Improvements in Feeding Apparatus for Printing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1896-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feeding Apparatus for Printing Machines.
I, EDWARD THOMAS CLEATHERO, of 16 Tollington Place, London N., in the
County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention has reference to improvements in apparatus for feeding sheets of
paper from a pile of paper into printing machines, the object of the invention being
to provide a uniform and automatic feed of one sheet at a time and to provide for
automatic adjustment and regulation of the feed mechanism.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a pneumatic action in the form of
a pipe or nozzle which directs a current of air or puff between the top sheet and tho
remaining sheet of the pile, at the time when the corners of the uppermost sheet
are to be rucked up ready for feeding forward, and I allow this current of air to
be employed to separate the top sheet from the remaining pile in an expeditious
mauner.
I cause the bellows, piston, bucket or other ordinary air pumping contrivance to
be operated by a moving rod or other part of the machine connected to any
convenient revolving or vibrating member and I convey from the air chamber or
vessel a pipe which I bring down under the fluffing fingers in a suitable manner
so as to direct the blast of air on to the edge of the top sheet of the pile so as to
raise it.
To prevent the top sheet from being entirely lifted off or too much raised by the
air blast I hold down the corners of the remaining pile by means of weights which
force down upon the pile with a sufficient degree of pressure to keep the top sheet
in position but yet not to too great an extent to prevent its removal by the
carrying forward mechanism. I may make the corner weights or corner pressers
with a curved edge so as to assist the paper when it is being drawn off.
the bracket carrying the weight in any convenient form upon the stem or arm
carried from any suitable member of the machine. I place one or more at each
corner as may be desired.
mount
To provide for the automatic raising of the pile I attach a travelling pawl striker
to the pile table or other convenient part, and I make it free to vibrate or move
upon a pivot when a projecting arm which is moved by the ordinary finger spindle,
is vibrated; thus 1 form the spindle or the finger and the projecting arm as one
piece, so that when the finger falls due to the removal of the sheet the projecting
arm also falls with it. I make this falling motion of the projecting arm to push
forward the pawl striker through the intervention of a roller or other suitable
attachments, so that in one position due to the removal of a thick sheet the pawl
striker is carried forward sufficiently far to allow a rocking pawl which is vibrated
by means of a rod actuated from a suitable part of the machine, to travel past the
striking end of the pawl striker and thus to engage with the tooth on a ratchet
attached to the shaft which sets in motion the gearing for automatically raising
the table of the machine.
Thus, when the pawl is vibrated by means of its rod or link, it engages with a
ratchet and turns the spindle upon which the ratchet is secured, so that the
gearing moves the screws in their nuts and thus raises the table to the extent
controlled by one movement of the space due to one tooth being engaged on
the pawl.

page_text: Should the paper sheet which is withdrawn be a thin one the pawl striker is not
carried forward sufficiently to clear the end of the pawl, and the pawl knife edge
end is thus guided away from the ratchet tooth and thus motion is continued until
such time as the pawl striker is thrown far enough out due to the movement
of the finger to enable the pawl to clear its end and thus to engage with the
tooth.
I mount my rocking pa vl in one convenient manner upon an arm which moves
freely upon the spindle, on which the ratchet is keyed, and I cause it to rock upon
this spindle by means of the connecting rod or link actuated from other parts of
the machine, suitable for bringing a motion which will be rightly timed to suit the
necessary function of the machine.
I do not limit the application of my improvements in the matter of pneumatic
raising of the top sheet with the holding down of the ends or corners of the pile,
and the automatic adjustment of the table raising nechanism, to suit any special
form of printing machine, but I modify the essential features hereinbefore
described to work upon any machine to which it may be desired to add my
improvements.
Dated this 21st day of November 1895.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.
I, EDWARD THOMAS CLEATHERO, of 16 Tollington Place, London, N. in the
County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has reference to improvements in apparatus for feeding sheets of
paper from a pile of paper into printing machines, the object of the invention
being to provide an automatic and certain feed of one sheet at a time, and to
provide for automatic adjustment and regulation of the carrying forward
mechanism.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate in side and part front elevations & feeding apparatus
for printing machines in the design of which my improvements are embodied but
which is otherwise similar to the construction and operation of the feeding
apparatus described in the specification to Letters Patent No. 15678 of 1893
granted to me.
In carrying my improvements into effect in their adaptation to a feeding
apparatus similar to that described in the specification of the above mentioned
Letters Patent granted to me I provide for the more certain separation of the top
sheet from the pile in and by a current or puff of air of a sufficient volocity and
volume to form a surface layer of air between the top sheet and the pile instantly
after the rucking or fluffing of the corners of the top sheet is produced and
simultaneously or subsequent to the descent of the presser foot upon the pile.
I produce the current or puff of air by means of bellows, piston or other
ordinary means and operate from any convenient rotating, reciprocating or vibrating
member, though I prefer the employment of a piston and cylinder as illustrated in
the drawings: the piston being operated from a rod E receiving its motion from a
vibrating lever F through the link E: such vibrating lever F pivotting upon the
frame of the apparatus and receiving a positive vibration by means of a grooved

page_text: cam & mounted upon the cross shalt H in the groove g of which cam a roller
secured to the lever works. The cylinder or chamber I has connected thereto a
pipe J for conveying the air therefrom to a suitable position upon the table, and a
nozzle is provided at the extremity of the pipe which is directed immediately above
the pile so that on the corners of the top sheet being rucked or fluffed the air will
issue within the arch and pass between the contiguous sheets and effect their
separation, thereby enabling the top sheet to pass forward under the action of the
'carrying forward" mechanism with certainty and ease. The interposed layer of
air produced readily effects the separation of sheets whose surfaces may be moist
from previous impressions so that adhesion from this prevalent cause of irregularity
in automatic feeding is effectually overcome.
65
In the drawings the conveying pipe J is shewn as secured upon the bracket of
the fluffing spindle J.
To obriate the possibility of the top sheet being entirely lifted off by the puff of
air, I provide for a slight pressure to be applied to the top sheet upon its back
corners or near its edges, by a foot or feet K which slides or slide freely within a
bracket or brackets L secured suitably from the frame of the machine, as for
instance in the manner illustrated in the drawings, where a rod M is shewn as
provided having a hook extremity which engages with one of the carrying bars N,
and rests upon the spindle O, and is thereby capable of movement to any lateral
position required, while a thumb-screw upon the bracket L is provided for the
adjustment of the foot in the transverse direction. The foot or feet K I provide of
such a weight as to give a sufficient degree of pressure upon the top sheet to
prevent its being raised from the pile, but yet not of too great a weight as to
binder its removal by the carrying forward mechanism.
I may make the feet with rubber faces or with a curved edge to lie upon the
edge of the pile so as to assist the paper in being drawn off.
I provide for the automatic raising of the table and pile by means of a vibrating
paul striker P pivotally secured to the frame of the apparatus. This pawl
striker P is provided with a roller or other striking surface against which the
extremity of the projecting arm Q strikes and rests: which arm Q is rigidly
secured upon the spindle O, as are also the fingers R which rest upon the pile and
are caused to remain thereon during the rucking or fluffing of the top sheet and
are lifted off simultaneously with the operation of the carrying forward mechanism,
in the manner described in the specification of Letters Patent granted to me
previously referred to. The downward motion or fall of the projecting arm Q
causes the pawl striker P to be pushed forward to a greater or less degree
dependent upon the extent of downward movement determined by the height of
the pile, so that on the removal of a thick sheet or a number of sheets in succession,
the pawl striker is carried forward sufficiently to allow of the rocking pawl S to
travel past the knife edge extremity of the pawl striker P and thus to engage with
the tooth on the ratchet wheel T, secured upon the shaft U, which by its
movement causes the rotation of the spindle V through gearing u u', and in turn
the rotation of the vertical screw spindles W, through duplicate bevel gearing vvl:
such screw spindles being embraced by nuts secured to the table upon either side
so that on such rotation of the screw spin lles the table is raised with the pile.
The pawl S is formed with a knife edge extremity and is mounted upon the lever
arm provided freely upon the spindle U, which arm receives the necessary
vibration from the cross shaft H through the connecting rod Y. Should only one
sheet of paper be withdrawn the pawl striker is not carried forward sufficiently to
clear the end of the pawl and the knife edge is thus guided away from the ratchet
teeth and motion is continued until such time as the pawl striker is thrown far
enough forward due to the downward movement of the fingers R to enable the
pawl to clear its end and thus engage with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel.
The regulating spindle UI provide with a hand wheel T for actuation by hand
when required; while the ratchet wheel T I provide with a stop pawl T¹ to prevent
back rotation,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
(1.) In feeding apparatus for printing machines the employment of a current or
puff of air introduced between the top-most sheet and the pile at the time and
place of rucking or fluffing so as to separate the top-most sheet cutirely out of
contact with the pile and thereby render separate feeding of the sheets certain and
easy, substantially as described.
(2.) In feeding apparatus for printing machines the production and employment
of a current or puff of air in the manner and for the purpose herein before
described.
(3.) In feeding apparatus for printing machines and provision and use of a back
foot or feet capable of sliding within a movable bracket for the purpose of affording
sufficient pressure upon the top sheet for its maintenance in alignment with the
pile on rucking or fluffing and separating substantially as hereinbefore described.
(4.) In feeding apparatus for printing machines the automatic adjustment of the
feed table by means of a pawl striker the movement of which is determined by a
projecting striking arm whose movement is in turn determined by fingers in
contact with the pile, the extremity of such pawl striker according to its position
allowing or avoiding the engagement of a pawl with a ratchet wheel whose spindle
actuates the lateral vertically disposed feed adjusting screw spindles through
intermediate gearing substantially as hereinbefore described.
(5.) In feeding apparatus for printing machines the automatic adjustment of the
feed table substantially in the manner described.
Dated this 21st day of August 1906
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.