Patent GB-687505-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in sheet distributors
IPC: B65H39/11
Filed: 1950-06-15
Abstract: 687,505. Feeding and delivering sheets. McGALLIARD, D. C. June 15, 1950 [June 18, 1949], No. 14989/50. Class 100 (i). [Also in Group XL (b)] A sheet-associating apparatus comprises a plurality of compartments for collecting sheets, means for delivering sheets to said compartments, gate means for each compartment adjacent said delivering means operable in one position to direct sheets into said compartments and in a second position to prevent entry of sheets into said compartments, means responsive to the entry of sheets into said compartments and to control further means for moving the gate means from one position to the other. Sheet forwarders and separators; pile supports.-Sheets are fed successively from a stack 35, Fig. 1, by sheet-engaging rollers 45 rotatable during their backward movement, but non- rotatable during their forward or feeding stroke effected by a rack 44 meshing with a gear 41 meshing with a fixed rack 42 and carried by a reciprocatory head 40 driven by an eccentric. A series of belts 50 passing over a driven pulley 51 feed separate sheets successively between the belts and a guide plate 56 towards a series of inclined collecting trays 24 comprising rectangular bottoms 60, Fig. 4, and spring-urged members 62 for retaining sheets, but pivotally movable to permit removal of the sheets. Associating-apparatus; receivers; sheet gatherers.-Cut-away portions 64 are provided in the bottoms 60 to facilitate stapling or otherwise fastening sheets together prior to their removal. Sheets are prevented from rebounding rearwardly by fingers 65, while apertures 67 in each tray are aligned with a light source 34, Fig. 1, and a photo-electric cell 32, whereby the passage of a sheet into a tray interrupts the light beam from the source 34. Switches, strippers.-Gates 25, Fig. 4, adjacent the belts 50, are opened successively to guide a sheet into the corresponding tray before closing to prevent a further sheet entering, the further sheet being directed for entry into the next tray the gate of which is then open, this sequence of operation being continued until each of the trays receive a sheet. Each gate is opened by a projection 84, Fig. 7, on a chain 29 driven intermittently, the projection engaging an extension 81, Fig. 9 (not shown), of a member secured to a trunnion supporting one end of the gate. The chain 29, Fig. 1, is driven one step at a time by a gear wheel 100 rotated intermittently through a pawl carried on a bell crank 97 rocked by the spring-biased core 96 of an electro-magnetic solenoid 95. The gates are subsequently closed after the passage of the sheet by a second projection 85 on the chain 29 engaging a second extension 82 of the member 80. The solenoid 95 is energised by operation of a relay which is energised when the light beam from the source 34 is impressed upon the cell 32. Interruption of the beam causes de-energisation of the relay and solenoid 95 and thus free movement of the pawl over the wheel 100. The operation of opening and closing the gates continues until a sheet has been fed into each compartment, the feed of the sheets 35 being stopped in advance of the completion of this operation to prevent a surplus of sheets on the belts 50. The feed is stopped by a micro-switch 109, Fig. 7, having a finger 110, actuated by a projection 85, the micro-switch being adapted to close a relay circuit controlling the circuit of an electric motor driving the paper feed means and that of a solenoid 117 which actuates a brake mechanism for instantaneously stopping this motor.