Inserter hopper device

An inserter hopper device for handling a pile of inserts comprising:

• a framework;
• a belly plate that is connected to the framework;
• a carry-down cam assembly including a plurality of carry-down cams on a rotatable carry-down cam shaft having a fixed location relative to the framework;
• a carry-down roller assembly including a plurality of carry-down rollers on a rotatable carry-down roller shaft having a location that is movable relative to the framework in the fore and aft directions;
• the plurality of carry-down rollers being opposed to and spaced from the plurality of carry-down cams so as to provide a nip having a nip distance between the respective plurality of carry-down rollers and plurality of carry-down cams, and the inserts are moved through the nip individually;
• wherein at least one biasing element biases the movable carry-down roller shaft toward the nip;
• a thickness tuning adjustment assembly that moves the carry-down roller assembly so as to adjust the nip distance;
• a vacuum assembly that is in communication with a movable sucker assembly that has sucker ports being movable toward and away from the nip;
• and
• a vacuum and back blast assembly that includes a valve having a first position that places the sucker assembly in communication with a source of vacuum and having a second position that places the sucker assembly in communication with a source of compressed air.

An inserter hopper device for handling a pile of inserts comprising:

• a framework;
• a belly plate that is connected to the framework;
• a carry-down cam assembly including a plurality of carry-down cams on a rotatable carry-down cam shaft having a fixed location relative to the framework;
• a carry-down roller assembly including a plurality of carry-down rollers on a rotatable carry-down roller shaft having a location that is movable relative to the framework in the fore and aft directions;
• the plurality of carry-down rollers being opposed to and spaced from the plurality of carry-down cams so as to provide a nip having a nip distance between the respective plurality of carry-down rollers and plurality of carry-down cams, and the inserts are moved through the nip individually;
• wherein at least one biasing element biases the movable carry-down roller shaft toward the nip;
• a thickness tuning adjustment assembly that moves the carry-down roller assembly so as to adjust the nip distance;
• a vacuum assembly that is in communication with a movable sucker assembly that has sucker ports being movable toward and away from the nip;
• a front pile lift assembly having a front pile lift shaft having a fixed location relative to the framework, wherein the front pile lift assembly pivots about the fixed location relative to the framework and further comprises a front pile lift arm extending downward from the front pile lift shaft and a front pile lift foot extending rearward from the front pile lift arm so as to be located below the pile of inserts;
• and
• a linkage being connected to the front pile lift shaft and the carry-down cam shaft so as to provide reciprocating motion of the front pile lift assembly relative to the framework, wherein the front pile lift foot reciprocates between a first forward position of the front pile lift foot and a second rearward position of the front pile lift foot.