US 6,086,061 AGranted

Automatic product loader for use with sheet feeders

AssigneeMultifeeder Technology, Inc.

InventorsArild Vedoy, Mark Nordling, Neal F. Nordling

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Abstract

An automatic product loader adapted for loading flat sheet products into a hopper of a friction sheet feeder, upon demand, and includes a frame that adjustably supports a horizontal bed that can readily be elevated and lowered as well as be longitudinally shifted in a forward and rearward direction. The bed supports the upper flight of at least one endless belt. Also supported on the bed on either side of the endless belt run are vertically extending side guide plates. The forward edges of the side guide plates are slotted so as to receive the rear edges of the side guides defining the hopper of the friction sheet feeder so that there will be no edge or shoulder at the transition on which a sheet product might catch and become skewed. Photoeyes are used to control the automatic product loaders drive motor based upon the level of sheet products in the friction feeder's hopper.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An automatic product loader adapted for loading flat sheet products into a hopper of a friction sheet feeder, upon demand, the sheet feeder being of the type having front guides and a pair of spaced-apart vertical side plates defining said hopper, comprising:

(a) a frame supporting an elongated, generally horizontal bed at an elevation that is adjustable relative to a floor surface, the bed having a rear end and a forward end;
(b) at least one endless belt having an upper and a lower flight, the upper flight supported by the bed and adapted to move the flat sheet products there along;
(c) means for driving the endless belt with the upper flight of the endless belt moving in a forward direction toward said hopper;
and
(d) first and second elongated side guide members adjustably mounted on and projecting vertically upward from the bed on opposite sides of the endless belt, each of the side guide members having a forward edge adapted to engage a rear edge of the vertical side plate of the sheet feeder without a sheet product engaging transition.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.