Harris Corporation

Other

Harris Graphics Corporation

Leonard Miaskoff

Henry R Mebus

Ernest P Winski

Richard J Merwarth

Clifton B McMurry

A palletizing apparatus usable for depositing material on an underlying surface, and particularly an underlying layer of compressible material. The apparatus comprises a frame, a plate means mounted on the frame for vertically and horizontally moving the plate means relative to the frame, the plate means including an upwardly facing surface adapted for carrying a stack of material and a downwardly facing surface having therein a plurality of recesses extending in the direction of the horizontal movement of the plate means. Projections mounted on the frame extend upwardly into the recesses for preventing a previously deposited layer of materials from moving with the plate means as the plate means is withdrawn from under the stack. The palletizer further comprises means for withdrawing the plate means from under the stack while an underlying layer of compressible material is under compression.

Palletizer

An improved tyer includes a central station where loose stacks of signatures sre received. A pair of tying stations are disposed on opposite sides of the central station. A pair receiving stations are disposed adjacent to the tying stations. An improved shuttle assembly is used to sequentially move loose stacks of sheets from the central station to one or the other of the tying stations. The shuttle assembly includes three pusher arms which are movable along tracks between the central and tying stations. Gaps are provided in the tracks at the tying station to enable bands or straps to be moved through the tracks and secured around loose stacks of signatures at the tying stations. In order to provide for as compact a loose stack of signatures as possible at a tying station, the loose stack of signatures is compressed between a pair of pusher arms as it is moved to a tying station. In order to protect the bottom of a tied stack of signatures, a cover sheet is positioned between the bottom of the loose stack of signatures and a support surface as the loose stack of signatures is moved from the central station to a tying station.

Tying apparatus

An improved palletizing apparatus sequentially loads a plurality of layers of bundles of newspapers onto a pallet. The apparatus includes a layer position and sheet hold down assembly which (1) indicates the level of the uppermost layer of bundles in a stack of bundles on a pallet and (2) holds down pages of the newspaper at the top of the bundles. During operation of the palletizing apparatus, a layer of bundles is moved onto a retractable floor disposed above a pallet. The floor is then opened and the layer of bundles is dropped onto the pallet. An elevator is then operated to lower the pallet. The layer position and sheet hold down assembly indicates when the upper layer of bundles has been moved a predetermined distance beneath the floor so that the floor can close without interference with the stack of bundles. The layer position and sheet hold down assembly includes a frame which engages the top of the layer of bundles and a linkage which maintains the frame in a horizontal orientation. The frame holds down the uppermost sheets in the layer of bundles and urges the bundles into a desired spatial relationship relative to each other.

Palletizing apparatus with layer level detecting means

The disclosed signature handling apparatus is for use with a saddle conveyor which moves signatures with a folded edge up along a path through a series of stations. The apparatus transfers signatures from the saddle conveyor to the infeed conveyor of a signature trimmer in a smooth motion and without abrupt changes in speed or direction. The infeed conveyor to the signature trimmer is located in a plane parallel to and above the path of the saddle conveyor. The apparatus includes a tucker blade mechanism which contacts the folded edge of the signature from below the saddle conveyor. The tucker blade mechanism moves the signature forwardly and upwardly from the saddle conveyor as it moves in a vertical plane through a path which is oblique relative to the saddle conveyor. A gripper finger assembly grips the signature from the tucker blade mechanism and continues the forwardly and upwardly movement of the signature and simultaneously rotates it about an axis parallel to the saddle conveyor. When the gripper finger assembly grips the signature from the tucker blade mechanism, it has a component of motion parallel to the path of the saddle conveyor. The signature is released into the infeed conveyor of the trimmer when it has a component of motion which is perpendicular to the path of the saddle conveyor and in the plane and direction of the trimmer infeed conveyor.

Signature handling apparatus

A mechanism for transferring books or the like between work stations comprises a conveyor chain. A raceway is located along the conveyor chain and supports books thereon. A plurality of pushing devices project from the conveyor chain. Each of the pushing devices has a surface spaced above the raceway for engaging a surface of a book to push the book along the raceway. Each pushing device is attached to the conveyor chain and comprises a pusher finger construction which bends backwardly relative to the direction of movement thereof upon encountering a predetermined resistance to movement of the book pushed thereby and for passing beyond the book providing said predetermined resistance.

Mechanism for transferring books and the like

An improved signature handling apparatus includes a movable gripper jaw which operates in conjunction with similar gripper mechanisms to clamp and spread the signature so that the laps fall on opposite sides of the saddle in a saddle gatherer. In order to assure that the pages on the opposite sides of the fold fall on the appropriate side of the saddle gatherer, a sensing means is utilized to detect whether all of the pages on one side of the signature are properly clamped by the gripper jaw. Since the position of the gripper jaw is indicative of whether the correct thickness has been clamped, the sensing means emits a positive response when the gripper jaw is in the correct position. The sensing means includes a part operatively associated with the gripper jaw which is adjusted by connecting means to be in a predetermined position when the gripper jaw properly clamps the signature leg. Depending on the embodiment, the operatively associated part has either a reflecting surface or an aperture, as means for sensing its position. The sensing means further includes a light source and light sensor whereby light is received into the light sensor after either being reflected from the reflecting surface or passing through the aperture depending on the embodiment, only when the operatively associated part is in the predetermined position. Upon receiving light from the light source, the light sensor emits an electrical impulse indicating that the signature lap has been properly clamped.

Signature opening apparatus

A mechanism for transferring a book having a bound edge from one linear conveyor to another linear conveyor where the directions of movement of the conveyor intersect at an angle and where the article undergoes rotation during such transfer whereby the bound edge is reorientated so as to be leading on the second conveyor while not leading on the first conveyor.

Orbital turn

A cutting blade for use in paper trimming machines and the like. A beveled surface is included which tapers the first side of the blade toward a second side so as to form an acute angle at the intersection of the second side and the beveled surface. The blade is regularly scalloped along the second side so that the scallops form an acute angle with the beveled surface. The generally serrated cutting edge so formed lies entirely within the plane of the beveled surface. During the cutting operation, the blade is inclined to the cutting plane so that the cutting plane and the plane of the beveled surface are substantially coincident. With the blade thus disposed, the cutting edges all lie within the cutting plane. Tearing and crushing of the paper is thus substantially avoided. The cutting edge so formed can be sharpened without significantly changing the shape of the cutting edge by grinding the beveled surface.

Growing community of inventors

Easton, PA, United States of America

Leonard Miaskoff