Register-retaining apparatus for rotary sheet presses

Claim 1

IN A MACHINE HAVING CHAIN DRIVEN GRIPPER SYSTEMS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED SYSTEMS AND DRIVEN CHAINS FOR TRANSPORTING SAID GRIPPER SYSTEMS AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE OTHER SHEET-TRANSFER SYSTEM FOR TRANSFER OF REGISTERED SHEETS OF MATERIAL BETWEEN IT AND SAID CHAIN DRIVEN GRIPPER SYSTEMS INDIVIDUALLY, SAID GRIPPER SYSTEMS COMPRISING BARS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID CHAINS AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID BARS ON SAID CHAINS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES REGISTER-RETAINING MEANS COOPERATIVE WITH SAID CHAIN-DRIVEN GRIPPER SYSTEMS INDIVIDUALLY COMPRISING, TWO PAIRS OF SPACED ROLLERS ON SAID GRIPPER BARS ADJACENT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, EACH PAIR OF ROLLERS HAVING THE AXES OF THE TWO ROLLERS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL AND SPACED FROM EACH OTHER, MEANS DEFINING TWO FIXED GUIDE SURFACES DISPOSED FOR ENGAGEMENT BY A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID TWO PAIRS OF ROLLERS AT LEAST DURING TRANSFER OF A SHEET BETWEEN SAID SHEET-TRANSFER SYSTEM AND THE INDIVIDUAL GRIPPER SYSTEMS, MEANS TO BIAS SAID PAIRS OF ROLLERS INTO CONTROLLED ROLLING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID GUIDE SURFACES DURING AN INTERVAL OF TRAVELLING MOVEMENT OF SAID CHAINS CORRESPONDING AT LEAST TO SAID INTERVAL DURING WHICH SAID TRANSFER TAKES PLACE BETWEEN SAID INDIVIDUAL CHAIN DRIVEN GRIPPER SYSTEMS, THE LAST MENTIONED MEANS COMPRISING FOR EACH PAIR OF SAID PAIRS OF ROLLERS A THIRD ROLLER AUTOMATICALLY POSITIONED BETWEEN THE ROLLERS OF A GIVEN PAIR OF SAID TWO PAIRS OF ROLLERS FOR BIASING SAID TWO ROLLERS OF SAID GIVEN PAIR INTO STEADY ENGAGEMENT WITH A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID SURFACES DURING SAID TRANSFER INTERVAL, MEANS MOUNTING EACH OF SAID THIRD ROLLERS FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID GUIDE SURFACES COMPRISING MEANS CONSTANTLY RESILIENTLY BIASING EACH OF SAID THIRD ROLLERS TOWARD SAID ONE GUIDE SURFACE THEREBY TO PERMIT SAID THIRD ROLLERS TO BE RECIPROCABLY MOVABLE IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID GUIDE SURFACES AND TO BE URGED BETWEEN THE TWO SPACED ROLLERS AND BIAS THEM BOTH INTO CONSTANT ENGAGEMENT WITH GUIDE SURFACES DURING SAID TRANSFER INTERVAL, AND MEANS COOPERATIVE WITH SAID RESILIENT MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY POSITIONING SAID THIRD ROLLERS BETWEEN THE TWO SPACED ROLLERS OF A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID SURFACES, AND SAID THIRD ROLLERS COOPERATING WITH SAID FIXED GUIDE SURFACES WHEN ENGAGED BETWEEN RESPECTIVE PAIR OF ROLLERS IN POSITIVELY HOLDING SAID GRIPPER SYSTEMS STEADY DURING A TRANSFER OPERATION.