Abstract: Apparatus for the vertical and automatic stacking of sheets, as well as for the feeding of cover boards onto the stacks consisting of sheets, with use of a single apparatus for feeding the cover boards, the apparatus for feeding the boards being movable up and down in a vertical plane in an interference stroke within the prestacking stroke, which interference stroke is determined by a lower pushing-in position on the fork of the lower cover board and a pushing-in position of the upper cover board on the finished stack. The stop for the cover boards and the upper end of the side parts of the movable carriage for the stack of sheets are also arranged so as to be movable back and forth in a vertically arranged plane. With the same prestacking strokes, stacks which have a greater stack height are produced, furthermore the efficiency of the stacking apparatus is increased.

Abstract: An arrangement for loading elongated bundles of sheets on a pallet in different orientations includes conveying a movable carriage between a supply station to which bundles are fed, and a loading station at which bundles are loaded on the pallet. An upright column extending along a longitudinal axis is mounted on, and is jointly movable with, the carriage. A pair of jaws is displaceable toward and away from each other along a transverse axis. In a bundle-gripping position, the jaws engage opposite ends of a bundle. In a bundle-release position, the jaws are disengaged from the bundle. The jaws are raised and lowered along the longitudinal axis. The jaws, while in the bundle-gripping position, are turned about, and in a plane perpendicular to, the longitudinal axis to a desired angular orientation prior to loading the bundle onto the pallet.

Abstract: An arrangement for handling and guiding a bundle of sheets in and between stacking and binding stations in which the sheets are stacked and bound respectively. The arrangement includes an arm displaceable from a pressing position in which the arm engages an uppermost sheet in the bundle in the stacking station to form a pressed bundle, to a removed position in which the arm is disengaged from the uppermost sheet. The pressed bundle is moved through the stacking station and conveyed from the stacking station to the binding station while the arm is maintained in the pressing position to prevent sheet disarrangement during such passage. In the binding station, the arm is displaced to the removed position to form a released bundle which is compressed prior to binding in the binding station. A guard engages uppermost sheets in the bundle in the binding station during displacement of the arm to the removed position to prevent sheet disarrangement.

Abstract: A vertical signature stacker comprises a separator plate supported within a stacker framework for removal of signatures from a conveyor belt and delivery thereof to a fork. The separator plate is supported by a slide frame that may be tilted and vertically adjusted. The separator plate is also adjustable in a horizontal direction. The fork receives signature stacks and is vertically adjustable. The separator plate has an upper limit stop that is generally level with the head of an operator.

Abstract: A device for providing signature stacks (12) with endboards (11) and for conveying the stacks (12) from a stack-forming position wherein such stacks are formed to the signature-pressing station (7), comprising a single endboard storage unit (10) fitted with a mobile wall (13) and with a charging unit (18) featuring a mobile cursor (23) designed to effect to-and-fro strokes of varying lengths, so that endboards (11) for signatures of all types and sizes may be loaded. The device further comprises a slide (41) for conveying the stacks (12), designed to run between a first limit stop position corresponding to the above stack-forming position and a second limit stop position corresponding to the stack (12) pressing or binding station. The travelling slide (41) is equipped with articulated side panels (51), so that stacks (12) made with signatures of any size whatever may be transferred from one location to the other.