Abstract: A transportation portion includes an apparatus body, a cover, first and second path formation portions, and a movement portion. The apparatus body has a transportation path including a downward path and an upward path having portions located at the same level in the Z direction. The cover covers and uncovers the transportation path. The first path formation portion is movable to a first position and to a second position. The second path formation portion defines the upward path and defines the downward path with the first path formation portion. The movement portion moves the first path formation portion in response to opening or closing of the cover. The first path formation portion is positioned in a movement area during a closed state. The movement portion moves the first path formation portion to the second position when the cover is opened and to the first position when the cover is closed.

Abstract: A medium reversing and discharging device includes a discharger that discharges a medium in a paper discharge direction from a discharge outlet, a holder that holds and reverses the medium, and a driver that moves the holder such that when a first plane along a portion of the medium in contact with the discharge outlet does not intersect with a second plane along a portion of the medium held by the holder on a downstream side in the paper discharge direction of the discharge outlet a moving speed at which the holder moves is lower than a discharge speed at which the medium is discharged from the discharge outlet.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for taking flexible sheets off a delivery belt, such as from a scanner or copier, and restacking them in the order and orientation (face) they were originally scanned in. This requires flipping over such sheets by use of a spindle wheel with a plurality of fingers defining slots therebetween for receiving the sheets and reversing their face (flipping). By knowing the speed of the delivery belt and using a continuously spinning spindle wheel it is possible to avoid the effects of momentum on the fingers which distorts their position during stopping and starting action. Instead, the spindle wheel is in constant rotation but the speed of rotation is adjusted from a first speed, then a second tapering speed, to a third speed which is adapted to ensure that the slot between fingers is accurately presented to the leading edge as it enters the slot and does not get rejected by an accidental encounter with a finger.

Abstract: A wall mounted heat exchanger including a plurality of panels. Individual panels may include a first end, a second end, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a first gap disposed along the second end, and a second gap disposed along the second sidewall. A first plurality of panels may be arranged such that first ends of the first plurality of panels are co-planar with second ends of a second plurality of panels and first sidewalls of the first plurality of panels are co-planar with second sidewalls of the second plurality of panels. The first plurality of panels and the second plurality of panels, when arranged, may form a plurality of first inlets from the second gap, a plurality of first outlets from the first gap, a plurality of second inlets from the second gap, and a plurality of second outlets from the first gap.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a first conveyor deck having a first plurality of contact elements, each having a contact surface movable around a closed path from a contact region to a non-contact region, the first contact regions lying in a plane or being bounded by the plane and a second conveyor deck having a second plurality of contact elements, each having a contact surface movable around a closed path from a contact region to a non-contact region, these contact regions lying in a second plane or being bounded by the second plane. The transport path of the conveyor is defined by the contact surfaces of the first and second contact elements in the contact regions, and the first plurality of contact elements are belts and the second plurality of contact elements are wheels.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device for forming a stack of subsequent sheets includes a rotatably arranged flipping element and a closed-loop shaped friction element. The flipping element includes a slot at its circumferential edge for accepting at least a portion of a sheet. In a first rotation zone, the flipping element is able to accept the sheet into the slot and, in a second rotation zone, the sheet is conveyed out of the slot onto the top of the stack of subsequent sheets. The friction element is moveably arranged on the flipping element, and is controllable to move into a first radial position and a second radial position. In the first radial position, the friction element does not apply a frictional force to a sheet in the transport path and in the second radial position, the friction element does apply a frictional force to a sheet in the transport path.

Abstract: A banknote dispenser of a financial self-service device is provided for storing, separating and discharging banknotes. The banknote dispenser is provided with a housing, a banknote separating mechanism for separating a stack of banknotes piece by piece, a banknote pressing mechanism for pushing the stack of banknotes towards the banknote separating mechanism, and a limiting block for ensuring that the stack of banknotes are separated piece by piece and configured to allow the ends of the stack of banknotes to form an acute angle state when being separated. A banknote picking wheel and a banknote separating wheel assembly of the banknote separating mechanism are each provided with a one-way bearing, and at least one guide rib is arranged on the surface of the limiting block in the stacking direction of the banknotes, and the height of the guide rib reduces progressively in the direction towards the banknote outlet.

Abstract: The stacking wheel has one or a plurality of first and second stacking-wheel disks which are disposed on an axle in a mutually concentric relationship and spaced apart in the axial direction. Distributed over their circumference, the stacking-wheel disks respectively have a plurality of sheet slots for receiving a sheet and are disposed in a mutually staggered relationship in a portion of the sheet slots. An azimuthal profile offset of the stacking-wheel disks has the effect that the sheet slots of the first stacking-wheel disk run ahead of or run behind the sheet slots of the second stacking-wheel disk. The sheet slots of the first and second stacking-wheel disks have at their radially inside end an azimuthal profile offset that is reduced or eliminated again up to the slot end of the sheet slots. This avoids damage to the stacked sheets.

Abstract: The sheet compartments of a stacking wheel of a stacking device, as used in sheet goods processing devices, in particular in banknote processing machines and automated money deposit and/or withdrawal machines, have a wavy contour. The braking effect on the banknotes fed into the sheet compartments is thereby increased, so that the banknotes can be fed into the sheet compartments at increased speed without being damaged.

Abstract: A sheet inverting device and a method of inverting a folded sheet include an inverting element that inverts the sheet around an axis of rotation towards a receiving member for receiving the sheet, and at least one moveable stop member that limits, in a first position of the stop member above the receiving member, an unfolding movement of the sheet in a direction towards a far side of the receiving member. The stop member is adapted to be retracted from the first position into a second position of the stop member.

Abstract: Large-diameter entry rollers, and small-diameter entry rollers pressing against the large-diameter entry rollers via a conveyance belt enter a paper sheet in an accumulation part via an entrance slot. A central upper guide member makes contact with an upper surface of a central portion of the banknote. Both sides lower guide members guide the banknote while causing the banknote to curve in the shape of large U in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the banknote by lifting up both ends of the banknote entered in the accumulation part with the use of an upwardly curved tip. The front end of the banknote does not hang down despite being beaten by vanes, and the banknote goes between the vanes. The banknote is rotationally conveyed, hits the stoppers to stop, is disengaged from a swirling vane wheel, and is accumulated.

Abstract: A media presenter is described. The media presenter comprises: a chassis including a central track; a nose coupled to the chassis at a nose end of the chassis; and a carriage. The nose includes a presenting end distal from the chassis, and a nose track arranged to couple to the central track to provide a presenting track extending from the chassis to the presenting end. The carriage is mounted on the presenting track for movement therealong, and comprises a carriage body and a carriage plate movable between an open position at which media items can be placed on the carriage plate, and a closed position for clamping media items between the carriage plate and the carriage body.

Abstract: A method and to a device for conveying planar products (12), particularly folded printed products. At a transfer point (A), the products (12) are inserted with the leading edges (14) thereof ahead into compartments (22) of a revolving system (20) in the form of a paddle wheel, the compartments moving along a closed revolving path (U), and removed from the compartments (22) at a transfer point (B) by way of grippers (32) of a gripper conveyor (30) and conveyed away. The products are seized by the grippers (32) at the trailing edges (16). The seizing of the trailing edge (16), which preferably is not the folded open product edge, has the advantage that it can be implemented without a complicated engagement of the revolving system (20) and gripper conveyor (30) and that the further conveyance and further processing of the products (12) are simplified.

Abstract: A media transport comprises: a media entrance for receiving a length of media (such as a receipt); an arcuate media store for storing the length of media in a coiled configuration; a media exit (such as a receipt aperture) through which the length of media can be presented (for example, to a customer); and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is operable in a first direction to drive the length of media from the entrance into the arcuate media store. The drive mechanism is also operable in a second direction to drive the length of media from the entrance through the media exit for presentation to a customer.

Abstract: A paper sheet stacking apparatus includes: a feeding unit 26 configured to feed in paper sheets one by one from outside; a rotary body 10 including a holding member 16 for holding the paper sheet fed in by the feeding unit 26, the rotary body 10 being configured to be rotated with the paper sheet being held by the holding member 16, so as to transport the paper sheet along a rotational direction of the rotary body 10; and a stacking unit 32 on which the paper sheets transported by the rotary body 10 are stacked on one another.

Abstract: A stacker infeed machine providing adjustment of a gripper drum with respect to an overhead conveyor system. The infeed further provides for separate adjustment of a conveyor system with respect to the gripper drum without altering the vertical spacing between the gripper drum and the overhead conveyor.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for driving a fan wheel of a web-fed printing press is disclosed. The fan wheel is driven, at least in a predetermined time period (tv-tD) in the production cycle, at a fan wheel speed, which in addition to a rotary drive speed component is comprised of an oscillating speed component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for depositing sheets for a printing machine, said device comprising at least one rotating drivable sheet transport element, which is designed to receive or grasp a leading edge of a sheet and deposit said sheet on a stack after said sheet has traveled a path of rotation, and comprising at least one drag element for pulling a sheet that has been deposited on the stack toward a mechanical stop. With the present invention, the drag element is coupled with the rotation of the sheet transport element and is arranged in such a manner that said drag element can assume an inoperative position within the region covered by the rotating sheet transport element, and that said drag element, in order to perform its dragging function, can be moved at least partially out of the region covered by the rotating sheet transport element.

Abstract: A sheet flipping device including a receiving member for receiving a sheet, a flipping volume defined by the flipping movement of the sheet when in operation, a flipping element for flipping the sheet around an axis of rotation within the flipping volume onto the receiving member, and a discharge element arranged adjacent to said flipping volume, the discharge element having a base extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the axis of rotation and having multiple electrodes with an end portion extending in a direction towards the flipping volume. The sheet flipping device is useable in a sheet stacking device and an image reproduction apparatus.

Abstract: A media stacker unit comprises: (i) at least one stacker wheel and (ii) a detent. The stacker wheel includes: a hub for mounting on an axle, and a plurality of arcuate tines, each tine being coupled to the hub at a hub end and extending transverse to the axle to a point radially spaced from the axle at a capture end. When the stacker wheel is rotated about the axle, the capture ends traverse a capture circumference. Each tine further comprises a resilient tine portion. The detent partially extends within the capture circumference for engaging with and temporarily retarding a capture end as the stacker wheel is rotated. This reduces the time during which that capture end blocks a media transport path, thereby reducing the possibility of a media item colliding with a capture end and jamming the media stacker unit.

Abstract: A conveying arrangement for printed products includes a feed conveyor to successively transport the printed products in a transporting direction to a takeover region, a transporting device having a transfer region to receive the printed products, and a circulating intermediate conveyor to transport the printed products from the takeover region to the transfer region of the transporting device. The circulating intermediate conveyor includes an endless track having a plurality of conveying elements to respectively grip the printed products and transport the gripped printed products from the takeover region to the transfer region where the printed products are transferred to the transporting device. The conveying elements have a swiveling axis that extends transverse to the transporting direction, wherein at least in an area between the takeover region and the transfer region, the conveying elements execute a controlled swiveling movement around the swiveling axis.

Abstract: In a mail processing machine, a fixed mounting of an envelope turning station relative to an upstream stuffing station, and therefore a simple construction of the drive for the envelope turning station, can be achieved in that the items of goods for despatch to be turned through 180° are drawn by grippers of a gripper chain into the region of horizontally opening tongs of the envelope turning cylinder of the envelope turning station, in such a way that, in each case irrespective of the longitudinal format of the items of goods for despatch, the latter are gripped by the turning cylinder tongs over their entire length, for which purpose the gripper chain, together with the stuffing table supporting it, is designed to be displaceable with respect to the turning station in the conveying direction of the goods for despatch, in a manner dependent on the envelope format.

Abstract: A paper sheet processing apparatus has a take-in device which takes in notes set in a setting unit, a judgment device which judges the quality and condition of a note taken in by the take-in device, a stacking box which stacks the note judged the quality and condition by the judgment device, a backup which is provided movably up and down in the stacking box and stacks notes, and a control device which variably controls the position of the backup based on the result of judgment by the judgment device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet roller capable of achieving compactness and thinness, and improves space usability and design freedom. The sheet roller includes a roller body coupled with the rotation shaft, a plurality of coupling members coupled with a side surface of the roller body in order to surround a part of an outer peripheral surface of the roller body, and disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the roller body in such a manner as to be spaced apart from one another, and an elastic sheet interposed between the roller body and each of the plurality of coupling members. The roller body is formed to have a predetermined thickness thereof while maintaining a predetermined shape and strength thereof, and thus, improving space usability and the design freedom of an automatic transaction machine where the sheet roller is mounted.

Abstract: According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided a printing system the use of an elastomer belt that would flex during media insertion, yet would be positioned and constructed such to prevent the media from escaping the pinch created by the gripper belt. The gripping force, created by the elastomer belt, increases if the sheet attempts to be removed via the orientation and mechanical advantage of the belt construction. This system also incorporates a feature to reduce the gripper belt holding force by means of a mechanical linkage actuated by a counter weighted, cam system or possibly an electromechanical device. The elastomer belt would eliminate any marks or scuffs on the media when it is removed from the disk stacker.

Abstract: A media dispenser has a delivery module for feeding media, a stacking module for stacking the media, which are fed through the delivery module, on a stacking plate, and a delivery clamp module for clamping the media stacked on the stacking module and delivering the clamped media to the customer, and for feeding the media, which the customer did not take out, to the stacking plate. A path through which the media clamped by the delivery clamp module are fed to a reject box is opened by moving the stacking plate of the stacking module. The method comprises the steps of returning the media onto the stacking plate by a clamp assembly, opening a reject slot by allowing a driving plate to be moved by a driving source and the stacking plate to be moved together with the driving plate, and dropping the media as the clamp assembly unclamps the media through the opened reject slot.

Abstract: At least two coaxially rotatable sheet conveyors, operating together with one another, are provided, of which the first sheet conveyor, with a jacket surface serving as placement for the sheet, specifies essentially a curvature path for the sheet to be conveyed, and the second sheet conveyor has at least one gripping element to grip the accepted front edge of the sheet, in such a way that the front edge of the sheet can be gripped and conveyed between the gripping element and the jacket sheet.

Abstract: Depositing a sheet of paper onto a stack of sheets of paper, preferably for use in a printing press, where the sheet to be deposited is grasped by at least one rotationally drivable sheet conveyor member with the front edge of the sheet fed into a receptacle, and the sheet's front edge is released from the receptacle of the rotating sheet conveyor member prior to depositing of the sheet onto the stack of sheets, and instead, it is deposited into a receptacle of an intermediate transport member where it is further released for depositing the sheet onto the stack of sheets.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for depositing sheets for a printing machine, said device comprising at least one rotating drivable sheet transport element (6), which is designed to receive or grasp a leading edge of a sheet and deposit said sheet on a stack after said sheet has traveled a path of rotation, and comprising at least one drag element (10) for pulling a sheet that has been deposited on the stack toward a mechanical stop. With the present invention, the drag element is coupled with the rotation of the sheet transport element and is arranged in such a manner that said drag element can assume an inoperative position within the region covered by the rotating sheet transport element, and that said drag element, in order to perform its dragging function, can be moved at least partially out of the region covered by the rotating sheet transport element.

Abstract: At least two sheet conveyors are provided in such a way that several of these conveyors can rotate around the common axis, essentially independent of one another, and thus one of these sheet conveyors is ready to accept or detect the next sheet, if another of these sheet conveyors is still occupied with the transport or the placement of a preceding sheet and that a sensor is coupled mechanically with several of these sheet conveyors.

Abstract: This is a stacker/stitcher assembly having two disc stackers facing each other. In between the stackers is a common collection tray for receiving the stacked substrates. The assembly can handle printed output of up to 360 ppm. A bypass is provided to divert printed substrates to an exit tray or another finishing station including disc stackers.

Abstract: A transport apparatus, including a first transport portion for transporting one signature, a second transport portion for transporting other signature, and a fan wheel for entering both sheets, which have been transported by the first and second transport portions, between vanes thereof, and rotationally transporting the sheets, comprises: a main frame for supporting the first transport portion and the fan wheel; a movable frame for supporting the second transport portion; a first adjusting device for moving the main frame and the movable frame by the same amount; and a second adjusting device for moving the movable frame relative to the main frame.

Abstract: A flexible blade for use in a paddle wheel drive element is disclosed. This flexible blade, usually made from rubber or other flexible materials is horizontally split into two sections to provide reduced audible noise when the blade contacts and moves paper sheets.

Abstract: Included are: a fan wheel for holding and rotationally transporting signatures delivered from a printing press; a pair of side guides for restricting the signatures in the width direction which are held in the fan wheel; a side-guide rodless air cylinder for moving a side guide between side-guide guide positions for guiding the signatures and side-guide retraction positions for retraction to the outside of the fan wheel in the radial direction thereof; a side-guide drive motor for moving the side guide in the width direction of the signatures; and a controller which controls the side-guide rodless air cylinder and the side-guide drive motor so that the side guide moves in accordance with the lengths in the width direction of the signatures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a delivery clamp module and a control method thereof. According to the present invention, there is provided a delivery clamp module. The delivery clamp module comprises a clamp guide with a movement guide rail included therein; a delivery tray movable along the rail of the clamp guide by means of a driving force of a tray delivery motor; a clamp base rotatably connected to a front end of the delivery tray through a connecting arm, rotated within a predetermined angular range by a base rotating motor, and supporting a surface of the stacked media; and a clamp arm installed on the clamp base, including push fingers for pushing the media onto the clamp base by an elastic force, and rotated with respect to the clamp base within a predetermined angular range by an arm rotating motor.

Abstract: A deliverer module for a folder of a press includes a paddle wheel which receives products from the folder and subsequently deposits the products on a deliverer belt. At least the paddle wheel is displaceable in the horizontal and/or vertical direction relative to the folder.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for multi-destination pick using motes. In embodiments, each receptacle may be assigned to a destination and may have a sensor that detects when an item is placed in the receptacle to deactivate the indicator and/or to verify that the item was placed in the correct receptacle. The sensor may be coupled via a wired or wireless connection to a mote that may include a communication interface for communicating with a control system and with other motes in an ad-hoc network. In some embodiments, each mote may also include an indicator that may be activated by a control system to indicate to the agent that the receptacle is the destination receptacle for a picked item. The agent may then place the item in the indicated destination receptacle. In one embodiment, the mote on the destination receptacle may be activated when the picked item is scanned by the agent.

Abstract: This is a stacker/stitcher assembly having two disc stackers facing each other. In between the stackers is a common collection tray for receiving the stacked substrates. The assembly can handle printed output of up to 360 ppm. A bypass is provided to divert printed substrates to an exit tray or another finishing station including disc stackers.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for facing documents during high speed processing. The present invention employs at least one sensor to scan the documents individually as they are fed sequentially through a processing machine. The sensor determines the direction the documents are facing. Depending on the direction the documents are facing, a path selector directs the documents to one of two equal length paths within the processing machine. If a document is facing up, the path selector directs the document along a first path that leads directly to a collection point. If a document is facing down, the path selector directs the document along a second path that includes a twisted conveyor belt which turns the document about the longitudinal axis to face up. The second path meets with the first path, wherein the conveyor belt reinserts the faced documents back into the same sequential position that the document was in relative to the other documents before being diverted by the path selector.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for creating stacks of sheets. In some embodiments, the sheets separated are those in or issuing from a starwheel assembly. The present invention includes a first separator finger that is inserted between two adjacent sheets to separate first and second sheets. The first separator finger retains the first sheet upstream to begin a first stack upstream of the first separator finger and allows the second sheet to complete another stack downstream of the first separator finger. In some embodiments, the first separator finger is inserted between the two adjacent sheets in a closed position and, after the first separator finger is inserted, the first separator finger moves to an open position to create a gap between the first and second stacks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to media discharging unit for a media dispenser. The present invention includes a delivery module, which selectively feeds media fed from a media box to a discharge position and a reject position one-by-one using belts and rollers. A stacking module is separable from the delivery module, and collects the media, which are fed by the delivery module, one-by-one upon the rotation of a stacking wheel and then feeds the collected media as a stack at one time. A stack delivery module is separable from the stacking module, and clamps the stacked media, which are collected in the stacking module, and feeds the stacked media to a position where a customer can take the media.

Abstract: A sheet material stacking apparatus comprises a shift sensor configured to detect the sheet conveyed by a branching path, a drop-down checking sensor configured to detect that sheet which reaches a scraping-out plate through the rotation of a rotatable blade-type runner, and a transport controller configured to, after a passage of a predetermined time following the detection of the sheet by the shift sensor, start detecting the sheet by using a drop-down checking sensor, and to stop stacking the sheet when the drop-down checking sensor detects no sheet.

Abstract: A spiral slot stacker has a two-part stripper 2 for stripping out sheet material from a stacker wheel 1. The two parts 2a, 2b of the stripper are movable. A first part 2a of the stripper is moved out of the stacker wheel together with the last bank note 100 to be stacked in such a way, that only the last bank note is stripped out and the next bank note 101 remains in the stacker wheel. The second part 2b of the stripper at this stage rotates along with the stacker wheel and will not be locked in the strip-out position until the spiral slot stacker is prepared for stacking a next bank-note stack. The bank notes, in the meanwhile supplied to the stacker wheel, are stripped out from the stacker wheel by the second part 2b of the stripper, while the first part 2a of the stripper is moved back to the strip-out position. By this method a collision of the first part of the stripper with the bank notes located in the stacker wheel is prevented.

Abstract: Transporting an essentially sheet-like element, particularly for transporting a sheet of printing material in a printing press, in which the sheet-like element is picked up in the area of its leading edge by at least one rotating transport at a pickup site, transported to a delivery site, and then delivered there, wherein the sheet-like element is curved over a rotational or curvature radius during transport. The sheet-like element is forced between the pickup site and the delivery site by at least one guide element, that is, an intermediate guide element, that blocks at least in the centrifugal direction, in order to maintain the radius of curvature.

Abstract: A starwheel feed apparatus and method for feeding and guiding sheets of a web material into a starwheel assembly. In some embodiments, a feeding conveyor is movable to convey sheets at a first velocity toward the starwheel, and a guiding conveyor is located adjacent the starwheel and has a conveying surface movable at a velocity less than the first velocity. In other embodiments, other relative speeds of the guiding and feeding conveyors are employed. In some embodiments, a feeding conveyor feeds sheets into slots of a starwheel, and a guiding conveyor located adjacent the starwheel has a conveying surface to guide trailing edges of the sheets along a length of the conveying surface as the sheets enter the slots.

Abstract: In the case of an envelope-turning station with a turning cylinder which is oriented parallel to the mail-conveying direction and is equipped with openable and closable jaws on its circumference, it is possible, following charging of the turning-cylinder jaws with horizontally flat items of mail and rotation of the turning cylinder through 90° and/or 270°, for a mail removal arrangement to remove items of mail in the mail-conveying direction, in a state in which they are standing on one of their longitudinal edges, and to feed them to further processing or handling stations of a mail-processing installation.

Abstract: Transporting an essentially sheet-shaped element, particularly for transporting a print material sheet in a printing press in which the sheet-shaped element is taken hold of by at least one rotating transport having at least one mouth-like receptacle for introducing the front-edge region of the sheet-shaped element at a grasping location in its front-edge region, entrained up to a delivery location and delivered there, the sheet-shaped element being bent during the entraining over a rotation or curvature radius. The sheet-shaped element is taken hold of by at least one grasping device in the region of the mouth-like receptacle, particularly actively and in a compulsory manner.

Abstract: A conveying arrangement for processing printed material to printed products has a conveying member supplying printed material and an intermediate conveying device with compartments rotating about an axis of rotation and formed by two opposed adjustable plates. The compartments receive the printed material from the conveying member. A synchronously operating conveyor is arranged downstream of the intermediate conveying device and has pocket-shaped receiving elements receiving the printed material from the compartments. The compartments, when approaching the conveying member, are moved into an open position for receiving the printed material and then into a closed position for further transporting the received printed material. The compartments have controllable conveyors arranged opposite one another on the opposed adjustable plates. The conveyors transport frictionally the printed material, clamped therebetween, out of the compartments. A drive acts on the conveyors.

Abstract: A starwheel feed apparatus and method for feeding and guiding sheets of a web material into a starwheel assembly. In some embodiments, a feeding conveyor is movable to convey sheets at a first velocity toward the starwheel, and a guiding conveyor is located adjacent the starwheel and has a conveying surface movable at a velocity less than the first velocity. In other embodiments, other relative speeds of the guiding and feeding conveyors are employed. In some embodiments, a feeding conveyor feeds sheets into slots of a starwheel, and a guiding conveyor located adjacent the starwheel has a conveying surface to guide trailing edges of the sheets along a length of the conveying surface as the sheets enter the slots.

Abstract: A starwheel feed apparatus and method for feeding and guiding sheets of a web material into a starwheel assembly. In some embodiments, a feeding conveyor is movable to convey sheets at a first velocity toward the starwheel, and a guiding conveyor is located adjacent the starwheel and has a conveying surface movable at a velocity less than the first velocity. In other embodiments, other relative speeds of the guiding and feeding conveyors are employed. In some embodiments, a feeding conveyor feeds sheets into slots of a starwheel, and a guiding conveyor located adjacent the starwheel has a conveying surface to guide trailing edges of the sheets along a length of the conveying surface as the sheets enter the slots.