Abstract: An apparatus for handling and stacking building frame structures, wherein the apparatus is positioned adjacent the end of a frame-conveyor system so as to receive a plurality of completed frame sections which are stacked within the apparatus, whereby the stacked frame sections are arranged to be removed by a transfer vehicle. The apparatus comprises a base-frame support having a pair of oppositely positioned, tiltable, truss sections. These truss sections include a carriage structure having a conveyor mounted thereto, the carriage structure being movable upwardly in order to stack the building frame structures on a pair of suspended racks which allows various transfer vehicles to remove the stacked group of frame sections.

Abstract: An image forming system comprises an image forming device having an exposure unit provided on the upside of a first body for exposing an original placed thereon, sheet feeding mechanism provided at one side of the first body and sheet exhausting mechanism provided at one side of the first body, and an original feeding device having a second body arranged on the exposure unit, an original inserting mechanism provided at one side of the second body in the same side of the one side of the first body and inserted with the original thereto, an original exhausting mechanism provided at the one side of the second body and exhausted with the copied original, and a conveying mechanism for conveying the inserted original to the exposure unit and conveying the original exposed thereat to the original exhausting mechanism.

Abstract: An improved bundle former for corrugated paperboard boxes in which the timing of the lift mechanisms and the squaring plates is completely independent of the timing of the flexo-folder-gluer. Also, the stacking belt drive roll is mounted near the pull roll so its top periphery is below the path of box travel. This permits the folded box to contact the stacking belt tangentially, thereby easing the box's entry into the stacking station and providing an assist in squaring the box in the stack. The improved bundle former also includes simpler and more easily maintained elements.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copier having a recirculating automatic document feeder whereby a stack of original documents are top-fed, one at a time, to the copier's platen for copying, and after such copying, rejoin the stack by operation of means which cyclically lift the stack to enable the returning document to be deposited below the stack, and then lowers the stack to cause such a returned document to become the lowermost document of the stack.

Abstract: A system for transferring substantially identical fixtures, on each of which is mounted a workpiece, from a stack of said fixtures in a transferor magazine to a transferee magazine. Each of the magazines has substantially planar walls defining a prismatic interior space having a substantially rectangular cross-section and open top and bottom, or end, faces. The walls of the magazine are provided with spring catches for retaining in the storage space fixtures placed therein, with the catches defining that portion of the interior of the magazine constituting a fixture storage space. The transferor magazine is mounted on a transferor base, which is provided with a transferor station and apparatus for placing the catches of the transferor base in a condition so that fixtures in the storage space can descend into the transferor station. The transferee magazine is mounted on a transferee base which is provided with a transferee station.

Abstract: An apparatus 20 and method for recirculating document sheets to and from the imaging station 23 of a copier 10, with seriatim feeding and inverting of a set of individual conventional flimsy document sheets unescorted (without a carrier) to and from a stack of document sheets loaded in a stack support 22 overlying the imaging station 23, to provide for properly collated output copy sets from the copier, with loading the stack of document sheets face-up in said stack support in normal forward serial page order, feeding 28 the document sheets so loaded from one end of the top of said stack seriatim in forward serial page order for copying, and restacking 70 the copied document sheets seriatim on the bottom of the opposite end of the same stack in the same order, to provide continuous document sheet recirculation in said forward serial page order. The restacking preferably includes intermittent lifting 72 of the stack from one end, a vacuum belt sheet transport 74 and air flotation 76 of the stack.

Abstract: Document stacking device for tags or other documents, which device may comprise counter-rotating helical stacker members, is provided with a gripper mounted thereon for removing the documents from the stacker members. The hopper in which the stacking device stacks the documents is provided with laterally adjustable side walls to accommodate documents of different widths.

Abstract: A machine which forms openings in can ends and seals the openings with manually removable lengths of tape. The machine includes a mechanism for transporting the taped disk-like objects from holders moving seriatim along a path to the bottom of a stack of the disk-like objects. The mechanism includes a shoe that separates the objects from the holders, and a wheel which carries the separated objects to a stop with the objects aligned with the stack, and then moves the objects into the stack.

Abstract: A sheet feed machine comprising guides for holding sheets in a stack at a sheet input station, a first conveyor for successively feeding sheets from the bottom of the stack at the sheet input station into a stream with adjacent sheets in an overlapped configuration, and an inverter for inverting the stream of sheets at a sheet inversion station. A stop is located at a sheet output station for stopping the stream and accumulating sheets in a stack, and a second conveyor is provided for conveying the stream of sheets from the inversion station to the sheet output station.

Abstract: An apparatus which moves documents in a recirculating path from a stack to an imaging station. Successive uppermost document are fed from the stack to the imaging station. After imaging, the documents are returned to the bottom of the stack.

Abstract: A paper sheet accumulator assembly for successively underlaying paper sheets in good order at a collection station which has a paddle wheel disposed downstream of a conveyor belt assembly for delivering paper sheets, such as bills of money, to the accumulator assembly. The paddle wheel has a number of overlapping paddles which receive paper sheets on their underside, and which are accumulated and released by an abutting plate. In use as a bank note discharge ports provided on opposite side walls of the frame of the dispenser, allowing a bundle of bank notes to be dispensed from either of the discharge ports as desired.

Abstract: A sheet collection apparatus for stacking sheets delivered thereto face-up in the order 1 to n with sheet 1 on the top of the stack. The apparatus includes one or more collection trays, such as the bins of a sorter which are indexed past a feed throat. Retractable support arms at the throat support the sheets already in a bin opposite the throat during delivery of a sheet thereto whereby the sheet enters the bin below the support arms.

Abstract: Various operating modes of the reproduction machine require the use of machine resources such as an automatic document handler tray, a finisher station tray, a dedicated duplex tray and main and auxiliary paper feed trays. The machine will automatically recover for lost or damaged copy sheets with a minimum amount of operator intervention and loss of copy sheets by efficient use of the machine resources. In particular, job recovery occurs at various levels such as pause in processor operation, point to required duplex tray sheet, and point to set boundary. Various levels of job recovery require use of different resources and some malfunctions imply plural levels of job recovery.

Abstract: A system for loading/unloading a series of vertically stacked weights, each eight being substantially flat and having a central aperture. Two parallel aligned spatially separated c-tubes receive a weight and are caused to rotate via a right angle drive system. The weight held by the rotating c-tubes is then lifted vertically and received by a holding mechanism aligned with the central aperture of the weight.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a novel method of collating, sorting and stacking sheets, concurrently termed "offset collation", are disclosed. The first sheets of sets to be collated, numbering up to the desired number of sets in a job, are transported from an entry station to a unitary bin sheet receiving station via a sheet transport station having an arcuate feed path to and through the aforementioned unitary bin sheet receiving station. These first sheets are stacked in the unitary bin sheet receiving station in an alternate offset fashion clearly demarcating the sets to be collated. The second sheets of the aforementioned sets are then sequentially inserted in the same alternate offset fashion contiguous to the first sheets. The method is repeated until all the sheets comprising a set have been inserted into all the sets. The final result is collated, sorted and stacked sets readied for convenient removal from the unitary bin sheet receiving station.

Abstract: On the end of each suction belt (2) are mounted three collecting members (9) standing on an intermittently-rotating shaft (10) and which are comprised of two L-shaped fingers (13). During the collecting the arm (14) of the fingers (13) forms of stop while the arm (15) causes the cards fed to tilt on the end of the suction belt (2). The cards (3) thus collated are pushed due to the revolution of the members (9) by the walls (21) of boxes mounted on a conveyor (17). Moving fingers (27) collate the packages collected in adjacent box rows.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a machine for applying indicia, preferably decalcomanias (decals), to felts that form part of tennis balls. A stack of the felts is placed in the machine, and a destacking mechanism separates each felt from the stack and places them on a conveyor which moves the felts to a decal applicating machine. After a decal is applied to each felt, the conveyor moves the felts to a restacking mechanism which lifts the felts off the conveyor and restacks them. The machine is preferably equipped to handle the felts in pairs in order to double the speed of operation.

Abstract: A plurality of coplanar belt conveyors extend in parallel spaced relationship to each other to feed successive sheets to be stacked into a stacking compartment formed on the conveyors. Just upstream of the stacking compartment, one or more endless belts are loosely engaged about pulleys so as to provide free, deformable loops normally lying crosswise with the belt conveyors. Pressed by each sheet being transported by the belt conveyors, the free belt loops engage the upstream edge of an existing stack of sheets in the stacking compartment and raise same away from the conveyors, thereby permitting the new sheet to be fed under the existing sheet stack. The free belt loops can be subsequently withdrawn from between the sheet stack and the new sheet as the belts are revolved about the pulleys in a specific direction. In another embodiment the belts are nonrotatably supported, and a pullout rod extends through their free loops.

Abstract: A method of forming a packet of signatures is proposed, comprising a known step of depositing onto the feeding belt of the stacker signatures from the folding machine, and which includes a transport step of the groups of overlapping signatures to a stacking station, a step during which the presence or absence of signatures is detected upstream of the stacking station, with the issuing of a control signal active on detent means for the stacking, and a stacking step with a following step of removal of said detent means and a step of removal of the formed stack. It is, preferably, also included a step of detecting the presence or absence of signatures downstream of the stacking station, with the issuing of a corresponding control signal active on the stacking detent means.

Abstract: A stacker for flat flexible sheets, such as pillow cases, is provided to add sheets to the bottom of a stack without relative frictional movement between the articles being stacked or between the stacking mechanism and the stacked articles. The stacker comprises a stacking plate, clamp bars adjacent the leading edge of successive sheets, and a fold bar movable in a fixed path above and rearwardly of the stacking plate against the upper surface of successive sheets while gripped at their leading edges. Movement of the fold bar under the stack while the leading edge of the sheet is clamped at the front of the stack folds the sheet on itself while the fold bar moves beyond the clamping mechanism toward the rear of the stack and positions the surface of the sheet opposite that engaged by the fold bar against the lower surface of a previously stacked sheet without frictional movement between the two sheets or between the fold bar and the last stacked sheet.

Abstract: An elevator mechanism for an automatic teller machine, equipped with a plurality of bill dispensing modules for dispensing bills at a plurality of elevations, incorporates a tray adapted to be raised and lowered by drive apparatus, the tray being rotatably mounted on a bracket and adapted to normally assume a horizontal position during its upward motion, during which it collects bills dispensed from the bill dispensing modules, an access door located at the top of the elevator assembly and an assembly for unlocking and lifting the door as the tray reaches its upper position. The tray is tilted during its downward movement so that any remaining contents of the tray are deposited into an escrow compartment.

Abstract: Sorting and stacking tested conductor plates by forming from the bottom up a stack of conductor plates which have passed the tests, raising from the bottom the entire stack each time a tested conductor plate approaches the bottom of the stack, feeding each tested conductor plate beneath the raised stack to temporary support means, actuating the temporary support means to eject a failed said plate, lowering the stack after an ejection opportunity has passed, whether used or not, and lowering the lifting means below the latest tested plate that has passed the test, so that such a plate is incorporated into the stack before the lifting means is next activated.

Abstract: In a machine for separating and discharging products in sheet form, in which the sheets are supplied by a conveyor and stacked in a stacking position defined by a stop abutment associated with the conveyor, each successive sheet being introduced under the preceding sheet in the stacking position, a roller is provided at the upstream lower edge of the stack, the roller having peripheral cogs and being arranged so that the upstream edge of the lowest sheet in the stack rests against it and is raised by rotation of the roller.

Abstract: Simplexed copy sheets lost during a partially completed pre-collation duplex copying run are automatically replaced in proper serial order into the partial copy set in the duplex buffer set tray by lifting the partial buffer copy set stack up with a false tray bottom and inserting replacement (make-up) simplex copies under the buffer set, then the false bottom is lowered and the duplex copying run, is continued, feeding out sheets from the duplex tray with the existing bottom feeder, and feeding the subsequent simplex copies in normally to the top of the buffer set stack. Thus, the copies in the buffer set do not have to be thrown away or reorganized by the operator when a copier jam occurs.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming thin paper sheets or signatures into an upright stack first arranges said sheets on a generally horizontal endless belt conveyor in a shingled stream with the leading edge of each sheet beneath the immediately preceding sheet and the trailing edge portion of each sheet projecting behind the trailing edge of said preceding sheet, and moves said conveyor continuously forwardly to bring the sheets successively into abutment with a stop so the driving force of the conveyor causes a stack to form from the bottom. The endless belt conveyor has a perforate bet, and a vacuum system below the perforate belt draws the sheets constantly and firmly downwardly against said perforate belt in a part of the path which ends at the stop, so that each sheet is conveyed positively forwardly against the stop.

Abstract: A system for receiving semi-rigid or flexible workpieces from a prior operation, and stacking the workpieces in a specified, stable fashion for employment in a subsequent operation. A conveyer advances sequentially random spaced workpieces to the bottom of a vertical stack which is driven in a circular path upon a support plate by a rotor assembly. A ramp or scoop of the support plate extends generally radially from the axis of rotation of the rotor assembly and directs workpieces from the conveyor to the top of the support plate and beneath the workpieces already positioned within the stack.

Abstract: A glass accumulator includes a first pair and a second pair of helically threaded rotating shafts angled away from each other. The first and second pair of shafts are rotated in opposite directions to vertically displace glass sheets from a horizontal conveyor and accumulate the glass sheets at the top of the shafts. Angling the pair of shafts away from each other minimizes contact between surfaces of the helical threads and the glass sheets.

Abstract: A transfer mechanism for withdrawing an object from the bottom of a stack of such objects in a first magazine and for inserting said object at the bottom of a stack of such objects in a second magazine. The magazines are removably mounted on bases positioned with respect to each other so that the openings in the magazines through which an object is removed from one and inserted into the other are essentially opposite one another and are spaced apart less than the corresponding dimension of an object. An extractor removes the bottommost fixture from the first magazine and inserts that object into the second magazine. Cam surfaces which project into the second magazine cause the stack of such objects therein to clear the opening in the second magazine and cause the object being loaded to move the stack of such objects upwardly with the most recently inserted object at the bottom of the stack.

Abstract: A document feeding and stacking apparatus, which may be used in conjunction with a document delivery system, comprises a stacking station having a support platform and an edge aligning barrier projecting perpendicularly from one side of the platform. A document stack, having one side aligned with the barrier, is incrementally built on the platform by adding documents, one at a time, between the stack and platform. In order to do so, the stack is first pushed away from the platform surface and the next succeeding document to be added is then fed between the stack and platform by a planetary device which includes a rotatable spider member, at least one pusher roll mounted on the spider member for free rotation and at least one feed roll also mounted for rotation on the spider member. As the spider member is rotated, the pusher roll first projects through an opening in the support platform that is disposed adjacent to the stack.

Abstract: Paper money such as bank notes of various denominations are dispensed by an apparatus having bank note storing cases including spaces which are adapted to store in a packed state sheets of the bank notes classified in accordance with the denominations, a note removal device provided at the note delivering end of each space in the note storing cases for taking the notes out of the note storing cases, and a note lifting device adapted to be selectively positioned in alignment with the note removal device for receiving the notes taken out by the note removal device. Preferably, each note removal device has a suction head and note removal rollers, and the note lifting device is a note kick-up roller, a stop member for dressing the leading edges of the notes, and a cam for regulating the position of the stop member in accordance with the width of the notes of the pertinent denomination.

Abstract: Apparatus for counting and endorsing documents and more particularly tickets dimensionally within the preferred range from one (1) inch by two (2) inches to two (2) inches by five and one half (5.5) inches and in the thickness range from 2 mils to 14 mils. The stack of tickets is placed in an in-feed hopper and is engaged by an eccentric bottom feed picker to drive preferably the bottom-most document toward a drive wheel and stripper wheel assembly to permit documents to pass only in single file beyond the stripper device. The documents are fed in single file between cooperating belts until they are picked up by acceleration means which abruptly accelerates the documents to provide a gap therebetween suitable for counting purposes.The documents are driven into a stacker wherein they are stacked in the same order in which they were loaded into the in-feed hopper.

Abstract: This disclosure teaches an apparatus for manufacturing and stacking hemmed fabric pieces (usually pockets) with the hems either lined or unlined. In the case of lined hemmed fabric pieces, pieces of a liner tape are fed in cut lengths in turn along a path. Limp fabric pieces (the pockets) are inserted manually by an operator and are positioned automatically each on one of the liner pieces. A hem is formed out of a margin of the fabric piece around its related liner piece and a terminal margin flap is tucked under itself. The hem is sewn along the terminal flap. The hemmed line fabric pieces are then inserted in turn into a cartridge upwardly and the cartridge is revolved about a vertical axis as successive of the hemmed lined fabric pieces are inserted therein so that uneven height caused by the hems is distributed about the stack. In the case of unlined fabric pieces, the apparatus functions substantially the same in positioning the limp fabric pieces, hemming and stacking.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus wherein individual sheets are inserted between the preceding sheet and an air floatation chamber having angled ports therein for discharge of air in the direction of sheet movement to transport the sheet therebetween, maintain the delivered sheets out of the path of incoming sheets, and hold the delivered sheets in a planar condition.

Abstract: A neat arrangement such as a pack of bills or like sheets to be counted is placed on one of their longitudinal edges in a sheet stand formed on the top of the casing of a sheet counting apparatus. An infeed mechanism comprising first and second infeed rolls frictionally feed the sheets one by one into the apparatus. A pair of sensing rolls are mounted under the second infeed rolls for sensing the passage thereover of each sheet thus fed into the apparatus and hence for actuating a counter switch. The thus counted sheets are successively loaded on a conveyor mechanism at one end thereof and are thereby transported toward the other end, where the successive counted sheets are stacked for recovery purposes. The apparatus further comprises an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the position of the sheets in the sheet stand and in the recovery mechanism according to their size and a stop motion mechanism for instantly terminating the infeeding operation of the sheets.