Sheet gripping means

Claim 2

A vacuum sheet gripping sucker having a body portion, skirt means extending from one side thereof and terminating in an outer edge which leads said sucker into engagement with a sheet to be gripped, and a vacuum passageway in said body portion opening into said skirt means, said skirt means having spaced first portions extending inwardly from the outer edge thereof which flex in a flattening direction away from the center line of the skirt means when the sucker grips a sheet and second portions at and extending inwardly from said outer edge and alternating with said first portions and constrained against flexing in a flattening direction on the application of vacuum to said sucker to effect the gripping of a sheet.

Claim 3

A sheet gripping sucker as defined in claim 1 wherein said second portions include metal members extending between said body portion and said outer edge to engage and constrain said second portions against flexing.

Claim 4

A sheet gripping sucker as defined in claim 2 wherein said metal members comprise spaced fingers extending along the outer side of said skirt means between said body portion and said outer edge and said skirt means is of a substantially uniform thickness which is such that the sucker flattens between said fingers and engages the sheet a substantial distance inwardly of the outer edge.

Claim 5

In a sheet separating mechanism, a sheet gripping sucker adapted to grip the top sheet of a pile of sheets adjacent one side of the sheet to separate the sheet from the pile, separating air means located outwardly of said one sIde and directing air toward said one side, said sheet gripping suckers having skirt means for engaging the sheet which comprises first and second portions which alternate with each other, said first portions having substantial flexing in a flattening direction upon the application of a vacuum to grip a sheet and said second portions having substantially no flexing to establish crests and valleys radiating from said sucker, a said first portion of said sucker being disposed along a line normal to said side to provide a crest in said skirt means and the sheet gripped by the sucker which extends along said line when the sucker grips a sheet.

Claim 6

In a sheet separating mechanism, a sheet gripping sucker adapted to grip the top sheet of a pile of sheets adjacent one side of the sheet to separate the sheet from the pile, separating air means located outwardly of said one sIde and directing air toward said one side, said sheet gripping suckers having skirt means for engaging the sheet which comprises first and second portions which alternate with each other, said first portions having substantial flexing in a flattening direction upon the application of a vacuum to grip a sheet and said second portions having substantially no flexing to establish crests and valleys radiating from said sucker, a said first portion of said sucker being disposed along a line normal to said side to provide a crest in said skirt means and the sheet gripped by the sucker which extends along said line when the sucker grips a sheet.

Claim 13

A method as defined in claim 7 and further including the steps of directing air under at least one of said crests in the sheet while separating the sheet from the pile of sheets.

Claim 14

In a sheet gripping apparatus, a vacuum sheet gripping sucker having a body portion, skirt means extending from one side thereof and terminating in an outer edge which leads said sucker into engagement with a sheet to be gripped, and a vacuum passageway in said body portion opening into said skirt means, said skirt means having alternating first and second portions which cooperate to corrugate the sheet upon gripping of the sheet, said first portions constraining the sheet against flexing on the application of vacuum to said sucker to effect the gripping of a sheet and said second portions providing for flexing of the sheet in an upwardly direction relative to said first portions on the application of vacuum to said sucker to effect the gripping of a sheet.

Claim 15

In a sheet gripping apparatus, a vacuum sheet gripping sucker having a body portion, skirt means extending from one side thereof and terminating in an outer edge which leads said sucker into engagement with a sheet to be gripped, and a vacuum passageway in said body portion opening into said skirt means, said skirt means having alternating first and second portions which cooperate to corrugate the sheet upon gripping of the sheet, said first portions constraining the sheet against flexing on the application of vacuum to said sucker to effect the gripping of a sheet and said second portions providing for flexing of the sheet in an upwardly direction relative to said first portions on the application of vacuum to said sucker to effect the gripping of a sheet.