Patent US3894638A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3894638A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reciprocating stacker for generally laminar articles
Assignee: Buckler Industries Inc
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Filing: 1973-09-13
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Granted: 1975-07-15
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Expires: 1993-09-13
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for continuously stacking a plurality of stackable, generally laminar articles, such as plates or sheets, includes a reciprocating conveyor onto which each article is successively deposited and from which each is successively parted so as to fall in a pile or stack below. The upper surface of the article is not contacted by any portion of the mechanism. The conveyor comprises a frame, a pair of oppositely disposed endless flexible transport means, such as chains, trained on sprockets rotatably disposed on the frame, and support means held intermediate the chains. An article of essentially uniform thickness is deposited on the support means at the in-feed end of the conveyor, and the support means is advanced a predetermined distance and then retracted. Stop means or ''fingers'' are rotatably disposed above the support means near the infeed end of the conveyor, so as to contact an edge of the article and stop its motion as the support means is retracted. The article is thus parted laterally relative to the surface of the support means. Each succeeding article is similarly parted and may be permitted to fall on a preceding article thus forming a pile or stack.
Inventors
- 👤 John C Hovekamp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:18
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G57/00; B65G57/02; B65G57/03; B65G57/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
An apparatus for stacking laminar articles, one article at a time, in a pile, comprising a movable support means for said article supplied to said support means in a generally horizontal attitude, said support means being attached between oppositely disposed endless flexible transport means being operatively supported by a frame, said support means being extensible to, and retractable from, a position overlying a receiving surface for said article, oppositely disposed tripping means mounting on said flexible transport means in front of and behind said support means, shaft assembly means disposed near the in-feed end of said apparatus, said shaft assembly means including a trip bar with trip plate means oppositely disposed near the ends of said trip bar in selective interfering relationship with said tripping means, and stop plate means disposed intermediate said trip plate means in interfering relationship with said articles when said support means is retracted, drive means for said flexible transport means to advance and retract said support means, and toggle means cooperating with said shaft assembly means, to alternately actuate said drive means to advance said support means while transporting said article to a position overlying said receiving surface, and, to retract said support means to fallingly discharge said article.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
204 words
An apparatus for stacking laminar articles, one article at a time, in a pile, comprising a movable support means for said article supplied to said support means in a generally horizontal attitude, said support means being attached between oppositely disposed endless flexible transport means being operatively supported by a frame, said support means being extensible to, and retractable from, a position overlying a receiving surface for said article, oppositely disposed tripping means mounting on said flexible transport means in front of and behind said support means, shaft assembly means disposed near the in-feed end of said apparatus, said shaft assembly means including a trip bar with trip plate means oppositely disposed near the ends of said trip bar in selective interfering relationship with said tripping means, and stop plate means disposed intermediate said trip plate means in interfering relationship with said articles when said support means is retracted, drive means for said flexible transport means to advance and retract said support means, and toggle means cooperating with said shaft assembly means, to alternately actuate said drive means to advance said support means while transporting said article to a position overlying said receiving surface, and, to retract said support means to fallingly discharge said article.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The stacker according to claim 1 wherein said support means is reciprocable in a horizontal plane parallel to the plane of said receiving surface and said trip bar and said stop plate means are rotatably disposed to penetrate the path of movement of said article without penetrating the path of movement of said support means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The stacker according to claim 1 including means for delaying the movement of said support means in either a fully extended or fully retracted position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The stacker according to claim 1 wherein said receiving surface is provided by a wheeled carriage removably introducable through the out-feed end of said frame.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The stacker according to claim 1 wherein said endless flexible transport means are chains.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The stacker according to claim 1 wherein said oppositely disposed endless flexible transport means are drivEn through a common drive shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The stacker according to claim 1 wherein said article is an off-set lithographic plate.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
176 words
An apparatus for stacking articles, one article on another, comprising a movable support means for said article supplied to said support means, said suppot means being attached between oppositely disposed endless flexible transport means being operatively supported by a frame, said support means being extensible to, and retractable from, a position overlying a receiving surface for said article, stop means to interfere with said article and to part it laterally from said support means, first tripping means mounted on said flexible transport means forwardly of said support means to trip said stop means into non-interfering relationship with an article to be supplied to said support means, and second tripping means mounted on said flexible transport means rearwardly of said support means to trip said stop means into interfering relationship with said article when said support means is retracted to fallingly discharge said article one at a time onto a receiving surface to form a pile, and reversible drive means for said transport means to move said support means reciprocably over a predetermined distance within said frame.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
176 words
An apparatus for stacking articles, one article on another, comprising a movable support means for said article supplied to said support means, said suppot means being attached between oppositely disposed endless flexible transport means being operatively supported by a frame, said support means being extensible to, and retractable from, a position overlying a receiving surface for said article, stop means to interfere with said article and to part it laterally from said support means, first tripping means mounted on said flexible transport means forwardly of said support means to trip said stop means into non-interfering relationship with an article to be supplied to said support means, and second tripping means mounted on said flexible transport means rearwardly of said support means to trip said stop means into interfering relationship with said article when said support means is retracted to fallingly discharge said article one at a time onto a receiving surface to form a pile, and reversible drive means for said transport means to move said support means reciprocably over a predetermined distance within said frame.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
145 words
A stacking device to stack one stackable shaped article on another, comprising a frame, oppositely disposed endless flexible transport means operatively supported by said frame, a support means disosed intermediate said flexible transport means to support said article, reversible drive means for said transport means to move said support means reciprocably over a predetermined distance within said frame, stop means to interfere with said shaped article and to part it laterally from said support means, first tripping means mounted on said flexible transport means to trip said stop means into noninterfering relationship with an article to be supplied to said support means, and second tripping means mounted on said flexible transport means to trip said stop means into interfering relationship with said article when said support means is retracted, to fallingly discharge one article at a time onto a receiving surface to form a pile.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
145 words
A stacking device to stack one stackable shaped article on another, comprising a frame, oppositely disposed endless flexible transport means operatively supported by said frame, a support means disosed intermediate said flexible transport means to support said article, reversible drive means for said transport means to move said support means reciprocably over a predetermined distance within said frame, stop means to interfere with said shaped article and to part it laterally from said support means, first tripping means mounted on said flexible transport means to trip said stop means into noninterfering relationship with an article to be supplied to said support means, and second tripping means mounted on said flexible transport means to trip said stop means into interfering relationship with said article when said support means is retracted, to fallingly discharge one article at a time onto a receiving surface to form a pile.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
142 words
A stacking device to stack a stackable shaped article on another, comprising a frame, oppositely disposed endless flexible transport means operatively supported by said frame, a support means disposed intermediate said flexible transport means to support said article, reversible drive means for said flexible transport means to move said support means reciprocably over a predetermined distance within said frame, stop means to interfere with said shaped article and to part it laterally from said support means, and means mounted on said flexible transport means for selectively disposing said stop means into a first position out of contact with an article being supplied to said support means as said support means moves in one direction and into a second position in interfering contact with the article to discharge the same from said support means as said support means moves in the opposite direction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
142 words
A stacking device to stack a stackable shaped article on another, comprising a frame, oppositely disposed endless flexible transport means operatively supported by said frame, a support means disposed intermediate said flexible transport means to support said article, reversible drive means for said flexible transport means to move said support means reciprocably over a predetermined distance within said frame, stop means to interfere with said shaped article and to part it laterally from said support means, and means mounted on said flexible transport means for selectively disposing said stop means into a first position out of contact with an article being supplied to said support means as said support means moves in one direction and into a second position in interfering contact with the article to discharge the same from said support means as said support means moves in the opposite direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
The stacker according to claim 10 in which said means for selectively disposing said stop means further comprises a first tripping means for disposing said stop means into the said first position and a second tripping means for disposing said stop means into the said second position, said first and second tripping means being mounted at opposite ends of said support means.
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) | 1978-07-14 | 1979-01-13 | 1979-07-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-14 | 1983-01-13 | 1983-07-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-14 | 1987-01-13 | 1987-07-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |