US3767185A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Card feeder
Assignee: Krueger Co W A
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Filing: 1971-05-28
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Granted: 1973-10-23
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Expires: 1991-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A feeder plate declines to the pick-off station and supports a pack of cards disposed vertically on edge thereon with the upper edge portion of the front card resting against a stop plate extending transversely of the feeder plate. A plurality of separator needles are angularly disposed at the lower edge of the feeder plate in the general transverse vertical plane of the stop plate, each needle extending normal to the feeder plate and being fixed in a rack movable perpendicularly of the feeder plate for adjustment as to height to accommodate cards of different texture and stiffness. Each rack is driven by suitable gearing from a corresponding transverse shaft carried beneath the feeder plate and which is rotationally held in adjusted position by a set screw or other means at the outer edge of the plate. The gripping and transfer drums have a smooth 80 durometer polyurethane tread. The pull-out wheels are entirely separately mounted and driven, and spring pressed toward corresponding drums. The main drive shaft is made in sections rigidly coupled together to permit removal without dismantling the end housing. A counter force cam is provided on the main drive shaft to counteract the load forces on the drive cams.
Inventors
- 👤 J Newsome
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:37
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H5/00; B65H5/06; B65H5/062; B65H3/00; B65H3/08; B65H3/0808; B65H3/46
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
A card feeder and transfer mechanism having means to receive a Stack of cards vertically on edge, means to strip successive cards from the end of the stack and means to transfer the cards one by one from said stripping means; in which said stack receiving means comprises a feeder plate disposed in a declining position toward a stripping station and adapted to support the stack of cards with the lower end card positioned for stripping from the stack, fixed abutment means adapted to engage the upper portion of said lower end card and retain the card in vertical position for engagement by said stripping means, a plurality of laterally spaced upstanding separator needles carried by said feeder plate with their bases in a vertical plane coincident with said abutment means and with the needles disposed substantially normal to the plane of said feeder plate and at an incline away from the stack of cards, and means to independently adjust the height of each said needle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
A card feeder and transfer mechanism having means to receive a Stack of cards vertically on edge, means to strip successive cards from the end of the stack and means to transfer the cards one by one from said stripping means; in which said stack receiving means comprises a feeder plate disposed in a declining position toward a stripping station and adapted to support the stack of cards with the lower end card positioned for stripping from the stack, fixed abutment means adapted to engage the upper portion of said lower end card and retain the card in vertical position for engagement by said stripping means, a plurality of laterally spaced upstanding separator needles carried by said feeder plate with their bases in a vertical plane coincident with said abutment means and with the needles disposed substantially normal to the plane of said feeder plate and at an incline away from the stack of cards, and means to independently adjust the height of each said needle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The construction of claim 1 in which each needle is carried by a rack disposed to move in a direction normal to said plate to raise and lower the needle, and gear means are provided beneath the plate for adjusting the position of each rack separately from one side edge of the plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The construction of claim 2 and means to secure each such gear means in any selected adjustment of the same.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
The construction of claim 1 and a pair of adjustably spaced upstanding side flanges on said feeder plate to provide a channel for holding the stack of cards in feeding the same to the stripper means, and an adjustable separator needle carried by said side flanges for controlling the side edges of the card as it is stripped from the stack.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
193 words
A card feeder and transfer mechanism having means to receive a stack of cards vertically on edge, means to strip successive cards from the end of the stack and means to transfer the cards one by one from said stripping means; in which said stripping means comprises a plurality of vacuum cups mounted for controlled reciprocation toward and away from the lower portion of the end card of the stack, means to retain the upper portion of said end card in the stack as the lower portion of the card is stripped from the stack by said vacuum cups, a pair of laterally spaced pull-out wheels having a recess in each for receiving the lower edge of a card as it is stripped from the stack by said vacuum cups, and a pair of rotary drums registering with said pull-out wheels, said pull-out wheels being adapted to deliver the lower edge of a card to the space between the wheels and said drums where it is gripped and the card is pulled away from the stack, said drums having a tread of substantially hard polyurethane material to prevent accumulation of foreign material thereon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
193 words
A card feeder and transfer mechanism having means to receive a stack of cards vertically on edge, means to strip successive cards from the end of the stack and means to transfer the cards one by one from said stripping means; in which said stripping means comprises a plurality of vacuum cups mounted for controlled reciprocation toward and away from the lower portion of the end card of the stack, means to retain the upper portion of said end card in the stack as the lower portion of the card is stripped from the stack by said vacuum cups, a pair of laterally spaced pull-out wheels having a recess in each for receiving the lower edge of a card as it is stripped from the stack by said vacuum cups, and a pair of rotary drums registering with said pull-out wheels, said pull-out wheels being adapted to deliver the lower edge of a card to the space between the wheels and said drums where it is gripped and the card is pulled away from the stack, said drums having a tread of substantially hard polyurethane material to prevent accumulation of foreign material thereon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
171 words
A card feeder and transfer mechanism having means to receive a stack of cards vertically on edge, means to strip successive cards from the end of the stack and means to transfer the cards one by one from said stripping means; in which said stripping means comprises a plurality of vacuum cups mounted for controlled reciprocation toward and away from the lower portion of the end card of the stack, a pair of laterally spaced pull-out wheels having a recess in each for receiving the lower edge of a card as it is stripped from the stack by said vacuum cups, a pair of rotary drums disposed in registry with said pull-out wheels to cooperate therewith in gripping the lower edge of the card and pulling the same from the stack, separate pivotal arms supporting said pull-out wheels for independent movement in a direction toward and away from the corresponding drum, spring means biasing each said pull-out wheel toward its corresponding drum, and separate means for driving each said pull-out wheel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
171 words
A card feeder and transfer mechanism having means to receive a stack of cards vertically on edge, means to strip successive cards from the end of the stack and means to transfer the cards one by one from said stripping means; in which said stripping means comprises a plurality of vacuum cups mounted for controlled reciprocation toward and away from the lower portion of the end card of the stack, a pair of laterally spaced pull-out wheels having a recess in each for receiving the lower edge of a card as it is stripped from the stack by said vacuum cups, a pair of rotary drums disposed in registry with said pull-out wheels to cooperate therewith in gripping the lower edge of the card and pulling the same from the stack, separate pivotal arms supporting said pull-out wheels for independent movement in a direction toward and away from the corresponding drum, spring means biasing each said pull-out wheel toward its corresponding drum, and separate means for driving each said pull-out wheel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3027161A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |