US3379433A - Sheet feeding mechanism - Google Patents

Sheet feeding mechanism Download PDF

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Publication number
US3379433A
US3379433A US527582A US52758266A US3379433A US 3379433 A US3379433 A US 3379433A US 527582 A US527582 A US 527582A US 52758266 A US52758266 A US 52758266A US 3379433 A US3379433 A US 3379433A
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United States
Prior art keywords
stack
sheet
holding member
feed
stroke
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US527582A
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English (en)
Inventor
Gates Albert George Ronald
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NRG Manufacturing Ltd
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NRG Manufacturing Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of US3379433A publication Critical patent/US3379433A/en
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B41/00—Supplying or feeding container-forming sheets or wrapping material
    • B65B41/02—Feeding sheets or wrapper blanks
    • B65B41/04—Feeding sheets or wrapper blanks by grippers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
    • B65H3/46—Supplementary devices or measures to assist separation or prevent double feed
    • B65H3/54—Pressing or holding devices

Definitions

  • the invention provides, in a sheet feeding mechanism of the kind in v ieh a feed element repetitively executes 3 a movement having a forward stroke in which it advances the uppermost sheet of a stack of sheets to be fed and a rearward stroke in which it returns to its original position, a stack holding member located rearwardly of the feed element for engaging the rear end of the top of the q stack and synchronised with the movement of the feed element so as to move into engaging position after the feed element has commenced each forward feeding stroke, but befor this stroke is completed, and to disengage from the stack before the next forward feeding stroke of the feed element occurs, the stack holding member being carried by a support structure and forming with the latter an attachment which fits on the mechanism by simply resting thereon under gravity so as to be readily removable from the mechanism by lifting
  • This invention concerns improvements in or relating to sheet feeding mechanisms and more particularly to mechanisms adapted to feed sheets of paper or the like one by one from the top of a stack.
  • Such mechanisms are used in many different kinds of machines, examples being stencil and other duplicating machines, printing machines wrapping and packaging machines, and usually employ a feed finger or element which, in use of the mechanism, repetitively executes a movement having a forward stroke in which it pushes the uppermost sheet of a stack to a forwarding roller or other element, which receives the sheet and passes or carries it along another part of its path through the machine, and a rearward stroke in which it returns to its original position ready to move forward the next sheet which has new become the uppermost sheet of the stack.
  • the feed finger or element in its forward stroke bears down on the uppermost sheet of the st ck and then lifts from the sheetso as to be raised from the stack during the rearward stroke.
  • the feed element is a roller which reciprocates over the top of the stack and engages the latter during both the forward and rearward strokes. However, the roller is locked against rotation during the forward stroke so as then to apply forwarding pressure to the uppermost sheet of the stack, but is allowed to rotate freely on the rearward stroke so as not to move the next sheet rearwardly during this rearward stroke.
  • a problem encountered in such sheet feeding mechanisms when feeding some types of paper is that of ensuring that only one sheet is fed at a time, ie. that one or more sheets below the top sheet are not carried along with the latter, and known mechanisms cannot satisfactorily feed one by one from a stack, papers of weights in States Patent 0 M 3,379,433 Patented Apr. 23, 1968 a wide ran e without providing relatively complex means for adjustii the mechanisms, e.g. by adjusting the pressure with which the feed element bears on the stack.
  • the sheet feeding mechanism of this invention comprises a feed element repetitively movable over the top of a stack of sheets to be fed in a cycle including a sheet forwarding stroke followed by a return stroke, a stack Q holding member located rearwardly of the feed element in a position to engage the rear end of the top of the stack, a support structure carrying such stack holding member, guide means receiving said support structure and guiding the latter for vertical movement, the support m ans and stack holding member carried thereby simoly resting in the mechanism under gravity and being together removable from the mechanism simply by lifting the support means out of said guide means, and means synchronised with the movement of the feed element and acting to raise the support structure and stack holding member before the commencement of each forward feeding stroke of the feed element and to allow the support structure and stack holding member to drop down again during such strok
  • the said holding member is mounted so as to be adjustable in distance from the feed clement so as to be usable with stacks of different sizes of sheet.
  • the means by which movement of the holding member is synchronised with movement of the feed eleme may comprise any suitable mechanical, pneumatic or eiectrical control mechanism.
  • the movement of the holding member is controlled by a cam.
  • 'IGURE l' is a schematic side elevation of the first embodiment of sheet feeding mechanism according to the invention, vith part broken away for clarity;
  • FIGURE 2 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 1, but of the second embodiment of sheet feeding mechanism according to the invention
  • FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2, with the part of the mechanism which would in this view be behind the holding member, its support rod and sliding block being omitted for clarity;
  • FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the op erating cam for the holding member of the embodiment of FIGURE 2;
  • FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary section on the line 5'-5 of FIGURE 4.
  • FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary section on the line 65 of FIGURE 4.
  • FIGURE 1 is a sheet feeder for a twin cylinder stencil duplicator and comprises one form of conventional feed finger 1 carried by a mounting 2.
  • the feed finger is moved around a path comprising a feeding stroke in which it is in a lowered position (as shown in FIG- URE l) engaging the top of the stack of sheets to be fed, indicated by the reference 3, and moves in a forward direction to feed the top sheet and a return stroke in which it is in a raised position and moves rearwardly ready to descend and engage the next sheet.
  • the movement of such feed finger is controlled from a shaft driven by the motor of the duplicator and is synchronised with the rotation of the main shaft driving the cylinders of the stencil duplicator so that one sheet is fed for each pass of the stencil in the duplicator.
  • the mechanism for moving the feed finger 1 is conventional and is not illustrated. It is conveniently of the kind in which the finger is supported by a link system enabling both up and down and forward and rearward movement to be imparted to the finger and the said shaft controlling the movement of the feed finger carries two cams, one of which imparts a vertical component of movement to the said link system and the other of which imparts a forward and rearward component of motion to such system.
  • the sheet feeder also includes, according to this invention, a holding member or weight 4- spaced rearwardly from the feed finger 1.
  • This holding member t projects longitudinally outwardly from the lower end of a supporting arm 5 which depends from the outer end of an arm system 6 carried by a bracket 7 mounted on the outside of mounting 2 for guided vertical movement by means of rollers 8 engaged in guides 9.
  • the arm system 6 comprises three arms, the first arm being secured on top of bracket 7, the second arm being of smaller transverse dimensions and slidable within said first arm and the third arm by which the arm 5 is secured being of still smaller transverse dimensions and slidable within the second arm, the three arms thereby forming a system in which one arm telescopes into the next arm enabling the distance of the member 4 from the feed finger 1 to be adjusted.
  • the guides 9 are provided on the inner surface of a side plate (not shown) of the duplicator behind which side plate the mechanism illustrated in the figure is located. Thus, although the guides 9 are indicated in the figure, they would in fact be above the plane of the figure.
  • Raising and lowering of the bracket 7 and consequently of the member 4 is controlled by a cam 19 rotatable on a shaft 11 which may be the shaft controlling movement of the feed finger or another shaft driven by the motor I of the duplicator.
  • the cam 1t) engages a follower 12 on the bracket 7.
  • connection of the member 4 to the arm 5 isby means of a joint 13 enabling swinging of the member 4 in a horizontal plane relatively to the arm 5 through an angle greater than 180 so that, even though the telescoping arm system 6 may not give sufiicicnt adjustment to enable the member 4, when in the orientation shown in FIGURE 1, to approach close enough to the feed finger 1 to be engageable with very short sheets, swinging of the member 4 relatively to the arm 5 will enable such member to approach more closely to the feed (finger.
  • the holding member 4 carries a downwardly rojecting back stop 14 for engaging the rear of the stack of sheets and also has on its under surface two rubber pads 15, one to each side of the back stop 14.
  • the sheet feeder also has associated therewith a conventional front stop 16 which is adapted to engage the forward end of the stack 3 and is pivotal about an axis 17 parallel to such forward end and located a short distance below the upper surface of the stack.
  • the front stop 16 projects from a slot 18 in a front plate 19 against which the front of the stack engages. Pivoting of the front stop 16 is controlled by a cam on a shaft rotatable in synchronism with the shaft 11 so that the stop 16 moves between a blocking position and an out-of-the-way position in synchronism with the movement of the feed finger as is explained below.
  • the telescoping arm system 6 and the angular position of the ember 4 are adjusted to suit the size of sheet forming the stack 3 to be fed so that, in the lowered position of the member 4, the back stop 14 abuts the rear of the stack and the appropriate pad 15 engages the rear of the top of the stack.
  • the front stop 16 At the commencement of the feeding stroke of the feed finger 1 the front stop 16 is in its blocking position as shown in FIGURE 1 engaging the front edge of the stack and the member 4 is in its raised position.
  • the feed finger 1 contacts the upper surface of the uppermost sheet of the stack and starts its forward movement. This moves the top sheet forwardly and it is buckled against the front stop 16, the tail of the sheet moving beyond the position of the forward rubber pad 15.
  • the member 4 descends and such pad 15 engages the rear end of the second sheet of the stack, thus preventing any movement, or any further movement, of such sheet and the sheets below.
  • the front stop 16 then swings forwardly about its axis 17 to its out-of-the-way position and allows the top sheet to be fed forwardly during the remainder of the feeding stroke of the feed finger.
  • the feed finger 1 and the member 4 lift from the stack and the front stop 16 swings back into its blocking position at the same time engaging the front edges of the top few sheets of the stack and correcting any disturbance of such sheets which. may have taken place during the first part of the feeding stroke of the feed finger before the member 4 descended.
  • the feed finger moves rearwardly in the raised position to its original location and the cycle above described is repeated.
  • FIGURES 2 to 6 is also a sheet feeder for a twin cylinder stencil duplicator and operates in a similar way to that of FIGURE 1, but differs from the first embodiment in the construction of the holding member and its supporting means and in the form of the cam arrangement for raising and lowering the holding member.
  • FIGURES 2 to 6 the same reference numerals as have been used in FIGURE 1 are used for the parts which are identical with those in FIGURE 1.
  • the sheet feeder comprises a holding member 20, conveniently formed of that material known as Mazak, slidable on the lower limb 21 of a cranked support rod 22 conveniently formed of steel, and carried by a block 23, preferably of an acetal resin, slidab-ly mounted on two parallel rods 24, conveniently of polished steel.
  • Movement of the block 23 along the rods 24 provides for adjustment of the holding member 20 forwardly and rear- J wardly of the mechanism, while adjustment of the member transversely of the mechanism is provided by sliding of the member on limb 21 of support rod 22
  • the block carries a cam clamp 25 comprising a locking lever 26 formed integrally with a cam 27 located between the rods 24- and pivotal on an axis which is provided by a bolt 28 and is parallel to the rods 24.
  • the shape of the cam 27 is such that, in one position, its periphery is out of contact with the rods 24, but, by moving the locking lever 26 downwardly, the periphery can be forced against the rods 24 as shown in FIGURE 3 with a Wedging action.
  • the member has a grub screw 29 engageable against the limb 21.
  • the holding member is provided with a back stop 30 to engage the rear edge of the stack 3 and a rubber pad 31 to engage the rear edge of the sheet below the uppermost sheet. In FIGURE 2 the holding member is shown in its lower position. To maintain the rods 24 at their correct spacing at the rear of the mechanism, the rear ends of the rods 24 are joined by a member 32.
  • a block 33 conveniently formed of Mazak, which block is located between the side plate 34 of the duplicator and the mounting 2.
  • the block 33 is guided for vertical move ment by two flanged studs 35 engaging in grooves 36 in the block.
  • the block 33 has therein a further groove 37 into which projects a pin or peg 38 carried at one end of a C-shaped lever 39.
  • This lever is located outside the side plate 34 and is pivoted at its other end at 40, the peg 38 passing through an aperture in the side plate 34.
  • the lever 39 is coupled to a link 41 which carries a follower 42 engaging a cam 43 secured to a sleeve 44 rotatable on the shaft 11.
  • a plate 45 adjustable by means of the screw 46, in vertical position on the block.
  • the lower edge of the plate 45 extends across the groove 37 into which peg 38 projects and as far as the peg 38 is concerned defines the upper limit of such groove.
  • the block 33 rests by means of the edge of plate 45 on the peg 38.
  • Adjustment of the plate 45 adjusts the vertical height of the stop 20. Rotation of the cam 43 causes raising and lowering of peg 38 which in turn causes raising and lowering of the block 33 and, with it, the member 20.
  • FIGURES 2 to 6 The operation of the mechanism of FIGURES 2 to 6 is very similar to that of FIGURE 1.
  • the front stop 16 At the commencement of the feeding stroke the front stop 16 is in its blocking position.
  • the feed finger then contacts the upper surfaces of the uppermost stack and starts its forward movement. This moves the top sheet forwardly and it is buckled against the first stop 16.
  • the holding member descends and the pad 31 engages the rear end of the second sheet of the stack. This is the condition illustrated in FIGURE 2.
  • the front stop 16 then swings forwardly and the top sheet is fed forwardly during the remainder of the forwarding stroke of the feed finger. After feeding of the sheet, the feed finger and holding member lift from the stack and the front stop swings back into its blocking position.
  • a sheet feeding mechanism comprising a feed element repetitively movable over the top of a stack of sheets to be fed in a cycle including a sheet forwarding stroke followed by a return stroke, a stack holding member located rearwardly of the feed element in a position to engage the rear end of the top of the stack, a support structure carrying such stack holding member, guide means receiving said support structure and guiding the latter for vertical movement, the support means and stack holding member carried thereby simply resting in the mechanism under gravity and being together removable rom the mechanism simply by lifting the support means out of said guide means, and means synchronised with the movement of the feed element and acting to raise the support structure and stack holding member before the commencement of each forward feeding stroke of the feed element and to allow the support structure and stack holding member to drop down again during such stroke.
  • said means comprises a pair of parallel rods extending in the direction of feed of the mechanism, a block slidable on said rods and a dependent arm carried by said block and itself carrying said holding member.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
US527582A 1965-02-16 1966-02-15 Sheet feeding mechanism Expired - Lifetime US3379433A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB6643/65A GB1090202A (en) 1965-02-16 1965-02-16 Improvements in or relating to sheet feeding mechanisms

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US3379433A true US3379433A (en) 1968-04-23

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US527582A Expired - Lifetime US3379433A (en) 1965-02-16 1966-02-15 Sheet feeding mechanism

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US (1) US3379433A (de)
AT (1) AT282661B (de)
DK (1) DK124601B (de)
GB (1) GB1090202A (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2049177A1 (de) * 1969-06-12 1971-03-26 Gestetner Ltd
US3822060A (en) * 1972-01-24 1974-07-02 Gestetner Ltd Apparatus and method for feeding sheets from the bottom of a stack
US4033577A (en) * 1974-09-18 1977-07-05 La Cellophane Sheet feeding devices
CN109178977A (zh) * 2018-11-08 2019-01-11 湖北理工学院 一种可重构袋装水泥自动装车机

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US959319A (en) * 1909-02-25 1910-05-24 Dexter Folding Company Paper-feeding machine.
US1599153A (en) * 1922-06-05 1926-09-07 Stokes & Smith Co Paper-feed mechanism

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US959319A (en) * 1909-02-25 1910-05-24 Dexter Folding Company Paper-feeding machine.
US1599153A (en) * 1922-06-05 1926-09-07 Stokes & Smith Co Paper-feed mechanism

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2049177A1 (de) * 1969-06-12 1971-03-26 Gestetner Ltd
US3645527A (en) * 1969-06-12 1972-02-29 Gestetner Ltd Sheet-feeding devices
US3822060A (en) * 1972-01-24 1974-07-02 Gestetner Ltd Apparatus and method for feeding sheets from the bottom of a stack
US4033577A (en) * 1974-09-18 1977-07-05 La Cellophane Sheet feeding devices
CN109178977A (zh) * 2018-11-08 2019-01-11 湖北理工学院 一种可重构袋装水泥自动装车机
CN109178977B (zh) * 2018-11-08 2024-04-26 湖北理工学院 一种可重构袋装水泥自动装车机

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Publication number Publication date
AT282661B (de) 1970-07-10
DK124601B (da) 1972-11-06
GB1090202A (en) 1967-11-08

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