Sheet feeder

Oct 9, 1928.

1,686,510

E. W. BELLUCHE

SHEET FEEDER

Original Filed March 12, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 1

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Oct 9, 1928. 1,686,510

E. W. BELLUCHE

SHEET FEEDER Original Filed March 12, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 2

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Oct 9, 1928.

1,686,510

E. W. BELLUCHE

SHEET FEEDER

<img file="US1686510A_D0003.tif" />

Oct 9, 1928.

1,686,510

E. W. BELLUCHE

SHEET FEEDER

Original Filed March 12, 1925

Sheets-Sheet 4

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Oct. 9, 1928.

1,686,510

E. W. BELLUCHE

SHEET FEEDER

Original Filed March 12, 1925 7 Sheets-Sieet 5

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Oct 9, 1928. 1,686,510

E. W. BELLUCHE SHEET FEEDER

Original Filed March 12, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 6

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Oct. 9, 1928.

E. W. BELLUCHE

SHEET FEEDER Original Filed March 12, 1925

1,686,510

Sheets-Sheet 7

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Patented Oct. 9, 1923.

1,686,510

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER W. BELLUCHE, OE RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO DEXTER BOLDER COMPANY, OB NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OP NEW YORK.

SHEET REEDER.

Original application filed March 12, 1925, Serial No. 14,991. Divided and this application filed January 15, 1927. Serial No. 161,258.

This present application for patent is a division of my pending application Serial Number 14,991 filed March 12,1925.

My invention relates to machines for sepa6 rating and feeding successive sheets to a printing-press or other like machine, and I have embodied the novel features of my improvements in a sheet feeder of the type known as “continuous feeders” in which a io bank of feathered or fanned-out sheets of paper is gradually carried along the feed board to the separating and feeding devices where the leading ends of the sheets are then acted on by mechanisms for further separat15 ing and advancing the individual sheets to a conveyor mechanism which carries such separated sheets, one by one, to the printing press or other machine.

The objects of my invention are, among ²⁰ other things, to embody in a sheet feeder of this class certain novel features in the feeding devices employed for separating and forwarding the individual sheets from the fanned-out bank whereby , the construction ²⁵ and operation are simplified and made more certain and effective.

A further object is also to provide a novel form of sheet-gripper and reciprocating conveyor mechanism by which the leading edges 30 of the separate sheets moved by the feeding devices beyond the cut-out finger will be seized and advanced to the front stops on the press, coupled with an improved mechanism for imparting a yielding spring pressure on 35 the upper gripper member adjustable for different thicknesses and weight of stock which pressure will gradually diminish as the grippers advance with the conveyed sheet to be delivered in registering position at the front 40 stops ready to be drawn into the press, the path of the grippers being gradually lowered as the sheet is released and then lifted for the return stroke. I have also combined with such gripper-conveyor mechanism a caliper⁴⁵ ing device conneted with a member which will act to open the sheet grippers if two or more sheets are seized, such member acting before the grippers approach the front stops which is of advantage to enable the sheets to be re⁵⁰ moved from the feed-board before they become jammed or clogged in the front stops of the press.

My improved sheet-feeder also embodies other advantageous features of novelty and improvement in which the various operating 55 parts embodied therein are greatly simplified in form, arrangement and interaction, and are therefore more sensitive and effective in operation and otherwise better adapted for use, all of which will be hereinafter described and 60 then particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings show my improvements in their preferred embodiment in a continuous sheet-feeder; such improve- 65 ments, however, are not to be restricted to any particular type of sheet-feeder, as these features of invention may be embodied and used in various forms of feeders with similar advantages and results. 70

Of the drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic ' side elevation of the feeder showing its relation to a printing-press and also some of the improvements embodied in the feeder;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of part of the 75 conveyor mechanism and control devices for the bank feed, the view looking from the right of Fig. 3;

/Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on thefifie 3—3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction 80 of the arrows;

Figs. 4 and 5 (combined) show top plan views of the sheet separating devices, conveyor mechanisms and associated parts;

Fig. 6 is end view of calipering device 85 partly in section;

Fig. 7 is a side view on the line 7—7 of Fig.⁶;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation view partly in section taken on the line 8—8 of Fig. 3 and 90 showing conveyor mechanisms with sheetgripper and calipering mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the sheet-grippers opened at the end of the back stroke; 95

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing the grippers having started on their backward stroke;

Fig. 11 is a detail top plan view of the sheet-gripper; ¹⁰⁰

1,686,610

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation, of the sheetgripper ; and

Fig. 13 is a detail view of the adjusting devices for varying the pressure of the upB per spring finger of the sheet-gripper.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 8, the cylinder 39 of a printing-press or 10 other like machine has the front stops 40 arranged above the cylinder 39 in proximity to the forward section 41 of the inclined feedboard, which section 41 is secured to the brackets 42 affixed to the cross-bar 43 jour15 nailed in side-frames 44 (only one being shown in Fig. 1). Rearwardly adjacent to section 41 is the feed-board section 45 secured to the brackets 46 affixed to the cross-bar 47 which is also journalled to the side frames 20 44 as shown in Fig. 3. To the rear of section 45 is the feed-board 48 proper mounted on the standards 49 (only one being shown in Fig. 1), over which board 48 moves a series of feed-tapes 50 passing around suitable pul25 leys 51 and 52 journalled in suitable brackets secured to the board 48 and standards 49 respectively as shown.

The bank of fanned-out sheets of paper on the feedboard 48 is forwarded to the separat30 ing devices hereinafter described by being placed on the tapes 50 passing over the top surface of the feed-board 48. The forward pulley 51 is mounted on the cross shaft 53 which carries the ratchet 54 to be operatively 35 engaged by the pawl 55 pivoted to the rocklever 56 journalled to the shaft 53 as shown in Fig. 1. The lever 56 is reciprocated by certain mechanisms hereinafter described to intermittently rotate the pulley 51 and advance 40 the tapes 50 as shown by the arrow in Fig. 1 to forward the bank of sheets to the separating devices as required.

The main head 57 of the feeder comprises the side frames 58 and 59 (Fig. 3) which are 45 held rigidly in vertical position by the tiebar 60 affixed thereto and extending across the feeder. The flat bottoms of the frames 58 and 59 are adapted to slide on the parallel runway plates 61 and 62 respectively secured 50 to the feed-board 48. To the rear ends of the side frames 58 and 59 are attached the rackbars 63 (only one being shown in Fig. 1) : these rack-bars 63 are similarly constructed and extend rearwardly in substantial paral55 lelism above the feed-board 48 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The rear ends of the racks 63 pass through hollow blocks 64 fastened to the feed-board 48 above the standards 49 and the cross-shaft 65 journalled in the blocks 64 car60 pies the gears 66 which mesh with the teeth of the rack-bars 63 as shown in Fig. 1. The shaft 65 may be rotated in either direction by the crank-handle 67 to advance or withdraw the main head 57 sliding on the plates 65 βΐ and 62 in the feed-board 48 (Fig. 3).

When the head 57 is to be retracted to the rear position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the sheet conveyor frames 68 pivoted on the tubular bearings 69 secured to the side frames 58 and 59 _(Fig. 3) are first swung 70 upwardly and held in elevated position by mechanisms hereinafter described. Such arrangement, it will be observed, enables the forward sections.41 and 45 forming the movable. feed-board resting on the side-frames 75 44 to be separately lifted out of alinement with one another into their dotted line positions (Fig. 1). It will be seen that a simple and effective mechanism has been provided for advancing and retracting the main head so 57 while allowing the pivoted conveyor frames 68 to be raised off the feed-board sections 41 and 45 which may thereafter be separately elevated to give a maximum space for free access to the printing-press cylinder 39 85 in making ready, or the section 45 may alone be elevated so as to allow the operator to use the section 41 in its full line position as a feed-board when feeding the sheets by hand to the press-cylinder 39. 90

The mechanism for separating and advancing the individual sheets from the fanned-out bank comprises in the present embodiment the oscillatable suction feed-wheel 70 (Figs. 3 and 5) which acts to separate and forward 95 the top sheets from the bank until the front or leading edge of the advancing sheet acts to move a cut-out or trip finger which inaugurates the action of devices to stop the forward oscillation of the feed-wheel 70, 100 combined with devices to cut-off the suction from such feed-wheel at predetermined intervals in the cycle of operation to release the sheet to be thereafter seized by the sheetgrippers and conveyed to the front stops 40 105 above the press-cylinder 39.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3 and 5, the feed-wheel 70 having a series of perforations 71 formed in its periphery is journalled with its hub 72 rotating on the bush- no ing 73 mounted on the hub 74 of the gear 75. . The hub 74 is journalled on the stubshaft 76 affixed to the wheel bracket 77 which is carried by the depending bracket 78 secured to the tie-bar 60 as shown in Fig. 3. The gear. 115 75 is detachably secured to the wheel 70 and is free to rotate independently of the wheel 70.

Motion is imparted to the gear 75 to partially rotate same and so oscillate the feed- 120 wheel 70 in each cycle of the machine by the following mechanism best shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5: The drive shaft 84 journalled in the sleeve 85 in the bracket 86 secured to the sideframe 58 by the tie-shaft 87 is actuated from 125 a suitable source of power. The shaft 84 carries the bevel gear 88 which drives the bevel gear 89 loose on the main cam-shaft 90 supported at its outer end by the bushing 91 secured to the bracket 86 (Fig. 3). The gear 130

1,686,510 is operatively connected with a clutch mechanism, best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The rock-lever 92 is pivotally mounted on the gear 89 at 93, one lever end carrying the roll5 er 94 adapted to bear upon the circular clutch member 95 keyed to the shaft 90 (Fig. 3). A compression spring coiled about the rod 97 pinned to the opposite end of the lever 92 between the collar 98 secured to the gear 89 10 and the collar 99 adjustably secured to the rod 97 by a. set-screw normally maintains the roller 94 in the circular notch 100 cut in the periphery of the clutch member 95 so that the latter is driven by the gear 89; the main 15 cam-shaft 90 keyed to the clutch member 95 thereby is revolved to operate the feeder. The outer clutch member 101 is loosely journalled on the hub 102 of the clutch member 95 (Fig. 3). Projecting.into the arcuate slot 20 103 of the member 101 is the screw pin 104 fastened to the clutch member 95. The pin 104 carries one end of the pull coil spring 105 which is fastened at the other end by pin 106 to the clutch member 101. The clutch mem25 her 101 carries the notch 107 cut in its periphery which is adapted to be engaged by the tip of the rock-lever 109 journalled on the stub-shaft 110 secured to the bracket 86 (Fig. 3). When the clutch is operatively connect30 ed the tip of the lever 109 is maintained adjacent the periphery of the clutch member 101 with the roller 94 engaged in the notch 100 through the force of the compression spring 96: when the tip of the rock-lever 109 is 35 swung to the right it is locked in the notch

1Ό7 and so. prevents the clutch member 101 from rotating. The continued rotation of the gear 89 thereupon forces the roller 94 out of the notch 100 and on to the periphery of 40 the clutch member 95 which is thereby shifted relatively to the clutch member 101 against the tension of the spring 105.

Means are provided to oscillate the feedwheel 70 from the main cam-shaft 90 which is 45 constantly rotated from the power shaft 84 when the feeder is in operation by the mechanisms just described and such means are best shown in Figs. 3 and 4: Keyed to the cam-shaft 90 is the hub 111 of the outer cam to 112: adjacent the cam 112 and mounted on the hub 111 is the inner cam 113 secured to the cam 112 by the set-screw 114 in predetermined position (Fig. 3). Journalled on the stub-shaft 87 is the sleeve 115 having integral 55 therewith the rock-arm 116 carrying the pivoted roller 117 which engages the cam 112: also integral with the sleeve 115 is the rockframe 118 carrying the pivoted roller 119 which engages the cam 113 as shown in Figs, (it) 6 and 7. The rollers 117 and 119 are joined by the connecting bar 120 which is pinned to the pivots of these cam-rollers 117 and 119. The arms 121 and 122 of the rock-frame 118 carry on their ends the segmental rack 123 65 secured thereto by the screws 124 and 125 re spectively. The teeth of the rack 123 mesh with the gear 126 fastened to the rock-tube 127 extending across the feeder and sleeved about the cam-shaft 90 and rotatably supported thereon by the bushing 128 and bear- 70 mgs 69 (Fig. 3). The cams 112 and 113 are so timed with each other as to import an oscillating movement to the rack 123 which in turn oscillates the rock-tube 127 thromdi the connecting gear 126. The gear 75 is oseil- 75 lated to and fro by the gear 129 keyed to the rock-tube 127 the gears 75 and 129 being preferably contained within the gear guard 130 having a-supporting arm 131 secured to the cross-suction-tube 132 (Figs. 4 and 5) se- 80 cured in the two conveyor frames 68 on the sides of the feeder.

. Suction is applied to the inner face of the rim of the feed-wheel 70 from the suctiontube 132 to the suction shoe 134 havino· the 85 transverse slot 135 to register with the¹perforations 71 of the feed-wheel 70 as shown in Fig. 3. The lower slotted guide-plate 138 is fastened above the cross-pipe 144 from which a blast of air is blown against the front edges oo of the bank of sheets from any suitable air pump not shown.

The sheets from the fanned-out bank adhere to the exterior surface of the feed-wheel 70 through the perforations 71 opposite the 95 suction shoe 134 and are separated and advanced by the forward movement of the feedwheel 70 over the guide plate 138 in position for the leading edges of the sheets to be seized by the sheet-conveyor grippers and loo carried to the press cylinder 39 by mechanisms hereinafter described.

Suction is applied to the suction shoe 134 resting on the inner rim of the feed-wheel 70 to pick.up the successive top sheets from any io> convenient source.

The mechanism for gripping the successive sheets by their leading edges lying on the guide-plate 138 and thereafter for conveying the separate sheets so seized by the grippers 1I < to the front stops 40 is best shown in the present embodiment in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9,10 and in detail in Figs. 6, 7, 11-13. I preferably arrange two sets of grippers and sheet-conveyor devices on either side of the feeder: II» as each, set of grippers and their operating mechanisms which are devised to operate in unison are duplicates of each other in structure and operation, a description of one set will be sufficient. Referring to Figs. 4 and 12n 5, the conveyor frames 68 on either side of the feeder carry the forwardly extending conveyor bars 276 rigidly secured thereto by cap-screws 277 and to the supporting standards 278 by cap-screws 279, the standards 278 resting on the feed-board section 41 (Fig. 2) when the conveyor-frames 68 are in their lowered operative position. The two standards 278 are rigidly connected by the transverse tie-bar 280. The forward brackets 281 of ^13t.>

1,686,510 of the rock-lever 309 is formed with an inclined face 311 to which the flexible upper gripper finger 312 is secured by screws 313. The finger 312 is preferably formed of a strip of flat steel to make a resilent yielding 70 seizure of the sheet in conjunction with the lower finger 303. The rear arm 314 of the rock-lever 309 carries the transversely extended block 315 (Fig. 11) which is adapted to coact with the beveled face of the plate 75 317 to open the grippers by raising the upper finger 312 to its dotted line position (Fig. 12) when the rear ends of the gripper carriages 294 are moved to the limit of their rear stroke within the guides 318 secured to so the ends of the runways 296 (Figs. 3 and 8).. The plate 317 is pivoted to the pin 319 carried by the bracket 320 secured to the wheel housings 285 (Fig. 3). The bracket 320 carries a split collar 321 in which the cap-screw 85 322 is threaded, the point of the screw 322 being adapted to bear on the lug 323 integral with the plate 317 to adjust the position of the bevel face so as to accommodate the opening of the sheet gripper fingers 303 and 00 312 for sheets of different thicknesses.

Referring to Figs. 11,12 and 13,1 have provided a device for varying the pressure of > the upper spring finger 312 on the lower rigid finger 303 for sheets of different textures and 95 thicknesses. The frame plate 301 carries the inclined hollow barrel 324 in which is slidably contained the rack sleeve 325 which engages the pinion 326 fastened to the cross-pin 327 pivoted in the plate 301. Within the low sleeve 325 is the slidable plug 328 which is adapted to bear on the spring finger 312 adjacent the screws 313 as shown in Fig. 12; the plug 328 has the stem 329 extending through the hole 330 formed in the top of the rack 105 sleeve 325, and coiled about the stem 329 within the sleeve 325 is the compression spring 331 bearing yieldingly on the rear end of the plug 328. Affixed to the pin 327 is the toothed wheel 332 having the handle 333; 11C adjacent the wheel 332 is the barrel 334 fastened to the carriage 294 and within the barrel 334 is the spring pin 335 adapted to engage with the teeth of the wheel 332 to hold the latter in any predetermined position. The 115 spring-pin 335 to be retracted so that the wheel 332 may be rotated by the handle 333 to revolve the pinion 326 to shift the rack-sleeve in the barrel 324 to vary the pressure of the spring plug 328 on the finger 312 to attain 120 an exceptionally delicate adjustment of the coacting fingers 303 and 312 in seizing and holding the leading edges of the successive sheets advanced thereby. Such pressure adjustment is of advantage in gripping sheets of 125 different thicknesses.

Means are provided (preferably in duplicate as shown in part in Figs. 4 and 5) in connection with the mechanism for advancing and retracting the gripper carriages 294 130 the conveyor frames 68 carry the ends of the suction tube 132 as shown in Figs. 4 and. 5.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 8, the hubs 282 of the sheet-conveyor wheels 283 are keyed to 5 the rock-tube 127, the wheels 283 being removably secured to the hubs 282 by cap-screws 284 (Fig. 3). Journalled on the hubs 282 are the wheel housings 285 held in position by the adjustable end collars 286. The forward 10 ends of the housings 285 are formed with vertical face plates 287 to which are secured by cap-screws 288 the rear ends of the gripper runway-frames 289 as shown in l· igs. 2, 4, 5 and 8. The front ends of the gripper run15 way-frames 289 are affixed to the collars 290 mounted on the tie-bar 280. By these devices the wheel housings 285 and gripper runway frames 289 are held together in position on the feed-board when the feeder is in operation, 20 yet they may be swung upwardly as a unit as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 when it is desired to clear the front end of the feedboard sections 41 and 45 and retract the main head 57. Referring to Fig. 8, the wheels 25 283 have a flat segment 291 formed in their periphery to which is screwed the rear-end of the flexible forwarding bands 292 preferably formed of sheet steel; the bands 292 pass around the peripheries of the wheels 283 in20 side the circular rims of the housings 285 (Figs. 3 and 8) and extend forwardly to the flat top 293 of the sheet-gripper carriage 294 to which the band ends are secured by two screws 295 (Figs. 8 and 12). Secured to the 35 under side of the frames 289 are the gripper runways 296 having pinned thereto at 297 the forward cam run-ways 298 as shown in Figs. 8,9 and 10. As the wheels 283 are oscillated by the rock-tube 127 (in the present 10 embodiment a movement of about 220 degrees), the gripper carriages 294 connected to the wheels 283 by the flexible steel bands 292 are reciprocated to and fro over the feed-board to intermittently forward the 15 successive sheets to the press-cylinder 39 with a resilently yielding connection between the oscillating wheels 283 and gripper carriages 294 due to the flexibility of the bands 292. .

Referring more particularly, to Figs. 8, 11, 12 and 13, the gripper carriage 294 carries the cross-pin 299 on which is journalled the collar 300 of the frame plate 301 the forward end 302 having the rigid lower gripper finger 303 secured thereto by screws 304 (Figs. 8 and 12). Projecting rearwardly from the collar 300 is the horizontal arm 305 carrying the pivoted roller 306 which is adapted to engage the runways 296 and 298 «0 (Fig. 8) to control the path of the reciprocating gripper carriage 294 over the feedboard sections 41 and 45. Mounted on the pin 299 is the depending bracket 307 (Fig. 8) carrying the pivot-pin 308 on which is mount55 ed the rock-lever 309. The forward end 310

1,086,810 along the runways 296 whereby the pressure of the sheet grippers on the sheets will gradually diminish as the carriages 294 advance with the conveyed sheet forward the front β stops 40 with the path of the sheet-grippers gradually lowered as the sheet is brought into position and released; thereafter the gripper carriages 294 are quickly lifted for the return stroke with the gripper pressure restored 10 in readiness for the seizure of the next sheet.

Such means in the present embodiment are best shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10: The standards 278 carry at either end the brackets 337 in which is journalled to the rock-shaft 15 338 (Fig. 2) to which is affixed the depending arm 339 carrying the roller 340 which is adapted to bear on the top surface of the camrunway 298 (Figs. 8 and 9); the pull spring 341 connecting the runway 298 with the pin 20 342 on the bracket 343 of the collar 290 fastened to the tie-bar 280 holds this runway 298 in running contact with the roller 340. The rock-shaft 338 also has mounted on one end (Fig. 5) the rock-arm 344 to which is 25 pinned the link 345 pivoted to the pin 346 carried by the rock-arm 347 j’ournalled on the stub-shaft 348 threaded in the hold 349 (Fig. 5) of the right-hand conveyor frame 68 (Figs. 2 and 5). The lever arm 350 held on 30 the shaft 348 by the nut 351 has pinned thereto the cam-roller 352 which is adapted to engage and ride on the cam 353 fastened to the end of the cam-shaft 90 by the force of the pull spring 354 pinned to the arm 344 and 35 standard 278 as shown in Fig. 2. This cam 353, revolving clockwise as shown in Fig. 2. is so timed with relation to the reciprocating movements of the gripper carriage 294 that the gripper is lowered by the roller 306 riding 40 on the cam-runway 298 (Fig. 10). When the gripper reaches the end of its forward movement. the arm 339 is forced to its vertical position when the link 345 is moved to the left as the roller 352 rides over the high part of 45 cam 353. This lowered runway 298 (Fig. 10) raises the gripper so that it will not interfere with the sheet alined against the front stops during its backward movement. In the forward movement of the gripper when the 50 roller 306 rides on the runway 298, the carriage 294.travels in the same plane of movement as the band 292. Each carriage 294 carries the pressure spring 331 for the gripper. As the roller 306 engages the runway 298 the 55 end 302 carrying the finger plate 303 is lowered which causes the finger 312 to lower with it due to the pressure of the spring 331 which pressure is simultaneously diminished so that the gripper fingers may readily slide off ^fi0 the front edge of the sheet alined against the stops 40. In Figs. 9 and 10 the dot and dash lines show the approximate path of the grippers during their forward movement when carrying the successive sheets. As soon as the sheet is released the link 345 and arm 339 are ¢5 quickly moved to the left to their Fig. 10 position for the return stroke of the carriage 294 with the gripper-fingers 303 and 312 opened toward the end of the stroke when the block 315 engages the bevel face of the plate 70 317 to open the grippers ready to seize the separated sheet resting on the guide plate 138.

I have also embodied with the sheet-gripper and conveyor mechanisms j’ust described a calipering device connected with a gripper- 75 opening member pivotally carried by the conveyor frames 289 which callipering device will inaugurate the action of devices to open the fingers 303 and 312 if a plurality of overlapped sheets have been separated and 80 seized by the grippers in any cycle, such member acting to release the sheets before the grippers approach or reach the front stops 40 to enable such overlapped sheets to be removed from the feed-board sections 41 and 85 45 before such sheets become j'ammed or clogged in the front stops 40 or press-cylinder 39. Such calipering device in the present embodiment is best shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10 and in detail in Figs. 6 and 7: As go such calipering device and associated mechanisms are duplicates on either side of the feeder, a description of the construction and operation of one set will be sufficient. Affixed to the wheel housing 285 by cap-screws 95 356 is the bracket 357 having the depending arm 358 to which is secured by cap-screws 359 the guide plate 138 and supporting bracket 360 (Figs. 6 and 7) which rests on the board section 45 as shown in Fig. 8 to hold 100 the housings in position. The guide plate 138 has the slot 361 formed therein within which slot is arranged the roller 362 pivoted in the lugs 363 of the bracket 360, the peripheral surface of the roller 362 being flush 105 with the top surface of the guide plate 138. Pinned at 364 to the bracket 357 is the· rockarm 365 carrying at its outer end the crosspin 366 to which are loosely j’ournalled the spaced-apart wheels 367 adapted to bear by 110 gravity on the under roller 362 as shown in Fig. 6 to hold the sheets flat on the guide plate 138 adj’acent the caliper. The caliper 368 is in the form of a segment arranged on the rock-lever 369 pivoted on the pin 370 secured 115 to the bracket 371 pivoted to the pin 372 on the bracket 357. The caliper segment 368 is arranged between the wheels 367 (Figs. 6 and 7), and the upper arm 373 has pinned thereto the link 374 having its forward 120 end slotted at 375 to engage the pin 376 mounted on the gripper-opening member 377 pivoted to the side of the conveyor runway frame 289. The pull spring 378 secured to the pin 376 and the pin 379 ¹²⁶carried by the link 374 normally holds the pin 376 at the rear end of the slot 375, as shown in Fig. 8, but gives very slightly as the

1,680,510 tion with the lower guide plate 138. After the main-head 57 is retracted with the upraised conveyor frames 68 as hereinbefore described (Fig. 1), such plate 386 may be lowered on the hinge 387 to form a part of the 70 top surface of the feed-board section 45.

The operation of my sheet-feeder is substantially as follows: When the bank of fanned-out sheets is lying on the feed-board 48 with the top margins resting bn the hinged 75 plate 386 and guide plate 138, the suction applied to the suction shoe 134 through the ls snown in r iKB. o, v . perforations 71 of the feed-wheel 70 picks 384 secured to the bracket up the top sheet, the air blasts from the pipe ..... 144 tending to separate the front edges of the 80 top sheets. As the wheel 70 is rotated, in a forward clockwise direction by the oscillating gears 75 and 129 actuated by the rocktube 127, the top sheet is separated and advanced over the guide plate 138. . ⁸⁵

As the advanced sheet is brought over the nons are raxen care ui uv guide plate 138, the gripper carriages 294 slotted connection between the link 374 and have reached the limit ^of^^he^[^°i^estoring the pm shown m Fig. 9. Then the wheels 283 begin H the slot 375 their forward oscillations with the flexible bands 292 carried in the housings 285 causing the carriage, 294 to be riioved forwardly over the feed-board sections 41 and 45 with the rollers 306 in rolling contact with the runway 296; when the gripper carriages 294 ⁰⁵approach the end of their forward movement, the rollers 306 reach the pivoted cam runway 298 which is then lowered as shown in Fig. 10 by the action of the cam 353; as the rollιησ Tnemoer 01 &lt; su i» w er 306 runs along the runway 298, the pressure in ^horizontal alinement with the block of the gripper fingers 303 and 312 on the sheet is gradually relaxed as heretofore described because the roller 306 moves along the inclined cam surface 355 of the lowered runway 298, such fingers-sliding off the sheet as the gripper carriage 294 ends its forward movement; the dot and dash lines in Figs. 9 and 10 show diagrammatically the approximate path of the sheets as they are conveyed to the front stops 40. At the end of the forward stroke the cam runways 298 are quickly lowered by the action of the cam 353 and the reverse rotation of the wheels 283 carries the gripper carriages 294 back to their Fig. 9 position. Should two or more sheets be 115 seized, the calipering device heretofore described will open the sheet-grippers 303 and 312 before they reach the front stops 40 and as soon as the block 315 strikes the gripperopening member 377 which has been swung to its vertical dotted line position shown in Fig. 10 through the forward movement of the caliper 368 as shown by dotted lines.

The foregoing constructions embody the essential principles of my invention as a preferred embodiment in a continuous sheetfeeder, but various changes may be made in the structural details and in the types of sheet-feeders in which such constructions .are installed, for example, a pile-feeder, with6 single sheets pass beneath the caliper 368 intermittently rocked by the leading edges of the sheets. . , ,

The caliper 368 has associated, therewith means to secure a delicate adjustment in relation to the roller 362 for sheets of different thicknesses and texture by mechanisms comprising an upright arm 380 integral with the bracket 371 which arm bears against the tip of the adjusting screw 381 tapped in the split collar 382 fastened to the housing 285, where the screw 381 is held in any fixed position by the binding screw, as shown in Figs. 8, 6 and 7 The pull spring ”21 to 357 and arm 380 holds the latter in yielding contact with the adjusting screw 381.

In operation as the single sheets are successively carried between the roller 362 and wheels 367 along the guide plate 138 the caliper 368 is adjusted to rock forwardly only to a slight extent which minute oscillations are taken care of by the lost ^motion __ the pin 376, the spring 378 res 376 to its righthand position in as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, without lowering the opening member 377 into the plane of the block 315 as the caliper 368 assumes its normal vertical position through gravity. However, should the sheet-gripper fingers 303 and 312 take two or more overlapped sheets simultaneously, the caliper 368 would be swung forwardly to its dotted line, position (Fig. 10), thereby straightening the gripper opening-member 377 so as to bring its lower end in -----------------315 on the gripper carriage 294. As soon as the block 315 strikes this opening-member 377, the gripper fingers 303 and 312 are immediately opened to release the overlaped sheets midway on the feed-board sections 41 and 45 which sheets may be removed by the operator while the gripper carriage 294 completes its forward stroke toward the front stops 40.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 8, the. top surface of the feed-board section 45 is preferably formed above the cross-bar 47 with the transverse depression 385 into ,which is fitted the plate 386 hinged at 387 to the section 45 along the rear edge of the plate. The cross-bar 47 has the finger 388 journalled thereto, and adjacent the finger 388 is the spring 389 coiled about the bar 47 with one end bearing on the under side of the section 45 while the other end is hooked to the finger 388. The tijj> of the finger 388 bears yieldingly on the under side of the plate 386 the forward edge of which rests on the rear edge of the guide plate 138. When the plate 386 is held in its partially raised position by means of the finger 388, such plate partially supports the front margins of the top sheets of the bank, and also aids in positioning such sheets beneath the feed-wheel 70 in conjunc100

105 no

120

125

130

1,68 out departing from the scope of my improvements. However the foregoing is sufficient to disclose the underlying principles and advantages as particularly applied to a sheet- feeder of the continuous type.