US2778424A - Strip severing machines - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 22, M57

L. F. HAGEMAN ET AL STRIP SEVERING MACHINES 4 SheeLs-Sheefl l Filed June 18, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS jam 22, E957 L.. F. HAGEMAN ETAL STRIP SEVERING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 123,A 1953 ATTORNEYS Jian. 22, w57 L.. F. HAGE-:MAN ET AL 2,778,424

STRIP SEVERING MACHINES Filed June 18, 1953 4 sheets-sheet s lllllllii ff? fff /f/ /ff l" i flllullllllllllillilifI '-92 :llllllllz NVENTOR f ll-melanin 1 W l Jam. 22, E957 L. F. HAGEMAN ET AL 2,7%,424

STRIP SEVERING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 18, 1953 1N VENTOR @www M AQ WJM BY Wir/@w d ATTORNEYS United States Patent STRIP SEVERING MACHINES Louis Fred Hageman, Lewiston, and Carl R. Mahon, Niagara Falls, N. Y., assignors to Moore Business Forms, Inc., Niagara Falls, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 18, 1953, Serial No. 362,476

'7 Claims. (Cl. 164-845) This invention relates to web feeding and severing machines by which webs or strips of paper, cardboard, or other laminar material may be severed into units consisting of sheets or cards of predetermined length. j

Machines of this general type have been produced and used before this time, and have been variously denominated strip severing devices, sheet detachers, sheet bursters, and other designations. acter have been most commonly used in connection with feeding, imprinting, separating, and collating manifold or record strips of various kinds and have greatly facilitated the separation of such strips or webs-usually in multifold assemblies-into individual units, the strips usually being severed along pre-formed transverse longitudinally spaced lines of perforations. One example of prior machines of this basic type is shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 2,513,093, granted June 27, 1950, to one of the present applicants.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved machine of the class described, Which is of relatively simple construction, efficient and vrapid in operation, and not only adapted to facilitate the separation of larger flexible strips or webs such as manifolding material, but also possessing a versatility which renders it quickly convertible to use in separating strips of stiller cardboard material into much shorter lengths than the usual manifolding sheet. Thus the novel device is perfectly suited to separate relatively narrow punch cards or the like from the webs or strips in which form they are usually prepared and printed.

For reasons having to do with the requirements of the direction of the grain of the cardboard materialthat is the extent of the individual fibers--and also on account of the necessity for the provision of accurate margins on the individual cards for properly locating the punched holes, these webs or strips are' made up by gluing together narrow overlapping stubs or connecting tabs which are separated from their adjacent cards by lines of perforations. Narrow longitudinal marginal strips containing pin-feed perforations are also usually provided on each side of the Webs, and these strips are also partially separated from the cards by lines of perforations. *The problem of separating or bursting the cards from the web therefore becomes one not only of Working on relatively short units, but also of effecting a double bursting for each card whereby the leading cards may be separated from the intervening stub or tab and the extremely narrow stub separated from the next following cardand all of this at a very rapid rate.

The invention, therefore, contemplates the provision of an assembly which comprises an initial web feeding mechanism which governs the rate at which the web is advanced through the machine, any preferred type or combination of longitudinal slitters, printing means, or numbering mechanism, and then the bursting or separating device proper, which is convertible and adjustable to accommodate. either manifold forms of various sizes or the narrow tabulating punch cards described above.

Devices of this char- "ice The separating mechanism, in its preferred embodiment, comprises a pair of rolls disposed at a fixed point along the machine to receive the web between them, and being driven at substantially the same rate as the initial web feeding mechanism. The upper roll of this pair or couple is a jump roll operated to alternately rise and descend upon the Web according to a predetermined cycle.

Cooperating with the jump roll set is another pair of rolls between which the web passes after it leaves the jump rolls and these rolls are arranged to be continually in gripping feeding contact with the web and to run-at a somewhat higher speed than the basic speed of the web afforded by the initial feed mechanism and the jump rolls. These latter rolls serve as pull rolls or snatch rolls which apply s-evering tensionl to the gripped portion of the web or strip while rearward portions areretarded orrestrained--at least momentarily. during the severing operation-by the jump roll couple. Novel cam means are provided for timing the operation of the jump roll in accordance with the dimensions of the units of cardboard or paper beingsevered; and means are also accordingly provided for variably positioning the pull roll set along the frame of the machine at the appropriate distance from the jump roll set. n

in handling relatively long units, such as manifold sheets, it is preferred to employ an A-blade, a divergent edged knife or ledger plate against which the perforated lines of division between successive units of the web are tensioned. However, provision is made for the displacement of this blade to an idle position when the pull rolls are set close to the jump roll set for bursting the shortcards and stubs. a

@ther lobjects and features of novelty including novel construction and arrangements of web guides, card orv sheet collectors, jump roll actuator, and pull roll adjusters, will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which'one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinalvertical sectional view of a machine embodying the principles of the invention, the device being set up to handle webs adapted to be separated into units of the larger sizes as for manifolding;

Figure 2 is a'transverse vertical sectional `view taken on line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a similar view taken-on line--S of Figure l, looking in the opposite direction from that of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View, on an enlarged scale, of the central portion ofthe machine, as set up for card bursting;

Figure 5 is a top plan view-partially in horizontal section-of the central portion of the machine set 'up as in Figure 4; f

Figure 6 is a detail view in vertical section showing means for locking the adjustable pull roll set in fixed position; Y Figures 7 and 8 are fragmentary views in verticalsection, showing two adjusted positions of a guiding plate for yconfining the movement of the web and its severed ends between the two sets of operating rolls;

Figure 9 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in vertical longitudinal section showing the drive gearing for the operative parts of the machine;

Figure l0 is a fragmentary-detail view in side elevation of the jump-roll actuating cam and associated mecharnsm;

Figure ll is a fragmentary plan view of a manifolding Web'adapted to be separated bythe novel machine; t

Figure l2 -is a similar view showing a web composed of alternating punch cards and connecting stubs, adapted arrange to be separated into its component parts by the machine when properly adjusted for the purpose as described; and

Figures 13 and 14 are diagrams in side elevation of the burster portion of the machine showing two stages in the severing of a card and its stub from a web.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that the operative mechanism of the machine is carried upon a framework comprising the spaced side frames 15 and 5.6 having feet 17 adapted to rest upon a suitable bench, desk, table, or other support. Suitable tie rods may be employed to maintain the side frames 15 and 16 in rigid spaced relationship and these rods as such form no part of the present invention, but it is understood that they may be interposed as needed and may in some cases serve the dual purpose of bracing the frames and also supporting other parts of the mechanism.

Before describing the operative mechanism in its details, it may be stated that the essential groups of devices from the left-hand side of Figure 1 toward the right-hand side thereof may be recited as follows: the initial and governing basic sheet feed is designated generally by the reference character A; a slitting device for removing perforated pin guide margins from the web is indicated at B; a printing device together with its inking mechanism is shown at C; the versatile adjustable separator or burster mechanism is indicated generally at D; and a sheet receiver table or board susceptible of variations in details for the handling of different types of material is shown at position E.

The means, embodied in the grouping A, for moving the web forwardly, whether it is of the large unit manifolding type or a web with smaller units such as bank checks or tabulating punch cards, is comprised by the tractor pin feeder mechanism 263 which embodies two sprocket wheels 21 and 22 and a chain 23 provided with a succession of pins 24 which on the upper or feeding side of the mechanism enter into spaced perforations in the marginal strips carried by the webs being fed. rThis accurate alignment feeding mechanism is known in itself, and enters into the present combination only in so far as demanded by the need for an accurate standard feed of the web toward the printing and separating devices. T he feeder may be of the type known as a Formaliner and covered by patents granted to Carl Mahon, one of the present inventors, and exemplified by United States Patents Nos. 2,136,820, 2,158,585, 2,171,003, 2,208,994 and 2,302,704.

A curved guide plate 25 having a ange 2.6 secured to the side frames by bolts or rods 27 serves to guide the web W1 in a curved path toward the Formaliner feeder.

At this point it will be well to describe in somewhat more detail the general classes of webs which may be effectively fed printed, and separated into component units by means of the present invention. In Figures ll and 12 there are diagrammatically illustrated two types of web which represent rather wide divergencies in size and consistency of sheets to be separated. ln Figure 11 there is illustrated at W1 a manifolding web which may consist of one or more superposed record layers, with or without interventing carbon webs. The web W1 in its untreated forrn as fed to the present machine comprises a succession of sheet areas S separated by the transverse line of perforations p and having marginal strips m containing spaced openings l: for cooperating with the pins 24 of the feeding instrumentality 2li. These marginal feed strips also may be connected with the main parts of the web by a line of perforations P, or reliance may be had upon the slitting mechanism to cut off the marginal strips without pre-formed creases, perforations, or weakened lines. Such slitters act approximately at the point a in cutting off the feed margins from the web. The bursting mechanism effects the separation of the separate separated into units of tabulating card or check size, and in the case of the former the web is composed of separate card units C joined by overlapping flap, tab, or stub portions T which are glued together by means of a suitable adhesive, Marginal strips m are provided against the edges of web W2 and are separated therefrom by a line of perforations or scorings p2. The tabs or stubs T are also separated from the cards proper C by a double line of perforations d and e and in cases where the web is of double width having two cards C positioned side by side, as illustrated, a central line of perforations n is provided.

The arrangement in Figure 1 of the drawings shows the machine as set up for accomplishing the separation of the larger sheets from a web as schematically suggested in ligure 11.

The web W1 after being fed into the machine by means of the device Ztl passes between slitting rollers 30 and 3l at station B where the marginal perforated edges are cut from the web.

At the station C the web passes over an impression cylinder or platen roll 33 and has suitable intelligence printed upon it by means of a type cylinder or roller 35. The device indicated generally by the reference character 36 may be an inking means containing a fountain, fountain rollers, and ductor rollers, or any other conventional form of ink applying device, the mechanism being carried upon an arm 37 pivoted at 38 on the side frame projections or other bracket supports 39, whereby the inking mechanism may be swung away from operative position as required.

A roller 40 and a cooperating series of wheels or discs 41 serve to assist the feed of the web W1 toward the separating station D.

The detailed construction and arrangement of the separator or burster mechanism D will be described first in connection with Figures l, 2 and 3 where the arrangement is shown set up to sever webs suc-h as that depicted in Figure 1l of the drawings. Surmounting the main portions of the side frames 15 and 16 of the machine are the upwardly disposed side frame portions Si) and 51. Each of these side frame members is provided with a vertical slot or guideway 52 within which are received the bearings S3 and 54 of the lower and upper rolls 55 and 56 of the jump roll set, which is indicated generally by the numeral 57. The lower one of these rolls is preferably formed of rubber or a rubber-like composition to provide a resilient surface with a high coefficient of frictional engagement with the surface of the web, and the resilient portion of this roll is bonded to the shaft 58 the ends of which are carried in the bearing blocks 53 at each side of the same.

The upper roll 56 of the pair is preferably of metal, or at least metal surfaced, and the peripheral surface is slightly roughened or knurled to afford better frictional contact for gripping engagement with the web. The pair of blocks 54 for the jump rollsv 56 are urged downwardly so that the jump roll 56 is biased toward the lower mating roll 55, by means of the coil spring 60 which may be adjusted in tension by means of the threaded bolt 61, which is provided with the lock nut 62 and a head 63 which bears upon the spring, the bolt passing through the bridging piece disposed at the top of the sub-frmne 5l. over the slot or guideway 52.

For the purpose of intermittently raising and lowering the jump roll 56, mechanism is provided which is best seen in Figures 5 and 10-of the drawings. The bearing blocks 54 disposed at the sides of the machine within the guideways 52 are mounted for vertical reciprocation within the guideways. Upon the ends of the shaft of the jump roll 56 are mounted the rollers 64, and fired to a cross shaft 65 which extends through the side frames on both sides of the machine are the crank levers 66. These crank levers have faces which bear upwardly beneath the rollers 64 when the cranks 66 are swung up` wardly, and for the purpose of thus swinging .the cranks, at least one of them `(the one on the near side of the machine as viewed in Figures 5 and l0 according to the illustrated embodiment) is provided with a lever arm extension 63 upon the end of which is provided a follower wheel or roller 69 adapted to be contacted by the operative surfaces of the cam member 7i). The cam 70 has two oppositely disposed circular arc surfaces 7l and alternate oppositely disposed dat surfaces`72, tne lower one of the latter being in contact with the follower roller 69 in Figure l0. The cam 7u is of one piece with the pinion 75, being pinned thereto by means of the screws or other fastening elements 76, the combined element being mounted for rotation on a stub shaft 77' carried by part of the framing. rfhis cam and pinion element is rotated in timed relationship with the operation of the other elements of the machine and the means for driving the cam will be presently described. The unitary element consisting of the cam 7i? and the pinion '/"5 is furnished as a series of interchangeable elements, the dats on the cam surface being circumferentially arranged and lengthened or shortened according to the nature of the sheets or sections to be severed from the web.

The jump roll set just described serves the purpose of gripping or retaining the web at the proper points behind one of the transverse weakened lines so that when the forwardly disposed unit of the web is suddenly pulled the web is severed along said line. The means for eX- eiting the pull on the forward end of the web in order to burst the advanced unit therefrom, will now be described. This pulling mechanism comprises the pull roll or snatch roll stand designated generally by the reference numeral Sii' and it will be seen in a remote adjusted position in Figure l for operating upon webs such as the manifolding assembly shown in Figure ll, and in Figure 4 the pull roll stand 80 is shown in closed-in position as for severing shorter units, for example, the tabulating card webs shown in Figure l2.

The pull roll stand Sii itself comprises two side frames 82 and S3 which are connected by tie rods or shafts such as indicated at 855, do, and $7. The pull roll frame is mounted for sliding adjustment on the skeleton eXtensions lSA and 16A of the side frames l5 and lo of the machine. As most clearly shown in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings, supporting rails 9@ and 9i are secured along the upper edges of the main frames and the pull roll frames 82 and 83 are disposed for sliding movement on these rails or tracks 9@ and iii. Secured inwardly of the rails or supports @il and 9i are the racks 92 and 93.

The pull roll side frames 82 and 83 are provided with vertical slots or guideways 95 within which are disposed thel bearing blocks 96 carrying the ends of the shaft 97 of the lower pull roll This lower roll is interrupted throughout its length, as shown in Figure 3, having alternating narrow and wider portions, the wider portions indicated at 99 being faced with resilient material such as rubber for offering good frictional contact with the underside of the web.

The upper pull roll iii@ has a metal surface roughened o-r knurled for frictional engagement with the upper surface of the web. The shaft liti of the upper roll bears rotatably in the bearings .W2 disposed within the guides SiS. The pressure of the upper roll itl@ upon the web may be adjus ed by any suitable or conventional means, suggested in the present disclosure by the screws or bolts iii and the lock nuts which pass downwardly through the upper bridging bar or plate disposed at the top of the guideway in the frames 82 and 83. A cover plate il@ may be applied above the rolls as desired.

For guiding the web toward the bite of the pull rolls 98 and lut) a sheet metal guide plate or deflectcr i2@ is provided. This plate comprises two telescoping members jd and 22, the upper member 712i being provided with enveloping flange portions ZB for slidably embracing the margins ofthe lower plate M2 so that the plate may be maintained in substantially co-planar position throughout the extension and contraction of the two plates. The forward end ofthe guide plate portion 122 is provided with downwardly projecting ears comprising blocks 125 upon either side thereof, these ears being provided with openings to receive the shaft 126 which is carried by the eccentrcaliy mounted hubs 127 having oifset axles 128 which are rotatably mounted in the lower portions of the pull roll side frames S2 and S3. At least one of the hubs T127 is provided with a short handle rod 3.30 by means ofv which the hubs and shaft 126 can be rotated 'in order to swing the forward end of the deflector or guideway E20 upwardly into active position for guiding the longer sheets into the bite of the snatch rolls, or downwardly into an inactive position. The intermediate portion of the guide or deflector ft), more particularly the lower plate element R22, is supported upon spring leaves or prongs 13E carried by a. cross shaft 132, and a rear end stop flange B4 projects downwardly and is adapted to limit the extent of the movement of the telescoping guide 12d. The prongs llSll prevent the rearward end of plate 122 from dropping when the pull roll stand is set in its furthest position.

For collecting the severed units of the web a pile board is provided, the forward end of which is suspended by means of the hangers Mil which are provided with hooked upper ends adapted to surround the shaft 87. Suitably secured in an opening in the side frame @2 and 3 of the adjustable pull roll stand Si) are the diagonally disposed suspending links M3, the lower ends fait of which support the outer portion of the pile board Mil. A vertically extending back board may be provided to stop the sheets. it is noted that the pile board is supported by the sliding pull roll frame @il and adjustable longitudinally of the main machine frame along with the roll stand.

Referring still to Figure 1 of the drawings, wherein the machine is set up for handling fiexible webs which are to be severed into relatively long units, it will be seen that an intermediately disposed bursting knife device indicated generally by the reference numeral 54) is provided between the pull roll stand and the jump roll installation 57. rl`his device comprises an A-blade 15E mounted upon a frame which comprises the swinging side bars i552 suspended from the supporting cross rod 153 which is pivotally mounted as at 154!- in the side frame members 50 and Si. The depending frame includes also the cross rod i575 to which the Wider central portion of the blade 151 is secured as by means of the screw 156; the ends of the blade 151 are fastened to the side frame members i152 as by means of the screws or bolts 158. As clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the end portions of the blade 151 are narrower thanthe intermediate portion, which latter comes to a point at the apex tot) of the knife. Paper guiding plates lol are provided for ensuring that the web approaches the edge of the blade fdl properly.

The knife frame l5@ occupies the position shown in Figure 1 when in use and is secured in that position by means of the spring projected locking pins which enter openings 16o in the side frame members 50 and 5l, being urged therein by means of the springs 67. The pins are provided with knurled heads 168 by means of which they may be readily withdrawn when the frame is to be swung upwardly -to idle position.

The idle position ofthe knife frame l5@ is shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings where the arrangement is swung upwardly around the cross shaft or rod 153 and the rod 153 may be locked in such position by means of the thumb screws lo?. An angle bracket i7@ may be provided upon the top of the jump roll bridging plate 65, against which the frames 152 may abut.

When it is desired to move the pull roll set Sli' from the outer position shown in Figure l to the inward position shown in Figure 4 wherein it is adapted to act upon webs which are to be divided into smaller units such as tabulating cards, checks, or the like, the knife frame entrasse 150 is swung to its upper idle position and the pull roll set 80 is moved along the guides or racks @d and M by means of the gears llll which are carried upon the rotatable shaft 87, which shaft also functions as one of the tie bars uniting the side frames of the pull roll set. The gears l7l mesh with the racks '5"2 and 93. The shaft 37 has suitable bearings in the side frames 82 and @3 and is provided upon one of its outer ends with a hand wheel T12 by means of which the shaft and gears 171 may be rotated and travelled along the racks 92 and For locking the pull roll set Sd in adjusted position, means are provided which may be best seen in Figures and 6 of the drawings. A crank plate ld@ is pinned to the frame S2 by means of the stub shaft lill. The remote end of the plate ld is split as at i553 circular opening intermediate the slit which is adapted lo receive the rotatable shaft S7, as between vise jaws. A manipulating rod 21.85 having a handle portion 7 'flan is provided with an attenuated screw -threaded end portion 187 which passes through the upper portion of the plate 3S@ and is screwed into a threaded opening ldd in the lower portion 189 of the bifurcated plate. it will readily understood that when the pull roll stand is disposed at its desired position, the manually operated locking rod 85 may be rotated so as to bring the jaws of the bifurcated portion of the plate lltlll together into gripping relationship with respect to the shaft S7. This will prevent rotation of the shaft and thus prevent movement of the gears l upon the racks 92 and 25 and effectively loci; the pull stand in shifting position.

in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings it will be seen how, upon displacement of the knife frame lSl, the pull roll stand Sil may be brought very close to the jump roll set 55', 56, in fact, in the very position formerly occupied by the knife blade. This will permit the severing of the web into very small units. it will also be seen that in this position the sheet defiector or guide arrangement l2@ is lowered to an idle position, since the relatively short cards and stubs are fed at high 'speed directly from the jump rolls to the pull rolls without the necessity for intermediate support.

The transmission means for driving the various rolls and other mechanism' will now be described with particular reference to Figure 9 as well as certain portions of Figures 2, 3 and 5. The source of power for the machine is the motor M which is supported in the lower portion of the framework in any suitable or conventional way. Through a gear reduction indicated at G the motor drives the transverse shaft d upon which is iXed a gear 201 which meshes with a larger gear 202 near the far side of the frame as viewed in Figure 9. The imprinting mechanism rolls 33 and 35 are mounted respectively on shafts 264 and 205 and these shafts carry the intermeshing gears 206 and 207, the former gear 2% also meshing with the large drive gear 202 all at the far side of the frame. Thus the printing rollers are driven from the same source of power as the rest of the machine. in a similar fashion, by conventional means not shown, the pin feed device 20 is driven in synchronism with the rest of the machine.

Upon the near end of the impression roll shaft 204 is fixed a gear 208 which meshes with an idler 209 journalled on the side frame 15 and this idler gear in turn meshes with the gear 210 fixed on the shaft 2li of the lower feed roll 4t). This serves to drive the feed roll in synchronism with the rest of the mechanism.

The shaft 5S of the lower roll 55 of the jump roll set carries a gear 215 which meshes with the gear 2id carried by the shaft Se of the jump roll 56. VThe amount of upward displacement of the jump roll 56 under the influence of the cam '70 is insutiicient to cause the drive gears 215 and 216 to become unmeshed so that the drive of both jump rolls is constant throughout the operation of the device.

For driving the rolls 55 and 5o, the shaft 58 of the lower roll 55 carries a sprocket wheel 235 about which is and provided with a trained a chain 240 which is driven by a sprocket Wheel 233 rigid with a gear 500 which is operatively connected with the motor by means of the double gear set consisting of the gears Sdi and S62, the former meshing with the gear Stil@ and the latter with the drive gear 201.

Adjacent the near end of the shaft 58 of the lower roll of the jump roll set is xed a gear 2id which meshes with a larger gear 2l@ (see Figures 9 and l0) which larger gear meshes with the gear which is rigidly secured to the cam '70. The cam for the jump roll is thus driven in synchronism with the machine and the shape of the cam determines the cyclic operation of the jump roll. The cam, and the cam driving mechanism may be carried within the external housing 22@ as shown in Figures 2 and 5 of the drawings and this housing may also provide the bearing for the gears 2i9 and '75 as shown at 2.2i and 222 respectively.

For driving the pull rolls 93 and 100 the following x mechanism is provided. Secured upon the pull roll shafts 97 and lill are the gears 22S and 226, this ensuring the rolling contact between the pull rolls. EXternally of the far side frame 83 of the pull roll set there is iiXed upon the lower roll shaft 97 a sprocket 228 and upon a stub shaft 229 carried by the side frame S3 (or if desired this shaft may be a prolongation of the manually operated shaft 87) is mounted a sprocket 23S). Adjacent the remote end of the main side frame 16, or its extension 16A, there is mounted an idler sprocket 232, and there have already been described the driving sprocket 233 and the jump roll sprocket 235. rfrained around the sprockets 235, 223, 23d, 232 and 233 is the sprocket chain 240 and it wil'l be readily seen that the drive to the pull rolls is maintained during any adjusted position thereof due to the arrangement of the sprocket 228 and the idler sprocket 234i on the pull roll stand Sil.

When the device is run at close coupled position forworking on punch cards and their stubs, a receiver such as that generally indicated by the reference numeral 250 in Figures 4 and 5 is provided on the pile board 140. rl`he details of this catcher or receiver will be described as the description of the method of operation proceeds.

The operation of the device in severing or separating Webs such as Wl in Figure 1l into their component sheets S, will now be described in connection with Figure l of the drawings. The web Wl is guided over the curved sheet guide 25 and the marginal perforations h are engaged by the pins 24 of the tractor-like pin feeding device 20. The speed of this pin feeder governs lche rate of progress of the sheet through the machine.

The marginal strips m are cut from the main portion of the web along the lines p by means of the slitters 30, 31 and then the web is fed through the imprinter, stamper, or numbering device C, passing between the impression cylinder 3-3 and the type cylinder 3S. Supplemental feeding devices dll, d?. may be provided, the rollers or discs 4.1i bearing lightly upon the web.

From this point onward, the positive feed of the web as such occurs only intermittently, as when the jump roll 56 is permitted to press downwardly upon the web as it passes over the roll 55 under the intermittent action of the controlling cam 7d. The advanced portion of the web beyond the jump roll set passes beneath the A- blade 151 and thence is guided by the sheet detiector 120 to enter the bite of the pull roll set 80. The pull rolls 9S, lili), due to the calibration of the drive gearing and sprockets is run at a somewhat faster rate than the jump roll set and the preceding instrumentalities and the slack formed in the web between the jump rolls and the pull rolls is taken up to a large extent by the faster rate of movement of the pull rolls once the web has entered between them. During this time the jump roll 56 is held in raised position by the cam 7d. Then just as the transverse weakened line p passes out of the bite of the jump rolls the cam permits the jump roll 56 to descend and grip the succeeding sheet S just to the rear of the line of per.- forations. Since the pull rolls 98, 100 are running faster than the gripping jump roll set, the web is tautened suddenly and by the time the line of perforations or other scored line p reaches the edge of the knife 151 the web is snapped into contact with the knife and the tear, starting at the middle of the sheet near the apex 160 of the knife 151, proceeds rapidly outwardly to the margins of the sheet and the separation of the sheet is effected.

By an inspection of the knife blade 151 in Figure l of the drawings it will be seen thatV the knife is bent or angled rearwardly so that the central portion adjacent the apex i60, where it is secured to the bar 155 by means of the screw 56, is offset slightly to the rear of the side portions of the blade. This bend in the blade is such that the tear is started at the middle of the web and is completed by the time the score line passes through the slight distance from the rear apex of the blade to the end portions of the blade. The pull or snatch rolls then transport the severed sheet S rapidly toward the back board 145 and the sheets are piled up on the pile board 140. The next advancing forward edge of the web Wl is guided by the sheet deector 12d toward the bite of the pull rolls and the process is repeated for each successive sheet S. jump roll 56 to rise until it is again permitted to grip the sheet just to the rear of the next line of severance.

The operation of the device in the position to which it is adjusted in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, to handle webs such as that indicated at W2 in Figure l2, will no-w i be described. As indicated previously, the particular web used as an example of the operation of the machine in its short-coupled adjustment is made up of tabulating or punch cards used in business machines, and comprises a series of cards C and their overlapping connecting stubs or tabs T, these tabs being glued together by means of a suitable adhesive. rlfhe web W2 passes through the machine inthe same manner as described in connection with the previous example up to the point where it reaches the severing unit D. lt will be noted that the knife frame 156 is swung to its idle upper position and the set 8d of pull rolls is moved very close to the jump roll set and occupies the position formerly occupied by the knife. The exact position of the pull rolls St) is set according to the width of the cards by turning the hand wheel 172 until the gears 170 have advanced to the proper point along the racks 92 and 93. Then the cross shaft 87 upon which the gears 170 are fixed Vis locked in place by screwing the handle 185 to cause the locking clamp plate 13d at a faster rate than pinch rolls 55', 56 and we will assume I...

that the advancing edge of the web W2 is as indicated in Figure l2 where the line of severance e occurs at the forward edge of one of the tabs T. The spacing between the two sets of rolls is so determined that at this point the pull rolls 98, 100 grip the tab T between them and the jump roll 56 has just been lowered into contact with the first card C immediately in advance of the following line of severance e. Since the pull rolls are running at a faster rate than the jump roll set, the web will be burst along the rst line d and the tab T will be thrown forwardly out of the bite of the pull rolls and, due to its relatively lighter mass, will fall into the pocket 252 of the sheet metal catcher 250 resting upon the pile board The jump roll 56 remains in contact with the web gripping it between itself and the lower roll 55 until after the next line e passes between these rolls. At thispoint the new terminal margin of the web, being the former line of perforation d where the web has just been burst, will be gripped and snatched forwardly by the pull rolls ln the meantime the cam 76 causes the 98, 1 0@ and the card C will be burst Yfrom the web W2 along the next line e, whereupon the card will be fed rapidly forward bythe pull rolls andA due to its somewhat greater mass will be tossed over the top of the partition 254 of the catcher 250 into the larger pocket 255 designed to contain the successive cards C as they are burst from the web. Shortly after the new end margin e of the sheet has passed between the bite of the rolls 5S and 56, the jump roll 56 is raised by means of the cam 70 and the feed of the web is continued by means of the feeding and operating mechanism in advance of the bursting station, until the new margin moves into the bite of the pull rolls 98, 100 again. Thereupon, the jump roll 56 drops, the next tab is burst from the web, tossed into the compartment 252, and the next following card similarly separated or severed from the web while the jump roll 56 remains in contact with the web from a point slightly in advance of the line e to a point just to the rear thereof.

The catching tray or receiver 25) which rests upon the pile board M0 may vary somewhat in actual detailed construction but will consist generally of a sheet metal receptacle having a rear wall 260 with side anges 261, a pair of side walls 262 extending forwardly to the front wall 263 and joined thereto. The front wall and portions of the side walls are preferably curved somewhat at their upper and forward portions to closely approach and conform to the curvature of the pull rolls. The intermediate vertical partition 254 divides the smaller tab rcceiving pocket from the larger card receiving receptacle 255. A bottom plate 268 is provided for the smaller receptacle and a bottom plate 269 for the larger compartment. The device is readily removable from the pile board when changing from one type of web to another.

As already indicated, the combination cam and gear unit 7u, 75 is furnished in various modifications of cam surface to provide the appropriate timing of the gripping byl the restraining rolls, according to the nature and size of the sections to be severed from the web.

lt will be understood that various changes and alter ations may be made in the embodiments set forth and described herein Without departing from the scope of the invention as determined by the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a sheet severing machine of the class described, in combination: a frame; a pair of cooperating feeding and restraining rolls on said frame between which said strip is fed, means on said frame for feeding said strip to said pair of rolls, and means for driving at least one of said rolls at substantially the same peripheral speed as the linear feeding rate of said strip; a pair of cooperating pull rolls mounted on said frame beyond said first pair of rolls, means for adjusting the distance between said pairs of rolls in accordance with the length of the sheet to be severed; a transverse severing blade carried by said frame between the two pairs of rolls and against which the sheet is adapted to be abruptly brought in order to sever it, and means mounting said blade for movement to and from its operative position adjacent the path of the strip between said pairs of rolls, whereby one of said pairs of rolls may be brought very close to the other for severing the strip into very short lengths; means for driving said pull rolls at a faster peripheral speed than the linear feed of said strip; means for intermittently causing said restraining rolls to alternately separate and come into gripping contact with the strip; and means for timing said last named means in accordance with the length of the sheet to be severed and the spacing of the two pairs of rolls.

2. ln a sheet severing machine of the class described, in combination: a frame; a pair of superposed cooperating feeding and restraining rolls on said frame between which said strip is fed, pin-feed means on said frame for accurately feeding said strip to said pair of rolls, and means for driving at least one of said rolls at substantially the same peripheral speed as the linear feeding rate of said strip; a pair of superposed cooperating-pull rolls mounted on said frame beyond said first pair of rolls, means for adjusting the distance between said pairs of rolls in accordance with the length of the sheet to be severed; a transverse severing blade pivotally carried by said frame between the two pairs of rolls and against which the sheet is adapted to be abruptly brought in order to sever it, and means mounting said blade for swinging movement to and from its operative position adjacent the path ot the strip between said pairs of rolls, whereby one of said pairs of rolls may be brought very close to the other for severing the strip into very short lengths by direct burst ing pull without the use of said ledger blade; means for driving said pull rolls at a faster peripheral speed than the linear feed of said strip; means for intermittently causing said restraining rolls to alternately separate and come into gripping contact with the strip; and means for timing said last named means in accordance with the length of the sheet to be severed and the spacing of the two pairs of rolls.

3. The machine as described in claim 2 in which the edge of said blade is generally V-shaped, the apex of the blade coinciding with the central portion of the web whereby the cut is started in the middle of the web.

4. The machine as described in claim 2 in which the edge of said blade is generally V-shaped and projects downwardly from above the web, the apex of the blade coinciding with the central portion of the web and the apex of the blade being disposed slightly rearwardly of the lateral ends of the blade with respect to the direction of travel of the web, whereby the cut is started in the middle of the web and proceeds toward the side edges thereof.

5. rl`he machine as described in claim 2 in which the severing blade is carried by a swinging `frame including a lateral member positioned closely adjacent a side member of the main frame, a recess in one of said members, and a spring-pressed locking pin carried by the adjacent other member and adapted to snap into the recess to lock the blade in operative position, and manually removable for releasing the blade so that it may be swung to inoperative position` 6, The method of bursting successive cards and intervening stubs from a travelling web of cardboard, which comprises providing weakened transverse severance lines across the web for ready separation thereof, alternate lines marking the forward edges of one of the narrow stubs and the forward edge of one of the longer cards, passing said web between a pair of restraining rolls and thence between a pair of pull rolls, driving said pull rolls at a faster speed than said restraining rolls and maintaining them continually in gripping position with respect to the web and its component elements, bringing the restrain ing rolls intermittently into and out of gripping contact with the web, causing the gripping restraining rolls to grip the web upon a card area immediately in advance of the line marking the forward edge of the following stub area at substantially the same time the next preceding stub area enters the bite of the second gripping pull rolls, and causing the restraining rolls to remain in gripping contact with the web until shortly after the said line marking the forward edge of said stub area passes the bite of the restraining rolls at which time the pull rolls have seized the forward edge of the preceding card area, whereby the successive stub and card areas are snatched from the web along said lines of severance.

7. The method of severing sections of alternately varying predetermined length from a travelling web having transverse weakened lines thereacross determining the boundaries of said sections, which method comprises moving the web longitudinally in its plane between first and second rotary gripping means, maintaining the spacing of said two gripping means at approximately the length of the longer of said sections, maintaining con tinual gripping contact with the web by means of the second of said gripping means and rotating the same at a faster rate than the first encountered rotary gripping means, intermittently causing alternate releasing and applying of gripping pressure by the first gripping means, and timing the application of the gripping pressure of said first means to the web to occur momentarily from just before one of said transverse severance lines has passed the bite of said first gripping means until just after said line has passed the bite of said first named gripping means, whereby the second gripping means snatches the smaller end section of the web, separating it closely adjacent said second gripping means and immediately snatches the advancing edge of the next and larger section, and while the first named gripping means is still in engagement with the web, separates the larger section closely adjacent the first named gripping means, the successive next remaining sections of the web being restrained during such severing by the rst gripping means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 243,207 Byers June 21, 1881 1,790,680 Sherman et al. Feb. 3, 1931 2,175,959 Goldstein Oct. 10, 1939 2,246,228 Winter June 17, 1941 2,252,736 Sherman et al Aug. 19, 1941 2,333,924 Grobatenko Nov. 9, 1943 2,513,093 Hageman June 27, 1950 2,618,336 Davidson Nov. 18, 1952 2,717,642 Pealler Sept. 13, 1955

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