Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for conveying individual blanks, one at a time, from a stack of blanks in a magazine to a form chamber in an erecting machine. The magazine includes bottom and side guides and a conveyor for moving the blanks into a pickup position. A suction cup device is utilized to grip an upper portion of the blank in the pickup position and swing the blank into engagement with a bolster roller set. A segment device having a curved surface is also disclosed for coacting with the bolster roller for swinging the blank from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position for conveying into an erecting machine.

Abstract: Stripping fingers for use in a copying machine, molded of a liquid crystal polyester resin composition made up of a liquid crystal polyester having a flow temperature of 340.degree. C. or higher and titanium oxide whiskers. The stripping fingers have excellent heat deflection resistance, heat aging resistance, thermal shock resistance, heat load resistance, low attack on the counter roller, good shape retainability of the finger edges, and good non-stick property against toner. Coating with PFA at 330.degree. C. or higher on the stripping finger increases non-tackiness.

Abstract: An automatic mail sorting flat object holding device has a driven perforated belt and suction grasping heads inside the belt. The holding device has a holding side consisting of the perforated belt moving in a predetermined transfer direction and to the front of which a stack of flat objects is offered up. A double pick separator has a suction head disposed substantially facing an exit edge of the holding side. The suction holding device has at least two substantially adjacent suction heads aligned in the transfer direction, one suction head of which is at least partly overlapping the double pick separator suction head.

Abstract: A flat object transfer device for transferring flat objects, particularly flat objects of varying thickness, to a sorting device from the output of an unstacking device. The flat object transfer device includes a gripping device for gripping a flat object initially located in a transfer plane. The gripping device includes a set of pinch rollers and pulleywheels on opposite sides of each pinch roller. A set of drive belts are trained around each pinch roller and the pulleywheels on opposite sides of the pinch roller. At least one of the pinch rollers in the set of pinch rollers can move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the transfer plane. A double pick separator device is provided for retaining flat objects except for a flat object to be gripped by the gripping device. The double pick separator device is disposed between two levels of the drive belts trained around the pinch rollers and pulleywheels.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for loading plates (3) from a stack (2) and for depositing the plates (3) on a conveyor comprises two alternatingly effective grippers (30, 31). The grippers (30, 31) are moved alternatingly into a loading position seizing the first accumulator plate (3) of the stack (2) and into a delivery position associated with the conveyor. The grippers (30, 31) are supported on levers (13, 14) which latter are mounted to be swivelable on the apparatus. Each gripper (30, 31) is supported to be rotatable by 360.degree. on its lever (13, 14) about an axis of rotation (34) parallel to the swivel axis (12) of the lever, and is rotated in only one direction by a drive mechanism (42, 40). In order to improve the seizing of a plate (3), the grippers (30, 31) are at a standstill with respect to the levers (13, 14) carrying such grippers when they are in their swiveling position corresponding to the loading position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fixing device with a rotating member for performing a fixing operation by pinching and carrying a recording medium supporting an unfixed image. It separates a member pressing against the surface of the rotating member to separate the recording medium from the rotating member and its contact pressure is switchable between the first and second pressure, the second pressure being less than the first pressure and the switching taking place during the separation of the recording medium from the rotating member and after a front edge of the recording medium has separated.

Abstract: A continuous and sequential temporal storing and conveying of plate shaped members to the next processing step, in which the differently sized and randomly ordered plate shaped members can be easily handled and manipulated, A substantially vertical wall surface is provided and the plate shaped members are temporarily stored in a state of leaning against the wall surface and sequentially fed toward the wall surface. Then, a nearest-to-wall plate shaped member among the stored plate shaped members is drawn to the wall surface in order to vertically erect the nearest-to-wall plate shaped member and separate the nearest-to-wall plate shaped member from remaining stored plate shaped members. Then, the vertically erected nearest-to-wall plate shaped member is conveyed to the next processing step along the wall surface.

Abstract: In a conveyance equipment having a conveyance path which serves to convey paper or the like, and an introduction path which merges with the conveyance path, for guiding to the conveyance path the paper or the like to be introduced into the conveyance system, the paper or the like is conveyed in a state in which it is erected within the conveyance path while being sandwiched in between conveyance members; a conveyance equipment for paper or the like is so constructed that means for separating and excluding foreign matter is formed at a bottom of the conveyance path. Also, a paper money collection system in a game island is constructed using the conveyance equipment.

Abstract: A machine for processing mail comprises a mechanical jogging device between an unstacking head (3) and a conveyor path (1) for conveying a stack (2) of postal items. The jogging device comprises inclined rollers (8) rotated so that a postal item of the stack, on arriving vertically over the rollers, is capable of dropping edge-on, under the action of gravity, onto the rollers and of being driven towards a jogging margin (7) while simultaneously being moved towards the unstacking head by the effect of the rollers rotating so that its free face comes substantially into contact against the unstacking head.

Abstract: A device for feeding blanks to a user machine, whereby the end blank of a stack of blanks housed inside a feedbox is detached from the adjacent blanks in the stack by a separating roller, which feeds the blank, transversely in relation to the axis of the stack, to a withdrawal station where it is engaged by the periphery of a rotary suction member for withdrawing and feeding the blank to a user station.

Abstract: A system for handling a waste web initially forming a label web adhesively bonded to a carrier web which together comprise a web laminate. The waste web, having its undersurface adhesively coated, results upon the formation of labels from the label web such that the carrier web supports the labels. The system includes a separating roll for causing the carrier and waste webs of the laminate to travel along separate paths. The machine has a web treating roll about which the waste web passes in adhereing contact therewith, and a doctor blade removes the waste web from the treating roll as waste material.

Abstract: In a heat roll fixing unit, adapted to be positioned in a printer employing an electrophotographic system for forming an image on a continuous-sheet to be fed in the printer, a pair of rollers is provided that are arranged to be brought into and out of contact with each other for pressurizing the continuous-sheet to fix the image thereon. One of the pair of rollers is a heat roller that is heated by a predetermined heating member. The heat roll fixing unit further comprises a sheet separation mechanism located at the downstream side of the pair of rollers and arranged to be operable when the pair of rollers is brought out of contact with each other for separating the continuous-sheet from the heat roller. Thus, the continuous-sheet can be prevented from remaining in contact with the roller after the fixing operation in the heat roll fixing unit. It thus becomes possible to avoid jamming of the continuous-sheet.

Abstract: For use with a hopper loader a quick-release feed rack having two swingable sections coupled through a center pivot enables removal of one section for quick and simple attachment to a loader.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a device for feeding a stack of flat articles on edge, especially mail items, to a de-stacker head provided with a support surface, the device comprising a main feed magazine in which the stack is disposed and a plate pushing the rear of the stack. A secondary feed magazine is introduced between the main magazine and the support surface of the de-stacker head, the secondary magazine having an upwardly inclined transfer surface, its edge adjacent to the support surface of the de-stacker head being higher than the latter.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing media jams from a printer throat in a printer in its preferred form is a sheet of flexible material having two linear arrays of spaced pin apertures aligned along opposing sides thereof. The pin apertures are sufficiently spaced to align and mate with pins of a pin drive mechanism of a media feed system. The media feed system advances the apparatus through the printer throat to remove any pieces of media or other debris lodged therein. The sheet of flexible material has a thickness which is at least 50% of the thickness of the printer throat and a compressive strength greater than that of the media or debris lodged in the printer throat. The apparatus provides an efficient, inexpensive, and effective way to remove media jams from a printer. A method for removing media jams using this apparatus is also discussed.

Abstract: A document processing system includes a feed magazine for supporting a stack of flat documents in generally upstanding on-edge relation and advancing the documents along a feed path with the documents disposed generally transverse to the feed path, a feeder assembly including feeder belts defining at least one belt run for engaging the leading document in the stack and feeding the leading document in a direction generally transverse to the feed path, and a document sensing and control apparatus for sensing the pressure exerted by documents against the sensing control apparatus and the document feed magazine, and controlling the speed of the advance of documents on the feed magazine as a function of the pressure. The greater the pressure exerted by the documents, the slower the feed magazine will advance documents to the feeder.

Abstract: A machine, for holding signatures and delivering them to a pocket in an inserter unit that forms part of a binding machine, has three conveyors, namely a feed conveyor, a spreading conveyor, and a pocket conveyor arranged in that order between a loading position and the pocket of the inserter unit. All three of the conveyors have table belts and side belts with the spacing between the side belts being less than the width of the signatures, so that the signatures bow forwardly when standing on edge in the conveyors. The belts of the spreading and pocket conveyors advance the signatures more rapidly then the belts of the feed conveyor, so that the signatures are less consolidated on the spreading and pocket conveyors. The table belts of the pocket conveyor are inclined downwardly away from the table belts of the spreading conveyor, but a supporting surface exists at the center of the pocket conveyor as an extension of the table belts in the spreading conveyor.

Abstract: A symmetrically flexible separator device is placed immediately after and removed, by a pair of pads, from the nip between the fuser roller and the pressure roller in order to intercept the leading edge of an image-bearing receiver and thus reduce the risk that the latter would remain stuck to the surface of either the fuser roller or the pressure roller.

Abstract: In order to facilitate adjustment of the height of impaling pins, a signature supply station includes a pair of generally parallel side frame members each of which supports a rotatable impaling pin adjustment assembly. The adjustment assembly includes supporting structure for a pair of impaling pins whereby the pins are supported between the side frame members for guided movement in generally vertically upward and downward directions, and it also includes an adjusting screw rotatable in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. With the signature supply station supporting signatures generally vertically, the adjustment assembly further includes interconnection structure or guided generally vertically upward and downward movement of the impaling pins responsive to clockwise and counterclockwise rotational movement of the adjusting screw.

Abstract: A device for unstacking flat objects comprises an unstacking head (2) provided with a suction cup (88) for grasping the first flat object in a stack of such objects presented thereto and for moving a grasped flat object towards an exit position (40) in which the object is released. The suction cup (88) is a bellows suction cup made of a flexible material such that when it grasps the first flat object in the stack, it retracts under the effect of the suction and entrains at least the surface of the grasped object therewith as it retracts. A shoe (90) having a surface close to the grasping plane of the suction cup is disposed adjacent to the suction cup in fixed relationship relative to the mount (50) carrying the suction cup. The shoe thus constitutes an obstacle to the surface of a grasped flat object, thereby warping said surface as the suction cup retracts.

Abstract: A diverter (10) for a printing press having a cylinder (14) for sequentially carrying printed matter (22), a device (16) for rotating the cylinder (14) a device (42) for passing the printed matter (22) along a first usual path (32) when the printed matter (22) is in a proper arrangement, and for diverting the printed matter (22) along a second different path (54) when the printed matter (22) becomes jammed along the first path (32).

Abstract: A staging hopper for supplying packaging blanks includes a first conveyor positioned downstream of a second conveyor. The first conveyor supports and periodically transfers packaging blanks in a primary group of blanks to a blank delivery position. A second conveyor supports and intermittently transfers packaging blanks in a secondary group of blanks onto the first conveyor. The top edges of the secondary group of blanks rest at an angle against the primary group of blanks to define a longitudinal gap between the lower edges of the blanks in the primary and secondary groups. Photosensors are provided to detect the presence and absence of packaging blanks within the longitudinal gap. In addition to advancing the primary group of blanks, the first conveyor advances the forward blanks in the secondary group across the gap toward the primary group. The photosensors detect the presence of these blanks as their lower edges move across the gap.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for receiving, storing and dispensing a plurality of sheets of film in a plurality of sizes, particularly for use in automatic daylight film handling systems.

Abstract: A jam prevention mechanism is provided, adapted to be positioned in a device including a pair of rollers through which a sheet is to be fed, for preventing the sheet from being caught around one of the pair of rollers. The jam prevention mechanism comprises at least one contact member arranged to be located at the downstream side of the pair of rollers along a sheet feeding direction, and contacted with a circumferential surface of one of the pair of rollers by a predetermined force. The contact member is further arranged so as not to be moved along the sheet feeding direction. Thus, the recording sheet can be prevented from being caught around the roller without an excessive resistance applied against the rotation of the roller, and jamming of the recording sheet can be prevented before it happens.

Abstract: A machine for converting a group of marginally registered signatures into a shingled stream which is fed to the hopper of a binding machine includes a main frame and several conveyors located in succession along the frame. The first is a feed conveyor having driven side belts which are arranged to allow one's hand to move along the conveyor and install stacks of signatures with the signatures being in an edge standing condition on the feed conveyor. Next comes a spreading conveyor which separates the signatures as they move in the edge standing condition between side belts which impart a slight bow to the signatures. Constricting gates exist between the feed and spreading conveyors and they sense the force with which the signatures are introduced into the feed conveyor. Then comes a lifting conveyor which lifts the signatures from the spreading conveyor in a shingled condition.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding sheets such as labels or covers includes a holder having a groove-shaped cross section opening upwardly. The holder is formed with a take-out port at one end, and holds the covers stacked horizontally with their surfaces facing horizontally. A pressing body connected to a rodless cylinder presses the stacked covers with a constant force towards the take-out port. A suction machine having a sucking disk at one end confronting a cover exposed from the take-out port attracts the exposed cover one-by-one. A stepping motor coupled to the suction machine turns the suction machine downwardly to 90.degree. so that the cover attracted to the sucking disk abuts against a top aperture of a container which is carried on a conveyor. When the suction machine releases the attraction of the cover, the cover is left on the top aperture of the container to cover the top aperture.

Abstract: An apparatus for disposing of a used thermal stencil master sheet, in a superior disposing efficiency and secret-retainability, and a process for disposing of the same are provided, which apparatus is provided with a stripping nail for stripping a used thermal stencil master sheet wound up on a stencil body therefrom, a waste stencil box for encasing the stripped master sheet and rolls for waste stencil for feeding the master sheet into the box, and is characterized by providing a means for heating the master sheet so that it is heat-shrinked and/or melted within the box, and which process comprises discarding the used master sheet of a thermal stencil master sheet, and heating the used master sheet so as to subject it to heat-shrinkage and/or melting.

Abstract: A magazine for holding a plurality of articles, such as cartons, which are to be singularly withdrawn at a downstream end, and a method of feeding articles. The magazine includes guides, spaced apart by a distance greater than the width of the cartons in their folded condition, thereby creating a gap between an inner guide surface and one of the edges of the cartons. A pair of stoppers oppositely project toward each other and are spaced apart by a distance less than the width of the cartons, to thereby hold the most downstream carton in a position to facilitate its withdrawal at the discharge end of the magazine. The stoppers are positioned to engage the particular edges of the cartons of which the distance between them is not apt to be variable, to thereby reduce the likelihood of the cartons becoming jammed within the magazine. At least one feed roller projects from one inner guide surface toward the other inner guide surface upstream of the discharge end.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a paper releasing guide-claw for a copying machine and a method for producing the same including molding a material containing from about 50-90% by weight of a polyimide consisting essentially of recurring units of the formula: ##STR1## from about 5 to about 40% by weight of a fibrous reinforcing material, and from about 5 to about 30% by weight of a solid lubricant, wherein the sum of the content of the fibrous reinforcing material and the solid lubricant is from about 10 to about 50% by weight, heat treating the molded guide-claw at a temperature of from about 250.degree. C. to about 340.degree. C. for a time sufficient to increase the density of the polyimide component by 1.5%.

Abstract: A feeder-folder unit for use in folding paper sheet stock and delivering it to a signature gathering machine comprises a main frame with a hopper assembly carried by the main frame for receiving and storing a supply of sheets of paper stock. A sheet extractor and transfer drum assembly is located adjacent the hopper for extracting individual sheets of paper stock from the hopper means and conveying the extracted sheets along a path to a scoring and folding unit located adjacent the path. The hopper assembly includes a pair of spaced support surfaces for supporting the sheets of stock and intermittently actuated drive chains are provided for driving the sheets along the support surfaces toward the sheet extractor and transfer drum assembly.

Abstract: Signature loader comprising a telescopically related main floor-mounted frame and a smaller auxiliary frame, first and second horizontal rotatable shafts between the frames spaced apart by a predetermined distance and so positioned that infeed belts thereon converge to define between them a signature infeed throat, one of said shafts being a pivot about which the auxiliary frame may be pivoted so the throat may be selectively positioned in one of two alternate attitudes.

Abstract: Cyclically operable signature machine having a one-way drive to incrementally advance a signature infeeding conveyor synchronously to the action of an oscillating suction finger for withdrawing a signature from a stack in a hopper; in a cycle where a signature is not to be fed, the suction finger is latched and simultaneously the one-way drive is disabled to prevent the stack from being compacted.

Abstract: Labeling machine of the stack fed type in which the labels are precut and arranged vertically in a horizontal stack. Pressure is applied to the rear of the stack to move the stack forwardly as the labels are dispensed to a label transfer mechanism such as a vacuum drum. Air is blown into the stack from the bottom at the forward end of the stack to separate the foremost label, which is picked up from the stack by a rotating vacuum wheel.

Abstract: A separation unit includes separation pawls for separating paper from a photosensitive drum, and a second shaft for supporting the separation pawls. Each separation pawl has a mounting hole extending therethrough and a slit opening the mounting hole. The second shaft has a mounting portion which cannot pass through the slit and a chamfered portion which is formed continuous with the mounting portion. The portion of shaft where the chamfered portion is formed can pass through the slit. An annular bush is loosely fitted on the second shaft so as to be pivotal and movable from the mounting portion to the chamfered portion. The bush is detachably fitted in the hole of the separation pawl and supports the separation pawl. A holder is attached to the second shaft so as to regulate the movement of the bush toward the chamfered portion of the second shaft when the pawl is used, and to allow the movement of the bush toward the chamfered portion of the second shaft when the pawl is attached/detached.

Abstract: An input hopper apparatus (40) including input hopper receptacle (42) for receiving a stack of cards (44). A pick mechanism (60) is disposed proximate a second end of the input hopper receptacle (42) for individually picking a card from the stack of cards (44) by use of a suction cup assembly (62). A transfer mechanism (70) is included for transferring the picked card to a card transfer path (59).

Abstract: An apparatus applicable to a sheet article processing system for temporarily accumulating sheet articles which come in arbitrarily one by one or in a bunch and sending them out one by one at predetermined intervals. The apparatus includes a drive mechanism capable of starting and stopping the movement of a suction belt instantaneously, a sensor responsive to the leading edge of a sheet article which has been nipped by a downstream transport path, and a sensor responsive to the presence/absence of an interval between successive sheet articles which occurs between the downstream transport path and a reverse belt. Other sensors are provided for determining an interval between successive articles. A pick-up roller pair is driven at a controllable speed in matching relation to the interval between successive articles determined.

Abstract: A computer enhanced document forwarding system capable of feeding individual generally flat documents from a horizontally disposed edge stack of documents and include a transporter for accepting serially disposed end to end individual documents one at a time, the transporter sequentially moving each document to at least one station for observation by an operator; electronic information storage facility having an interconnected input and retrieval means positioned adjacent to the operator observation station; a supply of self-adhering labels sequentially disposed in end to end fashion; an electronically controlled printer where the labels pick up ink in a predetermined symbol array capable of being different for each label; and a continuous label applying device for serially applying corrective labels to serially disposed documents with both the labels and documents moving in the same direction, thereby carrying corrective information supplied by said storage means to individual pieces of incorrectly designate

Abstract: A document feeding apparatus feeds a document (18) from the endmost position (22) of a stack of documents (10) into a document path (34) using a vacuum suction head operating through an aperture (36) in a baseplate (16). A vacuum source (38) attracts a document (18) to the suction head (40) during a return stroke (50). No vacuum is applied during a forward stroke (48). The vacuum source (38) comprises a reciprocal air pump (54,108) having a potential energy store (66,90) used to power a rapid vacuum-creating return stroke despite a low-power drive source (44,96) to power the forward stroke. A barrel-pump (54) or bellows device (108) can be used as the reciprocal air pump. The vacuum-creating return stroke can be initiated either by solenoid (78) release or by operation of a cam (98) beyond a first angular position.

Abstract: A feed mechanism for a photocopy or similar machine directs the media, particularly wide-format media, into a receiving tray along a path which is substantially parallel to, but in the opposite direction of, the original media path. This allows for the removal of media from the front of the photocopy machine. With the drive mechanism in a first configuration, the leading edge of the media is fed directly into the receiving tray. Responsive to a position of the leading edge of the media, the drive mechanism changes to a second configuration so that the subsequent portion of the media is allowed to form a loop and to be delivered to a second receiving area.

Abstract: A rotary transfer mechanism has carrier means (18) rotatable with a drive shaft (16) on a support member (15), at least one support shaft (19) rotatable on the carrier means (18), with a pinion (24) secured coaxially to the support shaft and engageable with an arcute rack (25) secured to the support member (15) when a cam follower (26) is not engaged with a cam track (27) secured to the support member, whereby at least one suction cup (21) attached to the support shaft (19) is caused to follow a path having a "node point" at the discharge opening (11) of a magazine (12), for extracting a flat sleeve carton (10), and whereby the suction cup (21) is caused to move past a receiving station (13) on a conveyor (14) in the same direction as the conveyor with the carton (10) generally parallel to the conveyor, for accurate placement and deposit of the carton on the conveyor.

Abstract: A device for unstacking relatively flat objects such as letters or postal packets of various different lengths, widths, and thicknesses. The device includes: a conveyor for conveying stacks of objects as well as an object separating and grasping mechanism for separating and grasping the objects one-by-one, and a transport conveyor for transporting the objects one after another.

Abstract: A stack of signatures is transformed into a moving stream of individually arranged signatures by feeding a stack of signatures on edge to a transfer station, individually transporting the signatures as a moving stream away from an entrance location laterally offset from the stack, and carrying each signature of the stack in turn laterally to the entrance location as such signature arrives at the transfer station. As each signature is carried laterally to the entrance location, such signature is separated from the stack so as to prevent mutilation due to friction with the adjacent signature on the stack. The signatures are carried to the entrance location by suction cups that form part of a transfer arm. The transfer arm is momentarily transported away from the stack as it carries the signature to the entrance location so as to effect separating of the signature from the stack.

Abstract: A sheet stripping and guide assembly, suitable for use at the exit of an electrostatographic fusing station has lower stripper fingers that are inserted and molded integrally into a frame having upper sheet guide members.

Abstract: A system for applying folded outserts to conveyed products utilizing a pressure sensitive tape for transportation from the magazine type hopper to the products. The tape with a pressure sensitive adhesive is routed in front of the outfeed of the outsert hopper. A reciprocating tape tamping device and vacuum manifold mounted on an air cylinder are used to first bump the adhesive-coated tape in contact with the outsert and then withdraw the outsert from the hopper. The withdrawal occurs after the initial precise placement of the outsert to the tape. The method of withdrawal requires further forward movement of a pair of bellow style cups which contact the outsert after adhesion. The initiation of vacuum on contact and termination on withdrawal permit the outsert to be retained individually on the tape. The outsert is then indexed forward where it is transferred to a conveyed product.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a rotary carrier which carries a plurality of semi-spherical gripping heads having concave gripping surfaces. The gripping heads are positioned such that the gripping surfaces become flush with the forwardmost plate in a vertically arrayed stack of plates as the carrier rotates. Each gripping head is mounted to the carrier through a hollow bellows and vacuum air drawn into a hole in the gripping face passes through the bellows. When the vacuum increases, due to the forwardmost plate in the stack being pulled up against the gripping head, the bellows collapses and pulls the forwardmost plate away from the stack. Rollers, which extend beyond the periphery of the carrier, urge the stack away from the gripping head immediately before they become aligned. The vacuum then pulls the forwardmost plate away from the stack and into contact with the gripping head before the bellows collapses thereby increasing the gap between them.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing sheet products includes a rotatable drum having a plurality of pockets adapted to receive individual sheet products. Plural rollers are disposed along the periphery of the drum between adjacent pocket openings. The rollers are rotated through a portion of the drum movement and locked against rotation through the remainder of the drum movement. Cam rollers are provided to lift the pockets radially outward, tilt the pockets, and open and close sidewalls of the pockets to facilitate ingress and egress of the sheet products.

Abstract: A sheet stripping device for electrostatographic systems includes a frame, a member having movable surface for conveying a receiving sheet, and a sheet stripping element for separating the receiving sheet from the movable surface, the sheet stripping element including a stripping element having a leading edge adapted to contact the movable surface and strip the sheet from the movable surface, the leading edge coated with a material including an electrically conductive material comprising a film forming polymer and an electrically conductive additive. The leading edge may include a thermally resistant polymer of cross-linked siloxane-silica hybrid material, a polyimide or a poly(amide-imide). The sheet stripping means may be prepared by coating the leading edges of preformed stripping elements.

Abstract: A skive is used for removing a copy sheet from a hot fuser roller in an electrographic copier/duplicator, or the like. The skive has a finger that engages the fuser roller at a small acute angle so that a sheet striking the finger normally will be deflected from the roller along the desired paper path. In order to control flexing of the skive finger, an anti-gouge stiffener is provided adjacent the finger which is engageable by the finger to prevent it from flexing in the wrong direction. The finger and stiffener are connected by a base and can be snapped onto a supporting bar.

Abstract: The invention provides a machine for aligning and feeding flat articles such as letters, postcards, and the like. The flat articles are transported while in a standing mode and while being vibrated to align them. A conical roller is rotatably mounted near the end of the transport path and is oriented to direct the articles in a direction opposite the direction of travel. The conical roller has at least one flat side to vibrate the standing articles so that they will feed one-by-one.

Abstract: A stripper finger mechanism is provided for separating record sheets from the surface of a roll member. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of flexible stripper fingers are arranged so that the finger ends are angled against a fuser roller surface to effect initial separation of a fused copy sheet. The fingers have generally centrally located raised edges to provide a gradually sloping rigid support which lifts the fused copy sheet following initial separation.