Abstract: Significant improvements in the life of cutting knife blades and the quality of shearing of thick multiple sheet and shingled paper products are produced in a paper trimming system having two circular rotatable knives mounted to overlap at a shearing station through which the paper products are passed. Thin steel annular disc cutting blades with teeth about the outer circumference are significantly improved in life by eliminating the effects of blade warping and non-continuous mating contact with a bed knife cutting surface in an adjacent shearing relationship that is not broken by intervention of sheared paper or out of round knife surfaces or by deflection of the cutting blade away from mating surface contact by the pressure of thick or shingled paper products. Friction and wear is reduced by inclination of the cutting blade to prevent continuous rubbing against sheared paper edges.

Abstract: A chain link type stapler operates in transit at about 45,000 items per minute to staple and crease printed paper products. Only two link chains are required and they have a common contiguous path for receiving and clasping the paper products for transit while being stapled by means of mating, stapler and anvil links. The stapler link operates to receive wire lengths, form staples therefrom, insert and clinch the staples over a cyclic path of the chain. This is achievable by means of a reciprocating wire clip assembly journalled in an internal cavity of the stapler link. Reciprocation is programmed by a cam arm extending externally from the clip assembly and stapler link on which roller means is mounted to ride in a cam track about the chain travel path.

Abstract: A stream of shingled printed products coming off a press at high speed, with variable speed of conveyance and with variable shingle spacing, has alternate products divided into two streams conveyed at reduced speed. Thus two cyclically driven chains present alternating gripper links at a pickup station to grip and transport the alternate products along diverging paths for release on a corresponding pair of conveyor lines for the divided product streams. To conform with varying speeds and spacings, the gripper chain drive is synchronized to operate the grippers as each individual product arrives.

Abstract: Shingled precisely spaced papers are carried off a first conveyance path on a moving belt at a first speed into a further conveyance path along which a set of spaced clamps which individually grasp each paper flow at a substantially constant lower transit speed. By gradually inserting a paper into an open clamp travelling alongside in a parallel path over a predetermined transfer zone length overlapping a plurality of successive clamps, the instantaneous nature of feeding a paper into a clamp is changed so that a higher paper feed speed can be tolerated. By inclining the shingled paper feed path downwardly over the transfer zone, the drag of the papers off the shingled array is reduced to prevent any tendency to misalign the papers from a seated position in the clamps.

Abstract: A rotary fan bucket type shingling system converts a high speed stream of paper products into a shingled array with the products moving at slower speeds, with the positions of the products defined more accurately than previously attainable with fixed stripping stops. This is achieved by means of movably positioning stripping stops to move into the path of the buckets and engage the paper products about a stripping arc defined by the bucket path with the stop moving at a speed less than that of the papers carried in the buckets. A mechanism is provided for holding the interceptor arm of the movable stripping stops substantially perpendicular to the paper product travel path over the stripping arc. The stripped products are shingled onto a conveyor belt tangentially disposed at the bottom of the bucket path moving at the same speed as that of the stripper stops.

Abstract: A higher speed paper sheet product cross or quarter folding system is afforded for use with high speed paper product transport conveyors such as used with web printing presses, and the like producing signatures. The higher speed is obtained by novel braking means for gradually slowing down the paper product, non-linearly, as it enters the folding station, thereby preventing damage to the product or erratic folding caused by high speed impact with the fixed stop in the folder that has previously prevented the system from running at the higher speeds that can now be obtained by this improved system. Moving slow down stops are carried by a cyclically moving timing belt to intercept a paper product moved thereinto at higher speed by a conveyor. This moving stop is synchronously timed to intercept the paper product moving at a highest transit speed and is non-linearly moved to slow the paper product down to a lowest speed before it engages the fixed stop for folding.

Abstract: A gripper tractor assembly is provided for selectively grasping, conveying and releasing newspapers and like products in a high speed transit path between processing stations. Its structure comprises two jaws pivotable about a common pivot pin for movement between open and closed jaw positions by means of a cammed lever assembly and equipped with rollers for engaging a transport tract defining its travel path. Alignment of the products is assured by a pair of separated stops against which the paper is positioned and gripping means centered therebetween. The papers are gripped by a rubber-like O-ring mounted on an arm extending from the gripping edge of one jaw as the edge is abutted against the stops in self-aligning fashion. The tractors are positioned at precise spacing along a link chain for movement therewith. Removable attachment means for the carriage includes an L-shaped chain link, which permits removable bolt coupling of the carriages to the link chain for easy maintenance and installation.

Abstract: A system converts the timing, spacing and orientation of newspapers from a high speed rotary press to conform with the precision spacing and speed requirements of subsequent on-line paper processing equipment such as inserters, addressers, counters and bundlers. The critical precision timing feature provides a rotary member and belt meeting tangentially in a converging path into which papers from the press are fed. They are stopped at spaced index notches in the rotary member for precise spacing between papers, which are released for conveyance at the closely controlled belt-rotary member speed. Conveyance through the belt-rotary member over an arc distance in friction contact assures that they are started along a continuous synchronized on-line transport path with the precise control of spacing and movement required by the on-line processing equipment.

Abstract: Paper sheet products are conveyed in shingled array at speeds up to 60,000 pieces per hour in the grasp of individual normally closed clamps precisely spaced on a chain link drive and timed for on-line processing at various stations. Thus, clamp tractor units have wheels mating with a U-channel track and rolling at low friction along the track, which may be bent and twisted to conform to a desired pathway in a plant between processing stations. Entrance and exit stations along the transit path provide mating cam surfaces at the station and on the clamp for opening the clamps to receive the products or to discharge them on further processing or transit equipment. Simplified equipment with more reliable pickup and release controls assuring individual product timing and positioning is accomplished by spring biased jaws pivotable by simple cams into open product receiving and closed product gripping and registration positions.

Abstract: A single paper sheet product separator, feeder and transport mechanism is provided capable of high speed in line product feed rates from a stack of products of 60,000 per hour for on-line operations with high speed rotary presses, trimmers, binding machines, folders, etc. By initially bending only a bottom edge of the product stacked on edge, reliable high speed separation is feasible. A scalloped periphery rotary member provides indentations for precisely seating and spacing the individual documents and grasping them to pull them substantially horizontally from the stack, in shingled array if desired. The products are retained against the rotary member by a moving belt over an arc of substantially 180.degree. to be discharged substantially horizontally onto a conveyor belt for further transport.

Abstract: Three adjacent continuously running chain link assemblies having two contiguous common paths, respectively in those paths (1) form staples from lengths of wire and (2) insert and clench the staples while creasing a signature passing through the linear path defined by the contiguous chain links. This produces simplified equipment operable at high speeds synchronously on line with signatures from a rotary printing press, or the like.The wire lengths are handled and formed into staples by very simple non-critical mechanical means constituting a magnetic male die member and female shaping die member carried by respective contiguously traveling chain link assemblies to mate as they move about sprockets into an arcuate path leading into their contiguous mated linear travel path.

Abstract: A simple circular panel pallet has stored thereon a helical array of folded paper items and is rotated in opposite directions about its axis to respectively load and unload the items. By unloading a helical stack of items from the top, high-speed, low-friction operation permits attaining on stream unloading at press speeds of 60,000 units per hour. A tape is fed under the layer of shingled items in the helical array for access in unloading to guide the folded edge of the paper items into removal nips.

Abstract: The invention is a high speed feeding method and apparatus for inserting (or stuffing) products having a shorter flap portion folded over a longer body portion, which products may comprise single or multiple page signatures, cards, envelopes, or the like, for stuffing or inserting, including in-line inserting of pre-prints into newspapers after they leave the press or for directly inserting into the nip of paper webs where the sections are being brought together as multiple continuous webs, for final folding therein; or for other purposes. The flap enables positive feeding of the products for sequential high speed feeding to predetermined locations.

Abstract: The invention is a high speed feeding method and apparatus for inserting (or stuffing) products having a shorter flap portion folded over a longer body portion, which products may comprise single or multiple page signatures, cards, envelopes, or the like, for stuffing or inserting, including in-line inserting of pre-prints into newspapers after they leave the press or for directly inserting into the nip of paper webs where the sections are being brought together as multiple continuous webs, for final folding therein; or for other purposes. The flap enables positive feeding of the products for sequential high speed feeding to predetermined locations.

Abstract: The invention is a high speed feeding method and apparatus for inserting products having a shorter flap portion folded over a longer body portion. The products may comprise single or multiple page signatures, or the like, for stuffing, including in-line inserting of pre-prints into newspapers after they leave the press or for directly inserting into the nip of paper webs where the sections are being brought together as multiple continuous webs. The flap enables positive sequential feeding of the products.A drum, rotated at high speed, adjacent a source of products, includes at least one cut-out for receiving a product flap, as synchronized straightening apparatus unfolds the flap and introduced the forward edge to a high speed nip for accelerating the product away from the source for sequential feeding. Novel conveyor apparatus opens newspapers, traveling at press speeds, to receive the inserts, or to receive a plurality of different inserts when more than one feeder is employed.