Patent ID: 7600747

Claim:
A system to facilitate the transport of a shingled stack of sheet material, the system comprising: a conveyor having horizontal and inclined transport decks operative to support and convey the shingled stack of sheet material, the inclined transport deck defining an angle with respect to the horizontal transport deck and effecting an angular displacement of the shingled stack as the sheet material is conveyed along a feed path, and a platen having first and second segments, the first segment operative to engage an aft end of the shingled stacked of sheet material and applying a stabilizing normal force on the aft end of the shingled stack, the second segment operative to engage the conveyor and travel synchronously therewith, and a compliant coupling connecting the first and second segments and maintaining a spatial separation between the segments in a direction parallel to the feed path while accommodating an angular displacement between the segments corresponding to the angular displacement of the shingled stack.