Patent US3690644A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3690644A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Card handling mechanism
Assignee: DOCUMATION Inc
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Filing: 1970-12-30
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Granted: 1972-09-12
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Expires: 1990-12-30
Abstract
Abstract Picker used in a processing apparatus wherein a stack of data processing cards or other paper, checks, or the like, are fed along an input hopper to an end wall plate where each of the cards are sequentially ejected from the stack in a direction at right angles to the previous travel path. The picker seizes each card as it reaches the end plate and directs the card one at a time in the new direction past a throat formed by a throat bar defining the throat passage past the end plate. The end plate has a window for the picker face near the throat bar. The picker is a substantially hollow body with angular walls and a generally arcuate picker face having holes therein and is supported in the window so that it can be turned by a drive means a predetermined angle of rotation in the direction of the throat. Suction means are connected to the picker to generate a negative pressure force through the holes therein to cause the foremost card to adhere to the face upon reaching the end place and be directed past the throat as the picker turns.
Inventors
- 👤 Silas Ray Halbert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 17:14
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K13/00; G06K13/02; G06K13/08; G06K13/10; G06K13/107
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
290 words
In an apparatus wherein a stack of thin, flat members of similar thickness are fed from an input hopper to a stacker, a picker assembly to seize said flat members as they reach an end place and direct said flat members one at a time toward said stacker, comprising in combination: a. throat defining means having a front end defining a throat passage between said throat defining means and said end plate permitting the passage of one of said flat members therethrough; b. a window in said end plate in spaced relationship with said throat defining means; c. a partially hollow body serving as a picker and having walls and a partially arcuate picker face having a plurality of holes therein, said hollow body being supported in said window so that a portion of said face turns a predEtermined angle of rotation past said throat, including drive means coupled to said picker to turn said face in said window; d. suction means connected to said picker hollow body creating a suction force acting through said holes to cause the foremost of said flat members to adhere to said picker face upon reaching said end plate and be directed past said throat, as said face turns; and e. said partially hollow body being spaced in said window so as to warp said foremost flat members into said window to adhere to said picker face to allow said foremost flat member to pass said throat defining means one flat member at a time when said partially hollow body rotates and said partially hollow body bowing said foremost flat member during rotation thereof whereby the combination of warping and bowing separates one flat member at a time from the stack of flat members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
290 words
In an apparatus wherein a stack of thin, flat members of similar thickness are fed from an input hopper to a stacker, a picker assembly to seize said flat members as they reach an end place and direct said flat members one at a time toward said stacker, comprising in combination: a. throat defining means having a front end defining a throat passage between said throat defining means and said end plate permitting the passage of one of said flat members therethrough; b. a window in said end plate in spaced relationship with said throat defining means; c. a partially hollow body serving as a picker and having walls and a partially arcuate picker face having a plurality of holes therein, said hollow body being supported in said window so that a portion of said face turns a predEtermined angle of rotation past said throat, including drive means coupled to said picker to turn said face in said window; d. suction means connected to said picker hollow body creating a suction force acting through said holes to cause the foremost of said flat members to adhere to said picker face upon reaching said end plate and be directed past said throat, as said face turns; and e. said partially hollow body being spaced in said window so as to warp said foremost flat members into said window to adhere to said picker face to allow said foremost flat member to pass said throat defining means one flat member at a time when said partially hollow body rotates and said partially hollow body bowing said foremost flat member during rotation thereof whereby the combination of warping and bowing separates one flat member at a time from the stack of flat members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a drive shaft, disposed in the vicinity of said window behind said end wall plate, said picker hollow body being mounted thereon for eccentric rotation of said arcuate picker face before said window.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said drive shaft including a solenoid connected thereto for turning said drive shaft, a picker stop disposed in the travel path of one of said picker walls, said solenoid being de-energized as said picker hits said stop and, spring means connected to said picker restoring said picker to its original position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a riffler disposed over said end wall plate to blow air down on several of the foremost flat members, an air feed hose operatively connected to said riffler to feed air thereto, and a pump to which said suction means and air feed hose are connected.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, said suction means including an elongated aperture in said picker hollow body, a suction hose with an opening partially covering said aperture so that the turning movement of said picker partially blocks said suction of said aperture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said throat defining means including a throat bar disposed to one side of said end wall plate disposed to engage a side edge of the foremost card, and adjustment means to adjust the distance between said front end and said end plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said picker face including a plurality of holes on the side of the face located towards said throat.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said throat and said end wall plate partially define the inner portion of the input hopper, and a pair of pinch rollers past said throat on the outside of said input hopper to grab said flat member passing through said throat.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
171 words
A picker mechanism for picking thin, flat members one at a time from an input hopper and feeding each said flat member towards a stacker comprising in combination: throat defining means located at one end of said input hopper, said throat defining means defining a throat between an adjustable throat block and a hopper and plate means whereby one flat member at a time can pass through said throat defining means; picker head means rotatably mounted to said picker mechanism in close juxtaposition to said throat defining means and having a face with perforations therein for the passage of air for gripping one flat member at a time with the suction of air through said perforations, said picker head means face coacting with said hopper end plate and being shaped to bow said flat member in one direction and to warp said flat member transverse to said bowing around said throat block while rotating said picker head with said flat member until said flat member is engaged by a feeding means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
171 words
A picker mechanism for picking thin, flat members one at a time from an input hopper and feeding each said flat member towards a stacker comprising in combination: throat defining means located at one end of said input hopper, said throat defining means defining a throat between an adjustable throat block and a hopper and plate means whereby one flat member at a time can pass through said throat defining means; picker head means rotatably mounted to said picker mechanism in close juxtaposition to said throat defining means and having a face with perforations therein for the passage of air for gripping one flat member at a time with the suction of air through said perforations, said picker head means face coacting with said hopper end plate and being shaped to bow said flat member in one direction and to warp said flat member transverse to said bowing around said throat block while rotating said picker head with said flat member until said flat member is engaged by a feeding means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
72 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 9 in which said picker mechanism has a suction generating means connected to said picker head means by connecting means to produce suction through said perforations therein and said connecting means is adapted to reduce said suction throUgh said perforations as said picker head rotates, whereby said picker head means will reduce its grip on said flat member as said flat member engages said feeding means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 10 in which said connection means includes holes that are aligned in one position but become out of alignment when said picker head means rotates a predetermined distance.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 in which said picker head means has a generally arcuate shaped face and is eccentrically mounted for rotation relative to said arc.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 in which said picker head means has a face shaped to bow and warp said flat members during rotation so that said bow and warped flat member has one portion thereof being fed through said throat defining means and a second portion thereof driving any remaining flat members in said hopper from said throat defining means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 in which said suction generating means blows air being sucked therethrough onto the top of one end of said input hopper for riffling flat members located in said one end of said hopper.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 14 in which said picker mechanism feeds a pinch roller feed means for feeding said flat members to said stacker.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 15 in which said picker mechanism rotates approximately 20* prior to returning to its starting position.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of picking thin, flat members one at a time from an input hopper and feeding each flat member to a stacker comprising the steps of: gripping one flat member at a time onto a rotatable head by a suction through perforations in said rotatable head; rotating said rotatable head with said flat member gripped thereto; bowing said flat member in accordance with said rotation of said rotatable head; warping said flat member transverse to said bowing thereof around a fixed throat bar during rotation of said rotatable head whereby only one card at a time can pass by said throat bar.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of picking thin, flat members one at a time from an input hopper and feeding each flat member to a stacker comprising the steps of: gripping one flat member at a time onto a rotatable head by a suction through perforations in said rotatable head; rotating said rotatable head with said flat member gripped thereto; bowing said flat member in accordance with said rotation of said rotatable head; warping said flat member transverse to said bowing thereof around a fixed throat bar during rotation of said rotatable head whereby only one card at a time can pass by said throat bar.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method according to claim 17 in which the step of gripping includes reducing the suction through the perforations in said head upon said head being rotated a predetermined angle of rotation by rotation of said head blocking a portion of an opening thereinto.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 18 but including the step of riffling said flat members in said input hopper with said suction of air from the suction through said perforations.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 19 in which said step of rotating includes rotating said head a predetermined angle of rotation releasing said flat member and returning said head to its original position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-12 | 1976-03-13 | 1976-09-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-12 | 1980-03-13 | 1980-09-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-12 | 1984-03-13 | 1984-09-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |