Abstract: Apparatus for expelling air from pockets between superimposed sheets of successive stacks has a brush or roller which can be lowered onto the topmost sheet of a stack while the leader of the stack is pulled along a stationary support by a tongs. The brush or roller urges successive increments of the lowermost sheet of the moving stack against a stationary or rotary anvil whereby the pockets of air are eliminated in automatic response to forward movement of the stack with the tongs. Expulsion of air from the stacks enhances their shape-retaining ability during transport toward the next processing station or stations as well as at such stations. The brush or roller is mounted on pivotable arms which can be rocked back and forth by one or more levers which are pivotable by a cam and follower assembly receiving motion from the main prime mover of the machine or production line wherein the stacks are formed and/or processed.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting several files of spaced apart paper stacks has several neighboring transporting units, one for each file and each having a frame mounting front and rear shafts for three toothed pulleys cooperating with toothed belts whose outwardly extending lobes can advance and/or guide stacks during movement along the upper side of a platform. The lobes of the median belt in each frame are engaged by the front edge faces of the stacks, and the lobes of the outer belts in each frame engage the trailing edge faces of the stacks on the respective transporting unit. Two gears are rotatably mounted on each rear shaft to respectively drive a pulley for one of the outer belts and a pulley for the median belt in the respective transporting unit. Such gears mesh with second gears which are mounted in the respective frame, and with driver gears which are mounted on shafts receiving torque from a stepping motor.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting several files of spaced-apart stacks of paper sheets has several transporting units, one for each file of stacks, and each such transporting unit has three endless toothed belts which are installed in a frame in parallel vertical planes and carry outwardly extending lobes. The lobes on the two outer belts of a unit engage the rear edge faces and the lobes on the median belt of each unit engage the front edge faces of stacks in the respective files. Each belt is trained over two toothed pulleys and one pulley of each outer belt is driven by a first shaft whereas one pulley of each centrally located belt is driven by a second shaft.

Abstract: A machine wherein the sheets are held together by adhesive has an indexible turret with radially extending equidistant pockets for reception of stacks of sheets from a feeding device. The pockets transport the stacks past an aligning device, thereupon past an adhesive applying device which coats one edge face of each stack with a layer of adhesive, past a strip applicator which attaches a flexible strip to each adhesive-coated edge face, thereupon past a strip folder which converts each strip into a U-shaped body, and finally to a removing device which removes the thus formed pads from the pockets and transports them in a direction which at least substantially coincides with the direction of delivery of stacks to the pockets.

Abstract: Apparatus for trimming the lateral marginal portions of successive stacks of sheets of multiple unit width and for subdividing the trimmed stacks into stacks of unit width has an advancing unit which moves the stacks stepwise in a direction at right angles to their width, a trimming station where the marginal portions of successive stacks are trimmed, and two or more severing stations which are disposed one after the other, as considered in the direction of advancement of the stacks, and at each of which the width of the stacks is reduced by one unit width as a result of separation of discrete stacks of unit width therefrom. The stacks at the severing stations are moved sideways by the width of a stack of unit width prior to a separating step. The mechanisms at the severing stations employ knives which are aligned with one another, as considered in the direction of advancement of stacks, and are accessible at the outer sides of the respective severing stations.

Abstract: Apparatus for filling cartons having three upstanding side walls and a horizontal side wall with stacks of paper sheets has a horizontal conveyor reciprocable into and from a carton while the carton is held at a filling station, a system for delivering stacks to that portion of the conveyor which enters a carton at the filling station, and a locating device installed at a level above the path of movement of stacks with the conveyor portion and having an indexible horizontal shaft for two fingers which are disposed opposite each other, and an indexing mechanism for the shaft. The shaft is indexed to a first position in which one finger extends into the path of movement of an oncoming stack during delivery of the stack onto the conveyor, thereupon throuh 90.degree. to ensure that the fingers cannot interfere with introduction of the stack into the carton, and again through 90.degree.

Abstract: Stacks of superimposed paper sheets are formed from a succession of layers each of which contains a given number of groups of sheets. One or more layers which contain a first number of groups can be followed by one or more layers containing a different second number of groups so that a stack can contain layers which, in turn, contain different numbers of groups and hence different numbers of sheets. The number of sheets in each stack and in each layer is a whole multiple of the number of sheets in a group. If the average number of sheets in a series of successive stacks is to deviate from a whole multiple of the number of sheets in a group, successive stacks contain different numbers of sheets; each such number is a whole multiple of the number of sheets in a group but the total number of sheets in the series of stacks divided by the number of stacks which form the series can deviate from such whole multiple.

Abstract: Stacks of paper sheets are delivered onto the upper reach of an endless conveyor or onto the upper side of a platform which is movable through an open side and into the interior of a carton at a carton filling station. The open side of the carton is closed, by pivoting the corresponding side wall upwardly from a level at or below the level of the bottom wall of the carton, upon completion of insertion of a stack.

Abstract: Apparatus for subdividing a paper web into a series of discrete sheets and for transporting the sheets to a processing station has a cross cutter whose knife holders can be driven at several speeds, and a sheet intercepting device downstream of the nip of the holders. The position of the entire intercepting device is changed in automatic response to changes in the speed of the knife holders to ensure that the inlet of the intercepting device can receive the leaders of successive sheets, even though the direction of advancement of such leaders is likely to change, e.g., in response to more or less pronounced curling, as a result of acceleration or deceleration of the knife holders and as a function of the thickness and/or composition of the web.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring paper stacks from a first horizontal path into a second horizontal path which is coplanar with the first path has tongs installed at the junction of the two paths and driven to rotate about a vertical axis. The tongs has a lower jaw in the common plane of the two paths and an axially movable upper jaw which is held away from the first jaw when a stack to be transferred approaches the tongs and which is then moved toward the lower jaw to clamp the oncoming stack so that the latter rotates with the jaws and is transferred into the second path. The tongs then opens and is ready to engage the next stack. Signals for closing and opening of the tongs are generated by first and second detectors which are respectively adjacent to the first and second paths and respectively serve to detect certain surfaces of oncoming stacks and certain surfaces of transferred stacks.

Abstract: Successive stacks of flexible paper sheets are supplied by the conveyors of a feeding unit in a first direction and along a first horizontal path onto a succession of vertically movable sections of a horizontal table while the sections dwell in their upper positions. The sections are thereupon lowered simultaneously to the level of a second horizontal path wherein a pusher advances the lowered stack in a second direction at right angles to the first direction and along the second horizontal path into the range of two belt conveyors forming part of a removing unit. The sections of the table are disposed one behind the other, as considered in the second direction, and are raised individually back to their upper positions as soon as the pusher advances an article therebeyond. A supporting member assists the sections in supporting an oncoming article in the first path during advancement of such article to a position above the sections of the table.

Abstract: One of the two knife holder shafts in a cross cutter for webs of paper or the like is driven by a unit wherein a motor rotates the input shaft of a bevel gear drive whose output shaft drives or constitutes one shaft of a universal joint. The other shaft of the universal joint is driven by the one shaft and transmits torque to the knife holder shaft or shafts by way of a step-up gear transmission and a clutch which allows for changes in angular positions of the knife holder shafts with reference to the universal joint. An extension of the axis of the input shaft of the bevel gear drive intersects the axes of the shafts of the universal joint at the point where the axes of the shafts of the universal joint intersect each other. To this end, the other shaft of the universal joint contains an elastically deformable but torsion-resistant insert.

Abstract: One of the two knife holder shafts in a cross cutter for webs of paper or the like is driven by a unit wherein a motor rotates the input shaft of a bevel gear drive whose output shaft drives or constitutes one shaft of a universal joint. The other shaft of the universal joint is driven by the one shaft and transmits torque to the knife holder shaft or shafts by way of a step-up gear transmission and a clutch which allows for changes in angular positions of the knife holder shafts with reference to the universal joint. An extension of the axis of the input shaft of the bevel gear drive intersects the axes of the shafts of the universal joint at the point where the axes of the shafts of the universal joint intersect each other. To this end, the other shaft of the universal joint contains an elastically deformable but torsion-resistant insert.

Abstract: Apparatus gathering writing pads into stacks has a row of receptacles disposed at a level below the discharge end of a feeding conveyor which delivers several lines of pads, one for each receptacle. The receptacles have a common horizontal floor assembled of spaced-apart elongated strips mounted in a main frame and extending in the longitudinal direction of the row, and the receptacles are separated from each other by separating units having sets of upright rods which extend upwardly through the spaces between the neighboring strips and can be lowered to move out of the way preparatory to removal of assembled stacks of pads by two endless conveyor belts which flank the row of receptacles and have inner reaches movable into engagement with the respective sides of the stacks. The conveyor belts are set in motion after their inner reaches engage the stacks and after the rods are retracted to a level below the floor.

Abstract: A transverse cutter for a running web of paper or the like has two rotary drum-shaped holders disposed opposite each other at the opposite sides of the path for the web. Each holder carries at least one knife with an elongated cutting edge extending transversely of the path of movement of the web, and each knife of one holder cooperates with a knife of the other holder to sever the web once during each revolution of the holders. One of the knives is adjustable with reference to the respective holder so that its cutting edge can be shifted relative to the cooperating cutting edge of the other knife. The adjusting mechanism for the adjustable knife includes a row of closely adjacent wedge-like retainers which are recessed into the peripheral surface of the respective holder and are movable radially of such holder by threaded fasteners which can move the associated retainers radially inwardly against the opposition of dished springs in the respective holder.

Abstract: Apparatus for changing the orientation of successive stacks of overlapping paper sheets has a first conveyor which delivers stacks seriatim onto the upper side of a support located below a vertically movable and rotatable turntable having at its underside a layer consisting of rubber and formed with openings for escape of air. The support has plenum chambers which discharge streams of compressed air against the underside of a stack between the support and the turntable whereby the stack is lifted off the support and bears against the layer at the underside of the turntable before the latter begins to rotate through 90 degrees to thus change the orientation of the stack. Prior to rotating, the turntable is moved downwardly toward and bears against the stack on the support to thereby expel air from the stack and to cause opening of valves in the upper side of the support by way of the lowermost sheet of the stack.

Abstract: An apparatus for engaging and transporting discrete sheets downstream of a severing station at which a cross-cutter severs a running paper web has a catcher assembly with an upper and a lower conveyor unit. The conveyor units define an elongated path for the transport of sheets therebetween. The catcher assembly is adjustable, in its entirety, with reference to the severing station, and each conveyor unit is adjustable relative to the other conveyor unit. The rearmost portion of the upper conveyor unit is adjustable toward and away from the adjacent portion of the lower conveyor unit.

Abstract: A series of separate paper sheets issuing from a cross cutter wherein a running paper web is subdivided into discrete sheets is converted into a stream of partly overlapping sheets by transporting the sheets of the series at a first speed onto the upper reach of a belt conveyor which is driven at a lower second speed. A cylindrical braking roller is adjacent to the sheet-receiving end of the upper reach of the belt conveyor and is driven at a peripheral speed matching the second speed. A flat of the otherwise cylindrical peripheral surface of the braking roller is adjacent to but out of contact with the leading edges of successive sheets of the series but the cylindrical surface of the roller engages the intermediate portions of successive sheets and decelerates such sheets from the first to the second speed. This ensures that reaction liquid cannot escape at the leading edges of successive sheets which constitute carbon-free pressure-sensitive copy paper sheets.

Abstract: A rotary knife holder which is used in a transverse cutter for running paper webs or the like has a tubular carrier with an axial bore for a dynamic damping system serving to damp the natural frequency oscillations of the carrier. The damping system has a cylindrical mass whose end portions are surrounded by elastic annuli installed in a sleeve which is fixedly installed in the axial bore of the carrier. The natural frequency of the damping system is attuned to the natural frequency of the carrier. If the carrier is journalled at both ends, the damping system is installed midway between the ends of the carrier.

Abstract: Apparatus for supporting the core of a reel of convoluted paper in a winding machine has two trunnions which extend into the end portions of the core from opposite ends of the reel and are surrounded by ring-shaped stops which are normally closely adjacent to the respective end faces of the reel therebetween. The trunnions and the respective stops are movable axially toward and away from the core and each trunnion is surrounded by a ring-shaped sensor which is biased against the respective end face of the reel so that the distance between the sensor and the corresponding stop denotes the width of the gap between the respective end face of the reel and the corresponding stop.