Abstract: A leaflet is produced from a pre-printed sheet of material by folding the sheet with at least one crease-line along the line of advancement of the sheet but preferably with two or more such crease-lines so that the sheet is fan-folded. The crease-lines are squeezed by a roller nip and then the sheet is fed into a diametral slot in a mandrel of elliptical cross-section. The leading edge of the sheet is gripped within the slot and then the mandrel is rotated to wind the sheet around the outer surface thereof. The wound sheet is then removed from the mandrel and is squeezed through a roller nip so as to form a substantially flat folded leaflet. The leaflet may be converted to a booklet by joining together the overlying sheets along one folded edge of the compressed leaflet and slitting open the other folded edge of the compressed leaflet.

Abstract: A leaflet is produced from a pre-printed sheet of material by folding the sheet with at least one crease-line along the line of advancement of the sheet but preferably with two or more such crease-lines so that the sheet is fan-folded. The crease-lines are squeezed by a roller nip and then the sheet is fed into a diametral slot in a mandrel of elliptical cross-section. The leading edge of the sheet is gripped within the slot and then the mandrel is rotated to wind the sheet around the outer surface thereof. The wound sheet is then removed from the mandrel and is squeezed through a roller nip so as to form a substantially flat folded leaflet. The leaflet may be converted to a booklet by joining together the overlying sheets along one folded edge of the compressed leaflet and slitting open the other folded edge of the compressed leaflet.

Abstract: Apparatus for counting sheets in stack (17) thereof and inserting tabs (27) between the sheets at predetermined counts, as well as a tabbing method, uses a rotatable counting disc (10) engageable with an edge region of the stack and including a sheet transfer slot (12) to transfer the next sheet to be counted from one face of the disc to the opposed face, upon rotation of the disc. There are means (30) to count the number of sheets transferred and also to advance the disc relative to the stack, as the counting progresses. A tabber (31) is arranged to insert a tab (27) between two sheets of the stack (17) when a predetermined sheet count has been achieved, which tabber (31) projects a tab in a generally radially outward direction with respect to the disc (10), immediately adjacent one face (13) of the disc and in a timed relationship to the rotation thereof.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to sheet separating device for a stack counting apparatus including a counting head to traverse a corner of a stack and having a horizontal suction blade with a suction orifice on its upper surface for insertion in the stack and oscillatable about a horizontal axis to separate a corner of a sheet in the stack adhered by the suction port to the blade from the next sheet. A wiping pin is driven in an elongate orbit around the blade from the trailing edge thereof over the upper surface to the leading edge and along the underside of the blade to transfer a corner of a sheet adhered to the upper surface of the blade from the upper surface to the lower surface. A counting device is arranged to count the number of sheets transferred by the pin.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an air pressure sensor comprising a first air passage, a branch passage having an opening into the air passage, a sensor in the branch passage responsive to variation in air pressure in the opening and jet means for air flow through the first passage adjacent the opening to the branch passage to create an increased depression in static pressure as compared with the remainder of the air passage to enhance the response of the pressure sensor in the branch passage when air flow through the first passage occurs. The air passage terminates in a probe having an orifice to be opened and closed by the absence of and presence of a surface in contact with the probe so that the pressure sensor indicates whether or not the probe is in contact with the surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for separating sheets at the bottom of a stack comprising two contrarotating suction drum assemblies (14,15:17) and a suction pipe (18) extending between the two assemblies. In order to ensure that the edges of the lowermost sheet are fully separated from the sheet above before the sheet is extracted from the bottom of the stack, one assembly has a central suction drum (14) having suction outlets (25) and the other assembly (17) has suction outlets (29) to draw the edges of the lowermost sheet in their central regions downwardly from the sheet above. Two pairs of contrarotating double ended fingers (32) are mounted on either side of the drum assemblies to enter the stack above the lowermost sheet where the central region has been drawn downwardly and to move along the edges of the stack towards the ends of the stack to separate the edges of the lowermost sheet from the sheet above.

Abstract: A conveyor system for delivering articles in succession has an endless conveyor loop, which is guided by guide rollers around a closed path including a horizontally extending run. The guide roller at one end of the horizontally extending run of the closed path and a further guide roller in a part of the path other than the horizontally extending run are mounted on a support, which is pivoted by a reciprocating mechanism so as to cyclically extend and retract the horizontal run of the loop at one of its ends while maintaining tension in the loop.

Abstract: A conveyor system for delivering articles in succession has an endless conveyor loop, which is guided by guide rollers around a closed path including a horizontally extending run having an upstream end and a downstream end. The guide roller at one end of the horizontally extending run of the closed path and a further guide roller in a part of the path other than the horizontally extending run are mounted on a support, which is pivoted by a reciprocating mechanism so as to cyclically extend and retract the horizontal run of the path at its one end while maintaining tension in the conveyor loop. A gate is located adjacent the upstream end of the horizontally extending run to provide a sequential flow of articles to such horizontally extending run.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus, for counting a stack of sheets, of the kind (hereinafter referred to as "the kind described") comprising a counting head which in use is traversed along a corner of the stack, the head having a suction blade provided with a suction orifice for insertion in the corner of the stack, which blade is oscillatable about a horizontal axis to separate a corner of a sheet in the stack adhered by suction to one side of the blade from the next stack, and a wiping pin movable in an elongate orbit around the blade to transfer the corner of the sheet from the said one side of the blade to the opposite side thereof, and means to count the number of transfer operations effected, wherein there are provided means to traverse the counting head downwardly past a corner of a stack to be counted and means to move said wiping pin in a generally downwardly inclined elliptical orbit around the suction blade, comprising first means to mount the wiping pin for eccentric rotation about a first axis, second