Signature transfer mechanism

Claim 1

A TRANSFER FEED MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING SIGNATURE UNITS FROM A FIRST INTERMITTENTLY OPERATED CONVEYOR HAVING A FIRST PREDETERMINED PERIOD OF ACTUATION CYCLE TO A SECOND INTERMITTENTLY OPERATED CONVEYOR HAVING A PERIOD OF ACTUATION CYCLE CONSTITUTING A MULTIPLE OF SAID FIRST CYCLE PERIOD, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A FIRST DRIVE MECHANISM FOR SAID FIRST CONVEYOR INCLUDING A CONTINUOUSLY ROTATING SHAFT; CONTROL MEANS OPERABLE TO ACTUATE SAID FIRST DRIVE MECHANISM TO ADVANCE SAID FIRST CONVEYOR ONE CYCLE FOR EACH ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT; TRANSFER MECHANISM OPERABLE IN UNISON WITH SAID SHAFT AND EFFECTIVE TO TRANSFER SIGNATURE UNITS SINGLY FROM SAID FIRST CONVEYOR TO SAID SECOND CONVEYOR; A STEPPING MEMBER MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID CONTINUOUSLY ROTATING SHAFT; PAWL MEANS EFFECTIVE TO MOVE THE STEPPING MEMBER STEPWISE FROM A PREDETERMINED START POSITION IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE STEP PER ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT; RELEASE MEANS OPERABLE TO RESTORE SAID STEPPING MEMBEH TO SAID PREDETERMINED FINAL POSITION; SAME REACHES A PREDETERMINED FINAL POSITION; A SECOND DRIVE MECHANISM FOR THE SECOND CONVEYOR; AND MEANS TO ACTUATE SAID SECOND DRIVE MECHANISM WHEN THE STEPPING MEMBER REACHES SAID FINAL POSITION, SAID MEANS INCLUDING SWITCH MEANS TO INITATE SAID ACTIVATION OF THE SECOND DRIVE MECHANISM UPON MOMENTARY CLOSURE WITH LOCK-IN ELEMENTS EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN ACTUATION UNTIL THE SECOND CONVEYOR ADVANCES ONE COMPLETE CYCLE.