A method for manufacturing a cylindrical member includes: fixing an end portion of an elastic body to an end portion, in a circumferential direction, of a recess provided in a cylindrical body having a substantially circular shape in cross section, the recess extending along an axial direction of the cylindrical body; and winding the elastic body around the cylindrical body while pressing the elastic body using a pressing member.

Provided is an image forming apparatus including: an annular transfer belt having an outer surface on which an image is transferred; a transferring unit including a transfer cylinder having a transfer area that sandwiches a recording medium with the outer surface of the transfer belt to transfer the image from the outer surface of the transfer belt to the recording medium, and a pair of first rotating bodies disposed on both axial end sides of the transfer cylinder; a pair of circulating members each being wound around the first rotating body and being circulated by rotation of the first rotating bodies; and a holding unit attached to the circulating members, the holding unit configured to hold the recording medium, transport the recording medium with circulation of the circulating members, and pass the recording medium through the transfer area.

The invention relates to an inspection device (6) for inspecting sample blanks (P) for a processing machine (1) for processing elements in sheet form, the processing machine (1) comprising a plurality of work stations (300, 400, 500, 600) including at least one waste removal station (600) comprising a removal belt (93; 94), the inspection device (6) being characterized in that it comprises an optical monitoring device (7) configured to determine a fault with the quality of a sample of blanks (P) laid flat on the removal belt (93; 94).

The present invention also relates to a waste removal station, a processing machine for processing elements in sheet form, and to a method for the quality control of sample blanks.

The invention relates to an ejection device (2) for ejecting sample blanks (P) for a processing machine (1) for processing elements in sheet form, the processing machine (1) comprising: a plurality of work stations (300, 400, 500, 600) including at least one waste removal station (600), and a conveying device (70) comprising a plurality of gripper bars (75) configured to drive the elements in sheet form through the work stations (300, 400, 500, 600), the ejection device (2) being characterized in that it comprises at least one actuating element (3) able to move between: an inactive position in which the at least one actuating element (3) is positioned away from the path of the gripper bar (75), and an active position in which the at least one actuating element (3) is positioned on the path of the gripper bar (75), the at least one actuating element (3) being configured to collaborate with the gripper bar (75) as the gripper bar (75) passes by, so as to open the gripper bar (75) and eject, flat, a sample of blanks (P).

The present invention also relates to a waste removal station, a processing machine for processing elements in sheet form, and to a method for ejecting blanks samples in a machine for processing elements in sheet form.

The present invention discloses gripper bar locking apparatus and sheet processing device. In particular, the present invention discloses a gripper bar locking apparatus, which is configured to lock and adjust a position of a gripper bar, comprising: a supporting plate having a distal end and a proximal end; a lever portion, a distal end of which is pivotally mounted on the proximal end of the supporting plate; a cartridge movably mounted on a proximal end of the lever portion and provided with a gripper bar abutment; and an adjusting means provided on the cartridge and configured to adjust a position of the cartridge with respect to the lever portion. Further, the present invention relates to the sheet processing device including the gripper bar. By using the gripper bar locking apparatus, the adjustment of the position of the gripper bar is facilitated.

A chain tensioner (50; 500) for a conveying device (70) of a machine (1; 1) for processing elements in the form of sheets (10), the conveying device (70) includes two lateral chain sets connected to the ends of transverse gripper bars (75) able to grasp the elements (10) and at least one chain-guiding device (90) configured to guide a respective chain set (80); the chain tensioner (50; 500) includes: an actuator (9) controlled by a control unit (8), a movable support (11), a transmission element (12) borne by the movable support (11), a rotary element (13) rotated by the actuator (9) and cooperating with the transmission element (12) in order to exert a thrust force on the movable support (11), the rotary element (13) being rotatable, to adjust the tension of the chain set (80). The actuator (9) is controlled in synchronism with the machine angle (MA). A machine (1; 1) for processing elements and a method for tensioning the chain sets (80) of the conveying device (70) are disclosed.

An insert sheet loading device (10) comprising a movable carriage (12; 12) for inserting insert sheets into a receiving area (2) of a blank-receiving station (500). The movable carriage (12; 12) has a plurality of longitudinal bars (27a, 27b). At least one longitudinal bar (27a) has a suction channel (35) leading out, via at least one suction opening (30), onto the surface of the longitudinal bar (27a) for receiving an insert sheet, the suction channel (35) is connected to a vacuum source (31) for holding, by suction, the insert sheet transported by the movable carriage (12; 12). Also a blank-receiving station, a sheet-shaped element processing machine, and a method for transporting an insert sheet in a receiving area of a blank-receiving station are disclosed.

A sheet processing machine with a transfer mechanism for moving sheets along a handling direction of the sheet processing machine and with a waste evacuation device (36) for releasing the sheets. The transport mechanism comprises at least one sheet handling element (28) for moving a sheet. The waste evacuation device (36) further comprises a passage (46) formed between an opening surface (48) and a restraint surface (50). The at least one sheet handling element (28) comprises a first sliding element (68) and a second sliding element (70) being in contact with the opening surface (48) and the restraint surface (50), respectively, when passing the waste evacuation device (36).

A sheet processing machine with a transfer mechanism for moving sheets along a handling direction of the sheet processing machine and with a waste evacuation device (36) for releasing the sheets. The transfer mechanism comprises a sheet handling element (28) for moving a sheet, the sheet handling element (28) comprising at least one sliding element (54). The sheet handling element (28) is adapted to release the sheet when passing the waste evacuation device (36). The waste evacuation device comprises at least one alignment element (38) adapted to interact with the at least one sliding element (54) for minimizing deformation of the sheet handling element (28) when passing the waste evacuation device (36).

A sheet processing machine comprises a receiving area (38) for collecting a sheet pile and a device (36) for determining the height of the sheet pile. The device (36) comprises a manually displaceable first sensor element arranged at a first side (48) of the receiving area (38), and an automatically displaceable second sensor element (50) arranged at an opposite side (52) of the receiving area (38) such that the first and second sensor elements (50) are arranged opposite each other along a width direction of the receiving area (38). The first sensor element and the second sensor element (50) are displaceable along a length direction of the sheet receiving area (38), wherein the first sensor element is one of a light emitting source and a light receiving sensor (56) and the second sensor element (50) is the other one of a light emitting source and a light receiving sensor (56). The light emitting source and the light receiving sensor (56) form a light barrier (58) along the width direction when facing each other.