Patent ID: 7806398
Filing Date: 2010-10-05
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. An ingestion assembly for a singulating apparatus including a conveyor system for moving a stack of sheet material along a feed path, the ingestion assembly being spatially positioned above the conveyor system and including at least one singulating roller driven in a direction opposing the motion of the conveyor system, the ingestion assembly comprising: an assembly support rotationally mounting the singulating roller at a downstream end and being pivotally mounted to the singulating apparatus at an upstream end; a movable guide having a surface operative to guide the sheet material into a singulating interface between the singulating roller and the conveyor belt, the moveable guide mounted to the assembly support and positionable relative thereto as a function of the magnitude of a force imposed on the guide surface by the sheet material; wherein the movable guide assumes a first position operative to shingle sheet material upstream of the singulating roller when the sheet material imposes a force which is less than a threshold level; wherein the moveable guide assumes a second position operative to pivot the assembly support and enlarge the singulating interface when the sheet material imposes a force which is equal to or greater than the threshold level; and wherein the conveyor system includes a plurality of laterally spaced belts and wherein the moveable guide includes a pair of tapered guide ends and a central web therebetween, the central web being recessed relative to the guide ends such that, when the moveable guide cooperates with the conveyor belts, the sheet material assumes a wave-shaped end profile.