Patent ID: 8893597

Claim:
A method of conveying material, comprising: conveying a sheet or web of material along a pathway, the pathway comprising a rail and a sheet lifting device extending from the rail and having a resilient, bendable arm, the rail comprising a slot and the sheet lifting device being at least partially disposed in the slot, the rail comprising a top surface, a recess disposed in the top surface, and a rail sidewall, the recess being configured to completely receive the resilient, bendable arm when the resilient, bendable arm is in a completely deflected position, the recess and the slot constituting a continuous opening through a thickness of the rail, the slot comprising an opening in the rail sidewall, and system being configured such that the sheet lifting device is capable of being inserted into the slot only through the opening in the rail sidewall and not through the top surface of the rail, the conveying comprising contacting the sheet or web of material with the rail and with the sheet lifting device, wherein the sheet lifting device comprises a base portion and the resilient, bendable arm extending from the base portion, the base portion comprising a body having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, at least a first outer sidewall including a top wall, a bottom wall, a vertical sidewall extending between and intersecting with the top wall and the bottom wall, and a merge portion along the vertical sidewall, the merge portion being defined by two opposing concave surfaces that converge into the resilient, bendable arm, wherein the base portion has a first depth, the merge portion has a second depth that is substantially equal to the first depth, the resilient, bendable arm has a third depth that is substantially equal to the second depth, the merge portion intersects with and extends from about the middle of the vertical sidewall, a first of the opposing concave surfaces extends from adjacent the top wall to the resilient, bendable arm, a second of the opposing concave surfaces extends from adjacent the bottom wall to the resilient, bendable arm, the first and second opposing concave surfaces mirror one another, and the resilient, bendable arm extends substantially horizontally from the merge portion in a first direction, then curves upwardly, extends above the top wall, and then curves in a second direction that is substantially parallel to the first direction, substantially horizontally, and away from the base portion; deflecting the resilient, bendable arm toward the rail by pushing down on the sheet or web of material with a force while the sheet or web of material is in contact with the resilient, bendable arm; and releasing the force, causing the resilient, bendable arm to lift the sheet or web of material off of the rail.