Angular path sheet conveying

• US 4,014,539 A
• Filed: 08/14/1975
• Issued: 03/29/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Addressograph Multigraph Corporation
• Original Assignee: Addressograph Multigraph Corporation
• Inventors: Goodwin, Eber Lyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Blunk, Evon C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stoner, Jr., Bruce H.
• Application Number:
  US05/601,008
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 271/225, 271/184, 271/251, 271/80, 271/275, 271/273, 101/232, 270/20, 270/8, 193/35 R, 198/127 R, 29/132
• US Class Current: 271/184
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/33 Modifying, selecting, changing orientation
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/34 Modifying, selecting, changing direction of displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/20 by contact with rotating friction members, e.g. rollers, brushes, or cylinders with suction rollers B65H29/243
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/52 Stationary guides or smoothers

Abstract

A conveyor is provided for accepting sheets moving in one direction from a duplicator and conveying them at an angle to the initial direction; e.g., 90°. The conveyor consists of rollers of relatively large diameter arranged with close spacing so that sheets of paper will pass easily from one to the other, and entering sheets will find fairly continuous support whatever their size. The rollers are set at an angle to the desired feed path to provide an effect urging the sheets towards a side alignment stop and the construction is such that the angular roller setting may be readily made during manufacture, to act towards whichever side of the feed path is selected as the one to carry the alignment stop surface. Means are provided for controlling the sheets during transfer from one conveyor to the other, and for instantaneous acceleration in the second direction by the roller conveyor, permitting handling of closely spaced sheets at high sheet frequency without danger of interference between adjacent sheets which might result in jamming.

Claims

1. A duplicator system comprising:

a duplicator including a printing couple for producing printed copy sheets, at least letter size, at a frequency of at least 5,000 per hour;

a work station for working on the printed copy sheets issuing from the duplicator; and

transfer means for conveying printed copy sheets from said duplicator to said work station including;

a. a first conveyor for moving the completed copy sheets in a path away from the printing couple at production frequency with at least some spacing between sheets;

b. a second conveyor arranged adjacent the outlet of said first conveyor for carrying the copy sheets in a path away from the first conveyor in a direction substantially normal to the first conveyor path;

said second conveyor comprising;

1. a plurality of closely spaced power driven rollers operating at a surface speed sufficient to maintain sheet frequency of said first conveyor with at least some sheet spacing, the upper surface of said rollers being substantially lower than the outlet of said first conveyor;

2.

2. a sheet stop and alignment guide parallel to the path of said second conveyor, against which each sheet is cast by the first conveyor, said rollers also being canted in a direction to urge a sheet into contact with said alignment guide;

3. means cooperating with the roller surfaces for both readily accepting a sheet between itself and the roller surfaces when thus projected by the first conveyor, and for establishing substantially instantaneous driving connection between such interposed sheet and the roller surfaces for moving the sheet promptly along the second conveyor; and

4. a sheet deflector so positioned as to be out of the path of a sheet entering the second conveyor, but to coact with the sheet as it starts to move in its new direction powered by the rollers so as to urge the sheet

4. A conveyor as set forth in claim 2 which further includes a beam mounted transversely of the conveyor and another sheet deflector extending along the conveyor in the direction of sheet movement, so positioned as to be out of the path of an entering sheet, but to coact with the sheet as it starts to move along the conveyor powered by the rollers.

3. progressively into a roller contacting drive receiving position. 2. A conveyor for receiving a sheet moving in a first direction and changing its motion to a second direction substantially normal to said first direction, comprising:

a. a frame including two longitudinal frame members;

b. an array of parallel, closely spaced rollers extending between said longitudinal frame members generally normal thereto but canted slightly in one direction;

c. power means for driving the rollers; and

d. sheet control and guide means cooperating with said rollers comprising;

1. overhead supports mounted on said frame and including at least one beam extending parallel to said rollers;

2. a guide plate and register bar supported on and depending from said beam and adjustable therealong, said guide plate having a raised sheet entrance portion;

3. a series of balls carried by said guide plate and register bar, each ball resting on one of said rollers to urge a sheet into driving engagement therewith; and

4. a second beam mounted on said overhead supports and extending along one side of the conveyor, and a sheet deflector mounted cantilever-fashion on said beam and extending towards said guide plate with its free end at a lower level than the raised entrance portion of the guide plate to guide incoming sheets therebeneath.