US3777903A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for forming and conveying stacks of flat articles, especially sheet articles
Assignee: Windmoeller and Hoelscher KG
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Filing: 1971-05-12
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Granted: 1973-12-11
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Expires: 1991-05-12
Abstract
Abstract In apparatus for forming and conveying stacks of sheet articles arriving on a supply conveyor, the apparatus comprising a stack conveyor on which the articles are successively deposited in superposed relationship aligned against a displaceable abutment whilst the stack conveyor is not feeding and by which each completed stack is fed to a discharge conveyor, the time interval between completion of one stack and commencement of formation of the next stack is minimised and the possible height of efficient stacking is increased by providing for lowering of the stack conveyor in dependence on the growth rate of a stack being formed so that the uppermost article in the stack being formed is substantially at a constant level slightly below the discharge end of the supply conveyor, the stack conveyor being raised again as a completed stack is being transported away and before a new stack is formed.
Inventors
- 👤 G Kuckhermann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 00:47
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H31/00; B65H31/28; B65H31/04; B65H31/08; B65H31/10; B65H31/30; B65H31/3054; B65H2701/00; B65H2701/10; B65H2701/19; B65H2701/191; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/10; Y10S414/102; Y10S414/103; Y10S414/105; Y10S414/115
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
Apparatus for forming and conveying stacks of flat articles arriving on a supply conveyor comprising a stack conveyor adapted to successively receive said articles from the discharge end of said supply conveyor, an aligning stop cooperating with said stack conveyor and adapted to stack said articles up when said stack conveyor is not feeding, means for moving said aligning stop out of the path of a completed stack before said feeding of the stack conveyor is started to convey the stack to a discharge conveyor, means for lowering said stack conveyor during stacking in dependence on the growth rate of a stack being formed such that the uppermost article of the stack being formed is at a substantially constant level slightly below the discharge end of said supply conveyor, a moveable intermediate conveyor positioned between said stack conveyor and said discharge conveyor, means for lowering the upstream end of said intermediate conveyor in unison with said stack conveyor, means for keeping the downstream end of said intermediate conveyor at substantially the same level as said Discharge conveyor, and means for raising said stack conveyor and said intermediate conveyor in unison after completion of a stack and while said stack is transported away.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
Apparatus for forming and conveying stacks of flat articles arriving on a supply conveyor comprising a stack conveyor adapted to successively receive said articles from the discharge end of said supply conveyor, an aligning stop cooperating with said stack conveyor and adapted to stack said articles up when said stack conveyor is not feeding, means for moving said aligning stop out of the path of a completed stack before said feeding of the stack conveyor is started to convey the stack to a discharge conveyor, means for lowering said stack conveyor during stacking in dependence on the growth rate of a stack being formed such that the uppermost article of the stack being formed is at a substantially constant level slightly below the discharge end of said supply conveyor, a moveable intermediate conveyor positioned between said stack conveyor and said discharge conveyor, means for lowering the upstream end of said intermediate conveyor in unison with said stack conveyor, means for keeping the downstream end of said intermediate conveyor at substantially the same level as said Discharge conveyor, and means for raising said stack conveyor and said intermediate conveyor in unison after completion of a stack and while said stack is transported away.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a senser adapted to scan the position of the uppermost article in the stack being formed and for controlling the lowering of said stack conveyor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the senser is mounted at the lower edge of the aligning stop on the upstream side thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for raising and lowering said stack conveyor and said intermediate conveyor and said means for moving said aligning stop out of the path of the completed stack comprise a counter for the articles which activates said means after it has counted a predetermined number of articles supplied by the supply conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 and further comprising a feeler responsive to the passage of a completed stack for actuating the return of said aligning stop into the path of a new stack to be formed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-10 | 1977-06-11 | 1977-12-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-10 | 1981-06-11 | 1981-12-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-10 | 1985-06-11 | 1985-12-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |