Paper sheet feeding apparatus
First Claim
1. An apparatus for serially feeding sheets in a forward direction from the bottom of a generally vertical stack of such sheets and comprising:
- a frame,means mounted to said frame for supporting the generally vertical stack of sheets and so that the stack defines a forward side composed of aligned forward edges of the sheets, and a bottom, said supporting means including endless belt means and means rotatably mounting said endless belt means so as to have an upper run positioned to extend across the bottom of said stack;
drive means for rotating said endless belt means so that said upper run moves in the forward direction;
a gate forming member positioned above said upper run of said belt means and adjacent the forward side of said stack and so as to define a nip which forms a gap between said gate forming member and said upper run for permitting the lowermost sheet of the stack to pass forwardly from the stack through said nip, said gate forming member comprising a generally cylindrical roll defining a central axis and an outer peripheral surface which is concentric to said central axis, said outer peripheral surface having a groove extending axially along the length thereof and which is positioned so as to generally oppose said nip, with said groove defining opposing parallel side walls and a bottom wall, and a bar disposed in said groove, with said bar being composed of a material having a higher coefficient of friction than the material of said roll and including parallel opposite side edges and being sized so that the opposite side edges are pressed into engagement with said opposing side walls of said groove and a portion of said bar extends beyond said peripheral surface of said nip, and means adjustably mounting said gate forming member to said frame so as to permit the dimension of said nip to be adjusted, and whereby the gate forming member may be adjustably positioned so that the lowermost sheet is free to pass through said nip without significant engagement with said bar and thus without significant frictional resistance while the sheet immediately above the lowermost sheet engages said bar and is frictionally engaged thereby.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a sheet feeder device including means for supporting a generally vertical stack of sheets. The supporting means include endless belts having an upper belt run position to extend across the bottom of the stack of sheets. A stationary gate forming member is provided which is positioned above the upper run of the belts and adjacent the forward side of the stack to define a nip which forms a gap between the gate forming member and the upper run for permitting the lowermost sheet of the stack to pass forwardly from the stack through the nip. The gate forming member is a cylindrical roll defining a central axis and an outer peripheral surface which is concentric to the central axis. The roll has a groove extending axially along the length thereof. An elastomeric bar is disposed in the groove, and the bar has a coefficient of friction which is higher than that of the material of the roll. Also, the bar is sized so as to extend radially beyond the peripheral surface. This portion of the bar includes a rearwardly facing edge surface which extends generally along a tangent to the outer peripheral surface of the roll. In operation, the lowermost sheet is fed by the endless belts through the nip without engaging the bar and without significant frictional resistance, while the sheet immediately above the lowermost sheet engages the bar and is retarded in its advance by its engagement with the material of the bar.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for serially feeding sheets in a forward direction from the bottom of a generally vertical stack of such sheets and comprising:
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a frame, means mounted to said frame for supporting the generally vertical stack of sheets and so that the stack defines a forward side composed of aligned forward edges of the sheets, and a bottom, said supporting means including endless belt means and means rotatably mounting said endless belt means so as to have an upper run positioned to extend across the bottom of said stack; drive means for rotating said endless belt means so that said upper run moves in the forward direction; a gate forming member positioned above said upper run of said belt means and adjacent the forward side of said stack and so as to define a nip which forms a gap between said gate forming member and said upper run for permitting the lowermost sheet of the stack to pass forwardly from the stack through said nip, said gate forming member comprising a generally cylindrical roll defining a central axis and an outer peripheral surface which is concentric to said central axis, said outer peripheral surface having a groove extending axially along the length thereof and which is positioned so as to generally oppose said nip, with said groove defining opposing parallel side walls and a bottom wall, and a bar disposed in said groove, with said bar being composed of a material having a higher coefficient of friction than the material of said roll and including parallel opposite side edges and being sized so that the opposite side edges are pressed into engagement with said opposing side walls of said groove and a portion of said bar extends beyond said peripheral surface of said nip, and means adjustably mounting said gate forming member to said frame so as to permit the dimension of said nip to be adjusted, and whereby the gate forming member may be adjustably positioned so that the lowermost sheet is free to pass through said nip without significant engagement with said bar and thus without significant frictional resistance while the sheet immediately above the lowermost sheet engages said bar and is frictionally engaged thereby. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A gate forming member for use with an apparatus for serially feeding sheets in a forward direction from the bottom of a generally vertical stack of such sheets and comprising:
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a generally cylindrical roll defining a central axis and an outer peripheral surface which is concentric to said central axis, said outer peripheral surface having a groove extending axially along the length thereof, with said groove defining opposing parallel side walls and a bottom wall, and a bar disposed in said groove, with said bar being composed of a material having a higher coefficient of friction than the material of said roll and including parallel opposite side edges and being sized so that the opposite side edges are pressed into engagement with said opposing side walls of said groove and a portion of said bar extends beyond said peripheral surface, said portion of said bar which extends beyond said outer peripheral surface including an edge surface which extends generally along a tangent to said outer peripheral surface, and wherein said bar has a quadrilateral cross section configuration which comprises said parallel opposite side edges and inclined upper and bottom edges, and with one of said upper and bottom edges defining said edge surface, and whereby said bar may be removed and replaced in said groove so that the other of said upper and bottom edges defines said edge surface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for serially feeding sheets in a forward direction from the bottom of a generally vertical stack of such sheets and comprising:
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means for supporting the generally vertical stack of sheets and so that the stack defines a forward side composed of aligned forward edges of the sheets, and a bottom, said supporting means including endless belt means and means rotatably mounting said endless belt means so as to have an upper run positioned to extend across the bottom of said stack; drive means for rotating said endless belt means so that said upper run moves in the forward direction; a gate forming member positioned above said upper run of said belt means and adjacent the forward side of said stack and so as to define a nip which forms a gap between said gate forming member and said upper run for permitting the lowermost sheet of the stack to pass forwardly from the stack through said nip, said gate forming member comprising a generally cylindrical roll defining a central axis and an outer peripheral surface which is concentric to said central axis, said outer peripheral surface having a groove extending axially along the length thereof and which is positioned so as to generally oppose said nip, with said groove defining opposing parallel side walls and a bottom wall, and a bar disposed in said groove, with said bar being composed of a material having a higher coefficient of friction than the material of said roll and including parallel opposite side edges and being sized so that the opposite side edges are pressed into engagement with said opposing side walls of said groove and a portion of said bar extends beyond said peripheral surface at said nip and is spaced from said endless belt means, and whereby the lowermost sheet is free to pass through said nip without significant engagement with said bar and thus without significant frictional resistance while the sheet immediately above the lowermost sheet engages said bar and is frictionally engaged thereby, said portion of said bar which extends beyond said outer peripheral surface including an edge surface which extends generally along a tangent to said outer peripheral surface, and wherein said bar has a quadrilateral cross sectional configuration which comprises said parallel opposite side edges and inclined upper and bottom edges, and with one of said upper and bottom edges defining said edge surface, and whereby said bar may be removed and replaced in said groove so that the other of said upper and bottom edges defines said edge surface.
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Specification