Sheet material feeder
View Patent ↗A sheet material feeder includes a sheet material holder for holding a pile of sheet material; a sucker bar device having at least one sucker for contacting the sheet material, the sucker bar device having a pivot axis, and an actuator for pivoting the sucker bar device about the pivot axis and having a first position and a second position. When the actuator is in the first position, the sucker pivoting about the pivot axis from a first angle where the sucker contacts the sheet material by a predetermined angle so that the sucker removes the sheet material from the pile; and when the actuator is in the second position, the sucker pivoting about the pivot axis from a second angle where the sucker does not contact the sheet material.
1. A sheet material feeder comprising:
a sheet material holder for holding a pile of sheet material;
a sucker bar device having at least one sucker for contacting the sheet material, the sucker bar device having a pivot axis, and
an actuator for pivoting the sucker bar device about the pivot axis and having a first position and a second position,
when the actuator is in the first position, the sucker pivoting about the pivot axis from a first angle where the sucker contacts the sheet material by a predetermined angle so that the sucker removes the sheet material from the pile; and
when the actuator is in the second position, the sucker pivoting about the pivot axis from a second angle where the sucker does not contact the sheet material;
the sucker bar device including a main shaft having the pivot axis and a sucker bar having a sucker bar axis parallel but offset to the pivot axis; and
a support extending from the sucker bar, the actuator being supported on the support via retaining springs.
2. The sheet material feeder as recited in claim 1 wherein the sucker pivots by the predetermined angle when the actuator is in the second position.
3. The sheet material feeder as recited in claim 1 further comprising a cam follower connected to the sucker bar device via the actuator, the cam follower moving the sucker by the predetermined angle.
4. The sheet material feeder as recited in claim 3 wherein the cam follower moves the sucker regardless of whether the actuator is in the first or second position.
5. The sheet material feeder as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator alters an angle between the pivot axis and the sucker bar axis.
6. The sheet material feeder as recited in claim 1 further comprising a block driven by a cam follower, the block rotatable about the main shaft, and connected to the sucker bar device via the actuator.
7. The sheet material feeder as recited in claim 1 further comprising a vacuum device cutting a vacuum to the sucker when the actuator is in the second position.
8. The sheet material feeder as recited in claim 1 further comprising a tray providing access to a bottommost one of the sheet material.
9. A sheet material feeder comprising:
a sheet material holder for holding a pile of sheet material;
a sucker bar device having at least one sucker for contacting the sheet material, the sucker bar device having a pivot axis, and
an actuator for pivoting the sucker bar device about the pivot axis and having a first position and a second position,
when the actuator is in the first position, the sucker pivoting about the pivot axis from a first angle where the sucker contacts the sheet material by a predetermined angle so that the sucker removes the sheet material from the pile; and
when the actuator is in the second position, the sucker pivoting about the pivot axis from a second angle where the sucker does not contact the sheet material;
the sucker bar device including a main shaft having the pivot axis and a sucker bar having a sucker bar axis parallel but offset to the pivot axis;
the actuator altering an angle between the main shaft and the sucker bar.
10. A sheet material feeder comprising:
a sheet material holder for holding a pile of sheet material;
a sucker bar device having at least one sucker for contacting the sheet material, the sucker bar device having a pivot axis, and
an actuator for pivoting the sucker bar device about the pivot axis and having a first position and a second position,
when the actuator is in the first position, the sucker pivoting about the pivot axis from a first angle where the sucker contacts the sheet material by a predetermined angle so that the sucker removes the sheet material from the pile;
when the actuator is in the second position, the sucker pivoting about the pivot axis from a second angle where the sucker does not contact the sheet material; and
the sucker bar device including a main shaft having the pivot axis and a sucker bar having a sucker bar axis parallel but offset to the pivot axis;
a cam follower link for driving the sucker bar device; and
a fixed support, the actuator connected at one end to the fixed support.