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Title: Vibratory feed initiating device for a machine for feeding articles shingle-fashion
Claims: Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent is: 1. A machine for withdrawing articles from the top of an upright stack of flat articles and feeding the articles therefrom shingle-fashion which comprises means for raising the stack of articles to bring the topmost article in the stack to a pick-off station, a pick-off device at the pick-off station which includes a swinging frame, a pick-off belt running on the swinging frame, the belt having a lower course arranged for flatwise engagement with the topmost article, means for pivotally mounting the swinging frame adjacent a discharge end of the pick-off device, a discriminator at the pick-off station engageable with the articles below the topmost articles in the stack, a vibrating plate engageable with edges of the articles in the stack as the articles approach the pick-off station, means for causing the vibrating plate to vibrate transversely of the articles to advance each article with respect to adjacent articles in the stack to cause release of each article from adjacent articles, means for driving the pick-off belt to advance the topmost articles over the discriminator, and conveyor means receiving the articles as they pass over the discriminator, the pick-off belt engaging articles underlying the topmost article as the topmost article is being advanced by the pick-off belt to advance the articles in shingle-fashion. 2. A machine as in claim 1 wherein the vibrating plate is mounted on bracket means, the bracket means is pivotally mounted on the swinging frame, and means resiliently connects the bracket means to the swinging frame remote from the pivot of the bracket means to permit limited vibratory movement of the vibrating plate. 3. A machine as in claim 2 wherein the means for causing the vibrating plate to vibrate is a vibrator attached to the vibrating plate. 4. A machine as in claim 3 wherein the vibrator includes a housing attached to the vibrating plate, a motor having a motor shaft parallel to the vibrating plate and rotatably mounted inside the housing, and an eccentric weight mounted on the shaft to cause vibration of the housing and of the vibrating plate when the motor rotates the motor shaft. 5. A machine as in claim 1 wherein the vibrating plate engages edges of the articles in the stack opposite to the discriminator and advances the articles toward the discriminator. 6. A machine as in claim 5 wherein the vibrating plate has a sloping article engaging face which extends upwardly and toward the discriminator at an angle of approximately 25.degree. to the vertical. 7. A machine for withdrawing articles from an end of a stack of flat articles and feeding the articles therefrom shingle-fashion which comprises means for advancing the stack of articles to bring the endmost article in the stack to a pick-off station, a pick-off device at the pick-off station which includes a swinging frame, a pick-off belt running on the swinging frame, the belt having a course arranged for flatwise engagement with the endmost article, means for pivotally mounting the swinging frame adjacent a discharge end of the pick-off device, a discriminator at the pick-off station engageable with articles in the stack other than the endmost articles, a vibrating plate engageable with edges of the articles in the stack as the articles approach the pick-off station, means for causing the vibrating plate to vibrate transversely of the articles to advance each article with respect to adjacent articles in the stack to cause release of each article from adjacent articles, means for driving the pick-off belt to advance the endmost articles past the discriminator shingle-fashion, and conveyor means receiving the articles as they pass the discriminator. 8. A machine for withdrawing articles from an end of a stack of flat articles and feeding the articles therefrom shingle-fashion which comprises means for advancing the stack of articles to bring the endmost article in the stack to a pick-off station, a pick-off device at the pick-off station for drawing articles from the stack shingle-fashion, said pick-off device including a swinging frame, a pick-off belt running on the swinging frame, the belt having a course arranged for flatwise engagement with the endmost article, means for pivotally mounting the swinging frame adjacent a discharge end of the pick-off device, a discriminator at the pick-off station engageable with articles in the stack other than the endmost articles, a vibrating plate engageable with edges of the articles in the stack as the articles approach the pick-off station, means for causing the vibrating plate to vibrate transversely of the articles to advance each article with respect to adjacent articles in the stack to cause release of each article from adjacent articles, means for driving the pick-off device to advance the endmost articles past the discriminator shingle-fashion, and means receiving the articles as they pass the discriminator, the pick-off belt engaging articles adjacent the endmost article as the endmost article is being advanced by the pick-off belt to advance the articles shingle-fashion. Other info: Inventors: Lloyd, Allen H. (Terrace Park, OH, US) Beckman, William J. (Fort Thomas, KY, US) Application Number: 587597 Filing Date: 1975-06-17 Publication_date: 1976-12-28 Assignee: Multifold-International, Inc. (Milford, OH) Primary Class(es): 414/796.6 414/796.7, 414/797.2 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Primary Examiner: Tollberg, Stanley H. Assistant Examiner: Attorney: Pearce; James W., Schaeperklaus; Roy F. |
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