Abstract The apparatus includes first means for shifting one sheet member deposited askew on a conveyor, transversely of the latter until an edge of such one sheet member extending in the direction of feed of the conveyor is brought into alignment with a reference line offset from but parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the conveyor, and second means for searching in a direction longitudinally of the conveyor for such one sheet member in its shifted position on the conveyor while such one sheet is being conveyed to a place of registration, and for simultaneously transporting a second sheet member to such place of registration, and when said second means has found such one sheet member at the place of registration and locked it in registration with the second sheet being transported, said second means deposits the second sheet member upon the first sheet member. Photocell units carried by the first and second means control the transverse shifting movements of the first means and search for the shifted first sheet member.
Apparatus for automatically registering articles being conveyed toward a station, comprising means for carrying a plurality of the articles in successive relation along a given path, a plurality of sensing means movable over said carrying means and each capable of developing a signal when sensing a given reference line on an article conveyed by said carrying means, means for moving said sensing means independently until each has found the given reference line, gripping means associated with each sensing means and capable of gripping the article at different locations thereof when its associated sensing means has found such reference line, and means for moving the gripping means in coactive relation to shift the articles gripped thereby until said given reference line is brought into given registration with a second reference line in a given fixed position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
Apparatus for automatically registering articles being conveyed toward a station, comprising means for carrying a plurality of the articles in successive relation along a given path, a plurality of sensing means movable over said carrying means and each capable of developing a signal when sensing a given reference line on an article conveyed by said carrying means, means for moving said sensing means independently until each has found the given reference line, gripping means associated with each sensing means and capable of gripping the article at different locations thereof when its associated sensing means has found such reference line, and means for moving the gripping means in coactive relation to shift the articles gripped thereby until said given reference line is brought into given registration with a second reference line in a given fixed position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
107 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means for depositing said articles on said carrying means in an inexact manner with their longitudinal centerlines in nonparallel relation to the longitudinal centerline of said carrying means, but contained in a longitudinal area of given width and having a longitudinal centerline located to the other side of and in spaced parallel relation to said longitudinal centerline of said carrying means, said articles when repositioned by said gripping means being shifted on said carrying means so that their longitudinal centerlines are located to said one side of and in spaced parallel relation to said longitudinal centerline of said carrying means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
114 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the gripping means associated with each sensing means comprises a suction member, first moving means for moving said suction member over the surface of said carrying member, second moving means capable of moving said suction member toward an article positioned on said carrying member surface to a given advanced position short of engagement with the article when the associated sensing means has found said given article reference line, and means to provide said suction member with a suction sufficient to enable it to shift the article while being moved in said given advanced position over the surface of said carrying means by said first moving means.