C.g. Bretting Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Charles Louis Schmidt, V

Jie Ning

James R Michler

James Andrew Walsh

Jeffrey A Gendron

An apparatus and method for creating stacks of sheets. In some embodiments, the sheets separated are those in or issuing from a starwheel assembly. The present invention includes a first separator finger that is inserted between two adjacent sheets to separate first and second sheets. The first separator finger retains the first sheet upstream to begin a first stack upstream of the first separator finger and allows the second sheet to complete another stack downstream of the first separator finger. In some embodiments, the first separator finger is inserted between the two adjacent sheets in a closed position and, after the first separator finger is inserted, the first separator finger moves to an open position to create a gap between the first and second stacks.

Apparatus and method for insertion of separating means into a forming stack of sheets discharged from a starwheel assembly

A method and apparatus for folding over a portion of at least one top sheet of a stack of interfolded sheets. The foldover apparatus includes a conveyor adapted to move the stack in the downstream direction, a vacuum assembly adapted to separate at least a portion of the at least one top sheet from the remainder of the stack, and a forming plow to fold over the portion of the at least one top sheet. The method includes moving the stack of sheets downstream along a path, separating the portion of the at least one top sheet from the remaining portion of the stack of interfolded sheets, moving the portion of the at least one top sheet adjacent a forming plow, moving the portion of the at least one top sheet along the folding plow, and folding over the portion of the at least one top sheet.

Sheet foldover apparatus

A separator and stacker apparatus and method for separating a completed stack of web product from a stack of product being built thereafter. Preferred embodiments of the present invention utilize a stack building carriage having a forked or slotted floor cooperating with a load finger assembly to discharge the completed product stack from the stack building carriage. The load finger assembly preferably has a set of load fingers which mesh with the carriage floor so that when the load finger assembly is actuated, the load fingers pass substantially unobstructed through the stack building carriage. The load finger assembly and the stack building carriage can therefore pass through their motions independently of one another, permitting the stack building carriage to return to a stack building position without waiting for the load finger assembly to retract. Some preferred embodiments of the present invention include finger assemblies adapted for movement alongside the stack building carriage path so that various fingers mounted thereon can be inserted in a range of stack building carriage positions. In addition to added flexibility in count and separation finger operations, the fold over fingers (or a fold over finger and fluid emitters) can perform final fold operations upon product stacks in a range of positions and times rather than only at a set location. Preferred embodiments also include a reject conveyor which, when the stack building carriage and load finger assembly are moved to cleared positions, permits jammed, misfed, or undesirable product to be automatically discharged from the apparatus.

Web stacker and separator apparatus and method

A separator finger apparatus and method for insertion of a separation finger into and removal from a stream of web product. The unique motion provided by the elements making up the separation finger apparatus permits the separation finger to be mounted close to folding rolls (from which the web product issues) with reduced separation finger-to-folding roll interference. Specifically, the separation finger is manipulated to rotate and translate simultaneously as it is inserted into or removed from the stream of web product. The elements creating the separation finger motion are preferably a pivot arm mounted for rotation about a first axis and a translation member mounted for rotation about a second axis. The pivot arm is preferably rotatably coupled to the separation finger at a third axis. The separation finger is preferably coupled to the translation member for translational or sliding motion therealong. With these connections, a rotational movement of either the pivot arm or the translation member about their respective first and second axes causes the simultaneous rotation of the translation member (and attached separation finger) and orbiting of the separation finger about the first axis. This motion creates an arcuately-shaped path for the separation finger, which thus translates and rotates into the stream of web product with less folding roll interference than a circular path would produce and with gentler motion to the web product than a purely linear translation would produce. The invention permits longer web separation fingers to be used, which in turn requires fewer separation fingers.

Growing community of inventors

Florence, WI, United States of America

Charles Louis Schmidt, V