Feeding apparatus for nonrigid sheet

Claim 1

An apparatus for separating and delivering single pieces of a nonrigid material from a stack, comprising in combination a. means for holding a stack of pieces of nonrigid material in a fixed position and in a slightly bent configuration thereby to impart some rigidity to the stacked pieces, said means being adapted periodIcally to expose a small peripheral area of the under side of the bottom piece in said stack and comprising two pairs of belts, the belts making up each pair being maintained in an inclined position to form a broad V, each of said belts being anchored by its two ends to a member fixed to the main frame of said apparatus and being stretched between roller members affixed to a frame capable of being moved in a horizontal plane; b. initial separating means adapted to contact said exposed peripheral area of the under side of said bottom piece and in its movement to initially separate a portion of said bottom piece from said stack; c. piece discharging means adapted to complete the separation of said bottom piece from said stack while said stack remains in said fixed position thereby to permit said bottom piece to fall by gravity to a position below said stack; and d. means for driving said initial separating means and said piece discharging means in a predetermined sequence.

Claim 2

An apparatus for separating and delivering single pieces of a nonrigid material from a stack, comprising in combination a. means for holding a stack of pieces of nonrigid material in a fixed position and in a slightly bent configuration thereby to impart some rigidity to the stacked pieces, said means being adapted periodIcally to expose a small peripheral area of the under side of the bottom piece in said stack and comprising two pairs of belts, the belts making up each pair being maintained in an inclined position to form a broad V, each of said belts being anchored by its two ends to a member fixed to the main frame of said apparatus and being stretched between roller members affixed to a frame capable of being moved in a horizontal plane; b. initial separating means adapted to contact said exposed peripheral area of the under side of said bottom piece and in its movement to initially separate a portion of said bottom piece from said stack; c. piece discharging means adapted to complete the separation of said bottom piece from said stack while said stack remains in said fixed position thereby to permit said bottom piece to fall by gravity to a position below said stack; and d. means for driving said initial separating means and said piece discharging means in a predetermined sequence.

Claim 5

An apparatus for separating and delivering single pieces of a nonrigid material from a stack, comprising in combination a. a main frame structure; b. two pairs of belts, the belts making up each pair being maintained in an inclined position to form a broad V and being anchored by their ends to anchoring members affixed to said main frame; c. a movable belt frame on which said belts are mounted through belt rollers in a manner to define a gap between said pairs of belts; d. positioning means defining the fixed location of a stack of said single pieces adapted to permit said stack to be supported by the surfaces of said belts and to permit a small peripheral area of the under side of the bottom piece of said stack to be periodically exposed within said gap; e. initial separating means adapted to contact said exposed peripheral area of the under side of said bottom piece and in its movement to initially separate a portion of said bottom piece from said stack; f. piece discharging means adapted to complete the separation of said bottom piece from said stack while said stack remains in said fixed position thereby to permit said bottom piece to fall by gravity to a position below said stack; and g. means for driving said initial separating means and said movable belt frame in a predetermined sequence.

Claim 6

An apparatus for separating and delivering single pieces of a nonrigid material from a stack, comprising in combination a. a main frame structure; b. two pairs of belts, the belts making up each pair being maintained in an inclined position to form a broad V and being anchored by their ends to anchoring members affixed to said main frame; c. a movable belt frame on which said belts are mounted through belt rollers in a manner to define a gap between said pairs of belts; d. positioning means defining the fixed location of a stack of said single pieces adapted to permit said stack to be supported by the surfaces of said belts and to permit a small peripheral area of the under side of the bottom piece of said stack to be periodically exposed within said gap; e. initial separating means adapted to contact said exposed peripheral area of the under side of said bottom piece and in its movement to initially separate a portion of said bottom piece from said stack; f. piece discharging means adapted to complete the separation of said bottom piece from said stack while said stack remains in said fixed position thereby to permit said bottom piece to fall by gravity to a position below said stack; and g. means for driving said initial separating means and said movable belt frame in a predetermined sequence.

Claim 7

An apparatus for separating and delivering single pieces of a nonrigid material from a stack, comprising in combination a. a main frame structure; b. two pairs of belts, the belts making up each pair being maintained in an inclined position to form a broad V and being anchored by their ends to anchoring members affixed to said main frame; c. a movable belt frame on which said belts are mounted through belt rollers in a manner to define between a gap between said pairs of belts; d. positioning means defining the fixed location of a stack of said single pieces adapted to permit said stack to be supported by the surfaces of said belts and to permit a small peripheral area of the under side of the bottom piece of said stack to be periodically exposed within said gap; e. initial separating means, adapted to contact said exposed peripheral area of the under side of said bottom piece, comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive surface and means to periodically bring it into contact with said under side of said bottom piece; f. piece discharging means adapted to complete the separation of said bottom piece from said stack and comprising roller means in contact with the forward edges of one pair of said belts; and g. means for driving said movable belt frame and said initial separating means in a predetermined sequence.

Claim 8

An apparatus for separating and delivering single pieces of a nonrigid material from a stack, comprising in combination a. a main frame structure; b. two pairs of belts, the belts making up each pair being maintained in an inclined position to form a broad V and being anchored by their ends to anchoring members affixed to said main frame; c. a movable belt frame on which said belts are mounted through belt rollers in a manner to define between a gap between said pairs of belts; d. positioning means defining the fixed location of a stack of said single pieces adapted to permit said stack to be supported by the surfaces of said belts and to permit a small peripheral area of the under side of the bottom piece of said stack to be periodically exposed within said gap; e. initial separating means, adapted to contact said exposed peripheral area of the under side of said bottom piece, comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive surface and means to periodically bring it into contact with said under side of said bottom piece; f. piece discharging means adapted to complete the separation of said bottom piece from said stack and comprising roller means in contact with the forward edges of one pair of said belts; and g. means for driving said movable belt frame and said initial separating means in a predetermined sequence.