USRE19591E - Folding mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Muay 28, I C' s CRAFTS Er AL Re.

FOLDING MECHANI SM Originl Filed Deo. 14, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ressued .May 28, 1935 i l11e-19,1591

FoLnING Macnmsu Curtis s. crans ma charles Alum unless, oak

Park, lll., assigner-s to The Company, Chicago, lll., Iliinois Goss Printing Presa a' corporation of Original No. 1,895,124, dated January 24, 1933, Serial No. 580,930, December 14, 1931. Application for reissue September 9, 1933, Serial No.

11 Claims. -(Cl. lill-409) The invention relates to new and useful improvements in sheet gripping devices, and in certain' aspects thereof more particularly to improved spring grippers or folding jaws especially adapted for use in printing presses.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice With the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalitles and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view showing in elevation a gripper embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing in elevation a somewhat different form of gripper embodying the invention;

' Fig -3 is a plan corresponding to Fig l;

Fig. 4" is a plan corresponding to Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on line 5-5 of Fig. 6 showing in elevation a. folding jaw embodying the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a plan corresponding to Fig. 5.

The invention is directed to providing novel and improvedl sheet taking. instrumentalities, operating by a gripping or clamping action, either medianly or on the edge, of a sheet or group of sheets, as in feeding or folding; and in its main features being capactated for use either in a gripper nger mechanism or a folding jaw mechamsm.

The invention provides as a gripping or clamping device, a resilient jaw or finger comprising a plurality of laminated spring leaves gradually increasing in length from the shaft or like support forwardly toward the free end, the engaging pressure being exerted by said resilient forward end.

Preferably also the entire laminated spring device is maintained under initial tension, which is immediately imparted to the sheet or sheets at the moment of contact, and prio to any additional pressure that may be applied through further movement of the mechanism.

In accordance with certain features of the invention, these devices are mounted and operated as a plurality of fingers or the like, mounted side by side on an actuating support, such as a rockable shaft, the various members thus exerting an individual resilient gripping or jaw action when engaging the sheet or sheets. but the entire mechanisxn moving together between open to closed position.

features, comprises a shaft, or like support, upon which the resilient sheet-engaging and holding instrumentality is mounted; the shaft being rocked through a small angle to effect the opening and closing movement, and this may be done by a cam mechanismof standard or other suitable form. In either the gripper or folding jaw mechanism, there is preferably employed a plurality of sheet-engaging individual members, of laminated resilient spring material, and mounted upon the shaft or equivalent support, whereby they have common opening and'closing movement but each member has independent or individual resilient action when engaging the sheet or sheets. Further, in said preferable form, eachof the individual resilient sheet-engaging members is constructed and mounted as a unit, and in addition means are incorporated for imposing upon each resilient sheet-engaging member an initial tension. All of the foregoing features conduce to simplicity and eillciency in manufacture, assembling and operation.

Said mechanism when employed as a gripper mechanism, is less liable to breakagethan a solid strip or bar of metal; is softer and more flexible in its act-ion, and does not hit the cylinder with a hammer blow, but with a cushion blow which does not loosen the gripper on the shaft, or loosen or disintegrate the shaft and its bearings. Furthermore. the laminated gripper, being very flexible, will take'a wide variation in thickness of products without the necessity of resetting, as is the case with stiif, non-flexible gripping members, and permits of side-by-side handling of a product or products of various thicknesses.- The gripper can be made relatively small and light with respect to the imposed duty, which greatly eases the strain on the cam motion. The proper tension is also held on the sheet at all times when the gripper is in contactwith it, and the sheet is released instantly upon a very small movement of the shaft; that is, there is no lag and unnecessary movement of the shaft to build up tension and release it.

In the embodiment oi the inventionv in a folding jaw mechanism there is rendered possible a very light construction, with a relatively short jaw, whereby the4 work or strain on the cam is reduced to a minimum, andthe tendency of a heavy iaw to knock to pieces or disintegrate the cam mechanism is obviated. The folding Jaw may be formed in a plurality of members openingv and closing together. but having individual reslllent action during the folding operation.' The individually resilient jaw will hold products varying relatively greatly in thickness, and it will be found unnecessary to reset the Jaw in case products of different thicknesses are run side-byside.

In the employment of the invention, either as a gripper or folding jaw, devices are provided for imposing on each individual member initial spring tension, which gives an instantaneous` preliminary pressure of predetermined magnitude the moment the gripper finger or folding Jaw engages the paper, and it is unnecessary to have an increased movement of the shaft' or like supportv to build up this tension'. This gives a uniform tension with a minimum amount of throw.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated byway of example in the accompanying drawings, a form of double gripper mechanism. such as is frequently employed-on cylinder sheet-fed presses, is shown in Fig. i. The cylinder struc.

ture is indicated at i, and a pair of gripper supporting and actuating shafts 2 and 2 are shown.

mounted in the cylinder. These shafts are periodically rocked through a small angle, in the usual manner, and this may be done by any standard, well-known, or other suitable mechanism (not shown). g

As so embodied, for each of the individual gripper fingers, a plurality of apertured supports it are mounted on the shaft 2 or 2, the supports being spaced along the shaft (Fig. 3). These supports are split, are slipped on the shaft. and

have two lugs il and i2 facing at either side of Y Y upon a support I5, and abut against a lug 22, both preferably formed as a part of the supporting member i0. An upper or outside retaining member I6 rests upon the springs and also preferably'abuts against lug 22, and the gripping finger and supportsare held together by suitable means such asa rivet il. 'nie laminated leaf springs llareof graduated length. increasing forwardly toward the front. or sheet-engaging end. The means for'placing the gripper nger under initial tension is preferably a part of the supporting member Ill, and as shown, a projection 2l is formed in the forward end of the member I5 projecting toward the laminated spring` iin'ger Il, whereby the gripper finger is under a desired initial tension between the parts `IG'and 2|, and a corresponding pressure is immediately transmitted 'to the sheet or sheets as soon as it is'engaged by the gripper finger.

In Fig. 2 a similar construction is shown, mounted on supporting and actuating shaft I, and operating as an auxiliary gripper, cooperating with a gripper ofthe type shown in Fig. 1,

by a machine bolt 2l (Figs. 2 and l4). Certain of the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and designated by "a following the reference character may be identical with similar parts in Fig. l.

The invention as embodied in a folding Jaw is exemplarily shown in Figs. 5 and 6, mounted on a cylinder or like member 22. 'Ihe supporting and opening andV closing means is shown com-i I prising a shaftV Il, mounted in the cylinder 22,

jaw members 24 are mounted on a supporting plate 35 underneath and have a holding and clamping plate 26 above. The entire spring mem-A ber structure is fastened together by a rivet 21. The entire device is seated in a recess in shaft 2| and the rear end of the device abuts on the rear wall of the recess, and it is held in place by a machine 4bolt 3l passing therethrough and screw-threaded into thevshaft 2|.

In the embodied form of means for placing the various folding jaw members under initial spring tension, the forward end Il of the plate Il is proiected upwardly so as to slightly flex the spring members 24 between the part Iii and the top plate 36. 'I'he support 28 may be integral longitudinally, and to afford the individual resilient action and regulation, plate 2l may be slotted, as shown at l2, between the respective springmembers 24, and these may be individually bent slightly to vary the initial spring tension on the va-` rious 'members. A folding jaw Il is shown, mounted on cylinder 22, and this may be of any known or suitable form or construction, and may be provided with any desired adjustments. A suitable folding blade is indicated at Bil.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and dewithin the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What weclaim is:- 1. A gripping device including in combination a laminated leaf spring Jaw and a shaft by which it is moved between open and closed positions.

2. A grippingdevice including in combination a shaft, anda gripping device mounted thereon and comprising .a plurality of laminated spring leaves of graduated length. said shaft being osv cillatable to eifect the gripping action.

3.v A gripping device including in combination a gripping member comprisingl a plurality of 4 5. A gripping device including in combination a Jaw comprising a plurality of laminated leaf springs of graduated length forwardly, a cooper- Y ating jaw mounted for opening and closing movement, said laminated jaw having gripping contact near its forward end. v

spring leaves of graduated length, and a support 45 Vscribed but departures may be made therefrom liminary tension 6. Ay slipping device including in combination a longitudinal support, a plurality of separate laminated spring gripping devices mounted on 'the support. said support and springdevices be`- ing movable together between gripping Vand nongripping positions.

7. A gripping device including in combination a rockable shaft, a jaw member comprising a plurality of laminated leaf springs oi graduated length forwardly. and means for imposing preon the laminated spring Jaw member.

the shaft. means for imposing initial spring tension independently on the various sheet holding members, said shaft and sheet holding members being movable between open and closed position.

10. A UrlDDing device -including in combination a shaft and a plurality of gripping means mounted thereon, each comprising a plurality of spring leaves of graduated lengths with their sheet-en gaging ends in close proximity to each other said shaft being oscillatable to eii'eot the gripping action, said device permitting the running of widely diner-ent sizes of products without adjustment.

li. A gripping device including in combination a rockable shaft, and a plurality of laminated spring leaf grippers mounted on said shaft. said grippers permitting the din'erent sized products to be run side-by-side without change of adjustment.`

' CURTIS S." CRAFTS.-

CHARLES ALONZO HARLISB.

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