Pneumatic Patents (Class 271/90)
  • Patent number: 4957283
    Abstract: A pneumatic system which in the preferred embodiment includes a pump having a primary suction port and a secondary suction port, with the pump being operable for generating vacuum pressures at both such ports. A first vacuum operated system is coupled to the primary suction port and a second vacuum operated system is coupled to the secondary suction port, and a predetermined, preferably selectively adjustable, orifice is established between the first and second vacuum operated systems for enabling vacuum airflow generated at the first suction port to augment the airflow through the second vacuum operated system. In an alternative embodiment, separate standard vacuum pumps are coupled to the first and second vacuum operated systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Combined Fluid Products Co.
    Inventor: William J. Kist
  • Patent number: 4936566
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for picking up a fabric workpiece by applying vacuum provides two vacuum sensors; one for a sample fabric and the other for a fabric workpiece to be picked up. Where the apparatus has picked up incorrect number of sheets, the two vacuum sensors will output different voltages and the values are converted from analog to digital and input to a comparator. Thus, in such a case, the comparator outputs particular signals to stop the picking-up action of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Juki Corporation
    Inventor: Tooru Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 4925361
    Abstract: Large sheets of float glass or other large sheets of material are transferred from a vertical storage position to a horizontal surface automatically. A carriage is mounted on a support frame near the stack of sheets of material, which rest against an inclined surface such that the bottom of each sheet is located forward of the top thereof to cause the plane of the stack of sheets to tilt a few degrees past vertical. A sheet engaging member is located on the carriage for pulling the top sheet of the stack forward, pivoting the sheet on its bottom, to a point where the top of the sheet is moved past vertical on the opposite side from the stack of sheets to an unstable position. In this position, the sheet is released to free fall to a horizontal position on a support surface located in a horizontal plane adjacent the bottom of the sheets in the storage position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Western Insulated Glass Company
    Inventors: Benny J. Ellis, Kurt H. Daniels
  • Patent number: 4905978
    Abstract: A device for a pick-up unit for an infeed station of a processing machine which includes a carriage mounted in a main frame for shifting both laterally and vertically. The carriage is provided with a bar carrying several suction cups and is shifted laterally by a rack gear on the carriage being engaged by a pinion from a drive motor which rotates in response to the sensed lateral position of the sheet being lifted. The device is preferably used for centering sheets being picked up from a stack or pile of sheets within a feed station of a machine designed for converting or processing these sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Assignee: Bobst SA
    Inventor: Georges Polic
  • Patent number: 4887284
    Abstract: A method of checking the presence or absence of an X-ray sheet film in a cassette inserted into an automatic film unloading or loading apparatus, utilizes a proximity sensor arranged in the apparatus to sense position changes of a sheet film supporting foil which is arranged for a limited movement in the cassette. The proximity sensor is connected to an electronic control device which controls the operational sequence of the unloading and loading apparatus. When the gripping member preferably in the form of a suction cup seizes a sheet film on the supporting means in the cassette, the supporting means remain in its rest position after the sheet film is removed. However, if no film is present on the supporting means, the suction cup seizes the supporting means and displaces the same from its rest position. This change is sensed by the sensor and a signal is delivered to the electronic control circuit which modifies the operational sequence accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Assignee: AGFA - Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Walter Bauer, Manfred Schmidt, Ernst Widemann
  • Patent number: 4869489
    Abstract: Suction head includes a vertically adjustable lifting suction device having a respective guiding element, and an axially displaceable, telescopically guided suction chamber arranged on the guiding element, the suction chamber having at least two suction nozzles disposed adjacent one another transversely to a direction in which sheets are conveyed, the suction nozzles being united into a double suction chamber so as to form a narrowly defined vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Arno Wirz, Peter Sobotta
  • Patent number: 4848764
    Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism for feeding stacked sheets one by one from a sheet magazine includes a plurality of suction cups coupled to a vacuum suction device for attracting one sheet at a time, and an arm member on which the suction cups are securely mounted. At least one rotatable bearing is operatively coupled to the arm member and rollingly movable in a guide groove having at least one curved or bent guide opening. The bearing is movable by a slider in and along the guide opening to angularly move the arm member and hence the suction cups for thereby swaying and feeding a sheet held by the suction cups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Tajima, Hiroshi Kushima
  • Patent number: 4822022
    Abstract: A device for lifting a limp sheet member is disclosed. This device comprises a first tubular sleeve member which encloses an elongated interior region extending along a reference axis. The sleeve member has substantially planar, circular, aperture-defining rim disposed about and coaxial with the reference axis at the distal end of the interior region. The proximal end of the interior region is coupled to a region of relatively low pressure. The device also comprises structure for defining a composite airflow path from a region of relatively high pressure, through the first rim and interior region to the low pressure region, and includes vanes, grooves or sleeves for establishing an airflow vortex in the composite airflow path substantially at the first rim and disposed about the reference axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventor: Ann T. Attenasio
  • Patent number: 4775138
    Abstract: A device for loading and unloading an X-ray film cassette comprises a housing which has a light-proof closable compartment receiving a film cassette and provided with a sucker for removing a film from and inserting a new film into the cassette, a device for determining a format of the cassette being loaded and unloaded, and a plurality of compartments accommodating film dispensing magazines containing film stacks of different formats. The loading device further includes a control for controlling movements of the dispensing magazines and a drive arrangement provided for each of the compartments for moving an assigned dispensing magazine in an open position thereof from the respective compartment to a region of the transport rollers and back into the respective compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: AGFA Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jurgen Muller
  • Patent number: 4736938
    Abstract: An improved suction feeder, particularly for printing machines is disclosed, wherein higher feeding and printing speeds are made possible.The main features of the invention is that in the body of the suction feeder is a small conduit channel and an air filling small channel which connect an inleading small channel for the bringing of pressurized air into an empty space over a small piston. In the said small conduit channel is formed a pressure spring in the upper part of said small conduit channel, and a seat in which a small ball is placed on the other end. The above described suction feeder works on the principle of the difference of air pressure above and below the small piston. While individual paper sheets are being lifted from a pile of sheets, the pressurized air is led into the empty space over the small piston, by which it instantaneously neutralizes the remaining depressurized air, leading to an instantaneous loosening of the paper sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1988
    Assignee: ZVS Adamovske strojirny, koncernovy podnik
    Inventors: Jaroslav Jiruse, Milan Konecny, Vladimir Drlik
  • Patent number: 4703926
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes an edge aligning device for aligning an edge of individually fed sheets with respect to an underlying table. A tray overlies the table and has an upper sheet-receiving surface for receiving the individually fed sheets. An aligning member mounted to overly the tray includes an aligning wall having a knife edge lightly engageable with the tray. The tray is reciprocated by a reciprocating drive through a forward stroke positioning the tray to receive a sheet on its sheet-receiving surface laterally of the knife edge, and a return stroke moving the sheet-receiving surface towards the knife edge to move the sheet thereon against the knife edge, thereby to align the sheet therewith, and then past the knife edge while further movement of the sheet is arrested by the knife edge, thereby permitting the sheet to drop onto the underlying table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1987
    Assignee: State of Israel, Ministry of Defense, Rafael, Armament Development Authority
    Inventors: Daniel Granot, Rami Servi, Ehud Armoza
  • Patent number: 4674867
    Abstract: A photographic contact printing apparatus for duplicating original color picture films that can be operated in a lightroom, and that can expose the necessary number of photosensitive materials sequentially by closely contacting each of them with respective original picture films set up at an exposure position with a predetermined sequence according to commands of control means which are previously established by exposure conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1987
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Shashin Kogyo, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co.
    Inventors: Makoto Kitai, Takashi Omori
  • Patent number: 4666145
    Abstract: In a suction roller for a paper processing machine of the type having at st one supply passage leading to a control head disposed at an end face, the improvement which includes the suction opening being a suction slit. The suction roller may have an insert disposed in a recess at the periphery of the roller, the insert having a side surface cooperating with the recess to define a suction slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1987
    Assignee: Winkler+Dunnebier Maschinenfabrik und Eisengiesserei GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Blumle
  • Patent number: 4653741
    Abstract: A vacuum flow sensor is described according to the preferred teachings of the present invention for providing an electrical signal to the controls of a printing press or the like indicating that a sheet of paper has been picked up by the finger members and is blocking the flow of air through the finger members to the vacuum source through the vacuum passageway. Specifically, the sensor includes an actuator movable within an actuator passageway towards a first, seated position under the force of gravity and away from the first position under the force of air flowing through the vaccum passageway and against the force of gravity. A proximity switch is provided for sensing when the actuator is in its first position. The actuator passageway is angular in shape and includes a shock absorber in the end of the actuator passageway opposite to the first position for tending to prevent the actuator from bouncing in the actuator passageway due to abrupt changes in air flow through the vacuum passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Brantjen & Kluge, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. Palmer
  • Patent number: 4640503
    Abstract: In a sheet-separating suction device a suction piston carrying a suction nozzle is reciprocally movable in a sleeve secured to a housing of the device. An additional piston having at least one throttle is reciprocally movable in another sleeve also secured to the housing. The additional piston cooperates with the suction piston so as to brake the latter in its movement to an initial position and prevent impacts of the suction piston against the wall of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1987
    Assignee: VEB Kombinat Polygraph "Werner Lamberz" Leipzig
    Inventor: Reinhard Naumann
  • Patent number: 4620738
    Abstract: A vacuum pick suitable for removing semiconductor wafers from and replacing wafers in a cassette holder. The vacuum pick includes a thin profile housing having a wafer support surface with a cavity therein, a resilient, flexible member covering a portion of the cavity to form an enclosure, and a rigid chuck mounted on the flexible member so as to permit movement of the chuck relative to the housing. The chuck includes a wafer-receiving surface connected through a passage to the enclosure. When a vacuum is applied to the enclosure, the wafer and the chuck are retracted against the housing and held firmly in place. The chuck tilts relative to the housing when it contacts a tilted wafer, thereby insuring reliable attachment to the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1986
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Schwartz, Avrum Freytsis
  • Patent number: 4589648
    Abstract: Quickly exchangeable inserts for sheet feeding vacuum cups are provided to accommodate an extended range of sheet permeability. Projecting form structure inserted within a feed cup bellows provides a surface discontinuity for the vacuum nozzle to retard and inhibit double sheet feeding of either highly permeable or highly impermeable paper. Single sheet feed reliability is thereby improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Westvaco Corporation
    Inventor: Louie R. Hancock
  • Patent number: 4572497
    Abstract: In an apparatus for collecting sheets in a set thereof, two juxtaposed receiving stations (16,17) receive incoming sheets. A transverse conveyor means (53) is utilized to transfer the contents of one receiving station to the other receiving station. The transverse conveyor means (53) has a conveyor belt (58) adapted to be revolved through a course of travel. The upper portion of the course of travel of the belt (58) lies substantially in the plane of a sheet-supporting surface (18). The conveyor belt (58) has perforations (52) provided therein. A source of vacuum communicates through a suction block (57) to the perforations (52). According to a disclosed method, a sheet is transversely transferred from one receiving station to the other when conveyor belt (58) is revolved and the perforations (52) in the conveyor belt (58) communicate with the source of vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1986
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Company GmbH
    Inventors: Jurgen Dreschel, Heinrich Mobs, Peter Hog
  • Patent number: 4567081
    Abstract: A separator for separating adjacent transparencies in a stack of transparencies, where the separator is characterized by enhanced permeability due either to the intrinsic material from which it is made, or due to a plurality of apertures, holes, perforations or the like provided through its surface. In use, the separator adheres to the transparency due to suction created by a vacuum transport mechanism of the reproduction machine such that the transparency and separator move as a unit along a paper path of a reproduction machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1986
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur C. VanHorne
  • Patent number: 4566682
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1986
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Jurgen Muller, Werner Ihm
  • Patent number: 4561687
    Abstract: A bi-stable vacuum gripping assembly is provided for workpiece support and retention having base and head portions, conduit means connected therebetween for spacing the head portion from the base portion and for conducting vacuum pressure therebetween, and valve means actuated by contact forces of a workpiece against the head portion sufficient to cause movement of the head portion and compression of the conduit means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1985
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventor: Mark W. Bostrom
  • Patent number: 4548396
    Abstract: An object-holding device is described wherein a cup component comprising an elastically deformable sucker cup and an associated air vent passage communicating with the cup interior is urged by spring means into a position in which the end of such passage remote from the sucker cup is closed off by a selaing element on a supporting body in which the cup component is mounted for limited axial movement. For releasing an object held by the cup after the latter is pressed against the object, the body and cup component have merely to be relatively displaced against the spring bias to unseal the vent passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1985
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
    Inventor: Petrus R. Nelen
  • Patent number: 4526648
    Abstract: This invention provides a multi-outlet adapter for conversion of at least one source of pressure or vacuum to a multiplicity of outlets of the source(s). The adapter comprises at least two abutting blocks. The pressure and/or vacuum sources are connected to aperture(s) in a surface of the first of the blocks. These aperture(s) terminate in first depression(s) in the opposite face of the first block. The depression(s) in the first block communicate directly with a multiplicity of apertures in the abutting face of the second block which apertures in turn terminate on the opposing face of the second block in a multiplicity of second depressions which constitute the pressure or vacuum outlets.The adapter has particular application in self-adhesive label applicators in which a third block preferably abuts the second block and comprises a grid formed from a multiplicity of apertures which each communicate with the second depression(s). The grid of apertures thus resolves the outlets into greater detail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1985
    Assignee: Video Design Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Henry Tochtermann
  • Patent number: 4513957
    Abstract: An item dispensing system is disclosed wherein in a preferred sheet dispensing embodiment, primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups are mounted to one end of a pick arm which is rotated between a stack of sheets and a dispensing path. Initially, a two-way valve is controlled to pass a vacuum from a vacuum source only to one of the primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups. The selected set of suction cups then attempts to vacuum lift and pass a sheet to and along the dispensing path. The failure of a sensor to sense that sheet in the dispensing path within a preselected period of time indicates that the selected set of vacuum cups may have been unsuccessful in vacuum lifting that sheet from the stack due to a poor vacuum seal between the selected set of vacuum cups and that sheet. Such a failure causes a processor to generate a signal to cause the two way valve to apply the vacuum from the vacuum source only to the other one of the primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1985
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: William J. Schaefer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4496180
    Abstract: A vacuum operated apparatus is provided for releasably grasping and transporting a thin solid object or article (e.g. silicon semiconductor wafer). The apparatus has two fixed rigid arms joined together at their rear end to define a gap therebetween having an open end and closed end wherein the upper arm directs the thin solid object into the gap and toward the lower arm having a port communicating with the gap and an enclosed passage way connected to a vacuum source. A vacuum applied to the lower arm holds the object against the grasping surface of the lower arm. Silicon semiconductor wafers may be grasped and transported with the apparatus and more especially silicon semiconductor wafers can be deposited onto and removed from the surface of a barrel type susceptor of an epitaxial reactor with enhanced ease and reduced danger of scratching and breaking the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1985
    Assignee: Cincinnati Milacron Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph T. Hillman, Michael B. Miller
  • Patent number: 4466764
    Abstract: Apparatus is provided for separating and lifting units, such as insulated glass window or door units, one at a time from a stack of units. The apparatus comprises a frame which supports a movably mounted suction platen for vacuum engagement with an upwardly presented surface of the uppermost unit in the stack and a push block for bearing engagement with a peripheral edge of the unit immediately below the uppermost unit. A pneumatic cylinder assembly reacts between the frame and the suction platen to displace the platen and the engaged uppermost unit with respect to the push block and the underlying units in the stack whereby the uppermost unit is separated from the underlying units. The suction platen remains in vacuum engagement with the separated unit to permit lifting and carrying thereof to an alternative location. Controls facilitating operation of the apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1984
    Assignee: Physical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles G. Hutter, III
  • Patent number: 4451197
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an object detector which incorporates a photoelectric detector in the vacuum flow path of a vacuum pickup system to serve as a device to determine whether an object has been successfully engaged, retained and transported by a vacuum orifice, so that transport cycles may be modified or terminated by control circuitry in the event that the object has not been successfully engaged, retained and transported, thereby saving time and reducing damage to object, transport means or the surface to which the object is transported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1984
    Assignee: Advanced Semiconductor Materials Die Bonding, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley N. Lange
  • Patent number: 4416531
    Abstract: An electrophotographic copying apparatus includes a photosensitive surface capable of retaining an electrostatic latent image for at least two cycles of the surface so a first copy of an original can be made upon scanning the original and the latent image can be recycled to produce a second copy of the same original during the return of the scanning mechanism. The apparatus includes an improved mechanism for driving the scanning mechanism, as well as improved developing and transfer stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1983
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Edward F. Mayer
  • Patent number: 4399990
    Abstract: The invention is a universal sucker element for a paper feeder unit which comprises a support tube on which is adjustably mounted a carrier provided with a swivably mounted body having a rotatable and movable piston. The body can be adjusted so that the piston moves obliquely to the plane of the paper. The position of the body and the piston are fixed by means of simple position locking means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1983
    Assignee: ZVS Adamovske strojirny, Koncernovy podnik
    Inventor: Jaroslav Jiruse
  • Patent number: 4391439
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for calibration and adjustment of an inserter working with air suction for picking up a sheeted or folded material one at a time from a bundle for insertion in a machine, wherein an inserter includes a variable air suction source to pick up a sheeted or folded material one at a time from a bundle for insertion of the picked up sheeted or folded material into a machine. A sensor (24) positioned adjacent the inserter transmits different output signals which correspond respectively to no sheet of material picked up, one sheet of material picked up or several sheets of material picked up. The variable air suction source of the inserter is controlled responsive to the output signal from the sensor such that the air suction source produces increased suction of the sensor output signal corresponds to no sheet of material picked up or decreased suction if the sensor output signal corresponds to more than one sheet of material picked up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1983
    Assignee: Malmohus Invest AB
    Inventor: Lars G. Edstrom
  • Patent number: 4351518
    Abstract: A pick-up device operated by a suction applied by a partially compressed bellows such that release of the suction attachment thereto can be effectively and readily achieved by a slight further compression of the bellows; said further compression providing a pulse of pressure air which releases or neutralizes the suction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1982
    Inventor: Emile Stievenart
  • Patent number: 4327906
    Abstract: A sheet separating apparatus has a lifting device and at least one suction device. The suction devices receive a sheet from a stack, and with the sheet engaged with the suction devices, are lifted away from the stack by the lifting device. The suction devices are connected to a vacuum source(s) and the lifting device is connected either to the vacuum source, or one of the vacuum sources, or to a different vacuum source or a positive pressure source. In either case the vacuum source(s) acts through the suction devices to produce the engagement of the sheet and suction devices, and this engagement in turn produces a pressure drop in the suction devices which leads to activation of the lifting device to lift the suction devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1982
    Assignee: STAHL GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Eckhard Frohlich, Gunter Mattka
  • Patent number: 4280691
    Abstract: A device for the automatic feeding of individual sheets from a stack of sheets to an apparatus comprises lower carrier rollers, upper feed rollers in resilient contact therewith, and a suction chamber which is displaceable in the direction of transport of the individual sheets. The suction chamber comprises a cover plate and a base plate, the base plate being designed as a perforated plate and the cover plate being provided with a suction hole for a ventilator which is arranged on the cover plate, above the suction opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1981
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Herbert Blum
  • Patent number: 4262896
    Abstract: A suction head is provided in a paper sheet counting machine in which a number of paper sheets contained in a container box are vacuum-sucked one at a time to be taken out of the container box and be counted. The suction head has a suction port into which a suction port member is threaded. The suction port member is integral with a suction contact member made of a rubber which contacts a paper sheet to be taken out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1981
    Assignee: Laurel Bank Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Isamu Uchida, Akira Hirata
  • Patent number: 4200277
    Abstract: A flat pile - automatic sheet feeder for lifting sheets from a flat pile and feeding them further with a sheet separator which has at least one suction head at least one sensor and a shaft, which during the rotation moves and returns the suction head from a rest position which is lifted off the pile into a suction position lying on the flat pile and moves and returns the sensor from a sensing position lying on the flat pile into a release position swung out of the way from the flat pile, and with a removal device pulling-off the sheet which is lifted by the suction member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1980
    Assignee: Maschinenbau Oppenweiler GmbH
    Inventors: Emil Klenk, Adolf Hornung
  • Patent number: 4146217
    Abstract: An improved mechanism for feeding paper sheets from a stack by suction, wherein the mechanism includes a manifold provided with a plurality of spaced sheet pickup devices carried by the manifold and in fluid communication therewith. Each device includes a main member having an L-shaped element provided with a flexible suction cup on the lower end thereof. The element is shiftably mounted on and extends through the member for movement fore and aft relative to the member, and is releasably secured to the member in anyone of a number of operative positions relative to the member by a set screw or the like so that the suction cup thereof can be spaced relatively close or relatively far from the member. A preferred embodiment utilizes a U-shaped tube coupled at one end thereof to the element and at the opposite end thereof to a short tube projecting laterally from the member near the upper end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1979
    Inventor: Roger J. Barker
  • Patent number: 4065118
    Abstract: An improved apparatus for removing the top sheet from a stack of sheets and transporting it to a predetermined location includes a vacuum head for displacing and separating the sheet from the stack, a drive arrangement including a threaded shaft supporting the vacuum head for transporting the sheet to the predetermined location and control circuitry for regulating the cyclical operation of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1972
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1977
    Inventor: George M. Dudley
  • Patent number: 4057243
    Abstract: A sheet feed apparatus feeds sheets, placed on a sheet receptacle, one by one toward a sheet processor. When the sheets on the receptacle are exhausted, the operation of the apparatus is interrupted by a signal from a signal emitter which operates to detect the termination of sheet delivery. The signal emitter is actuated upon the detection of the occurrence of a plurality of idling operations of the sheet feed apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1977
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sakae Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 4053224
    Abstract: A document handling system for making multiple precollated copy sheet sets from a set of individual document sheets. The documents are recirculated between a pair of web scrolls and repeatedly imaged on an exposed intermediate web segment extending between the two scrolls. One web scroll is inside wound and above the plane of the intermediate segment, and a second scroll is outside wound and below the plane of the intermediate segment so as to provide unobstructed document loading and unloading access. The documents are retained before and on the second scroll by means of a second web unwound from a third scroll and commonly wound on the second scroll. The third scroll is movable from adjacent the document imaging area to another position in which the two webs separate on the second scroll. The second web does not pass through the document imaging area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1977
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Charles M. Burkard, Edward C. Bock
  • Patent number: 4049484
    Abstract: This invention relates to the handling of transfers or decalcomanias. In particular the invention is concerned with a vacuum head for use in conjunction with the apparatus described and claimed in our U.S. patent application Ser. No. 349,188, and comprises a device for handling transfers comprising a hollow body having a perforate or porous face, a layer of perforate or porous resilient material applied to the said face and a pipe connection for connecting the device to a source of suction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1977
    Assignee: Johnson, Matthey & Co., Limited
    Inventors: John Garrick Priest, Robert Barry Tooth
  • Patent number: 4003567
    Abstract: Apparatus for picking up a single sheet of semi-rigid material from the top of a stack of such sheets having a device overlying the back end of the stack and holding down that end of the stack, vacuum pick-up shoes to engage the back end of the topmost sheet in the stack, said shoes moving initially to slide the sheet forward from beneath the overlying device and then to lift the back end of the sheet, and a chain conveyor with hooks to engage the raised end of the sheet and feed such sheet into a conveyor for transporting the sheet away from the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1977
    Assignee: Union Camp Corporation
    Inventors: Emil J. Berger, Jr., John M. Mitchard
  • Patent number: 3999795
    Abstract: A vacuum pad system comprising a plurality of vacuum pads to which vacuum is selectively supplied and a de-icer supply mechanism selectively connected to the vacuum pads to supply de-icer to the pads and thereby to purge the pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1976
    Assignee: American Chain & Cable Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Loren B. Barker