Mobile feeder system
A mobile feeder system is provided including a feeder having a center of gravity, and an intermediate feeder base supporting the feeder for horizontal movement between a cantilevered position in which the center of gravity lies outside the intermediate base and a non-cantilevered position in which the center of gravity lies over the intermediate base. A gathering device is also provided.
1. A gathering device comprising:
a gathering conveyor; and
a plurality of feeders, each feeder positioned to feed sheet material to the gathering conveyor;
at least one of the plurality of feeders being a mobile feeder, the mobile feeder including:
side frames having rollers,
a center of gravity,
an intermediate feeder base supporting the feeder for horizontal movement between a cantilevered position in which the center of gravity lies outside the intermediate base and a non-cantilevered position in which the center of gravity lies over the intermediate base, the intermediate feeder base including slots for receiving the rollers, and
a feeder base for supporting the intermediate feeder base.
2. The gathering device as recited in claim 1 wherein the gathering device is a saddle stitcher.
3. The gathering device as recited in claim 1 wherein the gathering conveyor is a gathering chain.
4. The gathering device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a further feeder base for supporting the intermediate base, the intermediate base secured to the further feeder base by spring-loaded clamps.
5. The gathering device as recited in claim 4 wherein the further feeder base is a fixed base.
6. The gathering device as recited in claim 4 wherein the further feeder base is a mobile base.