Method of and apparatus for gathering and manipulating stacks of paper sheets and the like

US4878659A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• E.C.H. Will GmbH · DE

Inventor

• Alfred Besemann · Hamburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 10, 1987
• Grant date: Nov 7, 1989
• Expiry date: Dec 10, 2007

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B65H2406/122
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Successive stacks of paper sheets are gathered from successive sheets of a stream of sheets at a first station where the sheets are fed downwardly to form a lowermost stack on mobile belt conveyors mounted on a reciprocable carriage, and a growing stack on top of the lowermost stack. When the growing stack is converted into a fully grown stack, the lowermost stack is transferred by the conveyors to a processing station and the fully grown stack is lowered to the level of the removed stack. The underside of each stack which is being removed from the first station is in large-area contact with the belt conveyors, and the front marginal portion of the stack which is being transported away from the first station is engaged and held by a jaw which is movable up and down as well as with the belt conveyors during the initial stage of removal of a stack from the first station to thus reduce the likelihood of shifting of sheets in the stack relative to each other.