Sheet transfer apparatus

Claim 1

A PILE TRANSFER TABLE COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR WHEELED FRAME OF PREDETERMINED HEIGHT HAVING AN OPEN END AND A OPEN INTERIOR FOR RECEIVING AND STRADDLING AN ENTIRE STACK OF FLEXIBLE SHEETS OF SAID PREDETERMINED HEIGHT; A UNITARY TABLE TOP MOUNTED ON, AND COVERING SAID FRAME FOR SLIBALY SUPPORTING A PILE OF SAID FLEXIBLE SHEETS, SAID TABLE TOP HAVING FLAT, PARALLEL UPPER AND LOWER FACES FREE OF BARRIERS TO THE SLIDING OF A PILE THEREALONG, RAMP MEANS IN THE FORM OF A PAIR OF SPARS, EACH ON AN OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE OPEN END OF SAID FRAME AND PROJECTING THEREBEYOND FOR ENGAGING THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF A PILE SEPARATOR BAR; A FRICTION FEED ROLL JOURNALLED WITHIN SAID TABLE TOP PROXIMATE THE OPEN END OF SAID FRAME, THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID ROLL ONLY EXTENDING SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE PLANE OF THE UPPER FACE OF SAID TABLE TOP FOR ENGAGING THE BOTTOM SHEET OF A PILE; SELF PROPELLING MEANS ON SAID FRAME MOUNTED OUTSIDE THE INTERIOR THEREOF, FOR MOVING SAID TABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM STRADDLE POSITION OVER A STACK AT A PREDETERMINED SURFACE SPEED AND DRIVE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID TABLE OUTSIDE THE INTERIOR OF SAID FRAME FOR ROTATING SAID FRICTION FEED ROLL AT A SURFACE SPEED GREATER THAN THE SURFACE SPEED OF SAID TABLE.