ramp
IPC: B65H39/11
Filed: 1966-08-10
Abstract: 1,131,754. Sheet collating apparatus. L. MESTRE. 10 Aug., 1966 [20 Oct., 1965], No. 35721/66. Heading B6H. A mobile collator for collation of book or brochure pages delivered from a printing machine comprises a horizontal endless feed conveyer 255, Fig. 1, advancing the printed pages to a pivotal telescopic ramp 59 provided with endless belts 80, the discharge end of the ramp which is articulated to a carriage 71, Fig. 6, suspended from endless chains 73 and provided with guide rollers 118, 114, delivering the pages into a number of vertically aligned trays 22, the ramp being moved downwardly progressively by the distance corresponding to the spacing between trays and rapidly in the upward direction, whereby progressive movement is initiated by a switch 189 on the ramp 59 and terminated by a limit switch 185 in the path of the carriage 71, the former also initiating rapid upward movement which is terminated by a further limit switch 184. In operation a sequence of identical pages advanced by the endless conveyer 255, Fig. 13, is directed by a gate 208 into a nip of rollers 210, 213 which deliver the pages into a prooftray 214. When the pages are proved to be satisfactory solenoid 207 is actuated to lower the gate 208 and guide the pages into the nip of delivering rollers 81, 197, the latter being mounted on an arm 201 articulated to the ramp side frame 65 to follow the pivotal movement of the ramp 59 pivotally mounted on shaft 60 and moving downwardly on delivery of successive pages into the trays. Endless conveyer belts 80 trained about the roller 81 advance the pages into a pair of discharge rollers 82, Fig. 6, which transfer the pages past a stripper 218 into a pair of guide rollers 114, 118, the latter guiding the pages into slots 37 between the vertically aligned trays 22. As the leading edge of the pages moves up the ramp it actuates a switch 189, which through a delay circuit actuates a solenoid 150 (Fig. 8) the latter engaging a one-revolution clutch 149 to actuate the drive for shaft 132, Fig. 7, which causes the ramp to move one step downwardly by driving an index mechanism. The latter includes a ratchet wheel 123 mounted on the shaft 77 which carries chain sprockets 75 for the ramp carriage chains 73, the ratchet wheel being indexed by a pawl 126 which is rocked by a connecting rod 131 articulated to a crank arm 129 mounted on the drive shaft 132. When the ramp has reached its lowest position limit switch 185 actuates solenoids 179 and 163 (Fig. 8) to disengage the pawl 126 by camming away the pawl 126 by projection 178 on a bellcrank lever 176 on the one hand, and engaging a claw clutch for the fast return movement of the ramp 59 on the other hand. The ramp is telescopic and comprises lower side frames 65 (Fig. 5) and upper side frames 64 retained in slidable engagement by lugs 63, 66. The frames are each provided with a number of spaced cages 102, Fig. 2, interconnected by a pair of slidable rods 100, Fig. 6, and supporting a number of bearing blocks 97 spaced apart by springs, which also bias the cages 102 away from one another. Cages 102 and bearing blocks 97 are provided with ball bearings 98 which form guide supports for the pages resting on the endless belts 80. Strippers.-When the correct number of pages has been delivered to the respective trays 22 and the ramp is ready for return movement the superfluous number of pages still advanced by the endless belts are delivered into a tray 222, Fig. 6, disposed beneath the ramp, the pages being diverted by a switch 218 actuated by a solenoid 223 (Fig. 6A), and an associated stationary guide 220 and nip rollers 82, 221. Trays; gauges.-Each tray comprises a bottom plate 20, Fig. 6, an inclined front face 36 and a rearwardly extending lip 39, which in conjunction with an overlying bottom plate 20 forms an entry slit 37. Pages delivered through the slit are diverted into the tray by a projection 38 (Fig. 11) in the baseplate 20, the projection also preventing the pages from leaving the tray which is unloaded by removing the stacked pages from the open rear end of the trays. A partition 40 forms a front abutment for the stacked pages. Vertical stays 43 guided in oblique and transverse slots 44, 48 (Fig. 15) of superposed plates 56, 45 are moved towards and away from one another by a screw spindle 46 to accommodate pages of varying widths. Page length is adjusted by a block 53 movable in a guide 54a, which has a right angle guide 54b into which the block 53 is drawn for removal of the stacked pages. Faulty sheets detection.-Correct location of pages delivered into the trays is scanned by a lever 194 (Fig. 11) mounted on the carriage 71, Fig. 6, the levers passing through vertical slots 195 in the front sides 36 of the trays. Overhanging pages may be pushed by lever 194 into the respective trays otherwise a jammed page triggers the lever which actuates a switch to stop the collector. Interchangeable receivers.-Fully collated pages stacked in the trays 22, Fig. 1, are removed from the delivery end of the ramp by lateral displacement of the cabinet 21 in which the trays are mounted by a clutch-driven mechanism including chain drive 30 (Fig. 2) which actuates a bellcrank 25, the latter sliding the cabinet away along guide rails 24. Counted batches delivering.-Each cabinet contains about 50 trays and if the number of pages to be collated is less than 50 then a programmer 235, Fig. 1, is made use of to interrupt the downward movement of the ramp and initiate an upward return movement. The programmer which is driven in synchronism with the collator by endless chain 239 is provided with a number of holes 242, one for each pocket and a pin 243 on an arm 244. A count switch 246 and a limit switch 247 are inserted in selected holes the count switch 246 corresponding to the number of pages whereupon further pages are inserted into the pocket 222, Fig. 6, and the limit switch replaces switch 185 to stop the downward movement of the ramp and initiate its upward return movement.