Abstract: Self-adhesive labels are formed by repetitively cutting linerless web material which is fed from a roll into and through a rotary knife cutter. The labels are then transported to and applied to articles. To improve cutting of the web and labeling, the web and or labels are contoured, e.g., they are made concave, in a plane transverse to the direction of flow path. To contour the web or labels, alternative endless belt arrangements are used, wherein the center line of the adhesive side of the web is adhered to a belt surface. Preferably, a one-piece belt having spaced apart and movable lengthwise portions is used. Different transport velocities are used for web fed to the cutter and for labels taken-away from the cutter. Cutter motion, and thus label length, in forming either linerless and lined labels, is controlled according to how printed indicia bar marks on the web are severed into portions; alternatively, according to whether or not the cut falls between two spaced apart printed indicia.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding sheets and other flat articles, especially with varying thickness, or from stacks of varying height, includes a device called a prompter. The prompter (136) comprises a body (137), a drive roller (142), mounted on and driven by shaft (135), an opposing idler roller (141), and a ribbed belt (138) stretched around the rollers. The body pivots about shaft (135) at the driven roller end. The prompter may alternatively feed articles from a stack to a singulator or other device, or it may comprise the driver of a singulator. A prompter (136), used as driver, combines with a retarder (120), called a dancer, to form a singulator (133). The dancer moves back and forth along the article flow path (121), responsive to thickness of articles, or to pull force on an article by a downstream takeaway device, to thereby automatically adjust the gap at the nip (144) of the singulator.

Abstract: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are adhered to the underside of sheet labels, to form assemblies which can be applied to articles. Pressure sensitive adhesive labels are removed from a liner which then runs on a loop, back to nip rollers, where the labels are re-attached to the liner. The labels are re-attached at a downstream point on the liner, in combination with tags, to form the assemblies. The assemblies on the moving assembly web are read by optical and radio frequency systems; and, defective assemblies are removed by a diverter which strips the selected defective assembly from the web and carries it away on a defect liner. RFID tags are adhered to linerless label web at spaced apart locations, to form assemblies which can be cut from the web at the point of application.

Abstract: Two belt type singulators are used in apparatus which feeds and singulates stacked articles which have varying thickness and shape. The singulators form tandem, spaced apart singulator nips with a transport belt. Each singulator belt has a downwardly sloped underside and moves incrementally around its rollers over time, overcoming certain applied resistive forces. The singulator belt has intermittent contact with the transport belt, when articles are being processed, and there is a resultant scuffing of belts which helps remove debris. Preferably, on off the forces which resists singulator belt motion is created by having a singulator pair with upper rollers, which are rotationally coupled but which have different diameters. The upper ends of the singulator belts project into the hopper which holds the stack and aid in the feeding of articles toward the singulating nips.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a stream of shingled fanfold sheet device into a vertical stack comprises a first table having lengthwise belts which receive and push the shingled sheet against a stop, causing the sheet to form into a horizontal stack. The first table has powered transfer rollers positioned in the spaces between the belts. Upon command, the belts lower beneath the table surface, so that the transfer rollers engage the stack and move it sideways onto an adjacent pivotable second table. The second table pivots about an axis transverse to the lengths of the first table and second table. Preferably, the second table has a stop at one end and a detachable pallet at the other end. When the second table is rotated, the stack is made vertical so it rests on the pallet. The pallet with stack are then withdrawn from engagement with the second table for transport elsewhere. A third conveyor belt table may be positioned between the source device and the first table.

Abstract: A singulator adapted for feeding articles of varying thickness is comprised of a driver with a movable and resiliently biased retarder, called a dancer. The dancer moves back and forth along the article flow path, in response to the passage through the nip of the articles being singulated, to automatically set the gap at the singulator nip. A dancer body motion may be linear or pivoting. The path of article travel through the singulator nip is at an angle to the downstream article flow path. Thus, when a takeaway device pulls on the article, the dancer moves to open the singulator gap slightly to enable the article to more freely be taken away. A preferred dancer has an endless belt and is spring biased to lightly contact the driver at the nip in the absence of an article; and, periodic reversal of driver direction engages the dancer belt surface at the nip and moves it upstream, thereby exposing a new surface.

Abstract: A hand cart for carrying sheets and other stacked objects has a motorized self-leveling platform, so the things being carried are kept at a constant elevation convenient to a worker, whether things are being added or removed from the platform. For carrying sheets, such as moving sheets of paper in document processing operations, the cart upright and platform are tilted, and the upright has opposing wings extending at 90 degree. Thus, sheets tend to move against the wings and their alignment is either obtained or maintained. When the cart is tilted to move it about, the cart design and load positioning system desirably keep the upward force which a worker must apply to the cart handle at low levels.

Abstract: A paper edge justifying conveyor has a first roller and a second roller arranged in a generally parallel position. A guide rail positioned in a position perpendicular to said rollers provides documents with edge justification. An elastomeric band around the rollers having at least one twist on a top surface provides for edge justification of documents against the guide rail.

Abstract: A power stapler having a clincher provides a stitcher head for driving formed staples into a stack of sheets. A clincher box is positioned opposite the stitcher head. Clinchers located in the clincher box pivot upwardly under the force of a moving clincher bar to deform ends of the staple to pass through the sheet stack. The clincher bar or clinchers include a stop that limits retraction of the clinchers into the box. Hence, as the staple is driven by the stitcher head through the sheets, the ends of the staple are brought into engagement with the clinchers and plastically deform into a substantially inwardly curled shape. Following driving of the staple by the stitcher head, the clincher bar is actuated to rotate the clinchers upwardly toward the stack causing the curled tips of the staple to drive into the sheets. The clinchers can include grooves that are angled into alignment along parallel angled lines so that the ends of the staple pass each other and do not interfere with each other upon clinching.

Abstract: A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer provides a feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets. Sheets in the stack are deshingled by a feeder singulator and driven, typically, downwardly to a feed tray extending remote from the singulator. The feed tray receives sheets in a space that enables formation of a second smaller stack of sheets. The tray further includes an opening adjacent the second stack that enables sheets to be slid from the top of the second stack. The tray is positioned and constructed so that it can enter and be removed from a port in the drawer of the utilization device. The feed tray's positioning relative to the port allows sheets in the second stack to be placed adjacent a utilization device singulator in the drawer so that sheets can be removed by the utilization device singulator for processing thereby.

Abstract: A high speed sheet feeder comprises a support for supporting a stack of sheets. The sheets are driven by a backing plate assembly along the support toward a singulator. The backing plate is driven by a drive member such as a drive chain positioned along the support. The drive chain moves the backing plate in predetermined increments. The singulator is mounted on a bracket that moves in response to pressure exerted by the leading face of the stack thereupon. The increments in which the backing plate moves are varied based upon the degree of movement of the singulator bracket in response to pressure exerted thereupon by the stack. Minimum pressure causes a maximum increment of movement while maximum pressure causes a minimum increment or virtually no movement in the backing plate assembly. The singulator comprises an elastomeric wheel pivotally mounted on a support bracket having concentric a sleeve that is mechanically interconnected with the drive mechanism.

Abstract: A paper transport is formed by a plurality of substantially identical conveyor modules which are arranged end-to-end and separated by gaps selected as a function of active devices which are to be installed along the paper path defined by the transport. The conveyor modules each include plural conveyor belts and documents are held against the belts for transport there through the creation of a small pressure differential thereacross, the pressure differential resulting from establishing a large volume air flow through the conveyor modules, the same air flow being employed for cooling the electronic components of the active devices associated with the transport.

Abstract: A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer provides a feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets. Sheets in the stack are deshingled by a feeder singulator and driven, typically, downwardly to a feed tray extending remote from the singulator. The feed tray receives sheets in a space that enables formation of a second smaller stack of sheets. The tray further includes an opening adjacent the second stack that enables sheets to be slid from the top of the second stack. The tray is positioned and constructed so that it can enter and be removed from a port in the drawer of the utilization device. The feed tray's positioning relative to the port allows sheets in the second stack to be placed adjacent a utilization device singulator in the drawer so that sheets can be removed by the utilization device singulator for processing thereby.

Abstract: A high speed sheet feeder comprises a support for supporting a stack of sheets. The sheets are driven by a backing plate assembly along the support toward a singulator. The backing plate is driven by a drive member such as a drive chain positioned along the support. The drive chain moves the backing plate in predetermined increments. The singulator is mounted on a bracket that moves in response to pressure exerted by the leading face of the stack thereupon. The increments in which the backing plate moves are varied based upon the degree of movement of the singulator bracket in response to pressure exerted thereupon by the stack. Minimum pressure causes a maximum increment of movement while maximum pressure causes a minimum increment or virtually no movement in the backing plate assembly.

Abstract: A multi-ream paper sheet feeder for use with high speed copiers, printing machines and the like "host machines" has a sturdy frame supporting an upwardly sloping ramp overlying a motor driven feed screw. A pusher plate drives a feed block of as many as thirty reams of edgewise stacked paper sheets up the ramp to a singulating feed assembly. A feed screw drive nut carriage engages and drives the pusher plate up ramp, then disengages, retracts under the ramp and travels to a new start position at the ramp's lower end. Sensors and limit switches govern forward and reverse feed screw motor operation; another sensor governs the operation of the singulating feed assembly, delivering shingled sheets on demand to the feeder's infeed tray. The entire sheet feeder is track-mounted, latched in feed position, disengageable for retraction away from the host machine when desired.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing an elongate web of sheets is provided, which includes structure for continuously feeding successive sheets of the web in a path of travel, structure for successively cutting the successive sheets from the web, and structure for successively deflecting the successive sheets out of the path of travel and into cutting relationship with the cutting structure.

Abstract: A multi-ream paper sheet feeder for use with high speed copiers, printing machines and the like "host machines" has a sturdy frame supporting an upwardly sloping ramp overlying a motor driven feed screw. A pusher plate drives a feed block of as many as thirty reams of edgewise stacked paper sheets up the ramp to a singulating feed assembly. A feed screw drive nut carriage engages and drives the pusher plate up ramp, then disengages, retracts under the ramp and travels to a new start position at the ramp's lower end. Sensors and limit switches govern forward and reverse feed screw motor operation; another sensor governs the operation of the singulating feed assembly, delivering shingled sheets on demand to the feeder's infeed tray. The entire sheet feeder is track-mounted, latched in feed position, disengageable for retraction away from the host machine when desired.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method are disclosed for associating a strip with a set of stacked sheets. The strip, which may be paper tape, is positioned intersecting a path along which a set of sheets such as paper sheets is advanced. The sheet set is advanced towards the strip so that the downstream edge of the sheet set engages the strip with portions of the strip extending substantially beyond opposed major sides of the sheet set. The strip is then folded at least once to the sheet set adjacent the downstream edge of the sheet set with the strip portions extending generally adjacent the major sides of the sheet set. The strip is folded by advancing the sheet set and the strip through a nip. The strip is indexed from a roll to the position in the path of the sheet set. The strip is tensioned and is drawn against a knife edge as the sheet set advances through the nip to sever the strip from the roll.

Abstract: A mechanism for feeding sheets having a feed belt on front and rear rollers. A singulator assembly overlying and in contact with the feed belt. An auxiliary roller interposed between said front and rear rollers, with the singulation assembly in contact with the feed belt at a point between the front roller and the auxiliary roller. The singulator having a pair of spaced side frame members, central pressure roller between the spaced frame members, a roller rotatably mounted on each end of the frame members, and a belt surrounding the rollers and the central pressure roller, so that sheets on said feed belt are fed one by one between the singulator assembly and the feed belt.

Abstract: High speed sheet feeders receive blocks or bricks of paper sheets, cards or folders stacked edgewise on a downsloping supply ramp, and singulate these for edgewise feeding in rapid succession. The frontmost sheets ready for feeding are buckled and fanned at their upper edges, and their lower edges are arched forward to form a dimple or ridge-shaped pocket by an underlying central traction singulator. A pair of ganged or synchronized feed belts engage the frontmost sheet and propel it rapidly downward edgewise, and a slanting discharge belt receives and diverts the sheet at even higher speed between the discharge belt and a tractive pinch roller. A transfer assembly beneath the discharge belt may receive sheets from an adjacent feeder and interleave them upon command with sheets delivered by the discharge belt.