US1516770A - Stacking mechanism - Google Patents

Description

S. GRUNLEE STACKING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 25, 1924. 1,516,779

S. GRUNLEE STACKING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGZ qdao;

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 S. GRUNLEE STAGKING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, 1922 Nov. 25, 1924- s. GRUNLEE STACKING' MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, 192,2- Sheets-Sheet 4 1,516,770 s. GRUNLEE STACKING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, L922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 104 FIG. 5

FIGS

IHWHII Nov. 25, 1924 1,516,770

S. GRUNLEE STACKING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. 7 3

FIG. 8 m2 FIG? Ma 5 W W mw Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

SIGWALD GRUNLEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO SEARS, BOEBUCK AND 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

STAOKING MECHANISM.

Application filed August 5, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L SIGWALD GRUNLEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Stacking Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stacking mecha nisms generally and is herein shown as embodied in a machine for automatically stacking catalogs or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine for handling catalogs as they are released from a wrapping machine or other machine which has performed some opera tion upon the catalogs, the machine being adapted automatically to operate successively or at intervals as the catalogs are released thereto and to place the same in stacks preferably of a uniform height, for convenience in the further handling of the catalogs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine embodying in addition to means for feeding the catalogs as they are released to the machine, an elevating means adapted to be placed into operation automatically upon the arrival successively of the catalogs, the elevating means being associated with a support to which the catalogs are elevated one by one to form a stack.

A further object of the invention is to provide in connection with the stack support, automatically operating means for regulating the height of the stack, there being provided in connection with this means, an ejector dependent thereon for its operation adapted automatically to eject the stack of catalogs from the support preferably upon a rack or table from whence they may be taken to be bound into bales of a uniform size for storage or shipment.

Ancillary objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent in the following detailed description. Referring to the drawings which form a part hereof, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the operating mechanism of the machine in end elevation. Fig. t is an enlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line 4 l of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similarly enlarged fragmentary Serial No. 579,902.

transverse vertical sectional detail taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of a portion of Fig. 3 being taken approximately on the line 77 thereof. Fig.8 is a horizontal section of a portion of Fig. 4 and is taken on the line 88 thereof, and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail of the clutch for controlling the operation of the ejector, this clutch being similar in construction and in its mode of operation to the clutch which controls the operation of the catalogs elevating means.

Throughout the views the same reference numerals designate the same parts. Before proceeding to a detailed description of the mechanism it will be pointed out that the invention is capable, broadly speaking, of embodiment in machines for handling articles of various sizes and forms, although for the purposes of the present description I have chosen to illustrate a machine designed particularly for handling catalogs such as are sent out to customers by some firms, particularly mail order houses. It is to be understood that the following specific description of the preferred embodiment of the invention is merely illustrative and by way of example and is for the purpose of conveying an understanding of the invention. It will therefore be appreciated that this description is not to be construed, in any way, as attaching any limitations upon the invention to the particular embodiment disclosed. In fact, the invention without considerable modification is adapted for the handling of fiat articles particularly of most any kind or form and, although in the embodiment herein disclosed it is contemplated that the articles to be stacked shall be of a substantially uniform size, it will be seen that articles of varying sizes or thicknesses may be handled and that the means for limiting the height of the stacks is adapted to. operate simply to produce stacks of a uni form height. The invention is therefore to be limited in its scope in the appended claims only so far as is necessitated by the prior art.

Before proceeding with the detailed clescription of the mechanism forming the present invention, an introductory state, ment as to the nature of the work performed thereby would appear desirable. The chute shown at extends from a wrapping machine or in "fact any machine which has completed some operation of the catalogs to be stacked. So far as the present invention is concerned this chute may extend from a catalog binder, an inserting machine, an addressing machine or the like or the catalogs may be fed by hand down the chute. Usually the catalogs will enter upon the runway 11 in haphazard fashion or at least in disassociated relation and if, as was assumed at the outset, the catalogs have been discharged from a wrapping machine, a wrapper will envelop the same tightly and thus make the catalogs less unwieldy and sufficiently compact so that the work of stacking them is greatly facilitated. Where no wrapper has been placed upon the catalogs it might be well to feed the same back binding forward so that the leading end of the catalog will have proper rigidity to engage and actuate the tripper 12 at the end of its horizontal travel through the machine. The tripper upon actuation operates an elevator in the form of a table 13 to raise the catalogs preferably one by one up into the stack support 1 1. The latter has automatically operating dogs 15 which recede when the catalog is first entered into the support but which thereupon return to normal position to support the catalog. In the event other catalogs have previously been elevated to the support the dogs hold them in stacked relation. Upon the attainn'ient of a predetermined height of stack, a tripper 16 is operated automatically to actuate an ejector 17 to eject the stacked catalogues from the support out upon a rack or table 18. The stacks of catalogs thus formed will, of course, be of uniform height and may be taken off the table and placed on trucks to be hauled or as is sometimes done, they may be taken and bound into bales simply for the pu poses of convenience in handling or for shipping or storage.

With this preliminary description of the operations performed by the machine I will now proceed to a more detailed description of the machine itself. The machine is made up of a main frame composed of two pairs of side members or pedestals 19 and 20 held in adjusted spaced relation laterally and longitudinally by tie rods 21 and respectively. An auxiliary frame is disposed adj acent one end of the main frame and car ice the stacking mechanism proper, the means for the operation of which is carried chiefly by the main frame. This auxiliary frame comprises side members 23 held in spaced relation by a cross piece 24 and bolted to gether preferably as at 25. Stub tie rods 26 extend between the main frame and the auxiliary frame in order to provide for relative longitudinal ad ustment of the frames and to secure the same rigidly in adjusted relation. The side members of each of the frames as shown have flanged foot portions whereby the same may be rigidly bolted down.

Mounted adjacent the main frame is a gear casing 27 wherein suitable transmission may be provided for driving a sprocket 28 from the pulley 29, the latter having the usual belt connection with a motor or the like for driving purposes. A drive chain 30 passing over the sprocket 28 passes in turn over sprockets 31 and 32 on its upper and lower laps, respectively, and over a sprocket 33 on the shaft 34 journalled in the side members 19 of the frame. The sprocket 31 is simply an idler mountedon a suitable stud on one of the side members 20 of the frame while the sprocket 32 serves to drive the shaft 35 journalled in the side members 20 of the frame. A second sprocket 36 is carried upon the shaft 35 and serves to drive at double the speed of the shaft 35, the sprocket 37 on the shaft 38 through a sprocket chain as shown. As will presently appear, the shaft 38 is the source of power for the operation of the elevating means and indirectly also for the operation of the ejector. The chain 39 operating on an incline relative to the horizontal has an idler sprocket 40 carried by the bracket 41 on the tie rod 22. This sprocket may from time to time be adjusted longitudinally of the tie rod to take up slack in the chain resulting from continued operation.

A platform or table 12 is supported be tween the side members 19 and 20 of the main frame. A pair of belts 43 spaced as shown in Fig. 2 are driven by the pulleys 4A secured upon the driven shaft and operate upon pulleys 4E5 turning idly upon the shaft 1-6 at the other end of the frame. A single belt 47 is operated between the belts as by an intermediate pulley 48 on the driven shaft 34 and passes over a small pulley 4:9 turning idly upon the shaft 50 extending between the side IDGIIlbGlS 23 of the machine frame. An eccentric pulley 48 is adjustable between the pulleys 48 and 49, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, to raise the upper lap of the belt 47, for a purpose presently to be described. The belts 43 and 1-7 have adjustable tensioning pulleys 51 and 52 respectively, to secure practically constant tension of the respective belts in operation and thus to insure the proper feeding of the catalogs at all times.

The side members of the auviliary frame have guides 53 on their inner adjoining sides between which is vertically movable a ram 54. The latter is movable past the shaft 50 on one side thereof as appears in Fig. 4 and is forked at its upper end to operate on opposite sides of the belt 47. The forked portion of the ram 54 carries the table llb after.

sections 13 which preferably are of inverted U-shape to overhang the sides of the upper portion of the ram for a purpose presently to appear. The ram is adapted to be reciprocated in its ways by means of a rocker the long arm of which is pivotally connected to the ram by means of a link 56 pivotally mounted on the cross rod 5? extending between spaced bearings provided on the ram. The rocker 56 operates upon a shatt and has its short arm bifurcated and connected by means of a pitinan 59 to a strap 60 on the eccentric til driven, as will hereinafter appear, by the shaft 38 when the clutch 62 is thrown into engagement. The engagement of the clutch is dependent upon the swinging out of a throw-out linger 63 normally operating in a groove (34 to hold a spring pressed latch 65 in retracted position from engagement in a socket 66 in the driven clutch element 67. The latter, as shown, be ing pinned or otherwise rigidly secured to the shaft 38 operates continuously therewith. Further reference to the precise manner of operation of the clutch will be made herein- The throw-out linger (S3 oscillates with the shaft 68 when the proper impulse is transmitted thereto by the arm 69 operated by the push rod 70. The latter has con nection with the short arm of a bell crank 71 pivotally mounted upon the shaft 50 eX- tending transversely in the machine frame. The bell cranks 71, of which there is preferably one at each side of the machine for operating push rods at opposite sides of the machine, carry the tripper 12 which preferably comprises a roller operating on a cross rod supported by the bell cranks 71 as shown. The bell cranks are held yieldingly in the position shown by coiled tension springs 72 operating between an abutment 73 extending from the side of the frame and rigid therewith, and a washer Tl prevented from longitudinal movement on the push rod by means of a cotter pin or the like. It will thus be seen that upon the arrival of a catalog or other article being fed, the tripper 12 is engaged forcibly and thus operates to throw out the finger 63 from engagement in the groove 6%. The clutch G2 is thereupon engaged when the latch 65 enters the socket 66 of the continuously operated clutch element 6. The eccentric (31 which, as shown, is pinned to the clutch element 62 is thereby operated and draws down upon the pitman 5.) so that the rocker 55 is rocked and thereby causes reciprocatory moven'ient of the ram 54 in its ways. The catalog upon the elevating table is thereby raised free of the belt 47 up into the support 14. The table upon receding with the ram leaves the cata log in the support in a manner to be forthwith described.

The support 1% comprises plates 7 sup ported in vertical posit-ion preferably by brackets 76 secured upon the side members 23 of the machine frame. These plates rest upon shoulders 76 and are provided with openings 77 at their lower ends through which projects the noses of the dogs 1?) pro viding lateral supports for the catalogs or other articles held in the support between the plates 75. The dogs 15 are pivotally mounted on rods 78 in the side members of the machine frame and are held normally in operative position by means of tension springs 79 operating between the lower ends of the dogs and bars 80 fastened upon the outside of the frame. The latter have adjusting screws 81 threading therein and ar ranged to adjust the extent of normal projection. of the dogs in an obvious manner. Thus, as the catalogs are raised upon the elevating table in the operation of the ram 5%, the edges thereof ride upon and over the inclined under faces of the dogs, thus repelling the same against tension of the springs 75). heir the catalog has passed the dogs, the latter are again immediately projected into operative position and are effective upon the receding of the elevating table to support the catalog which has been raised into the support. It will, however, be noted that there is sutlicient clearance so that the dogs do not constitute an obstruction to the operation of the elevating table in raising and lowering. After a succession of operations of the elevating table there will be astach of catalogs held .in the support and as each succeeding catalog is raised into the support it assumes a position bottommost in the stack and the stack in the support is raised with each catalog suiiiciently to provide clearance for the latter so that when the elevating table is lowered the catalog which has been 'aised will be retained by the dogs and will be part of the stack held in the support. The overhanging sides or skirts on the table sections 13 prevent the introduction of a catalog upon the belt 47 while the elevating table is in operation.

Then the stack of catalogs held in the support has attained a predetermined height the uppermost catalog will be in engagement with the tripper 16. This member is carried by the shaft 82 held in brackets 83 secured to the side members 23 of the machine frame. An arm 84 is fastened to the projecting end of the shaft 82 and has connection at its free end by means of a rod 85 with an arm 86 pivotally mounted upon the shaft 8'7 extending between the side members 28 of the machine frame. The arm 86 has a throw-out finger 88 fastened thereon and extending outwardly into a groove 89 in the driven clutch element 90 secured upon the shaft 91 extending across the main frame of the machine between the side members 19 thereof. The finger 88 similarly to the clutch throwout finger63 controls a latch 92 in its relation to either of two sockets 98- in the driving clutch element turning freely upon the shaft 91. The clutch element 94 as shown in Fig. 6 has a spur gear 95 rigid therewith and meshing with a spur pinion 56 pinned or otherwise secured upon the driven shaft which as before described is continuously rotated through the chain drive connection with the driven shaft 35. The gearing ratio is such that the shaft 91 is capable only of being driven at half the speed of the shaft 38 and turns as fast as the aft 3:7. The purpose for this difierence in iring speeds will presently appear. The h 90 like the clutch G2 in disengaged "LlOll to its driving clutch element when are throw-out linger is disposed in the annular groove 99. However, as will presently he cescrihc-d, upon the swinging of the finger 18 out of emgagement in the groove 89, the latch 92 under the action of its spring Si? is projected into either of the sockets 93 of the driving clutch element so that the driven clutch element 90 turns with the driving clutch element In this way the shaft 91 is driven to turn the crank disks 98 at opposite sides of the machine. The latter have Z11iO/ctl()l'i by means of a pitman 99 with the short arm of a bell crank 100, the long arm of which is connected by means of a link 1101 with a slide 102 operating in guideways 108 in the frame 101 projecting horizontally from and secured to the side members 23 of the machine frame. The latter have slots 105i therein through which the shaft 106, extending through bearings 107 in the slide 102, is adapted to project to have connection with the links 101 on the outside. The bearings 107 of the slide 102 are spaced to receive fittings 108 angularly adjustable on the shaft 106. The ejector 17 formed preferably of two wires is adapted to be held in the littings 108. The latter comprises upper neck portions 109 in which one end of the Wires of the ejector fit and underslung hollow cylindr cal bearings 110 in which the other end of the wires of the eject-or are engaged. Set screws 111 threaded in the slide 102 engage the free ends of the cylindrical bearings 110 to adjust the angularity thereof relative to the shaft 106 and thereby to the support 14:. In the operation of the crank disk 98 through a single revolution the ejector 17 is operated through a single reciprocation with the slide 102 and is arranged to engage and move the stack held in the support 14. between the plates upon the dogs 15. The stack is arranged to be moved out upon the rack or table 18. The latter projects from and is tiltably supported on the side members 23 of the frame and is arranged for adjustment at its outer end suitably by means of the adjusting prop 18. A plurality of bed rollers 112 provide for easy movement of the stack when ejected from the support.

The stacks are removed from the rack to be bound into bales or for other purposes. The tripper 16 is preferably capable of angular adjustment on the shaft 82 relative to the clutch throw-out finger 88 for the purpose of hunting the height of stacks.

The catalogs as they are fed by the belts 43 upon the belt 17 toward the tripper 12 must engage the latter with a certain degree of force to insure the operation of the clutch (32. It has been found that the traction arising simply from the weight of the catalog resting upon the belts is in certain instances not quite sufiicient so that the catalogs at certain times do not engage the tripper with the proper force. This is so particularly where the catalogs are relatively light and do not gain the desired amount of momentum in their travel over the feed belts. Under such circui'i'istances it is desirable to provide means to increase the traction between the catalogs and the feed belts. T have shown such a means in the form of a roller 113 carried upon the end of an arm 114: adjustably mounted upon the rod 115 in the plates 116 secured upon the sides of the frame 104.. The rod 115 as shown has an arm 117 provided with a set screw 118 arranged for adjustment relative to an abutment 119 extending from one of the plates 116 or some other suitable stationary object. The roller in lightly touching the catalogs as they pass beneath gives suflicient added traction between the catalogs and the feed belts so that the catalogs are impelled against the tripper 12 with the requisite force to operate the clutch 62 and thereby put the elevating table into operation.

Where the catalogs are somewhat irregular in thickness or tend to bulge unevenly because of faulty binding or the like. or due to the particular mode in which the same have been wrapped, or when a number of catalogs are stacked, particularly in stacks of a relatively considerable height, the stacks tend to be wobbly and unless means are provided to hold the same, the stacks are frequently apt to collapse. For this reason I prefer to bend the plates 7 5 inwardly near the upper free ends thereof substantially as shown in Fig. 3. In this way as the catalogs accumulate in the support the upper ones which would otherwise have no particular means of support against forward movement particularly, unless held frictionally at the sides, are rather firmly held in place so that upon the operation of the ejector 17 uniform stacks are expelled from the support.

Referring to Fig. 9 in which the clutch 90 and a portion of its drive clutch element 94 is illustrated, it will be seen that the clutch is of that type commonly employed on punch presses and the like, and has throw-out fingers having their inner ends bevelled to cooperate with one side of a taper slot 92 cut tion of the small arrow.

into one side of the latch 92. The latter is normally urged by the coiled tension spring 97 into engagement in the socket 93 of the driving clutch element 94 and when made cylindrical in form is prevented from rotating in its bore by means of a screw 120 the ends of which engages in a groove 121 extending longitudinally of the latch 92. Assuming that the driving clutch element 9 1 is turned in the direction indicated by the small arrow, when the finger 88 is moved out of engagement in the groove 89, the latch 92- under the tension of its spring 97 will be pro-- jected toward the driving clutch element 94 into one of the sockets 93 and the driven clutch element will thereby be turned with the drive clutch element likewise in the direc- This rotation will of course move the latch 92 away from a position beneath the end of the throw-out finger 88. The finger 88 is in the normal operation of the machine held out from engagement in its groove for practically only an instant to permit only a single revolution of the driven clutch element. The latter is disengaged from driving relation by virtue of the introduction of the beveled end 88 of the throw-out finger into the slot 92 and riding upon the converging side of the slot to move the latch 92 when the latter has, after a complete revolution, been brought around to a position adjacent the end of the throw-out finger. In this way the latch is withdrawn from engagement in the socket 93. Suitable braking means may if desired be employed to insure the practically im mediate stoppage of the machine at the disengaged position shown in Fig. 9. The clutch 62 is operated in an identical manner. This clutch cooperating with the driving clutch element 67 which is turned in an opposite direction to the driving clutch element 95 necessitates the operation of the clutch throw-out finger 63 from the underside of the clutch for obvious reasons.

The operation of the machine is practically apparent from the foregoing description and only slight additional explanation would appear to be necessary. The catalogs are released successively from the machine in connection with which the stacking machine of the present invention is employed. These catalogs are fed by frictional engagement with the belts 43 in the direction of the tripper 12 at the far end of the runway. When the catalogs leave the belts 43 and enter upon the belt 17 they pass beneath the roller 113 which givesthem increased traction with the belt 47 so that they are impelled with sulficient force against the tripper 12 to operate the clutch 62. The catalog after engaging the tripper, and before being raised by the elevator, rests for an interval on the shoulders 76 and is raised at its rearward end slightly off the belt by the eccentric pulley 48', that is the forward edge of the catalog rests upon the shoulders 76 clear of the belt, so that it is subject to the abrasion of the belt 47 only at its rearward end where the eccentric pulley raises the belt into engage ment with the catalog. In this way the catalog is held firmly against the tripper 12 but is not apt to have the freshly gummed flap of its wrapper loosened as it is otherwise apt to be because of the abrasive action of the belt. The latch upon the operation of the clutch 62 engages in the socket 66 of the driving clutch element 67 and thereby effects the operation of the eccentric 61. The operation of this eccentric is transmitted through the pitman 59 to rock the rocker 55 and thereby operates the elevator in its ways. The latter is operated at approximately twice the speed of the ejector 17 because of the speed of the shaft 38 as compared with the speed of the shaft 91. The reason for such difference in the speeds of operation is manifest, the elevator must operate quickly to accommodate the catalogs as fast as they are discharged thereto while. on the other hand the ejector must operate relatively slowly so that the stacks will not be likely to collapse due to their inertia. In operation the elevator raises the catalog thereon past the dogs 15 up into the support 1 1- between the plates 75. As the table lowers, the catalog is retained inthe support by the dogs. The operation just described is repeated successively until a stack of catalogs has been accumulated in, the support. Each catalog as it is raised into the support must needs raise the stack already accumulated. therein in order to provide clearance fofitself. The stack is added to from the bottom in this manner until a stack of a predetermined desired, height is produced. Thereupon the tripper 16, arranged preferably to operate when the last catalog of the stack is added to the stack from beneath. is arranged to throw out the finger 88 from engagement in the groove 89. The latch 92 of the clutch 90 is thereby permitted to be projected into one of the sockets 93 of the driving clutch element 94. The latter has two sockets rather than the one only provided in the clutch 62 because it operates at half the speed of the clutch 62. The proper timing of the operation of the elevator and the ejector is thereby ensured. This will be apparent when it is considered that sockets in the clutch elements will not be apt to lie alongside the latches immediately upon the swinging out of the clutch throw-out fingers. Thus the drive element in either clutch would have to turn until a socket arrived adjacent the latch therefor. In the case of the rapidly turning clutch 62, since there is only one socket therein, there might have to be almost, a complete turn before such registry would be effected In the case of the clutch 90,- becausethere are two,

sockets therein, the maximum turning re quired would be only a half revolution. It is therefore seen that although the clutch turns only half as fast as the clutch 62 this is compensated for by the difference in the number of clutch sockets. The crank disks 98 are turned upon the engagement of clutch 90 and. through the medium of the pitman 99 and the bell crank 100, cause the reciprocation of the ejector 17 to expel the stack from the support upon the rack or table 18, from whence they may be taken to be bound into bales or to be hauled away or to have other operations performed thereon. The ejector 1.7 being capable of pivotal movement, there is avoided the likelihood of jamming, because of the operation almost concurrently of the ram 54 while the ejector is in the act of moving a stack out of the support 14. In the event of engagement, the ejector merely swings up and out of the way as it recedes and when fully retracted will of course reassuine its normal position. The ejector is, it will be seen, capable also of adjustment as indicated by the dotted line position thereof shown in Fig. 4. This is to give the front face thereof a rearward inclination so that the lowermost portion of the stack in the support 14 is first to be engaged. Also this causes the stack to recline somewhat on the ejector as it is ejected from the support. This materially assists in the ejection of the stacks. Combined with this adjustment I prefer to adjust the rack r or table 18 as shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 4 so that as the stack rides thereon it is slackened in its movement by riding up the incline of the rack. Also the momentum of the stack derived in its move.- ment is sufficient as it comes to rest to cause it to straighten out to a vertical relation from its reclined relation. The elevating table and the reciprocating ejector are both operated through a single reciprocation through the medium of the clutches and 90 the details of which are similar and the operation of which has been described in detail above.

It will of course be apparent that although the machine is particularly suited for use in connection with the stacking of catalogs.

the invention is not in any sense to be construed as limited to this special use. Although it is herein contemplated to stack catalogs of a uniform thickness so that the tripper 16 will operate to insure that only a predetermined number of catalogs will he placed in each stack. it is readily perceived that catalogs or books or other articles of varying thicknesses may be stacked without any considerable modification of the details of the operating mechanism comprising the machine. In the latter event the tripper would be operable merely to insure substantial uniformity of heights of stacks.

In the appended claims it has been the endeavor to include all legitimate modifieations and adaptations of the invention which would occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a stacking mechanism, the con'ibination of means for placing articles in stacked relation, means for limiting the number of articles placed in a stack by limiting the height of each stack, and means for moving said articles in stacked relation.

2. In a mechanism for handling articles, a support for a plurality of flat articles, means for feeding articles toward said support to form a stack, and means effected by tie stack when said support carries a predetermined quantity of articles to move the articles.

3. In a mechanism for handling articles, a support for feeding articles toward a cer tain point adjacent said support means to receive said articles at said point and to move the same to said support, and means at said point adapted by the arrival of articles to cause the actuation of said last mentioned means.

4. In a mechanism for handling articles, a support for feeding articles toward a certain point adjacent said support, means to receive said articles at said point and to move the same to said support, means at said point adapted by the arrival of articles to cause the actuation of said last mentioned means, and means adapted to limit the loading of said support with articles.

In a mechanism for handling articles, a support for feeding articles toward a certain point adjacent said support, means to receive said articles at said point and to move the same to said support, means at said point adapted by the arrival of articles to cause the actuation of said last incntioned means, and means adapted to limit the loading of said support with articles. and means brought into operation by said last mentioned means adapted to move said articles. 1

6. In a stacking mechanism. a support for articles. means adapted to load articles upon said support in stacked relation, means adapted to move the stacked articles, and means adapted to operate when said support has been loaded a prcdeterminahle amount to cause the operation of said stack moving means.

7. In a machine for handling articles. a support for holding articles in grouped relation, means for feeding articles toward said support to be assembled in groups, means adapted to handle grouped articles, and means adapted when said support has articles assembled into a group of a predeterminalole size or quantity to cause the. op-

eration of said last mentioned means.

In a mechanism "for handling articles, a runway adapted to have articles moved thereon indissociated relation, a rack coextensive with said runway but at an elevated level relative thereto, a support for articles at the level of said rack adapted to support articles in stacked relation, elevating means at the end of said runway to raise articles to said support and to group the articles in stacked relation, and means adapted to move said articles in stacked relation olii' said support onto said rack.

9. In a mechanism for handling articles, a runway adapted to have articles moving thereon in dissociated relation, a racl; disposed at an elevated level relative to said runway, a support for articles above said runway adapted to support articles in stacked relation, elevating means at the end of said runway for raising articles to said support to group the same in stacked relation, means adapted for moving said articles in stacked relation ott said support upon said rack, and means adapted to limit the loading of articles upon said support arranged to bring said last mentioned means into operation.

10. In a mechanism for handling articles, a runway adapted to have articles moved thereon in dissociated relation, a rack above said runway, a support for articles above said runway adapted to support articles in stacked relation, elevating means at the end of said runway for raising articles to said support, and means operable by the engagement with said articles upon the arrival thereof beneath said support adapted to bring said elevating means into operation, and means adapted to move said articles old said support onto said rack.

11. In a mechanism for handling articles, a runway adapted to have articles moved thereon in dissociated relation, a rack above said runway, a support for articles above said runway adapted to support articles in stacked relation, elevating means at the end of said runway for raising articles to said support, and means operableby the engagement with said articles upon the arrival thereof beneath said support adapted to bring said elevating means into operation and means adapted to move said articles off said support onto said raclr.

12. In a mechanism for handling articles, a runway adapted to have articles moved thereon in dissociated relation, a support for articles above said runway adapted to support articles in stacked relation, elevating means at the end of said runway for raising articles to said support, and means operable by the engagement with said articles upon the arrival thereof beneath sa d support adapted to bring said elevating means into operation.

13, In agnechanism for handling articles,

a runway adapted to have articles moved thereon in dissociated relation, a rack above said runway, a support for articles above said runway adapted to support articles in stacked relation, elevating means heneath said support for raising articles from said runway to said support, a trip adjacent said elevating mcans adapted upon the engagement of articles therewith to bring said elevating means into operation, said support being adapted to hold said articles in stacked relation, an ejector adjacent said support to move said articles in stacked relation off said support upon said rack, and a trip for said support adapted to limit the height of the stack of articles loaded thereon and arranged upon the attainment of a certain height to cause the operation of said ejector.

14-. In a mechanism for handling articles, a horizontal runway having means for if eding articles thereacross, a support adapted to have said articles loaded thereon in stacked relation, a rack adjacent said support and ejecting means adjacent said sup port to eject the stack of articles therefrom upon said rack.

15. In a stacking mechanism, a runwav adapted to have articles fed thereacross in dissociated relation, a rack at an elevated level adapted to have articles placed thereon in stacked relation, elevating means for said runway adapted to raise articles to the level of said rack, a support at the level of said rack adapted to hold said articles, said elevating means being adapted successively to raise articles to said support to be held thereby at the level of said rack, each succeeding load of said elevating means being adapted to raise the previous loads deposited with said support and to be bottommost in turn in the stack formed on said support by repeated operations of said elevating means, and means for ejecting said articles in stacked relation from said support upon said rack.

16. In a stacking mechanism, arunway adapted to have articles fed thereacross in dissociated relation, a rack at an elevated level adapted to have articles placed there on in stacked relation, elevating means for said runway adapted to raise articles to the level of said rack, support at the level of said rack adapted to hold said articles. said elevating means being adapted successively to raise articles to said support to be held thereby at the level of said rack, each succeeding load of said elevating means being adapted to raise the previous loads deposited with said support and to be hottommost in turn in the stack formed on said support by repeated operations of said elevating means, means to limit the extent of loading of said support by said elevating means, and meansadapted when a load of a predetern'iined size has been deposited on said support to eject the load from said support upon said rack.

17. In a stacking mechanism, a runway along which articles are adapted to be fed, a support disposed over the end oi? said runway in spaced relation to permit the passage of an article therebeneath on said runway, elevating means operatingbeneath said support to raise articles from said runway to said support, said support being adapted to receive said articles throu h the bottom thereof and to hold the same, a rack at the levcl ot said SllPPOl'lI, and means adapted to eject said articles from said support onto said rack.

18. In a stacking mechanism, a runway along which articles are adapted to be fed, a conveyor in said runway adapted to expose partially the under side of the article being conveyed, a support disposed over the end of said runway in spaced relation to permit the passage of an article therebe neath on said runway, and elevating means operating beneath said support transverse to the conveyor adapted to engage the exposed under portion of the article and to raise the article from said runway to said support, said support being adapted to receive said article through the bottom thereof and to hold the same.

19. In a stacking mechanism, arunway along which articles are adapted to be fed, a support disposed over the end of said runway in spaced relation to permit the passage of an article therebeneath on said runway, elevating means operating beneath said support to raise articles from said runway to said support, said support being adapted to receive said articles through the bottom thereof and to hold the same, a rack at the level of said support, means adapted to eject said articles from said support onto said rack, and means spaced from the bottom of said support adapted upon the accun'iulation oi. a predeterminable quantity of articles in said support to operate said ejecting means.

20. In a mechanism of the character described the combination of feed belts adapted to impel articles frictionally in a certain direction, means adapted to receive said articles to raise the same above the level of said belts, a trip member adapted to be engaged by said articles upon arrival at said raising means adapted thereby to place said raising means into operation, and means operating to increase the traction between said belts and said articles when the latter reach the vicinity of the said trip member to insure the proper force of engagement therewith of said articles to cause the operation of said raising means.

21. In a stacking mechanism, means for feeding articles along a runway, a support above the one end of said runway, an elevating table disposed normally beneath said support at the end and in. the plane of said runway adapted to be operated through a single reciprocation to raise an article to said. support and to return to normal position, a trippcr at the end of said runway adapted to be operated by the engagementot an article being fed to cause the operation of said taale, said table being arranged to operate successively to form a stack of articles held by said support, the stack being added. to from beneath by articles raised on said table and being arranged to be lifted by said table with the articles as they are added to the stack, an ejector normally disposed alongside said support for ejecting said articles from said support in stacked relation adapted to be operated through a single reciprocation to eject the articles and thereupon to return to normal position, and a trip for said support adapted upon the accumulation of a stack of a predeterminable height to be operated in the lifting of said stack with an article on said table to cause the ope z tion out said ejector.

22. In a mechanism for handling articles, means for feeding articles toward a certain point, a support disposed above said point and adapted to have said articles fed beneath the same, means adjacent said point for raising said articles to said support, said support having a bottom portion adapted to open to admit articles and thereupon to close on said articles to hold the same, and means adjacent said bottom portion adapted to eject said articles from said support.

23. In mechanism for handling articles, means for feeding articles toward a certain point, a tripping device operated by the arrival of an article, a support disposed above said point and adapted to have said. articles fed beneath the same, and means adjacent said point for raising said articles to said support, said means being operated by said tripping device, said support having a bottom portion adapted to open to admit arti cles and thereupon to close on said articles to hold the same.

24:. In a mechanism for handling articles, means for feeding articles toward a certain point, a support disposed above said point and adapted to have said articles fed beneath the same, means at said point for raising said articles into said support, said support having means adjacent its lower end adapted to be receded to admit articles and thereupon to return to normal position to hold the same, said raising means being adapted to operate successively to raise articles into said support to form a stack therein, means spaced above the lower end of said support adapted to limit the height of the stacks therein, and means adapted to eject the stacks from the support.

25. In a mechanism of the character described, a support for articles comprising means adapted to permit the passage of articles thereby one way but to retain the articles against movementpast the same the opposite way whereby to hold the articles, means adapted to move articles toward said support past said retaining means, to form a stack, means to move said stack laterally off said support, and means above the stack operated by a predetermined height thereof to operate said removing means, whereby the stacking operation may be automatically continuous.

26. In a mechanism of the character described adapted for stacking articles, means for moving the stacks of articles comprising a reciprocatory member presenting a face to the vertical side of the stacks inclined therefrom whereby said member engages and is effective in moving the lowermost articles of the stack first.

27. In a. mechanism of the character described adapted for stacking articles in relatively high stacks, reciprocatory means for moving the stacks operating with an accelerated motion but adapted to prevent the collapse of the stacks due to the inertia of the uppermost articles thereof effective upon starting from stationary position and again upon stopping.

28. In amechanism of the character described adapted for stacking articles in relatively high stacks, means for moving the stacks of articles adapted to cause the upper portion of the stacks to recline when the same are moved from stationary position whereby the stacks upon stopping by virtue of the inertia, which again is effective on stopping, will reassume its initial vertical form.

29. In a mechanism of the character described adapted for stacking articles, means for moving the stacks of articles, and a support to receive the same, said support being inclined upwardly at the point where said stacks enter thereon whereby to slacken the same in their movement and to dissipate the inertia of the stacks tending to cause the stacks to collapse.

30. In a mechanism of the character described adapted for stacking articles, a support adapted to receive the stacks of articles, and means adapted to move the stacks to said support, said means being arranged to operate to cause said stacks to recline slightly in moving from stationary position, and said support being inclined at the point where the stacks enter thereon whereby to cause the reclined stacks to reassume an upright vertical position when the same come to a stop on said support.

81. In a mechanism of the character described, a support, means adapted to place articles in said support to form a stack therein, and a reciprocatory ejector adjacent said support adapted to eject the stacks therefrom, said ejector being tiltable in variable angular relation to said support.

32. In a mechanism of the character described, an elevated support, an elevator op erating therebeneath to deposit articles in said support, a rack adjacentsaid support on one side adapted to receive articles from said support, and an ejector reciprocable over said support to eject articles therefrom onto said rack, said ejector being pivotally mounted to permit upward projection thereof in the event of interference with said elevator in said support.

33. In a mechanism of the character described, an elevated support, an elevator op erating therebeneath to deposit articles in said support, a rack adjacent said support on one side adapted to receive articles from said support, and an ejector reciprocable over said support to eject articles therefrom onto said rack, said ejector being pivotally mounted to permit upward projection thereof in the event of interference with said elevator in said support, and having an adjustment to vary the angular relation thereof with respect to said support.

34;. In a mechanism of the character described, a support, means for placing articles in said support to form stacks therein, a rack adjacent said support adapted to re ceive said stacks, and a reciprocatory ejector adjacent said support adapted to eject the stacks therefrom, said ejector being adjustable to variable angular relation with respect to said support, and said rack being adjustable to variable angular relation with respect to said support.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto afIiXed my vsignature.

SIGVVALD GRUNLEE.

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