The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 09, 2004
Filed:
Apr. 17, 2002
Erwin Müller, Dürnten, CH;
Ferag AG, Hinwil, CH;
Abstract
An apparatus for reducing a stack of flat, flexible articles, in particular printed products, having bearing elements which are moved along a continuous circulatory path U and, in a first sub-section A of the circulatory path U, U , U , form a stack rest . The apparatus has at least one separating element which is capable of raising off a region of the lowermost article located in the stack such that at least one of the bearing elements can move in between the lowermost article and the rest of the stack and can separate off the lowermost article from the rest of the stack as it moves further. The apparatus further comprises a belt conveyor which is arranged beneath the stack rest and on which the articles come to rest once they have been separated off. The bearing elements can be pivoted or displaced such that it is possible to change their position relative to the circulatory path U, U , U , to thereby allow the belt conveyor to extend forwardly without interference with the bearing elements.