Abstract: A front end conveyor include a lower deck having a plurality of lower sheet supports, an upstream upper deck having an upstream end at the upstream end of the front end conveyor, a downstream end and a plurality of first upper sheet guides and a downstream upper deck having an upstream end, a downstream end at the downstream end of the front end conveyor, and a plurality of second upper sheet guides. The lower sheet supports and the upper sheet guides define a sheet transport path for moving sheets of material though the conveyor. The downstream end of the upstream upper deck and the upstream end of the downstream upper deck are independently pivotably mounted to the frame such that the upstream end of the upstream upper deck and the downstream end of the downstream upper deck shiftable toward and away from the lower deck.

Abstract: A load former includes a frame, a loading zone bounded on a first end by a stop wall having a stop surface lying in a plane and a rear wall at a rear side of the frame, and a cookie sheet slidably supported by the frame for travel along a path perpendicular to the plane. The path includes portions on first and second sides of the plane, and a portion of the cookie sheet in the second portion of the path defines a bottom of the loading zone. A platform extends over the first portion of the path, and a top wall is vertically spaced from the platform to define a storage space between the top wall and the platform. The storage space has a front opening so that it is accessible from the front of the load former.

Abstract: A layboy includes an upper belt section with a plurality of transversely spaced upper belts that extend in a longitudinal direction such that bottom portions of the upper belts lie in a first plane that defines an upper boundary of a transport path through the layboy and a lower belt section having a plurality of transversely spaced lower belts that extend in the longitudinal direction such that top portions of the lower belts lie in a second plane that defines an upper boundary of the transport path. The bottom portion of one of the top belts and/or the top portion of one of the bottom belts extends away from the transport path to define a gap in the transport path at which scrap moving through the layboy can fall out of the transport path.

Abstract: A bundle breaker includes upstream and downstream breaking supports, platens over the breaking supports and actuators for moving the platens toward and away from the breaking supports. Each of the platens includes a plurality of air bladders each having a bottom contact surface facing one of the breaking supports. The actuators move the platens to selectively clamp a log between the bottom contact surfaces of the air bladders and the breaking supports. A third actuator shifts an input end of the downstream breaking support relative to an output end of the upstream breaking support from a first position to a second position to break a first portion of the log from a second portion of the log.

Abstract: A bundle breaker has upstream and downstream breaking supports each having an input end and an output end. A first platen is located above the upstream breaking support, and a second platen is located above the downstream breaking support, and each platen has an actuator for moving the respective platen toward and away from the breaking supports to selectively clamp a log between the platens and the breaking supports. A third actuator is configured to apply a shifting force to the downstream breaking support to shift the input end of the downstream breaking support relative to the output end of the upstream breaking support from a first position toward a second position to break the second portion of the log from the first portion of the log. The first actuator and/or the second actuator and/or the third actuator includes at least one servo motor.

Abstract: An agitator for agitating sheets of material passing through a sheet transport device that has upper and lower guide sections defining a sheet transport path therebetween. The agitator includes first and second sets of rollers each having a roller axis of rotation and a width, and the rollers are mounted to at least one holder such that the axes of rotation of the rollers are radially spaced from a line and such that rotating the at least one holder around the line causes the rollers to orbit around the line. At least one support supports the holder for rotation around the line, and the set of first rollers is spaced from the set of second rollers in the direction of the line by a distance greater than the width of the rollers. Also a sheet transport device including the agitator.

Abstract: A conveyor includes first and second support shafts and at least one belt supported between the first and second support shafts that has an upper load-carrying portion and a lower return portion. A first gear is connected to the first support shaft, a second gear is connected to the second support shaft and a drive chain or belt is supported by the first and second gears and has an upper run and a lower run. The upper run includes a tension control device for maintaining a tension on the upper run and the lower run includes an arrangement for displacing a portion of the lower run in order to rotate the first gear in a first direction and the second gear in a second direction opposite the first direction to increase a tension of the upper load carrying portion of the at least one belt. Also an associated method.

Abstract: A layboy includes an upper belt section with a plurality of transversely spaced upper belts that extend in a longitudinal direction such that bottom portions of the upper belts lie in a first plane that defines an upper boundary of a transport path through the layboy and a lower belt section having a plurality of transversely spaced lower belts that extend in the longitudinal direction such that top portions of the lower belts lie in a second plane that defines an upper boundary of the transport path. The bottom portion of one of the top belts and/or the top portion of one of the bottom belts extends away from the transport path to define a gap in the transport path at which scrap moving through the layboy can fall out of the transport path.

Abstract: A load former includes a frame including a stop wall, a cookie sheet having a top surface parallel to a plane and being movable between an extended position a retracted position relative to the stop wall, and a first platform shiftable between raised and lowered positions relative to the plane. The first platform is positioned relative to the frame such that when the cookie sheet is in the extended position a first portion of the cookie sheet directly overlies the upper surface of the platform and when the cookie sheet in the retracted position no portion of the cookie sheet directly overlies the platform. Also a lift having a lift support and a second platform, the lift being movable relative to the plane and the lift platform begin extendable and retractable relative to the first platform.

Abstract: A load former includes a loading zone, a stacking zone adjacent to the loading zone, a platform in the stacking zone, a first drive configured to raise and to lower the platform, and a cookie sheet having a first portion and a second portion adjacent to the first portion. The cookie sheet is shiftable from a first position in which the first portion of the cookie sheet forms a floor of the loading zone and the second portion of the cookie sheet is not located in the loading zone or in the stacking zone and a second position in which the first portion of the cookie sheet extends directly above the platform in the stacking zone and the second portion of the cookie sheet forms the floor of the loading zone. A second drive shifts the cookie sheet between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: A sheet stacking system includes a conveyor for carrying sheets from a conveyor intake end to a conveyor discharge end and a hopper at the discharge end for receiving the sheets and guiding them as they fall in a cascade path onto a platform. The hopper has a backstop facing the discharge end of the conveyor and a first accumulator that includes a carrier and a support extending from the carrier through the backstop. The support is configured to rotate from a retracted position to an extended position relative to the backstop, and the carrier is movable linearly and vertically relative to the backstop with the support in the extended position from a raised location with the support outside the cascade path to a lowered location with the support in the cascade path.

Abstract: A conveyor system includes an external ball-belt and an internal driver belt for driving balls in the ball-belt. A first drive drives the ball-belt in the longitudinal direction, and a second drive drives the driver belt in a transverse direction. The second drive is located outside the ball-belt and located such that a return portion of the ball-belt runs between the second drive and the driver belt.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a plurality of belt support assemblies each having a drive wheel assembly at one end and an idler wheel assembly at the other end. Each of the drive and idler wheel assemblies includes a motion converter for converting the rotational movement of a shaft into linear motion along the shaft and an actuator for selectively engaging the motion converter and the shaft. A controller controls the operation of the shafts and the actuators to selectively and individually control the location of each end of each belt assembly relative to one another and to a centerline of the conveyor.

Abstract: A system includes an electrical panel having a high voltage compartment and a low voltage compartment and a first door shiftable between an open position allowing access to the high voltage compartment and a closed position preventing access to the high voltage compartment and a lock shiftable from a locked position to an unlocked position by an actuator in response to a receipt of an unlock signal. A main disconnect switch outside the electrical panel selectively connects a source of electric current to the electrical panel, and a sensor detects a position of the main disconnect switch and sends an unlock signal to the first actuator in response to a detection that the main disconnect switch is in an OFF position.

Abstract: A diverter conveyor includes a frame supporting an upper conveyor that has an upstream end and a downstream end and that is configured to carry sheets in a first, downstream, direction. A plurality of nip rollers are mounted on the frame upstream of the upstream end of the upper conveyor and are spaced from the upstream end of the upper conveyor by a gap. The nip rollers feed the sheets along a main path to the upstream end of the upper conveyor. A rejection conveyor is supported by the frame and has a portion beneath the gap and extends away from the upper conveyor at an acute angle. A plurality of paddles are mounted at the first gap, and an actuator is operably connected to the paddles and configured to shift the paddles from a first position out of the main path to a second position in the main path.

Abstract: A sheet stacking system includes a main conveyor configured to carry sheets in a downstream direction, an accumulator section downstream of the main conveyor configured to receive the sheets from the main conveyor, at least one tamping plate in the accumulator section, and at least one linear motor connected to the at least one tamping plate. The at least one linear motor is configured to move the at least one tamping plate back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the downstream direction to tamp a stack of the sheets in the accumulator section.

Abstract: A sheet stacking system includes a conveyor having a discharge end, a hopper at the discharge end configured to receive the sheets ejected from the discharge end and guide the sheets as they fall in a cascade path onto a platform associated with the hopper, the falling sheets forming a main stack on the platform, the hopper including a backstop facing the discharge end of the conveyor such that the sheets ejected from the discharge end impact against the backstop before forming the main stack, and a first accumulator having at least one first support extending through the backstop and shiftable from a retracted position to an extended position, the at least one first support being movable vertically relative to the backstop in the extended position from a raised location outside the cascade path to a lowered location in the cascade path.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a first conveyor deck having a first plurality of contact elements, each having a contact surface movable around a closed path from a contact region to a non-contact region, the first contact regions lying in a plane or being bounded by the plane and a second conveyor deck having a second plurality of contact elements, each having a contact surface movable around a closed path from a contact region to a non-contact region, these contact regions lying in a second plane or being bounded by the second plane. The transport path of the conveyor is defined by the contact surfaces of the first and second contact elements in the contact regions, and the first plurality of contact elements are belts and the second plurality of contact elements are wheels.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus includes an upper conveyor and a lower conveyor, the top of the lower conveyor facing the bottom of the upper conveyor and defining with the bottom of the upper conveyor a sheet transport path. An air duct having an opening facing the top of the upper conveyor is mounted over the upper conveyor, and a fan is provided that is in fluid communication with the air duct. The fan draws air through the opening, into the air duct and out an exhaust vent. A housing substantially encloses the upper conveyor and the lower conveyor and is connected to the air duct, and the housing has a bottom opening located below the sheet transport path such that a majority of the air drawn through the opening by the fan passes through the upper conveyor.

Abstract: A buffer apparatus configured to hold a stack of sheets includes an input, first and second side guides each having a face facing transverse to the travel direction, and a backstop facing the input and spaced from the input in the travel direction. The first side guide, second side guide and backstop define a hopper for holding a plurality of the sheets. First and second retractable supports are shiftable from first positions in which a first portion of the respective retractable support projects a first distance into the hopper and a second position in which the first portion of the respective retractable support projects a second distance into the hopper or does not project into the hopper, the second distance being less than the first distance. The at least one second retractable support is located between the input and the at least one first retractable support.