Patent ID: 7621218
Filing Date: 2009-11-24
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A plate feeding apparatus for transporting plates loaded therein, in order from an uppermost plate, and in an inverted state, to a processing unit at a subsequent stage, said apparatus comprising: a storage unit for storing a plurality of plates with end edges made even by a stopper; a first pair of nip rollers and a second pair of nip rollers, each pair of nip rollers including two rollers and used to transport the plates by pressing and holding the plates, arranged in different height positions for transporting the plates from said storage unit to the processing unit at the subsequent stage; a moving unit movable in a direction along the surfaces of the plates stored in said storage unit and in directions perpendicular to axes of said first pair of nip rollers and said second pair of nip rollers; a holding unit disposed at a distal end of an arm swingable about said moving unit for holding an upper surface adjacent an end edge, remote from said first pair of nip rollers and said second pair of nip rollers, of each of the plates stored in said storage unit; a moving mechanism for moving said moving unit in a direction along the surfaces of the plates stored in said storage unit, from a position remote from said first pair of nip rollers and said second pair of nip rollers toward said first pair of nip rollers and said second pair of nip rollers, and for swinging said arm about said moving unit, thereby to invert a portion adjacent the end edge of each plate held by said holding unit, and subsequently to move said portion to a position to be pinched by one of said first pair of nip rollers and said second pair of nip rollers; and a storage unit moving mechanism for moving said storage unit in a direction along the surfaces of the plates stored in the storage unit and in the direction perpendicular to the axes of said first pair of nip rollers and said second pair of nip rollers so as to prevent the rear end of each plate from thrusting itself in between the end edges of the stacked plates and the stopper resulting from the rear end of each plate taking a vertical position in transporting the plates.