US 4,099,712 AGranted

Automatic sheet handling apparatus

OwnerMerrill D. Martininventor

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Abstract

In the automatic conveyor system for conveying corrugated cardboard sheets from a sheet making machine, the sheets are delivered to a right angle roller conveyor to change the direction of the travel of the sheets at right angles to the delivery from the sheet making machine; a transfer conveyor receives the sheets from the right angle conveyor and transfers the sheets to a stacker conveyor, at the stacker end of which latter the sheets are stacked. A back-up aligning device facing toward the direction from which the sheets are delivered from the sheet making machine is adjustable in accordance with the size of sheets. Above the transfer conveyor is a snubber with predetermined relation to the sheets thereon, and means are provided to adjust the snubber conveyor also in accordance with the size of the sheets. At the stacker end of the stacker conveyor are back-stops against which the sheets abut to be aligned in the stack. Means are provided for adjusting the distance of the back-stops from the stacker end of the stack or conveyor in accordance with the respective dimension of the sheets. At the stacker end of the conveyor there are also aligning means provided for the side edges of the sheets and means are provided for adjusting the distance between the side aligners on the side corresponding to the back-up alignment, also in accordance with the respective dimension of the sheets.

Claims9

Dependent claims

In an apparatus for handling sheets,

a right angle side conveyor conveying the sheets at an angle from the direction from which the sheets are delivered thereon,
a stacker conveyor for stacking the sheets delivered from said right angle side conveyor,
a side back-up device for aligning sheets on said side conveyor,
means to support said back-up device above said side conveyor facing toward the direction from which the sheets are delivered to said right angle side conveyor,
adjusting means for moving said back-up device toward to and away from said direction of delivery of sheets according to the length of sheets for stopping and aligning the sheets,
back-stops spaced from the stacker end of the stacker conveyor for stopping and aligning the sheets into a stack,
support means on said stacker conveyor adjustably to support said back stops relatively to said stacker end,
speed and position programmer for controlling the speed of said conveyors and the position of said back-up device and back-stop spacing,
a programmed controller for operating said adjusting means,
pre-setting means to set said speed and position programmer to the respective dimensions of said sheets,
means to translate the pre-setting to said programmed control and to said adjusting means for the adjusting movements of said back-up device and said supports for the back-stops,
means to sense the relative location of said back-up device relatively to said right angle side conveyor,
means to sense the relative location of said back-stops relatively to the stacking end of the stacker conveyor,
and means to translate the location sensed by said sensing means to said programmed controller for comparing the movement of said adjusting means with the pre-set dimensions.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/771,845Filed 25 Feb 1977
Granted: 11 Jul 1978
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B65H 29/16
Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles: by contact of one face only with moving tapes, bands, or chains
B65H 29/58
Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles: article switches or diverters
B65H 31/36
Apparatus for squaring-up piled articles: auxiliary devices for contacting each article with a front stop as it is piled
B65H 2301/33
Orientation, displacement, position of the handled material: modifying, selecting, changing orientation