Patent ID: 9676570
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: B65H

Claim:
1. A system for separating an individual blank from a plurality of conjoined blanks that form a sheet of blanks and feeding the separated individual blank to a machine for assembling a beverage container holder, comprising: a sheet of blanks having a width between laterally opposite sides thereof and including a leading first blank and at least a trailing second blank attached separably to the first blank at a trailing end thereof; a sheet holder configured to hold a plurality of the sheets of conjoined blanks stacked therein and successively release a single and lowermost sheet from said stack of sheets; a holder conveyor configured to receive said lowermost sheet released from the sheet holder and transport the received lowermost sheet towards a separating conveyor; a resistance mechanism that exerts a force upon the lowermost sheet during transport towards the separating conveyor, said force configured to maintain the sheet in contact with the holder conveyor during transport; a separating conveyor disposed adjacent said holder conveyor and configured to receive the first blank of the lowermost sheet as said holder conveyor transports said lowermost sheet towards said separating conveyor, said separating conveyor configured to apply a substantially uniform pulling force across the width of the first blank to separate the first blank from the second blank; and wherein the separating conveyor conveys the separated first blank towards the machine for assembling the beverage container holder.