Apparatus and method for gripping, lifting and inverting foam sheet

Abstract

An apparatus and method for inverting a flexible foam sheet being conveyed on a moving conveyer grips the leading edge of the foam sheet with a clamp and raises the clamp above the moving conveyor surface. As the leading edge is held by the clamp, the foam sheet progressively separates from the moving conveyor surface and is curled back over itself until the trailing edge of the foam sheet passes beyond the clamp and the foam sheet is inverted. Upon releasing the clamp, the inverted foam sheet is deposited onto the moving conveyor, now with the former leading edge comprising the trailing edge. In an embodiment, the foam sheet comprises two profiled layers nested together, and the clamp lifts the leading edge of the top profiled layer to separate and invert such top layer from the bottom layer, depositing the inverted top layer onto the conveyor behind the bottom layer.