US3708162A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stream flow interrupter
Assignee: OI Glass Inc
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Filing: 1971-03-12
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Granted: 1973-01-02
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Expires: 1991-03-12
Abstract
Abstract A device is shown for interrupting the flow of a stream of sheets of boxboard, corrugated fiberboard, and the like, on a conveyor. A plurality of elongated structural members are each individually suspended above and along the direction of travel of a conveyor in spaced relation with respect to each other across the conveyor. First and second shafts extend across the conveyor and are spaced from each other along the direction of travel of the conveyor. A first link freely pivotally supports the upstream end of each elongated member from the first shaft a distance above the conveyor which permits the travel of sheets therebeneath. A second link freely pivotally supports the downstream end of each elongated member to enable contact with a sheet traveling on a conveyor. A pick-up arm for each link is fixedly secured on a shaft adjacent the link and has a link contacting surface extending beneath a surface of the adjacent link. A crank is connected to the shaft and is driven by a piston-cylinder assembly to rotate the crank means to raise and lower the elongated members.
Inventors
- 👤 W Skudlarek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:45
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H29/00; B65H29/66; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/22; B65G47/26; B65G47/28; B65G47/29; B65H33/00; B65H33/12; B65H2701/00; B65H2701/10; B65H2701/17; B65H2701/176; B65H2701/1762
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
Apparatus for the interruption of flow of a stream of sheets on a conveyor comprising a. a plurality of elongated structural members individually suspended above and along the direction of travel of a conveyor and in spaced relation with respect to each other across the conveyor, b. first link means freely pivotally supporting the upstream end of each member a distance above the conveyor which permits the travel of sheets therebeneath, c. second link means freely pivotally supporting the downstream end of each member to enable contact with a sheet traveling on the conveyor, and d. pick-up means operable to pivot one of said first and second link means of each member away from the conveyor thereby pivoting both link means away from said conveyor and lifting each member away from the conveyor to permit the flow of single or stacked sheets therebeneath.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
143 words
Apparatus for the interruption of flow of a stream of sheets on a conveyor comprising a. a plurality of elongated structural members individually suspended above and along the direction of travel of a conveyor and in spaced relation with respect to each other across the conveyor, b. first link means freely pivotally supporting the upstream end of each member a distance above the conveyor which permits the travel of sheets therebeneath, c. second link means freely pivotally supporting the downstream end of each member to enable contact with a sheet traveling on the conveyor, and d. pick-up means operable to pivot one of said first and second link means of each member away from the conveyor thereby pivoting both link means away from said conveyor and lifting each member away from the conveyor to permit the flow of single or stacked sheets therebeneath.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which further includes stop means for limiting the pivoting of one of said first and second link means of each member toward said conveyor so that the downstream end of each member is suspended above the conveyor a distance which is less than the thickness of a sheet traveling on the conveyor, thus enabling sheet contact but avoiding conveyor contact.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which further includes first and second shafts extending across the conveyor and spaced from each other along the conveyor for journally supporting the upper ends of said first and second link means, respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which a. said first and second shafts are spaced the same distance above the conveyor, and in which b. said first link means are shorter than said second link means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said pick-up means includes a pick-up arm for each of said elongated members fixedly secured to one of said shafts and having a link contact surface extending beneath the link means journally supported on that shaft to enable contact with that link means between the ends thereof in response to rotation of said one Shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which said pick-up means further includes a. crank means connected to a shaft on which a pick-up arm is fixedly secured, and b. means for turning said crank means to rotate a shaft to which said crank means is connected.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
82 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 6 which further includes a. stop means for limiting movement of said crank means in a direction which enables said pick-up arms to lower the downstream end of said elongated members, b. said stop means being positioned to contact said crank means to suspend the downstream ends of said elongated members above the conveyor a distance which is less than the thickness of a sheet traveling on the conveyor thus enabling sheet contact but avoiding conveyor contact.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5 which further includes means carried by one of said pick-up arm and link means of each of said elongated members for adjusting the contact point between said pick-up arm and said link means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 8 in which said contact point adjustment means includes resilient means carried by one of said pick-up arm and link means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the contact surface on the underside of each of said elongated members is faced with a resilient material having a higher coefficient of friction than the material of said elongated member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
173 words
Apparatus for interrupting the flow of a stream of sheets of boxboard, corrugated fiberboard and the like on a conveyor comprising, a. a plurality of elongated structural members each individually suspended above and along the direction of travel of a conveyor and in spaced relation with respect to each other across the conveyor, b. first and second shafts extending across the conveyor and spaced from each other along the direction of travel of the conveyor, c. a first link freely pivotally supporting the upstream end of each elongated member from said first shaft a distance above the conveyor which permits the travel of sheets therebeneath, d. a second link freely pivotally supporting the downstream end of each elongated member to enable contact with a sheet traveling on the conveyor, and e. pick-up means fixedly supported to one of said shafts operable in response to rotation of that shaft to pivot the links pivoted on that shaft away from the conveyor thereby lifting each member away from the conveyor to permit sheet flow therebeneath.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
173 words
Apparatus for interrupting the flow of a stream of sheets of boxboard, corrugated fiberboard and the like on a conveyor comprising, a. a plurality of elongated structural members each individually suspended above and along the direction of travel of a conveyor and in spaced relation with respect to each other across the conveyor, b. first and second shafts extending across the conveyor and spaced from each other along the direction of travel of the conveyor, c. a first link freely pivotally supporting the upstream end of each elongated member from said first shaft a distance above the conveyor which permits the travel of sheets therebeneath, d. a second link freely pivotally supporting the downstream end of each elongated member to enable contact with a sheet traveling on the conveyor, and e. pick-up means fixedly supported to one of said shafts operable in response to rotation of that shaft to pivot the links pivoted on that shaft away from the conveyor thereby lifting each member away from the conveyor to permit sheet flow therebeneath.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
78 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 which further includes a. stop means for limiting rotation of the shaft carrying said pick-up means in a direction which enables said pick-up means to lower the downstream ends of said elongated members, b. said stop means being positioned to limit the lowering rotation of said shaft at a point which suspends the downstream ends of said elongated members a distance above the conveyor which enables sheet contact but avoids conveyor contact.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said pick-up means includes a. a pick-up arm for each link fixedly secured on said one shaft adjacent the link and having a link contacting surface extending beneath a surface of the adjacent link, and which further includes b. adjustment means carried by one of said pick-up arm and adjacent link for at least part of said plurality of elongated members for selectively adjusting the contact point between a pick-up arm and an adjacent link.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 which further includes a. crank means connected to said one shaft, and b. piston-cylinder means for rotating said crank means to raise and lower said elongated members.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which a. said conveyor is faced with a resilient belting material, and in which b. the underside of each elongated member is faced with a resilient belting material along the sheet contact area thereof, the force of gravity exerted on said elongated members and said contact facing thereon being sufficient to overcome the frictional forces between said sheets and said conveyor facing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
200 words
Apparatus for interrupting the flow of a stream of shingled sheets on a continuously moving conveyor, comprising a. means operable to be lowered into stopping contact with at least two spaced areas of the forwardmost portion of a sheet of a series of shingled sheets passing a flow interrupting station on a continuously moving conveyor permitting the sheets beneath the initially contacted sheet to continue their travel on the conveyor, b. said contacting means when in a sheet contacting position extending back upstream from the initially contacted sheet and generally inclined upwardly from the spaced contact areas on the initially contacted sheet to permit the forwardmost portion of succeeding sheets shingled over the initially contacted sheet to be moved by the conveyor into contact with said inclined contacting means, c. the inclination of said contacting means maintaining a predetermined spacing between the leading edges of said stopped shingled sheets while also maintaining the underside of the rear portion of each sheet in conveyor engaging contact, and d. means for lifting said contacting means from said inclined sheet contacting position whereby all the stopped sheets are released simultaneously enabling the conveyor to advance the shingled sheets in their predetermined spaced relationship.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
200 words
Apparatus for interrupting the flow of a stream of shingled sheets on a continuously moving conveyor, comprising a. means operable to be lowered into stopping contact with at least two spaced areas of the forwardmost portion of a sheet of a series of shingled sheets passing a flow interrupting station on a continuously moving conveyor permitting the sheets beneath the initially contacted sheet to continue their travel on the conveyor, b. said contacting means when in a sheet contacting position extending back upstream from the initially contacted sheet and generally inclined upwardly from the spaced contact areas on the initially contacted sheet to permit the forwardmost portion of succeeding sheets shingled over the initially contacted sheet to be moved by the conveyor into contact with said inclined contacting means, c. the inclination of said contacting means maintaining a predetermined spacing between the leading edges of said stopped shingled sheets while also maintaining the underside of the rear portion of each sheet in conveyor engaging contact, and d. means for lifting said contacting means from said inclined sheet contacting position whereby all the stopped sheets are released simultaneously enabling the conveyor to advance the shingled sheets in their predetermined spaced relationship.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 16 in which said contacting means includes portions movable with respect to other portions to permit said contacting means to accommodate a sheet having contact areas not lying in the same plane.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
235 words
A method of interrupting the flow of a stream of shingled sheets on a continuously moving conveyor comprising the steps of a. contacting the forwardmost portion of a sheet of a series of shingled sheets traveling along the continuously moving conveyor with at least one elongated member and stopping the forward progress of said initially contacted sheet while the shingled sheets therebeneath continue their travel on said conveyor, b. contacting and stopping the forward progress of the forwardmost portion of each succeeding sheet shingled over said initially contacted sheet with said elongated member when the leading edge of each sheet arrives at a predetermined spacing behind the leading edge of a preceding stopped sheet by applying limited downward pressure to the leading edge of each succeeding sheet, thereby maintaining a predetermined spacing between the leading edges of the stopped sheets to maintain the trailing edge and the underside of the rear portion of each sheet in conveying contact with the conveyor, c. maintaining the stopping contact of said elongated member with each stopped sheet as the contacted forwardmost portion thereof moves downwardly toward the conveyor in response to the conveying of sheets out from under said stopped sheets, and d. simultaneously releasing the stopping contact of said elongated member with the forwardmost portion of each stopped sheet to enable the continuously moving conveyor to advance the previously stopped sheets in their predetermined spaced shingled relationship.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
235 words
A method of interrupting the flow of a stream of shingled sheets on a continuously moving conveyor comprising the steps of a. contacting the forwardmost portion of a sheet of a series of shingled sheets traveling along the continuously moving conveyor with at least one elongated member and stopping the forward progress of said initially contacted sheet while the shingled sheets therebeneath continue their travel on said conveyor, b. contacting and stopping the forward progress of the forwardmost portion of each succeeding sheet shingled over said initially contacted sheet with said elongated member when the leading edge of each sheet arrives at a predetermined spacing behind the leading edge of a preceding stopped sheet by applying limited downward pressure to the leading edge of each succeeding sheet, thereby maintaining a predetermined spacing between the leading edges of the stopped sheets to maintain the trailing edge and the underside of the rear portion of each sheet in conveying contact with the conveyor, c. maintaining the stopping contact of said elongated member with each stopped sheet as the contacted forwardmost portion thereof moves downwardly toward the conveyor in response to the conveying of sheets out from under said stopped sheets, and d. simultaneously releasing the stopping contact of said elongated member with the forwardmost portion of each stopped sheet to enable the continuously moving conveyor to advance the previously stopped sheets in their predetermined spaced shingled relationship.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method as defined in claim 18 in which the stopping contact with the forwardmost portion of each sheet includes applying a plurality of vertically downward vector forces along with a corresponding plurality of horizontally upstream vector forces to a plurality of said elongated members, the vector sums of which are greater than the corresponding opposing vector sums of the conveying forces applied by the continuously moving conveyor to the conveyor engaged portions of the undersides of said sheets.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method as defined in claim 19 in which each set of vertically downward and horizontally upstream vector forces on each of said elongated members are individually yieldingly applied at spaced contact areas across the leading edge of each sheet to accommodate A leading edge which does not define a straight line, thereby maintaining the leading edge of each sheet squared with respect to the leading edges of the other sheets.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-02 | 1976-07-03 | 1977-01-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-02 | 1980-07-03 | 1981-01-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-02 | 1984-07-03 | 1985-01-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |