Abstract: A medium transport device includes a rotating member forming a nip region with a facing member; a guide member configured to rotate in first and second directions opposite to each other; a protrusion serving as a positioning reference for the guide member; and a restricting member including first and second surfaces. The restricting member restricts rotation of the guide member in the first direction such that the guide member does not rotate beyond a position at which the first surface is in contact with the protrusion and at which the guide member guides a sheet medium in an intended direction, and restricts rotation of the guide member in the second direction such that the guide member does not rotate beyond a position at which the second surface is in contact with the protrusion and at which the guide member is not in contact with the facing member.

Abstract: Methods of forming electronic devices are provided. The methods involve alkaline treatment of photoresist patterns and allow for the formation of high density resist patterns. The methods find particular applicability in semiconductor device manufacture.

Abstract: A peeling device is provided and includes: a rotating body that conveys a recording material; a peeling member capable of changing from a first state in which the peeling member is away from the rotating body to a second state in which the peeling member is closer to the rotating body than the peeling member in the first state is, the peeling member in the second state peeling off the recording material from the rotating body; and a gas spraying unit that sprays a gas to the peeling member to bring the peeling member from the first state to the second state.

Abstract: A device and method for unloading laminar elements from a roll and transferring stacks of such laminar elements, and to the roll used for the same. The method including unloading sheets from a roll with the aid of a barrier; receiving the sheets on a support, such as to form a growing stack; positioning a separator between two adjacent sheets in which the first sheet completes a finished stack on the support and the second sheet is held by the separator in order to begin a new stack; moving the support to an outlet support and pushing the finished stack with the aid of a push element in order to transfer same from the support to the outlet support; moving the support to the position of the separator and removing the separator in order to transfer the growing stack from the separator to the support. The invention also relates to the device used to implement the method.

Abstract: The sheet conveying apparatus includes a first member configured to convey a sheet along a predetermined conveying path while holding the sheet, a second member configured to convey a sheet along the predetermined conveying path while holding the sheet, and a changing unit configured to change a first state in which the first member and the second member convey the same sheet along the predetermined conveying path and a second state in which the first member and the second member convey different sheets in the predetermined conveying path according to a length of a sheet along the predetermined conveying path.

Abstract: A stripper assembly strips a media sheet from a photoreceptor belt. A support bracket supports a stripping finger base which includes a multiplicity of attached stripping fingers. The support bracket is fixed proximate to the photoreceptor belt in a media stripping position. Each stripping finger has a protruding distal stripping end extending toward the photoreceptor belt to form a gap therewith. The magnitude of the stripping finger-photoreceptor belt gap is controlled by adjusting the position or spacing of the finger base with respect to the support bracket. The support bracket pivots about an inboard pivot axial. The opposite support bracket outboard end is releasable, thus enabling the support bracket to pivot away from the photoreceptor belt.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for depositing notes, which comprises a plurality of storage compartments for depositing the notes, means for transporting the notes to the storage compartments and for the organized deposit of the same on stacks disposed in the storage compartments. The inventive device comprises one or more parallel revolving belts on which fingers are successively disposed in the longitudinal direction which cooperate with the belts to give receiving pockets for the notes. Every storage compartment is associated with a respective stripping element interposed between the storage compartment and the belts. For depositing a note in the storage compartment the belts and/or the corresponding stripping element can be adjusted relative each other in such a manner that the stripping element projects into the path of a note that is displaced by means of the belt.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet discharging apparatus in which an apparatus main body portion is provided with plural discharging rollers for discharging sheets by rotation, and a shaft coaxially fixed to the discharging rollers. The shaft has an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the discharging roller. At the discharging roller side of the shaft is provided a small-diameter portion, with the outer diameter of the small-diameter portion smaller than the outer diameter of another portion. A projection projects from a portion of the apparatus main body portion, a tip end of the projection being disposed in a step between the small-diameter portion and the other portion of the shaft. Also disclosed is an image forming apparatus having the sheet discharging apparatus, in which an image is formed on a sheet, and the sheet on which the image is formed is discharged by the sheet discharging apparatus.

Abstract: A delivery station and a method for unblanked sheet delivery uses a delivery pull-out frame provided with front jogging stops and transverse gripper bars. The ends of the bars are fixedly attached to two respective endless loops flexible drive elements for conveying the sheets in process. The front jogging stops of the delivery pull-out frame are spaced apart to allow the passage between them of grippers of the gripper bar. The gripper bar is inclined around a transverse shaft, for lowering the level of the grippers below the level of the respective upper edges of the front jogging stops, by simultaneously opening the said grippers, in order to separate the sheet from the grippers by bringing the front edge of the sheet against the front stops.

Abstract: A paper or sheet buffering system is provided which avoids having to shut down the entire system when the paper path or transport is overloaded. A rotating disk having an attached collection and dispensing finger(s) is used to pull excess sheets off the transport and hold them until it is suitable to dispense them back on to the transport.

Abstract: A printer assembly including a mechanism for rotating a stripper carriage includes a drum blade for stripping media from a drum and a transfix roller blade for stripping media from a transfix roller of an imaging device. The media stripper carriage is accessed and rotated so that a user may maintain parts of an imaging device without having to remove parts of the device. The stripper carriage pivots about a shaft of a transfix roller. A solenoid activates stripping of media from the drum and/or the transfix roller. When maintenance is required, the stripper carriage is rotated by a user and stops at an open position. The user may then clear a jam, clean parts or perform other maintenance on the imaging device. Then, an access door of the device is closed to automatically rotate the stripper carriage to a position in which the imaging device is ready for imaging.

Abstract: A fixing device has a first roller, a second roller, a peeling member located on a sheet exit side relative to the paired rollers to be guided in a direction away from the first roller, and a positioning mechanism configured to position the peeling member. The positioning mechanism has a support shaft located on the sheet exit side relative to the first roller in a state parallel to the axis of the first roller, a positioning member carrying the peeling member, supported by the support shaft to rotate toward and away from a roller shaft, and configured to abut a peripheral surface of the roller shaft, and an elastic member configured to urge the positioning member in a direction to abut on the peripheral surface portion of the roller shaft.

Abstract: There are disposed a star-wheel 21 in the form of a thin wall-thickness having a sharp projecting portion 21a as auxiliary member which strips off a recording paper P from the surface of a photosensitive body 2, and an inversion preventing member 22 formed from a synthetic resin sheet having flexibility. The star-wheel 21 is disposed with a spacing between the surface of the photosensitive body 2 and an extreme end of the projecting portion 21a held by a fixed distance G. The inversion preventing member 22 has its extreme end placed in contact with the projecting portion 21a of the star-wheel 21 so that the star-wheel 21 is not allowed to be rotated in the direction reversed to the direction of rotation where the recording paper P passes through a normal carrying route.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting individual sheets past an exposure station for exposing the individual sheets, including a roller that has parallel spaced annular grooves and has plurality of parallel endless belts on each side of the exposure station, which belts respectively overlie the grooves for pressing the individual sheets against the roller. Guiding fingers extend into the roller parallel annular grooves for lifting the individual sheets from the roller.

Abstract: A paper separating apparatus of a printer includes a separating member installed to be adjacent to an exit side of the transfer roller and under a path along which the paper is discharged and fixedly coupled to a pair of bearing guides which rotatably support opposite ends of the transfer roller to be capable of pivoting by a predetermined angle together with the bearing guides, a guide roller installed at an upper surface of the separating member for guiding discharge of the paper, a pivot restricting mechanism for restricting the pivot angles of the separating member and the bearing guides, and an elastic force applying mechanism for applying an elastic force in one direction so that the separating member and the bearing guides can maintain regular positions.

Abstract: A device for vertically forming partial stacks of printed products. Said device comprises a belt conveyor (1) for transporting printed products, a bulging device (11), by which the printed products conveyed on the belt conveyor (1) may be provided with a convexity around an axis extending in the conveying direction of the belt conveyor (1) vertically extending collecting shaft (2), adjustable in format and disposed at one end of the belt conveyor (1) in the extension thereof, and having an openable stacking support (21) disposed therein, from which a stack of printed products may be picked up, and a first supporting finger (3), disposed on the side of the belt conveyor (1) facing away from the collecting shaft (2) and above the stacking support (21), said finger being displaceable by a displacing device (5) from a starting position, in which it extends centrally into the collecting shaft (2) above the stream of printed products, vertically downwards into said stream of conveyed printed products.

Abstract: A device and a method for depositing products or signatures on a conveying belt utilizes both a fixed stripper and a rotating stripper, in conjunction with a delivery paddle wheel. The cooperation of the fixed and rotating strippers deposits the signatures or folded products onto the delivery belt in an efficient manner while preventing damage to the products or signatures.

Abstract: An adjustable signature stripping mechanism for stripping signatures from a rotating bucket assembly in a folder of a printing press. The mechanism includes a stripper shaft having a mounting portion and a pivot axis and a plurality of strippers mounted on the stripper shaft for stripping signatures from the bucket assembly and wherein the strippers are non-rotatable relative to the stripper shaft and slidable positionable along the stripper shaft.

Abstract: A sheet media handling system is provided for use in supporting a sheet ejected from a wet-ink hard copy apparatus output port while ink on a preceding sheet ink an output tray is allowed time to dry before depositing the succeeding on top thereof. The system employs a pair of guides having an elongate channel therebetween which receives a predetermined side edge of an ejected sheet. The channel bends the sheet in order to stiffen the sheet along its longitudinal axis such that only one edge need be supported. Once a trailing edge of an advancing sheet is ejected from the output port, a lower guide is retracted whereby the sheet falls under the force of gravity onto the output media stack in the output tray. Several advantageous lower guide upper surface constructs are disclosed. The advantages of the use of a guide mechanism on each side of the advancing output sheets is discussed.

Abstract: A hopper loader apparatus for transferring and separating individual signatures of sheet material from a vertically aligned, parallelepiped shaped stack of such signatures. The separated, individual signatures may then be subjected to handling operations such as stapling or stitching. The hopper-loader has a first, downwardly inclined, planar conveyor, a second upwardly inclined, planar ramp conveyor which separates individual signatures from the stack and moves the signatures at a faster speed than the first conveyor. An included angle is formed between the first and second conveyors which ranges from about 125.degree. to about 145.degree. . Signatures are delivered to a pocket having spaced side walls and having a floor comprising a third intermittent indexing conveyor which sequentially moves the individual signatures away from the second conveyor and makes them available to stapling or stitching equipment.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a hopper loader apparatus for separating and forming an overlapping shingled stream of individual signatures of sheet materials from a vertically aligned, parallelepiped shaped stack of such signatures for subsequent handling operations. The hopper-loader has a chassis; a first continuous, downwardly inclined planar conveyor mounted on the chassis which moves a stack of vertically aligned signatures and deposits them onto a second conveyor as a separated, shingled stream of the signatures. The second conveyor is mounted on the chassis and aligned with an end of the first conveyor. It has a plurality of driven belts which travel over each of an upwardly inclined planar ramp segment, an arched transition segment, and a planar exit segment. The arched transition segment comprises either a belt slide or a plurality of serially arranged rollers.

Abstract: A stripping finger, for use in an electrophotographic apparatus, formed by molding a glass polymer consisting of phosphate glass and resin. The stripping finger does not attack the peripheral surface of a roller of the electrophotographic apparatus. The material of the stripping finger can be molded precisely by injection molding; has a sufficient degree of heat load resistance, heat deformation property, and heat fatigue resistance; and is capable of maintaining the original shape of its tip.

Abstract: An electrophotographic development system preventive of a rolling of paper on a photosensitive drum includes a charging roller for charging the surface of the photosensitive drum with high voltage by a rotation with the photosensitive drum, an exposure unit for producing an electrostatic latent image on the charged part of the photosensitive drum, a developing roller having a thin and uniform toner layer through which the latent image on the photosensitive drum passes to be developed into a visible image, and a transfer roller for transferring the image on a paper, whereby to compulsorily separate the paper rolling up the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: In a device for stacking flat letters having a separating mechanism and a stacking mechanism between which the letters are stacked, the stacking mechanism capable of moving in the stacking direction along a stacking surface, and a transport path that is formed by endless vertical belts guided by way of rollers, between which belts the letters are conveyed from a loading station to the stacking mechanism, it is provided that the stacking surface has a horizontal concave curvature with respect to the side on which the transport path is located, and that the belts are deflected in the region of the transport path by a plurality of deflecting rollers that are disposed on a curve adapted to the curvature of the stacking surface in such a way that the transport path has a curvature adapted to that of the stacking surface, in the region of the transport path, the belts being disposed between the stacking surface and the deflecting rollers.

Abstract: A sheet transfer member (17) has at least one outwardly opening slot (20) into which a sheet can be received. The member (17) is rotatably mounted in use so that a sheet in the slot (20) can be transferred to a sheet stacking position. A portion of the rotatable member (17) comprises high friction insert (22) which, during a dispense operation, withdraws sheets from the stacking position.

Abstract: Apparatus for sorting sheets or the like, in which mail distributed to a number of collection sections can be easily recycled to a feeder for sorting the mail in accordance with the delivery order. Stackers, in which mail is sorted in accordance with address codes, are provided on an upper portion of the feeder. By pulling out a bottom plate of the stackers, the mail in the stackers falls down into the feeder. The mail distributed once can be recycled to the feeder in a short period of time, thereby reducing the time for carrier route sequencing of the mail. The mail is conveyed in a path extending both above and below the feeder and the stackers, thereby reducing the area required for the apparatus.

Abstract: A bank note input from the outside is accepted for lending game play media. If change is to be given, a bank note is dispensed as the change. A bank note validation section (20a) takes in an input bank note, determines at least the denomination of the bank note, and outputs amount information. A bank note return section (20b) stores the bank note if it is a bank note that can be used for change, and is responsive to a change paying out command for dispensing a necessary number of bank notes as change to the outside, using the stored bank notes. A lending controller (70) uses a dispensing controller (81) for inputting the amount information and is responsive to a lending command for outputting a command for dispensing game play media in a given dispensing unit. The lending controller uses a calculation circuit (82) for subtracting an amount corresponding to the dispensing unit from an amount indicated by the amount information to find the remaining amount.

Abstract: A sheet stacking and registration system particularly suited for high speed sequentially stacking of the flimsy printed sheets output of a high speed reproduction apparatus in a sheet stacking area, with a stacking registration position; with a vacuum belt sheet transport system acquiring only a limited lead edge area of the sheets and transporting them over the stacking area with non-slip sheet feeding towards the registration position; and an integral system peeling the lead edges of the sheets off of the vacuum transport and guiding them downwardly and towards the lead edge registration position while reducing but partially maintaining the sheet's vacuum acquisition, and applying a normal force, preferably with a roller pressing down the lead edges of the peeled off sheet against the previously stacked sheets adjacent the registration position, to frictionally slow the sheet as it approaches the registration position, and also holding down the sheet after it reaches the stacking position.

Abstract: A carton feeder assembly is positioned substantially at the infeed conveyor level and includes a carton supply assembly, a carton selector, a carton opener, and a carton erector. The carton supply assembly has a carton supply position, a carton holding position, and a carton selecting position. The carton selector includes a pair of feeder wheels with corresponding suction devices and respective motion defining assemblies. The motion defining assemblies cause the suction devices to move along a linear pick line as the feeder wheels rotate, so that the suction devices can apply a suction on a carton to be selected. The selected carton is brought into contact with the feeder wheels by retraction of the suction devices caused by respective motion defining assemblies, so that the carton moves with the feeder wheels to the carton opener.

Abstract: A sheet media handling system is provided for use in supporting a sheet which has been expelled from an ink-jet printer's output port while ink on a preceding sheet is allowed time to dry. The system employs a guide mechanism with an elongate channel which receives a predetermined side edge of an expelled sheet. The channel is provided with an elongate first channel segment which extends in substantially parallel fashion with a generally horizontal media outflow axis, and an elongate second channel segment which turns upwardly and inwardly from the first channel segment, thereby establishing a sheet-stiffening bow in the expelled sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting sheet-like items, in which the items, which are to be sorted to plural collecting sections, can be easily recycled to a feeder for sorting the items in multiple sorts in accordance with a desired sorting order or sequence. A stacker is provided on an upper portion of feeder. By pulling out a bottom plate of the stacker, the once sorted items in the stacker are caused to fall down into the feeder. The items can thus be rapidly recycled to the feeder for another sort, thereby reducing the time required for complete sorting or sequencing of the mail.

Abstract: A device for separating a transfer paper, onto which a toner image has been electrostatically transferred from the surface of a photosensitive member, from the surface of the photosensitive member. A separator roller made of an electrically conducting material is disposed close to the photosensitive member. A spacer assures that an appropriate gap is maintained between the photosensitive member and the separator roller. A voltage source which applies an AC voltage or a pulse voltage to the separator roller. The frequency of the applied voltage is selected to be from 200 Hz to 1 KHz or at 20 KHz or higher, and the voltage level can be controlled as a function of the separator roller temperature and/or moisture level or humidity.

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: In a method for the automated processing of bulk mail, envelopes are transferred to a receiving apparatus in bulk fashion (from incoming mail trays or the like) for the extraction of documents contained by the envelopes, and the extracted documents are delivered to a remittance processing device, preferably both automatically and without the need for human intervention. Subsequent processing of the extracted documents within the remittance processing device then proceeds in usual fashion, completing the acquisition of information which is necessary to ready such documents for deposit into the banking system. Also disclosed are various presorting functions so that only envelopes containing documents of a specified type will be fully processed, other sorting functions such as the identification of specific types of documents (invoices or checks) for separate processing, and the use of a single extraction device to deliver extracted documents to either one, or a series of remittance processing devices.

Abstract: A labeling machine in which pressure sensitive adhesively backed labels are releasably adhered to a backing strip moving along a path from a dispensing roll to a take-up roll. The labels are removed from the backing strip onto a rotating applicator drum at a first station along said path, and the thus removed labels are transferred from the applicator drum to articles being successively presented at a second station. The improvement comprises a scanning unit, a comparator unit, and a removal unit. The scanning unit is positioned in advance of the first station for reading indicia appearing on the labels adhered to said backing strip. The comparator unit is associated with the scanning unit for comparing the indicia on the labels with a preselected standard and for generating a control signal in the event of a mismatch between the standard and the indicia appearing on an incorrect label.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking successive rapidly advancing sheets of a stream of sheets has a platform which receives successive sheets and descends at the rate of accumulation of one or more stacks thereon. The sheets are delivered by one or more overhead belt conveyors in cooperation with one or more lower belt conveyors. The front end turn of the lower reach of each overhead conveyor is deflected around a small-diameter rigid rod immediately in front of a stop for the leaders of successive sheets to reduce the likelihood of buckling during stacking, and one or more downwardly sloping ramps are provided in front of the stop to deflect the leaders of successive sheets in a downward direction toward the leaders of the immediately preceding sheets in immediate or close proximity of the stop. The stop, the rod and the overhead conveyor or conveyors are adjustable in several directions to facilitate a change of setup for the stacking of longer, shorter, wider or narrower sheets.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic printer using a continuous-form sheet as a recording medium, there is provided a sheet separating mechanism comprising an elastic member arranged to be deformed by the continuous-form sheet, that is pressed by a transferring charger, when the transferring charger is located at an operating position and a transferring operation is to be executed, or to be released from the deformation when the transferring charger is retracted from the operating position. Thus, the continuous-form sheet is definitely separated from a photoconductive material by the elastic member as it is released from the deformation, when the transferring operation is not to be executed.

Abstract: A sheet removal apparatus for unloading a sheet from a hollow drum mounted for rotation about its axis and having a vacuum provided to the interior thereof and to first and second sets of vacuum openings through the surface of the drum. The sheet is arranged to overlie and close the first set of vacuum openings with the second set of openings extending substantially parallel with an edge of the sheet and comprising only a small portion of the total number of vacuum openings through the drum. An exit blade is disposed adjacent the drum and has an edge proximate the drum that extends substantially parallel to the edge of the sheet and forms an acute angle with the drum surface with the proximate edge of the blade closely adjacent the apex of the angle and parallel with the edge of the sheet. When the drum is rotated to a sheet removal position, the first set of vacuum openings lies beneath the acute angle when the edge of the sheet is disposed on the opposite side of the apex.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet guide apparatus of the type that a recording sheet delivered by a rotary movement in peripheral contact between a fixing roller and a pressure roller drops by its own weight into an upper open-type sheet receiving unit disposed near a sheet delivery side of the pressure roller, and sheet delivery rollers or the like disposed on the sheet delivery side of a fixing apparatus are normally omitted, thereby permitting dimensional reduction of the apparatus and simplicity of its structure.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus wherein an image formed on an image bearing member is transferred onto a transfer material carried on the transfer material carrying member. The transfer material carrying member is capable of electrostatically attracting a plurality of transfer materials, so that good quality images can be provided at a high overall image formation speed with a simple structure, because the possible deterioration of the quality of the image attributable to the difference between the effect of presence of the transfer material on the transfer material carrying member and the absence thereof on the transfer material carrying member can be minimized.

Abstract: A separating device for separating a copy sheet from a photoreceptor of an electrophotographic copying machine after a toner image is transferred from the photoreceptor onto the copy sheet, comprising; a supporting plate, placed parallel to the photoreceptor, for supporting a pivotable claw, for separating the copy sheet from the photoreceptor in which the claw has a weight member opposite side from a tip of the claw so that the tip comes into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor by the weight of the weight member, and a wire, provided through the weight member of the claw, for pivoting the claw by tensioning and loosening the wire an end of the wire being fixed on the supporting plate.

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: Apparatus for removing a flat article form a stream of articles moving along a straight path. The apparatus includes: a substantially curved, horizontal ramp movable vertically between a lower, home position and an upper position for engaging a removing the flat article form the stream and a swingable arm situated above the ramp. The arm has at its remote end a constantly turning roller and an arc, such that the constantly turning roller is always situated above the horizontal ramp. The path further included is a device for moving the ramp form the lower position to the upper position to engage the constantly turning roller to thereby drive the roller toward the flat article whereby the flat article is gripped by the constantly turning roller and removed form the stream of flat articles.

Abstract: An outfeed conveyor is arranged beneath a rotary bucket wheel driven to rotate in a predetermined rotational direction. A belt conveyor is arranged downstream of, and a product entrainment arrangement is arranged upstream of, the outfeed conveyor. An endless revolving belt is guided about belt rolls of the outfeed conveyor and upon which come to bear the printed products in inbricated formation. Entrainment elements of the product entrainment arrangement completely stuff the printed products into the pockets of the bucket wheel. Upon ejection of the printed products out of the bucket wheel they are fixedly clamped at their trailing edges between a support element and extensions or cantilever arms of the entrainment elements until the entrainment elements have passed the support element and thus an intersection location between the entrainment elements and the support element.

Abstract: A sorter-stacker arrangement for sheet part pieces (17) such as are produced by a punch press (18), in which part pieces are unloaded onto a sorter table (50) in a located position against any one of a row of stops (52), and conveyed along an X-axis as by translation of the conveyor table therealong. A pair of storage racks (36) are disposed on opposite sides of the sorter table (50), each having a vertical array of open spaces facing the sorter table (50). The sorter table (50) is elevated to the preselected position, and advanced into the appropriate storage space (38). After lowering of the stripper gates (104), the sorter table (50) is retracted to align the part piece 17 by contact of the stripper gate (104) with the inside edge of the part piece (17) and stripped on to the stack as the sorter table (50) returns to the central position.

Abstract: A toner image device includes a separating member for separating an image forming medium carrying a toner image to be fixed from fixing rollers. The separating member has an end in contact with the fixing rollers. A groove is formed at an intermediate portion of the separating member. A housing for the separating member has an engaging portion to engage with the groove so as to rotatably support the separating member around the engaging portion. A tension spring is connected to the separating member and exerts a force in a direction such that the separating member is brought into contact with the mixing rollers.

Abstract: In the commercial production of licorice bites, each about 1 inch long, a group of extruded 54-inch licorice strips are lifted by a programmable controlled robot from the discharge end of a lower conveyor and deposited at the input end of an upper conveyor which carries the strips to a cutting station. The robot hand has a lower stainless steel blade for insertion under the group of licorice strips to wedge the sticky strips from a board on which they are being carried by the lower conveyor. The robot hand includes an upper bar. The bar is moved relative to the blade after insertion of the blade under the licorice strips, thereby clamping the strips between the bar and the blade. The arm of the robot then lifts the hand and clamped group of licorice strips and deposits the front ends of the strips at the input of the upper conveyor.

Abstract: An improved sheet stacking arrangement for use with a recording apparatus, which includes a sheet feed-out device, a tray provided with an inclined surface descending to a certain extent towards the recording apparatus, and a sheet leading edge restricting portion provided at a side of the recording apparatus beyond an intersection between the inclined surface of the tray and an imaginary line extending in the sheet feed-out direction of the sheet feed-out device so as to receive the leading edge of the sheet fed out by the sheet feed-out device and contacting the inclined surface of the tray, with tray distance between the sheet feed-out device and the tray being shorter than the length of the shortest sheet employed in the recording apparatus.

Abstract: A pair of supply belts (3, 4) pass vertically towards an open deflection drum (5) which has two peripheral deflection segments (6, 7), one (4) of the supply belts then is joined by another belt (9), the junction forming an inlet funnel or zone (14) which deflects a printed subject (1) clamped between the supply belts to a first belt system now formed by one of the supply belts and one (9) of the delivery belts. The other (3) of the supply belts passes vertically through the open drum and, in combination with a second delivery belt (10), receives those printed subjects (2) which are not deflected by the segments (6, 7), that is, which are in the path through the drum when the segments (6, 7) are outside the path through the drum.

Abstract: In the commercial production of licorice bites, each about 1 inch long, a group of extruded 54-inch licorice strips are lifted by a programmable controlled robot from the discharge end of a lower conveyor and deposited at the input end of an upper conveyor which carries the strips to a cutting station. The robot hand has a lower stainless steel blade for insertion under the group of licorice strips to wedge the sticky strips from a board on which they are being carried by the lower conveyor. The robot hand includes an upper bar having a food-grade rubber undersurface. The bar is lowered relative to the blade after insertion of the blade under the licorice strips, thereby clamping the strips between the lowered bar and the blade. The arm of the robot then lifts the hand and clamped group of licorice strips and deposits the front ends of the strips at the input of the upper conveyor.