US1770973A - Sheet counting and delivering mechanism for presses and the like - Google Patents

Description

- July .22, 1930. \=D. w. soy 1,770,973

SHEET CONTING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM FOR PRESSES AND'THE LIKE ivled sept. i5. 192s 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i D. w. coY' 1,770,973

SHEET COUNTING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM FOR PRESSES AND THE LIKE July 22,. 1930.

Flid Sept. 15. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 22, 1930.

D. w. coY l,7",70973` SHEET COUNTING' AND DELQCVERING MECHANIYSM FOR PRESSES AND-THE LIKE Fleyd Sept. 15, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 im lli July 22, 1930.` D. w. cov 1,770,973

SHEET COUNTING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM FOR PRESSES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 15. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ljijlllllllll @y g5@ @4,7% @YM-fm y] Lil i the conveyor.

PatentedrJuly 22,1930 l UNiTi-:D STATES PATENT N Doiv W. cov,V or CHICAGO; Immers,` assieivon ro' ferrieliseV oaaroiqcomranvipr H oHIcAGdjILLINoIs, consonancia or ILLINoIsf siiizzn'rV ooUNrING im Vi)EnrvEn-iive imcnaivrsiirl Foa rans'sns arnhem 'man y v Application led YSeptember 15, 1928. serialiNo. 306,7160.

The present invention relates. to a .sheet counting j and delivering ymechanism A, for

presses andmore particularlyfor presses that are used for cutting, scoring and printing sheets of heavy paperorfcardboard to form carton blanks. In pressesjof this type it is desirable tokeep an accurate record of tlieoutput and also to deliver the output of the press in accurately counted piles. This invention seeks to provide means for count ing the sheets as they are stacked or `piled by the usual sheetV delivery mechanism ofthe press and for deliver-ing the sheets in accurately countedpiles. *y Y Y The invention comprises a conveyor above or upon which the sheets .are piled by the press delivery mechanism,1a sheet counter controlled by the passage of sheetsV through the press and means for intermittently actu.- ating the conveyor controlled by .thev counter and operated in timed' relation with -theipress for delivering the counted piles .of sheets.

VThese and other features Aand the details of the 4invention are hereinafter more fully set forth, are illustrated i-inpreferred form in vthe accompanying drawings, andare particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. l is a side elevation ofthe improved sheet counter and delivery vmechanism and also of a suitable press,nthe showing ,of the latter being diagrammatic; Y

arged .side relevation .ofthe sheet counting and delivering mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a side elevationof the `conve or;

Fig. 4 isa detail view of a portion o the conveyor; Y

Fig. 5 is a detail view .in side elevation of the counter controlling device; l

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view ofthe clutch which forms 4a part of ,thecon-veyor actuating mechanism; l

Fig. 7 :is a detail .plan viewlof ,the variable speed, -slovv start and `stop .gearing whichr forms .part of the ...actuating mechanism .for

Va tableor platform 5.

' Theimprovedsheet counting i ing mechanism may `be usedwith presses .of many. different?v types The press diagrammatically shown in Fig. l isof the Wellf known bed and cylinder type and has a mai-n Cylinder l which is driven .from a main Shaft i 2 through a gear'train andis provided with the Silal/igrippers 4 for'engagngithefsheets of paper stoclz that are delivered .toit .from

operates inthe usualvvay lWith" a reciproat". ingbed carrying the rdies and .type and a cylinder 6 cooperates with a ily '7 `to deliver `the nished sheets in a stacker pile.

Usually the finished sheets :are piled bythe i press delivery mechanism von a` table or plataform. i vention they are placed upoiifa .conveyor In accordance with'the Present informing `part of the improved sheet counting and deliveringmechanism This lmechanismis carried upon a vframe ,comprising ysuitably connected sidememhers., on which v the shafts Yand otherparts of the `mechanism Y are mounted. A horizontal Vslgiaft y9 at the `upper forward pivotal support' for one end .of theconveyor frame. Thisframe, as mostaelearly ,shown Ain Fig. 3, comprises side bars ,llconneetedfhy crossfbars 11 nand ,depending end brackets l2 and 13 connected respectively to the; :side bars. `Members ll fixed totheforvvard .ends f of the sidebars l0 pivotally-engage the shaft 9 or the bearings in which the shaft is jour-V naled'.` 4Shaft 9 forms series of Y. conveyor chains 15 Which pass `over drive .sprockets 16 on thisshaftand also over 1 guide sprockets '1,7v and `18 lcarried by shafts 19 and 2O that areqmountedrespectively at the y and `on the .lower ends ofthe forward I.side brackets 12. Thefcha'ins also 4pass .over a series of tighteningsprockets 21 .carried Joya ,cross-shaft 722, the bearings l for whichy (are .adjustably lmounted in guides 'in fille rflower portion `of the .side ,vbr ackets 13 and. can he end of the `,frame forms .a ;jj

the drive Shaft `for a Y rear 'end ,of the ,oonveyorframe' flatter lisfconnec adjusted to properly tension the conveyor chains by screws 23.

The construction of the conveyor permits of its adjustment about the drive shaft 9 as a center so that the vertical position of its rear or delivery end can be positioned as desired.,

As shown, the delivery end of the conveyor is carried by supports 24, the lower ends of which are notched to provide lugs 25 which can be adjustably engaged with pins 26 Xed to the main frame. i

A series of guides or supporting strips 27 are provided for the upper horizontal reaches of the conveyor chainsl upon or above which the sheets "are stacked or piled bythe press,

delivery mechanism. These supporting strips arejiked at theirends to saddles 28 which are carried by the cross-bars ll and the chains are provided atintervals with pro-1 veyor chains.

The conveyor chains are provided with a plurality of sets of abutments 15, three in the particular form shown, and the operating mechanism of the conveyor, which is intermittently operated', is arranged' to arrest the Iconveyor chainswith sets of abutmentsv at 'the opposite ends of the upper reach ofthe conveyor. Also, at each operation the'conveyor is advanced to such an extent as to move one set of abutments from its forward or receiving end to its rear or delivering end, and, preferably, each such operation of the conveyor is effected during a single working cycle of the press.Y

.The main shaft 29 of the counting and delivering mechanism is journaled in the upper `rear portion of the frame and is connected by a train of gears 30to a drive shaft 31. rllhe ted by chain and sprocket gearingv 32 to the drive shaft 2 of the press.

,This gearing is such that the working cycle of thev sheet countingV and delivering mechanism is the same as that of the press. That is to say,the main shaft 29 rotates at the same speed as the maindrum 1 of the press.v

Y The A conveyor 1s operated from the main shaft 29 by means'of an interposed gear train which includes a clutch for starting and stopping theconveyor and also includes variable speed, slowstart and stop gearing.

The start and stop clutch is mounted upon a shaft 33 at the upper forward portion of the "driven` at unifor which is loosely mounted on this shaft, is connected to the main shaft 9 of theconveyor by a pair of intermeshing gears 35. rllhe driven clutch member 36 (see Fig. 6) is keyed to the shaft 33 and a gear 37 also keyed to the shaft meshes with a large gear 38 carried on a cross-shaft 39. Gear 38 isl driven by a large gear 40 mounted on a. shaft 4l and which meshes with a gear 42 on the main shaft 29.

A series of four rolls 43 mounted on theside of the gear 40 adjacent its periphery anduniformly spaced are arranged to engage a vcorresponding seriesof guideways formed by .pairs .of projecting ribs 44 on the adjacent face of the Gear 38. LGrear 40' is'c'ontinuousl 1n speed. As one of the rolls 4 3 enters Voneof the radialguidewaysin the gear 38 it will slowly start this gear and the clutch shaft- 33; then it increases the speed of these parts as the roller moves toward the center of the gear 38, andthen, asfit moves awayfrom .the center it gradually reduces thespeedofithese parts and brings them to resti` As one'oftherolls 43l on the gear 40 leavesjone ofthe guidewaysfon the gear 38 another roll enters the next guideway. ln this way'the clutch vs haft 33 and the conveyor, wheirthe clutch is closed, are driven at variable speed and with a slow start and stop. This properly eifects a slow starting and stopping of a pilel of sheets on the conveyor which is frequently quite heavy. Also, the variable speed operation of theconveyor affords ample time for the removal of 'a pile of Ksheetsjduri'nga singlefworking cycle of the press. Each operation of the conveyor is effectedby' a single revolution of the clutch shaft 33` and the gearing is such that this shaft 'rotates through one revolution during each working cycle of the press and during each revolution `of thepress'drum and of the main shaft 29 ofthe sheet counting and delivering mechanism. That is to, say, lthe variable speed, slow start and stop gearing 38 is rotated through one-'quarter of a revolution and 'the clutch shaft and driving clutch member thereon are rotated through a complete vrevolution during each working cycle of the press. It is also noted thatsin'ce one of the rollsof gear 4() leaves one of the gnideways of the `gear 38 another roll enters the next guideway, the dwell of the 'gear 38 and of the driving clutch member is very short and they are in inotion substantially throughout the working cycle of the press.

od of a working cycle is utilized in effecting the operation of the conveyor and it is not necessary to operate it at excessive speeds in delivering a heavy pile of sheets.

The driven clutch member34 which car- `ries the gear 35 is, as stated, loosely mounted on the shaft 33, being heldinposition on the end of the shaft by a plate or collar 45. A clutch dog 46 is arranged'to slide in a Hence, when the .clutch is closed, substantially the entire periguidewayforme'din the "member 34; This dog,V is spring-pressed `toward f the drivingl clutch member `36 and isi adapted toenter -a recess Athereinl andl be vengagedfby La shoulder 47 to effect 'the rotation ofthedriven clutch member. .-N ormally;however, the clutch dog is held in retracted position to disconnect the clutch! members` by a tripV `armi. Tor .lever 48 pivoted l on the 4side ofthe `main frame (see Fig.2) land' spring-heldiinposition sothat itsupper end extendswithin .a groove 49 in theclutch member: 34fandlintofafnotch 50 in the key 46. When .thetripleverr48isishited against the tension of its spring the =dog`.46 isshiftedby its spring to connectthe clutch members. At the end of a single revolution of: the 'driven clutch member, s the .Ibeveled upper end 'of the trip arm willengageandV retract the dog toopen the clutchfand arrest the operation of theA driven clutchI member and of theconveyor.v

l f; The army. 8 is moved toy close the clutchby f lowered so that during itsunext arshifter rod 51` the free end ofifwhichis ar# ranged to engage a nose 52 'formed on the trip arm; The` shifterl is` pivotedl at; its opposite end to thejlower 'endoi' ailever 53. v l The latter is pivoted between its ends .uponthe frameand. aspring54 connected to the lever holds a roller on its upper end in engagement Vwithgan'actuating cam55onthesha'ft 29;:

While :theshifter 51 is oscillated'by the lcam 55on'ce during each,working.i cycle,'` its freeendis normally held outv of line with the nose yZon the clutch trip arm. 48 by afsup-w porting pinA or roller 56 on: the end. of anarm or lever 57. Thelatteris pivoted between its ends on the frametand anose 58on one ofits arms is heldbygravityin engagement with the periphery of a disc 59.-"jl\lormally,V these parts hold thefree end of the .shifter rod 51 ,out of linewith-thegnose 52 onthe clutchl trip arm but, Ywhen the nose onthe lever 57; drops `into oneof the notches 60 in the peripheryof the disc 59, the free endiof the shifter rodis operative movement it lwill engage andy shiftV the trip arm48 to close the,conveyor clutch.'` It is notedthat cam55 eects the forward -actuat ing movement of, the clutchtripshifter 51V as one or". the rolls of Vthel gear40 enters one oi the guideways Vof the gear 38, Vso that?, when on the main frame and` having pawls 67 the shifter rod1is.lowered;the clutch isv-engagedto eiiect the operation of the conveyor at the beginning of one of the slow start and stop, variable speed movements of the gear A38 andof the'driven clutch member actuated by t his gear. f A l VThe disc 59 is mountedgon laV shaft 61 and is operated by a sheet counting mechanism. |This mechanismv comprises Y a ratchet 1 wheel k6L) mounted cna shaft 6A3Land connected to the disc 59 by a pair ofintermeshing gearsv 64, andan actuating arm or lever'65 pivoted at 66 operating v cycle,v

and 68 `engaging the ratchet wheely 62. VJSpringi69connected to the "arml 65 hold'sa lroller thereon in engagement with an actuating cam 70 onthe main shaft-29.

The parts are "soarranged thatrthe arm- 65 v i is oscillated once' duringY each `working cycle to thereby-advance the counting ratchet wheel step-by st epfl v.The to and"l :Eroo'sci-llation of 2 the arm65 throughvthepull and push pawls 67 and 68 eifecttwo steps ofthe ratchet wheel 62' and the counting disk 59. V'Hence a'notch on the disk is brought both'into and.- out of line with the noseof the lever 57 during aV single f-.working cycle'of thefpress, andthe clutch'canbeclosed'and the conveyor operatedfk substantially lthroughout 'ja complete f working cycle withoutdangerof again `closing the clutch and Voperating the conveyor during-the next succeeding cycle.

-. Means areprovided for preventingithe 'complete operationfof a counting mechanism in case a sheet is notpassed through' the press Y during any working cycle. "To this end, the

actuating arm 65 is connected by a link 71 -to a crank disc` 72 on-thepress framel andithe latterfisconnected'by a link 7 3'- to `an oscillat- Vingarm 7 5. 1 An' oscillating shaft7 6 of: light weight is providedwithf iingersr77vand 78 which cooperate respectively with thel -sheets va as they are fed-tothe press-k and with an abutment 79 on `thearm 7 5'. `As asheeta is `ment off the counter actuator 65 during` a singleworkingcycle of the press incase no t sheet isi'ed. f y Y' Infoperation the shaft 29 is continuously driven. at the-,same sp'eedfas t-he press drum and theparts actuated thereby'are operated oncedurin-g each working cycle of the press except,` of course, that the conveyor is held stationary. unless the clutch` trip 48 is oper.- ated. Also,k as stated, if there is `nol sheet passed through the'press during a .given working cycle theoperationbf the counting position shown fin Fig. 5'so mechanism is not completed. During operation, the sheets delivered from the press are accurately piled or stacked upon or above the conveyor andare accurately counted. When the counting mechanism advances the disc 59 to such an extent that the controller 57 engages'one of thel notches in the disc the shifter v51 will move the clutch trip T48 so that thecon# veyor mechanism will operate tof'deliverthe s counted pile of sheets. This operationof the conveyor occurs, workin cycle of the press :and itis operated at varia le speed with a slow-start and stop so that the pile of ksheets is not disturbed.

The mechanism affords means for keeping track of the operation of the pressk and for delivering its-product in accurately counted piles.` Changes may be made in the details set orth withoutdeparturefrom the scope of the appended claims.

I clain as my invention: y

1. The combination with a press having means for piling the sheetsfof a conveyor, normally at rest, for delivering the piled sheets, for the conveyor geared to and having a Working cycle corresponding to that of the press, said drive mechanism includingv start-stopV means arranged tov maintain the conveyor in operation substantially throughout such Working cycle, a sheet counter, and means controlled thereby for initiating the operation of said start-stop means.

2. The combination with a press having means for piling the sheets, of a conveyor for delivering the piled sheets, intermittently acting drive mechanism for actuating the conveyorincluding variablespeed, slow start and stop gearing, said drive mechanism being geared to the press to operate in` timed relation therewith, a sheet counter, and means controlled thereby for initiating the operation of the conveyor at the beginning of a working cycle of said variable speed, slow start and stopgearing V3. The combination with a press having means for piling the sheets, of a conveyor for delivering the piled sheets, intermittently acting drive mechanism for actuating the conveyor including variable speed, slow start and stop gearing' and a start-stop clutch, said drive mechanism being geared to the press to effect the operation of said gearing and said clutch in timed relationtherewith, a sheet counter, and means controlled thereby for closing said clutch to initiate the operation of Vthe conveyor at the beginning of a working cycle for said variable speed, slow start and stop gearing. Y

4. The combination with a press having means for vpiling the sheets, of a conveyor for delivering the piled sheets, intermittently acting drive mechanism for actuating the conveyor including variable speed, slow start and stop gearing,'and a start-stop clutch, a sheet counter, meansv controlled thereby for closing the clutch at the beginning of a Working cycle of saidgearing, a counter actuator, said counter actuator and said drive mechanism being geared to the press to operate in timed relation therewith, and means controlled by the passage of sheets through the press Jor controlling the operation of the counter actuator.

as stated, duringthe singleV intermittently acting drive mechanism l' 5. The combination with a presshaving means for piling the` sheets, of conveyor chains, normally at rest, for delivering the piled sheets, a gear train for eecting the Voperation of said' conveyor chains and for ning of a working cycle of said variable speed,

slow start and stopgcars'.

` 6. In combination with chains, normally at rest, for delivering the a press having' means for piling the lsheets, of conveyor piled sheets, actuating-means, including a start-stop iclutch, -for intermittently yoperating said conveyor, 4a trip for said clutch, -a sheet counter, actuators-for said counter and said clutch trip, gearing for operating the clutch and trip actuators and the conveyor actuating means in yworkingi cycles corresponding to those vof-the press and means controlled-bythe sheet counter for preventing or permitting the operation of the trip actuator. 1 v A' 7. In combinationl with a press having means for piling .the sheets, of conveyor chains, normally atrest, for delivering the piled sheets, actuating means, including a start-stop clutch, forintermittently operating said conveyor, a trip for saidclutch, a sheet counter, actuatorsfor saidY counter and said clutch trip, gearing for operating the clutch and trip actuators and the conveyor-actuating means' in timed relation withthe press, means controlled bythe passage of sheets through the press for controlling the'operation of the counter actuator andmeans controlled by the counter` for preventing or permitting the operation lof the trip actuator. A

8. In combination with a press having means for piling the sheets, a conveyor, normally' at rest, for receiving the piled sheets, meansl for vertically adjusting the delivery end ofthe conveyor, drive mechanism geared.

to the press and to the receiving end of the conveyor or'intermittently operating the latter, and a sheet counter for controlling the operation kof said drive mechanism.

9. In combination with a press having means for piling the sheets, of a conveyor for receiving the sheets land delivering the same therefrom, drive mechanism for the conveyor geared to andfrhaving a 'working cycle corresponding to that of the press and including va start-stop clutch, means operated by said drive mechanism for closing the clutch, a sheet-controlled counter and means controlled thereby for preventing or permitting the operation of said clutch-closing means.

10. In combination with a press having means for Apiling the sheets, of a conveyor for receiving the sheets and delivering the same Y means.

therefrom, drivemechanism for the conveyor-v geared to and having a WorkingY cycle correV- spending to that of vthe variable speed, slow start and stop gearing and a start-stop clutch, means operated by said drive mechanism for closing the clutch atithe beginning ofa Working cycle of: said gearing, a sheet-controlled counter Operated by saiddrive mechanism, and .means'controlled by said counter for venting the Operation cf press and including f i permitting or pre; d said clutch-closing DON WQCOY.V

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