Device for separating individual groups of flat articles

Claim 1

A DEVICE FOR SEPARATING FLAT ARTICLES INTO INDIVIDUAL GROUPS OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL PORTIONS, COMPRISING AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR FOR CONTINUOUSLY MOVING SAID FLAT ARTICLES ALONG A PATHWAY TOWARD ONE END OF SAID CONVEYOR WITH THE ARTICLES ARRANGED IN SIDE BY SIDE UPRIGHT RELATION, A HORIZONTAL GUIDE, A SLIDE MEMBER POSITIONED THEREIN, A VERTICAL GUIDE CONNECTED TO SAID HORIZONTAL GUIDE, A CARRIER MEMBER SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID VERTIVAL GUIDE AND POSITIONED ABOVE SAID PATHWAY ADJACENT SAID ONE END OF SAID ENDLESS CONVEYOR FOR VERTICAL TO AND FRO MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY OF SAID PATHWAY, A SEPARATING MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIER AND DISPLACEABLE IN EITHER DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT ALONG SAID PATHWAY TO ENGAGE BETWEEN ADJACENT FLAT ARTICLES WHEN SAID CARRIER MEMBER IS MOVED DOWNWARDLY, YIELDING SPRING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CARRIER AND SEPARATING MEMBER TO MAINTAIN SAID SEPARATING MEMBER IN A NORMAL VERTICAL DEAD CENTER REST POSITION, AND COOPERATING CAM MEMBERS POSITIONED ON SAID CARRIER AND SEPARATING MEMBER OPERABLE WHEN SAID SEPARATING MEMBER IS IN ITS LOWERED POSITION TO PIVOT SAID SEPARATING MEMBER AND MOVE THE LOWER END THEREOF IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF CONVEYOR TRAVEL WHEN THE SAME IS IN POSITION BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT ARTICLES AND A STOP MEMBER POSITIONED ON SAID CARRIER, SAID COOPERATING CAM MEMBERS AND SAID STOP MEMBER BEING ADAPTED TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF SAID SEPARATING MEMBER ON SAID CARRIER MEMBER WHEN THE SAME IS IN ITS OPERATIVE POSITION.

Claim 2

A DEVICE FOR SEPARATING FLAT ARTICLES INTO INDIVIDUAL GROUPS OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL PORTIONS, COMPRISING AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR FOR CONTINUOUSLY MOVING SAID FLAT ARTICLES ALONG A PATHWAY TOWARD ONE END OF SAID CONVEYOR WITH THE ARTICLES ARRANGED IN SIDE BY SIDE UPRIGHT RELATION, A HORIZONTAL GUIDE, A SLIDE MEMBER POSITIONED THEREIN, A VERTICAL GUIDE CONNECTED TO SAID HORIZONTAL GUIDE, A CARRIER MEMBER SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID VERTIVAL GUIDE AND POSITIONED ABOVE SAID PATHWAY ADJACENT SAID ONE END OF SAID ENDLESS CONVEYOR FOR VERTICAL TO AND FRO MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY OF SAID PATHWAY, A SEPARATING MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIER AND DISPLACEABLE IN EITHER DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT ALONG SAID PATHWAY TO ENGAGE BETWEEN ADJACENT FLAT ARTICLES WHEN SAID CARRIER MEMBER IS MOVED DOWNWARDLY, YIELDING SPRING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CARRIER AND SEPARATING MEMBER TO MAINTAIN SAID SEPARATING MEMBER IN A NORMAL VERTICAL DEAD CENTER REST POSITION, AND COOPERATING CAM MEMBERS POSITIONED ON SAID CARRIER AND SEPARATING MEMBER OPERABLE WHEN SAID SEPARATING MEMBER IS IN ITS LOWERED POSITION TO PIVOT SAID SEPARATING MEMBER AND MOVE THE LOWER END THEREOF IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF CONVEYOR TRAVEL WHEN THE SAME IS IN POSITION BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT ARTICLES AND A STOP MEMBER POSITIONED ON SAID CARRIER, SAID COOPERATING CAM MEMBERS AND SAID STOP MEMBER BEING ADAPTED TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF SAID SEPARATING MEMBER ON SAID CARRIER MEMBER WHEN THE SAME IS IN ITS OPERATIVE POSITION.