Abstract: Apparatus for accumulating successive stacks of superimposed sheets on discrete pallets employs a conveyor which delivers a continuous imbricated stream of sheets to a stacking station where a pallet descends with an elevator and gathers a first stack. A separating finger is inserted into the accumulation of sheets at the stacking station at a level above the topmost sheet of the fully grown first stack.

Abstract: A method and arrangement are provided for removing air inclusions between sheets in a stack when forming the stack from sheets fed successively by a sheet feeder to the stack to be formed and deposited thereon in a sheet feeding region. Air out is suction out of the spaces between the sheets in the sheet-feeding region.

Abstract: A delivery for a sheet processing printing machine having a delivery housing and a sheet conveyor substantially enclosed by the delivery housing, the delivery housing being formed with an opening at the underside thereof through which, operationally, sheets leave the delivery housing for forming a sheet pile, and a suction line connected to the interior of the delivery housing, the suction line having a negative pressure prevailing operationally therein, includes motor-driven fluid flow machines for acquiring air flows leaving the delivery housing through the opening and for generating air flows returning into the delivery housing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a deceleration device for flat products, such as signatures. A deceleration device has a plurality of seizing elements attached thereto for seizing signatures at their respective leading edge while the signatures are emerging from a conveying device. The leading edge of a signature travels on a first path, whereas the trailing edge of the signature travels on a second path, which creates a larger air-drag coefficient on the signature than the first path.

Abstract: A device for applying powder to sheets passing sequentially through a printing press in a conveying direction along a conveyor route, the sheets being combinable into a sheet pile in a manner that one respective side of upper and rear sides of a respectively following sheet is situated opposite the other respective side of the upper and rear sides of a respectively preceding sheet, includes a device for generating a powder-bearing gas curtain associated with the conveyor route and formed of a carrier gas conveying powder particles, and for applying the powder of said gas curtain to the rear side of the respective sheets prior to the combination of the sheets into the sheet pile.

Abstract: A device for the transport and deposit of sheets in a stacking region is provided. The device includes pneumatic guiding elements below the conveying path and extending across the entire width. A chain-conveyor system and a pneumatic conveyor system following the chain-conveyor system are provided. The devices also provides for selectable paths to plural delivery positions.

Abstract: There is provided document stacking stacker for stacking documents exiting a wide format machine, including a sheet tray having a planar base plate for stacking sheets thereon and a side wall for abutting sheets thereagainst; guides disposed adjacent the tray to direct sheets therein at an angle relative to the plane of the base plate, a feeder associated with the guides to feed sheets through the guides into the tray; a corrugating bar includes an array air corrugaters, the air corrugators are connected to an air plenum, each of the air corrugators have an air discharge ports for discharge of air against incoming bottom surface of sheets in the direction of movement of the sheets to corrugated the sheets as the sheet is feed to the tray.

Abstract: In order to improve the sheet removal at the delivery station of a printing press, a blowing device is provided adjacent a side of a delivery stack of printed sheets. The blowing device includes one or more blowing tubes pneumatically coupled to a sheet hold-up device and two front lays of the printing press at the delivery station. When the sheet hold-up devices are extended into the region of the delivery stack and the front lays are swung to a lowered position, the blowing tubes direct a stream of pressurized air into the region of the front edge of the delivery stack. This pressurized air stream, in turn, produces air cushions above and below the sample sheet which to be drawn out, these air cushions separating the sample sheet from the adjacent printed sheets and permitting air free removal even in the case of large printed formats.

Abstract: Device for removing copies diverted from a conveyed stream thereof in a rotary cross cutter or delivery in a sheet-fed rotary printing press includes a device for decelerating the copies which are transported at an incoming conveying speed, the decelerating device being disposed so as to act upon both sides of the copies which are to be decelerated, a device for defining a copy-transport plane, a copy guide forming a diverter disposed down-line from the decelerating device and above the device for defining a copy-transport plane, and respective structures defining two conveying planes disposed down-line from the copy guide, at least one of the conveying plane-defining structures including a pneumatically acted-upon conveying device.

Abstract: A paper sheet accumulator for receiving sheets of paper from an upstream, horizontal conveyor. The accumulator includes: a housing; an accumulation deck secured to the housing: an upper, accumulation roller operatively connected to the housing, the roller being located at the upstream end of the deck; a lower, accumulation roller below and contiguous with the upper, accumulation roller, the lower roller being operatively connected to the housing; and a device to provide a vacuum adjacent the lower, accumulation roller and the upstream end of the accumulation deck.

Abstract: Sheets that arrive one after another in a horizontal travel direction at a relatively high input speed at an input station are stacked by first displacing the sheets transversely downward as they pass the input station, and then braking the downwardly displaced sheets so that they move in the direction at an output speed that is substantially lower than the input speed. The sheets are then stopped so that they settle downward on a stack in the bin. Since the sheets move downward somewhat before they are braked, the trailing edge of the braked sheet is below the leading edge of the following sheet. In other words a leading edge of a sheet passing through the input station extends in the direction downstream past a trailing edge of the sheet is braked. The sheets are braked by gripping their trailing edges and retarding their downstream movement. This gripping can be effected by suction or, in the case of ferromagnetic sheets, magnetically.

Abstract: Device for depositing printed sheets on a sheet pile, including at least one pair of mechanical grippers for seizing the printed sheets at a respective leading edge thereof, the gripper pair being movable over the sheet pile and being controllable for releasing the printed sheets at a given instant of time, a pneumatic device for applying varying pressure to defined regions over a depositing surface of the respective printed sheets for decelerating and transporting the sheets against a mechanical stop, and adjusting elements for the grippers and the pneumatic device, also includes a control device including a computer and having an input and an output, the control device being connected via the output thereof to the adjusting elements, an input device for receiving sheet-specific and process-specific data being connected to the control device via the input thereof, the sheet-specific and process-specific data including data regarding two-dimensional mass distribution of the respective printed sheet, the adjus

Abstract: A jogger for straightening material in tiers. The material rests against at least two lateral baffles associated with adjacent sides of a stack-supporting surface. The stack-supporting surface can vibrate. A gantry travels back and forth in the same plane as the stack-supporting surface. The stack-supporting surface can be tilted out of the horizontal toward the two lateral baffles. A top-covering plate (21) is mounted in the gantry (16) and parallels the stack-supporting surface (3). The stack (40) is accommodated between the top-covering plate and the stack-supporting surface. Mechanisms (22) accommodated in the gantry lower the top-covering plate onto and raise it off the stack-supporting surface. Blowers (30 & 31) for forcing wind between the tiers are accommodated in at least one (25) of the lateral baffles (25, 26, & 27). At least one side-covering plate (33 or 34) closes off the space between the stack-supporting surface and the top-covering plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking cards, printed sheets or similar products has feeder stations situated in a row and a conveyor with pushers. The feeder stations include spaced inner and outer tables. Individual products are deposited on the tables at the feeder stations. The inner tables are provided with lateral stops and a plurality of nozzles which emerge from the upper surface at a shallow angle towards the stop. Compressed air emitted from these nozzles creates a suction force which stabilizes the products on the tables. The pushers extend between the tables and push the product through a cut-out in the outer table onto a stack of products moving in synchronization on the conveyor below the tables.

Abstract: A paper discharging apparatus sequentially discharges a sheet of paper having an image on a surface thereof and stacks the paper sheet on a paper discharging base. The paper discharging apparatus has a blower for sending a gas flow to a space between a surface of the paper sheet previously discharged and arranged on the paper discharging base and a rear face of the next discharged paper sheet. A paper discharging apparatus of a printer has a paper discharging section having a paper discharging base for stacking a sheet of paper having a printed image on a surface thereof, and a paper feeding section for feeding the paper sheet to this paper discharging section. The paper feeding section has a blowing member for sending a gas to a space between a surface of the paper sheet previously fed and a rear face of the next fed paper sheet. The paper discharging section has a restraining member for restraining the gas supplied by the blowing member from being leaked on a side of the paper sheet.

Abstract: A sheet delivery device is provided that allows for high output and accurate operation during changing of the main stack. The device includes two secondary stack carriers which are normally disposed on opposite sides of the main stack in a first lateral waiting position. The secondary stack carriers are reciprocally moveable between the first lateral waiting position and an operative position. In the operative position, the secondary stack carriers accumulate a secondary stack while the main stack is being changed. This secondary stack is later deposited on the new main stack. Cooperating with the secondary stack carriers are separating elements normally disposed above the secondary stack carriers in a second lateral waiting position. The separating elements are reciprocally moveable between the second lateral waiting position and a separating position. In the separating position, the elements accumulate a temporary stack to form an entry gap above the main stack.

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: A graphics printer including a secondary guiding system comprising a fan arrangement for generating an air flux and directing the flux to a part of a print medium that hangs freely from the graphics printer, so as to maintain the hanging part away from the graphics printer or any object supported by it, preferably, in the case of a pen plotter equipped with devices for creating a partial vacuum beneath the print medium in an active zone of the writing instrument, the air flux being at least partially produced by suction devices.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding and stacking sets of finished sheets in an electrostatographic copier or printer includes means for feeding a set of such sets one at a time onto the top of a stack of such sheets already in an output hopper, and an anti-dishevelment device for preventing the tearing, dishevelment and other damaging of the top sheet of the top set of the sets in the stack by contacting and holding down such top sheet during the feeding of a new set onto the top of the stack.

Abstract: A loader and unloader mechanism is attached to a standard photoplotter equipment. The mechanism performs a sequence of operations for loading and unloading sheets of film onto and from respectively such equipment completely automatically.

Abstract: In a device for loading and unloading X-ray film cassettes at least one air blowing nozzle is provided which is positioned at the front open end of the cassette below the film inserting rollers so as to generate an air cushion between the film being inserted into the cassette and the bottom wall of the cassette during the insertion process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sheet stacker for sheets in particular of thin material, such as paper. In order to be able to change the stack without reducing the conveying speed of the sheets conveyed in an overlapping manner and without wasting sheets, free spacers 18 are provided on the underside of the table plate 7 of the transfer table 3 between the conveyor belts 8 for its guide and conveying rollers 10-14 and its bearing blocks 16, which free spacers receive the bars 19 of a bar screen. The bars 19 of the bar screen are arranged above the upper level of the stack 46 and may be inserted in the open gusset between the sheets 1 conveyed in an overlapping manner an the stack 46. Additional separators, which only facilitate an insertion of the bars 19, are no longer necessary.

Abstract: A delivery system of a sheet-fed rotary printing machine having a conveyor for transporting a sheet in a given travel direction to a location of the delivery system at which a stack of sheets is deposited, a device for inhibiting curl formation in a leading edge of the sheet includes a device for downwardly directing the sheet at the location at which the stack of sheets is deposited, and blowing units exclusively disposed at a location of the delivery system whereat, as viewed in the given travel direction of the sheet, a forward region of the stack of delivered sheets and a leading edge of the downwardly directed sheet are disposed, the blowing units having a respective device located at opposite sides of the forward region of the stack and at opposite edges of the sheet adjacent the leading edge thereof for directing a controlled air jet substantially parallel to the sheet, with one directional component in the travel direction of the sheet and another directional component towards the middle of the sheet,

Abstract: A control and regulating apparatus for a sheet-delivery device for sheet-processing machines, and in particular, for sheet-printing machines, is provided.Several of the adjustable elements of the delivery device have separate control motors with feedback of the setting attained to a reference-value-setting meansor they have electromagnetic valves. The reference-value-setting means is provided with a respective input means for paper weight, sheet format and speed of rotation of the machine, and it is connected to or integrated with a computer which supplies to the reference-value-setting means the reference values in respect of all settings of the feeder, such reference values being empirically determined for each operating condition and stored in the form of a family or characteristics.

Abstract: The in-line web printing press 15 will be discharging shingled sheets at a rate set the press operator and operator of the stacking and folding machine 10 will set its speed of operation to match that of the web printing press. To this end, it is preferred to have an electric counter device 260 (FIG. 1) connected to a photocell 262 with the photocell actually counting each sheet passing underneath it on the alignment conveyor 22. A digital counter 264 on the electric counter device displays the operating speed so that the operator can match the speed precisely to that of the in-line web printing press. An electric motor control 266 has an adjustable knob 268 which changes the speed of the motor 270 which has its motor drive shaft 126 (FIG. 10) driving the side joggers 30 and the rear joggers 26. A motor 272 (FIG. 1) drives the alignment conveyor 22 and its speed may be adjusted by the operator at motor control device 274 having a control adjustment knob 276.

Abstract: A paper jogging apparatus can automatically jog paper sheets due to vibratory action of vibratory plate (19) disposed on an upper portion of a tiltable body (2) simply by tilting the tiltable body (2) having an up-down table (3) vertically movable by an up-down driver (8) and stacking an appropriate number of paper sheets on the up-down table (3) as tilted.

Abstract: A delivery system of a sheet-fed rotary printing machine includes a device for inhibiting curl formation in a leading edge of a sheet, comprising blowing units disposed at a location of the delivery system whereat, as viewed in travel direction of the sheet, a forward region of a stack of delivered sheets is disposed. The blowing units are in vicinity of a location at which the leading edge of the sheet being delivered travels downwardly. The blowing units have respective means for directing a controlled air jet, with one directional component in the travel direction of the sheet and another directional component towards the middle of the sheet, against the underside of the downwardly traveling sheet in vicinity of the leading edge of the sheet tending to curl.

Abstract: Apparatus for directing a flow of air between the bottom blank of a stack and a blank advancing beneath the stack, particularly for corrugated paperboard counter stacker machines, comprising an air supply means adjacent the trailing edge of the bottom blank adapted to direct the flow of air beneath the bottom blank and above the advancing blank to form a cushion of air therebetween for reducing sliding friction between such blanks.

Abstract: In a paper delivery apparatus of the type wherein printed paper is cut into sections having a predetermined length and cut papers are delivered in the horizontal direction to be horizontally laminated on a pedestal, there are provided delivered paper guide belts with their lower runs running in a direction of paper delivery and a rotating brush roller provided at one end of the delivered paper guide belts. The rotating brush roller is implanted with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart bristle bundles and rotated in a direction to press down the delivered paper onto the pedestal. According to this invention, it is not only possible to cause the papers to fall down while maintaining them at an horizontal attitude but also to eliminate curls formed at the ends of the delivered papers, thus neatly aligning the ends of the laminated papers.

Abstract: A levitating paper stacking device for stacking different length papers. The device includes a box-like receptacle having a bottom wall, a front wall, and a pair of sidewalls, and a fold-down, four bar linkage, perforated ramp. The ramp is movable between a raised position for stacking a shorter length paper and a stored position for stacking a longer length paper. The ramp includes three hinged segments wherein the forwardmost segment constitutes the rear wall of the receptacle when the ramp is in its raised position and wherein the forwardmost and middle segments constitute an addition to the bottom wall of the receptacle when the ramp is in its stored position.

Abstract: A piling assembly for a sheet stacker utilizes air pressure to corrugate a paper sheet for stiffness and to transport the sheet from a conveyor onto a pile formed against a backstop. The assembly is comprised of a plurality of telescoping rods which overlie the sheet pile and issue air jets in a downward and lateral direction onto the upper surface of a sheet. The mechanism further includes a lift means situated beneath the sheet and directing air against the undersurface of the sheet, so that the sheet can float over the pile as the sheet is jogged against the backstop in the stacker. The backstop is made movable and the telescoping rods are adjustable to accommodate various lengths of sheet in the stacker.

Abstract: A system for delivering and stacking sheets of paper into a receiving tray or chute from a processing machine, such as a printing machine and the like, includes sheet supporting air jets extending from the forward end of and along the length of the chute for supporting the side edges of the paper and air jets directly above the paper for bending the paper about its axis for longitudinal support of the paper to prevent roll and tumble of the sheet into the chute.

Abstract: A metal sheet handling machine is disclosed which is characterized by a belt infeed conveyor with a belt tensioning arrangement and a mounting enabling the belt members to be readily removed laterally of the machine for replacement and when in operative position enabling leading end portions to be swung between two different levels, the normal raised position permitting sheets to advance across a pivoted gate to a horizontal carry over feed conveyor which advances the sheets across a reject piling area for deposit in one or more forwardly spaced sheet piling areas and the lowered position of the conveyor end portion permitting sheets to be advanced to a downwardly and forwardly inclined conveyor leading to a reject piling area, the pivoted gate being operable, when in lowered position, to bridge the gap between the discharge end of the infeed conveyor and the entrance end of the carry-over conveyor and when in raised position opening the gap and permitting entrance to the inclined reject conveyor when the end

Abstract: A blowing arrangement for a sheet-delivering device of a sheet-processing machine has a plurality of blowing nozzles arranged to be located above a sheet-delivering device and spaced from one another in a direction which is transverse to the sheet-transportation direction and at an angle to the sheet-transportation plane so as to blow air contrary to the sheet-transportation direction and between a sheet placed in the sheet stack and a sheet transported to the latter, wherein the blowing nozzles are also arranged at diverging angles to the sheet-transportation direction as considered in the sheet-transportation plane.

Abstract: The invention provides a process and apparatus for producing fabric-reinforced, thin concrete panels suitable as a backer board for construction materials such as ceramic tile, slate and thin brick. A process is described whereby the components of the panel are deposited on a web of disposable carrier/release material such as polyethylene coated paper while moving on a conveyer belt to form a continuous strip, the strip is cut into panels and the wet, uncured panels are stacked by means of an air-float stacking unit, then subsequently cured.

Abstract: Air assisted document stacking apparatus wherein document items are moved into a directional control channel including a pair of rotatable rollers operating in offset relationship with respect to an elongated drive belt effective to entrain and move said items into a stacker pocket, the latter having means for applying positive air pressure to said pocket so as to move incoming items out of the path of following items entering the pocket and for applying negative pressure to said pocket for closely stacking items together in said pocket by removing residual air from between said items.

Abstract: Air forced through holes in a horizontally disposed platform is used to support a disoriented stack of rectangular sheets on a thin layer of air. The platform supports L-shaped manifolds disposed to be located about a supported stack of sheets. Each of the manifolds includes a chamber coupled to a fluid source and nozzle arrays communicating with the chambers to provide jets of air directed so as to impinge the edges of a stack of sheets pneumatically supported by the platform. The nozzles of each array are pyramidically disposed to provide an inverse relationship between jets impinging on a sheet of a stack and its distance above the platform. The jets provide air lubrication between adjacent sheets of the stack. Two of the manifolds are translatable and may be moved against the stack to tamp and align the air lubricated sheets thereof.

Abstract: The stack forming device according to the invention comprises a traction surface which is rotatably driven. The portion of the trailing edge of a sheet to be stacked is kept in contact with the traction surface so that the trailing edge of the sheet is displaced in synchronism with said surface. This displacement is carried out over a period which follows the abutment of the leading edge of the sheet against a stop provided on a stacking platform. As a consequence the sheet acquires a convex configuration and is finally propelled against the platform or the preceding sheet after release by the traction surface. The device may be equipped with supplementary blowers in order to facilitate the release from the traction surface. It is of particular interest for high speed stacking of photographic film sheets, preferably double-side coated ones.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing flat strip material including cutting apparatus for cutting the material and to strip portions and stacking apparatus having air cushion means for stacking the strip portions one on top of the other. An accelerating anchoring roller, having vacuum or magnet devices therein for attracting the sheet portions thereto are provided for the exclusive transfer of the strip portions from the position were cut in the cutting apparatus in positions at the inlet of the stacking apparatus where the air cushion takes over the conveyance and stacking of the strip portions.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing the bottom sheets from a stack of sheets or inserting sheets at the bottom of a stack of sheets including an air plenum to provide an air cushion between the stack tray and the bottom sheet in the stack and vacuum feed means adapted for contact with the lead edge of a sheet to remove the sheet from the bottom of the stack or insert a sheet therein.