Abstract: Apparatus for lifting successive topmost stacks of large paper sheets and the panels beneath such stacks off a pile of superimposed stacks and panels has one or more separating units each employing a roller which is caused to bear upon the topmost sheet of the topmost stack of the pile and a sword which is aligned with or is disposed at a level slightly below the topmost panel of the pile and is caused to penetrate into the pile so as to lift the topmost stack with the topmost panel preparatory to automatic shifting of the lifted stack and panel sideways into a processing machine. The distance between the lowermost portion of the roller and the plane of the sword is adjustable to permit for subdivision of piles having thicker or thinner stacks. Any sheets which are lifted with a panel and belong to the stack below the lifted panel are stripped off the lifted panel by a continuously driven friction wheel which enters the gap that is formed by the sword.

Abstract: A first stream of non-overlapping spaced-apart sheets which move at a high speed is converted into a second stream of partially overlapping sheets by braking successive sheets of the first stream and deflecting the trailing portions of braked sheets laterally to enable the oncoming foremost sheets of the first stream to catch up with and partly overlap the preceding sheets. When the first stream exhibits a gap as a result of the absence of one or more sheets, or independently of the presence or absence of gaps, the deflection of the braked sheet is repeated at a location which is nearer to the braking station to thus insure that the trailing portion of the braked sheet preceding a gap is deflected laterally immediately before the sheet which follows the gap catches up therewith. The deflection of trailing portions which precede gaps in the first stream is effected by suction.

Abstract: Apparatus for moving discrete sheets along a first path has a rotary hollow cylindrical foraminous barrel which is located below a portion of the first path and is adjacent to the inlet of a second path along which selected sheets move when a chamber which is rotatable relative to and is located in the interior of the barrel is connected with a suction generating device. The chamber reaches the first path at the inlet of the second path together with the leaders of successive sheets and can be connected with the suction generating device by a solenoid-operated valve which is actuated by a switch which, in turn, is actuated by an adjustable cam on the rotary core which defines the chamber. When the chamber is sealed from the suction generating device, it is connected with a source of slightly compressed air so that streamlets of air which issue from the barrel compel successive sheets to remain in the first path.