Abstract: An automatic paper sheet supplying apparatus for supplying paper sheets one after another, via a first guide surface of a first stationary guide which extends into a paper sheet processer with which the supplying apparatus is combined. The sheets are fed from a sheet holding unit to the processor. A processed paper sheet is led via a passage between the second guide surface of the first guide and a second stationary guide, from the processor to a stacking unit. A movable guide is capable of moving between an open position, at which the entrance of the stacking unit is not covered so as to allow the entering of the processed sheet to the stacking unit, and a closed position, at which the entrance of the stacking unit is covered so as to disturb the processed sheet from entering the stacking unit.

Abstract: A device for aligning sheets fed by a sheet feeder to a sheet-processing machine includes a suction pull bar located in an aligning region of the sheet feeder, drive device for reciprocatingly displacing the suction pull bar in the plane of a sheet transversely to sheet travel direction through the sheet feeder, air control device through which the drive device is connected to a vacuum generator, positioning device for controlling the drive device the suction pull bar being acuatable for applying suction to the underside of a sheet which has reached the aligning region and after the sheet has been aligned by the leading edge thereof, the suction bar being actuatable for moving the sheet into an in-register side position and having device for applying fresh air thereto for releasing the sheet exactly in the side position simultaneously with a take-over of the sheet-in register by the sheet conveying device and a method for operating the device.

Abstract: A sheet inserting guide for engaging a flexible sheet material with sheet transfer device comprising a base plate, and a restriction plate spaced from the base plate to define a sheet insertion port therebetween at an end adjacent said sheet transfer device. The restriction plate defines at least an inwardly tapered side edge at the other end thereof away from said sheet transfer device, the portion of said restriction plate defining said tapered side edge preferably being bent outwardly at an angle relative to said base plate.

Abstract: A paper feeder is described, of the type which includes a cylindrical platen (16) and multiple pressure rollers (18,20) that press paper between themselves and the platen, which is of simple and inexpensive construction. The paper feeder includes a shaft (34) of square cross-section, a group of leaf springs (30) with inner ends mounted on the shaft and outer ends lying under the platen, and a group of roller assemblies (38) mounted on the outer ends of the leaf springs. The inner end of each leaf spring has tabs (40,42) on opposite sides, which are bent down at substantially right angles and which have square slots (46) for closely receiving the square shaft. The group of perhaps five leaf springs are mounted on the shaft with their tabs abutting one another, and with grip rings on opposite ends of the shaft to hold the springs in place.

Abstract: The present invention is constituted by a device which acts, simultaneously, as an accumulation member for pacts of signatures (15) and as a device for conveying these latter to subsequent working stages. The device comprises a structure (20) supporting at least one pair of shafts (1,2), disposed horizontally and provided each with a pair of sprockets (3,4; 5,6), over which pass special conveyor chains (7,8) constituted by articulated links (9) capable of rotating about articulation pins (10) and some of the pins (10) supporting pairs of pulleys (11,12), suitably spaced, and disposed on the same side or, alternatively, on opposite sides of the chain itself. The pulleys (11,12) have a diameter such that they project above the links (9) and longitudinally adjacent pairs of pulleys (11,12) carry belts (16) which also project above the chain links (9) to provide a support surface on which the signatures can rest.

Abstract: There is illustrated and described a printing device having an integrated paper feeding apparatus adapted for supplying individual sheets of paper to the printing device to effect printing thereon. The integrated printer and paper feeding apparatus of the present invention is particularly suitable for use in word processing systems where the information to be printed in hard copy is contained in a memory device such as a floppy disk or the like. The apparatus may be directly linked to word processing equipment to receive the text of material to be printed. In addition to having the capability of automatically feeding individual sheets of paper from one or more paper trays to the printing device, the apparatus includes an automatic envelope supply mechanism for supplying individual envelopes to the printing device, as well as a manual paper feed option. After effecting printing on the paper or envelope, an ejector mechanism ejects the printed paper from the apparatus and into a receptacle in collated form.

Abstract: A controlling system for mechanisms which deliver sheets taken off from a sheet pile in a processing machine. A first height detecting element for a rear part of the sheet pile and a second height detecting element for a front part of the sheet pile are provided with respective first and second detection fingers. The first and second detecting elements are connected to a command circuit which actuates a reduction motor driving the elevator lifting the sheet pile. The calculator also actuates the motor for the lifting or lowering of the sucking unit. The device is used in devices feeding sheets taken off from the top of a pile into a processing machine.

Abstract: A device for feeding envelopes from a hopper to an envelope reading station upon demand. A pair of drive rollers are mounted on a first drive shaft by means of a one-way clutch which allows the rollers to rotate only in a feeding direction. Mounted below the drive rollers are a pair of driven rollers which have a brake applying a force to them counter to the feeding direction. The braking force minimizes the possibility of feeding two documents at the same time. A second substantially identical set of rollers are mounted downstream of the first set of rollers. Upon demand envelopes are fed through the feeder and retained in the nip of the second set of rollers with a portion of the envelope extending into an envelope reading area. An operator reads address indicia from the envelope and keys it into envelope processing apparatus.

Abstract: An improved material pick-up device to allow sheets of material of varying texture and resiliency to be picked up and moved without piercing and without damage thereto. A pair of support members having saw-tooth shaped projections thereon are guided and supported to be relatively reciprocated along side by side paths to move the projections together and apart. The reciprocation is carefully controlled and adjusted by an adjusting device cooperably with the device powering the reciprocation so that the spacing of the respective pairs of teeth in the support members may be carefully controlled to define a gripping position and a release position. Thus, the gripping position may be varied in accordance with the texture and resiliency of the material to be gripped such that the surface of the material is pinched without piercing and can be moved without damage thereto. In one embodiment, a pair of coaxial cylindrical supports are nested together and one rotates relative to the other.

Abstract: A paper-sheet dividing apparatus has a blade wheel which has a plurality of curved slots. Each curved slot is rotated to sequentially deliver a paper sheet to a conveyor belt. The apparatus also has a dividing member rotated together with the blade wheel and timed such that a corresponding curved slot for receiving the last paper sheet among the first predetermined number of paper sheets to be divided is axially matched with one of the first blades which is positioned between the curved slot which receives the first paper sheet among the second predetermined number of paper sheets and the curved slot which receives the last paper sheet described above. The dividing member is rotated through a predetermined angle and is separated from the blade wheel. During this movement, the paper sheet removed from the blade wheel is temporarily supported on the dividing member.

Abstract: A cloth gripping device including a pressing member having a portion for pressing a cloth to grip the same and a claw member for cooperating with the pressing member to grip the cloth therebetween. A pressing face is formed on the bottom of the pressing member for pressing the cloth. A retracted face is located at a position retracted by a distance corresponding to the thickness of a single cloth from the pressing face relative to the cloth. A substantially vertical gripping wall is provided by a step between the pressing face and the retracted face. A gripping groove is formed which is sufficiently wide but not too wide to receive a bent portion of the cloth therein when only one cloth is picked up adjacent a boundary between the pressing face and the retracted face. The retracted face includes a guide groove formed therein for guiding the claw member toward the gripping groove.

Abstract: An apparatus in which successive flexible sheets are advanced from a stack. One edge of the stack of sheets is supported rollably in a substantially vertical orientation. Successive outermost sheets are fed from one side of the stack. The stack of sheets moves toward a sheet feeder so as to position successive outermost sheets of one side thereof in a feeding relationship therewith.

Abstract: A bottom sheet separator-feeder for separating and forwarding sheets seriatim from the bottom of a stack of sheets includes a stack tray and endless vacuum belts extending through the front end of the tray for acquiring and advancing the bottom sheet, the belts extending across a support surface having vacuum ports therein for applying a negative pressure at the back of the belts. In order to reduce unwanted vacuum effects upstream of the vacuum ports, a transverse lip extends across the support surface upstream of the vacuum ports.

Abstract: A speed control system for an envelope feeding mechanism used to feed envelopes to a pickoff device in a high speed mail sorting machine. The feeding mechanism includes a pair of toothed belts which convey the envelopes along an inclined surface. The side edges of the envelopes are received by a third toothed belt which is driven at an elevated position along a side panel. The belts are driven by a multiple speed electric motor controlled by electronic circuitry which automatically decrements or increments the motor speed if the envelopes are bunched together too tightly or too loosely. If the speed is decremented and the envelopes are still tightly bunched, the drive motor is stopped by a shutoff circuit which operates independently of the speed control circuit.

Abstract: The printed products unwound from a storage coil or wound package in imbricated product formation are conveyed over two belt conveyors against a stop. According to one embodiment the printed products are separated from the imbricated product formation before reaching the end of the first conveyor device formed by the two belt conveyors by an acceleration imposed by the second of the two belt conveyors, i.e. they are singled. According to another embodiment the imbrication of the printed products is inverted before the products reach the end of the first conveyor device. The individual printed products fall downward after impinging the stop and are deposited upon the preceding printed product in an imbricated formation. The imbricated product formation is conveyed away by a belt conveyor of a second conveyor device in a conveying direction opposite to the conveying direction of the first conveyor device.

Abstract: In a paper sheet stacking apparatus according to the present invention, continuously fed paper sheets are received by rotating blade wheels, and are then dropped from the blade wheels at a predetermined position by means of a stationary stop. A separator capable of rotating coaxially with the blade wheels is stopped at the paper sheet dropping position to bear thereon the first of many sheaves of paper sheets to be allotted out of the dropped paper sheets. The paper sheets on the separator is temporarily transferred to an auxiliary stacking unit, and the separator is removed from the blade wheels. Then, the separator is rotated without touching the paper sheets and stopped at a position beside a stand-by position where it waits for the first paper sheet out of the next sheaf of paper sheets to be inserted into the blade wheels. Thereafter, the separator is moved further toward the blade wheels and stopped at the stand-by position.

Abstract: Sheet feeding apparatus with an adjustable stack support in confronting relation to a feed opening able to accommodate sheets of various widths, so that one or more stacks of sheets can be supported along the feed opening with the longitudinal center line of any stack being positionable along different selected points along the length of the feed opening. At least about eight selectively controlled suction cups are aligned parallel to the length of the feed opening and encompass most of the opening engaging the bottom surface of the bottom sheet in any stack of sheets and withdraw the sheet from the stack. The spacing between contiguous margins of the suction cups is much less than about two diameters of each cup. The suction cups are preferably supported on the top of a pneumatic tube and are raised with the tube to engage the bottommost sheet in the stack. The pneumatic tube is mounted for pivotal movement upon a rockable carrier framework.

Abstract: A slidably supporting feeding apparatus having fingers movable to stop and to release the stock for regulating delivery of the stock to a press, the fingers being driven by inertia to a complete release position in timed relation with a press feed mechanism, which during the interval of complete release of the stock by the fingers, grasps and moves the stock into the press.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stacker for flat objects, in which a conveyor moves the objects to be stacked in in an edgewise manner. A drum rotates permanently in front of the orifice of a hollow cylindrical body, connected to a suction source. The stack of already stacked objects is engaged against said drum. A shell, controlled in rotation, controls the application of suction through the openings of the drum, of an object inserted between the drum and the stack. Suction application is timed to correspond to a displacement of the leading edge of the object inserted between the orifice and the stopping border of the receptacle. Application to postal sorting.

Abstract: An apparatus for picking up, transporting and exactly depositing planar work pieces, particularly cloth parts, comprises lifting devices which can be moved over work piece deposition points. The lifting devices comprise a pressure plate having a plurality of adhesive-tape pickups removably fixed thereon, e.g., by adhesion magnets. The adhesive-tape pick ups can be easily moved to any number of selectable points on the pressure plate in order to conform to the work piece to be picked up. The adhesive-tape pickups comprise a tubular housing having disposed therein a longitudinally movable adhesive-tape winding device with associated table deflection rolls. The tubular member has a baffle plate located at the bottom thereof. The baffle plate is provided with apertures. The tape deflection rollers protrude slightly through these apertures presenting adhesive tape for picking up a work piece when the apparatus is positioned at a pickup point.