Abstract: An apparatus for in-register feeding a sheet into a sheet-processing machine by conveying the sheet in a given feed direction over a feed table includes front lays engageably by a leading edge of the sheet for aligning the leading edge of the sheet, a pair of said pull-type lays located in the feed table respectively on mutually opposite operator and drive sides of the feed table at a slight spacing from the front lays, both the side lays being movable in the plane of the feed table transversely to the given feed direction of the sheet, a device for driving at least one of the side lays, a device for positioning the sheet having at least one sensor for controlling a displacement stroke of the driven side lay, an air control device connected to a vacuum generator and to both of the side lays for controlling suction air flow to the side lays, at least one of the side lays having a device for applying suction to the sheet until static friction is assured preparatory to aligning a respective lateral edge of the s

Abstract: This specification discloses a sheet aligning device for aligning conveyed sheets by bringing rotatable paddles comprising a plurality of flexible members into contact with two surfaces substantially orthogonal to each other and in which the sheets are aligned by a rotatable main paddle member for imparting to the sheet a draw-in force in the direction of intersection of the two surfaces substantially orthogonal to each other and a rotatable auxiliary paddle member for causing the sheet to be conveyed to one of the two surfaces with a draw-in force weaker than the draw-in force of the main paddle member.

Abstract: A paper feeding device includes conveyor rollers including top rollers and bottom rollers which rotate in the same direction and disposed respectively on two shafts in alternate positions. Timing rollers are provided on the down stream side of the conveyor rollers. The center-to-center distance between the two shafts is somewhat smaller than the sum of the radii of the top and bottom rollers. A recess is provided on each of the top rollers, so that the recess faces the direction of the circumference of the bottom rollers, when the forward end of the original sheet conveyed to the timing rollers by conveyor rollers abuts the timing rollers.

Abstract: A transfer device of a sheet object in which at least one position adjustment piece is fitted in one transfer bar and at least two position adjustment pieces are fitted in another transfer bar, and in which a spacing between the two transfer bars as well as positions of the position adjustment pieces are adjustable.

Abstract: Two separate hydraulic master cylinders are connected with pressure lines to the front and rear brake cylinders. These two master cylinders are mechanically connected together by an articulating balance bar, all of which is mounted on a slidable mounting bracket. The mounting bracket is slidably movable by a reversible electric motor driving a worm gear that is connected to the mounting bracket. The relative position of the mounting bracket on its mounting plate in relation to the input point of a push rod determines the proportioning ratio of the two master cylinders. The assembly may be moved to obtain any proportioning ratio from 100% front brake to 100% rear braking.

Abstract: An envelope feeder for mounting on a computer printer, electronic typewriter, word processor or other programmable printer. The envelope feeder uses a centrally located drive separator roller and separating tongue to effect envelope separation.

Abstract: A sheet transfer apparatus is for a sheet counting apparatus in which paper sheets stored in a hopper in a stacked state are fed by a payout roll from the hopper to a stacker at the downstream side of the payout roll. A guide assembly is disposed opposite to the periphery of the payout roll and is adapted to separately guide the paper sheets from the hopper toward the stacker in cooperation with the payout roll. According to the invention, the guide assembly, which has a frame member carrying a separating roll, a pinch roll and a guide plate, is pivotally mounted so as to be movable between a closed position in which it is close to the periphery of the feed-out roll and an opened position in which it is farther away from such roll. The position of the frame member is controlled by a pivotable opening/closing device engageable with the frame member for selectively holding the frame member in the closed position or the opened position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for gripping lifting and transporting a sheet, especially a textile sheet, from a stack of sheets. The apparatus has a plurality of substantially vertically oriented gripping mounted under and depending downward from a substantially horizontal holder. Each device has at its downward terminal end a pair of clamping jaws. Each clamping jaw has a plurality of pointed tip members depending downwardly from its edge adjacent the other jaw. A plurality of spaced-apart finger grippers are rotatably disposable to a position beneath the clamping jaws. Each gripping device is preferably arranged with respect to another so that its downward terminal end is in a different horizontal plane from each other juxtaposed device.

Abstract: A sheet stacking duplex tray includes a movable finger which separates a first group of sheets under the finger from a second group of sheets above the finger. Sheets which have been copied on only one side are fed to a copy station from the bottom of the tray for second-side copying, as other sheets which have been copied on only one side are fed to the tray, to reside on top of the finger. When all sheets of the first group have been fed, the finger gravity-falls through an opening in the tray. A detector senses this finger movement, and a solenoid then resets the finger to rest on the top sheet of the sheets then in the tray.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for transporting sheet materials from a source location to a stacking workstation. A lower conveyor is positioned between the source location and the stacking work station. An upper conveyor having a first conveyor section and a second conveyor section is positioned above the lower conveyor such that the first conveyor section is above an end portion of the lower conveyor and the second conveyor section extends beyond the the downstream end of the lower conveyor. The first conveyor section is pivotably fixed at an upstream end. The upstream end of the second conveyor section is pivotably attached adjacent the downstream end of the first conveyor section. The downstream end of the second conveyor section is adapted to be operatively coupled to the top of the stack of sheet materials being stacked on a movable support of the stacking workstation.

Abstract: A mechanism for registering sheets, respectively notched at their leading edge and transported by a sheet transport apparatus along a travel path, in both an in-track and cross-track direction at a preselected location in such travel path. The registration mechanism comprises an elongated member supported for movement transverse to its longitudinal axis. Such member is selectively movable along its longitudinal axis to a first position intercepting the travel path adjacent to the preselected location or a second position remote from the travel path. When the member is in its first position, a portion of the member is received in an opening of a receiver located adjacent to the travel path. The opening is oppositely directed to, and generally aligned with, the notch in the lead edge of a transported sheet. Thus when the transported sheet engages the member, the member is urged by the portion of the sheet forming the notch into the opening.

Abstract: A bottom sheet separator-feeder for separating and forwarding sheets seriatim from the bottom of a stack of sheets to be fed. It comprises a stack tray defining a surface for supporting a stack of sheets to be fed, the tray having a depressed control portion in at least the front part of the surface. Vacuum feed belts are disposed in the pocket to pull the bottom sheet in the stack into the pocket and feed the sheet from beneath the stack. An air injection knife disposed adjacent the front of the tray injects air between the bottom sheet in the stack and the tray and between the bottom sheet and the remainder of sheets in the stack. Ramps are provided at the front ends of the tray at each side of the pocket for raising the lead edges of the sheets in the stack above the support surface to control multifeeds and misfeeds of downcurled sheets.

Abstract: In apparatus for counting the number of the paper sheets in which paper sheets are fed-out from the inside of the hopper by a feed-out roll assembly and are extracted from the feed-out roll assembly by extracting rolls operating at a speed faster than the speed of the feed-out assembly, the feed-out roll assembly comprises a pair of first payout rolls having a frictional surface and a slippery surface on their peripheries and a second payout roll intermediate the first payout rolls which has a frictional surface on its entire periphery. The rolls are mounted on a driving shaft, and at least the second payout roll is connected to the driving shaft through an overrunning clutch. When the trailing end of the paper sheet being removed from the hopper is in contact with the slippery surfaces of the first payout rolls, the sheet is extracted by the extracting rolls at a constant speed equal to the speed of the extracting rolls and thus, without being affected by the peripheral speed of the feed-out roll assembly.

Abstract: Sheet stacking and registration apparatus in which a jogging finger is slidable along an arm which is mounted for movement about a pivot axis between a lowered position and a raised position relatively adjacent the sheets being registered. The jogging finger is resiliently urged away from the stack in the raised position of the arm, while the arm is normally resiliently urged toward its lowered position. Tensioning of a line coupled to the jogging finger first draws the arm to its raised position adjacent the stack and then draws the jogging finger against the adjacent edge of the stack to register the sheets against a remote registration surface. In a preferred embodiment, a common actuating member is used to tension a plurality of such lines to actuate several jogging mechanisms simultaneously.

Abstract: The present invention includes a device for opening and closing a bank note container box. The device includes a push cover hinged in the vicinity of the upper covering of the box to open and close the box. The push cover is closed to push the aft end of the uppermost banknote to ensure reliable separation during the operation of pulling a bank note out of the box. The device further includes a swingable lock member to engage and hold the push cover in a normally closed condition. A swingable unlocking member swings the lock member to release the push cover during the operation of stacking bank notes in the box. An opening arm operates the unlocking member to release the push cover from the locked condition. The push cover is guided between the open and closed positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for aligning and squaring a stack of sheets has a support plate having a generally horizontal and flat support surface adapted to support the stack of sheets, a guide projecting upward from the support surface and having an abutment face directed in a predetermined direction generally parallel thereto, and a generally horizontal rod vertically spaced from the surface and stack and extending in the direction. A pusher element carried on the rod is slidable thereon in the direction, friction alone linking the element and rod together in the direction. This pusher element is engageable with a sheet on the surface. A stop facing opposite to the direction is also engageable with the element. A drive reciprocates the rod in the direction through a predetermined stroke toward and away from the guide. Thus on displacement toward the guide the element engages and pushes a sheet opposite the direction until the sheet engages thereagainst, at which time the element slides on the rod.

Abstract: A cross cutter subdivides a continuous paper web into a file of discrete randomly distributed satisfactory and unsatisfactory sheets which are advanced by a first transporting unit at an elevated first speed into the variable-width clearance between two superimposed conveyors of a second transporting unit which are driven at a lower second speed so that the sheets which enter the clearance are converted into a scalloped stream. Unsatisfactory sheets are removed from the first transporting unit and the width of the clearance is reduced in response to segregation of an unsatisfactory sheet or two or more successive unsatisfactory sheets to prevent the next-following satisfactory sheet from advancing through the clearance without deceleration by the two conveyors.

Abstract: An automatic feeder for a photographic copying machine includes a housing and a plate for supporting a stack of originals which are consecutively conveyed towards a transparent exposure plate positioned on the copying machine. The feeder is provided with adjustable tappet rollers mounted against the exposure plate to receive a front edge of an original moved along the exposure plate, without damaging the front edge. The plate for supporting the stack of originals includes adjustable stops for adjusting the plate to differing formats of the originals being processed. An adjusting lever connected to the adjustable stops for adjusting the latter is operatively connected to an adjustment device for adjusting the position of tappet rollers along the exposure plate. Pivotable transport rollers are provided to hold the original against the exposure plate. The housing of the feeder is pivotable relative to the housing of the copying machine between an open and closed position.

Abstract: A slitter feeds paper sheets one-at-a-time from a stack onto an alignment table and against a guide surface. A quick and accurate adjustment for the guide surface enables the orientation of the guide surface and thus of the sheets to be adjusted. The sheets are fed to a cutter and are cut into segments. The cutters include radially overlapping cutting edges which are freely separable, against a spring-bias, to accommodate the simultaneous passage of more than one sheet. The cut segments are discharged onto conveyor assemblies and fanned-out in divergent directions for collection. The conveyor assemblies support the segments along laterally spaced lines and frictionally engage the segments with a drive belt intermediate the lines of support. A quick-release clutch enables the drive to the sheet feeding mechanism to be interrupted.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for a copying machine includes two sheet trays and a frictional feeding device in a fixed location for top-feeding sheets from either one of the stacks. The trays are carried one above another by a tray carriage and are arranged for independent slideable withdrawal from the tray carriage towards the front of the machine. The tray carriage is mounted for vertical movements, and the upper tray is slideably mounted on a sub-frame for movements thereover in the sheet feed direction, i.e. across the machine, so that the top sheet in either one of the two trays may be brought into feeding engagement with the feeder device.