Patent GB-1028263-A (GB)
Title: Sheet collecting or gathering machine
Inventor: EPPERS WILHELM DIPL ING
IPC: B65H7/18
Filed: 1962-10-29
Abstract: 1,028,263. Sheet-gathering machines. MATHIAS BAUERLE G.m.b.H. Oct.29, 1962 [Oct. 30, 1961], No. 40869/62. Headings B6B and B6H. In an arrangement for collating sheets, the sets of sheets are provided on inclined tables close to a conveyer, each table being provided with a feeding roller for withdrawing the uppermost sheet from the pile and dropping it on to the conveyer, the tables are provided with a photo-electric device for detecting double feed and a contact opened by passage of a sheet to detect feed failure, said misfeed detecting devices cooperating with a contact intermittently operated by the conveyer drive to stop the drive in the event of misfeed. The apparatus is constructed in sectional form, each section having its own misfeed detection and control circuits. The first or last section may be provided with a counting device for permitting the insertion of a special sheet (e.g. of cardboard) only when a predetermined number of the other sheets has been collected. Sheet -feeding apparatus.-The top sheet of each pile 11, Fig. 5, of overlapping sheets is separated by a resiliently-pressed roller 19 driven by a friction roller 20 engaging a feed-roller 12 driven from its shaft 27 by a one-way pawl- and-ratchet device 26. The roller 12 co-operates with an adjustable rod 13 and passes the separated sheet to continuously - rotating feed-rollers 14, 15. Mounted on the shaft 40 of the feed roller 14 is a disc 42, Fig. 8, coacting with a spring contact 43 and forming contacts in an electric circuit by means of which the passage of a sheet between the parts 42, 43 controls an electrically - operated clutch 31, Fig. 8, in the drive to the shaft 27 so as to cause intermittent rotation of the shaft and whereby the drive of the conveyer 8 is held up if no sheet is fed on time. A photo-electric device 53, Fig. 8, is situated between the roller 12 and rollers 14, 15 to sense the passage of more than one sheet and thereby cause the conveyer 8 to be stopped. A removable grid 16 is provided to support tho sheets after they leave the rollers 14, 15 and co-operating therewith are guide rods 25. Operation of the apparatus.-Two cams 48, 50 driven from the conveyer chains operate contacts 49, 51 respectively at different times. In normal operation with no sheet between contacts 42, 43 relay 61 operates to earth lead 56. When cam 48 operates contact 49, relay 64 energizes and locks to relay 61. Relay 64 energizes clutch 31, and a signal lamp 68, to initiate feeding of the sheet which when it passes through contents 42, 43 releases 61, and 64 follows to de-energize the clutch 31. Passage of the rear edge of the sheet through 42, 43 energizes 61 and operations then recommence for the second sheet. If no sheet passes, 64 remains locked to earth lead 56, and when cam 50 operates 51, relay 69 operates to cut the belt drive. When a sheet eventually passes 61 releases followed by 64 which de-energizes clutch 31, but 61 maintains earth on lead 56 to maintain the belt stationary until the sheet leaves the contacts 42, so as to ensure that the sheet falls on to the correct portion of the belt. In the event of a double feed the photo-electric detector operates a relay 55 which locks and earths 56 to stop the belt drive. The operator removes the second sheet by hand and operates a switch (not shown) to release 55 to enable the feeding process to continue as before. The circuit parts 50, 51, 69, 70 are common to all the stations but there is a complete set of the remaining circuit parts at each station. The conveyer may be stopped by means of a switch 60 at each station, and the feeding mechanism at any station can be rendered inoperative by opening a switch 59. A station can be provided at one or other end of the assembly for inserting separating sheets between the collected batches. The feed of the separating sheets is controlled by a circuit as described above, with the addition of a device 71, 72, Fig. 9 (not shown), which permits the relay 64 in that Circuit to be energized only after a number of cycles.