US3771783A — Mechanism for feeding, separating and stacking sh…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 419 words

Apparatus for feeding sheets arranged in a stack in a predetermined direction, which sheets are intermixed in said stack and may be of different sizes, shapes, thicknesses, finishes and quality of condition, said apparatus comprising an infeed hopper; said hopper including first and second plate means for supporting said stack, and an outfeed opening defined by adjacent ends of said first and second plate means; said first plate means engaging the first sheet to be feed from said stack and said second plate means engaging the leading edges of at least some of the sheets in said stack, wherein the leading edges of said sheets are those edges which first pass out of said hopper when moving in said predetermined direction; said first plate means having a first surface portion whose downstream end lies adjacent said outfeed opening and whose upstream end is remote from said outfeed opening, and a second inclined surface portion having a downstream end joined to the upstream end of said first furface portion with the junction defining an angle of greater than 90*, and an upstream end remote from said first surface portion, wherein the upstream end of said second surface portion remote from said junction lies a spaced distance from the plate of said first surface portion; the upstream end of said first plate means second surface portion engaging the trailing edges of the sheets near the bottom of said stack as the sheets are Fed through the outfeed opening whereby these sheets are relieved of the weight of the rearward end of the stack; said second plate means having an inclined supporting surface aligned at an angle relative to an imaginary vertical line to remove a substantial portion of the weight of the stack from the forward ends of the bottom-most sheets; the end of said second plate means adjacent said first plate means lying a spaced distance from the downstream end of said first plate means first surface portion to define a narrow outfeed passageway therebetween; said first support plate first surface portion having an opening; advancing means protruding through said opening for advancing at least that sheet in said stack engaging said first plate means toward said outfeed opening and for simultaneously moving the trailing edge downstream along said first and second surface portions and away from the remainder of said stack so as to remove the rearward weight of said stack from said sheet engaging the first plate means to facilitate movement of said sheet through said outfeed passageway.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 419 words

Apparatus for feeding sheets arranged in a stack in a predetermined direction, which sheets are intermixed in said stack and may be of different sizes, shapes, thicknesses, finishes and quality of condition, said apparatus comprising an infeed hopper; said hopper including first and second plate means for supporting said stack, and an outfeed opening defined by adjacent ends of said first and second plate means; said first plate means engaging the first sheet to be feed from said stack and said second plate means engaging the leading edges of at least some of the sheets in said stack, wherein the leading edges of said sheets are those edges which first pass out of said hopper when moving in said predetermined direction; said first plate means having a first surface portion whose downstream end lies adjacent said outfeed opening and whose upstream end is remote from said outfeed opening, and a second inclined surface portion having a downstream end joined to the upstream end of said first furface portion with the junction defining an angle of greater than 90*, and an upstream end remote from said first surface portion, wherein the upstream end of said second surface portion remote from said junction lies a spaced distance from the plate of said first surface portion; the upstream end of said first plate means second surface portion engaging the trailing edges of the sheets near the bottom of said stack as the sheets are Fed through the outfeed opening whereby these sheets are relieved of the weight of the rearward end of the stack; said second plate means having an inclined supporting surface aligned at an angle relative to an imaginary vertical line to remove a substantial portion of the weight of the stack from the forward ends of the bottom-most sheets; the end of said second plate means adjacent said first plate means lying a spaced distance from the downstream end of said first plate means first surface portion to define a narrow outfeed passageway therebetween; said first support plate first surface portion having an opening; advancing means protruding through said opening for advancing at least that sheet in said stack engaging said first plate means toward said outfeed opening and for simultaneously moving the trailing edge downstream along said first and second surface portions and away from the remainder of said stack so as to remove the rearward weight of said stack from said sheet engaging the first plate means to facilitate movement of said sheet through said outfeed passageway.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 54 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said advancing means is comprised of a rotating member whose periphery is provided with a raised surface portion for simultaneously jogging at least the bottom portion of said stack and for advancing at least the bottom sheet of said stack when said raised surface portion enters said opening.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said member is comprised of an annular shaped roller rotatable substantially about its central axis; said raised surface portion being formed of a material having a durometer which is greater than the durometer of the remainder of said periphery.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 49 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said member is comprised of an annular shaped roller rotatable substantially about its central axis; said raised surface portion being formed of a material having a coefficient of friction which is greater than the coefficient of friction of the remainder of said periphery.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the circumferential length of said raised portion is selected so that the leading edge of said sheet being fed by said raised portion passes through the outfeed opening before being disengaged from the surface of said raised portion.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 68 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one portion of the surface of said second supporting means is provided with means adapted to increase the sliding friction between said one surface portion and the leading edges of said stack of sheets as said sheets move generally downwardly to reduce the amount of weight imposed upon the bottom sheet in said stack by the remainder of said stack.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 12 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said one surface portion is roughened.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 12 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said one surface portion is corrugated.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said one surface portion has a step-like contour.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said one surface portion has a saw-toothed surface contour.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 59 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said raised surface portion repeatedly urges said stack upwardly each time said raised surface portion enters said opening to urge the leading edges of said sheets upwardly and against said second supporting means one surface portion to assure release of the weight of said leading edges of said stack from the bottom sheet.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the circumference of said roller is preferably greater than the length of the shortest document processed by said apparatus with the said length being in the feed direction.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means loosely suspended from said second supporting plate and positioned adjacent said outfeed passageway for preventing said sheets in passing through said passageway in a skewed manner.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 72 words

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising drive rollers positioned adjacent to and downstream of said outfeed opening; stripper rollers positioned adjacent to said drive rollers; means for rotating said drive and stripper rollers in opposite directions; said drive and stripper rollers being positioned to receive sheets delivered through said outfeed opening by said advancing means for separating said sheets and feeding the sheets, one at a time, toward a stacking location.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 92 words

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first plate means further comprises a third surface portion extending downstream of said outfeed opening said third surface portion having an opening; said drive rollers protruding through said opening; said first and third surface portions being joined to one another adjacent said outfeed opening by a short inclined surface positioned therebetween and forming a continuous surface between the first and third surface portions to cause the leading edge of sheets approaching the outfeed opening to droop downwardly to facilitate their engagement with the drive rollers.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 299 words

Apparatus for advancing sheets from a stack to an outfeed location whereby said sheets are delivered to said outfeed location in sequential fashion whereby the trailing edge of the sheet last advanced to the outfeed location is separated from the leading edge of the next sheet to be delivered to said outfeed location by at least a small distance, said apparatus comprising: an infeed hopper for supporting a plurality of sheets generally arranged in a stack; said hopper having an outfeed passageway at one end thereof through which at least the bottom sheet may pass; the base of said hopper having an opening; means protruding at least partially through said opening for intermittently advancing at least the bottom sheet of said stack toward said outfeed passageway; continuously rotating drive means positioned adjacent said passageway for slidably engaging the bottom sheet in said stack and advancing at least the bottom sheet or bottom-most sheets fed thereto toward said outfeed location; continuously rotating stripper means positioned adjacent said outfeed passageway and said drive means and rotating in a direction opposite said drive means for permitting only a single sheet passing between said stripper means and said drive means to be advanced toward said outfeed location; said stripper means and said drive means being adapted to cooperatively cause the sheet or sheets fed therebetween to assume an undulating shape in a direction transverse to the forward feed direction of said sheets to stiffen said sheet or sheets and thereby facilitate the respective driving and stripping functions of said driving means and stripping means whereby only the sheet fed toward said outfeed location is the sheet which makes sliding engagement with said drive means and regardless of that fact, that only a single sheet may pass between said drive means and stripper means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 299 words

Apparatus for advancing sheets from a stack to an outfeed location whereby said sheets are delivered to said outfeed location in sequential fashion whereby the trailing edge of the sheet last advanced to the outfeed location is separated from the leading edge of the next sheet to be delivered to said outfeed location by at least a small distance, said apparatus comprising: an infeed hopper for supporting a plurality of sheets generally arranged in a stack; said hopper having an outfeed passageway at one end thereof through which at least the bottom sheet may pass; the base of said hopper having an opening; means protruding at least partially through said opening for intermittently advancing at least the bottom sheet of said stack toward said outfeed passageway; continuously rotating drive means positioned adjacent said passageway for slidably engaging the bottom sheet in said stack and advancing at least the bottom sheet or bottom-most sheets fed thereto toward said outfeed location; continuously rotating stripper means positioned adjacent said outfeed passageway and said drive means and rotating in a direction opposite said drive means for permitting only a single sheet passing between said stripper means and said drive means to be advanced toward said outfeed location; said stripper means and said drive means being adapted to cooperatively cause the sheet or sheets fed therebetween to assume an undulating shape in a direction transverse to the forward feed direction of said sheets to stiffen said sheet or sheets and thereby facilitate the respective driving and stripping functions of said driving means and stripping means whereby only the sheet fed toward said outfeed location is the sheet which makes sliding engagement with said drive means and regardless of that fact, that only a single sheet may pass between said drive means and stripper means.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 98 words

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said drive means and said stripper means each include at least one annular shaped roller, said rollers having surfaces along their annular peripheries of differing coefficients of friction with the coefficient of friction of said drive means roller being greater than the coefficient of friction of said stripper means roller; said rollers being offset relative to one another in a direction transverse to the feed direction and the distance between the centers of rotation of said rollers being separated by a distance which is less than the sum of their respective radii.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the near edges of said rollers which are closest to one another are closely spaced to pinch the sheet or sheets passing through said drive means and stripper means between said closely spaced peripheral edges.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein each of said drive and stripper rollers are respectively mounted upon drive and stripper shafts; said rollers being adjustably positioned along their associated shafts to accommodate sheets of varying thicknesses and to allow for adjustment of said rollers to cOmpensate for normal wearing thereof.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 47 words

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the stripper means comprises means for pivotally mounting the stripper roller; the angle of said mounting means and an horizontal plane being chosen to prevent bouncing of said stripper wheels and prevent wedging of sheets between said stripper and drive rollers.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 90 words

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the stripper means comprises means for pivotally mounting said stripper roller; said drive and stripper rollers being respectively mounted upon drive and stripper shafts; said stripper roller mounting being adapted to support said stripper shaft; stripper and drive pulleys being respectively mounted upon said stripper and drive shafts; means for rotating one of said shafts; resilient belt means being entrained about said drive and stripper pulleys for imparting rotation to the remaining one of said shafts and for urging said shafts toward one another.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 54 words

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said drive means is positioned to make sliding engagement with the first sheet advanced thereto from said stack before said stripper means makes sliding engagement with said first sheet regardless of whether one or more sheets of said stack are advanced toward said stripper means and drive means.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 46 words

The apparatus of claim 16 where at least the peripheral portions of said drive means roller and said stripper means roller are made of materials of differing durometer with the durometer of said drive means roller material being greater than the durometer of the remaining roller.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the stripper means roller is provided with a convex periphery which is curved in a direction lateral to the movement of said sheets.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the drive means roller is provided with a convex periphery which is curved in a direction lateral to the movement of said sheets.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 16 including means for pivotally suspending said stripper means roller, said suspending means being adapted to bias said stripper means roller toward said drive means.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 46 words

The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising accelerating means positioned between said drive means and said outfeed location and including continuously rotating cooperating rollers for receiving a sheet delivered thereto by said drive means and advancing the sheet toward said outfeed location at an increased velocity.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 73 words

The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the accelerating means is preferably positioned at a predetermined distance from said drive means, wherein said predetermined distance is less than the length of the shortest document accepted by said apparatus, with said length being measured in the direction of movement, to cause engagement between a sheet delivered from said drive means and said accelerating means cooperating rollers before said sheet is disengaged by said drive means.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 27 wherein one of said cooperating rollers is an idler roller; means for rotating the remaining cooperating roller at a rotational speed greater than the rotational speed of said drive means roller.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 70 words

The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising single power drive means; means coupled between said power drive means and said accelerating means for rotating said accelerating means; clutch means coupled between said accelerating means and said drive means for selectively rotating said drive means when said clutch means is engaged; means coupling said drive means to said stripper means for rotating said stripper means when said clutch means is engaged.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising brake means coupled to said stripper means and being energized to brake said stripper means and said drive means when said clutch means is disengaged.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 97 words

The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising means for sensing the gap between the trailing edge of a document being advanced by said acceleration means and the leading edge of thE next document being advanced toward said acceleration means for generating a pulse; means for counting said pulses; settable means coupled to said counter for disengaging said clutch and energizing said brake means when said count advances to the setting (n) of said settable means to slow the movement of the (n+1) document toward said acceleration means while permitting the nth document to reach said outfeed location.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 259 words

The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising means for sensing the gap between the trailing edge of a document being advanced by said acceleration means and leading edge of the next document being advanced toward said acceleration means for generating a pulse; means for counting said pulses; settable means coupled to said counter for engaging said clutch and energizing said brake means when said counter advances to one less (n-1) than the setting (n) of said settable means to slow the movement of the (n+1) document toward said acceleration means while permitting the nth document to reach said stacker; gate means positioned between said acceleration means and said outfeed location, said gate means comprising a pivotally mounted gate having a first position for preventing sheets advanced toward said gate means from being deflected toward said outfeed location and a second position for permitting sheets advanced toward said gate means to be deflected toward said outfeed location; said gate means including relay means coupled between said gate and said settable means for moving said gate to said second position after said pulse representing the (n-1)th document is generated, and for moving said gate to said first position after the pulse representing the nth document is generated; said settable means including means for deenergizing said brake and disengaging said clutch a predetermined time delay after said relay means has operated said gate to said second position; said relay means being adapted to return said gate means to said first position after said counting means generates a pulse representing the nth document.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising deflecting means positioned between said drive means and said outfeed location for substantially simultaneously deflecting each sheet leaving said drive means toward said outfeed location and for preventing said sheets striking said deflection means from moving toward said outfeed location in a skewed manner.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 74 words

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein drive means comprise at least one drive roller having an annular groove around its periphery; said stripper means comprising at least one roller having a curved periphery and being positioned at least partially within the groove formed in said drive roller whereby the distance between the centers of said drive and stripper rollers is less than the sum of the outer radii of said drive and stripper rollers.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 82 words

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein drive means comprise at least one drive roller having a plurality of annular grooves around its periphery; said stripper means comprising at least two roller having curved peripheries separated by a central gap, each of said peripheries being positioned at least partially within associated grooves of said drive roller whereby the distance between the centers of said drive and stripper rollers is less than the sum of the outer radii of said drive and stripper rollers.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 277 words

Apparatus for feeding sheets in a forward feed direction from an infeed to an outfeed location on a single sheet basis comprising: feed means for advancing sheets from said infeed toward said outfeed locations in said forward feed direction as said sheets engage said feed means; stripper means and drive means positioned between said infeed and outfeed locations and adjacent said feed means; said stripper and drive means cooperating to constrain sheets to pass therebetween whereby opposite surfaces of the sheets fed therebetWeen are engaged by said drive and stripper means; said drive and stripper means each having rollers arranged in staggered fashion, the peripheries of the stripper rollers extending between the peripheries of the feed rollers to cause said sheets fed therebetween to assume an undulating configuration for stiffening said sheets as they pass through said drive means and stripper means; means for rotating said stripper means rollers and said drive means rollers in opposite directions to cause said stripper means rollers to tend to urge sheets in the reverse direction; the peripheral surfaces of said drive means rollers having a higher coefficient of friction than those of the stripper means rollers to cause single sheets passing between said drive and stripper means to be fed in the forward feed direction while multiple sheets passing between said drive and stripper means are caused to be stripped by said stripper means to cause the sheets between the drive and stripper means to be advanced to said outfeed location in the order of their relative position to the feed means with the sheet first engaging the feed means being the first to be advanced to the outfeed location.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 277 words

Apparatus for feeding sheets in a forward feed direction from an infeed to an outfeed location on a single sheet basis comprising: feed means for advancing sheets from said infeed toward said outfeed locations in said forward feed direction as said sheets engage said feed means; stripper means and drive means positioned between said infeed and outfeed locations and adjacent said feed means; said stripper and drive means cooperating to constrain sheets to pass therebetween whereby opposite surfaces of the sheets fed therebetWeen are engaged by said drive and stripper means; said drive and stripper means each having rollers arranged in staggered fashion, the peripheries of the stripper rollers extending between the peripheries of the feed rollers to cause said sheets fed therebetween to assume an undulating configuration for stiffening said sheets as they pass through said drive means and stripper means; means for rotating said stripper means rollers and said drive means rollers in opposite directions to cause said stripper means rollers to tend to urge sheets in the reverse direction; the peripheral surfaces of said drive means rollers having a higher coefficient of friction than those of the stripper means rollers to cause single sheets passing between said drive and stripper means to be fed in the forward feed direction while multiple sheets passing between said drive and stripper means are caused to be stripped by said stripper means to cause the sheets between the drive and stripper means to be advanced to said outfeed location in the order of their relative position to the feed means with the sheet first engaging the feed means being the first to be advanced to the outfeed location.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus of claim 37 wherein said stripper means is further comprised of a swingeable support means pivoted at a first end thereof and having means at the opposite end for rotatably mounting said stripper means rollers to enable said stripper means rollers to ''''float'''' relative to said drive means.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said drive means further comprises means for driving said stripper means rollers without interfering with the ''''floating'''' mounting of said stripper means rollers.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein both the pivot point and center of rotation of said stripper means rollers are located to one side of the plane of movement of said sheets to eliminate ''''bouncing'''' of said stripper means rollers.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 59 words

The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the support means is aligned relative to the plane of movement of the sheets so that an imaginary straight line between said pivot point and the center of rotation of said stripper means rollers forms an angle of greater than 0* and less than 90* with the plane of movement of said sheets.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 71 words

The apparatus of claim 37 wherein said stripper and means has at least two rollers; said rollers being positioned so that the near edges of adjacent drive and stripper means rollers pinch a sheet as it passes therebetween so that each sheet is ''''pinched'''' in a minimum of two locations whereby said pinching action promotes the undulated configuration which a sheet assumes and further facilitates both the ''''stripping'''' and feeding operations.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 291 words

Apparatus for feeding sheets arranged in a stack in a predetermined direction, which sheets are intermixed in said stack and may be of different sizes, shapes, thicknesses, finishes and quality or condition, said apparatus comprising: means for supporting said stack in an inclined fashion with the leading edges of each sheet being inclined downwardly and positioned below their associated trailing edges; said hopper comprising an inclined bottom plate for supporting said stack and engaging at least the bottom-most sheet in the stack; an inclined front plate; the lower end of said front plate being positioned above said supporting plate for forming a feed opening therebetween to permit the passage of sheets therethrough; abovu said opening; said said front plate engaging the leading edges of those sheets in the stack positioned above said opening; said front plate being aligned to form an angle with an imaginary vertical line to remove at least a portion of the weight of the stack from those sheets whose leading edges are positioned below the lower end of said front plate; the portion of said support plate remote from said opening being inclined upwardly and away from said opening for supportiNg the upstream end of said stack; said support plate having an opening positioned between said feed opening and the inclined portion of said support plate; advancing means protruding through said opening for jostling said stack and advancing sheets from the bottom of said stack toward said feed opening; said support plate inclined portion and advancing means cooperating to move the trailing edges of the advanced sheets downstream of the rearward end of the stack so as to be substantially relieved of the weight of the stack to facilitate feeding of the sheets through said feed opening.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 291 words

Apparatus for feeding sheets arranged in a stack in a predetermined direction, which sheets are intermixed in said stack and may be of different sizes, shapes, thicknesses, finishes and quality or condition, said apparatus comprising: means for supporting said stack in an inclined fashion with the leading edges of each sheet being inclined downwardly and positioned below their associated trailing edges; said hopper comprising an inclined bottom plate for supporting said stack and engaging at least the bottom-most sheet in the stack; an inclined front plate; the lower end of said front plate being positioned above said supporting plate for forming a feed opening therebetween to permit the passage of sheets therethrough; abovu said opening; said said front plate engaging the leading edges of those sheets in the stack positioned above said opening; said front plate being aligned to form an angle with an imaginary vertical line to remove at least a portion of the weight of the stack from those sheets whose leading edges are positioned below the lower end of said front plate; the portion of said support plate remote from said opening being inclined upwardly and away from said opening for supportiNg the upstream end of said stack; said support plate having an opening positioned between said feed opening and the inclined portion of said support plate; advancing means protruding through said opening for jostling said stack and advancing sheets from the bottom of said stack toward said feed opening; said support plate inclined portion and advancing means cooperating to move the trailing edges of the advanced sheets downstream of the rearward end of the stack so as to be substantially relieved of the weight of the stack to facilitate feeding of the sheets through said feed opening.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-11-12	1977-05-14	1977-11-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-11-12	1981-05-14	1981-11-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-11-12	1985-05-14	1985-11-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Mechanism for feeding, separating and stacking sheets

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