Abstract: A semi-automatic lacing machine used to lace a pair of blocks together to form a block and tackle assembly that will frequently be used in the manufacture of other products. The apparatus includes a structure for receiving a pair of blocks and a line therein, and structure including a first and a second guide, and a threader to advance the line through the first and second guides and thereby through the blocks received within the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing a sheet from the top of a stack of sheets and transporting it laterally in the direction of a processing station has a pick roller with an arcuate contact surface for frictionally engaging an exposed edge of the top sheet in a stack. The arcuate contact surface transports the sheet laterally at a small downward angle relative to the plane of the top of the stack. The arcuate contact surface contacts the exposed edge so that portions of the arcuate contact surface adjacent the edge extend both above and below the plane of the top of the stack. A dam is located adajcent but spaced from the arcuate contact surface and below the plane of the top of the stack. The dam slidingly engages the sheet edge and the sheet surface opposite the surface engaged by the arcuate contact surface to guide the sheet edge toward the arcuate contact surface.

Abstract: An apparatus is shown for removing a sheet from the top of a stack of sheets and transporting it laterally in the direction of a processing station. The apparatus comprises a pick mechanism for frictionally engaging the exposed surface of the top sheet in a stack and transporting it laterally substantially in the plane of the top of the stack. An angled dam is located adjacent the pick mechanism for slidingly engaging the sheet edge and the sheet surface opposite the surface engaged by the pick mechanism to lift sheets transported by the frictional engagement device out of the plane of the top of the stack. A first thickness sensor senses the number of sheets that are transported past the dam. A brake responsive to the first thickness sensor selectively apply a friction surface to the sheet surface opposite the surface engaged by the frictional engagement device when more then one sheet is transported past the dam.

Abstract: A system for handling and sorting floppy disk-type data, storage media. A stack of diskettes to be sorted is positioned proximate a diskette reader having a floppy disk drive contained therein. A picker mechanism is disposed beneath the stack and operates to repeatedly remove the lowermost disk from the stack and to feed it via a reversible pinch-roller conveyor first to the drive mechanism in the reader where information is read and then to one of a plurality of sorter bins located serially downstream from the reader via the same conveyor, the particular sorter bin being determined by the information read from the floppy disk.

Abstract: An automatic sheet feeding apparatus (20) for feeding sheets in a forward direction to a scanner device (22) or the like is disclosed. Sheet feeding apparatus (20) includes a frame including side plates (34, 36) a hopper table (40) pivotally mounted at a back edge, and transversely extending frame members (38). A lift mechanism (44) is interconnected to the hopper table (40) for raising the same. A pick roller (26) is utilized to advance the uppermost sheet of the stack of sheets (28) toward the scanner device (22). In addition, the pick roller (26) is operatively interconnected to the lift mechanism (44) to activate the lift mechanism (44) upon being lowered below a predetermined height such that the hopper table (40) is raised by the lift mechanism (44). Sheet separator rollers (30, 32) are positioned forwardly of the pick roller (26) for separating the uppermost sheet from any of the sheets inadvertently moved forwardly therewith.

Abstract: Apparatus for storing and transferring digital electromagnetic information. The apparatus makes use of a plurality of standard pipe cartridges each of which is independently capable of storing a quantity of electromagnetic information. The cartridges are removably stored in a carousel which is rotatably carried on a control housing. The carousel is removable from the control housing, permitting interchangeability of carousels and access to substantial quantitites of stored information. The control housing includes a plurality of independently operable read/write stations, each of which has a read/write head for transferring information. The read/write heads are selectively connected to output ports permitting access to computer equipment. The control housing also includes means for indexing a selected cartridge relative to a selected read/write station.