Patent ID: 7162940

Claim:
A unit for preparing leaves of paper material from a continuous strip caused to advance along a predetermined feed path, including: a cutting mechanism, by which the leaves are separated in succession from the strip at a predetermined cutting frequency, comprising a first aspirating conveyor and a second conveyor substantially tangential to the first conveyor; the first aspirating conveyor comprising a first suction roller and an outer surface of the first suction roller being at least a portion of an outer surface of the first conveyor; means for varying a tension of the strip cyclically and synchronously with the action of the cutting mechanism, capable of cyclical movement generated synchronously with the cutting frequency; the tension varying means comprising at least one diverter element revolving about a fixed axis parallel to an axis of the first conveyor between a first limit position radially below the surface of the suction roller and a second limit position radially beyond the surface of the suction roller.