Sheet material handling apparatus.

摘要

An apparatus is provided to sequentially form and transport sheet material assemblages (28) to a receiving location (22). The apparatus includes a collating conveyor assembly (26) which is operated to form the sheet material assemblages. A gripper conveyor assembly (32) sequentially grips sheet material assemblages formed by the collating conveyor assembly and transports them to a receiving location (22). A receiving conveyor (34) transports the sheet material assemblages from the receiving location. The gripper conveyor assembly (32) includes a plurality of grippers (98) which are sequentially moved beneath the collating conveyor assembly with the grippers fully open and facing upwardly. Sheet material assemblages (28) are sequentially dropped from the collating conveyor assembly (26) downwardly into the upwardly opening grippers (98). Each of the grippers in turn is closed to clampingly grip the sheet material assemblages (28). The grippers are then moved to the receiving location (22) and opened with the grippers facing downwardly to drop the sheet material assemblages onto the receiving conveyor (34).