Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
309 words
A mechanism for feeding objects to another means comprising, a hopper for holding a stack of the objects; a pusher for pushing an object from a stack location beneath the stack to a first station; said pusher comprising, an abutment surface supported by an arm; said pusher arm being capable of horizontal traversal under the influence of a horizontal traverse means thereto connected, and being movable from said stack location in a direction so as to push an object to said first station, and being movable in a recovery direction; said pusher arm being pivotally mounted on a pivot mount so as to be pivotal vertically, for raising and lowering said abutment surface; a pusher elevator connected with said pusher arm for pivoting same; said pusher elevator comprising a link which is mounted to pivot in a plane parallel to the plane in which said pusher arm pivots; said elevator link being connected to said pusher arm to pivot same; a drive link connected with said elevator link for causing same to pivot; a cam surface in engagement with said elevator link drive link for operating same to drive said elevator link in one direction and a biasing means connected with said elevator link for driving said elevator link in the other direction, alternately raising and lowering said pusher arm; said elevator link including an elongated receiving means for connecting with said pusher arm; said pusher arm engaging said elevator link through said receiving means; said receiving means being elongated along a path paralleling the horizontal traverse of said pusher arm, whereby said pusher arm can remain in operative engagement with said elevator link over its entire horizontal pathway; said elevator link being a parallel link so that while it pivots vertically, the entire length of said receiving means moves through the same height location at the same time.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
309 words
A mechanism for feeding objects to another means comprising, a hopper for holding a stack of the objects; a pusher for pushing an object from a stack location beneath the stack to a first station; said pusher comprising, an abutment surface supported by an arm; said pusher arm being capable of horizontal traversal under the influence of a horizontal traverse means thereto connected, and being movable from said stack location in a direction so as to push an object to said first station, and being movable in a recovery direction; said pusher arm being pivotally mounted on a pivot mount so as to be pivotal vertically, for raising and lowering said abutment surface; a pusher elevator connected with said pusher arm for pivoting same; said pusher elevator comprising a link which is mounted to pivot in a plane parallel to the plane in which said pusher arm pivots; said elevator link being connected to said pusher arm to pivot same; a drive link connected with said elevator link for causing same to pivot; a cam surface in engagement with said elevator link drive link for operating same to drive said elevator link in one direction and a biasing means connected with said elevator link for driving said elevator link in the other direction, alternately raising and lowering said pusher arm; said elevator link including an elongated receiving means for connecting with said pusher arm; said pusher arm engaging said elevator link through said receiving means; said receiving means being elongated along a path paralleling the horizontal traverse of said pusher arm, whereby said pusher arm can remain in operative engagement with said elevator link over its entire horizontal pathway; said elevator link being a parallel link so that while it pivots vertically, the entire length of said receiving means moves through the same height location at the same time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
105 words
The feed mechanism of claim 1, wherein said elevator link drive link is pivotally mounted on a pivot mount; said elevator link drive link including a second elongated receiving means for a connecting element; said elevator link having a connecting element which is received by said second receiving means; said second receiving means being elongated along a path that extends radially inward toward said drive link pivot mount; means for adjusting the spacing of both of said pusher arm and said elevator link with respect to said elevator link drive link pivot mount, whereby the total distance pivoted by said elevator link can be varied.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The feed mechanism of claim 2, wherein said spacing adjusting means adjusts said pusher arm and said elevator link vertically and said second receiving means is vertically elongated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
257 words
A mechanism for feeding objects to another means comprising, a hopper for holding a stack oF the objects; a pusher for pushing an object from a stack location beneath the stack to a first station; said pusher comprising, an abbutment surface supported by an arm; said pusher arm having a horizontal traverse means connected thereto whereby said pusher arm is capable of horizontal traversal under the influence of said horizontal traverse means, and being movable from said stack location in a direction so as to push an object to said first station, and be movable in a recovery direction; said pusher arm being pivotally mounted on a pivot mount so as to be pivotable vertically, for raising and lowering said abutment surface; a pusher elevator connected with said pusher arm for pivoting same to thereby raise and lower said abutment surface, cam means for actuating said pusher elevator in timed relation with the movement of said abutment surface between said stack location and said first station; said horizontal traverse means comprising a traverse means pivot link connected to a fixed pivot and connected to said pusher arm; a traverse means drive link connected with said traverse means pivot link for driving same to pivot; a cam surface in engagement with said traverse means drive link for operating same to pivot said traverse means pivot link in one direction; and a biasing means connected with said traverse means pivot link for operating same in the opposite direction, which moves said pusher alternately in the drive and recovery directions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
257 words
A mechanism for feeding objects to another means comprising, a hopper for holding a stack oF the objects; a pusher for pushing an object from a stack location beneath the stack to a first station; said pusher comprising, an abbutment surface supported by an arm; said pusher arm having a horizontal traverse means connected thereto whereby said pusher arm is capable of horizontal traversal under the influence of said horizontal traverse means, and being movable from said stack location in a direction so as to push an object to said first station, and be movable in a recovery direction; said pusher arm being pivotally mounted on a pivot mount so as to be pivotable vertically, for raising and lowering said abutment surface; a pusher elevator connected with said pusher arm for pivoting same to thereby raise and lower said abutment surface, cam means for actuating said pusher elevator in timed relation with the movement of said abutment surface between said stack location and said first station; said horizontal traverse means comprising a traverse means pivot link connected to a fixed pivot and connected to said pusher arm; a traverse means drive link connected with said traverse means pivot link for driving same to pivot; a cam surface in engagement with said traverse means drive link for operating same to pivot said traverse means pivot link in one direction; and a biasing means connected with said traverse means pivot link for operating same in the opposite direction, which moves said pusher alternately in the drive and recovery directions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
131 words
The feed mechanism of claim 4, wherein said traverse means pivot link includes an arm extending away from said pivot of said pivotable link; said traverse means pivot link arm being secured to said traverse means drive link, whereby said traverse means drive link moves said traverse means pivot link by moving that said link arm; said traverse means drive link being itself pivotable about its own pivot mount; said traverse means drive link including an elongated receiving means for receiving said traverse means drive link pivot mount; means for moving said traverse means drive link pivot mount with respect to said traverse means drive link along said traverse means drive link receiving means so as to initially adjust the location of said pivot mount for said traverse means drive link.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The feed mechanism of claim 4, further including a latching means for latching said traverse means drive link against driving said pusher horizontally in the event of predetermined conditions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The feed mechanism of claim 6, further including switch means connected with said latching means and mounted on said hopper to sense said predetermined conditions for activating said latching means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
79 words
The feed mechanism of claim 4, wherein said pusher arm is attached to a chain means; said chain means passes between guide elements which define a horizontal path for said chain means and for said pusher arm which is attached to said chain means; a rotatable drive sprocket means for said chain means for moving said chain means in the drive and recovery directions; said traverse means drive link being connected with said sprocket means for causing rotation thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
The feed mechanism of claim 8, wherein said traverse means pivot link is connected with a rack, so as to move said rack as said traverse means pivot link pivots; means connected with said sprocket means and engaging said rack so that movement of said rack causes rotation of said sprocket means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The feed mechanism of claim 9, further including biasing means connected with said rack for biasing same so as to rotate said sprocket means to drive said pusher abutment against the object.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
The feed mechanism of claim 9, wherein said rack includes receiving means which is elongated vertically for receiving said traverse means pivot link; first vertical spacing means for vertically adjusting the spacing of both said pusher arm and said chain means with respect to said traverse means pivot link, whereby said elongated receiving meanS takes up the vertical spacing adjustment.