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.

In some examples, a sheet processing machine includes at least one pile formation device. The at least one pile formation device is arranged in a vertical direction beneath a multiple-up separating mechanism. The at least one pile formation device is arranged so as to be displaceable at least in an inward-moving direction. The at least one pile formation device includes at least one horizontally displaceable pile formation means and a deposit element that can be displaced relative to the at least one pile formation means.

An image forming apparatus includes plural rotating members that are rotatable; an annular circulating member that is wound around the plural rotating members and circulates when the rotating members rotate; a retaining member attached to an attaching portion of the circulating member and that circulates together with the circulating member, the retaining member being configured to retain a recording medium in an area where the attaching portion comes into contact with one of the rotating members; an image forming section that forms an image on the recording medium at an image forming position defined on a circulation path along which the circulating member circulates; a delivering unit that delivers the recording medium to a retaining position where the recording medium is to be retained by the retaining member; a detector that detects rotation of the one rotating member; and a controller that controls delivery of the recording medium from the delivering unit to the retaining position, the delivery being controlled with reference to information detected by the detector.

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 conveyance mechanism includes a lower conveyance guide below an inclined conveyance path having upward or downward inclinations with which a sheet material is to be conveyed, that guides a lower surface of the sheet material; an upper conveyance guide above the inclined conveyance path, that guides an upper surface of the sheet-shaped material, the upper conveyance guide being openable and closable about a rotation shaft, which is on a side of the inclined conveyance path in a direction of a width of the inclined conveyance path to extend along the inclined conveyance path; and a first urging member to urge a portion of the upper conveyance guide away from the rotation shaft in the direction of the width of the inclined conveyance path toward the rotation shaft, the portion of the upper conveyance guide being at an upper end of the upper conveyance guide in an inclined direction.

An image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus body; an image forming unit that forms a toner image on a recording medium; a first transport part that transports the recording medium to the image forming unit along a feed path extending from one side toward the other side in the horizontal direction, the feed path being a path along which the recording medium transported by the first transport part passes, and that includes a portion extending toward the one side beyond the image forming unit; and a second transport part that transports the recording medium from the image forming unit to the outside of the apparatus body along a discharge path extending from the other side toward one side in the horizontal direction and that includes a portion extending toward the one side beyond the image forming unit, the discharge path and the feed path at least partially overlapping each other in the vertical direction.

A holding device (1) for a succession of sheet-shaped elements circulating in a processing machine (100) along conveying path T. The holding device (1) has two series (10, 20) of a plurality of suction members (11, 21). At least one series of suction members 20 extends along and is movably mounted parallel to the transport path T of the sheets, between a retracted position and a deployed position. Each series is in an array, parallel to the transport path and the suction members are arranged spaced apart alongside one another, so that the array of members extend perpendicular to the conveying path T of the sheets and the suction members (11, 21) of each series (10, 20) are transversely offset relative to the suction members (11, 21) of the other series (10, 20).

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 magnetic ink reading device includes a housing having a slot through which a medium is inserted, a roller driven by a motor by which the medium is conveyed along a conveyance path, one or more sensors arranged along the conveyance path and configured to detect the medium at one or more respective positions, a magnetic head configured to read a magnetic pattern formed on the medium with magnetic ink, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the motor to convey the medium inserted through the slot, measure a length in a conveyance direction of the medium using outputs from the sensors, and control the magnetic head to read the magnetic pattern from the medium while controlling the motor to continuously convey the medium for a period corresponding to the measured length.