Method and apparatus for stacking sheet material

Claim 2

Apparatus for the supply, indexing and removal of stacking supports comprising, a first track having a discharge end for supplying said supports, a second track having a receiving end for supplying said supports, a third track having a receiving end for receiving filled supports, and an indexing turret rotatable about a first axis, and having, equally spaced holders which rotate with the turret in a known path, means for intermittent rotation of the turret a predetermined number of degrees about said first axis, at least three work stations spaced about said turret and lying in said path, the first work station being a receiving station located at the discharge of the first track, the third station being a discharge station located at the receiving end of the second track, and the second station being the stacking station, and being located equidistance between the first and third stations, the distances, in degrees of rotation, between the stations and between the holders being equal to said predetermined number of degrees.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein, the holders are attached to the turret for rotation independently of the turret about axes parallel to said first axis.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2, wherein the turret is further defined as including, a pair of arms for each holder, the arms of each pair being at opposite ends of their respective holders, shaft means supporting, and providing means for the transmission of rotation to, said arms, and means for the intermittent rotation of said shaft means said predetermined number of degrees.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 wherein, the shaft means is further defined as, first and second shafts, said shafts being offset and rotatable about parallel axes, one arm from each of said pairs being attached to each shaft, said intermittent rotation means being attached to one of said shafts, and including, means connecting the first and second shafts for the transmission of the rotation from said one shaft to the other.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 4 wherein the intermittent rotation means is further defined as including, a star wheel fixedly attached to said one shaft with at least three teeth spaced said predetermined degrees from each other, a plate mounted on the one shaft for rotation relative thereto, a pawl rotatably mounted on the plate, said pawl positioned for engagement with said teeth, and means to rotate the plate around the shaft said predetermined number of degrees when desired.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 5 wherein, the plate rotating means is comprised of, a cylinder having a reciprocating rod extending therefrom, the outer end of said rod being attached to the plate, said cylinder having an out stroke of such length as to rotate the plate said predetermined number of degrees, and an instroke of equal length.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 6 and including, a spring to urge the pawl out of engagement with said teeth, means to urge the pawl into engagement with said teeth with a greater amount of force than said spring at all times except during the instroke of the cylinder rod.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 1 wherein, said first track is further defined as including, a first portion having a supply end, a second portion having a reCeiving end and a discharge end, a table connecting said first and second tracks and having a first end adjacent said supply end and a second end adjacent said receiving end, said table being rotatable about a first axis to a first position, in which the first end is lower than the supply end, and a second position, in which the first end is above said supply end, whereby it forms a stop for the first track, reciprocating means for shoving supports off the discharge end of the second track, an abutment which reciprocates with said reciprocating means, a lever on the table which extends into the path of said reciprocating abutment, said table being normally biased into its first position.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 8 wherein the supports are of a predetermined height, and including, stop means positioned above the second end of the table, said second end being spaced from said stop means a distance less than the height of said supports when the table is in its first position, and said second end being spaced from said stop means a distance greater than the height of said supports when the table is in its second position.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 8 wherein said first axis is between the first and second end of the table, and the lever is connected to the table between said first and second ends, said abutment having a forward movement when the supports are shoved from the discharge end and a reciprocating reverse movement, said abutment contacting the lever during its reverse movement to rotate it from its normal first position to its second position.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 10 wherein, the third track has at least two rails for the movement of said supports, the supports have two sides and top and bottom surfaces and tend, when loaded, to lean to one of its sides, one of said rails being positioned to contact the bottom surface of supports moving along the third track near said one side, and the other of said rails positioned to contact the top surface of supports moving along the third track near the other of said sides.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 10 wherein the second track is further defined as including, second reciprocating means for moving said supports from their holders and along the third track, and having, an upstanding lug, said supports having a recess in their bottoms for receiving said lug.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 12 wherein, said upstanding lug is pivotally connected to the reciprocating means for rotation away from the indexing turret, whereby said lug will not engage said recesses, a spring to urge the lug into its upstanding position, and shoulder means for preventing rotation of the lug from its upstanding position toward the indexing turret.

Claim 15

Apparatus for the supply of supports comprising, a first track, a second track at one end of, and lower than, said first track, a table between the first and second tracks mounted for limited rotation about an axis to at least first and second positions, and having a first end adjacent the first track and a second end adjacent the second track, means urging the table to said first position, discharge means for urging the supports off the second track, and means to periodically tilt the table to its second position, in which the second end is lowered relative to its first position and the first end is raised relative to its first position, whereby supports on the table will slide onto the second track, said discharge means including a member which reciprocates along a known path of travel which path of travel has one end adjacent the second track and the second end adjacent said table, and an abutment on said table extending into said path of travel near the second end thereof, whereby movement of said member to said one end urges supports off the second track, and movement to the second end contacts the abutment to tilt the table to iTs second position.

Claim 16

Apparatus for the supply of supports comprising, a first track, a second track at one end of, and lower than, said first track, a table between the first and second tracks mounted for limited rotation about an axis to at least first and second positions, and having a first end adjacent the first track and a second end adjacent the second track, means urging the table to said first position, discharge means for urging the supports off the second track, and means to periodically tilt the table to its second position, in which the second end is lowered relative to its first position and the first end is raised relative to its first position, whereby supports on the table will slide onto the second track, said discharge means including a member which reciprocates along a known path of travel which path of travel has one end adjacent the second track and the second end adjacent said table, and an abutment on said table extending into said path of travel near the second end thereof, whereby movement of said member to said one end urges supports off the second track, and movement to the second end contacts the abutment to tilt the table to iTs second position.

Claim 17

Apparatus for the supply of supports comprising, a first track, a second track at one end of, and lower than, said first track, a table between the first and second tracks mounted for limited rotation about an axis to at least first and second positions, and having a first end adjacent the first track and a second end adjacent the second track, means urging the table to said first position, discharge means for urging the supports off the second track, and means to periodically tilt the table to its second position, in which the second end is lowered relative to its first position and the first end is raised relative to its first position, whereby supports on the table will slide onto the second track, said first end of the table is beneath the first track in its first position, to allow the receiving of a support from the inclined track, but said first end is above the first track during the second position to prevent supports from feeding onto the table from the first track, and stop means positioned adjacent the second end of said table and disposed above and spaced from the upper surface of said table for preventing the supports from sliding onto the second track when the table is in its first position.

Claim 18

Apparatus for the supply of supports comprising, a first track, a second track at one end of, and lower than, said first track, a table between the first and second tracks mounted for limited rotation about an axis to at least first and second positions, and having a first end adjacent the first track and a second end adjacent the second track, means urging the table to said first position, discharge means for urging the supports off the second track, and means to periodically tilt the table to its second position, in which the second end is lowered relative to its first position and the first end is raised relative to its first position, whereby supports on the table will slide onto the second track, said first end of the table is beneath the first track in its first position, to allow the receiving of a support from the inclined track, but said first end is above the first track during the second position to prevent supports from feeding onto the table from the first track, and stop means positioned adjacent the second end of said table and disposed above and spaced from the upper surface of said table for preventing the supports from sliding onto the second track when the table is in its first position.

Claim 19

Apparatus for the supply of supports comprising, a first track, a second track at one end of, and lower than, said first track, a table between the first and second tracks mounted for limited rotation about an axis to at least first and second positions, and having a first end adjacent the first track and a second end adjacent the second track, means urging the table to said first position, discharge means for urging the supports off the second track, and means to periodically tilt the table to its second position, in which the second end is lowered relative to its first position and the first end is raised relative to its first position, whereby supports on the table will slide onto the second track, said first end of the table is beneath the first track in its first position, to allow the receiving of a support from the inclined track, but said first end is above the first track during the second position to prevent supports from feeding onto the table from the first track, and stop means positioned adjacent the second end of said table for preventing the supports from sliding onto the second track when the table is in its first position, said stop means being positioned above the second end of the table a distance sufficient to clear a support positioned on said table when the table is tilted to its second position.

Claim 20

Apparatus for the supply of supports comprising, a first track, a second track at one end of, and lower than, said first track, a table between the first and second tracks mounted for limited rotation about an axis to at least first and second positions, and having a first end adjacent the first track and a second end adjacent the second track, means urging the table to said first position, discharge means for urging the supports off the second track, and means to periodically tilt the table to its second position, in which the second end is lowered relative to its first position and the first end is raised relative to its first position, whereby supports on the table will slide onto the second track, said first end of the table is beneath the first track in its first position, to allow the receiving of a support from the inclined track, but said first end is above the first track during the second position to prevent supports from feeding onto the table from the first track, and stop means positioned adjacent the second end of said table for preventing the supports from sliding onto the second track when the table is in its first position, said stop means being positioned above the second end of the table a distance sufficient to clear a support positioned on said table when the table is tilted to its second position.

Claim 21

The invention of claim 16 wherein, said abutment is freely rotatable relative to the table, and including, a spring connecting the lever to the table between the second end and said axis of rotation.

Claim 22

Apparatus for the supply of stacking supports comprising, an inclined track having a lower end, a feed track having a receiving end, a table rotatable to first and second positions about a first axis, and having a first end adjacent said lower end and a second end adjacent said receiving end, stop means positioned a predetermined distance above the second end of the table, said table being normally in its first position which is defined as, said first end being aligned with the lower end for receiving supports fed from the inclined track, and the second end being below said stop means a distance which is insufficient to allow passage of said supports, the second position being defined as said first end being above the inclined track, whereby supports cannot be fed onto the table, and said second end being below said stop means a distance which is sufficient to allow passage of said supports, a lever rotatable independent of said table about said first axis, a spring connecting the lever to the table between said axis and said second end, cylinder meAns for shoving supports off the end of the feed track opposite the receiving end by means of a reciprocating rod, an abutment on said rod, said lever lying in the path of said abutment as said rod reciprocates to rotate the table into its second position, thereby allowing a support resting on the table to slide past the stop means and onto said feed track.

Claim 23

Apparatus for the supply of stacking supports comprising, an inclined track having a lower end, a feed track having a receiving end, a table rotatable to first and second positions about a first axis, and having a first end adjacent said lower end and a second end adjacent said receiving end, stop means positioned a predetermined distance above the second end of the table, said table being normally in its first position which is defined as, said first end being aligned with the lower end for receiving supports fed from the inclined track, and the second end being below said stop means a distance which is insufficient to allow passage of said supports, the second position being defined as said first end being above the inclined track, whereby supports cannot be fed onto the table, and said second end being below said stop means a distance which is sufficient to allow passage of said supports, a lever rotatable independent of said table about said first axis, a spring connecting the lever to the table between said axis and said second end, cylinder meAns for shoving supports off the end of the feed track opposite the receiving end by means of a reciprocating rod, an abutment on said rod, said lever lying in the path of said abutment as said rod reciprocates to rotate the table into its second position, thereby allowing a support resting on the table to slide past the stop means and onto said feed track.