Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A pneumatic, trim-saving feeder for feeding sheets of material from the bottom of a stack comprising, a. a generally horizontal support having at least one vacuum chamber open at the top of the support, b. means for generating a vacuum in the vacuum chamber, c. lateral propulsion means in the support, at least a portion of said lateral propulsion means projecting above the top of the support and engageable with the bottom of the lowermost sheet of the stack, d. a side guide engageable with the side edge of the lowermost sheet in the direction of lateral propulsion, and e. means for propelling the lowermost sheet forwardly while in contact with the side guide.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
114 words
A pneumatic, trim-saving feeder for feeding sheets of material from the bottom of a stack comprising, a. a generally horizontal support having at least one vacuum chamber open at the top of the support, b. means for generating a vacuum in the vacuum chamber, c. lateral propulsion means in the support, at least a portion of said lateral propulsion means projecting above the top of the support and engageable with the bottom of the lowermost sheet of the stack, d. a side guide engageable with the side edge of the lowermost sheet in the direction of lateral propulsion, and e. means for propelling the lowermost sheet forwardly while in contact with the side guide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A pneumatic, trim-saving feeder for fEeding sheets of material from the bottom of a stack comprising, a. the structure in accordance with Claim 1 in which b. at least a portion of at least one vacuum chamber lies on opposite sides of the lateral propulsion means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
A pneumatic, trim-saving feeder for feeding sheets of material from the bottom of a stack comprising, a. the structure in accordance with Claim 2 in which, b. the lateral propulsion means are at least one driven roller mounted on the feeder, a portion of the top of the roller extending above the top of the support.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A pneumatic, trim-saving feeder for feeding sheets of material from the bottom of a stack comprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 3 in which b. the said side guide is adjustably movable both along the axis of lateral propulsion and along the axis of forward propulsion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
89 words
A pneumatic, trim-saving feeder for feeding sheets of material from the bottom of a stack comprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 4 in which b. the support consists of a plurality of spaced apart, generally upstanding bars extending generally parallel to the axis of forward propulsion of the sheets, the said bars defining open-taped chambers therebetween, c. at least one of said rollers being mounted in one of the chambers, and d. vacuum generating means connected to at least one chamber on opposite sides of the roller.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A pneumatic, trim-saving feeder for feeding sheets of material from the bottom of a stack comprising, a. the structure in accordance with Claim 5 and b. vacuum generating means connected to at least one of the chambers having a roller mounted therein.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
106 words
A method for feeding sheets of material from the bottom of a stack with one side of the sheets in vertical registration when feeding forwardly comprising, a. stacking the sheets generally horizontally on a generally horizontal support with the bottom of the lowermost sheet in contact with lateral propulsion means, c. exerting a vacuum on the lowermost sheet from beneath sufficiently to significantly increase the force of contact between the lowermost sheet and the said lateral propulsion means, d. simultaneously propelling the lowermost sheet from beneath laterally against a side guide, and e. thereafter propelling the lowermost sheet forwardly while in contact with the side guide.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
106 words
A method for feeding sheets of material from the bottom of a stack with one side of the sheets in vertical registration when feeding forwardly comprising, a. stacking the sheets generally horizontally on a generally horizontal support with the bottom of the lowermost sheet in contact with lateral propulsion means, c. exerting a vacuum on the lowermost sheet from beneath sufficiently to significantly increase the force of contact between the lowermost sheet and the said lateral propulsion means, d. simultaneously propelling the lowermost sheet from beneath laterally against a side guide, and e. thereafter propelling the lowermost sheet forwardly while in contact with the side guide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method for feeding sheets of material from the bottom of a stack with one side of the sheets in vertical registration when feeding forwardly comprising, a. the method in accordance with claim 7 in which, b. the lowermost sheet is deformed downwardly from a horizontal plane on opposite sides of the lateral propulsion means at least partially in response to the vacuum exerted thereon.