US3563360A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for feeding articles to be packaged, particularly journals, newspapers and the like, to packaging appliances
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1968-05-23
•
Granted: 1971-02-16
•
Expires: 1988-05-23
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a means for feeding articles onto a trueing table. In the vicinity of the table there is provided means including gripper arms operatively first to position the articles on the table and then secondly to move the article off from the table. The gripper arms are connected to a control means controlling the individual working movements of the gripper arms.
Inventors
- 👤 August Wickersheim
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 00:10
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B25/00; B65B25/14; B65B25/145; B65B35/00; B65B35/30; B65B35/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
Equipment for feeding material to packaging machines, in particular magazines, newspapers and the like which are put together in stacks, comprising an elongated machine frame, a horizontally arranged trueing plate mounted on said machine frame, a support frame extending upwardly above said trueing plate, a packaging means supported on said machine frame and spaced from said trueing plate, conveyor means supported on said machine frame for transporting materials to be packaged from said trueing plate to said packaging means, four gripper arms mounted on said support frame and located above and separate from said trueing plate, said gripper arms disposed in horizontally spaced relationship to one another and arranged to define the corners of a variable rectangularly-shaped area aligned above said trueing plate, a drive means for each said gripper arm, each said drive means secured to said support frame and in operative engagement with one of said gripper arms for moving said gripper arms in the horizontal direction diagonally relative to said trueing plate into and out of engagement with the corners of a stack of material located on said trueing plate, a control mechanism for individually actuating said drive means for said gripper arms and for regulating the movement of said gripper arms, and means arranged for guiding at least certain of said driving means and said gripper arms in operative engagement therewith for moving the material from said trueing plate to said conveyor means for transporting material to be packaged to said packaging means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
Equipment for feeding material to packaging machines, in particular magazines, newspapers and the like which are put together in stacks, comprising an elongated machine frame, a horizontally arranged trueing plate mounted on said machine frame, a support frame extending upwardly above said trueing plate, a packaging means supported on said machine frame and spaced from said trueing plate, conveyor means supported on said machine frame for transporting materials to be packaged from said trueing plate to said packaging means, four gripper arms mounted on said support frame and located above and separate from said trueing plate, said gripper arms disposed in horizontally spaced relationship to one another and arranged to define the corners of a variable rectangularly-shaped area aligned above said trueing plate, a drive means for each said gripper arm, each said drive means secured to said support frame and in operative engagement with one of said gripper arms for moving said gripper arms in the horizontal direction diagonally relative to said trueing plate into and out of engagement with the corners of a stack of material located on said trueing plate, a control mechanism for individually actuating said drive means for said gripper arms and for regulating the movement of said gripper arms, and means arranged for guiding at least certain of said driving means and said gripper arms in operative engagement therewith for moving the material from said trueing plate to said conveyor means for transporting material to be packaged to said packaging means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
Equipment, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said trueing plate is rectangular in shape and said conveyor means for transporting material to said packaging means extends from one side of said trueing plate, a pair of feed belts mounted on said machine frame and each extending from an oppositely disposed side of said trueing plate adjacent the side thereof from which said conveyor means extends for feeding material to said trueing plate from which it is supplied to said conveyor means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
Equipment, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said trueing plate is rectangular in shape with said conveyor means for transporting material to said packaging means being located along one side of said trueing plate, three feed belts each extending from one of the other sides of said trueing plate outwardly therefrom for supplying material to said trueing plate for its subsequent delivery to said conveyor means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
Equipment, as set forth in claim 3, wherein a light barrier is located adjacent the end of each said feed belt adjoining said trueing plate, a control mechanism arranged for actuating said drivE means for operating said gripper arms, and said light barriers arranged in communication with said control mechanism so that as material passes over said feed belts to said trueing plate a signal is transmitted to said control mechanism for operating said gripper arms.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
96 words
Equipment, as set forth in claim 4, wherein stacking tables mounted on said machine frame adjacent the ends of said feed belts remote from said trueing plate for supplying materials to said feed belts, a horizontal deposit plate located on each of said stacking tables for receiving materials to be fed to said trueing plate, each of said horizontal deposit plates having a plurality of perforations therethrough so that compressed air supplied to said hollow horizontal deposit plates passes through the perforations therein for forming an air cushion for the materials placed on said stacking tables.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
90 words
Equipment, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each said gripper arms comprises a vertically extending L-shaped member with the interior angle formed by said L-shaped member directed inwardly toward the other said L-shaped members and the lower end of said L-shaped member spaced above said trueing plate, said drive means for each said gripper arm being secured thereto at a location intermediate the height of said gripper arm, and guide rods secured to the upper parts of said gripper arms for guiding the diagonal movement of said gripper arms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
136 words
Equipment, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a stacking table for receiving material to be packaged is mounted on said machine frame and is spaced from said trueing plate in a direction disposed angularly to the direction between said trueing plate and packaging means, a feed belt for transporting material to be packaged from said stacking table to said trueing plate, a light barrier located on said machine frame adjacent to and spaced from said trueing plate and located in the path of said feed belt, said light barrier being in communication with said control mechanism so that as material is fed over said machine frame from said stacking table to said trueing plate, it passes said light barrier and actuates said control mechanism for operating said drive means and selectively positioning said gripper arms.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US316329A
Cited
US3379320A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-02-15 | 1974-08-17 | 1975-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-15 | 1978-08-17 | 1979-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-15 | 1982-08-17 | 1983-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |