Improvements relating to the Feeding and Delivering of Sheets of Paper and other Material to Printing Machines and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 28th Jan., 1899 -Accepted, 6th May, 1899
HYDINAL DEVITICATION.
Improvements relating to the Feeding and Delivering of Sheets of
Paper and other Material to Printing Machines and to Apparatus
therefor.
I, PETER DVORAK of Vienna VIII, Bennogasse 21, Vienna, in the Empire of
Austria, Proprieter of a Printing Works, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows;-
In the known methods of and machines for feeding sheets of paper into printing
machines, the top most sheet of the pile of paper is seized by a pin or by a
pneumatic lifter; this method has, however, as is well known, numerous dis-
advantages.
The essential feature of the method which forms the subject of this invention is
that the feeder seizes the topmost sheet of paper owing to the adhesive properties
which it possesses, holds it lightly and conveys it to the printing cylinder or
platen, as the case may be, whereupon it either releases the sheet or transmits
it direct to the take-off.
The construction of the devices necessary for effecting these operations is in
general the same for all kinds of printing machines, but their details will depend
upon the machine to which they are intended to be applied, that is to say, for
instance, those intended for power presses will differ from those for use with platen
printing presses.
Automatic feeding of the sheets necessitates with many printing machines (with
platen machines for example) an automatic taking off or delivery of the sheets
also, and this, as-is well known, is already effected with power printing machines.
In addition to this, it is necessary in taking the sheets from the pile, that the
guide-pins of the feed or delivery stacking or pile forming apparatus, which main-
tains the sheets in a fixed position should recede, prior to the seizing of the sheet
by the feeder or to its being fed into the same from the taker-off so as to release
the pile of paper in order that no friction between the guide-pins and the sheets
may take place which would render the lifting or taking-off of the sheets
impossible.
As already stated, my improved method consists in the fact that the feeding
parts seize the topmost sheet of paper, by means of the adhesive seizing surface
with which they are provided, hold the same lightly and convey it to the printing
cylinder beneath the retaining devices in the case of power presses or upon the
platen in the case of platen machines (American), in the first case releasing the
sheet entirely and in the second case retaining it whilst the printing is effected and.
then transmitting it to the taker-off.
The adhesive seizing surface of the feeding parts, in order to render them suit-
able for seizing the sheet of paper, card-board, linen or other fabric which is
topmost to the movement, may be obtained in various ways by the employment of
various adhesive substances with which the feeder is smeared, coated or provided
in any suitable manner. An adhesive medium or substance consisting of say 12

page_text: to 2 GT of gelatine and 10 GT of glycerine may be advantageously employed;
this will lightly seize the sheet of paper upon the application of slight pressure.
The form of the feeder parts may vary in any desired manner according to the
construction of the machine; thus, for example, flat rotatable levers, round or
angular rollers, cams and so forth may advantageously be employed. In order
to reduce the adhesive contact surface for the purpose of feeding fine or thin papers
or fabrics, a portion of such contact surface may advantageously te provided
with a non-adhesive substance in any manner known in the art.
In adapting my process to a platen machine I employ a feed stacking apparatus
the special construction of which is hereinafter described; it is arranged in front
of the machine. The platen is rotatably connected with platen supporting levers
oscillating upon a platen carrying shaft. The platen is connected with a printing
plate by means of a hinge or joint, the said plate being capable of rotation upon
an oscillating or printing plate shaft which is connected with a crank-disc
mounted upon the platen carrying shaft by means of a connecting rod whereby
the peculiar motion of the platen and of the printing plate is obtained.
The feeders are in this machine, for example, of the form of rods which are so
arranged upon a feeder by means of sockets and set screws, that they may be
shifted along the same. This feeder shaft is mounted upon a pin or axis in such
a manner as to be stationary, by means of arms, and carries a toothed wheel with
which engages a toothed segment which is loaded with a weight and is capable of
rotation upon the said pin. The toothed segment imparts to the toothed wheel
and thus likewise, according to the construction of the machine, either to the
feeders alone or stationary pins in combination (of the plate carrying shaft for
example) such motion as at the proper moment, that is to say when the press is.
open, will effect the transfer of the sheet from the pile to the platen. The motion
o the reeder takes place under conditions such that the platen has not only a
progressive motion but also one around the pin, whilst the toothed segment, owing
to the counter-weight, invariably maintains a vertical position, from which relative
motion of the platen, the sheet-conveying capacity of the feeder results owing
to the travel of the toothed wheel. The toothed segment may, of course, equally
well be pivoted directly upon the platen, under which circumstances only the
oblique motion of the platen with respect to the invariably vertical segment in
concerned in the actuation of the feeder. Finally, the relative motion of the
platen may be employed, which takes place with the special mechanism hereinafter
described almost directly after passing the position of the parts in which the platen
and printing plate are opened out. The platen, in fact, when it reaches this
position, precedes the crank in both directions. If now the segment lever is
allowed to strike against a fixed point, the platen carrying shaft for example, and
the crank to move slightly more towards the right hand, the upper arm of the
segment lever will also move towards the right hand resulting in a partial retro-
gression of the feeder. This latter motion assists the lifting off of the printed
sheet by the taker-off. After this motion the platen makes its relative motion
towards the right hand, which, with the toothed segment stationary, causes a
motion of the feeder towards the right hand for the purpose of taking up a fresh
sheet. The motion towards the left hand of the platen which follows thereupon
directly, results in a movement of the feeder in the sense of feeding in the sheet.
Any tendency of the segment lever to oscillate during rapid running of the
machine may be counteracted in various ways.
Upon taking the sheet from the feeder sheet stacking apparatus it is necessary
that the guide pins retaining the pile of paper should be removed from the latter
in order that no friction may take place between them and the sheet which is being
lifted.
The said apparatus consists essentially of a plate provided with transverse and
longitudinal grooves, in which the guide-pins are displaced arranged upon longi-
tudinal and transverse bars, such bars being divided and tending invariably to
assume their normal position owing to the action of springs whilst they are

page_text: actuated from the machine by means of rails common to them in such a manner
that some or all of the guide-pins recede from the pile of paper at the moment
when the sheet is removed.
One form of the feeder-paper-stacking apparatus consists specially of a frame in
which plates, which may advantageously he rectangular are so arranged leaving
an intermediate space that longitudinal and transverse grooves exist in which the
guide-pins are adjustably arranged. These latter rest in addition by means of
blocks upon suitable angular or round longitudinal and transverse rods in such a
manner that they may be displaced upon these latter as desired and fixed in the
desired position by either screwing in the guide pin itself or by means of a screw.
The transverse bars traverse the whole apparatus and are joined upon one side to
a rail supported at both ends in guides, and upon the other side they are sup-
ported by a second rail and are acted upon by springs which tend to press the first
rail together with the bars, upon the apparatus. The longitudinal bars are pre-
ferably divided at their middle portions, the parts thus formed constantly tend to
approach each other under the action of springs interposed between them and being
connected with the end supporting rail by means of bent levers.
If the first rail is connected with any part of the machine by means of chains,
for example with a lever in such a manner that the same moves from and towards
the apparatus, then the traverse bars with the guide pins will move uniformly
in the direction of the rail, whilst the longitudinal bars and with them the guide
pins will move from and towards each other, owing to the transmission of motion
by the bent levers, and thereby release the pile of paper so as to allow the feeder
to readily seize the topmost sheet.
A modification of the apparatus consists in so arranging the same that the whole
of the guide pins move outwardly prior to the seizing of the topmost sheet, thus
releasing the pile of paper on all sides. For this purpose the whole of the bars
are divided and socketed one within the other, springs being arranged within such
sockets, these springs tending to draw the portions of the bars together towards
the middle. These divided bars are connected with two rails directly on one side
and by means of bent levers upon the other, which rails being attached to the
machine by means of rails and guides and so connected one with the other by
means of double levers and connecting rods that by the motion of these levers the
rails and with them the guide pins move from and towards the pile of paper
together. Bent levers transmit the motion to the longitudinal bars, which there-
fore together with the guide pins similarly move from and towards the pile.
With platen machines, the automatic feeding of the sheets of paper, effected in
the manner above described, necessitates also an automatic taking-off of the same,
because the feeder also holds the sheets during printing and consequently the sub-
sequent removal by hand is impossible, because moving parts would have to be
followed and the printed sheet would be torn or at least creased.
The automatic withdrawal of the sheet from the feeder takes place by means of
a taker-off which is connected with a shaft and displaceable by means of a toothed
wheel and a rod provided with a rack and pivotally mounted upon a lever. If
the feeders are in that position in which the printed sheet is somewhat rearwardly
inclined, the takers-off are operated by means of the downward motion of the lever,
seize the sheet and convey it upwards in an oblique position, whereupon it slides
along the inclined plane into the delivery paper stacking apparatus and is laid
out in the proper position by the guide pins which are at this moment in motion.
The construction of the taker-off sheet stacking apparatus is similar to that of
the feed apparatus, in which the actuation of the rails is effected from the shaft,
this latter being connected with the rail by means of arms and chains. Adjust-
able, elastic stops for the taker-off facilitate the sliding-off of the printed sheet
owing to the shock which occurs upon impact taking place.
The automatic sheet feeder may be applied to a power press. In such power
presses, as is well known, the feed table is arranged above the machine and con-
ected with the printing cylinder by an inclined slide, whilst the delivery table is

page_text: arranged beneath the feed table. Th feeder must therefore with these machines
effect a continuous motion from the table to the printing cylinder and back again,
and for this purpose all such parts of the machine may be utilized as reciprocate
uninterruptedly whilst the machine is working. For this purpose the toothed
driving rods of the printing cylinder are particularly adapted; their motion being
transmitted, in the present case by means of non-elastic cords or belting carried
over rollers, to the feeder which may be of cylindrical form, in such a manner that
both reciprocate in the same sense. If the full stroke of the feeder is less than
that of the rack (as is usually the case the proportions being frequently ; 1,
for example) the same may readily be reduced by any simple known means such
as compound levers or the like, to the desired extent. In this constructional form,
the cylindrical feeder is, for example, mounted in a frame the lateral members of
which are carried in supports between rollers and to which the cords or belts are
fixed, whilst on the other hand they are fixed to the rack. The feeder may like-
wise, for example be mounted upon a four wheeled carriage, whereby the lateral
members may be dispensed with. The feed sheet stacking apparatus is entirely
similar to that above described, and it is therefore necessary to impart such motion
to the feeder that it may slide over the guide pins. In the example under con-
sideration the lateral members run upon rollers, which, in order that they may
avoid the guide-pins, travel upon a double inclined plane and thus constantly
carry over the feeder either with or without sheets of paper.
In order to adapt the feeder to operate with piles of paper of different heights,
it is mounted upon both sides in vertical guides 61, in which the journals which
have square ends in order to prevent rotation of the cylinders, can be raised and
lowered. As the space enclosed by the guide pins varies, whilst the stroke of the
feeder is preferably constant, the series of guide pins must always occupy the same
position for the various sizes of paper; from which it will be apparent that the
same may be arranged upon the moving rail, motion being readily imparted to the
latter from a moving part upon the press. The delivery of the printed sheet of
paper upon the table is effected automatically by the taker-off, which is of the
customary type.
Improvements relating to the Feeding and Delivering of Sheets of
Paper and other Material to Printing Machines and to Apparatus
therefor.
I, PETER DVORAK, of Vienna VIII Bennogasse 21, Proprietor of a Printing
Works, 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;-
In the known methods of and machines for feeding sheets of paper into printing
machines the topmost sheet of the piles of paper is seized by a pin or by a
pneumatic lifter; this method has however, as is well known, numerous dis-
advantages.
The essential feature of the method which forms the subject of this invention is
that the feeder seizes the topmost sheet of paper owing to the adhesive properties
which it possesses, holds it lightly and conveys it to the printing cylinder or

page_text: platen, as the case may be, whereupon it either releases the sheet or transmits
it direct to the take-off.
The construction of the device necessary for effecting these operations is in
general the same for all kinds of printing machines, but their details will depend
upon the machine to which they are intended to be applied, that is to say, for
instance, those intended for power presses will differ from those for use with platen
printing presses.
Automatic feeding of the sheets necessitates with many printing machines (with
platen machines for example) an automatic taking off or delivery of the sheets
also, and this, as it well known, is already effected with power printing machines.
In addition to this, it is necessary in taking the sheets from the pile, that the
guide-pins of the feed or delivery stacking or pile forming apparatus, which main-
tains the sheets in a fixed position should recede, prior to the seizing of the sheet
by the feeder or to its being fed into the same from the taker-off so as to release
the pile of paper in order that no friction between the guide-pins and the sheets
may take place which would render the lifting or taking-off of the sheets
impossible.
Two constructional forms of printing machines to which this invention is applied
are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a platen machine provided with a delivery and
feed apparatus in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view of a sheet-stacking apparatus.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the same.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the same viewed from beneath.
Figure 5 shews a plan view of a modification of this apparatus viewed from
beneath.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of this modification.
Figure 7 is a detail view.
Figure 8 illustrates a portion of a power press in side elevation, and
Figures 9 and 10 are detail views.
As already stated, my improved method consists in the fact that the feeding
devices seize the topmost sheet of paper, by means of the adhesive seizing surface
with which they are provided, hold the same lightly and convey it to the grippers
in the printing cylinder, in the case of power presses, or upon the platen in the
case of platen machines (Cropper-press), in the first case releasing the sheet entirely
and in the second case retaining it whilst the printing is effected and then trans-
mitting it to the taker-off.
The adhesive seizing surface of the feeding devices in order to enable them to
seize the topmost sheet of paper, cardboard, linen or other fabric may be prepared
in various ways by the employment of various adhesive substances with which the
feeder is smeared, coated or provided in any suitable manner. An adhesive
medium or substance consisting of say 12 to 2 parts by weight of gelatine and
10 parts by weight of glycerine may be advantageously employed; and will lightly
seize the sheet of paper by applying slight pressure.
The form of the feeder parts may vary in any desired manner according to the
construction of the machine; thus, for example, flat rotatable levers, round or
angular rollers, grippers and so forth may advantageously be employed. In order
to reduce the adhesive contact surface for the purpose of feeding fine or thin papers
or fabrics, a portion of such contact surface may advantageously be covered
with a non-adhesive substance in any manner known in the art.
In Figure 1 of the drawing my invention is shewn applied to a platen machine.
1 is the feed and stacking apparatus, the special construction of which is hereinafter
described; it is arranged in front of the machine. 2 is the platen which is rotat-
ably connected with the levers 3, these latter oscillating upon the shaft 4. The
platen is connected with the printing plate 5 by means of a hinge or joint 6, the
said plate being capable of rotation upon the shaft 7. The printing plate is oscil-
lated in the well known manner by the action of the connecting rod 8' fulcrumed

page_text: at 8 in conjunction with rods S attached to the crank disc 16 mounted upon the
platen carrying shaft 4 by means of a connecting rod S, whereby the peculiar
motion of the platen and of the printing plate is obtained.
The feeders 9 are in this machine, for example, of the form of flat bars which
by well known means are so arranged upon a shaft 10 as to. be capable of being
shifted endwise along the same, when required to suit various sizes of sheets.
This shaft 10 is mounted upon the pin 12 in such a manner as to be stationary,
by means of arms 11, and carries a toothed pinion 13 with which engages a toothed
segment 14 which is loaded with a weight 15 and is capable of rotation upon the
said pin 12. The toothed segment imparts to the toothed wheel and thus likewise,
according to the construction of the machine, either to the feeders alone or
stationary pins in combination (of the shaft 4,. for example) such
motion as at the proper moment, will effect the feeding of the sheet from the pile
to the platen 2. From inspection of the diagrammatic view Figure 7 it. will be
seen that the motion of the feeder takes place under conditions such that the
platen has not only a progressive motion but also one around the pin 12 whilst the
toothed segment, owing to the counter-weight 15, invariably maintains a vertical
position, from which relative motion of the platen, the sheet-conveying capacity
of the feeder results owing to the travel of the toothed wheel 13. The toothed
segment may, of course, equally well be pivoted directly upon the platen, under
which circumstances only the oblique motion of the platen with respect to the
invariably vertical segment is concerned in the actuation of the feeder. Finally,
the relative motion of the platen may be employed, which takes place with the
known special mechanism of the press shown diagramatically in Figure 7 almost
directly after passing the position of the parts shewn by dotted lines. The platen,
after having reached this position, swings on the pin 12 towards the right, during
the opening of the press, and towards the left, during the closing of the same.
now the segment lever is allowed to strike against a fixed point, the shaft 4 for
example, and the crank to move slightly more towards the right hand, the upper
arm of the segment lever will also move towards the right hand resulting in a
partial retrogression of the feeder 9. This latter motion assists the lifting off of
the printed sheet by the taker-off 17. After this motion the platen rotates further
on the pin 12 towards the right hand, which, with the toothed segment stationary,
causes the pinion 13 to run over the latter, and thereby moves the feeders 9 to
the right, where they come to rest upon the pile and take up the top sheet. The
relative motion towards the left hand of the platen which follows thereupon
directly, and owing to the aforementioned reasons results in a movement of the
feeder in the sense of feeding in the sheet that is, towards the left.
If
Upon taking the sheet from the feeder sheet stacking apparatus it is necessary
that the guide-pins retaining the pile of paper should be removed from the latter
in order that no friction may take place between them and the sheet which is being
lifted.
The two constructional forms illustrated in Figures 2-6 consist essentially of
a plate provided with transverse and longitudinal grooves, in which the guide-pins
are displaceably arranged upon longitudinal and transverse bars, such bars being
divided and tending invariably to assume their normal position owing to the action
of springs whilst they are actuated from the machine by means of rails common
to them in such a manner that some or all of the guide-pins recede from the pile
paper at the moment when the sheet is removed.
of
The feeder paper-stacking apparatus represented in Figures 2-4 consists
specially of a frame 18 in which plates, which may advantageously be rectangular,
are so arranged, leaving an intermediate space, that longitudinal and transverse
grooves 19 and 20 exist in which the guide-pins 21, 22 are adjustably arranged.
These latter rest in addition, by means of blocks 23, 24, upon suitable angular or
round longitudinal and transverse rods 25, 26 in such a manner that they may be
displaced upon these latter as desired and fixed in the desired position by either
screwing in the guide pin itself or by means of a screw. The transverse bars 26

page_text: traverse the whole apparatus and are joined upon one side to a rail 28 supported
at both ends in guides 27, and upon the other side they are supported by a rail 29
and are acted upon by springs 30 which tend to press the part 28, together with the
bars 26, upon the apparatus in the direction of the arrow. The bars 25 are prefer-
ably divided at their middle portions, the parts thus formed constantly tending to
approach each other under the action of springs interposed between them and being
connected with the end supporting rail 33 by means of bent levers 32.
If the rail 28 is connected with any part of the machine by means of chains 34,
for example with the lever 35 Figure 1 (which experience has shewn to be best
adapted for the purpose) in such a manner that the same moves from and towards
the apparatus, then the transverse bars 26 with the guide pins will move uniformly
in the direction of the rail, whilst the bars 25 and with them the guide pins 21
will move from and towards each other, owing to the transmission of motion by
the bent levers 32, and thereby release the pile of paper so as to allow the feeder
to readily seize the topmost sheet.
The modification shewn in Figures 5 and 6 differs from the construction last
described in that the whole of the guide pins move outwardly prior to the seizing
of the topmost sheet, thus releasing the pile of paper on all sides. For this
purpose the whole of the bars 25, 26 are divided and socketed one within the other,
springs 30, 31 being arranged within such sockets, these springs tending to draw
the portions of the bars together towards the middle. These divided bars are con-
nected with two rails 28, directly on one side and by means of bent levers 32 upon
the other, such rails being attached to the machine by means of rails 33 and
guides 27 and so connected one with the other by means of double levers 36 and
connecting rods 37 that by the motion of these levers the rails 28 and with them
the guide pins 22 move from and towards the pile of paper together.
levers 32 transmit the motion to the longitudinal bars 25, which therefore, together
with the guide pins 23, similarly move from and towards the pile.
Bent
With platen machines, the automatic feeding of the sheets of paper, effected
in the manner above described, necessitates also an automatic taking-off of the
same, because the feeder also holds the sheets during printing and consequently
the subsequent removal by hand is impossible, because moving parts would have to
be followed and the printed sheet would be torn or at least creased.
The automatic withdrawal of the sheet from the feeder 9 takes place in accord-
ance with the arrangement shewn in Figure 1 by means of the taker-off rods 17
which are connected with a shaft 39, which is rotated in the direction of the arrow
by means of a toothed wheel 40 and a rod 41 provided with a rack and pivotally
mounted upon a lever 35. The lever 35 gives the swinging motion to the inking
roller 64 and is operated by a rod 65 in connection with a weight 66 pivoted at 67
and which weight is moved towards the left by the shaft 7 oscillated on the pivot 811
during the opening of the press, it returning afterwards to its original position
by its own gravity. If the feeders 9 are in that position in which, as before
described the printed sheet is somewhat rearwardly inclined, the takers-off 17 pass
through them owing to the downward motion of the lever 35, seize the sheet and
convey it upwards in an oblique position, whereupon it slides along the inclined
plane into the delivery paper-stacking apparatus 42 and is laid out in the proper
position by the guide pins which are at this moment in motion.
The construction of the take-off sheet-stacking apparatus 42 is similar to that of
the feed apparatus, in which the actuation of the rails 28 is effected from the
shaft 39, the latter being connected with the rail by means of arms 44 and
chains 43. Adjustable, elastic stops 45 for the take-off 42 facilitate the sliding-off
of the printed sheet owing to the shock which occurs upon impact taking place.
In Figures 8 to 10 the construction and method of applying the automatic sheet
feeder to a power press is illustrated In power presses, as is well known the
feed table 46 is arranged above the machine and connected with the impression
cylinder 48 by an inclined table 47, whilst the delivery table 49 is arranged beneath
the feed table. The feeder must therefore with these machines effect a continuous
motion from the table to the printing cylinder and back again, and for this pur-

page_text: pose all such parts of the machine may be utilised as reciprocate uninterruptedly
whilst the machine is working. For this purpose the toothed driving rods 50 of
the printing cylinder are particularly adapted; their motion being transmitted, in
the example illustrated, by means of constant, non-elastic cords or belting 52
carried over rollers 51 to the feeder 53, which is here shewn of cylindrical form,
in such a manner that both reciprocate in the same sense. If the full stroke of
the feeder is less than that of the rack (as is usually the case the proportions
being frequently 3; 1, for example) the same may readily be reduced by any
simple known means such as compound levers or the like, to the desired extent.
In this constructional form, the cylindrical feeder is, for example, mounted in
a frame the lateral members 54 of which are carried in supports 55 between
rollers 56 and to which the cords or belts are fixed at 57, whilst on the other hand
they are fixed at 58 to the rack. The feeder may likewise, for example, be mounted
upon a four-wheeled carriage whereby the lateral members 54 may be dispensed
with. The feed sheet stacking apparatus 1 is entirely similar to that ilustrated
in Figure 1, and it is therefore necessary to impart such motion to the feeder that
it may slide over the guide pins 22. In the example illustrated in Figures 9
and 10 the lateral members 54 run upon rollers 59, which, in order that they
may avoid the guide-pins 22, travel upon a double inclined plane 60 and thus
constantly carry over the feeder either with or without sheets of paper.
In order to adapt the feeder to operate with piles of paper of different heights,
it is mounted upon both sides in vertical guides 61, in which the journals 62,
which have square ends in order to prevent rotation of the cylinders, can be raised
and lowered. As the space enclosed by the guide pins varies, whilst the stroke
of the feeder is preferably constant, the series of guide pins 22 must always occupy
the same position for the various sizes of paper; from which it will be apparent
that the same may be arranged upon the moving rail 28, motion being readily
imparted to this latter (as in Figure 1) from a moving part upon the press. The
delivery of the printed sheet of paper upon the table 49 is effected automatically
by the take-off 63, which is of the customary type.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A method for automatically feeding sheets of paper, card-board, linen and
other fabrics to book printing and lithographic printing machines of all kinds,
characterised by the fact that the feeding parts seize the topmost sheet of the pipe
by means of their adhesive seizing surfaces, lightly hold the same and convey it
upon the printing cylinder beneath the engaging devices or upon the platen as the
case may be whereupon the sheet is either released or transferred to the taker-off
after printing.
2. For carrying out the method or process described in Claim 1, a book printing
or lithographic printing machine characterised by a feeder (9, Figure 1 and 53
Figure 8) to which is imparted from the machine either a rotary or a continuous
reciprocating motion, which feeder is provided with an adhesive surface by means
of which it seizes the topmost sheet of the pile of paper; likewise by a sheet
stacking apparatus consisting of a plate (18) provided with longitudinal and trans-
verse grooves (19, 20) the guide pins (21, 22) of which are displaced in these
grooves being adjustably arranged by means of blocks (23, 24) upon longitudinal
and transverse bars (25, 26) which may or may not be divided and which latter are
connected with one or more rails (28), to which motion is imparted from the
machine, in such a manner that prior to the lifting of a sheet from the pile the
longitudinal bar or the longitudinal and also the transverse bars and with them
the guide pins fixed thereon recede from the pipe for the purpose of facilitating the
removal of the sheet and thereupon again approach the said pile owing to the
influence of a counteracting force.
3. A special form of sheet feeding device for use with platen presses, charac-

page_text: terised by feed rods (9) arranged upon the printing platen (2) upon a shaft (10)
which rods are operated by means of a toothed wheel (13) and a counter-weighted
toothed segment (14) capable of rotating freely with or without the assistance of a
fixed stop (such as the shaft 4).
4. A special form of sheet feeding device for power presses characterised by
feeding parts (53) which may be either cylindrical, flat or cam shaped, running
upon rollers (59) to which is imparted by means of a moving part of the machine
such as toothed rods (50), by known means, such as by cords or belts (52) passing
over rollers (51) a reciprocating motion and by means of inclined planes (60) an
ascending and descending motion for the purpose of avoiding the guide pins, the
same being also adapted to be raised and lowered in guides (61) in order to render
them suitable for use with piles of paper of different heights.
5. For the process or method described in Claim 1, a sheet delivery apparatus
adapted for platen presses characterised by rods (17) which may be caused to
rotate from a moving part of the machine (such as the lever 35) by means of a
toothed wheel (40) and a rack (41) in the sense of the lifting of the sheet, which
rods pass through the feeder rods (9) and convey the lifted sheet upon the sheet
stacking apparatus (42).
Dottu
January four.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.