US3608890A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Limp material pickup device
Assignee: AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS OF AMERICA
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Filing: 1969-09-24
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Granted: 1971-09-28
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Expires: 1989-09-24
Abstract
Abstract A device designed to lift a single ply of flexible sheet material from a stack. A pair of meshing gears rotatably mounted upon a support each carry an impaling means mounted on its periphery extending in converging relationship towards each other. A fluid motor mounted upon the support is drivingly connected through a crank arm to one of the gears, which upon actuation, will rotate one of the gears driving the other. Rotation of the gears causes the impaling means to move downwardly towards a stack of sheet material which can be positioned therebeneath, to penetrate and grasp therebetween, in a pinching or bunching motion, a single ply of said material from the stack. The fluid motor has its piston linearly adjustable in a slot formed in the crank arm, wherein the throw of the crank arm can be varied to finely adjust the amount of rotation of the gears, which in turn adjusts the depth of penetration or downward movement of the impaling means, so that the device will pick up only a single ply of material regardless of variations in thickness of material in different stacks.
Inventors
- 👤 William W Littlefield
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 01:27
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H3/00; B65H3/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
Apparatus for use in grasping, lifting and transporting flexible flat sheet material from a stack of such material comprising: a support, a pair of elements in frictional driving engagement rotatably mounted on said support, impaling means mounted on each of said rotatable elements adjacent the periphery thereof for movement relative to said support towards a stack of sheet material in response to rotation of said elements to penetrate and grasp a ply of said material in said stack, and means for adjusting the amount of relative rotation of said pair of rotatable elements, thereby controlling the amount of movement of said impaling means relative to said support to control the depth of penetration of said impaling means into said sheet material stack.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
Apparatus for use in grasping, lifting and transporting flexible flat sheet material from a stack of such material comprising: a support, a pair of elements in frictional driving engagement rotatably mounted on said support, impaling means mounted on each of said rotatable elements adjacent the periphery thereof for movement relative to said support towards a stack of sheet material in response to rotation of said elements to penetrate and grasp a ply of said material in said stack, and means for adjusting the amount of relative rotation of said pair of rotatable elements, thereby controlling the amount of movement of said impaling means relative to said support to control the depth of penetration of said impaling means into said sheet material stack.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said impaling means are mounted on said rotatable elements in converging relationship towards each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said rotatable elements comprise a pair of meshing gears.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
120 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said adjustment means includes means for rotating said pair of elements in opposite directions, said rotating means including a crank arm fixed to one of said rotatable elements, a slot in said crank arm, fluid motor means pivotally mounted on said support for oscillating said crank arm, and means for pivotally connecting said fluid motor means to said crank arm, said pivotal connecting means being adjustably positioned in said crank arm slot whereby the throw of said crank arm can be varied to control the amount of relative movement of said impaling means relative to said support to thereby adjust the depth of penetration of said impaling means into said sheet material stack.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
119 words
Apparatus for use in grasping, lifting and transporting flexible flat sheet material from a stack of such material comprising: a support, a pair of elements in frictional drIving engagement rotatably mounted on said support, and impaling means mounted on each of said rotatable elements adjacent the periphery thereof for movement relative to said support towards a stack of sheet material in response to rotation of said elements to penetrate and grasp a ply of said material in said stack, said impaling means including a block having a pair of spaced ends, a threaded element adjustably threaded into one end of said block, and a needle extending from the other end of said block and connected to said threaded element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
119 words
Apparatus for use in grasping, lifting and transporting flexible flat sheet material from a stack of such material comprising: a support, a pair of elements in frictional drIving engagement rotatably mounted on said support, and impaling means mounted on each of said rotatable elements adjacent the periphery thereof for movement relative to said support towards a stack of sheet material in response to rotation of said elements to penetrate and grasp a ply of said material in said stack, said impaling means including a block having a pair of spaced ends, a threaded element adjustably threaded into one end of said block, and a needle extending from the other end of said block and connected to said threaded element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said support includes: an upright leg, a horizontal leg connected to said upright leg, said horizontal leg having an elongated slot, said elements being rotatably mounted on said upright leg so that said impaling means extend through said elongated slot in response to rotation of said elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
191 words
Apparatus for use in grasping, lifting and transporting flexible flat sheet material from a stack of such material comprising: a support, a pair of elements in frictional driving engagement rotatably mounted on said support, impaling means mounted on each of said rotatable elements adjacent the periphery thereof for movement relative to said support towards a stack of sheet material in response to rotation of said elements to penetrate and grasp a ply of said material in said stack, said impaling means including a block having a pair of spaced ends, a threaded element adjustably threaded into one end of said block, and a needle extending from the other end of said block and connected to said threaded element whereby the extent of exposure of said needle and subsequent penetration of said sheet material stack can be controlled by rotation of said threaded element, and means for adjusting the amount of relative rotation of said pair of rotatable elements, whereby the amount of movement of said impaling means relative to said support can also be controlled to further control the depth of penetration of said impaling means into said sheet material stack.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
191 words
Apparatus for use in grasping, lifting and transporting flexible flat sheet material from a stack of such material comprising: a support, a pair of elements in frictional driving engagement rotatably mounted on said support, impaling means mounted on each of said rotatable elements adjacent the periphery thereof for movement relative to said support towards a stack of sheet material in response to rotation of said elements to penetrate and grasp a ply of said material in said stack, said impaling means including a block having a pair of spaced ends, a threaded element adjustably threaded into one end of said block, and a needle extending from the other end of said block and connected to said threaded element whereby the extent of exposure of said needle and subsequent penetration of said sheet material stack can be controlled by rotation of said threaded element, and means for adjusting the amount of relative rotation of said pair of rotatable elements, whereby the amount of movement of said impaling means relative to said support can also be controlled to further control the depth of penetration of said impaling means into said sheet material stack.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US793009A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-27 | 1975-03-29 | 1975-09-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-27 | 1979-03-29 | 1979-09-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-27 | 1983-03-29 | 1983-09-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |