Abstract:
In a preferred embodiment of the invention a conveyor means delivers sheet material to a discharge station adjacent to and above a platform on which the sheets are to be stacked. The conveyor means includes a transportation conveyor such as a shingling conveyor, a feed out roll means below the sheet material and a gate pull roll means above the sheet material. The platform means may be a roller type conveyor disposed at right angles to the shingling conveyor. Overhead pull belt means above the platform engages the upper side of sheet material issuing from the discharge station to pull the sheet material into stacked position. The pull belt means is operable to establish contact with the upper side of the sheet material before an underside of the sheet material terminates contact with the feed roll. The pull belt means maintains contact with the upper side of the sheet material until the material is in the stack to prevent any free flight of the material from the discharge station to the stack. Means are provided for sensing the stack height on the platform and a gate means at the discharge station is operative to interrupt flow of sheet material from the discharge station to the platform in response to a signal from the stack height sensing means. The last sheet out of the discharge station to complete a stack is also sensed. In response to a signal from the last sheet out sensor the overhead pull belt means is lifted, a back stop is retracted, and the roller conveyor is energized to move the stack out of the stack area. The removal of the stack from the stack area is sensed to resume normal operations.
Abstract:
Apparatus and method for removing selected sheets from the lower bridge of a corrugated paperboard manufacturing machine. In the present invention, a slot is provided in the upper bridge of a corrugated paperboard manufacturing machine. Under the slot, an inclined sorting conveyor is positioned at a point adjacent the lower bridge of the corrugated machine. A hold-down conveyor is also mounted on the upper bridge adjacent to the sorting conveyor such that sheets of corrugated paperboard are drivingly engaged between the two conveyors. When defective sheets of paperboard appear on the lower bridge, the machine operator activates a lever which raises fingers into position to divert the defective sheets. The defective sheets are engaged by the sorting conveyor and the hold-down conveyor and transported through the slot in the upper bridge. Sheets so removed from the stream of production are stacked and stored for disposal in a rack positioned over the upper bridge of the machine.
Abstract:
A device is shown for interrupting the flow of a stream of sheets of boxboard, corrugated fiberboard, and the like, on a conveyor. A plurality of elongated structural members are each individually suspended above and along the direction of travel of a conveyor in spaced relation with respect to each other across the conveyor. First and second shafts extend across the conveyor and are spaced from each other along the direction of travel of the conveyor. A first link freely pivotally supports the upstream end of each elongated member from the first shaft a distance above the conveyor which permits the travel of sheets therebeneath. A second link freely pivotally supports the downstream end of each elongated member to enable contact with a sheet traveling on a conveyor. A pick-up arm for each link is fixedly secured on a shaft adjacent the link and has a link contacting surface extending beneath a surface of the adjacent link. A crank is connected to the shaft and is driven by a piston-cylinder assembly to rotate the crank means to raise and lower the elongated members.