US3907278A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Suction assisted endless belt separator
Assignee: Bobst Mex SA
•
Filing: 1974-02-11
•
Granted: 1975-09-23
•
Expires: 1994-02-11
Abstract
Abstract A device is disclosed for feeding sheets to a sheet processing machine, such for example, as to a folding and pasting machine. The novel feeding mechanism includes at least one conveyor having at least one endless belt. The endless belts are intermittently advanced to carry one sheet at a time taken from a pile disposed above the belt or belts. The intermittent advancement of the belt or belts is brought about through a one-way clutch coupling a drive pulley to a crank arm which is oscillated back and forth through a link mechanism driven by a continuously rotating drive wheel. The machine to which the sheets are successively fed includes a pair of pressure feed rollers to which the leading edge of each sheet is moved. After the sheet is grasped by the feed rollers, further movement of the sheet continues the advancement of the belt while the belt drive roller is freewheeling. The belt has a large number of perforations and a vacuum chamber is located below the belt over a region representing a substantial forward portion of the pile of sheets.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean-Philippe Jaton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:55
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H3/00; B65H3/46; B65H3/50; B65H3/08; B65H3/12; B65H3/124; B65H3/126
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
A device for feeding a sheet processing machine having a sheet-conveying means, said device comprising at least one endless belt conveyor positioned to feed sheets successively to said sheet-conveying means, said endless belt conveyor having an upper reach disposed generally in a horizontal plane, a drive pulley for intermittently advancing the upper reach of said belt toward said sheet conveying means, said belt being adapted to entrain, one by one, sheets taken from a pile disposed above said belt conveyor to bring the front edge of a sheet to said sheetconveying means, means for causing a sheet to be held to said belt until withdrawn therefrom by said sheet-conveying means, a drive shaft, a unidirectional coupling means between said shaft and said drive pulley, and means for oscillating said drive shaft, said belt being only driven by said drive pulley in one direction until the front edge of a sheet has been grasped by said sheet-conveying means, said sheet-conveying means causing further advance of said belt until said sheet is drawn off of said belt, and means for braking the belt thereafter until the start of advancement of the next sheet by said drive pulley being directly coupled to said drive shaft to initiate a new cycle of sheet advancement.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
210 words
A device for feeding a sheet processing machine having a sheet-conveying means, said device comprising at least one endless belt conveyor positioned to feed sheets successively to said sheet-conveying means, said endless belt conveyor having an upper reach disposed generally in a horizontal plane, a drive pulley for intermittently advancing the upper reach of said belt toward said sheet conveying means, said belt being adapted to entrain, one by one, sheets taken from a pile disposed above said belt conveyor to bring the front edge of a sheet to said sheetconveying means, means for causing a sheet to be held to said belt until withdrawn therefrom by said sheet-conveying means, a drive shaft, a unidirectional coupling means between said shaft and said drive pulley, and means for oscillating said drive shaft, said belt being only driven by said drive pulley in one direction until the front edge of a sheet has been grasped by said sheet-conveying means, said sheet-conveying means causing further advance of said belt until said sheet is drawn off of said belt, and means for braking the belt thereafter until the start of advancement of the next sheet by said drive pulley being directly coupled to said drive shaft to initiate a new cycle of sheet advancement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device according to claim 1, in which said endless belt conveyor is perforated, and in which suction means is disposed on the under side of said upper reach in proximity to the delivery end of said sheets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device according to claim 2, in which a plurality of supporting rollers are disposed below the upper reach of said endless belt conveyor remote from the delivery end thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
207 words
In a machine for processing sheets, which machine includes mating driven sheet advancing rolls which advance a sheet at a predetermined speed when the sheet is gripped by said rolls; a device for feeding sheets cyclicly to said rolls comprising an endless belt conveyor; means supporting said endless belt conveyor below a stack of sheets to be fed; a drive pulley for partially advancing a sheet toward said mating rolls at a speed less than the speed at which a sheet is advanced by said mating rolls; said endless belt conveyor being partially wrapped around said drive pulley; a drive shaft; a one-way clutch connecting said drive pulley to said drive shaft; crank means for oscillating said drive shaft back and forth; said endless belt being advanced first by said drive wheel during one direction of oscillation of said drive shaft until a sheet is grasped by said sheet advancing rolls, said belt conveyor being further advanced by the pull of said advancing sheet on said endless belt conveyor, said belt conveyor being free to further advance by the free-wheeling of said drive wheel on said drive shaft, and brake means for stopping said belt conveyor after the rear edge of said belt leaves said belt conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
207 words
In a machine for processing sheets, which machine includes mating driven sheet advancing rolls which advance a sheet at a predetermined speed when the sheet is gripped by said rolls; a device for feeding sheets cyclicly to said rolls comprising an endless belt conveyor; means supporting said endless belt conveyor below a stack of sheets to be fed; a drive pulley for partially advancing a sheet toward said mating rolls at a speed less than the speed at which a sheet is advanced by said mating rolls; said endless belt conveyor being partially wrapped around said drive pulley; a drive shaft; a one-way clutch connecting said drive pulley to said drive shaft; crank means for oscillating said drive shaft back and forth; said endless belt being advanced first by said drive wheel during one direction of oscillation of said drive shaft until a sheet is grasped by said sheet advancing rolls, said belt conveyor being further advanced by the pull of said advancing sheet on said endless belt conveyor, said belt conveyor being free to further advance by the free-wheeling of said drive wheel on said drive shaft, and brake means for stopping said belt conveyor after the rear edge of said belt leaves said belt conveyor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A device according to claim 4, in which said endless belt conveyor is perforated and in which a suction box is disposed immediately below a portion of the upper reach of said endless belt conveyor adjacent the sheet delivery and thereof.
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) | 1978-09-22 | 1979-03-24 | 1979-09-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-22 | 1983-03-24 | 1983-09-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-22 | 1987-03-24 | 1987-09-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |