Abstract: A hollow cylinder is fitted with a piston, whose hollow rod or shank protrudes downward from the cylinder to apply lifting suction to print media. The upper end of the cylinder communicates with a suction system. In the cylinder side walls, main passageways and reapportioning passageways apply suction to the underside of the piston when the piston is less than fully extended, drawing the piston down to extend the shank. When the shank is fully extended the piston blocks the reapportioning passageways--reallocating more of the available suction to other feet, in the same system, that remain unextended.

Abstract: A feeder system is disclosed having suction members (30,60) attached to a cage assembly (101) containing sprockets (102,103) and a belt. These suction members (30,60) act simultaneously, but out of phase with one another, picking up, moving and releasing the sheets (TS).

Abstract: A plate feeding system for grasping and moving a plate from a stack of plates. The system includes an arm mechanism having a plate grasping member for grasping the plate and a plate interposing member for interposing between the plate and an adjacent plate. Also disclosed is a method of feeding a plate from a stack of plates. The method includes grasping the plate, using a plate grasping member of an arm mechanism, interposing a member between the plate and an adjacent plate, and transporting the plate.

Abstract: A feeder for separating sheet form elements, such as envelopes, from a stack has a suction device and a mechanical gripper mounted together on a movable head. The movement of the head is controlled by a lever mechanism and cams so that an envelope is first pulled by the suction in the stacking direction and then gripped and pulled laterally from the stack by the gripper.

Abstract: An envelope construction for high speed printing includes a front panel having a flap with a sealing adhesive strip on its back side, and a rear panel secured to the front panel at its marginal edges to form a pocket. The thickness of the adhesive strip is substantially the same as the thickness of the rear panel so that when the flap is opened, the overall configuration of the envelope is flat to facilitate stacking and feeding. The combination of the strip and the rear panel are both secured to the back side of the front panel, and the combination adds a layer of a uniform thickness to provide the desired flat aspect. Like such envelope constructions are arranged in a stack within a paper tray. The topmost one of the envelope constructions is separated from the stack seriatim at high speeds to feed them individually to the printer for printing thereon.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording or reading information on or from a sheet is disclosed. The apparatus includes a holding unit for holding a sheet, a first arm which has one end pivotally fixed to the holding unit, a second arm whose one end or a specific point is pivotally fixed to the first arm, and a driving system. The driving system can integrally move the other end of the first arm and the other end of the second arm, and can change the interval between the other end of the first arm and the other end of the second arm. The apparatus also includes a posture regulating mechanism for regulating the posture of the holding unit with respect to the first arm, a sheet supply unit provided with the holding unit, the first arm, the second arm, the driving system, and the posture regulating mechanism, and a recording or reading unit for performing information recording or information reading on a sheet supplied to the sheet supply unit.

Abstract: Photographic film sheet picking-up device in a feeding apparatus for feeding such sheets from a station containing at least one sheet to a following station, such as a transport or processing station where the film sheets are to be processed one at a time, wherein such sheet picking-up device comprises rubber suction cups containing at least one antistatic compound selected within the group consisting of a) a metal salt selected within the group consisting of perfluoroalkylsulfonylmethide compounds and perfluoroalkylsulfonylimide compounds, b) a perfluoroalkyl(ene)polyoxyethylene non-ionic type surfactant, c) a modified polyoxyethylenepolysiloxane type surfactant, and a mixture of such compounds.

Abstract: A plate material separating apparatus comprises: a horizontal beam (9) movable up and down; a plurality of vacuum hanger members (11) fixedly arranged at regular intervals on both sides of the horizontal beam so as to extend horizontally; a plurality of support vacuum pad devices (13B, 13C) attached to each of the vacuum hanger members at regular intervals in a direction perpendicular to an end surface of a plate material (W); a plurality of pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices (13A) each attached to an end of each of the vacuum hanger members so as to be located near the end surface of the plate material; and a plurality of driving devices (37) each associated with each of the pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices, for pivoting the pivotal take-up vacuum pad device to bend the plate material only at and along the end surface thereof so that air can be introduced between an uppermost plate material and a second plate material, thus allowing the plate material to be separated easily from the stacked materials.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus of uncomplicated structure which can be easily controlled and does not require the necessity of a large motor is implemented at low cost without undergoing the lowering of an attracting force, air leakage and paper contamination. To the outer circumferential surface of a drum-shaped cylinder with air holes are attached, ring-shaped collar having respective air holes and following conveyance elements. The cylinder is inserted through the ring-shaped collars and the following conveyance elements. Each following conveyance element includes a bearing covered with a cover to prevent paper contamination. The bearing is secured to the cylinder by the securing action of the collars.

Abstract: A plate material separating apparatus comprises: a horizontal beam (9) movable up and down; a plurality of vacuum hanger members (11) fixedly arranged at regular intervals on both sides of the horizontal beam so as to extend horizontally; a plurality of support vacuum pad devices (13B, 13C) attached to each of the vacuum hanger members at regular intervals in a direction perpendicular to an end surface of a plate material (W); a plurality of pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices (13A) each attached to an end of each of the vacuum hanger members so as to be located near the end surface of the plate material; and a plurality of driving devices (37) each associated with each of the pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices, for pivoting the pivotal take-up vacuum pad device to bend the plate material only at and along the end surface thereof so that air can be introduced between an uppermost plate material and a second plate material, thus allowing the plate material to be separated easily from the stacked materials.

Abstract: Device for skewed sheet correction in a feeder of a sheet-fed printing press having at least one sucker which is adjustable in height and is disposed on a driven movable sucker carrier for horizontally transporting and simultaneously aligning a sheet lifted from a sheet pile, a rocker arm mounted in a frame of the printing press, the sucker carrier being articulatingly connected to the rocker arm so as to be movable in a feeding direction of the sheet and swingably driven, and a cam guide which is adjustable in height, the sucker carrier being braced against the cam guide, includes another rocker arm adjustably supported in the press frame, the sucker carrier being spaced apart from the first-mentioned rocker arm in a direction transverse to the sheet feeding direction and being articulatingly connected to the other rocker arm.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet supplying device having a suction unit unit for sucking a sheet, and a suction unit unit sucker moving device for moving the suction unit unit, the suction unit unit moving device having a diametrically moving mechanism for moving the suction unit unit diametrically of a predetermined rotary shaft, and a circumferentially moving mechanism for moving the suction unit unit circumferentially of the rotary shaft. Also disclosed is an image recording or reading apparatus for recording an image on a sheet supplied by the use of such sheet supplying device or reading an image from the sheet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for conveying individual blanks, one at a time, from a stack of blanks in a magazine to a form chamber in an erecting machine. The magazine includes bottom and side guides and a conveyor for moving the blanks into a pickup position. A suction cup device is utilized to grip an upper portion of the blank in the pickup position and swing the blank into engagement with a bolster roller set. A segment device having a curved surface is also disclosed for coacting with the bolster roller for swinging the blank from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position for conveying into an erecting machine.

Abstract: A suction head for a feeder of a sheet-fed rotary printing press for feeding sheets of small format through the press in a given direction, including only one double sucker formed of two juxtaposed suction nozzles connected by a transverse tube and being disposed transversely to the feeding direction of the sheets, the only one double sucker being exchangeably secured at a center location of the printing press.

Abstract: An apparatus which uses vacuum to singly feed pieces from a stack. The feeding apparatus has a plate supporting a bottom of the stack and defining a plurality of plate apertures. The plate is connected to a drive mechanism which moves the plate between rearward and forward positions. The plate apertures are in fluid communication with a first vacuum source which provides a vacuum to the plate apertures. When the drive mechanism moves the plate from the rearward to the forward position, the vacuum source provides a vacuum to the plate apertures for holding a bottom-most piece of the stack against the plate. As the bottom-most piece of the stack is moved forward, a metering member prevents other pieces of the stack from being moved along with the bottom-most piece.

Abstract: The palletization of packs (8) of sheets, books or the like is carried out through the conveyance of the packs (8), by a roller assembly (7) formed by powered rollers, in a programmed way stopping certain rollers beneath those packs (8) which are to be stopped in a programmed position and through the transfer and the putting down of the first row of packs (8) on a palletization stand (12) together with the picking up and the putting down of a separating sheet (10) on every complete layer of packs (8) formed on the palletization stand (12).

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding products, such as cards and product samples to a further processing point is disclosed. The apparatus has a magazine device which has at least two magazine compartments and a conveying device having successive grippers which travel over the magazine device. During a certain time period, a transporting member corresponding to one of the magazine compartments is activated so that it feeds products contained in the compartment one after another to the grippers as the grippers travel over the compartment. At a desired point in time, the active transporting member is deactivated and a transporting member corresponding to another magazine compartment is activated in order that uninterrupted operation is provided. While the subsequent magazine compartment is in operation, the previously active compartment can be moved from its working position and resupplied with products.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding products, such as cards and product samples to a further processing point is disclosed. The apparatus has a magazine device which has at least two magazine compartments and a conveying device having successive grippers which travel over the magazine device. During a certain time period, a transporting member corresponding to one of the magazine compartments is activated so that it feeds products contained in the compartment one after another to the grippers as the grippers travel over the compartment. At a desired point in time, the active transporting member is deactivated and a transporting member corresponding to another magazine compartment is activated in order that uninterrupted operation is provided. While the subsequent magazine compartment is in operation, the previously active compartment can be moved from its working position and resupplied with products.

Abstract: A rotary placer for picking, transferring and placing a carton from a stack of cartons or sleeves in a magazine to an assembly position. The rotary placer includes a frame driven for rotation about a first axis and supporting an arm having an inner end and an outer end. The outer end of the arm has vacuum cups for engaging and releasably retaining a carton for movement from the pick position to the place position. The arm is reciprocated from an extended position to a retracted position. The vacuum cups engage a carton when the arm is in the extended position and the arm retracts to remove the carton from the magazine and carry it toward the place position. The arm again is extended as it reaches the place position. A cam guide controls the movement of the vacuum cups so they move linearly away from a carton in the magazine.

Abstract: A feeder for a sheet-processing machine includes at least one lifting sucker carried by a suction head for lifting a paper sheet from a sheet pile, a device for taking over the lifted paper sheet and for conveying the paper sheet from the lifted position thereof above the sheet pile to a sheet-processing unit, a device for applying a continuously acting force potential upon the lifting sucker downwardly in a direction towards the sheet pile, a suction device for cyclically controllably raising the lifting sucker in a direction opposing the force potential, the suction device being disposed rotationally symmetrically with respect to an axis of the lifting sucker, and being controllable for maintaining the lifting sucker in the raised position thereof on the suction head.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for feeding sheets, one by one, from a stack of sheets. The sheet feeding device basically comprises a suction cup or pad which is used to attract and hold an uppermost one of stacked sheets for thereby taking out the uppermost sheet from the stacked sheets and which is swingable at a given angular range, a delivery mechanism for receiving the uppermost sheet from the suction pad for deliverying the same to a succeeding device, a drive source for swinging the suction pad, and a control circuit for swinging the suction pad at, at least, either a first angular velocity or a second angular velocity which is lower than the first angular velocity and is used to deliver the uppermost sheet to the delivery mechanism. The sheet conveying speed the delivery mechanism to the succeeding device can accurately be adjusted so as to match with the actual sheet conveying speed of the succeeding device.

Abstract: Lifts or sets of precise count are withdrawn from a stack of sheets. A reciprocating vacuum head serially pulls away sheet corners from the stack. Each sheet is stripped from the head and held by the backside of the head at a holding zone axially spaced apart from the stack until the desired quantity in the set is accumulated. A wedge then interposes in the space between the set of restrained corners and the rest of the stack, to bend the upper half of the sheet set away from the stack while the rest of the set remains in contact with the stack. Then nip rollers engage the bent away parts as a set and draw away the whole of the set transversely.

Abstract: In terms of their operational reliability, apparatuses for discharging from a magazine of flat-laid packaging container blanks of the type used for manufacturing packaging containers for liquid contents are greatly dependent upon the quality of the packaging container blanks themselves. In the event of variations in friction or abutment pressure between the packaging container blanks, there is a risk that more than one blank is discharged at a time, or alternatively that no blank is discharged at all. In order to ensure a dependable function with repeated discharge of one blank at a time and at a predetermined rate, the apparatus according to the present invention includes a pivotal lever provided with at least one suction cup. The lever displaces one packaging container blank at a time from the discharge end of a magazine past a segmented wheel which grasps the discharged blank between a rubber cladding and a counter wheel for further advancement to a conveyor.

Abstract: Sheets such as photographic films are fed, one by one, from a stack of sheets on a sheet support to a sheet delivery mechanism. Suction cups for attracting an uppermost sheet of the stack are moved toward the stack, and activated to attract the uppermost sheet. The suction cups are then moved to remove the uppermost sheet from the stack while the suction cups are being inclined a predetermined angle from a direction perpendicularly to the uppermost sheet toward opposite to a direction in which the sheet is fed. The removed uppermost sheet is then transferred to the sheet delivery mechanism in the direction in which the sheet is fed.

Abstract: Apparatus for the separate supply of film bags to a filling machine, with a belt conveyor receiving the film bags as an oblique, fanned out stack. A drive acts on the belt conveyor. A separating wheel is positioned adjacent to the delivery section of the belt conveyor and rests on the top film bag brought in by the belt conveyor. A lever vertically supports the separating wheel and a drive moves the separating wheel. A sensor determines the height of the separating wheel above the belt conveyor. Such sensor controls the drive for the belt conveyor (12). A linear unit supplies a bag to the filling machine.

Abstract: By a first conveying device printing products are fed in an imbricated formation (S), in which each printing product rests on the following one, the fold edge of the folded products forming the trailing edge. The printing products are pushed into an intermediate stack from below. The respectively uppermost product of this intermediate stack is seized in the region of the fold edge by at least one sucker of a sucker arrangement, raised upward and brought into the conveying region (F) of a second conveying device. The latter has individually controllable grippers which are arranged at regular intervals, circulate along a closed path, seize the fold edges delivered by the sucker arrangement and convey away the printing products thus seized. By forming an intermediate stack, from which the printing products are then raised by the sucker arrangement at the desired rate and fed to the grippers, even imbricated formations (S) occurring with irregularities can be processed satisfactorily.

Abstract: A device whereby a pile of rectangular items is placed on an inclined surface and pushed towards the straight front edge thereof by a push unit. The surface presents two pairs of conveyor belts parallel to each other and coplanar with the surface; and the pile is arrested upon a bottom portion of the first item in the pile activating a first or second limit stop sensor, which activates a respective pair of belts so as to move the bottom left or right portion of the item and so orient the item in relation to a gripping plane. A gripping unit with two suction cups movable along a three-dimensional trajectory grips the oriented item and feeds it to a follow-up conveyor belt.

Abstract: By means of a lever mechanism a suction head periodically connectable to a vacuum source is moved along a closed orbit between a pick-up point and a delivery point. At the pick-up point the suction head grips the respectively uppermost product in a stack and brings it to the delivery point, at which the product is released. The drive shaft of the lever mechanism is driven by a drive device at a varying speed in such a manner that the suction head is moved along its movement path at a speed which is minimal in the region of the pick-up point during the carrying along of a product immediately after it has been gripped, and then increases. Faultless gripping of the printing products is thereby achieved and the next printing product is prevented from being carried off with it by the action of suction.The drive device may be an intermediate or superimposition transmission unit which is driven at constant speed of rotation on by a drive motor and which for example is in the form of a rotating slider crank.

Abstract: The enclosure feed device is constituted in such a way that a drive motor is provided for rockably driving a rocking arm, and a control unit is provided for causing the memory section to input the variable amount relative to the sucking position of the sucking cap in conformity with the thickness of said enclosures from the variable amount inputting section and storing the same and adjusting the sucking position of said sucking cap by controllably energizing the drive motor for sucking operation in accordance with the variable amount stored in the memory by means of the CPU section.

Abstract: In order to avoid disruption of a stack of signatures, particularly when a cyclically operable signature feeding apparatus is temporarily disabled, the utilization of a unique disabling arrangement is contemplated. The signature feeding apparatus will generally include a driven rotary drum having a plurality of signature grippers disposed about the periphery thereof. The signature grippers are adapted to grip signatures seriatim from a signature supply hopper. A vacuum assembly is driven by a cam for shifting signatures seriatim from the signature supply hopper to the rotary drum for gripping by the signature grippers. The vacuum assembly includes a source of vacuum operatively associated with oscillating vacuum grippers. The signature feeding apparatus further includes a cam follower operatively associated with the vacuum assembly to control operation of the vacuum assembly responsive to engagement with a surface of the cam.

Abstract: Device for controlling an individual separation of sheets incorrectly separated from a sheet pile, including a lifting device for lifting an uppermost sheet of the sheet pile so as to feed it to a machine associated therewith, includes a structure having parts of a contactless measuring arrangement insertable between the lifted sheet and the remainder of the sheet pile for measuring the thickness of the lifted sheet, and a circuit arrangement connected to the lifting device and the measuring arrangement for evaluating signals of the measuring arrangement regarding a presence of double or multiple sheets and generating a switching signal for starting or stopping the operation of the lifting device, the structure being formed as a bifurcated contact foot having two legs and a scanning gap defined therebetween, each of the legs, respectively, including parts of the measuring arrangement for measuring the sheet thickness and, in a measuring position of the measuring arrangement, one of the legs being inserted bet

Abstract: An apparatus for use in handling sheet material articles includes a feed drum which is rotatable to sequentially pull sheet material articles from a hopper. A separator assembly includes a rotatable separator disk in which a plurality of gaps are formed. A plurality of suction applicator heads are rotatable with the separator disk relative to the hopper. Each of the suction applicator heads is aligned with a gap in the separator disk. During rotation of the separator disk and suction applicator heads together relative to the hopper, the suction applicator heads are operable to sequentially apply suction to lower side surfaces of lowermost sheet material article in the hopper. The feed drum pulls one sheet material article from the hopper while a next succeeding sheet material article in the hopper is engaged by a suction applicator head.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for feeding sheets, one by one, from a stack of sheets. The sheet feeding device basically comprises a suction cup or pad which is used to attract and hold an uppermost one of stacked sheets for thereby taking out the uppermost sheet from the stacked sheets and which is swingable at a given angular range, a delivery mechanism for receiving the uppermost sheet from the suction pad for deliverying the same to a succeeding device, a drive source for swinging the suction pad, and a control circuit for swinging the suction pad at, at least, either a first angular velocity or a second angular velocity which is lower than the first angular velocity and is used to deliver the uppermost sheet to the delivery mechanism. The sheet conveying speed the delivery mechanism to the succeeding device can accurately be adjusted so as to match with the actual sheet conveying speed of the succeeding device.

Abstract: Apparatus for effecting selective withdrawal of cups and the like in which bakery products such as muffins or cupcakes are baked, wherein each cup nested in a stack is subjected to a suction within the cavity defined by the cup to cause the sidewall thereof to move away from the next cup in the stack while being moved from the stack, and providing positive air pressure between and around the sidewall of any such next cup which is frictionally engaged to the cup being withdrawn, thereby to force such next cup out of frictional engagement and back into its nested position.

Abstract: The device is arranged in the form of a complete assembly group on two plates (1,2) screwed together by spacer bolts (18). Guide slots (1a,1b,2a,2b) of similar arrangement and design serve for positively guiding a reciprocable carriage (9,10). The carriage (9,10) comprises a guide member (9) with guide rollers (12,13,33,34) which are supported on ball bearings, bars (3,4) being hinged to the guide member which at their other ends are hinged to drivers (5,6). The drivers (5) are secured to toothed belts (7,8) guided and driven by gear wheels (16,30) mounted on the plates. A carrier (10) is mounted on the guide member (9) so as to be shiftable, liftable and tiltable and supports a pivotally mounted suction plate (11,22). The guide slots are arranged in a position inclined towards the cassette (27) to be unloaded while the toothed belts (7,8) are arranged in an angular position opening in this direction.

Abstract: The collating device sucks up the topmost sheet of the paper stack on the paper table by the suction head and feeds forward the sheet one after another. The paper table is being given an upward force by a spring. This paper table moves up to the position where the topmost sheet of the paper stack on the paper table contacts with a stopper. This stopper moves up during the period when the suction head feeds forward the topmost sheet. At this time, an electromagnetic brake is set at the on-state and fixes the position of the paper table. The suction head, stopper, electromagnetic brake and the like rotate at the predetermined timing based on the rotation of cams. Thus, according to this invention it is possible not only to save the cost of the device but also to operate the device at high speed.

Abstract: A tractor nozzle device for fast running sheet feeders is distinguished in that rubber-metal bushings (66, 72) are provided for the bearings between the support bridge and the rocker as bearings for the mutual absorption of the back-and-forth movements (44) as well as the additional deflection movements (106).

Abstract: They consist of an adjustable mechanism to feed the cardboard sheets with which boxes are formed and of a lifting device of the laps that said cardboard sheets have.The purpose of the adjustable mechanism for the feeding of the sheets is to adjust the position of the vacuum suction pads for the feeding of the cardboard sheets, whatever the dimensions thereof are, without the need to stop the assembly machine. For this reason, the groups of suction pads have their supports resting on two split contrary thread spindles, in such a way that with a single manual control and connecting both spindles by chain transmission displacement thereof is obtained all along the guide bars, thus establishing the work position of said suction pads.The purpose of the lap lifting device is to automatically effect the lifting of the laps to the predetermined angular position.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for picking up and feeding sheets accommodated in an accommodating portion by movable suction disks. The accommodating portion has concave portion on the bottom so that the suction disks are inserted thereto and retracted therefrom, and a cleaning member is arranged within the concave portion to clean the suction disks when no sheet is present in the accommodating portion.

Abstract: In a resilient lifting nozzle and tracer bearing for sheet feeders, the upward and downward oscillating movements as well as the resilient pressure of the cam roller against the cam plate are provided by rubber-metal bushings.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating sheets of material. The apparatus includes: a device for supporting adjacent sheets of material; a vacuum cup for acquiring one of the adjacent sheets of material, the vacuum cup having a circumferential inner wall with an opening adjacent the one sheet of material and a circumferential outer wall coaxial with and surrounding but spaced from the inner wall, wherein the inner wall closes the end of the outer wall adjacent the one sheet of material, and wherein the outer wall includes a flexible, corrugated section enabling the outer wall to collapse in the axial direction; and a device to create separate vacuums within the inner wall and the outer wall, wherein the vacuum within the inner wall causes the vacuum cup to acquire the one material sheet and the vacuum within the outer wall causes the cup to collapse and move away from the supporting device to thereby separate the one material sheet from its adjacent sheets.

Abstract: A suction device for removing X-ray sheet films from a dispenser magazine of an X-ray sheet film cassette loading and unloading device has at least two suction elements and is displaceable so that for withdrawing an X-ray sheet film from a dispenser magazine it is movable to a withdrawal position, the withdrawn X-ray sheet film is taken from the suction device by a transporting roller pair, and a control device controls the transporting movement of the suction device and a tranasporting roller pair as well as the opening and closing of the dispenser magazine. The suction elements are arranged on a suction element axle which is movable in two displaceable suction element axial bearings, a lifting basket is articulately connected to a base plate by four hinge members, and a drive element is arranged on the base plate and moves the lifting basket and the suction element axle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for feeding sheets, one by one, to an automatic photographic processor or the like. The sheet feeding device generally includes a suction pad for taking out an uppermost sheet of stacked sheets stored in a sheet placement unit, a delivery mechanism for delivering the uppermost sheet to a sheet discharge port, a shutter mechanism used to open and close the sheet discharge port, a sheet insertion slot for directly introducing an extra sheet other than said stacked sheets to the sheet discharge port, a cover capable of opening and closing the sheet insertion slot, a magazine capable of accommodating a roll of sheet therein and capable of being disposed in the sheet insertion slot, a swingable plate having one end coupled to a drive source and the other end brought into engagement with the shutter mechanism so as to open and close the shutter mechanism, and a sensor for detecting angular positions of the swingable plate.

Abstract: A device for singly separating stacked sheet-like elements, includes at least one sucker for applying vacuum, the sucker being deformable for varying the volume thereof, and a vertically and rotatably displaceable holder formed with an inner air duct and having a lower end at which the sucker is disposed. Further included are a closure device controllable in accordance with a given operating cycle for opening and closing the air duct, a drive device for vertically and rotatingly displacing the holder, a support operatively coupled with the drive device and having a guide device for guiding the displaceable holder substantially perpendicularly to a suction surface of the sucker and between respective stops at spaced-apart locations of the guide device, and a resilient device for biasing the holder in a direction towards a lower end position thereof.

Abstract: The sucker assembly is driven into contact with the stack of sheets by a fluid drive air cylinder at relatively slow speed. The stack of sheets is held at a steep incline in the hopper which includes a stock advance drive for keeping the entire stack properly positioned adjacent the sucker pickup point. A pressure sensing transducer measures the vacuum at the suction cupped tip of the sucker and triggers the relatively brisk retraction of a single sheet when proper vacuum is sensed.

Abstract: In order to avoid disruption of a stack of signatures, particularly when a cyclically operable signature feeding apparatus is temporarily disabled, the utilization of a unique latch arrangement is contemplated. The feeding apparatus will generally include a driven rotary drum having a plurality of signature grippers disposed about the periphery thereof. The signature grippers are adapted to grip signatures seriatim upon receipt from a signature supply hopper. A suction assembly is driven by a cam for shifting signatures seriatim from the signature supply hopper to the rotary drum for gripping by the signature grippers. The suction assembly includes oscillating suction grippers together with a vacuum control valve. The signature feeding apparatus further includes a cam follower operatively associated with the suction assembly to control movement of the oscillating suction grippers and operation of the vacuum control valve.

Abstract: The apparatus for collecting, counting and stacking material in sheets has two cascade conveyors, a loading device arranged upstream of the first conveyor, a counting station arranged downstream of the second conveyor, and a station for stacking a material in sheets or in modular pieces which have already been counted in the counting station.

Abstract: Label applier of an automatically operated label applying system is selectively controlled by a machine operator to rotate self-adhesive labels to any of a variety of different angular orientations in response to interception of a driving bevel gear at a predetermined position. A driven pinion gear which carries a vacuum wand with a vacuum gripper on an end thereof rotates the wand and label to any one of 90, 180 or 270 degrees, depending on which of three intercepting pins is activated under selective control of an operator. In the event no intercepting pin is activated, the drive gear rotates through the same angle as its supporting shaft and effectively avoids rotation of the driven gear and turning of the label. The label applier is remotely controlled by automatic means, thereby avoiding the necessity to make manual changes to the applier each time a new angular orientation becomes necessary.

Abstract: A paper feeding device which extracts from a cassette accommodating a stack of sheets such sheets one at a time and feeds them to the next step, namely an image forming part, comprises an attracting member capable of being moved between an attracting position at which the attracting member attracts a sheet from within the cassette and a feeding position which lies above the attracting position, a pressing roller capable of being moved between a position of retraction and the feeding position, and a rotary roller capable of cooperating with the pressing roller in nipping the sheet at the feeding position. The pressing roller moves to the feeding position after the elapse of a prescribed time following the completion of the motion of the sheet by the attracting member to the feeding position. The rotary roller is rotatably set in place at the feeding position.

Abstract: A method for individual transfer of offset printing plates from a magazine in which the plates are supported at their lower edges and stacked with their respective non-coated sides facing upwards, to a receiving table. The receiving table receives each plate with the non-coated side of the plate facing downwards. The uppermost plate of the stack is gripped by a gripping device engaging the non-coated side of the plate in such a manner that the plate is retained by the gripping means during the transfer to the receiving table.