An items processing apparatus for placement and singulation of flat items has a placement device and a feed deck and a separation device. A portion of the placement device is arranged below the placement deck of the apparatus. The feed deck has an opening for an separation roller, and a portion of the separation device arranged above the feed deck. This portion and the separation roller form a gate of the separation device for the singulation of a stack of flat items. A control computer controls the placement device and separation device. The placement device is equipped for edge alignment of a stack of flat items with different formats and has at least two transport elements, which enable an automatic displacement of the stack transverse to the transport direction and placement of the stack at an alignment wall, as well as a transport of the stack in the transport direction toward the feed deck of the separation device, as well as a displacement of the stack counter to the transport direction. A movement assembly is provided to move the portion of the separation device in a direction counter to the transport direction. The control computer controls the alignment state of the transport elements of the placement device of the items processing apparatus, and controls the movement of the portion of the separation device. The aforementioned portion enables a displacement of the stack counter to the transport direction.

A vacuum roller system and a method of operation the vacuum roller system can include an assembly of interdigitated rollers, and a vacuum system, wherein the assembly of interdigitated rollers is operably connected to the vacuum system to move sheets of media through a downstream dryer in a printer, wherein a vacuum is drawn between individual rollers among the assembly of interdigitated rollers so that the vacuum is distributed across a sheet of media and is split around the individual rollers. The spacing between the individual rollers among the assembly of interdigitated rollers is variable to vary the vacuum.

A self-contained no-feed-roll computer controlled corrugated board or paperboard sheet feeder apparatus 200 is configured to upgrade an installed corrugated board processing machine (e.g., 10) and includes a feed table surface 210 for boards (e.g., 2) having drive wheels (222W, 224W, 226W) in an initial variable velocity zone 220 which drives the board in a first motion profile through a first vacuum zone, and a second velocity zone 230 which then drives the board in a second motion profile through a second vacuum zone Retrofittable sheet feeder 200 also includes a controller 300 configured to receive predetermined velocity signals from the host machine 10 and generate (i) a first initial variable velocity control signal for initial variable velocity zone 220 and (ii) a second velocity control signal for second velocity zone 230 in response.

A vacuum roller system and a method of operation the vacuum roller system can include an assembly of interdigitated rollers, and a vacuum system, wherein the assembly of interdigitated rollers is operably connected to the vacuum system to move sheets of media through a downstream dryer in a printer, wherein a vacuum is drawn between individual rollers among the assembly of interdigitated rollers so that the vacuum is distributed across a sheet of media and is split around the individual rollers. The spacing between the individual rollers among the assembly of interdigitated rollers is variable to vary the vacuum.

A self-contained no-feed-roll computer controlled corrugated board or paperboard sheet feeder apparatus 200 is configured to upgrade an installed corrugated board processing machine (e.g., 10) and includes a feed table surface 210 for boards (e.g., 2) having drive wheels (222W, 224W, 226W) in an initial variable velocity zone 220 which drives the board in a first motion profile through a first vacuum zone, and a second velocity zone 230 which then drives the board in a second motion profile through a second vacuum zone Retrofittable sheet feeder 200 also includes a controller 300 configured to receive predetermined velocity signals from the host machine 10 and generate (i) a first initial variable velocity control signal for initial variable velocity zone 220 and (ii) a second velocity control signal for second velocity zone 230 in response.

A method is provided for supplying a corrugated board article or a paperboard sheet article from a feeder apparatus for receipt by an article processing host machine. The method includes feeding the article to a feeder apparatus including a sheet supporting feed table surface having a feed end and a delivery end, feed elements, and a control surface selectively movable between a covering state and an exposing state. In the exposing state the feed elements are exposed to contact and drive the article along the sheet supporting feed table. The control surface is selectively movable to an angled state to selectively angle the control surface to consecutively conceal the respective feed elements as the article moves over the feed elements.

A transport module for flat items comprising at least one transport element borne in a transport element carrier having a drive shaft is designed for installation in a station of an item processing system and, after installation, is borne rotatably around an axis of the drive shaft. It is one of multiple transport modules of an identical design. The transport element has, on one side, a lower friction coefficient than on the other side of an equator and is driven by the drive shaft via transmission means of the transport module. The transport element carrier carries the transmission means of the transport module and has a spring assembly allowing it to be shifted in the direction of gravity and contrary to it.

A placement station for placing flat items has multiple transport elements extending through a related opening in a placement deck of the placement station. All transport elements are driven by a single drive motor via toothed belt discs and toothed belts. At least one trigger sensor is arranged in the placement station on the exit side of the mail-item flow. The drive motor and the trigger sensor are electrically connected with means for controlling the transport speed of the flat items. Each transport element is carried by a transport module. The placement station has multiple transport modules, each extending with a transport element mounted on its head side through a related opening in a placement deck of the placement station. The transport modules are lowerable below the placement deck in a direction contrary to a spring force. The direction of traction can be changed by turning at least one transport module before or during operation of the placement station. Each transport element has a barrel-shaped body with an equator, wherein different friction values of said body of the transport element are provided on both sides of the equator. The transport modules are directionally positioned such that the half of the body of the transport element with the higher friction value is closest to the alignment wall.