Apparatus for transporting single sheets of different rectangular formats

Claim 1

Apparatus for transporting single flexible sheets having different rectangular formats in succession to an automatic device for further processing, said apparatus comprising: means defining a flat sheet-advancement path for transporting the sheets in a transporting direction to the automatic device; sheet advancing means associated with said path for advancing each sheet in a straight line on said path in the transporting direction; switchable rotation-inducing means associated with said path and switchable between an inactive position and an active position in which a rotation of a sheet at a selected location along the path is induced; and sensing means operatively associated with said path and connected to said rotation-inducing means for sensing each sheet being transported along said path, recognizing at least one selected sheet format and switching said rotation-inducing means into its active position in response to recognition of the at least one selected format; said sensing means comprising a plurality of sheet sensors disposed at respective locations along said path and spaced apart in the transporting direction with a separation corresponding to the at least one selected format; said rotation-inducing means comprising a holder movable when said rotation-inducing means is in its active position into contact with a sheet at the selected location for causing that sheet to have a stationary axis of rotation perpendicular to the plane of said path, and control means for maintaining said rotation-inducing means in its active position for a time sufficient to enable a sheet contacted by said holder to undergo a rotation by 90°; and said sheet advancing means being constructed to permit slippage of a sheet at the selected location for permitting such rotation to occur.