Abstract: The invention relates to a sheet delivery system for rotary cross cutters which has a stacking place and a suction brake table preceding the stacking place. Disposed preceding the suction brake table are drawing rollers which run at at least the conveying speed of the sheets arriving from the rotary cutter and which are disposed spaced out from one another on a driven shaft and between which deflecting rollers of smaller diameter are mounted for driven suction belts guided over the suction brake table. Provided in the gaps between the drawing rollers are blowing nozzles whose blowing direction is directed over the suction brake table.

Abstract: An air flow control system for an image recording apparatus such as electrophotographic copying machines, includes an image recording device on which an electrostatic image is formed on the surface of a rotational image retainer. This image is developed to obtain a toner image. The toner image is then transferred to a recording medium which is brought into contact with the image forming surface, and the recording paper is then carried to a fixing device by a carrier device. A first suction inlet is positioned to prevent dispersion of the toner used in developing the toner image. A second suction inlet is positioned in the carrier device to provide suction to carry the recording medium. Air flow is dynamically controlled for both the first and second suction inlets, depending on whether a detector senses the presence or absence of the recording medium.

Abstract: The apparatus serves for a slipless conveyance of two coextensive parallel plates, which are in register and transversely spaced apart and supported on those broadsides which are remote from each other in respective planes of travel. The apparatus comprises at least two vacuum-applying conveyors, which are adapted to be driven in synchronism in a direction of travel and extend parallel to each other and are disposed opposite to each other and transversely spaced apart and are adapted to contact said plates on those broadsides which are remote from each other and to convey said plates in said direction of travel.

Abstract: An apparatus for splitting a shingled stream of paired coextensive sheets into two partial stream is advanced below an upper conveyor to which suction can be applied and which displaces the sheets at an acute angle to the main path defined by the lower conveyor. The upper conveyor engages only the upper sheet of each pair and shifts it laterally to deposit it on the lower conveyor in a shingled partial stream parallel to the partial stream which remains of the lower sheets after the upper sheets of each pair has been laterally drawn away.

Abstract: A mechanism for shuttering of vacuum ports of a vacuum platen transport (VPT) plenum in correspondence with the size of the documents being transported from the document tray of a recirculating document handler. The shuttering mechanism is coupled to a movable side guide of the document tray and includes a flexible coiled tape mounted with respect to the vacuum plenum of the VPT and movable side guide of the document tray such that movement of the side causes the tape to seal off vacuum slots within the plenum that are not located beneath documents.

Abstract: A corrugated container blank stacker 10 is described for receiving rows of container blanks 12 from a sheet cutter and for stacking the container blanks in rows of stacks on a pallet. In the embodiment shown the stacker is able to receive container blanks in rows of three abreast and then forming three rows of stacks, three abreast, on a pallet.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved apparatus and method for the sequential handling of a series of flexible products which enables operation of the orbital packing fingers at lower speeds to reduce inertial loading and yet maintain a high output rate. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the packing fingers are operated at a rate of 1/X times the rate that flexible products are provided. Where X is the number of delivery points per lane of flexible products provided. The orbital packing fingers themselves are constructed to extend across substantially the entire width of the bags as they are stripped from a transfer drum and to decelerate the bags as they are stacked against a backstop.

Abstract: Apparatus for collecting tickets cut from ticket stock, and for stacking these tickets in a horizontal array. Tickets are collected and oriented to stacking position by a vacuum transport belt assembly and uniformly aligned by a horizontal stacker. The transport assembly is mounted on a housing which includes a vacuum drum to maintain ticket engagement with the transport belts, as the belts traverse a path having a horizontal to vertical orientation about the top and front of the housing. The stacker is mounted perpendicular to the front base of the housing and incorporates a stacking belt extending the length of, and parallel to the base of the housing. The stacking belt is incremented in the stacking direction, in synchronization with a cutter. Stacker infeed disks are mounted on the transport terminus roller in a unitary arrangement which both releases tickets from the transport and feeds tickets to the stacker, to improve processing efficiency.

Abstract: A copy sheet feeding system for use in a printing, copying, duplicating and like machine includes a conveyor board for moving copy sheets thereover in seriatim fashion. A vacuum chamber extends lengthwise of the conveyor board, with openings extending longitudinally of the conveyor board and communicating with the vacuum chamber. An access mechanism is movable relative to the vacuum chamber and openings to effectivly expose the openings progressively in the direction of movement of the copy sheets. This effectively provides a moving vacuum device which moves with the copy sheets as the sheets move over the conveyor board.

Abstract: A sheet such as a stimulable phosphor sheet or a photographic film is fed in an auxiliary scanning direction by a sheet feed mechanism while the sheet is being scanned by a one-dimensionally deflected light beam along a main scanning line in a main scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the auxiliary scanning direction. The feed mechanism has an auxiliary scanning feed belt having a plurality of holes, a first suction chamber positioned upstream of the main scanning line with respect to the auxiliary scanning direction, a second suction chamber positioned downstream of the main scanning line with respect to the auxiliary scanning direction, and first and second valve bodies communicating with the first and second suction chambers, respectively. The sheet is attracted to the feed belt under an attractive force developed by only the first suction chamber while the sheet is being fed in the auxiliary scanning direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a stack of flat objects such as letters on a support is disclosed. A conveyor moves flat objects to the support. A stacking apparatus moves the flat objects onto the support into abutment against a jogging wall of the support. The conveyor and stacking apparatus are supported on a table which is movable relative to the support and stack. The stacking apparatus extends between the conveyor and jogging wall and includes an end having an axis about which the stacking apparatus is pivoted so as to be displaceable towards and away from the end of the stack.

Abstract: A dual vacuum belt transport system for compiling copy sheet sets in a compiling tray includes a first vacuum belt that picks up a copy sheet and moves it to a forward registration wall for front edge alignment, and releases it. A second vacuum belt then picks up the copy sheet and moves it to a side registration wall to complete the compiling sequence. Each vacuum belt is angled with respect to a vertical plane in order to drive each copy sheet into a corner formed by the intersection of the forward and side registration walls.

Abstract: An automatic or semi-automatic document feeder (12) for conveying documents sheets (17) into and away from an imaging position (18) on a platen (14) of a copier, incorporating a plurality of spaced-apart belts (30) moving between a white backing surface (26) and the platen. A vacuum source applies a partial vacuum to the inter-belt gaps (32) to hold a document sheet against the belts so that the document is conveyed with the movement of the belts. A major portion of the backing surface (26) lies in a datum plane. Discrete protrusions (56) which extend above the datum plane are formed integrally on the backing surface in pairs or rows, against which the belts ride to hold the belts in spaced relation to the datum plane. The spaces (57) between the protrusions provide openings so that a partial vacuum applied beneath the belts may extend into the inter-belt gaps.

Abstract: The apparatus serves for a slipless conveyance of two coextensive parallel plates, which are in register and transversely spaced apart and supported on those broadsides which are remote from each other in respective planes of travel. The apparatus comprises at least two vacuum-applying conveyors, which are adapted to be driven in synchronism in a direction of travel and extend parallel to each other and are disposed opposite to each other and transversely spaced apart and are adapted to contact said plates on those broadsides which are remote from each other and to convey said plates in said direction of travel.

Abstract: A veneer stacking system providing the feature of consistent air suction above the multiple veneer stacks enabling reliable separation of the veneer sheets from an overhead conveyor. This consistent air suction is provided by independent air chambers for each stack. It also includes aligning belts for aligning the sheets on the overhead conveyor. An aligning belt replaces a section of one or both of the conveyor belts and is independently driven to speed up or slow down one side of the sheet to achieve the desired alignment. It also includes improved knock-off shoes activated byh cylinders connected to master cylinders in a master cylinder housing activated by a common mover piston for simultaneous knock off of veneer sheets onto the stacks.

Abstract: Apparatus for collecting tickets cut from ticket stock, and for stacking these tickets in a horizontal array. Tickets are collected and oriented to stacking position by a vacuum transport belt assembly, and uniformly aligned by a horizontal stacker. The transport assembly is mounted on a housing which includes a vacuum drum to maintain ticket engagement with the transport belts, as the belts traverse a path having a horizontal to vertical orientation about the top and front of the housing. The stacker is mounted perpendicular to the front base of the housing and incorporates a stacking surface of rollers extending the length of, and parallel to the base of a side plate. The rollers are driven in a direction which, advantageously, positions tickets which may be of varying length against the side plate. Stacker infeed disks are mounted on the transport terminus roller in a unitary arrangement which both releases tickets from the transport and feeds tickets to the stacker, to improve processing efficiency.

Abstract: A downstacker assembly in which paperboard blanks, received from a die cutter station, are passed sequentially through a trim removal station, a feed station, a stacker assembly partially disposed in a pit, and a stack retrieval assembly. The stacker assembly is disposed in a drop chute beneath a vacuum conveyor assembly which drops the blanks from the feed station into the drop chute, assisted by a pair of twin blank striker assemblies which selectively separate the blank therefrom. The stacking blanks are tamped using a semiflexible tamper plate assembly against flexible curtains on a descending elevator assembly. A stack staging assembly serves as a temporary cradle to catch the falling blanks once a predetermined stack height is achieved until the stacks can be removed via the stack retrieval assembly. A dunnage holding assembly provides multiple-tier load forming as the stacks are discharged from the downstacker assembly.

Abstract: A document handler 20 for presenting documents to the platen 23 of a copier 10 for copying with a vacuum belt platen transport system 32 having document transporting belts 35 movable under a substantially planar vacuum plenum backing and imaging background surface 33a overlying the platen, and a vacuum system 33 for applying a partial vacuum to a document sheet being transported by the movable belts over the platen; with a clamping and unclamping system for moving the vacuum plenum backing and imaging background surface 33a against the platen 23 to flatten the belts 35 and a document thereon against the platen for copying.

Abstract: The sailing and floating of the sheets which has occurred uncontrollably at certain speeds is avoided so that an exact stacking is permitted at high speeds. The vacuum conveyor is a vacuum belt conveyor whose vacuum box with circulating vacuum belts extends over the entire stacking location and the brake device. The brake device comprises an upper circulating belt supported by a vacuum chamber whose upper strand reaches up to the stacking location. Thus the sheets during the stacking process are guided precisely and do not float freely.

Abstract: A plastic film handling apparatus includes an air table formed by a box having a surface crossed by a conveyor, in the form of endless belts surrounding the box, in which a multiplicity of individual air chambers is provided. Each of the individual chambers is selectively pressurized (negative or positive) by selective coupling of the chambers with a blower through a manifold chamber. Openings through the surface couple each chamber with an overlying plastic film. A second blower and manifold chamber, selectively coupled with the individual chambers, is provided so that at least two air pressure levels, different from atmospheric and one another, can be generated. The air manifold chambers are isolated from one another adjoining each of the individual air chambers and are selectively coupled with individual chambers by the removable gates therebetween or by the setting of other conventional settable air couplings between the individual chambers and each manifold chamber.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a dual tote sorting and stacking apparatus for continuously transporting, sorting and stacking sequentially fed sheets of paper such as from printing, copying and duplicating machinery. The apparatus employs mass airflow type of conveyors for paper transport. A diverter is provided for selectively diverting the sheet to designated receiving trays or, optionally, for expelling the sheet from the apparatus. A jogger is provided for jogging the sheets which are deposited into the trays into individually aligned job stacks. An assembly may also be provided for flipping the sheets as they enter the apparatus or for feeding individual sequentially fed sheets into the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating articles advanced in series and in a mutually contacting relationship, includes a first conveyor advancing the articles in a series and in contact with one another on a first conveyor surface, and a second conveyor arranged for receiving articles from the first conveyor and advancing the articles in series on a second conveyor surface. The second conveyor has a conveying speed greater than that of the first conveyor, whereby the articles are advanced on the second conveyor surface in a spaced relationship to one another. There is further provided a third conveyor having article carriers which convey the articles downstream of the second conveyor surface as viewed in a direction of article advance. A suction device generates, in zones of the first and second conveyors, a force exerted on the articles and oriented for pressing the articles against the first and second conveyor surfaces.

Abstract: An apparatus for collecting sheets of different lengths in a tray having first and second parts and wherein the second part of the tray consists of a first portion which adjoins the first part and from there extends downwardly to receive the trailing part of sheets of intermediate lengths, and a second portion which adjoins the bottom point of the first portion and from there extends upwardly in order to receive the trailing part of sheets of longer lengths than the intermediate lengths.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a vacuum channel (15), and two parallel endless belts (3), which extend on opposite sides of said vacuum channel. The working courses (3a) of said belts have forward surfaces which extend substantially in a common plane (6). The belts (3) are synchronously driven in the same direction. The vacuum channel is provided on the forward side of an elongate carrier (1) and communicates through at least one suction port (21) with a vacuum source. The working course (3a) of each of said belts (3) is in contact on the rear with backing rollers (14).

Abstract: In an automatic document handling system for a copier, with a system for feeding and registering document sheets, including a platen transport system, wherein the platen transport system includes a document belt system and a vacuum system for retaining documents against the document belt, there is provided common document input and path systems for feeding either conventional document sheets or computer form or other web (CF) documents, the document belt system relatively low friction belt material, the vacuum system automatically maintaining a first vacuum level high enough to retain the conventional document sheets against the document belt system with sufficient force to resist slippage and function as their primary platen transport system, and a vacuum reduction system for automatically reducing the vacuum to a substantially lower level for CF documents which provides for slippage of CF documents relative to the document belt system, and a separate deskewing and driving system for the CF documents in coop

Abstract: A controlled paper transport arrangement utilizes a flexible belt which attracts the paper to its surface by the application of a reduced air pressure on the other side. In a preferred embodiment, the belt operates in a continuous loop and in combination with a vacuum feed roller, the belt and the vacuum feed roller being arranged on respective sides of a print strike bar. The presence of the paper against the flexible belt causes trip valves to change state such that the full force of the air pressure differential between the ambient air and the reduced air pressure, on either side of the flexible belt, is applied only in the vicinity of the paper to be printed. In some embodiments, the vacuum feed roller is sectored so that the reduced air pressure is applied only in the region which communicates with the paper to be printed. The flexible belt and its associated assembly is tiltable about its vacuum supply inlet for achieving compact storage and for delivering printed sheets to a storage bin.

Abstract: A vacuum shingler for a plurality of sheets (9) traveling in succession through an upstream infeed nip (13) is provided with a vacuum modulating control which applies sheet slow-down forces primarily to only the tail ends of the sheets. In one embodiment, the control provides a substantially "on-off" vacuum operation, with the vacuum "off" when the leading end portion of the sheet is adjacent the vacuum plenum opening(s) (39), and with the vacuum "on" when the tail end portion of the sheet is adjacent the opening(s). In another embodiment, the control modulates the vacuum so that it is at a basically unshingling low or reduced level when the leading end portion of the sheet is adjacent the opening(s), and is at a substantially increased high level when the tail end portion of the sheet is adjacent the opening(s) so that basic shingling occurs.

Abstract: A reproducing machine in which an electrostatic latent image recorder on a photoconductive member is developed with a liquid developer material comprising at least a liquid carrier having pigmented particles dispersed therein. The developed image is transferred from the photoconductive member to a sheet of support material. The sheet of support material, with the developed image thereon, passes through a housing. In the housing, heat and pressure are applied to the sheet of support material to vaporize the liquid carrier and to fuse the pigmented particles to the sheet of support material in image configuration. A substantially portion of the vaporized liquid carrier and heated air are removed from the interior of the housing.

Abstract: A stimulable phosphor sheet transfer apparatus for transferring a stimulable phosphor sheet storing therein a radiation image information in a sub-scanning direction when the stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with a stimulating ray along a main scanning line substantially perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction to emit light in the pattern of the stored radiation energy, the light emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet being detected to obtain an image information signal, comprises a transfer belt for transferring the stimulable phosphor sheet in the sub-scanning direction, and first and second suction boxes disposed below the transfer belt and adapted to provide a suction force for attracting the stimulable phosphor sheet against the transfer belt. The first and second suction boxes are respectively disposed upstream and downstream of the main scanning line with respect to the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: An improved downstacker assembly in which paperboard blanks, received from a die cutter station, are passed sequentially through a trim removal station, a feed station, a stacker assembly partially disposed in a pit, and a stack retrieval assembly. The stacker assembly is disposed in a drop chute beneath a vacuum conveyor assembly which drops the blanks from the feed station into the drop chute, assisted by an impacting assembly which selectively separates the blanks therefrom. The stacking blanks are tamped against flexible curtains on a descending elevator assembly. A stack staging assembly serves as a temporary cradle to catch the falling blanks once a predetermined stack height is achieved until the stacks can be removed via a stack retrieval assembly.

Abstract: A conveyorized vacuum table comprises a conveyor for feeding and supporting limp sheet material and a vacuum system which applies vacuum to the sheet material while it is being fed and/or worked upon. The conveyor comprises a penetrable support bed and a plurality of vacuum chambers which move with the support bed and communicate with it. Means are also provided to apply vacuum to the vacuum chambers to cause the conveyor to hold the sheet material for cutting or other work operations.

Abstract: A proper number of flexible work pieces such as napkins, handkerchiefs and he like are deposited in a proper position or positions for providing packages each of which contains a freely selectable number of pieces. For this purpose the work pieces travel through at least one branching station and from there alternately into two depositors or stacking stations comprising several compartments. The depositors then deposit the work pieces on a stacking table from which the stacks are removed onto a conveyor belt for continuing the conveying, for example into a packaging machine. The branching station includes three suction drums in which the suction is controlled for alternately distributing work pieces into different directions to different stackers. Air permeable conveyor belts run around the suction drums.

Abstract: An article transport arrangement for conveying articles along a pair of generally parallel transport paths from a first location to a second location includes a pair of vacuum belt conveyors which extend between the first and second locations, generally above the transport paths. A vacuum arrangement for applying a suction force to the articles in excess of that applied to the articles by the vacuum belt conveyors is positioned opposite the vacuum belt conveyors so as to ingest articles through a pair of collection openings.

Abstract: In a paper transport conveyor from a sheet feeder to a printing machine, the sheets are underlapped for speed reasons and for this purpose, the sheets are held and transported in a defined position using a conveyor table to which a vacuum is applied. In order to optimize the feed register in the printing machine in all states of operation, an additional conveyor device holds the sheets at the front gauges and aligns them. The vacuum at the conveyor table is quantitatively variable and the vacuum is so controlled according to operation as to be applied when sheets are required to be held on the conveyor table but interrupted when its action would obstruct the sheet alignment on the conveyor table.

Abstract: A conveyorized vacuum table comprises a conveyor for feeding and supporting limp sheet material and a vacuum system which applies vacuum to the sheet material while it is being fed and/or worked upon. The conveyor comprises a penetrable support bed and a plurality of vacuum chambers which move with the support bed and communicate with it. Means are also provided to apply vacuum to the vacuum chambers to cause the conveyor to hold the sheet material for cutting or other work operations.

Abstract: A conveyor for sheets fed to or from a printing press in an overlapped stream, the table having longitudinal slots formed therein laterally spaced from one another. A perforated endless conveyor belt is trained over the table. An enclosed chamber extending substantially the length of the table communicates directly with the slots, the chamber being convergently shaped terminating at its lower end in a throat. An axial flow fan in the throat draws air through the perforations so that a stream of overlapped sheets on the belt will be held in contact therewith for transport from one end of the table to the other. The fan is chosen to have a flow characteristic such as to maintain the pressure differential across the fan approximately constant notwithstanding variations in the rate of air flow resulting from gaps in the stream. The belt is in two narrow, laterally spaced sections dimensioned to fit into the slots.

Abstract: A guide block (11) has a groove (16) with a flat floor cut into it, in which an endless belt (15) containing perforations (17) travels. A suction opening (18) opens into the floor of the groove (16), to which a vacuum is periodically applied by means of a valve (12). The endless belt (15) travels over a stack (1) of sheets (2) by means of guide rollers (4,5) and a drive roller (3). The vacuum, when periodically applied by the valve (12), operates through the perforations (17) so that the topmost sheet (2) of the stack (1) is sucked against the endless belt (15) and carried away in the same direction (28). One preferred form of the endless belt (15) is a toothed belt, with spaces between the teeth (21) that form vacuum chambers (22). With this compact and therefore easily positionable device, sheets (2) are sucked up from a stack (1) and transported away while maintaining their orientation, meaning that very high production rates are attained.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a suction-lifting conveyor for the transfer of sheet-shaped objects, in particular of sheets of plywood veneer (4), one by one from a stack to further processing or to another stack. The device comprises a box-shaped suction-channel equipment (1) extending substantially over the entire length and width of the conveyor, blower means (2) for maintaining a negative pressure in the suction-channel system, endless belts (3) performing the transfer of the sheets and running substantially horizontally above the stacks of sheets, the said belts being arranged so that during their transfer movement they run against the outside of the bottom face of the suction-channel system, being subject to the effect of the negative pressure in the suction-channel system, and that during their return movement they run in the suction-channel system.

Abstract: A vacuum take-off conveyor is used to transfer a printed sheet from a delivery conveyor to a sheet stacking apparatus. The vacuum conveyor has a vacuum chamber structure with an inner chamber. A vacuum source is connected to the chamber structure, near a first end thereof, and operates to create a pressure differential between the chamber and the surrounding atmosphere. The chamber structure is provided with longitudinal slots in a bottom wall to provide air communication from the atmosphere into the chamber. An endless foraminous belt is received onto the chamber structure to form a continuous loop from the first end to a second end thereof, and is rotated by a drive pulley. A damper, such as an adjustable damper plate, is situated within the chamber so as to produce a high vacuum region near the vacuum source between the damper plate and the first end of the chamber structure, and a low vacuum region between the damper plate and the chamber structure second end.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for transporting articles from one location to another by use of vacuum to suspend them from the underside of a perforated conveyor belt as it moves along the apertured underside of a vacuum box. Embodiments include a vertically actuable flat plate having a compressible bottom surface positioned within the box, whereby upon actuation of the plate downwards, vacuum acting through the apertures of the underside of the vacuum box may be interrupted and a slight positive pressure introduced into the apertures, to effectuate release of suspended articles.

Abstract: In a document feeder for transporting document sheets over the platen of a copier, with a vacuum belt platen transport system, into registration means for stopping the document sheet at an imaging position on the platen, wherein the vacuum belt platen transport system comprises plural belts moving under a white vacuum plenum backing surface overlying the platen, and includes a vacuum source for applying a partial vacuum to a document sheet being transported by the moving belts, the improvement wherein: the vacuum belt platen transport system belts are transparent or highly translucent thin, low-frictional, non-elastomeric, plastic belts; the transparent or highly translucent belts being unapertured and the vacuum plenum backing surface being unapertured in the imaging position, so that the vacuum belt transport system is effectively invisible through a document sheet to the copier.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting sheets under the bottom of a stack of sheets including a positive air pressure source that provides an air cushion between the bottom sheet in the stack of sheets and the stack tray. The air pressure source has articulated seal means attached thereto that are adapted to increase the efficient use of the air pressure source. Drive belts feed sheets under the stack of sheets in cooperation with a vacuum source that deflects sheets against the belts until they reach a point in their forward movement of coming under the influence of the positive air pressure source and are thereby floated up to the bottom of the stack of sheets.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for registering flexible sheets has a first conveyor belt with a smooth sheet contacting surface movably mounted to a frame. A movable abutment belt is mounted to said frame and juxtaposed with said conveyor belt. The conveyor belt and the abutment belt move at the same rate of speed so that a sheet deposited on said conveyor belt is engaged by and aligned with said abutment belt and is thereby registered during advancement between said inlet end and said outlet end.

Abstract: In an apparatus for collecting sheets in a set thereof, two juxtaposed receiving stations (16,17) receive incoming sheets. A transverse conveyor means (53) is utilized to transfer the contents of one receiving station to the other receiving station. The transverse conveyor means (53) has a conveyor belt (58) adapted to be revolved through a course of travel. The upper portion of the course of travel of the belt (58) lies substantially in the plane of a sheet-supporting surface (18). The conveyor belt (58) has perforations (52) provided therein. A source of vacuum communicates through a suction block (57) to the perforations (52). According to a disclosed method, a sheet is transversely transferred from one receiving station to the other when conveyor belt (58) is revolved and the perforations (52) in the conveyor belt (58) communicate with the source of vacuum.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in an electrographic copier having a plurality of electrographic process stations for forming visible images on the surfaces of discrete dielectric sheets. Such apparatus establishes a predetermined operative interface between a discrete dielectric sheet and an electrographic process station so that the function of such process station is uniformly applied to the surface of such dielectric sheet. The apparatus includes a member for supporting a dielectric sheet, such member having a sheet supporting surface mounted for movement along a path from a location remote from a process station to a location which is a predetermined distance from such station and then away from such station.

Abstract: A conveyor comprising an endless belt for conveying items forward with a vacuum system for vacuum gripping items to the belt to avoid shifting of the items relative to the belt.

Abstract: An improved collator uses a novel sliding deflector assembly to allow greater spacing between the sheet conveyor 13 and trays 23. It also uses a novel sheet retention system which winds or unwinds as the sliding deflector assembly moves. The sliding deflector assembly may be driven with a double-clutch drive in increments in either direction. An improved plenum of the vacuum sheet-conveying system of the collator has a novel hole-spacing series to reduce noise and power demands for the vacuum system.

Abstract: By means of a first band or belt conveyor an imbricated product stream or formation, formed by product packs, each composed of two overlying printed products, is inputted to a second band or belt conveyor. The conveying velocity of the second band conveyor is twice as large as the conveying velocity of the first band conveyor. Above the second band conveyor there is arranged a retarding or delay device containing an endless transport band. This endless transport band possesses a conveying velocity which is half as large as the conveying velocity of the second band conveyor. The transport band is perforated and travels over a negative pressure chamber operatively connected with a vacuum pump. During movement of a product pack past the negative pressure chamber the uppermost situated product of such pack is seized at its freely exposed region by the transport band and retained thereat by means of the prevailing negative pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing a manufacturing operation on a plurality of flat sheets, such as corrogated cardboard, is provided which is quickly and easily configured for the desired manufacturing operation and substantially reduces the makeready times between jobs having different manufacturing requirements. Preferably, the apparatus includes a mechanism for transporting the sheets serially along a path of travel from the stack of sheets to a first manufacturing location. A mechanism for performing the desired manufacturing operation is normally disposed at the first location, but is shiftable out of the first location when desired. Advantageously, a shiftable conveying mechanism is provided which is shifted into the first location when the manufacturing mechanism is shifted out. Preferably, the apparatus includes a second shiftable manufacturing mechanism and a second shiftable conveying mechanism operably disposed adjacent a second location along the path of travel.

Abstract: An apparatus for counting and stacking food products such as tortillas. The tortillas are initially placed on an entry chute containing a large number of air outlets for creating a cushion of air to allow the tortilla to slide down the entry chute onto an incline conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is of an open mesh design and it is supported on a belt support having a large number of air inlets which create a vacuum that maintains the tortilla in contact with the belt. The tortillas are carried by the belt down one end of the belt support and along the underside of the belt support with contact between the tortilla and belt being maintained by vacuum creating air inlets formed in the belt support. The air inlets terminate at a location on the underside of the belt support thereby allowing the tortillas to drop from the conveyor belt. The tortillas drop onto a stationary rack formed by rods which are interleaved with conveyor belts moving together as a unit.