Conveyor having adjustable nip

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

• a frame;
• a carriage supported by the frame for sliding movement in the longitudinal direction;
• a lower conveyor deck supported by the frame, the lower conveyor deck comprising a plurality of contact elements, each contact element of the 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
• an upper deck including a rear portion comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending transversely spaced first belts each supported by a plurality of first pulleys and a front portion comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending transversely spaced second belts each supported by a plurality of second pulleys;
• wherein a subset of the plurality of second pulleys supporting a given one of the second belts includes a first second pulley and a second second pulley,
• wherein the first second pulley and the second second pulley are supported by the carriage for movement with the carriage relative to the frame,
• wherein the given one of the second belts defines a closed loop, and
• wherein the first second pulley and the second second pulley are located inside the closed loop, and
• wherein a third second pulley is mounted to a first shaft that is fixed relative to the frame.

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

• a frame;
• a carriage supported by the frame for sliding movement in the longitudinal direction;
• a support wall depending from the carriage, the support wall having a first leg, a second leg and a gap between the first leg and the second leg,
• a lower conveyor deck supported by the frame, the lower conveyor deck comprising a plurality of contact elements, each contact element of the 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
• an upper deck including a rear portion comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending transversely spaced first belts each supported by a plurality of first pulleys and a front portion comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending transversely spaced second belts each supported by a plurality of second pulleys;
• wherein the plurality of second pulleys supporting a given one of the second belts includes a first second pulley and a second second pulley,
• wherein the first second pulley is supported by the first leg,
• wherein the second second pulley is supported by the second leg, and
• wherein a first shaft fixed relative to the frame extends into the gap and supports a third second pulley.