Gate forming member for sheet feeding apparatus
First Claim
1. A gate forming member for use with an apparatus for serially feeding sheets from the bottom of a generally vertical stack of such sheets comprisinga generally cylindrical first roll defining a central axis and including an outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of annular grooves extending about the circumference of said peripheral surface,a generally cylindrical second roll defining a central axis and including an outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of annular grooves extending about the circumference of said peripheral surface of said second roll,means mounting said first and second rolls in an adjacent parallel relationship and with said annular grooves of said first and second rolls being respectively aligned, such that the second roll may be selectively rotated about its central axis, and while said first roll is not rotatable about its central axis, said means mounting said first and second rolls including a threaded radial opening positioned at a central location along the length of said first roll for mounting said gate forming member to a sheet feeding apparatus, anda ring of elastomeric material mounted in each pair of aligned grooves and so as to be disposed along an endless path which encompasses the peripheral surfaces of said first and second rolls,whereby rotation of said second roll about its central axis facilities movement of said rings along said endless path about the peripheral surfaces of said first and second rolls, with said rings moving relative to the peripheral surface of said first roll.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sheet feeding apparatus is disclosed which includes a gate forming member composed of a pair of rolls disposed in a parallel, laterally adjacent relationship. The first roll defines the nip of the sheet feeding apparatus, and each of the rolls includes a plurality of annular grooves. The rolls are mounted with the annular grooves respectively aligned, and a ring of elastomeric material is mounted in each pair of aligned grooves so as to encompass the peripheral surfaces of the two rolls, and with and the grooves in the first roll being configured so that the rings are exposed at the nip. Upon rotation of the second roll, the rings may be moved with respect to the first roll, so that unworn portions of the rings may be moved to the nip.
29 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A gate forming member for use with an apparatus for serially feeding sheets from the bottom of a generally vertical stack of such sheets comprising
a generally cylindrical first roll defining a central axis and including an outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of annular grooves extending about the circumference of said peripheral surface, a generally cylindrical second roll defining a central axis and including an outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of annular grooves extending about the circumference of said peripheral surface of said second roll, means mounting said first and second rolls in an adjacent parallel relationship and with said annular grooves of said first and second rolls being respectively aligned, such that the second roll may be selectively rotated about its central axis, and while said first roll is not rotatable about its central axis, said means mounting said first and second rolls including a threaded radial opening positioned at a central location along the length of said first roll for mounting said gate forming member to a sheet feeding apparatus, and a ring of elastomeric material mounted in each pair of aligned grooves and so as to be disposed along an endless path which encompasses the peripheral surfaces of said first and second rolls, whereby rotation of said second roll about its central axis facilities movement of said rings along said endless path about the peripheral surfaces of said first and second rolls, with said rings moving relative to the peripheral surface of said first roll.
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6. A gate forming member for use with an apparatus for serially feeding sheets from the bottom of a generally vertical stack of such sheets comprising
a generally cylindrical first roll defining a central axis and including an outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of annular grooves extending about the circumference of said peripheral surface, a generally cylindrical second roll defining a central axis and including an outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of annular grooves extending about the circumference of said peripheral surface of said second roll, means mounting said first and second rolls in an adjacent parallel relationship and with said annular grooves of said first and second rolls being respectively aligned, and such that the second roll may be selectively rotated about its central axis, a ring of elastomeric material mounted in each pair of aligned grooves and so as to be disposed along an endless path which encompasses the peripheral surfaces of said first and second rolls, and locking means mounted on said second roll for selectively engaging said rings so as to prevent relative movement of said rings along said grooves of said second roll, whereby upon engagement of said locking means with said rings, rotation of said second roll about its central axis causes said rings to move along said grooves of said first roll.
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14. 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, 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 a forward direction, a gate forming member mounted to said frame and comprising (a) a generally cylindrical first roll defining a central axis and including an outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of annular grooves extending about the circumference of said peripheral surface, and with said first roll positioned adjacent the forward side of said stack and so as to define a nip which forms a gap between said first roll and said upper run for permitting the lowermost sheet of the stack to pass forwardly from the stack through said nip, (b) a generally cylindrical second roll defining a central axis and including an outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of annular grooves extending about the circumference of said peripheral surface of said second roll, (c) means mounting said first and second rolls in an adjacent parallel relationship, with said second roll positioned on the side of said first roll opposite said forward side of said stack, and with said annular grooves of said first and second rolls being respectively aligned, and such that the second roll may be selectively rotated about its central axis, and (d) a ring of elastomeric material mounted in each pair of aligned grooves and so as to be disposed along an endless path which encompasses the peripheral surfaces of said first and second rolls, whereby rotation of said second roll about its central axis facilitates movement of said rings along said endless path about the peripheral surfaces of said first and second rolls, and means adjustably mounting said gate forming member so as to permit the dimension of said nip to be adjusted and such that said gate forming member may be readily removed from the remainder of said apparatus.
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19. A gate forming member for use with an apparatus for serially feeding sheets from the bottom of a generally vertical stack of such sheets comprising
a generally cylindrical first roll defining a central axis and including an outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of annular grooves extending about the circumference of said peripheral surface, a generally cylindrical second roll defining a central axis and including an outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of annular grooves extending about the circumference of said peripheral surface of said second roll, said annular grooves of said first roll being disposed concentrically about a further axis which is parallel to and offset from said central axis of said first roll and so that each groove of said first roll is relatively deep along the side thereof opposite said second roll and relatively shallow along the side thereof adjacent said second roll, means mounting said first and second rolls in an adjacent parallel relationship and with said annular grooves of said first and second rolls being respectively aligned, and such that the second roll may be selectively rotated about its central axis, and while said first roll is not rotatable about its central axis, and a ring of elastomeric material mounted in each pair of aligned grooves and so as to be disposed along an endless path which encompasses the peripheral surfaces of said first and second rolls, whereby rotation of said second roll about its central axis facilities movement of said rings along said endless path about the peripheral surfaces of said first and second rolls, with said rings moving relative to the peripheral surface of said first roll.
Specification