Importance

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Abstract

An electromechanical friction feed device for controlling the single feed of sheet-like articles from a stack of such articles has a feed belt and stripper wheel that are used to draw a single article from the bottom of the stack to the discharge section of the feeder. The stripper wheels slowly rotate in a direction opposite to the feed movement to hold the penultimate sheet and those above it in a stack while the lowermost product is translated by the feed belt through the machine. The reverse rotation of the stripper wheel is accomplished using a dual ratchet mechanism along with unidirectional needle bearing assemblies that provide a smooth, continuous rotation of the stripper wheels. The two ratchet mechanisms are driven 180.degree. out of phase with respect to one another to achieve the smooth continuous stripper wheel rotation. By using a dual ratchet mechanism instead of gears, the center distance between the feed belt drive shaft and the stripper wheel shaft can be adjusted to accommodate various product thicknesses. A discharge section of the friction feeder pulls the product from the feed belt and moves it at a higher velocity than that of the feed belt so as to provide separation between adjacent products being fed from the stack.

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First Claim