By Means To Shift Sheet Laterally Against Aligner Patents (Class 271/250)
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Patent number: 4648589Abstract: A method and apparatus for aligning and feeding sheets for printing presses having a conveyor for supplying the sheets individually from a feed stack to the front and side lays in a feed table of the press. The method includes the steps of causing the sheets to strike the front lays, drawing the sheets against a side abutment of the side lay, engaging the sheets from below utilizing a vacuum device and then again pressing the sheets against the front lays.The apparatus includes a vacuum device and front and side lays. The vacuum device includes suction arms disposed below the sheets and ahead of the front lays with respect to the direction of the sheet movement. The front lays are movable reciprocably in the direction of the sheet movement while the side lays are movable transversely to the direction of the sheet movement.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 1985Date of Patent: March 10, 1987Assignee: M.A.N.-Roland Druckmaschinen AktiengesellschaftInventors: Helmut Emrich, Jurgen Wenzel
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Patent number: 4635925Abstract: A feeding device for a sheet processing machine for stream feeding to the sheet processing machine, in mutually overlapping relationship, equally thick sheets taken singly from a pile of the sheets, in combination with an alignment device for laterally aligning the sheets as they are being fed to the sheet processing machine, the feeding device includes a feed table having, together with the lateral alignment device, surfaces whereon the stream-fed sheets are supported, at least one section of the surfaces of the feed table and the lateral alignment device being disposed at a different level from that of another section thereof, at least while the sheets are being aligned, the difference in the levels being such that a preceding sheet being aligned, at the moment lies fully on a surface section of the lateral alignment device, the latter surface section being at substantially the same level as the upper surface of a leading portion of a next succeeding sheet underlying a trailing portion of the preceding sheeType: GrantFiled: May 9, 1985Date of Patent: January 13, 1987Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AGInventor: Gerhard Pollich
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Patent number: 4615520Abstract: A device for aligning sheets fed by a sheet feeder to a sheet-processing machine includes a suction pull bar located in an aligning region of the sheet feeder, drive device for reciprocatingly displacing the suction pull bar in the plane of a sheet transversely to sheet travel direction through the sheet feeder, air control device through which the drive device is connected to a vacuum generator, positioning device for controlling the drive device the suction pull bar being acuatable for applying suction to the underside of a sheet which has reached the aligning region and after the sheet has been aligned by the leading edge thereof, the suction bar being actuatable for moving the sheet into an in-register side position and having device for applying fresh air thereto for releasing the sheet exactly in the side position simultaneously with a take-over of the sheet-in register by the sheet conveying device and a method for operating the device.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 1984Date of Patent: October 7, 1986Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AGInventors: Willi Jeschke, Gerhard Pollich
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Patent number: 4613125Abstract: A method of feeding sheets in register in a sheet-processing machine wherein the sheets are conveyed in a given direction in the machine, which includes, during conveyance of the sheets, initially displacing the sheets, respectively, by means of an aligning device, in a direction substantially perpendicularly to an edge thereof which is to be aligned, so that the edge of the sheet passes a measuring zone of a scanning device and clears the scanning device; generating a signal in response to clearance of the scanning device by the sheet edge and, in response to the generated signal, further displacing the sheet a given distance from the measuring zone of the scanning device to a position wherein the respective sheets are in register.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 1984Date of Patent: September 23, 1986Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AGInventor: Willi Jeschke
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Patent number: 4603846Abstract: A dual-stream envelope feeding attachment for a sheet feeding printing press comprising a register bar centrally located in the feed path of the press between oppositely reciprocating joggers moving the envelopes into lateral registration against opposite sides of the register bar. The register bar can be assembled in a removable unit with a pair of oppositely disposed sheet riders urging the fed envelopes into contact with conveyor means on the press proximate to opposite sides of the register bar. A separator plate, having a thickness greater than the lateral width of the register bar, is mounted in alignment with the register bar on a stack feeder for initially positioning pairs of envelopes on the conveyor laterally separated from the register bar in preparation for registration thereto by the joggers.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 1984Date of Patent: August 5, 1986Assignees: Micheal Miles, Alfred Dubler, Rick Diebold, David DublerInventor: Kevin Miles
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Patent number: 4598298Abstract: A high accuracy pen plotter includes an automatic sheet feeder for feeding individual sheets of paper from a paper tray to a platen for plotting. A microprocessor, various stepper motors and encoders allow for accurate and repeatable positioning and alignment of the sheet of paper to be plotted. The sheet of paper is automatically fed from the tray to the platen, is pulled entirely free from the tray, is aligned against a reference edge and may be forcefully ejected from the plotter after plotting is finished.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 1984Date of Patent: July 1, 1986Assignee: Hewlett-Packard CompanyInventors: Jeffery W. Groenke, Wallace S. Halliday
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Patent number: 4591143Abstract: An apparatus for in-register feeding a sheet into a sheet-processing machine by conveying the sheet in a given feed direction over a feed table includes front lays engageably by a leading edge of the sheet for aligning the leading edge of the sheet, a pair of said pull-type lays located in the feed table respectively on mutually opposite operator and drive sides of the feed table at a slight spacing from the front lays, both the side lays being movable in the plane of the feed table transversely to the given feed direction of the sheet, a device for driving at least one of the side lays, a device for positioning the sheet having at least one sensor for controlling a displacement stroke of the driven side lay, an air control device connected to a vacuum generator and to both of the side lays for controlling suction air flow to the side lays, at least one of the side lays having a device for applying suction to the sheet until static friction is assured preparatory to aligning a respective lateral edge of the sType: GrantFiled: March 26, 1984Date of Patent: May 27, 1986Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AGInventor: Willi Jeschke
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Patent number: 4588184Abstract: Assembly for stream feeding sheets overlappingly staggered relative to one another via a feed table to an aligning device and for delivering the sheets aligned by the aligning device to a sheet-processing machine, the assembly maintaining movement of the sheets in direction towards the sheet-processing machine during alignment of the sheets by the aligning device, includes an aligning cylinder disposed under the feed table for receiving a sheet to be aligned which is fed thereto via the feed table, at least two rows of front lays disposed symmetrically on and around the circumference of the aligning cylinder, as well as a respective device disposed adjacent the rows of front lays for aligning side edges of the sheet, and a gripping device for holding the sheet until other further-transferring conveying device take over the sheet in-register.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 1984Date of Patent: May 13, 1986Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AGInventor: Willi Jeschke
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Patent number: 4588183Abstract: The sheet feeding apparatus is used to feed a rectangular sheet of material mounted on a table to a press or the like. A sucking and transferring means for sucking and transferring the sheet are provided to move the sheet until adjacent side edges thereof come to engage clamping means and a stop member for correctly positioning the sheet with reference to the clamping means.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 1984Date of Patent: May 13, 1986Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu SeisakushoInventor: Hiroshi Kitano
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Patent number: 4566682Abstract: An arrangement for removing sheets, especially X-ray film sheets, from a container in the interior of which such sheets are arranged next to one another in a stack, wherein at least some of the sheets are so dimensioned as to be movable toward and away from an abutment surface, includes at least one roller which engages at least the next sheet to be removed during a moving operation and moves the next sheet into abutment with the abutment surface. A plurality of such rollers may be arranged at the bottom region of the container such that their axes of rotation extend normal to the edges of the sheets which rest on the rollers in an upright position of the container in which the removal operation is performed.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 1984Date of Patent: January 28, 1986Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AGInventors: Jurgen Muller, Werner Ihm
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Patent number: 4546964Abstract: A device for conveying a sheet along a conveying path while bringing and/or holding an edge of the sheet against an abutment strip at one side of the conveying path comprises a friction member that rotates about an axis extending transversely over the conveying path and has flexible fingers each extending in a direction that is the resultant of an axial component directed toward the abutment strip and a tangential component in the direction of rotation of the friction member. A rotating finger contacting a sheet in the path will bend in such a way that its end is displaced in the sheet conveying plane in the direction toward the abutment strip to position the sheet against that strip, and then will bend so as to move its end off the sheet.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 1983Date of Patent: October 15, 1985Assignee: Oce-Nederland B.V.Inventor: Theodoor H. Linthout
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Patent number: 4547115Abstract: Panel-like members are aligned as they are transferred sequentially from a pick-up station to a discharge station by a primary carriage mounted for linear movement selectively to the pick-up position and to a position adjacent the discharge station. At least one extensible, secondary carriage is carried by the primary carriage and is rotatable about a vertical axis selectively to a transport position and to an aligned position and is movable linearly to an extended position and to a retracted position. The secondary carriage and a pick-up head carried thereby is movable selectively to an upper transport position and to a lower pick-up and discharge position. Linear movement of the primary carriage is stopped prior to its reaching the discharge station with the secondary carriage being movable toward an extended position after movement of the primary carriage is stopped.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 1984Date of Patent: October 15, 1985Inventor: Carl D. Charbonnet
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Patent number: 4541626Abstract: A sheet registration apparatus and device for registering a sheet on a surface 72 against a registration stop 75 or 74, 75 includes a wiper device 100 having a plurality of resilient blades 101 rotatable about an axis 103 which is generally normal to the surface 72. The blades lie in radial planes through the axis and extend in the direction of the axis towards sheet-engaging tips 106 which are arranged to wipe across the sheet surface over a limited arc of rotation so as to urge the sheets towards the registration stop. To this end the blades are held out of contact with the sheets during part of each revolution by a swash plate 102 having an arcuate opening 114.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 1983Date of Patent: September 17, 1985Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Jeffrey A. Millen
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Patent number: 4533134Abstract: A device for registering a sheet with a side stop at either one of the opposite lateral edges of a feed table in a printing press. The device includes a housing having a top surface which is flush with the feed table. A suction head is flushly recessed in the surface of the housing and mounted in a slide in the housing for limited reciprocating movement. The housing is shiftable between alternative working positions at the respective lateral edges of the feed table. For driving the suction head timed with the arrival of a sheet, a drive shaft is provided in the housing having a pair of face type cams spaced axially from one another cooperating with a cam follower which is secured to the suction head in a position between the cams. Springs are provided for biasing the suction head in opposite directions. A shiftable yoke selectively engages the springs with the suction head so that the cam follower engages a selected one of the cams.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 1983Date of Patent: August 6, 1985Assignee: M.A.N.-Roland Druckmaschinen AktiengesellschaftInventor: Hans-Peter Galster
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Patent number: 4526309Abstract: Automatically feeding document pages into registration over the conventional platen of a copier wherein the document pages comprise single page individual sheets and plural page connected unseparated segments of elongate computer forms webs, comprising: feeding the first document page automatically to the platen and registering it in an individual sheet document mode regardless of whether the first document page is an individual sheet or the first page of an elongate computer forms web; automatically sensing whether a computer forms web was so fed to the platen by sensing whether the document length exceeds a preset length and that said document has sprocket holes; and then automatically switching from said individual sheet document mode to a computer forms web document mode for the feeding and registering of subsequent document pages of a computer forms web in response to said sensing of a computer forms web, wherein in said computer forms web document mode the subsequent computer forms web page feeding andType: GrantFiled: September 13, 1982Date of Patent: July 2, 1985Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Thomas N. Taylor, John R. Ellis, Lawrence C. Hubler
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Patent number: 4493412Abstract: Horizontally conveyed flat glass articles are halted and oriented in a precise location. Vertical stop pins removably affixed to a table attached to one end of the apparatus arrest the leading edge of the moving article whereupon pins removably mounted in a pair of transversely movable tables advance toward the article substantially normal to its arrival direction, thus engaging the edges of the article and orienting it in a vise-like manner. Lastly, adjustable pins mounted in a vertically and longitudinally moving table engage the trailing edge of the article and urge it toward the stop pins, thus orienting and aligning the article in a precise position relative to a fixed reference point. The apparatus is particularly adapted to the precise orientation and alignment of pattern cut sheets of glass to be removed from a conveyor platform by a robot.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 1982Date of Patent: January 15, 1985Assignee: PPG Industries, Inc.Inventor: Richard J. Krehnovi
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Patent number: 4483530Abstract: Methods of a human operator processing first and second interrelated documents in pairs relative to a processing station provide a first document entry station for receiving a first document from the human operator, and a second document entry station for receiving a second document from the human operator. The human operator separates the interrelated first and second documents from each other and deposits the first document in the first document entry station while depositing the second document in the second document entry station. The deposited first document is transported from the first document entry station relative to the processing station, and the second document is transferred from the second to the first document entry station, for subsequent transport from such first station relative to the processing station.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 1983Date of Patent: November 20, 1984Assignee: Bell & Howell CompanyInventors: William H. Spencer, Raymond M. McManaman, Roy A. Teves
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Patent number: 4478405Abstract: A position control system in a copying apparatus keeps an original positioned properly during multiple passes of the original through a transport path, for making multiple copies, by detecting the position of an edge of the original in the first pass, when the original is fed into the apparatus; setting a reference condition corresponding to the then existent side edge position; and in each subsequent pass of the original detecting its position and in the event of a deviation of the detected position from the position represented by the reference condition activating a position correcting device to displace the original to the latter position.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 1982Date of Patent: October 23, 1984Assignee: Oce-Nederland B.V.Inventors: Bastiaan B. B. Eertink, Arie Leppink
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Patent number: 4452351Abstract: An apparatus for precisely locating a windshield at the take-off end of a conveyor for subsequent removal by a transfer apparatus. The locating apparatus includes a carriage having a lift device for raising the windshield off the conveyor up to a predetermined level. The carriage also is provided with a slide for moving the elevated windshield horizontally in a first direction against a first stop. The carriage is then actuated to move the windshield in a direction normal to the first direction against a second stop oriented 90.degree. from the first stop.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 1981Date of Patent: June 5, 1984Assignee: Libbey-Owens-Ford CompanyInventor: James A. Meeker
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Patent number: 4451029Abstract: A device for registering a sheet against a side stop on the feed table of a printing press which includes a suction head flushly recessed in the table and reciprocated for lateral shifting movement, a draft of suction being applied to the head timed with the lateral shifting movement so that the sheet is affirmatively shifted into contact with the side stop. Subsequently, a puff of air is applied to the head timed with the completion of the shifting movement to free the sheet from the head in readiness for removal of the sheet from the table. An auxiliary nozzle recessed in the table in a position adjacent the head is permanently connected to a source of air pressure and arranged approximately parallel to the surface of the table for producing a moving film of air under the sheet in the direction of the side stop to ensure that the sheet remains against the side stop when the suction is no longer effective and until the sheet is removed from the table.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1982Date of Patent: May 29, 1984Assignee: M.A.N. Roland Druckmaschinen AktiengesellschaftInventors: Wolfgang Wildmann, Rudolf Melzer
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Patent number: 4448407Abstract: A sheet moving apparatus comprising: a track having first and second spaced side walls and a third wall therebetween to form a sheet receiving space therebetween; and a sheet feeder for moving a sheet towards the third wall and thereafter moving the sheet in a downstream direction along the track. The sheet feeder comprises a rotatable member having a surface positioned in the sheet receiving space and a rotary drive enabling the rotatable member and its surface to be rotated. The sheet feeder also includes a toggle member moveable between first and second positions with regard to the rotatable member, with the toggle member having a first member to cooperate with the surface of the rotatable member to move a sheet towards the third wall when the toggle member is in the first position, and the rotatable member and its surface are rotated.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 1981Date of Patent: May 15, 1984Assignee: NCR CorporationInventors: Anthony J. Bashford, Elbert H. Vandenham
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Patent number: 4445679Abstract: Apparatus for transporting single flexible sheets having different rectangular formats in succession to an automatic device for further processing.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 1981Date of Patent: May 1, 1984Inventor: Otto Bay
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Patent number: 4431177Abstract: Sheet offsetting and registering apparatus including a sheet transport to transport a sheet to a receiving station; sheet restrainer to restrain the sheet during a portion of the transport path adjacent the receiving station, an offset registration member positioned along an edge of the sheet transport adjacent the portion of the transport path having the sheet restrainer and being movable laterally with a directional component perpendicular to the direction of sheet transport, and a pivotally mounted arm to laterally move the offset registration member perpendicular to the direction of sheet transport as said sheet is transported past the registration member to gently tap the edge of the sheet and offset and register it during its path of travel. In a specific embodiment the sheet restrainer is a rotatable inverting and stacking wheel with at least one arcuate sheet retaining slot into which a sheet may be inserted such that its beam strength is increased.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 1980Date of Patent: February 14, 1984Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Jack Beery, Werner F. Hoppner
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Patent number: 4381893Abstract: In a system of plurally recirculating a set of document sheets for precollated copying wherein the document sheets are repeatedly individually fed seriatim from the bottom of an overlying stack thereof for copying with registration and returned to the top of the stack for restacking, the improvement comprising individually acquiring, and individually urging laterally into contact with an elongated lateral registration edge, with a movable vacuum member each document sheet when it is the bottom sheet of the stack of document sheets, releasing the bottom sheet, and feeding the bottom sheet out from said stack transverse said lateral registration edge by separate sheet feeding apparatus only after it has been so laterally registered and released. Preferably this individual lateral registration of the bottom sheet in the stack is assisted by simultaneously blowing air at said stack from one edge thereof to aid the movement between the bottom sheet and the overlying sheets in said stack.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 1981Date of Patent: May 3, 1983Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Morton Silverberg
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Patent number: 4374586Abstract: Apparatus shown for feeding documents of selected width singly from a stack in alignment without buckling. Guides are provided at either side of a bin for holding a stack of documents. One guide is fixed and the other adjustable in order that the bin may hold stacks having documents of selected widths. A shingler (combing wheel) shingles the documents forward to a separator/restraint station, which feeds the documents singly. In order to properly align the sheets for separation, the adjustable guide is connected by an adjustment device to the shingler wheel. The adjustment device (e.g., cable and pulley) is arranged to move the shingler wheel half the distance the adjustable guide is moved. This keeps the shingler wheel centered with respect to the documents. The separator/restraint station is positioned so as to always be to the side of the shingler wheel towards the fixed guide to abut each separated sheet against an alignment edge thereof for precise alignment thereof.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 1980Date of Patent: February 22, 1983Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Richard A. Lamos, Alfonso A. Rosati
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Patent number: 4349188Abstract: A re-registering feeder machine which is also an improvement to a separating machine accepts sheets of paperboard or other material with various angles of skew, registers them and feeds them to a following machine. A conveyor deck moves the sheet in a first direction where at the last roll the sheet is held down by a plurality of balls in cooperative rotation with the last roll and its leading edge meets a side register guide having a plurality of pairs of tapered drive rolls to grip the sheet along the margin and move the sheet in a second direction at right angles to the first direction after the sheet has been registered. Coatings on the conveyor rolls except for the last roll which has the cooperatively rotating balls in contact therewith provide a proper friction between the rolls and the sheet allowing the sheet to turn in either direction until the angle between its leading edge and the side register guide is zero.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 1981Date of Patent: September 14, 1982Inventor: William G. Young
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Patent number: 4330117Abstract: The method comprises the steps of feeding from a stack of sheets to be printed the first sheet on a feedboard, aligning the leading edge of the sheet with a preliminary stop line whereby the sheet is brought to a rest position, sucking from below the preliminary aligned sheet and removing the preliminary stop line, forwarding the preliminary aligned and positively coupled sheet in feeding direction to a second stop line and relieving the suction whereby the leading edge of the sheet is finally aligned and a successive sheet is fed to the first stop line or the preliminary alignment of its leading edge, laterally adjusting the register of the first sheet abutting against the second stop line, removing the second stop line and advancing the first sheet into the press.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1980Date of Patent: May 18, 1982Assignee: VEB Polygraph Leipzig, Kombinat fur Polygraphische Maschinen und AusruestungenInventor: Gunter Weisbach
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Patent number: 4316667Abstract: A moving-document copier wherein a loop-shaped path is used to recirculate a document once for each requested copy, the recirculation path having a skewed turn-around guide which intentionally skews the document's leading edge during recirculation, to avoid document jams. The document is subsequently realigned for rescanning to make another copy. A copy-request counter operates to pivot the skewed turn-around guide to a document-intercept position so long as more copies are needed. When all requested copies have been imaged, the document is allowed to proceed to an exit tray.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 1980Date of Patent: February 23, 1982Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Earl G. Edwards, Jerry T. Robinson, Bernard L. Wilzbach
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Patent number: 4264068Abstract: A side lay assembly for lateral registration of sheets fed periodically along the surface of the feed table of a printing press. A sucker having a sucking surface flush with the feed table is slidably mounted on a sucker tube for movement toward and away from the table side guide. A side lay drive shaft, coupled to the press drive, is spaced below the sucker and parallel with the tube. A cam on the shaft engaging a cam follower on the sucker causes the sucker to move toward the side guide timed with the arrival of a sheet. An air valve is provided in the form of a valve disc close coupled to the cam for connecting the sucker tube to a source of suction in phase with lateral movement of the sucker so that the arriving sheet is urged into engagement with the side guide. To vary the degree of suction an adjustable bleed valve is interposed between the air valve and the source of suction.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1979Date of Patent: April 28, 1981Assignee: M.A.N.-Roland Druckmaschinen AktiengesellschaftInventor: Rudolf Melzer
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Patent number: 4260149Abstract: A mechanism for registering a sheet against front and side stops on the feed table of a printing press, employing a suction head recessed in the table and reciprocated for lateral shifting movement in the direction of the side stop timed with the arrival of the sheet. The head is connected to a source of suction so that the sheet is shifted into contact with the side stop. The head has intentional play in the direction of feeding movement of the sheet, as measured from a reference position, and is freely rockable about its axis, so that the sheet is free to settle against the front stop at the same time that it is being shifted toward the side stop. A conduit connected to a source of a pressure is provided for applying a short puff of air to the head, timed with completion of the shifting movement, to free the sheet from the head in readiness for removal of the sheet from the table. The return movement of the head is utilized to reverse the play and to restore the head to reference position.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 1979Date of Patent: April 7, 1981Assignee: M.A.N.-Roland Druckmaschinen AktiengesellschaftInventor: Rudolf Melzer
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Patent number: 4228994Abstract: A pair of colinearly movable, reciprocating paddles for bumping the side edges of sheets flowing serially along a feed path is disclosed. The sheets travel between the reciprocating paddles in a direction generally perpendicular to paddle movement. The paddles jog the sheets into a correct alignment position to establish registry between the sheets and, for example, the plate cylinder of an offset printing press supplied with the sheets. The distance between each paddle and the sheet feed path centerline can be adjusted during reciprocating movement of the paddle to meet registry requirements. A disengagement mechanism permits separate use of either paddle.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 1979Date of Patent: October 21, 1980Assignee: White Consolidated Industries, Inc.Inventor: Richard L. Volpe
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Patent number: 4211399Abstract: Multiple size plate registration system having a platen with a top planar surface. Channels are formed in the platen and open through the top planar surface. Parallel grooves are formed in the platen spaced transversely of the platen, extending longitudinally of the platen and opening through the top planar surface. Endless belts travel in the grooves and are used for advancing a plate onto the planar surface of the platen. First and second stop pins are mounted in the platen and are extendable above the top planar surface. Controls are provided for causing the stop pins to be selectably movable between retracted positions below the top planar surface and extended positions above the top planar surface. A guide is carried by the top surface of the platen and extends longitudinally of the platen on one side of the planar surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 1978Date of Patent: July 8, 1980Assignee: Eocom CorporationInventor: Norman L. McGowan
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Patent number: 4188027Abstract: A printing machine has a sheet support surface along which a succession of sheets pass adjacent a lateral stop. An apparatus for laterally positioning the sheets against the stop has a displacer member which is laterally displaceable under the support surface between an outer position extending beyond the lateral stop and an inner position generally underneath and close to the lateral stop. A suction drawbar is limitedly laterally displaceable on the displacer member between a pair of end positions and has at least one suction aperture exposed at the support surface. Air is aspirated downwardly through this aperture so as to draw a sheet overlying the suction drawbar on the support surface against the drawbar. Lateral displacement of the displacer member from the outer position into its inner position displaces a sheet drawn suctionally against the drawbar laterally against the lateral stop.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 1977Date of Patent: February 12, 1980Inventor: Reinhard Naumann
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Patent number: 4178671Abstract: A method and apparatus of preplating ties including traversely aligning ties on a path, conveying along the path ties relative to a pair of plate guides, positioning a pair of plates on each tie adjacent the guides, attaching the plates to the tie by partially driving fasteners, continue aligning the plates relative to each other by conveying the tie relative to the guides and securing the plates to the tie during alignment by completing the driving of the fasteners. A tie guide is provided having a fixed guide parallel to the path and a biased pivotal guide extending at an angle to the fixed tie guide.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 1977Date of Patent: December 18, 1979Inventor: Dale Luttig
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Patent number: 4165870Abstract: An improved apparatus for successively separating and feeding sheets from a stack of sheets is disclosed. A wave generator wheel, rotating in a plane generally parallel to the stack, and about a tiltable axis generally perpendicular to the stack, is tiltable in a first direction to contact the stack for shingling the stack, and in a second direction to contact the stack for restoring the stack to its unshingled state. Sheets in a stack are driven forward or rearward by simply tilting the rotating wheel. The wave generator wheel is used to first drive the stack's top sheet away from a feed nip, and to then drive the stack's top sheet into the feed nip.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 1978Date of Patent: August 28, 1979Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: John L. Fallon, Ernest P. Kollar, Fred R. Mares
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Patent number: 4164349Abstract: A sheet feeding arrangement with a side pulling mark for subsequent sheet alignment, in which at least one pulling element actuated cyclically with the sheet feeder and moving back and forth transversely to the direction of sheet movement, grasps the sheet to be aligned and pushes it against a stop strip. The pulling element is in the form of a suction grip located beneath the sheet to be aligned. The suction grip is kept movable on a bearing member moving back and forth transversely to the sheet feeding direction. The bearing member has a stop located forward in the pull direction, and is assigned to the suction grip. The latter can be returned to its stop position after each deflection by a spring acting in the pull direction. This spring is adjustable, and the suction grip has a suction cup which is rotatable about its axis. The suction cup is also movable perpendicular to the plane of the sheet. The suction grip is pivotably mounted on the bearing member.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 1977Date of Patent: August 14, 1979Assignee: Georg Spiess GmbHInventor: Josef Marass
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Patent number: 4143755Abstract: A conveyor structure of the roller type includes an alignment device for maintaining relatively flat objects in aligned positions with respect to each other. The device includes a plurality of second rollers disposed between the rollers of the conveyor, the second rollers being eccentrically rotatable about axes extending longitudinally or perpendicular to the axis of the first rollers. The second rollers move upwardly between the first rollers to engage the flat underneath surface of articles traveling on the conveyer to lift them up and to move them laterally into engagement with a positive stop position to one side of the conveyer, whereby the objects are then relatively aligned with respect to each other.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 1977Date of Patent: March 13, 1979Assignee: Pullman IncorporatedInventor: Norman L. Keller
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Patent number: 4142661Abstract: Lateral force is applied to a web material by an air bearing for the purpose of guiding the web against a fixed reference edge. A bearing surface over which the web is movable includes an arrangement of holes for establishing a differential flow across the bearing surface to produce a lateral force on the web in the direction of the reference edge. The holes are arranged asymmetrically relative to the center line of the bearing surface but typically are parallel to the reference edge. The differential air flow is established by controlled sizes of apertures through the bearing plate, variable air permeability of the material forming the bearing surface or the like. A common source of pressurized air is coupled to all of the bearing surface holes.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1977Date of Patent: March 6, 1979Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Michael L. Nettles, Peter A. Stevenson
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Patent number: 4127198Abstract: A device for positioning a metal sheet on a transfer conveyor comprises a support surface for the sheet, guides extending parallel to the conveyor, a carriage slidably supported on the guides, sheet gripping clamps supported on the carriage, reference stops for the longitudinal and transverse positioning of the sheet relative to the conveyor feed direction, jacks for moving the gripping clamps between a position in which they pick up the sheet on the support surface and a position in which they abut against the transverse reference stops, and drive means for the carriage.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 1977Date of Patent: November 28, 1978Inventor: Rino Morini
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Patent number: 4113247Abstract: The invention described is a guide for directing a moving flexible member along a prescribed path. Suction slots are provided along the lateral walls of the guide for enabling the member to be directed along the desired path.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 1974Date of Patent: September 12, 1978Assignee: Sperry Rand CorporationInventor: Edwin R. Phillips
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Patent number: 4060237Abstract: A sheet positioning mechanism for the feed table of a sheet-fed printing press which includes a set of releasable front stops and a side guide, with a wiper adjacent the side guide, the wiper having a limited zone of action. The sheets are fed in a straight stream, in shingled relation, along the feed table, the stream being laterally spaced from the side guide and out of the zone of action. A pair of swingable suckers are provided near the front end of the table and laterally spaced below the sheet path, the suckers being swung forwardly in unison about an arcuate path synchronized with the arrival of the sheet to be positioned so that such sheet is transported both forwardly in the direction of the front stops and laterally from its position in the stream into the zone of action of the wiper so that the wiper acts exclusively on the sheet to be positioned without interference by the overlapped closely following sheet.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 1977Date of Patent: November 29, 1977Assignee: Roland Offsetmaschinenfabrik Faber & Schleicher AGInventors: Klaus Degen, Herbert Herrmann
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Patent number: 4004797Abstract: Slabs of gum stacked in a top-loaded magazine and successively fed from the bottom of the magazine by a reciprocable pusher mechanism are advanced by line pressure along a generally predetermined first path to a rotary trimming and scoring mechanism which trims, scores and further advances each successive slab. Another pusher mechanism receives each slab advanced by the trimming and scoring mechanism and transfers it to a conveyor which carries it along another path generally normal to the first path and to a breaker and an associated wrapping machine. Each mechanism which advances the slab is driven in timed relation with the wrapping machine. The magazine is supported to pivot to a inactive position to facilitate access to the trimming and scoring mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1975Date of Patent: January 25, 1977Assignee: Package Machinery CompanyInventor: Lawrence W. Schoppee
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Patent number: 3970299Abstract: A sheet registry device for use in a sheet-handling machine in which a constantly rotating brush exerts a force on the sheet to urge the sheet against a side guide and properly register such sheet in a cross-machine direction while the sheet is being removed in a direction parallel to the guiding surface of the side guide.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 1974Date of Patent: July 20, 1976Assignee: Union Camp CorporationInventors: Emil J. Berger, Jr., John M. Mitchard
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Patent number: 3968917Abstract: There is disclosed a method of feeding record webs or sheets and apparatus for carrying out the method. The record feeding apparatus is shown in conjunction with a printing apparatus having a print head assembly, platen structure, a mechanism for severing a printed record from the remainder of the record and an inking mechanism. The record feeding apparatus includes an edge guide, a rotatable feed wheel having a planar frictional surface which engages one face of the web to exert a resultant drive force on the record when driven, the resultant force being comprised of a force vector of large magnitude extending in the longitudinal direction for feeding the record longitudinally and a force vector of small magnitude extending in the lateral direction for causing the record to be driven laterally to cause its side edge to be in guided contact with the edge guide.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1974Date of Patent: July 13, 1976Assignee: Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.Inventor: John H. Lanahan
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Patent number: 3964739Abstract: A magnetic card transport system for an electronic typewriter comprises a reversible drive roller and a coacting pinch roller which form a nip through which a magnetic card is passed. The drive roll and pinch coact to move the card in opposite directions. A guide surface is provided which is engaged by one longitudinal edge of the card, and guide springs are provided which engage the other longitudinal edge of the card to urge the card into engagement with the guide surface for registration purposes. The pinch roll is mounted in such a manner that it may freely oscillate. The oscillation is such that the pinch roll axis pivots in each direction from a line substantially perpendicular to the guide surface between 1/2.degree. and 3.degree. about a vertical axis normal to its axis of rotation to allow for self-alignment to maintain the card in alignment with the guide surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1974Date of Patent: June 22, 1976Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Valentine Garcia
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Patent number: 3947022Abstract: A magnetic card transport system for an electronic typewriter comprises a reversible drive roll and a coacting pinch roll which form a nip through which a magnetic card is passed. The drive roll and pinch roll coact to move the card in opposite directions. Guide means are provided which is engaged by one longitudinal edge of the card, and spring means are provided which engage the other longitudinal edge of the card to urge the card into engagement with the guide means for registration purposes. The pinch roll is mounted in such a manner that it may freely oscillate. The oscillation is such that the pinch roll axis pivots in each direction from a line substantially perpendicular to the guide means between 1/2.degree. and 3.degree. about a vertical axis normal to its axis of rotation to allow for self-alignment to maintain the card in alignment with the guide means.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 1974Date of Patent: March 30, 1976Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Barry C. Kockler
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Patent number: 3942788Abstract: An apparatus for advancing a sheet of material comprises a rotary member having a longitudinal axis about which it is rotated and having projecting helical propelling ridges. Equipment is provided for biasing the sheet of material to be transported towards the rotary member by drawing air through apertures at the projecting ridges. The rotary member advances the sheet of material essentially in parallel to the longitudinal axis.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 1974Date of Patent: March 9, 1976Assignee: Bell & Howell CompanyInventor: Robert A. Boyle
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Patent number: 3936046Abstract: A sheet feeding device adapted to separate a single sheet from a stack of sheets and forward the separated sheet away from the stack for subsequent processing. The device is adapted to side-register the sheet as it is being drawn from the stack and to front-register the sheet by means of the sheet-forwarding mechanism of the sheet feeding device.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1974Date of Patent: February 3, 1976Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Klaus K. Stange