Patent GB-416046-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to collecting and delivery mechanism for printing, folding, and other machines
IPC: B41F13/54
Filed: 1933-02-07
Abstract: 416,046. Sheet-delivery apparatus. TIMSON, E. A., Perfecta Works, Catesby Street, Kettering. Feb. 7, 1933, No. 3716. [Class 100 (i).] In a sheet collecting and delivery mechanism of the kind having a collecting-cylinder provided with grippers which collect a predetermined number of severed lengths upon the cylinder for delivery, the collecting-cylinder is carried by a mounting which is adapted for movement for the purpose of shifting the cylinder towards or away from the sheet-covering means, while the means for operating the cylinder grippers and any other parts operatively associated with the cylinder are adjustably arranged in conjunction with the cylinder mounting, whereby the cylinder is enabled to receive and deal with sheets of different lengths cut off by the severing means. The web or webs a, a1--a3 pass freely between cutting-rollers 1, and in order to obtain sheets of different lengths the cutting-rollers may be driven by change gears which enable these rollers and the picking-up means for the sheets to operate at different speeds relatively to the printing-cylinder. Alternatively the printing-cylinder may be replaced by another of different size. The picking-up means comprises a collecting-cylinder 3 rotatably carried in a frame 4, which is pivoted to the machine frame at one end 4b, and at the other end is provided with locking means 5, 5a for holding the cylinder frame in adjusted position. By means of the hand-wheel 8 and suitable gearing, the frame 4 may be raised or lowered relatively to the cutters 1 for dealing with different lengths of sheet ; a graduated scale may be provided to facilitate adjustment. The collecting-cylinder is provided with grippers 9 to receive the sheets, and grippers 10 to hold the collected sheets while the grippers 9 act to grip the next sheet, the grippers being carried by rock-shafts 9<a>, 10<a> mounted in the cylinder and operated by cams. The cylinder 3 is driven from a gear 13 freely rotatable on the shaft 12 about which the frame 4 is adjustable, the gear 13 being driven from a main gear 14<c> which also serves to operate the cutting-rollers 1. An inner frame 15 is adjustably mounted on the spindle 3b of the collecting- cylinder, and this frame can be locked in position on the frame 4 by a bolt-and-slot connection 16. The frame 15 carries the cam means for controlling the grippers 9, 10 and also for controlling the delivery mechanism. The grippers 9 are opened by a groove provided on the one side of the frame 15, which is engaged by a roller carried by an arm attached to the rock-shaft 9<a>, and are normally held closed by a compression spring, carried by the rockshaft. The rock-shaft 10<a> of the grippers 10 is carried by bell-crank levers 18, Fig. 8, mounted on a rock-shaft 35 carried by the cylinder 3. The rotation of the rock-shaft 10<a> in the bell-crank levers is limited in one direction by a knuckle joint 36, and for closing the grippers the levers 18 are moved by a spring 37. A spring 38 acts on a lever 18<a> on the rock-shaft 10<a> and the levers 18 are actuated by a cam 17 carried by the adjustable frame 15, the grippers being withdrawn in a circumferential direction through the control of the lever 18<a> by a further cam 39 until this lever passes beyond the cam 39, when the spring 38 causes the grippers to move outwards to an extent limited by the knuckle joint 36 ; when the levers 18 pass beyond the cam 17, the spring 37 closes the grippers 10 upon the collected sheets. The sheets on the collecting-cylinder are released every fifth or other desired revolution by a cam which slides laterally upon the axis of the cylinder and is attached to the frame 15 by a sliding pin. The cam is moved into and out of the path of the roller operating the rock-shaft 9<a> by a pivoted lever operated by a sliding collar which is moved at the appropriate times by a second pivoted lever 24 and a cam disc 25 driven from the gear 13 by timing gear 25b, 25<c>, arranged according to the number of sheets to be collected. The frame 15 also carries a shaft situated between the cylinder 3 and the pivot 4<b>, which is provided with segments adapted as the shaft is rotated to push the severed sheets into contact with the cylinder as the grippers 9 close thereon. The grippers 10 are opened at the same point as the movable cam operates to open the grippers 9 to release the sheets. Rubber rollers 29 on arms 28 are adapted to press the sheets on to the cylinder and control the delivery thereof when completely released by the grippers, the sheets being stripped from the cylinder by fingers 32 carried by a rock-shaft operated when necessary by a cam to bring the fingers into grooves in the cylinder so as to get under the leading edges of the collected sheets. The movable cam operating the grippers 9 or another similarly operated cam may effect this ; alternatively the rock-shaft may be held from movement by the sliding pin which holds the cam operating the grippers 9 to the frame 15, so that as the cam moves, the rock-shaft is released to render the fingers operative, the shaft being restored to its normal position by a cam. For dealing with sheets of different lengths, the frame 4 is adjusted so as to bring the cylinder 3 closer to or further from the point at which the sheets are severed, and the frame 15 is adjusted to correct the timing of the pickup operation. According to the Provisional Specification, the cylinder 3 may be operated to deliver the sheets successively. Specification 266,541, [Class 100 (i)], is referred to.