Abstract: A high-speed cold laminating system including a cartridge having two rolls of pressure-sensitive laminating film. The goes into a receptacle of the laminating system. A steering module is upstream of the pressure rollers and a cutter is downstream of the pressure rollers. The steering module orients and positions sheets with respect to a directional path. The cutter severs a length of the laminating film containing a sheet from the remaining laminating film. A controller controls the conveyance of sheets and is programmed for bi-directional communication with an EEPROM of the cartridge. The EEPROM provides information to the controller regarding the laminating film, and the controller tracks film consumption within the system. The controller is programmed to periodically update the EEPROM of the laminating film cartridge with a current remaining film length during use within the laminating system based on the laminating film consumption tracked by the controller.

Abstract: A high-speed, cold laminating system includes a lamination unit for inline use connected with a paper feeder supplying at least 30 ppm. The lamination unit further includes a set of unheated motor-driven laminating pressure rollers along a laminating path, and a cutter between the rollers and an exit. A diverter gate passes the paper sheets to the laminating path or to the exit without passing along the laminating path. The system includes a controller to control the motor, the diverter gate, and functions of the lamination unit. The controller is programmed to control the motor to pause the pressure rollers with a leading sheet therein while a subsequent sheet moves toward the pressure rollers so a laminated spacing distance between a trailing edge of the leading sheet and a leading edge of the subsequent sheet to equal a prescribed spacing distance.

Abstract: A high-speed, cold laminating system includes a lamination unit for inline use connected with a paper feeder supplying at least 30 ppm. The lamination unit further includes a set of unheated motor-driven laminating pressure rollers along a laminating path, and a cutter between the rollers and an exit. A diverter gate passes the paper sheets to the laminating path or to the exit without passing along the laminating path. The system includes a controller to control the motor, the diverter gate, and functions of the lamination unit. The controller is programmed to control the motor to pause the pressure rollers with a leading sheet therein while a subsequent sheet moves toward the pressure rollers so a laminated spacing distance between a trailing edge of the leading sheet and a leading edge of the subsequent sheet to equal a prescribed spacing distance.

Abstract: A splicer for joining with tape the abutted ends of two sheets, such as the headers and footers of stacks of fanfold paper to be printed upon, is comprised of a clamp assembly and a tape dispenser. The clamp assembly captures the ends of the sheets between the resilient surfaces of a base and a movable top comprised of two spaced apart bars. Pins in the base help align perforated paper for joining. The dispenser runs along the slot between the two bars. It dispenses, presses down, and cuts the tape as it is laid along the butt-line between the ends of the sheets. An optional reversing bar causes the two sheets to travel along different shape paths to the splicer, thus enabling application of tape to the opposing sides of the sheets.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding stacks of fanfold sheets is comprised of a belt conveyor, a positioner, and a splicer. The conveyor feeds stacks deposited thereon by the positioner toward the discharge end. The postioner is comprised of a U-shape bin which receives fanfold stacks and then turns them over and deposits them at a desired position along the length of the conveyor belt. In one embodiment, the stacks are lifted from the floor level. In another, the positioner translates along the base of the conveyor and includes a mechanism which automatically locks the positioner in place during loading. A splicer is positioned over the belt. Header and footer ends of adjacent stacks are run to the splicer where they are precisely clamped and then adhesively joined together, on the top side or underside, as desired. The conveyor has a sensor and drive system which automatically advances stacks toward the discharge end and signals the operator when there is a need to reload.

Abstract: Lifts or sets of precise count are withdrawn from a stack of sheets. A reciprocating vacuum head serially pulls away sheet corners from the stack. Each sheet is stripped from the head and held by the backside of the head at a holding zone axially spaced apart from the stack until the desired quantity in the set is accumulated. A wedge then interposes in the space between the set of restrained corners and the rest of the stack, to bend the upper half of the sheet set away from the stack while the rest of the set remains in contact with the stack. Then nip rollers engage the bent away parts as a set and draw away the whole of the set transversely.

Abstract: A mechanical buffer for imparting a substantial delay to paper items, such as envelopes which are being individually and sequentially conveyed in a high-speed paper transport system, maintains physical separation between the conveyed items and does not require termination of item movement or item encoding. The buffer employs a directional translation of item motion, i.e., envelope motion in the length-wise direction is changed to motion in the direction of thickness, to achieve a velocity-distance compression. The buffer apparatus includes a continuous loop of item carriers which are individually positioned to have incoming items sequentially and individually inserted therein, the carriers imposing a retarding frictional force proportional to item thickness and mass to arrest item motion in the longitudinal direction as the direction of item motion undergoes the translation.