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US 5,612,984 AGranted
Sheet counting
AssigneePelcombe Limited
InventorsGraham D. Fuller, Martin G. Snook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneePelcombe Limited
InventorsGraham D. Fuller, Martin G. Snook
Estimating the term…
A rotor (10) for use in a counter to count the number of sheets in a stack has a number of transfer grooves (13), leading generally helically from the upper surface (11) to the lower surface (12) of the rotor (10). Each groove (13) has a number of suction ports (15) communication through internal passageways in the disc to a source of low pressure, to draw the next sheet in a stack to be counted into the transfer groove. The rotor also defines a reject slot (32) and in a finger (23) overlying part of the rotor surface leading into the transfer groove (13), there are further ports (25), to which suction is applied in a timed relationship to rotor rotation. If the rotor should pick-up two overlying sheets, suction through the further ports (25) will separate the two sheets and the upper sheet will be rejected out of the reject slot (32) to be counted on the next count cycle, whilst the lower sheet continues into the transfer groove (13), to be counted normally.
A rotor for counting the number of sheets in a stack by engaging an edge region of the stack and rotating the rotor to separate an edge portion of each sheet in turn from the stack and to transfer the separated edge portion through a transfer groove to the other side of the rotor, there being at least one suction port in the rotor and through which air is drawn in a timed relationship to rotor rotation to assist the separation from the stack of the next sheet edge portion to be counted, wherein the rotor is provided with at least one further port through which air is drawn during rotation of the rotor which further port is arranged on the opposite side of the transfer groove to said suction port, whereby should two adjacent sheet edge portions be simultaneously separated together from the stack and be lifted by said suction port, suction through the further port will lift the edge portion of the second sheet away from the sheet to be counted, to guide said second sheet edge portion away from the transfer groove for counting on a subsequent count cycle.
A method of rejecting one of two sheets drawn simultaneously towards the transfer groove of a rotor for counting the number of sheets in a stack by engaging an edge region of the stack and rotating the rotor to separate an edge portion of each sheet in turn from the stack and to transfer the separated edge portion through a transfer groove to the other side of the rotor, there being at least one suction port in the rotor and through which air is drawn in a timed relationship to rotor rotation to assist the separation from the stack of the next sheet edge portion to be counted, in which method air is drawn through a further port on the side of the transfer groove opposed to said suction port so as to draw a second, mis-fed sheet away from a first, properly-fed sheet, and then to guide said second sheet through a reject groove back to the stack, for counting on a subsequent count cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.