Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
226 words
An apparatus for stacking sheets, said apparatus comprising: a stacking drum rotatable in one rotational sense about a stacking-drum axis at a stacking station; conveyor means having an upstream stretch for feeding said sheets one at a time at a transport speed to said drum at said station and a downstream stretch for carrying stacks of said sheets away from said station; a pressure drum at said station rotatable in the opposite rotational sense about a pressure-drum axis generally parallel to said stacking-drum axis; an axially extending array of generally radially extending pickup needles on said stacking drum pointed forwardly in said one sense; an axially extending pusher bar on said pressure drum; at least one spot welder on said pressure drum adjacent said pusher bar thereof; drive means connected to said conveyor means and to both of said drums for rotating said drums in the respective senses at a peripheral speed generally equal to said transport speed for engaging said sheets as same arrive at said station between said needles and said pusher bar and for welding each sheet with said welder to an underlying sheet; a radially displaceable stripper element on said stacking drum adjacent said needles thereof; and actuating means connected to said stripper element for periodically displacing same outwardly and stripping a stack of sheets carried by said needles from said needles.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
226 words
An apparatus for stacking sheets, said apparatus comprising: a stacking drum rotatable in one rotational sense about a stacking-drum axis at a stacking station; conveyor means having an upstream stretch for feeding said sheets one at a time at a transport speed to said drum at said station and a downstream stretch for carrying stacks of said sheets away from said station; a pressure drum at said station rotatable in the opposite rotational sense about a pressure-drum axis generally parallel to said stacking-drum axis; an axially extending array of generally radially extending pickup needles on said stacking drum pointed forwardly in said one sense; an axially extending pusher bar on said pressure drum; at least one spot welder on said pressure drum adjacent said pusher bar thereof; drive means connected to said conveyor means and to both of said drums for rotating said drums in the respective senses at a peripheral speed generally equal to said transport speed for engaging said sheets as same arrive at said station between said needles and said pusher bar and for welding each sheet with said welder to an underlying sheet; a radially displaceable stripper element on said stacking drum adjacent said needles thereof; and actuating means connected to said stripper element for periodically displacing same outwardly and stripping a stack of sheets carried by said needles from said needles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said pusher bar is formed with a plurality of axially spaced recesses in each of which one of said needles is engageable.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said spot welder is fixed on said pusher drum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising means for radially displacing said spot welder on said pusher drum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein a plurality of such welders are provided on said pusher drum in an axially extending row.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said spot welders carry an axially extending welding bar that forms an axially extending weld along said sheets.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said welders are each a standard motor-vehicle glow plug.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said stripper element is ahead in said one sense of said array and is pivotal on said stacking drum about a pivot axis parallel to said axes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said stacking drum has two such angularly equispaced arrays and stripper elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes a plurality of conveyor belts spaced axially apart and interleaved with said needles.