An envelope feeder (20) for use in a photographic order-finishing station, including a base (22) to which a retaining plate (28) is mounted. A stack-holding tray (30) is biased toward the retaining plate to compress a stack (18) of envelopes placed therebetween for feeding. Suction heads (50) move arcuately to contact and grip the outermost envelope (36) on the stack by application of a partial vacuum, and the move back to peel and lift a portion of that envelope from the stack. A shuttle assembly (52) with a plurality of narrow shuttle fingers (108) is included for insertion between the partially lifted outermost envelope (36) and the underlying envelope (68) to split any adhesions formed between them and separate the outermost envelope from the stack. After insertion of the shuttle assembly, the suction heads release the envelope and latching tabs (114) mounted on the shuttle assembly rotate to project outwardly toward the retaining plate, engaging the outermost envelope so that it is removed from the stack as the shuttle assembly is retracted. The removed envelope is fed into an envelope receptacle (48) as it is removed from the stack.
A device and a method are disclosed for identifying overlaps of flexible flat items being moved along a conveyance path in a conveyor segment which is configured to move the items sequentially while the items are standing on edge and such that at least one section of each of the items is deflectable perpendicularly with respect to the conveyance path. A deflection element is disposed adjacent the conveyor segment for temporarily deflecting a section of the flat items perpendicularly with respect to the conveyance path by a predetermined amount while the items are being conveyed. Each deflection element is associated with a detection device which detects an overlapping of the items based on a flip-back behavior of the temporarily deflected section of the items.
A plate feeding system for grasping and moving a plate from a stack of plates. The system includes an arm mechanism having a plate grasping member for grasping the plate and a plate interposing member for interposing between the plate and an adjacent plate. Also disclosed is a method of feeding a plate from a stack of plates. The method includes grasping the plate, using a plate grasping member of an arm mechanism, interposing a member between the plate and an adjacent plate, and transporting the plate.
Photographic apparatus is provided for combining film and prints with packaging material including an image of customer inscribed graphics, such as a return address, provided with the order. The graphics are captured and stored electronically as an image that is linked to the film and prints and reproduced on packaging or other material for returning the order. The packaging is provided at the finishing station in a plurality of different formats corresponding to the size of the prints or the thickness of the completed order. The finishing station selects the appropriate format for the order and reproduces the image of the customer inscribe graphics on the selected format.
An apparatus and method for stacking sheets on a stationary stack is disclosed comprising conveying a sheet to a roller and rolling the sheet onto the stack of sheets. The roller is preferably moved across the stack of sheets by a carriage while the sheet is being rolled onto the stack.
An intermediate storage apparatus for the storage of sheets has an acceptance cycle and a transportation cycle and includes a feed system and a transportation system. In the acceptance cycle the intermediate storage apparatus waits until a first detector detects the presence of a sheet at an entry and triggers off an acceptance operation in the feed system by way of a control device. The feed system stacks the sheets which are fed by a conveyor system to provide a stack in the transportation system which is locked in the acceptance cycle. As soon as the acceptance cycle is concluded, the control device decides whether the transportation system is to pass the stack into a box or into a return dish and switches on a drive unit of the transportation system to transport the stack. The intermediate storage apparatus then returns to the acceptance cycle.
