Abstract: A finisher assembly of a multifunction peripheral includes a vertically oriented stapler and a paper transport motor. When the paper transport motor rotates in the forward direction, printed pages from the print engine of the multifunction peripheral are received via a paper chute and a feed assist roller urges the printed pages into a vertical paper accumulation cache basin. Rotation of the paper transport motor also opens a biasing plate allowing the pages to freely enter the cache basin. Once all of the pages of the print job are in the cache basin, the paper transport motor rotates in the reverse direction causing the biasing plate to bias the printed pages, in the cache basin, against a registration surface of the vertically oriented stapler unit. The pages of the print job are stapled together the stapled print job is moved to the paper tray for collection by a user.

Abstract: An automated food slicing device is provided. The automated food slicing device may automate the cutting, packaging, and/or labelling of food items such as delicatessen food items. The automated food slicing device may also have a computerized input that allows a user to provide inputs regarding selected options which the slicing device will follow to provide a customized food product.

Abstract: Techniques for product-stacking and case-packing are particularly adapted for product that is packaged in envelopes or flexibly-sided containers. Such products include may different types, such as foodstuffs, books, boxed goods, etc. In an example, a product-stacking and case-packing system may include a product-stacking assembly and a case-packing assembly. In the example, the product-stacking assembly may be configured with a plurality of pairs of flights, each pair of flights programmed to move according to operation of an associated pair servo motors, and programmed to receive and down-stack incoming product items into groups. In the example, the case-packing assembly may include a robotic arm and end-of-arm tool configured to grasp one or more groups of stacked product items, when pushed from the product-stacking assembly, and place each group of stacked product items in a case (e.g., a cardboard box).

Abstract: A pick device and a picking system for picking a plurality of packages, the pick device including a rotatable housing and gripper arms extending radially from the housing. The picking system includes a plurality of storage tubes adjacent the pick device and a nest moveable with pick device from one tube to another tube.

Abstract: A device for manufacturing stacks of product units, in particular of printed products is provided. The device includes a stacking device with a plurality of support units which in each case form a support surface for the stacks to be formed, furthermore a circulatory arrangement, in which the support units, arranged one after the other along a closed circulatory path, can be moved into and out of a stacking region. The support units moreover in each case include at least two support elements which are arranged next to one another. The stacking device includes a device for setting the distance between the lateral outer edges of the support units with a continued conveying operation.

Abstract: Bandoliers of pouches or separate pouches are carried by suction cups on a transfer wheel and operated to hold and release pouches through solenoid valves, each coupled to a respective cup. The solenoid valves are operated by a controller to release pouches from the respective cups at precise angular positions of the wheel to control the configuration of the bandolier in a package or tray. Embodiments provide lateral shifting or rotation of pouches held by the cups. Fold-leading or fold-trailing bandolier configurations are produced. Solenoid valves are disposed proximate cups at the wheel periphery or elsewhere and operably coupled to the cups.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for supplying blanks to a marking apparatus, a conveyor device (1) and a transfer device (3) which can cooperate to actuate the method. The method steps include predisposing a quantity of blanks formed in a stack (2), arranging the stack (2) in an inclined configuration resting both on the base (21) thereof and on one side (22), bringing the stack (2) up to a removing position in proximity to the marking apparatus (4), rotating the upper blank (20) upwards and with respect to a horizontal axis (O) passing at an edge of the blank (20) which is opposite and more peripheral with respect to the edge of the same blank (20), raising the rotated upper blank (20), and bringing the upper blank (20) to the marking apparatus inlet (40), so that the blank is taken by the marking apparatus (4), and repeating for each blank.

Abstract: This is a paper-stacking support with segmented shelves that can support paper and can also fold upon being rotated around rollers by a driver belt. Once an upper shelf is fully loaded, it is moved downwardly by the drive belt and another shelf is moved into an upper loading position by the drive belt. This allows for a continuous running of the stacking operation without an interruption during the unloading of the stacked paper.

Abstract: A device for stacking articles which are molded and stamped in a multi-impression molding and stamping tool includes a transfer device having a single gripper plate made of lightweight construction for accepting all articles ejected from one work cycle of the molding and stamping tool. A stacking station having two stacking baskets arranged on respective arms is arranged so that the baskets are pivotable about a first axis for moving a first basket of the two baskets to a transfer position and a second basket of the two baskets to an ejection position, the transfer device transferring the articles to the transfer position of the stacking station. An ejector unit and conveyor belt are arranged proximate the ejection position, each of the first and second baskets being pivotable about a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis, at the ejection position to a pivoted position.

Abstract: A package temporary storage control mechanism is located between a feeding end and a discharge end of a cuboidal package conveying apparatus, and includes a temporary storage trough, which has two upright plates defining an upper supporting zone and a lower waiting zone therebetween. Two supporting mechanisms are driven to ascend and descend vertically in the supporting zone and each includes a plurality of supporting fingers that can be extended into the supporting zone to locate at a supporting position for receiving and supporting a plurality of cuboidal packages fed from the feeding end to the supporting zone. Two carrying mechanisms are driven to ascend and descend vertically in the waiting zone and each includes a plurality of carrier seats that can be extended into the waiting zone to locate at a carrying position for carrying the cuboidal packages moved downward from the supporting zone.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling mailpieces produced by a mailpiece insertion system, comprising at least one mailpiece stacking assembly and a combination support/conveyor deck. The mailpiece stacking assembly accepts a plurality of mailpieces, i.e., as they are created by a mailpiece insertion system, and aligns the mailpieces to define a mailpiece stack. The support/conveyor deck is operative to convey mailpiece containers along a mailpiece handling path and includes loading and transport sections. The loading section is, furthermore, adapted to alternately reposition each of the mailpiece containers from an in-plane position to an out-of-plane position relative to the mailpiece handling path. The in-plane position is operative to transport the mailpiece containers along the mailpiece handling path while the out-of-plane position is operative to spatially reposition each of the mailpiece containers for alignment with a side edge of the mailpiece stack.

Abstract: An input device delivers objects one at a time to a transfer station next to a conveyor extending in a transport direction. A cassette defines an upwardly open stack well shaped to receive the objects and has a floor. The cassette is held in an upstream stack-forming position underneath the input device while the input device drops the objects one at a time into the well, and the floor of the cassette is stepped downward each time an object is dropped into the well by a distance generally equal to a vertical height of the object. When a predetermined number of the objects has been dropped into the well, the cassette is displaced downstream out of the upstream stack-forming position synchronously with the conveyor at the transport speed while the stack of objects in the well is pushed transversely of the direction out of the well into the conveyor.

Abstract: A device for forming stacks of sheet products, in particular of paper products, may include the paper products being supplied in an input stream by a feed conveyor to a transfer section. The device may also include at least two set-down tables each including a set-down surface for receiving stacks of the supplied paper products. The set-down tables may move along a circuit-like table-circulating path and may be flexible at least in some segments to conform to shapes of curvatures located in at least some parts and subregions of the table-circulating path. As a result, it is possible for the set-down tables to be guided into the curvatures with a leading front side edge of each of the set-down tables being a leading edge in a circulating direction of the set-down tables. The stacks of stacked paper products may then be transported away from a delivery section by a removal conveyor.

Abstract: The invention relates to collecting and conveying devices for stacks of sheets (3), comprising a collecting station (1) in which a corresponding number of sheet stacks (3) are formed simultaneously from several imbricated flows (2) of sheets which are guided adjacent to each other, a transversal transporter (4) which is arranged at a distance behind the collecting station (1) for transporting the finished stack of sheets (3) in a manner transversal to the direction of transport of the sheets in the collecting station (1) and a transfer device (5) which is used to transport the stack of sheets (3) from the collecting station (1) to the transversal transporter (4). According to the invention, a carriage (9) that can be displaced over a given path in a manner that is synchronous with the transversal support (4) is arranged adjacent thereto.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for stacking flat products, in particular, folding boxes, comprising a stack shaft for receiving the flat products which comprises an inlet opening opposite to an impinging surface, and is provided with guiding element disposed in side flanks, which guide the flat products in the form of a stack, wherein each side flank comprises a transport means for upward and downward vertical movement of a tray which projects into the stack shaft and which carries the flat products.

Abstract: An auto stacking machine includes a worktable (10), a plurality of chutes (20), a pair of receivers (30), and a cushioning apparatus. Three vertical plates (14) are mounted on the worktable. The chutes are attached to outmost ones of the vertical plates respectively, for receiving slot covers (60). The cushioning apparatus includes a plurality of resilient members (55) positioned behind corresponding slideways, for cushioning the dropping strip articles. Each receiver includes a number of receiving spaces, for receiving and stacking the strip articles therein. The receivers are attached to the worktable, and are horizontally moveable. A controller is arranged under the worktable, for electrically controlling movement of the receivers to switch positions of the receiving spaces.

Abstract: Book bindery and trimming apparatus which is directly connectable to the output of a digital printer enable substantially automatic book production. Individual sheets are cut from a printed web, folded and driven into a sheet stacker. The stacker collects the sheets onto a pair of vanes mounted on respective drums until the end of a book is reached. At this point the stacker is moved to its next position(s) and the sheets forming the collected book are deposited on a stack collector. Meanwhile, a new pair of vanes present themselves for book collection. The collected book progresses through a stitcher, for wire stitching, and then to the trimming apparatus. The trimming apparatus has a book path inclined downwardly towards a backstop which, in cooperation with front stop fingers, ensures reliable alignment of the book for trimming.

Abstract: An auto stacking machine includes a worktable (10), a plurality of chutes (20), a pair of receivers (30), and a cushioning apparatus. Three vertical plates (14) are mounted on the worktable. The chutes are attached to outmost ones of the vertical plates respectively, for receiving slot covers (60). The cushioning apparatus includes a plurality of resilient members (55) positioned behind corresponding slideways, for cushioning the dropping strip articles. Each receiver includes a number of receiving spaces, for receiving and stacking the strip articles therein. The receivers are attached to the worktable, and are horizontally moveable. A controller is arranged under the worktable, for electrically controlling movement of the receivers to switch positions of the receiving spaces.

Abstract: A banknote store comprises a rotatable structure such as a drum which has a number of banknote storage regions arranged around its periphery. Each stores a stack of banknotes, the stacks growing inwardly as banknotes are added. The drum can be rotated to bring each storage region into proximity to means for delivering banknotes to and/or retrieving banknotes from the store.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stacking device for a machine for processing sheets, especially a sheet printing machine. Said device can be displaced between a first stacking position (02) and a second stacking position (03), and comprises carriers for a pallet receiving the stacked sheets in the first stacking position (02) and the second stacking position (03). The inventive device also comprises transport units (14, 16, 18) for transporting the pallets (09, 21) from each stacking position (02, 03) to a single pile of pallets (11), and for stacking the pallets (12, 19) in the pile of pallets (11).

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking horizontally conveyed individual flats into vertically extending stacks including a stacking housing with an upper station for receiving the flats singly and releasing them downwardly into an intermediate station wherein multiple flats are accumulated and the accumulated grouping is then released downwardly to form an overall vertically extending stack of twenty flats or more for exit conveying. A control system is further disclosed including control plates, link arms and retaining/releasing arms for controlling downward movement of the flats within the stacking housing.

Abstract: A method to improve the stacking of containers comprising thermoplastic plastic, and the transfer of the stacks to a successive device. Stacks of a predetermined number are intended to be produced without disturbances, even with a high cycle number of the shaping tool. This is achieved in that the containers are stacked in a first stack magazine, which is exchanged for an adjacent stack magazine between two cycles of the shaping tool after the predetermined number has been reached. The containers are stacked in the stack magazines directly from the shaping tool, or by an intermediate transfer device.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method and a device for stacking and packing groups of infusion bags, especially for making tea, whereby in continuous production infusion bags arranged one after another in a series in a strand are separated, their speed of movement is reduced and they are put in a position suitable for making a stack, whereby the infusion bags are arranged one after another in such a way that they at least partly overlap in their subsequent direction of movement.

Abstract: Flat objects (7) to be stacked in a stacking device (2) are supplied serially, individually held and aligned with one another. Cross stacks (12) are produced by subjecting alternating groups (11, 11′) of the such supplied objects (7) to one of two step sequences, wherein, in both step sequences, the objects of the groups are released from held conveyance and are, in at least one of the step sequences, brought to the stacking device lying on a conveying surface (10.1, 10.1′) in an imbricated formation, and wherein in the two step sequences a rotation difference of 180° around an axis perpendicular to the object surfaces is established between alternating groups (11, 11′). The objects (7) positioned in the stacking device in groups form a cross stack (12), without it being necessary, that the stacking device (2) or parts of it have to be rotated between groups of objects being positioned. This results in shorter cycle times and in a smaller number of moving parts.

Abstract: Described is an arrangement for feeding and/or taking away magazines intended to receive individual articles, to and/or from an apparatus for treating and/or handling the articles, wherein the apparatus comprises a first transport element which receives a supply of magazines for feeding articles to be treated, and a second transport element which receives a supply of magazines for carrying away treated articles, with the transport elements being arranged in mutually juxtaposed relationship and movable in a horizontal plane. A third transport element is operatively associated with the first and second transport elements and movable between a first position in which it is towards the first and second transport elements and at least one second position in which it is away from the first and second transport elements. The third transport element has at least one movable carrier for at least one magazine.

Abstract: A capstan for handling slitting tools comprises a base, a pivoting frame, an outer frame and a plurality of shafts. The pivoting frame is supported by the base for pivotal movement about an axis. The outer frame is supported by the rotating frame for translational movement along the axis. The plurality of shafts extends from the outer frame transversely to the axis. The capstan preferably further includes an axial actuator for translating the outer frame relative to the pivoting frame along the axis. This permits an attendant to raise or lower the outer frame, and, hence, raise or lower the shafts. By thus raising or lowering the shafts, the attendant can adjust the height of the shafts to a comfortable level for loading or unloading knives and spacers without excessive lifting or bending. An optional pusher serves to automatically slide the tools between the capstan and the slitter machine.

Abstract: An apparatus for delivering stackable bag packages, particularly plastic bags with a bottom fold, with a pin stacking conveyor, from which the bag packages are brought in a relatively simple manner by means of a upward swingable plate into a substantially horizontal delivery position, from which they can be perfectly taken up by a grip hand of a robot and delivered to a receiving station.

Abstract: There is disclosed a conveyor for arranging and feeding sheet materials such as plastic bags in a feeding direction, the sheet materials being discharged into a discharge position. The conveyor comprises first sprocket or pulley means disposed near the discharge position of sheet material. The conveyor further comprises second sprocket or pulley means disposed downstream of the first sprocket or pulley means in the feeding direction of sheet material. Endless chain or belt means is stretched between the first and second sprocket or pulley means. A plurality of receivers are spaced at a distance from each other along the endless chain or belt means and mounted on and fixed to the endless chain or belt means to extend outwardly of and vertically to the endless chain or belt means, one of the receivers being disposed at the discharge position to receive the sheet materials successively discharged.

Abstract: A stacker for stacking articles, particularly blister packs, into stacks of goods, including a goods feeder, a primary packing unit and a unit for supplying the stacks for secondary packing or processing. The packing unit has a goods magazine with a goods support, on which the articles inserted in the magazine may be deposited to form stacks of goods. The goods magazine has a first goods support and a second goods support, the first support being arranged above the stack of goods until the stack resting on the second support is removed. A further stack may be piled up on the first support and lowered into the removal position following the removal of the stack located below it.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for nesting taco shells, comprising: a stop for positioning a first taco shell, a pusher for urging taco shells toward the stop, pusher drive means for moving the pusher reciprocally relative to the stop, and control means for causing the minimum mutual distance between the stop and the pusher to increase stepwise during successive strokes of the pusher during making of a nest of taco shells. The invention also relates to a method of nesting taco shells.