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 travelling slot cutting machine and method of cutting a workpiece upon the machine in which there are two independently operable and longitudinally aligned, endless conveyor belts, the adjacent ends of which are spaced apart to define a gap through which a cutting medium may be directed. To cut a workpiece supported over the gap, the cutting medium is directed through the gap while the cutting machine, as well as the gap, are moved longitudinally relative to the stationary workpiece. In moving the gap, the conveyors are clamped against movement over their respective supporting rollers. The supporting rollers are then moved in such a fashion that the length of at least one of the conveyor belts is maintained unchanged as the workpiece is transported from the upper run of one of the conveyor belts to the upper run of the other conveyor belts.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring a limp fabric piece (6) wherein the fabric piece (6) is deposited on a low frictional plate (7) supported by a movable carriage (not shown) mounted on wheels (10). The carriage is then moved to a position beneath a frictional gripping device (9) which is then lowered onto the fabric piece (6). The carriage with the low friction plate (7) is then withdrawn from beneath the gripping device (9) and returned to its original position leaving gripping device (9) in frictional engagement with fabric piece (6).

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying sheets including a first conveyor and a second conveyor. The first conveyor conveys sheets in a first direction and the second conveyor conveys sheets in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. A mechanism is provided for transferring sheets conveyed by the first conveyor to the second conveyor. This mechanism includes a star wheel mounted at the longitudinal end of the first conveyor such that its longitudinal axis is disposed substantially transverse to the first direction and substantially parallel to the second conveying direction. In this manner, a sheet conveyed by the first conveyor is received intermediate the radial arms of the star wheel, brought into alignment with the second conveyor as the star wheel rotates and then can be transferred onto the second conveyor by a reciprocating structure.

Abstract: An automatic stacking machine is disclosed. The machine is designed to stack pieces of cloth, prior to the use of the cloth in the construction of garments. A conveyor, having a plurality of bands, transports the cloth pieces to a horizontally reciprocal carriage that reciprocates from a position under the conveyor. Located below the reciprocal carriage, when it is in its extended position, is an elevator table upon which the cloth pieces are deposited and stacked. A plurality of wheels, mounted above the retractable carriage, in its extended position, turn in the direction of outward movement of the carriage. When the carriage changes direction and begins to retract, the wheels, which only move in one direction, pull the fabric off the retractable carriage and the cloth drops neatly down on the table below.

Abstract: A workpiece is placed on a retractable tray above a desired location and covered with a flexible sheet. As the tray is retracted, the flexible sheet prevents the workpiece from following the tray and allows the workpiece to move down into the desired location.

Abstract: In a copier with a moving platen document imaging system, wherein the platen is a part of a moving platen unit reciprocally driven relative to the stationary body of the copier, with a document on, and moving with, the platen being imaged by the copier in an imaging movement of the moving platen unit, the improvement including an automatic document feeder for automatically feeding documents on to and off of the platen solely utilizing the reciprocal movement of the moving platen unit, including a document feeding system mounted to the moving platen unit for reciprocal movement therewith but rotatable relative to the platen for movement of documents relative to the platen, and a motion converting system for mechanically converting the reciprocal motion of the moving plate unit in at least one direction of movement thereof into appropriate intermittent rotation of the document feeding system for intermittently rotatably driving the document feeding system at a document feeding velocity substantially different f

Abstract: Disclosed is a rotary vacuum arm bag or sheet transferring and stacking device and a stack-handling system enabling an indexing of counted bag stacks. The transferring device grasps and retains the bags adjacent margins transverse to the direction of web advance while at least a portion of the opposed margins parallel to such directions are spaced inwardly from the arms to define a slot or gap thru which stack-retaining fingers project contributing to remove a bag from a pair of arms and retaining the bag in a stack wherein respective margins overlie each other. Also disclosed is a stack-handling system having the ability to remove a completed stack from the stacking station and yet allow, if desired, continuous bag machine operation and, as a result, uninterrupted transfer of sheets or bags to the stacking stations.

Abstract: An apparatus of feeding cardboards to the carton making section, the apparatus including a kicker adapted to kick each cardboard on its rear end so as to enable same to be fed to the carton making section, the kicker being adjustable in its position in accordance with the widths of the cardboards in an easy, trouble-free way.

Abstract: An apparatus and method wherein strip material is clamped to a shuttle finger slidably mounted in a shuttle casing which in turn is slidably mounted on a strip applier frame. The shuttle casing and shuttle finger are movable simultaneously from a retracted first position to a second position with the end of the shuttle casing adjacent an applicator roll. The shuttle finger is then movable by itself from the second position to a third position for transferring a tongue portion of the strip onto the applicator roll. The tongue portion may then be elevated into clamping engagement with the drum and the strip released from the shuttle finger. The shuttle casing and shuttle finger may then be returned to the first position, the drum rotated a predetermined amount to partially wrap the strip around the drum and the strip cut at a predetermined location whereupon the drum is rotated to fully wrap the strip of flexible material around the drum.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a sheet-like article such as a wafer between a first horizontal passage defining a first plane and a second horizontal passage defining a second plane at a different level from said first plane comprising a carriage vertically movable between said first and second planes for transferring said sheet-like article between said first and second horizontal passages.

Abstract: A transfer device of a sheet object in which at least one position adjustment piece is fitted in one transfer bar and at least two position adjustment pieces are fitted in another transfer bar, and in which a spacing between the two transfer bars as well as positions of the position adjustment pieces are adjustable.

Abstract: A sheet material accumulating device includes a sheet transporting section which is arranged to receiver sheets from a sheet feeding station at a feeding speed and to transport the received sheets to a slanted guide plate of an accumulating section, where the sheet transporting section releases the sheets to thereby accumulate the sheets on the guide plate. The transport speed and direction of the transporting section is controlled so that the sheet reaches the guide plate at a desired position and speed and is released from the transporting section by moving the sheet transporting section away from the guide plate, toward the sheet feeding station.

Abstract: An apparatus and method wherein strip material is clamped to a shuttle finger slidably mounted in a shuttle casing which in turn is slidably mounted on a strip applier frame. The shuttle casing and shuttle finger are movable simultaneously from a retracted first position to a second position with the end of the shuttle casing adjacent an applicator roll. The shuttle finger is then movable by itself from the second position to a third position for transferring a tongue portion of the strip onto the applicator roll. The tongue portion may then be elevated into clamping engagement with the drum and the strip released from the shuttle finger. The shuttle casing and shuttle finger may then be returned to the first position, the drum rotated a predetermined amount to partially wrap the strip around the drum and the strip cut at a predetermined location whereupon the drum is rotated to fully wrap the strip of flexible material around the drum.

Abstract: A scanning system receives and ejects material to be scanned in a given plane. There are first and second transports, each for holding material to be scanned. A table has a bed capable of holding one of the transports. Rails above the bed hold the other transport. These rails may be operated to drop any transport that is on the rails onto the bed. The bed and rails may be raised and lowered so that any transport, on the bed, is in the given plane when a transport is to be fed into the scanning system, and so that any transport ejected from the scanning system will be received on the rails. With this apparatus the two transports may be scanned alternately, with the material on one being changed while the other is being scanned. The transports are moved by rollers and pushing devices.

Abstract: A method of feeding material to be scanned to, and ejecting such material from, a scanning system is provided. The scanning system receives, ejects and transports carrying material to be scanned. Two such transports are provided, to permit material to be scanned on one transport while the material on the other transport is changed and/or modified. The transports are fed into the scanning system from a bed and are received from the system on rails. The rails are above the bed. The bed and rails are in one vertical position when transports are fed from the bed into the scanning system and at another vertical position when a transport is ejected from the scanning system onto the rails. A transport may be dropped from the rails to the bed.

Abstract: Handling equipment for a sheet press for feeding sheet blanks to the press and withdrawing pressed products from the press, includes a first station for the reception of pressed products, a second station containing a supply of sheet blanks, a track extending from the press to the stations, and a shuttle movable along the track and having substantially horizontal, first and second transport compartments at different levels, the first compartment receiving sheet blanks from the second station for delivering them to the press, and the second compartment receiving pressed products from the press for delivering them to the first station.

Abstract: Printing products from a printing machine are successively moved one above the other against a stop to form a stack. A leading product in contact with the stop is biased adjacent to its fold by a perpendicular force compressing the fold. A trailing product is moved on the free end face of the leading product and the perpendicular compressing force is substantially relieved upon approach of the trailing product fold to the stop. The trailing product is biased by a perpendicular force in such a manner that the trailing product is pressed adjacent its fold against the leading product. The movement of the trailing product is not hindered by the perpendicular forces and is synchronized with the build up and relief of the perpendicular forces.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking glued textile fabrics has photocells 43, 44 for controlling the withdrawal movement of a stacking table 25 in dependence on the length of the fabrics. The stacking table moves in the same direction as a fabric piece until the trailing edge of the fabric no longer interrupts a light beam, whereupon the table returns to its original position to receive further pieces of fabric. The apparatus also includes clamping means 37, 38 to firmly hold the already stacked fabrics.

Abstract: A glass sheet is advanced into a sheet determining position with one side of the sheet intercepting two scan paths and the other adjacent side of the sheet intercepting one of the two scan paths. Light rays reflected from the portion of the scan paths occupied by the sheet are incident on selected photodetectors which generate a plurality of signals. The signals are acted on to determine orientation of the sheet relative to a reference plane. The information is forwarded to the program of an industrial robot to alter the path of the robot arm to position a pick up frame mounted on the arm over the sheet. Thereafter the frame engages the sheet to load same in a shipping container.

Abstract: A placket forming system comprises a double needle sewing machine with a cutter which cuts between the lines of stitching and a positioning apparatus including mechanically movable arms with gripping surfaces which operate in conjunction with the sewing machine and cutter apparatus. The positioning apparatus grips a work piece such as a shirt front placket assembly at the sewing machine work surface after the work piece has been sewn and cut and moves the work piece a predetermined distance along the work surface to a proper position under a cutting blade, and the cutting blade is actuated to make a crow's foot cut in the work piece at the end of the line of stitching in the work piece.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to method and apparatus for orienting a limp ply of fabric, in preparation for delivery to a sewing operation, for example. The ply is separated from a ply stack and deposited on a flat shutter plate, which transports the ply to a predetermined discharge or deposit position. The trailing edge of the ply is then engaged at spaced points by orienting lugs extending downward from a pair of pivotally supported sweep arms. As the flat shutter plate is withdrawn, the edge of the ply is engaged by the orienting lugs, retaining the ply in the deposit position. At the same time, the sweep arms are pivoted to move the orienting lugs outward along the edge of the ply, which serves to rotationally orient the ply, as necessary, so that the edge is properly engaged by both of the spaced lugs. When the shutter plate is completely withdrawn the now-oriented ply drops onto a conveyor for transport to a further operation, such as folding and sewing.

Abstract: A portable hand held and manually operated label printer and a method of its use in transferring information from a master plate onto a pressure sensitive label. The printer consists of a magazine section wherein a continuous roll of serially linked pressure sensitive labels are installed with the roll end thereof threaded through an appropriate passage into a manually operated label receiving and printing group. A printing roller arranged on a spring biased slide within the label receiving and printing group, is manually displaced to travel over one of the pressure sensitive labels, sandwiching it against a master plate, transferring raised characters formed on the master plate into the label.

Abstract: This invention relates to a stacker mechanism for removing flexible work pieces from the working area of a machine. The stacker mechanism of the present invention includes a frame, an arm, and a support member having first and second pivotal connections. The first pivotal connection serves to rotatably secure the support member to the frame and allows the arm carried thereby to be vertically rotated. The second pivotal connection allows pivotal movement of the arm in a horizontal direction. The end of the arm opposite the second pivotal connection carries a wiper mechanism for engaging and moving the work piece. A driver is employed for pivotally moving the arm. A motion retarding assembly is provided at the second pivotal connection for applying frictional restraint to the horizontal turning movement of the arm whereby a higher coefficient of friction is maintained at the second pivotal connection relative the first pivotal connection.

Abstract: A machine for the manufacture of objects of sheet shape being removed from the output end of said machine by means of a taking-off device. Said device is connected with a feeding device for said objects. The feeding device is arranged to perform a reciprocating movement and the taking-off device is arranged to follow the same in its motion.

Abstract: This invention relates to new compounds of the formula ##STR1## m is 1 or 2, n is 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, Z represents a polyamine radical containing a basic tertiary or a quaternary nitrogen atom. The compounds of formula (m) an useful as crosslinking agents. They are particularly useful for crosslinking gelatine, preferably gelatin present in layers of photographic material.

Abstract: A re-stacking device for stacking partial stacks of sheet material into a complete stack is disclosed. The device includes a slide mounted for raising and lowering on a machine support and carrying a table top which is horizontally movable back and forth between two end positions. A partial stack is placed on the table top in one of its end positions and moved with it to the other end position above a started stack supported on a stationary carrier. In this other end position the slide is lowered until the table top is a short distance above the top of the started stack. Hydraulically operated clamps are then moved toward the forward edge of the partial stack, and closed to grip this forward edge, whereupon the table top is horizontally withdrawn from under the partial stack so that the latter is deposited on the said started stack. Thereafter, the clamps are opened and withdrawn from the stack.

Abstract: An automatic feeder for serially feeding successive information bearing members from a supply magazine to a copying station for composite copying in combination with a master text and then from the copying station to a suitable repository, such as a receiving magazine comprises folded paths for guiding the information bearing members to and from the copying station and a reciprocating drive for alternately advancing the information bearing members in the two paths.

Abstract: Sliding platen cover apparatus which supports a stack of documents to be copied on the platen of a copier machine, and then is moved over the document to be copied and actuated to produce a frictional contact with the document against the platen. After copying and while in frictional contact, the cover apparatus is slidingly moved in a reverse direction to remove the document from the platen enabling the next document to be placed on the platen. The platen cover apparatus uses an articulated platen pad which is urged into contact with the document on the platen by a handle operated by a machine operator. The apparatus maintains frictional contact with the document until it is deposited into a receiving tray adjacent to the platen.