Machine for feeding flatwork articles to an ironer-dryer machine, the machine including loading posts (1) with a load conveyor (2) for loading flatwork articles (53); one pair of transferring grippers (6) at each loading post (1), two or more spreading grippers (7) at a pickup station movable along one transverse guide (8); an outgoing feed conveyor (9) to transfer the flatwork article (53); and a vacuum chamber (44) below the spreading grippers (7) and below conveyor (9). The spreading grippers (7) are independent of each other, to spread a flatwork article (53) at several different zones with regard to the conveyor (9), operative in one or more lanes. A suction entrance (45) of vacuum chamber (44) has associated movable separating blades (59) temporally preventing insertion of a spread flatwork article (53) into vacuum chamber (44) and a controller coordinates the movements of the transferring grippers (6), spreading grippers (7) and separating blades (59).

In some examples, a sheet processing machine includes at least one infeed system including at least one transport means including at least one upper holder and at least one lower holder. The at least one transport means can be and/or is arranged in at least three states: a maximally closed state corresponding to a minimal distance, a minimally closed state corresponding to a maximal distance, and an at least one mean state corresponding to at least one mean distance between at least one upper holding surface at least of the respective upper holder, and at least one lower holding surface of the lower holder of the at least one transport means that is assigned to the respective upper holder. During a machine cycle, the at least one transport means has each of the minimally closed state, the maximally closed state, and the at least one mean state at least once.

In some examples, a sheet processing machine includes at least one sensor device that includes at least two sensors configured as a camera. The sheet processing machine further includes at least one infeed system. The at least one sensor device is configured to control, by open-loop control and/or closed-loop control, at least one servo drive of the infeed system as a function of at least one sheet of sheets being detected by the at least two sensors. The at least two sensors are configured to selectively detect at least one edge and/or printing mark of the sheets. Some examples likewise relate to a method for controlling, by open-loop control and/or closed-loop control, at least one component of a sheet processing machine.

A method and an apparatus for holding down a sheet on a feed table of a sheet-processing machine include a lowerable smoothing bar which can be driven according to a speed profile in time with the sheet-processing machine, which results in a targeted deflection of the smoothing bar. The deflection is preserved for the purpose of smoothing the sheet from the middle to the side.

A printing device is provided comprising a camera to capture an image of at least a portion of a print substrate; a controller to determine a location of a portion of a side edge of the print substrate from the image to determine a distance of the print substrate from a predetermined location; and an adjustment apparatus to adjust the entire substrate laterally, relative to the direction of transport of the print substrate, based on the determined location.

In some examples, a sheet processing machine includes at least one sensor device that includes at least two sensors configured as a camera. The sheet processing machine further includes at least one infeed system. The at least one sensor device is configured to control, by open-loop control and/or closed-loop control, at least one servo drive of the infeed system as a function of at least one sheet of sheets being detected by the at least two sensors. The at least two sensors are configured to selectively detect at least one edge and/or printing mark of the sheets. Some examples likewise relate to a method for controlling, by open-loop control and/or closed-loop control, at least one component of a sheet processing machine.

In some examples, a sheet processing machine includes at least one infeed system including at least one transport means including at least one upper holder and at least one lower holder. The at least one transport means can be and/or is arranged in at least three states: a maximally closed state corresponding to a minimal distance, a minimally closed state corresponding to a maximal distance, and an at least one mean state corresponding to at least one mean distance between at least one upper holding surface at least of the respective upper holder, and at least one lower holding surface of the lower holder of the at least one transport means that is assigned to the respective upper holder. During a machine cycle, the at least one transport means has each of the minimally closed state, the maximally closed state, and the at least one mean state at least once.

A printing device is provided comprising a camera to capture an image of at least a portion of a print substrate; a controller to determine a location of a portion of a side edge of the substrate from the image to determine a distance of the print substrate from a predetermined location; and adjustment apparatus to adjust the entire substrate laterally, relative to the direction of transport of the substrate, based on the determined location.

An image forming apparatus comprises a main body, a conveyance path, a first external cover and a second external cover. The first cover provided in the main body to cover the conveyance path includes a blocking wall facing the conveyance path; a concave portion provided below the blocking wall and recessed toward the main body with respect to a lower end of the blocking wall; a communication portion, provided between the lower end of the blocking wall and an upper end of the concave portion, that penetrates the first external cover and faces an outer space of the image forming apparatus at a position that extends from the concave portion to the blocking wall; and an air exhaust portion provided above the blocking wall.

A printing device is provided comprising a camera to capture an image of at least a portion of a print substrate; a controller to determine a location of a portion of a side edge of the substrate from the image to determine a distance of the print substrate from a predetermined location; and adjustment apparatus to adjust the entire substrate laterally, relative to the direction of transport of the substrate, based on the determined location.