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Separating and feeding machine for bound booklets

  • US 5,888,047 A
  • Filed: 12/30/1996
  • Issued: 03/30/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A separating and feeding machine for removing a succession of bound booklets seriatim from a supply hopper adapted to hold a stack of said booklets for feeding to a subsequent apparatus for further processing of said booklets, said separating and feeding machine comprising:

  • A. a supply hopper for holding a stack of said booklets, said supply hopper having upstanding front, rear and side walls and a bottom supporting plate, said booklets being in said hopper with the bound edges thereof facing said front wall,B. means operatively associated with said front wall defining a discharge opening from said supply hopper adjacent said bottom supporting plate,C. take away feeding means mounted adjacent said discharge opening for grasping said bound edges of said booklets as said booklets pass through said discharge opening,D. vacuum feeding means movably mounted on said supporting plate for grasping the bottom booklet of said stack adjacent the bound edge thereof and moving said bottom booklet sufficiently far through said discharge opening for said take away feeding means to grasp said bound edge to withdraw said booklet from said hopper, andE. booklet separation means operatively associated with said supply hopper having first stage separating means for obstructing movement of the next to bottom booklet while said bottom booklet is moving through said discharge opening and simultaneously for maintaining a normal force on said bottom booklet adjacent said bound edge during said movement of said bottom booklet through said discharge opening, and second stage separating means for permitting only one booklet at a time to pass through said discharge opening,whereby successive bottom booklets are fed seriatim from said stack to said take away feeding means without becoming wrinkled and jamming in said discharge opening.

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