US3870293A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for aligning the sheets on the feed table of sheet-fed machines, particularly offset printing presses
Assignee: Roland Offsetmaschinenfabrik Faber and Schleicher AG
•
Filing: 1973-09-20
•
Granted: 1975-03-11
•
Expires: 1993-09-20
Abstract
Abstract A mechanism for handling sheets on the feed table of a printing press which includes improved means for separating adjacent sheets fed in overlapping relation in order to insure that each sheet is independently alined and not affected by withdrawal of the leading sheet. A sheet separator head, recessed in the table is provided having a nozzle for directing a jet of air at an angle upwardly against the top, or leading, sheet and having a suction port on its top surface for engaging the bottom or trailing sheet to prevent it from being drawn along by the top sheet when the latter is removed from the table at high speed by the associated gripper mechanism. In the preferred embodiment the head is mounted upon an arm for rocking movement about a transverse axis from a first, or retracted, position in which the head is angled so that the air jet is effective and a second or horizontal, position in which the suction port is effective, the rocking means being synchronized with the arrival of each sheet. In an alternate embodiment, separate sources of pressure and vacuum are provided, utilizing the rocking movement to produce a sequential action.
Inventors
- 👤 Claus Simeth
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 06:03
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H5/00; B65H5/22; B65H5/228
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
252 words
In a sheet feeding means for a printing press, the combination comprising a feed table having front guides and having an associated impression cylinder adjacent the guides and equipped with grippers, means for feeding sheets onto the table in overlapped relation with the top sheet leading and the bottom sheet trailing, a sheet separator head recessed with respect to the table and extended horizontally in the direction of movement of the sheets, said head having a horizontal passageway therein flaring in the direction of motion of the sheets and terminating in a generally horizontally directed nozzle, means for applying pressurized air to the passageway for formation of a jet of air at the nozzle, the upper surface of the head having a suction port rearwardly adjacent the nozzle so that when air is ejected from the nozzle there is produced by the Bernoulli principle downward suction in a direction substantially perpendicular to the jet, means for cyclically rocking the head about a transverse axis timed with the feeding of the sheets so that the head is upwardly tilted with the result that the air jet is directed from the nozzle with a vertical component for blowing the top sheet clear of the bottom sheet and so that the head is subsequently restored to near horizontal position to present the suction port to the bottom sheet so that the bottom sheet is prevented from being drawn along with the top sheet as the latter is removed by the grippers on the impression cylinder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
252 words
In a sheet feeding means for a printing press, the combination comprising a feed table having front guides and having an associated impression cylinder adjacent the guides and equipped with grippers, means for feeding sheets onto the table in overlapped relation with the top sheet leading and the bottom sheet trailing, a sheet separator head recessed with respect to the table and extended horizontally in the direction of movement of the sheets, said head having a horizontal passageway therein flaring in the direction of motion of the sheets and terminating in a generally horizontally directed nozzle, means for applying pressurized air to the passageway for formation of a jet of air at the nozzle, the upper surface of the head having a suction port rearwardly adjacent the nozzle so that when air is ejected from the nozzle there is produced by the Bernoulli principle downward suction in a direction substantially perpendicular to the jet, means for cyclically rocking the head about a transverse axis timed with the feeding of the sheets so that the head is upwardly tilted with the result that the air jet is directed from the nozzle with a vertical component for blowing the top sheet clear of the bottom sheet and so that the head is subsequently restored to near horizontal position to present the suction port to the bottom sheet so that the bottom sheet is prevented from being drawn along with the top sheet as the latter is removed by the grippers on the impression cylinder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
252 words
In a sheet feeding means for a printing press, the combination comprising a feed table having front guides and having an associated impression cylinder adjacent the guides and equipped with grippers, means for feeding sheets onto the table in overlapped relation with the top sheet leading and the bottom sheet trailing, a sheet separator head recessed with respect to the table and extended horizontally in the direction of movement of the sheets, said head having a horizontal passageway therein flaring in the direction of motion of the sheets and terminating in a generally horizontally directed nozzle, means for applying pressurized air to the passageway for formation of a jet of air at the nozzle, the upper surface of the head having a suction port rearwardly adjacent the nozzle so that when air is ejected from the nozzle there is produced by the Bernoulli principle downward suction in a direction substantially perpendicular to the jet, means for cyclically rocking the head about a transverse axis timed with the feeding of the sheets so that the head is upwardly tilted with the result that the air jet is directed from the nozzle with a vertical component for blowing the top sheet clear of the bottom sheet and so that the head is subsequently restored to near horizontal position to present the suction port to the bottom sheet so that the bottom sheet is prevented from being drawn along with the top sheet as the latter is removed by the grippers on the impression cylinder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
252 words
In a sheet feeding means for a printing press, the combination comprising a feed table having front guides and having an associated impression cylinder adjacent the guides and equipped with grippers, means for feeding sheets onto the table in overlapped relation with the top sheet leading and the bottom sheet trailing, a sheet separator head recessed with respect to the table and extended horizontally in the direction of movement of the sheets, said head having a horizontal passageway therein flaring in the direction of motion of the sheets and terminating in a generally horizontally directed nozzle, means for applying pressurized air to the passageway for formation of a jet of air at the nozzle, the upper surface of the head having a suction port rearwardly adjacent the nozzle so that when air is ejected from the nozzle there is produced by the Bernoulli principle downward suction in a direction substantially perpendicular to the jet, means for cyclically rocking the head about a transverse axis timed with the feeding of the sheets so that the head is upwardly tilted with the result that the air jet is directed from the nozzle with a vertical component for blowing the top sheet clear of the bottom sheet and so that the head is subsequently restored to near horizontal position to present the suction port to the bottom sheet so that the bottom sheet is prevented from being drawn along with the top sheet as the latter is removed by the grippers on the impression cylinder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
228 words
In a sheet feeding means for a printing press, the combination comprising a feed table having front guides and having an associated impression cylinder equipped with grippers, means for feeding sheets onto the table in overlapped relation with the top sheet leading and the bottom sheet trailing, a sheet separator head recessed in the table having a pressure nozzle defined by a passageway which is directed generally forwardly in the head, a source of pressurized air connected to the passageway to create a pressurized jet at the nozzle, means including an upwardly facing suction port extending generally perpendicularly to the passageway for creating suction at the upper surface of the head simultaneously with the pressurized jet at the nozzle, means including a transversely pivoted arm for supporting the head for rocking movement timed with the feeding of the sheets so that upon arrival of a junction between two adjacent sheets the head is in a backwardly rocked condition so that the air jet is directed with a vertical component for blowing the top sheet clear of the bottom sheet and so that as the top sheet is subsequently removed by the grippers on the impression cylinder the head is tilted into more nearly horizontal position for applying the suction port to the underside of the bottom sheet for preventing it from being drawn along with the top sheet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
228 words
In a sheet feeding means for a printing press, the combination comprising a feed table having front guides and having an associated impression cylinder equipped with grippers, means for feeding sheets onto the table in overlapped relation with the top sheet leading and the bottom sheet trailing, a sheet separator head recessed in the table having a pressure nozzle defined by a passageway which is directed generally forwardly in the head, a source of pressurized air connected to the passageway to create a pressurized jet at the nozzle, means including an upwardly facing suction port extending generally perpendicularly to the passageway for creating suction at the upper surface of the head simultaneously with the pressurized jet at the nozzle, means including a transversely pivoted arm for supporting the head for rocking movement timed with the feeding of the sheets so that upon arrival of a junction between two adjacent sheets the head is in a backwardly rocked condition so that the air jet is directed with a vertical component for blowing the top sheet clear of the bottom sheet and so that as the top sheet is subsequently removed by the grippers on the impression cylinder the head is tilted into more nearly horizontal position for applying the suction port to the underside of the bottom sheet for preventing it from being drawn along with the top sheet.
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) | 1978-03-10 | 1978-09-09 | 1979-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-10 | 1982-09-09 | 1983-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-10 | 1986-09-09 | 1987-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |