Patent ID: 6886827

Claim:
In a sheet lifter and separator for lifting and separating the uppermost sheet of a stack of workpieces from the sheet disposed therebelow, the combination comprising: (a) a lifter including a frame and a multiplicity of suction holders spaced thereabout with working surfaces at their lower ends to engage the sheet, and a separator frame pivotably mounted on said lifter frame for pivotable movement about an axis parallel to one side of said lifter frame, at least one suction holder and a workpiece stop being disposed on said separator frame adjacent one side of the uppermost workpiece in the stack, said workpiece stop being spaced inwardly from said one side and said at least one suction holder, said at least one suction holder being compressible vertically relative to the horizontal plane of said separator frame to a position above the lower surface of said workpiece stop to effect bending of the workpiece about said stop; (b) drive means for pivoting said separator frame upwardly relative to said lifter frame to bend the one side of the workpiece upwardly; and (c) conduit means coupled to said suction holders and adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source to draw air from said suction holders and thereby secure the sheet thereto, said at least one suction holder adjacent said one side being operable to bend the edge portion of the sheet adjacent said one side upwardly from the plane defined by the working surfaces of others of said suction holders spaced further inwardly from said one side.