Improvements in Sheet Feeding Apparatus, chiefly Designed for Use in connection with Printing and like Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1899
[Communicated from abroad by SAMUEL K. WHITE, of Mystic, Connecticut,
United States of America, Superintendent].
Improvements in Sheet Feeding Apparatus, chiefly Designed for Use
in connection with Printing and like Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
-
The invention relates to that class of sheet feeding machines in which feeding
or separating devices are used for feeding forward or separating the top sheet
from a pile or bank of sheets, so that said top sheet may be removed from the pile
or bank and presented to machines or devices for further manipulating or acting
upon the sheet, and has for its object to provide simple and efficient mechanical
devices for throwing the feeding or separating devices out of action, which
mechanism is controlled by the action of the sheets.
For the purpose of illustrating one form of feeding mechanism to which the
invention may be applied, the preferred form of the invention is shown embodied
in a machine in which a bank of feathered or fanned out sheets are presented to
two independently controlled combing devices which act to further comb out
the top sheets, advancing the top sheet into position to be seized and carried away
by forwarding devices.
With the present invention the action of the combers or other separating or
feeding devices is controlled by purely mechanical devices which do not easily
get out of order, and which are simple and efficient in action and which may be
readily repaired and kept in working order by the ordinary operator or machinist.
Referring to the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of so much of a sheet feeding machine as is
necessary to show the application of the present invention thereto.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the devices embodying the present invention
in their preferred form.
Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view partly in elevation showing certain parts to be
described.
Fig. 4 is a sectional detail.
Fig. 5 is a detail of the mechanism for raising and lowering the upper for-
warding rolls.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of mechanism embodying the
invention.
Fig. 7 is a similar view with the parts in a different position.
Figs. 8 and 9 are details showing the trip lever in different positions.
Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the forwarding rolls, and
Figs. 11 and 12 are details of parts to be described.
Referring to the drawings in detail: the bank of feathered sheets are fed
from the supply table 1 to the feed table 2 through a curved throat formed

page_text: between the guides 3 and the periphery of the feed wheels 4, said pile of sheets
being held against the feed wheels by pressure rolls 5. The bank upon the
supply table rests upon endless bands 6 which extend along the upper face of
the table around the feed wheels and back over guide 7 and roll 8. The bank of
sheets upon the feed table is acted upon by combing rolls 10, one only of which
is shown, said rolls being located at each side of the table, and being independently
controlled so that the combing roll or rolls at each side acts until the edge of the
sheet at that side has been advanced into proper position to be seized and
removed. The combing rolls act to comb out the sheets and advance the front
edge of the top sheet into position between the forwarding rolls 11 and 12.
The rolls 11 are secured upon a shaft 13 mounted below the feed table and
continuously rotated by any suitable gearing. The rolls 12 are secured to a
constantly running shaft 14, the ends of which are journalled in arms 15 which
are rocked at proper intervals to raise and drop the rolls 12. The arms 15 are
rocked by a rock shaft 15 mounted below the feed table and provided with
arms 17, to the ends of which are pivoted rods 18 which extend up through the
feed table and bear against the under side of arms 15. An arm 19 is also
secured to the rock shaft 16 and carries a roll at its outer end which is engaged by
a cam slide 20. When the slide 20 is advanced the rock shaft is operated to
lift the drop rolls 12, and when the slide is retracted the shaft. 16 is rocked to
lower the rolls 12 so that they rest upon the rolls 11. The slide 20 is advanced
and retracted at suitable intervals by a cam 21 formed in a worm wheel 22,
which is driven by a worm 23 secured to shaft 13.
The devices for operating and controlling the combing rolls at each side of
the feed table are the same, and therefore only the devices at one side of the
machine have been shown and only one set of devices will be described. The
combing roll 10 is secured to a shaft 231 (Fig. 1) mounted in an arm 24 sup-
ported on a constantly running shaft 25, which is geared to shaft 231 and con-
stantly revolves the same. The shaft 231 is raised and lowered to move the
combing rolls into and out of action through a rock shaft 26 connected to said
shaft 23 by toggle arms or levers 27. The rock shaft 26 is mounted in the
ends of arms 28 hung on rod 29 so that said shaft may move up and down as
well as rock on its axis. When the combing roll is raised, the sheet below the
top sheet is engaged by a clamp 30 which is hung on shaft 26, and is guided by
shaft 23 which passes through a slot in said clamp. When the combing roll
is resting on the pile of sheets, the clamp is raised and the combing roll advances
the top sheet into position between the forwarding rolls. When the front edge
of the sheet reaches the proper position, it throws into action mechanism which
rocks the shaft 26. The first movement of the shaft 26 lowers the clamp 30
onto the pile of sheets just back of the rear edge of the top sheet, and then con-
tinued movement of the rock-shaft raises the combing roll off of the sheets.
When the next sheet is to be advanced to the forwarding rolls, the rock shaft is
moved in the opposite direction and the combing rolls first move into contact
with the sheets and then the clamp is raised.
The shaft 26 is rocked at regular intervals to carry the combing roll against
the sheets by a cam 31 (Fig. 2) secured to a constantly running shaft 32 which
extends through the hollow shaft 33 to which the feed wheels 6 are secured.
This cam acts upon a roll 34 mounted on a slide 35 which is connected by a
link 36 to the end of an arm 37 secured to rock shaft 26. The slide 35 is
retracted to operate the rock-shaft 26 in the opposite direction by a spring 38,
one end of which is secured to said slide and the other end to the standard 39.
When the combing roll is moved into active position by the cam 31, it is held in
this position by latching devices until mechanism is thrown into action by the
sheet which operates said latching devices and allows the mechanism for throwing
the combing roll out of action to operate. Any suitable form of latching devices
may be used for this purpose, and any suitable mechanical devices for controlling
said latching devices by the action of the front edge of the top sheet may be

page_text: employed without departing from the invention. In Figs. 2 to 4 a preferred form.
of latching devices and a preferred form of mechanism for operating and con-
trolling said latching devices is shown and will now be described in detail. A
lever 40 is pivoted at 41 to the standard 39, and has its upper end connected
with the slide 35 by a pin 41 which passes through said slide and a slot 42 in
the end of said lever. When the slide 35 is advanced the lower end of lever 40
is swung rearwardly and passes beyond the end of a stop lever or catch 43 which
is pivoted at 44 and which swings up in front of said lever 40 and prevents the
return of said lever and slide 35 until said catch is rocked to disengage the end
of lever 40. The stop lever 43 is provided with a laterally projecting arm 45 at
its forward end through which it is operated and which also acts as a weight
to move the rear end of said lever up into the path of the lever 40. The lever 43
is operated to release the lever 40 by a rock arm 46 which projects laterally from
a rock shaft 47 located below the lever 43 and extending longitudinally along the
side of the feed table.
The shaft 47 is preferably operated by a spring, and the arm 46 is preferably
so arranged that it will be a short distance below the end of lever 43 when said
lever is holding lever 40, as with this arrangement the arm 46 has a hammer
action striking the lever 43 a blow in operating said lever so that a lighter
spring may be used for operating the shaft 47, and the parts made more sen-
sitive and accurate in operation. The operation of shaft 47, and therefore the
operation of the devices for throwing the combing roll out of action. is con-
trolled by the edge of the sheet acting through a trip lever which normally holds
the shaft so that arm 46 is below the end of lever 43, and which is operated by
the edge of the sheet to release the shaft 47 and allow its operating spring to
rock said shaft and disengage lever 43 from lever 40. As shown, the shaft 47
is provided at its forward end with an arm 471 (Fig. 3) which is engaged by a
rod 48, the upper end of which is pivoted to an arm 49 secured to a rock-shaft 50.
The shaft 50 is supported at one end in a bracket 500 secured to the feed board,
and at the other end in an arm 501 secured to a rod 502 which extends trans-
versely across the machine. A spring 51 has one end secured to the arm 49,
and the other to a fixed screw, and thus tends to rock the shaft 50 and also the
shaft 47. This spring is restrained and the shafts 50 and 47 held from rocking
by a trip lever 511, the rear end of which engages the end of an arm 52 secured
to shaft 50. The forward end of the trip lever 51 is located in the path of the
sheet, being advanced between the rolls 11 and 12, and said sheet rocks said
trip lever to disengage arm 52, thus releasing shaft 50 so that spring 51 operates
shaft 47 as before described. The arm 52 may be provided with an adjustable
bearing block 53 (Figs. 3 and 4) if desired.
After the combing rolls have been thrown out of action by the release of the
lever 40 and slide 35, the tripping devices should be reset before the combing
rolls are again thrown into action by the cam 31. This may be done by any
suitable mechanism which is properly timed. The parts in the machine illus-
trated are so timed that the shaft 16 is rocked to throw the rolls 12 up out of
action just before the combing rolls are thrown into action, and it is preferred to
operate the resetting devices from this shaft, and one manner of doing this is
shown. In the form shown, the resetting devices consist of a shoulder or
catch 54 on the shaft 50 and a reciprocating latch or pawl 55 which is operated
from the shaft 16. The latch or pawl 55 is loosely pivoted on an arm 56 secured.
to a rock shaft 57. The shaft 57 is provided with an arm 58 at its outer end
which is connected by a link 59 to a similar arm 60 on the end of shaft 16 so that
when shaft 16 is rocked to raise the rolls 12 the shaft 57 is rocked to carry the
arm 56 forward. The parts are shown in the position they occupy while the
combing rolls are in action and advancing the top sheet. When the edge of the
sheet strikes the trip lever 51, said lever is rocked and the combing rolls thrown
out of action as described. After the combing rolls are thrown out of action,
the shaft 16 is rocked to lower the rolls 12. This movement of shaft 16 rocks

page_text: shaft 57 thus swinging arm 56 rearward and causing the shoulder 61 on pawl 55
to pass beyond the catch 54. When the shaft 57 is rocked in the reverse direction
by the movement of shaft 16 in raising rolls 12 the shoulder 61 engages catch 54
and rocks shaft 50, thus bringing the end of arm 52 beyond the end of trip
dever 51 which immediately swings up and prevents the return of shaft 50 as
above described. After the shaft 50 has been rocked far enough to bring the
end of arm 52 back of trip lever 51, and before shaft 57 has completed its move-
ment, the shoulder 61 rides off of the catch 54 as shown in Fig. 4 and shaft 50
is free to rock under the influence of spring 51 when the trip lever is operated
by the sheet. In order that the trip lever may be carried out of contact with
the sheet when the rolls 12 are lowered to advance the sheet, it is preferred
to pivot said lever on a block or support 62 secured to the shaft 57.
In order that the edge of the sheet may have a more positive action in operat-
ing the trip lever and also to enable said trip lever to be operated by thin sheets
without danger of crumpling the edge of the sheet, the end of said lever is
preferably provided with a series of fingers which project into a series of grooves
formed in an abutment for supporting the edge of the paper, and this construction
forms one feature of the present invention. With this construction, the fingers
offer a number of bearing surfaces to the edge of the paper, and the edge of the
paper is supported firmly between said bearing surfaces by the abutment. The
abutment is preferably in the form of a roller 63 secured to the lower feed roller
shaft, and provided with grooves 64 into which the fingers 65 of the trip lever
project (Fig. 5).
It is important that the combing rolls should not be in action when the drop
rolls 12 are moved into action, and it is preferred therefore to provide a safety
device which will ensure the release of the mechanism for throwing the combing
rolls out of action should the trip not be operated by the sheet before the rolls 12
are lowered. In its preferred form this safety device consists of a lever 66
having one end arranged to engage the catch or stop lever 43, and the other
end arranged in the path of a cam 67 secured to shaft 32. A spring 68 inter-
posed between a stud 69 and an arm 70 on the hub of lever 66 acts to hold said
lever normally out of engagement with lever 43. The parts are so timed that
iust before the rolls 12 are lowered the cam 67 operates lever 66 and if the
lever 43 has not already been operated to release the combing roll, it is operated
by said cam and lever 66.
In Figs. 8 to 11, a modified form of mechanism embodying the invention is
shown. In this construction, the latching devices consist of toggle arms or
levers 40 and 41¹ which are interposed between a fixed pivot 421 and the end of a
lever 43 which is pivoted at 44' to the frame 39, and is connected to the slide 35
by a pin 45 which passes through a slot 46¹ in said lever. The arm 40 is pivoted
to the end of the lever 431 and the arm 41' is pivoted to the fixed stud 47'. When
the slide 35 is advanced, the lever 431 is swung forward on its pivot and the
toggle arms 40¹ and 41¹ drop down until their common pivot 481 is below the
line of centres, as shown in Figs. 6 and 11. When the toggle arms are in this
position, the shoulders 49 on said arms engage and prevent further downward
movement of the said arms. The toggle arms thus latch the slide 35 in its
forward position against the tension of spring 38 until the toggle is broken when
said spring is released and acts to throw the combing roll out of action. The
toggle is broken at the proper time by an arm 491 pivoted on the stud 42¹ and
having its free end arranged to engage the toggle at the pivot 48'. The arm 491
is operated by a spring 50 which is held under tension when the combing roll
is moved into active position and is released by the action of the sheet when the sheet
has been advanced into the proper position between the forward rolls. It is
preferred to so arrange the arm 491 that during the combing its free end will be
some distance below the toggle so that said arm forms a hammer which when
released will strike the toggle a blow thus ensuring the breaking of the toggle
with the use of a lighter spring than could be used otherwise.

page_text: The arm 49 is held retracted against the tension of spring 50¹ by a lever or
trip 510, the end of which lies in the path of the sheet advanced by the combing
roil so that said sheet will act on said lever or trip and release the arm 40' and
spring 50. When the arm 491 is retracted the rear end of the lever 510 engages
an arm 52 secured to a rock-shaft 53' to which is also secured an arm 54' con-
nected by a link 55 with the arm 491 (Fig. 9). When the front edge of the
sheet strikes the end of lever 510, said lever is rocked thus disengaging the end
of said lever from arm 521, and spring 50¹ operates the hammer 49 which in
turn operates the latching toggle to release spring 38 which throws the combing
roll out of action. The lever 510 is carried by a block 550 secured to rock-
shaft 16 so that when said shaft is rocked to lower rolls 12 for forwarding the
sheet, the end of lever 510 is carried down out of the path of the sheet, and when
said shaft is rocked to raise roll 12, the end of said lever is returned to its normal
position (Fig. 4). The end of lever 510 normally extends up into a groove 50¹
formed in a roll 57' secured to shaft 14¹ which roll forms an abutment for forcing
the sheet against the end of lever 510. The lever 510 is held yieldingly in position
on the block 55¹ by a spring 60¹
After the combing roll has been thrown out of action, the arm 49 must be
retracted, and arm 52 engaged with the end of lever 51 before the combing roll
is again thrown into action. The devices for doing this consist of a shoulder or
abutment 58' secured to shaft 531 and a catch or pawl 591 loosely pivoted to the
end of an arm 611 secured to shaft 16. The pawl 59¹ has a notch 621 in its
end, and the parts are so arranged that as the shaft 16 rocks to raise the rolls 12,
this notch engages the shoulder 58¹ and rocks shaft 53. This movement of
shaft 531 retracts arm 491 and brings arm 521 beyond the end of lever 510 so that
when the notch 621 disengages itself from the shoulder 58', the arm 52' engages
the end of lever 510 and is held from movement thereby. After the catch 59'
has rocked the shaft 521, a certain distance the notch 62 slides off of the
shoulder 581 and said shaft moves in the opposite direction until arm 521 engages
the end of trip lever 510. This brings the shoulder 58¹ above the notch 621 as
shown in Figs. 6, 9, so that the shaft 531 is free to rock under the action of
spring 50 as soon as said shaft is released by the action of the sheet on lever 510.
When the shaft 16 rocks to lower the rolls 12, the catch 51 is moved back so that
its notch is above the shoulder 58' and in position to engage said shoulder when
shaft 16 is again rocked to raise rolls 12.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1-In a sheet feeder, the combination of a sheet feeding device, means for
throwing said device into action, a latching device for holding said feeding device
in action, and devices controlled by the sheet for operating said latching devices.
2-In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing roll, means for throwing
said roll into action, a latching device for holding said combing roll in action,
and devices controlled by the sheet for operating said latching device.
3-In a sheet feeder, the combination of a sheet feeding device, means for
throwing said device into and out of action, a latching device for holding said
feeding device in action, and a tripping device operated by the sheet for releasing
aid latching device.
4-In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing roll, means for throwing
said roll into and out of action, a latching device for holding said combing roll
n action, and a tripping device operated by the sheet for releasing said latching
levice.
-
5 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a sheet feeding device, means for
hrowing said device into and out of action, a latching device for holding said
eeding device in action, a spring operated device for releasing said latching

page_text: device, a sheet operated trip for restraining said spring, and mechanism for
resetting said operating device and trip.
6-In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing roll, means for throwing said
roll into and out of action, a latching device for holding said roll in action,
a latching device for holding said feeding device in action, a spring operated
device for releasing said latching device, a sheet operated trip for restraining
said spring, and mechanism for resetting said operating device and trip.
7-In a sheet feeder, the combination of a sheet feeding device, means for
throwing said device into action, a spring for throwing said device out of action,
a latching device for restraining said spring, and devices controlled by the sheet
for releasing said latching device.
8-In a sheet feeder, the combination of a sheet feeding device, means for
throwing said device into action, a spring for throwing said device out of action,
a latching device for restraining said spring, a spring operated device for
releasing said latching device, and a sheet operated trip for restraining said
latter spring.
9- In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing roll, means for throwing
said roll into action, a spring for throwing said roll out of action, a latching
device for restraining said spring, and devices controlled by the sheet for releasing
said latching device.
10 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a sheet feeding device, a spring for
throwing said device out of action, mechanism for throwing said device into
action at intervals latching devices for holding said device in action, and
mechanical devices controlled by the sheet for operating said latching devices to
release said feeding device.
11 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a sheet feeding device, means for
throwing said device into action, a latching device for holding said feeding device
in action, a trip operated by the sheet, and mechanical connections between said
trip and latching device whereby the releasing of said latching device is con-
trolled by the sheet.
12-In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing roll, means for throwing
said roll into action, a latching device for holding said combing roll
in action, a trip operated by the sheet, and mechanical connections
between said trip and latching device whereby the releasing of said latching
device is controlled by the sheet.
13 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a sheet feeding device, means for
throwing said device into action, a latching device for holding said device in
action, means for controlling the release of said latching device by the sheet,
and an independent means for releasing said latching device.
14. In a sheet feeder, the combination of a spring operated rock shaft, a trip
lever for restraining said spring, and means for resetting said spring, and trip
comprising a shoulder on said shaft and a reciprocating pawl arranged to engage
said shoulder.
15 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a spring operated rock shaft, an
arm on said shaft, a trip lever engaging said arm to hold said shaft against
the tension of said spring, a shoulder on said shaft, and a reciprocating pawl
for engaging said shoulder to put said spring under tension and bring said arm
into position to be engaged by said trip lever.
16 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a sheet feeding device, means for
controlling the operation of said device embodying a spring operated rock shaft,
an arm on said shaft, a trip lever for engaging said arm and having its end in
the path of the sheets, a shoulder on said shaft, a pawl for engaging said shoulder,
and an intermittently operated rock arm carrying said pawl.
17 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a sheet feeding device, forwarding
rolls, a rock shaft for raising and lowering the upper forwarding rolls means for
controlling the action of the feeding device embodying a spring operated rock
shaft, a trip lever in the path of the sheet for restraining said spring, a shoulder

page_text: on said latter shaft, and a reciprocating pawl for engaging said shoulder and
operated from the shaft for raising and lowering the forward rolls.
18-In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing device, of a slide con-
nected therewith, a cam for moving said slide to throw the combing device into
action, a spring for returning said slide, a latching device for holding said slide
advanced, a trip lever in the path of the sheet, and mechanical devices between
the latching device and trip for operating said trip.
19 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing device, of a slide for
operating the same, a cam for advancing said slide, a spring for returning said
slide, a lever connected with said slide, a latch engaging said lever, and devices
controlled by the sheet for operating said latch.
20 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing device a latch for holding
said device in action, a rock arm or plate for operating said latch and means
controlled by the sheet for operating said rock arm.
21-In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing device, a latch for holding
said device in action, a rock shaft carrying an arm for operating said latch, a
spring for operating said rock shaft, a trip lever for restraining said spring, and
means for resetting said spring and trip lever.
22 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing roll, a slide 35 connected
therewith, a cam 31 for operating said slide, spring 38 for retracting said slide,
lever 40 connected to said slide, latch lever 43 for engaging lever 40, and means
controlled by the sheet for operating lever 43.
23 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing roll, a slide 35 connected
therewith, a cam 31, a spring 38, a lever 40, a latch lever 43, a rock arm 46, a
spring 51 for operating said arm, a shaft 50, and a trip lever 51¹ for restraining
spring 51.
24 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing roll, a slide 35, a cam 31,
a spring 38, a lever 40, a latch lever 43, means controlled by the sheet for operat-
ing lever 43, a lever 66, and a cam 07.
25 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a combing roll, intermittently
operating forwarding rolls, a slide 35, a cam 31, a spring 38, a lever 40, a latch
lever 43, means controlled by the sheet for operating lever 43, a lever 66, and
a cam 67.
26 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a trip lever on one side of the path
of the sheet having a series of engaging fingers, and an abutment on the opposite
side of the path of the sheet having a series of grooves into which said fingers
project.
27 In a sheet feeder, the combination of a trip lever on one side of the path of
the sheet having a series of engaging fingers, and an abutment roll on the opposite
side of the sheet having a series of grooves into which said fingers project.
HASELTINE, LAKE, & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.