US3874652A — Apparatus for feeding sheet material from the bot…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 361 words

A sheet feeding mechanism, comprising: a flat surface including a stationary portion for supporting a stack of sheets and another portion adjacent thereto that is movable away from the stationary portion, means for moving said movable surface portion in a direction away from said stationary surface portion, a wall structure extending upward above the movable portion of said supporting surface adjacent the stationary portion to define one edge of a supporting surface for a stack of sheets and to hold the sheets of a stack placed thereon against lateral movement off the stationary surface, said wall surface being positioned with a lower edge held a distance above the movable portion of said supporting surface to form a controlled gap therebetween, whereby the gap may be made large enough to allow only a single sheet to pass thereunder, means adjacent said wall on its side toward the stationary surface portion and positioned over the movable portion of said supporting surface for providing a downward force on a stack of sheets carried by the supporting surface, thereby to increase the frictional engagement between the bottom sheet of a stack with the movable portion of the supporting surface, means removed laterally a distance from the supporting surface for engaging with the movable surface portion a bottom sheet of said stack that has been partially removed from the stack, and control means for sequentially effecting the following actions for a single cycle of operation to remove a bottom sheet from a stack of sheets positioned on said supporting surface: 1. causing said downward force means to push downward on a stack of sheets positioned thereunder while the moving means maintains the movable surface portion stationary, 2. causing said moving means to move the movable surface portion laterally away from the stationary supporting surface and to deliver the bottom sheet to said engaging means while the downward force means urges the bottom sheet against the movable surface portion, and 3. causing said downward force means to stop pushing downward on a stack of sheets positioned thereunder after a bottom sheet has been moved by tHe movable surface portion under the wall structure to said engaging means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 361 words

A sheet feeding mechanism, comprising: a flat surface including a stationary portion for supporting a stack of sheets and another portion adjacent thereto that is movable away from the stationary portion, means for moving said movable surface portion in a direction away from said stationary surface portion, a wall structure extending upward above the movable portion of said supporting surface adjacent the stationary portion to define one edge of a supporting surface for a stack of sheets and to hold the sheets of a stack placed thereon against lateral movement off the stationary surface, said wall surface being positioned with a lower edge held a distance above the movable portion of said supporting surface to form a controlled gap therebetween, whereby the gap may be made large enough to allow only a single sheet to pass thereunder, means adjacent said wall on its side toward the stationary surface portion and positioned over the movable portion of said supporting surface for providing a downward force on a stack of sheets carried by the supporting surface, thereby to increase the frictional engagement between the bottom sheet of a stack with the movable portion of the supporting surface, means removed laterally a distance from the supporting surface for engaging with the movable surface portion a bottom sheet of said stack that has been partially removed from the stack, and control means for sequentially effecting the following actions for a single cycle of operation to remove a bottom sheet from a stack of sheets positioned on said supporting surface: 1. causing said downward force means to push downward on a stack of sheets positioned thereunder while the moving means maintains the movable surface portion stationary, 2. causing said moving means to move the movable surface portion laterally away from the stationary supporting surface and to deliver the bottom sheet to said engaging means while the downward force means urges the bottom sheet against the movable surface portion, and 3. causing said downward force means to stop pushing downward on a stack of sheets positioned thereunder after a bottom sheet has been moved by tHe movable surface portion under the wall structure to said engaging means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 42 words

causing said moving means to move the movable surface portion laterally away from the stationary supporting surface and to deliver the bottom sheet to said engaging means while the downward force means urges the bottom sheet against the movable surface portion, and

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 42 words

causing said moving means to move the movable surface portion laterally away from the stationary supporting surface and to deliver the bottom sheet to said engaging means while the downward force means urges the bottom sheet against the movable surface portion, and

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 80 words

A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said means for applying a downward force to the top of the stack includes a loader bar normally resiliently pressed downward, and wherein said control means includes a rotating cam surface with an associated cam follower assembly operably connected to said loader bar for counteracting the resilient downward resilient forces against the loader bar in synchronism with the bottom sheet being removed from a stack of sheets to said engaging means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 36 words

causing said downward force means to stop pushing downward on a stack of sheets positioned thereunder after a bottom sheet has been moved by tHe movable surface portion under the wall structure to said engaging means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 36 words

causing said downward force means to stop pushing downward on a stack of sheets positioned thereunder after a bottom sheet has been moved by tHe movable surface portion under the wall structure to said engaging means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 71 words

A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 2 wherein the movable portion of said flat surface is a movable belt, and further wherein said engaging means is a downwardly forced roller positioned above said belt to hold a bottom sheet that is partially removed from said stack firmly against said belt for continued movement after said downward force means has been caused to stop pushing downward on the stack of sheets.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said stationary portion of the flat surface includes an optically transparent plate.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 4 which additionally comprises an optical character reader positioned underneath said optically transparent plate for viewing information on said sheets therethrough.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 46 words

A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the lower edge of said wall structure which controls said gap is set by at least one gate that is adjustable in a generally vertical direction with respect to a main supporting portion of said wall structure.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 61 words

A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said wall structure includes at least one gate member whose lower edge position defines said gap distance, said gate having a notch along its bottom edge and on its side adjacent said supporting surface for receiving the leading edge of a sheet of a stack that is next to the bottom sheet.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 28 words

A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said wall structure forms an angle of at least a few degrees less than 90* with said supporting surface.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 40 words

A sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said movable portion of said flat surface includes an endless flexible belt arranged with its top surface held to travel in a plane including said stationary portion of the flat surface.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 298 words

A sheet feeding mechanism, comprising; a planar supporting surface, a conveyor belt supported by a rigid conveyor plate and positioned adjacent said planar supporting surface in a manner that said belt may be operated with its top surface moving away from said planar supporting surface, motor means for driving said belt, a wall structure extending upward from said conveyor belt near its end adjacent said planar supporting surface, the bottom edge of said wall being suspended a distance above said belt, at least one vertically adjustable gate held as part of said wall structure for precisely setting a gap between the bottom edge of said gate and the top surface of said conveyor belt, a loader bar over said conveyor belt at its end near said planar supporting surface and adjacent said wall structure on its side closest to the planar supporting surface, means for urging said loader bar downward toward said conveyor belt, a follower wheel pressing downward against said conveyor belt a distance from said wall in its opposite side to that of said planar supporting surface, a timing motor, a cam surface rotatably attached to said timing motor, a cam follower assembly associated with said cam wheel and operably connected to said loader bar to relieve the downward force thereagainst during a portion of the revolution of said cam surface beginning after said conveyor belt has advanced a bottom sheet of a stack of sheets into engagement with said follower wheel, and electrical switch means for controlled energization of said belt dRive motor and mechanically associated with said cam wheel for starting said belt drive motor when said loader bar is being downwardly pressed toward said conveyor, whereby said conveyor belt will advance the bottom sheet of a stack of sheets stacked against said wall.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 298 words

A sheet feeding mechanism, comprising; a planar supporting surface, a conveyor belt supported by a rigid conveyor plate and positioned adjacent said planar supporting surface in a manner that said belt may be operated with its top surface moving away from said planar supporting surface, motor means for driving said belt, a wall structure extending upward from said conveyor belt near its end adjacent said planar supporting surface, the bottom edge of said wall being suspended a distance above said belt, at least one vertically adjustable gate held as part of said wall structure for precisely setting a gap between the bottom edge of said gate and the top surface of said conveyor belt, a loader bar over said conveyor belt at its end near said planar supporting surface and adjacent said wall structure on its side closest to the planar supporting surface, means for urging said loader bar downward toward said conveyor belt, a follower wheel pressing downward against said conveyor belt a distance from said wall in its opposite side to that of said planar supporting surface, a timing motor, a cam surface rotatably attached to said timing motor, a cam follower assembly associated with said cam wheel and operably connected to said loader bar to relieve the downward force thereagainst during a portion of the revolution of said cam surface beginning after said conveyor belt has advanced a bottom sheet of a stack of sheets into engagement with said follower wheel, and electrical switch means for controlled energization of said belt dRive motor and mechanically associated with said cam wheel for starting said belt drive motor when said loader bar is being downwardly pressed toward said conveyor, whereby said conveyor belt will advance the bottom sheet of a stack of sheets stacked against said wall.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 162 words

For a sheet material feeding device having a moving means for engaging the bottom sheet of a stack of sheets for moving it away from the stack and a wall structure adjacent one edge of the stack to hold back all the sheets the stack except for the bottom, the method of optimally adjusting the gap between the lower edge of said wall structure and said sheet moving means, comprising the steps of: selecting a sheet of the type to be fed by said device, folding a sheet of gauge material over one edge of said document sheet, placing the composite thickness of said document sheet and two layers of said gauge sheet material in said gap, adjusting said wall structure until its lower edge engages and holds the composite thickness of said document sheet and two layers of gauge sheet material, withdrawing said document sheet from between the folded gauge sheets, and removing said folded gauge sheet material from said gap.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 162 words

For a sheet material feeding device having a moving means for engaging the bottom sheet of a stack of sheets for moving it away from the stack and a wall structure adjacent one edge of the stack to hold back all the sheets the stack except for the bottom, the method of optimally adjusting the gap between the lower edge of said wall structure and said sheet moving means, comprising the steps of: selecting a sheet of the type to be fed by said device, folding a sheet of gauge material over one edge of said document sheet, placing the composite thickness of said document sheet and two layers of said gauge sheet material in said gap, adjusting said wall structure until its lower edge engages and holds the composite thickness of said document sheet and two layers of gauge sheet material, withdrawing said document sheet from between the folded gauge sheets, and removing said folded gauge sheet material from said gap.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 232 words

A sheet feeding mechanism, comprising: a stationary surface having a defined edge, at least one flexible belt member held to travel over a predetermined surface path having an edge thereof that is positioned adjacent said stationary surface defined edge, means for controllably moving said belt across said predetermined surface path in a direction away from said stationary surface, wall means positioned over said belt member adjacent its said edge and generally parallel thereto, said wall means forming a gap between a lower surface thereof and said belt in its predetermined surface that remains substantially constant as a sheet is drawn through the gap, said predetermined belt surface between its said edge and said gap being positioned with respect to said stationary surface to maintain a flexible sheet in contact with said stationary surface along its said defined edge when said sheet straddles said surfaces, means adjacent said wall on its side toward said stationary surface and positioned over the belt for providing a downward force on a stack of sheets carried by said belt and said stationary surface when the edges of the sheets of said stack are abutted up against said wall means, means operably connected with said downward force means for controllably applying either a large downward force or a small downward force, and control means for time sequentially operating said belt moving means and said downward force controlling means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 232 words

A sheet feeding mechanism, comprising: a stationary surface having a defined edge, at least one flexible belt member held to travel over a predetermined surface path having an edge thereof that is positioned adjacent said stationary surface defined edge, means for controllably moving said belt across said predetermined surface path in a direction away from said stationary surface, wall means positioned over said belt member adjacent its said edge and generally parallel thereto, said wall means forming a gap between a lower surface thereof and said belt in its predetermined surface that remains substantially constant as a sheet is drawn through the gap, said predetermined belt surface between its said edge and said gap being positioned with respect to said stationary surface to maintain a flexible sheet in contact with said stationary surface along its said defined edge when said sheet straddles said surfaces, means adjacent said wall on its side toward said stationary surface and positioned over the belt for providing a downward force on a stack of sheets carried by said belt and said stationary surface when the edges of the sheets of said stack are abutted up against said wall means, means operably connected with said downward force means for controllably applying either a large downward force or a small downward force, and control means for time sequentially operating said belt moving means and said downward force controlling means.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 45 words

The sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 12 wherein said downward force applying means includes a resilient element normally urging said downward force means with its said larger downward force and means for counteracting said resilient element when said small downward force thereof is desired.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 29 words

The sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 12 which additionally comprises a rigid planar stationary plate positioned under said belt to maintain said belt in said predetermined moving surface.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 22 words

The sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 12 wherein said gap distance lies between about 0.005 inch and less than 0.010 inch.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 39 words

The sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 12 wherein said stationary surface is substantially optically transparent and further wherein optical reading means are positioned beneath said surface for optically scanning a bottom surface of a document optical pattern thereon.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 116 words

The sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 12 wherein said control means includes: means for operating said downward force applying means so that the downward force means exerts its said large force while said belt moving means maintains the belt stationary, means for subsequently initiating said belt moving means to move said belt a distance while iTs said large downward force is applied to said downward force means, and means operating said applying means for subsequently providing said small downward force of said downward force means simultaneously with the continued movement of said belt, whereby a single bottom sheet is removed from a stack of sheets positioned under said downward force means against said wall means.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 35 words

The sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 12 wherein said stationary surface is substantially planar and said predetermined belt path includes a portion in the same plane between the belt edge and said wall means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-03-31	1978-09-30	1979-04-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-03-31	1982-09-30	1983-04-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-03-31	1986-09-30	1987-04-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for feeding sheet material from the bottom of a stack

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