Printing, Ruling, and other Machines.
Year: 1885

page_text: Printing, Ruling, and other Machines.
We JAMES JOHNSON of 40 Brunswick Street, Cheltenham, in the county of
Gloucester Engineer and JOHN STUKLEY of 37 Bath Street, Cheltenham in the
county of Gloucester, Printers' Machinist do hereby declare the nature of the
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SHEETS OF PAPER
TO PRINTING RULING AND OTHER MACHINES" to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in apparatus for feeding sheets of paper
from a pile so that they may be automatically delivered one by one to printing,
ruling and other machines.
In carrying out our invention we employ a framework of cast iron or other
suitable material having two sides connected by bars or rods. In this framework
we mount a board for carrying the pile of paper so as to slide up an incline by
ineans of an automatic counterpoise as hereinafter described.-On the inner side
of each side of the frame is mounted a sliding bar parallel with the sides but
inclining forward towards the machine to be fed; these sliding bars are suspended
by chains or metal bands to wheels fixed on a shaft extending across and through
the sides of the frame.-On one end of the shaft carrying the said wheels is fixed
a cam having a series of steps radiating from the boss in a curved direction; the
inner ends of these curved steps all commence at the same line on the boss and
parallel with the shaft; the other ends terminate near the same line but project
one beyond the other in a similar manner to a speed cona-At the inner ends of
the said steps on the boss and parallel with them and the shaft is fixed a spindle
carrying the end of a chain or band; the other end of the chain or band carries a
counterpoise; the chain or band laps or hangs over either one of these step like
cains and gradually winds off as the pile of paper is decreasing.-On and between
the herein before described sliding bars is fixed the board carrying the pile of
paper. In front of this board, on and between the sides of the frame is fixed a
board or plate, having a polished surface which may be plain or fluted, the top of
the board or plate being in line with the top sheet of paper.-In the top of this
board or plate is fixed a strip of india-rubber or inking roller composition or other
suitable material for the purpose of assisting in keeping back the next sheet under
the top one.-The said board or plate is fixed so as to lean forward rather more

page_text: than the sliding bars hereinbefore described in order to prevent the front of the
pile of paper from becoming wedged in its upward motion. The pile of paper is
caused to incline forward that is to say; each sheet projects slightly forward over
the next below it.
By this arrangement the board carrying the pile of paper is automatically lifted
with the same upward tension from the commencement to the last sheet of paper.-
The sheets of paper are taken from the pile and delivered to the machine to be
printed or for other purposes in the following manner :-
Over the pile on or near the back edge of the top sheet is mounted an adjustable
roller or a series of short rollers on a spindle. -This roller (or rollers) serves to
keep back the sheet next under the top one and it also stops the pile from rising
too high; Above and near the front edge of the pile of paper, and through the
Bides of the frame we mount the main driving shaft connected in any suitable
manner with the machine to be fed.-Over the pile of paper we mount an adjustable
sliding frame having two or more adjustable feet. The bottom of the said feet are
covered with india rubber, inking roller composition or other suitable material so
that they may bear frictionwise on the top sheet of paper.-The said sliding frame
carrying the feet and operated by means of cams on the said main driving shaft
will then stroke the sheet forward and have a slight reciprocating motion in order
to hollow the sheet.
The sheet can then easily be separated from the pile and be stroked forward and
will then pass between a roller and a drop bar having two or more short rollers on
it and down an inclined board or plate or tapes running over two rollers, and over
the board or plate the said sheet then enters two or more grippers and is then
partly gauged by two side gauges or rakes coming in opposite directions.-The
said grippers slide to and fro in slots in the feed board; the sliding arrangement
in this case is under the feed board but in some cases the grippers can be arranged
to slide above the feed board. The grippers are operated from a cam on the main
driving shaft herein before described.
"
The grippers then take the sheet to the front gauge; this front gauge will move
the sheet back together with a side gauge and will then be ready to be taken by
the machine to be printed upon or for other purposes.

page_text: Printing, Ruling, and other Machines.
We JAMES JOHNSON of 40 Brunswick Street, Cheltenham, in the county of
Gloucester, Engineer, and JOHN STUKLEY of 4 Charlton Place, near Cheltenham
in the county of Gloucester, Printer's Machinist 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in apparatus for feeding sheets of paper
from a pile so that they may be automatically delivered one by one to printing,
ruling, and other machines.
In carrying out our invention we employ a framework of cast iron or other suit-
able material having two sides connected by bars or rods. In this framework we
mount a board for carrying the pile of paper so as to slide up an incline by means
of an automatic counterpoise as hereinafter described. On the inner side of each
side of the frame is mounted a sliding bar parallel with the sides but inclining
forward towards the machine to be fed; these sliding bars are suspended by chains
or metal bands from grooved wheels fixed on a shaft extending across and through
the sides of the frame. On one end of the shaft carrying the said wheels is fixed
a scroll cone or cam having a series of steps radiating from the boss in a curved
direction; the inner ends of these curved steps all commence at the same line on
the boss and parallel with the shaft; the other enda terminate near the same line
but project one beyond the other in a similar manner to a speed cone. At the
inner ends of the said steps on the boss and parallel with them and the shaft is
fixed a bolt carrying the end of a chain or band; the other end of the chain or
band carries a counterpoise; the chain or band laps or hangs over either one of
these step like cams and gradually winds off as the pile of paper is decreasing. On
and between the herein before described sliding bars is fixed the board carrying
the pile of paper.
In front of this board carrying the pile of paper and on
and between the sides of the frame is fixed a board or plate, having a polished
surface which may be plain or fluted, the top of the board or plate being in line
with the top sheet of paper.-In the top of this board or plate we fix a strip of
india-rubber or inking roller composition or other suitable material with plates to
project up at intervals. This strip serves to keep back the next sheet under the
top one. The aforesaid board or plate with the strip on it is fixed on bars of the
frame so as to lean forward rather more than the sides of the board carrying
the pile of paper so as to prevent the front of the pile of paper from becoming
wedged upon it in its upward motion. The pile of paper is caused to incline
forward that is to say, each sheet projects slightly forward over the next below it.
By this arrangement' the board carrying the pile of paper is automatically lifted
with the same upward tension from the commencement to the last sheet of paper.
The sheets of paper are taken from the pile and delivered to the machine to be
printed or for other purposes in the following manner:-
Over the pile of paper and on the back edge of the same we mount an adjustable
roller or a series of short rollers on a bar. This roller (or rollers) serves to assist in

page_text: keeping back the sheet next under the top one and it also prevents the pile from
rising too high. Above and near the front edge of the pile of paper, and through
the sides of the frame we mount the main driving shaft connected in any suitable
manner with the machine to be fed. Over the pile of paper we mount a sliding
frame having two or more adjustable feet or strokers. The bottom of the said feet
are covered with india rubber, inking roller composition or other suitable material
so that they may bear friction wise on the top sheet of paper. The said sliding
frame carrying the feet and connected by levers to a cam on the main driving shaft
will then stroke the sheet forward and have a slight reciprocating motion in order
to hollow the sheet.
The sheet can then easily be separated from the pile and be stroked forward and
will then pass between a tape roller and a drop bar.
The feet are then lifted off the sheet by means of levers connected to a cam in a
suitable manner and the drop bar being worked by the same cam drops onto the
sheet and places it in contact with the tape roller.
The sheet then passes between tapes and onto other tapes running over a board
or plate; the said sheet then passes down to travelling grippers and is then partly
gauged or straightened by two side gauges or rakes coming in opposite directions
over or under the delivery table. The grippers are operated from and worked by
a cam in a suitable manner.
The travelling grippers then take the sheet to the front gauges.
The grippers are then opened, the sheet is pushed out of the grippers by the front
gauges and is registered sideways at the same time by the side registering device.-
The delivery table is lifted by the machine to be fed, and a clamp secures the sheet
as the delivery table commences to rise and releases the sheet when secured by the
machine to be fed by means of springs the springs being released by the receding of
the travelling grippers.
In order to enable our invention to be fully understood we will proceed to
describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1 is a
longitudinal section and figure 2 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed
according to our invention for feeding sheets of paper to printing, ruling and other
machines; figure 3 is an elevation of the opposite side of the apparatus to that
shewn in figure 2; figure 4 is a plan of figure 3; figures 5, 6 and 7 are detached
views of the side registering and straightening device; figures 8, 9, and 10 detached
views of the travelling grippers, figures 11 and 12 detached views of the feet or
strokers and figures 13 and 14 detached views of the clamp for holding the sheet
in its registered position before being taken by the machine to be fed, the said
figures 5 to 14 being drawn to a larger scale than figures 1 to 4. Similar letters in
all the figures represent similar parts.
A, A represent the sides of the frame connected by bars or rods i, ¹ J, J, L³, L³;
B is the main driving shaft; C, C, are the two sliding bars supporting the board D
for carrying the pile of paper E; C¹, C¹, are grooved rollers serving to guide the
sliding bars C, the said rollers being carried on the bars J¹ and J; M, M are the
grooved wheels on the shaft N, on which wheels the sliding bars Ċ are suspended
by means of the metal bands K; H represents a number of weights suspended by
the metal band K¹ to the bolt P in the scroll cone O on the shaft N and forming
the automatic counterpoise hereinbefore referred to; S, S, S, represent the series
of short rollers on the bar S', carried in the levers So, on a bar S₁; the bar S¹, and
Tsockets S are adjustable on bars S³ fixed by cross sockets 2 and 2¹, to the
bars L' and L³ of the frame. T T represent the sliding frame or bars carrying the
feet or strokers V on a bar r in brackets C; a rod 2, is jointed to a lever r¹, on
the bar r, and its other end passes through an eye on the bracket part of the cross
socket z¹, having an adjustable collar on the back end as shown in figure 1, the
said rod and lever forming the oscillating mechanism for the feet or strokers V,
one of which is represented in elevation at figure 11; figure 12 is a view of the
underside of the same. Levers a, are keyed on a shaft b, and have motion
imparted to them through a cam lever X by a cam w and a spiral spring (nat

page_text: shewn in the drawing) on the shaft b and serve to give a to and fro motion to the
sliding frame or bars T, the top ends of the levers a, working between two studs
on the bars T; R is the board placed in front of the pile of paper E and fixed on
the bars J, ¹, so as to lean forward rather more than the bars C; u, is the strip
of indiarubber or inking roller composition fixed on the top of the board R and
provided with plates and screws so as to project up at intervals, the board being
fluted by having thin strips of V shaped metal inserted in saw-cuts opposite
the projections of the strip u; Z is the drop bar which is of the construction
ordinarily used on some kinds of printing and folding machines and
carried on
levers a, on a shaft Z' and worked by short levers or tappets as, on the shafts Z¹
and as; a', a¹, are grooved wheels carrying the front ends of the sliding frame or
bars T, and carried on short levers a³, on the shaft a³; the said short levers are
worked by a cam w¹, (figure 2) operating a cam lever d, a connecting rod d, and
a weighted lever d³, on the aforesaid shaft a³, the cam w, giving two distinct
movements both ways and operating on the drop bar and the front end of the
sliding frame or bars T at the same time through the short levers a³; a, is a
roller carried on levers a³, on the shaft Z¹ and serving to place the tapes b³, on the
rollers a in contact with the tapes a', when the drop bar Z is in contact with the
tape roller a; these rollers carrying the tapes b³, are driven by a pulley on the
main shaft B.
The tapes a² are put in action by means of a crossed belt (not shewn in the
drawing) from the upper tape roller a³, which is driven by a band from a speed
pulley H¹ shewn in figures 3 and 4; this pulley H¹ has motion communicated to
it from the main shaft B by a band passing over the same; q, q, are the travelling
grippers which move to and fro between the points marked with arrows m and n
in figure 1, under the delivery table B. These grippers are clearly shewn in
figures 8 and 9 which represent the same in elevation and in figure 10 which is a
plan view thereof. The top lip g³, and hook of the grippers q, project up through
slots in the delivery table B. The said grippers are carried on a shaft p, in
levers h, pivotting on a shaft t¹, which is carried in levers h', working on a shaft t*,
and operated by means of the cam w, cam lever X, rod X, and guide levers h*,
and h, on the shafts t¹, and p connected by guide rods h², and ³, to a bracket hⓇ;
e, e, are the front gauges which are made as follows. We employ an iron bar
with the two ends flattened and fitted into grooves inside the front ends of the
sides A of the frame. The back of the L iron is parallel with and under the front
end of the delivery table B*, and a number of angle plates made of sheet metal are
fixed thereon with screws. The aforesaid L iron bar with the angle plates has a
to and fro motion communicated to it by means of rods el, short levers e³, on the
shaft b', cam w³, and cam lever B¹. v, v³, are the side rakes carried on rods v
and v¹, in the brackets G.
This arrangement is clearly shewn in figures 6 and 7 which represent elevations
of the gauging or straightening and registering device and in figure 5 which is a
plan view of part of the same.
The rakes v³, on the rods v¹, constitute the side straightening device, and those
on the rods v, the side registering device; they are worked by the cam 20³, cam
lever B¹, lever B³ on the shaft 61, connecting rod B³, and guide rod B in the
bracket G carrying the guide bracket G¹, connecting the lever B6, with the
short link B. The rod v³, connects the T lever Be with a lever B7 as shewn in
figure 4; links t, connecting the levers B6 and B7, with the rods v and v¹. On
referring to the T lever Be shewn in figures 4 and 5 it will be observed that it is
shewn in one figure in a reverse position to the other figure the said lever is
reversible by simply turning it over, the brackets G being made so as to take either
of the levers B or B7, and the cams wand w³, and the levers and rods connected
therewith are also interchangeable and can be placed on either side of the
apparatus in order to economise space as the main driving shaft B may require
to be connected to the machine to be fed on either side and in any direction;
¹, figure 1 is a counterpoise on a lever on the shaft 61 serving to keep the cam

page_text: roller on the lever B¹ in contact with the cam w³; p', is a small shaft carrying
the upper lip of the gripper q, and is carried in the lower lip of the gripper q, and
a bracket po, on the shaft p; p', is a small curved lever on the shaft p¹, and having
a cam roller on its end; it serves to open the grippers q, by means of a stud p³,
when they are in the position indicated by the arrow n, figure 1 and by a lever q',
and cam q³, when they are at the point indicated by the arrow m; a spiral
spring p, shewn in figure 10 serves to close the grippers 9; y is the clamp serving
to hold the sheet of paper F figure 1, in its registered position before being taken
by the machine to be fed.
This arrangement is shewn in figures 13 and 14 which are a sectional elevation
and plan view of the same; the clamp bar y, is made of a strip of metal with the
sides turned up for making it rigid, the ends being brazed on, and working in
guides y¹, as shown; y³, is a lever for lifting the clamp bar y; y³ is a stud in the
frame A to prevent the clamp from dropping too low when the delivery table is
down so as to allow the sheet F and the grippers q, to pass under it; y', is a spiral
spring for pressing the clamp bar y, onto the sheet F when the delivery table B°,
is lifted. The delivery table B, is lifted by the machine to be fed in the usual
Coil springs y, (shewn in figures 2 and 3) the ends of which are jointed
at y³, figure 13 to rods y, serve to lift the clamp bar y, off the sheet F by means
of the collar shewn on the rods yo, coming in contact with the levers y, the coil
springs y³, being pressed down by rollers on the gripper shaft p. The grippers q
as they recede release the springs y³, and the clamp bar is then lifted off the
sheet F and the sheet is taken by the machine to be fed.
manner.
The operation of the apparatus in feeding the sheets of paper from the pile one
by one to a printing, ruling or other machine is as follows:
The metal band K' carrying the counterpoise H is placed so as to hang over the
boss of the scroll cone O, and one or more of the small weights of the counterpoise H
is or are taken off; the board D will then overbalance the counterpoise H and run
down to its lowest point. The pile of paper E is placed on the board D and is
caused to lean forward onto the fluted board R. The small weights are then
replaced on the 'counterpoise H, and the metal band K', carrying the counterpoise
is placed so that it hangs over one of the steps on the scroll cone so as to over-
balance the pile of paper E to the amount of tension required. The bar S₁ is then
adjusted so as to cause the rollers S to bear upon the back edge of the pile of
paper E, the top of the pile being rather below the top of the strip u, on the
board R. The machine being then set in motion, the feet or strokers V carried on
the bars T will stroke the top sheet of the pile E forward, the front edge of which
sheet is then projecting between the tapes on the rollers a³, and the drop bar Z.
The feet or strokers V will be then lifted off the sheet, and the drop bar Z will be
lowered halfway down towards the sheet F by the cam w¹, into the position shown
in figure 2 and will remain there until the return of the travelling grippers. The
drop bar Z will be then finally lowered onto the sheet F bringing the sheet in
contact with the tapes on the rollers a³. The sheet will then be taken down to
the travelling grippers q, the sheet meeting with the grippers at, or slightly beyond
the point indicated by the arrow m, on the delivery table B; just before the sheet
reaches the grippers the drop bar Z is lifted up half way. The tapes 63, and a², are
then separated in consequence of the roller a, receding. The sheet will then lie
lightly on the tapes 63, and will be stopped by the grippers, the sheet having at the
same time a tendency to move by reason of the tapes still running under it; the
grippers will push the sheet back to the point indicated by the arrow m, and
the side rakes coming in opposite directions at the same time will straighten the
sheet at either side. The grippers will then grip the sheet between the upper
lips 93, and the hooks q, by the cam lever q¹, dropping down off the cam q',
figure 1, the small lever p³, will be thereby released and the spiral spring p', will
close the grippers. The sheet is then taken by the grippers down to the front
gauges; the roller on the small curved lever p³, coming in contact with the stud p³,
figure 1, will open the grippers q. The front gauges will then move the sheet back

page_text: out of the grippers and the sheet will be registered sideways at the same time, the
front gauges and the side registering device being worked by the same cam and
cam lever as herein before described. The delivery table B, with the sheet in its
registered position is then lifted to the grippers of the printing or other machine,
and immediately after the commencement of the lifting of the table B*, the clamp
bar y, is pressed onto the sheet and will hold it until taken away by the printing
machine.
We have described the manner in which the sheets of paper are fed to a printing
or other machine which is fed in front of the cylinder; when however the machine
is to be fed on the top or over the cylinder, the elevation of the delivery table and
the tapes will require to be altered as also will the frame to suit requirements and
in this case the grippers will be turned over and travel over the delivery table, and
the rods carrying the side rakers will work under the table and the front gauges
will work above the table.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The combination of parts forming the improved apparatus for feeding sheets
of paper to printing, ruling and other machines substantially as herein before
described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
2. In apparatus for feeding sheets of paper to printing ruling and other machines
the herein described arrangement of mechanism for automatically lifting and
keeping the pile of paper in its proper position as hereinbefore described and
represented in the accompanying drawing.
3. In apparatus for feeding sheets of paper to printing ruling and other machines
the use of a scroll cone such as O forming part of an automatic counterpoise
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and represented in
the accompanying drawing.
4. In apparatus for feeding sheets of paper to printing, ruling and other machines
the use of the feet or strokers V operating substantially in the manner and for the
purposes hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
5. In apparatus for feeding sheets of paper to printing, ruling and other
machines the herein described construction of travelling grippers operating
substantially in the manner herein described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.
6. In apparatus for feeding sheets of paper to printing, ruling and other
machines the employment of a side registering and straightening device the rakes
of which are caused to travel in opposite directions at the same time substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.
7. In apparatus for feeding sheets of paper to printing, ruling and other
machines the herein described arrangement of clamp in combination with the
mechanism operating in connection therewith substantially as set forth and
illustrated in the accompanying drawing.