US3575411A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet feeding mechanism
Assignee: Harris Graphics Corp
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Filing: 1968-10-14
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Granted: 1971-04-20
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Expires: 1988-10-14
Abstract
Abstract Sheet-sensing means senses when the lead edge of sheets moving in a stream to a register position from which they are fed to a sheet-processing machine pass a sensing location. If the sheets are late or early, the timing of mechanisms for separating sheets from the top of a pile and for forming and forwarding the stream is changed or the speed of the stream is adjusted in a direction to correct the out-of-time arrival of sheets.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank L Kastelic
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 15:02
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H7/00; B65H7/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
In a sheet-processing apparatus comprising a sheet-processing unit, sheet-advancing means for feeding sheets from a register position to the sheet-processing unit, sheet-forwarding means for moving a stream of sheets to said register position with the successive sheets being timed to arrive in successive machine cycles at said register position during a predetermined portion of the cycles, registering mechanism for registering a sheet at said position, and drive means for driving said sheet-forwarding means in a predetermined relationship to said sheet-processing unit and said sheet-advancing means to effect the arrival of successive sheets of said stream at said register position during successive cycles and at a predetermined portion of the cycle, the improvement comprising a sheet-sensing station adjacent said stream including sheet-sensing means for sensing the time of arrival of a sheet in said stream at said station, reference means providing a signal for indicating the predetermined time in each cycle at which a sheet is to arrive at said sheet-sensing station and adjusting means responsive to said sheet-sensing means and to said reference means for adjusting said drive means to change the time of arrival of sheets at said register position when a sheet arrives at said sheet-sensing station at a time in a cycle different from said predetermined time.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
210 words
In a sheet-processing apparatus comprising a sheet-processing unit, sheet-advancing means for feeding sheets from a register position to the sheet-processing unit, sheet-forwarding means for moving a stream of sheets to said register position with the successive sheets being timed to arrive in successive machine cycles at said register position during a predetermined portion of the cycles, registering mechanism for registering a sheet at said position, and drive means for driving said sheet-forwarding means in a predetermined relationship to said sheet-processing unit and said sheet-advancing means to effect the arrival of successive sheets of said stream at said register position during successive cycles and at a predetermined portion of the cycle, the improvement comprising a sheet-sensing station adjacent said stream including sheet-sensing means for sensing the time of arrival of a sheet in said stream at said station, reference means providing a signal for indicating the predetermined time in each cycle at which a sheet is to arrive at said sheet-sensing station and adjusting means responsive to said sheet-sensing means and to said reference means for adjusting said drive means to change the time of arrival of sheets at said register position when a sheet arrives at said sheet-sensing station at a time in a cycle different from said predetermined time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
76 words
In a sheet-processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said sheet-forwarding means comprises sheet-conveying means for moving sheets toward said register position and said drive means comprises a drive mechanism for driving said sheet-conveying means in timed relationship to the sheet-processing unit including differential means having an element operable to advance or retard selectively the timing of said sheet-conveying means relative to said processing unit and said adjusting means comprises means for operating said element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
77 words
In a sheet-processing unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said drive means for driving said sheet-forwarding means comprises drive mechanism having an input shaft and an output shaft and means for driving said output shaft in timed relationship with said input shaft including an element actuatable to add or subtract a component of rotation to the rotation imparted to said output shaft from said input shaft and said adjusting means comprises means for operating said element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a sheet-processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said reference means comprises a pulse generator for generating a reference signal rotated in timed relation to said drive means, and said adjusting means comprises second pulse-generating means for generating a train of pulses, and means responsive to the sheet signal from said sensing station and said reference signal to gate said train of pulses during the time interval between the signals when said sheet pulse occurs at a time different from said reference pulse and means responsive to said pulses when gated to advance or retard said sheet stream to adjust the out of time relationship.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
112 words
In a sheet-processing apparatus, a sheet-processing unit, first means for advancing a sheet to said unit from a register position during each cycle of said unit, sheet-feeding means for forming and moving a stream of sheets to said register position, a sheet-sensing station adjacent said stream including a sensing device for sensing and signaling the arrival of each sheet at the station as it moves to said register position, and control means responsive to said sensing device for adjusting said sheet-feeding means to change the time of arrival of sheets at said sensing station to effect the arrival of the sheets at said register position during predetermined parts of said machine cycles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
112 words
In a sheet-processing apparatus, a sheet-processing unit, first means for advancing a sheet to said unit from a register position during each cycle of said unit, sheet-feeding means for forming and moving a stream of sheets to said register position, a sheet-sensing station adjacent said stream including a sensing device for sensing and signaling the arrival of each sheet at the station as it moves to said register position, and control means responsive to said sensing device for adjusting said sheet-feeding means to change the time of arrival of sheets at said sensing station to effect the arrival of the sheets at said register position during predetermined parts of said machine cycles.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
In a sheet-processing unit as defined in claim 5 wherein said control means comprises means providing a periodic reference signal timed with said processing unit and means for comparing the signal from said sensing means and said reference signal and adjusting the operation of said sheet-feeding means when said signals differ in phase in a predetermined manner.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
In a sheet-processing unit as defined in claim 5 wherein said sheet-feeding means comprises a sheet-separating and forwarding mechanism driven in timed relationship to said processing unit including means for separating the top sheet of a pile at a predetermined cycle time and forming a sheet stream and said control means comprises means for changing the timing of said sheet-separating and forwarding means relative to said processing unit and said first means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
In a sheet-processing unit as defined in claim 7 wherein said control means comprises means providing a periodic reference signal timed with said processing unit and means for comparing the signal from said sensing means and said reference signal and adjusting the operation of said sheet-separating and forwarding mechanism when said signals differ in phase in a predetermined manner.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
In a sheet-processing apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said control means includes means for providing first and second trains of pulses when the sheet-sensing signal leads and lags the reference signal respectively and means responsive to said pulse trains to respectively retard and advance the arrival of sheets in said stream at said register position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
73 words
In a sheet-processing apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said apparatus includes a differential having an input shaft driven in timed relationship to said unit, an output shaft for driving said sheet-forwarding and separating means and said Control means includes motor means connected to said differential and responsive to said first and second pulse trains to advance or retard said output shaft relative to said input shaft on operation of said motor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
168 words
In a sheet-processing apparatus, a cyclically operating sheet-processing unit, first means for advancing a sheet to said unit from a register position, sheet feeding means for forming a stream of moving sheets with each sheet displaced from the adjacent sheets and for moving the lead sheet of said stream to said register position during a predetermined time interval in the cycle of the processing unit, said sheet-feeding means including control means for advancing or retarding the time in the cycle at which the lead sheet arrives at said register position, a sheet-sensing station adjacent said stream including a sensing device for sensing and signaling the arrival of each sheet of the stream at said station as it moves to said register position, and means responsive to said sensing device and interconnecting said sensing device and said control means to actuate said control means to advance or retard the time in the cycle that the sheets of the stream arrive at said station to effect arrival during said interval.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
168 words
In a sheet-processing apparatus, a cyclically operating sheet-processing unit, first means for advancing a sheet to said unit from a register position, sheet feeding means for forming a stream of moving sheets with each sheet displaced from the adjacent sheets and for moving the lead sheet of said stream to said register position during a predetermined time interval in the cycle of the processing unit, said sheet-feeding means including control means for advancing or retarding the time in the cycle at which the lead sheet arrives at said register position, a sheet-sensing station adjacent said stream including a sensing device for sensing and signaling the arrival of each sheet of the stream at said station as it moves to said register position, and means responsive to said sensing device and interconnecting said sensing device and said control means to actuate said control means to advance or retard the time in the cycle that the sheets of the stream arrive at said station to effect arrival during said interval.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1478464A
Cited
US1535217A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-04-19 | 1974-10-19 | 1975-04-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-04-19 | 1978-10-19 | 1979-04-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-04-19 | 1982-10-19 | 1983-04-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |