Movable pack advancer

• US 3,883,133 A
• Filed: 09/17/1973
• Issued: 05/13/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert P. Rebres
• Original Assignee: Robert P. Rebres
• Inventors: Rebres, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blunk, Evon C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stoner, Jr., Bruce H.
• Application Number:
  US05/398,024
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 271/164,162,160,157,127,126,117,122,125
• US Class Current: 271/122
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 1/04 adapted to support articles substantially horizontally, e.g. for separation from top of pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/04 for distinguishing adjusting from controlling, i.e. manual adjustments
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/10 Size; Dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/20 Location in space
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/06 Rollers or like rotary separators B65H3/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/6502 Supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor

Abstract

A sheet feeding apparatus in which successive sheets are separated and advanced, in seriatim, from a stack thereof. The stack of sheets is supported by a base plate mounted pivotably on a laterally movable supporting member. As the supporting member moves from a loading position to an operating position, the base plate is pivoted automatically from an inoperative position to an operative position, wherein successive uppermost sheets may be advanced from the stack disposed thereon. The supporting member is locked automatically in the operating position and the sheet feeding apparatus actuated automatically.

Claims

1. A sheet feeding apparatus including:

means for separating and advancing successive sheets from a stack of sheets disposed in the sheet feeding apparatus;

a supporting member laterally movable from an operating position to loading position remotely spaced from the operating position;

a base plate mounted pivotably on said supporting member, said base plate being adapted to support the stack of sheets;

biasing means for resiliently urging said base plate to pivot so as to move the stack of sheets disposed thereon into communication with said separating and advancing means;

a cam follower secured to said base plate; and

a cam member secured to the sheet feeding apparatus, said supporting member being laterally movable across said cam member with a portion of said cam follower in engagement therewith, said cam member having a profile such that as said cam follower moves therealong said biasing means pivots said base plate from a position wherein the uppermost sheet of the stack of sheets of support material is spaced from said separating and advancing means to a position in communication therewith;

means for automatically locking said supporting member in the operating position; and

means for automatically actuating the sheet feeding apparatus in response to said supporting member being located in the operating position.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said locking means includes:

resilient means secured to and extending in a substantially outwardly direction from said supporting member;

a roller member secured to the outwardly extending portion of said resilient means; and

latching means secured to the sheet feeding apparatus, said resilient means being adapted to urge said roller member into locking engagement with said latching means when said supporting member moves to the operating position.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said actuating means includes:

voltage generating means adapted to energizE the sheet feeding apparatus; and

switch means associated with said voltage generating means and the sheet feeding apparatus, said switch means being secured to the sheet feeding apparatus and arranged to be in the closed position when said supporting member is in the operating position.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said separating and advancing means includes:

a retard roller mounted on said supporting members;

biasing means for resiliently urging said retard roller to pivot from an inoperative position spaced from one surface of the advancing sheet to an operative position in contact therewith; and

a rotary driven feed roller having a first portion of the circumferential surface thereof engaging the other surface of the advancing sheet and a second portion of the circumferential surface engaging the circumferential surface of said retard roller disposed in the operative position thereof prior to the advancing sheet being interposed therebetween, said feed roller being adapted to advance the sheet into the nip defined by said feed roller and said retard roller to prevent multiple sheet feeding.

5. An electrophotographic printing machine of the type having a sheet forwarding mechanism for separating and feeding successive sheets from a stack thereof, wherein the improvement includes:

means for separating and advancing successive sheets from the stack thereof;

a supporting member laterally movable from an operating position to a loading position remotely spaced from the operating position;

a base plate mounted pivotably on said supporting member, said base plate being adapted to support the stack of sheets;

biasing means for resiliently urging said base plate to pivot so as to move the stack of sheets disposed thereon into communication with said separating and advancing means;

a cam follower secured to said base plate; and

a cam member secured to the printing machine, said supporting member being laterally movable across said cam member with a portion of said cam follower in engagement therewith, said cam member having a profile such that as said cam follower moves therealong said biasing means pivots said base plate from a position wherein the uppermost sheet of the stack is spaced from said separating and advancing means to a position wherein the uppermost sheet of the stack is in communication therewith;

means for automatically locking said supporting member in the operating position; and

means for automatically actuating the printing machines in response to said supporting member being located in the operating position.

6. A printing machine as recited in claim 5, wherein said locking means includes:

resilient means extending in a substantially outwardly direction from said supporting member;

a roller member secured to the outwardly extending portion of said resilient means; and

latching means secured to the printing machine, said resilient means being adapted to urge said roller member into locking engagement with said latching means when said supporting member moves to the operating position.

7. A printing machine as recited in claim 6, wherein said actuating means includes:

voltage generating means adapted to energize the printing machine; and

switch means associated with said voltage generating means and the printing machine, said switch means being secured to the printing machine and arranged to be in the closed position when said supporting member is in the operating position.

8. A printing machine as recited in claim 7, wherein said separating and advancing means includes:

a retard roller mounted on said supporting member;

biasing means for resilient urging of said retard roller to pivot from an inoperative position spaced from one surface of the advancing sheet to an operative position in contact therewith; and

a rotary driven feed roller having a first portion of the circumferential surface thereof engaging the other surfacE of the sheet and a second portion of the circumferential surface engaging the circumferential surface of said retard roller disposed in the operative position thereof prior to the advancing sheet being interposed therebetween, said feed roller being adapted to advance the sheet into the nip defined by said feed roller and said retard roller to prevent multiple sheet feeding.

9. A sheet feeding apparatus, including:

a supporting member movable laterally from an operating position to a loading position remotely spaced from the operating position;

means for holding a stack of sheets disposed in the sheet feeding apparatus, said holding means being mounted on said supporting member;

means for separating and advancing successive sheets from the stack disposed on said holding means, said separating and advancing means being mounted on said supporting member; and

means for controlling automatically the relative movement between said holding means and said separating and advancing means such that said separating and advancing means is spaced from the sheets of the stack when said supporting member is in the loading position and said separating and advancing means is in operative communication with successive sheets of the stack when said supporting member is in the operating position.

10. A sheet feeding apparatus as recited in claim 9, further including means for automatically locking said supporting member in the operating position.

11. A sheet feeding apparatus as recited in claim 9, further including means for actuating automatically the sheet feeding apparatus in response to said supporting member being located in the operating position.

12. A sheet feeding apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said separating and advancing means includes a rotary driven feed roller.

13. A sheet feeding apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said holding means includes a base plate having a generally planar surface holding the stack of sheets thereon and being mounted pivotably on said supporting member.

14. A sheet feeding apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said controlling means includes means, responsive to said supporting member being moved from the loading position to the operating position, for pivoting said base plates from a position wherein the stack of sheets is spaced from the said feed roller to a position wherein successive sheets thereof engage said feed roller.

15. An electrophotographic printing machine of the type having a stack of sheets therein for reproducing copies of an original document thereon, wherein the improvement includes:

a supporting member movable laterally from an operating position to a loading position remotely spaced from the operating position;

means for holding a stack of sheets disposed in the sheet feeding apparatus, said holding means being mounted on said supporting member;

means for separating and advancing successive sheets from the stack disposed on said holding means, said separating and advancing means being mounted on said supporting member; and

means for controlling automatically the relative movement between said holding means and said separating and advancing means such that said separating and advancing means is spaced from the sheets of the stack when said supporting member is in the loading position and said separating and advancing means is in operative communication with successive sheets of the stack when said supporting member is in the operating position.

16. A printing machine as recited in claim 15, further including means for automatically locking said supporting member in the operating position.

17. A printing machine as recited in claim 15, further including means for actuating automatically the printing machine in response to said supporting member being located in the operating position.

18. A printing machine as recited in claim 15, wherein said separating and advancing means includes a rotary driven feed roller.

19. A printing machine as recited in claim 18, wherein said holding means includes a base plate having a generally planar surface holding the stack of sheets thereon and being mounted pivotably on said supporting member.

20. A printing machine as recited in claim 19, wherein said controlling means includes means, responsive to said supporting member being moved from the loading position to the operating position, for pivoting said base plate from a position wherein the stack of sheets is spaced from said feed roller to a position wherein successive sheets thereof engage said feed roller.