Robert B Ring

US Patent:

6378751, Apr 30, 2002

Filed:

Aug 15, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/639770

Inventors:

Robert S. Ring - Rochester NH

Assignee:

Moore North America, Inc. - Grand Island NY

International Classification:

B65H 2030

US Classification:

2261184, 493413, 270 3004

Abstract:

An accumulator system for foldable sheet-like material. The system includes an accumulator bin having a pair of sidewalls, a pair of end walls, a bottom wall, and an open top. An infeed mechanism conveys the material to the accumulator bin. A chute receives the material from the infeed mechanism and guides the material inside the chute. In a first state, the chute is stationary and the system operates in a steady-state condition with a loop in the material between the infeed mechanism and an outfeed mechanism. In a second state, the outfeed mechanism is shut off and the chute is capable of reciprocating such that the material is guided toward the bottom wall of the bin. The reciprocating motion of the chute causes the material to be folded endwise in alternating fashion.

US Patent:

6726433, Apr 27, 2004

Filed:

Jul 13, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/615931

Inventors:

Laurence S. Blake - Peabody MA
Philip A. Rombult - Bradford MA
Libor Krupica - Methuen MA
David B. Larsen - Woburn MA
James C. Folsom - Sanford ME
Ross A. Freeman - Somersworth NH
Roger A. Jacques - Rochester NH
Robert S. Ring - Rochester NH
Gerald L. Smith - Dover NH

Assignee:

Agfa Corporation - Wilmington MA

International Classification:

B65H 100

US Classification:

414411, 4143311

Abstract:

An apparatus is provided for positioning a plurality of cassettes within an automated printing plate handler. In a plate handler, a plurality of cassettes each contain a supply of printing plates for delivery to an automatic plate-recording device. The apparatus includes a separate support table for supporting each of the plurality of cassettes within the plate handler and an elevator device for moving each of the support tables along a vertical axis of the automated plate handler. The automated plate handler is configured to automatically position a selected cassette in a first position to facilitate removal of the cassette from the handler. The plate handler further includes a platform, which substantially forms an extension of the support table supporting the selected cassette in the first position. The platform provides a second position, at which the selected cassette is to be one of, loaded or unloaded. The selected cassette may be filled with a new supply of plates on the platform or the selected cassette may be removed from the platform and replaced by a another cassette.

US Patent:

7055431, Jun 6, 2006

Filed:

Mar 23, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/807085

Inventors:

Laurence S. Blake - Peabody MA, US
Philip A. Rombult - Bradford MA, US
Libor Krupica - Methuen MA, US
David B. Larsen - Woburn MA, US
James C. Folsom - Sanford ME, US
Ross A. Freeman - Somersworth NH, US
Roger A. Jacques - Rochester NH, US
Robert S. Ring - Rochester NH, US
Gerald L. Smith - Dover NH, US

Assignee:

AGFA Corporation - Wilmington MA

International Classification:

B41F 27/06

US Classification:

101477, 414411

Abstract:

An apparatus is provided for positioning a plurality of cassettes within an automated printing plate handler. In a plate handler, a plurality of cassettes each contain a supply of printing plates for delivery to an automatic plate-recording device. The apparatus includes a separate support table for supporting each of the plurality of cassettes within the plate handler and an elevator device for moving each of the support tables along a vertical axis of the automated plate handler. The automated plate handler is configured to automatically position a selected cassette in a first position to facilitate removal of the cassette from the handler. The plate handler further includes a platform, which substantially forms an extension of the support table supporting the selected cassette in the first position. The platform provides a second position, at which the selected cassette is to be one of, loaded or unloaded. The selected cassette may be filled with a new supply of plates on the platform or the selected cassette may be removed from the platform and replaced by a another cassette.

US Patent:

20060245870, Nov 2, 2006

Filed:

May 2, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/415763

Inventors:

Laurence Blake - Peabody MA, US
Philip Rombult - Bradford MA, US
Libor Krupica - Methuen MA, US
David Larsen - Woburn MA, US
James Folsom - Sanford ME, US
Ross Freeman - Somersworth NH, US
Roger Jacques - Rochester NH, US
Robert Ring - Rochester NH, US
Gerald Smith - Dover NH, US

Assignee:

AGFA CORPORATION - Wilmington MA

International Classification:

B65B 69/00

US Classification:

414411000

Abstract:

An apparatus is provided for positioning a plurality of cassettes within an automated printing plate handler. In a plate handler, a plurality of cassettes each contain a supply of printing plates for delivery to an automatic plate-recording device. The apparatus includes a separate support table for supporting each of the plurality of cassettes within the plate handler and an elevator device for moving each of the support tables along a vertical axis of the automated plate handler. The automated plate handler is configured to automatically position a selected cassette in a first position to facilitate removal of the cassette from the handler. The plate handler further includes a platform, which substantially forms an extension of the support table supporting the selected cassette in the first position. The platform provides a second position, at which the selected cassette is to be one of, loaded or unloaded. The selected cassette may be filled with a new supply of plates on the platform or the selected cassette may be removed from the platform and replaced by another cassette.

US Patent:

56554524, Aug 12, 1997

Filed:

Aug 7, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/693740

Inventors:

Laurence S. Blake - Peabody MA
Philip A. Rombult - Bradford MA
Libor Krupica - Methuen MA
David B. Larsen - Woburn MA
James C. Folsom - Sanford ME
Ross A. Freeman - Somersworth NH
Roger A. Jacques - Rochester NH
Robert S. Ring - Rochester NH
Gerald L. Smith - Dover NH

Assignee:

AGFA Division, Bayer Corp. - Wilmington MA

International Classification:

B41F 2706

US Classification:

101477

Abstract:

The primary function of the optional handler is to make plates available on demand to the imaging engine. A multitude of plates are stored inside cassettes and these cassettes are loaded into the handler. There may be up to four cassettes residing in the handler. Inside a cassette there may be a protective interleaf sheet, sometimes called a slip sheet, between each plate which is removed by the handler and discarded. The handler receives commands from the engine control sequencer which provides instructions as to what cassette needs to be accessed to make a plate available to the picker mechanism so the plate may be conveyed to the imaging engine. Conversely the handler provides status information to the engine to make full interaction with the system possible.

US Patent:

57354430, Apr 7, 1998

Filed:

Sep 8, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/117669

Inventors:

Robert S. Ring - Rochester NH

International Classification:

B65H 3510

US Classification:

225 4

Abstract:

A burster for continuous single part business forms having a paper weight of about 32 lbs. or less utilizes a conventional transport mechanism, high speed rolls, and breaker blade. The slow speed rolls are substantially smooth surfaced (no axial grooves) and are mounted so that there is a fixed gap between them of 0. 005-0. 008 inches, which gap can be adjusted prior to machine operation. With this fixed gap, bubble formation in the business forms being burst does not occur, and there is no reason to use a servo or stepper motor to cycle the slow speed rolls apart and together. The high speed rolls are spring biased together and the transport mechanism includes a tractor pin feed drive located upstream of the slow speed rolls, a set of driven pull rolls between the tractor pin feed drive and the slow rolls, and a transport belt assembly. Spaced sheet metal plates may be used in place of the slow speed rolls.

US Patent:

57912505, Aug 11, 1998

Filed:

Jul 10, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/889255

Inventors:

Laurence S. Blake - Peabody MA
Philip A. Rombult - Bradford MA
Libor Krupica - Methuen MA
David B. Larsen - Woburn MA
James C. Folsom - Sanford ME
Ross A. Freeman - Somersworth NH
Roger A. Jacques - Rochester NH
Robert S. Ring - Rochester NH
Gerald L. Smith - Dover NH

Assignee:

Agfa Division, Bayer Corporation - Wilmington MA

International Classification:

B41F 2712
B41F 132
B41F 3316

US Classification:

101483

Abstract:

The primary function of the optional handler is to make plates available on demand to the imaging engine. A multitude of plates are stored inside cassettes and these cassettes are loaded into the handler. There may be up to four cassettes residing in the handler. Inside a cassette there may be a protective interleaf sheet, sometimes called a slip sheet, between each plate which is removed by the handler and discarded. The handler receives commands from the engine control sequencer which provides instructions as to what cassette needs to be accessed to make a plate available to the picker mechanism so the plate may be conveyed to the imaging engine. Conversely the handler provides status information to the engine to make full interaction with the system possible.

US Patent:

61133469, Sep 5, 2000

Filed:

Aug 7, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/693712

Inventors:

Laurence S. Blake - Peabody MA
Philip A. Rombult - Bradford MA
Libor Krupica - Methuen MA
David B. Larsen - Woburn MA
James C. Folsom - Sanford ME
Ross A. Freeman - Somersworth NH
Roger A. Jacques - Rochester NH
Robert S. Ring - Rochester NH
Gerald L. Smith - Dover NH

Assignee:

Agfa Corporation - Wilmington MA

International Classification:

B65G 6500

US Classification:

414811

Abstract:

The primary function of the optional handler is to make plates available on demand to the imaging engine. A multitude of plates are stored inside cassettes and these cassettes are loaded into the handler. There may be up to four cassettes residing in the handler. Inside a cassette there may be a protective interleaf sheet, sometimes called a slip sheet, between each plate which is removed by the handler and discarded. The handler receives commands from the engine control sequencer which provides instructions as to what cassette needs to be accessed to make a plate available to the picker mechanism so the plate may be conveyed to the imaging engine. Conversely the handler provides status information to the engine to make full interaction with the system possible.