Patent GB-288388-A (GB)
Title: An improved machine for automatically gathering and collating sheets and the like
IPC: B65H39/04
Filed: 1927-01-20
Abstract: 288,388. Young, G. W. Jan. 20, 1927. Signature gatherers; sheet separators and guides.-In sheet-gathering and collating machines of the kind comprising a rotary carrier provided with suspended cradles supporting piles of sheets, with suction means to lift the top sheet from each pile and deposit it upon a conveyer, the shoot-lifting devices are guided rectilinearly towards and from the carrier and reciprocated vertically over the cradles and are provided with means to support from the underside the single or folded sheets during their transference from the piles. Means are provided to withdraw the supports from the underside of the sheets when they are deposited on the conveyer. The rotary carrier a, Fig. 1, is mounted upon a horizontal axis and rotated continuously by a worm and worm wheel b driven by a main shaft b<1>, the piles of sheets being supported on cradles a<1> pivotally suspended around the periphery of the carrier. In the example shown, each cradle carries four piles of sheets along its length in the axial direction of the carrier, and four sets of sheet lifting and transferring devices are provided on each side of the carrier. In the operation of the machine the sheet separators c move horizontally towards the carrier and descend to pick up the top sheet of a pile, whereupon supporting fingers on the separators move towards the underside of the sheet. The separators then move upwardly and horizontally to a position over the conveyer j where the sheets are released. The sheet separators c are mounted upon travellers c<1> detachably fastened by a pin-and-slot connection c<2> to slides e which are reciprocated horizontally within channel guides d. The four separators on each side of the machine are connected by a crossbar and move simultaneously, and a rotary pinion e<1> may be mounted on each slide e to engage a rack e<2> on the frame to ensure unison of the movement imparted, to the slides e by links f, f<1> rocked by a lever g' connected to a slotted cam g geared to the mainshaft b<1>. The separators c, in their forward movement, enter short horizontal channel guides h<1> mounted at the upper ends of vertical sleeves h which reciprocate upon vertical guide rods h<2> under the action of a link i' driven by a cam i. When a separator is over a pile the rod h and channel h<1> descend to lower the separator on to the top sheet, thereby breaking the coupling between the traveller c<1> and the slide e. To ensure a quick movement of the members h, h<1> the sleeve h rests loosely upon a crossbead h<3> connected to the link i<1>, and the cam i rotates at double the speed of the cam g, that during its alternate movements the crosshead h<3> descends without lowering the members h, h<1> and c. A lost motion is provided in the connection between the crosshead h<3> and link i to enable the levers to complete their movement when the separators are upon the sheets and to allow for the varying heights of the piles. The sheet-lifting devices may consist of single suction plates, or for large sheets two or more suction plates k, Fig. 4, are adjustably mounted upon a hollow bar k<1> connected to the traveller c<1>, each plate having an indiarubber suction cup connected to the interior of the bar k<1> by pipes k<3>. The fingers l, Figs. 5, 6, and 8, are rigidly connected to the lower ends of vertical rods which are pivotally mounted in the plates k and connected by cranks l<1> at their upper ends to links m<2> connected to pistons m operating within cylinders m<1> on the plates k. The air inlet between the admission pipes h<3> and the cylinders is controlled by tapered plug valves n which are normally held open by springs n but are adapted to be turned into the closing position when the suction cup bears upon a pile of sheets. For this purpose a crank pin n<2> projecting from the valve is engaged between two pins o projecting laterally from a plunger o<1> sliding vertically in a guide aperture in the suction plate and arranged to make contact with a pile of sheets. A gravity plunger p, Fig. 6, sliding vertically in a guide on the bar k<1> is provided with an offset catch p<1> to control the, movement of each finger l, and during the forward movement of the separator holds the finger in its retracted position, against the action of the suction which exists within the conduit and cylinder tending to move the fingers inwardly. When the separator drops on to the pile of sheets the plunger o<1> is pushed upwardly and temporarily closes the valve n, and the gravity catch, which is adjacent to the suction cup k<2>, is raised and retained in that position by the pressure of the sheet held by the suction cup. As the separator rises the outer edge of the sheet flexes beneath the plunger o, which thereupon descends and opens the valve n to suction, whereupon the piston moves and swings the finger i beneath the sheet, where it remains while the slide e carries the separator rearwardly to the endless conveyer band j. The suction conduit is then automatically connected to the compression side of the air pump, so that a ball valve r is blown into a seating in the suction cup and the sheet is released, and simultaneously the fingers l are moved into their retracted position, the gravity stop p being held raised by an abutment q on the machine frame. The air pressure is continued until the slide e moves forward again and the gravity stop is allowed to fall, the suction being them resumed.