US3067998A

US3067998A - Check feeding mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3067998A
Application number: US846010A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph F Cattorini; Donald E Landis
Original assignee: NCR Corp
Current assignee: NCR Voyix Corp; National Cash Register Co
Priority date: 1959-10-12
Filing date: 1959-10-12
Publication date: 1962-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 1979-12-11
Also published as: CH365570A; GB899481A

Abstract

899,481. Feeding sheets. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Oct 11, 1960 [Oct. 12, 1959], No. 34775/60. Class 100(1) Sheets are separated sequentially from a stack in a magazine by a first suction belt device, and double-separation is prevented by a second suction belt device which is effective to feed back a second sheet, if such is separated simultaneously with the first sheet. The apparatus is included in a machine for sorting business sheets or forms. As shown, the magazine comprises a front plate 78, side plate 79, and back plate 80 adjustably mounted in a slot 81 in the top 25 of the apparatus, and the sheets, such as cheques, are stacked on edge between the plates 78, 80. To assist sheet-separation, a cam or solenoid-operated member may project through an opening in the plate 78 to jog the stack periodically. The sheet-separator means comprises an endless upper belt 38 and a similar lower belt 42 (not shown) mounted on pulleys, such as 23, 26, 29, and 32, the pulley 23 being driven continuously from an electric motor. Opposing the two belts 38, 42, but staggered vertically with respect thereto, are three belts of which only the centre one, 57, is shown: these are mounted on pulleys such as 47, 50, and 54, the pulley 47 being driven from an electric motor such that the belts travel in the opposite direction to the belts 38, 42. The centre belt 57 is provided with openings throughout its entire length, and the two belts 38, 42 are provided with larger openings throughout a portion of their length. Two vacuum shoes 62 are arranged behind the perforated belts 38, 42, a third vacuum shoe 68 is arranged behind the reverse belt 57, and a fourth shoe 73 is arranged between the belts 38, 42 at a position where these belts are given a sharp bend by a pulley 39. The shoes 62 are connected to one motor-driven vacuum pump, and the shoes 68, 73 to a second pump. Due to the separate pumps and the different size of holes in the perforated belts, the sheet separating and feeding belts 38, 42 exert a greater suctional force on the sheets than the reverse or return belt 57. If two sheets are separated together from the stack, the second sheet is normally returned by the belt 57. If the second sheet is firmly attached to the first sheet, then it is detached at the sharp bend over the guide and vacuum shoe 73, and returned by the belt 57 and its associated friction belts. The sheets are fed to a rotatable synchronizer member 12, which spaces them out and passes them to a belt system 13 where they are fed past a reading head 14 and delivered to various compartments in accordance with the data recorded thereon.

Description

Dec. 11, 1962 J. F. CATTORINI ET AL 3,067,998

CHECK FEEDING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 12. 1959 INVENTORS JOSEPH F. CATTORINl DONALD E. LANDIS M THEIR ATTORNEYS Dec. 11, 1962 J. F. CATTORINI ETAL 3,067,998

CHECK FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2 25,

VENTOR J05 H ECATT NI DONALD E. LANDIS THEIR ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,657,998 Patented Dec. 11, 1952 3,067,955; CHEQK FEEDING h'iEiJHANlSM Joseph F. Cattorini, Xenia, and Donald E. Landis, New Lebanon, Ghio, assignors to The National Cash Regis ter Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Filed Oct. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 846,014) 6 Claims. (Cl. 271l2} The invention relates to improvements in feeding mechanisms for forms, such as checks.

One prior art sorting apparatus for forms, such as checks, utilized a check-feeding system embodying a belt arrangement. The check-feeding system operated to separate checks of miscellaneous sizes and lengths, and to feed them from a magazine past an identification pickup or reading head, and then into selected pockets of the sorting apparatus. The checks were sorted according to the data read by the pickup head. The check-feeding system of the prior art included a synchronizer device and a check-feeding mechanism. The check-feeding mechanism may be defined as that part of the check-feeding system which separated the checks and delivered them singly to the syn'chronizer device, where they were properly spaced prior to transportation past the identification pickup head.

In the check-feeding mechanism of the prior art, the checks were fed when they were forced against a moving feed belt and/ or feed belts by means of a vacuum acting through ports or openings in this belt. The checks moved between the feed belt and another belt moving in a direction opposite the direction of movement of the feed belt. This latter reverse-direction belt was provided for the purpose of retaining all but a single check in a magazine during one feed cycle; and further for returning any surplus checks or double feeds to the magazine, if the frictional force between the reverse-direction belt and a surplus check was greater than the frictional force between overlapping checks. The prior art check-feeding mechanism utilized an unported reverse-direction belt having a high coefficient of friction. The coefficient of friction of this reversedirection belt was higher than the coefficient of friction of the feed belt. Accordingly, the checks were held back in the magazine, or prevented from being fed to the synchronizer device by this reverse-direction belt until the vacuum ports on the feed belt caused an increase in the normal force (and hence the frictional force) against inserts of a very high coeflicient of firetion about the ports in the feed belt.

It has been found that in the prior art cheelefeed ng mechanism, both the feed belt and the reverse direction belt must possess a definite value of coeflicient of friction. It has also been found that the spacing between the feed belt and the reverse-direction belt is highly critical.

A serious problem occunred when checks of higher normal porosity were handled by the feeding mechanism of the prior art. The vacuum acting through the ports in the feed belt caused a pressure difierential also to be exerted on the next check to be-fed, which forced this next check against the first check, whereby both checks were fed simultaneously to the synchronizer device and a sorting error was incurred. As evidence of this fact, it has been found that, as the amount of the vacuum on the feed belt was increased, the number of double feeds of checks, and hence the sorting errors, also increased.

Another undesirable condition that was caused by the prior art check-feeding mechanism was the wearing of the leading edges of a check by the high coeflicient of friction reverse belt. This appreciably decreased the ability of the feeding mechanism to feed checks one at a time during subsequent sorting operations.

However, the greatest shortcoming of the prior are check-feeding mechanism was occasioned by the change in the coefficient of friction of the feed and reverse-direction belts through wear, glazing, generating heat, etc. As a result, it has been found necessary to change or regenerate the belts quite frequently, resulting in high maintenance costs. It has also been found necessary to adjust the spacing between the feed and reverse-direction belts quite often, especially where forms of different thicknesses were handled by the feeding mechanism.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a continuously ported reverse belt is utilized with the ported feed belt instead of the unported reverse belt of the prior art chec -'feeding mechanism. A vacuum is applied to the continuously ported belt whereby the checks are retained in the magazine except those checks withdrawn one at a time therefrom by the operation of the ported feed belt. Thus a ported friction reverse belt, supplied with vacuum, is utilized to retain the checks in the magazine, to separate overlapping checks, and to return any double feed to the magazine instead of the purely frictional reverse belt of the prior art. As a result, the feeding mechanism of this invention may utilize a lower coefiicient of friction reverse belt, With a consequent lessening of wearto the leading edges of the checks, and the spacing between the feed and reverse belts is not as critical as that of the prior art device.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a vacuum, separate from the vacuum applied to a check through the openings in the feed belts, is applied to a check to separate it from an overlapping or incorrectly fed check. The continuously ported reverse belt is utilized to return the incorrectly fed check toward the magazine and prevent the synchronizer device from receiving a doubie feed. This latter arrangement is especially useful when checks of extreme porosity are to be handled by the feeding mechanism.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a check-feeding mechanism which overcomes the disadvantages of the mechanism of the known prior art, and to provide an improved check-feeding mechanism characterized by a high degree of reliability of operation and reduced maintenance costs.

it is another object of the present invention to provide an improved check-feeding mechanism in which the individual feeding of checks is insured by the use of a continuously ported vacuum reverse-direction belt.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide a check-feeding mechanism which includes improved means for preventing the occurrence of a double feed.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved check-feeding mechanism in which the spacing between the feed belt and the reverse belt is not highly critical.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

(if said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a check-sorting appa-,

ratus, showing the check-feeding mechanism supported on the top thereof, with a front portion of the sorting apparatus broken away to reveal means for operating the feed ing mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan View of the sorting apparatus, showing the check-feeding mechanism of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a detail view taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a detail view taken along the lines 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cutaway detail view of a portion of FIG. 4.

General Description The invention is illustrated in conjunction with a sorting apparatus for business forms, such as checks. The sorting apparatus includes a synchronizer device, which is provided for properly spacing the checks that are fed to it from the feeding mechanism which is the subject matter of this invention. The synchronizer device comprises a rotatable member provided with projecting portions which effect the proper spacing of the forms. The synchronizer device itself is not a part of the present invention.

The invention comprises a high-speed feeding mechanism to feed business forms, such as checks, from a magazine along a feed path. The feed path may include a synchronizer device of the type previously referred to.

From the synchronizer device, the checks are further transported, properly spaced, past an electronic pickup head, and into sorting compartments. The feeding mechanism is such that checks of miscellaneous sizesthat is, lengths and widthscan be inserted into a magazine, and thereafter fed from the magazine one at a time in rapid succession.

The checks are fed out of the magazine by use of vacuum. A pair of spaced and parallel feed belts are so positioned that they pass adjacent the mouth of the magazine, along one side of a feed path for the forms. The feed belts each have openings therein along a portion of their length, and the openings in one feed belt are in alignment with the openings of the other feed belt. A hollow vacuum member or shoe is positioned adjacent each of the feed belts along the feed path, and a means for exhausting air in these vacuum members is provided. The vacuum members are operable in cooperation with the openings in the feed belts to normally cause one check at a time to be withdrawn from the magazine and to be moved along the feed path. The Withdrawn check is held in contact with the feed belts by the vacuum applied thereto through the openings in the feed belts.

To prevent more than one check from being withdrawn from the magazine at any one time, use is made of vacuum. A reverse belt is positioned adjacent the area between the fecd belts and passes along the other side of the feed path. The reverse belt is movable in an opposite direction to the direction of movement of the feed belts. In accordance With the invention, the reverse belt is provided with a series of openings therein throughout its entire length. A hollow vacuum member or shoe is positioned adjacent the reverse belt along the reverse belt side of the feed path, and a means for exhausting air in the vacuum member is provided. The vacuum member is operable in cooperation with the openings in the reverse belt to cause the checks to be retained in the magazine except those checks withdrawn therefrom by the operation of the vacuum members associated with the feed belts cooperating with the openings in the feed belts.

If more than one check should be withdrawn from the magazine at any one time because of the porosity of the type of check handled, the foregoing reverse belt will also function as a return belt; that is, any check not directly influenced by the vacuum applied through the openings in the feed belts will contact the return belt and be returned to the magazine by the effect of the vacuum applied to this check through the vacuum member associated with the return belt.

Further, in accordance with the invention, the checkfeeding mechanism utliizes another vacuum, which is applied through an additional hollow vacuum member directly to a check to separate it from an overlapping form. If extremely porous types of checks are handled, more than one check may be withdrawn from the magazine at a time, and the vacuum applied through the openings in the feed belts may influence another check to such a degree that it is not stripped off the first check by the vacuum applied thereto through the openings in the return belt. Such a double feed or overlapping check would continue along the feed path and result in a sorting error. The additional vacuum member is positioned at a point adjacent the feed belt side of an initial portion of the feed path for the checks. The feed and return belts pass in a substantially parallel relationship along the initial portion of the feed path. The vacuum member is positioned at a point of the initial portion of the feed path where the parallel relationship of the feed and return belts terminates. A means for exhausting air in the vacuum member is provided. The vacuum member is operable to cause any check being moved along the initial portion of the feed path, under the direct influence of the vacuum applied thereto through the openings in the feed belts, to be diverted to a succeeding portion of the feed path independently of any other check which is not so directly influenced. The second check will contact the return belt and will be returned to the magazine by the etfcct of the vacuum applied to it through the vacuum member associated with the return belt. The attractive force developed by the return belt vacuum is made smaller than the attractive force developed by the vacuum of the additional vacuum member, so that a single form may be diverted to the succeeding portion of the feed path.

The invention permits all the belts used in the feeding mechanism to be fabricated of the same material. Thus, all the belts will be affected similarly by temperature, and show the same wear, glazing, and so on. Furthermore, the coefficient of friction of the feed and reverse belts can theoretically be of any value. Practically, though, their values should not be lower than the paperto-paper coefiicient of friction. The use of belts of lower coefficient of friction than the belts utilized in the prior art feeding mechanism aids immeasurably in the elimination of the heretofore-mentioned wearing of the checks by the reverse belt.

Detailed Description The feeding mechanism is indicated generally by the refcnce numeral 10. It is shown in FIG. I mounted on the top right side of a sorting apparatus 11. The sorting apparatus 11 includes a rotatable synchronizer device 12, which is provided for properly spacing the checks that are fed to it from the feeding mechanism. Upon leaving the synchronizer device 12, the checks are transported by a belt system indicated generally at 13 past a pickup device indicated generally at 14, and then to the various sorting compartments 15. The checks are delivered into the compartments 15 in accordance with the data recorded thereon.

A control panel 16 is provided with various switches, indicated generally by the numerals 17, which control starting and shutdown of the sorting apparatus, and feeding of the checks.

The feeding mechanism is operated through a main shaft 18, which is rotated by a motor 19. The main shaft 18 is rotatably mounted in a pair of bearings 20. Secured to the shaft 18 is a pulley 21, which has a motor drive belt 22 wound around it. The pulley 21 is rotated clockwise when it is operated by the motor 19, or by any other power source. Also secured to the shaft 18 are a pair of

pulleys

23 and 24, which are located on the top 25 of the sorting apparatus. Associated with the

pulleys

23 and 24 are the

pulleys

26 and 27, mounted on a stud 28', the

pulleys

29 and 39, mounted on a stud 31; and the pulleys 32 and 33, mounted on a stud 34. Each of the

studs

28, 31, and 34 is mounted in a pair of bearings and is secured to the top 25 of the sorting apparatus by means of the

bolts

35, 36, and 37, respectively.

A feed belt 38 is wound around the

pulleys

26, 29, 32, and 23. Associated with the feed belt 38 is a roller 39,

mounted on a stud 40, which is secured to the top 25 of the sorting apparatus by means of the bolt 41. The feed belt 33 passes from around the pulley 32, around the pulley 23, adjacent the roller 39, around the

pulleys

26 and 29, to the pulley 32.

Another feed belt 42 is associated with the

pulleys

27, 36", 33, and 24 and the roller 39 in a similar manner.

Secured to the main shaft 18 is a pulley 43. A drive belt 44 is wound around the pulley 43 and another pulley 45, which is secured to a shaft 46. The shaft 46 is rotatably mounted' and extends above the top 25 of the sorting apparatus. The pulley 43 is rotated clockwise when it is operated by the motor 19.

Secured to the portion of the shaft 46 which extends above the top 25 of the sorting apparatus are three spaced

pulleys

47, 48, and 49. Associated with these pulleys are the pulleys t 51, and 52, mounted on a stud 53, and three other pulleys (one pulley 54 is shown in FIG. 2) mounted on a stud 55. The studs 53 and '55 are secured to the top 25 of the sorting apparatus by means of bolts. For instance, the bolt 56 is used for the stud 53.

The reverse or return belt '57 (FIG. 4) is wound around the

pulleys

51 and 48, and around the middle pulley (not shown) attached to the stud 55. The return belt 57 passes from around the pulley 48,around the middle pulley (not shown) on the stud 55, and around the pulley 51 to the pulley 48. An upper guide belt 58 and a lower guide belt 59 are associated with the

pulleys

47, 50, and 54, with the'pulleys 49 and "52, and with the lower pulley (not shown) of the stud 55, respectively, in a similar manner.

The

feed belts

35 and 42 are provided with openings or ports 6%) (FIG. 3) throughout a portion of their length. The feed belts are adjusted so that the openings in one belt are in alignment with the openings in the other belt.

The reverse belt 57 is provided with openings or ports 61 (PEG. 4) throughout its entire length.

A pair of spaced hollow vacuum members or shoes 62 and 63, having orifices 64 and 65, preferably of rectangular cross-section, are mounted on the top 25 of the sorting apparatus, between the shaft 18 and the stud 34. A partial vacuum is established in the vacuum shoes 62 and 63 by exhausting air through an exhaust line 66 by means of a vacuum pump 67. The feed belts 3S and 42 lie next to the vacuum shoes 62 and 63, respectively.

Another hollow vacuum member or shoe 68, having an orifice 69, preferably of rectangular cross-section, is mounted on the top 25 of the sorting apparatus, between the shaft 46 and the stud 53. A partial vacuum is established in the vacuum shoe 68 by exhausting air through an exhaust line 76 by means of a vacuum pump 71, which is shown in FIG. 1 to be driven by a motor 72. The reverse belt 57 lies next to the vacuum shoe 68.

A further hollow vacuum member or shoe 73, having an orifice 74, preferably of rectangular cross-section, is mounted on the top 25 of the sorting apparatus, in front of the shaft 15, and between the vacuum shoes 62 and 63. A partial vacuum is established in the vacuum shoe 73 by exhausting air through an exhaust line 75 by means of the vacuum pump 71.

A check separator guide 76 is positioned between the shaft 18 and the stud 53 at a point where the direction of the feed path for a check is changed by reason of the influence of the vacuum developed at the check separator vacuum shoe '73. Another check guide 77 is located between the stud 28 and the roller 39 adjacent to the feed belts SS and 42.

A stack of checks or other forms to be sorted is positioned in a check-receiving magazine, which comprises as a bottom surface the top 25 of the sorting apparatus,

a front plateid mounted adjacent to the pulleys 32 and a side plate 79 mounted adjacent to the pulleys 47,

33 48, and 49, and a back plate 30 adjustably mounted in a slot 81 provided in the top 25 of the sorting apparatus.

6 The magazine is provided with a mouth portion indicated at 82. The stack of checks may comprise checks of various lengths and widths.

Means may be provided for jogging the stack of checks toward the mouth of the magazine. Such a jogging means may comprise a solenoid, which is connected to operate on a member projecting through an opening in the plate 78, or it may be in the form of a mechanical device, comprising a cam positioned in the opening in the plate and adapted to jog the stack of checks.

As the

feed belts

38 and 42 move in a clockwise direction, there is a possibility of Withdrawing more than one check from the bottom of the stack of checks in the mag- .azine. azine, the continuously ported reverse belt 57 is provided. Normally, the next check is held in contact with the reverse belt 57 in the vicinity of the pulley 47 by the effect of the air being pulled through the openings 61 in the reverse belt. The reverse belt 57 is located along the feed path and spaced from the

feed belts

38 and 42, so that single checks may pass between them. If the checks being handled should be quite porous, and if more than one check at a time starts down the feed path, the belt 57 Will normally return this surplus check to the magazine, where it will remain until it is entirely withdrawn from the magazine in the next feeding cycle. by the action of the vacuum applied through the openings fill in the

feed belts

38 and 42.

There may occur a time when more than one check at a time is withdrawn from the magazine and the vacua um applied through the openings 65} in

thefeed belts

35 and 42 influences another check to such a degree that the return belt 57 does not function to return such a check to the magazine. The vacuum member 73 is operable in this even to divert the check moving along the initial portion of the feed path under the direct influence of the vacuum applied through the openings 66 in the

feed belts

38 and 42 to a succeeding portion of the feed path. The check not directly influenced by the vacuum of the

feed belts

38 and 42 will contact the return belt- 57 and will be returned to the magazine by the effect of the vacuum applied to it through the vacuum member 68. This last condition may occur when the checks being handled are of an extremely porous nature.

The attractive force applied to a check by means of the vacuum applied through the openings 69 in the

feed belts

38 and 42 is greater than the attractive force applied to a check by means of the vacuum applied through the openings 61 in the reverse belt 57, and the attractive force developed by the return belt vacuum is smaller than the attractive force developed by the vacuum of the check separator vacuum member 73. In the specific embodiment of the invention disclosed, the openings 66 in the

feed belts

38 and 42 are larger than the openings 61 of the return belt 57. The area of the feed openings 64} is approximately four times the maximum area of the reverse openings 61 that may be associated with a check. Similarly, the area of the orifice 74 of the check separator vacuum member 73 is greater than the maximum area of the reverse openings 61 adjacent to the check separator vacuum member 73. Thus, the feeding of individual checks will be accomplished, even if the amount of the feed belt vacuum is lower than the amount of the reverse belt vacuum. Despite this vacuum differential, the feeding of the checks will be achieved as long as the attractive force applied to a check by way of the openings in the

feed belts

38 and 42 is greater than the attractive force applied by way of the openings in the return belt 57.

It is to be noted that, in accordance with another as pect of the invention, the feed belts 38 and as are positioned so that they do not overlap the

reverse belts

57, 55%, and 59. This arrangement assists in preventing excessive wear on the leading edges of the checks by the reverse belt. This arrangement also reduces the normal force between overlapping'checks, so that the coefficient of fric- To retain all but the lowermost check in the mag-.

21 tion of paper to paper has less influence on the feeding of checks.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a magazine for receiving forms of various sizes; a feed belt passing adjacent the magazine and along one side a feed path for the forms, said feed belt having at least one opening therein; a first hollow vacuum member positioned adjacent said feed belt along said one side of said feed path; means for exhausting air in said first vacuum member, said first vacuum member operable in cooperation with the opening in said feed belt to cause one form at a time to be withdrawn from said magazine and to be moved along said feed path; a reverse belt passing along the other side of said feed path, said reverse belt movable in an opposite direction and having openings therein along its entire length; a second hollow vacuum member positioned adjacent said reverse belt at point along said other side of said feed path near said magazine; and means for exhausting air in said second vacuum member, said second vacuum member operable in cooperation with the openings in said reverse belt to cause the forms to be retained in said magazine except those forms withdrawn one at a time therefrom.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a magazine for receiving forms of various sizes; a feed belt passing adjacent the magazine and along one side of a feed path for the forms, said feed belt having at least one opening therein; a first hollow vacuum member positioned adjacent said feed belt along said one side of said feed path; means for exhausting air in said first vacuum member, said first vacuum member operable in cooperation with the opening in said feed belt to cause normally one form at a time to be withdrawn from said magazine and to be moved along said feed path; a reverse belt passing along the other side of said feed path, said reverse belt movable in an opposite direction and having openings therein along its entire length; a second hollow vacuum member positioned adjacent said reverse belt along said other side of said feed path; and means for exhausting air in said second vacuum member; said second vacuum member operable in cooperation with the openings in said reverse belt to cause any form not directly influence by the vacuum applied through the opening in said feed belt to contact said reverse belt whereupon it is returned to said magazine by said reverse belt.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a magazine for receiving forms of various sizes; a pair of spaced feed belts passing adjacent the magazine and along one side of a feed path for the forms, each of said r feed belts having at least one opening therein, with the opening in one feed belt being in alignment with the opening in the other feed belt; a first hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned adjacent one of said feed belts along said one side of said feed path; a second hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned adjacent the other of said feed belts along said one side of said feed path; means for exhausting air in said first and second vacuum members, said first and second vacuum members operable in cooperation with the opening in its associated feed belt to cause normally one form at a time to be withdrawn from said magazine and to be moved along said feed path; a reverse belt passing along the other side of said feed path, said reverse belt movable in an opposite direction and having openings therein along its entire length; a third hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned adjacent said reverse belt along said other side of said feed path; and means for exhausting air in said third vacuum member, said third vacuum member operable in cooperation with the openings in said reverse belt to cause any form not directly influenced by the vacuum applied through the openings in said feed belts to contact said reverse belt whereupon it is returned to said magazine by said reverse belt.

4, In a machine of the class described, the combination of a magazine for receiving forms of various sizes; a pair of spaced feed belts passing adjacent the magazine and along one side of a feed path for the forms, each of said feed belts having at least one opening therein, with the openings in one feed belt being in alignment with the openings in the other feed belt; a first hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned adjacent one of said feed belts along said one side of said feed path; a second hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned adjacent the other of said feed belts along said one side of said feed path; means for exhausting air in said first and second vacuum members, said first and second vacuum members operable in cooperation with the opening in its associated feed belt to cause normally one form at a time to be Withdrawn from said magazine and to be moved along said feed path; a reverse belt passing along the other side of said feed path, adjacent the area between said feed belts, said reverse belt movable in an opposite direction and having openings therein along its entire length; a third hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned adjacent said reverse belt along said other side of said feed path; and means for exhausting air in said third vacuum member, said third vacuum member operable in cooperation with the openings in said reverse belt to cause any form not directly influenced by the vacuum applied through the openings in said feed belts to contact said reverse belt whereupon it is returned to said magazine by said reverse belt.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a magazine for receiving forms of various sizes; a feed belt passing adjacent the magazine and along one side of an initial portion of a feed path for the forms, said feed belt having at least one opening therein; a first hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned adjacent said feed belt along said one side of said initial portion of said feed path; means for exhausting air in said first vacuum member, said first vacuum member operable in cooperation with the opening in said feed belt to cause normally one form at a time to be withdrawn from said magazine and to be moved along said initial portion of said feed path; a second hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned near said feed belt at a point ad acent said one side of said initial portion of said feed path; means for exhausting air in said second vacuum member, said second vacuum member operable to cause any form being moved along said initial portion of said feed path under the direct influence of the vacuum applied through the openings in said feed belt to be directed to a succeeding portion of said feed path independently of any other form moving along the initial portion of said feed path; a reverse belt passing along the other side of said initial portion of said feed path, said reverse belt movable in an opposite direction and having openings therein along its entire length; a third hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned adjacent said reverse belt along said other side of said initial portion of said feed path; and means for exhausting air in said third vacuum member, said third vacuum member operable in cooperation with the openings in said reverse belt to cause said other forms to contact said reverse belt whereupon they are returned to said magazine by said reverse belt.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a magazine for receiving forms of various sizes, having a mouth; a pair of spaced feed belts passing adjacent the mouth of said magazine and along one side of a feed path for the forms, each of said feed belts having at least one opening therein, with the openings in one feed belt being in alignment with the openings in the other feed belt; a first hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned adjacent one of said feed belts along said one side of said feed path; a second hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned adjacent the other of said feed belts along said one side of said feed path; means for exhausting air in said first and second vacuum members, said first and second vacuum members operable in cooperation with the opening in their associated feed belt to cause normally one form at a time to be withdrawn from said magazine and to be moved along an initial portion of said feed path; a third hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned near said feed belts at a point adjacent said one side of said initial portion of said feed path; means for exhausting air in said third vacuum member, said third vacuum member operable to cause any form being moved along the initial portion of said feed path under the direct influence of the vacuum applied through the openings in said feed belts to be directed to a succeeding portion of said feed path independently of any other form moving along the initial portion of said feed path; a reverse belt passing along the other side of said initial portion of said feed path adjacent the area between said feed belts, said reverse belt movable in an opposite direction and having openings therein along its entire length; a fourth hollow vacuum member having an orifice positioned adjacent said reverse belt along said other side of said initial portion of said feed path; and means for exhausting air in said fourth vacuum member, said fourth vacuum member operable in cooperation with the openings in said reverse belt to cause said other forms to contact said reverse belt whereupon they are returned to said magazine by said reverse belt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,040,025 Schlesinger Oct. 1, 1912 1,214,474 Jones Jan. 30, 1917 2,812,941 Tebbs Nov. 12, 1957 2,856,187 Burckhardt et al. Oct. 14, 1958 2,936,170 Herrick et al. May 10, 1960