Patent GB-845726-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for removing sheets of material from a conveyor and stacking them
Inventor: GRIFFIN ROGER LEWIS
IPC: C14B1/62
Filed: 1957-07-04
Abstract: 845,726. Photo-electric controls. SWIFT & CO. July 4, 1957, No. 21255/57. Class 40(3). [Also in Groups XVI and XXX] A sheet delivery device comprises a frame, a carrying member, and endless means mounted on the frame for moving the carrying member from a point adjacent the discharge end of a conveyer at which point the conveyer loops a sheet over the carrying member, to a point where the sheet is gradually unlooped from the carrying member to form a stack. As shown in Fig. 1 the machine comprises a frame 15 on which are mounted roller chains 16 driven by a motor 31. On the chain 16 (Fig. 3) pairs of rollers 94, 95 are arranged, the rollers 94 being weighted to prevent rotation thereof except when engaged by pads 105 mounted on the upper horizontal run of the chains 16. The machine is adapted to stack hides 108 arriving on a conveyer 89. Adjacent the exit end of the conveyer 89 a light source 120 and photo-electric cell are mounted. The photo-electric cell is connected into a control circuit of known kind so that when the beam of light is interrupted a relay is operated so as to allow a condenser of a time delay circuit also of known kind, to start discharging. The condenser controls the bias on a valve in the time delay circuit, which becomes conducting after the predetermined delay period to energize a further relay which controls either the energization of the motor 31 or, if the motor is driven continuously, a clutch for communicating the drive to the chains 16. In the latter case the clutch comprises a slidable shaft carrying a rotatably mounted pulley element driven by a V-belt passing around a pulley on the shaft of motor 31, and a co-operating pulley element connected to the input shaft of a speed reducer the output of which drives a shaft 29 on which are mounted a pair of sprockets for the chains 16. The clutch is operated by pushing the rotatably mounted and continuously driven pulley element against the co-operating pulley element. This is effected by fluid pressure under the control of a valve operated by the further relay of the electric control circuit, switches 86, 87 operated by cams on the end of shaft 29 are provided for causing recharging of the condenser in the time delay circuit and for breaking the circuit to the further relay to restore the circuit to its initial condition. The time delay is such that the hide 108(a) has reached the position shown in Fig. 3 before the chains 16 and rollers 94, 95 start to move. One cycle of operation is sufficient to bring the hide, looped over the rollers 94, 95 to the position shown at 108(b), the weighting of rollers 94 being sufficient to prevent the hide from rolling off the rollers 94, 95. As operation progresses the hide is carried along the upper horizontal run of chains 16 until roller 94 is adjacent the ends 109 of the pads 105. The pressure of the pads on the rollers causes them to rotate so that the hide 108 (c) is progressively shaped over a support 101. The support is positioned against stops 103 on guide 102 formed in the base of the frame 15. In a second embodiment (Fig. 10) the hides are stacked on a support 190 positioned against stop 192 and the photo-electric cell 115<SP>1</SP> and light source 120<SP>1</SP> are arranged to operate the chains carrying rollers 94<SP>1</SP>,95<SP>1</SP> as soon as the hide reaches the position shown at 108<SP>1</SP>(a) without any time delay. An additional driven roller 194 is provided to prevent the trailing edge of a hide at position 1081(b) from prematurely contacting the edges of the already deposited hides 108<SP>1</SP>(c).In a third embodiment (Fig. 12) the hides are carried on supporting rollers 228 through a drier 221. The hides are delivered past a photo-electric device 115<SP>1</SP> arranged to operate with a time delay so as to initiate actuation of an endless conveyer 222 having members 233 for supporting the axles of rollers 228. The hide, draped over the roller 228, is raised to a position at the top of the conveyer 222 run when the roller 228 with the hide slides down a guide 239 into cradles on a second conveyer device 225. The rollers 228 are prevented from rotating by pins in their axles which contact guides arranged adjacent the hide carrying part of the run of conveyer 225 and a guide 238 adjacent conveyer 222. Pads 241 are provided for running the hides off the rollers 228 and stacking them on support 101. The rollers 228 are retained on the conveyer 225 by guides 242 until they reach a guide 237 down which they slide to be picked up by members 233 on conveyer 222. In this embodiment the photoelectric device operates intermittently the drive motor which at each cycle, through suitable gearing, drives the conveyer 222 one revolution and, through further gearing and a Geneva drive mechanism, moves conveyer 225 an amount sufficient to position a cradle to receive the next hide carrying roller 228 from guide 239.