Abstract: The folded items (9) arriving from a folding apparatus (1) are grasped on the leading folded spine (10) by forward grippers (12) on an opening cylinder (8). Then the overhang (11) of each item is grasped by rearward grippers (13). Because of centrifugal force and optionally by means of an electrostatic charging device (7), the lower part of the folded item (9), after being released from the conveyor belts (5, 6), is repelled. As a result, rods (14) secured on a chain system (15) can be introduced, during their upward movement that is at a tangent to the opening cylinder (8), it between the two halves of one printed item, after which the transporting of the folded items (9) to further chain systems (such as 17) can be effected. Subsequently, folded items (9) can be collected one on top of the other and/or accelerated or delayed in accordance with how the transfer location is embodied.

Abstract: Sheets 12 are fed one at a time from a stack 11 by a freely mounted roller 13 magnetically coupled to a rotating drive roller 14. As the stack is depleted, an elevator 27 is operated to maintain the top sheet in contact with the roller 13.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method are disclosed that can be selectively operated with equal advantage to strip sheet material from either the top or the bottom of a stack. A translatable member having a generally planar surface formed of an electrically insulative material is disposed proximate to either the top or bottom of a stack of sheet material. A pair of electrodes in the form of an electronic grid is secured to the planar surface. A DC voltage is applied to the electrodes selectively to effect a highly intense electric field only close to the surface of the member. The intensity of the electric field can be varied in predetermined relation to the applied DC voltage so as to determine the number of sheets simultaneously removed from the stack. The electric field exerts an attractive force only on the end-most sheet or sheets of the stack so that said end-most sheet or sheets only will be stripped from the stack.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for printing floor tile. The transfer sheet containing the design to be placed upon the floor tile is utilized as the carrier for the floor tile as it passes through the processing operation. The floor tile is positioned upon the transfer sheet in register with the design on the transfer sheet. The tile is held in position on the transfer sheet by static electricity and is fed between laminated rolls which laminate the transfer sheet to the floor tile. Subsequent removal of the transfer sheet from the floor tile leaves the design of the transfer sheet on the surface of the floor tile.

Abstract: Two spaced stacks of magnetically soft E-cores, (17 and 18) are supported in spaced relation by pairs of magnets (38 and 39) on opposite sides of each stack. A pair of shuttles (41 and 47) move alternately toward and away from each other and under the stacks to pick off the lower core in each stack. The shuttles alternately advance the cores into a transformer frame (10) where a pair of magnets (66 and 67) are effective to hold the cores in an assembled position within the frame while the shuttles return for another E-core feeding operation. Entry of the cores into the frame is facilitated by a pair of rotating drums (71 and 72) having staggered arrays of magnets (78 and 79) which act to rapidly vibrate the E-cores (17 and 18) and thus prevent lodging of the cores against the frame.

Abstract: An electrostatic holding and conveying apparatus having an endless belt member which comprises a base layer of soft, flexible insulative material and two groups of electrodes equally spaced and disposed on a first surface of the base layer. A protective layer of soft flexible semiconductive or insulative material is disposed on the first surface of the base layer to cover the electrodes. Two groups of terminals are provided on a second surface of the base layer and electrically connected to the two groups of electrodes, respectively. The endless belt extends between a drive roller and a driven roller with the second surface of the base layer in contact with the rollers. One of the rollers has two contact rings isolated from each other and supplied with a high DC voltage.

Abstract: A magnetic roller conveyor for transporting magnetically conductive objects comprises at least two magnetically conductive rollers and at least two pairs of permanent magnets each located adjacent to and connected with the respective axial end portions of the respective rollers. The magnets of the same pair of magnets are polarized differently with respect to each other, whereas the magnets connected to the same roller are polarized identically with respect to each other. The rollers and the magnets connected thereto form together a magnetically closed path. The rollers are rotatably mounted on magnetically conductive shafts which latter also form a part of the above magnetically closed path. A second magnet system may be provided which is mirror-inverted with respect to the above-mentioned first magnetic system so that force of attraction of the rollers is doubled. Switching members are further provided operative for demagnetizing and subsequently remagnetizing of the rollers.

Abstract: Apparatus for handling magnetizable sheet material, and especially heavy metal plates, which apparatus comprises an overhead conveyor characterized by a supporting frame structure on which a plurality of magnetic roll or roller assemblies are mounted which roller assemblies include a magnet structure with a core having end extensions on which are rotatably carried sheet contacting and supporting rollers with associated pole extension members which are spaced along and extend radially of the axis of the core and which present a downwardly facing bottom surface area of substantial length extending fore and aft of the rollers and in spaced, confronting relation above the top surface of the material contacting the rollers so as to provide a wide flux path which is effective to draw the material into contact with the rollers, the pole extension members having non-magnetic wing portions enabling the connecting of successive roll assemblies being supported for limited vertical movement so as to afford sufficient fle

Abstract: The present invention provides a document handling system having a processing device for transmitting information to and from a document and a document feed unit for driving the document along a feed path to the processing device. The system includes a pair of gripper bars and an electromagnet structure for selectively attracting the gripper bars to maintain them adjacent to the processing device. The processing device is fitted with a magnetic surface, and a control system, operating in conjunction with the feed mechanism, deactivates the electromagnet structure retaining the first gripper bar as a document is fed to the processing device. The first gripper bar is attracted to the magnetic surface of the processing device thereby clamping the document to the processing device.

Abstract: An electrostatic copying machine uses a copy sheet having a dielectric layer or photoconductive layer overlaying an electrically conductive layer, and includes image forming structure for forming an electrostatic latent image on the copy sheet, a developer for developing the electrostatic latent image on the copy sheet in the form of a toner image according to the developing electrode method, and a fixer for fixing the toner image on the copy sheet. The developing electrodes are electrically connected to each other but insulated from the body proper of the copying machine. The copy-sheet-transporting passage between the developing electrodes and voltage-impressing structure, which impresses a voltage on the electrically conducting layer of the copy sheet, is of a length shorter than that of the copy sheet. The voltage impressing structure may be positioned at one or more of the electrostatic-latent-image-forming apparatus, fixer, or the transporter structure positioned between the developer and the fixer.

Abstract: A sheet printing station is arranged between a sheet pick-up station and a sheet discharge station. A plurality of linear motors is provided, including electrically conductive rails which constitute the stators of the motors and are mounted at opposite lateral sides of the stations. Each of the rails form an endless loop which connects all of the stations. One or more carriages are mounted on the rails for travel along the same and constitute the armature of the respective motors. Sheet grippers are arranged on the carriage or carriages, and a control arrangement controls the travel of the carriage or carriages along the rails.

Abstract: A device to predetermine the stripability of a sheet of copy paper being processed in a xerographic reproduction machine to prevent processing of those sheets that would be difficult to strip subsequent to transfer.

Abstract: Apparatus for the unstacking and transportation of blanks into a subsequently arranged operating chamber of a processing machine, wherein the blanks are transferred from a stack of blanks, by hoisting devices, especially suction bridges, includes a suspended conveyor which conveys the blanks by way of a double-blank control device to a centering station. From the centering station, the blanks, centered in their position, are transferrable into the operating chamber, optionally by way of an intermediate station. At least two stacks of blanks are disposed in series in the conveying direction of the blanks on at least two elevator carts movable at right angles to the conveying direction. Each elevator cart is associated with a separately operable suspended conveyor with associated hoisting units. A further, continuously driven suspended conveyor is provided downstream of the double blank control device which conveyor spans a double-blank depositing unit and terminates over the zone of the centering station.

Abstract: A magnetic roller conveyor wherein a plurality of magnetic rollers are arranged in a row, each of which includes an outer drum and an inner drum disposed in the outer drum and having magnets mounted thereon. The outer drum is rotated while the inner drum is fixed, whereby objects are conveyed by making use of magnetic forces of the magnets. Each roller includes a dampingly magnetized segment mounted past the vertex of the roller, the force of the segment decreasing in the direction of travel to facilitate transfer to the adjacent roller.

Abstract: A sheet material conveying and stacking apparatus is provided which utilizes a pivotally connected conveyor having air jets with a further conveyor located downstream also having air jets. The pivotally connected conveyor is placed in a first position so that sheets of material will be transported to the subsequent conveyor which utilizes air jets to displace the sheets of material onto a further conveyor which transports the sheets to a weight-responsive stacker. After the sheets have filled the stacker, the pivotally connected conveyor may be pivoted to a second position which locates the air jets above the passline of the sheets being transported by the conveyor preceding the pivotal conveyor. The sheets are then displaced by the air jets onto another conveyor located below the air jets, the sheets then being stacked in another weight-responsive stacker.

Abstract: High speed electrostatic document handling apparatus wherein an electrostatic charge is deposited on an item-document such as a check and wherein the charge is caused to interact with an electrical field through which the item is obliged to move effective to selectively divert the item into a desired receiving pocket or bin and/or stack the item in the pocket or bin in the original selection order.

Abstract: A roller having an outer textured cylindrical surface applies, by means of a constant current, a non-uniform charge pattern over the surface of a sheet of material such as, for example, sheets of paper or plastic as used in xerographic transparencies and/or over the surface of a conveying structure, such as a conveying belt, which moves the sheet material to, through, and/or beyond a xerographic transfer zone. The charge applied over the sheet material is of a polarity opposite to that of the charge applied to the conveying structure so that an electrostatic tacking force holds the sheet material on or adheres the sheet material to the conveying structure. Preferably the charge is applied over the surfaces of the sheet material and conveying structure which face each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus especially adapted for use in piling sheets in a sheet handling line, in which the sheets are delivered by overhead conveyors of a piling machine to one or more piling areas, where a movable sheet edge guide apparatus is adjustably mounted for co-operation with a pile supporting platform which is positioned in the piling area to receive the sheets in one or more piles or stacks, with a system of controls being provided for coordinating the operations of the conveyors and the edge guiding and pile supporting apparatus so that, when desired, deposit of a plurality of piles of the sheets on the pile supporting platform or platforms in either side-by-side or end-to-end relation, with minimum adjustment of equipment, is possible.

Abstract: A paper conveying system, particularly adapted for use in conveying paper blanks through an envelope making machine by means of at least two parallel opposed endless strip conveyors which are formed of flexible permanent magnet material with both the north and south magnetic poles positioned on a common surface, the common surfaces of the strips being opposed whereby the strips are attracted to one another and will grip a paper blank therebetween. A magnetic roller is also disclosed.

Abstract: Improved stripping of a transfer member (having a developed image thereon) from a photoconductive surface of an electrostatic reproduction machine is effected by charging the lead edge of the member with a first charge, and then charging the body of the member having the developed image thereon with a second charge which is different than the first charge. The second charge has a magnitude and polarity which prevents retransfer of the developed image to the photoconductive surface.

Abstract: An electrostatographic copying system in which an image is formed on an imaging surface and transferred at a transfer station to a copy sheet, where the copy sheet is electrostatically transported through the toner transfer station on a belt. As the sheet is loaded onto the belt, skewed spaced fingers hold it against the belt while a corona charge is applied through the fingers to tack the sheet to the belt.

Abstract: A sheet piling machine for stacking metal sheets of material which respond to magnetic force which machine is characterized by an upright supporting frame defining two in-line stacking areas having suitable lift platforms on which sheets are piled, an elongate overhead magnetic sheet conveyor mounted on the supporting frame above the first stacking or piling area, a roller skate conveyor forming an approach to the entrance end of each of the stacking areas and spaced below the overhead conveyor in predetermined, vertical relation so as not to interfere with the entry of sheets to the respective stacking areas, each roller skate conveyor being inclined in the direction of the associated stacking area so as to cause sheets deposited thereon to be advanced by gravity into the associated stacking area, end stop and back stop mechanisms and a side guide mechanism for each of the stacking areas, and electrical control circuits for controlling the operation of the magnetic conveyor and associated mechanisms so as to

Abstract: An electrostatic copying machine comprises a photosensitive screen having a number of fine openings therein, means for forming on the screen a primary electrostatic latent image corresponsing to an original image, an electrostatic attracting device for electrostatically attracting a recording material and moving said recording material in facing relationship with the surface of the screen on which the latent image is formed, a device for supplying the recording material to the electrostatic attracting device, and means for forming a secondary electrostatic latent image on the recording material conveyed by the attracting device.

Abstract: A machine for feeding into a stack and removing from a stack baking pans and the like wherein there is provided a transfer conveyor, a pan carrier, a pan dropping mechanism for sequentially separating baking pans from the transfer conveyor and depositing the baking pans on the pan carrier, a pan lifting mechanism for sequentially lifting baking pans from the pan carrier and engaging the baking pans with the transfer conveyor. The carrier drive mechanism disclosed drives the pan carrier upwardly toward the transfer conveyor during unstacking and downwardly away from the transfer conveyor during stacking. A control mechanism is disclosed for selectively operating the transfer conveyor in a pan unstacking mode and in a pan pass-through mode and in a pan stacking mode.A complete system for feeding baking pans and the like upon demand to a process station is shown including a process station, a baking pan handling station, sensing mechanism and control mechanism.