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US 3,945,633 AGranted
Hopper loader
AssigneeHarris-Intertype Corporation
InventorArthur Albert Knopp
Life of this patent
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AssigneeHarris-Intertype Corporation
InventorArthur Albert Knopp
Estimating the term…
A hopper loader delivers a shingled stream of signatures to a hopper from which the signatures are fed. The hopper loader apparatus is portable and comprises a generally horizontal first conveyor belt section for receiving an array of side-abutted signatures on edge. The apparatus also includes an inclined second conveyor belt section for engaging the side of the signatures and for feeding the signatures from the array in an overlapped stream toward the hopper. The apparatus includes a means for adjusting the speed of the first belt section relative to the second belt section. Also the apparatus includes a presser belt construction which cooperates with the inclined section for pressing on the signatures to provide a sufficient frictional force between the belts and the signatures so that the signatures will be properly moved up the inclined belt section. In addition, a blower is utilized to provide a separating action to facilitate separation of the signatures in the array and to blow the top edge of the signatures toward the inclined belt. The conveyor belt sections are controlled in response to a pile height sensor which is located in the hopper. A suitable control is provided for sensing when the amount of signatures on the first belt section is depleted to a predetermined minimum and when such a minimum supply of signatures on the first belt section is sensed, the hopper loader mechanism is deactivated.
Apparatus for delivering a shingled stream of signatures to a hopper from which the signatures are fed, said apparatus comprising a generally horizontal first conveyor belt section for receiving an array of said-abutted signatures on edge, means for supporting said array of signatures in side-abutted on-edge condition on said first conveyor belt section, an inclined second conveyor belt section for engaging the side of the signatures and for feeding the signatures from the array in an overlapped stream toward the hopper, said inclined second conveyor belt section being inclined upwardly and away from said generally horizontal first conveyor belt section, sensor means for sensing the amount of signatures in the hopper and for actuating said first and second conveyor belt sections when the signatures in the hopper are less than a predetermined height, means for establishing a controlled amount of overlap of the signatures in said stream on said inclined second conveyor belt section comprising means for at least assisting in breaking the signatures from the on edge side-abutted condition away from the remaining signatures and for forcing said signatures against said inclined second conveyor belt section and means for adjusting the speed of said first conveyor belt section relative to said second conveyor belt section, and means for maintaining the established degree of overlap of the signatures on said inclined second conveyor belt section comprising presser means which engage the upper side of the signatures and hold the signatures against the inclined second conveyor belt section in the established overlap condition as they move up said inclined second conveyor belt section.
Apparatus for delivering a stream of signatures to a hopper from which signatures are fed, said apparatus comprising a first conveyor belt section for receiving a stack of signatures, means for supporting signatures on edge on said first conveyor, means for driving said first conveyor belt section, a second conveyor belt section for feeding the signatures in an overlapped stream into the hopper, means for driving said second conveyor belt section at a speed in excess of said first conveyor belt section, sensor means for sensing the amount of signatures in said hopper and for activating said first and second conveyor belt sections when the supply of signatures in the hopper reaches a predetermined minimum, and means for sensing when the amount of signatures stacked upon said first conveyor belt section reaches a predetermined minimum for stopping and disabling further actuation of said conveyor belt sections in response to said sensor means in said hopper.
Apparatus for delivering a shingled stream of signatures to a hopper from which the signatures are fed, said apparatus comprising a generally horizontal first conveyor belt section for receiving an array of side-abutted signatures on edge, a second conveyor belt section for feeding the signatures in an overlapped stream into the hopper, means for driving said second conveyor belt section at a speed in excess of said first conveyor belt section, sensor means for sensing the amount of signatures in said hopper and for activating said first and second conveyor belt sections when the supply of signatures in the hopper reaches a predetermined minimum, means at one end of said apparatus for adjusting the speed of said first conveyor belt section relative to said second conveyor belt section, presser belts which engage the upper side of the signatures as they move along said second conveyor belt section, and means at one end of said hopper loader for adjusting the position of said presser belts along said second conveyor belt section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.