US3540721A - Rotary collator with drive wheel for sheet projecting means - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Frank C. Blowsky Flushing, New York (718 Broadway, New York NY 10003) [21] AppLNo. 736,809

[22] Filed June 13, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 17, 1970 [72] Inventor i [54] ROTARY COLLATOR WITH DRIVE WHEEL FOR Primary Examiner- Lawrence Charles Attorney-John M. Montstream ABSTRACT: The invention is directed to a collator of the rotary drum type having a plurality of radial pockets and as the drum rotates a sheet is withdrawn from each pocket a distance sufficient to engage secondary sheet feeding means which complete the withdrawal of the sheet from its pocket and delivers the sheet to a deposit table thereby assembling a book with each page thereof in sequence. The mechanism for withdrawing a sheet includes feed rolls resting upon the top sheet of the pile of sheets in its respective pocket which rolls are rotated by a drive wheel which engages a driving shoe or the like at the proper moment when a sheet is to be projected out of the pocket of the rotating drum. Preferably, there is provided ahead of this drive shoe, a preliminary feed shoe which engages the drive wheel and projects a sheet out of its pocket a short distance initially and this partially projected sheet engages a stripper which frees or assures the freeing of the leading edge of the top sheet from sheet resisting means at a leading edge of the pile of sheets. Preferably also with the sheet feeding means there is a brake shoe which engages the drive wheel and holds the feed rolls stationary when the secondary sheet feeding means takes over. Each sheet is gaged for a double or a miss and includes control means carried by the drum.

Patented Nov. 17, 1970 3,540,721

Sheet ..1. of 7 :hwummmm if b FRANK C. BLOWSKY INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 17, 1970 3,540,721

INVENTOR FRANK C. BLOWSKY wmmm ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 17, 1970 3,540,721

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INVENTOR FRANK C. BLOWSKY M fZmmhmm AT TORNEY.

Patented Nov. 17, 1970 3,540,721

INVENTOR FRANK C. BLOWSKY ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 17, 1970 Y Sheet FIG. 8.

FIG. 9.

'INVENTOR FRANK c BLOWSKY Patented Nov. 17, 1970 Sheet 6.. of '7 INVENTOR B FRANK C. BLOWSKY ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 17, 1970 Y of '7 Sheet 3 UK A INVENTOR BY FRANK C. BLOWSKY AT TORNEY.

ROTARY COLLATOR WITH DRIVE WHEEL FOR SHEET PROJECTING MEANS The collator is of the rotary drum type and has a series of pockets radially disposed therein each of which pockets receives a pile of sheets of one page and the pile of sheets in each pocket being a different page which are to be collated and a book assembled. The collator particularly illustrated is shown with 30 pockets.

It is an object of the invention to construct a collator of the rotary drum type with simple sheet feeding means for ejecting the sheet out of its pocket far enough to be received by and forwarded by a secondary sheet feeding or forwarding means.

Another object of the invention is as above but in addition thereto resistive means is provided of the type which engages the leading edge of the top sheet and the top sheet is initially projected a short distance so that the sheet may be stripped or freed from the resistive means and only the top sheet is projected.

Another object is as in the preceding paragraph but the restraining means provides resistance at the corners ofthe pile ofsheet so that solely thetop sheet is fed from the pile.

Another object is to construct ,a collator as in each of the preceding objects and in addition thereto provides a braking means for holding the feed roll means substantially stationary during the period approximately when the secondary sheet feeding means completes the withdrawal of a sheet from beneath the feed roll means.

A still further object is as in any of the preceding objects and in addition thereto provides control means carried by the drum and positioned thereon for controlling either of two gages of the detector means to render either inoperative for one pocketof the drum.

Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from r the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment thereon in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the collator;

FIG. 2 is a partial top view of the collator;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view at sheet feeding or ejecting position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view towards the drum at sheet ejecting position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of means for controlling the deposit table on which the collated sheets are placed and for turning the drum for loading;

FIGS. 6 to 9 are detailed views of the control means for the detector means;

FIGS. 10 to 13 are enlarged detailed views of the shoe shifting means; and,

FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram.

The collator, shown in FIG. 1, comprises a drum having a series of radially or generally radially extending partitions 21 therein forming pockets in the drum between side plates 24. Suitable means are provided to retain or clamp a pile of sheets against the bottom of the partition as the drum rotates which clamping means is released at sheet ejecting position; Such means are shown in US. Pat. No. 2,940,750. The drum is suitably mounted forrotation such as on an axle 22 which axle is received in bearings carried by a bearing plate 23, FIG. 5, carried by a frame 28. Means may be provided to locate and adjust a sheet back stop 25 for each pocket that shown being illustrative including a disc 26 on each side of the drum having a plurality of arcuate slots 27 therein so that rotation of the discs relatively to the drum or side plates 24 adjusts the position ofthe bottom stop for all ofthe pockets.

Resistive means 29, FIG. 4, is provided at the leading edge of the pile of sheets to restrain the pile of sheets so that the sheet feeding roll projects solely the top sheet of the pile of sheets in the pocket. A suitable resistive means may be that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,891. This resistive means. briefly, has a tongue 30 resting on each corner of the leading edge of the pile of sheets and serves the purpose of keeping the leading edge of the pile of sheets in alignment as well as positively restraining feeding of the sheets beneath the top sheet. This resistive means resists feeding of the top sheet also, however, the feed roll means overcomes this restraint and preferably a stripper is used in connection therewith to engage the projected leading edge of the partially projected sheet to completely free a corner or corners of the top sheet as will appear more fully hereinafter. The resistive means slides in a slot 37 carried by pocket side walls 38. These side walls are suitably adjustable to accommodate different widths ofsheets. The sheet feeding orejecting means, FIG. 4, includes a pair of spaced feed rolls 31 for each pocket which are secured to a feed roll shaft 32, such as-by means of a flat or key whereby the position of the feed rolls may be adjusted along the feed roll shaft and the feed rolls will still have a driving connection with the feed roll shaft for rotation therewith. This adjustment is made for different widths of sheets. The feed roll shaft is rotatably mounted in a feed roll frame 33 comprising a pair of spaced frame plates. The feed roll frame is pivotally mounted on a drive shaft 34 which is rotatably mounted in the side plates 24 of the drum. A spring 35, FIG. 3, between a bracket and a hook 35a on the feed roll frame presses the feed rolls into contact with the top ofthepile ofsheets. When the pile of sheets in a pocket is high the spring tension is greater than when the pile is low. This is desirable since the roll presses on the sheet is more effective when the angle of the feed roll frame with respect to the plane of the sheets is greater. The ends of the feed roll shaft 32 may slide in an arcuate slot 36.

The feed rolls are rotated to project or feed a sheet through a sprocket 39. FIG. 4, secured to the feed roll shaft and a sprocket-40 secured to the drive shaft 34 and the sprockets being connected by a chain 41. The drive shaft has a drive wheel 42 secured to the drive shaft outside of the rotary drum. The drive wheel is rotated by a drive shoe, 46, FIG. 10, secured .to the frame 28 and in such position that when it is the proper time to project or eject the sheet from the pocket, the drive wheel engages the drive shoe and rotates the wheel in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, which in turn rotates the feed rolls for this pocket in a counterclockwise direction and projects the top sheet of the pile of sheets outwarclly from the pocket. Preferably the drive shoe is a thin material having good friction and wear qualities backed up by a soft material such as foam rubber.

Preferably spaced a little bit ahead of the drive shoe 46 is located a preliminary or stripping shoe 47 which engages the drive wheel 42 first and this stripping shoe is relatively short so that the top sheet is projected initially out of the pocket with its leading edge about one-half to 1 inch from the pile of sheets in the pocket. In this position the sheet resistive means 29 at the corners may still be resisting removal of the corners of the top sheet therefrom but'the rest of the sheet has been projected outwardly. As the drum rotates, a sheet stripper 48,.

FIG. 4, carried'by the frame engages the leading edge of this partially projected sheet adjacent to but spaced inwardly from the corners of the sheet so that this partially projected sheet is engaged by the stripper and completes the freeing of the corners of the sheet from the resistive means, if it has not been freed by the initial projection of the sheet. Thereafter the sheet is fed outwardly from the pocket by the drive wheel 42 engaging the drive shoe 46 until the leading edge of the sheet engages in the nip of the sheet advancing rolls 49 and 50, FIG. 3 of a secondary or auxiliary sheet feeding means to continue the withdrawal of the sheet from the pile of sheets and to feed the same to a deposit table.

The secondary or auxiliary sheet feeding means is driven at a speed greater than the speed at which the sheet is initially withdrawn from a pocket with the result that the sheet would spin the feed rolls 31 and the inertia of the sheet ejecting means would continue rotating the feed rolls after the tail of the sheet has been removed from beneath the feed rolls. The feed rolls are then on the new top sheet so that this rotation of the sheet feed means may project the next sheet partially out of the pocket ahead of time and cause difficulty when this pocket and its projecting sheet completes a revolution and the drive wheel engages the preliminary feed shoe 47 to project the sheet still farther out of the pocket. In order to avoid this, about the time that the trailing edge of the sheet being withdrawn reaches the feed rolls 3], the drive wheel 42 engages a brake shoe 51 which holds the sheet ejecting means and its feed rolls against rotation.

Projection of a sheet from the pocket begins early enough so that the leading edge of the last sheet in the pile reaches the forwarding rolls 49a and 50, FIG. 2 and 3. When the pile of sheets in the pocket is high, the leading edge of a projected sheet would be higher or above the nip of the first set of for warding rolls 49a and 50. Means are provided to project the leading edge of each sheet downwardly into the nip of these forwarding rolls. This means includes a plurality of pulleys 55, preferably rotatably mounted on a shaft 52 for the upper forwarding roll 50 and pulley means 56 carried by a pulley shaft 57 located rearwardly with respect thereto. Directing belt means 58 passes over these pulleys. The directing belts 58 have an inclined straight span facing towards the drum and move towards the nip of the two forwarding rolls 49a and 50, to direct the leading edge of each sheet into the nip of these rolls which then take over the final withdrawal of the sheet from the pocket. The secondary sheet feeding means also forward each sheet to other means such as a deposit table 59. The pulley shaft 57 is driven at such a speed so that the directing belt means moves at a peripheral speed at the roll 50 about 30 percent greater than the peripheral speed of the forwarding rolls. The length of the straight span of the directing belt means is roughly at least equal to the one-half of the pocket peripheral dimension and may be about this dimension although it is shown somewhat less than this.

Detector means is provided for the collator at the secondary sheet feeding means, which means includes a missing sheet gage 62, FIGS. 2 and 14, with its switch 64 normally open when a sheet is at detecting position and a double or multiple sheet gage 63 and its normally open switch 65. When a missing sheet is at gaging position, its gage roll (not shown) drops down and closes switch 64. When a double sheet is at gaging position its gage roll 66 rises and closes switch 65. Switch 64 is connected in the circuitry for the collator to stop the motor and the collating operation in the event that a sheet is missing or has not been fed from a pocket. Similarly, ifa double sheet has been fed from any pocket, the switch 65 is closed and the collating operation is halted. The two switches are connected in parallel to control the motor as will appear. This type of detector means is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,108,797.

There are times when it is desired not to feed a sheet from one pocket in which event the missing sheet gage would stop the collator unless some means were provided to avoid this. There are also times when one pocket will be filled with a relatively thicker sheet which would or may operate the double sheet gage and stop the collator. In order to avoid these two situations, there are provided detector control means movably mounted on the drum, one of which is provided for each pocket. This detector control means is shown as a flanged plate 69 having a flange 7O projecting outwardly therefrom and constituting a switch operator. This flanged plate has a slot 73 so that it is movable radially and is retained in a selected position by a suitable releasable retention means 74.

The flanged platehas three positions, shown in FIG. 6. In the outermost position, the flange opens a normally closed switch 71, which is connected in series with the gage switch 64 for the missing sheet gage 62 and opens the switch to break the control circuit so that when a sheet is not fed from this pocket, the gage is rendered inoperative and the collator continues to operate. The center position of the flange is neutral, in that the flange is not in the path of any switch so that both of the gaging means are in full operation to detect a missing sheet or a double sheet. In the inner position, the flange opens a normally closed .control switch 72 which switch is connected in series with the double sheet gage switch 65 to open this circuit so that when a thicker sheet is fed from this pocket, this gaging means becomes inoperative and the collator continues operating without interruption.

It is clear that it is immaterial as to which of the positions of the switch operators, a switch or any particular switch is opened. The flange is relatively long so that a switch which is opened remains open for roughly half of the movement of a pocket. In the event that the book is, for example, of twenty five pages, then five pockets will not be filled with sheets. The flanged plate is moved for each of these pockets to its outer position so that the sheet missing gage will not function and stop the collator for'these unfilled pockets. When the empty pockets have passed ejecting position, the sheet projecting means begins feeding sheets again.

The collator projects the sheets out of successive pockets so that the leading end of a following sheet is laid over the tail end of the preceding sheet so that here there is a double thickness which. if provision were not made for this overlapping, would operate the double sheet gage when the overlaid ends passed detecting position. The detector circuit is, therefore, normally open and is closed only when the center of a sheet is at detecting or gaging position. Closing of the detector circuit is secured by a cam means 75, FIG. 3. which is shown secured on a shaft 76 of a gear reduction unit 165 which is connected between a shaft 77 and a sprocket 166 which drives the drum. The shaft particularly selected is one which makes a half revolution for the full movement of one pocket hence a two lobe cam is used. This cam closes a cam switch-78 in the detector circuit when the center of each sheet, hence one thickness, is passing through detecting positiori. In using a cam operated switch as the final closing of the gaging means circuits, the flanges which operates the pocket switches 71 and 72 may be made relatively long. Shoe adjusting means is provided to adjust the position of the driving shoe and the brake shoe circumferentially to accommodate for the height of the pile of sheets in thepocket. When the pile of sheets is high, it is desirable that the ejection of the sheets occur a little later in the drum rotation than when the pile of sheets is about half of full height or less. When the drive shoe is so adjusted the time of the ejection of the sheets with respect to the relative position of the drum and the secondary sheet feeding means is about the same for both the high pile and the low pile. This adjustment is secured by mounting the drive shoe on a shoe frame 79 having pins 80 projecting through slots 81 in the frame 28. To one of these mounting pins is attached a connecting link 82 which link is attached to a shoe adjusting lever 83 which is carried by a pivot pin 84 carried by the collator frame. Notches 85 may be provided in the collator frame, two being shown, for a two position adjustment to retain the shoe in its adjusted position. It is clear that one or more additional positions or notches may be provided as desired. The drive shoe is shown retarded or moved rearwardly with respect to drum rotation in FIG. 10 for a low pile so that the drive wheel engages the drive shoe sooner. The drive shoe is advanced in FIG. 11 so that the drive wheel engages the drive shoe a little later for a high pile ofshcets.

Since braking of the sheet ejecting means should occur at the same relative time, the brake shoe 51 is suitably secured to the shoe frame such as by a flange 86 in which is positioned a brake shoe carrier 87. Since it is difficult to precisely time the location of the brake shoe, the brake carrier is provided with a locking bolt 88 passing through a slot for a simple adjustment of the position of the brake shoe at the proper circumferential distance from the drive shoe. A screw 89 adjusts the relative radial position of the brake shoe.

: 91 each of which engages in an inclined slot 92 in the shoe. A

rotation of the lift lever the cam slot propels the pins 91 in the angular slots and thereby radially lifts the brake shoe away from the path of the drive wheels. Any partial ejection of the top sheet by the preliminary ejection shoe is returned by rotation of the drive wheel in a reverse direction by engagement with the brake shoe 51'.

The preliminary ejection shoe 47a of FIG. 10, is shown as tiltable in order to adjustthe extent of initial ejection of each sheet. This is accomplished by mounting the preliminary ejecting shoe on a pivot 98 carried by the collator frame 28 and by increasing or decreasing the tilt, the extent of contact of the drive wheels with the preliminary ejection shoe may be adjusted to increase'or decrease the length of time in which each drive wheel is in contact therewith and hence the amount of rotation which it receives. Preferably the pivot is secured to a pivot plate 99 and a'loek screw I00 retains the pivot plate and preliminary projecting shoe in adjusted position. Preferably too the pivot 98 is-eccentric for initial adjustment of the position of this shoe.

In a rotary drum type of collator clamping means are provided to hold the pile of sheets against its respective partition when the pocket is upside down on the opposite side of the drum. These clamps are released in known manner when the sheets approach ejection position and reclamped after the pocket has passed the secondary sheet feeding means.

The collator is usually enclosed for appearance sake and in such case it will have a cover (not shown) which opens for access to about three pockets. The drum could be turned by the hand wheel 103, FIG. 1, however, it is more convenient to have the drum motor driven for loading of three pockets at a time. This means that the motor should be energized to rotate the drum to bring three pockets opposite the cover opening whereupon the motor stops. This is accomplished by means of a loading control plate 106, FIGS. 1 and 5, which is secured to the drum or particularly to the axle 22 and having aseries of pins 107 thereon, ten being shown for three pockets in a 30 pocket drum. When the drum has rotated three pockets, :1 pin engages the operating lever ofa loading switch 108 connected in a motor control circuit which stops the motor. When the accessible pockets have been loaded, a manual starting switch 109, FIG. 14, is closed to. start the motor again and the drum rotates three more pockets and the switch 108 is again opened by the next pin and so on until all of the pockets in the drum, or all those to be loaded, have been filled.

The loading control plate 106 also carries a cam projections 112 four of which are shown which operates a lever 113 connected by a link ll4 to table lowering mechanism to lower the table 59 as the level of sheets on the table becomes too high.

In order to accommodate the collator for sheets of different lengths, a variable speed means or 117, FIG. 3, is provided, which may be ofthe known variable pulley type, to change the speed of the feed or forwarding rolls for the secondary sheet feeding means. This variable speed means is adjusted by a lever 118 adjacent to which is a scale 119 graduated for sheet length. With this variable speed means the brake shoe may remain in fixed position relatively to the drive shoe since the time of withdrawal ofa long or a short sheet from the pockets would be thesame or closely the same and in this way be related to the single speed ofrotation ofthe drum.

FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram for control of the collator which begins with a powerswitch 122 connected with a source of power and energizing main wires 123 and 124. A starting circuit is connected across the main wires including in series a normally open, manually operated starting switch 109, contacts B1 andCl and a relay A. Upon closing of the starting switch, relay A is energized which closes contacts Al and A2 to provide power in a motor circuit 125 to the motor M. Shunting starting switch 109 is a circuit including a normally closed limit switchs126and two switches connected in parallel including the loading switch 108 and a manually operated loading control switch 128, a counter switch 129, contacts D1 and a normally closed stop control switch 130. Normally switch 128 is closed. When loading the pockets with sheets it is opened so that themotor is now controlled by loading switch 108}.

Also in shunt with the motor and contacts AI is a brakecircuit which includes a brake switch 133 and a brake solenoid 134. When the switch is connected to the motor circuit wire 125, if the motor should be deenergized the brake solenoid is deenergized and a brake is applied to a suitable part of the drive mechanism. When it is desired to operate the collator from the hand wheel 103, the brake switch is moved to contact 135 so that the brake solenoid is energized and the brake is released.

' It has been mentioned that the detecting means includes two gages 62 and 63, one to detect a missing sheet and the other to be responsive to a double or multiple sheet. The missing sheet gaging circuit includes in series, the missing sheet gaging switch 64 and a missing sheet relay 8. When a sheet is in gaging position at roll 4%, switch 64 is open. if a sheet is missing switch 64 closes which energizes relay 8, hold contacts B2 are closed which directly connects the relay through wire 138 and a detector means control switch 139 with power wire 124. Energization of relay B opens contacts B1 in the motor control circuit which deenergizes relay A and contacts AI and A2 open to stop the motor. In parallel with the missing sheet gage circuit is a double sheet gage circuit which includes open gage switch 65, a pocket switch 72 and a double sheet gage relay C. A double sheet passing through detector position at roll 4%, switch 65 closes energizing relay C and,hold contacts C2 are-closed to maintain the relay C energized, through the connection 138 with the power wire 124. Energization of relay C opens contacts C1 in the motor control circuit which deenergizes relay A so that the contacts Al and A2 open and the motor stops.

Since the sheets are fed from the pockets to the secondary sheet feeding means in staggered relation, the double sheet detector would be energized when the rear portion of one sheet and the overlapping leading portion of the next sheet passes gaging position at roll 4%. In order to avoid this, the missing sheet detector anddouble detector circuits are connected in series with the detector circuit control switch 71, a detector circuit on and off switch140, and a cam switch 78. The cam switch is operated by a cam 75, FIG. 3 which may be carried on any shaft of the collator connected with the drum so that it is timed therewith and the shaft shown is one which is part ol'a gear reduction unit which makes a half revolution for each sheet passing .through detector position. The cam therefor has two lobes which operate the cam switch. The cam switch is closed when there is a single sheet at detector position so that the two detector circuits will be activated at this time only. It will be noted that control switch 71 serves primarily the missing sheet detector circuit and engaging means since the double detector will not be affected in any way by a missing sheet passing through gaging position. The circuitry is simpler this way rather than placing switch 71 in the circuit solely with switch 64. Control switch 71 opens if a sheet is purposely not to be fed from any pocket and control switch 72 is opened if a heavy sheet is fed from a particular pocket which would otherwise close the double sheet gage switch 65. These control switches open their respective gage circuit. f I

If the feeding of a. sheet or sheets should 'be faulty for any reason, at the secondary sheet feeding means, there is provided a switch 143.at the first feed roll 50 of secondary sheet feeding means so that ifthis roll or its shaft 52 should be raised more than by the thickness of two sheets. tlte switch will close.

Similarly, if a sheet should be crumpled when leaving the upon closing of the circuit this light indicates where the difficulty is which has stopped the collator. Similarly a light is provided for the gaging means relays B and C.

Preferably a limit switch 126 is provided to be energized by the table 59 when it has reached the bottom of its downward movement. This limit switch opens the motor control circuit through relay A and stops the motor. Preferably too it closes a circuit including a wire 148 connected with a signal light to indicate that the deposit table needs attention by the operator;

There is included in the circuitry, control means for jogging the table to and from its two positions, or for providing proper controls for a stapler in the event the collator is connected with a stapling device, rather than the table, as particularly illustrated. This part of the circuitry is not shown.

The feed roll 49c is mounted on a shaft 151 which is driven from a pulley 152 connected with the variable speed drive 117 by a belt 153. Forwarding rolls 49b and 49a are driven from shaft 151 by belts or chains 154 and 155 with suitable pulleys.

Shaft 52 has a driving connection with roll 49a through gears including a gear 156 and shaft 57 is driven from shaft 52 by a chain or belt 157 with suitable sprockets or pulleys.

The deposit table 59 is moved downwardly as the top of the pile of sheets thereon rises by any suitable mechanismfrom the link 114. Also means are provided to separate each book on the table from its preceeding and its following book. One way to accomplish this is to shift the table to and from one angular position to another angular position by suitable mechanism so that each book is separated as to its angular position with respect to the book of sheets upon which it rests. Another way to separate the books is that used on the collator illustrated in which a movable backstop is moved to and away from a fixed backstop so that each book is separated longitudinally from the book on which it rests. This shifting of table or backstop is secured by a shift operator 160, one being provided for each pocket and it closes a switch 161 which operates the shifting means. The collator may be set up for example with three books in the thirty pockets, each book having pages and shifting the shift operator 160 to close the shifting means switch ,161 for each 10 pages or pockets. The count switch 129 may be suitably controlled by a counter in known manner such that when the desired number of books have been collated and counted this switch is opened to stop the collator.

Suitable means are provided to drive the collator which includes the motor M having a driving connection with the drum such as by a belt 164, gear reduction unit 165, FIG. 3, to sprocket 166 and a sprocket 168 on the drum or drum shaft 22.

Although the drive shoe 46 and preliminary ejecting shoe 47 or 47a are shown as frictional drive elements, they could take other forms or more positive drive forms such as a gear rack which engages a drive wheel in the form of a gear. The frictional drive elements are preferred since there could be slippage if for some reason a feed roll means should become jammed.

This invention is presented to fill a need for improvements in a Rotary Collator with Drive Wheel for Sheet Projecting Means. It is understood that various modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation, assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled in the art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of an invention. This disclosure illustrates the preferred means of embodying the invention in useful form.

lclaim:

l. A rotary collator to be driven by a motor comprising a frame, a rotary drum having a plurality of radial pockets mounted on the frame; means to rotate the drum; sheet ejecting means carried by each pocket including a rotatably mounted feed roll means, a rotatable drive wheel, and means connecting the drive wheel with the feed roll means to rotate the latter; a drive shoe engaged by one side of the drive wheel to rotate the same and the feed roll means to project a sheet out of the pocketjsecondary sheet feeding means receiving each sheet projected from a pocket at a receiving end and forwarding the same to a delivery end including at least a first set of forwarding rolls at the receiving end, and the diameter of the feed roll means and the diameter of the drive wheel and the length of the drive shoe being such as to project the sheet from the pocket far enough to reach the receiving end of the adjacent secondary sheet feeding means;

2. A rotary collator as in claim 1 including brake means spaced from the drive shoe and located rearwardly therefrom to engage the drive wheel in a region at the time that, or shortly before, the trailing edge of the sheet which is being withdrawn, is removed from contact with the feed roll means.

3. A rotary collator'as in claim 1 including resistive means carried by each pocket and located to engage the top sheet at least at one point along the leading edge of the top sheet in the pile of sheets in the pocket, a preliminary ejection shoe spaced from and forwardly of the drive shoe and engaging the drive wheel to initially project a sheet a short distance from the pocket, and stripper means located to be engaged by the leading edge of the projecting sheet to remove the leading edge of any sheet which may be retained beneath the resistive means.

4. A rotary collator as in claim 3 including spaced side walls for the pocket, the resistive means including two elements. in which one is carried by each side wall and located to engage the top sheet at each corner of the sheet.

5. A rotary collator as in claim 3 including means mounting the preliminary shoe for angular adjustment to adjust the extent of contact of the drive wheel therewith.

6. A rotary collator as in claim 3 including a brake shoe spaced from the drive shoe and located rearwardly therefrom to engage the drive wheel in the region before the trailing edge ofthe sheet being withdrawn is removed from contact with the feed roll means.

7. A rotary collator as in claim 1 including means to shift the drive shoe away from the path of contact with the drive wheel.

8. A rotary collator as in claim 1 including means mounting the drive shoe on the frame for circumferential movement including a drive shoe frame, shoe adjustment means to adjust the'position of the drive shoe on the frame circumferentially with respect to the drum.

9. A rotary collator as in claim 2 including means connecting the drive shoe and the brake means together, and adjusting means to adjust the position of the drive means and the brake shoe circumferentially relatively to the drum.

10. A rotary collator as in claim 9 including shifting means for shifting the drive shoe radially including a shoe carrier mounted on the shoe frame for relative radial movement, and a handle connected with the shoe frame including :1 connecting link extending circumferentially.

11. A rotary collator as in claim 2 including a variable speed means connected with the feed rolls of the secondary sheet feeding means to change their speed of rotation to accommodate for different lengths of sheets.

12. A rotary collator as in claim 1 including first belt pulleys having a diameter approximately the same as that of the first set of sheet forwarding rolls of the secondary sheet feeding means and mounted axially therewith, a second belt pulley for each of said first belt pulleys and spaced forwardly ofthe latter and spaced above the latter a distance approximately equal to the opening'of the pockets in the periphery of the drum, a directing belt received on each first and second pulley and providing an inclined straight strand tilted towards the drum, and one of the belt pulleys being connected with the feeding rolls of the secondary sheet feeding means.

13. A rotary collator as in claim 12 in which the first set of the sheet forwarding rolls has a shaft, the first belt pulleys being rotatably mounted on the shaft for this set of forwarding rolls including means driving the second pulleys to give the belts a peripheral speed at the forwarding rolls of the secondary sheet feeding means which is substantially greater than that ofthe latter.

14. A rotary collator as in claim 12 including a variable speed means connected with the forwarding rolls of the secontial rotation corresponding with the selected number of pockets.

16. A rotary collator as in claim including a normally closed and manually operated switch in parallel with the loading control switch.

17. A rotary collator as in claim 15 in which a brake is provided, including a brake solenoid and brake switch in parallel with the motor control circuit, the brake switch having a second contact adapted to be connected with a power wire.

18. A rotary collator as in claim 1 including a motor control circuit; sheet detector means carried by the secondary sheet feeding means including a missing sheet gage and a multiple sheet gage, each gage including a gage switch which is normally open in detecting position when a single sheet is passing through, a switch operator for each pocket, means mounting each switch operator on the drum for selective positioning of the same at any one of three positions, a missing sheet gage control circuit. and a multiple sheet control circuit; the missing sheet control circuit including a normally closed control switch located to be Open by the switch operator in one of its three positions and located adjacent to the secondary sheet feeding means to be operated when a sheet from its pocket is passing the detector means, its gage switch, a missing sheet gage relay, a holding circuit for the relay, and normally closed contacts in the motor circuit which are opened upon energization of the missing sheet gage relay; the multiple sheet gage control circuit including a normally closed control switch located to be opened by the switch operator in a second of its three positions and located adjacent to the secondary sheet feeding means to be operated when a sheet from its pocket is passing the detector means, its gage switch, a multiple sheet gage relay, a holding circuit for the relay, and normally closed contacts in the motor circuit which are opened upon energization of the relay; a cam operated switch in series with the two gage control circuits, and a cam operatively connected with the drum and closing the cam switch for each pocket and timed to close when a midportion of a sheet is passing through detecting position.

19. A rotary collator as in claim 18 in which the first set of forwarding rolls of the secondary sheet feeding means has an upper roll and a lower roll the upper roll being mounted for movement towards and away from the lower roll, and 2: normally open jam switch operatively connected with the upper roll to be closed when this roll is moved more than a double sheet.

20. A rotary collator as in claim 18 including a pivoted jam lever at the exit end ofthe secondary sheet feeding means, and a normally open exit jam switch operatively connected with the lever to be closed by movement of the jam lever by more than two sheets.

21. A rotary collator as in claim 20 in which the first set of forwarding rolls of the secondary sheet feeding means has an upper roll and a lower roll, the upper roll being mounted for movement towards and away from the lower roll, and a normally open jam switch operatively connected with the upper roll to be closed when this roll is moved more than a double sheet.

22. A rotary collator to be driven by a motor comprising a frame, a rotary drum having a plurality of radial pockets mounted on the frame with peripheral openings: means to rotate the drum; sheet ejecting means carried by each pocket including feed roll means, and means connected with the feed roll means to roject a sheet out ofthe pocket far enou h to reach a secon ary sheet feeding means; secondary sheet ceding means adjacent to the drum at sheet projecting position receiving each sheet projected from a pocket at a receiving end and forwarding the same to a delivery end including at least a first set of forwarding rolls at the receiving end, a plurality of first belt pulleys having a diameter approximately the same as that of the first set of sheet forwarding rolls of the secondary sheet feeding means and mounted axially therewith, a second belt pulley for each of said first belt pulleys and spaced forwardly of the latter and spaced above the latter a distance roughly equal to the peripheral opening of the pockets, a directing belt received in each first and second pulley and providing an inclined straight strand tilted towards the drum, and one of the belt pulleys being connected with the forwarding rolls ofthe secondary sheet feeding means.

23. A rotary collator as in claim 22 in which the connection between the belt pulleys and the forwarding rolls ofthe secondary sheet feeding means is such that the peripheral speed of the second belt pulleys is substantially greater than that of the sheet forwarding rolls.

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