Vacuum Hold Down for Feeder Tray

Abstract

A vacuum apparatus holds flat printed product in a feeder tray of a document feeding apparatus. The apparatus is particularly useful for feeding sheet material such as newspapers one at a time from the bottom of a stack. The apparatus uses existing vacuum connections in the document feeder and is easily mounted to existing feeder trays as part of a retrofit.

1 . A vacuum hold down apparatus for a feeder tray, comprising:
 a base having a bottom surface for mounting the base to the feeder tray, a top surface for receiving a flat product and connected at a forward edge to the bottom surface, and a third surface for connecting the bottom surface to the top surface at a rearward edge;   a channel proximately located on the top surface of the base;   a hollow bore proximately located in an interior portion of the base; and   a plurality of vacuum ports proximately located in the channel and connecting the channel to the hollow bore.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum hold down apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface has a curvilinear recess proximately located forward of the channel. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum hold down apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the third surface is an arcuate surface. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum hold down apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base is a wedged shaped structure. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum hold down apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a means for fastening the base to the feeder tray.   
     
     
         6 . The vacuum hold down apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the means for fastening the base to the feeder tray is a nut and a bolt or a nut and a machine screw. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum hold down apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a means for attaching the base to a vacuum source.   
     
     
         8 . The vacuum hold down apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the means for attaching the base to a vacuum source is a hose. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for holding flat paper products in a feeder tray, comprising
 at least one base having a bottom surface for mounting the base to a feeder tray, a top surface for receiving a flat product and connected at a forward edge to the bottom surface, and a third surface for connecting the bottom surface to the top surface at a rearward edge, a channel proximately located on the top surface of the base, a hollow bore proximately located in an interior portion of the base, and a plurality of vacuum ports proximately located in the channel and connecting the channel to the hollow bore;   a first fastener for fastening the base to the feeder tray; and   a second fastener for attaching the base to a vacuum source.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus for holding flat paper products of  claim 9 , wherein the first fastener the base is a nut and a bolt or a nut and a machine screw. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus for holding flat paper products of  claim 9 , wherein the second fastener is a hose. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus for holding flat paper products of  claim 9  further comprising:
 at least one left wedge shaped base having an inner vertical edge and an outer vertical edge; and   at least one right wedge shaped base having an inner vertical edge and an outer vertical edge, proximately spaced from the left base on the feeder tray whereby the distance between the outer vertical edge of the left base and the outer vertical edge of the right base is proximately equal to the width of a newspaper.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus for holding flat paper products of  claim 12  further comprising:
 at least one wedge shaped support positioned between the left base and the right base on the feeder tray, proximately spaced equidistance from the inner edge of the left base and the inner edge of the right base; and   a third fastener for attaching the support to the feeder tray.   
     
     
         14 . A method for holding flat paper products in a feeder tray, comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one base having a bottom surface for mounting the base to a feeder tray, a top surface for receiving a flat product and connected at a forward edge to the bottom surface, and a third surface for connecting the bottom surface to the top surface at a rearward edge, a channel proximately located on the top surface of the base, a hollow bore proximately located in an interior portion of the base, and a plurality of vacuum ports proximately located in the channel and connecting the channel to the hollow bore;   fastening the base to the feeder tray;   attaching the base to a vacuum source; and   applying vacuum.