Utilization of air jets for discharge conveyor on wicketing systems

Abstract

A conveyor positioner arrangement for sequentially controlling the positioning of flexible plastic film products in a substantially stationary position on a stacker input station, with gaseous discharge means being utilized to provide certain of the control for the film product, and including means for establishing a Bernoulli effect pressure reduction along a plane beneath the flexible plastic film product. The gaseous discharge means establishing a Bernoulli effect reduction comprises a plurality of generally parallelly arranged spaced apart nozzles which have their respective discharge orifices disposed generally beneath the plane of travel of the flexible plastic film products to deliver a flow of compressed gaseous fluid, such as air, along such plane. The pressure reduction established by the gaseous flow stream is sufficient to draw the plastic film product downwardly into at least partial or floating contact with the surface forming the stacker input station so as to position the product thereupon on a reliable and repeatable basis. A second gaseous discharge arrangement may optionally be provided along a plane above the plane of travel of the film product in order to achieve additional control for repeatable positioning of the film product.