Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet carrying unit and an attraction separation and conveyance device. The sheet carrying unit is configured to carry thereon a sheet stack. The attraction separation and conveyance device is configured to electrostatically attract the uppermost sheet of the sheet stack and separate and convey the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack, and is placed between the upstream end and the central position in a sheet conveying direction of the sheet stack located at a sheet carrying position and having a minimum sheet size compatible with the sheet feeding device.

Abstract: An improved rotator/translator apparatus includes a set of drive rolls driven by a pair of rotator discs. Idler rolls are positioned above each drive roll and spring loaded to provide the required normal force to drive sheets in any direction required. A pair of magnetic couplings couple the drive rolls with the idler rolls. The magnetic couplings are spaced with about a 5 mm gap to allow sheets to pass therethrough. The couplings allow the idlers and the drive rolls to stay aligned. Thus, driving media, registering media and rotating media in a transport is obtained, but with no relative motion or slip between the drive rolls/idler rolls and the media and a larger nip surface area, thereby eliminating marking of certain media.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a top cover having a fixing structure and first attracting element, a sheet pick-up module and a second attracting element. The fixing structure and the first attracting element are disposed on an inner surface of the top cover. The sheet pick-up module includes a sheet pick-up arm. The sheet pick-up arm is rotated to either a standby position or a sheet feeding position. The second attracting element is disposed on the sheet pick-up arm. When the sheet pick-up arm is rotated to the sheet feeding position, the sheet pick-up module feeds the sheet into an internal portion of the automatic document feeder. When the sheet pick-up arm is rotated to the standby position, the first attracting element and the second attracting element are attracted by each other so that the sheet pick-up arm is fixed on the standby position.

Abstract: A sheet guiding apparatus, including: a supporting member having a supporting surface which supports a sheet; a first electrode provided in the supporting member; an electric field generating portion configured to generate an electric field between the supporting surface and the first electrode; a guide member which is distant from the supporting surface by a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to the supporting surface; a moving portion configured to move the sheet supported by the supporting surface by moving at least one of the supporting member and the guide member relatively to each other in a direction parallel to the supporting surface; and an electric field inverting portion configured to invert a direction of the electric field generated by the electric field generating portion, when a leading end portion of the sheet in a direction in which the sheet is moved has reached a vicinity of the guide member.

Abstract: A sheet conveyor includes a conveyor belt that conveys a sheet material while holding the sheet material by attraction with an electric force, and a platen that slidably supports a bottom surface of the conveyor belt so as to maintain flatness of a predetermined region of the conveyor belt. In response to the electric force, an attractive force for attracting the conveyor belt to the platen is generated. The platen is shaped such that a surface of the platen that is in contact with the conveyor belt has a width that increases gradually from an upstream side of the platen towards a downstream side thereof in a conveying direction of the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A conveyor system has a monitor for entering information about sheets, an input/output control console for setting operating conditions of a first conveyor and a second conveyor based on the information about the sheets, and a power control console for operating the first conveyor and the second conveyor based on the operating conditions. The information about the sheets includes information as to the length of each of the sheets and data as to the position where the sheets are loaded from a press. A conveyor feed length representative of a feed cycle of a sheet on the first conveyor and the second conveyor, and the number of sheets on the second conveyor are automatically determined based on the length of the sheets and the data.

Abstract: A magnetic sheet fanner consisting of an elongated horseshoe magnet or bar magnet having an upper end and a lower end, the poles of such elongated magnet extending from the upper end to the lower end; a support frame having an interior space and having a sheet contact side; an axle and axle bearing assembly interlinking the elongated magnet and the support frame so that the elongated magnet may pivotally move between a first position “on” and a second “off” position within the interior space, the elongated magnet directing a magnetic field through the sheet contact side of the housing while the elongated magnet is in its first “on” position, the elongated magnet directing the magnetic field away from the sheet contact side upon pivotal motion to its second “off” position; and a pneumatic actuator adapted for selectively pivoting the elongated magnet between its first and second positions.

Abstract: A magnetic fanner for providing a gap between stacked, magnetically permeable sheets has a housing formed of non-magnetically permeable material defining a sealed chamber within which a piston is reciprocable between a first position in which magnets carried by the piston are adjacent the stacked sheets to another position in which the magnets are remote from the stacked sheets. The piston is movable in response to the presence of unequal fluid pressures in the housing on opposite sides of the piston and pressurized fluid may be delivered to a selected side of the piston in controlled relation to the exhaust of pressure fluid from the opposite side of the piston. Pressure fluid delivery and exhaust is obtained via passages in rods which span the housing chamber and guide the piston during its movements.

Abstract: A tamping mechanism for tamping the edge of sheets in a stack including a tamping assembly having a tamping blade. The tamping blade is positioned adjacent an edge of a stack of sheets and is moved toward and away from the edge. Magnets are provided to move the tamping blade toward and away from the edge. The tamping blade has one magnet and another magnet is movable into and out of magnetic interaction of the said first magnet. The second magnet is in a wheel adjacent tamping blade. The wheel has a plurality of magnets and is rotated so that the magnets in the wheel are moved into and out of magnetic interaction with the magnet in the tamping blade.

Abstract: An apparatus for accumulating and separating laminations including a lamination storage area; a magnetic fanner arrangement for accumulating and magnetically separating the laminations; a transport mechanism; and a mechanical agitation mechanism. The transport mechanism transports at least one lamination from the lamination storage area to the magnetic fanner arrangement and the mechanical agitation mechanism is in communication with the magnetic fanner arrangement and provides a physical agitation to the magnetic fanner arrangement.

Abstract: The automatic cash dispenser has the following elements, a safe (18) for receiving at least one banknote cassette (32) and a separating device (34) for drawing off the banknotes out of the banknote cassette (32), of a banknote-dispensing compartment (50), which can be closed by a closure device (52), of a conveying device for conveying the banknotes from the separating device (34) to the dispensing compartment (50), of a control device for controlling the separating and the conveying devices. Also an operating panel (14, 16) with actuating elements for actuating the control device. The dispensing compartment (50) is arranged above the safe (18). In a central region of its top surface (22), the safe (18) has an aperture (42) for the through-passage of the conveying device.

Abstract: A paper feeder for feeding papers to an image forming apparatus and a paper tray elevation device therefore are disclosed. A first tray is movable up and down with a plurality of papers stacked thereon. A paper feed member feeds the papers from the first tray in a preselected direction of paper feed. A second tray is positioned beside the first tray in substantially the horizontal direction and movable up and down with a plurality of papers stacked thereon. A shifting device shifts the entire paper stack from the second tray to the first tray. A horizontal elevating mechanism elevates the first tray while maintaining it in substantially the horizontal position. An interlocking mechanism at least elevates, when papers of greater in size than the papers to be stacked on the first or second tray are stacked over the first and second trays in a single stack, the second tray in interlocked relation to the elevation of the first tray while maintaining the second tray in substantially the horizontal position.

Abstract: A self-filling storage device for memory cards has at least one storage container having a storage compartment. The storage compartment has a common opening for receiving and releasing memory cards. A cover plate for covering the common opening is provided. The cover plates has a first face facing the storage compartment and a second face facing away from the storage compartment. The cover plate is further provided with a cutout. At least one separating roller is positioned in the storage container at the second face and has a first position in which the separating roller projects through the cutout into the storage compartment against a return force. The separating roller acts on a memory card positioned in the storage compartment at the first face or acts on a memory card positioned at the second face for insertion into the storage compartment.

Abstract: Fine paper that is sized with a 2-oxetanone alkaline sizing agent and that does not encounter machine feed problems in high speed converting or reprographic machines, including continuous forms bond paper and adding machine paper, processes for converting the paper into envelopes, continuous forms bond paper and adding machine paper, and paper products of the processes.

Abstract: A paper feeding device includes a plurality of horizontally juxtaposed paper cassettes for containing papers. The feeding device includes a plurality of paper feeding mechanisms respectively corresponding to the paper cassettes, and each of the paper feeding mechanisms includes a separation/feeding unit for feeding papers from the paper cassette in a feeding direction. The separation/feeding unit corresponding to an upstream paper cassette of the upstream side is arranged at least partially above a paper receiving section of a downstream paper cassette to conserve space.

Abstract: Two shingled streams of signatures are stacked independently of each other in separate stacking bins that are aligned vertically one above the other and also vertically aligned with the collection bin of a re-feeder. The collection bin is replenished periodically by stopping the shingled streams and unloading the contents of the lower and upper stacking bins to form a combined stack of signatures in the re-feeder collection bin. Signatures in the re-feeder collection bin are delivered by an out-feed conveyor belt in a single reshingled stream of signatures to an in-line processing station. In an alternative embodiment, the stacking bins are laterally separated with respect to each other for separately stacking signatures from two incoming shingled streams that are being output from separate web presses or other independent sources. The incoming signatures are separately stacked and the stacks are periodically unloaded onto separate stacking tables on laterally opposite sides of a common re-feeder.

Abstract: A single motor driving device usable in a facsimile system which uses a single motor to drive operation in one of a transmission mode, a reception mode, a copying mode, and a reception back mode.

Abstract: A single tray or multi tray sheet feed system is provided. A sensor is provided to sense the sheets leaving from the single tray or multi tray system. If the paper weight of sheets of paper on a tray fall within a first range of paper weight values, the sensor is designed to have a first given voltage response condition for sensing these sheets and if the paper weight of the sheets falls within a second range of paper weight values the sensor is designed to have a second given voltage response condition for sensing the latter sheets. A current value supplied to the emitter of the sensor can be controlled to provide the desired voltage response or a resistance in a phototransistor collector circuit can be varied to provide the desired voltage response condition.

Abstract: An apparatus for accumulating sheets from a secondary source and changing their conveyance direction 90.degree.. The accumulator is a group of vertically stacked bins that discharge batchwise and are loaded from the secondary source alternately by way of a diverter. Discharge is synchronous with a directionally constant primary sheet source.

Abstract: A document feeder having a main document setting plate for holding thereon a stack of document originals to be processed, an auxiliary document setting plate for holding thereon a stack of document originals to be processed after the processing of the document originals set on the main document setting plate, a transfer mechanism for transferring the document originals set on the auxiliary document setting plate to the main document setting plate, and a feeding mechanism for feeding the document originals set on the main document setting plate one by one to a processing position. The document originals are transferred from the auxiliary document setting plate to the main document setting plate in synchronization with the one-by-one document feeding from the main document setting plate to the processing position by the feeding mechanism.

Abstract: A paper handling system including a gathering path and a plurality of paper handling units. The (114 to 138), said gathering path is defined by a plurality of essentially corresponding modules (102, 200), each of said modules (102, 200) being provided with a collect box (104, 210), a transfer bridge (212) for effecting supply in the direction of transport (106, 202), at least one transfer bridge (214, 216) for effecting supply in a direction transversely to the direction of transport, and a discharge unit (300).

Abstract: The sheets in each tray of a multi tray sheet feeder are of the same thickness, but the sheets in one tray may be of a different thickness than the sheets in another tray. The sheets are fed from each sheet feeder tray to an intermediate stacker and then to a printer. A first sensor is provided just prior to entry of a sheet into the intermediate stacker and a second sensor is provided to sense a sheet as it is fed from the intermediate stacker. If the paper weight of sheets of paper on a tray fall within a first range of paper weight values, each sensor is designed to have a first given voltage response condition when sensing those sheets and if the paper weight of the sheets falls within a second range of paper weight values each sensor is designed to have a second given voltage response condition sensing the latter sheets.

Abstract: A method for singling loose sheet material, in particular bank notes, wherein the sheet material is supplied in an input pocket in the form of a stack in a defined position for vertical feed of the sheet material to a singler. The sheet material is moved within the input pocket vertically from the feed position to a singling position. While the preceding stack is still being singled in the singler, the next stack to be singled is already supplied in the input pocket of the singler in the defined feed position.

Abstract: A compact image formation apparatus forms an image on an image support, discharges the image support supporting an image to an outside of the apparatus and facilitates jam removal. The image formation apparatus has all operation portions for performing operations from the outside of the image formation apparatus located on three operation faces including a top face, a front, and either a left side face or a right side face of the image formation apparatus. A rear face and the other of the left side face or right side face of the image formation apparatus are set to be non-operation faces.

Abstract: A sheet feed sensor is designed to have a first given voltage response condition for sensing sheets within a first range of paper weight values and a second given voltage response condition for sensing sheets within a second range of paper weight values. A current value supplied to the emitter of the sensor can be controlled to provide the desired voltage response or a resistance in a phototransistor collector circuit can be varied to provide the desired voltage response condition. If the first range of paper weight values is lighter than the second range of paper weight values, the sensor, when in the first given voltage response condition, will have a voltage response, when sensing a sheet of a given paper weight, which is higher than the voltage response when the same sensor senses a sheet of the same paper weight, when the sensor is in the second given voltage response condition.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for supplying printed products to a preferably continuously operating processing section with a plurality of stations. The stations may be feeding stations and each feeding station is assigned a buffer. Each buffer is provided with an arrangement for discharging printed products onto the processing section and can be charged via a mobile supply device. The supply device is designed for the transportation of a storage unit (i.e. a reel) containing a number of printed products. The supply device includes drive and conveying arrangements for the sequential charging of the buffers at a predeterminable conveying speed. The conveying speed is greater than the discharge speed at which the printed products are transferred from the buffers onto the processing section.

Abstract: A justification apparatus, which receives cut sheets of different widths along a path in an in-track direction of travel, aligns the sheets relative to an in-track axis. The apparatus includes a tray having a planar surface for receiving unconstrained sheets. An edge abutment is movable in opposed directions parallel to the plane of the tray surface so as to contact a side edge of a sheet received on the surface to move the sheet with the edge abutment.

Abstract: In a sheet separating apparatus, for example an automated teller machine (ATM) in which banknotes are removed one by one from a stack (12) of banknotes, includes a vacuum pump (32), and suction unit (10A,B,C,D) connectable alternately between a vacuum enable port (30) of the vacuum pump (32) when a note is picked from the stack (12), and a vacuum release port (42) of the pump (32), when the note is released from the suction unit. Pre-filtered air from the vacuum pump (32) is therefore partially recycled, and dust is substantially excluded from the system.

Abstract: A laser printer includes a body, a cassette located in a lower part of the body for loading paper, a first paper feed roller for drawing paper from the cassette, and a first transfer path along which paper drawn from the cassette is guidingly transported. An open/close door is located at a front side of the body, wherein the door, when opened, exposes the first transfer path. A first guide part is located on an inside surface of the door and forms a portion of the first transfer path and guides the paper. A piece sheet feed opening is located at the front side of the body and leading to the first transfer path. The laser printer also includes a second transfer path adjacent to the first transfer path, a drum located below the second transfer path, and a second paper feed roller for transferring paper from the piece sheet feed opening and paper drawn from the cassette. The second paper feed roller is located inside the body opposite the piece sheet feed opening and between the first and second transfer paths.

Abstract: A system for providing a hard copy machine with a variety of cut sheet media trays having differing sheet stack capacities is demonstrated. A tray selector mechanism is provided in the media tray docking bay of the hard copy machine. Each tray is provided with sheet separating and picking devices and an interface coupling for engaging the tray devices to the tray selector mechanism. In the exemplary embodiment, a full height tray, that is one which occupies the entire docking bay, allows a maximum capacity of a single media type to be loaded for use in making hard copies. A number of smaller, lesser capacity trays can be substituted for the full height tray in the docking bay, each having a different media type. The tray selector mechanism is then operative to select between the lesser capacity trays on end user demand. A default position of the tray selector mechanism is provided.

Abstract: When a recording medium fed from a sheet feed drive mechanism is detected at a predetermined position, the counting of a loop feed time or the like variably set in accordance with a predetermined sheet feed condition such as the sheet type or particular supplying device is started, and the drive of the sheet feed drive mechanism is controlled by terminating the feeding operation in accordance with a count termination state. A count time of a timer for detecting a feed jam is variably set in accordance with a sheet feed condition such as material of sheet.

Abstract: A number of product feeders comprise a conveyor underlying a friction wheel operated by a pulsed drive. A continuously rotating drive shaft is coupled to a selected feeder by a controller coupling a drive wheel on the drive shaft with a drive transmission wheel associated with the conveyor of the feeder. This may be effected by an air cylinder of the feeder operating under control of the controller to move the drive transmission wheel into a position whereat it is driven by the drive wheel. Alternatively, the drive wheel may be clutched under control of the controller. The pulsed friction wheel rotates through an arc in order to drop a product from a stack of products partially supported by the friction wheel onto the now moving conveyor. A downstream product sensor, when sensing that a product has been delivered, signals the controller so that the controller decouples the conveyor from the drive shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus which advances sheets from different stacks of sheets. In one mode of operation, two stacks of sheets are supported side by side. A sheet feeder associated with each stack of sheets advances successive uppermost sheets from the respective stack to a transfer station of a printing machine. Alternatively, a single sheet feeder mounted movably in the sheet feeding apparatus may be employed to advance successive sheets from each of the stack of sheets, in lieu two sheet feeders. In the absence of these stacks of sheets, another oversized stack of sheets may be positioned in the sheet feeder. This oversized stack of sheets extends from a first sheet storing section into a second sheet storing section. When two stacks of sheets are disposed in the sheet feeder, one stack is positioned in the first sheet storing section and the other stack is positioned in the second sheet storing section. In this way, the sheet feeding apparatus has capability of feeding multiple size sheets.

Abstract: A labelling machine has an apparatus for the automatic loading of the main magazine of a labelling machine with a label stack including of a number of individual labels. The label stack can be inserted from a supply magazine by means of a feed device into the main magazine, which supply magazine makes possible both a smaller size and a smooth insertion of the label stack into the main magazine, because the supply magazine can be pivoted from a standby position into an insertion position, in which an ejection opening of the supply magazine is flush against the insertion opening of the main magazine.

Abstract: A multifunction printer having scanning and printing functions includes: a first cover located at one side surface of the deice body of the printer; a second cover located in the device body, inside of the first cover; a first paper transfer path connected to an image reading unit having the scanning function, the first paper transfer path being defined between the first and second covers; a second paper transfer path connected to a printing unit, the second paper transfer path defined in the device body inside of the second cover; and diverging means for selectively diverging the paper into one of the first and second paper transfer paths. Whereby, if jamming occurs in the first paper transfer path, jamming paper can be easily removed by opening the first cover, whereas if jamming occurs in the second paper transfer path, jamming paper can be easily removed by opening the second cover after opening the first cover.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus with a first accommodating cassette for accommodating sheets, a second accommodating cassette arranged above the first accommodating cassette and adapted to accommodate sheets, an image forming device arranged above the second accommodating cassette and adapted to form an image on the sheet, a first sheet guide path for feeding the sheet from a first end of the first accommodating cassette to an image forming station, and a second sheet guide path for feeding the sheet from a second end of the second accommodating cassette and joined to the first sheet path. A curl correction device causes sheets from different cassettes to bend in the same direction.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus designed for reduced power consumption, a smaller number of component parts, smaller size, lighter weight and lower cost includes an original reading section having a contact-type line image sensor and a first biasing roller driven so as to be rotated in a state in which the contact-type line image sensor is biased, a recording section arranged in the vicinity of the original reading section and having a line thermal head and a second biasing roller driven so as to be rotated in a state in which the line thermal head is biased, a driving mechanism in which a reversible motor is used as a drive source, a rocking mechanism for driving solely the first biasing roller when the motor is rotatively driven in one direction and driving both the first and second biasing rollers when the motor is rotatively driven in the other direction, and a power transmission mechanism in which the rocking mechanism is arranged in a power transmission system for driving the first and second biasing rollers.

Abstract: In a laser beam printer, printing information is sent from plural hosts and printing is carried out according to the printing information. A printing paper cassette detachment inhibition mechanism unit is provided on a printing paper cassette. The paper cassette detachment inhibition mechanism unit includes fixture grooves provided on the printing paper cassette and stop levers provided on a printing paper cassette mounting port. The printing paper cassette detachment inhibition mechanism unit inhibits the detachment of the printing paper cassette when the printing paper in the printing paper cassette has been selected for use by one of the hosts. A selected printing paper cassette display unit is provided on the laser beam printer and displays the selected printing paper cassette.

Abstract: The thickness of a first sheet fed from each tray of the multi-tray sheet feeder is detected by a first sensor and a thickness value is placed in memory for that tray. Each sheet subsequently fed from the same tray is detected by the same sensor and the thickness value sensed is placed in memory and compared with the thickness value in memory for that tray. When a tray is reloaded, the thickness value in memory for the sheets previously loaded in the tray is erased and the first sheet fed from the reloaded tray is sensed and a thickness value for that sheet is placed in memory for the reloaded tray. After the thickness value of a sheet is sensed by the first sensor, the sheets enter into the intermediate tray. The thickness value of a sheet is detected by an outlet sensor as it leaves the intermediate sheet tray and that value is compared to the thickness value in memory which was detected for the same sheet by the first sensor.

Abstract: An electronic reprographic machine having an image characteristics method and apparatus for automatic in-process copy sheet supply reselection. The reprographic machine includes simplex and duplex modes, an electronic imaging data processing unit and a plurality of copy sheet supply units holding different types of alternative copy sheets, such as recycled paper sheets, transparencies, coated or plain paper sheets. The reprographic machine also includes programmable controller for detecting the presence or absence of a specified type of imaging data, and for then automatically and responsively selecting a type of copy sheet so as to provide high quality, cost effective copies of multi-page documents.

Abstract: A bank note transporting apparatus for transporting externally inserted bank notes is provided in an game machine island in which a plurality of game machines (12) and a plurality of game media lending machines (13) for lending game media used for playing games are disposed. The bank note transporting apparatus comprises a main transporting path (200) provided within the island for transporting bank notes to a destination position and an introducing path (300) disposed in at least one position along the length of the main transporting path for merging bank notes externally inserted into the island to the main transporting path. The main transporting path including an accepting slot (3) for accepting the bank notes from the introducing path. The introducing path including a bank note inserting unit (4) into which the bank notes are externally, inserted and a merging unit (9a) for guiding and transporting the inserted bank notes to the accepting slot.

Abstract: In an electronic copying machine, a paper feeding mechanism includes a paper supply roller, a reversal roller, and an aligning roller. The aligning roller and the reversal roller are rotated by a motor through first and second transmission mechanisms, respectively. The supply roller is rotated by the rotational force of the aligning roller through a third transmission mechanism. A first locking member is shifted by a first solenoid between a locking position, in which the first locking member engages the first transmission mechanism to interrupt the transmission of the driving force, and a transmission position, in which the first locking member is disengaged from the first transmission mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improvement for a document feeder comprising a feed deck, a separator assembly for separating and feeding individual documents, the separator assembly including a separator wheel disposed above the feed deck, drive structure for driving the separator wheel, and structure for adjustably positioning the separator wheel assembly to a position relative to the feed deck commensurate with the material being fed. The improvement comprises structure for pivotally coupling the document feeder to vertical frame members. The coupling structure is located at one end of the document feeder near the separator assembly. There are a pair of leg members extending below the feed deck, each of the leg members resting on a horizontal frame member at opposite sides of the document feed path. The leg members are laterally spaced so as not to interfere with documents being conveyed by the underlying document transport.

Abstract: A conveyor system for plates of metallic, magnetic or non-magnetic material is disclosed, consisting of a linear motor stator and a first nozzle plate which is arranged on the active side of the linear motor and a second nozzle plate arranged surface-parallel thereto while leaving a gap for the passage of the plates therebetween. By means of the nozzles of the nozzle plates, air cushions can be produced within the gap for the positioning of the plates. The magnetic fields produced by the linear motor can be employed to propel metal plates along the conveyor system.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a twist-tie to a multiple serving, recloseable, flexible packaging container including a payout mechanism for holding a supply of twist-tie material. An extracting and cutting mechanism is configured to extract a continuous length of twist-tie material from the supply of twist-tie material and cut a twist-tie of a desired length. A magnetic application mechanism produces a magnetic force sufficient to remove the twist-tie (at least a portion of which is metallic) from the extracting and cutting mechanism. A dispensing mechanism dispenses a hot melt adhesive material on the twist-tie held by the magnetic application mechanism. The magnetic application mechanism then applies the twist-tie to a surface of a container. The adhesive material acts to secure the twist-tie to the container.

Abstract: An apparatus for end correction of an automotive tire strip member comprises a conveyor belt for conveyance of a tire strip member consisting of rubberized steel cords to a tire building drum, which conveyor belt is narrower than the strip member, a supporting plate disposed under the conveyor belt and adapted to support the belt, a guide plate extending in parallel with the lengthwise axis of the conveyor belt and disposed above the supporting plate and on one side thereof in such a manner that it is driven to advance and retreat with respect to the conveyor belt, and a magnet disposed below the supporting plate and toward one side thereof in such a manner that it is driven to advance and retreat with respect to the conveyor belt.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating piled iron sheets one by one has a plurality of magnets arranged vertically with the same magnetic poles thereof facing each other. Magnetic fluxes generated from the magnets react with each other at a position between the magnets and flow horizontally and then vertically, with the result that opposite, vertically separating forces act on two superposed iron sheets.

Abstract: A non-contact actuator assembly for a newspaper gripper includes a magnet disposed on a gripper release arm. The release arm passes beneath an electromagnet disposed adjacent the workpath of the gripper. The position of the gripper is sensed and a suitable signal provided to an associated voltage supply. A pulse width modulated voltage quickly and effectively induces a magnetic field in the electromagnet as the magnet in the release arm passes thereby and the magnetic field collapses quickly so as not to actuate the next gripper. The magnetic field urges the release arm to an actuated position so that opposed clamping jaws of the gripper open to release a gripped sheet product.

Abstract: A system and method of transporting a sheet along a sheet path with electrostatic forces by applying corona charges to the sheet in pulses from high voltage corona generating electrodes in plural arrays extending along at least one side of the sheet path and subjecting the charged sheet to an electrical field pattern, defined by unevenly opposing electrodes spaced on the opposite side of the sheet path to provide an electrostatic force component acting on the charged sheet to move the sheet along the sheet path. The unevenly opposing electrodes may include grounded electrodes adjacent the downstream end of each array and commonly biased electrodes adjacent the upstream end of each array. Three different embodiments are illustrated.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus including sheet feeding apparatus, sheet conveying apparatus, sheet delivering apparatus, structure for supporting the sheet conveying apparatus and sheet delivering apparatus and having an opening side, sheet storing apparatus, and structure for guiding the sheet storing apparatus such that the sheet forming apparatus is detachable from the sheet feeding apparatus at the same opening side.