Patents Assigned to Roll Systems, Inc.
  • Patent number: 5651511
    Abstract: A machine for feeding rolls of web material to a utilization device that is adapted to draw the web material into the utilization device. The roll machine includes a frame carrying a carriage that supports a pair of arms having respective chucks that are adapted to move toward and away from each other for engaging and disengaging with the core of a roll that is being supported and fed. An overhead drive arrangement is used for driving the periphery of the roll in combination with a torque roller for maintaining tension in the web. A gravity loop of the material has its position sensed for control of the roll drive means in a manner to match the rate of use by the utilization device. The drive arrangement may also include a motor that directly drives the roll core. The chucks driving the roll core may further be adaptable to variably support various roll core diameters and may include structures for positively gripping the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: H. W. Crowley, R. Langdon Wales, deceased
  • Patent number: 5630780
    Abstract: A system for stacking continuous folded forms coming from a folder and moving to a conveyor. A table is position adjacent and in line with the conveyor and in a position for receiving a horizontal stack of folded forms disposed on the table top. The table is a tiltable table and is able to be tilted from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position to likewise move the stack from a horizontal to a vertical stack position. A cart is movable to a position adjacent to the tilted table for receiving from the table the vertical stack for support on the cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: H. W. Crowley
  • Patent number: 5628574
    Abstract: A web error recovery divert system is provided. A web is printed and scanned for errors. An error is identified in a grouping of sections or pages. A replacement grouping of sections or pages is printed. The replacement grouping includes an identifying mark or banner page indicating the presence of a replacement section. The web is redirected through a cutter and diverter that identifies the banner page and, at the appropriate locations, cuts and removes the grouping having the error. The replacement grouping and the remainder of the web is driven to a post-processing unit for further operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: H. W. Crowley
  • Patent number: 5586710
    Abstract: A power stapler having a clincher provides a stitcher head for driving formed staples into a stack of sheets. A clincher box is positioned opposite the stitcher head. Clinchers located in the clincher box pivot upwardly under the force of a moving clincher bar to deform ends of the staple to pass through the sheet stack. The clincher bar or clinchers include a stop that limits retraction of the clinchers into the box. Hence, as the staple is driven by the stitcher head through the sheets, the ends of the staple are brought into engagement with the clinchers and plastically deform into a substantially inwardly curled shape. Following driving of the staple by the stitcher head, the clincher bar is actuated to rotate the clinchers upwardly toward the stack causing the curled tips of the staple to drive into the sheets. The clinchers can include grooves that are angled into alignment along parallel angled lines so that the ends of the staple pass each other and do not interfere with each other upon clinching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Roman M. Golicz
  • Patent number: 5582087
    Abstract: A high speed sheet feeder for use with utilization devices that process sheets comprises a source of sheets, that can include a web cutter and a transport unit having a surface along which the sheets travel in a downstream direction. The surface can include a pair of conveyors that act as sheet justifiers and have at downstream ends thereof wait stations that can comprise pairs of nip rollers. Sheets are halted at each wait station and simultaneously passed along the surface as a sheet request signal is received from the utilization device. The transport unit can further include a bump/turn module that receives sheets from the conveyors and passes them at a 90.degree. angle to their initial direction of travel into the utilization device via a port in the utilization device adapted to feed sheets upon request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: H. W. Crowley, John W. Clifford, William F. Bolza
  • Patent number: 5582570
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for binding sheets using a reactivatable printing substance such as toner comprises a printing device for applying printing toner to a binding edge of a sheet. Printing text can be applied simultaneously to the sheet by the printing device. The sheet is transferred through a preheat station to an overlay location where additional sheets having strips of toner adjacent to a binder edge thereof are overlaid, one at a time. As each sheet is overlaid, the toner strip on the preceding sheet is fused to the uppermost sheet or by another from of sealing energy. Such fusing can be accomplished using a heated platen or wheel that bears upon the uppermost sheet. An opposing toner strip can be applied to the lower face of the uppermost sheet so that a pair of opposing toner strips on each of the opposing sheets are fused to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: H. W. Crowley
  • Patent number: 5558318
    Abstract: A system for conveying folded web and forming discrete stacks of folded web comprising a conveyor that receives a stack of folded output web from a web folder and separator. The conveyor drives the web from an upstream end, adjacent the web folder and separator, to a downstream end. A supporting surface, which can comprise a plurality of pivoting rails biased by a spring, selectively supports the web remote from and off of the conveyor so that a compressed stack can be formed adjacent the folder and separator. At selected times, the stack is moved by the supporting surface into communication with the folder and separator so that it can be conveyed downstream. An elevator platform can be located at the downstream location for receiving successive stacks thereon. The elevator ascends and descends so that the tops of the successive stacks are aligned with the conveyor for receipt of a further stack thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: H. W. Crowley, Stephen E. Silva, Peter E. Bianchetto, John W. Clifford, Bruce J. Taylor
  • Patent number: 5558319
    Abstract: An apparatus for stacking and separating sheets of web material provides a conveyor for transporting the sheets from a source of sheets. The sheets are conveyed in a stream that is aligned in a downstream direction from a source to a stacking location. A kicker mechanism is located along the conveyor to offset sheets in a direction that is substantially transverse to the downstream direction. A stacking mechanism is positioned at the stacking location for receiving each sheet from the conveyor and overlaying each sheet into a stack that extends downstream in a horizontal orientation that is substantially parallel to the ground. The kicker mechanism may include an elastomeric foot that engages and withdraws from each selected sheet to drive it transversely to the downstream direction. The sheets may be cut from a continuous web source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: H. W. Crowley, John W. Clifford, Thomas Connolly, John R. Fairhurst, Bruce Taylor
  • Patent number: 5538171
    Abstract: A system and method for incorporating, in the production of a continuous stream of images, by an image transfer device upon a moving web, post-production operations upon the web at various locations. Locations of a web, having a plurality of images placed thereon, output from an image transfer device are tracked. Specific operations at various locations upon the web are performed by a post-production device as the web passes through it. The web is directed from the image transfer device to the post-production device. In response to the tracking of locations upon the web, the point when a location has entered the post-production device is determined. In response to this determination, the post-production device is commanded to perform its specific operation at a connect location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: H. W. Crowley
  • Patent number: 5533719
    Abstract: A stacker jam detector, for use in a sheet handling device such as a stacker and separator, comprises a source of sheets that directs sheets downstream to a delivery location. The source of sheets includes a sheet sent signal generator that transmits a sheet sent signal in response to transferral of each of the sheets from the source. A moving sensing service, such as an elastomeric wheel, is provided at a delivery location, which can comprise a vertical stack. The surface engages each of the sheets as each of the sheets is transferred to the delivery location. Movement of the sheets thereover causes proportional movement of the sensing surface. A signal, such as a pulse, is generated in response to the movement of the sensing surface. A detector measures the signal and compares the signal received relative to at least one sheet sense signal to a predetermined signal value and indicates whether a sheet has been properly delivered to the delivery location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: H. W. Crowley, John W. Clifford, Thomas Connolly, John R. Fairhurst, Bruce Taylor, John M. Fiske
  • Patent number: 5494272
    Abstract: A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer provides a feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets. Sheets in the stack are deshingled by a feeder singulator and driven, typically, downwardly to a feed tray extending remote from the singulator. The feed tray receives sheets in a space that enables formation of a second smaller stack of sheets. The tray further includes an opening adjacent the second stack that enables sheets to be slid from the top of the second stack. The tray is positioned and constructed so that it can enter and be removed from a port in the drawer of the utilization device. The feed tray's positioning relative to the port allows sheets in the second stack to be placed adjacent a utilization device singulator in the drawer so that sheets can be removed by the utilization device singulator for processing thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Roman M. Golicz
  • Patent number: 5476254
    Abstract: A high speed sheet feeder comprises a support for supporting a stack of sheets. The sheets are driven by a backing plate assembly along the support toward a singulator. The backing plate is driven by a drive member such as a drive chain positioned along the support. The drive chain moves the backing plate in predetermined increments. The singulator is mounted on a bracket that moves in response to pressure exerted by the leading face of the stack thereupon. The increments in which the backing plate moves are varied based upon the degree of movement of the singulator bracket in response to pressure exerted thereupon by the stack. Minimum pressure causes a maximum increment of movement while maximum pressure causes a minimum increment or virtually no movement in the backing plate assembly. The singulator comprises an elastomeric wheel pivotally mounted on a support bracket having concentric a sleeve that is mechanically interconnected with the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Roman M. Golicz
  • Patent number: 5472153
    Abstract: A machine for feeding rolls of web material to a utilization device that is adapted to draw the web material into the utilization device. The roll machine includes a frame carrying a carriage that supports a pair of arms having respective chucks that are adapted to move toward and away from each other for engaging and disengaging with the core of a roll that is being supported and fed. An overhead drive arrangement is used for driving the periphery of the roll in combination with a torque roller for maintaining tension in the web. A gravity loop of the material has its position sensed for control of the roll drive means in a manner to match the rate of use by the utilization device. The drive arrangement may also include a motor that directly drives the roll core. The chucks driving the roll core may further be adaptable to variably support various roll core diameters and may include structures for positively gripping the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: H. W. Crowley, R. Langdon Wales, deceased
  • Patent number: 5456646
    Abstract: A system and method for constructing sealed printed packages and one-piece mailers provides fixedly applying printing toner to predetermined locations upon a first part of a face of a printable sheet. The sheet is then folded so that a second part of the face overlies the first part which includes the locations having the toner thereon. The toner is then sealed so that the first and second parts are joined together. The toner may comprise a heat activated xerographic powdered toner. The second part of the face may include toner at locations that overlap the toner upon the first part and sealing may involve preheating of the toner prior to folding and then applying additional heat and pressure to the toner by means, for example, of rollers subsequent to folding. The sheet may then be cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: H. W. Crowley
  • Patent number: 5399143
    Abstract: A system for stacking continuous folded forms coming from a folder and moving to a conveyor. A table is position adjacent and in line with the conveyor and in a position for receiving a horizontal stack of folded forms disposed on the table top. The table is a tiltable table and is able to be tilted from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position to likewise move the stack from a horizontal to a vertical stack position. A cart is movable to a position adjacent to the tilted table for receiving from the table the vertical stack for support on the cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: H. W. Crowley
  • Patent number: 5390909
    Abstract: A sheet justifier provides a table having at least one rotational surface thereon that is substantially aligned with the table. A sheet is input to the table into contact with the rotational surface. A weighted ball is positioned over the rotating surface proximate an outer edge of the rotating surface. The sheet is grasped between the ball and the rotating surface and forced against a raised guide edge. Once the sheet is forced against the guide edge, all rotational driving force is translated in a downstream direction therealong so that the sheet is driven out of the guide edge with its edge aligned therewith in a justified orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Roll Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Robert F. Herrick, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5366212
    Abstract: An apparatus for stacking and separating sheets of web material provides a conveyor for transporting the sheets from a source of sheets. The sheets are conveyed in a stream that is aligned in a downstream direction from a source to a stacking location. A kicker mechanism is located along the conveyor to offset sheets in a direction that is substantially transverse to the downstream direction. A stacking mechanism is positioned at the stacking location for receiving each sheet from the conveyor and overlaying each sheet into a stack that extends downstream in a horizontal orientation that is substantially parallel to the ground. The kicker mechanism may include an elastomeric foot that engages and withdraws from each selected sheet to drive it transversely to the downstream direction. The sheets may be cut from a continuous web source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: H. W. Crowley, John W. Clifford, Thomas Connolly, John R. Fairhurst, Bruce Taylor
  • Patent number: 5360213
    Abstract: A web separator is provided that cuts a web at predetermined separation locations. Downstream of the cutting, the web is folded at predetermined fold locations. A continuously swinging director, downstream of the folding, guides advancing sections of web to opposing fold edges of a supported zig-zag stack. The web is driven into the continuously swinging director by a driving member. The driving member is deactivated selectively by a clutch, while other elements of the separator continue to operate. A central drive motor may be interconnected with each of the drive member, swinging director, folding and support elements. Fold and separation locations may be determined by a bar code detector and selectively operable upper and lower conveyor belts may be disposed below the supported zig-zag stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: H. W. Crowley, Joseph R. Bilinski
  • Patent number: 5348277
    Abstract: A method for sorting, separating and indicating sections of an outputted stack, such as printed continuous paper web. A continuous web is outputted which includes a plurality of sections having pages therein. Page separation and section separation locations are determined upon the web wherein the size of each page in a section is equal and wherein the size of at least one section separator page disposed adjacent to a section separation location is unequal to the size of the other pages in the section. The web is folded at each of the subsequent page separation locations upon an alternating face to produce a zig-zag pattern. The section separator pages may be folded so that their size is greater than or less than the size of the pages in the section and the section separator pages may be cut so that their size is greater than or less than that of the pages in the section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: H. W. Crowley
  • Patent number: RE34894
    Abstract: High speed sheet feeders receive blocks or bricks of paper sheets, cards or folders stacked edgewise on a downsloping supply ramp, and singulate these for edgewise feeding in rapid succession. The frontmost sheets ready for feeding are buckled and fanned at their upper edges, and their lower edges are arched forward to form a dimple or ridge-shaped pocket by an underlying central traction singulator. A pair of ganged or synchronized feed belts engage the frontmost sheet and propel it rapidly downward edgewise, and a slanting discharge belt receives and diverts the sheet at even higher speed between the discharge belt and a tractive pinch roller. A transfer assembly beneath the discharge belt may receive sheets from an adjacent feeder and interleave them upon command with sheets delivered by the discharge belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Roman M. Golicz