Abstract: A media separation system is provided for separating individual sheets from a stack of media. The media separation system has a pressure plate positioned at an angle to support the stack of sheets along an incline. The pressure plate has an upper and lower end, with a relieved area formed in the lower end of the pressure plate. The media separation system also has a pick roller disposed in juxtaposition to the relieved area of the pressure plate to engage and separate a top sheet from the stack of sheets. The pick roller has a width that is more narrow than that of the relieved area in the pressure plate. A spring-like mechanism is provided to urge the pressure plate toward the pick roller to cause the pick roller and the pressure plate to work cooperatively to depress the sheets of media beneath the pick roller into the relieved area of the pressure plate. This causes formation of a primary depression in the stack of sheets.

Abstract: A media handling unit is a selfcontained device which is capable of being moved to existing photoplotting structures to transport media sheets from a supply cassette housed within the unit and advanced into the plotter for conducting a plotting operation. The unit also retreives the scanned media from the photoplotter returning it the unit in a light tight environment where the scanned film is deposited onto a collecting tray. The supply of film is provided in a cassette having a semi-cyldrical support surface causing the film to take on a preformed configuration which is generally coincident with the shape of the support surface on the plotter.

Abstract: As apparatus for producing items in selected configurations and a system and method for controlling the same. The apparatus includes a laser printer and folding sealing apparatus controlled by a data processor. The folder sealer apparatus combines sheets printed by the laser printer with pre-printed sheets and envelope forms, which also may be printed by the laser printer. The apparatus folds the sheets as necessary and folds and seals the envelope form about the folded sheets to produce a mail piece. A user inputs a configuration for the mail piece which is translated by the data processor and transmitted to the controller of the folder sealer apparatus. The controller controls the laser printer and the folder sealer to produce the mail piece in the defined configuration. Concurrently the data processor transmits text from an output file to the laser printer for printing on printed sheets and envelope forms. The data processor also controls the laser printer to print an address for the mail piece.

Abstract: A cartridge for feeding paper stock to a copier or printer. The cartridge functions by creating a folded stack of paper. The cartridge, when inserted into the tray of a copier or printer, has an opening in communication with the discharge outlet of the tray to allow the folded paper access to the copier or printer.

Abstract: A paper feeder for a printing and bookbinding system incorporates a top load, bottom feed hopper having a cyclically operated platform for transporting paper signatures from a stack to a conveyor. The platform utilizes spaced supports of a high friction, low durameter rated material in contact with the lowermost signature in the stack. A gating mechanism is adjustable to pass only a single signature during each cycle of the platform. Outfeed rollers grasp the signature after initial advancement by the platform. Operation of the platform is synchronized to position such that the platform lowers to drop the supports out of contact with the signature as the advancing signature is grasped by the rollers. In one form, the platform may include a vacuum attachment to assure adherence of the signature to the supports. A vacuum mechanism may also be attached to the outfeed rollers for use in opening signatures for an insert-stitch-trim operation.

Abstract: A continuous paper feeder for supplying sheets of paper to a receiving machine from a top of a first stack of paper while being resupplied to a bottom of the first stack of paper with sheets of paper from a top of a second stack of paper. A concave paper hopper maintains a generally constant angle of incidence of a leading edge of sheets of paper from the top of the first stack of paper to a picker of the receiving machine. Sheet feed belts transfer paper from the top of the second stack of paper to the bottom of the first stack of paper while sheets of paper are continually removed from the top of the first stack to the receiving machine by the picker.

Abstract: A sheet inverter generally of the type having a chute for receiving a moving sheet fed in through an input nip and out through an output nip includes an edge engaging stop which is resilient or movable to push the sheet into the output nip. The chute is defined by a pair of paper guides that are curved at one end to bend the leading edge of the sheet into a crosstrack curve that improves its beam strength while the trailing edge is not curved in the crosstrack direction, allowing it to be easily fed into the output nip.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for feeding sheets, one by one, from a stack of sheets stored in a sheet placement unit. The sheet feeding device basically comprises suction cups or pads facing one end of the edge of an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets, for taking out the uppermost sheet, an engaging member located at the sheet placement unit, for supporting the leading ends in the withdrawal direction of the stacked sheets, and a roller disposed near the engaging member and positioned to face a cut-away portion in a portion of the engaging member facing the opposite end of the uppermost sheet, the opposite end being spaced away from the suction pads. The cut-away portion is formed to prevent the opposite end of the uppermost sheet from contacting with the engaging member due to hang down of the uppermost sheet. In addition, the cut-away portion is inclined downwards toward the opposite end of the uppermost sheet from the one end thereof.

Abstract: A sheet feed cassette for loading a recording sheet for an image forming apparatus in which the recording sheet can be loaded in a form of U between a lower supporting base and an upper casing member. The cassette further includes a sheet delivery guide member disposed between the supporting base and the casing member, wherein the U-shaped recording sheet is folded around the sheet delivery guide member.

Abstract: The method consists, while the ream is applied against a curved surface, in exerting pressure forces against the outer sheet of said ream, along a line of application parallel to the generatrices of the curved surface, moving this line over the entire length of the ream, and beyond each of the edges of the sheets, thereby releasing the sheets. The intensity of the pressure forces enables the sheets to be kept against the curved surface and the speed of movement of the line of application is adjusted in order for the released sheets successively to move away from the remaining curved sheets, thereby reestablishing a plane ream, this reformed ream being jogged.

Abstract: A device for loading an ink film and printing papers in a color video printer. The loading device comprises an integrated-type container for containing both of ink film and printing papers therein. The integrated-type container comprises an ink film cartridge portion formed at one side of the container, a printing papers receiving chamber formed at the other side of the container, and a guide opening formed between said ink film cartridge portion and said chamber. A printing paper guiding plate is fixedly mounted to the upper portion of the printer body in the interior of the printer body in order to guide the printing paper fed from the printing papers receiving chamber to the guide opening formed at the container.

Abstract: A sheet feed device for use in a sheet counter arranged to separate stacked sheets one by one and to count the number of sheets. The sheet feed device has a feed roller having on its circumference a roller surface including a friction surface and a non-friction surface and a feed shaft, and at least one sheet separating member having a separation surface disposed so as to face the roller surface. Stacked sheets are separated one by one by the cooperation of the feed roller and the sheet separating member. The roller surface of the feed roller is formed so as to have a concave circular-arc sectional shape, and the separation surface of the sheet separating member is formed so as to have a convex circular-arc sectional shape. A gap is formed uniformly between the circular-arc surfaces formed in the roller surface and the separation surface, and the sheet separating member is disposed so that the uniform gap has a certain length along the circumferential direction of the feed roller.

Abstract: A sheet film magazine for a film changer has a conveyor for conveying individual film sheets from a film stack to an exposure or receptacle portion of the film changer. The conveyor comprises at least one conveyor wheel which is attached to a shaft that is parallel to the plane of the film sheets and which is driven with a drive mechanism in the conveying direction of the film sheets. The conveyor also has a spacing mechanism for spacing between a film sheet and the conveyor wheel such that the conveyor wheel, when conveying a film sheet from the sheet film magazine to the exposure or receptacle portion, presses against the surface of the film sheet, and is removed from this surface after the end of the film conveying. In order to enable a high film conveying frequency with a conveyor of this type in a simple way, following the end of a film conveying, the conveyor wheel is separated from the surface of the film sheet with the assistance of a separating mechanism.

Abstract: A machine, for holding signatures and delivering them to a pocket in an inserter unit that forms part of a binding machine, has three conveyors, namely a feed conveyor, a spreading conveyor, and a pocket conveyor arranged in that order between a loading position and the pocket of the inserter unit. All three of the conveyors have table belts and side belts with the spacing between the side belts being less than the width of the signatures, so that the signatures bow forwardly when standing on edge in the conveyors. The belts of the spreading and pocket conveyors advance the signatures more rapidly then the belts of the feed conveyor, so that the signatures are less consolidated on the spreading and pocket conveyors. The table belts of the pocket conveyor are inclined downwardly away from the table belts of the spreading conveyor, but a supporting surface exists at the center of the pocket conveyor as an extension of the table belts in the spreading conveyor.

Abstract: An idler roller assembly that prevents jams and image deletion in copier/printers by removing any corrugation in sheets before they reach sharp turns includes a shaft onto which idler rollers are mounted with the shaft having a bend in the middle in order to provide a "toe out" condition to steer out any existing sheet corrugation. An alignment member is attachable to the shaft in order to prevent mis-installation of the shaft in its mounting support.

Abstract: The sheets within a stack of sheets are separated by clamping one end of the stack, bending the other end, clamping the other end and then unbending the stack. A radiation beam such as a laser beam is then directed at the stack of separated sheets, the beam reflecting from the edges of the sheets. The reflected signal is sensed by a photodetector which converts the received intensity into an electrical signal which is then fed to a processor, such as a microprocessor, to count the number of sheets.

Abstract: A recording medium discharge mechanism which discharges a recording medium (S) into a discharge tray (14) using a sheet discharge roller (69) and a sheet discharge biasing roller (72) that confronts the sheet discharge roller (66). The sheet discharge roller (69) has a plurality of vortical teeth extending in the direction of rotation of the sheet discharge roller. When the tail end of the recording medium (S) approaches the discharge roller (69), the circumferential speed of the sheet discharge roller (69) is increased so that the recording medium (S) can be accelerated into the sheet discharge tray (14) while biasing the tail end of the recording medium (S).

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding and separating seriatim a sheet of paper from a stack of sheets.

Abstract: A sheetlike article conveying roller assembly comprises at least one rotary shaft, a plurality of rollers mounted on the rotary shafts at an optional positions, and a plurality of rings held on the rollers. The rollers on one of a pair of shafts are axially arranged in staggered position with those on the other shaft. The rings of the rollers on one of the pair of the rotary shaft and those on the rollers on the other rotary shaft overlap axially. A sheetlike article is conveyed by the rollers through a travelling path defined between the rotary shafts.

Abstract: A film sheet load magazine is adapted to hold a stack of superimposed films with at least central portions of the films in a curved configuration and leading ends of the films adjacent a film separator mechanism. The curvature of the films is such that they retain themselves in desired positions in the magazine independent of the orientation of the films with respect to gravity. When a top cover of the magazine is opened, floating primary feed rollers are raised by spring-biasing assemblies to facilitate loading of the films under the rollers, and when the top cover is subsequently closed, the rollers are moved into feeding engagement with an innermost film, and the films are held in position by leaf biasing springs. A cleaning mechanism removes contaminants from the primary feed rollers, which feed each film to secondary feed rollers driven at a faster speed than the primary feed rollers.

Abstract: A document separation system including at least one separation roller system having a cooperative pair of driver and separation rollers providing a nip for the acceptance of a document between the cooperative rollers, whereby the rollers are capable of rigidifying the document by applying a beam to the document, resulting in an economical system for handling foldover documents mixed in with normal enveloped documents.

Abstract: In order to minimize the footprint of a copier, a two-part paper tray is used with one part of the paper tray being pivotably attached to another part of the paper tray for pivoting upward along the back of the copier during use. The pivoting of the paper tray also serves to minimize multi-feeding by fanning the copy sheets.

Abstract: A front-end feeder for a mixed mail handling machine employs a raised deck portion spaced from a registration wall for the mail pieces. The raised deck portion, preferably a plurality of fixed steps of increasing height, provides additional tilting and guidance of wide mail pieces to prevent mis-registration.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the transfer of a part stack (5) of material in sheet form from a general stack (2) to a further-processing station, in particular a vibrating station (3). The device has a table (15) which is mounted in a movable chassis (13) and which is provided at least in the area of one end with a table part (21) which can be folded up out of the horizontal table plane. A pressure element (40), which can be lowered onto that area of the part stack assigned to the table part, is mounted in the chassis above the table part, the table, in a first end position for the take-over of the part stack, being moved into the stack between the part stack and the remaining stack and, in a second end position, is positioned above the further-processing station.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding and separating seriatim a sheet of paper from a stack of sheets.

Abstract: A procedure for the breaking up of a stack formed from material in sheet form, in which the stack, which rests on a support, is bent out of the initial plane formed by the position of the support, a pressure element is applied to the stack, on that side of the latter which faces away from the support, at least in the area of one end face of the stack and, with the pressure element acting, the support is moved in the direction of the initial plane. The invention also relates to a device for the implementation of the procedure.

Abstract: A mechanism for feeding sheets having a feed belt on front and rear rollers. A singulator assembly overlying and in contact with the feed belt. An auxiliary roller interposed between said front and rear rollers, with the singulation assembly in contact with the feed belt at a point between the front roller and the auxiliary roller. The singulator having a pair of spaced side frame members, central pressure roller between the spaced frame members, a roller rotatably mounted on each end of the frame members, and a belt surrounding the rollers and the central pressure roller, so that sheets on said feed belt are fed one by one between the singulator assembly and the feed belt.

Abstract: An automatic cut-sheet feeding apparatus includes a feed roller which rotates in a direction so as to feed in and feed out an upper most cut-sheet, and means for stopping the feeding of excessive cut-sheets which should not be fed out together with the uppermost cut-sheet when a plurality of cut-sheets are fed in together by the feed roller, and thereby automatically feeding cut only the uppermost cut-sheet of the stack of cut-sheet one by one, the stopping means includes a holder pressed against said feed roller, a push-piece supported on the holder and pressed at a position preceding a position where the holder makes contact with said feed roller along a direction in which the cut-sheet is transported thus causing excessive cut-sheets to curve downwards when a plurality of cut-sheets pass between the feed roller and the push-piece, and a stop surface disposed to confront a leading edge of the curved excessive cut-sheet and engage the leading edge thereof.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic copying apparatus, the document stack to be fed is curved when it rests on a fixed curved stack-holding tray. The document stack is lifted by a pair of lifting blades having the curvature of the stack which move horizontally relative to the ends of the stack to move in and out beneath the sides of the stack, and thereafter move vertically to lift the entire stack out of the path of the returning copy. A vacuum belt arrangement is provided for moving successive documents from the top of the stack into the electrophotographic copying machine. The document loops through the machine and returns at a lower level, aligned with an opening beneath the bottom of the stack. Moving belts running beneath the stack carry the returning document into alignment under the stack.

Abstract: A signature supply apparatus moves signatures in an on-edge orientation to a signature feed apparatus which feeds the signatures one at a time. The signature supply apparatus includes a generally horizontal main section which supports a large number of signatures in an on-edge orientation with major side surfaces of the signatures upright. A hopper section is disposed at a higher level than the main section and supports on-edge signatures with the major side surfaces of the signatures upright and with a forwardmost signature positioned to be engaged by the signature feed apparatus. An inclined ramp section extends forwardly and upwardly from the main section to the hopper section. The ramp section supports the signatures on-edge in a thick shingled stream with major side surfaces of the signatures inclined forwardly and upwardly. The main, ramp and hopper sections of the improved signature supply apparatus support a continuous stream of on-edge signatures.

Abstract: High speed sheet feeders receive blocks or bricks of paper sheets, cards or folders stacked edgewise on a downsloping supply ramp, and singulate these for edgewise feeding in rapid succession. The frontmost sheets ready for feeding are buckled and fanned at their upper edges, and their lower edges are arched forward to form a dimple or ridge-shaped pocket by an underlying central traction singulator. A pair of ganged or synchronized feed belts engage the frontmost sheet and propel it rapidly downward edgewise, and a slanting discharge belt receives and diverts the sheet at even higher speed between the discharge belt and a tractive pinch roller. A transfer assembly beneath the discharge belt may receive sheets from an adjacent feeder and interleave them upon command with sheets delivered by the discharge belt.

Abstract: An input hopper apparatus (40) including input hopper receptacle (42) for receiving a stack of cards (44). A pick mechanism (60) is disposed proximate a second end of the input hopper receptacle (42) for individually picking a card from the stack of cards (44) by use of a suction cup assembly (62). A transfer mechanism (70) is included for transferring the picked card to a card transfer path (59).

Abstract: Each interfaced loader and metering hopper combination of a newspaper assembling system includes improvements for producing ridges in the newspapers at various states where separation of the newspapers from one another is required. The ridges enhance separation by stiffening the newspaper and reducing the area of contact and thereby the friction between them. At the receiving region of the loader, an arrangement of parallel side and central conveyors, wherein the central one is at a higher level than the side conveyors, produces ridges when the newspapers in a stack are fanned back into a stream. A pair of superimposed center conveyors and inclined laterally located arms produce ridges in the newspapers as they are discharged one at a time from a discharge region of the loader into a receiving zone in the hopper.

Abstract: Each interfaced loader and metering hopper combination of a newspaper assembling system includes improvements for producing ridges in the newspapers at various stages where separation of the newspapers from one another is required. The ridges stiffen the newspaper and reduce the area of contact and thereby the friction between them. At the receiving region of the loader, an arrangement of parallel side and central conveyors, wherein the central one is at a higher level than the side conveyors, produces ridges when the newspapers in a stack are fanned back into a stream. A pair of superimposed center conveyors and inclined laterally located arms produce ridges in the newspapers as they are discharged one at a time from a discharge region of the loader into a receiving zone in the hopper.

Abstract: A sheet feeder has a supply station wherein signatures fresh from the printing press are stacked. The stack is supported such that the signatures are in an arched, non-planar configuration. A sheet stripper extracts signatures successively from the stack and feeds them in a constant stream to a transfer conveyor. The stripper grips the sheets with a suction device which applies a constant but locally intermittent vacuum. The transfer conveyor carries the signatures to a delivery station. The delivery station includes fingers which arch the signatures. Arching the signatures in the supply and delivery stations prevents rolling of the signatures.

Abstract: A sheet feed mechanism for feeding single sheets from a stack of sheets in a feed tray is adapted to feed such sheets, even though the sheets may be bowed, curved, or wavy in a direction transverse to the process or feed direction. The mechanism includes a pad support body. A plurality of individual sheet-engaging pressure pads are mounted on a lower surface of the body by connecting webs. The connecting webs have a fore and aft axis in the process direction and bend to permit the individual pads to move in the transverse direction so that the lower friction surface of the pad will conform to the non-planar or curved surface of the sheet to be fed from the stack of sheets.

Abstract: A bottom vacuum corrugation feeder includes a vacuum chamber with a bi-level support surface that support a plurality of apertured belts. The bi-level support surface has a series of raised members on a portion of its surface that corrugate the bottom sheet of a stack of sheets that are supported on a stacking tray. The stacking tray inclues raised members on its stack support surface that allow the venting of air from an air knife positioned in front of the sheet stack for separating the bottom sheet in the stack from the remainder of the stack. Recesses are included in the stack support surface of the stacking tray in order to reduce vacuum leak around the front edge of the sheet stack.

Abstract: Flat products, such as printed sheets, resting in the form of a horizontal stack on two circulatingly driven transport chains are conveyed towards a retention plate serving as a stop of a feeder or feeder attachment. Two circulatingly driven toothed belts are laterally arranged above the transport chains and these two toothed belts define the sides of a conveying channel. The toothed belts hold the printed sheets in their mutually related positions inside the loose stack during their forward displacement. The distance between the mutually facing runs of the toothed belts is less than the width of the printed sheets or the stack of printed sheets. The toothed belts and therefore also the conveying channel terminate at a distance from the retention plate. The printed sheets are held in a curved or bowed configuration in the conveying channel.

Abstract: A signature feeding machine which can be used on sheet feeders and the like utilized in book-binding, comprises a loading plane for supporting and conveying stacks of adjacently disposed signatures to an inclined signature elevator which transfers individual signatures to the level of a delivery plane on which the individual signatures are disposed substantially horizontally. Between the loading plane and the inclined elevator there is interposed an intermediate conveyor connection section pivoted at its end nearest the loading plane and provided with means for adjustment of its inclination.

Abstract: An apparatus in which a sheet is registered during the movement thereof. The sheet is moved along a path in a forward direction of movement and a lateral direction of movement substantially normal thereto. The lateral movement of the sheet causes the side edge of the sheet to engage a registration edge so as to be aligned thereat. The magnitude of the moving force applied on the sheet is proportional to the thickness of the sheet. In this way, the moving force varies as a function of the thickness of the sheet with the sheet slipping laterally when engaging the registration edge to prevent buckling thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is of a paper transferring apparatus for a copying machine which consists of a pair of upper and lower resist rollers and a pair of upper and lower pre-transfer rollers located at a photoreceptor-drum side from these resist rollers, andthe upper roller out of the paired upper and lower resists rollers has a substantially larger roller diameter at the center part in the axial direction of the roller in comparison with that at the both ends, and the lower roller thereof has a uniform roller diameter throughout the roller, andthe upper roller out of the paired upper and lower pre-transfer rollers has a substantially smaller roller diameter at the center part in the axial direction of the roller in comparison with that at the both end parts, and the lower roller thereof has a uniform roller diameter throughout the roller.

Abstract: A document feeder is disclosed wherein a document stack is bent or curved when it rests on a fixed curved stackholding tray. A stack of paper becomes rigid when curved, and therefore, capable of being raised by applying an upward force along the curved edge on each end of the stack provided by a pair of curved lifting blades which move horizontally relative to the ends of the stack to move in and out underneath the edges of the stack, and thereafter move vertically to lift the entire stack out of the path of the returning copy. The document to be copied may be lifted off the top of the document stack either before or after the lifting action of the blades. A vacuum belt type arrangement is provided for moving successive documents from the top of the stack. The document loops through the machine, and returns at a lower level, aligned with an opening beneath the bottom of the stack.

Abstract: A money feeding machine having a friction feed mounted to feed from the top of a stack of money is disclosed. The stack of money is contained within a cassette having a moveable bottom. The bottom of the cassette is raised by a motor as money is fed from the top of the stack in order to maintain the top of the stack of money substantially at the top of the cassette and available for feeding by the friction feed. Ramps are mounted a predetermined distance down from the top of the cassette to squeeze sheets of money inwardly and cause them to bow upwardly as they are pushed up by the motor. The ramps cause blocks of mint money to be separated into a short loose stack of sheets above the ramps for reliable feeding by the friction feed.

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: Sheet transporting apparatus and methods provide an elongate guide for the sheet in contact with the drive belt. The guide is bowed along an arc extending into the transport path in parallel to the direction of sheet transport. The drive belt is bowed by that guide and is driven along the path for moving the sheet along the bowed guide. The sheet guide may also be tilted on an axis extending in the direction of sheet transport. Preferably, the sheet guide is tilted by different angular amounts at different points along the transportation path to provide a skew adjustment for the traveling sheet.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus includes a combination of feeding roller and paper separating member for feeding a plurality of papers on the paper holding board one by one and a combination of transferring roller and thrusting member for receiving paper from the combination of feeding roller and paper separating member and transferring it further. To separate the foregoing paper away from the subsequent one the peripheral speed of the transferring roller is determined higher than that of the paper feeding roller. Both the paper feeding roller and the transferring roller are arranged on a single shaft and thereby the apparatus is constructed in smaller dimensions.

Abstract: A radiographic system for obtaining a visible radiation image by use of a stimulable phosphor sheet including a spot shot apparatus having a transport system for transporting the stimulable sheets from the supply magazine to the receiving magazine through a park and exposure station at which radiation is directed to the sheets. A plurality of the sheets are stacked in a supply magazine with the side of each sheet opposite the side having the phosphor layer facing upward. The sheets are sequentially transported to the exposure station for radiographic imaging, and then to a receiving magazine by a transport system. The receiving magazine includes a light-tight receiving magazine including one side having an access opening for receiving the exposed stimulable phosphor sheets. A removable shutter is insertable in the receiving magazine to block the access opening, and maintains the light-tight environment when the magazine is inserted in and removed from the housing structure defining a spot shot apparatus.

Abstract: A radiographic system for obtaining a visible radiation image by use of a stimulable phosphor sheet, including a spot shot apparatus featuring a transport system for transporting the stimulable sheets from the supply magazine to the receiving magazine through a park and exposure station at which radiation is directed to the sheet. A plurality of the stimulable phosphor sheets are stacked in a supply magazine and are taken-up one by one from the stack in the supply magazine.

Abstract: An apparatus in which a sheet is registered during the movement thereof. The sheet is moved along a path in a forward direction of movement and a lateral direction of movement substantially normal thereto. The lateral movement of the sheet causes the side edge of the sheet to engage a registration edge so as to be aligned thereat. The magnitude of the moving force applied on the sheet is proportional to the thickness of the sheet. In this way, the moving force varies as a function of the thickness of the sheet with the sheet slipping laterally when engaging the registration edge to prevent buckling thereof.

Abstract: High speed sheet feeders receive blocks or bricks of paper sheets, cards or folders stacked edgewise on a downsloping supply ramp, and singulate these for edgewise feeding in rapid succession. The frontmost sheets ready for feeding are buckled and fanned at their upper edges, and their lower edges are arched forward to form a dimple or ridge-shaped pocket by an underlying central traction singulator. A pair of ganged or synchronized feed belts engage the frontmost sheet and propel it rapidly downward edgewise, and a slanting discharge belt receives and diverts the sheet at even higher speed between the discharge belt and a tractive pinch roller. A transfer assembly beneath the discharge belt may receive sheets from an adjacent feeder and interleave them upon command with sheets delivered by the discharge belt.