Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Collating or Gathering Leaves or Sections of Books
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1898
Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Collating or Gathering
Leaves or Sections of Books,
JOHN HESS, 35, Cloth Fair, London, E.C., Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows::
This invention has for its object, to facilitate the collating or gathering of
leaves and sections of books, for this purpose, I employ a wheel revolving on its
axis, with cages or boxes pivotted thereto in such a manner that the said cages
or boxes will always maintain the same vertical position, notwithstanding the
revolution of the wheel. The leaves or sections to be collated are placed in the
cages or boxes and are taken therefrom as each cage or box presents itself, by
the revolving of the wheel, to the operator. To impart motion to the wheel I
employ a ratchet and pawl or friction clutch or tooth clutch which is actuated
by means of a pulley and belt connected with a power driven shaft.
Dated this 24th day of December 1897.
Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Collating or Gathering
Leaves or Sections of Books.
I, JOHN HESS, of 35, Cloth Fair, London, E.C., 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:-
-
This invention relates to apparatus to be used for the purpose of facilitating
the collating or gathering of leaves or sections of books in their proper order
previous to their being bound together, or for any other purpose, and consists
of a series of boxes, shelves or the like, upon which are placed separate piles of
each such leaves or sections, each of the said shelves being caused to present
itself, in succession, in front of one or more delivery tables so as to enable the
attendant or attendants to take the leaves or sections therefrom and place them,
in their proper order on such delivery table; the piles of leaves or sections being
placed upon the shelves in consecutive order.
These shelves are pivotally supported between the rims of two wheels by shafts
which extend between the said wheels.
These wheels are suitably secured to a central shaft, adapted to rotate in proper
journals in its supporting frame, the said wheels being provided with a series of
TD 031

page_text: bearings arranged around their rims at a uniform distance from their centre and
at equal distances apart.
In these bearings are journalled the said shafts, each of which supports a
depending shelf, which is secured to it, and a chain wheel.
These chain wheels, which are fixed at the same end of each of the shafts, are
of equal diameter and are engaged by an endless chain, which causes them to
maintain their relative angular positions.
One of these shafts is also provided with a second chain wheel, preferably at
its other end, which is engaged by another endless chain that gears with a chain
wheel of equal size fixed to one of the journals in which the central shaft revolves.
This arrangement serves to preserve the relative angular position of the shaft
carrying one of the wheels with the said fixed wheel, while the other shelf-
supporting shafts, in like manner, through their chain wheels and endless chain,
are caused to preserve the same relative angular position and thereby keep their
shelves in a horizontal position, notwithstanding the rotation of their supporting
wheels.
Instead of using chain gearing for this purpose, I may use spur or other suitable
gearing, as is hereinafter described.
The supporting wheels, which may have either an intermittent or a continuous
motion in one direction imparted to them present the shelves, one after the other,
before one or more delivery tables.
The main driving shaft is provided with a suitable pulley or pulleys and
toothed gearing, through which it drives a second shaft, which may have a crank
pin, which, through a suitable connector, actuates a pawl adapted to partially
rotate the central shaft, herein before referred to, intermittently in one direction,
through a ratchet wheel, which is secured to it and is provided with the same
number of teeth as there are shelves. Or, alternatively, the second shaft may
drive the central shaft continuously at a suitable speed, by means of chain or
toothed gearing.
I will now more particularly describe my invention with the aid of the accom-
panying drawings, but it is not my intention to restrict myself to the details
described or shown, as many obvious modifications might be made without depart-
ing from the spirit of my said invention.
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of my improved apparatus,-the delivery table being
removed.
Fig. 2 is a left-hand end elevation of same, in which some of the gearing
(shown elsewhere) is omitted to prevent obscuring other parts.
Fig. 3, is a right-hand end elevation-some of the details being omitted.
Fig.
is a detail showing the the left-hand shaft-supporting wheel in elevation.
Fig. 5, is a brake, and
Figs. 6 & 7, show a modified construction of the shaft-supporting wheels.
A, A are two side frames which are tied together by rods, a, and are provided
with suitable bearings, J, J and J2 in which the main driving shaft B, the
intermediate shaft C, and the central shaft D are respectively journalled.
The main shaft, B, is provided with a fast and loose pulley b, & b, and a
pinion, 62, which engages the toothed wheel, c, on the intermediate shaft C.
The shaft, C, is also provided with a crank dise, e, in which is fixed a suitable
crank-pin, 2, adapted to actuate a connector, c³, whose other end is pinned to a
short pawl-carrying lever, d, loosely fitted on the end of the central shaft, D), and
kept in place by the end plate, d', and the stud, *.
A pawl, 2, is carried by the lever, d, on a pin, №³, about which it may be
turned, so as to be inoperative, by a handle, d.
This pawl, d, when in the position shown in the drawing, is adapted to engage
the ratchet wheel, d, and through it to partially rotate the central shaft, D.
intermittently.
Upon this shaft, D, are fixed the two wheels, E & E', in the rims of which are
the bearings of the shelf-supporting shafts, e.

page_text: Each of these shafts, e, is provided with two hangers, e¹, which are fixed to them
so that they cannot swing. To these hangers, e', the end boards, e, of the boxes
or shelves e, are attached.
One of these shafts, e, is provided at its right-hand end (see Figs. 1 a 3) with
a chain-wheel, et, which is engaged by an endless chain, e, which also gears with
another chain wheel, e, made fast to the journal, J, whereby the wheel, e, and
the shaft to which it is fixed are prevented from altering their angular position
relatively with the fixed wheel, e, notwithstanding the rotation of the
wheels, E & E¹.
At their left-hand ends, çach of the shafts, e, is provided with a chain wheel, e,
(see Figs. 1 & 4) which are of uniform diameter and are engaged by a second
endless chain, es, for the purpose of preventing any relative angular movement
and maintaining the shelves, e, they support in the requisite horizontal position.
The wheel, E (Figs. 1 & 4) is also provided with a suitable number of idle
wheels, e, which are carried by plates, elo, provided with slots, el, along which
they are adjustable for the purpose of taking up slack in the chain, es, or for
correcting the angular position of any of the shafts, e. This can be done by
slacking the chain in front of a given shaft and tightening the said chain behind
it, or vice versa if adjustment in the opposite direction be required.
Suitable brackets, A2, are provided to support delivery tables, A3, in front of
which the attendant is situated and takes the top leaf or section off the one or
more piles located upon the shelves, c³, as they reach the said table, A³.
One or more brakes, F, (shown in Figs. 3 & 5, but omitted from Fig. 1, where
it would obscure other parts) are provided to bear upon either or both of the
wheels, & E, for the purpose of, absorbing momentum and preventing the
pawl, from throwing the shaft, D, past the point determined by the stroke of
the said pawl.
This brake consists of a bracket, f, adapted to be bolted to either or both of
the side frames, A, and provided with a guide hole, f', in which the stem, f³,
of the brake block, f3, is adapted to slide.
✓.
The hole, f, is enlarged at one end and has an internal shoulder against which
the spring, f, which applies the brake, reacts.
The attendant on the right-hand side (with reference to Fig. 2) can stop the
apparatus by pulling the handle, d, so as to disengage the pawl, 2, from its
ratchet wheel, d, while, from the opposite side it can be stopped by means of the
belt shifter, G, which is pivotted on a pin, g, carried by the clamp, g', by which
it is fixed to one of the tie bars, a. This clamp, g, is 'also provided with two
stop pins, g, to limit the movement of the said belt shifter.
According to a modified construction I dispense with chain gearing and use
in the place of the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, that shown in Fig. 6, in which
an idler, e, pivotted to one of the arms of the wheel, E, is made to take the
place of the chain, e, and gear with the toothed wheels, 4, and, ex, which are
substituted for the chain wheels, et, & eo.
While, instead of using the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, I employ that shown
in Fig. 7, in which the small toothed wheels, ex, take the place of the chain-
wheels, e, and a large toothed-wheel, e, mounted loosely upon the shaft, D,
is substituted for the chain, e8, shown in the said Fig. 4.
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 claim is:
1. In means and apparatus for collating or gathering leaves or sections of
books; the use of a series of boxes or shelves supported between the rims of two
wheels, the said wheels being fixed to a central shaft supported in bearings
between suitable side frames and adapted to be rotated in one direction in such
a manner as to cause the said boxes or shelves, while maintaining their horizontal

page_text: position, to be presented at one or more delivery tables in consecutive order, sub-
stantially as described.
2. In means and apparatus for collating or gathering leaves or sections of books;
the use of a series of boxes or shelves supported between the rims of two wheels,
the said wheels being fixed to a central shaft supported in bearings between suitable
side frames and adapted to be partially rotated in one direction intermittently
in such a manner as to cause the said boxes or shelves, while maintaining their
horizontal position, to approach and stop at one or more delivery tables in
consecutive order, the said central shaft having its motion imparted to it, by
means of a ratchet wheel and pawl, substantially as described.
3. In means and apparatus for collating or gathering leaves or sections of books;
the use of a series of boxes or shelves supported between two wheels, the said
wheels being fixed to a central shaft supported in bearings between suitable side
frames, while the shelf-supporting shafts which are journalled in the rims of
the said wheels are provided with gearing adapted to be controlled by a stationary
gear in such a manner as to cause them and their supported shelves to maintain
their angular position relatively with the said stationary gear during the rotation
of their supporting wheels, substantially as described and for the purposes set
forth.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts substantially as described, con-
stituting means and apparatus for collating or gathering leaves or sections of books.
Dated this 13th day of September 1898.