A sheet feeding device includes a sheet loading portion which is capable of elevating operation and on which a sheet is loaded, a feeding member for feeding the sheet loaded on the sheet loading portion, the feeding member being capable of elevating movement between a contacting position in contact with the sheet and a distanced position distanced upward from the sheet, and a control portion that controls the elevating operation of the sheet loading portion and the elevating movement of the feeding member. When the feeding member at the contacting position moves to the distanced position, the feeding member is distanced upward from the sheet loaded on the sheet loading portion after the sheet loading portion starts a descending operation.

A mail processing system utilizes a conveyor to shingle or de-shingle mailpieces as they move through the processing system and utilizes belts to move the mailpieces. A first shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece to overlap with a second mailpiece to create shingled mailpieces. A second shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece away from a second mailpiece to de-shingle them to create singulated mailpieces. A camera takes images of the mailpieces in the conveyor and image analysis software is used to determine dimensional aspects of the mailpieces that are used to control the belt speeds to move mailpieces with respect to each other. A mail processing system may include a mail processing station that scans addresses, applies postage and/or weighs the mailpieces. Mail may be de-shingled prior to being weighed and then re-shingled for subsequent processing, or mail may be shingled prior to passing through a scale if weighing is not necessary.

A feeding unit to feed blanks in a packer machine has a frame supporting a hopper and conveyor. The hopper holds a stack of blanks and has a pick-up opening, through which one blank at a time can be retrieved from the stack. The conveyor moves the blanks along a moving path ending in the hopper. The feeding unit can be adjusted by a format change operation to contain blanks with different formats by changing the feeding unit from a first configuration for containing a first format to a second configuration for containing a second format, different from the first format. A plurality of different and interchangeable hoppers are provided, each associated with a corresponding format of the blanks. Each hopper is fixed to the frame in a removable manner in order to be replaced during a format change operation.

A medium stacking apparatus comprises a stacking surface for stacking a medium; a first guide to guide the stacking of the medium in the case of stacking of the medium and to press the medium in the case of separating of the medium stacked on the stacking surface; and a second guide that is capable of supporting the medium stacked on the stacking surface, the first guide including a first plate, and a second plate that is rotatably connected to the first plate, the second plate being rotated about the first plate in the case of stacking of the medium, and a portion or all of the second plate being overlapped with the first plate in the case of separating of the medium.

Embodiments of a system and method for unloading articles from a container of items for use in an automatic stack feeder are disclosed. The automatic stack feeder may comprise a belt, a moveable lower paddle, and a moveable upper paddle, wherein the lower paddle is configured to partially extend through a belt of the automatic stack feeder. The movement of the belt, the lower paddle, and the upper paddle are coordinated such that there is no need to interrupt the operation of the automatic stack feeder to unload the container.

The invention relates to a feeder device (1) for feeding mailpieces (2) to a postal sorting conveyor (3), the feeder device comprising an unstacker head (4) designed to put the mailpieces in series and on edge on the sorting conveyor, an unstacker plate (5) designed to unstack the mailpieces one-by-one towards the unstacker head, and a mailpiece feed conveyor (6) designed to convey the mailpieces in a stack and on edge against the unstacker plate. The unstacker plate comprises a stationary portion (5a) that extends from the unstacker head, and a moving portion (5b) that extends the stationary portion, said moving portion being mounted to pivot from the stationary portion between a first position in which the stationary portion and the moving portion are aligned with each other, and a second position in which the stationary portion and the moving portion are angularly offset relative to each other.

An image forming apparatus includes a first side plate, a second side plate and a sheet feeding unit. The first and second side plates are opposite to each other. The sheet feeding unit is attached between the first and second side plates. The sheet feeding unit has a feed frame, a pickup roller, a feed roller, a separation member and a weight member. The feed frame has a first side wall supported by the first side plate in a facing manner and a second side wall supported by the second side plate in a facing manner. The pickup roller and the feed roller are supported in the feed frame. The separation member forms a nip and separates the sheet at the nip. The weight member is disposed above the feed roller in the feed frame and configured to damp vibration of the feed frame.

A device for reducing rotation of an article during singulation of a stack of articles is disclosed. The device may include a torsion element, a rotatable member configured to rotate about an elongated axis of the torsion element between a first position and a second position, and a revolving member coupled to the rotatable member. An outer surface of the revolving member contacts a drive belt in the first position and an article in the second position. The torsion element exerts torque on the rotatable member when it moves from the first position towards the second position. The torque causes the outer surface of the revolving member to apply a frictional force to the article, thereby minimizing rotation of the article. Systems and methods of singulating articles are also disclosed.

A mail processing system utilizes a conveyor to shingle or de-shingle mailpieces as they move through the processing system and utilizes belts to move the mailpieces. A first shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece to overlap with a second mailpiece to create shingled mailpieces. A second shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece away from a second mailpiece to de-shingle them to create singulated mailpieces. A camera takes images of the mailpieces in the conveyor and image analysis software is used to determine dimensional aspects of the mailpieces that are used to control the belt speeds to move mailpieces with respect to each other. A mail processing system may include a mail processing station that scans addresses, applies postage and/or weighs the mailpieces. Mail may be de-shingled prior to being weighed and then re-shingled for subsequent processing, or mail may be shingled prior to passing through a scale if weighing is not necessary.

A supply apparatus that supplies corrugated cardboard sheets to a supply position in a box-making section that opens folded corrugated cardboard sheets and makes boxes. The supply apparatus comprises a conveying unit, a drive unit, and a control unit. The conveying unit conveys a plurality of the corrugated cardboard sheets to the supply position with the corrugated cardboard sheets stacked. The drive unit drives the conveying unit. A controller, serving as the control unit, estimates the total quantity of the plurality of stacked corrugated cardboard sheets on a conveying surface of the conveying unit. The controller acquires a value pertaining to the drive force of the drive unit when the drive unit drives the conveying unit, and estimates the total quantity of the plurality of stacked corrugated cardboard sheets on the basis of the acquired value.