Abstract: In a machine for counting the number of sheets by bringing a stack of sheets in turn into abutment against a plurality of rotating suction heads, which are adapted to attract the sheets and deflect them one after another away from the remaining stack of sheets, an apparatus for holding the stack of sheets and adjusting the pressing force under which the stack of sheets is brought into abutment against the suction heads. The apparatus has a rotatable holder and a rotatable support rod for holding therebetween the stack of sheets. Associated with the holder and the support rod are two springs which present different tensile forces in opposite directions with respect to the holder and the support rod so that the pressing force may be determined by the effect of the tensile force difference between the tensile forces of the two springs.

Abstract: A bank note holding method for a counting machine which counts bank notes or the like. These bank notes are placed upon a holder and are clamped with a keep rod. The bank notes thus placed and clamped are forced into abutment contact with a plurality of suction cylinders, which are made operable to make planetary movements, so that they may be sucked and separated one by one by the suction cylinders, thus accomplishing counting operation. For this purpose, the bank notes are arranged uniformly on the holder, and then the keep rod is moved toward the holder by depressing a push button so that the bank notes may be forced into contact with and held upon the holder. The push button is then released so that the holder may be moved to its counting position thereby to start the counting operation. After this operation, the holder and the keep rod are returned to their respective initial positions.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying machine having duplexing mode of operation and first and second selectively enabled sheet supply stations. The first supply station has a feeding device which turns the copy sheet to be fed upside down before delivering it to the conveyor moving the copy-sheet toward transfer station. In the duplexing mode of operation sheets fed from the second station are one side imaged along the copy-sheet path and are collected in the first section. Then one side imaged copy sheets are fed from the first supply station and are imaged on the other side along the copy-sheet path. A storage tray with adjustable stops is provided in said first supply station to handle copy sheets of different formats.

Abstract: There is provided a paper counting machine wherein a stack of papers charged on a holder is sucked and deflected one sheet at a time by a number of suction shafts to be counted, characterized in that a counting section including the holder and the suction shafts is disposed within a recess formed on the top of the body of the machine, noise-proof covers are openably mounted on the body above the recess to seal or release the counting section, and the upper edges of the body in front of the recess is constructed to be in substantially a same horizontal plane as the upper surface of the supporting plate of the holder. Therefore, when the larger size papers are charged on the supporting plate with the covers opened, the portions of the lower edges of the larger size papers are supported on the upper edges of the body. In the case of the small size papers, the papers can be counted with the covers closed.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding individual cardboard sheets to a rotary die cutting machine has two conveyor systems. The first system conveys a sheet from the bottom of a stack to a gap in a gate which passes only one sheet, and the second system conveys the sheet from the gap to the machine. Each system includes a perforated belt traveling in a closed loop over a suction box near the gate. The belt of the first system is shifted cyclically between an operative position of simultaneous engagement with the associated suction box and the bottom sheet of the stack and a retracted position and is accelerated and decelerated between a minimum speed in the retracted position and a maximum speed in the operative position, air being drawn from its suction box only in the operative belt position. The belt of the second system is driven continuously at a speed approximately equal to the maximum speed of the other belt, and air is drawn from its suction box only when the first belt is in the retracted position.

Abstract: A paper sheet holding device for holding and bringing paper sheets to a paper sheet counter of suction type. The holding device includes two base plates, one of which is stationary whereas the other is rotatable and both of which are used to bear thereon the paper sheets in an upright position. Further inclusive are an upright holder plate, which is carried in an upright position on the rotatable base plate for holding the back of the paper stack, and a holder arm which is made coactive with the holder plate for holding the paper sheets. A pair of telescopic pipe rods are telescopically received in the holder plate and in the holder arm so that they may be pulled out to and retained at a preset height. Thus, the pipe rods can be extended to prevent the paper sheets from being hung even if the paper sheets are too wide for the height or heights of the holder plate and arm as they are.

Abstract: An apparatus for extraction of a desired number of sheets for use in a counting machine for paper sheets and the like, wherein paper sheets held in a stack between a holder and a paper-pressing bar are sucked and counted one at a time by respective suction heads provided on a rotational cylinder, a desired number of counted sheets on the side of the pressing bar being extracted from the machine by a separator which separates the counted sheets from the remaining sheets in a stack when the desired number of sheets have been counted. The apparatus for extracting a desired number of sheets comprises an operational mechanism incorporating a solenoid and associated members which is operated in cooperation with the action of said separator which separates the desired number of counted paper sheets from the remaining paper sheets so as to move said paper-pressing bar in a direction away from said holder and which can be reset to its original state.

Abstract: A device for picking up semirigid sheet-like elements from a magazine comprises a rotating body supported by a horizontal and fixed shaft supporting a radial cam and at least one arm oscillating in a plane normal to the shaft and serving as a radial guide for a gripping member and gears effective to displace the gripping member between a position spaced from the magazine and a position near to it for picking up sheet-like elements.

Abstract: A stopper means is provided adjacent a rotary cylinder provided on one end surface thereof with suction shafts for deflecting sheets to be counted and rotated for count. The stopper means is provided with an auxiliary stopper for instantaneously engaging with one of the groove formed on the peripheral wall of the rotary cylinder to prevent the reverse movement thereof.

Abstract: Apparatus for alternately withdrawing lowermost sheets from stacks of sheets in two magazines has a frame which is reciprocable below the magazines along a horizontal path between two end positions and carries a main support, two auxiliary supports which flank the main support, and a suction wheel between the main support and each auxiliary support. The suction wheels are driven in phase with the movement of the frame whereby the wheels turn clockwise while the frame moves in one direction and anticlockwise while the frame moves in the opposite direction. Two toothed belts have end portions which are anchored in a tensioning device between the magazines, and the belts are trained over pulleys of the suction wheels and pulleys of rollers constituting the main support.

Abstract: The lowermost sheet of an upright stack of superposed sheets is removed by a device which has one or more suction heads and is moved against the underside of the lowermost sheet prior to folding one or two marginal portions of such sheet downwardly to separate the marginal portions from the adjacent portions of the next-to-the-lowermost sheet. The device thereupon moves the lowermost sheet downwardly, substantially at right angles to the plane of the next-to-the-lowermost sheet, either into the range of one or more tongs or analogous transfer elements, or directly to the periphery of a rotary turret in a cigarette packing machine. Once the marginal portion or portions of the lowermost sheet are flexed downwardly, the corresponding marginal portion or portions of the next-to-the-lowermost sheet are engaged and held by one or more pivotable retaining members which are disengaged from the sheet as soon as the device returns to its raised position and attracts and supports the next lowermost sheet.

Abstract: A sheet holder attachment is used with a sheet holder for a counter for counting sheets and comprises a base member, a keep member pivotably mounted on said base member and spring means for urging said keep member toward said base member to hold a stack of small sheets to be counted on said base member. The base member has a stand portion for supporting the lower end of the sheet stack and abutment members adapted to engage the rear end of the sheet stack.

Abstract: A labeling machine of the kind wherein labels are removed one at a time from a stack of labels by a rotating picker provided with axially spaced annular picking surfaces disposed for rotation about an axis parallel to the endmost label in the stack at a distance therefrom such that the annular picking surfaces of the picker are tangent to the plane of the endmost label. The annular picking surfaces contain diametrically disposed slots which are connected to a vacuum as they are moved into engagement with the endmost label and thereafter at a predetermined place in the further rotation of the picker are disconnected to release the label characterized in that there is a needle fixed in each slot with its pointed end flush with the annular picking surface of the picker and with which the portion of the label crossing the slot is held engaged during the period the picker is taking hold of the label and releasing it.

Abstract: A sheet separating machine comprises a rotary disc fixed on a shaft extending through a reciprocating pump and having a suction hole communicating with the pump. The pump is actuated by a vertical motion of the shaft so that the uppermost one of the sheet or leaves is sucked through suction hole onto the rotary disc. The rotary disc is provided with a sheet or leaf scraping-up piece adjacent a sector notch formed therein. The leaf scraping-up piece is inserted between the sucked leaf and the remaining leaves in the course of rotation of the rotary disc to lift up the leaf through the notch onto the rotary disc.

Abstract: A labelling device having a main body member mounted on its frame for rotation about a central axis. The device includes a labelling station, a glue applicator station and a label applicator station circumferentially spaced about a central axis. At least one arm member is slidably mounted on the main body member and projects radially from the central axis. A head is pivotally mounted on each arm for movement about a secondary axis parallel to the central axis. The head has an outer surface which is curved in the plane of rotation of the head about the central axis and is rotatable with the main body with the outer surface disposed in a path passing through the label storage, glue applicator and label applicator stations. The outer surface of the head has a leading edge disposed in the direction of rotation of the main body and a trailing edge disposed in the opposite direction.

Abstract: The apparatus is intended for use in conjunction with a rotary feeder having a stack magazine which contains packs of tube sections. The apparatus comprises pressure applying means acting on the tube sections, particularly in the form of laterally pivotally movable pressure-applying fingers, which bear on the uppermost pack of tube sections and are adapted to descend as the stack decreases in height. Actuating means are provided, which when the pressure-applying fingers have reached a position in which they are at a minimum distance from the suction rollers of the rotary feeder impart an outward pivotal movement to said pressure-applying fingers, raise them to an extent which corresponds to the height of the subsequently supplied pack or packs of tube sections, and cause the pressure-applying fingers to bear on said pack or packs. The pressure-applying fingers are removed from the stack in the plane of the tube sections upon which they press.

Abstract: A drum continuously rotating on a vertical axis carries at least two pairs of label transfer members spaced circumferentially around its axis and rotatably connected to the drum on vertical axes. One of the transfer members in each pair is a pick-up member and the other a delivery member, with the pick-up members alternating with the delivery members. The pick-up members are continuously rotated on their axes in one direction while the delivery members are rotated in the opposite direction at the same speed. Each of the transfer members has a label-contact surface provided with a vertical row of air inlets, the contact surface of each pick-up member facing away from the axis of the drum when that member is in pick-up position at the label magazine, at which time suction is applied to the air inlets to withdraw a label from the magazine.

Abstract: A device for parallelly feeding objects to be printed in a printing machine, which device feeds substantially parallelly an object to be printed to the feed rollers by providing a vacuum feeding sucker and a rotary vacuum ring which is lifted in synchronism with the sucker.

Abstract: A plurality of suction shafts are rotatably mounted in a rotatable cylinder which is driven counter-clockwise. Each of the suction shafts is rotatably driven clockwise and is provided with a curved suction surface having its axis of curvature in a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis thereof. Openings are formed in the curved suction surfaces for communicating a vacuum pump through the interiors of the suction shafts with the atmosphere.

Abstract: In a sheet counter in which sheets held in a stack in sheet-holding means are successively separated from the stack by suction heads, there are provided first electrical switch means such as a microswitch which is closed when the sheet-holding means has been manually moved to a sheet-loading position and second switch means which is closed when the stack of sheets loaded on the sheet-holding means has been carried to a counting position. An electric motor for imparting rotation to the suction heads and a vacuum pump for creating a partial vacuum therein are set in operation only when both of the first and second switch means have been thus closed. The sheet counter is also provided with means for properly readjusting the position of the suction heads relative to the stack of sheets prior to counting operation.

Abstract: Corrugated cardboard sheets are drawn individually from the bottom of a stack by two perforated, continuous belts downwardly bounding a receptacle space which is bounded in a forward direction by a gate. The front part of each belt under the receptacle space travels over a suction box while the rear part may be shifted between an operative position in which the front and rear parts are longitudinally aligned and an idling position in which the rear part is offset from the operative position downward and outward of the receptacle space.

Abstract: In a rotary transfer mechanism for transferring items from a dispenser station to receiver station including a stationary sun gear, a carriage rotatable with respect to the sun gear and having a planetary gear meshed with an idler gear which is meshed with the sun gear and pick-off arm means connected to and rotatable with the planetary gear, the improvement wherein the gear ratio of stationary gear with respect to planetary gear is 3:2 and the radial extent of the pick-off arm from the axis of the planetary gear is twice the pitch center distance between the stationary gear and the planetary gear. This provides movement of the pick-off arm to and from the dispenser station and receiver station in an arcuate path with the suction cup of the pick-off arm remaining outwardly directed with respect to the axis of the sun gear in all of its travel along a predetermined path.