Abstract: An unintentionally overlapped condition in a paper sheet being transported is detected by making ultrasonic waves incident on its path and detecting a phase difference between the received ultrasonic waves and a predetermined standard phase. For detecting an overlap on the basis of this phase difference, a specified data item on the detected overlap such as a cumulative number of times an overlap has been detected is generated and one of a plurality of preliminarily defined levels corresponding to this specified data item is selected. The selected level is outputted. If the overlap is detected over an entire detection range of the paper sheet from its front edge to the back edge, however, it is concluded that there is no possibility of an unintentional overlap.

Abstract: A delivery system comprises a frame, and a plurality of hoppers attachable to the frame in a vertically spaced apart arrangement. The hoppers are each configured to hold a plurality of sheet-like materials. At least one upper belt is movably coupled to the frame, with the belt being configured to move the sheet-like materials downward from the hoppers. At least one contact roller is disposed below each hopper, and at least one suction apparatus that is associated with each hopper. A moving system is configured to move the suction apparatus toward and away from the hopper to grasp and remove one of the sheet-like materials from the hopper, and to move the removed sheet-like material downward until grabbed by the contact roller.

Abstract: In a device for loading further-processing machines with printed products, in particular a feeder rack (5) in gather-stitcher machines or gathering machines (6) for folded sheets (1), sheets, booklets or the like, which has a first conveyor arrangement (15) extending in planar manner for the purpose of feeding printed products (1) standing on their edges in the form of a horizontal stack (2), a second, initially upwardly sloping conveyor arrangement (16) for drawing the printed products (1) off the stack (2) in an overlapping formation and for transferring the overlapping stream (3) to the feeder rack (5), and infinitely variable drives (20, 24) associated with the two conveyor arrangements (15, 16), a control means (23) is provided which controls the two drives (20, 24) at a speed ratio to one another which is dependent on the thickness (D) of the printed products (1) to be processed.

Abstract: In order to provide a sheet determination apparatus having a high reliability and capable of correctly determining the number and kinds of sheets even when sheets having a fold, breakage, tear, or the like are transported in an unfavorable state of overlapping transport, skew transport, or the like, there is provided a thickness sensor with a plurality of thickness detection elements arranged over an entire width of an identification transport passage along a widthwise direction of transport of the transport passage, on which sheets are to be transported, profile data of sheets are extracted from thickness data detected every thickness detection element, and the extracted profile data and profile basic data of sheets, which are stored in a storage unit to constitute standards, are compared with each other and judged to determine the number of sheets.

Abstract: A thickness measuring device for measuring the thickness dimension of an article being conveyed along a conveyor system comprises a rotary encoder, and a lever arm pivotally mounted upon the shaft of the rotary encoder. The lever arm has an end portion thereof disposed adjacent to the conveyor path so as to be deflected by an article conveyed along the conveying path. Deflection of the lever arm causes the rotary shaft of the rotary encoder to undergo a predetermined amount of rotation which is indicative of the thickness dimension of the article being conveyed. The system is also operatively associated with a storage bin such that when a plurality of articles, having a predetermined cumulative thickness dimension, are detected, further conveyance of articles to the storage bin is terminated.

Abstract: A printing system includes an information processing apparatus and a printing apparatus in which character image data transferred from the information processing apparatus is registered in the printing apparatus and the printing apparatus prints the same character by using the registered character image data. The information processing apparatus includes a compression unit for compressing the character image data to be transferred to the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a registration unit for registering the compressed character image data and a decompression unit for decompressing the compressed character image data.

Abstract: An automated banking machine (10) identifies and stores documents such as currency bills deposited by a user. The machine then selectively recovers such documents from storage areas and dispenses them to other users. The machine includes a sheet thickness detector (810) used for distinguishing single sheets from double sheets which pass through the machine. The thickness detector includes a radiation source (822). Radiation from the radiation source is directed by radiation guide (824) to a generally linear elongated radiation outlet (826) which extends transversely to the sheet path. A receiver (814) includes a radiation sensitive element (830) which is also transversely elongated relative to the sheet path. Sheets passing between the emitter and the receiver cause variations in the amount of radiation reaching the receiver. The transversely elongated surface of the sheet through which the transmission of radiation is sensed enables accurately distinguishing single sheets from double sheets.

Abstract: An unintentionally overlapped condition in a paper sheet being transported is detected by making ultrasonic waves incident on its path and detecting a phase difference between the received ultrasonic waves and a predetermined standard phase. For detecting an overlap on the basis of this phase difference, a specified data item on the detected overlap such as a cumulative number of times an overlap has been detected is generated and one of a plurality of preliminarily defined levels corresponding to this specified data item is selected. The selected level is outputted. If the overlap is detected over an entire detection range of the paper sheet from its front edge to the back edge, however, it is concluded that there is no possibility of an unintentional overlap.

Abstract: A method is proposed for measuring thickness and detecting double and missing sheets during the sheet feed to a sheet-processing machine, such as a sheet-fed printing machine. A corresponding monitoring apparatus has one or more sensing elements above or beneath the sheet stream. The sensing element can be displaced, with an actuating device having an actuating drive, in the direction towards and away from the sheet stream. The actuating drive has at least one piezoelectric actuator or it is formed by the latter.

Abstract: In order to securely prevent or detect overlap feeding of sheet materials, there is provided a sheet material feeding mechanism which deforms the sheet materials on a feeding line so as to form a gap between the overlapping sheet materials which firmly cling to each other. For preventing the overlap feeding of the sheets, the drive relationship between a feeding roller and a pair of a parting roller and a retarding roller located on the downstream side from the feeding roller is optimized to form the gap between the sheet materials. Further, for detecting the overlap feeding of the sheets, bending correction ribs are provided on guide plates formed on the upper and lower sides of the feeding line of the sheet materials so as to deform the sheet materials fed in the overlapping condition, thereby the gap is formed between the overlapping sheets.

Abstract: A media dispenser capable of simplifying structure and reducing cost by driving a whole system using a driving means and treating various kinds of media by installing various kinds of media selectively thus to broaden the usefulness, comprising a base plate in which a media cassette in which media are stored and a rejected box are loaded, a media pickup part installed at the lower side of the base plate for discharging the media stored in the media cassette by separating sheet by sheet, a media feeding part for feeding the media discharged through the media pickup part, a media discharging part for discharging the fed media through the media feeding part to outside, a driving means installed at one side of the base plate for generating driving force, a power transmitting means for transmitting the driving force generated at the driving means to the media pickup part, media feeding part and media discharging part, a clutch means installed at one side of the media pickup part for controlling the driving force t

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention an apparatus for multiple document detection includes an ultrasonic transmitter (14) for transmitting an ultrasonic signal (16). An ultrasonic receiver (20) receives the ultrasonic signal (17), after it passes through the at least one of the multiple documents (18). A phase comparator (24) compares the transmitted ultrasonic signal (16) and the received ultrasonic signal (17), and an amplitude measurement circuit (26) compares the received ultrasonic signal (17) to a reference. A microprocessor (32) compares an information signal (28) from the phase comparator (24) and an information signal (30) from the amplitude measurement circuit (26) to a predetermined threshold to determine if multiple documents are present.

Abstract: An ultrasonic wave receiver receives an ultrasonic wave outputted by an ultrasonic wave oscillator, and outputs a receiving signal. A level determining unit makes a determination as to the presence or absence of a sheet of paper based upon a level of the receiving signal. A CPU is informed of this determining signal through a processing unit. An oscillation peak detector detects a peak value of a transmission signal used for controlling an ultrasonic wave transmitter, which is transmitted from an oscillation amplifier. A receiving peak detector detects a peak value of the receiving signal received by the ultrasonic transmitter. The phase difference of the two signals is detected based upon the difference in count values of a loop counter between the timing in which the peak value of the transmission signal is detected and the timing in which the peak value of the receiving signal is detected.

Abstract: A light emitting sensor emits light toward sheets carried along a carriage path and the quantity of light transmitted through each to the sheets is detected by a light receiving sensor. A predetermined number of samples of light quantities received by the light receiving sensor are sampled for each of a plurality of sampling ranges. A multiple feed for each sample range is detected based on light quantity data sampled for each sampling range. A decision of the multiple feed of the sheets is performed based on a plurality of results of the detection of the multiple feed for the plurality of sampling ranges.

Abstract: There is disclosed a sheet handling machine capable of surely verifying whether the number of bills is one or not based on the kind of a bill even when bills different in thickness are inserted, handling the bills of different thickness mixed in, dealing with new bills issued in recent years using various novel feature technologies for bill forgery prevention, and detecting the presence of a foreign object in the bill surface. The kind of each of bills successively fed in is specified by bill checking means for identifying the kind of a bill, and reference thickness information regarding the sheet of a specified kind is read from a reference thickness table recording a bill kind and the thickness information of a bill full surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet finisher, which receives sheets from an image forming apparatus, such as an electro-photographic copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, etc., to align and bind the sheets. There is described a sheet finisher which includes a conveyance roller pair to convey the sheets, an intermediate stacker to stack the sheets, an aligning device to align the sheets stacked on the intermediate stacker, a binder to bind the sheets stacked and aligned on the intermediate stacker, an ejector to convey and eject the sheets bound by the binder, a driver to drive the aligning device, a controller to control the driver and an overlapped sheets conveying device to grip and convey two sheets. In the sheet finisher, the controller controls the driver in a manner such that the aligning device aligns an initial one sheet stacked on the intermediate stacker under a first aligning condition, while the aligning device aligns two overlapped sheets under a second aligning condition.

Abstract: A multi-purpose, transmissive paper sensor includes a light beam projector and light detector having an analog output signal. Changes in the output signal from an open loop condition indicate the presences of at least one print medium being in the field-of-view of the sensor. Output signals indicative of print media leading edge, trailing edge, and number of sheets interrupting the light beam provide improved print media transport control for hard copy apparatus.

Abstract: A counting device associated with a conveying device for conveying flexible flat objects, such as printed products, in an overlapping stream. The counting device includes a slide mounted for forward and return movement along a guide which extends in the conveying direction, and a drive is provided for moving the slide along the guide at a higher speed than the conveying speed. The slide mounts a flexible contact element which engages the objects, and a sensor element which is engaged by the contact element when the contact element is deflected by engagement with a rear edge of each object, as the slide is forwardly advanced. A catch element, which is also mounted to the slide, then comes into contact with the rear edge of the object to displace the object in the conveying direction.

Abstract: A printing system includes an information processing apparatus and a printing apparatus in which character image data transferred from the information processing apparatus is registered in the printing apparatus and the printing apparatus prints the same character by using the registered character image data. The information processing apparatus includes a compression unit for compressing the character image data to be transferred to the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a registration unit for registering the compressed character image data and a decompression unit for decompressing the compressed character image data.

Abstract: In order to securely prevent or detect overlap feeding of sheet materials, there is provided a sheet material feeding mechanism which deforms the sheet materials on a feeding line so as to form a gap between the overlapping sheet materials which firmly cling to each other. For preventing the overlap feeding of the sheets, the drive relationship between a feeding roller and a pair of a parting roller and a retarding roller located on the downstream side from the feeding roller is optimized to form the gap between the sheet materials. Further, for detecting the overlap feeding of the sheets, bending correction ribs are provided on guide plates formed on the upper and lower sides of the feeding line of the sheet materials so as to deform the sheet materials fed in the overlapping condition, thereby the gap is formed between the overlapping sheets.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus comprises a plurality of sheet storage sections; a count section; and a storage section. The sheet storage sections allow sheets to be entered in and taken from via a transport passage. The count section counts the number of sheets transported in an improper transport state of skew transport, overlap transport, etc., in addition to a normal transport state when sheets are normally transported. The storage section stores the count for storing and managing the number of sheets transported.

Abstract: A system for regulating the vacuum hold pressure in a printer based upon the physical characteristics of the print media that is directed through the printer. In one embodiment, the characteristic of a sheet of media is detected before or as the sheet reaches the carrier. The vacuum pressure level is thus regulated in response to the physical characteristic of the sheet, thereby to have applied to that particular media a level of vacuum pressure that prevents problems that arise when pressure levels are too low (for example, inadvertent shifting of the paper) or too high (for example, paper deformations that reduce print quality).

Abstract: An automated banking machine (10) identifies and stores documents such as currency bills deposited by a user. The machine then selectively recovers such documents from storage areas and dispenses them to other users. The machine includes a sheet thickness detector (810) used for distinguishing single sheets from double sheets which pass through the machine. The thickness detector includes a radiation source (822). Radiation from the radiation source is directed by radiation guide (824) to a generally linear elongated radiation outlet (826) which extends transversely to the sheet path. A receiver (814) includes a radiation sensitive element (830) which is also transversely elongated relative to the sheet path. Sheets passing between the emitter and the receiver cause variations in the amount of radiation reaching the receiver. The transversely elongated surface of the sheet through which the transmission of radiation is sense enables accurately distinguishing single sheets from double sheets.

Abstract: A caliper gauge for moving sheet material such as paper which measures the thickness of the paper accommodates bumps or holes in the paper by providing at least one side of the caliper gauge with a long continuous smooth arm which because of its mounting in close proximity to the moving sheet, which is partially made possible by the use of air bearings for the upper and lower portions of the gauge, provides a gradual wedge-shaped opening which thus allows the transfer of the momentum of the bump or hole in the paper to gradually overcome the inertia of the measuring arm which is pushed away from the paper. The arm itself is made of a single piece of sapphire and is universally pivoted by the use of a polyimide material adhered to the top of the arm which gives the arm at least 2.degree. of dimensional freedom while still maintaining it aligned in the moving direction of the paper.

Abstract: An overlap detection apparatus having a conveyance path for conveying letters including a letter release section where the letters are not held, a bending section formed in the letter release section, and a butt into which the forward end of the letters released from the conveyance path in the bending section is brought into contact. A detector is provided for detecting the forward end of a letter on the butt and an overlap judging arrangement for judging an overlap of letters based on the result of detection by the detector. The detector includes a light source for projecting light on the surface of a letter and a line sensor having a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a line, wherein the line sensor detects a shadow of the forward end of the letters cast by the light source.

Abstract: A device and method for monitoring the thickness of printed products which are conveyed by one conveying means each in a continuous conveying stream along a conveying direction. Monitoring elements are introduced into the conveying stream and one monitoring element is allocated to each printed product. The monitoring elements include a pair of monitoring levers with clamping jaws which are pressed against each other with a clamping force. During monitoring, a region of each printed product is clamped between the clamping jaws of a pair of levers which are pressed against each other. Pairs of one monitoring element and one printed product interact with each other and are conveyed in succession through a monitoring area. For quantitative recording of this interaction, an image is recorded of one edge of each of the monitoring levers of one lever pair, and of the distance between these edges. The distance is a function of the thickness of the pressed printed product.

Abstract: Overlapped paper feed can be detected easily and promptly. Along a paper feeding path, a light emitting element 1 and a light receiving sensor 2 are placed face to face and a detection signal corresponding to the light transmissivity of paper is output. The detection signal is not amplified by one system and amplified at a predetermined amplification ratio via an amplifying circuit 3 in the other system. An A/D converter 5a or 5b is set in each system and outputs the detection signal to a CPU 6 after sampling the detection signal. The CPU 6 detects overlapped feed by selecting the system whose detection signal value is within the effective range which is not effected by noise and not at a saturation level.

Abstract: A medium processing apparatus includes a medium feed path in a main body of an medium processing apparatus, a medium positioning mechanism provided in the main body of the medium processing apparatus adjacent to the medium feed path for causing a centering of the medium in the medium feed path, and a medium processing unit provided in the main body of the medium processing apparatus adjacent to the medium feed path, wherein the medium positioning mechanism forms a unit independent from the main body of the medium processing apparatus, and wherein the medium positioning mechanism includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of the medium positioning mechanism with respect to the main body of the medium processing apparatus.

Abstract: A sheet end detecting mechanism incudes: an optical-type sheet detector which is sensitive to a reflected light from a recording sheet surface is disposed at a slightly upper-path-side part of the printing position in a sheet conveyance direction; and an auxiliary mechanical-type sheet end detector which is displaced by passing of a recording sheet is disposed on the upper path side of the sheet detecting means.

Abstract: A multiple feed detecting system is provided with a sheet thickness sensor which outputs thickness signals representing the thickness of a sheet to be conveyed, and a sheet size sensor which detects the size of the sheet to be conveyed as measured in the direction of conveyance. A detecting area is set according to the size of the sheet detected and whether multiple feed occurs is determined on the basis of sampling data obtained by the sheet thickness detecting sensor over the detecting area set.

Abstract: A mail item feed device adapted to be mounted on the upstream side of a franking machine and including in succession along a mail item transport path, a first or mail item feed area for receiving a stack of mail items, a second or mail item selection and transport area including a selector and transport module for separating the items one by one from the stack, and possibly a third or mail item closing area including a closing module for closing the mail items, the selector and transport module including independent selector means including selector rollers for separating the mail items one by one from the feed area and transport means including at least one set of transport rollers co-operating with the conveyor means in the selection and transport area to transport the mail items separated in this way towards an area farther downstream, and manual release means additionally being provided for raising the selector rollers if the mail items have a thickness greater than a predetermined thickness.

Abstract: A transmission-type sensor and a reflection-type sensor are provided for detecting paper at the same position of a transfer path, and a sensor mode used according to kinds, printed conditions, and the like of the paper is selected. A transmission-type sensor processing unit and a reflection-type sensor processing unit are provided according to the transmission-type sensor and reflection-type sensor. The paper pass detection unit detects presence of paper, and decides presence of double-feed for the second and later sheets of paper based on detection information of the first sheet of paper.

Abstract: A collation method and apparatus that is immune from singularization faults which disrupt the collation process. Each signature is loaded into individual grippers of a power and free gripper conveyor system. Those grippers that experience a miss or a double are diverted out of the process stream. Only those grippers that carry one and only one signature are allowed to continue on in the primary signature queue. The grippers that continue on in the primary signature queue are re-queued into a sequential order which eliminates gaps in the queue. The collation machine accepts signatures from the downstream end of the signature queue as the singularization process continues to add signatures to the upstream end of the signature queue. The singularizer uses a track and diverter structure, where grippers without a signature are diverted to the diverter structure and grippers with a signature continue on the track to a collator.

Abstract: An overlapped mail detection apparatus and method are disclosed. Since the postcard is shorter than the letter, the change in length is not sometimes detected even when the postcard is displaced. In the case where the exterior of the letter is deformed outward and an overlap is detected from the rise of the tail end of the letter after passing a guide, a thin letter or the like low in rigidity is hard to detect due to the slow rise after deformation in the guide. In view of this, a separator has a bent conveyance path for deforming the exterior of the letter outward. The conveyance surfaces constituting the inner and outer sides of the bent portion of the separator are spaced appropriately from each other. A detector detects the state of the letter surface in the neighborhood of the outer conveyance surface with which the forward end of the letter first comes into contact. An overlap of letters is judged from the result of detection by the detector.

Abstract: A method of determining an output level of an output stack of print media in an image forming apparatus. The print media is transported, one print medium at a time, to the output stack. A sensor positioned in association with the output stack senses when the output level of the output stack has reached a near full level. At least one physical characteristic of the print media is identified which can affect the stacking of the print media. The number of the print media transported to the output stack is counted after the near full level is sensed. A determination that the output level of the output stack has reached a full level is made, dependent upon each of the at least one physical characteristic and the counted number of the print media.

Abstract: A mail accumulating device having a number of stream forming units, each of which has a pair of powered belts superimposed at a point of contact defining the input of the unit. Each stream forming unit is provided with a sensor for detecting the passage of a mail item into the unit, and for generating a signal for activating the belts, thereby moving the mail items retained on the belts from the input to the output of the unit in discrete steps, and forming a group of overlapping mail items with the leading edges separated by a substantially constant distance. The device also includes a number of conveyor belt devices, each of which has an input communicating with the output of a respective stream forming unit, to enable the conveyor belt to receive a group of mail items at the input and feed the group of mail items to an output of the conveyor belt device to define an accumulating unit.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding and unloading sheets of material, including a first sheet attraction device for lifting a topmost sheet from a stack; a device for checking that only a single sheet has been lifted; and a second sheet attraction device movable between operable and inoperable positions, whereby when in the operable position the second sheet attraction device can be attached to a sheet adhering beneath the topmost sheet, the first and second sheet attraction devices can be moved apart to separate the adhering sheets, and the topmost sheet suspended beneath the first sheet attraction device can be carried away.

Abstract: The medium supply apparatus includes a delivery passage. In the delivery passage, there is disposed a manual feed tray which, if a cut sheet is manually loaded there, feeds the cut sheet to the delivery passage. The manual feed tray includes a sensor which judges whether the cut sheet is present or not in the tray. When a medium thickness detecting device detects that the cut sheets are double or multiply fed, or when the sheet mark reader detects that the mark of the cut sheet is read in error, then the CPU stops the take-out of the cut sheet from a hopper by an air feed roller as well as the delivery of the cut sheet along the delivery passage. After such stop, if a signal from the sensor indicates that the cut sheet is present in the tray, then the cut sheet is fed to the delivery passage and is then delivered along the delivery passage. After this delivery, the stop of the take-out of the cut sheet from the hopper and the delivery of the cut sheet along the delivery passage is resumed.

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for digitally measuring the thicknesses of sheets passing between a roller (5) fixed in position and a sensor roller (6) biased toward the fixed roller (5), said apparatus comprising a transducer (2) with at least one input winding, one output winding and with an element (17) sensitive to the position of the sensor roller (6), the transducer input being fed from an oscillator (1). A digital processing unit (4) is connected to the output of the transducer (2) and, on the basis of two measurements, one in the absence of a sheet and the other in the presence of a sheet, issues a digital value of the sheet thickness obtained from the subtraction of the said two measurements.

Abstract: A device for measuring the thickness of objects to be handled in mail processing machines, particularly collating machines, inserters and the like, has a relatively-stationary back-up part; a gripper jaw; a rotating axis for mounting the gripper jaw pivotably in relation to the back-up part, whereby an object to be handled is engagable between the gripper jaw and the back-up part; an actuator system operatively connected between the back-up part and the gripper jaw for generating pivotal movement of the gripper jaw between an engagement position and an open position in relation to the back-up part; a movement-transmission part fastened to the rotating axis; and, a measuring device provided operatively between the movement-transmission part and the back-up part, the measuring device providing position-detector signals corresponding to predetermined pivotal positions of the gripper jaw in relation to the back-up part.

Abstract: A method for controlling the sheet feed in an offset printing machine. A controller, in conjunction with various sensing devices, is utilized to determine the presence of double or misfed sheets as the sheets are removed from a sheet stack in a feeder unit of the printing machine. The controller then, through various actuating devices, shuts down various printing machine functions in order to complete the printing of the sheets ahead of the double or misfed sheets.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for detecting sheet misfeed from a tray having at least two sheets whose thickness differs from each other. The thickness of each sheet is detected as it enters into the tray and that value is placed in memory. The thickness of each sheet is detected as it leaves the tray and that value of each sheet is compared to the thickness value in memory for the same sheet when it entered into the tray. If the values match, then only one sheet has been fed from the tray. If the thickness value of the sheet as it leaves the tray is more that the thickness value in memory, then that indicates that more than one sheet has left the tray and a signal is produced which results in the sheet feed system being shut down to enable an operator to correct the situation.

Abstract: A document processing system comprising a sensor array for sensing the size and position of a document; a movable magnetic scanner for scanning the document for coded information thereon; an imager for obtaining digitized image data of the document; a movable printing device for printing information on a document; a reversible document transport for conveying a document relative to the sensor array, the magnetic scanner, the imager, and the printing device; and a control unit connected to the sensor array, the magnetic scanner, the printing device and the document transport, the control unit controlling the movement of the document by the document transport between the sensor array, the magnetic scanner, the imager and the printing device, and further controlling movement of the magnetic scanner and the printer relative to the document transport.

Abstract: A sheet handling device comprising a first roller (5) defining a reference surface which defines part of a sheet feed path along which sheets are fed, The roller (5) is mounted to a support (26) by arms (6) such that under normal working conditions the roller is fixed relative to the support, The arms (6) are biassed by a spring (12) to hold the roller (5) in its fixed position, the spring force being such that under abnormal conditions the roller (5) moves relative to the support (26) whereby the reference surface moves away from its sheet feed path defining position.

Abstract: An automatic document feeding apparatus including pickup rollers for picking up documents, a document feed limiting device for limiting the number of documents to one when two or more documents are picked up by the pickup rollers, and a document thickness detecting sensor for detecting the number of documents passing through the document feed limiting device as a thickness of the documents. When the sensor detects that two or more documents has been fed, the document feed limiting device is rotated reversely to return the documents upstream in the document feeding direction. The returned documents are supplied again to the document feed limiting device by the pickup rollers. The document limiting device repeats its own operation until the number of documents is limited to one. If the sensor detects that the number of documents is one, the document is supplied through the document feed limiting device.

Abstract: On a suction device (4, 5, 6, 21) for separating sheet films (3a) from a sheet-film stack (3), a thickness sensor (10, 11, 15, 17, 19) is mounted so as to be pivotable together with said suction device. The suction device (6, 21) releases the sheet film (3a) to be removed from a sheet-film stack (3) by bending its front section. The thickness sensor (10, 11, 15, 17) which has a forklike design is spring-biased to move onto the bent area of the sheet film (3a) still located on sheet-film stack (3). The thickness sensor comprises two levers (10, 11) with rollers (15, 17), one lever (11) being pivotable relative to the other lever (10). Depending on its path of pivotal movement the pivotably mounted lever (11) actuates a switch (19). If there is more than one sheet film (3a) between the rollers (15, 17) of the levers (10, 11) switch (19) is actuated which interrupts the sheet-film removal operation and causes its repetition.

Abstract: In an edge detector process, a working plane (A) is scanned by a focussed light beam, e.g. a laser beam emitted by a light source (L) projected at an angle of typically 40.degree. to 45.degree. from the working plane. A first and a second detector (D1, D2) receive the scattered light from the working plane. The first detector (D1) is positioned behind a focussing imaging optics (0), such as an off-axis parabolic mirror, which is arranged coaxially, i.e. all round the laser beam, or is positioned below the emitted light beam relative to a main working plane (H). The second detector (D2) is positioned approximately over the light spot produced by the emitted light on the main working surface. The stray light measured by the first detector (D1) is therefore received at an angle to the main working plane, which is equal to or smaller than the angle between the emitted light and said plane.

Abstract: Sheets such as photographic films are fed one by one by suction cups in an image recording system. A resilient sheet separator is brought into abutment against an uppermost one of stacked sheets, and then the suction cups are moved toward the uppermost sheet. Before the suction cups reach the uppermost sheet, they are activated to attract the uppermost sheet under suction. The sheet separator pushes the uppermost sheet in one direction and the suction cups draw the uppermost sheet in the opposite direction, so that the attracted uppermost sheet is greatly flexed fully out of contact with the next sheet of the sheet stack. Thereafter, the suction cups and the sheet separator are displaced away from the sheet stack, separating the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack. A detecting arrangement detects whether the suction cup attracts a single sheet.

Abstract: A unique envelope handling and sorting system is attained for efficiently and reliably separating envelopes which fail to meet pre-selected criteria from envelopes meeting these criteria by providing an envelope sensing section having at least one gauging member which comprises a plurality of separate and independent roller assemblies, each of which are securely mounted to an elongated shaft which moves arcuately in response to the thickness measuring movement of the gauging member. In the preferred embodiment, the envelope handling and sorting system of this invention also incorporates means for measuring the length of each envelope and for removing all envelopes that fail to meet the preselected length requirements. In addition, the preferred system incorporates means for effectively dividing the envelope into a plurality of separate zones and enabling the user to select any desired zone for use and evaluation of the envelope thickness measurements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting superimposed sheets of paper in a sheet fed printing press utilizes cooperating upper and lower transmitter and receiver pairs that are positioned above and below the sheet transport path. Voltages that are representative of the positions of the upper and lower surfaces of the sheet are compared to nominal values. If the actual values significantly exeed the nominal values, a superimposed sheet condition exists and appropriate corrective action can be taken.