Improvements in Pneumatic Feeding Mechanism for Feeding Sheets of Paper to Printing and other Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
Improvements in Pneumatic Feeding Mechanism for Feeding Sheets
of Paper to Printing and other Machines.
I, WILLIAM CARTER, of 62, Bothwell Circus, Glasgow, Lithographic Printer,
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 fol-
lowing statement;
-
This invention relates to pneumatic feeding mechanism for feeding sheets of
paper to printing, lithographic, and other machines. The invention is a develop-
ment of and improvement upon my prior Patent No. 12999 dated 10th June 1898.
The features of novelty constituting the present invention are pointed out in
the claims at the end of the specification.
And in order that my said invention may be clearly understood I have here-
unto appended five explanatory sheets of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the feeding mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. The mechanism is shown as attached to a
Wharfedale printing machine which is broken away.
Fig. is a side view and Fig. 4 a back view of the sheet holder.
Fig. 5 is a detail view of the mechanism for actuating the sheet holder.
Fig. 6 is a plan and side view of the cradle of the sheet holder.
Fig. 7 is a section of the suction feed roller.
Fig. 8 is a plan of part of the feed table.
Fig.
shows a modification of the bellows actuating mechanism.
Fig. 10 shows an arrangement which may be used in conjunction with the
suction producer.
Fig. 11 shows the invention adapted to an American overhead feed two revo-
lution printing machine or an ordinary lithographic machine.
On the drawings the same reference numerals wherever repeated indicate the
same or similar parts.
1.is the frame of the printing machine, 2 is the frame of the feeding
mechanism, 3 is the suction feed cylinder, 4 are endless feeding tapes running
round the cylinder, 5 are the suction holes or cups of the cylinder, 6 is the
cylinder shaft, 7 is the suction pipe, which communicates by the hollow trun-
nion 7" with the feed cylinder, 8 is an endless chain which drives the chain
wheel 9 on the shaft 6, 10 is a chain wheel on the shaft 11 and round which
the chain 8 passes, 12 is a loose chain driving wheel on the shaft 11 which can
be clutched or locked, when desired, to the starting wheel 13, fixed upon the
shaft 11, by means of the locking pin 14, 15 is an endless chain (in dotted lines)
passing round the wheel 12 and which can be driven from any suitable revolv-
ing shaft on the machine to which the sheets of paper are being fed, 16 is a
cross shaft provided with rubber tyred friction wheels 17, 18 is an air blast pipe
(supported by brackets 18") arranged across the upper part of the machine,
19 are a series of blast taps provided on the pipe 18 which latter can be sup-
plied with air under pressure from any suitable source such as a small bellows,
revolving fan or the like (not shown).

page_text: 20 is the sheet holder, which, as shown, is, preferably, made in the form of a
light slotted cast-metal frame having a series of alternate long and short
fingers 21, 22, at its upper end. This sheet holder is held in an inclined posi-
tion (nearly vertical) upen a cradle 23 (see also Fig. 6).
The pile of paper
sheets to be feil to the machine is held in position upon edge, resting upon
rests 24 projecting from a cross bar 31 at the front of the holder, and are prevented
from moving out of position laterally by means of gauges 25 clamped in the
proper position on the holder by screws. passing through slots 26 in the holder
and provided with butterfly nuts 27 at their outer-ends. 28 is an adjusting
screw, operated by the hinged handle 29 and working in the screwed nut 30, con-
nected with the cross bar 31, the bearing 35, and a foot step made on the bottom
of the holder (see Fig. 3), for raising and lowering the cross bar and the rests
attached thereto in order to adjust the holder for the reception of various sizes
of paper sheets. One projecting rest 24 is, preferably, provided on the bar 31
for each vertical slot 32 of the holder. Between the prongs of each rest 24 an
air blast pipe 37 may project, said pipes being perforated at their upper sides
and being connected at their front ends to a cross pipe 33 to which air under
pressure from any suitable source (such as a bellows) is supplied through a flex-
ible pipe 34. 38 are struts for supporting the holder. 39 are collars, at the
lower ends of these struts, which slide upon the guide bars 40 of the cradle.
42 is a pinching bar made with a series of short arms or projections 41 against
which the paper sheets are pressed or pinched. 43 is a second pinching bar
which is made with a series of long arms or projections 44 projecting at each
side. These bars 42, 43, can be adjusted in position either nearer to or further
away from the holder by means of screws 45, at each end, provided with hand
wheels 46. The bars slide, at each end, in slots 47, 47", made in the side
frames 1 and 2. The pinching bars, as clearly shown at Fig. 2, are held at an
angle which exactly corresponds to the angle of inclination of the holder.
The cradle, as shown at Fig. 6, consists of two bent bars 48, 49, connected
together at the ends. Both bars are bent downwards at the centre whilst the
bar 48 is also bent inwards at the centre. The cradle is provided with the cross
bars or guide bars 40 at the ends and also a cross bar 52 at the centre. Secured
to the underside of this cross bar 52 is a rocking block 53 which has a curved
lower face (see Figs. 2 and 5) adapted to rest in the curved face 54 of the
central frame 55 of the machine (see Fig. 5). The bars 48, 49, are secured, at
each end, to an arm 56, which works upon a pivot pin 57, passed through the
side frame 2 and which has jointed to it a weighted locking lever 58 capable of
keing locked into a recess in the side frame 2. Secured to the under side of
cach collar 39 and its corresponding foot step 36 on the holder (working on its
guide bar 40), is a rack 59 (Figs. 2 and 5) whose front end is attached to a
strap 60 secured to a drum 61 (Fig. 2) on a cross shaft 62 provided with tor-
sion springs 63 tending to revolve it in such a manner as to wind up the strap.
The shaft 62 revolves in bearing brackets on the frames 65 of the bellows 66.
Instead of using torsion springs spiral springs may be connected in any well
known, manner so as to act directly upon the straps 60; or weights may be
attached to the ends of these straps (see Fig. 11).
Each rack 59 has gearing with it a toothed segment 66 jointed to a link 67
(see also Fig. 5) which again is jointed to a slightly curved lever 68 keyed to
the shaft 69. The main shaft 11 has on it two cams 70, 70, cach of which acts
upon a roller 71 connected to each segment 66. Near the centre of the shaft 11
there is a cam 72 which acts upon a roller 73 pinned to the upper end of a
lever 74 also keyed on the shaft 69. This mechanism, as will be hereinafter
described; actuates the sheet holder.
In order to actuate the bellows there is provided at each end of the shaft 11 a
chain wheel 75 from which a chain 76 passes to a chain wheel 77 revolving on
a pin 78 secured in the bellows frame 65. Secured to the wheel 77 is a second
wheel 75 from which an endless chain 79 passes round a wheel 80 revolving on

page_text: a pin 81 secured adjustably in a slot 82 in the bellows frame. Slidably fitted
in each vertical slot 83 of the bellows frame is a block or pin 84 upon which is
pivotted a two armed catch 85, whose one arm is pointed like a finger so as to
enter between the links of the chain 79 and whose other arm is provided with a
roller 86 running upon a guide 87 curved sharply at its upper end. Each guide
is secured to the bellows frame.
The bellows 66, is supported between the side frames 65, and has at its lower
side a shelf 51 upon which weights can be placed so as to regulate the action of
the bellows and thereby control the suction of the feed cylinder.
The frame SS of the feed table SS is jointed, at each side, to a cranked
lever S9 fulcrumed in the side plates 2 carrying the feed cylinder bearings.
At its rear end the table frame is furnished, at each side, with a shoe 91 pro-
vided with a bolt and nut 95 whereby it can be adjusted in position in a slot 92
(Fig. 8) made in each side frame of the machine.
The endless feed tapes run over guide rollers 93 on the cross shaft 94..
The modus operandi is as follows:-
The table is first adjusted, so as to give it the proper position and to stretch
the tapes 4, by means of the sliding shoes 91 and the slots 92 and, when adjusted,
is locked in position by screwing up the nuts 95. After this has been done the
pile of sheets is inserted in the holder 20 (which, for this purpose, is brought
nearly to the horizontal position by disengaging the levers 58. from their recesses
and then pulling the holder backward against the action of the spring 63) in
the manner shown at Fig. 3, where the levers 50 indicate the sheets, and the
gauges 25 and rests 24 adjusted (the latter by means of the screw 28 and the
former by shifting them laterally in the slots 26 and then clamping them in
place by means of the butterfly nuts 27) and then the holder is pushed up into
the position (nearly vertical) shown at Figs. 2 and 3, which can easily be done
owing to the fact the block 53 of the cradle of the holder works, ball and socket
wise, upon the curved face 54 of the frame 55, and then the weighted levers 58
are locked into the recesses of the frames 2 so as to prevent the cradle swinging
back out of position. It may here be stated that, when the levers 58 are released
from the recesses, the powerful springs 63, acting upon the straps 60, whilst
permitting the holder with its cradle to be turned upon the face 54 prevent it
falling back entirely out of place.
The cradle being securely locked in position by the levers 58 the holder is slid
along the guide bars 40 until the pile of sheets presses against the pinching
bars 42 and 43 against which the sheets are held tightly by the action of the
springs 63.
When
The machine is now set in motion by clutching (by the pin 14) the loosely
running driving chain wheel 12 to the fixed wheel 13 on the shaft 11, whereupon.
said shaft is set in rotation with the result that the chain S actuates the wheel 9
and shaft 6 and revolves the feed cylinder 3, whilst, at the same time, the chain
gears 75, 75, 76, 77, 79 and 80, at each side of the machine are set in motion.
The running of the chain 79 carries up the "finger" of the catch 85 and the
block 84 (which is connected to the bellows 66) is caused to ascend the slot 83
whilst the roller 86 on the upright arm of the catch 85 bears against the
guide 87. This ascension of the block 84 (one at each side of the machine)
compresses the bellows, against the action of the weights on the shelf 51.
the block nearly reaches the top of the slot 83 the roller 86 of the catch 85 works
round the curved upper end of the guide 87 with the result that the finger is
disengaged from the chain 79, and, immediately this disengagement takes place,
the weights of the bellows drop and expand the bellows suddenly thereby creat-
ing a sudden suction in the pipe 7 and the feed cylinder. This sudden suction
is timed to take place just as the suction cups 5 of the feed cylinder come oppo-
site the upper end of the first sheet of the pile with the result that the sheet is
lifted and carried, by the feed cylinder, direct on to the tapes 4. The rollers 17
assist in gripping and feeding forward the sheets.

page_text: In order to ensure that the sheets shall be easily lifted, one at a time, it is
necessary that the holder should-be caused to recede slightly just at the moment
when the suction of the cups acts upon the front sheet of the pile and during
its process of removal so as to relieve the pinching action and loosen the sheets,
and this receding movement is effected by the cam and rack mechanism. Each
cam 70 is shaped, as shown in full lines at Fig. 5, so as to allow its roller 71
and toothed segment 66" to move downwards once in each revolution whereby the
segment can move out of engagement with the rack 59. The cam 72, which is
shaped as shown in dotted lines at Fig. 5, causes the arm 74 to move forward
and to remain in this position during about two-thirds of the revolution of the
cam and then, owing to the roller 73 of the arm 74 running against the reduced
part of the cam, to recede and remain in this position during about ½ of the
revolution of the cam. As the arm 74 is rigidly secured to the shaft 69 and as
the arm 68 is likewise secured it follows that the said arm 68 receives a similar
motion. As the cams have not a positive action, springs (not shown) are
employed to keep the rollers of the arms bearing against the faces of the cams.
Now, when the arm 74 is moved forward, each arm 68, along with its seg-
ment 66ª, is also moved forward, and, owing to the fact that each roller 71, at
such times, runs upon the extended part of its cam (see Fig. 5) each segment is
in engagement with its rack 59 whereupon it follows that each rack is moved
forward, that is, caused to recede, thereby moving back the holder on the
guides 40 of the cradle and relieving the pressure on the paper sheets. When
the reduced part of the cam 72 bears upon the arm 74, the racks and holder are
free to move back again to their former positions, under the action of the
springs 63, and again press the sheets against the pinching bars 42, 43. When
the rollers 71 traverse the reduced parts of the cams 70 the segments 66 are
moved out of engagement with the racks so that, at such times, the holder is
left entirely free whereby an automatic forward feed, under the action of the
springs 63, is permitted sufficient to compensate for the sheets as they are with-
drawn one by one. This compensating movement of the holder is timed to take
place just before the suction cups 5 act upon the front sheet of the pile.
blasts of air delivered through the nozzles 19 and perforated pipes 37 tend to
separate or blow apart the sheets so as to reduce the likelihood of two or more
sheets being lifted together by the suction cups.
The
By making the holder with long and short projections 21, 22 and slots 32 the
sheets are not so liable to adhere to one another. This construction also reduces
the weight of the holder.
"
Instead of using the arrangement shown at Figs. 1 and 2 for actuating the
bellows a cam action may be employed as shown at Fig. 9. The mechanism
consists of a cam 100 which is of a
comma shape, as shown, a bent lever 101
fulcrumed at 102, on the side frame of the bellows, a link 103, and a sliding
pin 104 working in the vertical slot 83 of the bellows frame. A set of this
mechanism is provided at each side of the bellows and the pins 104 (which corre-
spond to the blocks 84) are connected to the bottom of the bellows. The
cams 100 are secured on the cross shaft 11. Owing to the peculiar shape of the
cams 100 the pins are caused to ascend and compress the bellows slowly, and,
when each roller 106 reaches the point 107 of each cam, the pins are allowed to
fall suddenly (under the action of the weights as afore described) and thereby
expand the bellows suddenly and produce a sharp and decided suction at the
suction cups 5.
If desired, where the suction for the machine is derived from some outside
source, such as an engine, and the suction is a constant one a bellows 10$ may
be connected with the suction pipe as shown at Fig. 10 so as to augment the
sucking action at certain times and thereby give the necessary sudden suction
whenever a sheet is being removed from the pile. Connected with the bellows
is the pipe 108 from the engine and the pipe 108 to the suction feed. cylinder 3

page_text: and this latter pipe is provided with a valve 109 operated, so as to open and
close at the proper times, by suitable mechanism driven by the machine. The
bellows 108, whenever the valve 109 is opened, would, through the reduction of
the vacuum produced by the opening of the valve, suddenly expand to a certain
extent, under the action of weights 51" at its under side, and thereby produce a..
sudden suction at the suction cups 5.
Should the feed cylinder miss a sheet the blocks 84 of the bellows would fall.
right down to the bottom of the slots 83, which is a thing they never do when
the machine is properly working, and would strike a lever 110 (see dotted lines.
Fig. 2) fulcrumed at 111, and connected to a trigger 112 which latter would be
moved so as to actuate the usual check action of the printing machine.
The arrangement for the American style of printing machine, Fig. 11, is prac-
tically the same as for the English machines but slightly altered in the arrange-
ment of the parts. In this case the holder may be pulled forward by weights 60º
attached to the straps 60 instead of by springs.
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 consider novel and desire to claim is:-
1. The general arrangement and combination of parts of the pneumatic sheet
feeding mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
drawings annexed.
2. The combination, in a pneumatic feeder for paper sheets, of a suction device
for removing and feeding the sheets, a sheet holder upon which the sheets of
paper to be fed are held in position upon edge and which is capable of advancing
to and receding from the suction device, and a rockable cradle which supports and
carries the holder in such a manner that whilst the holder can slide freely back-
wards and forwards upon the cradle it can also be readily lowered down out of
position, whenever necessary, in order to receive a fresh supply of paper sheets,
substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
3. The combination, in a pneumatic feeder for paper sheets, of a suction device
for removing and feeding the sheets, a movable holder upon which the sheets
are held in position upon edge, a rockable cradle upon which the sheet holder
is carried and upon which it slides, and mechanism for causing the holder, at
certain times, to slide along the cradle and present the sheets to the suction
device and then recede again to a certain extent, substantially as herein before
set forth.
4. Mechanism for reciprocating the sheet holder constructed arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings
annexed.
5. The construction of sheet holder with its long and short fingers, its rests
and gauges, its screw for moving the rests and its racks, substantially as here-
inbefore described and shown on the drawings annexed.
6. The construction of cradle with its guide bars for the holder, its cross bar
with rocking block which rocks upon a supporting frame, its pivots, and its
hinged weighted locking levers, substantially as herein before described and
shown on the drawings annexed.
7. The combination, in a pneumatic feeder for paper sheets, of a reciprocating
holder upon which the sheets of paper are held in position upon edge, a rock-
able cradle or its equivalent upon which the holder slides, means for reciprocating
the holder, and pinching bars (42, 43) having lateral projections or their equiva-
lent against which the paper sheets are periodically pinched said bars being fitted
in slots in the machine frame and being capable of adjustment therein by means
of screws (45). substantially as herein before described with reference to the draw-
ings annexed.
8. The mechanism for operating the suction bellows so as to produce a sudden
and decided suction when the sheets are being removed from the holder, suḥ-

page_text: stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings
annexed.
9. The arrangement for operating the suction bellows wherein weights (or
equivalent) are used for expanding the bellows and special cam and lever
mechanism for collapsing the bellows the arrangement being such that when a
roller over-rides the point of the cam the bellows will be allowed (under the
action of the weights) to expand suddenly and thereby produce a sudden and
decided suction in the suction cylinder of the feeding mechanism, substantially
as herein before described with reference to Fig. 9 of the drawings annexed.
Doted this 20th day of March 1899
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.