A sheet transport apparatus includes a first direction changing roller arranged along a transport path, wherein a sheet is transported along the transport path; a second direction changing roller disposed on the transport path, wherein the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller are next to each other in a direction perpendicular to the transport path, and the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller change an orientation of the sheet from a first orientation to a second orientation; and a control circuit configured to control one of the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller so that the first direction changing roller rotates slower than the second direction changing roller so as to change the orientation of the sheet from the first orientation to the second orientation.

A feeding unit to feed a component in an automatic manufacturing machine, which has at least one holding head designed to receive and hold the component; a conveyor to cyclically move the holding head along an application path; and a rotation station arranged along the feeding path and in which the holding head rotates relative to the equipment and around a rotation axis to vary the orientation of the component. The conveyor has a closed curve guide arranged in a fixed position along the application path; and an equipment supporting the holding head and provided with at least one slide coupled to the guide so as to freely slide along the guide. An actuation system controls rotation of the holding head around the first rotation axis and has a cam and a cam follower roller, which can be coupled to the cam and mechanically connected to the holding head.

The cutting machine for cutting a paper, comprising: a conveying section configured to convey the paper one by one in a conveying direction; a rotating section configured to rotate the paper conveyed by the conveying section 2; and a downstream cutting section disposed on a downstream side of the rotating section in the conveying direction 1a, including at least one cutter, and configured to cut the paper rotated by the rotating section in the conveying direction 1a.

A configurable cutting and transfer apparatus includes a cutter mechanism to cut an incoming web of material into a plurality of discrete articles and a transfer mechanism operable with the cutter mechanism to transfer and rotate the discrete articles from a web receiving location to an article placement location. The transfer mechanism includes a drive shaft rotatable about a transfer axis, a carriage plate mounted to the drive shaft so as to rotate therewith about the transfer axis, and a segmented puck wheel comprising a plurality of carriage units securable to, and repositionable on, the carriage plate so as to rotate therewith to travel along a transfer path about the transfer axis from the web receiving location to the pad placement location, each of the carriage units including a puck operable to provide a rotating and re-pitching of the articles between the web receiving location and the pad placement location.

A feeding unit to feed components in an automatic manufacturing machine; the feeding unit has: a plurality of sucking holding heads, which are each designed to receive and hold a corresponding component; a closed curved guide, which is arranged in a fixed position along the application path; a plurality of equipment, each supporting a corresponding holding head and provided with at least one slide, which is coupled to the guide so as to freely slide along the guide by means of a plurality of wheels; a suction chamber, which is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis; and a flexible connection system, which pneumatically connects the suction chamber to each holding head.

A carousel for transporting articles includes: a body rotated by a motor around a main axis, a stationary cam around the main axis and a plurality of transfer units mounted on the body to rotate around the main axis. Each unit includes a transfer element having a radially external portion to retain or release an article. The element is pivoted on the body around an auxiliary axis radial to the main axis and is coupled to the body to move along the auxiliary axis. The element is coupled to the stationary cam to rotate around the auxiliary axis. A pair of auxiliary cams is coupled to the element and integral with the body and auxiliary cam-followers are interposed between the element and the auxiliary cam to move on the auxiliary cams during rotation of the element around the auxiliary axis and move the element along the auxiliary axis.

A feeding unit to feed a component in an automatic manufacturing machine, which has at least one holding head designed to receive and hold the component; a conveyor to cyclically move the holding head along an application path; and a rotation station arranged along the feeding path and in which the holding head rotates relative to the equipment and around a rotation axis to vary the orientation of the component. The conveyor has a closed curve guide arranged in a fixed position along the application path; and an equipment supporting the holding head and provided with at least one slide coupled to the guide so as to freely slide along the guide. An actuation system controls rotation of the holding head around the first rotation axis and has a cam and a cam follower roller, which can be coupled to the cam and mechanically connected to the holding head.

Systems and methods utilizing stationary and/or moveable cutting components provide limited interference with web processing operations, such as pad spin and pitch alteration. Heat, laser, fluid, or mechanical cutting operations may be used, including respectively, a heated element (e.g., wire, ribbon, bar, or embossing or perforating element) that may be triggered inductively, water or steam jets, or improved knife/anvil cooperation.

A method of processing mailpieces in a sorting installation including a feed inlet magazine (4) in which the mailpieces (1) for sorting are placed in a stack and on edge so as to be put in series in a sorting conveyor (5), the mailpieces (1) in series and on edge in the sorting conveyor being directed towards sorting outlets having respective stackers (6). The mailpieces (1) for sorting that arrive at the feed inlet magazine while stored in a tray (3) are taken in handfuls from the storage tray to be positioned in a stack and on edge in order to be put into series. The mailpieces (1) sorted into a stacker of a sorting outlet (6) are also transferred in handfuls from the stacker towards a storage tray (3) for the purpose of being recycled to the feed inlet magazine (4) from the sorting outlet (6) having a stacker.

A web cutting system is provided for use with a single transfer insert placement mechanism having at least one puck for transferring a discrete web and a continuous web feeding mechanism for feeding a continuous web wherein first and second rollers having substantially parallel axes and being aligned with one another form a nip at their juncture, an anvil is attached to one roller, a die is attached to the other roller, a vacuum source is coupled to one of the rollers, a plurality of vacuum apertures is formed in the same roller. One of the rollers is positioned adjacent to the single transfer insert placement mechanism and to the continuous web feeding mechanism. The continuous web is applied to one roller and at least one discrete web is transferred from the puck to the same roller after which a die cutting process of the webs occurs at the nip.