An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Feeding Sheets of Paper Card, or similar Material into Printing Machines and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Aug., 1897--Accepted, 9th Oct., 1897
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Feeding Sheets of Paper
Card, or similar Material into Printing Machines and the like.
We, WILLIAM READER and THOMAS BERTHAM READER, both of No. 11 Brownhill
Road, Catford, Kent, Engineers, do hereby cclare 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: -
This Invention relates to an improved method of, and apparatus for feeding
sheets of paper, card or similar material into printing or other machines into
which the material has to be fed in separate sheets.
•
The object of our invention is to secure greater accuracy in the feeding of the
paper or other material than is obtained by the mechanism usually employed for
this purpose.
It consists essentially in the use of a suitable roller, bar or other device covered
or coated with a suitable gelatinous substance such as a mixture of gelatine and
glycerine, glue and treacle-for picking up the paper, which roller or bar is
arranged to be depressed on to or brought into contact with the material and to
lift and carry the same forward 'to any desired extent or position.
Our invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, upon which
Figure 1, illustrates and end view of feed roller fitted with ratchet wheel and
device for releasing the sheet of paper or card.
Figure 2, is a side elevation shewing the general arrangement of the feeding
mechanism.
Figure 3, being a plan of the bar or roller as seen from above.
Figure 4, illustrates a method of automatically raising and lowering the bar or
roller B as desired.
In carrying out our invention we may arrange for the axis A. of the bar or
roller B carrying the gelatinous composition 6 to be mounted in bearings C
capable of moving in a vertical direction within suitable carriages D, so arranged
on either side of the machine as to be capable of moving in a horizontal direction.
Motion may be imparted to the movable carriages 1) by means of a pivoted lever E
or other suitable mechanical arrangement.
In order to more effectually secure the feeding of the paper or material in
single sheets a slight rotary movement is imparted to the bar or roller B as soon
as it reaches the surface of the material to be fed, by bringing it in contact with
the material before it has completed its backward travel thus causing the edge of
the paper or material to turn upwards and so separate it from the pile before it
is lifted.
The whole arrangement is such that upon the carriages D being moved back to
the paper or material to be fed into the machine, the bar or roller B is free to
descend upon the top of the supply when owing to the gelatinous nature of the
composition upon the bar or roller the top sheet or card will be caused to adhere
thereto, being lifted and carried therefrom by the forward movement of the bar
or roller B.

page_text: If required we may provide the bar or roller B, with a device for releasing the
paper or material therefrom at any desired moment.
This device may consist of a rod or strip of metal L, secured to a projection on
the lower end of the lever I', and extending across and parallel to the face of the
bar or roller B. By the movements of the lever F the rod or strip of metal L is
caused to descend on the upper surface of the sheet of paper or other material
adhering to the bar or roller B, and thus release it. Or we may use the roller or
bar B without the throwing off apparatus and carry the material up to the gripper
rollers Q, which will pull the paper or other material off the said bar or roller
and carry it into the machine.
.
In the above described apparatus we arrange the mechanism as shewn on
Figures 2, 3 and 4, in which A is the axis of the bar or roller 13; C, the bearings;
D, the carriage; d, guides for same; E the pivoted lever; F, lever on axis A;
G, pawl on lever 1; H, ratchet wheel; I, spring or weight; K, a fixed stop
secured to frame for pushing the lever F, when it comes in contact by the forward
motion of the apparatus and so releasing the paper; N, driving shaft; M, cam to
rise and fall the roller B.
-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :
1. The method of picking up and feeding single sheets of paper, card or other
similar material to a machine by a reciprocating bar or roller coated with a
gelatinous compound, as described.
2. The method of, and apparatus for feeding single sheets of paper, card or
similar material to a machine as described and illustrated upon the accompanying
sheet of drawings.
Dated this Thirty first day of August 1897.
For, the Applicants,
GEDGE & FEENY,
60 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agents.