Abstract: A sheet material handling apparatus includes a collator conveyor, a hopper, and a sheet material handling assembly. The sheet material handling assembly removes sheet material articles from the hopper, folds the sheet material articles, creases the sheet material articles, and deposits the sheet material articles on the conveyor. The sheet material handling assembly includes a rotatable drum having grippers which grip a sheet material article. A folder assembly forms a fold in a central portion of the sheet material article while the sheet material article is held by the grippers and the drum is rotated. A creaser assembly creases the fold during continued rotation of the drum. The gripper assembly is then operated to release the sheet material article for movement toward the conveyor. Thereafter, the creaser assembly releases the sheet material article and the sheet material article is deposited on the conveyor.

Abstract: A stacker assembly receives signatures. A jogger assembly engages signatures supported by the stacker assembly to align edge portions of the signatures. A turntable receives the signatures from the stacker assembly and rotates the signatures to offset relatively thick folded edge portions of the signatures. A conveyor assembly pushes a stack of signatures from the turntable to a tying station in a strapper assembly. The conveyor assembly presses a leading end portion of a stack of signatures against registration surfaces in the strapper assembly to position the main stack of signatures relative to the tying station. A pusher element presses against a trailing end of the stack of signatures to press a leading end of the stack of signatures against the registration surfaces in the strapper assembly and to ensure that the trailing edge portions of the signatures are aligned. The strapper assembly is operable to tie a band around the stack of signatures.

Abstract: A stacker assembly receives signatures and supports the signatures as an intermediate stack is formed. A jogger assembly engages an intermediate stack supported by the stacker assembly to accurately align edge portions of the signatures. The stacks of signatures are deposited onto a turntable to form a main stack. The turntable rotates the main stack to offset relatively thick folded edge portions of signatures. The stacker assembly includes a plurality of slats which are moved along a first continuous circuitous path by a first drive assembly. The stacker assembly also includes a plurality of slats which are moved along a second continuous circuitous path by a second drive assembly. The drive assemblies move the slats along the continuous circuitous paths with the longitudinal axes of the slats horizontal and parallel. The jogger assembly has jogger plates which extend into central portions of the continuous circuitous paths along which the slats are moved by the drive assemblies.

Abstract: An improved container includes a base and wall panels which cooperate with the base to form compartments for holding the stacks of sheet material. The wall panels are held against movement relative to each other and the base by slidably interlocking surfaces on the base and wall panels and a single strap which extends around the base and wall panels. The strap extends through passages formed in upper end portions of the wall panels. In addition, the strap extends through a passage formed in the base. Two end wall panels and a center wall panel are formed with bottom flanges which are engaged by the stacks of sheet material. The base is formed with lift element receiving channels. A plurality of wheels are provided on the base to support the container.

Abstract: A sheet material handling apparatus includes a container handling assembly which is operable to sequentially position containers at an unloading station. An unloader assembly is operable to remove stacks of sheet material from containers at the unloading station. The unloader assembly includes a lift assembly which is operable to engage a stack of sheet material disposed in a container and to lift the stack of sheet material upwardly through an open lower end portion of an upright hopper. Once the stack of sheet material has been moved into the hopper, the hopper and the stack of sheet material are moved to a tilted orientation. As the hopper moves to the tilted orientation, the hopper moves the stack of sheet material along an upwardly inclined ramp into engagement with a sheet material feed assembly. The sheet material feed assembly sequentially feeds sheet material from the lower end portion of the tilted stack of sheet material.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for sequentially loading sheet material articles into a plurality of compartments in a plurality of containers includes a loader assembly which is disposed at a loading station. An infeed shuttle assembly moves an empty container to a carriage disposed at the loading station. The carriage is movable back and forth along a linear path to sequentially position compartments of the empty container at the loading station. In addition, the carriage is operable to rotate the container about a vertical axis to at least partially position another compartment at the loading station. When the compartments of the container have been loaded with sheet material articles, an outfeed shuttle assembly engages the loaded container and moves it away from the carriage.