Abstract: A turnover device for turning over products (8), for instance graphic products, comprising a feed conveyor assembly (4) and a discharge conveyor assembly (6) each made up of a number of parallel conveyors arranged side by side with an interspace therebetween, a turnover rack (1) being arranged between the feed and discharge assemblies, which turnover rack comprises outwardly extending product carriers (2) movable through the interspace of the conveyors of the discharge conveyor assembly (6). Provided adjacent the discharge end of the feed conveyor assembly (4) are adjustable decelerating devices (5) for decelerating the products (8) to be turned over and the discharge conveyor assembly (6) comprises a driver (7) for accelerating the turned-over products (8').

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the delivery of products out of fans for forming a shingled product stream. The invention uses at least one endless chain lead around a drive shaft of a fan arrangement. The chain links of the chain are equally spaced from one another. The fan arrangement uses multiple fans disposed on a drive shaft in spaced relation. The invention has at least one endless chain, having chain links with a projection, and which chain is arranged between the fans. The projections of the chain links touch and guide the front edges of printed products in the pockets and, during common movement of the fans and chain, change the position of the products in the pockets of the fans.

Abstract: An active stack height sensing mechanism that operates through a cam off a disc stacker which performs one cycle per sheet stacked. After a sheet is stacked, a stack height clamp contacts the stack and stops. If the stack height is too low or within a predetermined range, a flag attached to the clamp will block a light beam path between an emitter and receiver and trip the stack height sensor. If the stack height is too high, the stack height sensor will not be made indicating that the stacker should be indexed down.

Abstract: A disk-type sheet inverting and stacking system in which a rotatable disk unit includes a receiving slot for having the lead edge of a sheet substrate inserted therein such that rotational movement of the disk unit inverts the sheet and delivers it to a stacking tray. The disk-type inverting and stacking system also includes a passive sheet registration system for restraining movement of a sheet positioned in the receiving slot by providing a reciprocating boss member in a retaining cavity on the disk unit, such that the reciprocating member can be shifted, under the influence of gravity, from a non-operative position extending into the slot with a sheet positioned therein, for applying a normal force against the sheet in response to rotational movement of the disk unit.

Abstract: This is a pair of improvements for a plot rolling mechanism for a pen plotter or the like having a rolling mechanism with an entry opening and a receiving bin for receiving rolled plots. The first improvement comprises a sealing mechanism for sealing the entry opening during plotting, the sealing mechanism being rotatable between a sealing position blocking the entry opening and a retracted position not blocking the entry opening and apparatus for rotating the sealing mechanism between the sealing position and the retracted position.

Abstract: A device for slowing down signatures being transported in a folding machine is provided. The device provides a plurality of rotary grippers which positively grip signatures exiting a tape conveyor system in the folding machine traveling at a high velocity. A deceleration drum is also provided for slowing down the signatures through a smooth velocity profile. The deceleration drum has a plurality of pivot arms pivotally mounted on a pivot disc rotating about a first axis, the pivot arms being connected to a control disc by a control link, the control disc rotating about a second axis parallel to, and offset from, the first axis. The rotary grippers are attached to outward ends of the pivot arms. The rotary grippers grip the leading edges of the signatures as they exit the tape conveyor system while the trailing edges are still being controlled by the tape conveyor device.

Abstract: An inverter for turning a sheet over and reversing the lead and trail edges of the sheet includes a disc stacker that works in conjunction with a vacuum transport. A sheet transported from a source is captured lead edge first by fingers or in a slot of the disc stacker which is rotating in a first direction. A vacuum transport is positioned adjacent the disc stacker and draws the sheet away from the disc stacker at a predetermined point and transports the sheet in a second direction opposite to the first direction trail edge first for further processing.

Abstract: A control system and method of operation for controlling the operation of a finished plot handling and rolling mechanism of a plotter. If the finished plot is not properly gripped for rolling, the rolling process is aborted and the plot ejected unrolled. During rolling, power to the driving mechanism is maintained at a level which will keep the media taut and prevent over powering. At the plot end, the media is made taut over the platen for consistent cutting. The trailing end is then accelerated at a level which will overcome static friction of the previously rolled portion and prevent buckling of the trailing portion.

Abstract: A low cost, compact inverter for reversing the lead and trail edges of a sheet. The inverter includes a reversible roller of about 2" in diameter onto which a sheet is scrolled and subsequently unscrolled, thereby reversing the lead and trail edges of the sheet.

Abstract: A device for delivering signatures (S) for a printing press (10) having a delivery device (50) having a plurality of sets (60a and 60b) of flies (58a, 58b, 58c, and 58d), with the flies (58a-d) each having a plurality of open pockets (26) disposed around the flies (58a-d), a device (62a and 62b) for stripping signatures (S) from the pockets (26) disposed between a pair of adjacent flies (58a and b, and 58c and d) in each set (60a and b) of the flies (58a-d), a device (76, 78, and 80) for adjusting the sets (60a and b) of flies (58a-d) and stripping devices (62a and b) in unison laterally across the delivery device (50), and a device (64 and 84) for modifying the lateral distance between adjacent sets (60a and b) of the flies (58a-d) and respective stripping devices (62a and b).

Abstract: A flexible sheet storage device includes a releasable holder located within a container to receive the leading edge of each sheet as it is inserted via a slot into the container, and an angularly displaceable mounting for a releasable holder effective to angularly displace the releasable holder, and the leading edge of the sheet held thereby, a sufficient angular distance until the leading edge of the inserted sheet passes the trailing edge of any previously inserted sheets before the holder releases the leading edge of the inserted sheet and permits the inserted sheet to fall by gravity on top of previously inserted sheets.

Abstract: A folder delivery apparatus for single or multiple-stream production includes several delivery systems which are operable in parallel and can be driven independently of one another. During operation of the folder as well as during machine standstill, the delivery systems can be simultaneously shifted automatically or manually through adjustment units, in such a way that while adjustment takes place, the distance between the delivery systems can be set as desired within a minimal and a maximal setting position.

Abstract: A mail insertion machine (10) having an elongated insert track (12) with one or more insert dispensing devices (16) with rotary insert feeding mechanisms (22) for depositing inserts at longitudinally-space movable driving members (14) on the insert track includes a power train interconnected between the driving members and each insert dispensing device for driving them in a predetermined phase relationship with a phase-adjustment mechanism for adjusting the phase relationship.

Abstract: Folded printed sheets are delivered by a first conveyor into the radially extending pockets of a turret-shaped second conveyor for delivery onto successive saddles of a gathering conveyor which transports stacks of superimposed interfitted folded sheets to a stapling apparatus. The fold lines are disposed at the leading ends of sheets which enter the pockets of the second conveyor to engage suitable abutments, and the sheets are thereupon acted upon by centrifugal force to move radially outwardly against stops in their pockets prior to being withdrawn and simultaneously partially spread out for deposition on the oncoming saddles of the gathering conveyor. The second conveyor rotates about a horizontal axis which is located at a level above the gathering conveyor and at the level of or below the discharge end of the first conveyor.

Abstract: At every chain (4) of the chain conveyor (3), there are arranged a vane element (6) and a clamp member (7) in the shape of a double arm lever, one arm of which affords engagement with the vane element (6), while another's roller (11) moves on/off a cam or pattern-copy-device (13) along the path of the chain (4) travel next to the product folding apparatus. Between the clamp member (7) and the vane element (6) a compartment or pocket (15) is formed to receive the printed product (1). As the chain (4) continues its movement, the roller (11) engaged with the cam (13) bears upon the element (7), and thereby the printed product (1) is held and the by-the-piece conveyance of the printed products is ensured.

Abstract: An improved sheet stacking apparatus for stacking a wide variety of sheets, especially small sheets, using a rotatable disk stacking unit that receives each sheet in slots defined by fingers on the disks and rotates to invert the sheets. Closely adjacent fixed axis corrugating frictional drive rollers engage the trail edge area of the sheet by the rotation of variable radius disks to larger radius areas thereof which interdigitate with these fixed drive rollers, so that the trail edges of sheets being inverted by the disk contact and are driven by the corrugating rollers. The periphery of the frictional drive rollers is inside of the maximum radius of the disk stacking unit and outside of its minimum radius, so as to be only intermittently interdigitated therewith.

Abstract: In a fan delivery unit of a folder having a plurality of fan discs arranged next to one another on a motor shaft, the fan discs being formed with a plurality of fan blades having fan pockets therebetween, there is provided a device for braking printed products. The braking device includes driven brake shaft disposed parallel to the motor shaft, a plurality of brake rollers corresponding in number to the number of fan discs being mounted on the brake shaft, and a device for driving the brake shaft via the motor shaft selectively in one of two rotational directions. The brake rollers and leading edges of the fan blades are cooperative for delaying travel of a printed product introduced into the respective fan pockets.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivering printed products in a rotary printing press is disclosed. Printed products are gripped by a gripping means on a paper-conducting cylinder and transferred to a fan wheel having a plurality of fan-wheel discs defined by a plurality of fan blades. The fan blades remove the printed products directly from the circumferential surface of the paper-conducting cylinder. As the printed products are removed from the paper-conducting cylinder they are guided into fan-wheel pockets formed between adjacent fan blades and slowed down.

Abstract: A storage and stacking device for flat objects such as mail or newspapers cludes boxes for temporarily storing, transporting, and stacking the objects. Boxes are arranged on the stacking device at an angle of less than 90.degree. and coupled to a connecting element. The device has a fixed stack support associated with the boxes, and a movable stack support which is movable relative to the fixed stack support. The boxes and the fixed stack support are movable relative to one another. The boxes and the fixed stack support are formed by comb-like elements. The box comb-like elements comb through the fixed stack support comb-like elements during the relative motion of the box with respect to the fixed stack support. The box comb-like elements, the movable stack support and the fixed stack support are always in a positive contact with the stack of the objects.

Abstract: An on-edge stacker for stacking envelopes comprises a transporter and diverter, an accumulator, a spider wheel for delivering diverted envelopes to a conveyor belt of the accumulator, and a propelling arrangement to a drive diverted envelopes to the spider wheel. The diverter includes a gate for intercepting and diverting envelopes from the transporter. The stacker includes a device for laterally offsetting envelopes. In one embodiment, the spider wheel is suspended in a free-floating manner against a spring load. The floating spider wheel displacement as a consequence of stack increase is sensed to energize the accumulator conveyor belt drive to reduce the displacement. The actuation of the envelope propelling arrangement is sychronized in correlation with the positions of spaces between legs of the spider wheel. In operation, a diverted envelope is aligned, selectively offset, and propelled into the spider wheel.

Abstract: A disk stacker for inverting and stacking sheets has a stacking tray and registration member and a paddle wheel wiper having semicircular blades made of a polyurethane elastomer obtained by the reaction of a polytetramethylene ether glycol having the formula HO[(CH.sub.2).sub.4 O].sub.n H where n is from 10 to 60, preferably 55 to 60, and from about 20 to about 95 parts preferably 22 to 26 parts, by weight per 100 parts by weight of said glycol of a diisocyanate selected from the group consisting of diphenylmethane diisocyanates, toluene diisocyanates, naphthalene diisocyanates and blends thereof and a sufficient amount of cross linking agents to provide a crosslinked elastomer, said cross linking agents comprising a mixture of from about 75% to 60% by weight of a diol having the formula HO(R.sub.1)OH where R.sub.1 is a straight or branched chain alkyl group having from 2 to 12 carbon atoms and from about 25% to 40% by weight of a triol having the formula: R'--C--[(OH).sub.a (CH.sub.2 OH).sub.

Abstract: A delivery device in a folding apparatus of a printing press includes a fan wheel or several fan wheels disposed next to one another. The fan wheels are formed of individual fan blades, between which fan wheel pockets are formed. Leading edges of the fan blades have a first profile and trailing edges of the fan blades have a second profile.

Abstract: This is an apparatus and associated method for rolling large pieces of a flexible media such as completed plots produced by a plotting pen plotter. The rolling mechanism is placed adjacent an exit of the pen plotter to received ejected media pieces therein. Upon detecting the leading edge of a media piece while in an open position, the mechanism closes to form a guide slot to a cylindrical rolling chamber. The media piece is then urged along the guide slot and into the rolling chamber where it is rolled by a drive roller. Upon detecting the trailing edge of the media piece, the mechanism opens allowing the rolled media piece to fall into a receiving bin. The stationary portion and the rotating portion are formed of a plurality of slats having low contact area edges disposed for media pieces to move along whereby the media pieces move along a low friction path.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus for stacking a wide variety of sheets including flimsy sheets has a rotatable disc that receives each sheet in a slot thereof and inverting the sheets. A transport belt is closely adjacent one surface area of the disc and has a portion thereof positioned at an acute angle with respect to a line tangent to the one surface of the disc so that the trail edge of all sheets being inverted by the disc contact the belt and are inverted.

Abstract: An improved bill transport and stacking mechanism is provided for currency handling machines and is adapted for efficient transport and stacking of curled currency bills, documents and the like. The bill transport path is provided with members for exerting transverse bending forces on opposed side edges of a bill immediately before the bill moves away from positive contact with the transport path surface. The transverse bending forces effectively "stiffen" the leading longitudinal bill edge so as to counteract any tendency the bill has to curl away from sustained contact with the transport path. The arrangement prevents curled bills from conforming to their original curled shape and forces such bills to be positively relayed from the bill transport path onto stacker blades positioned immediately downstream thereof.

Abstract: A fan delivery for a rotary printing press, includes a drive shaft, a fan arrangement including a plurality of fan blade assemblies disposed adjacent and spaced from one another on the drive shaft, signature guides formed with arcuate recesses, respectively mounted between mutually adjacent fan blade assemblies of the fan arrangement, and a device for adjusting at least some of the signature guides with respect to the fan blade assemblies for varying formats of signatures in accordance with the size of the signatures.

Abstract: A trail edge transport belt is provided over the elevator platform which receives sheets from a disk stacker. The trail edge transport belt engages and ensures the proper inversion of sheets moved by the rotating disk regardless of the size and weight of the sheet. To ensure that long, light weight sheets do not collapse on themselves prior to inverting, the trail edge transport belt is rotated at a velocity which is greater than the velocity which the sheets are fed to the disk and/or is arranged at an angle to the elevator platform so that a distance between the transport belt and the elevator platform decreases as the transport belt extends away from the rotatable disk.

Abstract: A document sorter/stacker apparatus includes a plurality of slotted disk assemblies respectively associated with bins or pockets in which high-speed transported documents are to be sorted and stacked. Each of the disk assemblies is selectively rotated to position its document capture slot either into or out of the transport path documents, thereby to enable either the routing of the document through that particular pocket or its passage to another pocket. When the leading end of a document is captured within the slot, the slotted disk assembly is rotated to feed the document into the corresponding pocket. The rim of the slotted disk assembly is in contact with a document transport belt and with an endless belt driven by the slotted disk assembly to urge the document into the pocket. After the document has been fed into the pocket, the endless belt urges the tail end of the document away from the slotted disk assembly and toward a backing plate where the documents are accumulated in a stacked configuration.

Abstract: A printing press (10) having a delivery fly (12) having a plurality of laterally adjustable arcuate fingers (32) mounted on a shaft (34) and defining a plurality of pockets (33) extending peripherally around the fly (12) to receive a printed article (A) in the pockets (33). The press (10) has a device (42) for rotating the shaft (24), and a belt (18) for moving the articles (A) to a position (14) adjacent the pockets (33) of the fly (12) for depositing the articles (A) in the pockets (33), and a belt (26) for receiving the articles (A) from the pockets (33) of the fly (12), and for transporting the articles (A) away from the fly (12). The press (10) has a hinge (58) for moving the fly (12) to a position away from the belt (18) to provide access to the pockets (33).

Abstract: A delivery fly arrangement for use with a folder of a printing press comprising a plurality of delivery fly wheel units mounted on a horizontally extending fly shaft journalled in a pair of frames in such a manner that they may be displaced axially on and along the fly shaft and rotated as the fly shaft is rotated; a displacement/driving system for displacing these delivery fly wheel units axially on and along the fly shaft, this displacement/driving system including a positional detector, a memory section, a control section, and an input/output section; and connecting rods, plates and arms which allow the delivery fly wheel units to rotate with the rotation of the fly shaft and which operatively connect these delivery fly wheel units to the displacement/driving system.

Abstract: A folder apparatus is disclosed which is adapted for use with at least two adjacently arriving webs and having at least one fan wheel. The fan wheel is provided with a number of compartments delimited by guide disks to ensure, that in the case of different processing of the two or more webs, that all of the compartments therefor are used. The fan wheel of the folding apparatus is divided up into a number of laterally adjoining fan wheel sections, which number corresponds to the number of webs to be handled and able to be driven separately from each other by associated drive means.

Abstract: A registration assist device is provided which presses a sheet located in the slot of a disk against a surface of the disk for a time period which begins prior to and extends until just after the time when a leading edge of the sheet contacts a registration wall which strips the sheet from the disk slot. This pressing of the sheet causes a drag force to be applied to the sheet so that the leading edge of the sheet is re-registered with the registration wall to compensate for any bouncing of the sheet away from the registration wall after initial contact therewith. Preferably a foam roller is moved into and out of a curved plane defined by the disk slot in timed relation to the rotation of the disk to press the sheet against the slot surface. The use of a foam roller provides a variable force to the sheets depending on the weight of each sheet so that higher drag and pressing forces are applied to heavier weight sheets which require and are able to withstand higher forces.

Abstract: An improved document feeder for feeding a predetermined number of singulated checks in seriatim for accumulation into a check stack package, for delivering the package to further handling device, and for realigning the checks therein while the package is being delivered. The feeder comprises a singulator; a feeder section that feeds the singulated checks via a spider wheel to an accumulator bin for accumulation into a check stack package; and reciprocating kicker arms for realigning the accumulated check stack package and for delivering the check stack package to further handling devices. The reciprocating kicker arms the accumulated check stack package by engaging trailing edges of the checks in the check stack package and kicking the package into engagement between driven nip wheels. The kicker arms and the driven nip wheels deliver the check stack package.

Abstract: A stack height sensor for stacked sheet members includes a switch having an actuator arm positioned adjacent to top edge of the stack at a predetermined level. A flexible "flogger" or "scuffer" element is moved along a path which first contacts the top surface of the sheet members, and then slides off the stack edge in the direction of the switch actuator arm. The switch actuator arm is adjusted such that the deflected path of the flexible flogger or scuffer element intercepts the switch for stack heights less than the predetermined value and "ski jumps" the switch actuator arm for stack heights greater than the predetermined height. The flogger or scuffer elements can be mounted on the disk inverter of a photocopier output section, and the switch output be used to control the position of the stack elevator mechanism. Alternatively a separate hub synchronized for rotation with the disk inverter, can be used to mount the flogger or scuffer elements.

Abstract: A sheet inverting apparatus includes an inverting rotary member with a sheet clamping hole which clamps and inverts the sheet and is arranged orthogonal to a sheet carrying route of the apparatus.

Abstract: Sheet folding apparatus comprising half fold rolls folding in half sheet material fed to a delivery fan. Material is stripped from the delivery fan and drops to a conveyor. Multiple belts extending from one of the half fold rolls and past the delivery fan guide and convey material to the delivery fan in a manner minimizing jamming at the delivery fan.

Abstract: A delivery paddle wheel (1) for delivering printed products (6) in an imbricated pattern is associated with a shaft (8) with cam plates (9) mounted on the shaft (8) and cams (10) mounted on the cam plates (9), which are in operative connection with rollers (22). The shaft (8) is arranged mounted on levers (7) pivotable around the axis (2) of the delivery paddle wheel (1). The cams (10) of the cam plate (9) catch the printed products (6) arriving in the delivery paddle wheel (1) at their trailing end (26) and decelerate them. The setting of the cam plates (9) for printed products (6) with different lengths is performed by swiveling the levers (7). The shaft (8) is driven by a drive member (17), which is arranged on a rocking lever (13) that can be pivoted around shaft (8) and is guided by longitudinal guides (18) in the radial direction relative to the delivery paddle wheel (1).

Abstract: A movable gate is provided adjacent an input position of a slotted rotatable disk for aiding in the insertion of sheets into the disk slot(s). The movable gate moves between a first position and a second position wherein the first position is closer to the disk than the second position. When in the first position, the movable gate contacts and directs the leading portion of a sheet into the disk slot. When in the second position, the movable gate does not contact the sheet. The gate is moved to the second position at least while the trailing portion of the sheet passes thereunder so that the sheet does not slow down after exiting a pair of input rollers located upstream thereof and so that the trailing portion of the sheet is free to contact an overhead trail edge transport belt.

Abstract: A sheet inverter and stacking apparatus has at least one sheet inverter wheel having at least one arcuate sheet retaining slot into which a sheet may be inserted. The wheel is incrementally rotated from a sheet load position to a sheet unload position and a sheet is driven in the process direction into the slot when the inverter wheel is in the load position. The sheet is removed from the slot, stacked in a stacking tray and its leading edge registered. The sheet retaining slot provides minimal resistance to sheet movement in the slot upon insertion in the slot in the process direction and provides high resistance to sheet movement in the slot in a sideways direction transverse to the process direction.

Abstract: An arrangement for depositing valuable documents includes provisions for feeding the documents through an opening via intermediate storage between two mutually coacting belts (13, 14) to another opening leading to a storage space (18) of the arrangement. A command device can be operated to control the function of the arrangement from an external location. The coacting belts (13, 14) are part of an intermediate storage device (131-141-20) which is pivotally mounted in a housing (16), allowing an infeed-and-outfeed opening (15) between the two coacting belts to be positionally adjusted to one of the openings, either in response to a command from the command device (34) or in response to a signal from a sensor (17) adjacent a document transport path in the proximity of the intermediate storage device (131-141-20).

Abstract: A disk stacker is provided with a wiping member which moves in timed relation to the disk. The wiping member can be an elongated flexible wiping member attached at one end to the shaft which rotates the disk, a second end of the wiping member being free to contact a sheet near the output position of the disk. Preferably, the wiping member has length sufficient to extend beyond the diameter of the disk to contact the uppermost sheet on the stack and re-register it against the front registration wall if it has bounced away therefrom. A retaining wall can be provided around a portion of the sheet so that the wiping member does not interfere with the inputting of sheets into the slots in the disk.

Abstract: An improved folder apparatus includes a first folder assembly which forms a first fold in sheet material along the path of movement of the sheet material. A second folder assembly forms a second fold in the sheet material in a direction extending transversely to the path of movement of the sheet material. A third folder assembly forms a third fold in the sheet material with the first and third folds extending along the path of movement of the sheet material through the third folder assembly and the second fold at a leading edge portion of the sheet material. During the forming of the three folds, the sheet material is continuously moved through the folder assemblies without stopping. The third folder assembly includes an array of upper and lower tapes. The array of tapes tapers from a wide inlet portion of the third folder assembly toward a discharge portion of a third folder assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing sheet products includes a rotatable drum having a plurality of pockets adapted to receive individual sheet products. Plural rollers are disposed along the periphery of the drum between adjacent pocket openings. The rollers are rotated through a portion of the drum movement and locked against rotation through the remainder of the drum movement. Cam means are provided to lift the pockets radially outward, tilt the pockets, and open and close sidewalls of the pockets to facilitate ingress and egress of the sheet products.

Abstract: A stacking device for forming stacks of articles of predetermined count, using a stacking wheel having a multiplicty of uniformly spaced peripheral slots. The slots are adapted to receive articles sequentially at a loading station and carry them to an unloading station having a plurality of stacking sites. The slots are divided into two or more sets, the slots in each set being equal to number to the predetermined count and adapted to deliver the articles therein to the unloading station with the leading edges of the articles at a predetermined radial offset from the axis of the stacking wheel. Each set of slots is associated with the stacking of articles at a specific stacking site and the slots of a set associated with one stacking site provide a different radial offset than those of a set associated with another stacking site. The stacking sites are arranged, in the downstream direction, in order of diminishing radial offset of their associated sets of slots.

Abstract: A document handler for recirculating either simplexed or duplexed documents onto a platen of a copier includes a feed and refeed tray positioned adjacent to the platen. A compact and selecively actuable disc stacker is included that is adapted when in one position to receive and invert documents directed toward the feed and refeed tray and when in another position allows the documents to pass thereover without inversion, as well as, corrugation nips that corrugates documents passing therethrough toward the refeed tray.

Abstract: Cams (36, 36') are arranged in each case laterally offset alternately on the chain (34) of the cam conveyor (30). The cams (36) are swivelled by the swivel rocker arm (44) into catching position (46), in which they are always actively conveying. Depending on the position of the control rocker arm (54), the cams (36') which can be switched away are left in their rest position (50) or likewise swivelled into the catching position (46). A retaining device (56), which holds back the printing products (18) deposited thereupon until they are pushed off by a cam (36, 36'), is provided at the depositing point (24). With the cams (36') which can be switched away actively conveying, each printing product 18 is individually seized by a cam (36, 36') and conveyed away in an imbricated formation.

Abstract: A paper stacking control device for use in an electrophotographic copier, printer, facsimile apparatus or similar image forming apparatus having a paper transport path for temporarily stacking paper sheets each carrying an image on one surface thereof on an intermediate tray. A paper sheet being transported by belts which face the intermediate tray is retained by the pawls of coactive rotatable disks and then stacked on the intermediate tray while being turned over due to the rotation of the disks. The paper sheet stacked on the intermediate tray is restrained by paper pressers at a portion thereof adjacent to the leading edge or the trailing edge and is thereby prevented from being displaced in the stacked position.

Abstract: A disc-stacker for inverting sheets either singly or in sets as they exit a copier enabling dual function N-1 and 1-N sequence copying with either face-up or face-down copies. The stacker comprises a sheet inverter wheel having a slot into which one or more copy sheets to be inverted may be inserted. The sheets are fed into the slots by a pair of feed rolls. A compiler tray is disposed between the feed rolls and the inverter wheel. In the single sheet inversion mode the wheel is rotated each time a sheet is deposited in the slot. The sheet is stripped from the slot by stripping member and falls into a catch tray. The inverter wheel then returns to receive and convey subsequent sheets. In the set inversion mode, the wheel is not rotated until all the sheets of the set have been received in the slot. The compiler tray supports and registers the trail edges of the set of copy sheets before they are inverted.

Abstract: To prevent deposition of ink, and accumulation of ink deposits on the paddles or vanes (8) of a paddle wheel distributor (2), the paddles or vanes are made of a plastic material which has a surface which rejects ink, and prevents accumulation thereon; a suitable material is polyamide, preferably reinforced with fiber or filamentary material, such as carbon fibers, the polyamide of the type polyamide 6.6 being present in about 70% with 30% carbon fibers. This permits making the vanes with a part-spherical or part-circular, or elliptical cross section to provide rounded corners and hence gentle handling of printed products (7) collected in the pockets between adjacent vanes. Braking tongues (9) located between axially staggered rings (4) of vanes can be of the same material and are so positioned that, in a plane transverse to the printed folded products, such as newspapers being inserted into the pockets between the vanes, are deformed in a gentle or slightly undulating shape.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating, counting a stacking sheets, including a feed roller and cooperating stripper shoe for permitting the passage of only single sheets fed therebetween, said sheets being moved along a curved path defined by a guide plate cooperating with the feed roll as the sheet emerges from the region between the stripper shoe and feed roll. The leading edge of the sheet moving along said curved path enters into a nip between an acceleration roller and an acceleration idler mounted on a common axis with the feed roll to abruptly accelerate the sheet and drive it into a stacker wheel which delivers the sheet to an outfeed stacker. The feed roll is provided with a plurality of surfaces of differing coefficients of sliding friction to facilitate separation of sheets.