US1521365A - Sheet feeder - Google Patents

Description

, Dec. 30, 1 924.

L.. J. FROHN SHEET FEEDER File d Feb. 28, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE ITOR B y anard 1/0 26 @0614 II I A TTORNEY 1.. J FROHN SHEET FEEDER Filed Feb. 28, 1922 4 Sheet-Sheet 2 IN VEN OR Fink? ATTORNEY By :a a 'dzf Dec. 30, 1924.

L. J. FRCJHN SHEET FEEDER Filed Feb, 28, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y OE WM H w V7flT m u w m L. J. FROHN SHEET FEEDER Dec. 30, 1924.

Filed Feb. 28, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 11v VENTOR fi'afi A TTOR NE Y Patented mes. 3369, 31%24.

LEONARD JOSEPH FROHN, 01E L'Y'NBROOK, NENV YORK.

gHEET FEEDER.

I Application filed February 28, 1922. Serial No. 539,869.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEONARD JOSEPH FRoHN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lynbrook, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Sheet Feeders, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, formin a part thereof.

y invention relates to certain improvements in sheet-feeding machines for automatically separating and feeding successive sheets of paper to printing,.folding or ruling machlnes, or to other types of machines which are devised thereafter to operate on such sheets.

The objects of my invention are, among other things, chiefly to improve and simplify the various mechanisms required to properly separate and continuously feed the successive sheets, preferably from a fanned-out bank of paper, automatically and with great rapidity. To this end I have devised a continuous front edge feeder which will separate and advance the sheets in a continuous flow by mechanisms operating on the front portion of the sheets, such sheet forwarding mechanism being controlled by the steady advance of the front margins of the pile or bank of paper.

A further feature of my invention is to embody a suction feed-wheel for continu ously feeding the sheets forwardly in a sheet-feeder of the continuous type, and to provide in such feeder automatic mechanisms which will ensure a constant supply of paper to be acted upon by this suction wheel.

Another feature is to provide a novel pile detector which will operate independently of the suction feed-wheel, and also independently of the number or timing of the sheets advanced thereby, so as to inaugurate the action 'of' the bank or pile feed devices whereby. the paper sheets may be advanced and maintained at the proper thickness beneath the feed-wheel which operates on the front margins of such sheets;

A further. object of my invention is to provide a novel form of adjustable piledrag which may be set at different positions to bear on the rear margins of the fanned out sheets on the top of the pile, and is constructed and arranged above-the feed-table to bear on the top and subjacent sheets with a variable spring pressure so as to maintain the rear edges of the .top sheets in proper alinement with a light yet firm pressure which will not interfere with the proper continuous feeding of the sheets.

A further object of my invention is to embody in such improved sheet-feeder means for holding the front edges of the topmost sheets to arrest their forward feeding when the suction is cut off from the suction feedwheel thereby stopping the forwarding 0f the sheets.

My improved sheet-feede also embodies other features of novelty and improvement whereby the various operating'mechanisms are simplified and made more effective and otherwise better adapted for use, all of which will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

The drawings show my invention in its preferred embodiment in a continuous sheetfeeder; my improvements, however, are not to be restricted to any particular type of sheet-feeder, since the invention may be embodied in various forms of sheet-feeders with the same advantages and results.

Of the drawings, Fig. l is a front view looking from'the left in Fig. 2 certain parts of the feeder being omitted;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in which parts of the. sheet-detector mechanism have been omitted for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 5 shov-ing a portion of the stop mechanism for controllin the operation of the bank feed devices;

ig. t is a detail view partly in section showing the stop mechanism locked in inoperative position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line '5-5 shown in Fig. 1, and

illustrating the detector mechanism in its position when no sheets are in the feeder;

Fi 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the detector mechanism when the feeder is operating normally when the bank or pile of sheets under the suction feed- Wheel is of the proper thickness;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the stop-rod as having been moved by its cam-controlled mechanism when the detector wheel lowers upon the pile of sheets becoming depleted and less than the re? quired thickness beneath such detector wheel.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the check-rod on the ratchet-pawl arm, as it will appear when the stop-rod is moved to the left to allow the operation of the ratchet mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic View showing the pawl-carrying ratchet arm as having been rocked to advance the bank feed belts;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary detail View showing the mechanism to control the operation of the stop rod;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the feeder showing particularly the coacting feed belts for the upper supply table and lower feed table;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged plan view showing the pile drag for the bank of sheets before the suction feed-wheel; and

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the pawl which engages the ratchet for moving the feed belts on .the lower feed table.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the various figures.

Referring to Fig.-11,'the upper loading board or supply table 14 is supported by standards 15 to the side frames 16. A series of feed belts 17 travel over pulleys l8 and 19 and extend over the surface of. the supply table 14 and around the drum 20 mounted on the shaft 21 to gradually feed forward the bank of sheets loaded on such supply table 14. The lower feed-table 22 is attached to the frames 16, and a series of feed-belts 23 (Fig. 12) pass over pulleys 24 and 25 mounted on shafts 26 and 27 respectively journalled in the frame, said belts 23 extending over tli upper surface of the feed table 22 to advance the bank or pile of sheets to the sheet feeding and separating devices; The drum 20 is rotatable in the frame 16, and serves to transfer the bank of sheets from the supply table 14 to the feed-table 22. The drum 20 is revolved in the direction shown by the arrow by a train of gears driven from the gear 28 secured on the shaft 26. To hold the sheets close to the drum 20 while being reversed from the table 14 to the table 22, I have devised a series of spaced apart endless tapes 29 which pass around the pulley 24, drum 20, and pulleys '30, 31,' and '32, the pulley 32 being journalled in the rock-arm 33 to act as atension device :t'or the tapes by the force of the spring 34 coiled about the sliding rod 35 pivoted to. the arm 36 which spring normally tends to depress the rock-arm 33 with the pulley 32 to take up any slack in the tapes 29. The

shaft 27 carries the ratchet 37 by which the feed-belts 23 are intermittently advanced over the feed-table 22to carry the bank of fanned-outsheets to the feedingdevices.

. l n the present embodiment the sheet feeding and separating devices comprise a suc-.

tion feed-wheel 38 having a perforated rim 39 which wheel is mounted on the shaft 40.

' by the belt 49 and pulley 50 from any suitable source as shown in Figs. 1 and 11. The

suction mouth-piece 51 rests on the inner face of the perforated rim 39, and is connected to the transverse suction tube 52 by the pipe 53. The required suction to operate the wheel 38 is applied to the tube 52 byany suitable means not shown. The sheets adhere to the perforated rim 39 of the wheel '38 during the rotation of the latter, and are takenoft by the upper feed roll 54 journalled on the arfn 55 mounted on the shaft 40, and the lower feed-roll 56secured to the rotating shaft 45. The front edges of the sheets are kept separated by a blast of air from the nozzle 57 mounted on the pipe adjustably secured to the bracket 59 and conn'ected with any suitable air pump, not

shown, after such sheets pass over the guide plate 60 mounted on brackets 61 secured to the tie rod 62 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; also affixed to the rod 62 are the horizontally bent guide-fingers 63 extending forwardly from the guide plates 60 to the lower feed-roll 56 to support the sheets as shown in Fig. 2. Mounted to the transverse shaft 64 journalled in the guide-plates 60 are the oscillatable hold-back fingers 65 which are normally depressed into their full line position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but are raised into the path of the advancing sheets to engagethe front edges of the sheets by the 0s vcillation of the shaft 64 through the arm 66 secured to one end of the shaft 64 (Fig. 1 whicharm is connected by the link 67' to the lowerend of the hand-lever 68 pivoted at. 69 to the frame 16 as shown in Fig. 2. Also pivotally secured to the lower end of the lever 68 is the link 70 connected to the arm 71 which actuates the oscillating valve 72in the tube 52 which is thereby opened to atmosphere, and immediately cuts off the suction from the mouthpiece 51 rendering the wheel 38 ineffective. By shifting the hand-lever 68 the pressman can simultancously discontinue the feeding of the sheets by the suction Wheel 38 and also raise the hold-back fingers 65 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 to'prevent the forward margins of the front sheets from advancing beyond the air-blast nozzle 57 The pile detector mechanism which con trols the bank feed independently of the action of the suction-wheel 38 is best shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 6, and comprises the detector roll 7 3 pivoted on the end' of the menace rock-arm 74 above one of the guide-plates in transverse alinement with the suction wheel 38 by the spring coiled about the rod 81 pivotally secured to the rock-arm 74, the upper end of the rod 81 passing through a slot in the bracket 82 mounted on the pin 76 as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6. Projecting upwardly from the pin 76 and secured to the rock-arm 74 is the rock-finger 83, the tip 84 of which is adapted to oscillate in the slot 85 cut in the collar 86 formed in the bracket 78. The collar 86 supports a sliding stoprod 87 on which the sleeve 88 is adjustably secured by the split collar 89. The collar 80 has the circular recess 90 cut therein about the sliding stop-rod 87 (Fig. 3) to permit of the transverse reciprocation of the rod 87 and sleeve 88 when the tip 84 of the finger 83 is partially withdrawn from the slot 85, or from the position shown in Figs. '3 and 6 to that shown in Fig. 5. Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 10, the rod 87 is normally being pressed to the left against the finger tip 84, as shown by the arrows in Figs. 7 and 10 by the spring 91 coiled about the rod 92 which is pivotally secured to the rock-arm 93 pinned to the bracket 94 aflixed to the frame 16. The free end of the rod 92 slides through the bracket 95 on the top of the frame 16 (Fig. 1). The right hand end of the rod 87 is supported in the bracket 96 affixed to the frame 16 having the horizontal bore 97 within which the rod 87 is held and reciprocated. The rock-arm 93 adjustably carries the block 98. which is affixed to the rod 87 by any suitable means such as a set-screw (not shown). The rod 87 is held from moving to the left by the fin er 83 engaging the sleeve 88 when the pile of sheets 76 is of sufiicient thickness to hold the finger tip 84 against the sleeve 88 on the rod 87 as shown in Fig. 6. However, when the pile of sheets becomes depleted the detector-roll 73 is lowered by gravity and the spring 80 so as to swing the finger 83 to the left (Figs. 5 and 6), which releases the stop-rod 87 which will be moved to (he left by the spring 91 when the cam-roller 99 on the rock-arm 93 falls into the drop 100 of the cam 101 secured to the constantly rotating shaft 40.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 7-10, the right-hand end of the stop-rod 87 coacts with the upper end of the check-rod102 which slides in the bore 103 formed at right angles with the bore 97- in the bracket 96. This check-rod 102 is pinned at 104 to the arm 105 of the bell crank lever 106 pivoted on 'rod 125, the outermost the shaft 27. Depending from the pin 104 is the rod 107 which slides through the bracket 108 secured to the frame 16; between the bracket 108 and the collar 109 adjustably secured to the rod 107 is'the spring 110 coiled about the rod 107. The arm 105 of the lever 106 carries the cam-roller 111 to engage with the cam 112 secured to the shaft 40. The cams 101 and 112 are so keyed relatively to each other on the shaft 40 that the roller 99 falls into the drop 100 of the cam 101 when the rod 87 is released. just before the roller 111 would reach the end of the dwell of the cam 112 to enter the drop 113 of this cam. -Thearm 114 of the lever 106 carries at its end the rocking pawl 115 mounted on the stud 116 which pawl is adapted to engage the ratchet 37. 2 shows the position of the pawl 115 when the roller 111 is cam 112 with the spring 110 under compression; Fig. 9 shows the pawl 115 retracted in a. clockwise direction by the release of the spring 110 when the check-rod 102 slides upwardly throu h the bore 103 and bore 97 as shown in ig. 8. Referring to Fig. 13 the stud 116 has two flat surfaces 117 and 118 cut therein about-thefpawl 115 forming the apex 119; the tail 0 the pawl 115 is formed with a bore 120 within which the sliding'pin 121 is yieldingly mounted by the spring 122 coiled about the shank 123. lVhen the pin 121 bears on the apex 119, the pawl 115 ratchet 37; when the tail of the pawl is depressed so as to allow the pin 121 to engage the surface 118, the pawl is held out of enga ement with the rachet which allows the shaft 27 to be rotated by the operator to advance'or retract the feed belts 23 with the ratchet 37 free from its operating pawl.

My improved pile drag to bear with a firm yet variable pressure of the fanned-out bank of sheets is shown in Figs. 2,11 and 12: The tie rod 124 is secured in the frames 16 and adjustably carries the rearwardlyprojecting rod 125 which may be mounted on the rod 124 by a set-screw 126 and bracket, 127 (Fig. 2) in any convenient manner so as to lengthen or shorten the rod 125 according to the length of the particular sheets composing the bank or pile 75. The rear end of the rod 125 carries the bracket 128 to which is secured the cross-rod 129, and mounted on the rod 129 are pairs of forwardly projecting spring fingers 130 of difierentlengths to bear on the rear edges of the uppermost sheets as shown in Fig. 12. Preferably the pair of middle fingers 131 are the longest (to bear on the'topmost sheet), and the length of the other pairs are progressively shortened outwardly from the pair 132 being the shortest. The object of having the separate pairs of spring fingersof difierent lengths held out of the drop of the is free to ride over the teeth ofthe y,

is to provide a pile drag which will exert variable pressure on the topmost sheets, the pressure of'the outer fingers 132 exerting the maximum pressure because of their relatively small resiliency when compared with the gradually increasing resiliency as 'the length of the fingers increases, the minimum pressure being exerted by the fingers 131 on the topmost sheet of the pile. By this form of pile drag the rear margins of the fannedo'ut bank of sheets are firmly held by a variable pressure so as to preserve the proper transverse alinement of the sheets on the feed-table 22.

The operation of my sheet-feeder is substantially as follows: IV hen the suctionwheel 38 is normally feeding the sheets from the fanned-out bank 75, the roll 73 is held in the position shown in Fig. 6 with the'finger tip 84 in engagement with the stop-rod 87 as shown in Fig. 3 and the sleeve 88 in close contact with the finger-tip 84 to prevent the movement to the left of the rod 87 under the force of the. coil spring 91. The right end of the rod 87 therefore engages the upper end of the check-rod 102 as shown in Figs.

1 and 2, and the bell lever 100 is held in the position shown in Fig. 2 with the spring 110 under compression and the cam-roller 111 riding only on the dwell of the cam 112. However when the feed-wheel 38 has separated the top sheets of the bank, and the thickness of the bank is thereby diminished so that it is necessary to advance. the bank or pile by moving the feed-belts 23 on the feed-table 22 and also the belts 17 on the table 1 1, the detector-roll 73 .is then lowered by gravity and the spring 80' so as to swing the linger 83 to the left (Fig. 5), releasing the rod 87 .which will move to theleft when the cam 101 revolvesso as to allow the roller 99 to be forced into the drop 100 by the spring 91 as shown in Fig. 10. This movement of the stop-rod 87 in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 7 and 10 simultaneously allows the check-rod 102 to lift as shown in Fig. 8 un-' der the force of the spring 110 thereby rocking the lever 106 in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 9 so as to allow the cam-roller '111 to enter the drop 113 of the cam 112 and the pawl 115 to be drawn backwardly over the teeth of the ratchet 37; when the lever 106 is rocked in an anti-clockwise direetion by the cam-roller 111 riding out of the drop -of the cam 112, the ratchet 37 will advance. the feed-belts 23 to forward the bank of sheets. This'bank-fecd movement through this pawl and ratchet mechanism hold the stop-rod 87 in its right hand posi- 106 to the left as shown in Fig. 2 with the cam-roller 111 riding only on the dwell of the cam 112.

Whenever the operator wishes to stop the action of the suctionfeed-wheel 38 he shifts the hand-lever 68 which cuts off the suction connection to the rim 30 through the mouth piece. 51 by operating the valve 72. which thereby opens the interior of the tube 52 to atmospheric'pressure, and at the same time lifts the hold-back fingers from their full line to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 to prevent the sliding-of the forward edges of the sheets over the guide fingers 63 to the bite of the feed-rolls 54 and 56. No means are provided to prevent overlapping of the fed-off sheets beyond the range of the fingers 65, because the leadingedges of such sheets are not advanced by the action of the suction-wheel 38 beyond the range of the fingers 65 when raised.

The foregoing constructions embody the principles of my invention, but various changes may be made in the structural details without departing from the scope of my improvements. However the foregoing is suflicient to disclose the underlying principles and advantages of my invention as applied to a continuous sheet-feeder.

I claim as my invention 1. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-table, means for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets along said table, .and constantly rotating suction-feeding devices operating on the front top portion of the bank for separating and forwarding the successive sheets.

2. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-table means I for advancing a fanned-out bank of sheets along said table, and a rotary suction feedwheel operating on the front portion of the bank-for separating and forwarding the suceessive sheets. i

4. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-table, means for intermittently advancing a fanned-out bank of sheets along said table, and a rotary suction feed-wheel operating on the front margin of the bank for separating and forwarding the successive sheets.

5. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-tableineans for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets on said table, rotary suction-feeding devices located over the front margin of they bank for continuously separating the'successive sheets,-and means actuated by the said device,

6. In a sheet feeder, a feed-table, means for intermittently advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets on said table, sheet-feeding devices operating on the front margin of the bank for continuously separating the successive sheets, and means actuated by the depletion of the bank for controlling the operation of said advancing means.

7. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-table, means for'advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets on said table, rotary suction-feeding devices operating on the front portion of the bank for separating and forwarding the successive sheets, and means continuously resting on the bank and actuated by the depletion of the bank adjacent said feedingdevices for controlling the operation of said advancing means.

8. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-table, means for intermittently advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets on said table, rotary suctionfeeding devices operating on the front margin of the bank for separating and forwarding the successive sheets, and means continuously resting on the bank and actuated by the depletion of the bank beneath and in alinement with said feedingdevices for controlling the operation of'said advancing means.

9. In a sheet-feeder, a sheet support, a suction-feeding off device arranged above said support, means for'applying suction to said device, sheet-holding means located at the front edge of the support and normally out of the path of the fed-off sheets, and means for shutting off the suction and moving said sheet-holding means into the path of the sheets.

10. In a sheet-feeder, a sheet support, a suction-feeding off device arranged above said support, means for applying suction to sheet-holding located at the front edge of the support and normally out of the path of the fed-off sheets, and means for simultaneously shutting oif the suction and moving said sheet-holding means into the path of the sheets. I

11. In a sheet-feeder, a sheet support, a suction-feeding ofi device arranged above said support, means for applying suction to said device, a series of rock-fingers located at the front edge of the support and normally out of the path of the fed- 0E sheets, and means for shutting off the suction and moving said fingers into the path of the sheets.

12. In a sheet-feeder, a. sheet support, a suction-feeding ofi device arranged above said support, means for applying suction to said device, a series of rock-fingers located at the front edge of the support and normally out of the path of the fed-off sheets, and means for simultaneously shutting off the suction and moving said fingers into the path of the sheets.

18. In a sheet-feeder, a sheet support, a suction-feeding off device arranged above said support, means for applying suction to said device, a series of rock-fingers located at the front edge of the support and normally out of the path of the fed-0E sheets, and manual'means for simultaneously shutting off the suction'and moving said fingers into the path of the sheets.

14. In a. sheet-feeder, a sheet support, a suction-feeding 0E device arranged above said support, means for applying suction to said device, a series of normally-depressed rock-fingers located at the front edge of the support and out of the path of the fed-off sheets, and means for shutting off the suction and raising said fingers into the path of said sheets.

15. In a sheet-feeder, a sheet support, a suction-feeding off device arranged above said support, means for applying suction to saiddevice, a series of normally-depressed rock-fingers located at the front edge of the support and out of the path of the fed-off sheets, and means for simultaneously shutting off the suction and raising said fingers into the path of said sheets.

16. In a" sheet-feeder, sheet-feeding devices for continuously separating the suc cessive sheets, means for advancing a bank 'of fanned-out sheetsto the feeding devices,

and means controlled by the thickness of the bank below said devices and operable independently of the action of said sheet-' feeding devices for actuating said bankadva-ncing means,

17. In a sheet-feeder, sheet-feeding devices for continuously separating the successive sheets, means for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets to the feeding devices, and means controlled by the thickness of the bank below said devices and operable independently of the action of said sheeti'eeding devices for intermittently actuating said bank-advancing means.

18. In a sheet-feeder, sheet-feeding devices for continuously separating the successive sheets, means for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets to the feeding devices, and means for actuating said bank advancing means operable independently of the number or timing of the successive sheets fed off the bank, but controlled by the thickness of the bank below said sheet-feeding devices.

19. In a sheet-feeder, sheet-feeding devices for continuously separating the successive sheets, means for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets to the feeding devices, and means for actuating said bank-advancing means operable when the thickness of the bank below said devices is below a pre.

determined point.

'20. In a sheet-feeder, sheet-feeding devices for continuously separating the suc cessive sheets, and means for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets to the feeding devices; and means for actuating said bank advancing means operable when the thickness of the bank below the sheet-feeding devices is below a predetermined point.

21. In a sheet-feeder, sheet-feeding devices for continuously separating the successive sheets, means for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets to the feeding devices, and means for actuating said bank-advancing means operable when the thickness of the bank below said devices is below a predetermined point and placed in inoperative position when the bank below said feeding off devices is restored to its predetermined thickness.

22. In a sheet-feeder, sheet-feeding devices for continuously separating the successive sheets, and means for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets to the feeding devices, and means for actuating said bankadvancing means operable when the thickness of the bank below the sheet-feeding devices is below a predetermined point and placed in inoperative position wlten the bank below said feeding-off devices is restored to its predetermined thickness.

23. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-table, means for advancing a'bank of fanned-out sheets I along said table, rotary suction-feeding devices acting on the front top portion of the sheets for continuously separating and feeding the successive sheets from the bank, and means for inaugurating the action of said sheet-advancing means when the thickness of the bank below said feeding devices is less than a predetermined point irrespective of the number or timing of the successive fed-ofi' sheets.

24. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-table, means for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets along said table, a'rotary suction feedingwheel acting on the front top margin of the sheets for separating and forwarding same from the bank, and means independent of the action of said feeding wheel for inaugurating the action of said bank-advancing means when the thickness of the bank below said feeding wheel is less than a predetermined point.

25. In a sheet-feeder. a feed-table means for advancing a bank of fanned out sheets along said table, a rotary suction-feeding wheel actin on the front top margin of the sheets or separating and forwarding same from the bank, and means resting on the bank and in alinement with said feeding, wheel for inaugurating the action of said bank-advancing means when the thickness of the bank below said feeding wheel is less than a predetermined point.

26. In a sheet-feeder,

a feed-table, means is less'than a predetermined point.

27..In a sheet-feeder a unitary pile-drag to rest on a bank of sheets having separate pairs of laterally spaced-apart resilient means bearing on the sheets.

. 28. In a sheet-feeder a unitary pile-drag to rest on a bank of sheets having a plurality of laterally spaced-apart resilient fingers I bearing on the sheets.

29. Ina sheet-feeder a. pile-drag adjustably mounted to rest on a fanned-out bank of sheets and having a plurality of laterally spaced-apart resilient fingers bearing on the sheets on either side of its center.

30. In a sheet-feeder a pile-drag to rest on a bank of fanned-out sheets having sets of laterally spaced-apart resilient fingers bearing on the different sheets on either side of its center. I 31. In. a sheet-feeder a pile-drag to rest on a bank of fanned-out sheets having sets of resilientfingers of different lengths bearing on the different sheets on either side of its center.

' 82. In a sheet-feeder a pile-drag comprising separate laterally spaced-apart means to bear with a variable pressure on the rear margins of a fanned-out bank of sheets on either side of its center. a

In a sheet-feederapile-drag con1pris ing a plurality of laterally spaced-apart resilient fingers of difierent lengths symmetrically disposed on either side of its center to bear with a variable pressure on the rear margins of a fanned-out bank of sheets.

34. In a sheet-feeder a pile-drag comprising a plurality of pairs of laterally spacedapart resilient fingersof different lengths symmetrically disposed on either side of its center to bear with a variable pressure on the rear margins of a fanned-out bank of sheets.

35. In a continuous sheet-feeder having an upper supply-table and a lower feed-table. 'coacting means for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets along said tables, rotary suction feeding devices operating on the front portion of the bank on the feed-table for separating and forwarding the successive sheets, and means for actuating said bank-advancing means'on both tables operable when the height of'the bank beneath, and in alineme-nt with said feeding devices is below a predetermined point.

36. In a continuous sheet-feeder having an menses upper supply-table and a lower feed-table, coacting means for simultaneously advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets along said tables, rotary suction feeding devices operating on the front portion of the bank on the feed-table for separating and forwarding the successive sheets, and means for actuating said bank-advancing means on both Cir ' upper tables operable when the height of the bank adjacent said feeding devices is below a predetermined point. i

37. In a continuous sheet-feeder having an upper supply-table and a lower feed-table, coacting means for simultaneously advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets along said tables, sheet-feeding devices operating on the front margin of the bank on the feed-table for continuously separating the successive sheets, and means for actuating said bankadvancing means on both tables operable when the height of the bank beneath and in alinement with said sheet-feeding devices is below a predetermined point, and rendered inoperative when the'bank is restored to its predetermined height.

38. In a continuous sheet-feeder having an upper supply-table and a lower feed-table, coacting means for simultaneously advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets along said tables, sheetfeedin devices operating on the front margin 0 the bank 0n the feedtable for continuously separating the successive sheets, and means for actuating said bank-advancing means on both tables operable when the height of the bank adjacent said sheet-feeding devices is below a predetermined point, and rendered inoperative when the bank is restored to its predetermined height..

39. In a continuous sheet-feeder having an supply-table and a lower feed-table, coacting means for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets along said tables, rotary suction-feeding devices operating on the front margin of the bank on the feed-table for separating and forwarding the succes-- sive sheets, and means for automatically actuatin said bank-advancing means on both tables operable when the height of the bank beneath and in alinement with said feeding devices is below a predetermined oint.

- 40. In a continuous sheet-feeder aving an upper supply-table and a lower feed-table,

coacting means for simultaneously advancing a. bank of fanned-out sheets along said tables, rotary. suction feeding devices operating on the front margin of the bank on thefeed-table for separating and forward-' ing .the successive sheets, and" means for automatically actuating saidv bank-advancing means on both tables operable when the height of the bank adjacent said feeding devices 15 below a predetermined point, and

rendered inoperative when the 'bank is restored to its predetermined height.

41. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-table, means for advancing a bank of fanned-out sheets along said table, rotary suction-feeding devices operating on the front margin of the bank for separating and feeding successive sheets,

advancing means controlled by the height of the bank below said feeding devices, and means for. automatically disengaging said actuatingv means from said bank-advancing means operable through the continucd movement of the feeder.

42. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-table, means for advancing a bank of fanned out sheets along said table, suction-feeding devices'op- 43. In a continuous sheet-feeder, a suction feed-wheel for advancing the sheets from the front top. portion of the bank by applying suction continuously thereto.

44. Ina. continuousishe'et-feeder, a suction feed-wheel for advancing the fanned-out sheets from-the front margin of the bank.

45. In a. continuous sheet-feeder, a rotary suction feed-device-operating on the front top portion of the bank by applying suction continuously thereto for separating and advancing the successive sheets.

46. In a continuous sheet-feeder, a rotary suction feed wheel operating on the front margin of the fanned-out bank for separating and advancin the successive sheets.

LEONA D J QSEPH- F'ROHN.

means for actuating said bank-i

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