IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SHEETS OF PAPER TO PRINTING AND OTHER PRESSES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR FEEDING SHEETS OF PAPER TO PRINTING AND OTHER PRESSES."-A com-
munication from abroad by John Thomas Ashley and Frederick
Ashley, both of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States
of America.
Sealed the 14th March 1876, and dated the 29th December 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 29th December 1875.
I, ALFRED VINCENT Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
FEEDING SHEETS Or PAPER ΤΟ PRINTING AND OTHER PRESSES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has relation to improvements in pneumatic machinery

page_text: The first part of the Invention consists,-
First. In a vertically movable horizontal feed table on which the
pile of paper to be fed is placed, which table is caused to rise and hold
the topmost sheet up against one or more stops by means of weights,
or their equivalents, applied to two levers having their fulcra on the
sides of the main frame.
Second. In one or more rigid stops arranged over a fed table at or
near the middle of the length thereof, in combination with a feed table
which is vertically adjustable by means of weights and levers or their
equivalents, and which is held horizontally at all times, said stop or
stops being laterally adjustable or fixed.
Third. In certain novel devices which will depress the feed table and
relieve the top sheet from pressure against the overlying stop or stops.
during the operation of removing each sheet.
Fourth. In the employment of gravitating frictional fingers in com-
bination with a back guage for the pile of paper, said fingers serving to
hold down in place the rear edges of the sheets beneath while a top
sheet is being fed, and to allow said sheet to be taken off without
starting the rear edges of the succeeding sheets in the pile.
Fifth. In the employment of thin flexible fingers at the front of the
feed table, for aiding in the separation of one sheet from the other
during the act of moving off each topmost sheet.
Sixth. In the combination of a perforated feed wheel with a chamber
which communicates with an air exhausting engine, for the purpose
of taking from the pile of paper on the feed table one sheet at a time
and moving it forward upon a registering feed board.
Seventh. In combination with a feed wheel a projection or lip,
which will give each sheet a downward direction while being moved
forward from the pile.
:
Eighth. In a blast pipe which is arranged at the front of the feed
table, and so constructed that it will spread and throw upward and
backward a current of air below the topmost sheet while it is being

page_text: moved off the pile, and thus separate said sheet from the succeeding
lower one, and so prevent a tendency to drag the latter along with it.
Ninth. In the employment of one or more lines of bristles, or their
equivalents, which are extended across the feed board, and which are
adjustable or rigidly fixed for the purpose of pressing the sheets of paper
lightly upon endless tapes, or equivalent feeders, so that these feeders
will move it forward and at the same time move it laterally against a
registering board.
Tenth. In the employment of brushes, which will press upon the
margins of the sheets in combination with a registering board.
Eleventh. In the employment of a vertically movable clamping bar
at the front or delivery end of the feed board, which bar is actuated
automatically so as to prevent the front edge of any sheet from passing
the front guides of the printing press before the grippers take it.
The nature of the second part of the Invention consists,―
First. In a tray on which the pile of paper is placed, having laterally
adjustable side guides, and also an adjustable inclined back, which with
a pushing back foot or feet will free the topmost sheet from the next
sheet below it previous to the removal of such sheet from the pile.
Second. In one or more gravitating friction fingers, which will slip
the topmost sheet of paper backward and free it from the next sheet
below it previous to the operation of picking up and carrying it off.
Third. In a novel device actuated by a cam on the main driving
shaft for automatically depressing the feed table and its removable tray
previous to the picking up of the topmost sheet of the pile.
Fourth. In means which will register the sheets by removing them
on the feed board in a direction at right angles to the line of feed and
against a registering guide.
Fifth. In a vertically and horizontally reciprocating bar carrying.
pneumatic picking-up fingers, and actuated by means of vibrating
extensible arms attached to an oscillating trunk in combination with
flexible pipes communicating with said fingers and trunk.
Sixth. In extensible vibrating arms and a reciprocating bar carrying
picking-up fingers in combination with a valve, which is applied to the
oscillating trunk and which is opened and shut automatically.

page_text: Seventh. In flexible frictional fingers combined with pneumatic
picking-up fingers.
The nature of the third part of the Invention consists in an endless
band chain, or the equivalent thereof, moved by rollers or drums in
combination with one or more trunks or boxes, from which air is
exhausted for the purpose of picking up sheets from a pile of paper.
The fourth part of the Invention relates to the use of a perforated
feed roller and exhaust chamber, extending along the front edge of the
sheet of paper to be fed instead of the feed wheels, which act on the
side margins and is intended as a variation of feeding devices to meet
certain special results. When the printing to be done is such as to
require a repetition of impressions and great speed, then the extended
feed roller is desirable inasmuch as it affords a greater frictional
surface and a corresponding certainty to meet the requirements of extra
speed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight, hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her
special licence that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SHEETS
"

page_text: OF PAPER TO PRINTING AND OTHER PRESSES," being a communication to me
from abroad by John Thomas Ashley and Frederick Ashley, both of
Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of America, upon
the condition (amongst others), that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
This Invention has relation to improvements in pneumatic machinery
for feeding sheets of paper consecutively and with certainty to printing
presses and other machinery requiring to be fed with paper, one sheet at
a time.
The first part of this Invention consists,-
First. In a vertically moveable horizontal feed table on which the
pile of paper to be fed is placed, which table is caused to rise and hold
the topmost sheet up against one or more stops by means of weights or
their equivalents applied to two levers having their fulcra on the sides
of the main frame, as will be herein-after explained.
Second. In one or more rigid stops arranged over a feed table at or
near the middle of the length thereof in combination with a feed table,
which is vertically adjustable by means of weights and levers, or their
equivalents, and which is held horizontally at all times, said stop or
stops being laterally adjustable or fixed, as will be herein-after
explained.
Third. In certain novel devices, herein-after explained, which will
depress the feed table, and relieve the top sheet from pressure against
the overlying stop or stops during the operation of removing each
sheet.

page_text: Fourth. In the employment of gravitating frictional fingers in com-
bination with a back gauge for the pile of paper, said fingers serving to
hold down in place the rear edges of the sheets beneath while a top
sheet is being fed, and to allow said sheet to be taken off without starting
the rear edges of the suoceeding sheets in the pile, as will be herein-after
explained.
Fifth. In the employment of thin flexible fingers at the front of the
feed table for aiding in the separation of one sheet from the other
during the act of moving off each topmost sheet, as will be herein-after
described.
Sixth. In the combination of a perforated feed wheel with a chamber
which communicates with an air exhausting engine for the purpose
of taking from the pile of paper on the feed table one sheet at a time,
and moving it forward upon a registering feed board, as will be herein-
after explained.
Seventh. In combining with a feed wheel a projection or lip, which
will give each sheet a downward direction while being moved forward
from the pile, as will be herein-after explained.
Eighth. In a blast pipe, which is arranged at the front of the feed
table, and so constructed that it will spread and throw upward and
backward a current of air below the topmost sheet while it is being
moved off the pile, and thus separate said sheet from the succceding
lower one, and so prevent a tendency to drag the latter along with it, as
will be herein-after explained.
Ninth. In the employment of one or more lines of bristles, or their
equivalents, which are extended across the feed board, and which are
adjustable or rigidly fixed for the purpose of pressing the sheets of
paper lightly upon endless tapes, or equivalent feeders, so that these
feeders will move it forward, and at the same time move it laterally
against a registering board, as will be herein-after explained.
Tenth. In the employment of brushes, which will press upon the
margins of the sheets in combination with a registering board, as will be
herein-after explained.
Eleventh. In the employment of a vertically moveable clamping bar
at the front or delivery end of the feed board, which bar is actuated
automatically so as to prevent the front edge of any sheet from passing

page_text: be herein-after set forth.
In the Drawings Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations illustrating the
first part of this Invention; Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. 1.
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are detail views of this part of the
Invention.
The frame of the improved machine consists of two side chceks A, A',
connected together by cross bars in a substantial manner; B is a
horizontal table on which the pile of paper to be fed off one sheet at a time
is placed. This table B (which may be denominated the feed table) is
rigidly secured to two slides B', B', which are allowed to receive vertical
motion between guides in the sides A, A', of the main frame, and
externally of these sides are fitted saw toothed racks a, a, for a purpose
herein-after explained. B2, B3, are two levers which have their fulcra
at 2 on the sides of the frame, and are loosely attached by their front
ends to the slides B', B'. The rear ends of said levers B³, B², are con-
nected together by a rod b, on which two or more weights z are removably
applied, the object of which is to raise the table as the sheets are removed
from the pile of paper which it carries, and to keep the next topmost
sheet up against the stops c, c, which are adjustably applied to a cross
bar c¹.
For some kinds of work the stops or fect c, c, may be omitted, and the
bar c¹ used alone as the stop. When the stops c, c, are used they are
adjusted so as to impinge on the side margins of the sheets; C, C, are
side guides, which are perpendicular to the surface of the table B, and
which can be adjusted laterally, and set at any desired distance apart,
according to the size of the sheets of paper to be fed.
The front and rear ends of the table B are graduated or marked off, as
are also the front and rear ends of the feed board for facilitating the
setting of said guides. At or near the rear end of the table B is a gauge
or back stop C³, to the ends of which two arms d,d, are pivotted, carrying
friction fingers d³, d, which lie upon the rear edge of the pile of paper,
and prevent the topmost sheet while being carried off from dragging up
the rear edge of the sheet lying next below it. At the front corners of
the table Bare thin flexible fingers e, e, e¹, e¹, two of which are applied
to the side guides C, C, at right angles thereto for the purpose of acting

page_text: on the front corners of the sheets, and the other two are applied to
laterally adjustable clamps e on a cross bar A³ of the main frame, which
act on the front edges of the sheets, so as to prevent the topmost sheet
while being carried off from starting the sheet next below it; D is a
horizontal trunk, which is secured upon raised portions of the sides A,A¹,
of the main frame, and f, f, are tubes, one or the other of which com-
municates with an exhausting engine. From this trunk spring two
flexible tubes f', f', which communicate with boxes g, g, inside of
wheels h, h, whose rims are perforated. The boxes g, g, are segments of
circles, and their perforated bottoms are fitted snugly against the interior
surfaces of the rims of the wheels h at the lowest points thereof; these
boxes are hung from a shaft L and rear extensions g₁ formed on them
receive a rod fixed to the trunk D, and are free to vibrate about this
rod when the shaft E is raised and depressed. The perforated wheels h
are secured on the shaft E, and the latter has its bearings in slides E', E',
which are vertically movable between guides in the sides of the main
frame. The boxes g and their wheels are applied to the shaft E by
means of set screws passed through the hubs of the wheels, by loosening
which screws
these wheels can be adjusted at any desired distance from
cach other, according to the size of sheets to be fed. Instead of using
boxes inside of the wheels these wheels may be enclosed in cases, as
shewn in Figures 7, 8, 9, from which cases the air is exhausted through
the flexible pipes and trunk above described.
On one end of the shaft E a flanged pinion 5 is loosely applied,
having a ratchet wheel 3 on one end, with which a pawle 4 engages.
The pawle 4 is pivotted to a plate fixed to the axle E. A rack i is
pivotted to the upper end of an arm j, which receives vibration
from a single throw cam on one end of the main driving shaft Eª
(Fig. 2).
The rack i is held in gear with the pinion 5 by means of a spring, and
the forward stroke of this rack is caused by means of a spring. The
parts thus described are so constructed and timed that at every
revolution of the main shaft E the wheels h will receive one revolution
and will move a sheet of paper from the pile on the table B and deliver
it upon a feed board herein-after described. Previous to giving a
forward movement to a sheet cams 2 on the shaft E raise the front
arms of pawle levers m', m³, which then engage with the racks a, a, on
the slides B', B', and depress the table B, thus freeing the top sheet of

page_text: Imme-
the pile of paper from the upward pressure of the weights 2.
diately after this pressure is relieved cams on the shaft E³ throw up
the shaft E, and thus cause the front part of a sheet to be picked up
from the pile. A blast of air is then forced from a tube F beneath the
sheet, which frees it from the next lower sheet. This blast tube F has
an opening covered by an inclined cap 6 (Fig. 3) which directs the air
backward and upward beneath the sheets. The wheels / now, move the
sheet forward upon the feed board a proper distance, when it is released
by the admission of air into the trunk D through an opening which is
provided with a hinged valve n. This valve n is opened when the
sheets are fed out far enough upon the feed board by means of a cam
n' (Fig. 1) on the shaft E³, which cam presses against an arm n² fixed to
said valve.
A spring n³ which is fixed to the trunk closes the valve when the
wheels descend upon the pile of paper. In practice a valve n will be
applied at each end of the exhausting trunk. During the act of
moving forward a sheet by the rotation of the wheels / there is a tendency
to throw up its front edge; to prevent this depressing lipso (Fig. 4)
are secured to the shells of the exhausting chambers, which lips extend
The
forward a short distance over the front end of the feed table.
feed board B is secured to the front end of the main frame, and on this
board are two registering guides G, G, three brushes H, H¹, H', and a
front clamping bar J. The bed of this feed table is formed mainly of
endless tapes p, which are arranged diagonally and passed around rollers
K that receive rotation from the main driving shaft E³.
guides G, G, are laterally adjustable, and only one of them is used at a
time, against which the sheets are moved by the endless tapes ? while
being fed to a printing or other machine.
The two
The rollers K may, when desired, be made reversible and inclined in
the opposite direction to that shewn in the Drawing, so that the sheets
may be moved either to the right or left hand registering guide G, as
circumstances require.
It is important that the sheets be held down upon the tapes p in
order that a sufficient friction may be induced to cause these tapes to
move the sheets with certainty, and to this end the long brush H is
used. This brush is arranged at or near the middle of the feed board,
and inclined, as shewn, so that the ends of the bristles will gently press

page_text: the sheets down upon the moving tapes. In advance of the long brush
Hare the two narrow brushes H', H', which are adjustably applied to
the vertical portions of the registering guides G, and lightly press the
margins of the sheets upon the smooth horizontal ledges of the said
guides. These narrow brushes can be turned up out of the way or
made to press with more or less force upon the sheets, as may be
required.
The bar J which extends across the front or discharging end of the
feed board is designed to arrest a sheet which would, if allowed to pass,
not be taken by the grippers on the cylinder of a printing press, that is
to say, said bar will drop and hold a sheet until the grippers are in a
position to take it after the front guides of the press have left it.
The clamping bar J receives at proper times vertical movements
which are imparted to it by the following means:-L, L, designate cams
on the main shaft E, which operate on levers L, N, on each side of 1
the machine and give vertical movements to the bar J, which harmonize
with the forward movements given to the sheets on their way to the
cylinder of the printing press.
It will be seen from the above description that the exhausted feeding
wheels have a vertical movement and rotate intermittently. When
greater speed is required than for superior printing, said wheels are
caused to rotate continuously and are not vertically movable.
The rod at the back of the feed wheels serves the purpose of
keeping the open parts of the air exhausting chambers in proper
relation to the top surface of the pile of paper on the table B, said rod 2
also prevents the air chambers from binding on the shaft E, and allows
them to be readily adjusted laterally for sheets varying in size.
Instead of using the rack and. pinion for driving the feed wheel shaft
E, geared wheels, friction wheels, or other equivalent means may be
adapted for this purpose, and instead of using brushes H, H', H', for 3
keeping the sheets down upon the endless diagonal feeders, this may be
done by blasts of air directed downward upon the sheets. For the bar J
may be substituted a suction pipe as shewn in the detached view,
Fig. 3*, for taking a hold of the sheets of paper as they are moved
forward by the tapes, and holding them until seized by the grippers of 3
the printing press. A key valve at the end of the suction pipe operated

page_text: by a cam on the main driving shaft, will admit air to the pipe and
release the sheets as they are seized by the grippers.
The second part of the Invention consists,―
First In a tray on which the pile of paper is placed, having laterally
adjustable side guides, and also an adjustable inclined back, which with
a pushing back foot or feet will free the topmost sheet from the next
sheet below it previous to the removal of such sheet from the pile
as will be herein-after explained.
Second. In one or more gravitating friction fingers which will slip
the topmost sheet of paper backward, and free it from the next sheet
below it, previous to the operation of picking up and carrying it off,
as will be hercin-after explained.
Third. In a novel device actuated by a cam on the main driving shaft
for automatically depressing the feed table and its removable tray,
previous to the picking up of the topmost sheet of the pile, as will be
herein-after explained.
Fourth. In means which will register the sheets by removing them on
the feed board in a direction at right angles to the line of feed and
against a registering guide, as will be herein-after explained.
Fifth. In a vertically and horizontally reciprocating bar carrying
pneumatic picking-up fingers, and actuated by means of vibrating
extensible arms attached to an oscillating trunk, in combination with
flexible pipes communicating with said fingers and trunk, as will be
herein-after explained.
Sixth. In extensible vibrating arms and a reciprocating bar carrying
picking-up fingers, in combination with a valve which is applied to the
oscillating trunk, and which is opened and shut automatically, as will be
herein-after explained.
Seventh. In flexible frictional fingers combined with pneumatic
picking-up fingers, as will be herein-after explained.
Figures 12 and 13 show in side elevations the mechanism constituting
the second head of the Invention; Fig. 14 is a top view of the same;
Fig. 15 is a section taken in the line x, x, through Fig. 14, and Fig. 16
is an end elevation of the machine.

page_text: •
A is the frame of the machine, and B is a table which is hinged to
said frame at its rear end, so that it can receive a vertical vibrating
motion. On this table is a removable tray C to which laterally
adjustable side guides a, a, are fitted, and also an inclined longitudinally
adjustable back b which presents a rough surface. The object of this
back b is that when the top sheet of the pile is pushed back by the
action of a frictional foot c, the friction of the roughened surface of
said back shall keep down the next sheet below. The foot c (see
Figures 14 and 15) is applied to a bar D extending across the frame A,
and is located at or near the middle of the width of the tray C.
If desired two frictional feet (c) may be employed, in which case it
is preferred to attach them to two stops d, d, adjustably secured to the
bar D.
The front of the tray is held up by means of a spring S beneath the
front edge of the table, and the topmost sheet of the pile is gently
pressed by said spring against the two stops d, d. At the front of the
tray C is a self-adjusting clamp e, the horizontal lip of which is designed
to act on the top of the pile of paper. When the topmost sheet is
pushed back from beneath the clamp e by means of the foot c this
clamp will rest upon the next sheet below.
E, E, are two levers pivotted to the sides of the frame A near its front
end; the free ends of these levers are held up against single-throw
cams on the main shaft F by means of springs s. These levers E are
depressed at every revolution of the shaft F, and operate on the table B
through the medium of clamps g and rods h. The clamps g are loosely
applied on the rods h, and are acted on by the levers E during the
descending strokes of these levers, which cause them to bite on the
rods and pull down the table with its tray and the pile of paper on it.
The clamps g do not resist the ascent of the table.
G is the feed board which is attached in any suitable manner to the
frame A, and is provided with sides i, i, against one or the other of
which the sheets are moved and registered by means of endless tapes j.
These tapes pass around rollers h, k, and they are arranged at right
angles to the sides i, i, so that when a sheet is moved forward on the
feed board G it will be carried in a lateral direction and registered.
Sheets can be moved either to the right or left hand registering side i
straight or croșṣed,
by running the belt
:

page_text: H is a trunk from which air is exhausted by any suitable engine.
This trunk receives oscillation from a cam m on the shaft F by means
of an arm m', lever m³, slide m", and a spring m³ (see Fig. 12).
I is a bar having slides n, n, secured to its ends, which move in guide-
ways p, p, and also in ways which are on slides F'. The bar I is
connected to the trunk by extensible arms N, N, which freely accom-
modate themselves to the vertical and horizontal movements which are
given to the said bar.
P, P, are picking-up fingers which communicate with the trunk H
by means of flexible tubes R, R. The fingers P, P, are fixed to clamps 7
which are adjustable on the bar I, and to which frictional fingers tare
secured. These fingers t may be secured to the bar I independently of
the fingers P.
V is a valve which is hinged to the trunk H and constructed with a
lip 2 on one corner, through which a rod w plays freely. The rod w
is secured to the upper end of a sliding section of one of the arms N,
and on the upper end of said rod a head w' is formed which closes the
valve V simultaneously with the contact of the fingers with the top
sheet of the pile. The valve V is opened at the proper time to drop a
sheet by means of a fixed bracket 3 against which the lip 2 strikes.
The slides F' on which the bar I rests when it is at the termination of
its back stroke, receive vertical motion from the main shaft by means of
single-throw cams on this shaft.
A pile of paper is adjusted on the tray C beneath the frictional foot c,
the stops d, d, and the lip of the clamp e. Motion is then imparted to
the main shaft F, and from this shaft to the bar I carrying the
pneumatic picking-up fingers P, P, and frictional fingers t. The table B
with its tray and pile of paper receive an intermittent vibrating motion,
so timed relatively to the movements of bar I, that as this bar is
brought over the front of the pile of paper, the topmost sheet will be
slipped back by the foot c and freed from the next lower sheet and the
clamp e. The table B will then descend, and at the same time the
fingers P, P, will pick up the topmost sheet. This sheet is then carried
forward on the feed board G and dropped just before the bar terminates
its stroke. The sheet is then registered and finally moved up to the
front guides of a printing press by the friction of the fingers on it.

page_text: The sheet is caused to drop by the means described which open the
valve V.
The third part of the Invention consists in an endless band chain or
the equivalent therefor, moved by rollers or drums in combination with
one or more trunks or boxes, from which air is exhausted for the
purpose of picking up sheets from a pile of paper, as will be herein-
after explained.
Fig. 17 represents a top view of the machine; Fig. 18 is a section on
an enlarged scale through the line x, x; Figures 19 and 20 are detail
views.
A is a frame which is simply designed to afford bearings for two
shafts B, C, and to hold the feeding devices in their proper relation to
each other. In practice the said shafts will be arranged over a tray or
a table which sustains the pile of paper, and which will be raised as the
sheets are consecutively removed by any suitable means..
D, D, are two trunks or cases having open bottoms, and arranged
parallel to each other and at right angles to the two shafts B, C, which
receive rotation from any convenient prime mover. On these shafts are
keyed drums E, E', which are located at the extremities of the trunks
or cases D, D, and which fit closely, but turn loosely therein; G is an
endless band or chain, which in Fig. 18 is shown made of flat pieces a, a,
connected to leather strips and passed around two drums E, E', which
carry the bottom surface of the lower portion of the belt flush with the
bottom of the trunk D. Both picking-up devices of Figures 17 and 18
are constructed alike. The drums E arc solid, but the drums E¹ are of
skeleton work, and they are keyed on short hollow sections of the
shaft C, which sections telescope with two journal sections c, c, and an
intermediate section c¹.
.
The several sections of the shaft C are rigidly connected together by
set screws e by loosening which and also set screws e' which secure the
hubs of the drums E to their shaft B, the trunks D, D, can be adjusted
toward or from each other, and set at any desired distance apart, as the
varying widths of the sheets of paper require. One or both ends of the
shaft C communicate with an engine which will exhaust air from the
interior of the trunks D, D, and cause the bands G to pick up the sheets
at the perforations through these bands. If it is desired to connect

page_text: exhausting pipes directly to the trunks D instead of connecting them to
the tubular shaft C only one tubular section need be used on this shaft
for allowing it to telescope.
Fig. 19 shows part of an endless chain which is composed of picces
linked or hinged together, the knuckles of the links being accommodated
by grooves made transversely across the drums E, E. And if it is desired
spurs or lugs on the drums may be used, which would like the knuckles
and grooves in Fig. 19, give the belts positive motion.
In some machines the combination of an exhausting chamber and
belt or chain may be effected by attaching boxes D' to endless belts or
chains, as shewn in Fig. 20. Communication between these boxes D'
and an exhausting engine will be made by means of flexible tubes.
The fourth part of the Invention relates to the use of a perforated
feed roller and exhaust chamber extending along the front edge of the
sheet of paper to be fed instead of the feed wheels, which act on the
side margins as previously shewn, and is intended as a variation of
feeding devices to meet certain special requirements. When the
printing to be done is such as to require a repetition of impressions and
great speed then the extended feed roller is desirable, inasmuch as it
affords a greater frictional surface and a corresponding certainty to meet
the requirements of extra speed.
Fig. 21 is a vertical section of this feeding device; and Fig. 22 is a
top view of the same partly in section; Fig. 23 is a longitudinal vertical
section of a modified form of the feeding device; and Fig. 24 is a top
view of the same partly in section. A is a feed table movable on a loose
joint. It is shewn in combination with the extended feed roller B,
simply to exhibit the position of said roller in its proper relation to a
feed table. This table may be adjusted and operated, as either of the
other tables shewn, and may be fed by screw or screws in a manner not
shewn. The feed roller B is thickly perforated and may be of any
required diameter and length, and may be exhausted through one or
both of its ends by means of any engine suitable to such purpose.
One form of construction of this feeding device is to have the exhaust
chamber C inside the perforated cylinder, as seen in Figures 21 and 22;
the other is to have it on the outside of the same, as shewn in Figures 23
and 24. This variation of the construction of this device is intended to

page_text: render it adaptable to machines which from their peculiar make would
not conveniently allow of exhausting from the ends of the exhaust
chamber inside the perforated feed roller. In such cases the exhaust
can be effected through the chamber on the outside of the same.
Whichever way this is done the opening in the exhaust chamber which
acts immediately upon the paper will be the same, and will hold the
same relation to the upper surface of the paper to be fed. Should an
intermittent action of the feed roller upon the paper be required such
action may be obtained by means of one or more valves. With the one
device such valve or valves would be applied upon the outside case with
the other upon one or both ends of the rotating cylinder. Such valves
could also be applied on the pipes connecting with the exhausting
engine.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improved
Apparatus for Feeding Sheets of Paper to Printing and other Presses,"
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that with respect to the first head of the Invention I claim,-
First. In a paper feeding machine a horizontal vertically moveable
graduated feed table B arranged, fitted, and operated substantially as
and for the purpose described.
Secondly. The racks a, pawle levers m³, and cams 2, combined with
the feed table B, substantially as described.
Thirdly. Thin flexible fingers e, e, e', e¹, combined with the feed table
B, substantially as described.
Fourthly. A perforated feed wheel combined with a chamber from
which air is exhausted, substantially as specified.
Fifthly. The depressing projection o, combined with a feed wheel h,
substantially as described.
Sixthly. The blast pipe F having an inclined deflecting cap 6, sub-
stantially as described.
Seventhly. The brushes H and H' arranged and operating substan-
tially as described.
Eighthly. A vertically movable clamping bar J, in combination

page_text: outside of the same, in combination with a paper feeding mechanism,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of. June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)