Abstract: A paper conveying device for overrunning paper from a stop position and then, switching the paper back to stop the paper in a stop position. The driving of a paper conveying section for conveying paper is stopped at the time point where the rear end of the paper reaches the stop position. Thereafter, the amount of overrun of the paper is detected, so that the paper is switched back by the amount. Consequently, the amount of overrun and the amount of switchback of the paper are suppressed to the minimum amounts required. In addition, the stress applied to the paper is reduced, and the paper is set in a short time.

Abstract: A printing device has paper feed devices upstream and downstream of a printing station. The downstream paper feed devices uses pairs of pressure feed rolls which frictionally feed the paper when received. A tapered guide channel positioned in side by side relation with the pair of feed rolls comprises a stationary guide plate and pivotable guide plate with guide surfaces designed to collapse any curl in the leading edge of single or multilayer paper. A spring maintains the pivoted guide plate in operating position with a predetermined spring force which opposes deflection by the leading edge of the paper but allow deflection due to paper generated forces exceeding the predetermined spring force.

Abstract: A sheet delivery mechanism includes a pair of delivery rollers which deliver a sheet along a sheet delivery passage of a sheet treatment apparatus for predeterminately treating the sheet, a sheet halting member for halting the sheet, and a pinching force adjusting member. The pinching force adjusting member adjusts the delivery rollers to place them into a first state where the sheet pinching force of the delivery rollers is relatively small so that the delivery rollers can slip on the halted sheet and into a second state where the sheet pinching force is relatively great so that the sheet can be delivered in the case where a sheet halt is released for delivery.

Abstract: A system for laying up multi-layer stacks of sheets is particularly well suited for making pads of notes having ultra-removable adhesive coatings applied in a narrow strip to the back of each sheet. Large sheets having areas many multiples larger than the size of the individual pads, are applied from a continuous paper web having zone coated adhesive strips applied thereto onto a series of recirculating pallets each of which serially receives a large sheet. The web is applied by pressing the adhesive coated side onto the pallet as the pallet travels through a nip formed by the web carrying roll. Closely spaced end-to-end register of the pallets is maintained through the web-applying nip roll and a perforating blade cooperates therewith to form a weakened tear line across the width of the web which is synchronized to coincide with the gap between adjacent pallets.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes recording material carrying device for carrying thereon a recording material; image forming device for forming an image on the recording material carried on the recording material carrying device; attracting charger for electrostatically attracting the recording material on the recording material carrying device, the attracting charger first attracting the recording material on the recording material carrying device; feeding rollers for feeding the recording material to the recording material carrying device to attract it to the recording material carrying device, wherein a feeding speed by the feeding rollers is the same as or larger than a movement speed of the recording material carrying device or larger.

Abstract: A pivot brake is used in conjunction with a ball-on-belt transport and dual registration edge guides to rotate and register the output of printers by 90.degree. to satisfy on-line finishing requirements. As a sheet is fed into the rotation mechanism by the ball-on-belt transport, it encounters the pivot brake which retards its travel. The ball-on-belt transport continues to drive the sheet, thereby rotating it about the brake and into the registration edge guides.

Abstract: A paper path for guiding and transporting sheets of paper in an image former such as a printer or a photocopier which forms an image on both sides of the sheet of paper. The paper path has three channels: an image forming channel, a paper discharging channel, and a paper reversing channel. At the point where all three channels merge, a paper gate is provided for both guiding sheets of paper and signaling the presence of paper at the point where the three channels merge. The top surface of a paper tray containing unused sheets of paper is part of the paper reversing channel. When paper passes over the top surface of the paper tray, a roller momentarily stops the motion of the paper to prevent skew. A claw connected to the paper tray separates paper with an image formed on one side from paper in the tray. Guides provided over the claw prevent paper jams.

Abstract: There is disclosed an automatic document feeder for the copying machine or the like, which is capable of adjusting the sheet transporting speed automatically according to the sheet quality or the status of sheet transportation. The feeder detects the status of transportation in the first, and accordingly adjust the transporting speed for the subsequent sheets. Additionally, a monitor monitors the operational state of the transport mechanism by monitoring detection output of a detection sensor when an original sheet is not present and corrects the transport timing on the basis of the information so obtained.

Abstract: Skew-correcting apparatus in which first and second sets of opposing feed rollers each comprise a pair of end rollers and a center roller between the end rollers. The first center roller has a sheet-gripping portion of limited circumferential extent forming a nip with the second center roller, while the first pair of end rollers engage the second pair of end rollers. The second set of rollers are coupled for common rotation; the first pair of end rollers are mounted for rotation relative to the first center roller. The first center roller is driven while the remaining rollers are retarded so that the remaining rollers are normally stationary to align the leading edge of a sheet but are driven by the sheet-gripping portion of the first center roller to advance the sheet through the nip. A downstream feed roller driven synchronously with the first center roller and also having a sheet-gripping portion of limited circumferential extent is used to advance a sheet to the opposing sets of feed rollers.

Abstract: A launcher for launching pieces of sheet metal into a roll former is disclosed. The launcher includes laterally spaced conveyor belts having parallel upper reaches which support the piece of sheet metal and transport it to a launch position. While located in the launch position, opposed pushers engage opposite edges of the sheet and move it laterally into a predetermined lateral location in which it is centered and aligned with the roll former. Thereafter, longitudinally spaced gripper rolls engage and grip the opposite sides of the sheet at longitudinally spaced locations. The gripper rolls operate to feed the sheet and maintain gripping thereof until substantially the entire sheet enters the roll former. Therefore, proper alignment is maintained and uniform roll forming is produced. The pushers along one side of the sheet move to a fixed position to precisely locate the adjacent edge of the sheet.

Abstract: An outfeed conveyor is arranged beneath a rotary bucket wheel driven to rotate in a predetermined rotational direction. A belt conveyor is arranged downstream of, and a product entrainment arrangement is arranged upstream of, the outfeed conveyor. An endless revolving belt is guided about belt rolls of the outfeed conveyor and upon which come to bear the printed products in inbricated formation. Entrainment elements of the product entrainment arrangement completely stuff the printed products into the pockets of the bucket wheel. Upon ejection of the printed products out of the bucket wheel they are fixedly clamped at their trailing edges between a support element and extensions or cantilever arms of the entrainment elements until the entrainment elements have passed the support element and thus an intersection location between the entrainment elements and the support element.

Abstract: A loop is formed between upstream and downstream pairs of rollers by driving the downstream pair slower than the upstream pair and/or by a direction changing guide. The downstream pair of rollers is axially movable to bring an in-track edge of a sheet to a predetermined sensed position to cross-track register the sheet. The loop permits cross-track movement of the sheet despite engagement of the sheet with the upstream pair of rollers.

Abstract: Documents are advanced to a registered position along the trailing edge of the exposure platen of an electrophotographic copier by a flat belt supported adjacent to the registration edge by a pulley formed with axially spaced indentations to produce corresponding corrugations in the belt. A registration gate having a blocking position in which transversely spaced fingers extend into the belt corrugations arrests the documents at the registration edge while the normal-diameter portions of the belt pulley press the document downwardly to prevent it from riding over the registration gate. Position pulses from an encoding wheel are counted to determine the position of the document, and drive motor is slowed to one-fifth its normal speed when the document advances within a predetermined distance of the registration edge.

Abstract: A printing device is provided with a paper insertion mechanism including a paper stop and a pair of paper driving rolls operable in association with the rotation of a printing cylinder which includes an actuating cam. A paper presser operates synchronously with printing operation to press the paper against a paper guide during printing to impart tension to the paper to prevent transverse movement thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus for moving a sheet in a predetermined direction, characterized by a guide located at the lateral side of the path for the sheet, a conveyor for conveying the sheet along the guide, and a flexure inhibiting member for holding down the sheet.

Abstract: Sheet conveyor apparatus for feeding sheets one at a time to a stop wall at the end of the conveyor with at least one overhead support extending above said conveyor. An overhead longitudinally adjustable roller carrying sub-assembly extends above the conveyor supported on the overhead support. The sub-assembly is comprised of a roller which engages a sheet of material moving on the conveyor and positioned to prevent "bounce back" thereof as the sheets are moved against the stop wall. The rollers are carried on resilient arms which may be adjusted to vary the downward force of the roller upon the sheet moving on the conveyor.

Abstract: A board inserter for use with a printing press provides for the automatic insertion of paper boards or the like between predetermined numbers of printed sheets as they emerge from the printing press. The board inserter is used to make note pads or the like in which stacks of paper are attached to a heavier paper board backing.

Abstract: Device for bringing into register a tool mounted on a rotary cylinder for processing products in sheet form, such as a tool for cutting out, creasing, or printing sheets of cardboard in a machine for making and printing corrugated cardboard boxes, comprising a coder (22) providing information representing the theoretical advance of the sheets (10, 11), a coder (23) providing information representing the angle of adjustment given to the tool holder (1), a detector (20) of the passage of a reference mark (15) on the sheet (11) to a point situated upstream of the tool holder, a detector (36) of the theoretical passage of this reference mark at a selected distance slightly downstream of the first detector (20), and a computer (33) supplying correction commands to the correction motor (8) of the tool holder in order that the tool will arrive in phase with the incident sheet (11).

Abstract: A sheet decelerating and stopping apparatus which may be used as a staging apparatus in a sheet-feeding environment. A pivoting member having decelerating and stopping areas thereon is spring biased to an operating position in which the decelerating area on the member cooperates with a decelerating area on on wall of a sheet-feeding track in which the sheet is fed to decelerate the sheet. The stopping area on the member stops a sheet if it is not stopped by the cooperating decelerating areas. An actuator moves the member to an inoperative position to enable a sheet to be released from the apparatus.

Abstract: An improved alignment/restraint station for interposition in an automatic document feed path is disclosed. A unitary structure including back-up rollers and sawtooth restraint members is positioned downstream of the document separation station and transverse to the direction of feed. Adjacent either end of the unitary structure are dual purpose edge alignment members. The unitary structure is moveable into and out of position in the feed path and includes guide members for leading a document over the edge alignment members.

Abstract: A sheet arranging system for use with a sorter, collator, etc., providing a sheet arranging section defined by receiving rollers, delivery rollers and a forward reference edge, wherein sheets fed on the basis of rearward reference are moved toward a forward reference. The sheet arranging section has sheet obliquely moving means located therein for obliquely moving toward the delivery rollers and the forward reference edge the sheet released from the receiving rollers in accordance with the rearward reference irrespective of the size of the sheet, while so rotating the sheet that a corner of the leading edge of the sheet near to the operator is moved away from the forward reference edge.

Abstract: A feed plate for sequentially supplying paper sheets to a printing press is provided with an upwardly inclined air passage and an air suction passage obliquely intersecting the upwardly inclined air passage at an intermediate point thereof. A guide plate is provided to extend through the upwardly inclined air passage to confront inner opening of the air suction passage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating sheets moving in a path at a registration position in the path. The sheets, moving seriatim in a path established by a guide and a platen of a reproduction apparatus, are pinched against the platen to decelerate the sheets as they approach the registration position for copying. The pinching action is accomplished by deflecting a resilient member into the path into juxtaposition with the platen. The member covers an opening in the guide and is deflected by a mechanism extensible through the opening. In its deflected position, the member exerts a deceleration force on the sheet to retard the sheet as it approaches the registration position. The deceleration force has a component that is substantially parallel to the surface of the sheet and a component that is substantially normal to the surface and of greater magnitude than the parallel component.

Abstract: The illustrated embodiment shows a film feeder for feeding individual film sheets to automatic developers. The film feeder has a magazine for receiving a stack of the film sheets, an extraction device and a transport device for transferring the individual film sheets extracted from the magazine into the automatic developer. The transport device contains an apparatus for selectively rotating the film sheets by approximately 45.degree. about their surface normal, and may be utilized with automatic developers which normally receive large-format films sheets, to enable the use of such developers with sheets of substantially shorter length dimension (e.g. 100 mm).

Abstract: Document weighing apparatus is provided which includes a scale having a channel-shaped document weighing platform. The platform defines a passageway for receiving vertically oriented documents serially fed to the platform. In addition, the apparatus includes document decelerating instrumentalities comprising a pair of flexure springs mounted for movement between a passageway restricting position and a non-passageway restricting position. The flexure springs are oriented with respect to each other, when disposed in the passageway restricting position, for cooperatively progressively restricting the passageway in the direction of downstream movement of documents; thereby to exert decelerating forces on the opposed major surfaces of documents in the passageway. In addition, the apparatus includes instrumentalities for moving the flexure springs.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to new methods and means for removing fabric plies one at a time from a stack, transporting the individual plies to a secondary location, precisely orienting and aligning the plies for a subsequent operation and, in some cases assembling one ply with another in preparation for a sewing operation. In one of its advantageous forms, the equipment specifically illustrated herein is especially useful for picking individual shirt cuff and liner plies from separate supply stacks, transporting them to a load station, and assembling the plies one on top of the other, in proper alignment and orientation for sewing. In a secondary mode, the equipment of the invention may be used to transport individual fabric plies, such as entire short sleeve shirt sections, to a sewing or other processing station.

Abstract: A registration apparatus for a reproducing machine includes a resilient means which cooperates with a stop member to control the path of a sheet as it is intercepted by the stop member. Preferably the resilient member also operates to strip the sheet from the stop member as the stop member moves out of the sheet path.

Abstract: An apparatus for advancing a sheet and stopping it in a predetermined position including: a mechanism for transporting the sheet along a predetermined path and releasing the transporting force from being transmitted to the sheet in the course of advance; an insulating member positioned in the transporting path; and a charging device for charging the insulating member. The charging device charges the insulating member prior to the passing of the sheet over the insulating member by being transported by the transporting means. In addition, the transporting force is released from the sheet prior to the passing of the trailing edge of the sheet over the insulating member thus charged thereby precisely stopping the sheet in said predetermined position due to the electrostatic attracting force produced between the insulating member thus charged and the sheet.

Abstract: A photocopying machine is provided with a repeat mechanism. After the original material to be copied has left the exposure station a feed mechanism is provided by optionally returning the original material to the exposure station for making of a second copy. Two return mechanism paths are provided for originals of different length.

Abstract: A device for interrupting the feeding of sheets to a sheet-fed printing press. A feed table is provided having stops to define the registered position of successively fed sheets. After a register interval during which the sheet settles against the stops the sheet is picked up by a gripper cylinder. Photocells are provided for detecting failure of a sheet to register during the register interval. The photocells energize a retaining device on the feed table having a retaining foot which presses downwardly against the non-registered sheet to prevent such sheet from being picked up by the gripper cylinder. A device providing a time delay is interposed ahead of the retaining device to delay operation of the retaining device for a brief time interval to insure that the preceding sheet picked up by the gripper cylinder is clear of the feed table. A latch is provided to maintain the foot in pressing engagement with the sheet, but the foot is resiliently mounted so that an offending sheet may be manually removed.

Abstract: An improved braking system comprising inlets imbedded flush with an air track surface with the elongated portions thereof parallel to the direction of wafer travel. The inlets are connected to a controlled vacuum source preferably by means of pressure regulating passageways communicating with both ends of each inlet. When vacuum is applied to the inlets, a traveling wafer passing over and substantially covering the elongated inlets is pulled uniformly and evenly down by vacuum action, so that substantially the entire bottom surface of the wafer contacts the track simultaneously. Thus, the wafer comes to rest at a single position within the braking station, irrespective of the original direction of wafer travel.