Apparatus for converting a stack of sheets into a stream of overlapped sheets

Claim 2

In an apparatus for converting a stack of sheets into a stream of overlapped sheets, a combination comprising first conveying means for conveying a stack of sheets which stand on edge in a substantially horizontal path; second conveying means at a level above said path; pick-up means for successively picking up the respectively leading sheets of said stack, said pick-up means comprising a unit which is mounted for tilting movement about a shaft defining a substantially horizontal axis which extends across said path and includes endless rotatable pick-up belt means which is elongated in upright direction and has an upper portion located above said path, and a lower portion which is normally in contact with the respective leading sheet; and transfer means cooperating with said pick-up means for tranferring each picked-up sheet to said second conveying means and depositing it thereon in partially overlapping relationship with a preceding sheet.

Claim 3

A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said transfer means comprises an endless travelling presser belt having an elongated part one end of which is pressed against said upper portion of said pick-up belt means and defines therewith a wedge-shaped gap for entry of said sheets, and an other end of which is pressed against said second conveying means and from which said sheets are deposited onto the latter, said belt, belt means and second conveying means all travelling at the same rate of speed.

Claim 4

A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said unit includes a plurality of additional shafts below the first-mentioned shaft and extending in axial parallelism with the same and with one another, and rollers mounted on the respective shafts, all of said shafts being rotatable and said rollers being fixed on said shafts; and wherein said pick-up belt means includes a plurality of endless pick-up belts each of which is trained about the rollers on two successive ones of said shafts.

Claim 5

A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said shafts include a lowermost shaft; and wherein the rollers on said lowermost shaft are of polygonal outline.

Claim 6

A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein the rollers on the successive shaft above said lowermost shaft are also polygonal.

Claim 7

A combination as defined in claim 2; further comprising drive means for said first conveying means; and sensing means associated with said drive means and operative for sensing loss of contact between said lower portion and the stack which occurs after removal of several of said leading sheets, said sensing means activating said drive means in response to sensing of such loss of contact so that said first conveying means advances said stack in said path and against said lower portion, and deactivating said drive means in response to restoration of the contact.

Claim 8

A combination as defined in claim 2; and further comprising air nozzle means arranged below said first conveying means for directing a stream of air towards said unit.

Claim 9

A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said unit tilts about said axis in response to contact with said stack; further comprising drive means for causing said first conveying means to convey said stack towards said unit; and analog-circuit means associated with said unit and said drive means for activating and deactivating the latter in response to the tilting of said unit.

Claim 10

In an apparatus for converting a stack of sheets into a stream of overlapped sheets, a combination comprising first conveying means for conveying a stack of sheets which stand on edge, in a substantially horizontal path; second conveying means at a level above said path; pick-up means for successively picking up the respectively leading sheets of said stack, said pick-up means comprising a unit which is mounted for tilting movement about a shaft defining a substantially horizontal axis which extends across said path and includes endless rotatable pick-up belt means which is elongated in upright direction and has an upper portion located above said path, and a lower portion which is normally in contact with the respective leading sheet; transfer means cooperating with said pick-up means for transferring each picked-up sheet to said second conveying means and depositing it thereon in partially overlapping relationship with a preceding sheet, said transfer means comprising an endless travelling presser belt having an elongated part one end of which is pressed against said upper portion of said pick-up belt means and defines therewith a wedge-shaped gap for entry of said sheets, and another end of which is pressed against said second conveying means and from which said sheets are diposited onto the latter, said belt, belt means and second conveying means all travelling at the same rate of speed; drive means for selectively driving said first conveying means at a slow speed and at a fast speed; and detecting means associated with said drive means and operative for causing the same to drivE said first conveying means at said fast speed in response to detection of a gap between two successive stacks on said first conveying means by said detecting means.

Claim 11

In an apparatus for converting a stack of sheets into a stream of overlapped sheets, a combination comprising first conveying means for conveying a stack of sheets which stand on edge, in a substantially horizontal path; second conveying means at a level above said path; pick-up means for successively picking up the respectively leading sheets of said stack, said pick-up means comprising a unit which is mounted for tilting movement about a shaft defining a substantially horizontal axis which extends across said path and includes endless rotatable pick-up belt means which is elongated in upright direction and has an upper portion located above said path, and a lower portion which is normally in contact with the respective leading sheet; transfer means cooperating with said pick-up means for transferring each picked-up sheet to said second conveying means and depositing it thereon in partially overlapping relationship with a preceding sheet, said transfer means comprising an endless travelling presser belt having an elongated part one end of which is pressed against said upper portion of said pick-up belt means and defines therewith a wedge-shaped gap for entry of said sheets, and another end of which is pressed against said second conveying means and from which said sheets are diposited onto the latter, said belt, belt means and second conveying means all travelling at the same rate of speed; drive means for selectively driving said first conveying means at a slow speed and at a fast speed; and detecting means associated with said drive means and operative for causing the same to drivE said first conveying means at said fast speed in response to detection of a gap between two successive stacks on said first conveying means by said detecting means.