Abstract: A sheet stacking system includes a conveyor having a discharge end, a hopper at the discharge end configured to receive the sheets ejected from the discharge end and guide the sheets as they fall in a cascade path onto a platform associated with the hopper, the falling sheets forming a main stack on the platform, the hopper including a backstop facing the discharge end of the conveyor such that the sheets ejected from the discharge end impact against the backstop before forming the main stack, and a first accumulator having at least one first support extending through the backstop and shiftable from a retracted position to an extended position, the at least one first support being movable vertically relative to the backstop in the extended position from a raised location outside the cascade path to a lowered location in the cascade path.

Abstract: A sheet stacking system for transporting sheets and depositing them in a stack includes a layboy, a transport conveyor downstream of the layboy, and a main conveyor downstream of the transport conveyor, the main conveyor having a frame and being supported by a conveyor support, a discharge end of the main conveyor being movable between a lowered position and a raised position relative to the conveyor support. The main conveyor intake end is configured to move from a first position when the main conveyor discharge end is in the lowered position to a second position when the main conveyor discharge end is in the raised position, and also a variable length conveyor between the transport conveyor and the main conveyor, the variable length conveyor having a discharge end connected to and movable with the main conveyor intake end and movable relative to the transport conveyor discharge end.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a plurality of belt support assemblies each having a drive wheel assembly at one end and an idler wheel assembly at the other end. Each of the drive and idler wheel assemblies includes a motion converter for converting the rotational movement of a shaft into linear motion along the shaft and an actuator for selectively engaging the motion converter and the shaft. A controller controls the operation of the shafts and the actuators to selectively and individually control the location of each end of each belt assembly relative to one another and to a centerline of the conveyor.

Abstract: A buffer apparatus configured to hold a stack of sheets includes an input, first and second side guides each having a face facing transverse to the travel direction, and a backstop facing the input and spaced from the input in the travel direction. The first side guide, second side guide and backstop define a hopper for holding a plurality of the sheets. First and second retractable supports are shiftable from first positions in which a first portion of the respective retractable support projects a first distance into the hopper and a second position in which the first portion of the respective retractable support projects a second distance into the hopper or does not project into the hopper, the second distance being less than the first distance. The at least one second retractable support is located between the input and the at least one first retractable support.

Abstract: A layboy conveyor includes a first end and a second end and an upper conveyor having a top and a bottom and a first end and a second end and a lower conveyor having a top and a bottom and a first end and a second end. The lower conveyor top is disposed adjacent to the upper conveyor bottom and defines with the upper conveyor bottom a transport path configured to transport a sheet of material in a direction from the first end of the layboy conveyor to the second end of the layboy conveyor. A drive is operably connected to the upper conveyor and to the lower conveyor, and the drive is configured to drive the upper conveyor bottom and the lower conveyor top in the direction. A length of the lower conveyor top is adjustable.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a frame having first and second spaced frame elements having outer sides and facing inner sides, first and second drive rollers between the first and second frame elements, a flexible belt mounted on the first and second drive rollers, first and second drive wheels connected to the first and second drive rollers, and a drive operably connected to the first and second drive wheels and configured to drive the belt in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a frame having first and second spaced frame elements having outer sides and facing inner sides, first and second drive rollers between the first and second frame elements, a flexible belt mounted on the first and second drive rollers, first and second drive wheels connected to the first and second drive rollers, and a drive operably connected to the first and second drive wheels and configured to drive the belt in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a frame having first and second spaced frame elements, first and second drive rollers between the frame elements, and a flexible belt mounted between the first and second drive rollers that has a load bearing portion and a return portion, the return portion extending between the first and second frame elements. The conveyor has a first end portion including the first drive roller, a second end portion including the second drive roller and a central portion including a midpoint between the first drive roller and the second drive roller, and the central portion of the conveyor includes a lift-table receiving space between the first drive roller and the second drive roller and between the first frame element and the second frame element, and the return portion of the belt extends between the load bearing portion and the lift-table-receiving space.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a frame having first and second spaced frame elements, first and second drive rollers between the frame elements, and a flexible belt mounted between the first and second drive rollers that has a load bearing portion and a return portion, the return portion extending between the first and second frame elements. The conveyor has a first end portion including the first drive roller, a second end portion including the second drive roller and a central portion including a midpoint between the first drive roller and the second drive roller, and the central portion of the conveyor includes a lift-table receiving space between the first drive roller and the second drive roller and between the first frame element and the second frame element, and the return portion of the belt extends between the load bearing portion and the lift-table-receiving space.

Abstract: A device for stacking sheets includes a layboy, a transfer conveyor, a main conveyor, a diverting apparatus, and an accumulator. The main conveyor is pivotably mounted to a base to that it may be pivoted between an upper position and a lower position. The diverting apparatus has a plurality of diverting slats pivotably mounted to a support shaft so that the slats may be raised and lowered. When the main conveyor is in the upper position, the diverting slats are not activated, that is, they are not raised. Accordingly, when sheets are transferred along and discharged from the main conveyor, the trajectory of the sheets is basically the same as the angle of the conveyor. In contrast, when the main conveyor is in a lower position, the slats are raised. Accordingly, discharged sheets are diverted so that the trajectory of the sheets is different than the angle of the conveyor. The slats may be placed at any chosen angle.