Abstract: In a large-format crosscutter (11) is proposed an apparatus for forming a gap in a scale-like or regulated sheet flow. Following onto an overlapping station (13) is provided a gap formation station (19), which has a conveyor (31) which can be accelerated to a higher speed than the feed conveyor (18). For gap formation purposes a gap formation carriage (22) runs along a guide (23) in the conveying direction (15), shortens the gap formation conveyor (31) and lengthens the feed conveyor (18). A suction device (41) on the gap formation carriage is lowered somewhat and by means of a blowing device (42) air is blown into the resulting clearance. Therefore the gap formation carriage precedes the slower feed conveyor (18) and forms the necessary gap, so that in the latter can be operated a switch or points (46) for switching to a different one of the two conveying paths (47, 48).

Abstract: In a sorting apparatus (1) for separating faulty blanks (16') from the remaining blanks (15,16), which have been produced from a paper web (14) by a cutting mechanism, is provided a sorting gate (17) with separately operating, juxtaposed individual gates (18,19) for each of the parallel web strands. By individual gates (25,26) of a following distributing gate (22), it is possible to compensate differences in the numbers of blanks of the two web strands leaving the sorting gate (17). On overlapping and collecting stations (31,33 or 32,34) following the distributing gate (22) each web strand has separately controlling units, so that all the stacks are produced independently of one another and can be conveyed on after production.

Abstract: In a conveyor system, a retarder device (1) with a braking gap (40) for the passage of sheet stacks (4) collated with an overlap and regulated by a controller (35) via an actuator (33), the width of the braking gap (40) being positively adjusted, with the slight undersize necessary to generate the braking load, to the current stack height of the section of the stack stream (6) passing the braking gap (40). In this way the braking pressure acting on the stack sheets (4) can be kept substantially constant independently of the stack height. The braking pressure may also be adapted to the sensitivity of the sheet stacks (4) by a braking pressure relief unit in the form of a load relief element (42).