Abstract: A variable format signature collection apparatus is provided. The variable format signature collection apparatus includes a sprocket and a timing belt traveling about the sprocket. The timing belt includes a plurality of gripper mounts. The gripper mounts include a first set of gripper mounts arranged on the timing belt to support grippers for receiving first signatures of a first cutoff length and a second set of gripper mounts positioned to support grippers for receiving second signatures of a second cutoff length.

Abstract: A method for feeding a shingled stack of sheet material to a downstream processing device includes the step of identifying a discontinuity in the shingled stack of sheet material wherein the discontinuity has a length dimension from an aft end of a downstream portion of the shingled sheet material to a forward end of an upstream portion of the shingled sheet material. In a next step, the motion of first and second serially arranged conveyors are controlled such that the length dimension of the discontinuity is substantially equal to a prescribed gap of known length dimension. The first conveyor supports the upstream portion of the shingled sheet material and the second conveyor supports the downstream portion of the shingled sheet material. The deck of the first is advanced over the deck of the second conveyor toward the aft end of the downstream portion by the length dimension of the prescribed gap.

Abstract: A medium delivery device comprising a medium insertion section into which a sheet-shaped medium to be delivered is inserted in a stacked state, first and second medium guide surfaces that are opposed to each other to guide the sheet-shaped medium to the medium delivery port, a feed roller that is disposed at a side of the first medium guide surface and delivers the sheet-shaped medium inserted into the medium insertion section, to the medium delivery port, a first pressing member that presses the sheet-shaped medium inserted into the medium insertion section against the feed roller, a second pressing member that presses the sheet-shaped medium inserted into the medium insertion section against the first medium guide surface at a position deviating from the feed roller, and a driving mechanism that drives the first pressing member in directions in which the first pressing member moves close to and away from the feed roller.

Abstract: A high-speed printing and sorting machine. A first diverter diverts a first batch of items into a first bin, a second diverter diverts a second batch into a second bin, and so on. A plurality of O-rings and flat belts confront one another and rotate in opposite directions to carry diverted items to their respective bins. A nip formed by opposed rollers causes the items to slow down. Protruding rollers constrain the items to momentarily deviate from a path of travel and the inherent resiliency of the O-rings is harnessed to snap the trailing ends of each slowing down leading item out of the way of the trailing item so that shingling may occur. If a gap between items is too large, the opposed rollers of the nip stop rotating until the gap is restored to a preferred distance so that the desired amount of shingling may be maintained.

Abstract: A rotary die cut stacking system for use with a rotary die cutter having a rotary die configured to output die-cut sheets of material, the system including a stacker and a layboy for carrying die-cut sheets of material in a first direction from the die cutter to the stacker, wherein, the layboy has upper arms and lower arms defining a nip region therebetween for receiving the die-cut sheets, at least some of the upper arms and at least some of the lower arms being moveable transversely to the first direction, the layboy including at least one optical beam generator configured to direct an optical beam against a portion of the rotary die cutter so that a position of the arms relative to the rotary die can be determined based on the location of the optical beam on the portion of the rotary die cutter.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a pair of rollers whose axes of rotation are parallel to each other. An endless conveyor belt is stretched between the pair of rollers. The conveyor belt conveys a print medium in the conveyance direction attendant upon rotations of the pair of rollers. The conveyor belt has, on its outer circumferential surface, an ink receiving groove extending in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction. The depth of the ink receiving groove gradually increases toward the center of the ink receiving groove in the conveyance direction in at least one of regions continuous from front and rear ends of the ink receiving groove in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: To provide a sheet conveying apparatus capable of preventing meandering of a belt. A flange roller arranged at an entrance of sheets is used for a conveying roller immediately before a flange roller for feeding conveying rollers to a first conveying path for conveying the sheets. Namely, the flange roller is arranged just closely to an upstream side of the conveying belts arranged on the flange roller in a rotational direction. Further, a flange roller arranged at an exit of the sheets is used for a conveying roller immediately after a flange roller for feeding the conveying rollers finishing conveyance of the sheets on a second conveying path for discharging the sheets. Namely, the flange roller is arranged just closely to a downstream side of the conveying belts arranged on the flange roller in the rotational direction.

Abstract: A transfer belt has a two-layer structure consisting of two inner belts formed of metal, such as stainless steel, and an outer belt formed of an elastic material, such as silicone rubber, being spread across the inner belts. The inner belts are endless and wound around transfer rollers, while the outer belt has its ends which are not joined with each other and form an opening therebetween. Distortion of the outer belt due to stress is designed to be suppressed by using a reinforcing member around the opening.

Abstract: Together with a device for receiving mail items that has a conveyor belt designed to receive and to convey the mail items from a franking station of a mail handling machine, a device is provided for stacking mail items that has a plurality of rollers disposed in staggered manner on a plurality of axles whose ends are fixed to respective ones of two support walls between which the axles extend, which support walls are mutually parallel and are spaced apart by at least the width of said conveyor belt.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes a conveyor support, a main conveyor connected to the conveyor support and having a discharge end movable between a lowered position and a raised position, a transfer conveyor having a intake end roller support holding the intake end roller in a fixed relationship with respect to the conveyor support and a discharge end roller connected to a main conveyor intake end roller, at least one idler roller, and at least one belt supported by the transfer conveyor intake end roller and the transfer conveyor discharge end roller and passing over the at least one idler roller, the main conveyor discharge end being movable between a lowered position and a raised position, and wherein the transfer conveyor discharge end roller is shifted away from the transfer conveyor intake end roller by the main conveyor discharge end moving from the lowered position to the raised position.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying sheet-type flat items to a sheet-collecting location includes at least one lower belt conveyor and one upper belt conveyor arranged above the lower belt conveyor. A first operating mechanism is arranged to move the upper belt conveyor relative to the lower belt conveyor between (1) a lower position in which the upper belt conveyor is in an operating position adjacent to the lower belt conveyor and comes in contact with the flat items positioned on the lower belt conveyor and (2) a raised upper position in which the upper belt conveyor has a segment positioned at such a distance to the lower belt conveyor as to be out of contact with the flat items positioned on the lower belt conveyor.

Abstract: An automated banking machine (10) includes at least one sheet dispensing mechanism (34, 36, 38, 40, 210). Each sheet dispensing mechanism includes a picking member (72, 212). The picking member rotates, and with each rotation causes an end sheet to be picked from a stack (42, 264) of sheets. The picking member (212) includes an arcuate projecting portion (258) that reduces the risk of damage to the leading edge areas of sheets due to opposed picking and stripping forces.

Abstract: An ink jet printer for discharging ink drips to a printing medium mounted on a conveying belt and conveyed from a plurality of nozzles, in which the printing quality is improved and the printed speed is raised. A printing medium conveying section has first and second conveying portions connected in the conveying direction of the printing medium and a plurality of conveying belts are arranged by mutually keeping a predetermined interval, in which the conveying belts of the first and second conveying portions are set so that an other-hand conveying belt is located between one-hand conveying belts, and a printing head is constituted of first head set to a position facing the gap between the conveying belts of the first conveying portion and a second head set to a position facing the gap between the conveying belts of the second conveying portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a conveyor belt having a first row of a plurality of convex portions intermittently arranged on an inner circumferential surface of the conveyor belt in a sheet conveying direction. The sheet feeding device further includes a plurality of rollers around which the conveyor belt is spanned such that a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction is parallel to an axial direction of each of the rollers. The rollers include concave portions on outer circumferential surfaces thereof, in which the convex portions of the first row of the conveyor belt are engaged. The concave portion of at least one roller of the plurality of rollers has a width different from a width of each of the plurality of rollers other than the at least one roller.

Abstract: A discharge system for printed media sheets which includes a tray having a surface for supporting the media sheets; and rotating transport elements forming a discharge nip for discharging the sheets onto the tray, wherein at least one driven transport belt is arranged to engage a trailing edge of the sheet that has left the discharge nip and to exert a driving force towards the tray surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method transport a sheet on a tray. In one embodiment, feet carried by an endless member contact a bottom and edge of the sheet to move the sheet off of the tray. In one embodiment, the sheet is arced while it is being engaged by the feet.

Abstract: An ink jet printer for discharging ink drips to a printing medium mounted on a conveying belt and conveyed from a plurality of nozzles, in which the printing quality is improved and the printed speed is raised. A printing medium conveying section has first and second conveying portions connected in the conveying direction of the printing medium and a plurality of conveying belts are arranged by mutually keeping a predetermined interval, in which the conveying belts of the first and second conveying portions are set so that an other-hand conveying belt is located between one-hand conveying belts, and a printing head is constituted of first head set to a position facing the gap between the conveying belts of the first conveying portion and a second head set to a position facing the gap between the conveying belts of the second conveying portion.

Abstract: The invention is to provide a sheet accumulation apparatus enabling to uniformly load tabbed sheets into a train of sheets for load and store the sheets on a tray. The sheet accumulation apparatus has a sheet outlet for successively discharging the sheets, a tray means for loading to hold the sheets thereon, a sheet carrier means for discharging the sheets from the sheet outlet to the side of a downstream, a sheet front end regulating means for colliding the sheets sent by the sheet carrier means against the regulating means at the sheet front ends and regulating them, and a sheet rear regulating means disposed to the tray means for regulating the positions of the sheets from the sheet outlet at the sheet rear ends.

Abstract: Provided is a cash transaction machine including a temporary stack portion. The cash transaction machine includes: a carriage receiving a paper medium stacked in the temporary stack portion; a driving belt transferring the carriage to a medium outlet; a pressing belt pressing the paper medium being transferred by the carriage in interoperation with the driving belt; a plurality of guide rollers being provided along a travel path of the carriage to define a travel path of the driving belt and a travel path of the pressing belt; and a one-way clutch adjusting an interoperating state between the driving belt and the pressing belt to prevent a friction from occurring between the pressing belt and the paper medium while the paper medium is being loaded to the carriage.

Abstract: A transfer belt (10) has a two-layer structure consisting of two inner belts (31) formed of metal, such as stainless steel, and an outer belt (32) formed of an elastic material, such as silicone rubber, being spread across the inner belts (31). The inner belts (31) are endless and wound around transfer rollers (12), while the outer belt (32) has its ends which are not joined with each other and form an opening (20) therebetween. Distortion of the outer belt (32) due to stress is designed to be suppressed by using a reinforcing member around the opening (20).

Abstract: A first roller member is adapted to be fitted on a roller shaft, and includes at least one first portion, extending in a circumferential direction of the roller shaft, and having a first thickness in a radial direction of the roller shaft, and at least one second portion, extending in the circumferential direction, and having a second thickness in the radial direction which is greater than the first thickness, and at least one projection, formed on the first portion. A second roller member is formed on the first roller member, and includes a third portion, opposing the second portion, and having a third thickness in the radial direction, and a fourth portion, opposing the first portion, and having a fourth thickness in the radial direction which is greater than the third thickness.

Abstract: A belt driving mechanism related to the present invention includes: a toothed drive pulley configure to rotate actively; a toothed driven pulley configured to rotate passively; a toothed belt configured to engage with the toothed drive pulley and the toothed driven pulley by tooth on an inner circumference thereof; and an elastic member configured to move the toothed belt in a returning direction by an elastic force accumulated while the toothed drive pulley moves the toothed belt in a going direction, wherein at least one of the toothed belt, the toothed drive pulley, and the toothed driven pulley is formed such that at least one of tooth bottoms is shallower than at least other one of the tooth bottoms.

Abstract: An automatic paper ejecting and stacking machine for use with vertically-loaded desktop hole-punching equipment is disclosed. The ejector and stacker work together to remove vertically-fed paper stacks from a hole punch and align said stacks in a horizontal stacking bin adjacent the punch machine and preferably facing the operator. After the sheets are punched, a sheet transfer mechanism moves the vertically-oriented media stack in a horizontal direction from the punch machine/ejection assembly to the reception assembly. The sheet transfer mechanism may comprise a plurality of transfer paddles arranged on an drive belt wherein a motor rotates the belt to draw a paddle through the paper-receiving channel of the ejection assembly to push the media stack out of the channel. In one version, the media stack is flipped forward to rest in a forward-facing tray, while in another embodiment, the media stack is pushed rearward to rest in a rear-facing tray.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus including a main conveyor by which mail items are routed by being nipped between a transport belt and a main belt, and a secondary conveyor towards which the mail items are routed, after switching, along a secondary belt. The main and secondary belts performing the main conveying and the secondary conveying functions are constituted by a single, common belt that is twisted twice. The twice-twisted belt is engaged over a tensioner pulley that is a floating pulley.

Abstract: A driven roller operates together with a driving roller to form a nip area for a medium to be transported. The driven roller includes a roller shaft and a roller element having a through hole through which the roller shaft extends. A contact position at which the roller shaft and an inner surface of the through hole are in contact with each other is located within the nip area.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting sheets from paper or other material that is form-retaining in its plane, having a transport track with a transport roller with a circumference, of which a circumferential section extending through an angular range of the circumference forms a bend from a first track portion to a second track portion. At least one sheet guide has a sheet guiding surface facing the circumferential section, which sheet guiding surface extends coaxially with at least a portion of the circumferential section. At least the sheet guiding surface or the circumferential section is yieldably supported for yieldably urging towards each other the sheet guiding surface and the circumferential section.

Abstract: An ATM includes a currency note dispenser having a currency cassette, a note picker, a note transporter, and a note presenter. A cassette tambour door automatically opens during insertion of the cassette into the dispenser. The picker can pick notes through the opening. A spring loaded housing wall tab retains the picker shaft in mating connection with a drive pin. The transporter can move notes vertically and horizontally. The transporter includes belts between an idle shaft and a drive shaft. The idle shaft is vertically movable relative to a drive shaft to maintain belt tension. The transporter also includes convexly tapered rollers that automatically recenter a loose belt. A presenter gate is at a note dispensing outlet of the ATM. The gate is opened by actuating a lever linked with an arm connected to the gate. The gate opens by moving a pin upward in an angled slot.

Abstract: A discharge system for printed media sheets and a printer which utilizes such a discharge system, the discharge system including a tray for the media sheets; rotating transport elements forming a discharge nip for discharging the sheets onto the tray; a guide plate having a surface for guiding the sheets to the discharge nip; and a rotating wheel containing bristles for guiding the sheets towards the discharge nip; the wheel facing said surface of the guide plate. At least one driven transport belt forms one of the transport elements defining the discharge nip, and the guide plate passes in approximately a one-half turn around two pulleys around which the transport belt is passed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a sheet stacking apparatus including a tray on which sheets are stacked, and an aligning member aligning the sheets stacked on the tray. The aligning member aligns sheets stacked, on a sheet previously stacked on the tray, with a displacement in an aligning direction of the aligning member with respect to the sheet previously stacked. An aligning operation of the aligning member is changed on the basis of whether or not the number of the sheets stacked on the sheets previously stacked is a predetermined number or less.

Abstract: Sheets are conveyed through a rotary press with linear travel grippers. The novel conveying apparatus prevents collisions between the grippers and printing unit cylinders. The grippers are fixed to circulating links to convey a sheet through a nip between two cylinders that interact during printing. The links and the cylinders are coupled to drives that can be activated separately. In each case a collision disk is mounted on a shaft journal of at least one cylinder. A slip clutch is provided between the collision disk and the cylinder. A braking element is coupled to the grippers which, in the event of non-synchronous running with the cylinder, runs onto the collision disk and prevents the collision disk from moving.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of, and an apparatus for, stabilizing and positioning sheet like articles (16), in particular printed products. In order to prevent the products from buckling and fanning out, the position of an edge (20) of the product (16) counter to and/or in the conveying direction (F) is delimited by a respective trailing and/or leading delimiting element (24, 26), a receiving means (27) for the edge (20) being formed between a respective leading delimiting element (24) and a delimiting element (26) which follows the latter in the conveying direction (F). By virtue of at least one further delimiting element (28) being moved into the conveying stream (54) upstream of, or in, the starting region (S1) of a stabilizing portion (S) of the conveying section (11), the position of the edge (20) in and/or counter to the conveying direction (F) is localized such that the edge (20) passes only into the receiving means (27) and not into the intermediate region (29) between two receiving means (27).

Abstract: An ink jet printer for discharging ink drips to a printing medium mounted on a conveying belt and conveyed from a plurality of nozzles, in which the printing quality is improved and the printing speed is raised. A printing medium conveying section has first and second conveying portions connected in the conveying direction of the printing medium and a plurality of conveying belts are arranged by mutually keeping a predetermined interval, in which the conveying belts of the first and second conveying portions are set so that an other-hand conveying belt is located between one-hand conveying belts, and a printing head is constituted of a first head set to a position facing the gap between the conveying belts of the first conveying portion and a second head set to a position facing the gap between the conveying belts of the second conveying portion.

Abstract: A tape transport system for printed products includes a tape having a tape width, a pulley, and a lever arm supporting the pulley, the lever arm having a first side and a second side. The pulley has a first section disposed on the first side of the lever arm and a second section disposed on the second side of the lever arm, the first and second sections supporting the tape so that the lever arm is within the tape width.

Abstract: The invention relates to a delivery device for a sheet-processing machine. The object of the invention is providing a delivery device on a sheet-fed rotary printing machine, that can be universally used and permits quality control of the printed and/or laminated sheets. to this end the delivery device includes rotating sheet feeding system 5 supplying the printed sheets to a first delivery stack 9 and with a drum 7 acting as a turnout point in front of this delivery stack 9 in the transport direction 2 for selective sheet removal. The drum 7 is allocated to the sheet feeding system 5. A vacuum table 14 coupled with a pneumatic system and with at least one rotating suction belt for suctioning, transporting, and positioning a sheet is arranged downstream from the drum in its rotational direction. At least one quality control device 12 for inspecting the sheet is arranged at a distance to the vacuum table 14, with the second delivery system 8 being arranged downstream from the vacuum table 14.

Abstract: A conveyor unit for conveying flat objects includes at least first, second and third endless belts, together with a cylinder. The first endless belt extends along a part of the circumference of the cylinder and forms, with the cylinder circumference, a section of a path of conveyance for the objects. The second and third belts define another section of the path of conveyance.

Abstract: An ink-jet head comprises a conveyance unit that forms a conveyance face on which a recording medium is conveyed, and a first moving mechanism that moves the conveyance unit. By means of the first moving mechanism, the conveyance unit selectively takes a conveyance position where the conveyance face is adjacent to an ink ejection surface, and a withdrawal position that is other than a position vertically below a maintenance unit. When the maintenance unit performs maintenance on the head, the conveyance unit is disposed in the withdrawal position.

Abstract: A conveyor unit for conveying flat objects includes at least first, second and third endless belts, together with a cylinder. The first endless belt extends along a part of the circumference of the cylinder and forms, with the cylinder circumference, a section of a path of conveyance for the objects. The second and third belts define another section of the path of conveyance.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device of the present invention includes a receipt tray for stacking sheets sequentially driven out by an outlet roller. The outlet roller has a cylindrical portion and a conveying portion, which is contiguous with the end face of the cylindrical portion facing the center of the sheets, for exerting a conveying force on the sheets. The conveying portion has a circumference greater in diameter than the cylindrical portion and contacts the sheets at a position deviated from a staple bound the sheets.

Abstract: A folder operable to cut a printed web received from a printing press. The folder includes a cutting section having cutting cylinders that cut the web into individual printed products, and a cutting motor that is operable to drive the cutting cylinders. A delivery assembly of the folder includes delivery belts that are operable to guide the individual printed products through the folder, and at least one delivery motor is operable to drive the delivery belts. The folder also includes a diverting assembly that diverts individual printed products to one of a plurality of collation paths, and a diverting motor that is operable to drive the diverting assembly. The cutting motor, the delivery motor, and the diverting motor are operable independently of one another.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a pair of rollers whose axes of rotation are parallel to each other. An endless conveyor belt is stretched between the pair of rollers. The conveyor belt conveys a print medium in the conveyance direction attendant upon rotations of the pair of rollers. The conveyor belt has, on its outer circumferential surface, an ink receiving groove extending in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction. The depth of the ink receiving groove gradually increases toward the center of the ink receiving groove in the conveyance direction in at least one of regions continuous from front and rear ends of the ink receiving groove in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a plurality of rollers, an endless transportation belt, a belt rotating mechanism, a recording unit, a printing medium supply mechanism, and a control unit. The transportation belt is laid on the rollers and defines a first recess portion, which extends in a direction perpendicular to a printing medium transporting direction, in an outer circumferential surface thereof. The belt rotating mechanism applies a rotating force to the transportation belt. The recording unit is disposed to face the transportation belt and forms an image. The printing medium supply mechanism supplies a printing medium onto the transportation belt. The control unit controls at least one of the belt rotating mechanism and the printing medium supply mechanism so that when the printing medium is on the transportation belt, one of front and rear end portions of the printing medium is located in the first recess portion.

Abstract: Vertical pocket feeder signature handling equipment which supplies signatures in an on-edge orientation one at a time to bindery equipment. The vertical pocket feeder particularly cooperates with a hopper loader apparatus which transfers and separates individual signatures of sheet materials from a vertically aligned, stack of such signatures. The separated, individual signatures may then be subjected to bindery operations such as stapling or stitching.

Abstract: A conveyor unit for conveying flat objects includes at least first, second and third endless belts, together with a cylinder. The first endless belt extends along a part of the circumference of the cylinder and forms, with the cylinder circumference, a section of a path of conveyance for the objects. The second and third belts define another section of the path of conveyance.

Abstract: A collector apparatus and method capable of collecting material in two modes of operation, flats and letters. With a minor adjustment, the apparatus can be transformed from a two-stage device optimal for the letter mode of operation, to a one-stage device optimal for the flats mode of operation. The apparatus includes a first staging area, a second staging area generally disposed downstream from the first staging area, and a conveying device. The first staging area includes a first staging surface and a first stage transport assembly, and the second staging area includes a second staging surface and a second stage transport assembly. The conveying device is adjustable between the flats and letters modes. In the letters mode position, the conveying device provides a first material flow path running through the first and second staging areas.

Abstract: A printer includes a print media loading mechanism that includes a pair of opposed endless belts to pick up print media for printing. The belts ride upon opposed pairs of rollers which are held in slides to limit the rollers' movement to motion towards and away from each other. Worm screws are located parallel to, and on either side of, the belts. Traverser blocks are mounted on the worm screws adjacent each end of the opposed rollers. Scissor members connect the traverser blocks to the ends of adjacent rollers. A motor is arranged to rotate the worm screws thereby causing the traverser blocks to move towards or away from the opposed rollers in order to move the opposed rollers away from each other or towards each other to pick up print media.

Abstract: A folded paper return device is provided for use in combination with a sheet material folding machine, such as a paper folding machine. A paper folding machine including the inventive folded paper return device is also provided. The sheet material folding machine is particularly suited for folding sheets of paper.

Abstract: A vertical log stacker has a product feeder and a stacking section adjacent to this, wherein a plurality of handling elements are provided in the region of the stacking section with which a continuous forming of logs is made possible.

Abstract: To provide a recording apparatus capable of detecting the deterioration of insulation to prevent the damage of a recording head by detecting whether or not there is the current leakage from a surface of a conveyor belt. The inventive recording apparatus includes a conveyor belt for conveying a recording medium comprising a plurality of inner electro-conductive members, a charging section for charging the inner electro-conductive members by a high voltage to attract the recording medium onto the conveyor belt by an electro-static force, a recording head for carrying out the recording on the recording medium attracted onto the conveyor belt, a leakage detection roller for detecting the deterioration of the insulation of the conveyor belt, and a control section for treating the abnormality in accordance with the results detected by the leakage detection roller.

Abstract: A method of feeding porous sheets of media from a stack of such sheets includes the step of applying a gas flow to a first sheet of a stack, via a gas conduit and nozzle so that the gas passes partially through the first sheet and impinges on a second sheet, generating a cushion of air between the first and second sheets to separate the first and second sheets. The gas flow is reversed so that the first sheet is drawn towards a pick-up surface and retained against the pick-up surface. A pick-up device that defines the pick-up surface is displaced along the feed path so that the first sheet is fed from the stack along the feed path.

Abstract: A printing assembly for printing on porous sheets of media from a stack of such sheets includes a retaining structure that is configured to retain the stack in an aligned condition. A pick-up device on the retaining structure includes a gas conduit that is in fluid communication with a gas supply and a nozzle arrangement that is in fluid communication with the gas conduit. The nozzle arrangement is shaped to define a pick-up surface. The pick-up device is displaceable along a feed path relative to the retaining structure. The nozzle arrangement is capable of directing a flow of gas onto a first sheet of the stack such that the gas passes partially through the first sheet and impinges on a second sheet, generating a cushion of air between the first and second sheets to separate the first and second sheets. The gas supply is reversible so that the first sheet can be drawn towards the pick-up surface and retained against the pick-up surface.