Apparatus for measuring the thickness of paper sheet stacks or the like

Claim 2

Apparatus for measuring the thickness of stacks of paper sheets or the like, comprising a conveyor arranged to transport a series of equidistant stacks along an elongated path toward, through and beyond a testing station; first and second scanning members disposed at said station at the opposite sides of said path, one of said members being movable away from the other member by successive stacks so that its position is a function of the thickness of the stack at said station; an output member means for moving said output member toward first and second positions which said output member respectively assumes when said conveyor advances a stack beyond said station and when said conveyor transports a stack through said station; and a measuring device including a first portion movable by said one scanning member so that its position when said one scanning member engages a stack is indicative of the thickness of the thus engaged stack, and a second portion provided on said output member and including means cooperating with said first portion for preventing said output member from reaching said second position when a stack having a thickness lying outside of a predetermined satisfactory range passes through said station, said first portion of said measuring device including a plate having two parallel surfaces and said means cooperating with said first portion comprising two blades defining a space having a width which at least equals the distance between said parallel surfaces, said plate extending into said space in the second position of said output member.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 17, further comprising adjusting means operable to move the other of said scanning members toward and away from said one scanning member.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said first portion of said measuring device is pivotable about a predetermined axis and further comprising adjusting means operable to change the position of said axis with respect to said other scanning member.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said output member includes a lever which is pivotable between said first and second positions, said means for moving said lever comprising rotary cam means and means for yieldably biasing said lever against said cam means.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said output member is a lever which is pivotable about a first axis and said means for moving said output member comprises a cam which is rotatable about a second axis parallel to said first axis, said other scanning member including a wheel rotatable about a third axis which is normal to said first and second axes.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising an elongated balance beam connected with said one scanning member and supporting said plate, said balance beam being pivotable about a predetermined axis and said surfaces of said plate being parallel with the longitudinal extension of said balance beam and with said predetermined axis.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for controlling the actuation of a device performing some operation on the stacks of paper sheets as they move along the conveyor, said means for controlling being actuatable by said output member in at least one of said positions thereof.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said means for controlling is actuated by said output member only in the second position of said output member so that said output member fails to actuate said means for controlling when said first portion of said measuring device presents a movement of said output member to said second position.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said means for controlling includes a reciprocable member and means for limiting the extent of the normal reciprocatory movement of said reciprocable member when said output member is in its second position.

Claim 11

Apparatus for measuring the thickness of stacks of paper sheets or the like, comprising a conveyor arranged to transport a series of equidistant stacks along an elongated path toward, through and beyond a testing station; first and second scanning members disposed at said station at the opposite sides of said path, one of said members being movable away from the other member by successive stacks so that its position is a function of the thickness of the stack at said station; an output member; means for moving said output member toward first and second positions which said output member respectively assumes when said conveyor advances a stack beyond said station and when said conveyor transports a stack through said station; and a measuring device including a first portion movable by said one scanning member so that its position when said one scanning member engages a stack is indicative of the thickness of the thus engaged stack, and a second portion provided on said output member and including means cooperating with said first portion for preventing said output member from reaching said second position when a stack having a thickness lying outside of a predetermined satisfactory range passes through said station, said first portion of said measuring device including a plate and said means cooperating with said first portion comprising a pair of spaced apart blades, said second portion of said measuring device further comprising adjusting means for moving one of said blades toward or away from the other blade and said plate being disposed between said blades in the second position of said output member.

Claim 12

Apparatus for measuring the thickness of stacks of paper sheets or the like, comprising a conveyor arranged to transport a series of equidistant stacks along an elongated path toward, through and beyond a testing station; first and second scanning members disposed at said station at the opposite sides of said path, one of said members being movable away from the other member by successive stacks so that its position is a function of the thickness of the stack at said station; an output member; means for moving said output member toward first and second positions which said output member respectively assumes when said conveyor advances a stack beyond said station and when said conveyor transports a stack through said station; and a measuring device including a first portion movable by said one scanning member so that its position when said one scanning member engages a stack is indicative of the thickness of the thus engaged stack, and a second portion provided on said output member and including means cooperating with said first portion for preventing said output member from reaching said second position when a stack having a thickness lying outside of a predetermined satisfactory range passes through said station, said first portion of said measuring device including a plate and said means cooperating with said first portion comprising a pair of spaced apart blades, said second portion of said measuring device further comprising adjusting means for moving one of said blades toward or away from the other blade and said plate being disposed between said blades in the second position of said output member.

Claim 13

Apparatus for measuring the thickness of stacks of paper sheets or the like, comprising a conveyor arranged to transport a series of equidistant stacks along an elongated path toward, through and beyond a testing station; first and second scanning members disposed at said station at the opposite sides of said path, one of said members being movable away from the other member by successive stacks so that its position is a function of the thickness of the stack at said station; an output member; means for moving said output member toward first and second positions which said output member respectively assumes when said conveyor advances a stack beyond said station and when said conveyor transports a stack through said station; a measuring device including a first portion connected to and pivotable with said one scanning member about a predetermined axis so that its position when said one scanning member engages a stack is indicative of the thickness of the thus engaged stack, and a second portion provided on said output member and including means cooperating with said first portion for preventing said output member from reaching said second position when a stack having a thickness lying outside of a predetermined satisfactory range passes through said station; first adjusting means operable to change the position of said axis with respect to said other scanning member; and second adjusting means operable to move said other scanning member toward and away from said one scanning member, one of said adjusting means comprising a first axially movable member having external threads of a first pitch and the other of said adjusting means comprising a second axially movable member having external threads of a larger second pitch.

Claim 14

Apparatus for measuring the thickness of stacks of paper sheets or the like, comprising a conveyor arranged to transport a series of equidistant stacks along an elongated path toward, through and beyond a testing station; first and second scanning members disposed at said station at the opposite sides of said path, one of said members being movable away from the other member by successive stacks so that its position is a function of the thickness of the stack at said station; an output member; means for moving said output member toward first and second positions which said output member respectively assumes when said conveyor advances a stack beyond said station and when said conveyor transports a stack through said station; a measuring device including a first portion connected to and pivotable with said one scanning member about a predetermined axis so that its position when said one scanning member engages a stack is indicative of the thickness of the thus engaged stack, and a second portion provided on said output member and including means cooperating with said first portion for preventing said output member from reaching said second position when a stack having a thickness lying outside of a predetermined satisfactory range passes through said station; first adjusting means operable to change the position of said axis with respect to said other scanning member; and second adjusting means operable to move said other scanning member toward and away from said one scanning member, one of said adjusting means comprising a first axially movable member having external threads of a first pitch and the other of said adjusting means comprising a second axially movable member having external threads of a larger second pitch.

Claim 15

Apparatus for measuring the thickness of stacks of paper sheets or the like, comprising a conveyor arranged to transport a series of equidistant stacks along an elongated path toward, through and beyond a testing station; first and second scanning members disposed at said station at the opposite sides of said path, one of said members being movable away from the other member by successive stacKs so that its position is a function of the thickness of the stack at said station; a lever pivotable about a first axis; means for pivoting said lever toward first and second positions which said lever respectively assumes when said conveyor advances a stack beyond said station and when said conveyor transports a stack through said station, said means for pivoting said lever comprising a cam which is rotatable about a second axis parallel to said first axis and said other scanning member including a first wheel rotatable about a third axis which is normal to said first and second axes, said one scanning member comprising a second wheel; a shaft connected to and driven by driving means and mounting said second wheel on one end thereof; carrier means rotatably supporting said shaft and being pivotable about said second axis; a balance beam including two arms and being supported by said carrier means for pivotal movement about a fourth axis which is parallel to said first axis; adjustable abutment means for engaging one arm of said balance beam; means for biasing said one arm against said abutment means; and a measuring device including a first portion provided on the other arm of said balance beam and being movable by said second wheel so that its position when said second wheel engages a stack is indicative of the thickness of the thus engaged stack, and a second portion provided on said lever and including means cooperating with said first portion for preventing said lever from reaching said second position when a stack having a thickness lying outside of a predetermined satisfactory range passes through said station.

Claim 16

Apparatus for measuring the thickness of stacks of paper sheets or the like, comprising a conveyor arranged to transport a series of equidistant stacks along an elongated path toward, through and beyond a testing station; first and second scanning members disposed at said station at the opposite sides of said path, one of said members being movable away from the other member by successive stacKs so that its position is a function of the thickness of the stack at said station; a lever pivotable about a first axis; means for pivoting said lever toward first and second positions which said lever respectively assumes when said conveyor advances a stack beyond said station and when said conveyor transports a stack through said station, said means for pivoting said lever comprising a cam which is rotatable about a second axis parallel to said first axis and said other scanning member including a first wheel rotatable about a third axis which is normal to said first and second axes, said one scanning member comprising a second wheel; a shaft connected to and driven by driving means and mounting said second wheel on one end thereof; carrier means rotatably supporting said shaft and being pivotable about said second axis; a balance beam including two arms and being supported by said carrier means for pivotal movement about a fourth axis which is parallel to said first axis; adjustable abutment means for engaging one arm of said balance beam; means for biasing said one arm against said abutment means; and a measuring device including a first portion provided on the other arm of said balance beam and being movable by said second wheel so that its position when said second wheel engages a stack is indicative of the thickness of the thus engaged stack, and a second portion provided on said lever and including means cooperating with said first portion for preventing said lever from reaching said second position when a stack having a thickness lying outside of a predetermined satisfactory range passes through said station.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said driving means comprises means for rotating said shaft in response to rotation of said cam so that said second wheel is rotated at a peripheral speed which equals the speed of said conveyor.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said carrier means comprises a sleeve for said shaft and said means for rotating said shaft comprises a gear train including a first gear secured to said cam and a second gear secured to said shaft.