US2882659A - Stack transfer and bottom wrapper insertion unit - Google Patents

Description

April 1959 H. E. DANIELS 2,882,659

STACK TRANSFER AND BOTTOM WRAPPER INSERTION UNIT Filed Jan. 13, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N V EN TOR. fifwfir f DAN/15 BY KMXM Ap 1959 H. E. DANIELS I I 2,882,659

STACK TRANSFER AND BOTTOM WRAPPER INSERTION UNIT Filed Jm. 13, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 flm M Maw April 21, 1959 v H. DANIELS 2,882,659

' STACK TRANSFER AND BOTTOM WRAPPER INSERTION UNIT Filed Jan; 13, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 r f 4 TH -7 INVENTOR. flf/eaf/er f DAM/51s BYWMJM,

HIE. DANIELS April 21, 1959 ,STACK TRANSFER AND BOTTOM WRAPPER INSERTION um'r Filed Jan. 13, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet .4

2,882,659 STACK TRANSFER AND BOTTOM WRAPPER INSERTION UNIT Filed Jan. 13, 1955 V H. E. DANIELS April 21, 1959 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR. flmesmr E M/V/HS BY fizz/v: ,2 42min,

April 21, 1959 H. E. DANIELS STACK TRANSFER AND BOTTOM WRAPPER INSERTION UNIT Filed Jan. 13, 1955 9 Shets-Sheet 6 Tim. E

INVENTOR- I flf/eamr f p/i/V/ZZS April 21, 1959 DANlELs 7 2,882,659

STACK 'IRANSFER AND BOTTOM WRAPPER INSERTION UNIT Filed Jan. 13 1955 V am I 7 11/11/1 11? 1 1 E INVENTOR. fizzamr f. flaw/15 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 April 1959 H. E. DANIELS 2,882,659

STACK TRANSFER AND BOTTOM WRAPPER INSERTION UNIT Filed Jan. 13, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 3 1W HIIU. 7 mm u I IIHVQ' HW r'o me $90 INVENTOR. flmsfzr 5 249/545 BY MM}, MW

United rates Patent siAoKTR' MANSFER: AND BOTTOM WR 'APFE'R INSERTION UNIT Herhert'E'Daniels, Orange, NJL, assignor to The Jampol Company, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.,' a corporation ofiNeW York ApplicationJanuai-y is, 1955, Serial No. 481,568 19' clams. 01.53 14 This'invention relatesto newspaper mailroom handling equipment and particularly to a stack transfer and bottom wrapper insertion unit for stacks of folded newspapers.

In newspaper mailro-oms the assembled newspaper s newspaper; practice, particularly in the larger cities, have resulted in :a continual -increase"in the demandsimade' upon the production schedules in newspaper mailrooms.

Theincreased demands niade upon newspaper mailrooms haveled to-the utilization of improved stack handling machinery, such-as power operated conveyors and automatic stack tying machines, all of which are designed to reduce the manual handling=operations required for conventional mailroom processing and to generally in-' crease the speed and efliciency of the flow of "stacks of newspapers therethrough.

Recent general fe machineryldesign ed-to receive the assembled and folded newspapers from conveyors, form the same into stacks predeter'minedsize or Weight and to place the same in a predetermined positional relationship upona suitable conveyor exiting therefrom. mailroom installations, the capacity of the existing automatic wire tying machines'is sufficient to handle the output of several stacker unitswhether of the more recent automatie type or the more conventional manually operated units. However, present-day practice requires'the manual insertionof protective coverings, i.e. bottom wrap pers, underneath the stack intermediate the stacker units Thispdue to the weight and the wire tying, machines. of the st ack" and its susceptibility to collapse in untied condition, is a relatively arduous and trying job at'best and generalrnarkedly limits the speed and efficiency of theg eneral flow r stacksof newspapers througha newspaper l n ailr qbn l.

This invention maybe hriefly described as an automatic newspaper'sta'ck transfer' and bottom wrapper insertion unit particularlyadapted for use in association with'auto-' maticstacking aiid wire"tyihg'machinery wherein astackof" newspapers, received in a predetermined positional relationship, is supplied with a protective bottom wrapper while being maintained in stack introduced in a'pi'edetermined' latio'n'ship upon conveyormean unit. Anion'g"'tlieadvantages' presentinventien permitting of completely "auto In handling of stacksoffnewspapefs-"in theirffiow no form and is subsequently and proper positional redevelop'nients have indicated the utility and asibility of the utilization of automatic stacking In most of the modern s i' i H t ir ty n attendant the use of the 2,882,659 Patented Apr; 21 1959 2" automatic handling: machinery a practicalreality posi tive shaping of a'stack of newspapers undergoing processing both before, during-and'after bottom wrapper inser tion; and automatic timed delivery of the bottom'wrapper' protected stack in proper positional relationship for subsequent operations thereon.

An object of this invention is the provision of an auto matic stack transfer and bottom wrapper insertion unit for newspaper mailrooms. M e 7 Other objects and advantagesof this invention willbe' pointed out in the followingdisclosure'and' claims and will be illustrated in the accompanying drawings which describe, by way of example, the principles of the invention and the presently preferred embodiment of the stack: transfer and bottom wrapper insertion unit incorporat ing those principles;

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of the disposition of theinvention in the general flow system in amodeIn day' newspaper mailroom; V i

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the unit as viewed from the'lines 2-2 on Fig land Fig. 3;

Figs' 2A and 2B are details of the mounting of the arresting plate for the stack delivery stationB; Fig. 3 is an elevational view taken on the line 3'3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4- -4 'of a. Fig. 4A is a plan view of a detail of a portion of the control mechanism;

Fig. 5 isa sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 isa sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of i:

Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a"sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of Fig. 6;

Fig, 8 is "a sectional view taken on the1ine8 8 of Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the'line 9--9 of Fig. 8; V I I V v I V v Fig. 10 is-asectional view"taken on' the line 10 -10 of Fig.9;

Fig. 11 is a seetionalview taken on the linen-1i of Fig. 10; a n V n Fig. 12-'is* a'sectional view taken on theline 12-12 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view'takenon the line' 13- -13 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 14 isa view similar to that of Fig. 13 but showing the positioning of the illustrated elements thereof at another portio-n-of the cycle of operation;

Fig. 15 is a schematic circuit diagramfor the control" system.

As generally set forth above, the automatic stack transfer and bottom Wrapper insertion unit forming the sub-ff ject matter of this invention is particularly adapted for" utilization in association with other automatic handling units in newspaper mailrooms in order to render the utili'-' zation of the full capacity of 'said automatic units a practical reality and to greatly increase the -speed and efiiciency of the flow of stacks of newspapers through the mailroom. Fig. 1 shows, in general and in schematic form, the positioning of 'the stack transfer and bottom wrapper insertion unit in the general fiow'system in a modern newspaper mailroom." Referring to the draw? ing," the assembledgand folded :newspapers enter a mail rooni at a rate of up; t o 60,000 per-hour by meansof" conventional Cutler Hammer dispatch conveyors 10 and are introduced into stacker units '12;'*wh'erein 'theyare formed into stacks of predetermined number or'weight. As mentionedabove, recent advancesin'the' stacker art have re sulted in the development of automatic stacker units which receive the papers from the conveyors and automatically form them into stacks of predetermined number or weight. Utilization of such automatic stacker units results in a great increase in the possible number of stacks formed per unit of time and also consequently permits an increase in the load to be handled by the subsequent processing units if the full capacity of said automatic stackers is to be utilized.

The output of the stacker units 12, in the form of stacks of newspapers of predetermined number or weight, appears on the delivery conveyors 14 positioned so that the long axis of the stacked newspapers is disposed generally parallel to the center line of the delivery conveyor 14 as indicated by the dotted lines 16 representing a stack of papers. The stacks of papers are adapted to be transported by the delivery conveyor 14 to the automatic stack transfer and bottom wrapper insertion unit, generally designated 18, forming the subject matter of this invention. In general, in the stack transfer and bottom wrapper insertion unit 18, receipt of a stack of newspapers 16 against the arresting plate 20 results in actuation of a ram 22. Actuation of the ram 22 effects a displacement of the stack at right angles to its previous direction of motion over the bottom wrapper insertion unit. 24 which effects the disposition of a bottom wrapper beneath the stack. It should be noted that the abutting of the stack against the plate 20 and the consequent right angular displacement thereof by actuation of the ram 22 effects an automatic squaring up of the stack on the two sequentially engaged surfaces thereof. The displacement of the stack under the action of the ram 22 is terminated by the stack, now riding upon a bottom wrapper, abutting the arresting plate 26. The engagement of the arresting plate 26 by the stack 16 results in severing of the bottom wrapper material from the supply thereof and in actuation of a second ram 28. Actuation of the second ram 28 effects a displacement of the stack 16 onto the main feederconveyor 32 with the stack positioned thereon so that the long axis of the stack is disposed substantially transversely to the longitudinal center line of said feeder conveyor 32. As will be explained in detail later, the discharge of the stack from the stack transfer and bottom wrapper insertion unit 18 is effected in such a manner as to result in the introduction of the stack on the feeder conveyor 32 with a minimum of skewing, it beingkept in mind that the feeder conveyor is moving in a direction at right angles to the direction of entry of the stack 16 thereon. It should also be noted that the abutting of the stack against the arresting plate 26 and the consequent right angular displacement thereof by the action of the ram 28 effects a further and automatic squaring up of the stack on the two sequentially engaged surfaces thereof, which, together with the previously described squaring operation, results in a positive squaring of the stack by engagement of all four of the surfaces thereof. The feeder conveyor 32 serves to convey the stacks 16 in a predetermined positional relationship to a wire tying unit 34 of conventional construction operating in associatron with a feeder mechanism 36 of the type described in US. Patent No. 2,630,750. The introduction of the stacks into the wire tying unit 34 results in the automatic tying of the stacks after insertion of a top wrapper thereover. The finished stacks are then displaced along a conveyor 38 and are routed by a suitable conveyor system mto the delivery trucks for distribution to newsdealers.

In certain types of operation it may be desirable to use a smgle wire tying unit 34 to accommodate the output of severalstacker units 12 although in most instances a single wire tying unit 34 will operate in conjunction with a single stacker. In any event a possible arrangement is such as shown in Fig. 1 wherein a plurality of stacker units 12 and stack transfer and bottom wrapperinsertion units 18 are arranged to feed a common feeder conveyor 32. In such a multiple unit system it is imperative that the stacks delivered from the various stacker and bottom wrapper insertion units 18 be introduced onto the common feeder conveyor 32 in timed relation and with a minimum amount of skewing as the space thereon is limited in nature. These difiiculties, of course, increase with the greater the number of units arranged to feed into a common feeder conveyor 32.

Turning now to the details of the presently preferred embodiment of the transfer and bottom wrapper unit as illustrated in the drawings, and referring first to Fig. 4, the unit may be considered as including a stack receivingstation or locality, generally designated as A, a stack delivery station or locality, generally designated as B, and

, an intermediate bottom wrapper insertion station, generally designated C. As explained earlier, a stack of papers 16 is adapted to be advanced along an entry conveyor 14 and is introduced into the stack receiving station A. A stack 16 so introduced is then transferred across the bottom wrapper insertion station C and introduced into the stack delivery station B from which it is delivered onto the main feeder conveyor 32 leading to the wire tying unit.

For the purpose of convenience the major components of the unit, as set forth above, will be separately described, and will be followed by a detailed description of the electrical control system associated therewith.

The stack receiving station Referring to Figs. 2 to 5, the stack receiving station A is supported by a steel beam framework which includes the vertically disposed supporting members 40, 42 and 44. Mounted on the supporting members is a horizontally disposed stack transfer plate 50, the surface of which err-- tends over the stack receiving station A and the bottom wrapper insertion station C. The stack transfer plate 50, within the area thereof included within the stack receiving station A, is provided with a plurality of elongated rectangular apertures 52 through which protrude a portion of the peripheries of a plurality of spaced rollers 54 disposed at right angles to the path of travel ofthe incoming stack of papers 16. The rollers 54 are positioned so that the exposed peripheral portions thereof are positioned slightly above the surface of the stack transfer plate 50 so that rotation of said rollers 54 may be utilized to advance a stack of papers disposed therein. The rollers 54 are supported at their extremities by the horizontally disposed frame members 56 and 58 disposed beneath the stack transfer plate 50 and are further provided, at the end thereof remote from the bottom wrapper insertion station C, with individual extending drive sprockets 60. The rollers 54 are positively driven by means of a drive chain 64 disposed in engagement with a drive sprocket 66 mounted on the shaft 68 of an electric motor 62. The electric motor 62 is mounted beneath the transfer plate 50 on a suitable supporting frame generally designated 78 which preferably is made adjustable so that the desired degree of tension in the drive chain 64 may be maintained. 70 is merely a guiding idler sprocket.

Positioned at the side of the stack receiving station A remote from the point of entry of a stack thereto is a vertically disposed stack arresting plate 72 which serves to arrest the forward motion of an incoming stack of papers 16. As shown in the drawings, the stack arresting plate 72 is mounted on a vertically disposed arresting plate supporting shaft 74 rotatably mounted in suitable lugs such as extending from the supporting frame members.

As shown in detail in Fig. 4A, the arresting plate 72 is yieldingly biased in a clockwise direction by a spring 82. Mounted on the plate 72 adjacent the shaft 74 is an extending arm 84 positioned to actuate, upon displacement thereof, a control rnicroswitch L-l. Receipt of a stack of papers in the stack receiving station A and the engagement of said arresting plate 72 thereby under the action of the rollers 54 results in a slight counterclockwise rotative' displacement" of said arresting plate 72 about its supporting shaft 74. This counterclockwise displacementpalthough very slight, and limited by a stop 76, serv'e's'torotatably displace the arm 84 and to actuatethe control microswitch L-l. As described above, the control microswitch L1 is actuated by the presence'of a stack of papers 16 in the stack receiving station" The actuation thereof, as will be explainedin' de'tail"at a'later point'in this specification, performs a control func tion relative tothe transfer of said stack from the 'receiv-' ing station A' to the stack delivery station B. The above described and illustrated mounting of the stack arresting plate 72 permits the same to function to arrest an ad"- vancing stack of papers 16 in the stack receiving sta tion'A-arid to perform an additional control function for the unit as a'whole.

Disposed above the rollers 54 a sufiicient distance to clear the same and positioned'perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis thereof and in substantial alignment with the edg'e'82 of the'conveyor 14 is a vertically disposed" ram plate 100 adapted to displace stacks of paper 16 from the stack receiving stationA to the stack delivery station B; As the ram plate 100 must move'in a direction so as'to advance a stack of papers disposed in the" stack receiving station A into compressive engagement with an arresting plate in the stack delivery station B with the stack riding on the transfer plate 50, it is pro-" vided with a pair of' triangularly shaped side members" 102 and 104 respectively. The triangularly shaped side members 102 and l-Mare remotely connected, as at 106" (Fig. 2), to a pair of substantially rectangularly shaped side plates-108and 110 disposed on the" outer sides'of the frame members supporting the transfer plate 50. Each-of the side'plates 108 and 110 have mounted there onia pair ofinwardly' disposed support rollers 112. The support rollers 112 are contained within suitable hori zontally disposed channel members 114 and 116 which form a portion of the supporting frame, and thereby both guide and support the vertically disposed ram plate 100 and the above described supporting members therefor during its reciprocation.

Mounted on the inner side of the side plate 1 1 (Fig.' isanactuating track 98 suitably positioned to engage" a control'microswitch L-6 mounted on the underside of the frame member 96 defining the channel 114 when ever the vertical ram plate 100 is disposed beyond the end of' the transfer plate when advancing a stack of papers into the stack delivery station E. The microswitch L-6 performs a control function for the mecha-' nism utilized to sever the bottom Wrapper material as will be explained in detail at a later point in this specification.

The reciprocation of the vertically disposedram plate to effect displacement of a stack of papers disposed in the stack receiving station A to the stack delivery station- B iseffected through the actuation of an air cylinder 118 suitably mounted on the support frame and, as illustrated, disposed beneath the drive motor 62 for the rollers 54. The piston rod 120 of the air cylin der 118 is pivotally connected, as at 122, to a lever'arm 124. The fixed end of the lever arm 124 is pivotally mounted on the lugs 126 fixedly secured to the base of the unit. The free end 128 of the lever arm 124 is pivotally connected to a hinge pin 130 mounted at one end of a bifurcated link member 132. The other end of the bifurcated link member 132 is pivotally connected, as at 134 and 136 to the'rear end of the side plates 108 andlll) respectively. p

In operation of the unit, actuation of the air'cylinder 118 results in displacement of the pistonrod120thereof in aleftward direction as illustrated in Fig. 2. Displacementofthe piston rod120results in a pivotal displacement of the lever arm 124 about thelug 126 and'ejventual assumptionthereof, at'the limit of the stroke, of a position in" the vicinity ofthe-dotted lines on Fig. 2; The

1 rod' 120 resultsin a return-of'the ram plate 100 to" its starting or restposition: In operationof the unit it is desiredtliat thelength of stroke of the ram plate 100 be such" as to eff ect a compression of the delivered stack against a suitably positioned arresting plate in the stack delivery station B for positive positioning and alignment of the'stack. Consequently, it is'highly" desirable to be able to adjustably determine the limit of the stroke and to provide for positive retraction of the-ram plate 100 to its rest'position. As best shownih Figs} 2 a nd'S the lever arm'124 is provided with an actuat' ing arrh 140 adapted to actuate adjustably positioned con trol'micr'osw'it'ch L-5 mounted onthe base of the unit adjacent the lugs 1261 As Will be described in detail later, actuation of the control microswitch L-5 serves'to limit the length of stroke of the ram plate 100 and to initiate the retraction of the same from its advanced position. v I

Thestack delivery station Referririg initially to Figs. 2 to 4, the stack delivery station B'includes' a horizontally disposed plate member 'positioned in the same plane as the transfer plate Stl'and supported by a plurality of verticallydisposed supportingmembers', such as for example, the member's 152; 154,156,158; and 162.

Pivotally mounted'as at 142 (Fig. 2A) on the rrame members'152 and 154'isa vertically disposed arre'sting' plate l44'positioned so a'sto arrest the'movement of a stack of papers 16 being introduced into the delivery station B by the ram plate 100. Asshowm-the arresting" plate 144is pivotally'mounted adjacent its upper extremity and its lower endi's yieldingly biased out o'fen'gag'e'n'te'rit with the frame members 152 and 154 by a biasing spring 146. Mounted on the frame member 154 and positioned to be actuated'by the displacement of the arresting plate 144 resulting from contact with a stack of papers 16 introduced into the stack delivery station B by theram plate 100, are three control microswitches L-2,-L-7 and L-9,.respectively. The control microswitches L-2, L -7 arid L-9 are thus all-responsive to the presence ofal stack of papers 16 in the stack delivery station'B and the control function's'perf ormed thereby will be described in detail at a later point in this specification.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, 13 and 14, disposed above the plate member 150 defining the stack delivery station B and mounted upon the vertically disposed support members'152; 158,160 and 162 is a horizontally dis" posed supporting plate 164. Perpendicularly mounted on the supporting plate 164 are a pair of vertically disposed supporting plates 166 and 168' on top of which is mounted'an air cylinder 170. The piston rod 172 of the air cylinder'170 is connected to a rack 174 disposed between the vertically disposed and spaced apart supporting plates166' and' 1 63. The rack 174 is disposed in operative engagement with a pinion 176 mounted on a shaft 178'that'is rotatably supported by said vertically disposed supporting plates 166 and 168 The shaft 178 extends outwardly beyond the supporting plates l66 and- 168 and secured to each of said extending portions is oneend of a rocker arm 180. The other ends of the rocker arms 180 are secured to link'members 182 which in turn are connectedtothe horizontally disposed support members'184 a'n'd"186 forthev'ertically disposeddelivery ramplate 188 suspende'd'ther'efrom. The support members" areprov'ided with rollers 190 which "are contained within theextendin'g channel'me'nibers" 192 and 194 and serve 7 to guide, support and position the suspended delivery ram plate 188 during the reciprocation thereof.

The reciprocation of the suspended delivery ram plate 188 to effect a displacement of a stack of papers disposed in the stack delivery station B is effected through actuation of the air cylinder 170. With the parts positioned as illustrated in Fig. 13, actuation of the air cylinder 170 results in a displacement of the piston rod 172 thereof to the right. The displacement of the piston rod 172 results in a similar displacement of the rack 174 secured thereto, and in a clockwise rotation of the pinion 176 in engagement therewith. Rotation of the pinion 176 results in a rotative displacement of the rocker arms 180 which, through the links 182, is translated into horizontal displacement of the support members 184 and 186 and the delivery ram plate 188 suspended therefrom. Retraction of the piston rod 172, in a similar manner, results in retraction of the delivery ram plate 188. It should be noted that the above arrangement provides a form of harmonic motion wherein a constant speed of rotation of the rocker arms 180 through a 180 degree displacement thereof effects a varying speed of displacement, in the nature of a sine function, for the linear speed of the delivery ram plate 188 with the maximum speed thereof being effected when the rocker arms 180 have been displaced 90 degrees from their rest position. This variation in speed of the delivery ram plate 188 is of decided utility as will be explained later in this specification.

The horizontal displacement of the support member 186 is also utilized to perform a control function in the operation of the machine. As shown in Fig. 13a pair of control microswitches L-3 and L-11 are mounted in the track formed by the channel members 194 and are positioned at the end thereof so as to be actuated when the support member 186 reaches the limit of its stroke. In a similar manner a control microswitch L-S is mounted on the horizontal support member 164 so as to be ac tuated by the rocker arm 180 when the same is positioned as illustrated in Fig. 13 with the delivery ram 188 in retracted position. The control functions of these control microswitches will be described in detail at a later point in this specification.

The bottom wrapper insertion station Referring now to Figs. 2 and 4 through 7, the stack transfer plate 50 is provided with a substantially rectangular aperture 200 having its long dimension disposed perpendicularly to the path of travel of a stack 16 in transit from the stack receiving station A to the stack delivery station B. Disposed beneath the aperture 200 is a freely rotatable bottom wrapper feed roller 202. The feed roller 202 is positioned so that a portion of the periphery thereof extends through said aperture 200 and is located slightly above the surface of the transfer plate 50. Disposed around the roller 202 and with the free end thereof disposed on the top of the transfer plate 50 as at 204 is a web or strip of suitable bottom wrapper material 206 such as brown paper. The web of bottom wrapper material 206 is obtained from a supply roll 208. The supply roll 208 is rotatably mounted at one end of a pair of support arms 210 which are positioned at their midlength by the standards 212 mounted on the vertically disposed frame members 154 and 156, respectively. As illustrated, the arms 210 support a supply roll 208 at each end thereof so that when one of the supply rolls 208 is exhausted, a fresh supply may be conveniently displaced into the feed position. Suitable locking means such as the pin 209 (Fig. 2) are provided to position the support arms relative to the standards 212.

The web of bottom wrapper material 206 is led from the upper supply roll 208 through a pair of snubber bars 214 mounted intermediate the frame members 154 and 156, over a web guide 216 disposed beneath the plate 150 and thence around the feed roll 202 and through the aperture 200 onto the upper surface of the transfer.

plate 50. Means, such as a tension plate 218 pivotally mounted on the frame members 154 and 156 as at 220 are provided to prevent overrunning of the supply roll 208 and to thereby maintain a small amount of back tension in the bottom wrapper material 206 to assure uniform feed and guiding thereof. Similarly, the feed roll 202 is provided with an integral ratchet 220 (Figs. 6 and 7) which is engaged by a pawl 224 so as to permit rotation of the feed roll 202 only in one direction. Associated with the feed roll 202 is an auxiliary pressure roller 226 which maintains the bottom wrapper material 206 in close engagement with the periphery of the roller 202 at all times.

In operation of the unit the displacement of a stack of papers 16 from the stack receiving station A by the ram plate results in said stack being moved over the protruding surface of the feed roll 202. The weight of the stack undergoing displacement and the frictional engagement of the bottom of said stack with the bottom wrapper material 206 disposed on the upper surface of the feed roll 202 will usually be sufficient to cause said strip material to be advanced in conjunction with said advancing stack and to thereby result in an automatic pick up of a length of protective bottom wrapper material 206 as the stack is transferred from the stack receiving station A to the stack delivery station B. If desired, however, the roll 202 may be positively driven as by a suitable rack associated with the advancing ram plate 100 engaging a pinion mounted on the roll 202 in association with a unidirectional clutch mechanism therefor.

After the stack 16 has reached the stack delivery station B and is positioned therein against the arresting plate 144, the advanced length of the bottom wrapper material 206 now disposed beneath the stack must be severed from the remainder of the web. Referring to Figs. 3 and 8 to 12, there is provided a web cutting assembly generally designated 250 which includes a horizontally displaceable mounting member 254 having a circular cutting blade 252 rotatably mounted therein. The cutting blade 252 is positioned so as to be disposed in a track 256 defined by the space intermediate the edge of the stack transfer plate 50 and the plate 150, and it.

is maintained in cutting position within said track by a biasing spring 258 mounted in the arcuate support memher 260. The mounting member 254 is provided with an integral carriage 262 disposed beneath the surface of the stack transfer plate 50 on which are mounted a plurality of rollers 264 adapted to be positioned within a channel 266 defined by the transfer plate 50 and the channel member 265.

The necessary reciprocation of the cutting assembly 250 to sever the advanced portion of the web 206 is effected by an air cylinder 270 mounted on an extending horizontally disposed frame member 272. The piston rod 274 of the air cylinder 270 is connected by chains or cables 276 and 278 running over suitable guide sprockets 280a through 280d to either end of the carriage 262. Actuation of the air cylinder 270 (Fig. 9) results in a displacement of the piston rod 274 to the left. A leftward displacement of the piston rod 274 results in the carriage 262 being displaced to the right intermediate the frame members 162 and 160 due to the action of the chain 278 and the guide sprockets 28012 and 28011. In a similar manner retraction of the piston rod 274 from its extended position results in a return of the cutting blade assembly 250 to its rest position by action of the chain 276 and guide sprockets 280a and 2800. Through the above described structure, reciprocation of the cutting assembly 250 elfectively severs the advanced portion of the bottom wrapper material disposed beneath a stack of newspapers located in the stack delivery station B from the remainder of the web of material 206.

The displacement of the piston rod 274 is also utilized 2 to perform a control function for the machine. .The coni ats's'mooev Control system In the preceding portions of this specification the physical location of the control microswitches L-l through- L11' have been described in detail. Included in the generalcontrol system and in association therewith is an ad ditional control unit in the form of a photoelectric cell control to control the delivery of stacks from the stack delivery station E onto a commonfeeder conveyor 32 when a plurality of stack transfer and bottom wrapper insertion unitsare arranged to feed a commonfeeder conveyor.

Asshownin Fig. 1 there is provided a photocell 300 and a light source 302 therefor arranged so that the beam of light 304 emanating from the light source traverses the portion of the feeder conveyor 32 required for insertion of a stack thereinto. the beam 304 contains any portion of a stack 16, the

beam will, of course, be interrupted and, as explained later, the interruption of the beam is utilized to open a relay to prevent actuation of the delivery ram 188. In addition to performing the above control function, thephotocell 300 also serves as a safety device in' preventing delivery ofa stack if there is any obstructionin its path of travel.

The circuit diagram for the control system associated withthe stack transfer and-bottom wrapper insertionunit forming. the subject matter of this invention is sche-' matically set forth in'Fig. 14. As there illustrated, there is provided a suitable A.C. source 310 connectable to the line 312 through closure of a main switch 314'. A

separate control circuit is provided for each of the air cylinders described above, i.e., the air cylinder 118 for the ramplate lltltl; the air cylinder 170 for the delivery ram plate 188; and the air cylinder 27%) for the cutting assembly 250; Each of the air cylinders is provided with' solenoid actuated valves with-- the actuating: coils forthe solenoid valves being includeddn the illustrated control system.

The control circuit for the air cylinder 118 includes a step-down transformer 316, the secondary of whichin' clude the advance valve solenoid coil 318 connected in' series with the normally open-contacts of control microswitches 'L-El, L-S and L- -l and the normally closed con tacts of control microswitch L-2. As discussed'earlier; the control microswitch Lll is positioned behind the ar resting plate 72 in the stack receiving station A and the contacts thereof will be closed'in response to the displacement of the arresting plate 72 resultingfrom engagement therewith by a stack under the influence of the driven rollers 54; The control microswitch L-2 is disposed b'ehind'thea-rresting plate 144 in the stack delivery station E and is arrangedto be opened by the compressive en-' gagement of a stack with said arresting plate 1441 As such the presence of a stack of papers in the stack delivery station Blwill open the control microswitch L2 and will prevent actuation of the advance valve solenoid coil 318. The control microswitch L-3 is mountedon the supporting plate 164 and is positioned to beclosed by the rocker arm 130 when the delivery ram plate 183' isin itsretra cted position; The normally opencontrol microswitchL- l, as discussed earlier,ispositionedon the supportmember 272 forthe aircylinder 270 and is adapted to be-closed only when the piston rod 274 of said air cylinder is in its retracted position. Through the above described. control circuit itwill be seen that advance valve solenoid. 318- for the air cylinder 118" will be actuated to effect an advance of theram plate 100' If the area traversed by' only when the contacts" of control microswitch L 1: are closed due to the presence ofa stack-in the stack" re ceivin'g station A; t the contacts of" the control microswitch L-2 are in' their normally closed position indicative of the absence of a stack in'the stacl delivery station B; the contacts of control'rriicroswitch L-Sare' closedin' dicativeof the fact that the delivery ram plate'1'88' is in its'retracted' position; and the contacts of'the' control microswitch L+4 are closed indicative of the-fact'that thecutting assembly 250' is in its'rest or retractedposition." Thus only When these operating conditions are satisfied" will the ram plate be actuated to advance a stackfrom the stack receiving-'stationA-to'the stack delivery station B; I

The return valve'solenoid 320 for the air cyli'nder' 118 is connected'iri series withthe normally open con tac'ts'of the control microsWitbhL-S. As discussedean lier, the contacts of the control microswitch L-5- are adapted to be closedonly when'the'lever' arm 124 reaches its limiting position determinative of the length of strokeof the vertical ram plate 100. Through the'abov'e cir cuit, the piston' rod 129 will thus be positively retracted due to energization of the solenoid 320 as soon as the lever arm 124'reaches its limiting position which, as

mentionedabove, isadjustable so as'to effect a desired amount of com'pressi'onof the stack of papers delivered tothe stack delivery. station E against the arresting plate 144 therein.

The control system for the air cylinder includes" a step-down transformer 322, the secondary of which includes the advance solenoid coil 324 connected-in series with the normally open contacts of control micro-switches L-9 and L-10 and the normally closed contacts of a switch member 326- which is responsive to the photoelectric cell 300 disposed adjacent thefeed conveyor 32* and" is arranged to be opened when the presence of a stack of papers in-the area 306 is sensed. As discussed ing plate 144 for the stack delivery station B and the" contacts thereof are adapted to be closed only when astack of papers is disposed against said plate. As such, closure of the contacts of the control microswitch L9' is indicative of the fact that a stack of papers is disposed within the stack delivery station B. Through the above des'crib'edcont'rol circuit it will be seen that the advance valv'e' solenoid 324f0r the air cylinder 170 will beactu'a'ted to effect an advance ofthe delivery ram plate 188 only when a stack is'p'resent in the stack delivery stationv B, the w'eb'of bottom wrapper material has been severed, and the cutting assembly 250 is, in its advanced position, and when there is a space available on the feeder conveyorfor the stack to be delivered from the stack delivery station B. p k

The' return valve solenoid'328 for the air cylinder 170- is" connected in series with the normally open contacts of the control microswitch L- ll. As discussed earlier, the control microswitch L11 is disposed at the end of" the channel members 194 and is'adapted to be closed by the supp'ortmember 186 when the delivery'ra'm 188" isin'its" advanced position. Thus the advance of the delivery ram 188 to'its advanced position results'in closure ofthecontacts ofthe control microswitch L-ll, actuation' of the return' solenoid 328 and a positive return ofthepistont172fof'the air'cylinder'170 to effe-ct a return of the delivery; ram plate 188 toits retracted position.

'I hecontrol'system for the air. cylinder 270 includes assaese a step-down transformer 330, the secondary circuit of which includes the advance valve solenoid 332 connected in series with the normally open contacts of control microswitches L-6 and L-7. As discussed earlier, the control microswitch L-6 is actuated by the timing track 98 disposed on the side member 110 of the ram plate 100. The contacts of the control microswitch L-6 are arranged to be closed only when the ram plate 100 is positioned out of the stack delivery station B which is indicative of the fact that the cutting assembly 250 has an unobstructed path of travel. The control microswitch L-7 is disposed behind the arresting plate 144 associated with the stack delivery station E and is arranged so that the presence of a stack in the stack delivery station B will effect a closure of the contacts thereof. Through the above described control circuit it will be seen that the advance valve solenoid 332 for air cylinder 270 will be actuated to effect an advance of the cutter assembly 250 only when a stack is present in the stack delivery station B and the vertical ram plate 100 is located so as to permit unobstructed travel of the cutter assembly.

The return valve solenoid 334 for the air cylinder 270 is connected in series with the normally open contacts of control microswitch L-8. As discussed earlier, the control microswitch L-8 is physically located intermediate the channel members 194 and is positioned so as to be closed by the support member 186 when the delivery ram 188 reaches its most advanced position. Thus it will be seen that the cutter assembly 250 and the delivery ram 188 will be returned to their rest positions simultaneously.

Operation of the unit In operation of the unit disclosed herein, a stack of papers 16 exiting from a stacker unit 12 on the conveyor 14 is introduced into the stack receiving station A. The engagement of the bottom of the stack 16 with the driven rollers 54 disposed within the stack receiving station A efiects a positive advance of the stack into compressive engagement with the vertically disposed arresting plate 72. The frictional engagement between the driven rollers 54 and the bottom of the stack insures that the stack is compressively urged against the arresting plate 72 in an amount sufficient to actuate the control microswitch L-l as well as to aid in squaring the stack. If it be assumed that the stack delivery station B is empty and that the delivery ram plate 188 associated therewith and the cutting assembly 250 are in their retracted positions, closure of the contacts of the control microswitch L-l will result in energization of the advance valve solenoid 318 for the air cylinder 118.

The actuation of the advance valve for the air cylinder 118 resulting therefrom will effect an advance of the piston rod 120 contained in said cylinder and an advance of the vertically disposed ram plate 100 displacing the stack of papers 16 across the bottom wrapper feed roll 202 and into the stack delivery station B. The engagement of the stack by the vertical ram plate 100 and the initial displacement thereof by said plate past the arresting plate 70 results in a further positive squaring of the stack. a

As the stack 16 being displaced from the receiving station A to the delivery station B passes over the bottom wrapper feed roll 202, the frictional engagement of the bottom of the stack 16 with the web of bottom wrapper material 206 disposed on the upper surface of said feed roll 202 results in a pick up of said web and an advance of the same together with the moving stack 16. As mentioned above, the length of stroke of the vertical ram plate 100 is preferably adjusted so that the stack 16, when disposed in the stack delivery station B with the bottom wrapper material disposed therebeneath is compressively urged against the vertically disposed arresting plate 144. The compressive engagement of the stack intermediate the arresting plate 144 and the ram plate results in a further positive squaring of the stack.

When the ram plate 100 reaches its limiting position, closure of the contacts of the control microswitch L-S results in actuation of the return valve solenoid 320 and a positive retraction of the ram plate 100 to its rest position, thus rendering the stack receiving station A ready to receive a subsequent stack of papers 16 delivered along the conveyor 14.

The return of the vertical ram plate 100 and the presence of a stack 16 disposed against the arresting plate 144 in the stack delivery station B results in closure of the contacts of the control microswitches L-6 and L-7 and in actuation of the advance valve solenoid 332 for the air cylinder 270 associated with the cutting assembly 250. Actuation of the advance valve solenoid 332 results in a displacement of the piston rod 274 for the air cylinder 270 and an advance of the cutting assembly 250 across the Web of bottom wrapper material 206. The advance of the cutting assembly 250 effectively severe the advanced portion of said web material 206 disposed beneath the stack 16 now positioned in the stack delivery station B from the remainder of said bottom wrapper material.

If it be assumed that a space is available on the feeder conveyor 32 for delivery of the stack 16 disposed in the stack delivery station B, the displacement of the cutting assembly 250 to its most advanced position results in closure of the contacts of the control microswitch L-IO. Closure of the contacts of the control microswitch L-10, together with the previous closure of the contacts of the control microswitch L-9 due to the presence of a stack 16 against the arresting plate 144 in the stack delivery station B, results in the energization of the advance valve solenoid 324 for the air cylinder 170. Actuation of the air cylinder results in displacement of the piston 172 therein and in rotative displacement of the rocker arms which effects a horizontal advance of the delivery ram 188 which delivers the stack of papers disposed in the stack delivery station B onto the feed conveyor 32.

It should be noted that the rotative displacement of the rocker arms 180 results in a speed variation in the linear advance of the delivery ram plate 188 with the maximum speed thereof being effected when the rocker arm 180 is displaced 90 degrees from its rest position. This displacement of the delivery ram plate 188 which is in the nature of a sine function, provides a fast rate of delivery for the stack being so expelled from the stack delivery station B. This results in a minimum amount of skewing of the stack delivered onto the feeder conveyor 32 and thereby provides for minimum space wastage on said feeder conveyor. It should also be noted that the delivery of the stack by the ram plate 188 results in a further squaring of the stack on the only side thereof that has not been engaged by a component of the stack transfer and bottom wrapper unit.

The advance of the delivery ram 188 to its most advanced posiion results in closure of the contacts of the control microswitches L-11 and L-8 and in actuation of the return valve solenoids 328 and 334 of the air cylinders 170 and 270 respectively. Actuation of the return valve solenoid 328 results in a positive retraction of the piston 172 and a positive return of the delivery ram 188, thus rendering the stack delivery station B available for receipt of a new stack from the stack receiving station A. Actuation of the return valve solenoid 334 results in positive retraction of the piston 274 and accompanying retraction of the cutting assembly 250 to its rest position which thus permits delivery of a second stack of papers now disposed in the stack receiving station A to the stack delivery station B and another cycle of operation.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein described the principle of operation of this invention, together with the elements which [now consider to constitute a workable embodiment thereof, but

tassaeae relations described, some of these may be altered and modified without interfering with the more general results outlined.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A newspaper stack transfer and bottom wrapper unit comprising means positioned to receive a stack of papers moving in a predetermined direction, stackdelivery means positioned to receive a stack of papers expelled, from said stack receiving means in a direction substantial-1y atright angles to its original direction of movement, bottom wrapper positioning means disposed intermediate said stack receiving means and saidstack delivery means and arranged to place a length of bottom wrapper material in engagement with the underside of a stack of papers being displaced therepast, means associated with said stack receiving means for arresting the movement of a stack of papers introduced therein, means responsive-to said ,arresting means for displacing said stack of papers from said stack receiving means to said stack delivery means across said bottom wrapper positioning means, means associated with said stack delivery means for arresting said stack of papers therein, and means responsive to said last mentioned arresting means for expelling said stack from said stack delivery means.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means responsive to the receipt of said stack in saidstack delivery means for cutting the trailing edge of said bottom wrapper material disposed beneath said stack.

3. A newspaper stack transfer and bottom wrapper unit comprising means positioned to receive a stack of papers moving in a predetermined direction, means associated with said stack receiving means for arresting the movement of a stack introduced therein, means responsive to said arresting means for displacing said arrested stack of papers from said stack receiving means in a direction substantially transverse to that of its initial direction of motion, stack delivery means positioned to receive said stack of papers displaced from said stack receiving means, bottom wrapper insertion means disposed intermediate said stack receiving means and said stack delivery means for placing a length of bottom wrapper material in engagement with the underside of the stack of papers being displaced therepast, means associated with said stack delivery means for arresting the forward movement of a stack of papers introduced therein, and means responsive to said last mentioned arresting means for displacing said arrested stack therefrom.

4. The unit as set forth in claim 3 wherein the means for displacing the stack from said stack delivery means is provided with a driving mechanism arranged to displace said stack displacing means with a substantially harmonic type of motion.

5. A newspaper stack transfer and bottom wrapper unit comprising means positioned to receive a stack of papers moving in a predetermined direction, means associated with said stack receiving means for arresting the movement of a stack introduced therein, means responsive to said arresting means for displacing an arrested stack of papers from said stack receiving means in a direction substantially transverse to that of its initial direction of motion, stack delivery means positioned to receive said stack of papers displaced from said stack receiving means, bottom wrapper insertion means disposed intermediate said stack receiving means and said stack delivery means arranged to position the leading edge of a strip of bottom wrapper material in frictional engagement with the underside of said stack of papers being advanced therepast, means associated with said stack delivery means for arresting the movement of a stack of papers introduced therein, and means responsive 1to.said last -mentioned arresting means for displacing said stackfrom said stack delive yrneans.

6. The unit as settforth in claim 5 including means responsive to the ,receipt .of said stack in said stack delivery means for,,.severing the portion of said strip of bottom wrapper material disposed beneath said stack .fromtheremainder of said strip.

7. A newspaper stack transfer and bottom wrapper .unitcomprising meanspositioned to receive a stackof papers moving in ,a predetermined direction, a stack delivery means .positioned to receive a stack of papers fromsaid stack receiving means, bottom wrapper positioning means disposed intermediate said stack receiving meansandsaidstackvdelivery means and arrangedto place a length. ofbottorn wrapper material in engagement with the undersideof a stack of papers being displaced therepast, means associated with said stack receiving means for displacing a stack of papers therefrom in a directionsubstantially transverse to that of its original direction of movement to saidstack delivery means across said bottom wrapper positioning means, and means responsive tothe receipt of saidstack in said stack delivery .means for displacingsaid stackfrom said :stack delivery means in a direction .substantially parallel to thatof its orginal direction of motion.

8. The unit as set forth in claim 7 whereinsaid means for displacing said stack from said stackdelivery means isprovided with a driving mechanism arranged to displace said stack displacing means with a substantially harmonic .type' motion.

9. A newspaper stack transfer and bottom wrapper unit comprising means positioned to receive a stack of papers moving in a predetermined direction, means associated with said stack receiving means for arresting the movement of the stack introduced therein, a horizontally displaceable ram responsive to said arresting means for displacing a stack from said stack receiving means in a direction substantially transverse to that of its initial direction of motion, stack delivery means positioned to receive said stack of papers displaced from said stack receiving means, bottom wrapper insertion means disposed intermediate said stack receiving means and said stack delivery means arranged to position the leading edge of a strip of bottom wrapper material in frictional engagement with the underside of the stack of papers being advanced therepast and to be advanced thereby, means associated with said stack delivery means for arresting the movement of a stack of papers introduced therein, cutting means associated with said stack delivery means and responsive to the engagement of said last mentioned arresting means by said stack for severing the advanced portion of said strip of bottom Wrapper material from the remainder thereof, and a second horizontally displaceable ram responsive to the arresting of said stack in said stack delivery means for displacing said stack from said stack delivery means in a direction substantially parallel to that of its original direction of motion.

10. The unit as set forth in claim 9 wherein the second ram is provided with a driving mechanism arranged to displace said ram with a substantially harmonic type motion.

11. The unit as set forth in claim 9 including control means responsive to the presence of a stack in the stack delivery means for preventing actuation of said first mentioned ram.

12. The unit as set forth in claim 9 including means responsive to the retraction of said first mentioned ram for preventing actuation of said cutting means.

13. The unit as set forth in claim 9 wherein said cutting means is reciprocable transversely of said strip of bottom wrapper material.

14. The unit as set forth in claim 9 including control means responsive to the location of said second ram for controlling actuation of said first ram.

15. The unit as set forth in claim 9 including control means responsive to the location of said cutting means for controlling actuation of said first ram.

16. A newspaper stack transfer and bottom wrapper unit comprising means to halt the movement of a stack in a predetermined direction, means :for displacing a halted stack in a direction substantially transverse to that of its initial direction and in substantially the same plane therewith, means for positioning a length of bottom wrapper material in the transverse path of travel of said stack in such manner as to be engaged by the under surface of said moving stack and to be advanced in conjunction therewith, means for arresting the transverse movement of said stack subsequent to its passage over the bottom wrapper positioning means, and means for displacing said arrested stack in a direction substantially parallel to and in substantially the same plane as that of its original direction of motion.

17. A newspaper stack transfer and bottom wrapper unit comprising means to halt the movement of a stack in a predetermined direction, means for displacing a halted stack in a direction substantially transverse to that of its initial direction and in substantially the same plane therewith, means for inserting the leading edge of a length of bottom wrapper material in the transverse path of travel of said stack in such manner as to be engaged by the under surface of said moving stack and to be advanced in conjunction therewith, means for arresting the transverse movement of said stack subsequent to its passage over the bottom wrapper insertion means, and

. 16 5 means for displacing said arrested stack in a direction substantially parallel to and in substantially the same plane as that of its original direction of motion.

18. A newspaper stack transfer and bottom wrapper unit comprising means to halt the movement of a stack in a predetermined direction, means for displacing a halted stack in a direction substantially transverse to that of its initial direction, means for inserting the leading edge of a web of bottom wrapper material in the transverse path of travel of said stack in such manner as to be engaged by the under surface of said stack and to be advanced in conjunction therewith, means for arrest ing the transverse movement of said stack, means responsive to said last mentioned means for severing the advanced portion of said web of bottom wrapper material from the remainder thereof, and means for displacing said arrested stack in a direction substantially parallel to that of its original direction of motion.

19. The unit as set forth in claim 18 wherein said bottom wrapper insertion means includes a roller over which said material is disposed to be frictionally engaged by the stack as said stack advances therepast.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,601,784 Wanders Oct. 5, 1926 2,442,250 Spain May 25, 1948 2,636,654 Sykes Apr. 28, 1953 2,681,171 Brown et al. June 15, 1954

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