Abstract: A method and a device for combining an auxiliary stack and a main stack include a rake carrying the auxiliary stack and being abruptly movable out of a stack area to prevent sheets that contact the rake from being entrained and to preserve the structure of the stack. A sheet-fed printing press or sheet punching machine having the device is also provided.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuous singling of stacks of loose sheet material, in particular bank notes, vouchers, checks, separation cards, etc., includes a singling unit for singling stacks of loose sheet material and a feeding device which transports stacks of loose sheet material to be singled into a position where sheet material of the stack is grasped by the singling unit and transferred to a transport system. The feeding device has a first, substantially single-axis moved feeding element and a second, substantially multi-axis moved feeding element. A container is provided to receive the stack of loose sheet material, the container having a movable platform on which the stack of sheet material rests. The container is received by a container receiving device which has a transport device connected to the platform of the container located in the container receiving device, wherein the platform of the container together with the transport device forms the first feeding element.

Abstract: In a media tray, a mid-tray sensor is located relatively equally distant between the tray front and the tray back. This allows the tray to be free of a divider between the front and reserve stack areas. After the user closes the tandem tray, an elevator plate lifts media in the lead stack location and a slider moves in a forward direction toward the tray front based on the front media sensor not detecting media in the front stack area, or whenever the mid-tray sensor detects media located between the front stack area and the reserve stack area. An alarm is produced when the front media sensor does not detect any media, or when the slider is unable to move when it should be able to move (forward into the front stack area, back through the reserve stack area, etc.).

Abstract: Apparatus for continuous singling of stacks of loose sheet material, in particular bank notes, vouchers, checks, separation cards, etc., includes a singler for singling stacks of loose sheet material and a feeding device which moves stacks of loose sheet material to be singled into a position where sheet material is grasped by the singler and transferred to a transport system, wherein the feeding device has a first, substantially single-axis moved feeding element and a second, substantially multi-axis moved feeding element. An area for receiving sheet material to be singled and which is divided into a first subarea and a second subarea is provided, wherein the first and second subareas adjoin each other and the second subarea forms an input area for inputting sheet material to be singled.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first sheet feeding unit; a second sheet feeding unit provided adjacent to the first sheet feeding unit; one or plural first shutter(s) provided in the first sheet feeding unit; a driving unit that drives the first shutter(s); and one or plural second shutter(s) provided in the second sheet feeding unit, the second shutter(s) opening and closing in association with the opening and closing of the first shutter(s) driven by the driving unit. According to the present invention, when plural shutters for designating a stacking range of sheets are provided, an operation of any one of the shutters can be suitably associated with operations of the other shutters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loading a plurality of stacks of currency bills into a currency handling device employing an input receptacle having a first paddle and a second paddle, each paddle being configured to urge one or more stacks of bills towards a front end of the receptacle wherein the relative position of the first and second paddles can be alternated as to which paddle is closer to the front end of the receptacle.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a sheet feed tray on which a first sheet bundle is stacked at a first position where sheet feeding to a conveyance path can be performed, and a conveyance tray on which a second sheet bundle is stacked at a second position adjacent to the sheet feed tray, and which conveys the second sheet bundle to the sheet feed tray and stacks the second sheet bundle on the sheet feed tray after the first sheet bundle is fed, presses the stacked second sheet bundle to a side plate provided in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the conveyance tray, and aligns an end of the second sheet bundle.

Abstract: A sheet tray device including (a) a first tray and (b) a second tray which is disposed on an upper side of the first tray and which includes (b-1) a support member which bridges between opposite side walls of the first tray and which is movable relative to the opposite side walls, and (b-2) a supported body pivotably supported by the support member. Each of the opposite side walls includes a first rail portion and a second rail portion that is located on an upper side of the first rail portion. The support member includes (i) a main slide portion that is slidably held in contact with an upper surface of the first rail portion, (ii) a removal-preventing slide portion that extends through a space between the first and second rail portions, and (iii) a rotation-preventing slide portion that is slidably held in contact with a side surface of the first rail portion. Also disclosed is an image forming apparatus including the sheet tray device.

Abstract: A method and a device combine auxiliary and main stacks in a delivery or feeder of a machine for processing printing materials. The device includes a rake that can be moved in and out between the main and auxiliary stacks by a motor drive. A control computer controls the motor drive of the rake. Different speed profiles are stored in the control computer for the drive of the rake as a function of the printing materials in the stacks. A sheet-fed offset printing press having the device is also provided.

Abstract: An unstacker device for unstacking flat objects comprises a motor-driven feed magazine controlled so as to move flat objects in a stack and on edge facing an unstacking head provided with a motor-driven drive having a perforated belt and a suction chamber, which motor driven drive is actuated so as to separate a current first object from the stack and so as to eject it in a direction that is transverse to the direction in which the stack of flat objects is moved, in which device the motor-driven drive is actuated and stopped each time a current object is unstacked, and the stack of flat objects is straightened up in the magazine in response to detection of signals delivered by a plurality of sensors disposed in the unstacking head.

Abstract: The paper feeding apparatus includes a paper feeding cassette having a side guide part for defining and setting a lateral size of paper, a rear guide part for defining and setting a longitudinal size of paper, and a first and second load part for simultaneously or separately accommodating paper sheets; a first lifting unit installed to the paper feeding cassette for lifting the first load part; a second lifting unit installed to the paper feeding cassette for lifting the second load part; a paper feeding unit for picking up and feeding the paper sheets loaded on the first load part sheet by sheet when the first load part is lifted up; a paper transfer unit installed in the paper feeding cassette for transferring paper sheets loaded on the second load part to the first load part; and a paper detection unit for checking whether each of the first and second parts is loaded with paper sheets and whether paper sheets are loaded simultaneously on the first and second load parts in a shared manner.

Abstract: A burden on a user when changing sheets such as with an ink jet printer and the like is reduced, and the necessary stack space is secured without considering the step difference up to the mounting surface of an ejected paper tray worth of the amount of curls for sheets that easily curls such as post cards and the like. Thus, enlargement of the apparatus and increase in the manufacturing cost are suppressed, and is easily adopted for low cost type for mass consumption.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus comprises: an first stack portion which temporarily stacks a sheet thereon; a first stack portion which is disposed under the first stack portion and stacks thereon a sheet discharged from the first stack portion; a second stack portion which is disposed above the first stack portion and stacks a sheet thereon; a stack reference wall which serves as an abutment reference at an end of the sheet on the second stack portion; and an alignment reference wall which is disposed more upstream in the sheet conveyance direction than the stack reference wall and serves as an abutment reference at an end of the sheet on the first stack portion; wherein the second stack portion has such a length that an end of the sheet stacked on the first stack portion cannot project from the second stack portion, as viewed from above in a vertical direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an input unit of a letter sorting system which comprises separable first and second conveyor lines. The first line is positioned proximate to an isolating device which processes letters. The first line comprises a conveyor surface and supporting wall along with a linear guide which extends beyond the surface. On the linear guide runs a separating blade. The second line also comprises a conveyor surface and supporting wall along with a linear guide, however this linear guide does not run beyond the length of the second conveyor line supporting surface. At least one second separating blades run on the second conveyor line linear guide. In operation, letters are placed on the second conveyor supporting surface from bins. The placement may be in a select order. The second conveyor line is then brought proximate to the first conveyor line where the two are then coupled.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling bill jams within a currency processing device is provided. The device includes a transport mechanism adapted to transport bills along a transport path, one at a time, from the input receptacle past an evaluation unit into a plurality of output receptacles. At least one of the output receptacles includes a holding area and a storage area. A plurality of bill passage sensors are sequentially disposed along the transport path that are adapted to detect the passage of a bill as each bill is transported past each sensor. An encoder is adapted to produce an encoder count for each incremental movement of the transport mechanism. A controller counts the total number of bills transported into each of the holding areas and the total number of bills moved from a holding area to a corresponding storage area after a predetermined number of bills have been transported into the holding area.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for loading the input unit of a letter sorting system with letters that are stood on their edges. The device comprises of at least one stack receiving device which is located on a carriage and which can receive a stack of letters at a given location. The device comprise a stack base which can be moved beyond the carriage in the direction of the stack, horizontally, and one or two separating blades which hold the stack. The blades can be displaced along the stack base and can rotate in and out of the stack receiving device. The dimensions and the height of the stack receiving device are configured in such a way that the stack base can be moved onto the letter conveyor line with the separating blade(s) of the stack receiving device and urged to the input unit.

Abstract: On stack changing, in a sheet feeder, a remaining-stack carrying device (3) is used, of which the remaining-stack bars (7A, 7B) can be pulled in a staggered manner. For better access, a U-shaped mounting (6) is provided, in which the pull drives (11) of the remaining-stack bars (7) are displaceably mounted.

Abstract: A currency handling device for rapidly processing a plurality of currency bills comprises an input receptacle adapted to receive the currency bills to be processed, a plurality of output receptacles adapted to receive the bills after the bills have been processed, a transport mechanism adapted to transport the bills, one at a time, along a transport path from the input receptacle to the plurality of output receptacles, an evaluating unit that is adapted to determine information concerning the bills, and a controller. The evaluation unit includes at least one sensor positioned along the transport path between the input receptacle and the plurality of output receptacles. The controller is adapted to operate the currency handling device according to a mode of operation wherein the mode of operation designates the output receptacle to which each of the bills are transported based on the determined information concerning the bill.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling bill jams within a currency processing device is provided. The device includes a transport mechanism adapted to transport bills along a transport path, one at a time, from the input receptacle past an evaluation unit into a plurality of output receptacles. At least one of the output receptacles includes a holding area and a storage area. A plurality of bill passage sensors are sequentially disposed along the transport path that are adapted to detect the passage of a bill as each bill is transported past each sensor. An encoder is adapted to produce an encoder count for each incremental movement of the transport mechanism. A controller counts the total number of bills transported into each of the holding areas and the total number of bills moved from a holding area to a corresponding storage area after a predetermined number of bills have been transported into the holding area.

Abstract: A remaining-stack carrying device (3) in a sheet feeder (2) is used in non-stop stack changing. The remaining-stack carrying device (3) is integrated into the stack feeder (2) to simplify retrofitting. A remaining-stack lifting gear (5) uses the lifting elements present in each sheet feeder (2) for lifting and lowering during stack exchange.

Abstract: In a stack changing device, on a sheet feeder the remaining stack bars (7A, 7B) are pulled from the stack area, out-of-line in relation to each other. For improved stack joining, the inner remaining stack bars (7A, 7B) are each pulled more slowly than the outer remaining stack bars (7A, 7B).

Abstract: A composite magazine for feeding to a filling or packaging machine pre-formed and flattened containers includes a main magazine suitably inclined in which the containers are piled up. The main magazine includes a long upper back portion which can be opened and closed downwardly. Below the main magazine there is provided an ancillary magazine which initially is in a substantially horizontal loading position in order to be easily supplied with a pile of containers on a bottom plane which leaves uncovered lateral portions of the bottom of the pile. When the upper back portion is emptied, the upper back portion is opened and the ancillary magazine is raised to insert the pile of containers in the main magazine. The upper back portion then closes to retain the pile, while the ancillary magazine returns in the low loading.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a plurality of documents from a first compartment to a second compartment. The apparatus comprises a plunger assembly having a paddle adapted to contact the documents, and at least one outwardly extending arm hingedly connected to the plunger assembly. A gate is disposed between the first compartment and the second compartment forming a document supporting surface. The gate has an open position and a closed position. At least one lever extends from the gate, the lever being in a first position when the gate is in the closed position and the lever being in a second position when the gate is in the open position. The gate moves from the closed position to the open position when the paddle urges the documents against the gate from the first compartment towards the second compartment.

Abstract: A leaf transfer mechanism unit, to be incorporated in general in an automatic teller machine, defines a leaf reception room between a pickup roller and a partition member. Behind the partition member, a leaf delivery room is defined between the partition member and a retrieval urging member. When the retrieval urging member is allowed to move forward within the limit of a front limit position, bills received in the leaf delivery room can be urged against the pickup roller. During this operation, the partition member is kept at a turnout position beyond the front limit position of the retrieval urging member. The pickup roller is exposed behind the partition member. Since the turnout position can be defined at the extension of the path of movement for the retrieval urging member, it is possible to avoid the partition member at the turnout position from largely and remarkably protruding out of the path of movement.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device that may be constructed using a first tray mounted in a frame and biased by an elastic member to bring the paper stacked on the first tray into engagement with a pickup roller. A finger is pivotally attached to the frame to force the paper loaded from the first tray to be loaded sequentially. A second tray is attached to the frame and has an end that forms a document guide that is interposed between the finger and the pickup roller. Alternatively, the second tray can end before the pickup roller and a film can be attached to the second tray to form a document guide that extends between the pickup roller and the finger. Regardless of the method used to form a document guide, the document guide allows a user to intersperse a manually fed document between documents that are being loaded from a separate tray using an automatic document loading process.

Abstract: A device for guiding vertically movable sheet pile carriers for receiving thereon sheets of a substantially horizontally oriented, continuous stream of sheets including a pile lifter having a main pile support and an auxiliary pile support displaceable back and forth between a readiness position located outside the sheet stream, and a catching position located inside the sheet stream and, when the main pile is being changed, temporarily carrying, in the form of an auxiliary pile, some of the sheets coming from the sheet stream, includes an auxiliary pile frame embracing the displaceable auxiliary pile support and being guidable, jointly with guiding devices of the auxiliary pile support, in vertically extending guide elements.

Abstract: A sheet stack changing device for a sheet processing machine having a main stack lifting mechanism and a remaining-stack carrying device. The remaining-stack carrying device has bars for temporarily holding a remaining stack, a drive mechanism for moving the bars forward into the stack and retracting the bars from the stack in a staggered relation to one another. The remaining-stack carrying device is raised by a lifting mechanism. A pulling mechanism connects the bars with a carrying rail slidably engaged on the remaining-stack carrying device so that the carrying rail slides forward with the bars and retracts independently from the bars.

Abstract: A lifting device for an automatic pile changing device of a sheet-processing machine, in particular for a sheet-fed offset printing machine with a non-stop feeder, having a main pile-carrying assembly and an auxiliary pile-carrying assembly which can be raised and lowered by means of a motor and an upstream drive unit. The invention allows simple and cost effective synchronization of the main pile-carrying assembly and of the auxiliary pile-carrying assembly within given tolerances. According to the invention, this is achieved by switching signals of equal duration determined by a common control unit coordinating two drive units. At least one of the drive units is assigned parameters that enable this synchronization.

Abstract: A paper feeder for feeding papers to an image forming apparatus and a paper tray elevation device therefore are disclosed. A first tray is movable up and down with a plurality of papers stacked thereon. A paper feed member feeds the papers from the first tray in a preselected direction of paper feed. A second tray is positioned beside the first tray in substantially the horizontal direction and movable up and down with a plurality of papers stacked thereon. A shifting device shifts the entire paper stack from the second tray to the first tray. A horizontal elevating mechanism elevates the first tray while maintaining it in substantially the horizontal position. An interlocking mechanism at least elevates, when papers of greater in size than the papers to be stacked on the first or second tray are stacked over the first and second trays in a single stack, the second tray in interlocked relation to the elevation of the first tray while maintaining the second tray in substantially the horizontal position.

Abstract: Device for lifting of a paper sheet stack to a loading head of a printing machine where the paper sheets are deposited in a stack and taken off from at its top. The device is provided with a NON-STOP loader with a supporting grillage (6) formed of bars and an auxiliary lifting device for this grillage (6). The supporting grillage (6) is in contact with an extractable rear lifting beam (3) of an auxiliary stack (4). By one of its ends the extractable rear lifting beam (4) of the auxiliary stack (4) is mounted in the lifting device, which is placed on the non-serviced machine side and it is secured against pulling out. The other end of the extractable rear lifting beam (3), auxiliary stack (4), which is on the operator's side of the machine is loose. After use the device against pulling out is released and deposited somewhere outside the machine so that it does not hamper the operator in providing normal loader functions.

Abstract: An in-feed magazine apparatus for loading documents includes a magazine feed ramp having one or more document conveyor belts disposed along a bottom surface, the belts being arranged to engage the bottom boundary of the documents. The conveyer belts are configured to effect forward movement of the stack of documents toward a document shingler mechanism along a linear axis defined by forward movement of the conveyer belts. Also included is a backing plate having a lower portion disposed proximal to the conveyor belt, an upper portion disposed vertically upward from the lower portion, and a generally planar face parallel to the plane defined by the face of the documents. An upper and lower sensor sense contact with the front end of the stack of documents while a controller operatively coupled to the upper and the lower sensors determines when the front end of the stack of documents lies in a plane substantially parallel to the face of the backing plate.

Abstract: A pile board receiver of a pile lifting device comprising pivotal entrainer hooks having respective pivot points from which the entrainer hooks extend downwardly, the entrainer hooks being vertically guidable and being pivotable in a direction towards a location at which a pile board is receivable in the receiver, each of the entrainer hooks having a hook opening disposed below the respective pivot point and directed towards the location, the respective pivot point being located beyond the location; each of the hooks being formed with a respective prong extending into a region of the receiver wherein a pile board receivable in the receiver is liftable therein; and the method thereof.

Abstract: A pallet construction for use in conjunction with transport apparatus in a sheet-processing system includes spaced grooves adapted to receive automated insertion apparatus. The pallet construction includes webs separated by spaced grooves disposed to receive levelling elements. The levelling elements are movable relative to the webs to provide a relatively planar pallet surface and prevent the deformation of printed sheets. The construction also permits exposure of the grooves as desired.

Abstract: A system for continuously delivering sheets which are provided in successive discrete stacks includes a stack infeed conveyor which includes a cushioned upper holddown belt synchronized to operate with a lower supporting infeed conveyor and to provide stability to stacks of relatively short sheets. A continuous lift apparatus receives successive stacks from the infeed system and utilizes a dual lift apparatus to provide the continuous delivery of stacked sheets which are individually fed from the top of the continuously ascending stack.

Abstract: A sheet feed for printing presses, in particular for offset presses, has a pile table located between feed side walls. The pile table receives a pile of sheets thereon and it is vertically movable with a main pile lifter. An auxiliary pile lift is provided for uninterrupted sheet delivery when a new pile of sheets is inserted. The auxiliary pile lift has non-stop rails for inserting non-stop rods supporting a residual sheet pile. One vertically movable lift component of the auxiliary pile lift, which is separate from the main pile lift, is disposed on each of the outsides of the two feed side walls. The non-stop rails--optionally together with the lift components--form a frame, which surrounds the feed side walls --or at least portions thereof--on the outside.

Abstract: A device for uniting a residue sheet pile and a main sheet pile into an aggregate sheet pile wherein a lowermost sheet of the residue sheet pile rests upon and uppermost sheet of the main sheet pile includes a displacement device having a drive; and a rake displaceable by the displacement device along a displacement path in a pile slide-in direction from a first to a second position and from the second to the first position in a direction opposite to the slide-in direction. The residue sheet pile is seated with its undermost sheet on the rake in the second position thereof, and the main sheet pile is in engagement with the rake from below with the uppermost sheet thereof, in one phase of the pile uniting process. The rake has traversed the displacement path in the direction from the second to the first position thereof, in a final phase of the pile uniting process.

Abstract: A cloth pick-up apparatus is used which comprises pressing mechanism for a pressing one end of the top cloth piece from the upper side, a catch roller having on a part of its circumferential surface catch needles and movable toward and away from the other end of the top cloth piece, the catch roller being adapted to be driven for rotation to feed the top cloth piece in a direction remote from the pressing mechanism, a feed roller rotatable in timed relation with the catch roller, and a pressure roller movable toward and away from a cloth-piece-feed surface of the feed roller and rotatable in cooperation with the feed roller. The catch roller is rotated touching one end of front face of the cloth pieces with the other end of the cloth piece pressed by the pressing roller so that the upper most cloth piece is caught by the catch needles and, at the same time, is raised.

Abstract: A device for aligning a sheet pile in a sheet feeder of a sheet processing machine feedable with sheets therefrom having a front stop provided for a first lateral face of the sheet pile facing towards the machine includes a horizontal stop rail coordinated with a second lateral face of the sheet pile located on a side of the sheet pile opposite to the first lateral face thereof, the stop rail being formed with a directive surface disposed directly opposite the second lateral face of the sheet pile, an automatic adjusting device for pressing the directive surface against the second lateral face of the sheet pile under action of a directive force, and a positioning device for setting the stop rail at selective levels.

Abstract: A device for uniting a residual and a main pile of sheets in a pile zone of a sheet feeder to form an aggregate pile wherein an uppermost sheet of the main pile has been brought into contact with a lowermost sheet of the residual pile, includes a rake for underpinning and carrying the residual pile during given phases of a process for uniting the piles, the rake having mutually parallel, horizontal lattice bars. Also included are a displacement device for carrying and displacing the rake, horizontally in longitudinal direction of the lattice bars between a first position outside the pile zone and a second position inside the pile zone, wherein the residual pile is underpinned by the rake, a device disposed in the pile zone for supporting respective ends of the lattice bars projecting beyond the residual pile, and a lifting device carrying the displacement device for lowering the rake into a lower position and for raising the rake into an upper position.

Abstract: A device for uniting residual sheet pile and a main sheet pile into an aggregate pile, wherein a lowermost sheet of the residual sheet pile rests on an uppermost sheet of the main sheet pile, includes a pile-carrying plate having a horizontally oriented upper side whereon the residual sheet pile rests with its lowermost sheet prior to a performance of a pile uniting process, the pile-carrying plate having mutually parallel grooves formed on the upper side thereof, an auxiliary carrying device for temporarily carrying the residual sheet pile including an assembly of horizontally disposed and mutually parallel lattice bars fitting into respective cross sections of the grooves formed in said pile-carrying plate and combined into a rake, guide rails whereon said rake is mounted so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the lattice bars, a stop rail extending transversely to and being displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the lattice bars, the stop rail being formed with penetrations throug

Abstract: A sheet feeder having an auxiliary pile supporting device for non-stop operation includes a removable auxiliary pile support of given thickness on which an auxiliary pile of sheets are supported above a liftable main sheet pile with which it is joinable. The sheet feeder bar stops disposed in a sheet feeding path of the auxiliary sheet pile and engageable by a leading region of the auxiliary sheet pile as viewed in sheet feeding direction. The sheet feeder further includes a holding device disposed substantially in a plane extending over the width of the sheets and movable under the leading region of the auxiliary pile, when the auxiliary pile support is removed, for permitting leading edges of the sheets in the auxiliary pile to be lowered a distance equal to less than the thickness of the removed auxiliary pile.

Abstract: A paper feeding device for image forming equipment effectively uses the space available in the equipment and thereby accommodates a greater number of paper sheets in successive paper storing stages without the equipment being increased in height. A first paper storing section is loaded with a stack of paper sheets in a position where a paper feeding arrangement is capable of feeding the paper sheets. A second paper storing section adjoins the first paper storing section on the side opposite to the paper feed side of the first paper storing section. A paper end sensor senses paper sheets stacked on the first paper storing section. A paper shifting mechanism shifts paper sheets stacked in the second paper storing section collectively to the first paper storing section.

Abstract: A paper feeding/piling apparatus for a sheet-fed press includes a fork reciprocating unit, a fork unit lifting unit, and a piling/conveying unit. The fork reciprocating unit includes a fork support table supported between a pair of vertically movable right and left guide rails horizontally extending between the pile table and the auxiliary pile unit and reciprocated back and forth, and a plurality of forks supported by the fork support table and fitted in or removed from grooves of the pile board at an upper position upon reciprocal movement of the fork support table. The fork reciprocating unit has forward and backward limit positions detected by detectors. The fork unit lifting unit includes a guide rail drive unit, supported on apparatus frames, for vertically driving the guide rails, and detectors for regulating upper and lower limit positions of the guide rails.

Abstract: A dual bin paper feed tray is removably insertable into the standard height tray-receiving housing opening of an image reproduction machine such as a printer or copier. The tray has adjacent front and rear paper holding bin areas each configured to hold a stack of approximately 250 cut paper sheets, the overall tray thus being adapted to hold the entire contents of a standard one ream package of cut paper sheets. In operation, the loaded tray is inserted, front end first, into the housing opening and the machine's paper feed system operates to sequentially feed paper sheets from the front tray bin into the machine. When the machine's paper sensing system detects that the front bin has been emptied, a drive motor on the rear end of the tray is energized to activate a shift structure which operates to move the rear paper stack into the front tray bin for infeed to the machine.

Abstract: The magazine has slats for advancing flat articles to an unstacking head. The magazine comprises a first zone into which articles are loaded and along which they are advanced by removable slats, which slats are individually mounted in the first zone, being held and guided therein and also being driven therealong. The magazine also includes a second zone for stocking slats that are not in use, with the second zone being formed adjacent to the unstacking terminal portion of the first zone and being equipped for removing the slats form the first zone, and for transferring the removed slats into a stock of slats. The invention is applicable to separating postal items one by one.

Abstract: In order to achieve a mechanical retraction of piles in a sheet feeding apparatus with a lifting table, the lifting table can be lowered to the level of the floor and serves to take up, one at a time, a pile supporting surface loaded with a pile of sheets. Each of the pile supporting surfaces is in the form of a mobile carriage and there is a carriage retracting mechanism with a tugging device which is located on the floor. The tugging device has a reversible driving device, bridges a distance of at least one length of a carriage, is situated outside the surface area of the lifting table, and has at least one dog able to engage and disengage by the lifting or respectively lowering motion of the lifting table, with a coupling element. The coupling element has edges of contact parallel to the lifting or respectively lowering direction of the lifting table, is fixed to the carriage, and projects over the surface area of the lifting table when the carriage is on the lifting table.

Abstract: A modular sheet feeding apparatus for connection to a copying machine is disclosed in which a series of tables are mounted as a group and individually positioned for sheet feeding into a copier main frame. The modular apparatus can either include its own feed rolls for each table or use one feed roll that is mounted within the main frame to be moved into and out of sheet feeding position.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously feeding objects from the top of tiered loads includes in a preferred embodiment a hoist pivotable at its base to receive a first tiered load and then hoist the load upwardly along an angular load path. Extendable skids are mounted along the angular path for relative movement toward the load as it is hoisted, the skids being adapted continuously to engage the load and feed tiers from its ends. Supporting accumulator forks disposed along the path are insertable therein to receive the load from the hoist so as to maintain the load's engagement with the skids as the hoist retracts and pivots to receive a second load. Once all the tiers have been removed from the forks, they retract from the load path and the second load is hoisted to engage the skids. In a second embodiment, the hoist receives the first load and hoists it vertically. A raking mechanism rests on the load and engages it to rake successive tiers from the load.

Abstract: A paper sheet attracting system includes a suction air casing and a paper sheet attracting unit which has a bottom wall provided with a plurality of air intake openings. The paper sheet attracting unit is slidably connected to the suction air casing via a flexible duct, and the paper sheet attracting unit is normally pulled downward so that the bottom wall contacts the uppermost paper sheet supported by a paper sheet holder. When the height of the uppermost paper sheet varies, the flexible duct allows the shifting of the paper sheet attracting unit so that the bottom wall of the paper sheet attracting unit contacts the uppermost paper sheet.

Abstract: Paper handling equipment is disclosed having a cart and a paper feeder. The paper feeder has an elevator and a paper feed train. The cart allows rolling transfer of a stack of paper sheets from the cart to the elevator in the paper feeder. The elevator positions the stack of paper sheets with respect to a desired elevation of the top sheet in the stack. The paper feed train removes the top sheet from the stack of paper in the elevator by using a rotating high-vacuum wheel. Included is a marker sheet detection means for detecting specially prepared marker sheets. A doubles detector is used to eliminate double sheets which are inadvertently fed into the paper feed train. A counting means is used to count the number of single sheets fed. A control means is used to automatically feed a preprogrammed number of sheets from a number of different types of paper separated by marker sheets. Excess copies of paper sheets of any particular type are rejected into a rejection tray.