Abstract: An output bin that uses gravity to urge the sheets into alignment along two edges and thereby help form a fully aligned stack. In one embodiment, the bin includes a first panel facing each sheet as the sheet is output from the printing device, the first panel having a top, a bottom and a side; a second panel disposed along the bottom of the first panel, the second panel tipped relative to a leading edge that leads each sheet out of the printing device; and a third panel disposed along the side of the first panel. Each sheet dispensed into the output bin slides over the first panel until a leading edge of the sheet contacts an upper portion of the second tipped panel. The sheet then tips in the direction of the third panel and rests with the leading edge supported by the second panel and a side edge supported by the third panel.

Abstract: A sheet flow direction changing mechanism having a roller system comprised of three rollers and a sheet stopping device and so adapted and arranged that a sheet passing through said mechanism is (1) driven in a first direction by passing between a center roller and a top roller, (2) stopped and then (3) directed into a nip between the center roller and a bottom roller and thereby driving the sheet in a second direction.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a thermal printer component for image recording to a thermosensitive recording sheet. There is a loading opening through which the thermal printer component is supplied with the recording sheet. Plural guiding projections position the recording sheet in the loading opening. A recording sheet package includes a packaging case for containing a stack of plural recording sheets with looseness. The loading opening is loadable with the packaging case. A package outlet is formed in the packaging case for passage of each recording sheet, and set directed toward the thermal printer component. Plural cutouts are formed in a periphery of the packaging case, and receive the guiding projections. Blocking portions of a blocking frame are disposed inside the packaging case, and close the cutouts. The blocking portions are shiftable inwards from the cutouts by the guiding projections.

Abstract: A media transport belt assembly has a continuous belt encompassing two rollers supported on a frame. A tension mechanism biases the rollers apart to generate tension in the belt. The end of one roller moves in response to increased belt tension to skew the first roller with respect to the second roller. The roller end may be pivotally attached to a frame for movement in an arc, or may be otherwise constrained to displace the roller from the plane of the belt.

Abstract: A sheet accumulator has a circular paper path and a compact design. Individual sheets of paper moving along a main linear path are diverted into the accumulator one by one, and each sheet enters a gripper having jaws that grip the sheets of paper. The gripper jaws pull the sheets along the circular paper path until the gripper returns to a home location, at which point the gripper stops, opens, accepts another sheet, closes, and makes another rotation. When the accumulation is complete, the gripper jaws open to release an accumulated stack of sheets, and a roller is then engaged to exit the sheets out of the accumulator and into the main linear paper path.

Abstract: The invention allows an amount by which restricting members should be moved to be grasped accurately and easily, prohibits movement of the restricting members in time of fastening the restricting members, and allows positions of the restricting members to be adjusted accurately and just by a necessary amount. A set screw is meshed with a boss of a retaining member through an eccentric cam mounted in a cam guide formed in an upper surface of a main body, the eccentric cam being supported to have an axis of rotation aligned to an axis of rotation of a pinion. A rotation of the eccentric cam varies positions of contact between peripheral surface of the eccentric cam and side surfaces of the cam guide to vary a distance from the positions of contact to the center of rotation of the eccentric cam.

Abstract: A method for controlling and adjusting nudger drive friction force. The nudger drive friction force is measured and compared with a desired nudger belt friction force term needed for reliable feeding. Cable drum motor torque is responsively adjusted to obtain a desired nudger drive friction force.

Abstract: A device for laterally aligning a sheet on a feeding table of a sheet-processing machine, wherein a sheet is moved transversely to the sheet-transporting direction by a pulling device, and a multiple-sheet monitoring device activatable during the pulling operation is assigned to the pulling device, includes another pulling device disposed opposite the first-mentioned pulling device, and a pressure-exerting roller with multiple-sheet monitoring assigned to each of the pulling devices, respectively, for sheet stabilization.

Abstract: An apparatus for the separation of sheets includes a transport structure for exerting a force on an outermost sheet of a pack of sheets in the direction of transport and a separation structure for exerting a force on at least one other sheet of the pack against the direction of transport to prevent the other sheet from moving along with the outermost sheet in the direction of transport. The apparatus also includes a treating device for treatment of the engaging surface of the transport structure and/or the separation structure to increase the frictional coefficient of the engaging surface. Thus, a more reliable separation effect can be obtained especially over a longer period.

Abstract: An image transfer apparatus shuttle feeder module comprising a module frame, an air fluffer assembly, a vacuum shuttle box assembly, and an air knife assembly. The air fluffer assembly is supported from the module frame. The vacuum shuttle box assembly is supported from the module frame. The air knife assembly is supported from the module frame. The vacuum shuttle box assembly is movably mounted to the module frame to shuttle relative to the frame between first and second positions. The module frame has attachment members adapted for removably mounting the module frame with the air fluffer assembly, vacuum shuttle box assembly, and air knife assembly thereon to an image transfer apparatus. The image transfer apparatus has a sheet media supply section. The module frame is mounted in a predetermined location on the image transfer apparatus.

Abstract: A paper discharge device for a printer has a housing having a circular inside guide wall, a paper inlet, a paper taking out opening, a paper discharge opening, and a paper discharge space. A paper winding roll is rotatably provided in a space inside the circular inside guide wall. A paper introducing roller is provided for introducing a paper sheet into the paper winding roll, and a paper discharge roller is provided for discharging the paper sheet in the paper discharge space. A first sensor is provided for detecting a rear end of the paper sheet when the paper sheet is fed to the paper discharge opening, and a second sensor is provided for detecting a forward end of the paper sheet when the paper sheet is fed to the paper taking out opening. In response to output signals of the first and second sensors, the rotation of the paper winding roll is controlled.

Abstract: A device for separating a sheet pile during the running operation of a pile-forming sheet-processing machine includes a separator which, when an auxiliary pile carrier is pushed into a sheet pile to be separated, is movable between a rear upper edge of the sheet pile to be separated and a following sheet for a new sheet pile, for the purpose of lifting a rear lower edge of the new sheet pile at least into an effective range of a rear sheet stop; and a pile-forming sheet-processing machine and a pile-forming sheet-fed printing machine, respectively, including the separating device.

Abstract: Roller pairs comprise respective upper rollers and respective lower rollers. The lower rollers are associated with respective displacement members connected thereto. The displacement members have oblong holes defined therein, and eccentric shafts fixed to respective ends of a rotatable shaft connected to a motor are supported in the respective oblong holes. A transversely shifting mechanism has a pair of transversely shifting fingers for transversely pressing a recording sheet toward a center thereof, and a displacing mechanism for displacing the transversely shifting fingers. The displacing mechanism comprises a pair of racks disposed on transverse shifters movable back and forth in the transverse direction of the recording sheet, an a pinion held in mesh with the racks and rotatable by a motor. The transverse shifters have integral transversely shifting fingers, respectively, for pressing the recording sheet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding envelopes in an envelope insertion machine, wherein a rotatable pneumatic feeding head is used to pick up an envelope from an envelope stack by a negative air pressure. The pneumatic feeding head is also used to move the envelope to a pair of take away rollers so that the envelope picked up by the feeding head can be moved further away from the envelope stack. It is preferred that the feeding head includes an outer cylinder having a row of vacuum ports and an inner cylinder having a plurality of apertures for air passage operatively connected to a vacuum pump. The inner cylinder is independently rotatable relative to the outer cylinder so that the negative air pressure is provided to the vacuum ports when the apertures of the inner cylinder are aligned with the vacuum ports, and the negative air pressure is turned off from the vacuum parts when the apertures and the vacuum ports are out of alignment.

Abstract: A document creating apparatus comprises an image transfer system and a sheet stacker for stacking sheets of material. The sheet stacker is coupled to the image transfer system and is adapted to transport the sheets of material from the image transfer system along a paper path. The sheet stacker has a rotatable disk located along the paper path. The rotatable disk receives at least two of the sheets of material. A controller is connected to the rotatable disk and controls a position of the rotatable disk. The controller rotates the rotatable disk to or past a sheet stacking position after the rotatable disk receives at least two of the sheets of material adjacent each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device to change the speed of individual flat shipments that are jammed and displaced one behind the other on a two-part conveyance system. In order to carry out any desired speed changes, without subjecting the shipments to pull or strain, a first conveyance device is located in front of a second conveyance device with controllable speed. The first conveyance device is normally driven at the speed of the inputting part of the conveyance system and does not exert a propelling or braking effect on the relevant delivery when it is blocked on the second conveyance device with controllable speed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding a currency note into a currency processing machine. This note feeder includes a transporter for transporting notes from a note stack onto a processing belt inside the currency processing machine. The note feeder also includes a mediating transporter that takes the note from the transporter and feeds the note onto the processing belt. The note feeder also includes sensors for determining when the note has left a first feeding area and entered a second feeding area and a sensor that determines when the note has entered onto the processing belt. Based on information received from the sensors, the transporter starts and stops thus providing uniform spacing between notes.

Abstract: A web press has cutting cylinders for cutting a web into signatures and a transfer cylinder for receiving the signatures. A pre-cylinder signature collector includes a diverter station for diverting the signatures received from the cutting cylinders. At least two tape paths having different lengths receive the signatures from the diverter station. At least one collection point collects the signatures from all of the tape paths on top of one another for passage to the transfer cylinder.

Abstract: An arrangement for feeding documents piecemeal from a document bundle (9) comprises a banknote separator (200) which includes two mutually biased rollers (4,6) that are driven by a drive motor (1) that also drives a dispensing roller (3) which functions to dispense documents from the bundle. The rollers (4,6) of the roll pair are rotationally coupled together via a freewheeling hub. The second roller (6) does not rotate during dispensing of a document. Upon completion of a dispensing operation, the drive direction of the motor (1) is reversed, so as to bring the second roller (6) to a new angular position.

Abstract: The feeding mechanism for feeding media from an initial site to a predetermined site comprises a base, a scrubber, a deskewer, two feeders, a lifting device having two cam portions, a driving element and a releasing device. The deskewer is moved between a first position and a second position and sets the media located at the initial site. The two feeders are used for transmitting the media located at the initial site toward the predetermined site. The cam portions are used as a lifter to move the deskewer from the first position to the second position. The driving element disposed between the lifting device and the releasing device generates forces to actuate the cam portions to move the deskewer. The releasing device is used as an overload protection clutch connected between the lifting device and the driving element, having a first plate separately contacting the driving element.