Abstract: A method and apparatus for serially removing the forwardmost plate from a stack of plates comprises rotating a cylindrical carrier having a chordal segment defined on its periphery with the stack of plates oriented so that the forwardmost plate is tangentially adjacent to the periphery of the carrier. A vacuum source draws air into an air inlet located on the chordal segment thereby creating a low pressure area. Accordingly as the chordal segment becomes parallel with the stack the low pressure causes the forwardmost plate to be drawn into contact with the chordal segment and thus block the air inlet. The plate continues to rotate with the carrier until it reaches a desired location where an air valve causes the vacuum to be temporarily discontinued thus allowing the plate to drop free of the carrier. An advance mechanism causes the stack to be advanced one plate thickness during each rotation of the carrier to position the next plate into contact with the carrier after each plate has been removed.

Abstract: A loader for feeding signatures into a generally vertically extending pocket in which the signatures are supported on a folded edge and from which signatures are fed by a feed mechanism, such as through a signature inserter, to a saddle of a saddle gathering machine, wherein a generally horizontally oriented hopper is located between a first feeding mechanism from a supply station and a second feeding mechanism to the pocket, a quickly detachable coupling arrangement is provided for forming the pocket with the loader, and the second feeding mechanism includes an adjustably mounted vacuum manifold and perforated stripper belts for moving signatures in a shingled stream into said pocket.

Abstract: A loader for signatures, loose sheets, gathered sheets and the like, in particular for collating, pamphletizing, stitching and similar bookbinding machines, which can be moved in an automated manner with respect to the bookbinding machine when switching from one size format of the signatures or the like to another. The loader comprises a frame carried in a displaceable fashion by a fixed base, preferably through rolling bearings. The displacement is accomplished by means of an electric motor associated with a threaded rod cooperating with a nut attached to the movable frame of the loader.

Abstract: Dispensing apparatus for dispensing articles such as thin substrates includes horizontally disposed shelves one above the other. Each shelf is divided into a plurality of lanes. Each lane includes at least one endless belt for moving a stack of upright substrates toward a front edge of the shelf. A drive mechanism is connected to each belt for driving each belt. A transfer member is provided for each lane adjacent the front end portion of the shelf. Each transfer member projects beyond the effective reach of its associated belt so that the leading substrate to be dispensed is supported by the transfer member prior to dropping downwardly off the free end of the transfer member.

Abstract: The envelope feeder apparatus of the present invention is suitable for use with conventional mail sorting machines. The envelope feeder apparatus is capable of receiving a supply of envelopes on a feeder magazine which is incorporated into the body of the apparatus. The individual envelopes are picked off in succession at a feeder station by means of a suction device which operates in combination with a pair of conveying belts having a friction surface facing the incoming envelopes. The suction device acts through holes in the conveying belts to draw the lead envelope against the friction surface of the conveying belts for separation of the lead envelope from the rest of the supply. The separated envelope is then conveyed through an arcuate path and introduced into a transport channel which is positioned parallel to the feeder magazine of the apparatus.

Abstract: A rotatable drum switches a vacuum source on and off towards an outermost bill in a stack to separate bills one at a time at high speeds from the stack and provide registration between the separate bills. As the bills are separated from the stack, means are provided to maintain a relatively constant pressure on the stack of bills. Flexible bands transport the separated bills away from the stack.

Abstract: In apparatus for the separate discharge of flat items from a stack of such items, which apparatus includes a movable support for supporting the stack of items, a withdrawal mechanism mounted to engage the foremost item in the stack and withdraw that item from the stack, a supporting wall manually movable into an initial position for supporting the trailing end of the stack, and a drive system connected to drive the supporting wall toward the withdrawal mechanism under control of the state of a switch actuated in dependence upon the force being exerted by the stack on the withdrawal mechanism, resilient force equalizing elements are provided between the drive system and the supporting wall in drive transmitting relation therebetween, and are constructed and mounted for permitting advancing movement of the supporting wall to lag behind that corresponding to the sum of the drive movements produced by the drive system whenever the pressing force between the supporting wall and the stack exceeds a given value.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivering sheet material, such as signatures, to a gatherer feed mechanism from a vertically stacked on-edge array. A hopper loader delivers signatures to a hopper feed conveyor which moves the signatures in a generally vertically stacked array to a discharge area. Side guides extend above the conveyor to the discharge area. The side guides are spaced apart a distance less than the width of the signatures so that each signature is bowed in the direction of movement of the conveyor. Solenoid-operated pins are provided at the ends of the side guides to alternately hold and release opposite vertical edges of each signature at a predetermined hold-release frequency. The pins maintain the bow and hold the signatures and then release each one to the discharge area in an unbowed condition. Photodetectors maintain the respective pins in the hold position in the event that the delivery area of the hopper becomes full or only one edge of a signature is released.

Abstract: A case opener and bottom sealer machine that includes a frame, a conveyor assembly on the frame for stacks of flat folded case blanks, a lift assembly on the frame that includes suction cups for grippingly engaging the uppermost blank of the adjacent stack and elevating the gripped blank, longitudinally elongated rails on the frame for supporting a blank in an erect condition as it is moved therealong, a case erect assembly mounted on the frame for opening the gripped blank to an erect condition and after the erect blank is released by the cups move the erect blank along the rails, folder mechanism for folding the minor flaps at one end of the erect blank and thence partially fold the major flaps of the erect blank, a glue device for applying glue to the folded minor flaps, a compression assembly for completing the folding of the major flaps and holding the folded flaps under compression to provide a good seal, and controls for automatically operating the conveyor, erect, and compression assemblies and the gl

Abstract: A timber stacking assembly having at least one elongated lifting arm, means for moving said lifting arm from a first position to a second position, a stacking foot element associated with said lifting arm adjacent one end thereof, means for pivotally mounting said stacking foot element with respect to said lifting arm, and latching means associated with said stacking foot element for locking said stacking foot element against pivoting movement when said lifting arm is in said first position and for unlocking said stacking foot element for pivoting movement when said lifting arm is in said second position.

Abstract: A packaging machine is disclosed in which the carton storage, feeding and opening station is adjustable for different size cartons. The storage area has an adjustable bottom and walls and the opening mechanism has an adjustable path of travel, dependent upon the carton size.

Abstract: Apparatus for converting successive stacks of condensed parallel signatures into a single file of signatures which are thereupon processed in a bookbinding machine has a chain conveyor the front portion of which supports and advances an expiring stack of signatures. Successive foremost signatures of the expiring stack are withdrawn by a mechanism which transfers them onto a further conveyor. The horizontal rear portion of the chain conveyor is long enough to support at least one full stack of signatures behind the expiring stack. A fresh stack of signatures is placed onto a platform forming part of a carriage and movable between a raised position in which the platform is located above the rear portion of the chain conveyor to receive a fresh stack and a lower position in which the platform is located below the rear portion of the chain conveyor so that the fresh stack comes to rest on the rear portion.

Abstract: An apparatus receives case blanks in a given faced orientation within an upright stack and delivers the blanks in shingled arrangement in reverse faced orientation. Two forks are pivoted about a common pivotal axis and move independent of one another, in response to a control system, to upset the upright stack and establish the shingled arrangement and reverse faced orientation.

Abstract: A device for feeding letter mail and the like from a stack of such non-uniform sheet-like articles for individual workpiece processing wherein a plurality of friction feeders define a path for the transfer of mail from the stack and are driven in a pulsing mode interdependently under the control of photoelectric cells to facilitate the automatic separation of workpiece doubles.

Abstract: This invention relates to a board piling apparatus whereby the boards such as for example corrugated cardboards delivered individually or in small bundles in a flatly laid state are raised up and collected and the collected boards are then turned about 90.degree. and stacked up in the form of a pile. This apparatus is particularly featured by incorporation of a board raising up device adapted for raising up the board which are fed in a flatly laid state.

Abstract: A stacking and feeding tray is described, which provides a fluctuating urging force upon a stack of mail. The fluctuating urging force provides a proper feeding of pieces of mail, such that a double feed of envelopes is essentially eliminated. The fluctuation in feed-in force is provided by a clutched drive, which is responsive to an optical sensing of the discharge of a piece of mail.

Abstract: A hopper loader delivers a shingled stream of signatures to a hopper from which the signatures are fed. The hopper loader apparatus is portable and comprises a generally horizontal first conveyor belt section for receiving an array of side-abutted signatures on edge. The apparatus also includes an inclined second conveyor belt section for engaging the side of the signatures and for feeding the signatures from the array in an overlapped stream toward the hopper. The apparatus includes a means for adjusting the speed of the first belt section relative to the second belt section. Also the apparatus includes a presser belt construction which cooperates with the inclined section for pressing on the signatures to provide a sufficient frictional force between the belts and the signatures so that the signatures will be properly moved up the inclined belt section.

Abstract: Document handling apparatus for use in connection with a demand type of document feed for supplying documents which are operator-fed in bulk, to a demand type of document separator, including apparatus for fluffing and jogging the documents. The fluffing is obtained by a differential increase in the speed of the transport of documents coupled with the use of document stabilizers which are automatically inserted into and retracted from the document stack while the documents are passing through a jogging station which includes apparatus for jogging the documents in two directions.