Back to results
US 6,234,473 B1Granted
Zero feed interrupt sheet stacker
AssigneeMartin Family Trust
InventorsRobert A. Morgan, Lynn T. Beckwith, George L. Matlock
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.
Claims13
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 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 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;
- 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, and a rack member connected to said leading edge member, said leading edge member selectively extending into said stream of falling 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 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;
- f. power means operatively connected to and selectively extending and retracting said platform assembly;
- and
- g. control means operatively connected to said power means rapidly extending said rack member and said leading edge member of said platform assembly to a first intermediate position in contact with a selected sheet identified as the first sheet to be accumulated on said platform assembly;
- extending said platform assembly at a reduced rate to a second position outwardly of said first position;
- and extending said platform assembly at a decelerating rate to said extended position outwardly from said second position;
- and wherein said sheets on said conveyor means are shingled, and said control means and power means are operative to extend said leading edge roller of said platform assembly between selected sheets descending from said delivery end of said conveyor.
8 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, wherein said leading edge member is formed with a curvilinear edge, and said platform assembly includes a curtain member engaging said leading edge member, said curtain member having a first end and a second end, said platform assembly having means fixedly attaching said first end of said curtain and scrolling means attached to said second end for spirally winding said curtain, and said scrolling means is a cylindrical take up roll onto which said curtain member can be wound, and said platform assembly includes a curtain tension motor operatively connected to said scrolling means so that when said curtain tension motor is operating it turns said cylindrical take up roll in a direction that winds said curtain onto said cylindrical take up roll.
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 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 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 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 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, wherein said leading edge member is formed with a curvilinear edge, and said platform assembly includes a curtain member engaging said leading edge member, said curtain member having a first end and a second end, said platform assembly having means fixedly attaching said first end of said curtain and scrolling means attached to said second end for spirally winding said curtain, and said scrolling means is a cylindrical take up roll onto which said curtain member can be wound, and said platform assembly includes a curtain tension motor operatively connected to said scrolling means so that when said curtain tension motor is operating it turns said cylindrical take up roll in a direction that winds said curtain onto said cylindrical take up roll.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.