Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CUTTING AND COLLATING APP.~RATUS FOR TICKETS
Back~round of the Invention
.
This invention relates to apparatus for cutting and
collating cards or tickets arranged in printed side-by-side
columns. More particularly, this invention relates to cutlcing
and collating tickets that are printed two abreast on paper
stock specifically sequenced in a given order. When collated,
all tickets will have smooth edges.and stacked with printed side
up and in a predetermined se~uential order.
Descri~tion of the Prior Art
~t the present time, collators have been provided for
dispensing single sheets or articles from an evenly arranged
sta¢k of such objects. Cam means carefully disengage the
lowermost ~heet or article in the stack to provide a smooth
transf~r of the load from the stack supporting means to a
conveyor.
U. S. Patent No. 3,640,426 discloses a collating
feeder for sequentially dispensin~ in~lividual sets of sheets
from a stack of crisscrossed sets. The stack is support.ed
by two alternatively operative escapement means that oscillate
into engagement with alternate sets to dispense the sets
seq~entially.
Summary of the Invention
In accordance with the invention claimed, a new and
improved collator is provided for cutting and collating tickets
that are printed two abreast on paper stock such that ~ickets
on one side of the stock are specifically sequenced with tickets
on another side of the stock in column confiquratlons.
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It is, therefore, one object of this invention to
provide a new and improved collator for tickets.
According to one aspect of this invention there is
provided an apparatus for cutting parts from a preprinted strip
of paper stock and collating the parts in a specific sequential
order comprising:
a track for guiding the strip of paper stock preprinted
with a sequence of pairs of specifically identified parts
arranged two abreast along a given path,
means for moving the strip along said path at a given
speed,
cutter means for simultaneously separating each pair
of the parts from the strip when the strip reaches a given area
on said track,
a camming surface for receiving the separated two
abreast parts of each pair of the two abreast parts,
a collecting means for receiving the parts, and
means for sequentially moving a common one of each
pair of the separated two abreast parts laterally of said path
along said camming surface in a substantially vertical
orientation to said collecting means,
said camming surface guiding the other part of each
pair of said two abreast parts downstream of the laterally
displaced one of the parts of each pair to said collecting
means in a properly sequenced stacked configuration.
According to another aspect of this invention there
is provided an apparatus for cutting tickets from a sprocket
fed strip of paper stock and collating the tickets in specific
sequential order comprising:
a track for guiding the strip of paper stock preprinted
with a sequence of pairs of specifically identified tickets
arranged two abreast along a given path,
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sprocket means having teeth which engage the paper
stoek for moving the strip of paper stock along said path at a
given speed,
cutter means for simultaneously separating each pair
of the tickets from the strip of paper stock when the strip of
paper stock reaches a given area on said track,
a camming surface for receiving the separated two
abreast tickets of each pair,
said camming surface comprising a pair of substantially
parallel surfaces, one displaced laterally thereof and inter-
connected by a ramp,
a eolleeting means for reeeiving the tiekets, and
means for sequentially moving a eommon one of each
pair of the separated two abreast tickets laterally of said
path along said camming surface in a substantially vertical
orientation to said collecting means,
said camming surface guiding the other ticket of each
pair of said two abreast tickets downstream of the laterally
displaced one of said tiekets of eaeh pair to said eolleeting
means in a properly sequeneed stacked eonfiguration.
Aecording to a further aspect of this invention there
is provided a method of cutting tiekets from a strip of paper
stoek and eollating the tickets in a specific order comprising
the steps of:
feeding a strip of preprinted ticket paper stock
having pairs of tickets printed in two abreast arrangements
laterally across the strip through a cuttin~ means,
feeding the separating two abreast pairs of tickets
to a camming surface,
sequentially moving a common one of each pair of said
two abreast tickets laterally along said ca.mming surface in a
substantially vertical orientation to a collecting means,
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guiding the other of each pair of said two abreast
tickets over said camming surface downstream of the laterally
displaced one of said tickets of each pair to said collecting
means in a specific stacked configuration.
A still further object of this invention is to
provide a new and improved cutter and col:lator for fan folded
paper stock for tickets which is comple-tely mechanically
operable.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will
become apparent as the following description proceeds and the
features of novelty which characterize this invention will be
pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and
forming part of this specification.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The present invention may be more readily described by
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cutter and collator
apparatus for fan folded paper stock and embodying the invention;
Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the paper
loading shelf mounted at the rear of the apparatus shown in
Figure 1 which when closed also serves as a guide or door for
bulk feed paper stock;
Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of a ticket
cutting head, sprocket drive mechanism and collator portion of
the apparatus shown in Figure 1 with the cover removed;
Figure ~ is a diagrammatic illustration of the
component parts of the apparatus shown in Figure l;
Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of the left
side gear drive and ticket collating mechanism of the apparatus
shown in Figure l;
Figure 6, on the same sheet as Figures 1 and 2, is a
cross-sectional view of the paper cutting and slici.ng mechanism
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of the apparatus shown in Figure l;
Figure 7 is an enlarged front view of the ticket-
collating mechanism shown in Figures 1 and 5;
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 7 taken
along the line i3-~ in the direction of the arrows;
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 7 taken
along the line 9-9 in the direction of the arrows;
Figure 10 is a diagrammatical illustration of the
ticket stock moving through the cutters of the apparatus and
then collated into a numerically sequenced stack of tickets;
Figure 11, on the same sheet as Figure 5, is a
diagrammatic view of the sprocket actuated fan folded partially
cut ticket stock used in the apparatus of Figure 1 and showing
their inverted entry into the apparatus of Figure l; and
Figures 12A, 12B and 12C, also on the same sheet as
Figure 5, illustrate by top views the sequence of steps of
ticket movement during a collating operation.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring more particularly to the drawings by
characters of reference, Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a ticket
cutting and collating apparatus 15 comprising a supporting
structure or frame 16 employing a pair of spaced apart parallel
rails 17 (only one of which is shown in Figure 1) supported by
a pair of transverse legs 19 and 20. The lower part of the
frame 16 encases a hollow skirt 21 open at the back to receive
a bin 22 for receiving and collecting the scrap paper from the
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~rlnted ticket ~tock after it i8 sliced as hereinafter
ex~lained.
,. The worki~g head 23 shown particularl~ in Figs. 3
~d 5 of apparatu3 15 i~ shielded by cover 24 which serves on
lt~ outer ~urface as a track for receiving and guiding a stac~
o~ sprocketed fan folded paper stock 25. The working head 23
s~led betw~en a pair of spaced frame members 26 and
Qunt~ on a pair of cross members 28 tonly one of which i~
~hown in ~ig. l) affixed to the to~ of rails 17.
As best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the frame members 26
and 27 have mounted between them in a spaced horizont~l arrange-
~e~t a pair of drive ~hafts 29 and 30 the ends of which are
~u~nall~d in fra~ mPmbers 26 and 27. .~
The~e shafts are interconnected by a pair of driving
or feeding d~vices such as tractors 34 and 35 each formed by drive
wh~ls 36 and 37 over which a tightly positioned belt 38 is
arrang~d. Belt 38 of each tractor is provided with sprocket
t~eth 39 extending laterally from its outer surface as clearly
~how~ in Fig. 6. The tractors 34 and 35 further eac~ compris~
a 310tted plate 40 which i5 sprin~ biased to lie over the spro~ket
t~th GO a8 to hold the paper stock 2~ a~ainst the track pf cover
24 ~ith i~s ~prock~t holes in ~rive contact with teeth 39 of belt
38 ~ the u~ual known manner.
A~ ~hown in Figs. 3 and 4, shaft 30 is driven by mo~or
33 th~ough its drive shaft 41 and sprockets 42 and 43 mounted
on the ri~ht end of shaft 30 as shown in Fig, 3 by a belt or
ch ~n ~rive 44. Thus, the free end of the pap~r stocX 25 mount0d
on ~h~lf 45 at the back of apparatus lO m~y be fed over cover 24
a~d betwe~n ~he plates 40 of ~e tractors 34 and 35 and ~he top
~urf2~ ~f coYer 24 with the apertures arranged along he edge of
the paper stock in driving contact with the teeth of the drive
chain or belt 38 to the plurality of pairq of spaced cutter
~heels 46.
It should be noted that the paper stock 25 comprises
an elongat~d fan folded arrangement of a plurality of pre-
printed tickets 47 that are printed ~wo abreast on the pre-
~old~d stock of paper having sprocket holes 48 along each of
its edg~s in a predetermined spaced arrangemen~. The tickets
aro ~umbered such khat odd numbere~ tickets are on one side,
f~r ~xample, the right side a~ shown in Figs. 10 and 11 and the
e~n num~er~ on the other edge.
This paper ~tock is further precut al~ng the horizontal
~dges 49 o the tickets so all that is needed to separate `the
tickets is to cut ~he stock vertically along the edges 50 of the
ticket~. It ~hould be noted ~hat the complete horizontal or
longitudinal edges of the tickets have been precut with apparatus
10 cuttîng the complete lateral or vertical edges of the ticket-~
in the ~trip of paper stock 25. The cuttinq of the la~eral edges
50 of the ti~kets 47 results in the creation o~ the longitudinal
~trip 51 at the left side of the paper stock 25, as shown in
Fig~ 11, the longitudinal strip 52 arrange~ along the center or
longitudinal axis of the pape~ stock 25 and the longitudinal
strip 53 arranged along the ri~ht side of the paper stock. As
lat~r explained, these strips of paper ~tock are sliced by
cutting them laterally of their longitudinal lenqths with the
pieces dropped into bin 22.
The ticket cutter a~sembly 54 of the apparatus, a~
3h~wn in Fig~. 3~ 4 and 5, comprises a pair of shafts 55 and 56
parallely p~sitio~ed in ~ide-by-side arrangement with ~heir ends
,t
journal~d in frame member~ 26 and 27. Shaf~ 56 is provided with
a ~procke~ 57 at i~ righ~ end, a shown in Figs~ 3 and 4, which
i~ in toothed engagement wi~h chain drive ~4 for rotation ther~of.
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On the left ends of sha~ts 55 and 56 ex~ending outside of the
walls of fxame members 26 and 27 are mounted a pair of meshing
ge~rs 58 and 59 so ~hat upon ro~ation of shaft 56 by chain
drive 44 shaft 55 will xotate in unison therewith but in an
oppo~ite direction thereto.
A plurality of cutter wheels 46 are spacedly posi-
tioned along shafts 55 and 56 and operate in pairs, one on each
of thc ~hafts to cut or sever ~he tickets 47 from the paper
~to~k 25 ~long the lines or edges~-50 of the paper stock as
h~retofore explained. The paper stock 25 is fed from the rear
of the apparatus between the associated pairs of cutter wheels
~6 by the tractors 34 and 35 to cause ~he tickets to be ~evered
from the paper stock 25. ~'
After tickets 47 are severe~ from the paper stock 25,
they are guided by ~.heir movement in the direction of arrow A
~hown in Fig. 6 between a pair of accelerating rollers 60 and 61
the ends of which are journaled in frame members 26 and 27 juxta-
po~itioned to and in parallel arrangement with shafts 55 and 56.
Shaft 61 is provided with a sprocket 62 at its left end, as
~hown in Figs. q and S, which is in driving contact with a
chain bclt 63 driven by a drive sprocket 64 mounted on the end o
a drive shaft 65 of a motor 66. As noted from Figs. 4 and 5 of
the drawings, a pair of cutter wheels cooperate in the manner
o a pair of blades of ~ scissor to cut the paper moving between
their c03perating cutting edges in a well kno~n manner.
In accordance with the invention claimed, the tickets
47~ a~ter ~eparation from paper stock ~5, are collated in a
proper sequenc~. This collating mechanism comprises~ among other
th~ng~, a temporary holding means such as righ~ angular plate
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67 with its spring biasing leg 67A which holds the left most
ticket~ sever~d from the paper stock as viewed in Fig. 8 against
driving roller 70~. Each ticket 47 received back of leg 68 of
the holding plate 67 and roller 70A is actuated by roller 70A
and drive and guide rollers 70B and 70C, respectively, and over
a c~ming ~urface 6~ comprising portions 69A, 69B and 69C.
Cam~ing suriace por~ions 69B and 69C are off~et from the plan~
of cammi~g surface portion 69A. In a ~iven ~imed sequence, the
left mo~t ticket 47, for example, ticket No. 2, is moved
latorally toward ticket No. 1 out and over the ramp formed by
ca~ming aur~ace portion 69B and the camming surface portion
69C to a position behind ticke~ No. 1. Ticket No. 1 moves
dir~ctly ov~r the camming surface portion 69C, sometimes called
a mixsr plate, which is spaced in fron~ of the plane of camming
surface portion 69h, as shown in Figs. 1, 7 and 10. Thu~,
be~ore ticket No. 2 reaches a spot behind ticket No. 1, ticket
No. 1 has moved forwardly of ticket No. 2 by means of the shape
of the cammin~ surface 69C and longitudinally along the tray or
trough 71. All of the even numbered tickets move back of the
preceding odd numberPd ticket in a perfect numerical order in
th~ ~m~ manner ~s described relative to tickets Nos. 1 a~d 2.
In order for ~ickets in a proper ~equence to be able
to reach a position behind its preceding uni~uely identified
ticket in a properly sequenced stacked configuration, the even
nu~ber~d tickets9 for example, must move laterally a~ a speed
fa~t enough during the stacking ope~ation to ena~le the eve~
nu~b~red tickets to move across the camming surfaces, io
portions 69~, 69B and 69C before the next odd number ticket i~
p~a~d in ~he ~tacked configurationO This i~ accomplished by
~he ~peed of rollQrs 70A and 70~.
A~ ~hown in Figs. 4 and 5, shafts 72A and 72B of
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roller~ 70A and 70B are provided with sprockets 73A and 73~
at th~ir free ~ds which are driven by a chain belt 74 driven
by ~ drive sprocket 75 fixedly a~tached to a shaft 76. Shaft
76 i~ actuat~d by a gear box 77 driven by a shaft 78 and sprocket
79 which i~ in driving contact with chain belt 63. Gear box
77,which increa~es the speed o rotation of rollers 70A and
7~B over that of the speed of rotation of rollers 60 and 61,~.
may be replac~d by a direct drive motor of a higher R.P.M. than
mo~or 23 and 66, if so desired. As noted, 70C i~ a b~mper or
idl~r roller.
As the tickets are cut and separated from the scrap
~trips of paper by the cutter wheels 46 along their ends ln order
to detach them from the paper stock, the leftover waste or scrap
~trips of paper 51, 52 and 53 arP each distorted in theix plane
of ~ravel from the direction of travel of the associated ticket~
47 by an arm 80 mounted immediately below rollers 60 and 61 in~o
~ c~ter ~r slicer 81. This slicer comprises a rotating wheel B2
having a plurality of cutting arms 83 turning at a fast rate
which ~hears against a cooperating blade or cutting edge 84 on
the ~ase of arm 80 to cut the strip longitudinally thereof into
small pieces, the length of which is equal to the dwPll time
of the blad~s in relation to the feed rate of the stock. These
small pieces of paper are then dropped by gravity and the
rotating forced effect of the cutting arms 83 into bin 22.
A~ noted from Fig. ~, three slicers 81 are mounted
on a shaft 85 having flexi~le joints 86 which shaft is geared
by sprocket 87 and chain belt 88 to a sprocket 89 mounted on
the right end oE ~haft 90 of roller 61 for rota~ion thereof
~ at high speed.
3 Thus, in accordance with the teachings of this inven-
tion, a ~tructure for and method of colla~ing cards or tickets
35~;~
from a partially precut and preprinted paper stock is pro-
vided, with the cards and tickets arranged in a predetermined
m~nner. In order to have these articles stacked in a proper
sequence, the paper stock must be fed into the ticket cutters
and collators face up and in an inverted manner over the cover
24 of the apparatus as heretofore described. In this instance,
the firs~ juxtapositioned side-by-side arrangement of printed'~
tic~et~ previously cut along their longitudinal edges are
severed by the cutter wheels 46 with the left hand ticket moving
between the ~pring biased ieg 67A of holding plate 67 and roller
70A. Leg 67A holds the ticket in frictional contact with drive
roller 70A which moves it at an accelerated rate between rollers
70B and 70C across the camming surace portion 69A, 698 and 69C
behind the associated adjacent preceding specifically identified
ticket in a stack configuration. This action and the sequential
stacking arrangement of the tickets in the stack occurs for all
the tickets printed on the paper stock 25 in the manner illu5-
txated diagrammatically by Figs. 8 and 9.
Figs. 1 and 3 illustrate that a~paratus 10 is elec-
trically operated and may be controlled by hand controls or a
foo~ pedal 91, if so desired.
The electrical system may comprise a plurality of
switches 92, 93 and 94 diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1 wherei~
switch 92 may selectively energize the circuits, switch 93
may energi~e the paper feed motors 33 and 66 while switch 94
may stop or in~errupt the power to the apparatus. The foot
pedal may actuate ~he paper feed motor switch for on-of opera-
tion of the appaxatus.
It should be noted that although ~he paper stock has
been deined as having cards or tickets printed thereon in a
num~rical order, any specific sequential order of any ~ype may
5.~
be used in place of numerals and fall within the scope of
this invention. Further, the paper stock may be any strip
form of material, friction or sprocket driven,through the cutter
h~ad~ of the apparatus. If sprocket driven, one or more rows
of sprscket holes may be formed in the paper stock for moving
the paper stack through the apparatus.
Although but one embodiment of the present inventio~,
ha~ been illus~rated and described, it will be apparent to those
3killed in the art that various chànges and modifications may
be made therein without departing from the spirit of the inven-
tion or from the scope of the appended claims.
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