Abstract: A mechanism for registering sheets of different sizes relative to a station which includes a surface for receiving a sheet, and a registration member located along the surface and extending toward the station for guiding the sheet toward the station. A first urging guide extends along the surface in spaced relation to the registration member. A second urging guide rotates about an axis parallel to the guide and below the platen between an operational position and an non-operational position. When the movable guide is in its operational position, it is located between the first guide and the registration member. A spring is provided for locking the guide in either the operational or non-operational position.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet by a vibration wave includes a pair of rotatable rollers each having a rotary shaft orthogonal to the direction of conveyance of the sheet and substantially parallel to the surface of the sheet. The sheet feeding device is designed such that the sheet is nipped by and between the pair of rollers with suitable pressure, thereby eliminating lateral shift and inclination for any extraneous force applied to the sheet.

Abstract: At the free end of an arm (1) which is pivotable about a shaft (12), a driven coupling portion (3) with a claw coupling (3a) is rotatably mounted, such coupling being held in positive engagement with a sleeve (5) shiftable on a shaft (2). Sleeve (5) is provided with a circumferential cam groove (5b) which has an advancing and returning pitch and is engaged by a stationary projection (11). Sleeve (5) is provided with a concentrical collar (5d) on which a second wheel (4), having a smooth circumferential surface, is shiftably mounted and held in positive engagement. On an eccentric collar (5a) of sleeve (5), a first wheel (6) designed as a radial ball bearing is mounted whose circumferential surface has high static friction. When sleeve (5) is set in motion, it moves to and fro, the second wheel (4) being urged via an inclined surface (4b4c) into contact with the first wheel (6) and entraining said wheel by frictional engagement.

Abstract: A conveying mechanism, particularly useful with a printed-circuit board laminator, in which the board is conveyed by several conveyor rollers having a small gap against several guide members, such as rollers, to accommodate the board and prevent its warping. A sliding device aligns the board as it is transported by the rollers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for changing the direction of motion of flat articles being conveyed along a first path to a second path. The apparatus comprises a deck mounted on a frame. The deck has a first side for receiving an article from a first direction and a second side for conveying the article in a second direction which forms an acute angle equal to or less than forty-five degrees (45.degree.) with the first direction. There is a structure for conveying the article over the deck in the second direction. The conveying structure engages a leading edge of the article only after the article has been disengaged by a conveying structure in the first direction. There is a registration wall positioned downstream from the second direction conveying structure adjacent a third side of the deck.

Abstract: A covering device for a side-lay opening formed in a feed table of a sheet-processing machine and disposed transversely to a sheet-transport direction, wherein a bottom edge of at least one side lay for laterally aligning sheets travelling through the sheet processing machine in the sheet-transport direction dips into the side lay opening to a location below the surface of the feed table, a holder for the side lay being disposed on a guide and being adjustable transversely with respect to the sheet-transport direction, and cover web segments mutually juxtaposed and in alignment with the surface of the table being disposed adjacent the side lay for covering the side-lay opening, includes a spring device for bracing the cover web segments and biasing them in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the feed table, a sliding pad attached to the holder for the side lay, the sliding pad, in vicinity of the side lay, being actuable from above on the cover web segments for pressing the latter against the spring b

Abstract: A device (10) for positioning a glass sheet or other generally rigid planar object (G), having a roller bed table (12) for supporting the object in a horizontal plane and an overhead device (14) carrying a first set of spaced apart arms (26, 28, 30, 32), each of which has a vertically acting cylinder (70) near a free end thereof, and a second set of spaced apart arms (20, 22, 24) near a free end thereof, each of which has a horizontally acting cylinder (48) near the free end thereof. Each vertically acting cylinder has a sheet edge contacting element (74) at the free end of its cylinder rod (72), and these edge contacting elements act as fixed stops during the positioning of the object. Each horizontally acting cylinder has a sheet edge contacting element (52) of the free end of its cylinder rod (50), and these edge contacting elements act as movable stops during the positioning of the object.

Abstract: A method of deskewing and side registering a sheet is disclosed. The method includes the step of driving a sheet non-differentially in a process direction with a sheet driver, the sheet having an unknown magnitude of side-to-side misregistration and an unknown initial angle of skew. The method further includes the steps of measuring the initial angle of skew with an initial skew sensing mechanism and driving the sheet differentially with the sheet driver to compensate for the magnitude of side-to-side misregistration and thereby induce a registration angle of skew. Moreover, the method includes the steps of measuring the registration angle of skew with a registration skew sensing mechanism and summing the initial angle of skew and the registration angle of skew so as to determine an absolute angle of skew.

Abstract: An apparatus for end correction of an automotive tire strip member comprises a conveyor belt for conveyance of a tire strip member consisting of rubberized steel cords to a tire building drum, which conveyor belt is narrower than the strip member, a supporting plate disposed under the conveyor belt and adapted to support the belt, a guide plate extending in parallel with the lengthwise axis of the conveyor belt and disposed above the supporting plate and on one side thereof in such a manner that it is driven to advance and retreat with respect to the conveyor belt, and a magnet disposed below the supporting plate and toward one side thereof in such a manner that it is driven to advance and retreat with respect to the conveyor belt.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to deskew sheets in a short paper path in an electrophotographic printing machine by differentially driving two sets of rolls so as to create a paper buckle buffer zone in the sheet and then differentially driving a roll set to correct the skew while the sheet is still within the nips of multiple drive roll sets. Contrary to stalled roll techniques, leading edge damage to sheets is eliminated as the deskewing rolls are initially traveling at the same velocity as the sheet.

Abstract: A depository apparatus includes a common entry slot (14) for receiving both envelopes and single sheets, such as checks and a thickness sensor (216) for providing an output indicative of whether a deposit item is an envelope or a sheet. Transport apparatus (38) transports deposit items along a common feed path to a printer (42) for printing data on envelopes and sheets, and to a read head (40) for reading data from sheets. A sheet alignment mechanism is included in the common feed path and is operable to bring about alignment of a sheet relative to the read head (40) by moving the sheet into engagement with a reference member (170). Operation of the transport apparatus (38) is interrupted during operation of the alignment mechanism. Envelopes are fed directly into a first container (146). After reading of data from a sheet, operation of the transport apparatus (38) is reversed to feed the sheet into a selected one of two additional containers (138, 140).

Abstract: A workpiece is aligned in the X, Y coordinate plane at a predetermined X, Y reference coordinate. Separate X and Y coordinate transports rapidly transport and align the workpiece. Deceleration means prevent the workpiece from slipping on the work surface. An adjustable, stationary workpiece engaging plate speeds the cycle time of the device by providing dual coordinate alignment of the workpiece. Sensors are provided to detect the presence of a workpiece properly aligned in the X, Y coordinate plane. The sensors may be either individually connected or coupled through a control means to previous and succeeding workstations in such a manner that the invention can interrupt the "fault chain" that occurs when a workpiece becomes fouled along the assembly line.

Abstract: A front-end feeder for a mixed mail handling machine employs a raised deck portion spaced from a registration wall for the mail pieces. The raised deck portion, preferably a plurality of fixed steps of increasing height, provides additional tilting and guidance of wide mail pieces to prevent mis-registration.

Abstract: The invention comprises an apparatus which allows precision alignment of sheet-metal plates of various sizes and shapes such that two of those pieces can be conveyed properly past a laser beam welding device and welded together. This is accomplished by affixing each piece to be welded to a pallet which is adapted to be moved along a conveyance system up to and through the welding station. Prior to welding, each piece is carefully aligned and securely affixed to its pallet such that no further motion is possible during the welding process. Also disclosed are methods for loading and discharging the pieces from the pallets, for returning the pallets to the front end of the conveyance system, for combining several systems according to this invention so as to assemble three or more pieces by laser beam welding, and for finishing the assembled units.

Abstract: Bar scoring apparatus with a conveyor for moving a corrugated box in one direction, a first conveyor table that is adapted to align the box and feed it to a scoring press in another direction, perpendicular to the one direction, and a second conveyor table that is adapted to receive the fully-scored box and feed it to a subsequent process in yet another direction, opposite to the one direction. The first conveyor table is inclined downwardly from the conveyor, and includes a datum edge to align the box under the influence of gravity. Once the box is fully-scored, a rotatable frame on the second conveyor table rotates downwardly to a horizontal position for offload of the box.

Abstract: An improved recirculating document feeder for presenting sheets from a document sheet stack individually to a station of the reproduction apparatus for reproducing of information contained on such sheets. The improved recirculating document feeder comprises a support for a document sheet stack with a selected side of each document sheet facing up and with the selected side of the topmost document sheet in said stack for ready viewing. A feed path extends away from the then back to the document stack support, for directing sheets from the support into association with the reproducing station and then back to the stack, the feed path defining with the support a closed-loop that inverts a sheet and directs the sheet into association with the reproducing station selected side down and then inverts the sheet again and directs the sheet to the top of the stack selected side up. Document sheets are selectively fed from the stack seriatim about the feed path.

Abstract: An alignment and transport roll made of flexible material has a curved cross section and comprises a ring like thicker outer circumferential part. The outer part of the roll 1 is deflected in an alignment direction, by a variable thickness item to be transported such as a passbook. Upon rotation of the roll or movement of the paper, the item is aligned and transported. The alignment force is generated in the same direction regardless of the direction of movement of the item. Such a roll can also be provided with a supporting structure on one side to avoid alignment in the wrong direction when the roll flips over as happens when the roll is deflected in the wrong direction. The roll and supporting structure, or roll along can be joined in a pair of rollers coacting with each other. A roll or roller pair can be used in any alignment unit. The preferable use is in a passbook printer to align the passbook for printing purposes and for reading the magnetic stripe on the passbook.

Abstract: In an image recording apparatus in which a pinch roller restrains lateral movement of image receiving paper, a skew feed roller and an edge guide are operative, by virtue of a curved portion of the paper feed path between the pinch roller and the skew roller, to position the paper laterally despite the restraint imposed by the pinch roller. The skew roller and the edge guide are disposed along a straight portion of the paper feed path.

Abstract: A registration mechanism registers sheets of different sizes so the sheets are properly positioned as they enter an imaging station adjacent the mechanism. A fixed urging guide at one side of a platen urges sheets of the largest size toward a registration guide at another side of the platen for aligning the sheet relative to the guide. Other urging guides move through slots in the platen between a raised position relative to the platen, wherein they are effective to urge smaller sheets toward the registration guide, and a lowered position at or below the platen surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for moving a document towards the bottom of a document track as the document is moved in first and second directions within the track. The apparatus includes a feed unit positioned on one side of the document track and a cooperating unit positioned on the opposed side of the track. The cooperating unit has a rod which is pivotally supported in a support. A high friction roller is secured to the top end of the rod and a low friction roller is rotatably supported on the lower end of the rod. The feed unit has an idler roller positioned opposite to the high friction roller and also has a drive roller positioned opposite to the low friction roller in the cooperating unit. As the document is moved in a first direction in the document track, the high friction roller causes the rod to pivot slightly, thereby causing the low friction roller on the bottom of the rod to cant slightly, producing a downward component of force on the document as it is moved in the first direction.

Abstract: A device for conveying and positioning sheets, comprising positioning apparatus for positioning one of the longitudinal sides of the sheets on the ideal transport line for said longitudinal side, the positioning apparatus being adapted to occupy an operative or an inoperative position, and actuating apparatus for moving the positioning apparatus, the positioning apparatus comprising a first conveying device and a second conveying device, each comprising two conveying members, at least one of which is formed by a roller, which two conveying members can form a transport nip extending parallel to the ideal transport line, the transport nip of the first conveying device extending along the ideal transport line and the second conveying device being situated at some distance from the first conveying device in the zone of the sheet conveying path, and drive apparatus are provided by which the roller (or rollers) of each conveying device can be so driven that each conveying device in its operative position exerts on

Abstract: A device for the transport of recording media (3) of varying or different widths and/or thicknesses while automatically aligning the same includes a rotatably mounted and driven friction roll (1) and a plurality of rotatable pressure rollers 2a, 2b, 2c arranged in abutment with the friction roll periphery. A guide surface (6) for one of the lateral edges (3a) of the recording medium, which surface extends perpendicular to the friction roll axis (5), is associated with one end (4) of the friction roll. The pressure rollers (2a, 2b, 2c) are located off-center with respect to the length (7) of the elongated friction roll on the side or section thereof closest to the guide surface (6), while the longitudinal section (8) of the friction roll (1) which is most remote from the guide surface (6) is free of pressure rollers.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device for orienting a sheet having a rectangular shape into a straight position. A sheet, which is fed forward in a position inclined in one way and then brought into contact engagement at one corner on the leading edge thereof with one of two working surfaces of the device is turned into a straight position by the feeding force acting on the sheet to move it forward and of the force of a working surface of the device acting on that corner to move it in a direction perpendicular to that of the feeding force and away from the other corner on the same leading edge of the sheet.

Abstract: A dynamic edge guide for use in a side edge registration system includes a moving belt having raised ridges thereon that form a channel into which a substrate fits. Substrates moved through the registration system by a transport device are side registered against the belt by a scuffer mechanism with the transport device and belt moving at approximately the same speed. In this manner, adverse couple created between the side registration mechanism and the resisting frictional force between the paper and the registration guide is minimized.

Abstract: A mechanism registers a sheet of film and advances it toward an imaging station for exposure by a laser scanning system. A registration member is located along a surface that receives the sheet and the member is engageable by an edge of the sheet for registering and guiding the sheet toward the station. An urging guide located along another portion of the surface is skewed relative to the registration member and spaced from it so that the end portions of the guide and registration member nearest the station are spaced apart sufficiently to enable the sheet to lie flat on the surface while other portions thereof are sufficiently close together to prevent the sheet from lying flat on the surface. The guide projects above the surface and is tilted away from the registration member so that the guide imparts a component of force onto a sheet resting thereon which urges the sheet toward the registration member.

Abstract: An integral sheet stopping, stacking and lateral registration system, in which sequential incoming sheets are fed into a tray and stopped at an edge registration position and also repositioned laterally by lateral sheet repositioning scuffers engaging an edge of the sheets at the edge registration position, with improved protection against sheet edge distortion or damage provided by movable partial sheet stopping surfaces partially shielding the incoming sheet lead edge from full impact with the lateral scuffers but without interfering with the subsequent lateral movement of the sheets by the lateral scuffers. The incoming sheets are fed in and stacked under a stack-floating curved input guide baffle and floating frictional input flapper scuffers feeding and holding an incoming sheet downstream against the lateral scuffers for improved lateral registration.

Abstract: A sheet such as a stimulable phosphor sheet, a photographic film, or the like is fed toward an image reading mechanism for reading an image from the sheet or an image reproducing mechanism for reproducing an image on the sheet. The sheet is gripped and fed by at least one pair of rollers, which are then displaced away from each other to release the sheet. The sheet is displaced in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which it is fed by the rollers, until the sheet is positioned in a predetermined position. Thereafter, the positioned sheet is gripped again by the rollers and fed thereby into the image reading mechanism or the image reproducing mechanism.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for printing on printed products (20) which are transported past an ink jet writer (34') in an imbricated stream by means of a conveying device. A sensor (34, 35) triggers a writing operation of the ink jet writer when a printed product (20) has reached the writing area of the latter. Therefore, the printed products (20) can also be inscribed in an imbricated stream conveyed in a freely supported manner. The conveying device, in the area of the ink jet writer (34') is provided with means (12) which laterally displace the printed products individually during transportation of the printed products (20) in the imbricated stream.

Abstract: A thermal development image forming apparatus includes an exposure section, an overlapping section, a developing/transfer section, a sheet separating section, and a correcting section. The exposure section forms a latent image by exposing a photosensitive sheet. The overlapping section overlaps the exposed photosensitive sheet on an image-receiving sheet. The developing/transfer section heats/presses the overlapped sheets so as to develop the latent image on the photosensitive sheet and transfer the developed image onto the image-receiving sheet. The sheet separating section separates the photosensitive sheet from the image-receiving sheet image upon image development/transfer. The correcting section for correcting skews of the sheets in a feed direction is arranged in a step prior to that of the sheet separating section.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an improved active sheet registration system which provides deskewing and registration of sheets along a paper path in X, Y and .THETA. directions. Sheet drivers are independently controllable to selectively provide differential and non-differential driving of the sheet in accordance with the position of the sheet as sensed by an array of at least three sensors. The sheet is driven non-differently until the initial random skew of the sheet is measured. The sheet is then driven differentially to correct the measured skew, and to induce a known skew. The sheet is then driven non-differentially until a side edge is detected, whereupon the sheet is driven differentially to compensate for the know skew. Upon final deskewing, the sheet is driven non-differentially outwardly from the deskewing and registration arrangement. A fourth sensor may be provided to measure the position of the sheet after registration with respect to desired machine timing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for combining a plurality of serially supplied sheets into a set, depending on markings carried by the sheets and read by a reader, and discharging a set to a further handling station, such as an inserting machine. The leading edge of the first sheet of a set, and successively the remaining part of the sheet, is deflected out of its plane of transport, preferably downwardly and through about 180.degree., into a new plane of transport, in which the sheet is arrested in a flat condition. Each subsequent sheet of a set is similarly deflected and displaced into a position overlying the preceding sheet, and after thus completing the set, it is discharged. At choice, a set can be discharged with the leading edges being the edges that were the trailing edges during the supply of the sheets, or with one of the feed side edges of the sheets in leading position.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading automatically fed documents and manually fed documents into a document transport. The loader apparatus includes a plurality of document driver devices situated along a track and capable of automatically accommodating documents of various thicknesses and sizes, the driver devices being actuable for downwardly driving received documents for registering their bottom edges along a horizontally extending registration surface, as well as for controllably gating the documents, and for forwardly driving the upstanding documents along the track and into a document processing transport. A preloader transport is provided for applying documents to the loader issuing from automatic feeder apparatus. The loader's track configuration includes an undercut registration surface for supporting the document's bottom edge in such manner as to decrease the likelihood of document distortion during the loading process.

Abstract: Side registration is provided for a web during its forward movement by lateral movement of the web causing one side edge of the web to engage a registration edge guide, by moving the web sideways with self-skewed pivotal rollers engaging and driving the web at their nip. Two separate roller drive systems with a slight speed differential are utilized in cooperation acting on the same web. A downstream, fixed nip, non-slip, roller drive system drives the sheet in its primary direction of movement, at a first driving velocity. Simultaneously, the same web is driven at an upstream position by a pivotal nip drive roller system. This upstream (pivotal nip) roller system is mounted on a pivot arm to pivot therewith, and is driven at a second driving velocity which is slightly lower than the first driving velocity of the other, downstream, roller drive system.

Abstract: A differential motion translating and document drive delivery system wherein the system includes power, a first element for delivery of documents sequentially along a first path, a device for establishing orientation relative to a planar reference, and an element related to the first delivery element for translating the direction of movement of the documents angularly relative to the first path along a second path, the paths being generally perpendicular and hence the second path is substantially parallel relative to the reference.

Abstract: Sheet feeder for a printing machine includes a receiving device adjustable in height for taking up a pile formed of individual sheets, a front stop for leading edges of the sheets, and at least one side stop for the side edges of the sheets at one side of the pile; alignment elements located at least at an upper end of the pile and exerting alignment forces on the pile towards the front and the side stops; a loosening device for neutralizing, at least partly, adherence of the upper sheets to one another; a conveying device for withdrawing the respective uppermost sheet from the pile and feeding it into the printing machine; and an additional sheet alignment device acting upon the surface of the respective uppermost sheet, at least until it is taken over by the conveying device, in a way that the alignment device exerts alignment forces upon the sheet towards at least one of the stops; the additional sheet alignment device being offset with respect to the conveying device towards respective trailing edges of t

Abstract: A copy sheet rotator in which a sheet is moved by two separately driven crowned rolls that form nips with cooperating idler rolls. For sheet turning, one roll is stopped with the sheet in the nip while the other roll continues to drive and rotate the sheet. A separate scuffer roller registers the rotated sheet after it has been released from the rolls without scuffing damage. The position, angle and velocity of the scuffer allows the sheet to remain in tension during rotation and therefore prevents buckling without the need for nip release systems.

Abstract: A device (10) for advancing documents (12) from an input location (14) to an output location (16) along a path includes belts (24, 26) for capturing a document (12) and for temporarily imparting a stiffness to the document that is greater than the inherent document stiffness. Structure (34, 60) is provided for driving belts (24, 26) to move the document (12) from the input location (14) to the output location (16) along the path. A guide (90) is disposed adjacent the belts (24, 26) and along the path for contacting the edges of the document (12) to thereby cause lateral aligning shifts of the document (12) transverse to the direction of document (12) advance, while the document (12) is captured by belts (24, 26) and while the document (12) is being advanced along the path.

Abstract: A table top buckle chute fold machine is disclosed in which improved and more reliable squaring of the paper to the folding rolls is accomplished by lightly driving an inserted sheet of paper with a friction roller against a selected one of several deflector assemblies. The deflector assemblies each include a deflector member spaced away from the rollers to direct the advancing edge of the paper inwardly so as to be abutted against the back of a recessed guide groove. An intermittently engaged drive roller causes the squared paper to be forcibly advanced against the groove, causing the sheet to buckle and be nipped between another pair of driven nip rollers, forming a first fold at the location determined by the location of the particular deflector assembly activated.

Abstract: The device comprises a conveyor (A) driven with a reciprocating movement by means of a jack (V1) and on which the object (T) is placed in any way, wherein a stationary stop (CO), located crosswise with respect to said movement, acts as a deviating means as the object comes into contact with it. The device is completed with a vertically movable parts (BP), which almost comes into flush relationship with the upper part of the object so as to abviate any distortion in the plane (FIG. 3).

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: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station for conveying a sheet material along a lateral reference position and for forming an image on the sheet material; refeeding device for refeeding to the image forming station the sheet material on which the image has been formed in the image forming station; means, provided in the sheet refeeding means, for shifting the sheet material in the lateral direction from the lateral reference position by a predetermined amount, wherein the amount of the shift is predetermined on the basis of a change in a lateral dimension of the sheet material resulting from an image forming operation in the image station.

Abstract: The apparatus for the lateral straightening of printing products on a conveyor has guide members in the form of endless toothed belts arranged on opposite sides of the conveyor which are given, by motor-driven pulleys, a movement in the same movement direction and with approximately the same feed speed of the conveyed material. At the same time, the pulleys move inwardly toward each other, converging at the width of the printed products.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus has a data reading head and an elastomer ring on a driven rotor within stationary arcuate outer guide means for driving a sheet along a path starting and ending at a common location and passing the reading head. The elastomer ring and the outer guide are shaped so that their cooperation biases sheets against and into edgewise alignment with side guide means along portions of the path approaching the reading head and departing from the reading head. The sheet feeding path is arched away from the elastomer ring in the region of the elastomer ring, and the guide means has a light-absorbing channel that is uninterrupted by the elastomer ring disposed opposite the data reading head. The entire apparatus is readily opened up for service virtually without resort to tools and restored to operative condition without need for adjustments.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes an edge aligning device for aligning an edge of individually fed sheets with respect to an underlying table. A tray overlies the table and has an upper sheet-receiving surface for receiving the individually fed sheets. An aligning member mounted to overly the tray includes an aligning wall having a knife edge lightly engageable with the tray. The tray is reciprocated by a reciprocating drive through a forward stroke positioning the tray to receive a sheet on its sheet-receiving surface laterally of the knife edge, and a return stroke moving the sheet-receiving surface towards the knife edge to move the sheet thereon against the knife edge, thereby to align the sheet therewith, and then past the knife edge while further movement of the sheet is arrested by the knife edge, thereby permitting the sheet to drop onto the underlying table.

Abstract: A method of aligning sheets during stream feeding of a multiplicity of sheets over a feed table to a first steadily rotating cylinder of a sheet-processing medium includes in a first feeding stage, conveying the sheets in an imbricated arrangement thereof via the feed table and in a given direction to an alignment region; in a second feeding stage, aligning a lateral and a leading edge of the sheets in the alignment region while the sheets remain in the imbricated arrangement thereof and without interrupting movement of the sheets in the given direction and, in a third feeding stage, accelerating the speed at which the sheets are stream fed to a peripheral speed of a rotating cylinder and feeding the sheets to the first steadily rotating cylinder, while finally aligning the sheets at front markers.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for the lateral registration and registration in the feed direction of sheets which are fed in a sheet stream across a feed table to a sheet treating machine, e.g. a printing press. They stretch out the sheet transversely to the feed direction. The apparatus includes two suction plates arranged at a distance one from another at right angles to the feed direction, which are each respectively drivable in rotation about an axis. By use of suction openings which can be subjected to suction, the respective frontmost sheet of the sheet stream can be grasped in the region of its front edge and moved to bring its side edge to lie against a side stop and to bring its front edge to lie against a front stop. In accordance with the invention, one suction plate is drivable rotatably in a first rotational sense and the second suction plate in the opposite rotational sense.

Abstract: This specification discloses a sheet conveying device for correcting oblique feeding of sheets and conveying the sheets in a predetermined direction of conveyance. The sheet conveying device has first sheet conveying apparatus for conveying sheets, second sheet conveying apparatus provided downstream of the first sheet conveying apparatus with respect to the direction of conveyance, and apparatus for forming a loop between the first and the second sheet conveying apparatus by the conveying force of the first sheet conveying apparatus and thereafter displacing the second sheet conveying apparatus holding a sheet thereon in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction of conveyance.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for accurately positioning a generally rectangular sheet being fed in a direction generally parallel to one edge thereof in which a first stop offset from the centerline of the sheet in the direction of feeding engages the leading edge of the sheet to initiate a turning action thereof and in which second and third edge stops engage the lateral edges of the sheet with reference to the direction of feed and at points adjacent to the sheet corners before appreciable turning movement of the sheet has taken place.

Abstract: A bi-directional actuator is disclosed which comprises a frame, rotatable about a principal longitudinal axis. The frame mounts two or more partially spherical drive elements. The centers of the partially spherical elements are located on the longitudinal axis of the frame, and the elements are mounted for rotation about individual axes which are perpendicular to but intersect with the longitudinal axes. The individual axes of the respective drive elements are also angularly oriented with respect to each other. The cross sectional outline of the frame is contained within a cylindrical envelope of less diameter than the spheres. Driving devices, such as a belt, are provided to engage at least one of the drive elements in any rotary position of the frame. Directly opposite the belt or other driving device, the driven element or elements engages a material to be driven, typically a piece of fabric.

Abstract: An alignment device for alignment of cardboard and corrugated cardboard sheets as they enter a processing machine. The device includes a lateral alignment member which works strongly with a stop and includes a parallelogram arrangement for mounting a pushing member to move in a linear path to push a sheet against the stop. The stop is provided with a brush and a free-moving omni-directional roller to frictionally grip a blank as it is moved against the stop, the brush and roller are mounted on a movable lever. Movement of the lever as well as movement of the pushing member are both controlled by different cams which are set to have the desired alignment followed by a release of the blank occur in the desired sequence.