A portioning system for portioning stackable flat carton elements in a stack (101) for further processing. A feeder device (105) includes a lifting platform (106) and a pushing platform (107), wherein the feeder device (105) is movable along a linear path (108) for pushing the stack (101) to a delivery position. The feeder device (105) is further movable along a lifting direction (110) having at least a component parallel to the gravity direction. The feeder device (105) is configured such that the lifting platform (106) is movable partially below the flat elements defining the stack (101) such that an edge portion (111) of the stack (101) is arranged on the lifting platform (106) for being liftable by the lifting platform (106). The feeder device (105) is further configured such that the stack (101) is pushable by the pushing platform (107) along the linear path (108) until the stack (101) is arranged at the delivery position.

A feeder system for feeding a stack (101) of stackable flat, carton elements to a processing device: A delivery ramp (103) includes a receiving surface (104) on which an edge portion (111) and a center portion (116) of the stack (101) is arrangeable. A transport device (125) includes a supporting platform on which at least a further edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is supportable, wherein the supporting platform is arranged adjacent to the receiving surface (104) such that the further edge portion (115) of the stack (101) may be received. A downholder element (117), adjusts a size of a gap (705) between the downholder element and a supporting platform, such that the further edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is clampable between them. The transport device (125) is movable between the receiving position, at which the stack (101) may be received by the delivery ramp (103), and a hand over position at the processing device such that the stack (101) is movable from the receiving position to the hand over position.

A transfer system for transferring a stack (101) of flat elements to a processing device includes a delivery ramp (103) with a receiving surface (104) for receiving the stack (101), a first comb structure (121) having at least one first supporting platform (123) on which at least an edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is supportable, wherein the first comb structure (121) is mounted to the delivery ramp (103), and a second comb structure (122) having at least two second supporting platforms (124) on which at least the edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is supportable, wherein the second comb structure (122) is configured for supplying the stack (101) to the processing device. The first supporting platform (123) and the second supporting platforms (124) are arranged along a first direction (109), one after another, in an interleaved manner such that the edge portion (115) is supportable on the first supporting platform (123) and the second supporting platforms (124). The first comb structure (121) and the second comb structure (122) are movable along a lifting direction (110) with respect to each other such that the edge portion (115) of the stack (101) is supportable selectively by the first supporting platform (123) or by the second supporting platforms (124), wherein the two second supporting platforms (124) are spaced along the first direction (109) such that the first supporting platform (123) is movable along the lifting direction (110) through a space between the two second supporting platforms (124).

A main object of the invention is to provide a sheet material separation-aiding apparatus that ensures that there can be a gap produced stably between a specific sheet material from a stack of sheet materials and a sheet material just below it, and that achieves size reductions, reduced energy consumptions and a decreased parts count. As shown in FIG. 4, the sheet material separation-aiding apparatus 1 comprises a rotating means 2 including an abutment portion 21 that is capable of coming in abutment on an end of the uppermost sheet material 101, a supporting means 3 that supports the rotating means 2 in a rotatable manner and is capable of moving in a vertical direction, a biasing means 4 that biases the supporting means 3 in a downward direction, and a lifting means 5 that lifts up an end 23 of the rotating means 2 in opposition to the abutment portion 21. As the end 23 is lifted up, it causes the rotating means 2 to rotate with the abutment portion 21 coming in abutment on the end of the sheet material 101, and as the end 23 is further lifted up, it causes the supporting means 3 and rotating means 2 to keep on going up while the rotating means 2 is kept from rotation by a counterforce that the abutment portion 21 receives from the sheet material 101.

A blank supply unit, for providing flat blanks for production of dimensionally stable outer packaging, includes an input magazine for receiving a stack of blanks, a buffer magazine arranged downstream of the input magazine for receiving stacked blanks, a transfilling unit arranged between the input magazine and the buffer magazine, and a discharge unit for withdrawing a blank from the stacked blanks in the buffer magazine and transporting the blank on to a next processing station for the blank. The transfilling unit is configured for automatic, batch-wise refilling of the buffer magazine with blanks from the input magazine.

A method for supplying plate elements to a machine for processing the plate elements, from an initial pile of elements, the method includes: pushing a first batch of plate elements, from the top of the pile, downstream until the first batch comes at a storage capable of storing the first pushed batch, and simultaneously, displacing the storage downstream over a distance corresponding to the length of the first batch to separate the first batch from the pile; and thereafter transferring the elements of the first batch one after the other to the machine.