US2951697A - Collating machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 6, 1960 Filed NOV. 23, 1956 w. F. BERNART ETAL COLLATING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 fez 4/750 ATTORNEY Sept. 6, 1960 Filed Nov. 23, 1956 W. F. BERNART ETAL COLLATING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 6, 1960 w. F. BERNART ETAL 2,951,697

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 23. 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 X V 'j 31 (87 7 m\ g g/fer J: #0050 ATTORNEY Sm. 1960 w. F. BE-IRNART ETAL 2,951,697

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 23, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 j! mum one W115i 75 RESE 0N 144- a m l 31 24 157 a MGM.

ATTORNEY p 1950 w. F. BERNART ET AL 2,951,697

COLLATING MACHINE Filed NOV. 23, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY Sept. 6, 1960 w. F. BERNART -ET AL 2,951,697

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTO R N EY Sept. 6, 1960 w. F. BERNART ETAL 2,951,697

COLLATING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Nov. 25, 1956 7 5 0 7 9 a y H M d I RG1 u u lNV TORS 7/0 y); j

'ATTORNEY Sept. 6, 1960 w. F. BERNART ETAL 2,951,697

, COLLATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 2a, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 ATTORNEY 2,951,697 COLLATING MACHINE William F. Bernart, New Canaan, and Walter J. Hanson, Old Greenwich, Conn., assignors to Pitney-Bowes, Inc., tamford, Cnn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 23, 1956, Ser. No. 624,029

3 'Claims. (Cl. 270-58) This invention relates to collating and especially to the kind of collating in which sheets or sections of one type are fed one by one to a plurality of pockets in a moving receptor, whereupon the process is repeated with sheets or sections of another type, and so forth until a set is accumulated in each pocket.

It has been known to collate material by the general method outlined hereinabove, but the particular features heretofore adopted have had certain notable drawbacks which it is the purpose of this invention to cure. One problem associated with collating equipment of this nature is to achieve adequate speed of operation, and one previously known arrangement using a rotating receptor drum is inadequate in this regard in that the drum is operated by steps, that is, it is arrested at each step to insure the feeding of each sheet into the pocket. Another approach to the problem has been to make the receptor, instead of a fixed drum, a belt with outwardly extending pocket-forming elements, with the pockets being normally closed but temporarily open adiacent the feeding point to receive the fed sheet. By this system it has been found feasible to move the receptor continuously, but the opening and closing of the pockets introduces undesired mechanical complications into the receptor mechanism. Also, this construction has the tendency for the collated sheets therein to separate, float, and interfere with the incoming sheets.

It is the primary object of the present invention, there-.

fore, to provide for collating at high speed using a rotary receptor drum having fixed pockets, and the same is accomplished by means of an accurately controlled feed system which deposits the sheet in the vacant part of each pocket on the fly without making it necessary to arrest the drum for that purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide for conveniently introducing a plurality of groups of collations into the receptor pockets in such a way as to have them clearly distinct and readily separable, whereby the equipment may be used to collate more sets than its nominal capacity for a single set.

Additional objects, features and advantages will hereinafter appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a collator according to the present invention, with parts broken away to show interior details;

Fig. 2 is a partial left side elevation of the device of Fig. 1 to a larger scale, with portions of the feed mechanism shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view with part in section of the device of Fig. 2 taken substantially on the line 3--3 thereof;

Fig. 4 is a detail section illustrating the feed mechanism positioning means and taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial left side elevation of the feed mechanism with the cover sectioned, and illustrating the gear drive for the parts;

Fig. 6 is a partial left elevation, partly in section, illus- I Patented Sept. 6, 1960 trating the operation of repositioning the feed mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a right side elevation of the device of Fig. 1 with the side of the housing removed and illustrating in particular some of the elements of the electrical control system;

Fig. 8 is a rear end elevation of the feed mechanism with parts broken away to illustrate in particular parts of the electrical control system;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section illustrating a portion of the electrical control system;

Fig. 10 is a partial right side elevation of the. feed mechanism with the cover plate removed and illustrating the timing control therefor;

Fig. 11 is a detail elevation, partly in section, of the brake for controlling the main drum motor;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating details of drum construction and the method of positioning the sheets so as to conduct plural collations simultaneously; and

Fig. 13 is a schematic showing of portions of the collator with the wiring for the electrical control system shown in detail.

Referring to the drawings, the collator comprises a housing or frame 21 open at the top and having rotatably mounted therein a receptor drum 23. The drum 23 comprises a shaft 25 carrying central core plates 27 and end plates 29 (see Fig. 12). Radially disposed plates 31 have notched engagement at their inner edges with core plates 27 and are made fast at their ends to end plates 29 by means of integral tabs 33 which pass through openlugs 35 in end plates 29. The tabs 33 are suitably secured in place either by welding, or mechanically by giving each tab a slight twist. The drum assembly 23 described provides a plurality, e.g. fifty, outwardly opening pockets 37, the drum shaft being rotatable in bearings 39 so that the pockets 37 can be presented in turn opposite a feeding station to be hereinafter described.

Within the housing 21 is mounted a drum-driving power source 41 (see Fig. 7) shown as including an electric motor 43 driving reduction gearing 45 provided with an output sprocket 47 connected by a chain 49 with a sprocket 51 aflixcd to the drum shaft 25. The power source 41 also preferably includes a flywheel 53 mounted, for example, on the shaft connecting motor 43 and gearing 45. A brake mechanism 55, Figs. 7 and 11, is provided including a brake lever 57 hinged as at 59 and is normally urged by a spring 61 in a direction such that a brake shoe 63 is in contact with and brakes the flywheel 53. A brake solenoid 65 is provided to move the brake lever to disengaged position against the force of spring 61 Whenever the motor 43 is operating.

Each of the radial pocket forming plates 31 is provided with a plurality of notches in its outer edge. A deep central notch 67 is provided for convenience in handling sheets, particularly to provide grasping space for re moving collated sheets from the pockets. The central notch 67 is flanked by shallow notches 69 which cooperate with curved peripheral guide rods 71 suitably mounted on theframe 21. The guide rods 71 encompass about one-half of the drum periphery, lie within the notches 69 of those plates 31 which are momentarily disposed at the lower half of the drum and effectively close said lower pockets to keep sheets in them from dropping out. Preferably-additional guide rods 71 are also arranged as shown opposite and just within the mouths of notches 67 for the same purpose.

Located at one end of the frame 21 on the top thereof is a feed assembly 75, seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11, and especially in Figs. 2 and 3. The feed assembly is in most respects similar to others heretofore developed but will be described briefly in order to clarify the following description of operation. The feed assembly 75 includes v-.a frame 7 7 carrying arsheet hopper 79 which leads to a separatorassembly 81 which withdraws sheets one-by-one from the top of a stack of sheets in the hopper 79 and feeds'sthemi'forward individually .:to. a -pair df -feed- "rollers 83,185; ''.Thel'attergproject theisheet 8 against agniding ledge' 87.:ar1d1thence':into5a pocket of I the '-rotating -drum 23. aThe'i fee'd ?rollersfiareddrivenrbyfa separate power source here shown as feed motor .589 =mountedon the frame .77.: andiconnected'ito thet'roller by :a suitable "driving :train 91. Any appropriate drive for the separator assembly maybeusedgtheseparator assembly operating :at :somewhatasloweri speed than the : rollers 83, 85. For example, the-separatoriassembly:may be driven by gearing such-as gearing 93 i (Fig. i 5') ifr'om the Ifeed' rollers :83, -85. The' fee'd motor 89 is :intended to run continuously whenever the ma'chine is inioperation, :and feeding-act-ioniselfectedor interrupted by means'of a clutch mechanism shown generally in Fig '10. The tclutch mechanism includes, interposed: between the train -91 and shaft 93 -of roller' 83, an over-running spring clutch-.95 ofconventionalconstruction which causm operation of the feed rollers 83, 85 whenever the train 91 is operating. The clutch 95, however,'has anouter'ibrakc surface 97which controls' the spring clutching element in known fashion so that whenever the brake surface97 is retarded the spring element'of 'clutch' 95 is expanded and its :grip is releasedte interrupt 'the feed roller-operation. A brake b-and 99,-'preferably in the form of aspringpsurrounds the drum 97, and a solenoid 101 'is gproVidedfor const1-icting the brake band and -'thus stopping the feed Wheneverthesolenoid is energized.

"The parts are-so arrangedthatthe drum 23 rotates in an anticlockwise direction as seen in -Fig. 2,-such that the pockets 37 approach the feeding station 'by moving upwar'dly from a lower position tending to keeping the sheets firmly stacked against the lower wall of each pocket. The guiding ledge 87 is so oriented as to direct the leading edge of the fed s'heet'against 'thelower'surface ofthe upper plate 31 forming the "pocket, andthus avoid conflict with other-sheets alreadyiocated therein.

Mounted on the feed assembly 75 is a sheet detector switch 103 which-is actuated by asheet S'being'fed when position, andjust short of the nip of the rollers 83, 85.

The parts will then be so disposed that the balance of the stack of sheets can be quickly withdrawn from hopper 79 to be replaced by a stack of the next type of sheet to be distributed.

At the forward end of-frame 21 are mounted unloading switches 119 and 121. The former is a push button switch designed for manual operation and the latter includes a knee lever for use when the operators hands are occupied. 'Aftercollating' has"been"completed, .either switchenables the drum to be inchedaround whilethecollatedsheets are easily and conveniently withdrawn' 'from'the pockets.

' In Fig. l2 'is -shown'a-plural sheet'detect'o'r 123 which senses the added .thicknesspresent when more than one sheet passes the" feed rollers "83,85 by mistake. A multiplying arm 125 operates a plural sheet detector switch 127 which serves to arrest both the feed and the drum rotation when such improper feeding occurs, and simultaneously :energize a "plural sheet signal light 128. -Mounted at a suitable point-on'theframe 77 ofthe feed assembly (see porarily the stoppage of thefe'ed mechanism and-to feed I 'theplural sheetsout .from the-nip of the rollers 83, 85

'the leading edge has passed Well-betweenthefeed rollers i 83, 35. Actuation of the switch 103 serves to "stop the feedwvith the sheet in ready position until a-pocket actuated "demand switch has been actuated which causes the feed *to'resume at the proper instant and feed the sheet outinto the appointedpocket. Thepocket actuated demand switchis located at a suitable-point on housing 21 and is indicated 'by reference character 105. The same is actuated by some structure related to the pockets 37 and is preferably actuated by the tab 33 to cause the :demand which initiates feeding. In Fig. 9 can be seen an actuator arm 107 which encounters the tabs 33 as they pass. Preferably this actuator arm affects two switches, :namely the pocket demand switch 105 just mentioned and a skip detector switch 109 which may be enclosed in the same or an adjacent housing. The ship detector switch 109 is so arranged that its closing before the sheet detector switch has been actuated (ie no sheet is ready for feeding) throws a control circuit into operation to stop drum rotation until a-sheet is brought -up into feeding position.

Also mounted on housing 21 are a home position switch 111 and a home position feed stop switch113, "as seen in Fig. 9. The former determines a homeiposition for the drum 23 which, once started, normally makes a complete revolution and returns to said home position where its drive is stopped automaticallyby the switch 111. "The switch 111 is actuated .by a suitably positioned cam projection 115 on the surface of the'drurn. The feed stop switch 113 is arranged to.cooperate with acam projection 117 on the surface .of the drum and serves, as the drum moves'to home position, to'stop' the feed mechanism with the last sheet S just slightly ahead of its usual ready jpocket demand switch 105, for example.

without immediately advancing the drum. In this manner *the operator-can watch the feeding process, note the "pocket 'intowhich-theplural sheets are fed, and manually withdraw the ext'ra or-extras as soonas the .notedpocket treaches anzexposedlposition. Normal automatic-operation .ofthermechanisrn resumes :as soon as the plural sheets are clear of the detector 123.

Mounted on a panel on 'the side of-the feed assembly 75 (see Figs. Sand 8) is amain'switch-131by which-the fline-power may 'be connected to the circuits 'and which must be'turned'on'before collating can be eflie'cted. Also present is a start-switch 13-3 designed to bypass thehome position switchlll temporarily when the drum is in home "position so as to cause suflicient drum "rotation to-initiate a collatingcycle. Also present is an indicator'light for indicating when'the drumis in home position.

In order that'it may be possible to collate anyde'sired numberof sets less "than but up to the capacity of the drum a predetermined c'ounter 137 is provided. The counter is actuated by a solenoid 139 which drives the counter "137 to cause fonecounting operationevery time a pocket passes, and may be under the control of the When the 'counterhasbe'en set -for a predetermined number o'f pock- 'ets, it counts off that number as tl ley pass, aud the'n actuates a counter switch 141 which disables the feed mechanism and allows the drum to continue "its "motion back to home position without any further feeding of "sheets from the hopper until anew cycle is started. Any suitable disabling 'means, e.g. a switch 142 in the solenoid circuit,'may'be'pro'vided to prevent the counte'rs moving from any desired non-zero setting and hence preventing the switch 141 from taking effect when ordinary, 'fulldrum operation is 'tobe carried out.

A button 144 is also arranged in a convenient location on frame 77, to bring about return of'the drum to home position whenever it has been displaced therefrom, as by an unloading operation.

Also carried on the frame 77 of the feed assembly 75 are three relays R R and R (Fig. 8) for suitably relating the controlling action of the switches to each other sition of the relay. Relay R includes two switch blades R A and R 13. The blade R A meets either of two contacts R A and R A the former in the relaxed position and the latter in the actuated position of the relay. The blade R B meets a contact R 13 in the actuated position of the relay.

In the schematic showing, for convenience, all switches and relays are shown in their normal, relaxed position, if such exists.

The line conductors 151 and 153 lead to the double pole main switch 131. Thence the ground connection is made from contact 154 of switch 131 to the solenoid of relay R via a conductor 155, to the solenoid of relay R and light 135 via a conductor 157, to the solenoid of relay R via a conductor 159 to feed stop solenoid 101 via a conductor 161, and to light 128, feed motor 89 and predetermined counter solenoid 139 via a conductor 163, said conductors constituting the ground network. The counter disabling switch 142 is preferably inserted in conduetor 163 adjacent solenoid 139 to permit manual making or breaking the solenoid circuit at will. The ground connection for drum motor 43 is made to the line conductor 151 outside the main switch via conductor 165. The brake solenoid 65 is similarly served simultaneously by the parallel conductor 165a.

A connection from the other side of the main switch 131, namely contact 156 thereof, is made to the blade of sheet detector switch 103 via conductor 167, to blade R A of relay R via conductor 169, and to the feed motor 89 via conductor 171.

Power for the drum motor 43 is normally supplied from contact R A via a conductor 173, blade R B of relay R contact R B a conductor 175, the blade of home position switch 111, the unactuated contact, designated 177, of said switch 111 and conductors 179, 181, and 183. A parallel conductor 183a simultaneously supplies the brake solenoid 65. There is one bypass connection supplying power to the drum motor and brake solenoid which includes a conductor 185 meeting the juncture of conductors 179 and 181, the start switch 133, and a conductor 137 finally joining conductor 173 which leads to contact R A There is also another bypass connection supplying power to the drum motor and brake solenoid which includes a conductor 189 which joins conductor 1S3, either of switches 119 or 121 which are connected in parallel, and a conductor 191 which joins main line conductor 153 outside of the main switch 131.

Power for the control functions is primarily regulated by the sheet detector switch 103. From its actuated contact, designated 193, a conductor 195 leads to blade R A of relay R and to one side of pocket demand switch 105. The other side of pocket demand switch 105 connects through conductors 197, 199 with contact R 13 through conductors 201, 203 and 205 with the solenoid of relay R and with contact R A through a conductor 207 with the predetermined counter solenoid 139, and through a conductor 209 with one side of plural sheet detector switch 127. The other side of the plural sheet detector switch connects with the solenoid of relay R via a conductor 211. From the relaxed contact, designated 213, of sheet detector switch 103, a conductor 215 leads to the blade of predetermined counter switch 141. The relaxed contact 217 of said switch is connected by a conductor 219 with one side of switch 11 A, and by a conductor 221 with one side of skip detector switch 109. The other sides of switches 109 and R A are connected by a conductor 223 which also is connected to the solenoid of relay R Feed stop solenoid 101 is connected with the actuated contact, designated 225, of the predetermined counter switch 141 by a conductor 227. Feed stop solenoid 101 is further connected with contact R A of relay R by a conductor 229, 231 which is interrupted by the plural sheet feed switch 129. Contacts R A and R B are bridged by a conductor 233. Contact R A of relay R is ponnected to conductor 227 and hence to feed stop sole- 5 noid 101 by a conductor 235. One side of home position feed stop switch 113 is also connected to conductor 227 and hence to feed stop solenoid 101 by a conductor 237. The other side of switch 113 connects to conductor 175 by a conductor 239.

The actuated contact, designated 241, of home position switch 111 is connected via a conductor 243 with the home position light 135. The blade R B of relay R is connected via a conductor 245 with the plural sheet light 128.

In the operation of the collator, main switch 131 is closed after hopper 79 is stacked with the sheets to be collated. The first sheet will be in ready position at the separator assembly 81. No separating or feeding will occur, however, since the drum 23 is in home position and home position feed stop switch 113 is closed by its cam 117. Energizing current is carried via conductor 169, blade R A, conductor 173, blade R B, conductors 175, 239, 237 and 227 to the feed stop solenoid 101 to complete its circuit and prevent feeding. The drum 23 is not now rotating because of the opening created in its main power supply by the actuation of home position switch 111 by its cam 115. This opening can be bypassed by momentarily closing start switch 133 which starts drum rotation. This moves the cams 115 and 117 away from their respective switches 111 and 113. The former action (release of switch 111) releases the drum to continuous rotation for one revolution except for certain control inspired stoppages to be hereinafter described. The latter action (release of switch 113) causes deenergization of solenoid 101 with consequent initiation of the feed.

The first sheet is then rapidly fed out to a point where its leading edge actuates switch 103 where it hesitates. This hesitation is due to the flow of current via conductor 167, contact 193, conductor 195, blade R A, contact R A and conductors 235 and 2 -27 to solenoid 101 which momentarily stops the feed. This situation changes, however, as soon as the approaching pocket tab 33 strikes the pocket demand switch 105. i This action causes a flow of current via conductor 167, contact 193, conductor 195 to switch 105, conductors 197, 201, 203 and 205 to relay R which is actuated and moves blade R A against contact R A simultaneously breaking the current flow to solenoid 101 and locking the relay R in actuated position regardless of the opened or closed condition of switch 105 Since solenoid 101 is no longer energized, feeding proceeds until the first sheet S is fully fed out into the waiting first pocket 37. Since the feed rollers 83,. operate at a higher speed than separator assembly 81, there will always be a gap between successive sheets during which time switch 103 will be unactuated. This will permit relay R to unlock and start a whole new cycle of operation for the next sheet and pocket.

Each sheet and pocket cause the cycle of operations described in the immediately foregoing paragraph to repea-t itself so that one sheet is fed into each pocket while the drum 23 continues to rotate. The pocket demand switch is essentially in control and trips the feed each time a new pocket 37 presents itself in proper position. When each pocket has had a sheet fed into it and the drum reaches home position again, switch 111 is again actuated by its earn 115. This breaks the circuit to the drum motor 43 and brake solenoid 57 so that drum rotation is stopped. At the same time the blade of switch 111 meets contact 241 and completes a circuit via conductor 243 to home position light 135, assuring the operator that the operation is complete and that motion has not been arrested in response to faulty operation in a manner to be hereinafter described. As the drum reaches home position, the home position feed stop switch 113 is also again actuated by its cam 117 in time to prevent the next sheet S from getting into the nip of the feed rollers 83, 85, whereby the remaining supply of sheets printed as sheet 1 can be quickly withdrawn from the hopper and replaced by a stack of different sheets,

e.g-. sheet 2. The whole series of-operations is repeated for each diiferent type of 3 sheet untila complete set-'has been collected in each pocket -37. Thereupon' the operator opens main switch 131 and-prepares to withdraw the collated sets from the drum. This maybe done-by standing front of the machine-as seen in--Fig= 7, inching the drum 23 around afew'pockets at a time-and-withdrawing thecollated sets therefrom by hand. The motion of-=the drum is produced by closing switch ll9 momentarilyeach time drum motion is desired, or by using the knee-instead,'parallel switch 121 may be similarly employed leaving both of the operators' hands -free for unloading, Closing of either switch 119 or 121 completes acircuit via conductors 191, 183, 183a to the drum motor- 43 -and brake -solenoid 65 for as longas the switch 119 or 1-21 is held closed; When the unloading of-the drum is complete, the drum-may be returned toexact home position manually: or: preferably byelectrical means. to behereinafter described.

The previous description-of operation goes forward on the basis of collating a number of sets equal to the number ofpoekets on the drum. Where fewer sets are required, provision is made for collating these in an especially efiicient 'manner.- As previously statedthe pre determined-counter 137 is moved one count every'time the circuit to solenoid 139 is madeand then broken. if the switches 103 and "105 are simultaneously in actuated position and then the switch 103 is thereafterrelaxed, this is-the norm-a1 method'of effecting a coun-t.- The counter. 137 can be set toany desired number of sets, for example ten, and will run in decreasing order until the counter shows zero, at which time it will actuate the predetermined counter switch 141. Actuation of the switch separates the blade from contact 2 17' and causes it to meet contact 225 which completes a circuit through conductor 227 to feed stop solenoid 101, terminatingthe feed. The drum. rotation continues, however until the drum reaches home position where it is stopped inthe manner heretofore described. The making of the circuit to solenoid 101 depends upon lack of actuation of sheet detector switch'103, so that-the feed is stopped-at an instant after the last or tenthsheet has-been fed and before; the next or eleventh sheet has reached the rollers-8 3 85. Breaking of the circuit at contact 217 automatically disables a skip detector circuit, to be hereinafter described,- so that the can finish out its rotationeventhough no sheets are being fed tothe pocketsr Arnanualsnap switch 142 is provided for breaking the solenoid circuit when desired so.that counter motion can be stopped and the normal full-drum operation can be availed ofwithout danger of inadvertently running through a zero-counter reading in the process. In'addition to counter operation of switch 141, there is also preferably provided the manual push button 144 mentioned heretofore. By means of push button-144. it is possible to throwthe switch- 141- i at any time regardless ofthe indicated count. Thus all that needbe done to return the drum to home positionafter unloading or at any other time when his somewhat displaced from home position, is to press button 144 and then'close main switch 131; holding button 144 pressed until the drum reaches home and has stopped. The circuit arrangement will be exactly as described for predetermined counter operation so that drum-rotation will proceed; as desired without the feeding of any sheets (should such be present in the hopper), and automatic stopping of the drum at home position will-occur in the samemanner.

Incertain instances abnormaloperation of-the feeding mechanism may occur. For example, if a sheet is late being fed for any reason the sheet detector switch 103 will. remain unactuated after-the pocket-demand switch 1 rand skip detector switch 109- have--beenactuated by the,tab..33. In thiscircumstance there is a circuit madeviaconductor 167, contact 213 of switch10 3, conductor 215, contact 217: of switch141, conductors 219 and 221,- switch 109,- and :conductor 223 to-relay=R causing actuation of the same. Blade R A meets-contact R A and completes a'locking circuit for relay:Rg,--while blade R 'B' -leaves contact-R B thereby breaking {the drum motor-and brake' solenoid circuit and stopping the drumi Simultaneously blade R B meets contact R B and completes a circuit including conductor'169, blade RgA, contact Rg-A conductor 173, bladeR B, contact R 'B ,' conductors 199, 201, 203 and 205 to relay R thus holding blade- R A- away from contact R A and-breakingthe circuit to feed stop solenoid 101. This will operate to sus= tain-thefeed whenever the switch-103 is actuated bya Subsequently incoming sheet, even though pocket demand switch may already be reopened, for the -blade-'R" A= is already over' against contact R A and will conduct current to the .solenoidof relay R just as soon as the blade of. switch: 103 meets contact 193, whereby to hold the relay R 'operated even after relay R is relaxed by actuation of switch 103.: This relaxation requires an instant of-time. permitting relay R to catch and hold via its new circHitbefOre-the oldis sufficiently broken. The action alsosupplies current. to conductors 199, 201 and 207 to, actuate the. predetermined counter solenoid 139in lieu of the. usualupath. Thus the machine is. in acondition of readiness with the drum idleand thefeed 'continuing,=. ready .to catchthe-first sheetdelivered to it and feeditzintoa pocket. When a sheet does appear. and is ed-, :.the switch-103 will be actuated thus breaking the locking circuit at relay R causing blade R B tol meet contact R B again and restore thexdrum motor. circuit and .start drum rotation.

Another possibility for abnormal operation is the feeding;of; more; than one sheet at a time. If this should occur the, plural sheetdetector 123 is moved and switch 127 is, actuated to closed position. The occurrence, of CJQu c5'Ji 3iatE3till'1fi6lwhel'l, the sheet detector switch 103 is alsoaetuated; and the occurrence will. also. continue into the; instant of time when the pocket demand switch is actuated. Accordingly a flow of current is.estab lished via conductor:167 to switch 103, contact 193, conductor ;195, switch;.10. conductors 197,201, 207, 209-, switch'127, and-conductor 211 :to the solenoid of.relay R Pocketdemand switch '105", however, is.only instantaneously operated, so to insure current flow to relay R relay R is actuated and locked by the closing of switch 105.: Thus current flows to relay R ,in,.any event via a path including:,.conduc,tor;167 to switch 103,:contactg193, conductor'195,:bladeR A, contact R A conductors 203, 207 and'209, switch 127 and conductor 211., This, cur.- rent, by eitherroute, normally the latter, actuates, the relay R so that-blade R A leaves contact R A breaking thehdrnmmotorand brake solenoid'circuit and, stopping drum rotation. At the same time blade R A meets contact, R A This completes a circuit via,conductor-169, blade R A,.contact, R A conductors 233 and 231, plural sheet feed ;switch'129; conductors 229 and 227' to feed stopsolenoid 101 to prevent feedingeven though the pocket-demand switch 105 has been actuated. Further more, blade R 13 meetszcontact R 'B which now receives currentvia jumper conductor 233 from contact R A and current flows via, conductor 245 to the plural'document; indicatinglight 128. When the .machine, shuts down, the pluralasheets have already been fed somewhat into the,nip of feed rollers 83, 85, and withdrawal; in the opposite direction is not desirable. To correct the, situation,, the operator manually opens plural sheet feed switch 129. Thisbreaksthe,previously described circuit to the feed ,stop solenoid 101, and. permits the plural sheets to befed out into the waiting pocket under the-eyefofthe operator so that the extra or extras can be removedwhen the-poeketnbecomes conveniently located shortly? thereafter; Whentheplural sheet thickness leavesthe detector 2.3,. switch 121 is.onened' again. This deenergizeszthe solenoid of re1ay-R and, permits: the blades, to return tmtheirgoriginal normalposition ,so.thatdrum rotation resumes and light 128 goes out. Simultaneously the normal feeding of the next single sheet occurs, readying the same for projection into the next pocket (the pocket after that into which the plural sheets were fed), as soon as called for by the pocket demand switch 105 in response to its actuation by the correlative tab 33.

In Figs. 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12 is illustrated a feature of the present invention whereby the capacity of the drum may be increased, i.e. a number of sets equal to a multiple of the number of drum pockets may be collated at one time. To this end the drum 23 is made longer than the sheets to be handled, i.e. longer than the maximum width of the feed assembly 75, as can be seen in Fig. 3. The feed assembly has a plurality, preferably two, of positions, so that it will feed the sheets into distinct, spaced locations in the drum pockets, as seen in Fig. 3. The feed assembly 75 is movable relative to the drum, parallel to the drum axis, and can be set first at the lefthand end to feed sheet 1 into the left-hand ends of the drum pockets as seen at A in Figs. 3 and 12. The feed assembly can then be moved to the right-hand end of the drum so as to feed sheet 1 into the right-hand ends of the drum pockets as seen at B in Figs. 3 and 12. Thus, if there are fifty pockets, one hundred of sheet 1 will have been distributed. This process can be repeated with each of the different sheets until all have been disare notched as indicated by reference numeral 251 to rest in locating grooves provided at appropriate places along a rear cross shaft 253. Grooves 2.55, as seen in Figs. 4 and 8, provide for positioning the feed assembly in the left position, and grooves 257, Figs. 3, 4, and 8, provide for right-hand positioning. Suitable resilient bumpers 259 permit the feed assembly to be shifted rapidly back and forth without injury. Fig. 6 illustrates the manner of shifting the feed assembly from one position to the other. As shown therein the operator places her hand under the rear of the feed assembly, rocks it up to dotted line position about the axis of shaft 249, shifts it laterally in the desired direction, allowing the notches 251 to drop into the appropriate grooves so that the feed assembly settles back into full line position.

In order that the feed assembly 75 may be readily shifted back and forth, the conductors which make the connections between it and the electrical apparatus on housing 21 are arranged as a flexible cable which can swing to accommodate the necessary feed assembly movement.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A collating device comprising a sheet receiving drum with peripheral pockets substantially longer axially of the drum than the sheets to be collated; said pockets including radially disposed plates each having a deep central notch in the outer edge thereof; means for rotating said drum; sheet feeding mechanism adjacent the drum periphery for feeding a sheet into each pocket as the same passes the feeding mechanism; means mounting the feeding mechanism for shifting movement in a path parallel to the drum axis; and means for positioning the feeding mechanism in at least two determinate locations along said path whereby sheets may be fed into said elongate pockets in a plurality of positions overlapping at the notch locations to provide for subsequent removal of the entire sheet collation in each pocket by manually gripping the overlapped portions at the notch locations and for ready identification and separation of the sheets in each position therein.

2. A collating device as set forth in claim 1 in which said mounting means includes a first support element parallel to the drum axis, on which said feeding mechanism is rockable and shiftable, and in which said positioning means includes another support element against which said feeding mechanism is normally urged but away from which it can be manually rocked on said first support element, and which includes means interlocking with said feeding mechanism when in position against said other support element to prevent movement axially of the drum and from which said feeding mechanism can be disengaged by rocking on said first support element in a direction contrary to that of said urging.

3. The method of collating sheets which comprises rotating a sheet receiving drum with peripheral pockets substantially longer than the sheets to be collated; feeding sheets, one into one end of each pocket, from a stack of sheets as the pockets move by a sheet storage station; and feeding similar sheets, one into the other end of each pocket, from said stack of sheets so as to lie in each pocket in overlapping relation with the first fed sheet; repeating the last two feeding steps using a different type of sheet for each such pair of steps; removing the pairs of collected sets from the pockets; grasping the ends of each pair; and stripping the individual sets apart.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,041,806 King Oct. 12, 1912 1,989,976 Fuller Feb. 5, 1935 2,122,136 Fuller June 28, 1938 2,146,695 Brand Feb. 7, 1939 2,219,489 Parks Oct. 29, 1940- 2,237,269 Brand Apr. 1, 1941 2,288,149 Williams June 30, 1942 2,313,633 Ford Mar. 9, 1943 2,389,107 Rice Nov. 13, 1945 2,392,032 Domville Jan. 1, 1946 2,440,347 Poitras Apr. 27, 1948 2,505,925 Von Haase May 2, 1950 2,561,070 Phythian July 17, 1951 2,589,676 Crissy Mar. 18, 1952 2,785,893 Ford Mar. 19, 1957

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