GB1354616A - Sheet feeding and stacking apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1354616 Delivering sheets EASTMAN KODAK CO 27 May 1971 [1 June 1970] 17620/71 Heading B8R Articles of sheet form, e.g. having a comparatively rigid rectangular position 11, Fig. 1A, and a limp pull tab 12 with a perforation 13, are delivered, e.g. by cutting from a web, between two belts 16, 16a, Fig. 2A, engaging the portion 11 only, which move at a speed to produce gaps between the articles. As each article leaves the belts on to a path comprising horizontal tables 30, 31, 32, Figs. 2A and 2B, and passing over a plurality of stacking receptacles 26, 27, 28 to a reject receptacle 29, its trailing end is engaged by one of a plurality of pairs of pins 24 carried on endless roller chains, the pins reaching into grooves 37 in the tables so as to positively engage and feed each article. Before each receptacle 26, 27, 28, the article path is formed by a diverter 33, (34, 35) which in its upper inoperative position is co-planar with the tables and in its lower position is slightly inclined to direct an article into the receptacle. The path of the pin chains follows the slope of an operative diverter to ensure continued engagement of a diverted article, while grooves 37 in the diverter allow passing of the pins even in the raised position. At the trailing end of each receptacle, the chains have an upwardly sloping movement imparted by idler sprockets 160, so that the pins rise sufficiently to disengage a diverted article before its leading end is forced against a container wall. The diverters are controlled by a programming control means through solenoids or hydraulic cylinders 47. The pins are each pivoted to the chains and kept perpendicular thereto under the control of an arm carrying a roller running in a cam track in a path 68<SP>1</SP> in a frame member 21. Each receptacle is lifted into receiving position by a table 72, or manually, so as to be placed between trailing and leading walls 74,75, and so as to be slanting as in Fig. 9, and has a spindle 71 projecting from the bottom wall at an angle of 35 degrees to the vertical to receive the perforations 13. When an article comes over a receptacle, it is supported on a rotating blade member 80, Figs. 1A and 12, cut away in two regions 82 to be formed into two sections 85. As the trailing end comes over the receptacle, the blade section moves from under it and it is forced downwards, and sideways by the spindle 71, while the next article is supported by the other blade section. The tabs 12 are supported on rods 23 parallel to the belt 16, on raised ribs 40 of the diverters, and may also be supported by a further and smaller blade member 88 which releases it at the same moment as the portion 11 is released. Blades 100, 101 may be projected over the receptacle but under the blade member 80 to collect a few articles and withdrawn to drop the group of articles on to the spindle 71. Articles are stacked in batches in receptacles 26, 27, using one while the other is emptied, sample articles are diverted to a simple receptacle 28, and rejects to a receptacle 29.