A sheet processing machine (10) has a device (44) for monitoring sheets (12) and a transfer mechanism (26) for moving sheets (12) along a handling direction within the sheet processing machine (10). The device (44) comprises a light emitting element forming a light barrier in a sheet passage between the light emitting element and the light receiving element. A control unit (46) is connected to the light receiving element and is adapted to register each sheet (12) passing the sheet passage.

A front end conveyor includes a frame having a first side and a second side, a lower deck including a plurality of sheet supports and an upper deck including a plurality of sheet guides. Upper portions of the sheet supports lie in a first plane, and the plurality of sheet supports and the plurality of sheet guides define therebetween a sheet transport path for moving sheets in a sheet transport direction toward the downstream end of the front end conveyor. At least one helical brush is positioned at the sheet transport path and is configured to engage scrap material on the plurality of sheets. The conveyor also includes a drive configured to rotate the helical brush.

A front end conveyor has an upstream end and a downstream end, a lower deck including a plurality of primary sheet supports and an upper deck including a plurality of sheet guides. Upper portions of the primary sheet supports lie in a first plane and the sheet supports and sheet guides define a sheet transport path for moving sheets in a sheet transport direction. A pivotable sheet support extends from an upstream end of the lower deck and has at least one surface lying in a second plane. The pivotable sheet support is pivotable from a first position in which the second plane forms a first angle with the first plane and a second position in which the second plane forms a second angle with the first plane, the second angle being different than the first angle.

A conveyor configured to transport sheets along a transport path from an input end to a discharge end includes a main frame, an upper conveyor deck supported by the main frame and having a plurality of belts and a lower conveyor deck supported by the main frame and having a plurality of wheels. The transport path is defined by the contact surfaces of the plurality of belts in the first contact region and the contact surfaces of the plurality of wheels in the second contact region, and the conveyor is configured such that the sheets make direct contact with the contact surfaces of the plurality of belts and make direct contact with the contact surfaces of the plurality of wheels when the sheets move along the transport path. The wheels are shiftable in the third direction relative to the belts and relative to the main frame.

A conveyor includes a first conveyor deck having a first plurality of contact elements, each having a contact surface movable around a closed path from a contact region to a non-contact region, the first contact regions lying in a plane or being bounded by the plane and a second conveyor deck having a second plurality of contact elements, each having a contact surface movable around a closed path from a contact region to a non-contact region, these contact regions lying in a second plane or being bounded by the second plane. The transport path of the conveyor is defined by the contact surfaces of the first and second contact elements in the contact regions, and the first plurality of contact elements are belts and the second plurality of contact elements are wheels.

A holding device for holding an element in sheet form 10 during its phase of insertion into a work station 300 of a converting machine 1. The holding device 310 includes a suction member 320 able to partially hold each sheet 10 by its rear portion during insertion of the sheet 10 into the work station 300. The holding device also includes a blower 330 able to flatten the rear portion of each sheet 10 against the suction member 320 during the phase of insertion.

A conveying apparatus includes an upper conveyor and a lower conveyor, the top of the lower conveyor facing the bottom of the upper conveyor and defining with the bottom of the upper conveyor a sheet transport path. An air duct having an opening facing the top of the upper conveyor is mounted over the upper conveyor, and a fan is provided that is in fluid communication with the air duct. The fan draws air through the opening, into the air duct and out an exhaust vent. A housing substantially encloses the upper conveyor and the lower conveyor and is connected to the air duct, and the housing has a bottom opening located below the sheet transport path such that a majority of the air drawn through the opening by the fan passes through the upper conveyor.

An apparatus according to the present disclosure stacks and aligns predetermined number of laminar members blanked respectively by a blanking block and transports them to a conveyor, thereby eliminating the need for the conventional counting operation and alignment operation of laminar members, and efficiently performing a subsequent adhesion or welding process etc. of laminar members.

A lateral positioning device (100) for a sheet element (20, 20) in a sheet element processing machine; a detector lever (130) articulated relative to a horizontal axis, which performs a descending movement from a high position to a low position; a first end (132) of the detector lever (130) contacts, in a low position of the lever, with an upper face of the sheet element. A second end (133) of the detector lever (130) is fitted with a target (135) that cooperates with a position detector (140) to generate a signal dependent on the thickness of the sheet element (20, 20) and the number of sheet elements (20, 20) present at the level of the first end (132) of the detector lever (130).

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus that separates and efficiently captures from an automated cutting table select pieces of thin, flexible material in an orderly manner which prevents damage to the selected piece while preventing the undesired lifting or movement of the surrounding material. The apparatus comprises a pick head assembly including a cylinder with a plurality of orifices that communicates with the selected piece to maintain contact between the selected piece and the cylindrical surface while the selected piece is being removed.