Abstract: A continuously operable press for the manufacture of laminates and similar products has a heated press roll, two guide rolls, and at least one tensioning roll. One end of the rolls is journaled in bearings at a fixed support wall and the other end of each roll is removably journaled in bearings of a movable support wall. A pressure belt is passing over the rolls, but a decorating roll sleeve can be slid on and of from the press roll, and this provides a decoration on the adjacent laminate surface. The press has a device for lifting the relaxed pressure belt so as to remove the decorating roll sleeve. The lifter device has at least two transverse lift bars with suction heads, and the lift bars are distributed about the upper circumferential region of the press roll. Compressed air can be introduced between the press roll and the decorating roll sleeve when taking the decorating roll sleeve from the press roll.

Abstract: In assembling a three-layer sandwich for the manufacture of a laminated board, a first sheet designed to form the bottom layer is picked up by a horizontally movable gripper from a repository at one side of a stacking table and is pulled by the gripper across that table while a pronged carrier picks up a second sheet, designed to form the middle layer, from a roller track at the opposite side of the stacking table. As the gripper reaches the end of its transfer stroke, it magnetically links up with the pronged carrier to entrain same across the stacking table during the return stroke of the gripper so as to align the second sheet with the first one. Next, the gripper seizes a third sheet, designed to form the upper layer, at the repository and pulls it over the stacking table where the second sheet is being retained by stripping lugs as the carrier returns to its loading position.

Abstract: A stack of sheets is loaded between the platens of a press by an apparatus which grips the stack along its opposite edges flanking a transport direction and holds the stack by these edges as it displaces the stack in the transport direction between the platens. Thereafter one of these edges is released to drop this edge onto the lower platen and, once the one edge is on the platen, the other edge is released so as to drop the rest of the stack on the lower platen. The lower platen is heated so as to slightly adhere the lowermost sheet of the stack to this platen and thereby further prevent shifting of the sheets of the stack relative to one another prior to heat-pressing thereof.

Abstract: A stack of sheets is loaded between the platens of a press by an apparatus which grips the stack along its opposite edges flanking a transport direction and holds the stack by these edges as it displaces the stack in the transport direction between the platens. Thereafter one of these edges is released to drop this edge onto the lower platen and, once the one edge is on the platen, the other edge is released so as to drop the rest of the stack on the lower platen. The lower platen is heated so as to slightly adhere the lowermost sheet of the stack to this platen and thereby further prevent shifting of the sheets of the stack relative to one another prior to hot-pressing thereof.