A sheet processing apparatus is configured to press a fold line that is formed on a sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes: a sheet supporting unit configured to support the sheet in a pressing direction for pressing the fold line; a pressing unit configured to press the fold line that is formed on the sheet that is supported by the sheet supporting unit; and a pressing-force generating unit configured to generate a pressing force for pressing the sheet supporting unit against the pressing unit at a central part in a direction along which the fold line is formed.

A sheet suction device includes a drum having multiple suction ports in a circumferential surface of the drum, the drum configured to bear a sheet on the circumferential surface and rotate in a circumferential direction of the drum, and a suction device configured to suck the sheet through the multiple suction ports to attract the sheet on the circumferential surface. The drum includes multiple suction regions aligned in the circumferential direction on the circumferential surface, each of the multiple suction regions includes the multiple suction ports aligned in the circumferential direction and in an axial direction of the drum on the circumferential surface, the multiple suction regions include an upstream region, a middle region, and a downstream region in the circumferential direction, and the middle region has the multiple suction ports at both outer sides in the axial direction of the drum.

Sheet collating device for accumulating sheets from at least one hopper, comprising: a lower transport path and an upper transport path; a switchable guide for directing the sheets from the at least one hopper to the lower or the upper transport path; left and right upper drive shafts connected to a right and a left upper drive pulleys supporting a pair of upper belts, a drive direction of the pair of upper belts being changed dependent on what transport path of the upper and lower transport paths is selected; first and second lower drive shafts connected to a right and a left lower drive pulleys supporting first and second pairs of lower belts; and a first series of right paddles mounted on the first pair of lower belts and a first series of left paddles mounted on the second pair of lower belts for registering a collated set of sheets.

Sheet collating device for accumulating sheets from at least one hopper, comprising: a lower transport path and an upper transport path; a switchable guide for directing the sheets from the at least one hopper to the lower or the upper transport path; left and right upper drive shafts connected to a right and a left upper drive pulleys supporting a pair of upper belts, a drive direction of the pair of upper belts being changed dependent on what transport path of the upper and lower transport paths is selected; first and second lower drive shafts connected to a right and a left lower drive pulleys supporting first and second pairs of lower belts; and a first series of right paddles mounted on the first pair of lower belts and a first series of left paddles mounted on the second pair of lower belts for registering a collated set of sheets.

A method for franking mail items fed to a franking machine. The mail items are drawn from the underside of a stack for separation or are fed individually on a conveying section upstream of the franking machine to a printing unit for franking, after franking, are discharged in the opposite direction from the printing unit. The mail items are fed via a diverter section to the conveying section, after franking, are conveyed via the diverter section which is switched over to change the conveying direction into a depositing apparatus below the diverter section. The mail items are guided in the opening region of the franking machine into the printing position and are returned out of the printing position. The printing position of a mail item fed to the printing unit is determined by a print head movement-controlled from a readiness position pursuant to the format length of the mail item.

A method for franking mail items fed to a franking machine. The mail items are drawn from the underside of a stack for separation or are fed individually on a conveying section upstream of the franking machine to a printing unit for franking, after franking, are discharged in the opposite direction from the printing unit. The mail items are fed via a diverter section to the conveying section, after franking, are conveyed via the diverter section which is switched over to change the conveying direction into a depositing apparatus below the diverter section. The mail items are guided in the opening region of the franking machine into the printing position and are returned out of the printing position. The printing position of a mail item fed to the printing unit is determined by a print head movement-controlled from a readiness position pursuant to the format length of the mail item.

An image forming apparatus includes a print portion that prints an image on a sheet passing by a print position, and an inserter that inserts an insert sheet between sheets conveyed one after another. In a print job involving an insert process, the print portion conveys, while securing an insert interval between a preceding sheet, which is a sheet immediately preceding the insert sheet, and a succeeding sheet, which is a sheet immediately following the insert sheet, the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet one after another. The print portion automatically changes the insert interval according to the length of the insert sheet in the conveyance direction.

An image forming apparatus includes a print portion that prints an image on a sheet passing by a print position, and an inserter that inserts an insert sheet between sheets conveyed one after another. In a print job involving an insert process, the print portion conveys, while securing an insert interval between a preceding sheet, which is a sheet immediately preceding the insert sheet, and a succeeding sheet, which is a sheet immediately following the insert sheet, the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet one after another. The print portion automatically changes the insert interval according to the length of the insert sheet in the conveyance direction.

A magazine for packs of blanks includes a vertical channel configured for inserting and extracting packs of blanks, a succession of groups of supporting parts movable between a retracted position to allow the packs of blanks to move along the channel towards a portion under the supporting part, and an at least partly extracted position, in which the supporting part intercepts a pack of blanks moving down the channel and provides a steady support for the pack of blanks, and transmission means configured to automatically move each supporting part from the retracted position to the at least partly extracted position when the supporting part immediately below it intercepts a respective pack of blanks, thereby defining the steady support.

A magazine for packs of blanks includes a vertical channel configured for inserting and extracting packs of blanks, a succession of groups of supporting parts movable between a retracted position to allow the packs of blanks to move along the channel towards a portion under the supporting part, and an at least partly extracted position, in which the supporting part intercepts a pack of blanks moving down the channel and provides a steady support for the pack of blanks, and transmission means configured to automatically move each supporting part from the retracted position to the at least partly extracted position when the supporting part immediately below it intercepts a respective pack of blanks, thereby defining the steady support.