Kansa Corporation

Greg A Rawlings

Donald A Glaser

Lonnie Worthington

David D Rhoads

William R Kline

A multiple station in-line product handling machine (40) is provided which has infeed stations (42-46) equipped with improved feeder and receiving units (60, 62) as well as a unique pusher chain assembly (78). The feeder units (60) include a sucker shaft (88) adapted to successively grip the leading ends (336) of the bottom products (334) in a stack thereof and to pivot such leading ends (336) downwardly without any substantial translational movement of the product (334); the downwardly pivoted ends (336) are then engaged by a cooperating nip roller (100) and feed belt assembly (71) to withdraw the product (334) from the stack. Preferably, the sucker shaft (88) and nip roller (100) are driven by respective cams (106, 108) mounted on a powered shaft (110). The receiving units (62) have receiving structure (74) together with a rotatable wheel (76) equipped with a resilient peripheral product-engaging element (174) which quickly and reliably move the fed product (334) along the length of the machine (10). Preferably, a pusher pin (82) forming a part of chain assembly (78) is moved in timed relationship with wheel (76) so that the element (174) and pin (82) substantially simultaneously engage the product (334) to move it from the receiving unit (62). The chain assembly (78) is made up of a whole number of end-to-end interconnected chain sections (296) each having a plurality of strategically located pin mounts (81) so that changeover of the assembly (78) to handle products of different lengths can be readily accomplished.

Feeder structure and receiving wheel for high speed inserter

A mechanism for opening a publication and for sensing the open or closed condition of the publication includes an opening mechanism for opening the publication into two sections, a first detector assembly for sensing the presence of one of the sections at a first location, and a second detector assembly for sensing the presence of the remaining section at a second location spaced from the first. An indicator responds to the first and second detector assemblies for indicating that the opening mechanism properly opened the publication when the sections are sensed at both the first and second locations, and for indicating that the opening mechanism missed opening the publication when the sections are sensed at only one of the first and second predetermined locations. Preferably, a piece of reflective tape is positioned at the first and second locations, and each detector assembly emits light that is directed onto the corresponding tape along a predetermined line that is angled 15.degree.-45.degree. relative to the tape. The light reflected back along the predetermined lines by the tape is directed back to the detector assemblies. The opening mechanism preferably includes a spear for piercing the publication, and an air outlet orifice for directing air under pressure across the spear toward the publication in a direction angled relative to the travel path of the publication to separate the sheets from one another immediately upstream of the spear, facilitating opening of the publication by the spear.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, KS, United States of America

Greg A Rawlings