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US 12,617,647 B2Granted
Adjustable shingle to facilitate stacking
AssigneeGeo. M. Martin Company
InventorCharles D. Rizzuti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for conveying blanks to a stacker creates a big enough time gap between a last blank of a current stack and the first blank of the next stack to allow the stacker to discharge the current stack without interrupting the feed of new sheets for the next stack.
Claims24
An apparatus for conveying and stacking, comprising:
- a first conveyor, the first conveyor is configured to move blanks;
- a second conveyor downstream from the first conveyor, the second conveyor is configured to move blanks;
- a stacker downstream from the second conveyor, the stacker is configured to create stacks of blanks, each stack includes a first blank and a last blank such that a current stack includes a first blank of the current stack and a last blank of the current stack and a next stack includes a first blank of the next stack and a last blank of the next stack;
- and
- one or more processors connected to the first conveyor and the second conveyor, the one or more processors are configured to:
- decrease speed of the first conveyor in response to the first blank of the next stack landing on the first conveyor, and
- decrease speed of the second conveyor in response to all one or more blanks from a first sheet of the next stack no longer being on the first conveyor so that the stacker can accumulate and remove the current stack that includes the last blank of the current stack but does not include the first blank of the next stack.
4 more elements
An apparatus for conveying and stacking, comprising:
- a first conveyor, the first conveyor is configured to shingle blanks received at the first conveyor at a first shingle distance in a first mode;
- a second conveyor, the first conveyor delivers blanks to the second conveyor, the second conveyor is configured to shingle blanks received at the second conveyor;
- and
- a stacker, the second conveyor deliver blanks to the stacker, the stacker is configured to create stacks of blanks, each stack includes a first blank and a last blank such that a current stack includes a first blank of the current stack and a last blank of the current stack and a next stack includes a first blank of the next stack and a last blank of the next stack;
- in response to a first blank of the next stack landing on the first conveyor, the first conveyor is configured to enter a second mode in which the first conveyor shingles blanks received at the first conveyor at a second shingle distance and the second conveyor is configured to enter the second mode in order to shingle blanks received at the second conveyor at a third shingle distance, the second shingle distance is smaller than the first shingle distance, the third shingle distance is larger than the first shingle distance;
- and
- in response to all blanks from a first sheet of the next stack no longer being on the first conveyor, the second conveyor is configured to slow down.
4 more elements
A method for creating stacks of sheets, comprising:
- conveying blanks from a first location to a stacker using a first conveyor and a second conveyor, the second conveyor is positioned between the first conveyor and the stacker, the stacker creates stacks of blanks, each stack includes a first blank and a last blank, the first conveyor transporting blanks at a first speed, the second conveyor transporting blanks at a second speed;
- in order to create a current stack that includes a first blank of the current stack and a last blank of the current stack, decreasing speed of the first conveyor from the first speed to a third speed and increasing speed of the second conveyor from the second speed to a fourth speed in response to a first blank of a next stack landing on the first conveyor;
- in response to all one or more blanks from a first sheet of the next stack no longer being on the first conveyor, decreasing speed of the first conveyor from the third speed to the second speed and decreasing speed of the second conveyor from the fourth speed to the second speed;
- accumulating and removing the current stack that includes the last blank of the current stack but does not include the first blank of the next stack;
- and
- accumulating and removing the next stack that includes the first blank of the next stack.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.