Back to results
US 6,042,108 AGranted
Zero feed interrupt sheet stacker
OwnerRobert A. Morgan, George L. Matlock +1inventors
InventorsRobert A. Morgan, George L. Matlock, Lynn T. Beckwith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A zero feed interrupt sheet stacker conveying an uninterrupted stream of sheets in which a sheet accumulator catches holds and deposits a stack of sheets upon a load receiving device. The accumulator includes a curtain which is extended into the stream of sheets at a selected point between two sheets. The curtain type apparatus provides a platform in which the portion of the platform in contact with the carried sheets does not move relative to the sheet while it is extending, during holding, or during retraction of the platform.
Claims14
A zero feed interrupt sheet stacker comprising:
- a. conveyor means delivering an uninterrupted stream of sheets, each having a leading edge, from an upstream receiving end to a downstream delivery end wherein said sheets free fall in an uninterrupted stream in a downwardly arcuate path;
- b. load receiving means for receiving said sheets at a first location;
- c. sheet accumulator means mounted beneath said conveyor means and below said delivery end of said conveyor means and above said load receiving means movable between a retracted position out of said downwardly uninterrupted stream of sheets and an extended position temporarily receiving said stream of sheets;
- d. backstop means mounted downstream and below said downstream delivery end of said conveyor restraining the forward motion of said sheets;
- and
- e. said sheet accumulator means having a rapid deployment extension and retraction platform assembly having a variable area supporting platform including a moving leading edge member selectively extending into said stream of falling sheets between selected sheets in said stream and engaging and supporting a sheet member at approximately the midpoint of said sheet member and continuously engaging and supporting said sheet member until said moving leading edge member approaches said leading edge of said sheet member, said variable area supporting platform providing an increasing supporting platform area as extension increases and said increasing platform area in contact with said sheet member remaining substantially motionless in a horizontal direction relative to said sheet member as said moving leading edge member of said platform assembly extends into said stream of falling sheets toward said backstop means and accumulate thereon, and said platform assembly selectively retracting from said stream of falling sheets providing in a horizontal direction a non-moving decreasing support area relative to said accumulated sheets in contact with said platform area during retraction of said platform assembly from said accumulated sheets on said sheet accumulator means and depositing said sheets on said load receiving means.
3 more elements
A zero feed interrupt sheet stacker comprising:
- a. conveyor means delivering an uninterrupted stream of sheets from an upstream receiving end to a downstream delivery end wherein said sheets descend in a spaced and uninterrupted stream;
- b. load receiving means for receiving said sheets;
- c. sheet accumulator means mounted below said delivery end of said conveyor means and above said load receiving means movable between a retracted position out of said downwardly uninterrupted stream of sheets and an extended position temporarily receiving said stream of sheets;
- d. means restraining the forward motion of said sheets after exiting said downstream delivery end of said conveyor means;
- and
- e. said sheet accumulator means having a rapid deployment extension and retraction platform assembly having a variable area supporting platform including a moving leading edge member selectively extending into said stream of descending sheets between selected sheets in said stream providing an increasing supporting platform area as extension increases and said increasing platform area in contact with a sheet member remaining substantially motionless in a horizontal direction relative to said sheet member as said moving leading edge member of said platform assembly extends into said stream of falling sheets and accumulate thereon, and said platform assembly selectively retracting from said stream of descending sheets providing in a horizontal direction a non-moving decreasing support area relative to said accumulated sheets in contact with said platform area during retraction of said platform assembly from said accumulated sheets on said sheet accumulator means and depositing said sheets on said load receiving means.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.