Apparatus for supplying thin, flat articles

Claim 1

An apparatus for supplying thin, flat articles comprising: reversing means for reversing the direction toward which said articles face while in a piled condition; and clearance making means for making at least one clearance space between a pair of side edges of said articles while said articles are being reversed, said clearance making means comprising at least one pantograph device having acting members for engaging said side edges of said articles and linkage means for connecting said acting members, said pantograph device stretching from a contracted condition to a separated condition while said articles are being reversed.

Claim 2

An apparatus for supplying thin, flat articles comprising: reversing means for reversing the direction toward which said articles face while in a piled condition; and clearance making means for making at least one clearance space between a pair of side edges of said articles while said articles are being reversed, said clearance making means comprising at least one pantograph device having acting members for engaging said side edges of said articles and linkage means for connecting said acting members, said pantograph device stretching from a contracted condition to a separated condition while said articles are being reversed.

Claim 4

An apparatus for supplying thin, flat articles comprising: reversing means for reversing the direction toward which said articles face while in a piled condition; and clearance making means for making at least one clearance space between a pair of side edges of said articles while said articles are being reversed, wherein said clearance making means comprises a plurality of pantograph devices and flexible driving members, each of said pantograph devices having acting members for engaging said side edges of said articles and linkage means for connecting said acting members, all of said pantograph devices being moved and separated the same distance relative to said reversing means, and contracted by said flexible driving members at the same time.

Claim 5

An apparatus for supplying thin, flat articles comprising: reversing means for reversing the direction toward which said articles face while in a piled condition; and clearance making means for making at least one clearance space between a pair of side edges of said articles while said articles are being reversed, wherein said clearance making means comprises a plurality of pantograph devices and flexible driving members, each of said pantograph devices having acting members for engaging said side edges of said articles and linkage means for connecting said acting members, all of said pantograph devices being moved and separated the same distance relative to said reversing means, and contracted by said flexible driving members at the same time.

Claim 6

An apparatus for supplying thin, flat articles comprising: pivotable reversing means, including at least one bottom surface supporting part and at least one edge supporting part, for reversing said articles from an initial piled condition upon said bottom surface supporting part to a condition wherein said articles face in a direction opposite that in which said articles faced while in said initial condition as a result of being pivoted about the respective lower side edges supported upon said edge supporting part; and clearance making means movably associated with said edge supporting part for providing a plurality of movements to said side edges of said articles along said edge supporting part at substantially the same time thereby making a plurality of clearance spaces between said side edges of said articles while said articles become substantially vertically oriented and begin to be reversed by said reversing means, wherein said clearance making means comprises a plurality of acting members disposed along said edge supporting part at different distances from said bottom supporting part, respectively, for engaging said lower side edges of said articles and being movable along said edge supporting part in a direction away from said bottom supporting part so as to enlarge the respective distances between said articles.

Claim 7

An apparatus for supplying thin, flat articles comprising: pivotable reversing means, including at least one bottom surface supporting part and at least one edge supporting part, for reversing said articles from an initial piled condition upon said bottom surface supporting part to a condition wherein said articles face in a direction opposite that in which said articles faced while in said initial condition as a result of being pivoted about the respective lower side edges supported upon said edge supporting part; and clearance making means movably associated with said edge supporting part for providing a plurality of movements to said side edges of said articles along said edge supporting part at substantially the same time thereby making a plurality of clearance spaces between said side edges of said articles while said articles become substantially vertically oriented and begin to be reversed by said reversing means, wherein said clearance making means comprises a plurality of acting members disposed along said edge supporting part at different distances from said bottom supporting part, respectively, for engaging said lower side edges of said articles and being movable along said edge supporting part in a direction away from said bottom supporting part so as to enlarge the respective distances between said articles.