Abstract: An electronic photo-copying apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises: at least one paper feed device comprising a paper feed cassette rotatably supported so as to move in the feeding direction thereof interchangeably between the longitudinal and lateral directions and a driving device for rotating the paper feed unit; and, a control device for controlling the paper feed device so as to permit it to switch the feeding direction of copy paper interchangeably between the longitudinal and lateral feeding directions by rotating the paper feed device by the driving device regardless of operation conditions of an electronic photo-copying apparatus main body.

Abstract: A sheet supplying device supplies a sheet to a sheet supplied apparatus which designates the size and transport direction of the sheet. The sheet supplying device includes a movable cassette for placing the sheet thereon and movable to at least two transport positions so as to transport the sheet therefrom in at least two transport directions, a fixed cassette for placing the sheet thereon and fixed in one transport position so as to transport the sheet therefrom in one transport direction, a transport device for transporting the sheet from each of the movable cassette and the fixed cassette to the sheet supplied apparatus.

Abstract: A feeding device comprises lateral and longitudinal feed position sensors for detecting that a rotatable cassette is placed in lateral or longitudinal feed positions, respectively, and a control device for controlling a cassette rotating motor based on the input from the lateral feed position sensor or the longitudinal feed position sensor, such that the longitudinal or lateral feed positions of the rotatable cassette and a fixed cassette differ. Accordingly, a situation can be avoided where the rotatable cassette and the fixed cassette that contain copy paper sheets of the same size are placed in the same longitudinal or lateral feed direction. The time can therefore be shortened for feeding the required amount of copy paper sheets in the apparatus to which the feeding device is attached. In addition, a rotation prohibition input device can be provided for inputting to the control device an instruction prohibiting the rotation of the rotatable cassette.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus is provided with a paper feed roller supported rotatably by an image forming system body via a roller shaft, a paper feeding table which can be drawn freely in the axial direction of the roller shaft from a paper feed opening of the image forming machine body, a paper feeding hopper guided and supported by the paper feeding table so as to be movable freely to and from the paper feed roller horizontally, and in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the roller shaft, and an interlocking device which moves the paper feeding hopper freely to and from the paper feed roller in an interlocking motion with the drawing and restoring operation of the paper feeding table. Thereby, when the paper feeding table moves backward from the front, the paper feeding hopper is moved to the side of the paper feed roller along guide rails by the interlocking device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotating section of a rotatable cassette movable between a longitudinal feed position from which paper longitudinally oriented with respect to a feeding direction is fed and a lateral feed position from which paper laterally oriented with respect to the feeding direction is fed; a document size detection device for detecting the size and orientation of a document; an automatic paper selection function for selecting a cassette in accordance with document size/orientation data obtained from the document size detection device and magnification data; a timer for measuring a predetermined perod of time; a RAM for storing the document size/orientation data; and control a device for (i) controlling the timer to start its measuring operation upon detection of a document size/orientation by the document size detection device, (ii) controlling the movement of the rotating section of the rotatable cassette to a position which corresponds to a determined orientation of the copy pa

Abstract: An automatic sheet stack loading mechanism of a paper sheet feeding apparatus has a main lift for supporting a stack of sheets to be fed thereon. The main lift is incrementally moved upwardly to place the uppermost sheet of the stack at a predetermined height position with respect to a sheet separator disposed over the stack and operating to separate the sheets one by one from the stack. When the stack of sheets is consumed considerably, parallel horizontal spits are inserted under the stack from both transverse sides of the stack thereby to support the load of the stack and to enable the main lift to be lowered to receive a new stack of the sheets. The insertion of the spits in the transverse direction of the stack is advantageous in that the central portion of the sheets of the stack along the direction of feed of the sheets is maintained at constant height irrespective of downward deflection of the spits so that adjustment in position of the sheet separator is not required.

Abstract: A feeder for use in a sheet-feed printing machine, in which, while a pile board loaded with a paper sheet pile on a pallet is moved upward, paper sheets are fed to the printing unit through a side register lay, comprising a sensor movable along a threaded shaft according to the rotation of the threaded shaft to detect a side edge of the paper sheet pile, which is moved an amount equal to the distance in the cross or lateral direction between a position at which the paper sheet pile is to be positioned when a left-pulling side register lay is used and a position at which the paper sheet pile is to be positioned when a right-pulling side register lay is used, and further comprising a non-interrupting paper replenishing device to insert another paper sheet pile under the paper sheet pile, or detecting means to detect the remaining amount of paper sheets and the top surface of the paper sheet pile.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for an electrophotographic copier or like image forming apparatus includes a structure for aligning the trailing edges of a large amount of paper sheets which are stacked on a tray. The structure includes a back fence mounted on a transmission member which is stretched in the widthwise direction of the sheets. The back fence is movable in the widthwise direction of the sheets between an operative position for aligning the trailing edges of the sheets and an inoperative direction for facilitating the supply of sheets onto the tray. The movement of the back fence between the operative and inoperative positions is interlocked with the upward and downward movements of the tray.

Abstract: A device for unstacking relatively flat objects such as letters or postal packets of various different lengths, widths, and thicknesses. The device includes: a conveyor for conveying stacks of objects as well as an object separating and grasping mechanism for separating and grasping the objects one-by-one, and a transport conveyor for transporting the objects one after another.

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving sheets traveling seriatem along a path, and accumulating such sheets in a stack justified along one marginal edge thereof. The apparatus includes a tray into which sheets are directed, one after another, from the sheet travel path for accumulating such sheets into a stack on the tray. A striker plate is associated with one marginal edge of the tray. The accumulated sheets are continuously urged into engagement with the striker plate to justify one margin of the accumulated sheet stack. The mechanism for urging the sheets into engagement with the striker plate is supported relative to the striker plate on the opposite side from the sheet travel path and extending over the tray, and under the influence of gravitational forces follows the level of the topmost sheet in the stack.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for aligning and feeding sheets for printing presses having a conveyor for supplying the sheets individually from a feed stack to the front and side lays in a feed table of the press. The method includes the steps of causing the sheets to strike the front lays, drawing the sheets against a side abutment of the side lay, engaging the sheets from below utilizing a vacuum device and then again pressing the sheets against the front lays.The apparatus includes a vacuum device and front and side lays. The vacuum device includes suction arms disposed below the sheets and ahead of the front lays with respect to the direction of the sheet movement. The front lays are movable reciprocably in the direction of the sheet movement while the side lays are movable transversely to the direction of the sheet movement.

Abstract: Sheet feeder for a sheet-processing machine having a device for automatically aligning a lateral position of a stack of sheets from which respective sheets to be individually separated are detectable by a conveyor device for transporting the sheets in a given transport direction and feedable to the sheet-processing machine, includes a stack table for carrying the stack of sheets, the stack table being movable transversely to the given transport direction of the sheets, servomotor means for moving the stack table transversely to the given transport direction in response to respective control signals from an actual sheet-position detection device disposed immediately downstream of the sheet stack as viewed in the given transport direction, the detection device having means for detecting the lateral position of the respective sheet just separated from the stack and already fed to the conveyor device.

Abstract: An apparatus for in-register feeding a sheet into a sheet-processing machine by conveying the sheet in a given feed direction over a feed table includes front lays engageably by a leading edge of the sheet for aligning the leading edge of the sheet, a pair of said pull-type lays located in the feed table respectively on mutually opposite operator and drive sides of the feed table at a slight spacing from the front lays, both the side lays being movable in the plane of the feed table transversely to the given feed direction of the sheet, a device for driving at least one of the side lays, a device for positioning the sheet having at least one sensor for controlling a displacement stroke of the driven side lay, an air control device connected to a vacuum generator and to both of the side lays for controlling suction air flow to the side lays, at least one of the side lays having a device for applying suction to the sheet until static friction is assured preparatory to aligning a respective lateral edge of the s

Abstract: The solution according to the invention serves to position textile surface configurations, especially cut parts for pieces of clothing. It is the object of the invention to create an apparatus, with which sewing material parts can be positioned in two coordinates in a simple manner. In the invention, the sewing material is moved against a contact edge of a positioning table in the x-direction by air nozzles, which are alternately guided by sensors. The sewing material edge is clamped by a vertically-adjustable clamping device. The positioning table is then moved in the y-direction until the sewing material edge reaches a sensor.

Abstract: Panel-like members are aligned as they are transferred sequentially from a pick-up station to a discharge station by a primary carriage mounted for linear movement selectively to the pick-up position and to a position adjacent the discharge station. At least one extensible, secondary carriage is carried by the primary carriage and is rotatable about a vertical axis selectively to a transport position and to an aligned position and is movable linearly to an extended position and to a retracted position. The secondary carriage and a pick-up head carried thereby is movable selectively to an upper transport position and to a lower pick-up and discharge position. Linear movement of the primary carriage is stopped prior to its reaching the discharge station with the secondary carriage being movable toward an extended position after movement of the primary carriage is stopped.

Abstract: In a system of plurally recirculating a set of document sheets for precollated copying wherein the document sheets are repeatedly individually fed seriatim from the bottom of an overlying stack thereof for copying with registration and returned to the top of the stack for restacking, the improvement comprising individually acquiring, and individually urging laterally into contact with an elongated lateral registration edge, with a movable vacuum member each document sheet when it is the bottom sheet of the stack of document sheets, releasing the bottom sheet, and feeding the bottom sheet out from said stack transverse said lateral registration edge by separate sheet feeding apparatus only after it has been so laterally registered and released. Preferably this individual lateral registration of the bottom sheet in the stack is assisted by simultaneously blowing air at said stack from one edge thereof to aid the movement between the bottom sheet and the overlying sheets in said stack.

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving sheets of paper from a copying machine or the like includes a tray receiving a stack of sheets on a bottom plate. A side reference plate and a front reference plate are provided on portions of the plate to align the sheets of paper properly within the tray. A roller inclined relative to the side and front reference plates is rotated in contact with the sheets entering the tray to assure they are properly positioned, and means are provided for selectively discharging sheets from the tray.

Abstract: A side lay assembly for lateral registration of sheets fed periodically along the surface of the feed table of a printing press. A sucker having a sucking surface flush with the feed table is slidably mounted on a sucker tube for movement toward and away from the table side guide. A side lay drive shaft, coupled to the press drive, is spaced below the sucker and parallel with the tube. A cam on the shaft engaging a cam follower on the sucker causes the sucker to move toward the side guide timed with the arrival of a sheet. An air valve is provided in the form of a valve disc close coupled to the cam for connecting the sucker tube to a source of suction in phase with lateral movement of the sucker so that the arriving sheet is urged into engagement with the side guide. To vary the degree of suction an adjustable bleed valve is interposed between the air valve and the source of suction.

Abstract: A mechanism for registering a sheet against front and side stops on the feed table of a printing press, employing a suction head recessed in the table and reciprocated for lateral shifting movement in the direction of the side stop timed with the arrival of the sheet. The head is connected to a source of suction so that the sheet is shifted into contact with the side stop. The head has intentional play in the direction of feeding movement of the sheet, as measured from a reference position, and is freely rockable about its axis, so that the sheet is free to settle against the front stop at the same time that it is being shifted toward the side stop. A conduit connected to a source of a pressure is provided for applying a short puff of air to the head, timed with completion of the shifting movement, to free the sheet from the head in readiness for removal of the sheet from the table. The return movement of the head is utilized to reverse the play and to restore the head to reference position.

Abstract: A printing machine having a reciprocatingly movable printing table, preferably of the type having a stencil and a squeegee associated therewith is disclosed. Said squeegee being intended, in a printing position for the material, to press printing ink through the stencil to a rigid material arranged beneath the stencil. Said printing table is movable between a first position, i.e. a material insertion position, and a second position, i.e. a material printing position, and said printing table exhibiting one or more fixed registering means arranged to co-act with corresponding registering means in said material to position said material relative to said printing table in the material insertion position of said table, subsequent to the material occupying the printing position and print being applied to said material. The registering means are activated between the printing table and devices releasing said material.

Abstract: A printing machine has a sheet support surface along which a succession of sheets pass adjacent a lateral stop. An apparatus for laterally positioning the sheets against the stop has a displacer member which is laterally displaceable under the support surface between an outer position extending beyond the lateral stop and an inner position generally underneath and close to the lateral stop. A suction drawbar is limitedly laterally displaceable on the displacer member between a pair of end positions and has at least one suction aperture exposed at the support surface. Air is aspirated downwardly through this aperture so as to draw a sheet overlying the suction drawbar on the support surface against the drawbar. Lateral displacement of the displacer member from the outer position into its inner position displaces a sheet drawn suctionally against the drawbar laterally against the lateral stop.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding record cards to and from a utilization station in a record card utilization machine comprises a support housing for a card origination hopper and a card collection hopper, which is mounted below the origination hopper. A transfer carriage is mounted for reciprocal, pivoted movement from a first position where it receives a card from the origination hopper, to a second position at the utilization station where the card is utilized, and back to the same first position where it returns the card to the collection hopper. A card feeding and returning mechanism is associated with the hoppers to feed cards to and remove cards from the carriage at different times in the sequence of operation of the apparatus, but nevetheless with the carriage at the same first position in its path of reciprocal, pivoted travel.

Abstract: A card guideway frame is movable in the width direction of a card to select the column in which a hole is to be punched and the card insertion depth is variable to determine the spacing between the bottom edge of the card and the hole. The insertion depth is set by a stop passing through the wide aperture of the guideway frame and a carriage resting on a projection of the stop and movable along the length of the guideway frame with the stop carries a pair of guide plates having a narrow slit between them for the card and practically filling the aperture in the frame, so as to constrain the card into a flat shape, correcting any arching and resisting any bending from insertion forces, even though the frame restrains only the extreme edges of the card at the sides of the working area.

Abstract: A wiper mechanism for lateral shifting of a sheet against a side guide defining a registered reference position. The mechanism includes an oscillated wiper arm under the sheet having an arcuate sheet-engaging wiper surface with a tap roller for pressing the sheet against the wiper surface during the outward movement of the arm. The wiper surface has axially adjacent strips surfaced for different amounts of friction. The roller has an effective width corresponding to the width of one of the strips and is movable into a position of engagement with a selected strip for changing the degree of friction applied to the sheet depending upon the thickness of the sheet being handled.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for feeding original and copy sheets in a duplicator having an improved copyboard containing a radiation-transmissive plate adapted to carry superposed thereon the original and copy sheets with the original disposed between the plate and the copy sheet, the copyboard being linearly reciprocatable between a loading station, at which the original and copy sheets may be positioned on the plate, and an exposure station, at which the copy sheet is exposed through the radiation-transmissive plate and the original sheet and is thereafter removed for further processing. At the end of each exposure cycle, the copyboard moves back to the loading station carrying thereon the original sheet for the initiation of a subsequent sequence. Also disclosed are method and apparatus for accurately registering the copy sheet and original sheet on the copyboard and method and apparatus for separating the exposed copy sheet from the original sheet.

Abstract: The openable end of a collapsed bag is aligned in an alignment station on the base of the bag aligner machine. The bag is removed from a bag pickup station by a pick-off arm and moved to a preliminary position. At this point the bag is transferred to a bag holder which moves upwardly relative to the base to move the openable end of the bag into a bag-edge locator. This locator includes first and second alignment members which are interconnected in generally a V configuration and the bag openable edge is moved by a first motor into the open V end between the first and second alignment members to abut the closed V end under the urging of the first motor and additional urging of resilient means. This positively locates the edge of the bag so that it may be subsequently gripped, opened and then filled at a subsequent filling station.

Abstract: A sheet feeding table has pull-type side lays and front lays. Mounted beneath the feeding table and nearer the front lays are suction drums spaced apart and rotated by a transversely extending drive shaft on which they are mounted. The shaft is driven through toothed wheels having relative axial movement with respect to each other. A cam plate rotates with the shaft and a pair of fixedly mounted rollers guide the cam plate and impart reciprocating motion to the shaft and the suction drums. The lateral shifting of the suction drums clears the sheet from the pull-type side lay for the successive sheet. Each drum has a suction piece sealed and biasedly positioned adjacent a portion of the inside peripheral surface of the drum which rotates thereby and brings the drum suction holes into communication with the suction chamber within the suction piece. The suction chamber is in communication with a vacuum supply and a control valve is interposed in the supply.