Patent ID: 6607193
Filing Date: 2003-08-19
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A vacuum-assisted conveyor belt on a sheet feeder for moving articles comprising,a curved front guide, a stripper wheel adjacent the front guide, a vacuum chamber having an aperture on the top, the aperture disposed under the curved front guide and stripper wheel, the vacuum chamber having second aperture connected to a vacuum pipe, for applying a vacuum to the vacuum chamber, a conveyor belt having at least one aperture therein moving adjacent to and in contact with the aperture in the top of vacuum chamber, such that when the aperture in the top of the vacuum chamber aligns with the at least one aperture in the conveyor belt a suction is applied to an article resting on the conveyor belt when there is a vacuum drawn on the vacuum chamber, to apply a force on a sheet article for separating the sheet from a stack and preventing curling of a leading edge of the sheet article as it engages the stripper wheel, a roller adjacent each end of the vacuum chamber for supporting and moving the conveyor belt.