Claims
- 1. A signature feedrack assembly comprising:
- chain drive means for supporting a plurality of signatures along one edge thereof;
- an end wall arranged substantially at a right angle to an upper run of said chain drive means and cooperating with said chain means for supporting a stack of signatures on end;
- means for removing a signature adjacent said end wall;
- means responsive to removal of a signature for moving said chain drive means through a linear distance for advancing the signatures on said upper run through a distance substantially equal to a width of a signature;
- said chain drive means including a drive sprocket;
- a first linkage arm;
- said sprocket being pivotally mounted at a first end of said first linkage arm;
- a second linkage arm;
- a first end of said second linkage arm being pivotally coupled to a second end of said first linkage arm;
- clamp means for releasably clamping the first and second linkage arms to maintain a predetermined angular orientation therebetween;
- said second linkage arm having a first chain guide edge aligned with said drive sprocket;
- said chain drive means being entrained about said drive sprocket and riding on said first chain guide edge;
- said second linkage arm being movable relative to said first linkage arm between a first position wherein the first and second linkage arms are arranged to lie along a substantially straight line and a second position wherein said second linkage arm forms an angle of less than 180 degrees with said first linkage arm, said angle being defined by longitudinal axes of said first and second linkage arms.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
- a chain support plate having a second guide edge supporting and slidably engaging said chain;
- said chain support plate being fixedly secured to said first linkage arm and having its chain guide edge substantially in alignment with said drive sprocket;
- said drive sprocket and said first and second supporting chain guide edges being arranged along a substantially straight line.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a free end of said second linkage arm has an arcuate shape to facilitate guiding and support of said chain drive means therearound.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chain drive means are adapted for use with a feeder means having a plurality of rollers at said output end, said rollers being aligned to rotate about a common axis, said feeder means having support means for said rollers for providing at least first and second gap spaces between selective ones of said rollers at an output end of said feeder means;
- said chain drive means comprising first and second drive chain assemblies;
- means for mounting said first and second drive chain assemblies in spaced parallel fashion which spacing enables said first and second drive chain assemblies to be respectively inserted into the first and second gap spaces provided at the output end of said feeder means to facilitate alignment therebetween.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:
- means for adjusting the height of said feeder means to facilitate alignment between the input end of said sectional chain means and the output of said feeder means.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for removing a signature from feedrack hopper comprises swingably mounted means movable between a first position to engage a signature resting against said end wall and a second position angularly displaced from the plane of said end wall.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said swingably mounted means further comprises suction means for selectively holding a signature when in said first position.
- 8. A signature feedrack assembly according to claim 1 wherein said chain drive means comprises a closed-loop chain having a path defined by said sprocket and guide surfaces of said first and second linkage arms.
- 9. A signature feedrack assembly according to claim 8 further comprising guide means for maintaining the closed-loop chain substantially taut when said first and second linkage arms are in said second position, said curved guide means being arranged to guide said closed-loop chain about an inside corner.
- 10. A signature feedrack assembly according to claim 1 wherein said means for moving said chain drive means comprises pawl means for incrementally rotating said sprocket.
- 11. A signature feedrack assembly according to claim 1 further comprising first and second guide means each arranged in spaced parallel fashion to an associated one of said first pair of linkage arms and aligned with a chain guide edge of an associated one of said second pair of linkage arms and cooperating with said first chain guide edges to guide one of said drive chain means.
- 12. A signature feedrack assembly according to claim 11 wherein said first and second chain drive means are each comprised of a closed-loop chain, a path of each closed-loop chain being defined by an associated drive sprocket and associated first and second chain guide edges.
- 13. A signature feedrack assembly according to claim 12 further comprising guide path means for maintaining the first and second closed-loop chains substantially taut when said first and second pairs of linkage arms are arranged in said second position, said guide path means guiding an associated chain to follow a curved, inside corner.
- 14. A signature feedrack assembly comprising:
- first and second chain drive means for supporting a variety of signatures along one edge thereof;
- an end wall arranged substantially at a right angle to said chain drive means cooperating with said chain drive means for supporting a stack of signatures on end;
- means for removing a signature adjacent said end wall;
- means responsive to removal of a signature for moving said chain drive means through a linear distance for advancing the signatures on said chain drive means through a distance substantially equal to a width of a signature;
- each of said chain drive means including a drive sprocket;
- a first linkage arm;
- said drive sprocket being pivotally mounted to a first end of said first linkage arm;
- a second linkage arm;
- a first end of said second linkage arm being pivotally coupled to a second end of said first linkage arm;
- clamp means for releasably clamping the first and second linkage arms to maintain a predetermined angular orientation therebetween;
- said second linkage arm having a first chain guide edge aligned with said drive sprocket;
- said chain drive means being entrained about said drive sprocket and riding on said first chain guide edge;
- said first linkage arm being movable relative to said second linkage arm between a first position wherein the first and second linkage arms are arranged to lie along a substantially straight line and a second
- 15. A signature feedrack assembly for use with conveyor means for conveying signatures to said signature feedrack assembly, said conveyor means having a downstream end terminating in a plurality of coaxially aligned roller means each supporting a conveyor belt, said roller means being arranged at spaced intervals along an axis of rotation to provide at least one clearance gap;
- said feedrack assembly comprising:
- chain drive means for supporting a plurality of signatures along one edge thereof;
- an end wall arranged substantially at a right angle to an upper run of said chain drive means and cooperating with said chain means for supporting a stack of signatures on end;
- means for removing a signature adjacent said end wall;
- means responsive to removal of a signature for moving said chain drive means through a linear distance for advancing the signatures on said upper run through a distance substantially equal to a width of a signature;
- said chain drive means including drive sprocket means;
- a first linkage arm;
- said drive sprocket means being pivotally mounted at a first end of said first linkage arm;
- a second linkage arm;
- a first end of said second linkage arm being pivotally coupled to a second end of said first linkage arm;
- clamp means for releasably clamping the first and second linkage arms to maintain a predetermined angular orientation therebetween;
- said second linkage arm having a first chain guide edge means aligned with said drive sprocket means;
- said chain drive means being entrained about said drive sprocket means and riding on said first chain guide edge;
- said second linkage arm being movable relative to said first linkage arm between a first position wherein the first and second linkage arms are arranged to lie along a substantially straight line and a second position wherein said second linkage arm forms an angle of less than 180 degrees with said first linkage arm, said angle being defined by longitudinal axes of said first and second linkage arms;
- said second linkage arm having a free end arranged in said clearance gap when said first and second linkage arms are in said first position.
- 16. A signature feedrack assembly for use with conveyor means for conveying signatures to said signature feedrack assembly, said conveyor means having a downstream end terminating in a plurality of coaxially aligned roller means each supporting a conveyor belt, said roller means being arranged at spaced intervals along an axis of rotation to provide at least one clearance gap;
- said feedrack assembly comprising:
- chain drive means for supporting a plurality of signatures along one edge thereof;
- an end wall arranged substantially at a right angle to an upper run of said chain drive means and cooperating with said chain means for supporting a stack of signatures on end;
- means for removing a signature adjacent said end wall;
- means responsive to removal of a signature for moving said chain drive means through a linear distance for advancing the signatures on said upper run through a distance substantially equal to a width of a signature;
- said chain drive means including drive sprocket means;
- a first linkage arm;
- said drive sprocket means being pivotally mounted at a first end of said first linkage arm;
- a second linkage arm;
- a first end of said second linkage arm being pivotally coupled to a second end of said first linkage arm;
- clamp means for releasably clamping the first and second linkage arms to maintain a predetermined angular orientation therebetween;
- said second linkage arm having a first chain guide edge aligned with said drive sprocket;
- said chain drive means being entrained about said drive sprocket and riding on said first chain guide edge;
- said second linkage arm being movable relative to said first linkage arm between a first position wherein the first and second linkage arms are arranged to lie along a substantially straight line and a second position wherein said second linkage arm forms an angle of less than 180 degrees with said first linkage arm, said angle being defined by longitudinal axes of said first and second linkage arms;
- wherein the first end of said second linkage arm and the second end of said first linkage arm pivotally coupled thereto lie in said clearance gap when said first and second linkage arms are in said second position, a top surface of said conveyor belts and the upper run of said chain drive means forming an angle of greater than 180 degrees.
- 17. A signature feedrack assembly comprising:
- first and second chain drive means for supporting a variety of signatures along one edge thereof;
- an end wall arranged substantially at a right angle to an upper run of said first and second chain drive means and cooperating with said first and second chain drive means for supporting a stack of signatures on end;
- means for removing a signature adjacent said end wall;
- means responsive to removal of a signature for moving said first and second chain drive means through a linear distance for advancing signatures on said upper run through a distance substantially equal to a width of a signature;
- first and second drive sprockets for respectively driving said first and second chain drive means;
- a first pair of linkage arms arranged in spaced parallel fashion;
- each drive sprocket being pivotally mounted to a first end of an associated one of said pair of first linkage arms;
- a second pair of linkage arms arranged in spaced parallel fashion;
- a first end of each of said second pair of linkage arms being pivotally coupled to a second end of one of said first pair of linkage arms;
- clamp means for releasably clamping the first and second pairs of linkage arms to maintain a predetermined angular orientation therebetween;
- said second pair of linkage arms each having a first chain guide edge aligned with one of said drive sprockets;
- said first and second chain drive means being respectively entrained about said first and second drive sprockets and being respectively guided along the first chain guide edge of one of said second pair of linkage arms;
- said second pair of linkage arms being movable relative to said first pair of linkage arms between a first position wherein the first and second pairs of linkage arms are arranged to lie along a substantially straight line and a second position wherein said second pair of linkage arms forms an angle of less than 180 degrees with said first pair of linkage arms, said angle being defined by the longitudinal axes of said first and second pairs of linkage arms.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATION
This is a division of application Ser. No. 07/693,638, filed Apr. 30, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,590, issued Mar. 30, 1993.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
693638 |
Apr 1991 |
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