Abstract: Apparatus for flipping document sheets such as paper or the like from one side to the other such that the document sheets may be stacked in a hopper in sequenced order after printing or copying on one side or used for printing or copying on both sides. The apparatus includes at least one rotatable cylindrical member having tapered slots disposed therein 180 degrees apart for receiving the leading edge of the sheet to be flipped, and a clamping member which permits the slots to remain open during the sheet insertion, clamp the sheet during rotation of the cylindrical member, and again permits the slots to open at the release point such that the flipped sheet may be released. The location and angle of the slots in the cylindrical member are such the initial force for rotating the cylindrical member is imparted thereto by the entry of document sheet into the slot.

Abstract: A clamping gripper assembly for use in a sheet transfer mechanism in a printing machine is disclosed. A gripper finger coacts with a gripper abutment surface with the gripper finger being spring loaded and secured to an oscillating gripper shaft which is provided with a flat face about a portion of its periphery. Oscillation of the shaft brings the gripping tip of the gripper into contact with the gripper abutment. A hinge joint is provided between the gripper finger and gripper shaft and allows pivotal movement therebetween.

Abstract: A sheet advancing cylinder in an offset printing machine, has a sheet gripping system arranged in its interior. The system includes a rocking member rigidly connected to a first gripper for moving the latter between two terminal positions in a slot formed in the jacket of the cylinder. The movement of the rocking member is such that in the first terminal position the first gripper is flush with the jacket periphery, in an intermediate position it is above the periphery and in the second terminal position it is below the periphery.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a succession of mutually overlapping products, like folded printed products: a vane wheel having a plurality of axially spaced apart vane discs; a respective chain extending between two neighboring discs; a set of item grippers along each chain; each chain passes between a sprocket located between the discs and a sprocket spaced away therefrom; the sprocket between two discs is eccentric of the discs and is supported on an arm which pivots with respect to the axis of the discs; each sprocket includes cams for opening each gripper as the gripper moves past, whereby each gripper grips a printed item as it leaves the vane wheel, carries the respective printed item to a transport so that the printed items are overlapped on the transport, and then releases the printed item.

Abstract: A printing machine sheet transfer drum adjustable to variable sheet lengths has sheet carriers forming respective meshing comb-like structures adjustable relative to one another, and devices for gripping the leading and trailing edges of a sheet. The gripping devices are disposed in channels of the transfer drum and secured to the sheet carriers, the gripping devices having at least one continuous sheet-supporting rail extending from side to side of the sheet transfer drum. The transfer drum has a rigid main drum body integral with one of the comb-like structures and formed of at most two separable parts including the device for gripping the leading edge of the sheet, and a hollow, substantially cylindrical body partly surrounding the main drum body in circumferential direction thereof. The device for gripping the trailing edge of the sheet being disposed on the hollow body and forming therewith a rotatable sheet carrier unit.

Abstract: Sheet-fed rotary printing machine having a plurality of rotatable sheet transfer drums forming a sheet travel path between respective printing units of the machine having a respective rotary impression cylinder, includes a plurality of stationary sheet guide plates disposed below the sheet transfer drums and extending across substantially the entire width thereof, the impression cylinder being disposed in the sheet transfer path downstream of one of the sheet transfer drums and upstream of another of the sheet transfer drums, a first sheet guide plate extending toward the periphery of the one sheet transfer drum in direction of rotation thereof, a second sheet guide plate extending away from the periphery of the other sheet transfer drum in direction of rotation of the other sheet transfer drum so as to form, during rotation of the respective sheet transfer drum at any speed, an air cushion between the respective sheet guide plate and the underside of a sheet being transferred on the respective sheet transfer

Abstract: A sheet gripper for a sheet-displacing apparatus such as a rotary printing machine has a pair of gripper elements whose faces are engageable with each other to grip the edge of a sheet being printed. At least one of the gripper elements is formed at its respective face of a relatively soft elastomeric material from whose surface extend hard fibers which are otherwise imbedded in the soft elastomeric material. The material may be a thermoplastic synthetic resin reinforced with glass fibers.

Abstract: A fabric workpiece removal mechanism which includes a pair of spaced apart pulley wheels, a continuous drive belt of resilient material entrained about the wheels, a switch actuated motor for intermittently driving the wheels and the belt, at least one gripper finger clamped to the belt for clasping the edge of a fabric workpiece against the belt, the gripper finger being bent inwardly toward the belt to deform the belt from its natural configuration and a sensor switch for detecting the presence of the fabric workpiece edge between the gripper finger and the belt and for then energizing the belt drive motor.

Abstract: Transfer drum for printing presses through which a sheet to be imprinted passes, includes a shaft, a first and second row of sheet-supporting segments disposed in comb-like fashion along the periphery of the drum, devices for gripping, respectively, the trailing and leading edges of a sheet, one of the rows of segments being rotatably mounted on the shaft together with one of the gripping devices, and the other of the rows of segments being fixedly mounted on the shaft together with other of the gripping devices, the rows of segments being rotatable relative to one another, each of the gripping devices extending rigidly over the entire width of the drum and being secured to the respective row of segments in channels formed in the drum.

Abstract: An apparatus for individually conveying printed products arriving in an imbricated product stream, comprising a number of driven controlled grippers revolving and guided in a closed path of travel for engaging the leading edge of the printed products. The gripper drive contains means for temporarily restraining the grippers. The gripper drive has at least one continuously driven sluice for the cycled recall of the restrained or stopped grippers. Operatively associated with the sluice is an endless revolving conveyor element equipped with entrainment members engaging the trailing edge of the products, the entrainment members being provided at a uniform spacing at the conveyor element. The conveyor element, as concerns the entrainment members, is driven in cycle with the sluice and opposite in sense to the sense of rotation or revolution of the grippers. There is also provided an infeed device having a drive operatively coupled with the drive of the sluice by a synchronous control.

Abstract: A signature inserter for a saddle gathering machine including a rotatable extractor drum for extracting a signature from a hopper and carrying it to a stop position on the periphery of the drum. A reciprocating dipper contacts the lower cut edge of the signature and moves the cut edge into a gripping position beside a transfer drum. A wiper vane mounted for rotation in a path adjacent the extractor and transfer drums wipes the lower edge of the signature onto the dipper and then rotates away from the signature. Grippers associated with the transfer drum grip the lower edge of the signature and carry it away from the extractor drum toward an opener drum. The transfer drum and opener drum cooperate to spread the signature and deposit it upon a saddle.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for a drum-type facsimile machine having a clamping mechanism for clamping an edge portion of sheet material to the drum and gripping arms operated for removal of the sheet material for gripping the paper to inhibit its movement with the drum. The gripping action is timed to be present during the unclamping of the sheet material. The clamping mechanism, when moved to its unclamped position, causes a limited rotation to be imparted to the drum to free the clamped edge portion of the sheet material from the drum for withdrawal from the apparatus by the operator.

Abstract: A clamp which spans a pair of endless chains grips the leading edge of a sheet to convey the same into engagement with a photoconductive drum of an electrostatic copying machine or the like. A primary feed roller is driven through one rotation to feed the top sheet from a stack into the bite of the clamp. A cam follower actuated by a cam integral with the primary feed roller moves a release member into engagement with the clamp to open the same and further disengages secondary feed rollers between which the top sheet passes from the stack to the clamp. At the completion of rotation of the cam, the cam follower disengages the clamp to grip the leading edge of the sheet and engages the secondary feed rollers to feedingly grip the sheet. The secondary drive rollers are interconnected with the chains for integral driving movement after the sheet is gripped by the clamp and secondary feed rollers.

Abstract: This invention relates to a sheet feeding and shingling apparatus wherein sheets are brought into an apparatus individually to be processed. The sheets are subsequently discharged from the apparatus with an overlapping relationship. This apparatus has utility in situations where sheets are individually processed, as for example in the making of copies, and must be shingled for the purpose of further handling.

Abstract: The present invention provides a document handling system having a processing device for transmitting information to and from a document and a document feed unit for driving the document along a feed path to the processing device. The system includes a pair of gripper bars and an electromagnet structure for selectively attracting the gripper bars to maintain them adjacent to the processing device. The processing device is fitted with a magnetic surface, and a control system, operating in conjunction with the feed mechanism, deactivates the electromagnet structure retaining the first gripper bar as a document is fed to the processing device. The first gripper bar is attracted to the magnetic surface of the processing device thereby clamping the document to the processing device.

Abstract: The sheet clamp apparatus is for clamping a sheet of original paper, recording paper, photosensitive paper, master plate, or the like on a drum usually provided in facsimile apparatus, copying apparatus, or the like. The apparatus comprises a single plate-shaped clamp member positioned along a generating line of the drum and at a part of the peripheral surface of the drum. The single clamp member presses firmly both the front edge and the rear edge of a sheet against the drum. The front edge of the sheet is clamped with the drum being stopped at a predetermined position, and the rear edge of the sheet is clamped after the drum has made about one revolution from the predetermined position of the front edge where the sheet is clamped.

Abstract: A sheet-turning drum assembly for printing machines convertible from printing on one side of a sheet to printing on both sides of a sheet and from printing on both sides of a sheet to printing on one side of a sheet includes a drum and tongs-type grippers pivotally mounted on the drum and including a pair of tongs-type gripper halves. Separate drive members are operatively connected to the respective tongs-type gripper halves for controllably pivoting each of the tongs-type gripper halves, and a torsion bar spring is disposed between the separate drive members for mutually bracing the latter resiliently against one another.

Abstract: Sheets are displaced from a supply to a continuously rotating receiver drum in a printing machine by means of a transfer drum having at least two angularly spaced grippers. The drum carrying the gripper is rotated at a relatively slow speed, and each of the grippers can be angularly displaced on the transfer drum and relative to the other gripper. Thus each gripper is accelerated after it picks up a sheet at the pickup station so that when it reaches a transfer station where it passes the sheet off to the receiver drum it is moving at the same speed as the receiver drum. Thereafter each gripper is uniformly decelerated so that when it has returned to the pickup station it is moving at the same speed as the sheet thereat.

Abstract: A proximity caliper for sensing the correct thickness of printed signatures is mounted on an apparatus for feeding printed sheets. A metal gripper which retains a signature against a rotatable drum traverses the caliper as the drum transfers the signature from one point to another. The proximity of the metal gripper with respect to the caliper is a function of signature thickness. Hence, the signature having too many or too few pages is detected. The proximity caliper includes at least two proximity sensors which do not come in contact with the metal gripper. The position of the sensors is adjustable with respect to the rotatable drum to accommodate signatures having a wide range of different thicknesses. The sensors are also adjustable with respect to each other to control the sensing tolerance. Signatures of the correct thickness are transferred by the drum and normal operation of the feeding apparatus proceeds. Signatures which are detected as having an incorrect number of pages may be removed.

Abstract: Sheet sensing device in a rotary printing press having a sheet transferring drum provided at respective regions thereof with gripping means for gripping the leading and trailing edges of a sheet being transferred, includes sensing nozzles disposed in the region of the gripping means for gripping the trailing edge of a sheet, a line system connecting the sensing nozzles to a pneumatic pressure-generating source, and pressure monitoring means connected in the line system between the sensing nozzles and the pneumatic pressure-generating source.

Abstract: Job stream programmer apparatus for use with a recirculating feeder and copier adapted to produce production runs of predetermined numbers of copies of single or multi-sheet documents, includes a first mechanism for receiving a plurality of multi-sheet documents and for moving them along a predetermined path which intersects the feeder, and a second mechanism for releasing a particular one of the received multi-sheet documents from the first document and inserting it into the feeder, which in turn, in accordance with job program instructions corresponding to the inserted document, feeds the sheets of the inserted document to the copier for copying.

Abstract: Gripper movement changeover device on a sheet-turning drum for perfector printing machines having drive members for the gripper movement pivotable about pivot pins, each of the drive members carrying a roller selectively engageable with coaxially disposed control cams for following the same, includes a bridge disposed in a cavity formed in the sheet-turning drum, the bridge extending over the length of the sheet-turning drum, the drive members being mounted in the bridge, the bridge being longitudinally displaceable a distance corresponding to the mutual spacing of the control cams of the respective drive members.

Abstract: Improvements to a matrix supporting device in electrostatic development apparatus, wherein the pliers retaining the matrix rear portion can be moved along a cylindrical surface to which said matrix is intended to adhere. A cam controlled oscillating support provides for a magnetic roller and its associated toner carrying tray to be moved away from the cylindrical surface to allow for passage of the pliers.

Abstract: A gripper mechanism for seizing the trailing edges of paper sheets on a transfer drum of a printing machine. A plurality of rollers are resiliently mounted so as to be rotationally shiftable toward the direction of movement of the paper sheet. The rollers are oriented at various oblique angles with respect to the movement direction, with rollers further from the middle axis of the transfer drum being oriented at a greater oblique angle than rollers closer to said axis.

Abstract: A bending-resistant gripper carriage support structure for offset printing machines is constructed of at least one hollow profiled member. In particular, one arrangement includes two hollow profiled members being connected by the bearing blocks of the gripper shaft for mounting the gripper carriage in the printing machine. A further arrangement includes the use of a single hollow profiled member for the gripper carriage support with an internally disposed web structure for subdividing the single profiled member.

Abstract: A record sheet clamping mechanism for a drum type facsimile and the like which can detachably hold one end of a record sheet on the outer peripheral surface of a rotary cylindrical drum by means of a clamping bar is disclosed. The mechanism comprises a balancing member which can always maintain substantially constant pressing force of the clamping bar to be applied to the record sheet irrespective of the number of rotations of the cylindrical drum.

Abstract: A media positioning means for a printer having first and second transport mechanisms which are positioned in opposed relation with each other to form a common throat therebetween. Each of the first and second transport mechanisms includes first and second endless belts, a cross bar whose ends are secured to the belts, and grippers mounted on the cross bar to enable first and second record media inserted in the throat to be individually gripped thereby and positioned in side by side or overlapping relationship with regard to a print line in the printer.

Abstract: A chain rotates adjacent to and at the same speed as a photoconductive drum and first and second clamps fixed to the chain grip the edges of copy sheets to move the copy sheets in synchronized contact with the drum for toner image transfer from the drum to the sheets. The first clamp grips an edge of a copy sheet for transfer of an image to the front side of the copy sheet. A turnover actuator and feed roller pair then release the first clamp and move the copy sheet away from the chain. As the second clamp approaches the actuator, it is opened thereby and the feed roller pair feeds the copy sheet back toward the chain so that the opposite edge of the copy sheet is gripped by the second clamp. The copy sheet is thereby turned over and conveyed by the chain to the drum for transfer of a toner image to the back side thereof.

Abstract: Sheet turn-over device for a one-side printing and perfecting press with clamping grippers pivotable about a rotary axis and mounted in a sheet turn-over cylinder so as to be adjustable from single-side printing to one-side printing and perfecting includes a gripper shaft coextensive with the rotary axis about which the clamping grippers are pivotable, a gripper tube coaxially disposed on the gripper shaft and separate control means for respectively driving the gripper shaft and the gripper tube. The rotary axis of the gripper shaft as well as of the gripper tube have a location radially inward from a point on a tangent to the periphery of the sheet turn-over cylinder at the point of clamping contact of the grippers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for transporting an original to be copied while resting on a supporting surface, preferably a drum, in a reproduction apparatus, comprising: a shaft extending across the width of the supporting surface and being arranged in spaced relationship substantially parallel therewith; a plurality of means in spaced attachment along the shaft and responsive to rotation of the shaft for clamping the leading edge of the original; a flexible strip member commonly covering the clamping means and being adapted to protect the leading edge of the original in the clamped position; means engaging one end of the shaft in an original-receiving position for opening and closing the clamping means by rotating the shaft; and means engaging one end of the shaft in an original-releasing position for opening the clamping means by rotating the shaft.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet feed apparatus suitable for feeding an original into a copying machine at an intake position and through the machine past an exposure station, the apparatus comprising a rotary support having a surface for supporting the original, means rotatable with the rotary support for gripping the leading edge of the original, means for selectively coupling and decoupling the gripping means with the support, means in advance of the exposure station for pressing the original against the supporting surface, means associated with the rotary support for conveying the original in contact with the supporting surface when the gripping means is stationary and means for releasing the original from the gripping means at a discharge position after the support has made a predetermined number of revolutions.

Abstract: Sheet slitting apparatus which includes a plurality of belt members each having a clamp to receive the leading edge of a sheet to be slit. The clamps are urged downwardly by the action of guide members arranged in the belt path to grip the sheet securely during the slitting operation. The clamps are released after slitting is completed.

Abstract: An image transfer device for transferring an electro-photographically formed image onto a transfer medium comprises grip means for gripping the transfer medium, supporting and moving means for supporting the grip means and moving it cyclically in an endless form, feed means for feeding the transfer medium to be gripped by the grip means, the feed means having a movable paper guide plate disposed adjacent to the path of cyclical movement of the grip means, corona transfer means for transferring the image onto the transfer medium gripped by the grip means, separator means for separating the transfer medium from the grip means, transport means for transporting the separated transfer medium, and control means for causing all of the above-mentioned means to cooperate with one another.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing printed products wherein the product copies are introduced at an infeed location into individual compartments of a revolving cell wheel, processed during the time they are present in the compartments and removed from the compartments at a removal location. The infeed location and removal location are arranged in offset relationship in the direction of the lengthwise axis of the cell wheel. Each compartment has arranged therein, in an axial direction, entrainment means movable between a work stroke and a return stroke, the entrainment means of each compartment being operatively coupled with one another. The entrainment means are driven by a drive embodying a common stationarily arranged guide track describing a closed curve and follower elements rotating with the cell wheel.

Abstract: The drive of a rocking initial gripper of a sheet printing machine is derived from the shaft of the impression cylinder by a control cam by way of a control roller and a control lever fixed directly on the shaft of the rocking initial gripper without intermediate elements.

Abstract: A sheet transporting system for transporting sheets from a pull-foot feed mechanism to a stuffing station includes parallel fast and low-speed endless conveyors. The low-speed endless conveyors have pins thereon which extend into the path of sheets transported by the fast endless conveyors. The pins register, and control the speed of, sheets being transported. This transporting mechanism is used in one embodiment for transferring sheets from the pull-foot feeding system into the mouths of clamps on a transporting chain and in another embodiment for transferring sheet to a drum/belt transporting system.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for automatically wrapping an original to be transmitted, or a record sheet for receiving a signal, around a drum of a facsimile system or the like and for automatically delivering the sheet from the drum subsequent to the completion of processing of the sheet such as a scanning of the original for transmission or recording a received signal on the sheet.

Abstract: An automatic document ejector for use with a copying machine wherein the document is automatically gripped along its lead edge as the platen cover is closed, the gripper being adapted to pull the document from the platen for ejection into a document receiving tray as the platen cover is lifted following completion of the copying cycle.

Abstract: A document transport apparatus for serially transporting sheet material over a preselected transport path including an endless belt having a resilient compressible tubular base member and gripping members projecting therefrom. The gripping members are normally closed when the base member is uncompressed. The apparatus further includes pulleys at opposite ends of the transport path, the belt being entrained in the grooves of the pulleys. The grooves are dimensioned to compress the portion of the base member entrained therein, thereby opening the gripping members projecting from the compressed portion of the base member, permitting insertion or removal of a document. The belt grips the document and carries it along with it in the space between the pulleys.

Abstract: A matrix supporting device in electrostatic developing apparatus, wherein the matrix is moved to a position in front of the magnetic developing roller while adhering to a rotable cylindrical surface, the axis of rotation of which is at a fixed spacing from that of the roller.

Abstract: Sheet-fed rotary printing press for printing on both sides of a sheet includes an assembly of a transfer drum, a storage drum and a sheet turn-over drum, mounted in succession, and located between two printing units, the storage drum having clamping grippers for gripping the leading edge of a sheet being fed from the transfer drum to the storage drum, the turn-over drum having tong grippers for gripping the trailing edge of the sheet at an imaginary straight line connecting the rotary centers of the storage drum and the turn-over drum as the sheet is being transferred from the storage drum to the turn-over drum and as the clamping grippers of the storage drum release the leading edge of the sheet, the tong grippers exerting a weaker clamping force on the sheet than the clamping force exerted by the clamping grippers thereon and, before the tong grippers have gripped the sheet and before the clamping grippers have released the sheet, the distance between the clamping grippers, on the one hand, and the tong gri

Abstract: A sheet-fed rotary printing press includes a transfer drum assembly includes a rotatable transfer drum having a sheet-supporting peripheral surface, a gripper device carried by the transfer drum for gripping the leading edge portion of a sheet being transferred, and a suction device secured to the transfer drum at the end of the peripheral sheet-supporting surface, as viewed in rotary direction of the transfer drum, for gripping the trailing edge portion of the sheet. The suction device includes a plurality of suckers having suction surfaces disposed in the peripheral surface of the transfer drum and formed with respective suction orifices.

Abstract: A conveying device for intermittently conveying a sheet through a platen press having a pair of endless chains with gripper bars extending therebetween, a drive shaft having drive sprockets engaging each of the pair of chains, at least one driven sprocket for each of the pair of chains, means including an oscillating sector gear for intermittently rotating the drive shaft characterized by at least one of the driven sprockets having an axial extension, braking means supported on a portion of the press frame adjacent each of the extensions for engaging the extension, means including at least one blower for cooling the braking means and means for actuating the braking means including a control shaft which is rotated one complete revolution for each cycle of oscillation of the sector gear and has means for causing the engagement and disengagement of the braking means during a portion of each revolution thereof.

Abstract: In a printing press having a conventional plate cylinder and an impression cylinder operatively positioned on a frame with the impression cylinder having gripper fingers and a gripper finger positioning shaft, the improvement relating to a tumbler member secured to one end of the gripper finger shaft and having pin receiving recess means formed in such tumbler member. A pair of fluid-actuated independently controlled cylinders are provided at the end of the impression cylinder whereby when the cylinders are actuated the piston rods extend therefrom for engagement with the tumbler member to turn it and its associated shaft through an arc by rotation of the impression cylinder for controlling the operative and inoperative positioning of the gripper fingers on the gripper finger shaft.

Abstract: A document transport and system particularly useful as a bank-proof machine employs a keyboard of a type for normal use with two hands simultaneously for recording data read from checks by the keyboard operator. A feed hopper feeds checks one at a time from the hopper to a cyclic check-transport carrier interposed between the hopper and a check-transport channel for receiving the checks and carrying the checks therealong. The surface of the carrier is disposed to receive checks thereon from the hopper at a position disposed to permit reading of the checks by the keyboard operator as the carrier moves to carry the checks to the check-transport channel. Means are provided for retaining the checks to the carrier for reading by the operator and for releasing the checks from the carrier at a position in the movement thereof so as to discharge the checks into the transport channel, and for moving the checks along the channel.

Abstract: A rotary printing machine including an impression cylinder which has at least two grippers for gripping the forward edge of a sheet of paper for drawing the paper onto the same at each appropriate instant in each cycle of operation of the machine, the grippers being movable circumferentially of the impression cylinder and retainable in a different position which is stationary relative to the impression cylinder, to vary the relative position of the sheet of paper on the cylinder while the cylinder is rotating.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device comprising a support frame and a pinch roll, the pinch roll having a length approximately equal to the width of the sheet. The pinch roll is rotatable to advance the sheet between the pinch roll and support frame. The pinch roll rotation can be reversed to discharge the sheet.

Abstract: The invention comes within the field of facsimile devices and concerns the winding and unwinding of a document on a rotating drum. According to the invention, the fixing of only one edge of the document on the drum is provided for and the unloading of the document is made easier by a drawer which applies resilient pressure tangentially against the cylindrical surface of the drum. The document is removed in a reverse direction in relation to the operation of the facsimile device.

Abstract: A silkscreen printing machine, having a printing drum supporting material which is to be printed. Sensing means for indicating the position of the material are arranged on the drum, and an adjusting device is arranged to stop the front edge of the material at a predetermined position, in which gripper means grips the material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet transfer cylinder for a rotary printing machine and has associated therewith a mechanism for gripping the sheets to be transferred and for turning same. The transfer cylinder is rotatably mounted in the side walls of the machine. One of the side walls is provided with a centering ring which is fixed relative to that side wall. The ring is provided with a pair of circular segments, one of which is adjustable circumferentially with respect to the ring. The transfer cylinder is provided with roller means which cooperate with the surfaces of said circular segments and which, in turn, cause the actuation of grippers carried by the transfer cylinder. Means are provided for regulating the degree of circumferential adjustment of the first of said circular segments.