Abstract: A process and apparatus for singling of sheets of a paper stack in a magazine disposed over a suction box having suction openings in a concave surface thereof transversely positioned relative to conveyance direction of a perforated endless conveyance band disposed between the stack and the suction box. A vacuum is applied to the suction box so that the lowest sheet of the stack is sucked down onto the conveyance band and conforms to the concave surface of the suction box. The lowest sheet is transported on the conveyance band, and the vacuum is switched off just before the suction openings are uncovered, at which time a blast of air is introduced into the suction box so that the next sheet of the stack is not sucked onto the conveyance band until the last sheet is removed from between the stack and the suction box. Preferably, air is injected between the lowest sheet and the next sheet from in front to prevent a vacuum formation therebetween. A second magazine system supplies the sheets of paper to the stack.

Abstract: This relates to a transfer apparatus for transferring labels from a label stack into the cavity of a moving mold half. The transfer device includes a pivotally mounted arm which has mounted on its free end a transfer head which swings about the arm so that for a limited movement of the arm there can be a much greater movement of the transfer head. Thus, the transfer head may rapidly enter and rapidly depart from a mold cavity so that a label may be seated in the mold cavity very quickly without requiring any slowdown of the movement of the mold half. The transfer head is provided with vacuum heads which operate to effect a peeling of a label from its associated stack beginning along one edge portion of the label so as to assure that only a single label is picked up from the stack.

Abstract: This relates to a transfer device for transferring labels from a stack into mold cavities without modifying the operation of the existing molding machine. The transfer device includes a pivotally mounted arm which is positioned and pivoted by a linear drive shaft positioned by a cam carried by an associated mold half. The transfer head is mounted on the arm for pivoting about the arm by way of an actuator which includes drive pulleys coupled by drive belts. The transfer head includes vacuum heads, one of which has associated with a suction cup thereof bellows for retracting the suction cup after the suction cup has sealed with the label to initiate peeling of the label from the stack. The suction cup is guidingly mounted so as to maintain its orientation at all times.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for separating sheets at the bottom of a stack comprising two contrarotating suction drum assemblies (14,15:17) and a suction pipe (18) extending between the two assemblies. In order to ensure that the edges of the lowermost sheet are fully separated from the sheet above before the sheet is extracted from the bottom of the stack, one assembly has a central suction drum (14) having suction outlets (25) and the other assembly (17) has suction outlets (29) to draw the edges of the lowermost sheet in their central regions downwardly from the sheet above. Two pairs of contrarotating double ended fingers (32) are mounted on either side of the drum assemblies to enter the stack above the lowermost sheet where the central region has been drawn downwardly and to move along the edges of the stack towards the ends of the stack to separate the edges of the lowermost sheet from the sheet above.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for separating and feeding the bottom sheet in a stack, a biased corrugating ramp being provided to provide a large corrugation in light weight papers for maximum feeder reliability. The corrugating ramp is adapted to be depressed by heavy weight, stiff sheets to allow the sheets to more closely approach the vacuum feed belts and assure adequate acquisition thereby.

Abstract: There is disclosed transport apparatus for transporting flexible sheet-like articles, especially envelopes. The apparatus comprises a transport cylinder, which is mounted on a shaft rotatably journalled in a frame and which comprises two cylindrical body portions. The body portions are each provided with axial suction ducts with outlet openings communicating with the circumferential surfaces of the body portions. The body portions are provided at their mutually remote ends with bores into which project bushes, which are mounted to the frame to be secure against rotation. A suction device is connected in a certain rotational position of the cylinder, through passages which are provided in the bushes and open at the circumferential surfaces of the bushes, with the suction ducts of the cylinder body portions. In another rotational position of the cylinder, the suction ducts of the body portions are ventilated by the bushes. The apparatus is capable of high operating speeds with minimum noise production.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus comprising a vertically movable vacuum plate having openings for sucking sheets individually and for allowing sheet feeding rollers to extend therethrough for translating the sucked sheets, wherein a sheet pressing portion is formed in the vacuum plate to form a space between the forward end portions of the sheets and the vacuum plate prior to the suction of the sheets. In another embodiment, instead of the sheet pressing portion, a sheet feeding roller mounted on the vacuum plate is utilized as the sheet pressing element, so that the sheets are pressed before being sucked causing the suction force to be applied to the forward end portions of the sheets.

Abstract: An automatic document handler adapted to receive a stack of a stack of documents to be copied for feeding the documents seriatim to the platen of a copy machine and returning the copied documents to the stack. A combination vacuum-document separator in conjunction with an air knife and a document tray having a "U" shaped pocket with ramps formed on both sides thereof is provided to assure positive feeding of various sized documents without misfeeds or multifeeds.

Abstract: An automatic document handler adapted to receive a stack of documents to be copied for feeding the documents seriatim to the platen of a copy machine and returning the copied documents to the stack. A combination vacuum-document separator in conjunction with an air knife and a document tray having a "U" shaped pocket therein is provided to assure positive feeding of each document to the platen without misfeeds or multifeeds.

Abstract: An automatic document handler adapted to receive a stack of documents to be copied for feeding the documents seriatim to the platen of a copy machine and returning the copied documents to the stack. A combination vacuum-document separator in conjunction with a precisely located air knife in relation to the vacuum belts and a document tray having a "U" shaped pocket therein is provided to assure positive feeding of each document to the platen without misfeeds or multifeeds.

Abstract: A separating unit for flat sheet material has a rotating separating drum with suction openings on its outer face. The material to be separated is run tangentially between the separating drum and a suction drum. The separating drum has suction holes ahead of the suction openings that initiate the evacuation of air between the sheet and drum by a pulling effect lower than that of the suction openings.

Abstract: A document-feeding apparatus including feed rollers 90, pressure roller 50, a planar tray 16 for receiving a stack of sheet material and having one end portion 94 thereof deformed arcuately away from the main plane of the tray, the arcuate segment 94 being provided with openings 98 through which a sheet separating vacuum may be drawn, and longitudinally extending slots 96 through which the paper-engaging surfaces of the continuously running feed rollers 90 extend, an oscillatory vacuum pumping mechanism 92 for periodically drawing air through the vacuum openings so as to deflect the overlying end portion of the bottom sheet of the stack of material downwardly into engagement with the feed rollers 90 after which the pressure rollers 50 are moved into engagement with the upper surface of the deflected bottom sheet to hold it against the feed rollers 92 as it is driven thereby toward a pair of exit rollers 84 and 86 which thereafter discharge the sheet from the device.

Abstract: Suction feet are arranged to pick up and feed a sheet from a stack and a blower is arranged to blow air against the edges of the sheets on the stack to separate the top sheet from the rest. A cam assembly driven through a novel one-rotation clutch moves a piston in a cylinder which is connected to both the feet and blower so that the piston is moved in one direction to supply pressurized air to the blower and subsequently in the opposite direction to apply suction to the suction feet. A cylindrical presser member is carried by each suction foot which extends past the suction foot to bend the top sheet during pickup and further aid in separating the top sheet from the lower sheets.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding dielectric receptor sheets and/or sheet-like carriers for receptor sheets to the ionography imaging chamber of a radiographic system from a nearly upright stack of overlapping sheets has a set of suction heads which are mounted on a first lever pivotally mounted on a second lever. The first lever is repeatedly pivoted relative to the second lever to thereby move the suction heads, which attract a portion of the outermost sheet of the stack below the upper edge face of such sheet, along an arcuate path to thereby flex the upper part of the outermost sheet away from the neighboring sheet. The second lever is thereupon pivoted to complete the separation of the outermost sheet from the neighboring sheet and to introduce the upper edge face of the separated outermost sheet into the nip of two advancing rolls which transport the sheet toward or into the interelectrode gap of the imaging chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding dielectric receptor sheets and/or sheet-like carriers for receptor sheets to the ionography imaging chamber of a radiographic system from a nearly upright stack of overlapping sheets has a set of suction heads which are mounted on a first lever pivotally mounted on a second lever. The first lever is pivoted relative to the second lever to thereby move the suction heads, which attract the upper marginal portion of the outermost sheet of the stack, along an arcuate path to flex the upper marginal portion away from the neighboring sheet. The second lever is thereupon pivoted to complete the separation of the outermost sheet from the neighboring sheet and to introduce the upper marginal portion of the separated sheet into the nip of advancing rolls which transport the sheet into the interelectrode gap of the imaging chamber. A hold-down device abuts against the outer side of the outermost sheet below the suction heads during flexing of the upper marginal portion of the outermost sheet.

Abstract: In a device for the synchronized introduction of sheets into a treatment machine, e.g. a printer-slotter or cutter for processing corrugated cardboard sheets, in which a reciprocating pusher pushes forward the lowermost sheet of a stack in a magazine between two stops and into engagement with feed rollers, the stack rests on the upper run of a set of endless belts, which upper run extends over a suction box which is maintained continuously under suction during forward movement of the pusher, the belts are driven forwardly to facilitate movement of the lowermost sheet from the bottom of the stack, and belts being immobile during the return movement of the pusher.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for picking up, depositing and transporting thin foils by use of a vacuum lifting device. The vacuum lifting device is conveyed on a traverse from a foil receiving station to a foil depositing station. At the depositing station a transport frame is provided on guide rails to permit conveyance to a processing station. At the receiving station the vacuum lifting device picks up the foil by suction at a central region of the foil such that the foil will be suspended in a curved fashion from the vacuum lifting device. At the depositing station, the vacuum lifting device is lowered so as to permit ends of the foil which are downwardly extending on both sides of the vacuum lifting device to be pushed beneath open foil clamps on the transport frame. Subsequently the clamps are closed and the foil is maintained in an extended, wrinkle free arrangement for conveyance to the processing station.

Abstract: A record member feeding device is disclosed for feeding record members from a stack, located in a hopper having spaced-apart surfaces positioned at one end thereof defining an opening through which the record members may be fed. A vacuum-operated, solenoid-control picking member grasps one of the record members and shifts it through the opening to a position in which it is contacted by projections on a rotatable feeding element and is moved thereby into engagement with counter-rotating take away rollers which further transport it to its desired destination.

Abstract: Film handling apparatus preferably for handling microfiche film in which a holder or cassette is provided and is locatable at a film pick-up station; the holder or cassette has engaging means preferably provided as a lip to engage at least one marginal portion of the top microfiche lamina of a stack of laminae held within the holder or cassette; a suction means being provided in the apparatus which by means of preferably two or more suction areas is enabled to progressively suck the top lamina from the holder or cassette; in one embodiment two similar suction means are provided as suction platens which move in close relationship on guides within the apparatus to position the lamina at a filming and titling station.

Abstract: An apparatus for destacking a stack of flexible flat structures, especially unfolded or folded sheets or printed products, comprising a stack support composed of revolving driven rolls and contact rails disposed above the stack support for defining a stack support surface. A separation device is arranged below the stack support and revolvingly driven in cycle or rhythm with the arriving rolls in order to continuously downwardly remove an edge of the momentarily lowermost flat structure between the arriving rolls. A conveyor device engages below the stack support for the removal of the printed products which have arrived beneath the stack support. The stack support surface is arranged to be at an inclination or directed obliquely at one of its corners towards the direction of movement of the rolls.

Abstract: The lowermost sheet of an upright stack of superposed sheets is removed by a device which has one or more suction heads and is moved against the underside of the lowermost sheet prior to folding one or two marginal portions of such sheet downwardly to separate the marginal portions from the adjacent portions of the next-to-the-lowermost sheet. The device thereupon moves the lowermost sheet downwardly, substantially at right angles to the plane of the next-to-the-lowermost sheet, either into the range of one or more tongs or analogous transfer elements, or directly to the periphery of a rotary turret in a cigarette packing machine. Once the marginal portion or portions of the lowermost sheet are flexed downwardly, the corresponding marginal portion or portions of the next-to-the-lowermost sheet are engaged and held by one or more pivotable retaining members which are disengaged from the sheet as soon as the device returns to its raised position and attracts and supports the next lowermost sheet.

Abstract: In apparatus for feeding blanks for hinged lid packets, the blanks are supported in a stack by two pairs of pivotal claws which operate alternately so that at any given time only one pair of opposed claws supports the stack. A plunger device, having a central and two tiltable outer sections, engages the lowermost blank by suction and bends down opposite ends of the blank through a small angle, thus progressively withdrawing the blank from the stack.In a modification one pair of claws is replaced by fixed ledges, and a fixed finger is associated with each pivotal claw.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding sheets of paper or the like in succession from the top of a stack of sheets. A member extending over a corner portion of the stack controls a stack elevator mechanism, and co-operates with a vertically movable suction element which pulls a corner portion of the top sheet from beneath the member so as to feed one sheet at a time.

Abstract: A mechanism is disclosed for dispensing the uppermost sheet from a stack of sheets without excessive friction of the sheets against each other.The mechanism may advantageously be incorporated in a dispenser for radiographic film which may be installed in daylight conditions. In order to perform a loading cycle automatically, auxiliary expedients are described, particularly concerning the opening and closing of the radiographic cassette.

Abstract: Apparatus for successively delivering envelopes from a stack of envelopes arranged on edge on a support to a conveyor belt disposed below one edge of the support. The stack is urged by a driven feeder into engagement with an abutment extending across and slightly above the support adjacent to the support edge and into engagement with a retainer bar spaced above the support by a distance somewhat less than the height of the smallest envelope to be handled. A suction device first engages the leading envelope of the stack to pull it over the abutment and then to pull the lower edge forwardly over a stripper element to ensure that any envelope stuck to the leading envelope is stripped therefrom. Subsequently, the suction device moves downwardly to pull the leading envelope out from under the retainer bar and then releases it to permit it to fall to the conveyor. The driven feeder provides a controlled force for urging the envelopes against the abutment and the retainer bar.

Abstract: A device for detecting the thickness of sheets comprising a seizing roller on a first shaft mounted for counterclockwise rotation and a feed roller on a second shaft mounted for clockwise rotation and having a diameter smaller than that of the first shaft. The seizing roller includes a peripheral portion having a peripheral length slightly longer than each of bank notes to be transferred and cooperating with the feed roller and a recess for receiving the forward end of each bank note. The forward end of the bank note received in the recess is engaged between the feed roller and the peripheral portion of the seizing roller during their rotation to pass the bank note between the rollers. There is a displacement detecting device for detecting the displacement of the smaller roller shaft occurring during the passage of the bank note between the rollers.

Abstract: A leaves counting machine comprising a rotor having a plurality of suction heads arranged on a rotary disc. Leaves are counted by drawing and turning over them one by one by the suction heads in the course of rotation of the rotor. Changes in a suction pressure during the suction of leaves onto the suction heads are detected by a pressure transducer and the counting is executed by the use of pulses detected by the pressure transducer.

Abstract: In a modified embodiment of the pull-foot sheet feeding device described in U.S. application Ser. No. 608,970, filed Aug. 29, 1975, now Pat. No. 4,013,283 the bottom roller is replaced by a roller segment. The roller segment is pivotally mounted on a carrier which is fixedly mounted on a driving shaft. The pivotal axis of the roller segment is offset from the axis of the driving shaft. The roller segment has an outer surface for pinching sheets between it and the pull-foot while rolling on a sheet in response to rotation of the driving shaft. The position of the roller segment relative to the carrier is constrained by a spring, which provides biasing of the roller segment surface against the pull-foot, and an adjustable stop. The pull-foot is driven outwardly to pull sheets from a hopper by the roller segment but is under the control of a biasing spring and cam during its return.

Abstract: A labeling machine of the kind wherein labels are removed one at a time from a stack of labels by a rotating picker provided with axially spaced annular picking surfaces disposed for rotation about an axis parallel to the endmost label in the stack at a distance therefrom such that the annular picking surfaces of the picker are tangent to the plane of the endmost label. The annular picking surfaces contain diametrically disposed slots which are connected to a vacuum as they are moved into engagement with the endmost label and thereafter at a predetermined place in the further rotation of the picker are disconnected to release the label characterized in that there is a needle fixed in each slot with its pointed end flush with the annular picking surface of the picker and with which the portion of the label crossing the slot is held engaged during the period the picker is taking hold of the label and releasing it.

Abstract: In a mechanism for feeding individual sheets of paper separately from a stack of paper sheets, a separating device exposes an edge of an outer sheet and a "pull-foot" is oscillated between the separated sheet and a remaining stack. A roller is concurrently moved into position to pinch the separated sheet between the pull-foot and the roller. The pull-foot is oscillated away from the stack and, in doing so, the outer sheet is pulled from the stack by interaction between the pull-foot and the roller.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding sheets of paper or the like in succession from the top of a stack of sheets. A member extends over a corner portion of the stack, and a vertically movable suction element pulls a corner portion of the top sheet of the stack from beneath said member. After the suction element has released the corner, a suction transfer device sucks the top sheet, starting at said corner portion thereof, progressively against the lower face of the transfer device and then moves the top sheet away from the stack.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes an elevator table for supporting a stack of sheets and a front sheet vacuum head for lifting and presenting the front edge portion of the top sheet to feed rolls. A rear sheet separator includes a pivoted vacuum shoe having a curved, vacuumized face for lifting the rear edge portion of the top sheet prior to directing a rear air jet forwardly between the top upper sheet and the underlying sheet, and prior to feeding of the sheet. A rearwardly directed air jet at the front of the stack cooperates with the rear jet to provide an air cushion beneath the top sheet. The rear sheet separator shoe is mounted on upper and lower links which are actuated by an air cylinder to roll the vacuum shoe along the sheet as the shoe lifts the top sheet.

Abstract: A sheet-feeding apparatus for separating and feeding sheets of paper, cardboard, metallic and plastic material and the like individually from a stack of such sheets is described. The apparatus as described is provided with a curved sheet-receiving chute for containing and temporarily storing a stack of sheets. A chamber having an apertured movable wall is provided adjacent the stack of sheets. The movable wall is positioned and freely movable to contact the top sheet of the stack. A low-pressure blower is provided for evacuating air from the chamber and drawing the top sheet into sealing contact with the movable wall about the aperture. Sealing of the aperture creates a partial differential pressure which moves the wall, reducing the volume of the chamber and removing the top sheet from the stack. Means, such as a roller, is also provided within the chamber. The roller extends slightly through the aperture to contact the sheet once the sheet is removed from the stack.

Abstract: A case magazine and case stripper part of a case opening, loader sealer machine, including longitudinal case slide rails for supporting a vertical stack of unopened, horizontal, flat folded cases, lug devices mounted on a carriage that is longitudinally reciprocated by an endless chain drive to remove the lowermost case from the stack and push the lowermost case forwardly along the slide rails as the carriage moves forwardly, vertical stack support magazine brackets locates adjacent the corners of the stack extending upwardly from adjacent the elevation of the slide rails, and being mounted to be selectively adjustably positioned longitudinally and transverse relative one another, vacuum cup assemblies on opposite transverse sides of the slide rails for pivoting transversely opposite lowermost flaps about fold lines to a given angle of inclination and then release the flaps, spring hold down mechanism for retaining the flaps at said angle while permitting the flaps to be translated forwardly and control mecha

Abstract: An article transfer apparatus and method is provided wherein a plurality of article pickup heads mounted on a movable support means is operative to pick up a plurality of spaced articles at a transfer station and move the articles to an output area while the array of articles is being compacted or spread, as desired. The adjustment of the space between the articles is accomplished by making the pickup heads in the form of collapsible suction cups with anti-collapse stiffening means on one side of the cups to tilt the articles either inwardly or outwardly with respect to the original article pattern. The stiffening means in the suction cup includes wedge members mounted in annular folds of the cup and interconnecting beads between the wedge members. The bottom fold is normally not provided with a wedge member and the lip serves to seal the cup on the article. A bifurcated wedge member is provided on the top of the cup and serves to cooperate with index means on the movable support.