US3663008A — Stuffing machine for assembling newspapers or the…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 231 words

In a newspaper stuffing machine for assembling sections of a newspaper together, the machine including an endless series of carrier pockets adapted to move in a generally circular path and a series of feeding stations spaced along the path, the feeding stations feeding sections of the newspaper into each pocket as each pocket moves successively past the stations, the improvement comprising: a. a generally toroidal rotor adapted for rotation with respect to a vertical axis of rotation, said rotor carrying the series of carrier pockets, said rotor having an unobstructed opening extending vertically through said rotor, said opening disposed generally symmetrically about the vertical axis of rotation of said rotor passing generally centrally thereof; b. a frame having an additional unobstructed opening extending vertically through said frame; c. means interposed between said rotor and said frame externally of said opening and said additional opening for supporting said rotor for rotation about the vertical axis of rotation with said opening in said rotor and said additional opening in said frame being generally in vertical alignment to define an unobstructed central area extending vertically through the machine; d. means external to said openings in engagement with said rotor for driving said rotor in rotation about the vertical axis of rotation, and e. means external to said openings for operating said feeding stations whereby said openings are wholly unobstructed when the machine is operating.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 231 words

In a newspaper stuffing machine for assembling sections of a newspaper together, the machine including an endless series of carrier pockets adapted to move in a generally circular path and a series of feeding stations spaced along the path, the feeding stations feeding sections of the newspaper into each pocket as each pocket moves successively past the stations, the improvement comprising: a. a generally toroidal rotor adapted for rotation with respect to a vertical axis of rotation, said rotor carrying the series of carrier pockets, said rotor having an unobstructed opening extending vertically through said rotor, said opening disposed generally symmetrically about the vertical axis of rotation of said rotor passing generally centrally thereof; b. a frame having an additional unobstructed opening extending vertically through said frame; c. means interposed between said rotor and said frame externally of said opening and said additional opening for supporting said rotor for rotation about the vertical axis of rotation with said opening in said rotor and said additional opening in said frame being generally in vertical alignment to define an unobstructed central area extending vertically through the machine; d. means external to said openings in engagement with said rotor for driving said rotor in rotation about the vertical axis of rotation, and e. means external to said openings for operating said feeding stations whereby said openings are wholly unobstructed when the machine is operating.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 42 words

A newspaper stuffing machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said toroidal rotor comprises a plurality of elements each in the form of a segment of a toroid, each of said plurality of elements being connected to said element adjacent thereto.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 90 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said frame comprises a plurality of members, each segment of a toroid, each said member comprising: a. an inner wall: b. an outer wall arcuate in form spaced apart and substantially parallel to said inner wall; c. a pair of end walls converging with respect to one another toward the vertical axis of rotation and extending between said outer wall and said inner wall; and d. a pair of plate members covering the upper and lower portions of said rotor.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 3 in which said upper plate member is removably attached to said member in order to provide access to the interior thereof.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 36 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 3 and further comprising means extending through the interior of said plurality of frame members each in the form of a segment for operating the series of feeding stations.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 73 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 5 in which said means extending through the interior of said plurality of frame members each in the form of a segment comprises: a. a gear drive disposed in said frame members which are adjacent to each of the feeding stations, and b. shafts extending through the interiors of said frame members which are segments of a toroid for coupling said gear drives to one another.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 52 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 6 in which each of said shafts coupling said gear drives to one another includes a flexible coupling connected to each of the opposite ends thereof to enable said shafts to extend through the interior of the frame members which are segments of a toroid.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 115 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said means interposed between said rotor and said frame externally of said opening and said additional opening for supporting said rotor for rotation about the vertical axis of rotation comprises: a. a generally toroidal track concentric with the vertical axis of rotation of said rotor and connected to the bottom portion of said rotor with an operable surface of said track facing downwardly, and b. a plurality of means for providing rolling support to said rotor, said plurality of said supporting means being mounted upon said frame, spaced apart from one another about said opening of said frame, and in rolling engagement with said track.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 77 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 5 in which said track includes: a. an additional operable surface extending in a substantially cylindrical form about the periphery of said track, and b. a plurality of additional means for providing rolling support in a radial direction with respect to said additional surface of said track, said additional supporting means being mounted with respect to said frame and disposed spaced apart from one another radially outwardly of said track.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 97 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 9 in which said track is formed of a plurality of peripherally extending arcuate segments joined in end-to-end relationship with respect to one another, the adjacent ends of each of said segments being bevelled in a mating relationship with one another to provide a line of junction therebetween extending obliquely across said additional operable surface with respect to the path of travel of said additional supporting means thereon, whereby said additional supporting means progressively engages different portions of said joint line as said additional supporting means rolls with respect thereto.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 93 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 8 in which said track is formed of a plurality of peripherally extending arcuate segments joined in end-to-end relationship with respect to one another, the adjacent ends of each of said segments being bevelled in a mating relationship with one another to provide a line of junction therebetween extending obliquely across said operable surface with respect to the path of travel of said supporting means thereon, whereby said supporting means progressively engages different portions of said joint line as said supporting means rolls with respect thereto.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 154 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 8 in which said plurality of means for providing rolling support to said rotor comprises: a. a plurality of supporting rollers spaced apart from one another and having the surfaces thereof engaged in rolling contact with the operable surface of said track, and b. axle means for rotatably mounting each of said plurality of rollers with respect to said frame, c. each of said plurality of rollers having a peripheral surface portion which is bevelled in the form of a portion of a cone, d. each of said plurality of rollers being mounted by its respective axle means to position each of said rollers in rolling engagement with said track with said axle means extending radially and at an angle to the horizontal, whereby each of said plurality of rollers is enabled to be in rolling engagement with said track without skidding or slipping with respect thereto.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 72 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 12 and further comprising a tire disposed about the periphery of each of said plurality of rollers, said tire being formed of a layer of resin material adapted to withstand rolling engagement with said track, whereby said tire eliminates the need for lubrication between said plurality of rollers and said track and reduces vibration and noise resulting from the rolling engagement thereof with said track.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 47 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said driving means includes: a. an endless driven element connected to said rotor and extending about said opening thereof; and b. a driving element in engagement with said endless driven element and mounted with respect to said frame.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 191 words

A newspaper stuffing machine according to claim 1 and further including means for selectively applying vacuum to at least one of said feeding stations for operation thereof as a carrier pocket moves adjacent said station, said vacuum applying means including, i. a stationary ring fixedly connected with said frame externally of said additional opening and extending concentrically about said axis of rotation, ii. a travelling ring fixedly connected with said rotor externally of said of said opening, said stationary and travelling rings having peripherally extending opposed mating surfaces in continuous sliding sealing contact, iii. a series of ports in said travelling ring each positioned adjacent one of the carrier pockets, each said port being operatively connected with the associated carrier pocket and extending through said travelling ring to said sliding surfaces, iiii. an arcuate groove in said mating surface of the stationary ring adjacent said one feeding station, said groove being positioned in the path of travel of said ports so that motion of one of said ports into registry with said groove causes vacuum to be applied thereto; and v. means for connecting said groove to a source of vacuum.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 32 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 15 and further comprising means for resilienTly biasing said opposed mating surfaces of said stationary ring and said travelling ring into contact with each other.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 44 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 16 in which said means for resiliently biasing said opposed mating surfaces into contact with one another comprises a plurality of springs in engagement with said stationary ring and urging said stationary ring toward said travelling ring.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 47 words

A stuffing machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said means for operating said feeding stations includes, gear drive means on said frame adjacent to each of the feeding stations, and shaft means extending around said additional opening and coupling said gear drives to one another.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 217 words

A newspaper stuffing machine for assembling sections of a newspaper together, the machine including an endless series of carrier pockets adapted to move in a generally circular path, a series of feeding stations spaced along the path, said feeding stations feeding sections of the newspaper into each pocket as each pocket moves successively past the stations, a rotor adapted for rotation with respect to a vertical axis of rotation with said rotor carrying a series of carrier pockets, track means connected to said rotor with said track means having an operable surface parallel to the plane of rotation of said rotor, a plurality of supporting rollers spaced apart from one another and having the surfaces thereof engaged in rolling contact with the operable surface of said track, axle means for rotatably supporting each of said rollers, each of said rollers having a peripheral surface portion which is bevelled in the form of a portion of a cone and each of said plurality of rollers being mounted by its respective axle means to position each of said rollers in rolling engagement with said track with said axle means extending radially and at an angle to said plane whereby each of said plurality of rollers is in rolling engagement with said track without skidding or slipping with respect thereto.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 217 words

A newspaper stuffing machine for assembling sections of a newspaper together, the machine including an endless series of carrier pockets adapted to move in a generally circular path, a series of feeding stations spaced along the path, said feeding stations feeding sections of the newspaper into each pocket as each pocket moves successively past the stations, a rotor adapted for rotation with respect to a vertical axis of rotation with said rotor carrying a series of carrier pockets, track means connected to said rotor with said track means having an operable surface parallel to the plane of rotation of said rotor, a plurality of supporting rollers spaced apart from one another and having the surfaces thereof engaged in rolling contact with the operable surface of said track, axle means for rotatably supporting each of said rollers, each of said rollers having a peripheral surface portion which is bevelled in the form of a portion of a cone and each of said plurality of rollers being mounted by its respective axle means to position each of said rollers in rolling engagement with said track with said axle means extending radially and at an angle to said plane whereby each of said plurality of rollers is in rolling engagement with said track without skidding or slipping with respect thereto.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 106 words

A newspaper stuffing machine for assembling sections of a newspaper together, the machine including, an endless series of carrier pockets adapted to move in a closed path, a series of feeding stations spaced along the path, each of said feeding stations including drive means for actuating feeding of sections of the newspaper into each pocket as each pocket moves successively past the stations, drive shaft means extending from station to station along said closed path and coupling said drive means to one another, and means connected to said drive shaft means for rotating said drive shaft means in synchronism with the movement of said carrier pockets.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 106 words

A newspaper stuffing machine for assembling sections of a newspaper together, the machine including, an endless series of carrier pockets adapted to move in a closed path, a series of feeding stations spaced along the path, each of said feeding stations including drive means for actuating feeding of sections of the newspaper into each pocket as each pocket moves successively past the stations, drive shaft means extending from station to station along said closed path and coupling said drive means to one another, and means connected to said drive shaft means for rotating said drive shaft means in synchronism with the movement of said carrier pockets.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 19 words

The stuffing machine of claim 23 wherein said drive shaft means includes a plurality of shafts and flexible couplings.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-05-16	1975-11-15	1976-05-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-05-16	1979-11-15	1980-05-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-05-16	1983-11-15	1984-05-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Stuffing machine for assembling newspapers or the like

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