Abstract: Relatively tall stacks of paper sheets are introduced into successive cartons from above while the cartons are confined in the chamber of a receptacle whose side walls prevent excessive outward bulging of the adjacent side walls of the carton when a stack descends toward the carton in a vertical duct whose cross-sectional area is just sufficient to allow the stacks to descend. Each descending stack pushes a column of air into the carton wherein the air is compressed and urges the side walls of the carton against the respective side walls of the receptacle. The upper end of the duct receives stacks from an upright container having a bottom wall which is movable between open and closed positions. A side wall of the receptacle is detachable or otherwise movable to an open position so as to allow for insertion of empty cartons into or for removal of filled cartons from the chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus for converting successive groups of neighboring stacks of paper sheets into a row of spaced-apart equidistant stacks has a first transporting unit which receives at intervals groups of stacks from a maker and advances successive groups at intervals lengthwise so that the neighboring groups are separated by gaps. The first transporting unit is followed by a second transporting unit having a series of gathering conveyors which are driven at a relatively low constant speed and some of which can be driven at intervals at a higher second speed to thus cooperate with the first transporting unit, whose speed can be varied between zero speed and the second speed, in order to eliminate gaps between successive groups and to form a composite group of immediately adjacent stacks.

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 cutting a running web of paper or the like has a rotary disk-shaped first knife and a driven counterknife. The first knife is rotatable on a shaft which constitutes the piston rod of a double-acting pneumatic cylinder and piston unit. The cylinder of such unit is connected with a second piston rod forming part of a single-acting cylinder and piston unit. The control system for the two units includes a shutoff valve which can admit compressed air to the single-acting unit whereby the pressure in a first conduit which connects the source of compressed air with the single-acting unit rises when the second piston rod reaches an end position in which the marginal portion of the first knife overlaps but is remote from the marginal portion of the counterknife. A second conduit thereupon admits compressed air to the double-acting unit in order to move the first knife axially against the counterknife.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting paper sheets wherein a first knife, which is freely rotatable on a shaft, is movable sideways toward and away from a driven counterknife. The shaft is reciprocable in a carrier which is connected with one end of a reciprocable and turnable piston rod. The piston rod extends into a cylinder and is reciprocable by a spring and a membrane-like piston. The orientation of the first knife with respect to the counterknife can be changed by turning the piston rod with reference to the cylinder so that the piston rod can assume and is held in any one of several angular positions. To this end, the piston rod is rigidly connected with a radially extending projection which is disposed between two rollers mounted in the cylinder for movement at right angles to their axes. One of the rollers is biased against one side of the projection by a helical spring, and the other roller is movable at right angles to its axis by an adjusting screw which meshes with the cylinder.

Abstract: Apparatus for introducing stacks of paper sheets into boxes has a receptacle for reception of stacks which are delivered by a feeding conveyor or a transfer conveyor and a bottom consisting of two sections which are movable in a horizontal plane toward each other to support a stack in the receptacle and away from each other to allow the stack to descend by gravity into an empty box therebelow. Empty boxes are supplied onto a platform which is located below the bottom of the receptacle, and filled boxes are removed from the platform by a carriage which is reciprocable along the platform and has pushers for moving an empty box below the receptacle while moving a filled box onto a receiving conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting stacks of paper sheets from a gathering station which receives successive rows of aligned stacks to two packing machines has a discrete staggering conveyor for each stack of a row. These conveyors serve to convert each row into two groups of staggered stacks and cooperate with auxiliary conveyors which deliver such stacks to successive pallets of two separate sets of pallets which advance the stacks toward the respective packing machines. The pallets of each set travel along a separate main track. The main tracks are parallel to each other and flank two crossing connecting tracks.