Patent ID: 6017029
Filing Date: 2000-01-25
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A hopper-loader which comprises:a) a first, downwardly inclined, planar conveyor which is capable of moving a parallelepiped shaped stack of substantially vertically aligned on edge signatures at a first speed to a second conveyor;b) a second, upwardly inclined, planar conveyor which is capable of separating individual signatures from the stack on the first conveyor at an entry end of the second conveyor and moving the signatures in an overlapping shingled stream up the second conveyor at a second speed faster than the first speed, and forming the signatures into a parallelepiped shaped array of substantially vertically aligned on edge signatures in a signature pocket at an exit end of the second conveyor; wherein an angle is formed between the first, downwardly inclined, planar conveyor and the second, upwardly inclined, planar conveyor which is from about 125.degree. to about 145.degree.;c) the signature pocket having spaced side walls positioned on each of two lateral sides of the parallelepiped array; and having a floor comprising a third intermittent indexing chain conveyor capable of sequentially moving the individual signatures in the parallelepiped shaped array of signatures away from the second conveyor.