Improved Apparatus for Gathering Sheets or Signatures of Books or other Publications.
Year: 1897

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after Amend-
ment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883) as allowed by the
decision of the Chief Examiner, of the 9th day of April, 1898.
Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec., 1897
Improved Apparatus for Gathering Sheets or Signatures of Books
or other Publications.
I, JOHN BERNARD MERCER, of 51 Kensington Court, London, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for gathering the
different sheets or signatures which are to constitute a complete book or other
publication, so as to ensure that only a single sheet or signature shall be taken from
each pile, and shall then be delivered in the proper order to suitable boxes or
receptacles, whereby the complete set of sheets or signatures is gathered in each
box or receptacle, and the work of subsequently collating each of such sets is
consequently rendered unnecessary.
The invention is principally applicable to the gathering of sheets or signatures
which have been previously folded, but it might if desired be also applied to the
gathering of unfolded sheets or signatures.
The essential feature of my invention consists in the employment of a suitable
form of delivering apparatus which will take a single sheet or signature from each
of the piles and deliver same to a set of boxes or receptacles, which latter have an
intermittent step by step motion imparted to the whole of them after the delivery
of each sheet or signature, so as to bring each of same opposite the next suc-
ceeding pile of sheets or signatures. Or instead of the boxes or receptacles being
moved forward step by step it will be readily understood that these may remain
stationary, and the intermittent motion be imparted to the table carrying the
piles of sheets or signatures.
One form of delivery apparatus which I may employ in carrying out my invention
consists in the use of grippers, which are caused to advance and retire to and from
the piles of sheets or signatures, and, at each forward movement, to seize one of
such sheets or signatures (preferably the bottom one), and then carry it back over
the boxes or receptacles, when such grippers will be opened and allow each of such'
sheets or signatures to fall into one of the boxes or receptacles. The latter are then
moved forward one step and the operation repeated, whereby upon the next
movement of the grippers the following sheet or signature will be placed over the
one previously received in each from the preceding pile.
Instead of grippers rollers having an india rubber or other suitable surface may
be caused to revolve in contact with either the top or bottom sheet of each pile, and
so deliver one sheet or signature to each of the boxes or receptacles in succession.
The rollers may be either interrupted or recessed for a suitable distance on their
periphery, so as to allow for the time requisite to move the boxes or receptacles

page_text: forward one step before the next sheet is delivered from each pile; or an inter-
mittent rotary motion may be imparted to such rollers so as to allow this to take
place.
A third form of delivery apparatus may consist of a pneumatic suction apparatus,
which would take one sheet at a time from each pile and deliver same to the boxes
or receptacles, in the same way as the grippers or rollers would effect this object.
Dated this 12th day of February
1807
Improved Apparatus for Gathering Sheets or Signatures of Books
or other Publications.
11. 17
1.
I, JOHN BERNARD MERCER, of 51 Kensington Court, London, Gentieman, 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:
1
"The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for gathering the
different sheets or signatures which are to constitute a complete book or other
publication, so as to ensure that only a single sheet or signature shall be taken from
each, pile, and shall then be delivered in the proper order to suitable boxes or
receptacles, whereby the complete set of sheets or signatures is gathered in each
box or receptacle, and the work of. subsequently collating each of such sets is
consequently rendered unnecessary.
19
The invention is principally applicable to the gathering of sheets or signatures
which have been previously folded, but it might if desired be also applied to the
gathering of, unfolded sheets or signatures.
The essential feature of my invention consists in the employment of a suitable
form of delivering apparatus which will take a single sheet or signature from each
of the piles and deliver. same. to a set of boxes or receptacles, which Tatter have an
intermittent step by step motion imparted to the whole of them after the delivery
of each sheet or signature, so as to bring each of same opposite the next succeeding
pile of sheets or signatures.
'
"
The form of delivery, apparatus which I prefer to employ in carrying out my
invention, consists in the use of grippers, which are caused to advance and retire to
and from the piles of sheets or signatures, and; at each forward movement, to seize
one of such. sheets or signatures (preferably the bottom one), and then carry it
back over the boxes or receptacles, when such grippers will be opened and allow
each of such sheets or signatures to fall into one of the boxes or receptacles. The
latter are then moved, forward one step and the operation repeated; whereby upon
the next movement of the grippers the following sheet or signature will be placed
over the one previously received in each from the preceding pile.
A suitable method, of, carrying my invention into effect is ilustrated in the
accompanying.drawings,, in which; .
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1
Fig. 1 is a cross, sectional view of one arrangement, the parts being in the
position they, occupy after..a sheet or signature has been gathered and delivered
to the collecting box.
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Fig. 2 is a similar, view showing the parts in the position they occupy' when the
grippers,are taking, a sheet from the mile for delivery.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing this arrangement, and mënyren
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page_text: Fig. 4 a plan view of 'same.
Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views to Figs. 1 and 2 and show a slightly modified
arrangement for carrying the invention into effect.
Fig. 7 is a front view, and
It
24
Fig. 8 a plan view of an arrangement which may be employed for collecting the
sets of sheets or signatures as they are delivered from the machine, which although
not forming any part of my invention may be so employed."
Referring to the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, 1 is the frame of
the machine, such frame carrying the main shaft 2 to which is imparted a rocking
or reciprocating movement by means of an eccentric 3 carried by the power shaft 4,
and arms or levers 5 and 6 connecting the eccentric with such shaft 2.
On the bed of the machine a series of boxes 7 are arranged and in these boxes the
piles of sheets (whether previously folded or not) are placed.. From these boxes
the sheets are taken one at a time by the means hereinafter described and delivered
into travelling boxes 8 which are so operated that as soon as a sheet has been
delivered to them from one of the boxes 7 they are moved forward to the position
to receive a sheet from the next box 7, and so on to the end of the machine, where
the complete set of sheets is either taken by hand or delivered to the collecting
apparatus hereinafter described.
The travelling boxes or receptacles 8 have the necessary intermittent step by
step motion imparted to them in any suitable manner, the means shown in the
drawing's consisting in mounting each of same on a frame 9 forming part of an
endless chain, the cross bars 10 of which are elongated sufficiently to engage in
notches formed in discs or drums 11 and 12 mounted at either end of the machine.
"Two only of these discs or 'drums are shown, but it will be understood that if
necessary owing to the length of the machine one or more intermediate discs or
drums may be mounted between those shown so as to take up. the weight of the
chain and boxes with the contents of the latter. Drum 11 at the left hand end of
the machine (see Figs. 3 and 4) is arranged to be alternately rotated and allowed
to remain stationary, (while the sheets are being delivered to the, travelling boxes 8)
in any suitable manner. The method of effecting this, shown in Figs. 1 to 4,
consists in mounting on the main shaft 2 an arm, 13 carrying a pawl 14, which is
always held in contact with the teeth of a ratchet 15 by means of a spring, so that
when the shaft 2 moves in one direction the pawl by engaging a fresh tooth of the
ratchet will rotate same, while when the shaft 2 moves in the other direction
(while the sheet is being delivered to the travelling boxes 8) the pawl will slip idly
over the teeth of the ratchet without actuating it. The ratchet wheel 15 is
mounted on a shaft 16' suitably journabled in the frame, and keyed to such shaft
is a bevel wheel 17 gearing with another bevel wheel 18 mounted on the shaft 19
of drum 11, so that it will be seen that on the ratchet wheel 15. being rotated by the
pawl 14 the drum 11 will be caused to rotate just sufficiently to move each of the
ravelling boxes 8 one step forward. Drum 12 may be allowed to simply rotate
on its shaft 20 under the impulse communicated to drum 11, or it may be separately
riven in a similar manner.
i
The said form of delivering apparatus which I prefer to employ for taking a
heet from the pile placed in the stationary boxes 7 and delivering it to the travel-
ing boxes 8, is as follows:--Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, it will be seen
hat the machine here shown is arranged for collecting the sheets from five boxes 7,
nd that a pair of grippers 21 is arranged to work in connection with each. Such
rippers are caused to move alternately backwards and forwards in a curved guide
ay 22, being operated by means of a rod 32 carried by levers 23 mounted on a rod
r bar 24 journaled in suitable brackets attached to the frame 1. The levers 23
eceive their motion from the main shaft 2, which carries arms 25 to which con-
ecting rods 26 are pivotted, the other ends of such rods 26 being pivotted to
uitable points in the length of the levers 23 to give the required movement.
"1
1200

page_text: Each pair of grippers consists of an upper jaw having no other movement than
that imparted by the levers 23, and a lower jaw 21ª pivotted to the upper jaw as
shown and acted upon by a spring 27, which tends to keep it normally closed.
The lower jaw 21ª carries a roller 28, the bearing for which may extend through
the upper jaw, such roller 28 being so arranged as to be acted on by the cam
surfaces 29 and 30 under which it passes, and thus open the grippers.
The cam surface 29 is placed so that in the movement of the grippers towards
the pile of sheets from which the lower one is to be taken, such grippers will be
opened shortly before they reach the edge of the sheet, and on the completion of
such movement will immediately close under the action of spring 27 and grasp
such sheet between them. The return movement of the grippers will then com-
mence, and in order to prevent the cam surface 29 from again opening them, such
cam surface is mounted on pivotted levers 31, which allow it to turn back so as to
permit the roller to pass without being depressed to open the grippers. The
further movement of the grippers 21, which are still holding the sheet taken from
the box 7, then continues, the grippers remaining shut until the roller 28 comes in
contact with the cam surface 30, which depresses the roller and thus opens the
grippers, and at this time pegs 33 attached to the under side of the guide 22 come
in contact with the edge of the sheet and by preventing its further movement
cause it to leave the grippers and fall into the travelling box 8 which is situated
immediately beneath.
The cam surface 29 is acted on by a spring 34 which returns it to its normal
position, after the grippers have passed in their backward movement with the sheet
suitable stops being provided at the proper point to arrest such return movement
of the cam surface 29.
It will be seen that the rod 32 passes through a lug on each of the pairs of
grippers 21 and so drives the whole of them through the levers 23 connected to the
main shaft 2 as hereinbefore described.
The mechanism for actuating the grippers is so arranged in relation to that for
actuating the travelling boxes, that the movement of the latter will take place while
the grippers are moving towards the piles of sheets from which the next ones are to
be taken, and that the travelling boxes shall remain stationary while each of the
pairs of grippers is bringing back a sheet and dropping it into the travelling box
situated beneath.
The means I prefer to employ for ensuring that only one sheet or signature shall
be seized by the grippers 21 and taken from the pile in box 7 is as follows:-I
construct the forward portion of the bottom of the boxes 7 with a hinged flap 35,
adapted to be lowered to the position shown in Fig. 2 by means of a rod 36 hinged
to such flap and carrying at its other end a roller 37 acted on by a spring 38 which
causes it to always bear on a cam 39 mounted on the power shaft 4. Such flap 35,
which may as shown extend right across the machine to serve for all the boxes 7,
has holes 40 bored in it (preferably two for each box 7) which are connected by
means of flexible pipes 41 with a pipe 42 communicating with an air pump 43,
which may be of any suitable construction. The piston of this air pump is
connected by rod 44 with an arm 45 on the main shaft 2, so that the pump is
operated each time the shaft is actuated, and the suction produced acting on the
sheet resting on the flap 35 (which latter at this time is in the position shown in
Fig. 1) will when the flap is lowered as shown in Fig. 2 draw such sheet down
and ensure that such one sheet only will be grasped by the grippers 21 when their
forward moment is completed. A roller 70 is preferably provided at the hinge of
the flap 35 to facilitate the passage of the sheet held by the grippers, and the flap
has recesses 71 into which the grippers enter to grasp the sheet.
The suction apertures 40 are preferably surrounded by a piece of thin sheet
rubber or other suitable material, in order to ensure complete contact with the
sheet when the air pump begins to operate, and thus ensure a vacuum being
formed,

page_text: An opening 46 is provided in the wall of the air pump 43 so that on the descent
of the piston of such pump the vacuum will be destroyed and the sheet be released
when seized by the grippers, which will then carry same to the position for delivery
to the travelling boxes 8.
In order that the travelling boxes or receptacles may each receive the right sheet
or signature when the machine is first started, and the subsequent sheets or
signatures which make up the book or other publication being dealt with in
succession, the branches from the pipe 42 to which the flexible pipes 41 are con-
nected are provided with cocks 47 by which the connection with the pump can be
opened or cut off as desired. The opening of the cocks 47 may be automatically
effected on starting the machine by providing the cocks with a lever or arm 48
so situated that a hinged part 49 on the travelling boxes 8 may if same is opened
come in contact with the end of such levers or arms 48 and so open the cocks as the
box, having such hinged part 49 opened, travels across the machine; if it is not
desired to use all the boxes 7 the hinged part 49 may be allowed to remain open
only so long as is necessary to turn the cocks 47 of the boxes required to be used.
A rod 50 may be provided, passing through slots in the levers or arms 48 and having
projections 51, which by pulling such rod 50 may be brought against each of the
levers or arms 48 and so close all the cocks 47 simultaneously. The rod 50 may be
returned to its normal position, leaving the cocks 47 free to be opened again, by
means of a suitable spring 52.
To enable the machine to be employed for use in gathering sheets or signatures
of various sizes, I find it preferable to make the sides and back of the boxes 7 in
which the piles of sheets are placed as they come from the folding machine or
elsewhere, adjustable, and for this purpose all the sides 53 may have lugs 54 pro-
jecting through slots in the bottom of the boxes, through which lugs a screw 55
passes which is alternately right and left handed. Such screw 55 may have a
handle 56 outside the frame of the machine by turning which it will be seen
that all the sides 53 of the boxes will be moved towards or away from each other,
according to the direction in which the handle is turned. The backs 57 of the
boxes 7 are also made adjustable, a slot 58 being provided through which a thumb
screw 59 passes, so that the back can be moved backwards or forwards as desired,
and secured in the position to which it has been moved.
A table 73 is preferably provided at the back of the machine, on which the piles
of sheets to be put into the boxes 7 may be placed until such boxes are ready to
receive a further supply.
The arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6 corresponds in general lines with that
already described, but as will be seen in this case, instead of the curved guide
way 22 previously described, a sloping or inclined guide way 22 is employed along
which the grippers 21 are caused to slide by means of a rod 26 by which they are
connected to an arm 25 on the main shaft 2. The arrangements for causing the
opening and closing of the grippers at the proper times, and for operating the flap
and pneumatic apparatus for causing a single sheet to be taken at a time by the
grippers, are all substantially the same as those previously described.
It will be seen that as the travelling boxes 8 move across the machine from right
to left (see Figs. 3 and 4) they will each receive a sheet from each of the boxes 7.
It will of course be understood that there may be more than five boxes 7 on the one
machine, or suitable arrangements may be provided for coupling two or more
of such machines each having any desired number of boxes 7, so that any required
number of sheets or signatures forming a set may be collected in each of the
travelling boxes, by the time that same shall have completed its travel across such
machine.
In some cases the sets of sheets may be taken from the travelling boxes as they
arrive at the end of the machine by hand, such travelling boxes having their forward
end open if desired for facilitating this, but the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8
if used will avoid the necessity for this. As the travelling boxes turn over to go

page_text: round the drum 11 the sets of sheets may be arranged to simply slide off through
the open end, which is preferably provided with a hinged flap or end G8 so as to
avoid the chance of them catching on the back of the preceding box 8. From the
box and flap they may pass along down the slide or guide 60 to the receiving
box 61, in which a' rammer or pusher 62 is' arranged to push them forward until
they pass notches or projections 63 on the sides of the receiving box 61, these
notches or projections' preventing them returning when the rammer is withdrawn
to allow another set to be delivered.
•1,
The rammer may as shown receive its to and fro motion from the main shaft 2
through bevel wheels 64 and 65, the latter being mounted on a shaft carrying an
arm 66 connected by a rod 67 to an extension on the end of the rammer spindle.
The rammer is timed to operate to press a set of 'sheets forward immediately after
same have been delivered and then to return to its backward position to allow the
next set of sheets to descend into the receiving box 61. A block of wood 69 may
be placed at the back of the sets of sheets in such box 61 to prevent them falling
over.
The set of sheets from each box might if desired be delivered to tapes 72 (see
Fig. 7) which would conduct such sets in succession to the receiving box 61.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I am aware that various forms of apparatus have been already used for the
purpose of gathering signatures of publications and the like, and delivering the
same assorted as desired, and therefore I am desirous of disclaiming any such
apparatus broadly, and wish to limit my claim to the particular construction of
apparatus shown in the drawings and described in the Specification, but I declare
that what I claim is:
.
.'
ป
In apparatus for gathering sheets or signatures of books or other publications
the combination of a set of travelling boxes or receptacles to which a step by step
motion is imparted; a series of boxes into which the piles of sheets or signatures.
are respectively placed, and a delivering apparatus which will take a single sheet
or signature from each of such piles so as to enable it to be seized by grippers
and be delivered by theni to the travelling boxes or receptacles, substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
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