IMPROVEMENTS IN REMOVING SHEETS OF PAPER SINGLY FROM A PILE OF SHEETS AND FEEDING THEM TO PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Edward Cox, of Holborn, in the County "of
Middlesex, Architect, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REMOVING
SHEETS OF PAPER SINGLY FROM A PILE OF SHEETS AND FEEDING THEM TO
PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 24th November 1876, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the 25th May 1876
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Edward Cox at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th May 1876.
ROBERT EDWARD Cox, of Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Architect.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REMOVING SHEETS OF PAPER SINGLY FROM A PILE OF SHEETS
AND FEEDING THEM TO PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in removing sheets of paper singly from
a pile of sheets and feeding them to printing or other machines, or for other
purposes, and consists essentially in the application to the above purpose of india-
rubber or gutta percha in whatever form or combination either or both may be
used. I prefer, however, to use "bottle" india-rubber or vulcanized india-rubber.
A piece of the above applied with a moderate pressure to the top one of a pile of
sheets of paper will so adhere thereto that it may be readily slid from its place
without disturbing the sheets underneath. Sometimes and more especially when
the sheets are small and thin and therefore very light I find it advantageous to pin
the sheets down at one or more points near the corner or edge so that a very small
tear will have to be made in each sheet before it can be removed. This there is
quite sufficient friction or hold with the india-rubber to do. Or the sheets may be
held back in bulk by other suitable means. A convenient way of using the india-
rubber is to cover a roller with it aud centre the roller at the extremity of a lever
centred at its opposite end so that the roller may rest by its weight on the top of
the pile of sheets. Thus on the roller being caused to revolve it will pass the sheets
under it one at a time. Other methods of using the india-rubber may be
employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Robert Edward Cox in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th November 1876.
ROBERT EDWARD Cox, of Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Architect.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REMOVING SHEETS OF PAPER SINGLY FROM A PILE OF
SHEETS AND FEEDING THEM TO PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES, OR FOR OTHER
PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in removing sheets of paper singly from
a pile of sheets and feeding them to printing or other machines, or for other
purposes.
And in order that my said Invention may be clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe it with the aid of the accompanying
Drawings, which illustrate iny Invention as applied to a printing machine.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the table of a printing machine with my improvements
attached; and Fig. 2 is a part transverse section on line a, b, Fig. 1. The same
etter of reference denotes the same parts in both figures.
On
A is the table, B is the taking drum of an ordinary rotary feed printing machine;
C is a pile of sheets of paper to be fed singly to the machine; D is a clip (one or more
of which may be used at discretion) for holding down the sheets of paper at their
ront ends. This clip is held down on to the paper by a weight attached to a shank
passing through the top of the table. The sheets are moved for a short distanco
backwards before they are taken forward into the machine. This is effected by a
tabber actuated as those hercin-after described for moving the sheets forward. It
is not shewn in the Drawing to prevent confusion. After the sheet has been moved
sufficiently in a backward direction, and so as to be clear of the clip D at the front
the sheet has to be adjusted both backwards and sideways up to pins to get the
register correct. This is effected as follows:-For the backward adjustment one or
more brackets E are fixed in position as shewn to carry a cross shaft F. This shaft
has centred on it near each extremity a lever G. The inner extremities of these
levers carry a shaft H parallel to shaft F', and counterbalanced (or nearly so) by
weights carried at the outer extremities of levers G capable of adjustment.
shatt Hare one or more (I prefer several) soft tabbers I. If more than one they
are placed in a line. Shaft F is driven by any suitable gear at the required speed,
and communicates rotary motion to shaft H by gut, strap, pitch chain, or other
suitable gear, I prefer pitch chain. The speed of shaft H is regulated by the
gear between the two shafts; shaft H being arranged to overbalance the counter
weights has always a tendency to fall on to the sheets of paper below. It is kept
a proper distance off saine by two (or more) feet J placed loosely on the shaft (su
that it may run round freely therein), and so as to be capable of adjustment on the
shaft to the width of the paper underneath. These feet rest on the paper (one near
each side thereof) and so as always to rest thereon square at their bases. The
length of the tabbers I in relation to the height of the feet J is such that as shaft
H revolves (in the direction of the arrow) the tabbers I will once in each revolution
be brought in contact with the top sheet of paper, and thereby move same back-
wards to the adjustment pieces. As different sized sheets of paper have to be
operated upon in the same machine it becomes necessary that the whole of the
adjustment mechanism described may be moved up to the paper. For this purpose
the brackets E are attached to the table A so that they may be slid forward.
When in position they are tightened down by jam nuts. Inunediately after the
adjustment of the sheet of paper backwards a like adjustment takes place sideways
by similar means. Shaft Falready described is driven by a bevel wheel K on the end
thereof, geared into by a like bevel wheel K¹ on shaft L which is supported in
suitable bearings M fixed to the side of the table. Bevel wheel K¹ is made to slide
on its shaft L, which is provided with a long key L', as shewn. This is to allow
of the shaft F being moved up to the paper as described. The wheel K¹ is held in

page_text: This
position for work by a set screw passing through the boss thereof. The shaft L
also communicates motion to the mechanism for the side adjustment of the paper.
This is similar to that described for the backward adjustment, except that for the
varying sizes of the paper the lever O carrying the inner shaft is moved over the
driving shaft instead of the latter being moved up to the paper; N is the inner
shaft carrying foot or feet and tabbers similar to those on shaft H; O is the lever
carrying shaft N at its inner extremity. It is made so that it may be slid over
shaft L, as shewn at Fig. 2, to bring the inner shaft over the paper. The outer end
of this lever carries a counterbalance weight and also a roller P. A roller of
corresponding size is carried by the driving shaft L, and another by the inner shaft
N. A gut is then passed over the three rollers taking a turn round the centre
roller or that one on the driving shaft. This provides that lever O may be moved in
and out over the driving shaft without interfering with the driving gear. The sheet
is now in position to be moved forward into the machine, but it is first necessary
to provide against the possibility of two sheets being carried forward at once.
is effected as follows:-On the cross shaft H are one, two, or more cams R, these
are so set in relation to the adjustment notions already described that at the
moment of the completion of the latter the cams approach their highest position
and thereby raise the clips S, the lower parts of which bend under the extremity of
the sheet of paper that has been moved backwards and clip it between themselves
and the under sides of the feet J. The upper surfaces of the part of the clips that
impinge against the paper are covered with india-rubber, and of course if two sheets
should have been moved by mistake instead of only one this india-rubber will press
against the lower sheet. In such case the friction thereof will be sufficient to hold
back the lower sheot, whilst the upper one is moved forward above it to the machine
by the mechanism to be now described. The shaft L is driven from the main
shaft T, which latter also actuates the mechanism for carrying the sheets forward.
For this purpose two wide tabbers or rows of tabbers c and c¹, the lower surfaces of
which are coated with india-rubber, are caused to act alternately on the top sheet
of paper. The back one or that lettered c acts first. The tabbers aro attached to
a cross bar d, the ends of which are each supported in a block T¹ capable of rising
and falling vertically in a guide block U, which in its turn is capable of horizontal
sliding motion along horizontal rectangular bars V supported in suitable bearings VI.
When the cross bar d is allowed to fall the tabbers c rest upon the top sheet of
paper. A sliding motion towards the machine is then imparted to the tabbers,
This
causing them by their weight to carry forward the top sheet of paper.
horizontal motion is imparted by a lever W centred at its lower end, and having at
its upper end a fork into which takes a pin on block U. The lever W is vibrated
by a cam wheel X on the main shaft T into the cam slot of which a pin from lever
W works. The cam is set to commence the forward motion as soon as the adjust-
ment of the sheet has taken place, as described. As soon as the forward motion of
the tabbers has been finished they are raised off the paper by an arm or rail Y, the
upper surface of which is extended at the top, and one extremity of which projects
under a roller g on the bar d. The arm or rail Y is raised through guides Y¹ by a
second cam Z on shaft T, as shown in the Drawings. At this moment the lever W
is brought back by its cam, and the block U, cross bar d, and tabbers c roll back-
wards over the top surface of bar Y, the tabbers of course being out of contact with
the paper. At the proper moment bar Y is brought down by its cam, the tabbers c
are again brought in contact with the paper and then carried forward by lever W
Das before, and so the action is repeated. Meanwhile the second set of tabbers c¹ act
alternately with the first and take the sheet through the second stage forward and
into the machine. The motion of the first tabbers takes the sheet up to the moveable
adjusting pins c. These are connected beneath the table, and their points are
raised and lowered through the top of the table by a cam f, also on main shaft T
5 As soon as the sheet has been moved up to them they are lowered to allow of the
sheets to be moved forward to the machine. Tabbers c¹ are then lowered on to the
advanced sheet and moved forward, raised and carried back again in the same

page_text: manner as described with tabber c.
repeated for the next sheet, and so on.
The operations of the machine are then
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Edward Cox, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
ROBERT EDWARD COX. (LS.)