Abstract: In a first aspect, a method of drying at least a portion of a substrate located within a fluid is provided. The method includes contacting an edge of the substrate that is located within the fluid with a pusher pin. The pusher pin has (a) a shaft portion; and (b) a tip portion having a knife edge of a width of 0.42 inches or less, the tip portion adapted to contact and support the substrate with the knife edge. The method further includes lifting the substrate from the fluid with the pusher pin; and exposing the substrate to a drying vapor as the substrate is lifted from the fluid. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: In a method and system for depalletizing tires using a robot, wherein the tires are randomly located on a carrier, the position and orientation of outer tires on the carrier are detected using a sensor, and a processor, using a signal from the sensor, determines a tire that can be gripped by a gripping tool of an industrial robot, and calculates a movement path for the gripping tool for that tire. If the calculated path is not collision-free, another tire from among the outer tires is selected, and a movement path for depalletizing that tire is determined. The procedure is repeated until a collision-free movement path for a tire from among the outer tires is established. The gripping tool is then guided according to this collision-free movement path to depalletize the tire having the collision-free path associated therewith.

Abstract: The device serves for stacking hollow objects generally tapered and intended for accumulation in stacks where they are arranged, each one partially inserted in the next. The stacking device operates at the exit of a rotating machine (20) operating at high speed, and having a rotating head (21) for the single objects, and comprise an extractor means (30) located in an exit station (B) of the rotating machine (20) intended to remove the objects from the rotating head (21) one at a time.

Abstract: A method and device for forming a stack of n packets, whereby the packets, fed successively in a substantially horizontal direction to an input of a substantially vertical conveyor channel, are stacked by being lifted, along the conveyor channel, by an n-start screw push device rotating about an axis substantially parallel to the conveyor channel; the stack so formed is extracted from an output of the conveyor channel, in a radial output direction with respect to the axis of the screw push device, by a comb extractor movable along an annular path extending through the conveyor channel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stacking column for storing goods on top of each other or next to each other on pawls (1) which rotate about a rotational axis (2) from an idle position into a working position. The respective successive pawls (1) are mutually coupled by means of at least one link plate (9). In order to reduce the gap or pitch (T) between adjacent pawls (1), the at least one link plate (9) is angular, elbowed or arc-shaped.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method and a device for stacking and packing groups of infusion bags, especially for making tea, whereby in continuous production infusion bags arranged one after another in a series in a strand are separated, their speed of movement is reduced and they are put in a position suitable for making a stack, whereby the infusion bags are arranged one after another in such a way that they at least partly overlap in their subsequent direction of movement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a gripping and transport clamp mounted at an end of a robotic arm. The clamp has a support member mounted at the end of the robotic arm and two lower pressing plates and one upper pressing plate mounted on the support member. A sensor is used to detect a reaction force being exerted on the first pressing plate upon displacement thereof. An actuator inserts the first lower pressing plate under the object to be gripped in response to a detection of the reaction force by the sensor. The second lower pressing plate under the first pressing plate moves between a retracted position and an extended position by means of an actuator mounted between the second lower pressing plate and the support member. It is also inserted under the object to be gripped. An actuator moves the upper pressing plate towards the object for gripping it between the plates. A controller receives detection signals from the sensor and operates the actuators.

Abstract: A lifting method and device. A first lifting device lifts a multi-layer stack of articles from a lower position upwardly to a raised position at which the uppermost layer is at a desired level for removal of articles. The first lifting device continues to move the stack upwardly in increments for subsequent removal of articles in subsequent layers at the desired level. A second lifting device engages the bottom of the stack at locations different from the areas engaged by the first lifting device for continuing upward movement of the stack for positioning the remaining layers at the desired level for the removal of articles therefrom. The first lifting device is then movable downwardly to receive a new stack and the second lifting means is foldable to a retracted position and movable to a position below the new stack.

Abstract: A stacker for stacking articles, particularly blister packs, into stacks of goods, including a goods feeder, a primary packing unit and a unit for supplying the stacks for secondary packing or processing. The packing unit has a goods magazine with a goods support, on which the articles inserted in the magazine may be deposited to form stacks of goods. The goods magazine has a first goods support and a second goods support, the first support being arranged above the stack of goods until the stack resting on the second support is removed. A further stack may be piled up on the first support and lowered into the removal position following the removal of the stack located below it.

Abstract: A method for forming vertical stacks of documents and then conveying the stacks serially along a conveyor to further processing stations. The stacks are rapidly ejected onto a conveyor which is driven at a relatively slow delivery speed, and to avoid longitudinal shingling of the stacks caused by their rapid ejection onto the conveyor, and to correct any lateral misalignment of each stack, there is provided a pair of rotatably mounted resilient guide rolls along respective opposite sides of the conveyor for rotation about vertical axes. The rolls are spaced apart a distance such that the rolls resiliently engage the opposite sides of the stacks as they pass therebetween. Also, the guide rolls are rotated at an initial peripheral speed which closely approximates the speed of the advancing stacks when the stacks engage the two guide rolls, which serves to square the stacks.

Abstract: Foil sheets are removed from two stacks located one above the other on a stack rack by a swingable transfer assembly having a transfer platform along the sides of which guide rails carry a suction beam which, as the transfer assembly is swung up and down, can engage the uppermost foil sheet on one or the other stack. The suction beam draws the foil sheets onto the transfer platform where the foil sheet is oriented or aligned and from which the foil sheet is drawn onto a deposition station which can have belts carrying the laminate or in a direction orthogonal to the destacking transfer direction.

Abstract: A stacking column for storing articles comprises a plurality of ratchet elements each having a carrying arm and a control arm. The plurality of ratchet elements are arranged successively in one plane such that the carrying arms of each ratchet element are arranged in one vertically extending plane and the control arm of each ratchet element is arranged in a laterally offset manner relative to the carrying arm of the same ratchet element between any two successive ratchet elements. The control arms of the ratchet elements are also arranged in a laterally alternating manner relative to the one vertically extending plane.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new machine for continuously stacking packages in a vertical orientation for insertion into cases. A lift area is provided having a plurality of lateral lifting panels on either side. The panels are adjustably attached to pairs of continuous rotating bands, such that for each panel on one side there is a corresponding panel on the other side. The panels are provided in two independently operated sets, each set having identical operation, but with alternating action. Two horizontal conveyors deliver packages to the lifting area, the conveyor closer to the lift operating at a faster speed than the more distant conveyor. The faster speed creates a time and space gap between packages delivered to the lifting area, which gap may be increased or decreased by varying the conveyor speed. As the conveyors deliver packages to the lifting area, the two sets of lifting panels are alternatively activated to raise the packages in a stack, providing a continuous stacking operation.

Abstract: A unit for forming and supplying stacks of products to a machine, wherein a stacking device lifts the products successively off a continuous supply conveyor to form stacks which are fed along a supporting surface by a pocket conveyor for supplying the machine; and wherein, to enable at least partial formation of a stack before a respective conveying pocket is arrested in such a position as to receive the stack, the stacking device is provided with a stop member, which is movable to and from a position of interference with the pockets of the pocket conveyor, and against which the stack is at least partly formed.

Abstract: An arrangement is described for the gathered collection of sheets of a recording medium, which are output by a recording device. The sheets are collected sequentially on the periphery of a drum. In the periphery of the drum is provided a depression in which drivable transport rollers are disposed. The transport rollers cooperate with pressing rollers which can be swiveled against the transport rollers. The transport rollers and the pressing rollers serve, on the one hand, for clamping the gathered sheets against the drum and, on the other hand, for ejecting the gathered bundle.

Abstract: A method and unit for forming stacks of articles, whereby the articles are conveyed on a conveying surface and in a first traveling direction to a pickup station, and are lifted successively in a second traveling direction, crosswise to the first direction, off the conveying surface at the pickup station and transferred on to a further surface, higher than the conveying surface, to form, on the higher surface, a stack presenting at least two superimposed, mutually contacting articles; the articles being conveyed and the stacks of articles being formed continuously and substantially seamlessly.

Abstract: Apparatus for accumulating paper sheets singulated from a paper sheet feeder on a registration deck. The apparatus includes: a sheet feeder for feeding the topmost paper sheet from a stack of paper sheets; an accumulator having an accumulation deck for receiving the sheets of paper from the sheet feeder; a registration stop for stopping the advance of the paper sheets along the accumulation deck; a deflector downstream of the sheet feeder and above the accumulation deck; and a pair of top and bottom rollers defining a nip, the nip being located adjacent, upstream and above the deflector and downstream of the sheet feeder.

Abstract: A stacker for stacking paper documents seriatim is disclosed. The stacker includes: a platform, a helix extending upwardly from the platform; and a device for rotating the helix, whereby a paper document placed at the bottom of the helix can be driven upwardly to the top of the helix.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reverse accumulation of folded documents.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking, registering and attaching one or multiple sets of electrophotographic printing machine output. The copy sheets are discharged from the machine and fall into an inclined compiling tray and are longitudinally registered by flexible, endless belts contacting the top surface of each sheet. Each sheet is then laterally shifted by a tamping mechanism which has upwardly flared baffle to corrugate the sheet as it is shifted to increase the sheet beam strength and facilitate easier and more complete registration. The discharge nip assembly which includes the flexible belts is vertically adjustable either based on discharged sheet count or in response to feedback from a stack height sensor so as to maintain optimum contact by the endless registration belt and allow for high capacity compiling. The compiling tray can also be adjustable.

Abstract: An apparatus has on each side of a conveyor (12) a rotating conveying segment (16, 17) for lifting packs from the conveyor (12) to form a stack (13) of packs (11). An oscillating holding segment (18, 19) oscillates about a common axis with each conveying segment (16, 17) but at a lesser radial distance from the axis then the conveying segment. The holding segments hold the stack (13), but separate to permit a new pack (11) to be added to the bottom of the stack.

Abstract: An improved coin stacking apparatus is shown which builds the stack by placing each successive coin at the bottom of the stack made of the preceding coins. This makes the device more compact in the vertical direction. The coins are stacked by a movable wheel or belt which has a coin engagement device that engages the leading edge of the coin. The wheel or belt further includes a coin displacement device which vertically displaces the stack to allow the succeeding coins to slide beneath the stack.

Abstract: The device comprises two facing parallel walls and a back wall, which forms a stacking station where two facing pairs of series of discs, which form eccentrics, act on related rings, which feature teeth, which in turn work alternately and in conjunction with one another to lift and pile up blister packs supplied to the station by a feed line, and ears fitted with arms in order to control the rotation of the rings. Two pairs of belts featuring segments pick up the pile of blister packs from the station, lifting it up, and then two further pairs of belts lift the pile in their turn, conveying it out of the device.

Abstract: Each unit number of coins to be stacked and wrapped are centrifugally aligned on a rimmed turntable and fed in a row along a horizontal coin guideway to a stacking position, where the successive coins are stacked by a toothed stacking wheel capable of placing each new coin under the preceding one. Thus the coins are stacked on, rather than under, the plane of the coin guideway with a view to the reduction of the vertical dimension of the machine to a minimum. Disposed around the stack of coins thus formed are a set of parallel wrapping rolls at least one of which is displaceable for rotatably engaging the coin stack between itself and the other wrapping rolls. With the forced rotation of the wrapping rolls together with the coin stack, a piece of wrapper strip is wound around the latter, and the side edges of the wrapper strip are folded against the opposite ends of the stack. The wrapped stack of coins is ejected downwardly.

Abstract: A device for piling up flat pieces, such as printed and folded box blanks characterized by a piling station having a comb supporting a front edge of a pile of blanks and a rotating sleeve member having an axially extending groove supporting a rear edge of the pile. New blanks are introduced below the pile by a belt conveyor and the blank is lifted into the pile by front lifting elements engaging the belts of the conveyor to lift the front edge of the blank into the pile and sector elements moving to lift the rear portion of the blank into the pile. The comb is reciprocated out of engagement as the lifting elements lift the front portion into the pile and the sleeve is rotated to present the groove so that the back edge of the blank can move past the sleeve and into the pile.