Feeding on a Windmill
I have been working on a 1952 Windmill for the last month and have run into an issue with the feed. It starts out fine but after running for a short while (10 to 15 min) it starts to drop sheets regularly. I have another Windmill that I have used for years and never run into this problem. Any help would be wonderful.
You might have a hole or leak in a line or maybe your filters need cleaning.
Where does it drop sheets? A hole or leak should not allow feeding for 10-15 minutes. It’s not an issue with the pile rising too slowly, eventually getting to a breaking point wherein stock won’t feed properly?
did your sucker bar slip? If you are using one (yellow or red) it could cause this problem. If so, use tape to secure it. Happy Holidays
What does “drop” mean? It gets the sheet, lifts it and drops it again? Or isn’t it getting the sheet properly?
I’ld say, we need more information about this mystery:
- What kind of stock?
- What kind of suckers (none/red/black)
- Sucker bar tilt (fastened correctly?)
- Does the windmill stop when it drops the sheet?
- Blowers?
- Feathers?
- Delivery table transport working correctly?
- …
M.
The jod I was going to run as a trial was to number 2 part. I was running with plain tubes.Yes it does stop most of the time if it misses the sheet but this is the sheet is lifting but seems to not get grabed by the gripper. I did today replace the strip on the gripperbar with the material that Hedelberg sells. I am not sure what you mean about the delivery table transport. When the suction tube is removed and a finger is held over the end the suction is about the same as the one that I have used for the last 10 years. This machine has had a general lack of maintainance over the years. I did have the suction unit off the press while replacing the trip.
sounds like a leak somewhere then…
What i think is happening is when you took the suction unit off the press you didn’t adjust the eccentric when you put it back. this will allow the press to pick up the sheet but when the gripper goes to grab the sheet it will hit the gripper and not grab the sheet, this can happen often or if it is close to the right adjustment it will run a few then drop a few. Let the press pick up the sheet on the suction bar then roll the press slowly and see if the sheet is in the center of the open gripper or if the sheet hits the gripper just before the gripper closes. (when doing this watch you don’t lean too close) Good Luck Dick G.
DickG has the right idea.
The height of the sucker bar is controlled by the eccentric in the trip housing.
Locate the clamping bolt at the base of the trip housing and above it there is a grub screw: this fits into a dimple in the eccentric, and when located correctly should screw home to be almost flush with the casing.
My method is to release the clamping bolt, withdraw the eccentric and replace so that the dimple is approx in line with the grub screw, then with a screwdriver in the large slot cut into the eccentric gently rotate to and fro and at the same time screw home the grub screw. You should be able to feel it screwing into the dimple and once its fully home re-tighten the clamping bolt.
I thought that the eccentric might be an issue but I really wasnt sure how to take care of it. Thanks for the idea on how to get it lined up. It was one of those things that when you take it loose that you go this may not be a good thing. I had no idea that it was as eccentric until I had given it.a real good turn.
Just a quick update for everyone that gave me help on this problem. What I found was that at sometime the previous owner had taken the the cover off the gripperbar head and had not gotten the red washer back into the center where the spring should seat against it. Once I replaced the washer into the proper position everything has worked great. Thanks again for all the help.