Patent ID: 6544158
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: B26D,B31B,B65H

Abstract:
A blank processing station, comprising:a clam shell die cutter comprising a pair of platens and a drive assembly operable to move at least one of the platens to alternately open and close the platens during die cutting operations; a feeding device operable to feed individual feedstock sheets into said die cutter when the latter is open, said feeding device comprising a transfer mechanism for individually shifting respective sheets from a stack thereof towards said die cutter, and a pickup member that successively moves each respective sheet from the feeding device and into said die cutter when the latter is open, said transfer mechanism comprising a reciprocal pusher plate operable to engage and shift the bottom most blank from said stack thereof, and a transfer belt presenting a generally horizontal upper run oriented to receive each respective blank and to deliver the same for pickup thereof by the pickup member; and a printing assembly located in the path of said sheets between said pusher plate and said transfer belt, said printing assembly including printing rolls operable to grip each of said sheets received from the pusher plate, to convey said sheets to said transfer belt, and to imprint each of the sheets during passage thereof through the printing assembly.