According to some embodiments, a double detection apparatus for a mail-piece inserter includes a detectable flag affixed to a rotating mail-piece gripper of a mail-piece rotary feeder. A stationary proximity sensor may generate a voltage output based on a presence of the detectable flag in a direction along a first axis normal to the rotation of the mail-piece gripper. A decision unit may then generate a double detect alert signal when a phase shift above a pre-determined threshold value is detected in the voltage output generated by the stationary proximity sensor. According to some embodiments, the decision unit may also generate a thin detect alert signal when a phase shift past another pre-determined threshold value is detected in the voltage output generated by the stationary proximity sensor.

A media registration system including a track to transport media in a transport direction from an intake end to a registration end, and a pivot shaft. A translator to register media in a lateral direction to the transport direction includes a translation element operatively coupled to the track and moveable along a translation axis in the lateral direction, and a driver to drive the translation element a translation distance along the translation axis to rotate the track about the pivot shaft to move the registration end a selected registration distance in the lateral direction, the translation distance proportional to the selected registration distance.

A media registration system including a track to transport media in a transport direction from an intake end to a registration end, and a pivot shaft. A translator to register media in a lateral direction to the transport direction includes a translation element operatively coupled to the track and moveable along a translation axis in the lateral direction, and a driver to drive the translation element a translation distance along the translation axis to rotate the track about the pivot shaft to move the registration end a selected registration distance in the lateral direction, the translation distance proportional to the selected registration distance.

A method and apparatus that makes provision for a length of a transverse edge of a laundry item to be spread out to be measured upstream of a spreading device, to be precise preferably from above. It is thereby possible to individually determine the length of the transverse edge for each individual laundry item before the laundry item is situated in the spreading device. The length dimension of the transverse edge determined upstream of the spreading device can then be used to move apart the spreading clamps of the spreading device in a targeted and controlled manner in order to spread out the transverse edge in as gentle a manner as possible.

A method and apparatus that makes provision for a length of a transverse edge of a laundry item to be spread out to be measured upstream of a spreading device, to be precise preferably from above. It is thereby possible to individually determine the length of the transverse edge for each individual laundry item before the laundry item is situated in the spreading device. The length dimension of the transverse edge determined upstream of the spreading device can then be used to move apart the spreading clamps of the spreading device in a targeted and controlled manner in order to spread out the transverse edge in as gentle a manner as possible.

Alignment apparatuses include a frame and contact elements connected to the frame. The contact elements contact items that are to be transported in a processing direction relative to the frame. The contact elements are in permeant fixed positions relative to the frame, and do not move relative to the frame. Adjustable mounts are connected to the frame and move the frame in the processing direction and in a perpendicular cross-processing direction. A controller is electrically connected to the adjustable mounts, and the controller is adapted to control the adjustable mounts to simultaneously move the frame and all the contact elements in the cross-processing direction and the processing direction while rotating the frame. Methods laterally shift imaging on sheets that have had rotational correction performed by such alignment apparatuses.

A registration system for a printing device and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. For example, the registration system includes at least one sensor to detect a position of a print media, at least one laterally adjustable nip, wherein the laterally adjustable nip moves along an inboard direction and an outboard direction, a motor coupled to the at least one laterally adjustable nip to move the at least one laterally adjustable nip a desired amount of movement based on the position of the print media and a width of the print media, and a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the motor to calculate a desired amount of movement based on the position of the print media and control the motor to move the at least one laterally adjustable nip by the desired amount of movement.

A positioning assembly (30) for positioning a sheet material, especially at an entry portion of a sheet material processing machine, is described. It comprises a support beam (32) on which at least a portion of a sheet material to be positioned can be placed and a plurality of clamping fingers (38). The support beam (32) is coupled to a drive unit (60) configured for translationally moving the support beam (32) along a travelling direction (y) of the sheet material, translationally moving the support beam (32) along a direction (x) transverse to the travelling direction (y) and rotationally moving the support beam (32) with respect to a pivot axis (z) being perpendicular to the traveling direction (y) and the transverse direction (x). Each of the clamping fingers (38) is coupled to an individual clamping finger actuation unit (40). Moreover, a sheet material processing machine comprising such a positioning assembly (30) is presented.

A positioning assembly (30) for positioning a sheet material, especially at an entry portion of a sheet material processing machine, is described. It comprises a support beam (32) on which at least a portion of a sheet material to be positioned can be placed and a plurality of clamping fingers (38). The support beam (32) is coupled to a drive unit (60) configured for translationally moving the support beam (32) along a travelling direction (y) of the sheet material, translationally moving the support beam (32) along a direction (x) transverse to the travelling direction (y) and rotationally moving the support beam (32) with respect to a pivot axis (z) being perpendicular to the traveling direction (y) and the transverse direction (x). Each of the clamping fingers (38) is coupled to an individual clamping finger actuation unit (40). Moreover, a sheet material processing machine comprising such a positioning assembly (30) is presented.

A register (20; 60) for a processing machine (1) for processing plate-like elements (10) includes a gripping element (21; 22) for placing the plate-like elements (10) in a gripper bar (31) of a conveyor (30) of a processing machine (1) conveying the plate-like elements (10) in a longitudinal direction, an actuator module (201, 202) to drive the gripping element (21; 22), at least one front correction sensor module (7) configured to measure the front position of register marks (12a) printed on a front section of the plate-like element (10) grasped by the gripping element (21; 22). The register (20; 60) includes at least one front pre-correction sensor module (80), placed upstream of the front correction sensor module (7) in the longitudinal direction, the front pre-correction sensor module (80) is configured: to detect the passage of a front transversel edge of the plate-like element (10) in at least two longitudinally spaced lateral axis of detection (P1, P2), one located in front of the other, and to provide measurements to a computation and control unit (40) of the processing machine (1) that is configured: to control the actuator module (201, 202) in order to move the gripping element (21; 22) toward the gripper bar (31) and to activate the gripping element (21; 22) in order to grasp a plate-like element (10). Also a processing machine for processing plate-like elements includes the register. A method for placing plate-like elements within a processing machine is disclosed.