Abstract: An automated method and system for stacking and loading wrapped or unwrapped facemasks into a carton in a facemask production line includes conveying individual wrapped facemasks in a continuous stream to a stacking location. At the stacking location, the facemasks are deposited into a vertical accumulator such that the facemasks are stacked in the accumulator. Upon reaching a predetermined fill level of facemasks in the accumulator, a bottom retainer in the accumulator is opened such that the stacked facemasks drop into a carton placed below the accumulator. Upon opening the bottom retainer, a mid-level retainer is actuated in the accumulator that captures facemasks that continue to be deposited into the accumulator at an intermediate height above the bottom retainer. The bottom retainer is closed after the stacked facemasks drop into the carton, and the mid-level retainer is then opened such that the facemasks captured by the mid-level retainer drop onto the bottom retainer.

Abstract: A method and machine for visual inspection of bags for quality control, in particular providing a way to inspect pinch bottom bags and flat bottom bags continuously exiting a production line, without the need to stop or delay the production or movement of the bags.

Abstract: According to a method for forming packs of flat bags, a continuous line of bags moving in an oriented direction of advance is received. The bags are moved onto a receiving table on which the bags are stacked while being stopped from moving in the oriented direction of advance by an abutment. The continuous line of bags is converted into a line of overlapped bags before stacking the latter, and the bags are separated on the receiving table by separating means comprising a separating device. During this operation, a separating device is inserted by a movement in the separating direction perpendicular to the plane of the bags between a preceding bag and a following bag in the overlapped line in such a way that, when the following bag stops against the abutment, it is supported at least partially by the separating means.

Abstract: An ejector (20), which built in an ejector housing hole (18), comprises: a nozzle (21) for diffusing and ejecting compressed air from an air supply port (23); and a diffuser (22) formed with an ejection port (29) for discharging air ejected from the nozzle (21) and air flowing in from a suction port (30). A muffler main body (42) attached to an ejector block (11) is formed with a silencing chamber (43), and a distal-end wall portion (42b) of the muffler main body (42) is formed with an exhaust port (48) facing the ejection port (29). It is possible to achieve the silencing effect while ensuring the vacuum degree of negative-pressure air and the intake flow rate by discharging air from the exhaust port (48).

Abstract: A system for forming and wrapping a plurality of stacks of sheet-like product is provided. The system includes a stack aligner for squaring up leading and trailing ends of the stack as well as sides of the stacks is provided. The stack aligner is also configured for controlling the position of the stacks along the stack travel path such that the stacks exit the stack aligner with tight positional tolerances for being fed to the stack wrapping arrangement.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for aligning an item that can be deformed easily, at least in the region of the outer lower edge. The apparatus has at least one aligning device that can be displaced in the direction of the item, and the transport substrate upon which the item is resting, in order to align the item on the transport substrate. For damage-free alignment of the item projecting laterally from the transport substrate contour, the subregion of the aligning device which comes into contact with the lower region of the item projecting laterally includes a stabilizing device. The stabilizing device prevents the item from being deflected, during the alignment process, in the direction of the transport substrate or, respectively, in a downward direction from the lower region of the item projecting laterally beyond the outer contour of the transport substrate.

Abstract: A counter ejector of cardboard sheet box-making machine is disclosed. A front contact plate contacting cardboard sheets is movable in a feed direction. A spanker is disposed to face the front contact plate in the feed direction, and contacts the back edge portion of the cardboard sheet, aligning the sheet edge portions. Ledges separate cardboard sheets loaded between front contact plate and the spanker, forming a batch of a predetermined number of sheets. A transfer conveyor transfers batches in a transfer direction, which is the same direction as the feed direction. An elevator is furnished with a table, and carries batches from the height at which the front contact plate and the spanker are disposed to the height at which the transfer conveyor is disposed. The table is moved by the same amount and in the same movement direction as the movement of the front contact plate.

Abstract: Aspects of embodiments of the present invention are directed toward a method of stacking disk-shaped substrates for polishing without using a centering shaft and an apparatus for implementing the method. A stack of disk-shaped substrates can be concentrically aligned without contacting the inside circumferential surfaces of the disk-shaped substrates by applying pressure to the outside edges of the disk-shaped substrates in different lateral directions.

Abstract: A pressware stacking assembly and method for using the same are provided. The stacking assembly may include a stacking surface for supporting a plurality of pressware products and at least one shaped wheel at least partially disposed through the stacking surface. The shaped wheel may include a body having at least three sides disposed about a perimeter thereof and at least one transition section disposed between adjoining sides, wherein each transition section is adapted to lift at least a portion of the pressware products off the stacking surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a collecting and conveying device for stacks of sheet layers, comprising a feed conveyor (1) for the sheet layers, —a collecting station (3) in which stacks (4) are formed by the layers of sheets, —a removal conveyor (7) for removing the completed stacks (4), and—a transfer unit for moving the stacks from the collecting station to the removal conveyor (7), wherein the collecting station comprises a series of support elements (6) and a series of delimiting and shaking elements (8), wherein the transfer unit comprises a series of sliding elements (10), wherein in each case a sliding element (10) together with a support element (6) and a delimiting and shaking element (8) can be adjusted transversely.

Abstract: An apparatus vertically realigns pallets in a stack of pallets. The apparatus has left and right panels with upper portions that are angled outwardly, and lower portions that are substantially vertical. Misaligned pallets in a stack placed in the apparatus engage the upper portions of the panels and are moved toward vertical alignment as the stack is lowered into the apparatus. The apparatus also includes compression plates that are movable between first and second positions relative to the apparatus. In the first positions, the compression plates have surfaces that angle toward each other and engage with misaligned pallets in the stack of pallets as the stack is moved from the apparatus toward a pallet dispenser. In the second position, the compression plates pivot toward the rear of the stack of pallets exiting the apparatus and push the stack into the pallet dispenser, thereby achieving additional vertical alignment of the stack.

Abstract: A stacking apparatus and method of multi-layer stacking of objects of different sizes on a support to form a stacked support includes providing a support handler. A support is elevated with the support handler and objects of different sizes and shapes are stacked on the support to form a stacked support. A stacked support is removed and an empty support supplied with the support handler. A placeholder is provided above the support handler. The placeholder has a first mode for receiving objects on the placeholder. The placeholder has a second mode for providing access to a support on the support handler. The placeholder is put in the first mode while the support handler removes a stacked support and supplies an empty support. The placeholder is put in the second mode when the support handler is elevating a support being stacked with articles.

Abstract: A system is provided for palletizing articles including a stacking area for stacking palletized article layers. Each palletized article layer is constructed from a plurality of arranged articles. The stacking area includes a structural member for structurally carrying a stabilizer over the stacking area. The stabilizer provides substantially continuous lateral support along the periphery of arranged articles of the article layer being constructed to substantially prevent tipping of the plurality of arranged articles.

Abstract: In a stack of flexible sheets on a substrate having an outer edge, some of the sheets project laterally past one of the edges. The stack is tamped together by a stabilizing element shiftable horizontally toward and away from the one edge of the substrate and a drive that shifts the stabilizing element horizontally toward the stack and substrate for engaging the projecting sheets and pushing same inward on substrate to a position lying on or inward of the outer edge without vertically bending or deflecting the sheets.

Abstract: An apparatus for aligning sheet stacks in a feeder of sheet processing machines includes a motor-driven aligning plate and a movement converter situated between a motor drive and the aligning plate. The movement converter forces a movement describing approximately a circular path onto the aligning plate. A vertical speed component of the aligning plate during aligning corresponds to an upward speed of a feeder stack. A method for aligning sheet stacks in a feeder of a sheet processing machine as well as a sheet processing machine, are also provided.

Abstract: A handling system able to efficiently process information relating to a plurality of conveyed articles, the handling system provided with a conveyer for conveying workpieces, a visual sensor for detecting positions of workpieces by acquiring images of a plurality of tracking ranges obtained by dividing a belt into sections, an encoder for detecting an amount of movement of the belt, a tracking manager for monitoring amounts of movement of the plurality of tracking ranges based on the amount of movement detected by the encoder and specifying the tracking range passing through a workpiece detection area, a workpiece manager for selecting the article in the tracking range specified by the tracking manager, and a controller for controlling operations of robots so as to hold the workpiece selected by the workpiece manager.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing waste sheets from a sheet feed apparatus, removes waste sheets in a ergonomic manner. The bottom sheet or sheets from a stack of sheets is moved from an input hopper to a waste hopper. An accumulation of sheets in the waste hopper are rotated to an on-end orientation for convenient removal from the sheet feed apparatus. A conveyor may be provided to convey the on-end waste sheet out of the sheet feed apparatus. Sensors and alarms may be provided to modify a user when the waste sheet hopper is full. An interlock mechanism may be provided to prevent waste sheets from being added to the waste sheet hopper when it is full or tilted for sheet removal.

Abstract: A device for pushing a stack of printed products from a table on which the stack is stacked has a stacking receptacle provided on the table and receiving the printed products for stacking. The stacking receptacle is defined by four lateral edges of the printed products and has two opposed lateral guide walls viewed in a pushing direction of pushing out the stack of printed products. The guide walls each have vertical guide rails moveable along the guide walls in the pushing direction. The guide rails on the opposed guide walls are positioned opposite one another in guide rail pairs forming a forward receptacle boundary and a rearward receptacle boundary in the pushing direction. The rearward receptacle boundary in the pushing direction is a pushing device for the stack of printed products.

Abstract: A device for transporting stacked printed products has a support on which the printed products are stacked to form a stack. A conveying device is arranged downstream of the support in a conveying-effecting manner. A reversible pushing device acts on a back side of the stack and transfers the stack from the support to the conveying device. The conveying device has a traction device and at least two deflecting rollers, wherein the traction device circulates about the at least two deflecting rollers and provides a conveying path for the stack. The conveying device has also a substantially horizontal guide table adjoining the traction device at both ends. At least an upstream end of the traction device in a conveying direction of the conveying path is positioned approximately at the level of the support. The traction device forms a conveying plane together with guide table.

Abstract: A method and system for aligning a moving stack of sheets. A pair of cams, positioned on opposite sides of the moving stack, rotate synchronously to each other but in opposite directions. When the stack approaches the cams, the distance between the outer surfaces of the cams is wider to the stack width to receive the stack. As the stack moves forward further, the distance between the cam surfaces is reduced so as to allow the cam surfaces push the sheets toward a center line until the distance between the cam surfaces is substantially equal to the width of the sheets. In a sheet collator where sheets are moved by a plurality of finger pairs which are linked to a moving chain, the cam can also be linked to the moving chain so that their rotation is synchronous to motion of the stacks.

Abstract: A jogger for a signature feeder includes a back stop disposed at a first side of a hopper of the feeder and a flexible jogging element disposed at a second side of the hopper opposite the first side. As a stack of signatures is formed in the hopper, the flexible jogging element is oscillated in a lateral direction so as to periodically bend the flexible jogging element against the stack of the signatures and form a pushing zone and a vibrating zone in the hopper. The vibrating zone is below the pushing zone, and the vertical lengths of the pushing and vibrating zones are a function of the height of the stack of signatures. The signatures in the pushing zone are urged against the back stop by the flexible jogging element so as to register the signatures as the stack is formed, and the signatures in the vibrating zone are vibrated by the flexible jogging element so as to improve the registration of the signatures in the stack.

Abstract: On a lifter table (23) a pallet (2) is first deposited in a lower position and then following lifting of this table (23) the pallet (2) is precisely aligned by suitable apparatus (40). Thereafter reams of paper are deposited on the pallet (2) by a conveyor (50) and the topmost reams in each case precisely aligned relative to the pallet (2) by the same apparatus (40) in each case such that their edge faces are located set back relative to those of the pallet (2). Thereby precisely congruent stacks are achieved in fast operation.

Abstract: A method and arrangement are provided for removing air inclusions between sheets in a stack when forming the stack from sheets fed successively by a sheet feeder to the stack to be formed and deposited thereon in a sheet feeding region. Air out is suction out of the spaces between the sheets in the sheet-feeding region.

Abstract: A device for orienting and achieving the optimal density of a quantity of elongated objects having a cleated conveyor belt with a substantially horizontal first portion upon which a pre-weighed product is deposited, an inclined middle portion, and a substantially horizontal end portion. The inclined conveyor belt establishes an even rate of discharge for the elongated objects so that such elongated objects tend to be oriented in a horizontal plane after they have fallen into a product orientation hopper. By having the width of the product-orientation hopper narrower than the length of most of the elongated objects, the longitudinal axis of the elongated objects will tend to be parallel to the sides of the product-orientation hopper. The product-orientation hopper is, also, vibrated to increase the density of the elongated objects.