Abstract: A device for raising an edge of a topmost sheet from a pile of sheets comprises two cursors slidably coupled to a mobile head. On one end of each cursor two needles are fixed, which needles pierce into said edge. The device is especially useful in the manufacturing process of phenolic-melaminic decorative plastic laminates and preformable or postformable treated panels for raising sheets of paper which have been impregnated with resin and piled one on another.

Abstract: The apparatus has, along with a magazine in which flat, flexible objects such as cords are stored in a stack, a retaining device for holding the stack in the magazine. Symmetrically disposed retaining elements aligned parallel to the surface of the objects are provided in the retaining device. The form of the retaining elements is selected such that an object of the stack can be singled by being arched past the retaining elements and an object can also be stacked in the magazine by being arched past the retaining elements. A gripping device is provided for moving the objects.

Abstract: A suction device for handling light, flat and bendable articles has a suction line and a sucker at an end of the suction line. The sucker has a suction lip made of an elastically deformable material for individually contacting and lifting articles. A lip-deforming bending template having a deforming edge defining a concave shape is displaceable relative to the suction lip so that the suction lip is deformed by contact with the deforming edge to conform to the concave shape. A second bending template can be laterally spaced from the suction lip and have a bending edge for contacting an article lifted by the suction lip, the lip being displaceable relative to the bending edge.

Abstract: A plate feeding system for grasping and moving a plate from a stack of plates. The system includes an arm mechanism having a plate grasping member for grasping the plate and a plate interposing member for interposing between the plate and an adjacent plate. Also disclosed is a method of feeding a plate from a stack of plates. The method includes grasping the plate, using a plate grasping member of an arm mechanism, interposing a member between the plate and an adjacent plate, and transporting the plate.

Abstract: For the initial operation or changeover of a can body welding machine, a modular stack magazine to guide and hold a stack of blanks has adjustable stack supports with holding surfaces projecting under the lowermost blank. These stack supports are adjustably mounted on a frame which is releasably connected to a blank separating device. To assist the destacking of individual blanks, adjustable spreading air feed elements are also fitted to the frame. These adjustable components together with the frame form an exchangeable module, so that once their settings have been carried out--the setting operations being inherently complex, because as they are governed by many other parameters besides size of blank they have to be arrived at empirically, and they must be made all over again if just one of those parameters is altered--the module can be stored ready for reuse after maintenance operations, or after the use of another module.

Abstract: A suction lifter in a feeder of a sheet processing machine is cyclically reciprocated for separating and picking up sheets from a sheet pile and transferring them to a towing sucker. A suction lifter drive is operatively connected to the suction lifter and the suction height, i.e. the spacing between the lifter and the top sheet on the sheet pile, may be adjusted with the suction lifter drive. The drive is a control cylinder which rotates around a cylinder axis and which is axially shiftable along the axis for the purpose of adjusting the suction height of the suction lifter.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording or reading information on or from a sheet is disclosed. The apparatus includes a holding unit for holding a sheet, a first arm which has one end pivotally fixed to the holding unit, a second arm whose one end or a specific point is pivotally fixed to the first arm, and a driving system. The driving system can integrally move the other end of the first arm and the other end of the second arm, and can change the interval between the other end of the first arm and the other end of the second arm. The apparatus also includes a posture regulating mechanism for regulating the posture of the holding unit with respect to the first arm, a sheet supply unit provided with the holding unit, the first arm, the second arm, the driving system, and the posture regulating mechanism, and a recording or reading unit for performing information recording or information reading on a sheet supplied to the sheet supply unit.

Abstract: A sheet counter has a blade (13) for insertion between adjacent sheets of a stack thereof, and a pin (15) which orbits around the blade to transfer sheets from one side of the blade to the other. A carrier (37) defines three axes disposed in a generally triangular arrangement, the pin (15) being mounted on one of the axes, and the carrier being coupled to a crank (36) about another axis. A link (42) is pivoted at one end to the carrier (37) and at its other end to a fixed part of the counter. As the pin (15) orbits around the blade (13) on rotation of crank (36), the blade is oscillated about an axis adjacent the edge inserted furthest into the sheet stack by a crank (30) and connecting rod (31), driven synchronously with crank (36). Suction is applied in a timed manner to a hole (45) in the blade (13), to assist the separation of the sheets one at a time, before the transfer thereof to the other side of the blade by pin (15).

Abstract: A food material transfer apparatus of the invention transfers flexible stacked food materials one by one to a predetermined position. The transfer apparatus is formed of a plurality of vacuum sucking pads for picking up one food material from the stacked food materials, a pad-lowering device connected to the vacuum sucking pads for lowering the same, a suction detection device communicating with the vacuum holding pads for detecting if at least one of the pads sucks the one food material, and a control section connected to the pad-lowering device and the suction detection device. When the suction detection device detects that the pads suck the one food material, the control section operates the pad-lowering device to further lower the pads for a predetermined amount to thereby securely hold the one food material by the plurality of the vacuum sucking pads.

Abstract: A system for light-tight handling of a supply of media between a supply station, a workstation and a collecting station, comprises a media handling apparatus defined by a frame and a housing enclosing an internal confine. Within this confine are a supply station and a collecting station disposed at opposite ends of the frame. A positioning drive is suspended above the supply and collecting stations to move media between the supply, collecting and work stations. A lifting shoe is provided as part of the positioning drive and includes a flexible material handling sheet which assumes a first and a second given radius when respectively energized and reverse energized to engage the media supported in curved form. Also, supply and collecting cassettes are provided with a tambour coverings for respectively automatically uncovering and covering the supported media while still maintained in the light-tight confines of the housing.

Abstract: A plate material separating apparatus comprises: a horizontal beam (9) movable up and down; a plurality of vacuum hanger members (11) fixedly arranged at regular intervals on both sides of the horizontal beam so as to extend horizontally; a plurality of support vacuum pad devices (13B, 13C) attached to each of the vacuum hanger members at regular intervals in a direction perpendicular to an end surface of a plate material (W); a plurality of pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices (13A) each attached to an end of each of the vacuum hanger members so as to be located near the end surface of the plate material; and a plurality of driving devices (37) each associated with each of the pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices, for pivoting the pivotal take-up vacuum pad device to bend the plate material only at and along the end surface thereof so that air can be introduced between an uppermost plate material and a second plate material, thus allowing the plate material to be separated easily from the stacked materials.

Abstract: A device for transporting material, in the form of discrete sheets, seriatim to a stack of discrete sheets, and subsequently seriatim away from such stack. The discrete sheet material transport device comprises a support for a stack of discrete sheets. The stack support includes a first stop for a first marginal edge of a discrete sheet, and opposed second and third stops for opposed marginal edges of a discrete sheet perpendicular to the first marginal edge of such discrete sheet. Discrete sheets are delivered seriatim to the vicinity of the stack support and are urged in a first direction into engagement with the first stop to form a stack of discrete sheets on the stack support. The discrete sheets are subsequently urged seriatim in a direction opposite the first direction to remove discrete sheets seriatim from the stack on the stack support. The second and third stops are located to accurately position the stack of discrete sheets on the stack support.

Abstract: A plate material separating apparatus comprises: a horizontal beam (9) movable up and down; a plurality of vacuum hanger members (11) fixedly arranged at regular intervals on both sides of the horizontal beam so as to extend horizontally; a plurality of support vacuum pad devices (13B, 13C) attached to each of the vacuum hanger members at regular intervals in a direction perpendicular to an end surface of a plate material (W); a plurality of pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices (13A) each attached to an end of each of the vacuum hanger members so as to be located near the end surface of the plate material; and a plurality of driving devices (37) each associated with each of the pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices, for pivoting the pivotal take-up vacuum pad device to bend the plate material only at and along the end surface thereof so that air can be introduced between an uppermost plate material and a second plate material, thus allowing the plate material to be separated easily from the stacked materials.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a pair of suction cups for attracting an uppermost one of stacked sheets, the suction cups being spaced from each other in a direction across the direction in which the sheet attracted by the suction cups is fed, a swinging mechanism for swinging the suction cups toward each other while the suction cups are attracting the sheet, and a flexing mechanism for forcibly flexing a portion of the sheet between the suction cups toward a next one of the stacked sheets when the suction cups are swung toward each other by the swinging mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet supplying device having a suction unit unit for sucking a sheet, and a suction unit unit sucker moving device for moving the suction unit unit, the suction unit unit moving device having a diametrically moving mechanism for moving the suction unit unit diametrically of a predetermined rotary shaft, and a circumferentially moving mechanism for moving the suction unit unit circumferentially of the rotary shaft. Also disclosed is an image recording or reading apparatus for recording an image on a sheet supplied by the use of such sheet supplying device or reading an image from the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a pneumatic picker for picking the top sheet from a stack of sheets, and a flipper for inverting upside-down sheets. The picker has a row of suction cups, supplied with vacuum through hoses, for picking up the top sheet. The lip of each suction cup is inclined to the top surface of the stack at a fixed angle. If the angle is properly chosen, exactly one sheet will be picked up as the picker is moved onto and away from the stack. The inclined suction cups are for permeable materials such as cloth. The picked sheet may be inverted by a twisted-belt flipper if needed. The flipper has four rollers with axes in a rectangular configuration, and two twisted belts. Each belt is wrapped around a pair of rollers on opposite corners of the rectangle, and the belts run closely in between the far pairs. A sheet will be flipped as it travels through, held between the two belts. To select which sheets are to be flipped, a photocell and gate work to direct sheets into or around the flipper.

Abstract: The front bag (12) of a supply of bags (12) stored in a magazine (250) is removed by an unloading device (252) including four linkages (254, 256, 258, 260) which are pivoted to attach suction cups (264) thereto. The unloading device (252) inserts the bag (12) between nip rollers (52, 54) including spaced wheels (56, 58) which drive the bag (12) downward until the closed end (20) rests upon an adjustable stop (72). A tucking plate (90) moves from a retracted position to an extended position generally perpendicular to the bag (12) to drive the bag (12) into a slot (46) of a fixture (32), with the bag (12) having a U-shaped configuration around the tucking plate (90). The bag (12) is prevented from moving from the slot (46) with the tucking plate (90) as the tucking plate (90) moves from the extended position to the retracted position by a compression roller (208) pivotable by a cam (214) movable with the tucking plate (90) to sandwich the side edges of the bag (12).

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet supply apparatus with a sheet support for supporting a plurality of sheets, a first sheet absorb unit arranged facing a sheet surface of the sheet stack supported by the sheet support for absorbing the sheet by air suction, a second sheet absorb unit arranged facing a tip end of the sheet stack in a sheet supply direction for absorbing the sheet by air suction and a conveyer for conveying the sheet absorbed to the first and second sheet absorb units. The first sheet absorb unit and the second sheet absorb unit are respectively disposed at positions where the first sheet absorb unit is substantially parallel to the sheet surface and the second sheet absorb unit is inclined relative to the sheet surface. When a sheet stops a feeding unit operates in response to return the sheet to the sheet stack as the sheet is being absorbed by the first sheet absorb unit.

Abstract: Sheet feeder of a printing press having suckers for seizing an uppermost sheet of a sheet pile at a leading end of the uppermost sheet, at least one sheet-pile stop having an upper edge over which the uppermost sheet is liftable, and a pair of transport rollers to which the uppermost sheet is feedable includes grooves formed in the sheet-pile stop and extending parallel to leading and trailing edges of the sheets on the sheet pile.

Abstract: A printing plate delivery system for a multi-stage printing press, in which a plurality of printing stages are arranged in vertical direction, comprises a vertical transporting device having a carrier movable in vertical direction between a loading position where a printing plate set along the height direction of the printing press being loaded and a printing plate transfer positions at the corresponding height positions to the printing stages for transferring the printing plate, and receiving device provided corresponding to each of the printing stages and cooperated with the vertical transporting device for receiving the printing plate from the carrier at the corresponding transfer position.

Abstract: Apparatus for destacking individual sheets from a stack of non-magnetic mutually clinging metal sheets includes a structure adjacent the side edge of the sheets having a series of vertically spaced horizontal ridges. A series of vacuum cups raise the edge of the top sheet such that the sheet bends in a curve. The second sheet clings by an adhesive film to the top sheet. Both sheets engage the ridged structure, but the top sheet continues to be raised while the second sheet is caught by the ridges until the adhesive film between the sheets releases the top sheet.

Abstract: Sheets such as photographic films are fed, one by one, from a stack of sheets on a sheet support to a sheet delivery mechanism. Suction cups for attracting an uppermost sheet of the stack are moved toward the stack, and activated to attract the uppermost sheet. The suction cups are then moved to remove the uppermost sheet from the stack while the suction cups are being inclined a predetermined angle from a direction perpendicularly to the uppermost sheet toward opposite to a direction in which the sheet is fed. The removed uppermost sheet is then transferred to the sheet delivery mechanism in the direction in which the sheet is fed.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a pair of suction cups for attracting an uppermost one of stacked sheets, the suction cups being spaced from each other in a direction across the direction in which the sheet attracted by the suction cups is fed, a swinging mechanism for swinging the suction cups toward each other while the suction cups are attracting the sheet, and a flexing mechanism for forcibly flexing a portion of the sheet between the suction cups toward a next one of the stacked sheets when the suction cups are swung toward each other by the swinging mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mechanism for separating a sheet one by one from stacked sheets, wherein a sucker is rotatably supported so that the sucker is moved up and down, back and forth. When the sucker is retracted in a state where the sheet is being sucked, the sucker is caused to be rotatively driven and to change the direction of suction surface, so that a front end portion of sucked sheet is lifted up, and one sheet can be separated reliably one by one.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for separating a bag from a stack of bags. The assembly comprises a bag magazine having a bottom portion for supporting a stack of bags and a cutout section in the bottom portion. A gripping member is employed for engaging a bag in said magazine adjacent said bottom portion. A moving device is further provided for moving the gripping member between at least first and second positions, wherein the gripping member engages a bag through the cutout section when in the first position and wherein the second position is horizontally displaced from the cutout section. Movement of the gripping member from the first position to the second position while engaging the bag slidably removes the bag from the bag magazine.

Abstract: A photosensitive lithographic printing plate supplying apparatus includes a first suction device, which sucks an upper surface of an uppermost photosensitive lithographic printing plate of photosensitive lithographic printing plates stacked such that respective photosensitive surfaces thereof face downward and which raises the uppermost photosensitive lithographic printing plate, a second suction device, which sucks the upper surface of the raised uppermost photosensitive lithographic printing plate so as to support the photosensitive lithographic printing plate at one end thereof, and a rotating device which rotates the photosensitive lithographic printing plate supported on one end by the second suction device so that a photosensitive surface of the photosensitive lithographic printing plate faces upward. Accordingly, the photosensitive lithographic printing plates are supplied to an exposure device without the photosensitive surfaces thereof being contacted.

Abstract: Photographic light-sensitive mediums such as sheets are fed one by one by a suction pad in a sheet-feed control device. The suction pad is displaced downward at a low speed in a position near a stack of sheets so as to approach an uppermost one of the sheets, thereby attracting the uppermost sheet to the suction pad, and the uppermost sheet is flexed by a sheet presser while it is being separated away from the other sheets. Then, a judgement is made as to whether the suction pad attracts either a single sheet or a plurality of sheets, by detecting the magnitude of the flexion of the sheet or sheets attracted. Then, the suction pad is displaced again toward the position where the uppermost sheet is to be attracted, when it is detected that the suction pad has attracted the plurality of sheets. At this time, the suction pad is placed in a given stop position, thereby releasing the plurality of sheets from the suction pad.

Abstract: A device for movably positioning in a plurality of positions a magazine for automatically changing printing plates in a printing machine for changing the printing plate of the plate cylinder, replacing the printing plates of the magazine, servicing the printing machine and normal operation, includes a device for mounting the magazine, including a vertical guide wherein the magazine is displaceable, and a horizontal shaft about which the magazine is swivelable, and drive devices for displacing and swiveling the magazine.

Abstract: There is provided a sheet feeder for a sheet-fed press which allows an optimum separation state of printing sheets 27 to be established readily and certainly. Air is jetted out from an injection nozzle 6 toward the upper part of a bundle 2 of printing sheets to thereby float up printing sheets 27. A top printing sheet 27 thus floated is absorbed by an absorption foot 8 and conveyed to a printing process. The number of floating printing sheets 27 is detected using photoelectric sensors 21 and 22, and in order to establish the optimum separation state, is adjusted by varying the injection air quantity from the injection nozzle 6 or by moving the paper pressure bar 4 in directions of arrows 93 and 94. Further, by equalizing outputs G1 and G2 from detection areas M1 and M2, it is possible to place the top printing sheet 27 in parallel with the absorption surface 8Q of the absorption foot 8 and realize secure absorption. A fuzzy inference system may be used for adjustment.

Abstract: Sheets such as photographic films are fed one by one by suction cups in an image recording system. A resilient sheet separator is brought into abutment against an uppermost one of stacked sheets, and then the suction cups are moved toward the uppermost sheet. Before the suction cups reach the uppermost sheet, they are activated to attract the uppermost sheet under suction. The sheet separator pushes the uppermost sheet in one direction and the suction cups draw the uppermost sheet in the opposite direction, so that the attracted uppermost sheet is greatly flexed fully out of contact with the next sheet of the sheet stack. Thereafter, the suction cups and the sheet separator are displaced away from the sheet stack, separating the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack. A detecting arrangement detects whether the suction cup attracts a single sheet.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a feeder wherein it includes at least one xed magazine (10) for storing stacked sheet elements (8), one press roller (11) cooperating with a device (4) for continuously feeding each flat support (2) to be provided with one sheet element (8), at least one member (22) for picking up and laying down the sheet elements one at a time by means of suction, and means (12 to 17) for supporting and actuating said picking up member (22), said means being disposed so as to provide said member with at least a partly hypocycloidal trajectory (30, 30') so that two points (31, 32) for turning back the hypocycloid coincide with firstly the point for picking up a sheet element (8) in said magazine (10), and secondly with the point for transferring said element (8) to said press roller (11).

Abstract: To enhance the separation of sheet materials from a destacker, an air provider mechanism is attached to a frame of the carriage to bias against the being lifted sheet so as to maintain the air steam provided by an air ejector of the system directed to a location substantially immediately beneath the bottom surface of the being lifted sheet. Accordingly, as the sheet is being picked up, the air ejected from the air ejector system is directed to the gap between the being lifted sheet and its underlying sheets to enhance the separation of the being lifted sheet and the underlying sheets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for laminating sheet material having a width together with at least one laminate web material having an adhesive coating on one side thereof. The laminating machine has upper and lower laminating rolls for producing therebetween a continuous laminated web comprising the sheet material and the web material fed between the laminating rolls. A laminate web material supply supplies material to the laminating rolls. Die cutting apparatus separates the continuous laminated web from the laminating rolls into individual laminated sheets, and an output area stacks the individual laminated sheets after they are separated. Apparatus is provided for pressing substantially the entire width of a marginal portion of a piece of sheet material to be laminated to the adhesive coating on the laminate web material.

Abstract: A device for unstacking flat objects comprises an unstacking head (2) provided with a suction cup (88) for grasping the first flat object in a stack of such objects presented thereto and for moving a grasped flat object towards an exit position (40) in which the object is released. The suction cup (88) is a bellows suction cup made of a flexible material such that when it grasps the first flat object in the stack, it retracts under the effect of the suction and entrains at least the surface of the grasped object therewith as it retracts. A shoe (90) having a surface close to the grasping plane of the suction cup is disposed adjacent to the suction cup in fixed relationship relative to the mount (50) carrying the suction cup. The shoe thus constitutes an obstacle to the surface of a grasped flat object, thereby warping said surface as the suction cup retracts.

Abstract: A conventional pocket for delivering signatures in a bindery line is modified by providing a lift plate which is hinged to the leading edge of the pocket's signature support tray. A suitable actuator under control of the system's computer is made to raise and lower that lift plate, depending upon the number of machine cycles which will be executed before that particular pocket will be called upon to deliver a signature to the magazine being assembled. If more than a predetermined number of machine cycles will take place before a signature must be delivered, the actuator lifts the lift plate and, in doing so, elevates the leading edge of the signature stack to the point where the lowermost signature is positioned out of contact with the hopper's separator disc. This prevents unwanted abrasion and marring of signatures.

Abstract: A paper feeding device which extracts from a cassette accommodating a stack of sheets such sheets one at a time and feeds them to the next step, namely an image forming part, comprises an attracting member capable of being moved between an attracting position at which the attracting member attracts a sheet from within the cassette and a feeding position which lies above the attracting position, a pressing roller capable of being moved between a position of retraction and the feeding position, and a rotary roller capable of cooperating with the pressing roller in nipping the sheet at the feeding position. The pressing roller moves to the feeding position after the elapse of a prescribed time following the completion of the motion of the sheet by the attracting member to the feeding position. The rotary roller is rotatably set in place at the feeding position.

Abstract: For the production of packs from (thin) cardboard, blanks (10) are prefabricated and stored as a blank stack (16) in a blank magazine (17) for processing. An extraction member (20) serves for extracting the individual blanks from the underside of the blank magazine (17) and transports the blanks into a discharge-conveyor plane (21). The extraction member (20) is transportable over a small acute angle as a result of a pivoting movement, in order to move the blanks from the blank stack (16) into the discharge-conveyor plane (21). Furthermore, the extraction member (20) is so designed that, immediately after the discharge-conveyor plane (21) is reached, it can be conveyed into an initial position as a result of sideways movements of holding members (23,24) without being disturbed by the blank (10). In the discharge-conveyor plane (21), the blank (10) is fed to drawer rollers (51, 52 etc) by a pushing-off member (pushing fingers 57,58).

Abstract: An sheet handling apparatus includes suckers for sucking up a sheet from a sheet storing unit and two sensors which are disposed on the suckers. One of the sensors detects whether the suckers come into contact with the topmost sheet of a sheet stack in the sheet storing unit, and the other sensor detects whether there is a sheet in the sheet storing unit. After the suckers were operated to suck up a sheet, these sensors detect whether the suckers catch the sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus transports sheets of material and breaks the adhesion between first and second sheets when sheets are fed from a stack one at a time. The apparatus includes a gripper which is mounted on a gripper arm and grips the first sheet. The arm repeatedly and cyclically moves the leading edge of the first sheet to be fed while the first sheet is held by the gripper. The arm moves the leading edge of the first sheet both horizontally and vertically. The vertical cyclical motion causes air pockets to travel between the first and second sheets and the horizontal cyclical motion translates the first sheet relative to the second sheet to break the adhesion.

Abstract: A method for individual transfer of offset printing plates from a magazine in which the plates are supported at their lower edges and stacked with their respective non-coated sides facing upwards, to a receiving table. The receiving table receives each plate with the non-coated side of the plate facing downwards. The uppermost plate of the stack is gripped by a gripping device engaging the non-coated side of the plate in such a manner that the plate is retained by the gripping means during the transfer to the receiving table.

Abstract: A sheet feed mechanism for attracting and feeding stacked sheet-like members such as photographic films, one by one from a magazine, has a suction cup for developing a vacuum to attract the sheet-like members under suction. The suction cup comprises a base body including a panel member having an opening extending from one surface to another surface thereof, the opening being adapted to be connected to a vacuum source. The base body further includes a peripheral wall, joined to the other surface of the panel member and having wavy edges. The suction cup has a flexible suction skirt attached to and extending from the wavy edges of the peripheral wall, the flexible suction skirt being pressable against a sheet-like member.

Abstract: A sheet feed mechanism feeds stimulable phosphor sheets, one by one, from a magazine to an image reading unit in an image reading apparatus. The sheet feed mechanism includes a suction mechanism having a plurality of suction cups for attracting a stimulable phosphor sheet in the magazine. The suction mechanism is movable toward and away from the magazine which stores a stack of stimulable phosphor sheets. A grip roller pair grips and guides a stimulable phosphor sheet, which has been taken out of the magazine by the suction cups, in a predetermined direction. One of the suction cups is supported on an angle which is angularly movable in response to engagement of the stimulable phosphor sheet attracted by the suction cups with the grip roller pair. Another angle, when engaged by the grip roller pair, guides a stimulable phosphor sheet, which has undesirably taken out of the magazine, back into the magazine.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus comprising a sheet supporting device for supporting a stack of sheets, a vacuum transporting device adapted to suck a top sheet of the stack and transport it, and a device adapted to locate forcibly at least two portions of the top sheet away from the vacuum transporting device so as to corrugate the top sheet.

Abstract: Sheets such as photographic films are fed one by one by suction cups in an image recording system. A resilient sheet separator is brought into abutment against an uppermost one of stacked sheets, and then the suction cups are moved toward the uppermost sheet. Before the suction cups reach the uppermost sheet, they are activated to attract the uppermost sheet under suction. The sheet separator pushes the uppermost sheet in one direction and the suction cups draw the uppermost sheet in the opposite direction, so that the attracted uppermost sheet is greatly flexed fully out of contact with the next sheet of the sheet stack. Thereafter, the suction cups and the sheet separator are displaced away from the sheet stack, separating the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack. Air may be forcibly be introduced between the uppermost and next sheets, so that the remaining sheets can reliably be separated from the attracted uppermost sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feed control system for use in an image recording apparatus, for example, includes a suction cup for attracting a sheet-like member such as a photographic film under suction, a crank mechanism for moving the suction cup with respect to the sheet-like member, and a swinging mechanism for swinging the suction cup with the sheet-like member attracted thereto to impart swinging action to the sheet-like member. The crank mechanism is drived by a pulse motor in response to a control signal applied thereto, and the swinging mechanism is drived by a pulse motor in response to a control signal applied thereto. Information, such as rotational speeds and angular displacements, with regard to the pulse motors is stored in a memory, and desired information corresponding to certain physical properties of the sheet-like member, can be selected from the memory by the operator.

Abstract: In order to avoid striking and compacting signatures in a signature stack during a period of selective operational disablement of a gathering machine on a binding line, a system for selectively disabling and enabling operation of a sucker arm is provided. The system includes a cam operatively associated with a main drum for driven movement therewith and a cam follower arm operatively associated with the cam for driven movement thereby. The cam follower arm is interconnected to the sucker arm for imparting reciprocating movement to the sucker arm. The reciprocating movement normally traverses a path from the signature stack to the main drum and back again to feed signatures from the signature stack to the main drum for delivery to the binding line when the system enables operation of the sucker arm. The cam follower arm is interconnected to the sucker arm through a pushrod which extends to a crank mounted on a pivotal sucker tube for pivotal movement thereabout.

Abstract: The sheet-feeder (B), designed as a buffer store, has a magazine (24) for receiving vertically stacked sheets and having a base (26), which leaves free an edge strip (R) of the sheet stack (S). Along this edge strip there moves an endless belt (18), articulated on which are separating elements (1), provided with a curved suction surface, followed by a plurality of spacers (11). The edge strip of the lowermost sheet is bent away downward from the remaining stack as it is sucked against the curved suction surface, and has the following spacers engage over it, on which the remaining stack is supported. After passing of a separating element by the edge strip, this edge strip bears against the undersides of the spacers, bent away completely from the remaining stack.

Abstract: A currency note picking apparatus includes pick mechanisms for picking notes from stacks of notes held in associated currency cassettes. Each pick mechanism includes pivotally mounted pick arms connectable via an electrically operated valve to a diaphragm pump which generates, continuously, a reduced pressure. During a relevant pivotal movement, the pick arms of a selected pick mechanism pick part of an end note out of the associated cassette by applying a suction force to this note. A timing disc rotates in synchronism with the pivotal movement of the pick arms, and an associated optical sensor generates timing signals which are indicative of the position of the pick arms relative to the cassette. The timing signals control the operation of the respective valve so as to enable the pump to communicate with the pick arms during the relevant pivotal movement thereof.

Abstract: A sheet feeder in a sheet-processing machine, comprising first blower nozzles for fanning and separating a top sheet of a sheet pile, the blower nozzles being directed at least at a rear edge of the top sheet in the sheet pile, a separating device for lifting the top sheet from the sheet pile, second blower nozzles for blowing supporting air under the top sheet in synchronism with an operating cycle of the sheet feeder, central blast-air supply system for the sheet feeder being connected to the first blower nozzles, and a blast-air source separate from the central blast-air supply system connected via a control valve to the second blower nozzles for supplying blast air thereto for supporting the sheet, and a device for operating the control valve in synchronism with the separating device.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a feeder wherein it includes at least one fixed magazine (10) for storing stacked sheet elements (8), one press roller (11) cooperating with a device (4) for continuously feeding each flat support (2) to be provided with one sheet element (8), at least one member (22) for picking up and laying down the sheet elements one at a time by means of suction, and means (12 to 17) for supporting and actuating said picking up member (22), said means being disposed so as to provide said member with at least a partly hypocycloidal trajectory (30, 30') so that two points (31, 32) for turning back the hypocycloid coincide with firstly the point for picking up a sheet element (8) in said magazine (10), and secondly with the point for transferring said element (8) to said press roller (11).