US2245396A - Sheet feeding and registering mechanism - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1941. c. w. HARROLD EI'AL SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM Filed March 13, ].940 4Sheets-Sheet 1 (5R. CHARLES ARRIMD BY I Home/e014; Para/(4R0 I ATTORNEY5 June 10, 1941. c. w. HARROLD ETAL SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v mvmon Clowns M. II/QIM'QLD BY Momma A. Perm/149p ATTORNEYS Filed March 13, 1940 June-10, 1941. c. w. HARROLD EI'AL SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM R m N w m Can/i253 W fine/M40 HOWARD 14.

Filed March 13, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet. 3

Julie 1941- c. W .HARROLD EF'AI.

' SHEET FEEDING AND REGISTERING MECHANISM Filed March 13, 1940' 4 Sheets-Sheet 4' I'll/impala A. PRITC/MRD amass BY Home/ea m $0"! ATTO J ing the sheets to a stop.

Patented June 10,1941

SHEET FEEDING AND MEOHANISM REGISTERING Charles W. Harrold, University Heights, and

' Howard A. Pritchard, Hiram, Ohio, assignors to Harris-Seybold-Pottcr Company, 'Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application March 13, 1940, Serial No. 323,831

(emu-4e) 32 Claims.

This invention'relates to improvements in sheet feeding and registering. mechanism for feeding sheets to printing presses, folding machines, and the like, and has reference particularly to a feeder so constructed and operated as to take .an advancing sheet while it is moving, front register the sheet, and then while the sheet continues to move, side register it, thereby avoiding the delay in the feeding cycle as commonly constituted and caused by the necessity for stopping the sheet in order to front and side register it. This delay necessarily consumes pear as we proceed with the description of those embodiments of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, we have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view showing the invention applied to a pile feeder utilizing the stream feed principle.

time corresponding to a portion of the revolution of the impression cylinder, and therefore causes a corresponding reduction in the length of sheet which can be printed on a cylinder of given diameter. Furthermore, mechanism employed for accelerating a sheet from a condition of rest to the peripheral speed of the impression cylinder presents unavoidable complications, and calls for a rather heavy application of power. The present application is a continuation in part of our copending application Serial No. 146,734, filed June It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for feeding sheets from a pile, or bank into a printing press or other machine.

Another object is the provision of mechanism of the character stated which shall be capable of eifecting front and side register without bring- A further object is to provide a variable speed rotary sheet transfer mechanism of simple construction and capable of smooth and eilicient operation especially suitable for engaging a sheet traveling at relatively reduced speeds andaccelerating the same to the speed of the machine which is to-operate upon it.

Another object is to provide a side register mechanism, the movements of which will coincide accuratelywith the movements of the sheet being registered, so that the side registering operation will not otherwise affect the position of the sheet. I

A further object is to provide a variable speed rotary sheet transfer mechanism and a side register mechanism, the bodily movements of which while registering the sheet will follow accurately the variable speed of the transfer mechanism.

Still another object is the provision of front and side registering mechanism especially adapted for use on sheets which are forwardedtoward the press in underlapped formation.

. Other objects and features of novelty will ap- Fig. 2 is a fragmental side elevational view of the same on a larger scale, showing the position of the parts at a time just prior to the time when a sheet first comes into engagement with'the front stops.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the construction shownin Fig. 2, certain parts being broken away in order,to more fully illustrate the invention.

' Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic elevational views showing respectively the positions of the parts when a sheet has been side registered and is being taken by the sheet grippers on the transfer member, and the positions of the parts when a sheet is. being delivered to the impression cylinder of a printing press.

Figs. 6 and 7 are elevational and plan views respectively in fragmental form of a modiflcation of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a detail view, partly in section on line 8-8 of Fig. 3, showing the side register guide and sucker on a larger scale.

Referring to Fig. 1, it represents a pile of paper sheets. Sheet lifting suckers II working on the rear comers of the pile are caused to lift the rear edge of the uppermost sheet, blowers l2 then winding the sheet, after which forwarding suckers l3, then in line with lifting suckers ll, take the sheet and with the assistance of the air blast carry it forward into engagement with feed rollers l4 and I5. After this sheet is in control of the feeding rollers the suckers ll and, I3 and the blower I2 function again to grasp the next succeeding sheet and feed it forward under the first named sheet into feeding engagement with the rollers l4 and i5. This feeding action is continued, providing a stream of sheets which are caused. to travel forward upon a feed board It.

'In certain of its aspects the present invention is adapted for use in feeders where the moving tion between the tapes and the sheets forwarded thereby. It should be understood that rollers I. may be either wheels or balls. The tapes ll, of which there may be any needful number spaced transversely of the feed board, run upon rollers 19 and 20, one of which may be driven at a speed preferably such as to cause the travel of the tapes at a rate approximately one-half the speed of travel of the sheets in the printing press. Where the invention is applied to use with apparatus for feeding sheets in an entirely separated condition instead of lapped sheets as in the form illustrated the rollers I4, I! and the tapes ll "may be driven at relatively high speed, such as approximately the speed of cylinder 2!, so that each sheet is completely withdrawn from the pile ill before the next sheet is moved forward by suckers l3. In this case each sheet would be driven by the tapes I! against the stops 8| substantially when the latter are in the position illus trated in Fig. 2 but at higher speed than the speed of those stops. As the stops decelerate a greater slippage between the sheet and the tapes would occur than if the tapes were moving slowly for lapped feeding, but the speed of the sheet during the period it is against the stops would be the same as that of the stops and the side register mechanism would function in the manner described.

The feeder proper may be employed in con-' nection with an impression cylinder 2! of a printing press, or other corresponding cylinder of some other sheet handling machine. This cylinder may be mounted in suitable bearings in the frame members 22, which are preferably common to the press and the feeder. The cylinder 2| is carried upon and keyed to a shaft 23. This shaft may carry a gear wheel 24 to which driving force may be imparted from any suitable source. Se-

cured togear H by screws 25 or the like is an elliptical gear 26, and this gear meshes with a second elliptical gear 21 keyed to a shaft 28 which is likewise journaled in frame members 22.

On the shaft 28 we secure two arms 19, to which weattach a flared guide plate 30 having a radial portion which is utilized in the mounting of the plate. On the back of the latter we mount a series of front stops II against. which the forward edges of the sheets are registered. Also supported upon the arms 2! there is a shaft by changing the proportions of the elliptical gears.

38 and 39 are two rods supported in the frame members and carrying a bracket II which is slidable transversely to various positions of adiustment in which it may be locked by set screws 4| and 42. A shaft 43 journaled in the frame extends through a pair of hearings in the bracket I, and between these hearings a. pinion 44 is keyed to the shaft. Shaft 43 also has a gear 45 fixed thereto, Fig. 3, which meshes with a large circular gear 46 on shaft 28, by which means shaft 43 is turned continuously at constantly changing speed. A pinion 41 mounted on a stub shaft in bracket 40 meshes with pinion H, and on this stub shaft there is mounted a sprocket wheel ll over which runs an endlem chain 49, the opposite loop 'of the chainxrunning over another sprocket 50 iournaled in the rear end of the bracket. Depending portions of the bracket have attached thereto a slide guide 5| in the form of a bar which constitutes a track for a slide block 52. One end of this block is pivotally connected with a link or connecting rod 53, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected with the chain 49. By this arrangement, as will be obvious. movement of the chain 48 in one direction results in reciprocating movement of the slide block 52.

Slide block 52 carries a side guide andside register mechanism. In the broader aspects of the invention the particular type of side register mechanism is immaterial, but our preference at the present time is for a suction type of .somewhat the same nature as that disclosed in U. S. patent to Headley Townsend Backhouse, No. 2,165,172, issued July 4, 1939.

As diagrammatically disclosed herein, see Fig. 8 in particular, the slide block illcarries 2. cylinder 54 in which is slidably mounted a hollow plunger 55 with a downturned nose, having at its bottom surface a plurality of suction openings 56. This nose is adapted to move over a side guide 51. The upper Part of the plunger may carry a boss 58 through which extends a hole that slidably receives a rod 59 which is 33 carrying a series of sheet grippers ll of convmtional form that are caused to open and close at properly timed points in the rotation of the shaftllbymeanswell knownintheart an not herein illustrated.

Arod or bar 35 is carried by the frame members 22, and at intervals there are supported on this rod guides 38 with inner faces of cylindrical form which are to stand adjacent to but not quite touching the p iph ry of the rotating parts of the iu'ansfermemberl The guide. 3|

serve to confine and direct the sheet while it is movingin engagement with th'e4ront stops iland before it is taken by the grippers ll." The cylinder II is also provided with-sheet grippers 31 constructed and operated in the usual manner.

The ellipticalgears It and 2], when proportioned and mounted substantially as shown in the drawlm, impart t0 the shaft 2' and the transfer-member of which it is a part continuous variable rotation from a. speed approximatin: one-third that of cylinder 2| up to a maximum of three times the speed of the cylinder, and back again to one-third speed. Other minimum and maximum values could be obtained sheet.

anchored in the slide block and forms an additional guide and support for the plunger. A flexible hose 60 is attached to a nipple 6| extending rearwardly from the cylinder- M, by means of which connectionis made to a vacuum pump. Within the cylinder and hollow plunger there is a coil spring 1 which tends to hold the plunger in its forward position, butyields when vacuum is applied. When suction is made effective that part of a. sheet beneath the nose of the plunger'is quickly attracted, closing of! the suction openings 58, after which suction builds up within the hollow plunger and the cylinder, and

' ther movement of the plunger in the name direction merely serves to draw the plunger 0! of the InI'lgJthepartsarcshowninthepositions which they occupy slightly prior to the time the foremost sheet of the stream on the feed board contacts the stops ll. At this time the periphcry of the transfer member is moving at approximately the same speed as the sheets on the feed board,thatis tosayathalfthe speedofthesurface of impression cylinder 2|. 'Ihe r pper fingers 34 are thrown back out of the way, as shown in Fig. 2. At this time the transfer mem-- her is slowing down however. so that from this point on the tendency of the sheet is to travel faster than the stops 3|, and accordingly the front edge of the sheet is forced against the stops, while some slippage occurs between the feeding tapes and the uppermost sheet. As the stops move forward and permit the sheet to advance under the impetus of thetapes the sheet is guided in a circular path around the transfer member by the curved guides 36. While this is occurring the slide 52 and the side register mechanism thereon are advancing bodily along with the sheet at precisely the same speed. During this time, and after the sheet has reached stops 3l,.suitable controls cause air to be exhausted in the side register mechanism, and the sheet is thereby pulled up against the side guide 51. By the time the parts have reached the positions of Fig. 4 the side registering operation has been completed and the suction in the side register mechanism is about to be cut off. The transfer member is at this time moving at about one-third the speed of the cylinder, that isto say it is turning at its minimum speed. The gripper fingers 34 now close on the sheet, suction' in the side register mechanismis cut off, and the peripheral speed of the transfer member immediately begins to accelerate. Atthe time the grippers reach the position of Fig. 5, which is the position of transfer to the impression cylinder, the sheet is moving at the same speed as the impression cylinder. After the sheet is side registered, and the suction in the register mechanism is broken, the forward travel of the latter mechanism is caused to cease also and move in the opposite direction into position for acting upon the next succeeding sheet by the connection between the chain and the link 53 traveling up around sprocket 48 and backward with the upper run of the chain.. After the sheet is deliveredto the impression cylinder the speed of the transfer member continues 'to increase finally-becoming three times that of the impression cylinder and imparting a correspondingly rapid travel to chain 49 for a portion of the rearward travel of the slide 52. As indicated in Fig. 5, at the time the delivery'of a sheet is made to the impression cylinder the side register mechanism has already started on its return stroke.

InFigs. 6 and 7 we have illustrated a modified form of the invention in which the movement of the side register mechanism is effected by a cam rather than by an endless chain. The shaft 28 and the transfer member are driven in the same manner as before, that is by a pair of elliptical gears 26 and 21.

bearing in the-bracket 65. This shaft is pref-' erably provided with a keyway to receive a key in the hub portion of a swinging arm 10. This arm is confined in a slot H formed-as a recess in bracket 65;- the recess being covered by a plate 12, 'The lower end of this arm hasa pin andslot connection with slide 68. The slide carries aside register mechanism which may be a duplicate of otally connected with the lower .end of a crankthat previously described for the preferred form of theinvention.

Fixed to shaft 23 there is a circular gear 13 which meshes with another circular gear I4 that is free to turn on shaft 28, .A cam 15 is fastened to gear by screws 16 or the like. Cam 15 is engaged by cam follower 11 carried upon one arm of a bell crank lever 18, being held against the cam by coil spring I9. Bell crank 18, which is pivoted, to the frame at 80, has a depending arm that is pivctally connected with a. link 8|, and the other end of the latter is in turn piv- 82 which is secured at its upper end to the rock shaft 69. The arm .10 is swung, and reciprocations thereby imparted to slide 68 by the cam construction just described. The cam i so formed that as the follower rides up onto the high part of the cam the slide 68 moves forward during the side registering operation at a speed equal to the peripheral speed of stops 3|, that is equal to the speed of a sheet which i againstinduced by the chain of the first described form of the invention, but it may be modified and changed in whatever way may seem to be desirable. Although asillustrated herein the cam is given a regular constant speed rotation by reason of its being geared to shaft 23, it is to be understood-that the .cam may be locked to shaft 28 if desired, which will give to it a constantly changing speed of rotation. 'An arrangement -of the latter kind will of course call for a quite diffrent' cam contour. In Fig, 6 four positions of the'follower 11 are plotted, and the corresponding positions of the side register mechanism are also shown. In respects other than those illustrated and described the second form of the invention corresponds precisely with the first form, and it functions in the same manner.

Having thus described our invention, we claim: 1. In sheet feeding mechanism, a rotating sheet transfer member adapted to be engaged by a forwarded sheet while the latter is in motion, means to forward sheets successively from a pile or bank into engagement-with said transfer member, and means outside the path of rotaticn of the transfer member to shift each sheet sidewise to side register it while moving after engagement with the transfermember.

2. In sheet feeding mechanism, a rotating sheet transfer member adapted to be engaged by a forwarded sheet while the latter is in mo-- tion, means to forward sheets successively from a pile or bank'into engagement with said transfer member, means separate from the transfer member including a guide member bodily movable in the direction of sheet travel for side registering each sheet separately while moving after engagement with the transfer member, and

transfer member over the sheet support means to uide the forwarded sheet around the transfer member in a curved path, and means engaging the portion of a sheeton the support to side register the same while being guided around the transfer member.

4. In sheet feeding mechanism, a rotating sheet transfer member, sheet stops thereon, means to forward a sheet toward the transfer member and into engagement with the stops. said means tending to advance the sheet ata speed greater than the speed of the stops, and means separate from the transfer member to shift each sheet sidewise' to sid register it after engagement with the stops.

5. In sheet feeding mechanism, a continuously rotating sheet transfer member, sheet stops' thereon, means to forward a sheet toward the transfer member and into engagement with the stops, said means tending to advance the, sheet at a speed greater than the speed of the stops, means for side registering the, sheet after engagement with the stops including a guide member bodily movable toward and away from the transfer member, and means for imparting to the guide member bodily movement corresponding to the forward movement of the sheet during the side registration thereof. 7

6. In sheet feeding mechanism, means to forward sheets from a pile or bank, a non-uniform- 1y rotating sheet transfer member adapted to engage a forwarded sheet while the latter is in motion, a guide separate from the transfer member for side registering the sheet while moving after engagement with the transfer memher, and means for imparting bodily moveher for side registering the sheet, and means for imparting bodily movement to the guide in unison with the movement of the sheet while in engagement with said stops.

8. In a machine of the class'described, a uniformly rotating sheet receiving cylinder, ,a continuously non-uniformly rotating sheet transfer member, means for forwarding sheets to the transfer member tending to advance them at a substantially uniform speed greater than the slowest peripheral speed of the transfer member, and stops on the transfer member adapted to engage and front register the front edge of a forwarded sheet during forward motion of the transfer member while its speed is less than the speed of the sheet forwarding means.

9. In a machine of the class described, a uniformly rotating sheet receiving cylinder, a continuously non-uniformly rotating sheet transfer member, means for forwarding sheets to the transfer member tending to advance them at a aaiasoe transfer member tending to advance 'them at a substantially uniform speed greater than the slowest peripheral speed of the transfer member, stops on the transfer member adapted to engage the front edge of a forwarded sheet during the time the peripheral speed of the transfer member is less than the speed of the sheet forwarding means, means separate, from the transfer member for side registering thesheet while against said stops, and means for impart ing bodily movement to said last mentioned means in unison with the forward movement of the sheet while against said stops.

. 11. In a machine of the class described, a uniformly rotating sheet receiving cylinder, means for forwarding sheets toward said cylinder, a rotatably-mounted sheet transfer member arranged to transfer forwarded sheets one at a time to said cylinder, driving connections between said cylinder and the sheet transfer member arranged to impart continuous variable rotation to the latter, means separate from the transfer member to engage and side register a sheet while in motion, and driving connections between the transfer member and the side register means arranged to impartlinear movement to the latter substantially identical with the peripheral movement of the transfer member during the engagement of the side register means with the sheet.

12; In a machine of the class described, a uniformly rotating sheet receiving cylinder, means for forwarding sheets toward the cylinder in underlapped formation from a pile or bank, said means being arranged to forward the sheets at.

a speed less than the peripheral speed of the cyl inder during at least a portion of their travel from the pile or bank, and a sheet transfer member having continuous non-uniform rotation arranged to take each sheet in turn at a speed less than the peripheral speed of the cylinder, accelerate the sheet to the peripheral speed of the cylinder and release the sheet to the cylinder.

13. A combination as in the preceding claim including stops carried by the transfer member which engage the forward edge of the sheet while the transfer member is slowing down relative to the forward movement of the sheet.

14. In a sheet feeder, sheet forwarding means, a rotating variable speed transfer member adapted to take a moving sheet from said forwarding means, side register mechanism movable back and forth parallel to the direction of sheet travel on the forwarding means, and means timed with the movements of said transfer member for moving said side register mechanism forward at a speed corresponding as the then peripheral speed of the transfer' member.

15. In a sheet feeder, sheet forwarding means, a rotating variable speed t'ransfer member adapted to take a moving sheet from said forwarding means, side register mechanism movable back and forth parallel to the direction of sheet travel on the forwarding means, and driving means geared tosaid transfer member for above the feed board. side register mechanism slidably supported on said slide guide, an endless chain mou'nted'parallel with said slide guide, a link connecting said side register mechanism with a. point in said chain, and means for gearing said chain to said transfer member, whereby the movements of the side register mechanism are caused to correspond in speed with the peripheral movements of the transfer member.

17. In a sheetfeeder for feeding sheets'to a machine in which there is a shaft rotating at constant speed, a transfer member, elliptical ing with each other, whereby the transfer member is' given a continuous variable speed rotation, and means for presenting a moving sheet to said transfer member while the latter is rotating at a comparatively low rate of speed.

18. In a sheet feeder for feeding sheets to a machine in which there is a cylinder rotating at constant speed, a transfer member, elliptical gears on said cylinder and transfer member meshing with each other, whereby the transfer member is given a continuous variable speed rotation, means for presenting a moving sheet to said transfer member when the speed of the latter is decreasing, said transfer member having sheet grippers arranged to close on the moving sheet before the speed of the transfer member has begun to increase and arranged to open again for delivery of a sheet to the cylinder when the speed of the transfer member is the same as that of the cylinder.

19. In a sheet feeder, a feed board, a transfer member turning around an axis at variable a movable side guide member separate from the transfer member against which a sheet may be side registered, and means for imparting linear movement to said side guide member in unison with the forward movement of a sheet against said front stops during the side registering operation.

- gears on said shaft and transfer member meshment to said side guide member in unison with the forward movement of a sheet against said stops during the side registering operation.

23; In a machine of the class described, a unisheets at a speed less than the peripheral speed of the cylinder during at least a portion of their travel from the pile or bank, and means for registering each foremost sheet of the stream in turn and transferring it from-the stream to the cylinder, said means comprising the following elements: namely, movable front stops against which the sheets are registered, means for imparting non-uniform velocity to said stops, said velocity being less than that of the stream during at least a part of the time a sheet is against said stops, a movable side guide member against which the sheets are side registered, means for imparting linear movement to said side guide member in unison withthe forward movement of a sheet against said stops during the side registering operation, and moving sheet grippers adapted to grip the registered sheet,-

accelerate it to substantially the speed of said sheet receiving cylinder and release it to the latter.

24. In a machine of the class described, a

uniformly rotatating she'et receiving cylinder,

means for forwarding a stream of sheets toward the cylinder in lapped formation at a speed less than the peripheral speed of the cylinder, a rotatable transfer member operable to withdrawsheets one at a time from the stream and v present them to the cylinder, means for driving the transfer member with non-uniform rotation comprising an accelerating period and a decelerating period and including speeds above "and below the speed of the streamof sheets, and stops on the transfer member adapted during deceleration of the latter to project into the path traversed by the stream to intercept a sheet at its leading edge and slow the same down below the speed imparted thereto by the forward- 21. In a sheet feeder for feeding sheets to a machine in which there is a shaft rotating at constant speed, a transfer member, means adapted to be driven by said constant speed shaft for imparting a continuous variable speed rotation to the transfer member, each revolution of the transfer member comprising a period of acceleration and one of deceleration, and means for advancing a sheet with continuous'forward movement from the supply to the transfer member and presenting the same while moving to the transfer member during the decelerating movement of the latter.

22. In sheet feeding mechanism, means for registering a sheet while in motion comprising movable front stops against which a sheet may be registered, moving means for advancing a sheettoward said-stops, means for imparting non-uniform velocity to saidstops, said velocity being less than that of said sheet advancing means during at least a part of the time a sheet is against said stops, a movable side guide member against which a sheet may be side registered, and means for imparting linear moveing means.

25. In a machine of the class described, a uniformly rotating sheet receiving cylinder, means for forwarding a stream of sheets toward the cylinder in underlapped formation at a speed less than the peripheral speed of the cylinder, a rotatable transfer member operable to withdraw sheets one at a time from the stream and present them to the cylinder, means for drivingthe transfer member with non-uniform rotation comprising an accelerating period and a decelerating period and including speeds above and below thespeed of the stream of sheets, and stops on the transfer member adapted during deceleration of the latter toproject into the path traversed by the stream to intercept a sheet at its leading edge and slow the same down below the speed imparted thereto by the forwarding means, said "cylinder, transfer member, and driving means cooperating to move each sheet com-' pletely off the next underlying sheet before said ing press orthe like having a uniformly rotating sheet receiving cylinder comprising conveying a stream of sheets in underlapped formation toward the cylinder at a fraction of the peripheral speed of the latter, slowing down the foremost sheet of the stream, registering said sheet, gradually accelerating said registered sheet to the speed of the cylinder, transferring said sheet to the cylinder, removing said sheet completely from the next underlying sheet and thereafter slowing down said next underlying sheet.

27. In a machine of the class described, means for separating sheets from a supply and advancing them with the rear portion of each sheet overlying the next following sheet, sheet ipp rs arranged to grip the forward edge of a moving sheet presented thereto and to move in an arcuate path with the sheet, sheet stops adapted to move at the same speed as said grippers, driven sheet forwarding means on one side of the sheets and roller means on the other side thereof cooperating with said driven means toiorwardeachsheetintumagainstsaidmps while said stops are moving and while maintaining the sheet in its'partly overlying relation to the next succeeding sheet, said sheet forwarding means having at the time the sheet engages the moving stops speed greater than the then speed of said stops, said gripp rs being actuated to close on a sheet while the same is against said stops and still partly overlies the succeeding sheet, and sheet guides extending to the point where said gripp rs close on the sheet for confining the moving sheet until it is taken by said grippers.

28. In a machine of the class described, means for separating sheets from a supply and ad-' maintaining its partly" overlying relation to the next succeeding sheet, said sheet forwarding means having speed greater than the then speed of said stops prior to the time the sheet is gripped, said grippers being actuated to close on a sheet while the same is against said stops and still partly overlies the succeeding sheet, and sheet guides extending to the point where said grippers close on the sheet for confining the moving sheet until it is taken by said grippers. J 29, In a machine of the class described, means for separating sheets from a supply and advancing them with the rear portion of each sheet overlying the next succeeding sheet, a

having sheet grippers arranged to grip the forward edge of a moving sheet presented thereto and transfer the, same to said sheet receivin cylinder, sheet stops on said transfer member adapted to engage the forward edge of the sheets, driven sheet forwarding means on one side of the sheets and roller means on the other side thereof cooperating with said driven means to forward'each sheet in turn against said moving stops while still maintaining its partly overlying relation to the next succeeding sheet, said sheet forwarding means having speed greater than the then speed of said stops prior to the time the sheet is gripped, said gripp s being actuated to close on a sheet while the same is against said stops and still partly overlies the succeeding sheet, and sheet guides extending to the point where said grippers close on the sheet for confining the moving sheet until it is taken by said grippers.

30. In a-machine of the class described, a

feed board, means for separating sheets from a supply and forwarding them over said feed board in lapped relation, a continuously rotating sheet handling member adjacent the forward end of said sheet handling member arranged and operated to close on a sheet while the same is against said stops and still partly laps the next succeeding sheet, and'sheet guides extending to the point where said gripp rs close on the sheet for confining the moving sheet until it is taken by said grippers.

' 31. In a machine of the class formly rotating sheet receiving cylinder, a nonuniformly rotating sheet transfer member having speeds equal to and less than the speed of the sheet receiving cylinderI stops on said transfer member, means forforwarding sheets successively against said stops while the transfer member is traveling at a speed less than the speed of the sheet receiving cylinder, and grippers on the transfer member arranged and operated to close on a sheet while the same is being forwarded against said moving stops. 32. In a machine of the class described, a uniforrnly rotating sheet receiving cylinder, a non uniformly rotating sheet transfer member cooperating therewith having speeds equal to and less than the speed of said cylinder, said transfer member having sheet shops and grippers thereon arranged to grip a sheet moved against said stops, and means for forwarding sheets in lapped formation toward said transfer member including driven means on one side of the sheets and roller means on the other side thereof for forwarding the foremost lapped sheet against said stops at a speed greater than the speed of said stops and less than the speed of said cylinder.

CHARLES W. HARROLD. HOWARD A. PRITCHARD.

described, a uni-

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