Abstract: The apparatus for changing the position of printed products arranged in an imbricated formation comprises two band conveyors arranged in tandem as viewed in the conveying direction, and a position-change device arranged in the end region of the conveying-active path of the first of the two band conveyors. The disc-shaped supporting elements of the position-change device and each having a cam are seated at shafts, the rotational axes of which extend substantially perpendicular to the plane of conveyance of the first of the two band conveyors. The shafts are driveable synchronously and in opposite directions. The trailing or upstream edges of the printed products come to bear upon the disc-shaped supporting elements and the cams upwardly project in the region of the imbricated formation.

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: An automatic document feeder for feeding documents in order to expose a document in a sheet through mode in which an optical system is fixed, a document is moved at constant speed, including; rollers for feeding documents one at a time from a document feeder table to a constant glass plate of a copy machine, a senser for sensing the length of the document, a scale disposed at an end of the contact galss plate at which the document is fed, and a controller for moving the exposure position of the optical system.

Abstract: This relates to an attachment kit for an offset printing press of the type manufactured and sold by A. B. Dick Company, which attachment comprises a leveling system including a pair of pivoting boards constructed to be mounted in parallel relation on a base board set on the feed table of the press to support two piles of envelopes in side-by-side relation. The vertical leg of a T-shaped guide bar having its cross bar and spacer fastened to the main bar of the press, passes between the two piles of envelopes and projects into a slot in the base board. A pair of backing plates having vertically-projecting members which bear against the rear of the envelope piles, are constructed to be fastened on opposite sides of the main bar of the printing press. This arrangement enables two piles of envelopes to pass through and be printed simultaneously by the press.

Abstract: A veneer straightener, operating with a moving conveyor, includes two endless chains outwardly flanking the sides of the conveyor, the endless chains being mounted on drive sprockets powered through a common drive shaft. Mounted on the endless chains are a pair of upwardly extending lugs which are aligned with each other transverse to the direction of movement of the conveyor, and which extend above the moving conveyor belts. The upwardly extending lugs move in the direction of forward movement of the conveyor, but at a speed slower than that of the conveyor. A switch is triggered by an approaching sheet of veneer, which initiates the drive power and starts the forward movement of the lugs. As the moving sheet overtakes the lugs, it will be restrained by the lugs to a straightened or squared position. Upon reaching the forward sprocket the lugs will follow the spocket down and away from their restraining engagement and the squared sheet will resume the forward speed of the conveyor.

Abstract: A document feeder for use with an image forming device such as a copy machine. An original document is first transported from an original document feed port toward an original exit port until a trailing end of the original passes a predetermined stop position whereat an imaging operation is to be carried out. By transporting until the trailing end passes the stop position, there is time for a previous original to exit from the original exit port. Then the original document is fed back toward the original feed port until the trailing end of the original is properly positioned so that the document can be imaged.

Abstract: An edge locating device is particularly useful in a system having an articulating frame for supporting and aligning a first sheet of material relative to a second sheet of material supported on a belt below. The device is attachable to the articulating frame and has an edge contact element for locating the edge of the first sheet and a radiation source and detector for locating the edge of the second sheet. The edge contact element, source and detector are fixed with respect to one another and movable between a first position wherein the element is spaced from the edge of the first sheet and a second position wherein the element contacts the edge of the first sheet. When moved to the second position the source and detector can be used to move the articulating frame until the edge of the second sheet is located.

Abstract: A transport mechanism for transporting a photosensitive film sheet for use in an image recording apparatus, including an auxiliary scanning drum, a nip roller held in contact with the auxiliary scanning drum, a support plate extending substantially horizontally in a sheet transport path, a push lever provided at one end of the support plate and a stopper provided at the other end of the support plate.

Abstract: Various configurations of boxes of a corrugated or fiberboard material are manufactured by a machine and process in which scored marginal flaps of the preformed box blank material are laterally wrapped around forming mandrels or fingers to define corner and/or intermediate posts integral with a wall portion of the resulting box, with at least a portion of each flap laminated to the side wall.

Abstract: Various configurations of boxes of a corrugated or fiberboard material are manufactured by a machine and process in which scored marginal flaps of the preformed box blank material are laterally wrapped around forming mandrels of fingers to define corner and/or intermediate posts integral with a wall portion of the resulting box, with at least a portion of each flap laminated to the side wall.

Abstract: A feeding mechanism in which a reciprocating swab-like apparatus is provided wherein the pitmans are adjustable for beginning and ending their stroke by having the cranks driven by separable gears which may be meshed in different positions and wherein the pitmans are connected to a pair of counterrotatable wheels with friction facings engageable with paper sheets disposed in a stack therebeneath, the wheels being mounted on axes which are adapted to be canted to increase or reduce the area of engagement of the wheel periphery with the sheet to vary the amount of drag. The wheels are carried by a slider foot which is arranged to slide upon the sheet being moved. The wheels are arranged to move the sheet to be fed first into a registered position against a stop and then in the opposite direction to associated receiving mechanism.

Abstract: Apparatus having a plurality of controlled overlapping chain drives, each chain drive containing a plurality of raised members for receiving collated stacks of mailing literature and conveying the literature over their successive paths in synchrony with a collating assembly to a film wrapping assembly coupled at the opposite end thereof. Independently hinged overlying hold-down assemblies prevent the collating material from curling or otherwise becoming disassembled before wrapping in a film wrapper or in a paper wrapper.

Abstract: An apparatus removably mountable on an X-ray image photographing apparatus for supplying sheet films to the photographing apparatus is provided with an outlet, a chamber for holding a number of sheet films, a slit having a gap of such dimension into which a sheet film may enter, a transport member for transporting the outermost sheet to the outlet and prior to said transport, transporting that sheet film toward the slit, and a pressing member for downwardly curving the end of the remaining sheet films which is adjacent to the outlet.

Abstract: In connection with a unit for parallelizing a chain of overlapping printed products such as signatures (that is to say causing the leading edges to be parallel), delivered by way of a fan wheel onto a delivery belt thereunder, the purpose of the invention is to make for trouble-free operation, to see that the signatures are completely regularly placed, and to make upkeep work on the unit simple. For this purpose, the unit has at least one driver which is moved along at a higher speed than the signatures so as to come up against the trailing edge of each signature as its leading edge comes onto the delivery belt. The driver is moved along a line of motion in such a way that at least part of such motion is directed out of the transport plane of the delivery belt. The driver may be a simple kicking edge of a part fixed to a driver support.

Abstract: A trail edge registration system is disclosed that includes drive belts adapted to accept sheets from a source. The drive belts have pin-like members on the surface thereof that are adapted to contact the trail edge of the sheets and provide the timing and skew registration function, as well as the transport function for the system. A scuffer roll mechanism side registers the sheets in the transport before they are contacted by the pin-like members on the belts.

Abstract: A document transport for transporting document sheets over a copier platen and into a registration position thereon for copying with a single light reflective, flexible, unapertured and air impervious wide frictional movable belt providing a uniform light imaging background for the document sheet, having a selectably actuatable vacuum system for selectably applying a vacuum to a vacuum plenum overlying the vacuum belt above the platen, for lifting all but selected minor areas of the belt away from the platen and document toward the vacuum plenum when a vacuum is applied, but and for allowing the belt to drop into planar engagement with a document sheet on the platen over a much larger area of said belt when the vacuum is removed, and belt deforming rollers deforming the selected minor areas of the belt away from the vacuum plenum towards the platen for selective area driving of a document sheet on the platen with these deformed minor areas or protuberances of the belt when the vacuum is applied.

Abstract: A copier document apparatus (10) for feeding original document sheets (21) to and from a registration position at an imaging station (20) of a copier with a reversible direction of motion document feeding belt (14) having one flight (18) of the belt overlying the imaging station for document feeding and a second flight (22) spaced therefrom, and apparatus (32) for applying pressure to an area of the back of the first belt flight (18), which pressure is substantially changed in one direction of motion of the belt relative to the other direction of belt motion, to provide decreased pressure between the belt and the document for registration (23) but increased pressure for positive document ejection, in which this pressure change is self actuating and solely from the reversal movement of the belt by a frictional actuating system (30) which is engaged and moved without slippage by the second (upper) belt flight (22) through a connecting lever system (24) connecting the frictional actuating system (30) with the pr

Abstract: A flexible sheet handling apparatus having particular application to the handling of documents in a copy machine is disclosed. The sheet handling apparatus includes a curved drive surface, a drive for driving the surface, and a curved reaction surface which defines a curved sheet path extending along the drive surface, the reaction surface being out of contact with the drive surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating and individually transporting flexible sheets from a stack to at least one processing unit wherein one stack edge is compressed and the topmost sheet is picked-up by pick-up heads at its edge situated at the compressed stack edge, the engaged edge is lifted from the stack, and the lifted edge is gripped by horizontally moving removal elements which remove the partially lifted sheet from under the pick-up heads and carry it away in a horizontal direction at least beyond the pick-up zone whereby the sheet is progressively turned and rolled off the stack and transported to a registering mechanism where the sheet is oriented in a predetermined position for feeding to the processing unit.

Abstract: Document sheets are removed seriatim from the bottom of a stack of sheets by an oscillating vacuum feeder having a plurality of spaced tube sections. The feeder delivers a removed sheet to a sheet transport mechanism, which transports it to the platen for copying and then removes the sheet from the platen. The sheet transport mechanism has at least one vacuum belt that passes between two adjacent sections of the feeder and picks up a sheet as it leaves the feeder so that the sheet is tacked to the feeder or the vacuum belt throughout its path of travel from the stack of sheets to the platen. After the sheet is removed from the platen it is returned to the stack of sheets on top of other sheets in the stack. A sheet inverter can be provided for inverting duplex document sheets so that both sides of such sheets can be copied. Sheets also can be fed to the platen along a non-recirculating path by a document positioner apparatus.

Abstract: In apparatus for conveying successive stacks of sheets to a station at which an operation is to be performed on the stack, the sheets are advanced by pushing elements (14) to the station, at which a resilient finger (17) projects through a slot (16) in the track. The finger (17) aligns the leading edges of the sheets in the stack. When the stack of sheets is to be advanced, a slide (20) retracts. The finger (17) is pivotally mounted on the slide and its upper inclined edge engages the bottom rear corner of the slot when the slide is retracted, causing the finger to sink below the track until the slide is returned in time for the alignment of the next stack.

Abstract: A photographic film packing apparatus cuts film segments from a web of photographic film, partially overlaps the segments in a shingled manner, and conveys the segments in partially overlapping relationship into an insertion opening of a package, such as a customer order envelope. The apparatus advances the web a selected distance past a knife location, at which a knife assembly is located. The knife assembly severs a film segment from the web. The movement of the film segment is then reversed to cause a trailing edge of the film segment to be deflected downward out of the path of the leading edge of the web. The web is then advanced while the segment is maintained stationary until the web has overlapped the segment by a predetermined amount. The web and the film segment are then conveyed together toward the insertion opening until a desired cut location on the web is aligned with the knife location. The knife assembly then cuts another film segment from the web.

Abstract: Stacks of paper sheets wherein a first marginal portion of a relatively large second sheet extends beyond the corresponding first marginal portions of two piles of relatively small first sheets, wherein the second sheet is disposed between the two piles of first sheets and wherein at least some first sheets are often out of exact alignment with the remaining (aligned) first sheets are treated in an apparatus wherein an inclined first surface supports one side of a stack and a second surface at the lower end of the first surface is provided on a stop for those (second) marginal portions of the sheets which are remote from the first marginal portions. The misaligned first sheets are moved into exact register with the remaining first sheets by shifting them toward the second surface so that their second marginal portions contact the stop.

Abstract: A film loader (16), loads a planar film sheet (58), such as a microfiche, onto a vacuum head (54) associated with an X/Y positioner (56). The film sheet is edge supported between slots (106) in two side plates (36, 38), and is transported along the path defined by these slots by driven rollers (40, 110). The vacuum head (54) is positioned at a location transversely adjacent and partially intruding into this film path. Stop pins (62) block the movement of the film sheet beyond this location so that the film sheet comes to stop with an edge (68) resting on the vacuum head. Guide pins (64) are inserted into the film path upstream of this location, and are moved downstream so as to confine the film sheet to a well defined position between the guide pins (64) and the stop pins (62). An actuator (70) forces the film sheet transversely against locator pins (66) which protrude from the vacuum head (54), thus precisely aligning the film sheet (58) onto the vacuum head (54).

Abstract: A paper feed device to forward documents to be copied across a document glass utilizing foraminous rollers positioned above the glass at a slight angle to the direction of document movement to move the side of the document into sliding relationship with a reference edge during the forwarding operation. The angle is produced by a curved drive shaft and rollers at opposite ends of the drive shaft are at different angles to the direction of paper movement. The rollers and drive train are rigidly mounted on a plate which is nonrigidly carried in a frame which pivots about a hinge at one end of the document glass. The plate rests on the top surface of front and rear reference edges when the frame is closed to assure accurate positioning of the rollers in relation to the document glass. After completing the forward feeding of a document, it is reversed a slight distance to a registration position for the copying operation.

Abstract: An improved document registration system in a copier having a platen for exposing documents includes a registration edge at the forward end of the platen and at least one foam document aligning belt located adjacent to and above the registration edge. The alignment belt is adapted to extend a short distance over and conform to the registration edge so that documents can be driven toward the registration edge with positive control and thereby reduce up-curl and registration edge jumping.

Abstract: Sheet alignment and feeding apparatus including a sheet feed table for supporting a sheet to be fed, a side registration edge along one edge of the feed table, a sheet feed roll rotatably mounted in the feed table so that its top surface is in feeding engagement with a sheet to be fed, a cooperating pinch device in contact with the top of the feed roll, the feed roll being canted at an angle to the side registration edge to simultaneously drive a sheet against the registration edge and in a forward direction, and the feed roll having a relatively low coefficient of friction. The effects of contamination on the feed roll are minimized and a more effective and reliable feeding operation is achieved.

Abstract: A sheet feeding and registering apparatus includes a document platen, a single wide document transport belt and a sheet registration member. The sheet registration member is a linear member with a plurality of lower registration edges at a first level above the platen and a plurality of sheet stripping portions raised to a level above the first level and forming therewith a series of undulations. The raised sheet stripping portions are inclined to a direction opposite the direction of sheet transport and with the document platen form a small sheet corner capturing cavity. When feeding a slightly skewed sheet to the registration edge the lead corner is first stripped from the transport belt, then physically captured by the cavity and pivoted about its lead edge until it is fully registered against the registration member.

Abstract: This specification discloses an automatic original handling device for use with a copying apparatus and for automatically placing an original to be copied at a predetermined position on the original carriage surface of the copying apparatus. The original conveyor means of the device is provided with registration means for pushing the trailing end of the original to register the trailing end to a predetermined position on the conveyor means or provided with the registration means and restraining means for stopping the original moved by the registration means to register the leading end of the original at a predetermined position, thus registering the trailing end or the leading end of the original at the predetermined position, whereafter the original is conveyed over a predetermined distance and placed at a proper position on the original carriage surface.

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: The disclosure relates to method and apparatus for orienting a limp ply of fabric, in preparation for delivery to a sewing operation, for example. The ply is separated from a ply stack and deposited on a flat shutter plate, which transports the ply to a predetermined discharge or deposit position. The trailing edge of the ply is then engaged at spaced points by orienting lugs extending downward from a pair of pivotally supported sweep arms. As the flat shutter plate is withdrawn, the edge of the ply is engaged by the orienting lugs, retaining the ply in the deposit position. At the same time, the sweep arms are pivoted to move the orienting lugs outward along the edge of the ply, which serves to rotationally orient the ply, as necessary, so that the edge is properly engaged by both of the spaced lugs. When the shutter plate is completely withdrawn the now-oriented ply drops onto a conveyor for transport to a further operation, such as folding and sewing.

Abstract: An automatic document handler employing reversible belt means for moving the documents onto the exposure platen of a reproduction machine and registering the documents thereon, a variable pressure roller being provided to increase the belt normal force against the document when moving the document onto the platen and for reducing the belt normal force while registering the document thereon.

Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus in which sheets are automatically moved in sequence into a registered position on a work surface and then moved out of that position to make way for the next sheet is disclosed. The sheet handling apparatus includes a sheet transport for conveying a sheet over a receiving surface and including a drive surface engageable with a sheet on the surface, and a spring supported roller and stop arrangement for automatically varying the frictional engagement between the drive surface and a sheet on the receiving surface.

Abstract: A document handling apparatus in which sheets are automatically moved in sequence into a registered position on a work surface and then moved out of that position to make way for the next sheet is disclosed. The apparatus includes a document driving belt extending across a surface between first and second edges thereof, a reversible drive for selectively driving the belt in one direction towards the second surface edge and in the opposite direction, a pair of document driving rotary members flanking the belt adjacent the second edge of the surface, and a clutch arrangement for driving said members in said one direction only.

Abstract: An apparatus for the registration of documents on the platen of a photocopier is disclosed. The apparatus is in the form of a registration edge against which an edge of a document may be positioned. The registration edge is formed by a generally channel-shaped member of resilient material extending along an edge of the platen and fitted over the platen edge with the sides thereof gripping the opposite faces of the platen.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for feeding rectangular metal sheets from a supply to a cupping press in which can body blanks are cut and drawn from the metal sheets. The apparatus includes a table providing a flat conveying surface, and three sheet feeding mechanisms are provided at locations along the table between the opposite ends thereof. A sheet to be transferred is deposited on one end of the table and is transferred therefrom to a second position by an endless chain and feed finger arrangement. At the second position, the trailing edge of the sheet is engaged by a reciprocating feed finger arrangement to advance the sheet one step to a third position on the table in which the sheet is accurately spaced longitudinally relative to a reference point in the press.

Abstract: An automatic document handler employing an belt endless for moving the document to be scanned onto a stationary scanning platen, the belt having a width substantially less then the width of the documents to be handled thereby. The document engaging run of the belt is trained over a support located at a point generally intermediate two belt supporting rollers so that the belt contacts the platen in two separated areas on opposite sides of the intermediate point.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for feeding sheets accurately in correct orientation, especially to a press for blanking pieces from the sheet, has an intermittent sheet-advancing action in which not only the movement of the sheet, but also its orientation with respect to the path of travel and its transverse position, are determined solely by pusher dogs without any need for side guides. The pusher dogs fit in recesses in the rear edge of the sheet in such a way that the transverse position of the sheet is determined accurately by an abrupt discontinuity of the recess or recesses engaging a pusher dog.

Abstract: Disclosed is an alignment assembly for accurately aligning separate sets of documents being inserted into the assembly from transversely oriented feed paths, the alignment assembly including a pivotally mounted document gate which provides not only guide passageways for documents entering the assembly, but also an alignment edge for accurately positioning and aligning documents within the assembly in document clamps adapted to transport the documents from the alignment assembly to a print station and thereafter to an exit transport assembly. The movement of documents inserted in the alignment assembly is effected by a document aligner assembly comprising cooperating vibratory document transporters and pivotally mounted back-up rollers for simultaneously urging the documents into the clamps and against the alignment edge of the document gate.

Abstract: An automatic document handler adapted to register a document against a registration edge on the exposure platen of a reproduction machine, a pivotable baffle being provided to prevent documents from overriding the registration edge during the registration process.

Abstract: A hopper mechanism comprising a hopper front panel and a back shoe horizontally sideable with respect to a hopper base together forming a hopper into which a horizontal deck of document cards may be placed; a belt extending around a pick roll moveable through the front panel for picking an end card in the hopper and driving it downwardly through a throat gap disposed in the hopper base; a relatively large diameter roll supporting the belt and forming a nip with the belt into which the picked document card moves from the throat gap for reversing the direction of movement of the card from vertical to horizontal; a registration arm swingable by the card as it passes out from engagement with the large diameter roll and belt for sensing the position of the card; and a reversely rotating roll coacting with a roller carried by the registration arm for moving the card backwardly, after the card has cleared the registration arm, into contact with a card abutting registration edge of the arm for providing a registered

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: Method and apparatus are disclosed for feeding a continuous series of sheets step-wise to a treating machine wherein the rearward and forward edges of successive sheets are overlapped to provide a continuous supply to the treating machine. Each sheet is fed in a simultaneous step-wise manner by a feed member engaging the rear edge of each sheet. The improvement comprises the delivering of each sheet onto the last sheet on the sheet feeder such that the forward edge of the delivered sheet overlaps the rear edge of the last sheet by an amount at least as great as the prescribed overlap so that the feed member adapted to engage the rear edge of the delivered sheet will in the next feed step engage the rear edge of the delivered sheet and bring it into proper overlap position with the adjacent forward sheet which has been moved its prescribed step at the same time.

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 sheet registry device for use in a sheet-handling machine in which a constantly rotating brush exerts a force on the sheet to urge the sheet against a side guide and properly register such sheet in a cross-machine direction while the sheet is being removed in a direction parallel to the guiding surface of the side guide.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating a single ply of limp material, such as fabric from a stack of such plies, and transporting the separated ply to a predetermined destination. The apparatus includes a rotatable ply gripping wheel, cooperating with a ply holding shoe. By rotating the wheel in contact with the ply, while restraining an adjacent area, the ply is buckled into a wave, nipped and then picked off of the stack. The gripping wheel and pressing shoe maintain a predetermined geometric relation, while being capable of independent yieldable contact with an uneven ply stack. The gripping wheel and holding shoe are operable in conjunction with an insertable flat plate, which is effective to progressively free the remainder of the ply. Thereafter, the flat plate is utilized to transport the freed ply to a desired destination, while the picking unit independently returns to the ply stack to commence its engagement with the next subsequent ply.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating a single ply of limp material, such as fabric from a stack of such plies, and transporting the separated ply to a predetermined destination. The apparatus includes a rotatable ply gripping wheel, cooperating with a ply holding shoe. By rotating the wheel in contact with the ply, while restraining an adjacent area, the ply is buckled into a wave, nipped and then picked off of the stack. The gripping wheel and pressing shoe maintain a predetermined geometric relation, while being capable of independent yieldable contact with an uneven ply stack. The gripping wheel and holding shoe are operable in conjunction with an insertable flat plate, which is effective to progressively free the remainder of the ply. Thereafter, the flat plate is utilized to transport the freed ply to a desired destination, while the picking unit independently returns to the ply stack to commence its engagement with the next subsequent ply.