An Improved Automatic Apparatus for Feeding Paper to Printing Presses and for similar Purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Mar., 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Automatic Apparatus for Feeding Paper to Printing
Presses and for similar Purposes.
We, RANDAL CRESSWELL of 5 Bedford Place, Russell Square, London, Mer-
chant, and MATTHEW HESLOP of 100 Hounsditch, London, Consulting Engineer,
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 object of this invention is to construct a simple and easily adjustable apparatus,
which will automatically deliver at any speed desired, sheets of paper or similar
material, to printing presses or other machines, such as are now fed by hand. labor,
in printing and other establishments.
It consists of a table or bed-plate preferably of metal, and having a true and smooth
surface which may he horizontal or inclined..
This table is furnished with suitable spaces and bearings for receiving a roller or
rollers to assist the passage of the paper.
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In one of these spaces, in suitable bearings, is a roller of india-rubber with metal
core which we call the feed-roller, which has part of its periphery slightly raised
above the surface of the table. Above this feed-roller is placed a horizontal metal
plate which we term the guide-bar. This guide bar is sustained by standards, one at
each end, and is adjustable vertically, and the said standards are also adjustable hori-
zontally. The actual pull or forward motion of the paper depends on the proper
adjustment and relation of these parts, which is provided for in the manner following,
which we will fully describe in connection with the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the apparatus, with an additional roller, P,
attached, the object of which is to assist the delivery of the paper when found
necessary. Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus also with the roller, P. Fig. 3 is an
enlarged cross-section of the-feed-roller and guide-bar. Fig. 4 shews a plan of an
arrangement for simultaneously adjusting both ends of guide-bar.
A, is the feed-roller with india rubber surface journalled in bearings beneath the
bracket, B. C, C, are the standards which support the guide-bar, and which may be
solid therewith or attached thereto as preferred. D, is the guide-bar bevelled at its
lower edge, E, as shewn in Fig. 3. This bar is arranged to rise and fall vertically by
means of the set-screws, G, G, and is kept parallel to the axial plane of the feed-
roller A, and can be regulated as desired to suit different thicknesses of material. It
is not sharp, but blunt, at its line of contact or proximity to the feed-roller, A, where
the aperture or passage, ✗, occurs. When adjusted it can be firmly fixed in position
by the check nuts W on the top of the studs F, F. F, F, are studs tapped into the
bracket, B, which form vertical guides for the standards, C, C. G, G, are set-screws,
passing vertically through the guide-bar, D, for its vertical adjustment to the feed-
roller A, and may have serrated heads, H, formed to engage with spiral threads, Y,
cut on the horizontal spindle, I, which is rotated by the hand-wheel, J. K, K, are
two bolts which work in the slots, L, L, in the bracket, B, and regulate the horizontal
adjustment of the standards, C, C. M, N, are two anti-friction rollers inserted in
spaces in the table, Z. These can be dispensed with when preferred. P, is a wooden
delivery roller underneath which is another india-rubber roller, R, below which are
two coiled springs, S, to keep the two rollers in contact. These rollers are not
essential parts of the apparatus, but may be employed when required. T, T, are the
standards supporting the roller P. Q, Q, are two pulley wheels which may be
employed for driving the feed-roller A. Change wheels are supplied to suit different
widths of paper. Cog-wheels or other suitable gear can of course be substituted for
these if preferred. V is a small crank-handle for starting the rollers by hand.

page_text: W, W, are check nuts on the studs, F, F. X is the passage or aperture between, A,
and, D.
Z is the table or bed plate. O is the paper passing through the
apparatus.
It will be found that if a pile of paper be placed on the table, Z, so that the edges
of the lower sheets come in contact with, the guide bar and overlay the feed-roller, A,
and this roller be set in motion in the direction shewn by the arrows around it, the
lower sheet will be drawn steadily under the guide-bar, D, which if properly adjusted
to the thickness of the paper to be fed will allow the sheets to pass singly beneath it
until the whole pile has passed through the aperture or passage, X, between the feed-
roller and guide bar. The sheets can now be passed through the further rollers, P, R,
or if these rollers be removed can be laid one by one on a frame of the usual kind,
which will place them on the printing press in the required position.
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The position of the guide-bar, D, over the feed-bar, A, is also capable of adjustment
in a lateral direction by means of the bolts K, K, and slots L, L. This admits of greater
adaptability to the various kinds of material, or variety of purposes to which
the apparatus can be applied, and it allows the paper or material to be delivered at
various angles.
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Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An automatic feeding apparatus consisting of a bed-plate with standards carrying
a bevelled horizontal guide-bar with vertical and horizontal adjustments, and an india-
rubber covered feed-roller; with or without other rollers serving as anti-friction or
delivery rollers, together with the necessary attachments for power, as herein described
and set forth.
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2. In an automatic or other feeding apparatus the combination of the table, Z, the
standards C, C, the horizontal guide-bar, D, the horizontal spindle, 1, the set-
screws, G, G, the bolts K, K, the slots L, L, the brackets, B, B, with or without the
friction rollers, M, N, the delivery rollers, P, R, and the pulleys Q, Q, as herein
explained and set forth.
Dated this 1st day of January 1890.