Abstract: A sheet jogger to justify and align a stack of sheets into a registered bundle which is subsequently discharged into a bin. Prior to discharging of the bundle, the stack of sheets can be stapled. Each bundle is offset from every other bundle when discharged into the bin. Sheets are fed onto a jogging deck by at least one conveyor roller to abut against at least one gate finger at the end of the jogging deck. A back jogger aligns the sheets into registration against the gate finger and a left side jogger assembly jogs the sheets into alignment against a right side jogger assembly. The gate fingers drop down and a lower eject roller rises above the jogging deck to engage a bottom sheet of the stack thereby engaging the stack against an upper fixed pressure roller.

Abstract: An apparatus for the purpose of piling up a prescribed number of plate-shaped articles in trim order, said apparatus comprising chain conveyers which are installed below a receiving member for temporarily supporting the plate-shaped articles and accommodated in a frame, chutes which are disposed on both sides of said conveyers, and fore adjusting plates and rear adjusting plates which are disposed to be perpendicular to the direction of progress of the chain conveyer and capable of reciprocating between a vertical position and an outwardly inclined position relative to said direction of progress of the chain conveyer, whereby said piling-up work can be performed by driving said adjusting plates.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding and transporting blanks of corrugated paperboard and the like is disclosed wherein a stack of blanks is received on a blank feeding station having a first belt-over-roller conveyor which cooperates with an angularly inclined control gate of a gate assembly to feed blanks from the bottom of the stack beneath the control gate and effect shingling of the blanks, whereafter the blanks are transported to a receiving station such as the feed hopper of a printing press or the like. The control gate is adjustable to vary the shingling relationship of the blanks fed from the bottom of the stack and has a low friction surface thereon facilitating optimum operation.

Abstract: An automatic stacker is disclosed having finned rotors to be turned incrementally so respective fins are horizontal and are spaced to support thereon the edges of a flat partition. Such partitions are successively moved onto the horizontal fins and the rotors are successively incrementally turned so as to drop the partition held thereon and to receive the next succeeding partition. The partitions thus dropped fall onto a conveyor on which succeeding partitions are overlapped, and such partitions are moved in groups to an inclined plate at which the partitions are forced to incline upwardly and close together to form an inclined stack.

Abstract: The jogger includes side edge joggers in combination with an end edge jogger and a resilient sheet stop, both extending the height of a vertical column of sheet receiving compartments. The sheet stop engages and positions the sheets within the sheet receiving compartments in preparation for jogging without damage to the end edges. Thereafter, the side and end joggers align the sheet edges against respectively opposed backstops. The jogger provides simultaneous edge alignment of all four edges of stacked sheets within the sheet receiving compartments and is especially suited for use in conjunction with sheet binding apparatus for simultaneously binding the stacked sheets along corresponding coplanar edges.

Abstract: A machine which takes upright stacks of flat articles such as carton blanks or the like from a pallet, straightens each stack, and feeds the articles from the stack in a shingled stream. The machine includes a crane which is programmed to pick up stacks from a plurality of locations on the pallet. Each stack is transferred to a conveyor which first advances the stack to a stack straightening device which tips the stack from upright to horizontal position to separate articles in the stack and straightens and centers the stack. The stack is then restored to upright position on the conveyor and is advanced to elevators which raise the stack against a pick-off belt which withdraws articles from the top of the stack in a stream shingle-fashion. The stream is directed around a drum which inverts the articles in the stream, and the stream is discharged.

Abstract: Disclosed is a registering apparatus for sheet handling machines in which sheets are collected at a receiving station and arranged in registration with each other for performing an operation on the collected stack of sheets. The invention is utilized particularly in machines for stitching, stapling or punching stacks of sheets which have been collated into booklets, the sheets having been delivered to the stitching, stapling or punching machine by a suitable feeding apparatus. The registering apparatus operates on the rear edge of the sheets after they are deposited on a receiving tray and incorporates mechanism by which a jogging device can be adjustably set to an infinite number of operating positions between predetermined limits which allows the machine to handle sheets ranging from approximately seven inches to approximately fourteen inches in length.

Abstract: A paper jogging device is disclosed for stacking sheets of paper or the like into precise alignment directly onto a shipping skid. The device employs a jogger paddle that is flexibly attached to a rigid supporting means, and that is driven so as to be vibrated back and forth over its entire surface. The drive means comprises a plurality of thrust members which are actuated by a pair of synchronized rotating eccentrics employing a novel modified "scotch-yoke" coupling mechanism. The novel features of the jogging device are, (1) the entire surface of the paddle moves back and forth simultaneously, (2) the forward motion terminates at a predetermined fixed position with reference to the supporting means, (3) the acceleration and deceleration of the paddle is a simple harmonic motion requiring minimum driving power, and (4) the entire operation is very quiet.

Abstract: In a layboy arrangement to which are delivered simultaneously side-by-side sheets to form a plurality of piles of such sheets edge joggers are provided to align the outside edges of the piles of sheets and a mechanism is provided which operates to align the adjacent edges of adjacent piles. The mechanism is in the form of a chain guide bar or plate around which an endless link chain is driven and from which project a set of overlapping leaves. The apparatus is mounted such that the overlapping leaves on the bottom edge of the chain bar project between the piles of sheets. The chain is driven to move the leaves around the periphery of the chain bar such that an active surface moves in the direction of travel between the sheets as they are edge jogged into their even edge piles on opposite sides of the overlapping leaves of the guide mechanism.

Abstract: Under a sheet holder in which a stack of vertically oriented sheets are accumulated in the horizontal direction, a rotary air blower is provided to apply an air blow on the lower side of the stack of sheets to separate them. The cylindrical face of the rotary air blower is provided with a number of air nozzles arranged regularly to effect periodical air blow onto the side of the stack of sheets. The sheet holder is preferably inclined so that the separated sheets may automatically be aligned.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet jogging assembly for use in a sheet registering apparatus in which sheets are collected at a receiving station and arranged in registration with each other for performing an operation on the collected stack of sheets. The invention is utilized particularly in machines for stitching, stapling or punching stacks of sheets which have been collated into booklets, the sheets having been delivered to the stitching, stapling or punching machine by a suitable feeding apparatus. The registering apparatus operates on the rear edge of the sheets after they are deposited on a receiving tray and incorporates mechanism by which a jogging device can be adjustably set to an infinite number of operating positions between predetermined limits which allows the machine to handle sheets ranging from approximately seven inches to approximately fourteen inches in length.

Abstract: A hopper loader delivers a shingled stream of signatures to a hopper from which the signatures are fed. The hopper loader apparatus is portable and comprises a generally horizontal first conveyor belt section for receiving an array of side-abutted signatures on edge. The apparatus also includes an inclined second conveyor belt section for engaging the side of the signatures and for feeding the signatures from the array in an overlapped stream toward the hopper. The apparatus includes a means for adjusting the speed of the first belt section relative to the second belt section. Also the apparatus includes a presser belt construction which cooperates with the inclined section for pressing on the signatures to provide a sufficient frictional force between the belts and the signatures so that the signatures will be properly moved up the inclined belt section.

Abstract: Sorting and collating apparatus for use with copying and duplicating machinery for distribution of flexible sheet material to designated stations or series of stations. The device has an interface unit for accepting paper sheet copies and which selectively diverts said copies into a tray or to the base of the sorter tower. From the base the copies are either directed into the sorter tower to a designated bin or they are sent on to the next sorter tower module. The apparatus employs mass air movement type conveyors for paper transport. Means are provided for selectively diverting paper copies into designated paper receiving bins, and means may also be provided for maintaining the papers in aligned relationship in the individual paper receiving stations.

Abstract: A sheet delivery arrangement including a conveyor for depositing sheets on a pile and a jogger for squaring up the pile, the jogger having an associated interceptor member spaced slightly above the pile for intercepting the curled edge of a sheet deposited on the pile to prevent such curled edge from being inserted between the jogging element and the pile. The interceptor member is coupled to the conveyor for movement between an interposed position phased with the arrival of a sheet and a retracted position clear of the pile in which the engaged edge of the sheet becomes fully supported on the pile. In the preferred embodiment the interceptor member is mounted upon the jogging element for movement with the latter, and in an alternate embodiment the interceptor member is independently mounted for movement synchronized with the arrival of successive sheets.

Abstract: Document handling apparatus for use in connection with a demand type of document feed for supplying documents which are operator-fed in bulk, to a demand type of document separator, including apparatus for fluffing and jogging the documents. The fluffing is obtained by a differential increase in the speed of the transport of documents coupled with the use of document stabilizers which are automatically inserted into and retracted from the document stack while the documents are passing through a jogging station which includes apparatus for jogging the documents in two directions.