Takeoff assist apparatus and assembly

Claim 2

A takeoff assist assembly particularly adapted to allow a takeoff conveying means to easily grip stock positioned on a generally flat surface of a support means for printing or the like and to positively remove said stock from said surface, including drop edge pivotally mounted on a support means, and movable to a first or upward position to form an edge portion of a generally flat surface of said support means and thereby support a leading edge of stock positioned on said surface, drop edge actuating means mounted on a takeoff conveying means, and linkage means operatively connecting said actuating means and said drop edge means, movement of said takeoff conveying means causing movement of said drop edge actuating means mounted thereon to thereby pivot said drop edge means between said first position and a second, downward posItion in which the leading edge of said stock is exposed to facilitate gripping and removal of said stock by said takeoff conveying means.

Claim 3

The takeoff assist assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein said drop edge means has a generally flat supporting surface pivotally mounted on said support means for disposition in the same plane as the surface of said support means and along an edge of said support means to support the leading edge of the stock placed on said support means, said edge supporting surface of said drop edge means being alternately pivotal away from said edge of said support means to leave said leading edge of said stock unsupported and thereby equalize the pressure above and below this entire leading edge to eliminate mispositioning of the stock prior to removal and thereby facilitate uniform and complete removal of the stock.

Claim 4

The takeoff assist assembly of claim 1 wherein said linkage means includes first lever arm means mounted on said support means and operatively connected to said drop edge means, said first lever arm means being pivotal relative to said support means to move said drop edge means, and second lever arm means pivotally mounted on said takeoff coneying means, said second lever arm means having one end thereof connected to said first lever arm means and the opposite end thereof connected to said actuating means for moving said linkage means and being pivotally movable thereby to move said first lever arm means and said drop edge means upon movement of said takeoff conveying means.

Claim 5

The takeoff assist assembly of claim 3 wherein said first lever arm means is connected to said second lever arm means by first connecting means of adjustable length and said second lever arm means is operatively connected to said actuating means for moving said lever arms by second connecting means of adjustable length, to allow said assist assembly to be easily adapted to takeoff conveying means and support means of various sizes and to permit fine adjustment of the relative movement of said takeoff conveying means and the movement of said drop edge means.

Claim 6

The takeoff assist assembly of claim 1 wherein said actuating means includes cam means mounted on a portion of said takeoff conveying means which is movable relative to said support means, and cam follower means pivotally mounted on a stationary portion of said takeoff conveying means, said cam means engaging said cam follower means upon movement of said movable portion of said takeoff conveying means with respect to said stationary portion, said cam follower means being adjustably connected to said linkage means to move said linkage means in adjustable timed relationship to the movement of said cam means and said movable portion of said takeoff conveying means relative to said stationary portion of said takeoff conveying means and said support means to thereby pivot said drop edge means relative to said support means and out of the path of travel of said movable portion of said takeoff conveying means.

Claim 7

The takeoff assist assembly of claim 5 wherein said cam follower means is urged by resilient means into engagement with said cam means, said cam follower means being pivotally mountd in slot means disposed on said stationary portion of said takeoff conveying means for vertical adjustment with respect to said cam follower means.

Claim 8

The takeoff assist assembly of claim 5 wherein said cam means includes an elongated cam plate mounted on said movable portion of said takeoff conveying means for movement therewith, said cam plate having a generally upwardly inclined surface along which said cam follower rides, said slope of said inclined surface being such that said cam follower is pivoted with respect to said stationary portion of said takeoff conveying means as it moves along said inclined surface to move said linkage means and thereby cause said drop edge means to move in a generally harmonic manner relative to said supporting surface.

Claim 9

An improvement in a takeoff appaRatus adapted to move stock by movable transfer means from a generally flat surface of a first support location and transfer the stock to a second support location, including drop edge means pivotally mounted on a first support location such that a portion of said drop edge means forms an edge portion of a generally flat surface of said first support location and acts to support a leading edge of the stock, first lever means mounted on said first support location and operatively connected to said drop edge means, said first lever means pivotal relative to said first support location to move said drop edge means with respect thereto, second lever means pivotally mounted on a takeoff apparatus, said second lever means operatively connected to said first lever means, and actuating means on said takeoff operated by the movement of said transfer means on said takeoff apparatus to move said second lever means and thereby move said first lever means and pivot said drop edge means relative to said flat surface of said first support location to allow said transfer means access to the leading edge of the stock supported thereon to facilitate removal of the stock from said first support location, said drop edge means being returnable to its original supporting position by subsequent movement of said actuating means to move said second lever means upon movement of said transfer means.

Claim 10

An improvement in a takeoff appaRatus adapted to move stock by movable transfer means from a generally flat surface of a first support location and transfer the stock to a second support location, including drop edge means pivotally mounted on a first support location such that a portion of said drop edge means forms an edge portion of a generally flat surface of said first support location and acts to support a leading edge of the stock, first lever means mounted on said first support location and operatively connected to said drop edge means, said first lever means pivotal relative to said first support location to move said drop edge means with respect thereto, second lever means pivotally mounted on a takeoff apparatus, said second lever means operatively connected to said first lever means, and actuating means on said takeoff operated by the movement of said transfer means on said takeoff apparatus to move said second lever means and thereby move said first lever means and pivot said drop edge means relative to said flat surface of said first support location to allow said transfer means access to the leading edge of the stock supported thereon to facilitate removal of the stock from said first support location, said drop edge means being returnable to its original supporting position by subsequent movement of said actuating means to move said second lever means upon movement of said transfer means.

Claim 11

The improvement set forth in claim 8 wherein said transfer means is a carriage assembly which is movable toward and away from said first support location on a frame of said takeoff apparatus and has, at its forward end, a plurality of gripping fingers to grip and hold the stock during transfer, and said actuating means to move said second lever means includes cam means mounted on said carriage assembly for movement therewith and cam follower means mounted on said frame, said cam means engaging said cam follower means during movement of said transfer means along said frame of said takeoff apparatus, said cam follower means being connected to said second lever means by second adjustable connecting means allowing fine adjustment of the operation of said drop edge means and thereby moving said second lever means, said second lever means being connected to said first lever means by first adjustable connecting means, said second lever means thereby moving said first lever means in timed relationship to the movement of said carriage assembly on said takeoff apparatus relative to said first support location to pivot said drop edge means relative to said first support location out of the line of linear motion of said gripping fingers to allow said gripping fingers unobstructed access to an unsupported leading edge of the stock to grip the stock for transfer to said second location.

Claim 12

The improvement set forth in claim 9 wherein said cam means includes an elongated cam plate mounted on said carriage assembly for movement therewith along said frame of said takeoff apparatus, said cam plate having a generally upwardly inclined surface which said cam follower means engages and rides along, said slope of said inclined surface being such that cam follower means will be pivoted with respect to said frame as it moves along said inclined surface to move said first and second lever means and thereby cause said drop edge means to move in a generally harmonic manner relative to said first support location.

Claim 13

A takeoff assist apparatus particularly adpated to facilitate access to stock positioned on a surface of a support means for printing or the like to permit positive removal of said stock from said surface of said support means, including drop edge means mounted on a support means, a portion of said drop edge means forming an edge portion of a surface of said support means to support a leading edge portion of stock positioned thereon, said drop edge means being alternately movable relative to said surface of said support means and said stock in timed relationship to the movement of a takeoff conveying means Relative to said support surface to expose the leading edge portion of said stock thereby equalizing the forces acting on opposite sides of said leading edge portion to allow said takeoff conveying means to be brought adjacent said leading edge of said stock to grip said leading edge securely and thereby remove said stock from said surface for transfer to another location, said takeoff conveying means and said drop edge means being operatively connected to one another by linkage means actuated upon movement of said takeoff conveying means toward and away from said support means to cause pivotal movement of said drop edge means.

Claim 14

A takeoff assist apparatus particularly adpated to facilitate access to stock positioned on a surface of a support means for printing or the like to permit positive removal of said stock from said surface of said support means, including drop edge means mounted on a support means, a portion of said drop edge means forming an edge portion of a surface of said support means to support a leading edge portion of stock positioned thereon, said drop edge means being alternately movable relative to said surface of said support means and said stock in timed relationship to the movement of a takeoff conveying means Relative to said support surface to expose the leading edge portion of said stock thereby equalizing the forces acting on opposite sides of said leading edge portion to allow said takeoff conveying means to be brought adjacent said leading edge of said stock to grip said leading edge securely and thereby remove said stock from said surface for transfer to another location, said takeoff conveying means and said drop edge means being operatively connected to one another by linkage means actuated upon movement of said takeoff conveying means toward and away from said support means to cause pivotal movement of said drop edge means.

Claim 15

In a takeoff conveying system particularly adapted for removing stock positioned on a generally flat surface of a support means for printing or the like and transferring said stock to a second location, having a takeoff apparatus to grip said stock and positively remove it from said surface of said support means, said takeoff apparatus including frame means, drive means mounted on said frame means, gripper assembly means mounted on said frame means for movement therealong, gripper actuating cam means mounted on said frame means and disposed for interaction with said gripper assembly means, drive arm means having one end attached to said gripper assembly means and an opposite end attached to said drive means, said drive means thereby driving said gripper assembly means reciprocally along said frame means, the geometrical relationship of said drive arm means and said drive means being effective to cause suspension of the movement of said gripper assembly means adjacent said support means a sufficient amount of time to allow said gripper assembly means to properly grip the stock positioned on the surface of said support means, the improvement comprising a takeoff assist assembly adapted to facilitate access of said gripper assembly means to a leading edge portion of stock positioned on support means and including drop edge means mounted on said support means, a portion of said drop edge means forming an edge portion of a generally flat surface of said support means to support the leading edge portion of said stock, said drop edge means being alternately movable relative to said surface of said support means and said stock upon movement of a gripper assembly means relative to a takeoff apparatus frame to expose the leading edge portion of said stock thereby equalizing the forces acting on opposite sides of said leading edge portion and permitting said leading edge portion to be securely gripped by said gripper assembly means to allow removal of said stock from said surface by said takeoff apparatus, said gripper assembly and said drop edge means being operatively connected to one another by linkage means actuated by movement of said gripper assembly relative to said takeoff apparatus to move said drop edge means.

Claim 16

In a takeoff conveying system particularly adapted for removing stock positioned on a generally flat surface of a support means for printing or the like and transferring said stock to a second location, having a takeoff apparatus to grip said stock and positively remove it from said surface of said support means, said takeoff apparatus including frame means, drive means mounted on said frame means, gripper assembly means mounted on said frame means for movement therealong, gripper actuating cam means mounted on said frame means and disposed for interaction with said gripper assembly means, drive arm means having one end attached to said gripper assembly means and an opposite end attached to said drive means, said drive means thereby driving said gripper assembly means reciprocally along said frame means, the geometrical relationship of said drive arm means and said drive means being effective to cause suspension of the movement of said gripper assembly means adjacent said support means a sufficient amount of time to allow said gripper assembly means to properly grip the stock positioned on the surface of said support means, the improvement comprising a takeoff assist assembly adapted to facilitate access of said gripper assembly means to a leading edge portion of stock positioned on support means and including drop edge means mounted on said support means, a portion of said drop edge means forming an edge portion of a generally flat surface of said support means to support the leading edge portion of said stock, said drop edge means being alternately movable relative to said surface of said support means and said stock upon movement of a gripper assembly means relative to a takeoff apparatus frame to expose the leading edge portion of said stock thereby equalizing the forces acting on opposite sides of said leading edge portion and permitting said leading edge portion to be securely gripped by said gripper assembly means to allow removal of said stock from said surface by said takeoff apparatus, said gripper assembly and said drop edge means being operatively connected to one another by linkage means actuated by movement of said gripper assembly relative to said takeoff apparatus to move said drop edge means.