Conveyor having opposed upper and lower decks

A conveyor configured to transport sheets along a transport path from an input end to a discharge end, the conveyor comprising:

• a first conveyor deck comprising a first plurality of contact elements, each contact element of the first plurality of contact elements having a contact surface movable around a first closed path from a first contact region to a first non-contact region, the first contact regions lying in a first plane or being bounded by the first plane;
• and
• a second conveyor deck comprising a second plurality of contact elements, each contact element of the second plurality of contact elements having a contact surface movable around a second closed path from a second contact region to a second non-contact region, the second contact regions lying in a second plane or being bounded by the second plane;
• wherein the transport path of the conveyor is defined by the contact surfaces of the first plurality of contact elements in the first contact region and the contact surfaces of the second plurality of contact elements in the second contact region,
• wherein the conveyor is configured such that the sheets make direct contact with the contact surfaces of the first plurality of contact elements and make direct contact with the contact surfaces of the second plurality of contact elements when the sheets move along the transport path,
• wherein the first plurality of contact elements are belts and the second plurality of contact elements are wheels,
• wherein a first direction is perpendicular to the first plane,
• wherein the belts each have a length in a second direction and a width in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction, the second and third directions being parallel to the first plane,
• wherein the wheels each have an axis of rotation extending in the third direction,
• wherein the belts of the plurality of belts are spaced from each other in the third direction by a plurality of gaps,
• wherein the wheels of the plurality of wheels are mounted on axles extending in the third direction,
• wherein a first set of the wheels of the plurality of wheels is mounted on a first axle extending in the third direction, the wheels of the first set of wheels being spaced apart in the third direction,
• wherein a second set of the plurality of wheels is mounted on a second axle extending in the third direction, the wheels of the second set of wheels being spaced apart in the third direction,
• wherein the first axle is spaced from the second axle in the second direction, and
• wherein the wheels on the first axle are offset in the third direction from the wheels on the second axle.

A conveyor configured to transport sheets along a transport path from an input end to a discharge end, the conveyor comprising:

• a first conveyor deck comprising a first plurality of contact elements, each contact element of the first plurality of contact elements having a contact surface movable around a first closed path from a first contact region to a first non-contact region, the first contact regions lying in a first plane or being bounded by the first plane;
• and
• a second conveyor deck comprising a second plurality of contact elements, each contact element of the second plurality of contact elements having a contact surface movable around a second closed path from a second contact region to a second non-contact region, the second contact regions lying in a second plane or being bounded by the second plane;
• wherein the transport path of the conveyor is defined by the contact surfaces of the first plurality of contact elements in the first contact region and the contact surfaces of the second plurality of contact elements in the second contact region,
• wherein the conveyor is configured such that the sheets make direct contact with the contact surfaces of the first plurality of contact elements and make direct contact with the contact surfaces of the second plurality of contact elements when the sheets move along the transport path,
• wherein the first plurality of contact elements are belts and the second plurality of contact elements are wheels,
• wherein a first direction is perpendicular to the first plane,
• wherein the belts each have a length in a second direction and a width in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction, the second and third directions being parallel to the first plane,
• wherein the wheels each have an axis of rotation extending in the third direction, and
• wherein, the wheels of the plurality of wheels extend through the first plane.

A conveyor configured to transport sheets along a transport path from an input end to a discharge end, the conveyor comprising:

• a first conveyor deck comprising a first plurality of contact elements, each contact element of the first plurality of contact elements having a contact surface movable around a first closed path from a first contact region to a first non-contact region, the first contact regions lying in a first plane or being bounded by the first plane;
• and
• a second conveyor deck comprising a second plurality of contact elements, each contact element of the second plurality of contact elements having a contact surface movable around a second closed path from a second contact region to a second non-contact region, the second contact regions lying in a second plane or being bounded by the second plane;
• wherein the transport path of the conveyor is defined by the contact surfaces of the first plurality of contact elements in the first contact region and the contact surfaces of the second plurality of contact elements in the second contact region,
• wherein the conveyor is configured such that the sheets make direct contact with the contact surfaces of the first plurality of contact elements and make direct contact with the contact surfaces of the second plurality of contact elements when the sheets move along the transport path,
• wherein the first plurality of contact elements are belts and the second plurality of contact elements are wheels,
• wherein a first direction is perpendicular to the first plane,
• wherein the belts each have a length in a second direction and a width in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction, the second and third directions being parallel to the first plane,
• wherein the wheels each have an axis of rotation extending in the third direction,
• wherein the upper conveyor deck includes a front axle, a middle axle and a rear axle, and
• wherein a first set of the plurality of belts encircles the middle axle and the front axle but not the rear axle and a second set of the plurality of belts encircle the middle axle and the rear axle but not the front axle.