Abstract: A process and apparatus for registering flexible sheets has a first conveyor belt with a smooth sheet contacting surface movably mounted to a frame. A movable abutment belt is mounted to said frame and juxtaposed with said conveyor belt. The conveyor belt and the abutment belt move at the same rate of speed so that a sheet deposited on said conveyor belt is engaged by and aligned with said abutment belt and is thereby registered during advancement between said inlet end and said outlet end.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and apparatus for separating flexible sheets from a stack wherein the stack is locally compressed and pierced and stack holders are fitted in the holes formed extending through the entire thickness of the stack. The piercing device caan be located inside the frame of the actual separating device or in a second frame linked to the first frame, which frame is then provided with transporting chains to introduce the supporting platforms for the stacks into said frame, and to remove them therefrom after the sheets have been separated from the stack. The apparatus also includes an improved pick-up head wherein a stop for the pricking element is mounted between the pressure shoes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating and individually transporting flexible sheets from a stack to at least one processing unit wherein one stack edge is compressed and the topmost sheet is picked-up by pick-up heads at its edge situated at the compressed stack edge, the engaged edge is lifted from the stack, and the lifted edge is gripped by horizontally moving removal elements which remove the partially lifted sheet from under the pick-up heads and carry it away in a horizontal direction at least beyond the pick-up zone whereby the sheet is progressively turned and rolled off the stack and transported to a registering mechanism where the sheet is oriented in a predetermined position for feeding to the processing unit.