Abstract: A web feed tractor includes an endless feed belt having feed pins projecting from the outer surface thereof, and a pair of side frames disposed along the opposite edges of the feed belt. A driving pulley is rotatably supported between one ends of the side frames and is adapted to engage the inner surface of the arcuate driving portion of the feed belt so as to drive the feed belt. A belt guide is provided between the side frames and has a guide surface adapted to guide the inner surface of the arcuate driven portion and the upper and lower reaches of the feed belt. The guide surface is positioned in longitudinally aligned relation to the feed pins of the feed belt and has a width substantially equal to the diameter of the feed pin.

Abstract: Flat article feeding apparatus comprises a feeder comprising a feed belt for feeding approximately flat articles one by one in a feeding direction and a predetermined number of idler pulleys. The idler pulleys are individually urged towards the feed belt so that the idler pulleys are in contact with one of the flat articles that is fed on the feed belt as a particular article. The idler pulleys are driven so as to feed the particular article reversedly relative to the feeding direction. The apparatus is applicable to feeding the flat articles successively to a utilizing device which is typically a bar code printer. For this purpose, the feeder and the idler pulleys are controllably driven in response to a completion signal which the utilizing device produces upon completion of a predetermined process.

Abstract: A shredder has two intake sections through which paper to be shredded can be fed through cutting rollers. Detectors for detecting presence or absence of paper in each sections are provided such that the maximum number of sheets of paper that can be transported through the first intake section to the cutting rollers is changed, depending on whether presence of paper is detected also in the second intake section or not.

Abstract: The invention provides a machine for aligning and feeding flat articles such as letters, postcards, and the like. The flat articles are transported while in a standing mode and while being vibrated to align them. A conical roller is rotatably mounted near the end of the transport path and is oriented to direct the articles in a direction opposite the direction of travel. The conical roller has at least one flat side to vibrate the standing articles so that they will feed one-by-one.

Abstract: A movable grill is mounted in a frame in such a way that the grill is capable of being moved a certain distance above a feed table towards an ejection point and a suction device is mounted above the section of the grill which moves towards the ejection point. An air-tight rear sealing skirt is suspended from the frame to enclose the space found between the afore-mentioned section of the grill and the top of a pile of sheets on the feed table; and a forward air-tight sealing skirt is suspended from the aforementioned section of the grill above the ejection point such that the vacuum created by the section means causes eddies of air around the edges of the pile of sheets in such a way that the top sheet of the pile of sheets is caused to vibrate and is drawn up to the section of the grill in order that the top sheet is moved with the grill towards the ejection point.

Abstract: An arrangement for separating of individual sheets from a stack of sheets, this arrangement comprising a rotatable pulley close to the uppermost sheet, which as a system of ducts connectable to a source of vacuum, with one or more openings which open out onto the periphery of the pulley, and an endless belt driven slip-free round the pulley with through-perforated holes which are arranged so as to coincide with the said opening of openings on the pulley to form suction elements to make possible the lifting off of sheets, one-by-one, from the stack.

Abstract: A belt or band for machines such as xerographic for feeding, transporting, separating or sorting materials comprising an endless flexible elastomeric belt having a layer of stretch fabric to improve the resistance to flex cracking of said belt.

Abstract: Sheet feeding systems provide a sheet receiving nip at a peripheral region of a rotary sheet transport and arrange sheets in a stack having a stack and formed by a bottom sheet and spaced from the nip by a distance shorter than the minimum length of any of the sheets. The stack is temporarily lifted from a stack rest, and the bottom sheet is removed therefrom. Sheet jams are prevented by advancing any bottom sheet to the rotary sheet transport in a plane intersecting that rotary sheet transport at a distance from the nip. Each bottom sheet is further advanced from that intersecting plane to the nip, and such advanced bottom sheet is engaged with the nip for transport away from the stack with the rotary sheet transport. The stack end is returned to the stack rest after said removal of a bottom sheet, and the temporary stack end lifting, sheet advancing, sheet engaging and stack end returning steps are repeated individually for further bottom sheets advanced from the stack end.

Abstract: A singling apparatus for letters, vouchers, receipts, checks, punched cards, or other main items of all kinds up to a given size and thickness, singles out the items arriving in any irregular sequence one below the other, unarranged and oriented on a longitudinal or transverse edge. To obtain a high singling output and draw-off quality, the items are transported in vertical position through a transport mechanism and, by using a restricting guiding unit, into the draw-off region of a draw-off belt revolving about deflection bodies tangentially toward the draw-off belt surface. In the contact zone of draw-off belt and one deflection body the inflowing mail items are pressed against the draw-off belt and only the items coming into contact with the draw-off belt directly are drawn off by friction, by deflection of these items around the deflection body.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for separating flat objects such as mail. A control circuit compares the spacing between successive flat objects with a preferred preselected spacing and if these is a difference the control circuit changes the drive apparatus so the actual spacing between flat objects is the preferred spacing.

Abstract: A vertical vacuum corrugation feeder for separating and feeding sheets from either of two stacks includes a single feed mechanism positioned between the stacks having integral dual feed heads surrounded by at least one feed belt. The dual feed heads include vacuum plenums for pulling the sheets against the feed belt for forwarding away from the stacks.

Abstract: A money feeding machine having a friction feed mounted to feed from the top of a stack of money is disclosed. The stack of money is contained within a cassette having a moveable bottom. The bottom of the cassette is raised by a motor as money is fed from the top of the stack in order to maintain the top of the stack of money substantially at the top of the cassette and available for feeding by the friction feed. Ramps are mounted a predetermined distance down from the top of the cassette to squeeze sheets of money inwardly and cause them to bow upwardly as they are pushed up by the motor. The ramps cause blocks of mint money to be separated into a short loose stack of sheets above the ramps for reliable feeding by the friction feed.

Abstract: A top vacuum corrugation feeder employs a vacuum feedhead working in conjunction with an air knife to feed sheets from the top of a stack. The vacuum feedhead includes a vacuum plenum with a plurality of perforated feed belts entrained around it. The feed belts have a diamond shaped knurl pattern on their sheet engaging surfaces in order to obtain a higher pressure differential across the sheet material during sheet acquisition.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder for feeding documents individually to a document scanning surface of a copying machine from a pile of documents on a document tray.

Abstract: A guide block (11) has a groove (16) with a flat floor cut into it, in which an endless belt (15) containing perforations (17) travels. A suction opening (18) opens into the floor of the groove (16), to which a vacuum is periodically applied by means of a valve (12). The endless belt (15) travels over a stack (1) of sheets (2) by means of guide rollers (4,5) and a drive roller (3). The vacuum, when periodically applied by the valve (12), operates through the perforations (17) so that the topmost sheet (2) of the stack (1) is sucked against the endless belt (15) and carried away in the same direction (28). One preferred form of the endless belt (15) is a toothed belt, with spaces between the teeth (21) that form vacuum chambers (22). With this compact and therefore easily positionable device, sheets (2) are sucked up from a stack (1) and transported away while maintaining their orientation, meaning that very high production rates are attained.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for corrugated paperboard sheets utilizing timed intermittently rotatable belts against which either the top or bottom sheet, depending on the configuration chosen, of a stack is brought into contact to feed such sheet in synchronism with adjacent processing machinery and utilizing continuously applied negative atmospheric pressure to hold such sheet against the belts without the need for valving or otherwise breaking the suction pressure.

Abstract: A friction separator for separating letters and similar flat items from a stack of such items. The friction separator comprises a base belt for supporting the stack of items and conveying them in a first direction, a guide wall extending along one side of the belt and a removal member for withdrawing the foremost items in the stack through a gap between the guide wall and the removal member. A first support member is positioned in a plane defined by the leading edge of the stack at the trailing portion of the shortest item withdrawn by the removal member, the first support member supporting the stack at a point spaced from the guide wall by a distance which is less than the length of the shortest item to be processed. A second support member is positioned at a location between the plane and the trailing edge of the stack of items supported by the belt, and is further positioned at a distance from the guide wall which is less than the length of the longest item to be processed.

Abstract: A top vacuum corrugation feeder employs a vacuum feedhead working in conjunction with an air knife to feed sheets from the top of a stack. The feedhead is valveless and has a vacuum applied thereto during the entire feed cycle in order to increase reliability and decrease minimum feed speed. The top vacuum corrugation feeder includes fluffer jets and vectored auxiliary fluffer jets in order to assist the air knife in separating severely downcurled sheets for feeding.

Abstract: In a high speed mail sorting machine, a mechanism for feeding envelopes one at a time to a pickoff device such as a vacuum belt system. The envelopes are loaded onto a floor panel which inclines from side to side. A chain conveyor moves the envelope supply along the floor panel with each envelope having its lower edge traveling on the floor and one side edge travelling along an inclined side panel. The envelopes are successively discharged from the inclined floor onto a conveyor belt which is driven transversely to the floor and at a greater speed than the chain conveyor. The speed difference causes the envelopes to spread out as they travel downstream. The conveyor belt loads the envelopes onto a driven roller having a spiral groove which feeds the individual envelopes flatly against the vacuum belts of the envelope pickoff device.

Abstract: An X, Y plotter particularly adapted to use both cut paper and strip paper. A driven roller provides motion of the paper back and forth according to one signal. A moveable pen block containing the pen is moved transverse the path of the paper in response to the second signal, thus providing controlled motion in the X and Y directions. According to one aspect, an idler roller is provided parallel to the driven roller around which an endless belt is disposed to be driven in combination with the drive roller by two pairs of rows of sprockets on the driven roller adapted to mate with holes provided therefor in the belt. Cut paper temporarily attached to the belt with drafting tape or the like is moved beneath the pen for plotting purposes. The inner row of sprockets is adapted for engaging holes in strip paper for moving it beneath the pen.

Abstract: A top vacuum corrugation feeder is disclosed that employs a vacuum feedhead working in conjunction with an air knife to feed sheets from the top of a stack. The feedhead is valveless and has a vacuum applied thereto during the entire feed cycle in order to increase reliability and decrease minimum feed speed.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for feeding and separating individual sheets from a stack of sheets includes a sheet feeding member mounted for sheet feeding engagement with the stack of sheets and a peeling member for preventing double-feeding of sheets. The peeling member is arranged to be movable from an operative position to an inoperative position corresponding to an insertion of the stack of sheets so as to be brought into pressure contact with the sheet feeding member in a state of the insertion of the stack of sheets.

Abstract: A retard feeder and separator apparatus includes a sensor located at a retard nip downstream from a portion of a feed belt that applies a normal force to a stack of sheets and forwards sheets individually from the stack. The sensor detects the lead edge of a sheet fed from the stack and simultaneously causes relief of the normal force against the stack in order to reduce multifeeds and sheet damage. Alternatively, if the sensor does not sense a sheet within a predetermined time the normal force against the stack will be increased to reduce misfeeding.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying cardboard is provided. The apparatus comprises a frame, a cardboard stack support means provided on said frame to detect a position of the front of the cardboard stack, cardboard stack support drive means, cardboard raising mechanisms mounted in said frame and capable of being in contact with the front of the cardboard stack at a reference position, a pair of feed rollers provided in said frame and above said cardboard stack raising mechanisms and compressed air jetting means facing the opposite sides of the laminar cardboard stack. The apparatus for supplying cardboards, which has the means described above, can readily and reliably supply laminar pulp cardboards one by one.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mechanism whereby individual sheets are fed from a cassette that carries a pile of paper sheets. The mechanism comprises a paper feed member which is mounted over the front portion of a feed bed whereon a cassette is removably installed and which is movable orbitally to feed sheets forward, and a retarding member engaged under upward bias against the feed member to prevent forward feed of sheets below one that is directly engaged with the feed member. The retarding member is so arranged as to be in its operative position when a cassette is fully installed on the feed bed but to move rearwardly and away from the feed member as the cassette is rearwardly removed from the feed bed, to thus release unfed but jammed sheets for removal with the cassette.

Abstract: A stacking and feeding device of document-handling equipment for documents moving along one of their edges, includes a transporting conveyor belt system that forces the documents against a stop where they begin to stack up in the horizontal direction in the order in which they arrive. A feeder rides on the outermost document of the stack and slides along guide shafts as the size of the stack changes. The feeder is selectively actuated to remove the documents from the stack one at a time in the order in which they entered the stack. A swing arm is pivotally and extensibly connected between the feeder and the following stationary part of the equipment so that the documents can be delivered thereto, regardless of the position of the feeder.

Abstract: The invention can accurately feed flat articles one-by-one. The packing density of flat articles in a hopper section is correctly detected even if they have various and indefinite shapes and conditions, such as mail, envelopes, cards and other flat articles. These articles are transferred from the hopper section to a feed mechanism section, in response to the detected packing density. The flat articles are transferred to the feed mechanism section in accordance with the distance between the centers of the flat articles while they are in the hopper section, the distance inversely corresponding to the packing density of the flat articles. Light reflection is preferably used in order to detect the distance between the centers of the flat articles.

Abstract: A paper feeding device comprises a paper feeding member feeding out paper from a cassette on a stand, and a lifting member for lifting the paper loaded on a bottom plate of the cassette against the paper feeding member. The improvement includes a driving system having a first spring clutch and a locking member deterring the spring clutch which is operated by a paper feeding command, a lift-operating member coupled with the locking member and including a second spring clutch engaged with the driving system, and an energizing member connected between the lift-operating member and the lifting member for providing a lifting force to the lifting member only during operation of the lift-operating member during paper feeding.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying machine is placed upon a pedestal type supplementary paper feeding device which includes a base table supporting a paper containing bin having a pallet which rests upon a lift on the base table. The bin has a cut-out section through which the lift moves against the pallet for raising the stacked paper to a feeding mechanism at the top of the lift for supplying paper to the copying machine.

Abstract: An automatic sheet feeding apparatus for use in a copying machine and the like having a sheet separating members. The separating members include a sheet feeding rotatable member, a separating rotatable member and a follower rotatable member, with the feeding rotatable member in contact with both the separating member and the follower rotatable member. The feeding rotatable member has a peripheral surface which is harder than that of the separating rotatable member. The follower rotatable member has its peripheral surface of a material having a coefficient of friction smaller than that of the other members. The width of the contact area between the separating rotatable member and feeding rotatable member is larger than that between the follower rotatable member and the feeding rotatable member.

Abstract: A sheet feeding and separating apparatus includes a multiple piece entrance guide located between a stack from which sheets are to be fed and a retard nip. The guide includes a polycarbonate base member and a high friction urethane retard member. The urethane is ground on the leading edge to an exact angle to promote shingling of sheets and the breaking up of slugs prior to entering the retard nip.

Abstract: A retard feeder and separator apparatus adapted to sense the threat of a misfeed or multifeed and adjust the stack normal force of a feed belt against a stack of sheets accordingly. The apparatus includes a movable frame on which is mounted a sheet separating feed belt, a retard roll that forms a retard nip with the separating feed belt, and a stack force relief sensor. The sensor detects the lead edge of a sheet fed from a stack as it reaches the retard nip and causes a solenoid connected to the frame to trigger and move the frame slightly. The frame movement relieves the stack normal force of the feed belt against the stack from a high value to a low value while the sheet continues to be fed from the stack by the force in the retard nip and the lessened stack normal force. Alternatively, if the sensor does not sense a sheet within a predetermined period of time, the stack normal force will be increased to the original high value.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for feeding sheets from the top or bottom of a stack of sheets which includes a sheet stack supporting tray, a vacuum plenum and feed belt sheet separating and feeding assembly with at least one feed belt having a vacuum plenum disposed within the run of the belt, the vacuum plenum and the belt assembly being positioned adjacent a sheet to be fed such that a rear portion of the plenum and belt assembly lies opposite a portion of a stack of sheets to be fed and is adjacent and substantially parallel to the plane of the sheet to be fed and a front portion of the plenum and belt assembly which lies opposite the front portion of a stack of sheets to be fed and in a plane angled away from the plane of the sheet to be fed.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus with a sheet support tray, a rear vacuum plenum chamber adapted to acquire the rear portion of a sheet, a front vacuum plenum chamber positioned over the front of the sheet and adapted to acquire the front portion of a sheet, sheet transport means associated with the front vacuum plenum to transport a sheet acquired in a forward direction and an air knife positioned at the rear of the stack of sheets to inject air between the trailing edge of the top sheet in a stack and the remainder of the stack. In a specific embodiment the trail edge of a sheet in a stack is separated by the air knife, acquired by the rear vacuum plenum then acquired by the front vacuum plenum and transported in a forward direction. As the trailing edge clears the rear vacuum, the rear vacuum which together with the air knife is continuously activated, acquires the next sheet in the stack.

Abstract: A retrieval mechanism for a divert-container-equipped ATM of typical construction to retrieve and protect paper money bills dispensed at a customer's request by the ATM and left at an accessible location at the ATM bill delivery station unpicked by the customer. The unpicked bills are sensed after a short time delay in unpicked status. The unpicked bills when sensed are automatically returned to the reversible conveyor of such typical divert-container-equipped ATM and transported by reversal of the conveyor to the divert container.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling objects such as container lids utilizes a separator assembly comprising a downwardly extending chute having an essentially L-shaped cross-section, for the rotation of the lids from a vertical disposition, to a horizontal disposition upon their ejection on to a horizontal conveyor or the like. An endless, movable platform is adjacent the chute and is adapted for downward movement in a line of travel that is essentially parallel and inboard of the chute. A plurality of cleats are mounted on the movable platform, and sweep through the channel within the chute, to urge the container lids to enter and make full traverse without jamming of the assembly, or damage to the lids. The present assembly is capable of high speed operation with minimal jamming and container lid damage.

Abstract: A high speed mail sorting machine which includes an improved screw conveyor in the magazine section and an improved pick off device for separating the individual envelopes from one another. The screw conveyor includes four driven rollers having spiral grooves for receiving the lower edges of the envelopes to convey them along the rollers. A pair of raised rollers with spiral grooves maintain the envelopes in a vertical orientation as they are conveyed along the lower rollers. The pick off device includes a conveyor belt and a relatively strong vacuum box which draws the leading envelope against the belt. An opposing vacuum box of lesser intensity draws any stuck envelopes away from the leading envelope to assure separation. The opposing vacuum box has a beveled surface which effects a staggered shingle arrangement of any extra envelopes adhering to the leading envelope.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for separating a single sheet from a stack of sheets and forwarding the separated sheet away from the stack is disclosed which employs an endless friction belt cantilevered about a drive pulley such that the unsupported end of the belt floats freely on a stack of documents or paper sheets when the belt is in the feeding position. As the belt is driven about the pulley the unsupported end of the belt pulls and advances the foremost sheet from the stack and advances it over a retard member on which the unsupported end of the belt also floats. Because the belt floats freely on the stack of sheets, the normal force is evenly distributed over the surface of the belt, intersheet coupling is minimized, and the belt is able to conform to changes in the paper and stack condition.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing documents from a storage location to a discharge area includes structure for transporting the documents from the storage location along a transport path to an escrow or collection station. The leading and trailing edges of the document are positioned in a holding position removed from the transport path at the collection station so that successive documents may be loaded into the collection station. The apparatus includes a double detector for separating two documents removed at the same time from the storage location and for returning all but one of the simultaneously removed documents to the storage location. When the proper number of documents have been collected in the collection station, they are moved along the transport path and deflected to the discharge area by a divert gate positioned in the path of the collection of documents.

Abstract: A document feeder having multiple feed members biased into contact with a document to be fed which members are mounted in a manner affording their independent angular adjustment with respect to each other and with respect to the document path, and affording an equalization of the total bias force exerted against the document amongst each of the feed members.

Abstract: A constant spacing document feeder employs a motor control circuit which drives a feed wheel at an average speed which is dependent upon the length of a document.Since the spacing between successive documents is a function of the length of each following document, by varying the speed of the feed wheel in accordance with the length of each document, the spacing between each document can be maintained substantially constant.

Abstract: An improved paperboard feeding machine has a tiltable lift, a lifting yoke provided on the lift and arranged for operation by respective electric motors for the lift and the yoke. Each of the motors is responsive to change in the effective number of the poles in each of the motors.

Abstract: Sheet feeding and separating apparatus adapted to separate a single sheet from a stack of sheets and forward the separate sheet away from the stack for subsequent processing. The apparatus includes a feed belt disposed adjacent the stack for contact with the top sheet to separate the sheet therefrom. A retard shoe is spring biased into engagement with the feed belt. Actuation of the feed belt and engagement of the retard shoe with the sheets provide a rotating and locking relation with the mounting member of the retard shoe thereby preventing passage of multiple sheets by the feed belt but allowing the fed sheet to be pulled from the apparatus by a low value of pull force.

Abstract: In apparatus for the separate discharge of flat items from a stack of such items, which apparatus includes a movable support for supporting the stack of items, a withdrawal mechanism mounted to engage the foremost item in the stack and withdraw that item from the stack, a supporting wall manually movable into an initial position for supporting the trailing end of the stack, and a drive system connected to drive the supporting wall toward the withdrawal mechanism under control of the state of a switch actuated in dependence upon the force being exerted by the stack on the withdrawal mechanism, resilient force equalizing elements are provided between the drive system and the supporting wall in drive transmitting relation therebetween, and are constructed and mounted for permitting advancing movement of the supporting wall to lag behind that corresponding to the sum of the drive movements produced by the drive system whenever the pressing force between the supporting wall and the stack exceeds a given value.

Abstract: A device for transporting and buffering a flow of small articles, such as mail pieces, includes a conveyor belt that moves the articles onto a linearly displaceable carriage which delivers the articles into a buffer stack at a constant entrance angle regardless of buffer stack size. Articles in the buffer stack are supported and agitated by a plurality of rotating beater bars. Agitation causes skewed articles to level while the rotation of the beater bars transports the articles toward a moving edging belt that propels them into a feeder output. One of the plurality of beater bars includes screw thread sections for advancing the articles toward the feeder output.

Abstract: Hopper for feeding documents automatically into a sorter. The hopper employs rotating eccentric rollers protruding through slots in the bottom of the hopper to drive documents in a direction perpendicular to the rollers across the hopper against front or first wall. A rotary roller extending through a slot along this wall is used to urge the ends of the documents downward and forward towards feeder nudger belts which feed them to the sorter. A spring biased flag pushes against one end of the stack of documents to urge them in the same direction against the feeder nudger belts.

Abstract: An apparatus in which a belt is supported by a fixed mounting and a movable mounting. In the operative position, the fixed mounting maintains at least a portion of the belt generally planar. During operation, the movable mounting deflects the planar portion of the belt to the operative position. In order to remove the belt, the movable mounting is returned to the inoperative position with the belt being undeflected. This facilitates removal of the belt from the mounting.

Abstract: A method and device for emptying a belt reel or bobbin filled with tobacco leaves or portions thereof, the belt being withdrawn from the bobbin and wound on a reel, while each time the tobacco leaf portions are removed from the corresponding strip of belt, wherein prior to the removal of each tobacco leaf portion the belt is stretched in excess of the normal tensile force required for winding off the belt in order to detach the tobacco leaf portion from the belt, which additional stretching effect need only be very slight in order to pick up all tobacco leaf portions without disturbance.

Abstract: A portable cartridge and mounting apparatus includes, within the cartridge, a document separator, a stack follower, a double document restraint, and a three position lock and latch mechanism for selectively locking the cartridge cover and the issue slot. The mounting includes first and second drives for operating the separator and restraint mechanisms to issue individual documents through the issue slot. The mounting and cartridge are keyed to detect that a cartridge containing a predetermined denomination is properly mounted with the issue slot open to enable the drive mechanisms. A sensor is provided to detect a cash out condition to inhibit operation of the drives.

Abstract: Documents in a stack are loaded into a bin from which an endmost document is fed by some means to a generally cylindrical drum having a high friction surface which is rotationally driven about its cylindrical axis. A plurality of resilient continuous stretchable friction belts of lower friction than the high friction drum surface are arranged parallel to one another around pulley supports positioned such that non-friction circumferential areas around cylindrical drum surface stretch the path of the continuous belts between adjacent pulleys. The continuous belts are driven in the opposite direction from the high friction cylindrical surface of the drum. The opposed moving surfaces separate adjacent sheets while the belts apply a normal pressure to a document on the high friction surface so that it draws the endmost document from the stack and carries the separated single document through the mechanism by itself.