Abstract: A note feeding device includes a cartridge for storing notes to be fed out through a feeding portion thereof, a feeding roller disposed at the feeding portion of the cartridge to contact a front surface of the stored notes, a spring plate disposed opposite to said feeding roller with respect to a note dispensed from the cartridge, a reciprocating member supporting the spring plate for reciprocation movement in the direction to contact the feeding roller, and a biassing member for pushing the reciprocating member toward the feeding roller.

Abstract: A computer enhanced document forwarding system capable of feeding individual generally flat documents from a horizontally disposed edge stack of documents and include a transporter for accepting serially disposed end to end individual documents one at a time, the transporter sequentially moving each document to at least one station for observation by an operator; electronic information storage facility having an interconnected input and retrieval means positioned adjacent to the operator observation station; a supply of self-adhering labels sequentially disposed in end to end fashion; an electronically controlled printer where the labels pick up ink in a predetermined symbol array capable of being different for each label; and a continuous label applying device for serially applying corrective labels to serially disposed documents with both the labels and documents moving in the same direction, thereby carrying corrective information supplied by said storage means to individual pieces of incorrectly designate

Abstract: Apparatus for stripping a single envelope from a stack of envelopes without misfeeding or double feeding is provided. The apparatus includes a picker blade which is articulated by a drive to impart of plurality of motions to the leading edge of an envelope after the picker blade has been engaged under the flap of an envelope to be separated from a stack of envelopes in a magazine. The novel stripping action of the picker blade ensures that the leading edge only of the envelope to be fed from the magazine is first stripped and separated from the stack of envelopes and directed past a restrainer which prevents the stack of envelopes adjacent the envelope to be fed from being moved in a feed direction.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved auger conveyor in the magazine section of a document feeder apparatus which is capable of feeding large amounts of documents to a document sorting machine in a rapid and efficient manner. The auger conveyor includes: three horizontal augers which rotate in a clockwise direction; spiral grooves formed on the horizontal augers and divided in half by the existence of two separate pitches; joggers on the surfaces of the wider pitched portions of the two inner horizontal augers which facilitate reception of documents within the grooves; a raised auger which rotates in a counterclockwise direction; and a spiral groove configured in the direction opposite to the grooves on the horizontal augers and which also is divided in half by the existence of two separate pitches; and a document feed or pickoff apparatus for individually separating the lead document from the document supply.

Abstract: A foreign substance disposing device for a money receiving and disbursing machine comprising stationary clip plates for clipping the bills therebetween, movable clip plate for clipping the bills, pick out rollers for picking out the bills which are clipped between the stationary and movable clip plates, a pick out motor for controlling an operation of the pick out rollers, a detection coil provided on a circuit board for producing a change in impedance in response to passing of the bills, impedance detector for detecting the change in the impedance of the coil, controller for judging whether or not the bills passing the coil are accompanied by a foreign substance based on signals from the impedance detector and for providing the pick out rollers with a control signal for preventing the pick out rollers from picking the bills out when a foreign substance is detected, and alarm for receiving signals from the controller and producing an alarm signal.

Abstract: A device for unstacking relatively flat objects such as letters or postal packets of various different lengths, widths, and thicknesses. The device includes: a conveyor for conveying stacks of objects as well as an object separating and grasping mechanism for separating and grasping the objects one-by-one, and a transport conveyor for transporting the objects one after another.

Abstract: A sealer/conveyor aligns and conveys groups of form sheets, and seals them into form sets.

Abstract: An apparatus for reading out a radiation image stored on a stimulable phosphor sheet comprises a read-out section, a monitor for reproducing a visible radiation image, an erasing section, and a section for releasably holding a magazine housing stimulable phosphor sheets. The apparatus also comprises a first conveyance system for conveying the stimulable phosphor sheets fed out of the magazine to the read-out section, a stacker disposed at the first conveyance system between the magazine holding section and the read-out section, for housing the stimulable phosphor sheets and transferring them one by one to the first conveyance system. A second conveyance system conveys the stimulable phosphor sheets passing through the read-out section to the erasing section, and a third conveyance system returns the stimulable phosphor sheets passing through the read-out section to the stacker.

Abstract: The invention provides a machine for aligning and feeding flat articles such as letters, postcards, and the like. The flat articles are transported while in a standing mode and while being vibrated to align them. A conical roller is rotatably mounted near the end of the transport path and is oriented to direct the articles in a direction opposite the direction of travel. The conical roller has at least one flat side to vibrate the standing articles so that they will feed one-by-one.

Abstract: An apparatus for reading out a radiation image stored on a stimulable phosphor sheet comprises a read-out section, an erasing section, and a section for releasably holding a cassette housing the stimulable phosphor sheet. The apparatus also comprises a sorter section for holding erased stimulable phosphor sheets and ejecting them one by one therefrom, a first conveyance system for receiving the stimulable phosphor sheet from the cassette holding section and conveying it to the read-out section, the erasing section and then to the sorter section, and a second conveyance system for conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet from the sorter section into the cassette.

Abstract: An envelope and document feeder is disclosed within which there is a first stationary frame, and a second movable frame. The feeder has a support surface for a stack of articles to be fed seriatim, and has an apparatus which is engaged by the second movable frame to permit feeding. When the second frame is pivotably raised, the engaging apparatus prevents the articles from sliding down into the throat of the feeder.

Abstract: An unstacking device for objects such as mail envelopes is of the type comprising a magazine for storing and feeding stacked objects and a discharge head for separately removing jogged objects from a stack. The device is provided within the terminal portion of the magazine with a transition edge guide which serves to restore inclined objects to a practically upright position for subsequent discharge and is inclined with respect to the direction of feed motion of stacked objects and with a jogging reference edge guide which is relatively displaced towards the exterior of the magazine. There are associated with the edge guides a feed screw for advancing objects and a delay screw for retarding objects, the screws being interposed between jogging rollers opposite to the edge guides.

Abstract: A device for taking out sheets comprising a temporary stacking section for temporarily stacking sheets to be transported, a take-out section provided on the take-out side of said temporary stacking section for taking out the sheets one by one, conveyers for transporting sheets taken out from said take-out section, first and second vacuum suction chambers provided on an intermediate portion of conveyers which respectively separate the sheets into a first sheet and a second and following sheets if a plurality of sheets are taken out in an overlapped state by the take-out section, and collecting device for successively supplying the second and following sheets from the second chamber to said temporary stacking section.

Abstract: A supply device for supplying flattened boxes (1) to a packaging machine, equipped for the re-supply of the boxes (1), comprising apparatus for feeding a line (4) of boxes along a magazine (2) including a front carriage (13) and a rear carriage (14) feed chains (6, 8), flat vertical slides (19, 27) for connecting the carriages (13, 14) to the feed chains (8), a double action pneumatic jack (42) for sliding the carriages (13, 14) towards or away from one another, a plate (31) mounted on the carriage (13) moveable transversely between a position facing the line (4) and a retracted position, a plate (41) on the carriage (14) facing and normally spaced from the plate (31) to form a space containing additional boxes (1). To supply the additional line (46) of boxes, the plate (41) is first moved to compact the additional line (46) and thereafter plate (31) is retracted to provide a single line of boxes.

Abstract: A sheet convey device includes a plurality of feed rollers for conveying a sheet in a standing state, and guide plates for guiding the sheet to be conveyed. The device has helical rings, wound on two ends of the feed rollers in different winding directions, for guiding the sheet toward the central portions of the feed rollers.

Abstract: A vertical vacuum corrugation feeder for separating and feeding sheets from either of two stacks includes a single feed mechanism positioned between the stacks having integral dual feed heads surrounded by at least one feed belt. The dual feed heads include vacuum plenums for pulling the sheets against the feed belt for forwarding away from the stacks.

Abstract: An envelope bin assembly for a printer comprising a bin member in which envelopes can be stacked in readiness for feed by an envelope feed roller of the printer, the bin member being engageable in a support of the printer such that the feed roller of the printer can engage the frontmost envelope in the stack to feed the same to a printing station of the printer. A pressure applying member is guidably supported for displacement in the bin member for applying pressure, under the action of gravity, to the stack of envelopes at the rear thereof thereby to press the frontmost envelope in the stack against the feed roller and bend the envelopes at the front of the stack around the feed roller to produce a fan effect at the lower edges of the envelopes by which the lower edges are spread apart to facilitate single feed of the frontmost envelope.

Abstract: An envelope feeding apparatus, including a hopper having a support deck and a pair of vertical sides extending upwardly from the support deck, the support deck being oriented at an acute angle with respect to a horizontal plane, a separator roller and a separator stone situated at the lower end of the hopper for feeding envelopes seriatim from the hopper, a center ramp located upstream of the separator roller and the separator stone, the center ramp extending only a small portion of the distance between the vertical sides of the hopper, a center feed roller located above the downstream portion of the center ramp and proximate the separator stone, whereby the lower corners of the envelopes are raised off the support deck when the envelopes are translated along the center ramp and under the feed roller, thereby allowing the envelopes to approach the separator roller and the separator stone unskewed.

Abstract: A bank note processing machine has at least one cassette in which feed rollers and a gate gap is provided to enable conveying of bank notes. When the cassette is placed outside the machine, the feed rollers are locked. When the cassette is loaded in the main body of the machine, the lock is released. The feed rollers provided in the cassette 2 are driven by one driving system while first and second bank note conveying system in the cassette and the main body are driven by the other driving system.

Abstract: A method of assembling a plate-fin heat exchanger including the steps of providing a plurality of like substantially straight elongated plate-fins with spaced holes, bowing the plate-fins to increase their stability and accumulating a plurality of bowed plate-fins in stacked contiguous relationship to provide a bundle, providing a plurality of elongated substantially parallel tubes spaced from each other substantially the same distance as the spaced holes and oriented substantially perpendicularly to the bundle of plate-fins, transferring the bundle of bowed plate-fins to a carriage, straightening the bundle of contiguous plate-fins from the bowed condition to a straightened condition, and transferring the bundle of plate-fins in the stacked contiguous straightened condition onto the plurality of elongated substantially parallel tubes.

Abstract: A cassette for use with a cash dispensing machine having a picker assembly including first and second pickers, for example, for picking bills from the cassette when the cassette is placed into operative engagement with the cash dispensing machine. The cassette is used to receive a stack of bills having a front end and a rear end, with the cassette having a dispensing end which is positioned next to the picker assembly. The cassette utilizes first and second resilient pushers that are aligned with the first and second pickers to move the stack of bills towards the dispensing end. Each of the first and second resilient pushers includes a ball and socket joint which enable the pushers to conform to the rear end of the stack and thereby obviate a current "wedging" problem associated with cassettes.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus feeds one sheet of stacked papers contained in a cassette box by a feeding roller supported rotatably on a frame of a body and passes the one sheet through a clearance provided between a guide element and an outer periphery of the feeding roller; structures are provided for maintaining the clearance fixed even when the feeding roller wears down so as to surely pass one sheet of paper through the clearance without regard to the degree of wearing of the feeding roller.

Abstract: This invention relates to sheet feeding apparatus including a cassette for holding a stack of sheets. It is known to provide in the cassette a lip or spring extending into the space in front of the stack, so that when a suction feeder acts on the front sheet to swing it through an arc and introduces it leading end into the nip of a pair of rollers, the leading end is momentarily retarded by the lip of spring. This has the effect of reducing the number of double feeds. In the present invention, the degree to which the lip or spring extends into the space in front of the stack of sheets is adjusted as the cassette is inserted into the apparatus by a control device which is set in accordance with the required rate of feed of the sheets.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying cardboard is provided. The apparatus comprises a frame, a cardboard stack support means provided on said frame to detect a position of the front of the cardboard stack, cardboard stack support drive means, cardboard raising mechanisms mounted in said frame and capable of being in contact with the front of the cardboard stack at a reference position, a pair of feed rollers provided in said frame and above said cardboard stack raising mechanisms and compressed air jetting means facing the opposite sides of the laminar cardboard stack. The apparatus for supplying cardboards, which has the means described above, can readily and reliably supply laminar pulp cardboards one by one.

Abstract: An improvement in a document feeding device having a hopper oriented at an acute angle with respect to a horizontal plane and able to support a pack of documents to be fed seriatim therefrom. The improvement comprises at least one pad having a high coefficient of friction material situated on the upper surface of the hopper whereby the effect of the weight of the documents situated in the hopper above the pad on the pressure of the pack situated below the pad is decreased.

Abstract: A dispensing arrangement for dispensing advertising coupons in their folded state into containers having upstanding reinforcing ribs adjoined by respective depressions on those portions thereof onto which the coupons are to be dispensed includes a chute that bounds a downwardly sloping channel for accomodating a stack of the coupons in substantially vertical orientations, a pusher element which presses the stack against a transverse wall delimiting the channel at its dispensing end, a withdrawing roller which withdraws the foremost of the folded coupons in the stack, and a pair of advancing rollers which advance the withdrawn coupon and discharge the same into the depression of the respective container next to the upstanding reinforcing rib. The chute is advantageously a removable separate component of the arrangement, which is clipped on the body of the dispensing arrangement and whose walls can be moved relative to one another to adjust the width of the channel.

Abstract: The invention can accurately feed flat articles one-by-one. The packing density of flat articles in a hopper section is correctly detected even if they have various and indefinite shapes and conditions, such as mail, envelopes, cards and other flat articles. These articles are transferred from the hopper section to a feed mechanism section, in response to the detected packing density. The flat articles are transferred to the feed mechanism section in accordance with the distance between the centers of the flat articles while they are in the hopper section, the distance inversely corresponding to the packing density of the flat articles. Light reflection is preferably used in order to detect the distance between the centers of the flat articles.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding cards from a storage magazine to an automatic embossing system including an input hopper and card picking mechanism for engaging a card after it is stripped from a supply stack in the input hopper. The card is positioned by a transfer mechanism to receive embossed data from rotating embossing wheels. An output hopper receives good cards and rejected cards are deposited into a reject box.

Abstract: A modular envelope feed mechanism which may be used with a cut sheet feeder attachment for high speed printers or the like is disclosed. Envelopes are more reliably fed and separated because they are urged toward a pair of separators at the separation station with uniform force by a pressure plate containing a pivotable member provided with resilient pads positioned in alignment with the separators.

Abstract: A sheet moving apparatus comprising: a track having first and second spaced side walls and a third wall therebetween to form a sheet receiving space therebetween; and a sheet feeder for moving a sheet towards the third wall and thereafter moving the sheet in a downstream direction along the track. The sheet feeder comprises a rotatable member having a surface positioned in the sheet receiving space and a rotary drive enabling the rotatable member and its surface to be rotated. The sheet feeder also includes a rotatable or pivotal member moveable between first and second positions with regard to the rotatable member, with the pivotal member having a roller member to cooperate with the surface of the rotatable member to move a sheet towards the third wall when the pivotal member is in the first position, and the rotatable member and its surface are rotated.

Abstract: Labels 36 are arranged in a stack and supported in a tray 11, and the open end 49 of a suction tube 46 is reciprocated toward and away from the label at the end of the stack, to draw the end label away from the stack. A fork member 12 straddles the suction tube and reciprocates about the suction tube so as to engage the label on opposite sides of the tube and push the label off the tube, thereby dropping the label into an inclined chute 72. A conveyor belt 85 positioned in the inclined chute moves the label downwardly toward engagement with the moving work product 14, and the lower conveyor roller 81 presses the label into position on the work piece and a band 90 extends about the lower conveyor roller and extends toward the sewing machine 20 to hold the label in place as it advances to the sewing machine.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for separating and dispensing a single film sheet from a stack of the sheets.

Abstract: Automatic terminal machines for banking transactions utilize a document dispenser for delivering bank notes to a customer. The document dispenser moves the bank notes from a storage bin by means of a picker mechanism that moves along a path profile established by the configuration of a pair of cam tracks and associated cam followers. The picker mechanism includes vacuum cups for lifting the first document from a stack in the storage bin for delivery into a document transport. Connected to the vacuum cups is a vacuum/pressure supply that includes a multiple chamber cylinder that provides both vacuum and pressure synchronized with operation of the picker mechanism. The piston is pivotally mounted to enable swivel action when driving the interconnected pistons in respective chambers. When provided, the document dispenser includes a cassette having a loading door and an unloading door, each separately equipped with a locking device.

Abstract: A high speed mail sorting machine which includes an improved screw conveyor in the magazine section and an improved pick off device for separating the individual envelopes from one another. The screw conveyor includes four driven rollers having spiral grooves for receiving the lower edges of the envelopes to convey them along the rollers. A pair of raised rollers with spiral grooves maintain the envelopes in a vertical orientation as they are conveyed along the lower rollers. The pick off device includes a conveyor belt and a relatively strong vacuum box which draws the leading envelope against the belt. An opposing vacuum box of lesser intensity draws any stuck envelopes away from the leading envelope to assure separation. The opposing vacuum box has a beveled surface which effects a staggered shingle arrangement of any extra envelopes adhering to the leading envelope.

Abstract: Electrophotographic plain paper copier apparatus of a highly compact nature in which the copier is modular in construction and has a removable magazine to hold the paper supply in an arcuate disposition. A substantial number of the components and parts of components of the copier are located within the general quadrant subtended by the magazine thereby shortening the overall length of the copier. The copier features a removable master belt support, a compact projection system, the magazine mechanism and means to couple the same into the operating system of the copier and a novel illumination adjusting means.

Abstract: A conveyor system is arranged for transporting and spacing can ends by means of confronting flexible conveyor belts which are spaced apart to grip can ends at the edges, in combination with means for frictionally engaging the can ends in the space between the conveyor belts.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing X-ray film sheets includes a backing device disposed in a housing for urging a stack of film sheets into engagement with a roller so that film sheets pass one at a time from the housing. The backing device includes a low friction block at the bottom thereof which has fingers extending through slots in a support plate. A forward portion of the low friction block which moves close to the roller to press a last film of the stack against the roller.

Abstract: The invention is an improved bag unit feeder, particularly paper bag units in conjunction with other manufacturing apparatus. The bag unit feeder conveys selected stacks of bag units or bags, or partially manufactured bags, such as bag tubes, in an indexed forward movement and subsequently dispenses them one at a time. The bag unit feeder accepts one of the selected stacks during each indexed forward movement of the conveyor mechanism and then picks up individual bag units, one at a time, from the top of the selected stack and feeds each bag unit automatically to the next operation. The individual bag units are picked up by suction cups with restraining elements of the structure aiding in the process.

Abstract: Single sheets are separated from a stack of sheets arranged in a housing having one open end in which at least one pair of separating rollers is disposed with the lower end of the stack resting in the nip thereof. One roller of each pair has a surface with a greater coefficient of friction relative to the sheet surface than that of the other roller and is rotated in a direction relative to the stack opposite to the other roller so that an outermost sheet is caused to slide from the remainder of the stack by frictional engagement of the one roller while the stack remainder is held from the oppositely rotating roller. Separation is greatly facilitated by the provision of hooks which support the lower edge of the remainder of the stack during separation and positively assist withdrawal of the stack remainder.

Abstract: A device for transporting and buffering a flow of small articles, such as mail pieces, includes a conveyor belt that moves the articles onto a linearly displaceable carriage which delivers the articles into a buffer stack at a constant entrance angle regardless of buffer stack size. Articles in the buffer stack are supported and agitated by a plurality of rotating beater bars. Agitation causes skewed articles to level while the rotation of the beater bars transports the articles toward a moving edging belt that propels them into a feeder output. One of the plurality of beater bars includes screw thread sections for advancing the articles toward the feeder output.

Abstract: Hopper for feeding documents automatically into a sorter. The hopper employs rotating eccentric rollers protruding through slots in the bottom of the hopper to drive documents in a direction perpendicular to the rollers across the hopper against front or first wall. A rotary roller extending through a slot along this wall is used to urge the ends of the documents downward and forward towards feeder nudger belts which feed them to the sorter. A spring biased flag pushes against one end of the stack of documents to urge them in the same direction against the feeder nudger belts.

Abstract: Gate has two carton restrainers. First restrainer holds the lead carton in magazine stack while the second is inoperative. For take-down of the lead carton, first restrainer is moved away while at the same time the second restrainer engages and holds the carton next to the lead carton to prevent the same (and the cartons behind it) from popping out of the gate.

Abstract: A bank note holding method for a counting machine which counts bank notes or the like. These bank notes are placed upon a holder and are clamped with a keep rod. The bank notes thus placed and clamped are forced into abutment contact with a plurality of suction cylinders, which are made operable to make planetary movements, so that they may be sucked and separated one by one by the suction cylinders, thus accomplishing counting operation. For this purpose, the bank notes are arranged uniformly on the holder, and then the keep rod is moved toward the holder by depressing a push button so that the bank notes may be forced into contact with and held upon the holder. The push button is then released so that the holder may be moved to its counting position thereby to start the counting operation. After this operation, the holder and the keep rod are returned to their respective initial positions.

Abstract: A device for seizing a bag from a pack of bags provided with two jaws movable towards each other, said jaws having a sharp edge, and a pushing device for pushing said jaws against the outermost bag of said pack of bags, said jaws grip the bag and remove it from the pack of bags.

Abstract: A printer feeding and stacking mechanism for feeding a printer selectively with individual sheets of paper from one of two feeding hoppers holding stacks of individual sheets and sequentially depositing the typed sheets in a stacking hopper. The device features a selectively operable feeding mechanism mounted between the two feeding hoppers; mechanism for moving the feeding hopper walls between operating and loading positions; and mechanism for sequentially stacking the printed sheets into the stacking hopper.

Abstract: A portable cartridge and mounting apparatus includes, within the cartridge, a document separator, a stack follower, a double document restraint, and a three position lock and latch mechanism for selectively locking the cartridge cover and the issue slot. The mounting includes first and second drives for operating the separator and restraint mechanisms to issue individual documents through the issue slot. The mounting and cartridge are keyed to detect that a cartridge containing a predetermined denomination is properly mounted with the issue slot open to enable the drive mechanisms. A sensor is provided to detect a cash out condition to inhibit operation of the drives.

Abstract: A note counting device includes cam grooves provided on side plates thereof. A front lid is pivoted to a note storage box for opening or closing a front opening of the box and has projections adapted to engage the cam grooves upon attachment of the box to the note counting device. During movement of the note storage box along guide means of the note counting device, the front lid is first unlocked and the projections are then displaced by the cam grooves to swing the front lid about the pivot to an opened position.

Abstract: Method and installation for ordering groups of articles in stacks or rows, in which groups of articles are inserted between pressure members which are driven in displacement by means of an endless chain, the members being caused to move apart from one another while maintained the same overall speed in a so called "jogging zone" where the articles are made up into a group propelled toward a vertical abutment, the pressure members being closed up again in a dealing out zone, before reaching a dispensing device.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating a lead pack from a continuously moving file of folded sheet objects such as paper napkins and transferring the pack to a work station. Each pack in the file is identified by a flag which projects a short distance from the file. A flag detector senses that a flag has reached a predetermined point along the path to indicate that the lead pack has advanced into a transfer pan. The flag detector initiates a separation and transfer cycle in which the lead pack is separated from the moving file and the transfer pan containing the lead pack is moved out of the path of the file and adjacent a work station where the pack is moved onto the work station.

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.