Abstract: A conveying mechanism for a press having sucker fingers which lift horizontally positioned items. The mechanism having two conveying sections for supporting imbricately arranged items, the first conveying section delivering to the second and the second section having components which rearrange the items into a vertical stack and lift it by wedging the items one under the other to a position where the fingers pick off the uppermost item of the stack.

Abstract: A conveying system comprising an upfeed conveyor for conveying individual stock items upwardly to a press or the like and a generally horizontal infeed conveyor for conveying endwise a stack of items positioned on edge thereon to the upfeed conveyor which has several sections all of which are activated to move the item delivered thereto upwardly and wherein the lower sections are periodically stopped and the uppermost section is freely adapted to move to facilitate withdrawal of the item in transit from the upfeed conveyor, the infeed conveyor being vertically adjustable and tiltable with respect to the upfeed conveyor for handling different sized stock items, and wherein conveyors are so juxtaposed that the item in transit on the upfeed conveyor shields the upper portion of the next item from engaging movable section until the item in transit is completely withdrawn from the upfeed conveyor and wherein a retard is provided with an items gauge shield to insure single item feeding.

Abstract: A conveying system comprising two conveyors interconnected for adjustment relative to each other and an arrangement of rollers some of which convey and during a set period others serve as drag against the stock items carried thereon to obtain single item feeding.

Abstract: A conveyor for removing stock items from the bottom of a stack comprising an intermittently operable roller member having conveying and lifting portions movable in an orbit, the conveying portions being operative during their operative periods to drag against the lowermost item of the stack seated thereon and enter one end of the item into a metering device which is operative during the same intervals to enter the leading end of each article into a pair of pullout rollers, the roller member cycling to dispose the lifting portions in lifting positions to the stack and providing smooth surfaced areas releasing the partially withdrawn items from under the stack during this interval.

Abstract: A self-contained conveyor is adapted to be seated or bodily removed with respect to a support of an associated press. The conveyor has a gravity feed section for receiving a pile of stock items imbricately arranged thereon and delivering the items onto a pile fragmentizing roller assembly. The roller assembly separates the piled items by transporting the items over it and feeds items onto a belt conveyor which in turn delivers the items against a fanning mechanism. The bottom item is delivered into a metering nip defined between a retard and cooperating feed roller assembly which delivers each item to a pickup station of a press beneath a sensing finger switch. As long as each item remains on the station, it prevents the finger from dropping to close the switch and actuate a circuit which operates the belt conveyor and feed roller to deliver the next bottom item to the station.

Abstract: A slidably supporting feeding apparatus having fingers movable to stop and to release the stock for regulating delivery of the stock to a press, the fingers being driven by inertia to a complete release position in timed relation with a press feed mechanism, which during the interval of complete release of the stock by the fingers, grasps and moves the stock into the press.

Abstract: An inking roller assembly wherein the rollers are driven and there being an impositive driving connection between the driven roller and the driving shaft therefor and the roller is driven by impact of the imprinting head and the roller as the roller is struck by the imprinting head, the rollers also being associated with pumping rollers and smoothing rollers for properly distributing the ink and the inking rollers having novel end plates which return the excess ink into the roller. The imprinting head intermittently impacts against limited areas of the inking roller periphery and then moves out of contact with the inking roller to cause the same to thereafter roll freely and thus override the drive imparted thereto by the impositive or one way driving means so that the imprinting head is caused to strike the periphery of the inking roller in different areas randomly.

Abstract: A feeding mechanism in which a reciprocating swab-like apparatus is provided wherein the pitmans are adjustable for beginning and ending their stroke by having the cranks driven by separable gears which may be meshed in different positions and wherein the pitmans are connected to a pair of counterrotatable wheels with friction facings engageable with paper sheets disposed in a stack therebeneath, the wheels being mounted on axes which are adapted to be canted to increase or reduce the area of engagement of the wheel periphery with the sheet to vary the amount of drag. The wheels are carried by a slider foot which is arranged to slide upon the sheet being moved. The wheels are arranged to move the sheet to be fed first into a registered position against a stop and then in the opposite direction to associated receiving mechanism.

Abstract: An adjustable mounting for a shaft on a thin metal support plate wherein a cylindrical lounting flange is punched out of the plate to form an opening, and a bearing is rotatably mounted within the opening. The bearing has a radial flange engaging the external side of the plate and has a threaded inner end extending beyond the inner end of the plate flange. A nut is threaded on the threaded end and has a bore telescoped over the plate flange. The inner end of the nut has an edge which is tightened against the internal side of the plate. The plate flange, the nut and the radial bearing flange rigidify the contiguous area of the plate to minimize deflection. A flat adjusting member lays against the outer side of the support plate and has a rectangular aperture with parallel side edges which mate with chordal edges on the radial flange of the bearing. Rotation of the adjusting member causes the bearing to rotate.

Abstract: A printing machine having a roller and a printing head which are brought together for printing in a printing mode and separated in an nonimprinting mode, the disposition of the roller and the head being controlled by means sensing the presence or absence respectively of paper stock in position for imprinting. The invention comprises a positive auxilliary feeding mechanism.

Abstract: An auxiliary feed mechanism adapted to be positioned at the intake of a printing press to lift stock such as paper or envelopes, particularly those which have become warped from storage, to a vacuum feed of the printing press. The feed mechanism includes an adjustably positionable flipper pivoted by a solenoid to lift a stock item from supporting rails to the press vacuum feed.