GB716791A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for use in separating sheets - Google Patents

Abstract

716,791. Feeding sheets. LINOTYPE & MACHINERY, Ltd. Sept. 2, 1952 [June 6, 1951], No. 13416/51. Class 100 (1) Sheet-separators.-To ensure that only one sheet is separated at a time from a pile of sheets, a suction separator is used which lifts a sheet from the pile and rapidly vibrates the sheet. As shown, the suction foot is a hollow piston 1 which slides in an inner cylinder 3b which communicates through ports 10, 11 with an outer cylinder 3a joined to a source of suction through a pipe 6. A closure plate 7 has an extension 8 which forms a guide for the lower end of the piston 1, and a compression spring 13 is arranged between the plate and a head 12 on the piston to urge the latter inwardly of the cylinder 3b. When the space 2 in the cylinder 3b is evacuated, the piston 1 is drawn downwardly until it engages a sheet s. Since the head 12 has a slight clearance in the cylinder 3b, the sheet will seal the end of the piston, and the latter will rise with the sheet adhering thereto until a port 14 in the piston registers with a port 15 to atmosphere. At this stage, the sheet is stripped off the piston by a flange 9 on the extension 8. The sheet then drops from the piston, since the vacuum circuit is broken by ports 14, 15. The piston is again pulled downwardly as before, and the cycle of operations is repeated. The cycle operates at high speed and results in rapid vibrations of the sheet. Several such separators may be used, and the sheet may be further separated and forwarded to a printing-machine by any suitable gripping mechanism.