Abstract: The article separator comprises at least one transfer station (20) receiving the articles to be transferred to the entrance of at least one delivery conveyor (4). Each transfer station is equipped with at least one pickup arm (21) with a suction head (22) at one end, driven between the transfer station and the delivery conveyor and having a plurality of orifices (23) which can be selectively connected to a vacuum source or a blown air source under the control of a video processing circuit (33) coupled to a camera (32) that registers the scene at the front of the transfer station. The separator can handle mail deemed to be non-mechanically-sortable hereto.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for separating a single sheet from a stack of several sheets having the same non-round shape and the same size. The apparatus comprises a container with a recess for holding the stack, a base located underneath the container having a dispensing opening, a separating element with an aperture for receiving the bottom sheet which is to be separated from the stack. The separating element is located between the container and the base and is essentially a flat disc, the thickness of which is smaller than the thickness of a single sheet of the stack. Structure is provided for the container relative to the separating element on an imaginary axis passing through the recess of the container. The dispensing opening of the base and the aperture of the separating element are capable of separating each bottom sheet from the stack and conveying the separated sheet into the dispensing opening of the base.

Abstract: An automatic sheet feeding apparatus permits a choice between an automatic feed mode in which sheets disposed in a stack on a sheet receiving table can be sequentially separated and fed one by one from the bottom of the stack, and a manual feed mode in which a single sheet is manually fed. The sheet separation from the stack occurs by utilizing a separating roller which rotates in a direction in which the sheet is fed, and brake device which is disposed in abutment against the separating roller. The manual feed mode is enabled when the brake device is moved away from the separating roller.

Abstract: A dispenser for a stack of horizontally disposed, rectangular cards or the like and a product vending machine incorporating the dispenser. The dispenser features a magazine for the stack of cards and a dispensing chute beneath the magazine. Between the magazine and the chute, on one lateral side thereof, is a slider with a pair of laterally extending front and rear fingers that can be moved frontally and rearwardly against the front and rear edges, repectively, of the bottommost card of the stack. When the dispenser is actuated, the slider moves rearwardly so that its front finger urges the bottommost card to move rearwardly to an intermediate position in which the rear portions of the card are restrained from moving downwardly while the front portions of the card are free to move downwardly into the dispensing chute.

Abstract: An improvement in a labeling station for bottles having pivoting extractors 2, 3, 4 with convex pickup surfaces, means for applying adhesive to the extractors and means for rolling the extractors over a stack of labels so as to pick up the front-most label which is thereafter supplied to a gripping cylinder, all in conventional manner. In accordance with the invention the labels are present as stacks in a magazine which can be moved from operative to inoperative position by holders which are activated only in the intervals between label removals so that the magazine can be moved to inoperative position when there is a gap in the supply of bottles going through the station.

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying preselected numbers of superimposed prefabricated cardboard blanks of the type having alternating larger and smaller marginal flaps from an auxiliary magazine into the main magazine of a packing machine has a frame which carries the auxiliary magazine above the main magazine and is provided with several lugs which support the larger flaps of the lowermost blank in the auxiliary magazine. A photoelectronic detector monitors the height of the supply of blanks in the main magazine and transmits a signal when the height of the supply drops below a preselected value. This initiates pivotal movement of a pusher which is adjacent to one side of the pile of blanks in the auxiliary magazine whereby the pusher shifts a number of lowermost blanks relative to the lugs so that the lugs register with and can be bypassed by the shorter flaps of the thus released blanks which descend into the main magazine by gravity.

Abstract: The invention relates to automatic sheet feed equipment, particularly for use with microfilm aperture cards that permits ready manual insertion of a sheet into the equipment. The sheets are transported on a plate 12 bearing against a register edge 26 and are moved by engagement in the nip between a drive roll 27c and a counter roll 28c. The counter roll is loosely mounted for vertical movement above the plate 12 and the edge of the plate 12 opposite to the edge 26 is unrestricted so that sheets can easily be inserted in the direction of the arrow A. The rolls preferably have polished surfaces and are each chamfered at least on the side away from the edge 26.

Abstract: In card reading apparatus of the type for reading data processing type cards, an improved picking arrangement for picking and feeding cards from a contained stack in a predetermined manner. The picking arrangement comprises a throat through which the picked cards pass, the throat having an improved toothing design to optimize picking bad cards thereto. The apparatus incorporates an integrated system design for minimizing contact with the information bearing portions of the cards as they are picked and processed.

Abstract: A document transport and separating device which utilizes opposing intermittent motion imparting devices having tips, the end of which are caused to move in an elliptical manner to feed, separate and align documents such as sheets of paper. One end of the tips of the devices are caused to move in an elliptical manner through a combination of application of an intermittent force parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tips of the device at its other end coupled with a rotational movement about a mounting spring which converts the longitudinal force into the elliptical motion. The longitudinal force is applied by pulsing a solenoid or electro magnet. The tips of the opposing devices are flattened at their point of intermediate contact to prevent multiple sheet feeding and greater surface contact and the coefficients of friction of the flattened tip surfaces are greater than the coefficients of friction between each of the sheets such that sheet feeding occurs.