Abstract:
A layboy machine for conveying and selectively varying the lateral spacing between sheets such as sheets of corrugated board. The machine is provided with controlled tugs which automatically, precisely and quickly reposition the conveyors in the machine for different sizes of outputs from a cutter in a corrugator line and different numbers of sheets in each output.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a system for automatically setting the spacing and longitudinal direction of at least one of two elongated members such as the spacing and longitudinal direction of conveyors. An example of one use of such a system is in the setting of spacing and direction of conveyors in a layboy machine. 
     Layboy machines, as used in the corrugated board handling industry, laterally separate multiple out cuts from a rotary die cutter to a stacker. A manually adjustable layboy is described in Martin U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,232. Manually adjusting the spacing and direction of the multiple conveyors in layboy machines is tedious and time consuming thereby resulting in loss of production due to down time of the entire production line while the layboy machine is adjusted. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the invention is to provide a conveyor autoset in a machine such as a layboy which can be preprogrammed in a computer controller means and after selection, automatically adjust the elements of the machine to carry out the selected program. 
     Another object is to reduce production line down time for change order layboy adjustments. 
     A further object is to reduce labor costs for change order layboy adjustments. 
     A further object is to provide a precise autoset system which eliminates down time normally required in fine tuning after manual adjustment of prior layboy machines. 
     Still another object is to provide a control system which can permit a centralized adjustment control system remote from the layboy machine. 
     A still further object is to provide a machine which reduces production costs by permitting the use of less skilled machine operators. 
     Another object of the present autoset layboy machine is that it provides scrap removal which deck separation machines do not. 
     Still another object is to provide an autoset layboy machine which requires no more factory floor space than standard manual adjustment layboy machines and will fit into present production lines. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the top level assembly of a conveyor autoset of the present invention in a layboy machine. 
     FIG. 2 is a reduced scale perspective view of the autoset layboy shown in FIG. 1 taken from an offset overhead vantage point. 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the autoset layboy shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with portions of the machine removed for clarity of understanding of the operation of the machine. 
     FIG. 4 is a reduced perspective view of the top level assembly of the autoset layboy with portions of the machine removed for clarity of understanding. The lower level assembly including the lower conveyor arms and their conveyor belts and pulleys have been removed. 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the portion of the top level assembly illustrated in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the top level assembly illustrated in the previous drawings. The laser, traveling mirror assembly and conveyor mounted reflectors are specifically featured. 
     FIG. 7 is a front view of the portions of the machine illustrated in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8A is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the top level assembly illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. 
     FIG. 8B is an enlarged perspective view of the top level assembly as illustrated in FIG. 8A showing the laterally movable carriage in a different position. 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view of a portion of a conveyors and tug assembly illustrated in FIG. 6 with portions removed for clarity. 
     FIG. 10 is a side view of a portion of a conveyor and tug assembly illustrated in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 10A is an enlarged side view of a portion of a conveyor shown in FIG. 10 showing the lock means on a tug assembly approaching locking engagement with the lock means on one of the conveyors. 
     FIG. 10B is an enlarged side view of the portion of a conveyor shown in FIG. 10A showing a tug assembly pivotally rotated to a non locking out of engagement position with the lock means on one of the conveyors. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of a conveyor and tug assembly illustrated in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a portion of a conveyor illustrated in FIG. 11 with solid lines indicating the light paths from the photo eyes mounted on the frame to the reflectors and targets mounted on a conveyor. 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a portion of the rear portion of a conveyor illustrating the tug assembly, engagement mechanism and drive pulley bearing assembly shown in FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 14 is a front elevation view of a portion of a tug assembly and conveyor  6  illustrated in FIG.  13 . 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a lower conveyor of the machine illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 16 is an overhead schematic view of the machine of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1 illustrating the function of the machine in laterally separating multiple cardboard out cut sheets from a rotary die cutter. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the present invention, a conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  is provided for receiving a stream of rows  30  of adjacent sheets  31  having side edges  55  and  56 , such as cardboard, and selectively displaces the sheets  31  laterally one from another to laterally displaced sheets  31  in rows  30 ′ while conveying the sheets  31  longitudinally of the layboy machine  1 . The layboy machine  1  includes: a frame  2 , conveying means  3  on the frame  2  having a receiving end  4  and a delivery end  5 ; the conveying means  3  including a plurality of conveyors  6  spaced side by side to carry the sheets  31 , each having side edges  55  and  56 , longitudinally from the receiving end  4  to the delivery end  5  and means  9  driven by a motor  35  to drive the conveyors  6 . The improvement is a computer controller means for changing the lateral spacing between each of the conveyors  6  and for changing the longitudinal direction of each of the conveyors  6  for changing the lateral spacing  54  between the sheets  31  in each row  30  comprising the following elements. A locating means  36 , illustrated in FIG. 12, is provided for locating and noting the first location and first longitudinal direction of each of the conveyors  6 . In addition, a computer controller means  26 , shown in FIG. 16 is provided for noting the first locations and the first directions of the conveyors  6  and for receiving a set of instructions. Having received the instructions, the computer controls the movement of each of the conveyors  6  to selected second locations and second longitudinal directions. The computer controller means  26  sends instructions to a first tug means  17  operably connected to the computer controller means  26  and moves the conveyors  6  to the selected second locations and second longitudinal directions. 
     The conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  as above described includes tug means  12 , as shown in FIG. 1, including a first tug assembly  17  including a first carrier  7  operably connected to the frame  2 ; lock means  27 , (see FIGS. 10,  10 A and  10 B) mounted on each of the conveyors  6 , and latch means  28  mounted on the first carrier  7  positioned for releasable locking engagement with the lock means  27  mounted on each of the conveyors  6  upon movement of the first carrier  7  from an unlocked position to a locked position as shown by arrow  57  in FIG.  10 A. 
     In a preferred form, the conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  as described above is designed so that the first carrier  7  is pivotally connected to the frame  2  as best shown in FIGS. 1,  10 ,  10 A,  10 B, and  11 . 
     A feature of the conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  of the present invention as best shown in FIG. 12 is the locating means  36  which includes a first photo eye  20  mounted on the frame  2  projecting a first photo beam  21  laterally of the plurality of conveyors  6 ; a first reflector target  22  mounted on each of the conveyors  6 ; and first directing means  23  selectively directing the first photo beam  21  at each of the first reflector targets  22 . The first directing means  23  may be a mirror  24 . 
     In a preferred form of construction of the conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  as above described the first tug assembly  17  includes a laterally movable first carriage  18 ; a first engagement member  16  is mounted on each of the conveyors  6 ; first gripper means  19  are mounted on the first carriage  18  for releasable selective engagement of the first engagement member  16  of the conveyors  6 ; and mounting means  14 , as shown in FIG. 6, slidably support the conveyors  6 . 
     The conveyors of the conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  as described may be constructed in various ways. One form of construction is illustrated in FIG. 6 in which mounting means  14  includes a drive shaft  9  to power the conveyors  6 ; and the conveyors  6  include an adjustable mounting means  8  operably connected to the drive shaft  9  permitting angular directional movement of the conveyors  6 . 
     In a preferred form, as best illustrated in FIGS. 1,  2 , and  3 , the conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  as previously described includes a second tug assembly  17 ′ longitudinally spaced from the first tug assembly  17  and operably connected to the computer controller means  26 . The second tug assembly  17 ′ includes a laterally movable second carriage, similar to first carriage  18 , and a second engagement member  25  mounted on each of the conveyors and spaced from the first engagement member  16 . A second gripper means, similar to first gripper means  19 , is mounted on the second carriage for releasable engagement of the second engagement member  25 . 
     The conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  as previously described preferably is constructed so that the first tug assembly  17  includes a first carrier  7 , operably and pivotally connected to the frame  2 ; the second tug assembly  17 ′ includes a second carrier  7 ′ operably and pivotally connected to the frame  2 ; and the first tug assembly  17  includes first drive means  37  and a second tug assembly similar to first tug assembly  17 , as illustrated in FIGS. 6,  7 ,  8 A, and  8 B for reciprocally moving first carriage  18  and the second carriage laterally of the conveyors  6 . 
     In the preferred form, the conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  as previously described is constructed as best illustrated in FIG. 12 wherein the locating means  36  includes a first photo eye  20  mounted on the frame  2  projecting a first photo beam  21  laterally of the plurality of conveyors  6 ; and a second photo eye  20 ′ mounted on the frame  2  and longitudinally spaced from the first photo eye  20  projecting a second photo beam  21 ′ laterally of the plurality of conveyors  6 ; a first reflector target  22  mounted on each of the conveyors  6  and a second reflector target  22 ′ mounted on each of the conveyors  6  longitudinally spaced from the first reflector targets  22 ; a first mirror  24  mounted on the first carriage  18  reflecting the first photo beam  21  from the first photo eye  20  to the first reflector target  22  mounted on the conveyor  6 ; and a second directing means such as second mirror similar to first mirror  24  illustrated in FIGS. 8A,  8 B,  10 ,  10 A,  10 B,  11 , and  12  mounted on the second carriage reflecting the second photo beam  21 ′ from the second photo eye  20 ′ to the second reflector target  22 ′ mounted on the conveyor  6 . 
     Preferably conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  is constructed so that mounting means  14  for slidably supporting the conveyors  6  includes a drive shaft  9  to power the conveyors  6 ; conveyors  6  include an adjustable mounting means  8  operably connected to the drive shaft  9  permitting angular directional movement of the conveyors  6 ; a sliding support  15  is longitudinally spaced from the drive shaft  9  for supporting the distal ends of the conveyors  6 ; the first tug assembly  17  includes a first carrier  7  pivotally connected to the frame  2 ; the second tug assembly  17 ′ includes a second carrier  7 ′ pivotally connected to the frame  2 ; lock means  27  is mounted on each of the conveyors  6 ; and latch means  28  is mounted on the first and second carriers  7  and  7 ′ positioned for releasable locking engagement with the lock means  27  mounted on each of the conveyors  6  upon movement of the first and second carriers  7  and  7 ′ from an unlocked position to a locked position. As shown in FIG. 10B, first carrier  7  has moved latch means  28  from a locked position to an unlocked position as shown by the direction of arrow  58 . 
     As best shown in FIGS. 1,  5 ,  7 , and  15 , the conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  of the present invention is constructed so that the conveying means  3  includes a plurality of upper level conveyors  6  spaced side by side and a plurality of lower level conveyors  6 ′ spaced side by side arranged in registration with one another to carry the sheets  31  therebetween with each level of conveyors  6  and  6 ′ including locating means  36  locating and signaling the first location of each of the conveyors  6  and  6 ′ operatively connected to the computer controller means  26  for noting the first location of each of the conveyors  6  and  6 ′, for receiving a set of instructions, and for controlling the movement of each of the conveyors  6  and  6 ′ to selected second locations; the first tug assembly  17  is operably connected to the computer controller means  26  for moving each of the conveyors  6  and  6 ′ to the selected second locations. 
     Conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  is further constructed so that each level of conveyors  6  and  6 ′ includes: a first tug assembly  17  at each level with a laterally movable first carriage  18 . The machine further includes: a first engagement member  16  mounted on each of the conveyors  6 ; first gripper means  19  mounted on the first carriage  18  for releasable selective engagement of the first engagement member  16  of the conveyors  6 ; mounting means  14  for slidably supporting the conveyors  6  of the upper and lower levels; a second tug assembly  17 ′ at the upper and lower levels longitudinally spaced from the first tug assembly  17  of each of the levels and operably connected to the computer controller means  26 ; second tug assembly  17 ′ at each level including a laterally movable second carriage; a second engagement member  25  mounted on each of the conveyors  6  and spaced from the first engagement member  16 ; and second gripper means mounted on the second carriage for releasable engagement of the second engagement member  25 . 
     In a preferred construction of the conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  of the present invention, each level of conveyors  6  is constructed so that the first tug assembly  17  includes a first carrier  7  pivotally connected to the frame  2 ; the second tug assembly  17 ′ includes a second carrier  7 ′ operably connected to the frame  2  and is pivotally connected to the frame  2 ; the first tug assembly  17  includes drive means  37  and the second tug assembly  17 ′ includes the second drive means for reciprocally moving the first carriage  18  and the second carriage laterally of the conveyors  6 ; the locating means  36  at each of the levels includes a first photo eye  20  mounted on the frame  2  projecting a first photo beam  21  laterally of the plurality of conveyors  6 ; a second photo eye  20 ′ is provided at each of the levels mounted on the frame  2  and is longitudinally spaced from the first respective photo eyes  20  projecting second photo beams  21 ′ laterally of the plurality of conveyors  6 ; a first reflector target  22  is mounted on each of the conveyors  6  at each of the levels and a second reflector target  22 ′ is mounted on each of the conveyors  6  at each of the levels longitudinally spaced from the first reflector targets  22 ; a first mirror  24  is mounted on the first carriage  18  at each of the levels reflecting the respective first photo beams  21  from the first photo eyes  20  to the first respective reflector targets  22  mounted on each of the conveyors  6 ; and a second mirror, similar to first mirror  24  illustrated in FIGS. 8A,  8 B,  10 ,  10 A,  10 B,  11 , and  12  is mounted on the second carriage of each of the levels reflecting the second respective photo beams  21 ′ from each of the second photo eyes  20 ′ to the second respective reflector targets  22 ′ mounted on the conveyors  6 . 
     In a preferred form of the conveyor autoset layboy machine  1  as illustrated in FIGS. 1,  14 , and  15 , each of the conveyors  6  of at least one of the levels includes belting  13  having a generally circular cross section; and the belting  13  of the conveyors  6  of one of the levels is positioned with respect to the belting of the respective conveyors of the other of the levels to be offset and slightly overlapping so as to tightly grip the sheets  31  being conveyed. 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 11, upper level conveyors  6  include an arm  10  which supports an adjustable mounting means  8 , a drive pulley  11  supported by a drive pulley bearing assembly  38 , idler pulley  43 , and tension pulleys  39 ,  40  and  41 . Conveyor belts  13 , which preferably are circular in cross section, are mounted on the pulleys. A slide projection  42  is mounted on each arm to support the mid section of the arm. 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 15, a representative lower level conveyor  6 ′ is illustrated which includes an arm  10 ′, which supports an adjustable mounting means  8 ′, a drive pulley  11 ′ supported by a drive pulley bearing assembly  38 ′, and idler pulleys  43 ′,  39 ′ and  40 ′. Conveyor belts  13 ′ which preferably have a flat contact surface, are mounted on the pulleys. A slide projection  42 ′ is mounted on each arm to support the mid section of the arm. Lower level conveyor first engagement member  16 ′ is mounted on the proximal end of arm  10 ′ and lower level conveyor second engagement member  25 ′ is mounted on the mid portion of arm  10 ′. 
     Referring especially to FIGS. 10 and 11, a lock means  27  and a latch means  28  are illustrated for retaining the conveyors  6  and  6 ′ in a set position during the operation of the machine. Lock means  27  includes a first lock member  33  connected to the distal end of a spring arm  34  whose proximal end is connected to conveyor arm  10  by lock mount  51 . First lock member  33  may be formed from a threaded member or it may be of any suitable friction material. First lock member  33  is positioned so as to engage first latch bar  32  mounted on the distal end of first latch member  29  whose proximal end is connected to first carrier  7  when first tug assembly  17  is rotated to a lock engaging position as shown in FIGS. 10 and 10A. 
     To insure that the conveyors remain in a secure locked position during operation of the machine, a second set of lock means and latch means similar to lock means  27  and latch means  28  is provided. A second lock member  44  is connected to the distal end of a spring arm  45  whose proximal end is connected to conveyor arm  10  by lock mount  52 . Second lock member  44  may be formed from a threaded member or it may be of any suitable friction material. Second lock member  44  is positioned so as to engage a second latch bar, similar to first latch bar  32  which is mounted on second carrier  7 ′, when second tug assembly  17 ′ is rotated to a lock engaging position by an air cylinder, similar to air cylinder  59  shown in FIG.  11 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  2 ,  10 ,  10 A,  11 , and  12 , it may be seen that first carrier  7 , a part of first tug assembly  17 , is mounted for pivotal rotation on frame  2  by rotatable bearing support  46  and is driven by an air cylinder  59  shown in FIG. 11 which is operatively connected for control by computer controller means  26 . 
     Also a part of first tug assembly  17  is first carrier  7  which carries first slide bar  47  upon which first carriage  18  is mounted as shown in FIG.  12 . Second slide bar  47 ′, similar to slide bar  47 , is mounted on second carrier  7 ′ upon which the second carriage is mounted. First drive means  37  includes first motor  49  which drives first belt  48  to which first carriage  18  is connected. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the second drive means includes second motor  49 ′ which drives a second belt, similar to first belt  48  illustrated in FIG. 8A, which is connected to the second carriage and which is part of second tug assembly  17 ′. 
     First carriage  18 , as shown in FIGS. 6,  8 A,  8 B,  9 ,  10 ,  10 A,  10 B,  12 , and  13  carries first mirror  24  and first gripper means  19 . First gripper means  19  is formed with a slot  50  as shown in FIG. 13 for engaging first engagement member  16 . A similarly formed gripper means mounted on the second carriage grips second engagement member  25 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the construction of the machine is seen with the upper level conveyors  6  in registration with the lower level conveyors. Each upper level conveyor  6  in the preferred form is matched with a lower level conveyor  6 ′, one of which is illustrated in FIG.  15 . 
     Each lower level conveyor  6 ′ includes a drive pulley bearing assembly  38 ′ which is connected to a drive shaft similar to drive shaft  9 . Each lower level conveyor  6 ′ is constructed with a drive pulley  11 ′, idler pulley  43 ′, and tension pulleys  40 ′ and  39 ′. 
     To lock each lower level conveyor  6 ′ into a set position, each conveyor  6 ′ is constructed with a lock means  27 ′ as illustrated in FIG.  15 . Lock means  27 ′ includes a first lower level conveyor lock member  33 ′ attached to a spring arm  34 ′ connected to lock mount  53  which is rigidly connected to arm  10 ′. First lock member  33 ′ is located to engage a latch bar similar to latch bar  32  located on third tug assembly  17 ″ illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     Lock means  27 ′ also includes second lower level conveyor lock member  44 ′ connected by spring arm  45 ′ which is connected to lock mount  53 . Lock member  44 ′ is positioned so as to engage a latch bar similar to latch bar  32  mounted on fourth tug assembly  17 ″′ illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 16, adjacent and parallel pairs of upper level conveyors  6  and lower level conveyors  6 ′ are computer controller operatively linked to convey a single sheet  31  from the receiving end to the delivery end of the layboy machine in the direction shown by arrow  60 . When the operator wishes to start a new production run of product, the sheet size, number of sheets  31  in rows  30 , and spacing  54  between sheets  31  is entered into the computer controller means  26 . The computer controller means  26  then sets the four tug assemblies  17 ,  17 ′,  17 ″, and  17 ″′ into motion to locate the present positions of all of the conveyors  6  and  6 ′ using the photo eyes  20  and  20 ′, first mirror  24  and the second mirror, and for the upper conveyors, reflector targets  22  and  22 ′, and for the lower conveyors similar equipment is used which is mounted on the frame  2  and third and fourth tug assemblies  17 ″ and  17 ″′. When all of the present locations have been located; the computer controller means  26  calculates the new positions of the conveyors and signals the four tug assemblies to move the conveyors to the new positions. Specifically, first photo eye  20  as illustrated in FIG. 12 emits a first photo beam  21  which is reflected off mirror  24  onto a first reflector target  22  of one of the conveyors  6 . The computer controller means  26  identifies the particular conveyor and determines the new location of first and second engagement members  16  and  25  which determines the direction and extent of lateral movement and angular longitudinal direction of movement of the conveyor required to reach the new calculated position. First drive means  37  is activated and first carriage  18  is moved into position so that first gripper  19  is in alignment with first engagement member  16 . First carrier  7  is then rotated from its position shown in FIG. 10A to the position shown in FIG. 10B so that first gripper means  19  engages first engagement member  16 . First drive means  37  is once again activated and carriage  18  moves the proximal end of conveyor  6  to the selected lateral position on first drive shaft  9 . 
     The positioning of selected conveyor  6  is completed by second tug assembly  17 ′ acting as follows. Specifically, second photo eye  20 ′ as illustrated in FIG. 12 emits second photo beam  21 ′ which is reflected off the second mirror onto second reflector target  22 ′ of one of the conveyors  6 . The computer controller means  26  identifies the particular conveyor and determines the new location of first and second engagement members  16  and  25  which determines the direction and extent of lateral movement and angular longitudinal direction of movement of the conveyor required to reach the new calculated position. 
     Second drive means on second tug assembly  17 ′ is activated and the second carriage is moved into position so that the second gripper is in alignment with second engagement member  25 . Second carrier  7 ′ is then rotated so that the second gripper means engages second engagement member  25 . Second drive means is once again activated and the second carriage moves the distal end of conveyor  6  to the selected lateral position on first drive shaft  9 . 
     At the same time that first and second tug assemblies  17  and  17 ′ are moving upper level conveyors  6  into new position, second and third tug assemblies  17 ″ and  17 ″′ are moving lower level conveyors  6 ′ into new positions using photo eyes, mirrors and targets similar to the apparatus just described. 
     After all of the upper and lower conveyors  6  and  6 ′ have moved into a new position, the computer controller means  26  automatically locks each conveyor into position by rotating first, second, third and fourth tug assemblies  17 ,  17 ′,  17 ″, and  17 ″′ so that; e.g., first latch bar  32  moves from an unlatched position as shown in FIG. 10B to a latched position as shown in FIG. 10A with latch bar  32  now in near engagement e.g., with first lock member  33 . 
     After all the conveyors are locked into position, motors are activated to rotate the drive shafts for the upper and lower conveyors such as drive shaft  9  to convey sheets  31  to new laterally spaced positions in rows  31  with a different lateral spacing  54  between side edges  55  and  56 . 
     In the preferred form of the present invention, the computer controller means  26  accepts user input of one or more of the number of sheets in rows  30  at the receiving end  4 , the size of the sheets  31 , the number of conveyors  6  to be assigned to each of the rows  30 , the position of the conveyors  6  relative to the side edges  55  and  56  of the sheets  31 , and the lateral spacing  54  between the sheets  31  at the delivery end  5  of the conveying means  3 . The computer controller means  26  has default values for one or more of the number of sheets in rows  30  at the receiving end  4  of the conveyor means, the size of the sheets  31 , the number of conveyors  6  to be assigned to each of the rows  30 ′, the position of the conveyors  6  relative to the side edges  55  and  56  of the sheets  31 , and the lateral spacing  54  between the sheets  31  at the delivery end  5  of the conveying means  3 . The computer controller means  26  calculates, on the basis of the user input, the default values, or a combination of the user input and the default values, the selected second location of each of the conveyors  6 . The computer controller means  26  directs the locating means  36  to locate the first location of each of the conveyors  6 . The computer controller means  26  notes the first location of each of the conveyors  6 , and the computer controller means  26  directs the tug means  12  to move each of the conveyors  6  to each of the selected second locations. 
     In the most preferred form of the present invention, the computer controller means  26  accepts user input of one or more of the number of sheets  31  in each row  30  at the receiving end  4 , the size of the sheets  31 , the number of conveyors  6  to be assigned to each of the rows  30 , the position of the conveyors  6  relative to the side edges  55  and  56  of the sheets  31 , and the lateral spacing  54  between the sheets  31  at the delivery end  5  of the conveying means  3 . The computer controller means  26  has default values for one or more of the number of sheets in rows  30 , the size of the sheets  31 , the number of conveyors  6  to be assigned to each of the rows  30 , the position of the conveyors  6  relative to the side edges  55  and  56  of the sheets  31 , and the lateral spacing  54  between the sheets  31  at the delivery end  5  of the conveying means  3 . The default values are dependent on user input and complete configuration of the present invention. The computer controller means  26  calculates, on the basis of the user input, the default values, or a combination of the user input and the default values, the selected second location of each of the conveyors  6 . The first location of each of the conveyors  6  is its lateral position and angular disposition, or longitudinal direction, before being located; the second selected location of each of the conveyors  6  is its lateral position and angular disposition, or longitudinal direction, after being moved. 
     In order to locate all of the conveyors  6 , the computer controller means  26  directs the first and second photo eyes  20  and  20 ′ to project first and second photo beams  21  and  21 ′ at the first mirrors  24  and the second mirror on the first carriage  18  and the second mirror on the second carriage. The computer controller means  26  activates first drive means  37  and the second drive means, moving the first carriage  18  and the second carriage until the first and second photo beams  21  and  21 ′ are reflected by the first and second reflector targets  22  and  22 ′ on each of the conveyors  6 , determining the first location of each of the conveyors  6 . The computer controller means  26  notes the first location of each of the conveyors  6 . After the location of all of the conveyors  6  are found, conveyors  6  are then moved one at a time. 
     The computer controller means  26  activates the first drive means  37  and the second drive means, moving the first carriage  18  and the second carriage to the noted location of one of the conveyors  6 , pivoting the first and second carriers  7  and  7 ′ to engage the first and second engagement members  16  and  25  with first gripper means  19  and the second gripper means, moving the conveyor  6  to the selected second location, and pivoting the first and second carriers  7  and  7 ′ to disengage the first and second engagement members  16  and  25  from the first and second gripper means  19  and  19 ′ after moving the conveyor  6 . These steps, activating the drive means  37  and  37 ′, moving the carriages  18  and  18 ′ until the photo beams  21  and  21 ′ are reflected, pivoting the carriers  7  and  7 ′ to engage the engagement member  16  and  25 , moving the conveyor  6  and pivoting the carriers  7  and  7 ′ to disengage the engagement member  16  and  25 , are repeated for each of the conveyors  6  to be moved. 
     In the preferred form of the present invention, the computer controller means  26  is a digital computer, most preferably with a touch-sensitive display for user input. In the preferred form of the invention, the first and second photo eyes  20  and  20 ′ are integrated diode laser and photoreceptor units. 
     In the preferred form of the invention, first locations and second selected locations are defined by the lateral distances to the first and second reflector targets  22  and  22 ′ and the angle between the first reflector target  22  and the second reflector target  22 ′.