US2488551A - Sheet feeding and gauging mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Nov, 22, 194% R. E. J. NORDQUIST E'TAL 5 5 SHE ET FEEDING AND GAUGING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 19, 1947 ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1949 R. E. J. NORDQUIST ETAL SHEET FEEDING AND GAUGING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 194':

ENT R5 2 'zaj ATTORNEY$ Nov. 22, 1949 R. E. J. NORDQUIST ETAL SHEET FEEDING AND GAUGING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 19, 1947 7 4l .l Z IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII pi I: I I 2 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Illll 7 ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1949 R. E. J. NORDQUIST ETAL SHEET FEEDING AND GAUGING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 19. 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 i p w ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1949 R. E. J. NORDQUIST EI'AL 2,483,551

I SHEET FEEDING AND GAUGING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 19, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 5 INV T05 MI ATTORNEYS R. E. J. NORDQUIST ET AL SHEET FEEDING AND GAUGING MECHANISM Nov. 22, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 19, 1947 INVENTORS MK 8 MN "j r 47* 4 lfl ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 22, 1949 z,4 ss,ssi

SHEET FEEDIN G AND GAUGING MECHANISM Ronald E. J. Nordquist, Maplewood, and Bruno A. Baumann, Newark, N. J assignors to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 19, 1947, Serial N0. 769,364

10 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a sheet feeding and gauging mechanism in which sheet material is required to be located in an accurate predetermined position for further treatment and has particular reference to sheet gauging devices which are movable at an angle to the path of travel of the sheets for locating the sheets in proper position. Reference is here made to our copending United States application Serial Number 769,365, filed August 19, 1947, on Sheet feeding and gauging mechanism.

An object of the invention is the provision in sheet feeding and gauging mechanism of gauging devices which operate to shift a sheet into a. predetermined gauged position gently and gradually while the sheet is traveling forward at a high rate of speed so that accurate positioning of the sheet may be obtained without in any way impairing the sheet or interfering with a desired high speed gauging and feeding of the sheet.

Another object is the provision of such gauging devices wherein the devices are timed with the travel of the sheets so that the gauging of a plurality of sheets moving in a procession will be effected at a predetermined point on the edges of all sheets alike.

Another object of the invention is the provision in such gauging devices of a novel pressure device wherein a controlled yielding action may be had in connection withthe gauging devices to facilitate proper gauging of a fast moving sheet.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred-embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mechanism embodying the instant invention, with parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Figs. 4, and 6 are transverse sectional views taken substantially along the respective lines 4-4, 55, 66 in Fig. 3, with parts broken away;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the gauging devices used in the mechanism, with parts broken away; v

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the gaugin device shown in Fig. 7 and taken substantially along the line 8-8 in Fig. 3, with parts broken away;

parts of the devices and the sheet being broken I away;

Fig. 13 is a greatly enlarged sectional detail taken substantially along the line l3-l3 in Fig. 12, with parts broken away;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged side view of a back gauge used in the mechanism and shown in gauging position against a portion of a sheet being gauged, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 15 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line I5l5 in Fig. l and showing a sheet in position, with parts broken away; and

Figs. 16 and 17 are sectional details taken substantially along the respective lines |6I5, l1-l'l in Fig. 1, with parts broken away.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate principal parts of a sheet feeding and gauging mechanism for feeding and gauging sheets A of tin plate or the like sheet material and for advancing them into a sheet treating machine such as a printing machine, scroll shear, slitter or other machine used for preparing or converting the sheets into container or can parts.

In such a feeding and gauging mechanism the sheets A are advanced along a straight line path of travel between a pair of side gauges B (Fig. 1) which are disposed at converging angles and which include side gauging elements moving in time with the sheet. gradually move inwardly toward the moving sheet, engaging gently against the two opposite side edges of the sheet near its middle and thereby shift the sheet into a predetermined side gauged position. This gentle and gradual locating of the sheet is readily efiected while the sheet is moving at a high rate of speed and is thus desirable for high speed feeding of sheets.

As the sheets move into a side gauged position a pair of back gauging devices C (Fig. 1) engage the rear edge of the moving sheet and bring this edge into a squared-up or gauged position, thus The gauging elements gauging the sheet by a three point gauging contact. This gauging of the sheet along its rear edge and along its side edges is effected preferably as the sheet approaches a gauging station D (Fig. 1). When the sheet reaches this station, the gauging is complete, and the sheet is in its predetermined gauged position.

Immediately upon location of the sheet in its gauged position, the forward or leading edge of the sheet is gripped between advancing instrumentalities E which take the sheet away from the gauging elements and advance it rapidly into the subsequent operation machine while retaining the sheet in its gauged position. This completes the cycle of operation of the sheet into and through a gauged position.

The sheets A to be gauged and advanced into the subsequent operation machine for further treatment are fed into the feeding mechanism at the right as viewed in Fig. 1, from any suitable source of supply. The entering sheets travel in a continuous procession one behind the other in spaced relation on a pair of endless feed chains or conveyors 2| (Figs. 1 and 2) having feed dogs 22 secured thereto at spaced intervals along the chains for propelling engagement with the rear transverse edge of the sheets. The upper or feeding runs of these chains operate in longitudinal guide grooves 24 formed in support rails 25 which extend longitudinally of the feeding mechanism. These support rails are mounted on brackets 26 bolted to a frame 21 which may constitute the main frame of the mechanism.

The sheets A during their travel through the mechanism rest in a horizontal flat position on the support rails 25 and intermediate thereof on a pair of spaced and parallel auxiliary support rails 3|, which are carried on support brackets 32 disposed adjacent the ends of the rails and mounted on the main frame 21.

The feed chains 2| operate over two pairs of front and rear idler sprockets 35 (Figs. 1 and 2), a pair of auxiliary idler sprockets 36, and a pair of driving sprockets 31. The idler sprockets 35 are mounted on short shafts 38 journaled in bearings 39 formed at the ends of the two support rails 25. The auxiliary idler sprockets 36 are mounted in spaced relation on a transverse shaft 4| journaled in bearings formed in the main frame 21. The driving sprockets 31 are mounted in spaced relation on a transverse driving sprocket shaft 42 which is journaled in suitable bearings formed in the main frame 21 adjacent the transverse shaft 4|.

The driving sprocket shaft 42 is continuously rotated by a drive sprocket 45 (Fig. 1) which is mounted on one end of the shaft. The drive sprocket is rotated by an endless drive chain 46 which operates over a sprocket 41 carried on one end of a transverse gear shaft 48. This end of the gear shaft is journaled in a bearing bracket 49 secured to the main frame 21. The opposite end of the shaft is journaled in a bearing formed in a gear casing 52 bolted to the main frame. Intermediate its ends the shaft is journaled in a pair of bearing brackets 53 which are fastened to longitudinal beams 54 of the main frame.

In the gear casing 52, the gear shaft 48 carries a bevel gear 56 which meshes with a bevel gear 51 mounted on an auxiliary drive shaft 58 journaled in a pair of spaced bearings 59 formed in the gear casing. The auxiliary drive shaft 58 extends beyond the gear casing 52 and is journaled a bearing 62 formed in a drive housing 83 located at the exit end of the feeding mechanism.

The auxiliary drive shaft 58 terminates within the drive housing 63 and carries on this end of the shaft a bevel gear 65. Gear 65 meshes with and is driven by a bevel gear 66 which is mounted on a short cross shaft 51 journaled in bearings 55 formed in the drive housing. The cross shaft carries a pinion 59 which meshes with and is driven by a differential gear 1| (see also Figs. 2, 15 and 17) loosely mounted on but not directly driven by a main driving shaft 12 which extends across the exit end of the feeding mechanism. One end of this driving shaft is journaled in a bearing 13 formed in the drive housing 63. The other end of the driving shaft is journaled in a bearing 14 formed in an auxiliary drive housing 15 located on the opposite side of the feeding mechanism main frame 21.

The differential gear 1| meshes with and is driven by a pinion 11 secured to one end of a roller shaft 18 disposed above and in parallelism with the driving shaft 12. The ends of the roller shaft are journaled in rectangular shaped bear ing blocks 19 disposed in slide openings 8| (Fig. 15) in the drive housing 63 and in the auxiliary drive housing 15. These bearing blocks are movable vertically in the housing openings 8| to permit of a slight vertical movement of the roller shaft 18 relative to the driving shaft 12 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. For this purpose the vertical edges of the bearing blocks 19 are formed with slide grooves 82 (Fig. 1) which partially surround and operate against vertical slides 83 formed in the housings adjacent the slide openings 8|.

In the auxiliary drive housing 15 the roller shaft 18 carries a gear 85 (Figs. 1, 15 and 17) which meshes with and which is driven by a main driving gear 86 secured to the main driving shaft 12. The main driving shaft is rotated in any suitable manner.

Hence through this gear tram the main driving shaft 12 rotates the roller shaft 18, the short cross shaft 61, the auxiliary drive shaft 58, the transverse gear shaft 48 and the sprocket shaft 42 in proper synchronism and thereby actuates the feed chains 2| in the proper timed relation for advancing the sheets A to be gauged, along a straight line path of travel through the feeding mechanism as hereinbefore mentioned.

Side gauging of the moving sheets A while they are propelled by the conveyors 2| toward the gauging station D is effected by the side gauges B as mentioned above. There are two of these gauges located one on each side of the straight line path of travel of a sheet A through the feeding mechanism and they are of similar construction.

The side gauges 13 include two sets of endless chain conveyors 90, 9| (Figs. 1, 3, 7 and 8) which are disposed in a horizontal position and at a slight angle to the path of travel of the sheets propelled by the feeding conveyors 2| The gauging conveyors on both sides of the path of travel of the sheets converge toward the exit end of the feeding mechanism. Each of the gauging conveyors 90, 9| comprises a pair of spaced and parallel, upper and lower chains which operate as a unitary double conveyor structure as shown in Fig. 3.

Each set of gauging chains 90, 9| operate over pairs of spaced double sprockets, which constitute idler sprockets 92 and driving sprockets 93 (Fig. 3). The idler sprockets 92 of each set of chains are mounted on a stationary vertical stud 95 (Figs. 1 and 3) which is secured in a bracket 96 mounted on the main frame 21. two of these brackets, located one on each side of the path of travel of the sheets, for the two sets of guaging chains. The driving sprockets 93 of each set of chains are mounted on the upper end of a vertically disposed driven shaft 91 which is joumaled in a bearing 90 formed in the brackets 96.

The two sets of angularly disposed gauging chains 90, 9I located on opposite sides of the path of travel of the sheets are actuated continuously, in unison, and in opposite directions so that their inner runs, 1. e. the runs adjacent the movingsheet, move in the direction of travel of the sheet and at the same speed as that of the sheet. This continuous and synchronous actuation of the gauging chains is brought about by helical gears IOI (Figs. 3 and 4) which are mounted on the lower ends of the driving sprocket shafts 91 of the gauging devices 3. The gears are located within recesses I02 formed in the brackets 96.

The helical gears IOI mesh with and are driven by helical gears I04 mounted on a pair of longitudinal driving shafts I05 (see also Fig. 9) the ends of which are journaled in bearings I06 formed in the brackets 96 and in bearings I01 (see Fig. 1) formed in the brackets 53. There are two of these driving shafts I05 located one on each side of the path of travel of the sheets A. At the brackets 53 the ends of thedriving shafts I05 carry helical gears I09 which mesh with and are driven by helical gears II I mounted on the continuously rotated transverse gear shaft 48. Through this connection with the transverse ear shaft 48 the gauging chains 90, 9| are continuously actuated in the proper timed relation with the travel of a sheet A to be gauged as hereinbefore mentioned.

The two chains of each set of gauging conveyors 90, 9I intermediate their idler sprockets 92 and driving sprockets 93 are maintained in their properly spaced horizontal planes against sagging by a pair of spaced and parallel plates 2 (Figs. 1, 3 and 13) the outer longitudinal edgesof which engage against and support the chains. These plates are held in separated relation, by spacer sleeves I I3 interposed between them. The plates and thesleeves are held in position by long bolts which extend through these parts and are threadedly secured in the brackets 96.

Gauging of a sheet A is effected while the sheet, propelled by the feeding conveyors 2I passes between the two angularly disposed gauging chains 90, 9I and is brought about by a stop roller or element '4 (Figs. 1 and 12) and a tension or gauging roller or element I I5 carried on the gauging conveyors or chains 90, 9| respectively. The stop roller I I4 is a fixed gauging element disposed between and traveling with the upper and lower chains of the gauging conveyor 90. The roller is rotatably mounted on a vertical pin II6 the ends of which are secured in the upper and the lower chains of this gauging conveyor 90. The tension or gauging roller or element H5 is a movable and yieldable gauging element and is disposed between the upper and lower chains of the gauging conveyor 9|. This roller is rotatably mounted on a vertical pin I2I (see Figs. 12 and 13) the ends of which are secured in a pair of spaced and parallel swing arms I22 mounted on pivot pins I23 carried in the upper and lower There are chains of the gauging conveyor 9|. Thus the gauging roller H5 is free to swing outwardly or inwardly relative to its gauging conveyor. Stop lugs I25 formed on the inner edges of the swing arms I22 engage against the inner edges of the chains and thus limit the outward travel of the arms for preventing the roller from swinging too far in this direction. 7

The two gauging rollers H4, 5 are mounted on their respective gauging conveyors 90, 9| in transverse opposing alignment and travel with their conveyors in unison around the sprockets 92, 93 and along the longitudinal inner and outer runs of the chains in this aligned relation. Dur-'- ing this travel, the yieldable gauging roller III as it moves along the outer run of the conveyor 9| and passes around the idler sprocket 92 is backed up by a stationary guide rail I21 (Figs. 3, 6 and 8). This guide'rail is disposed in spaced relation to and between the chain guide plates I I2 and is secured by bolts I28 to the upper plate. The guide rail prevents the roller from swinging inwardly as it travels along with its conveyor.

Both the stop roller H4 and the gauging roller II5, moving with their respective gauging conveyors 90. 9| swing around their idler sprockets 92 at the same time and come into position adjacent but not touching the side edges of the sheet A moving forward on the feed conveyors 2 I. This action is timed so that the rollers H4, H5 are located intermediate the ends of the sheet in a substantially midway relation. The sheet and the rollers travel forward together at the same speed and with the sheet interposed between the rollers as the latter move along the inner. runs of their conveyor chains 90, 9I

As the yieldableroller II5 travels around its idler sprocket 92 it rides off its guide rail I21 but is restrained against uncontrolled movement toward the sheet by an auxiliary roller or gauge element actuating member I3I (Figs. 4 and 13) which is mounted on the roller pin I2I above and adjacent the yieldable roller. This auxiliary roller engages against and rolls along an auxiliary guide rail I32 (Figs. 6 and 8) which extends along the inner run of the gauging conveyor for substantially one half its length and curves around the idler sprocket 92, terminating adjacent and overlapping the terminal end of the guide rail I21. The auxiliary guide rail is disposed between the chain guide plates H2 in spaced relation thereto and is bolted to the upper plate.

As the sheet A continues to advance alongits straight line path of travel, the two gauging rollers H4, H5 moving with their angularly disposed gauging conveyors 90, 9I gradually approach the sheet and gently engage against its opposite side edges substantially midway between its ends. If one or the other of the rollers engages a sheet edge before the other, the sheet will be shifted laterally by the engaging roller as the sheet moves forward. The purpose of such lateral shifting of the sheet is to bring it into engagement with the stop roller I I4 and to hold it in this position until it reaches the gauging station D.

Holding of the sheet against the stop roller I is efiected by spring pressure acting against the yieldable roller II5. This spring pressure is exerted against the yieldable roller during its travel along substantially the last half of the inner run of the gauging conveyor 9|. For this purpose the auxiliary roller I3I adjacent the yieldable gauging roller H5 in traveling with the conveyor 9I rides oil the guide rail I32 and rides onto a yieldable continuing track section I35 (Figs. .8. l0 and 13). This track section extends along the inner run of the gauging conveyor 9| from the terminal end of the auxiliary rail I32 and curves around the driving sprocket 93 where it terminates in overlapping relation with the guide rail I21.

The yieldable track section I35 is formed on 9. depending hinge arm I36 (Fig. 10) having a long horizontal hub I31 (see Fig. 11) mounted on a pivot shaft I38 the ends of which are carried in a pair of spaced bearing lugs I39 extending up from the adjacent bracket 96. The hinge arm I36 is formed with a laterally extended bifurcated arm I42 which partially surrounds and supports a vertically disposed spring barrel I43. The spring barrel is formed with trunnions I44 which are pivotally mounted in the bifurcated arm.

The spring barrel I43 carries a hollow spring adjusting nut I46 which encloses a compression spring I4'I surrounding a vertical support pin I46 having a rounded head I49 on its lower end seated in a recess II in the bracket 96. The upper end of the pin projects through an opening in the top of the adjusting nut. The spring is interposed between the adjusting nut and the rounded head of the pin I48 and thus exerts its force through the spring barrel, against the arms I36, I42 and the yieldable track section I35.

This spring pressure normally keeps the outer edge of the yieldable rail in line with the outer edge of the auxiliary guide rail I32 as shown in Fig. 8, a stepped overlapping stop I59 being provided at the adjacent terminal ends of the rails to limit the outward movement of the yieldable track section.

Thus when the yieldable gauging roller I I5 engages the adjacent edge of a moving sheet A and pushes the sheet laterally against the stop roller II4 on the opposite side of the mechanism, the sheet is in a gauged position relative to its side edges and the gauging roller cannot move the sheet any further. Hence during the remainder of the travel of the gauging roller along the angularly disposed inner run of its gauging conveyor 9|, the roller moves along a straight line path of travel with the sheet and the difference between these two paths of travel is taken up by the compression spring I41, the auxiliary roller I 3! pressing the yieldable track section I35 inwardly and thereby compressing the spring.

As the side gauged sheet approaches the gauging station D, the side edge portions of the sheet pass between a pair of upper and lower vertical retaining members I55, I56 (Figs. '7, 8 and having a clearance space between them slightly larger than the thickness of the sheet for retaining the sheet in a flat condition as it passes into the gauging station. There are two sets of these retaining members located one on each side of the mechanism at the gauging station and disposed close to but clear of the path of travel of the stop and gauging rollers H4, H5.

The upper retaining members I55 are secured to overhanging brackets I51 (Figs. 7 and 10) which are bolted to the upper gauging conveyor guide plates I I2. The lower retaining members I56 are bolted to bosses I58 (Figs. 8 and 10) formed on the brackets 96.

When the gauging rollers H4, H5 are almost in transverse alignment with the gauging station D, i. e. just before the rollers come into position along a transverse line connecting the centers of the two driving sprockets 93, the side gauged sheet is gauged along its rear edge to bring the sheet into a fully gauged position. Gauging of the sheet along its rear edge is eifected at two spaced apart places thus making the full gauging of the sheet under a three point engagement. the two back gauging points being taken with the side gauging point effected by the stop roller H4.

Back gauging of the sheet along its rear edge is eifected by a pair of spaced rotary back gauges I6I (Figs. 1 and 14) which are adjustably mounted on arms I62 keyed in spaced relation onto a transverse back gauge shaft I63. One end of this shaft is journaled in a bearing bracket I65 (Fig. 1) bolted to the main frame 21. The other end of the shaft is journaled in a bearing I66 formed in the gear casing 52. Within the gear casing this end of the shaft carries a bevel gear I61 which meshes with and which is driven by a bevel pinion I68 carried on the continuously rotated auxiliary drive shaft 58.

Through the above described connection with the driving means of the mechanism the back gauge shaft I63 is continuously rotated in time with the other moving parts of the mechanism. The rotation of the back gauge shaft rotates the back gauge arms I62 in unison through a circular path of travel below the sheets advanced by the feeding conveyors 2I and brings the back gauges I6I up behind a side gauged sheet at the proper time for engaging against the rear edge of the sheet.

As the back gauges I6I contact the sheet edge, they advance the sheet forward and away from the feed dogs 22 on the feeding conveyors 2| and shift the sheet into a position where both gauges squarely engage the sheet edge. In this position of the sheet. where both back gauges IBI and the stop roller II4 are in contact with the rear and sides respectively, the sheet is in a fully gauged position as shown in Fig. 1. This occurs just as the stop roller H4 and its cooperating yieldable gauging roller II5 come into alignment with the gauging station D. At this station the stop roller II4 engages against and is backed-up by a backing hub I69 (Fig. 12) formed integrally with and between the adjacent driving sprockets 93.

When the sheet A is in this fully gauged position as shown in Fig. 1, its forward edge portion extends beyond the feeding mechanism and is disposed between upper and lower pairs of sep arated or open advancing rolls III, I'I2 (Figs. 1 and 15) mounted on and continuously rotated by the roll shaft 16 and the main drive shaft 12 respectively. As soon as the sheet reaches this fully gauged position as shown in Fig. 1, the upper advancing rolls I'll move down against the sheet, clamping it tightly against the lower advancing rolls I12 and thus together rapidly pull the gauged sheet out of the feeding mechanism and advance it into or toward the subsequent operation machine as hereinbefore mentioned. This clamping of the gauged sheet between the advancing rolls I'II, I'I2 arrests any further action of the gauging devices B on the sheet and thereby prevents the gauging devices from inadvertently shifting the sheet out of its gauged position after it has once been gauged and ready for further advancement.

Movement of the upper advancing rolls III into an open position to permit the entrance of the sheet between the rolls and to close them against the sheet and the lower rolls, to advance the sheet, is effected in time with the movement of the sheet and by differential devices located in the drive housings 63, 15. These diflerential devices include the differential gear II and the pinion 11 located in the drive housing 63 and a shaft 18, through the connecting gears 85, 8B, the.

pinions 11, I16 carried on the roll shaft rotate the differential gears 1|, I loosely mounted on the drive shaft and thereby rotate the cams I19 at a speed slower than that of either shaft. The speed of rotation of the cams is calculated to provide one rotation of the cams for each sheet A passing through the gauging station D.

Thus once for each sheet, the cams I19 raise the cam rollers I18 and the roll shaft 18 connected therewith to permit the forward edge portion of a gauged sheet to enter between the rolls I1I, I12 for clamping and advancing the gauged sheet as hereinbefore mentioned; It is for this reason that the roll shaft is mounted in the slide bearings 19.

The separation of the rolls I1I, I12 is just sufficient to permit a sheet to enter between them and is not great enough to effect an umneshing of the gears carried on the roll shaft 18 and the main drive shaft 12. Support extensions I8I (Fig. 1) of the feeding conveyor support rails project into the spaces adjacent the advancing rolls for supporting the sheets as they enter between the rolls. This advancement of the gauged sheet A into the subsequent operation machine completes the cycle of operations on the sheet.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

cent the opposite side of the path of travel of the sheet at an angle thereto and operable in time with the travel of the sheet, and a tension gauge element mounted in a yieldable position on said conveyor for engaging and gradually shifting the sheet laterally into engagement with said stop element for locating it in a gauged position.

2. In a sheet feeding and gauging mechanism, the combination of feeding means engageable with a sheet for advancing it along a path of travel, a pair of endless conveyors disposed one on each side of the path of travel of the sheet and at converging angles thereto and operable in time with the travel of the sheet and operable over sprockets disposed at a gauging station, a stop element carried on one of said conveyors, a backing hub for said stop element disposed adja- I cent said associated gauging station sprocket for holding the stop element in a predetermined position relative to its conveyor, a tension gauge element carried on the other of said conveyors directly opposite said stop element for engaging and gradually shifting the sheet laterally into engage ent with said stop element for locating it in agauged position, and yieldable means at said gauging station sprocket effective on said tension gauge element for compensating for variation in width of sheet being gauged.

3. In a sheet feeding and gauging mechanism, the combination of feeding means engageable with a sheet for advancing it along a path of travel, a pair of endless conveyors disposed one at each side of the path of travel of the sheet and at converging angles thereto and operable in time with the travel of the sheet, each of said conveyors comprising a pair of spaced and parallel endless chains operating as a unitary structure. a stop element carried by and mounted between the chains of one of said conveyors and extended beyond the outer surface of the chains, a tension gauge element'carried on and pivotally mounted bet-ween the chains of the other of said conveyors directl opposite said stop element for engaging and gradually shifting the sheet laterally into engagement with said stop element for locating it in a gauged position, and spring means connected with said pivotal mounting for yieldably pressing said tension gauge element against the sheet during the gauging operation.

4. In a sheet feeding and gauging mechanism, the combination of feeding means engageable with a sheet for advancing it along a path of travel, a stop element disposed adjacent one side of the path of travel of the sheet, an endless conveyor disposed adjacent the opposite side of the path of travel of the sheet at an angle thereto and operable in time with the travel of the sheet, a pivotal mounting carried on and movable with said conveyor, a tension gauge element carried on said pivotal mounting for engaging and gradually shifting the sheet laterally into engagement with said stop element for locating it in a gauged position, and stop means carried on said pivotal mounting and engageable with said conveyor for limiting the outward travel of said tension gauge element when said element is out of engagement with the sheet.

5. In a sheet feeding and gauging mechanism, the combination of feeding means engageable with a sheet for advancing it along a path of travel, a stop element disposed adjacent one side of the path of travel of the sheet, an endless conveyor disposed adjacent the opposite side of the path of travel of the sheet at an angle thereto and operable in time withthe-travel of the sheet,

a tension gauge element pivotally mounted on said conveyor for engaging and gradually shifting the sheet laterally into engagement with said stop element for locatingit in a gauged position, a track disposed adjacent a portion of the path of travel of said tension gauge element for backing up said'gauge element during the sheet gauging operation, and pressure means disposed adjacent said track for yieldably holding the track against said gauge element during the gauging operation. g

6. In a sheet feeding and gauging mechanism, the combination of feeding means engageable with a sheet for advancing it along a path of travel, a stop element disposed adjacent one side of the path of'travel of the sheet, an endless conveyor disposed adjacent the opposite side of the 11 path of travel of the sheet at an ang-le thereto and operable in time with the travel of the sheet, a tension gauge element pivotally mounted on said conveyor for engaging and gradually shifting the sheet laterally into engagement with said stop element for locating it in a gauged position, a guide rail disposed adjacent a major portion of the path of travel of said tension gauge element for maintaining said gauge element in a predetermined position relative to said conveyor, and a movable track section forming a continuation of said guide rail and disposed adjacent a gauging station for backing up said gauge element during the sheet gauging operation, and pressure means disposed adjacent said track section for yieldably holding the track against said gauge element during the gauging operation.

7. In a sheet feeding and gauging mechanism, the combination of feeding means engageable with a sheet for advancing it along a path of travel, a stop element disposed adjacent one side of the path of travel of the sheet, an endless conveyor disposed adjacent the opposite side of the path of travel of the sheet at an angle thereto and operable in time with the travel of the sheet, a tension gauge element pivotally mounted on said conveyor for engaging and gradually shift ing the sheet laterally into engagement with said stop element for locating it in a gauged position, a track section disposed adjacent a portion of the path of travel of said gauge element for backing up said eleemnt during the sheet gauging opera- .tion, a pivotal mounting for said track section, and spring means connecting with said pivotal mounting for yieldably pressing the track section against said gauge element during-the gauging operation.

8. In a sheet feeding and gauging mechanism, the combination of feeding means engageable with a sheet for advancing it along a path 01' travel, a stop element disposed adjacent one side of the path of travel of the sheet and having a combined forward and inward movement. an endless conveyor disposed adjacent the opposite side of the path of travel of the sheet at an angle thereto and operable in time with the travel of the sheet, a tension gauge element pivotally mounted on said conveyor for engaging and gradually shifting the sheet laterally into engagement with said stop element for locating it in a gauged position, a gauge element actuating member also carried on said conveyor, a track disposed adjacent a portion of the path of travel of said conveyor for engaging said gauge element actuating member for backing up said gauge element dur- 12 ing the sheet gauging operation, and pressure means disposed adjacent said track for yleldably pressing the track against said gauge element actuating member during the gauging operation.

9. In a sheet feeding and gauging mechanism, the combination of feeding means engageable with a sheet for advancing it along a path of travel, a stop element movable with and toward the advancing sheet and disposed adjacent one side of the path of travel of the sheet, a tension gauge element disposed adjacent the opposite side of the path of travel of the sheet and movable with and toward the advancing sheet for enga ing the sheet at a predetermined point and gradually shifting the sheet laterally into engagement with said moving stop element for locating it in a gauged position, and means disposed in the path of travel of the sheet and engageable therewith for retaining the sheet in its gauged position and for advancing it for further treatment independent of said feeding means.

10. In a sheet feeding and gauging mechanism, the combination of feeding means engageable with a sheet for advancing it along a path of travel, a stop element movable alongside of and toward said advancing sheet on one side of the path of travel of the sheet, a tension gauge element movable alongside of and toward the advancing sheet on the opposite side of the path of travel of the sheet said gauge element being movable in alignment with said stop element and at an angle thereto in time with the travel of the sheet for engaging the sheet at a predetermined point and gradually shifting the sheet laterally into engagement with said aligned stop element for locating it in a gauged position, and a pair of back gauges disposed adjacent said feeding means and engageable with the back edge of the moving sheet during the side gauging operation for squaring-up the back edge of the sheet relative to said stop element and the side edge of the sheet engaging thereagainst.

- RONALD E. J. NORDQUIST.

BRUNO A. BAUMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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