Stacking machine for handling individual sheets and a sheet dispensing system for providing individual sheets

A stacking machine for handling individual sheets, comprising:

• a frame assembly supporting a delivery station, a transfer station, and an elevation station;
• wherein the delivery station includes a delivery table configured to receive and present the sheets individually and defining a horizontal plane;
• wherein the transfer station includes a handling arm;
• wherein the elevation station includes a platform configured for collecting the individual sheets;
• wherein the handling arm is movable from a first position above the delivery table to a second position above the platform of the elevation station, the handling arm including holding members operable for contacting the sheets individually on the delivery table and for releasing the sheets individually onto the platform of the elevation station;
• and
• wherein the platform is movable vertically from a first level to a second level, the first level being substantially in the horizontal plane of the delivery table, and the second level being parallel with and below the horizontal plane of the delivery table so as to allow the sheets to be stacked on top of the one another.

A method of stacking individual sheets using a stacking machine configured for handling individual sheets, the stacking machine comprising a frame assembly supporting a delivery station;

• a transfer station including a handling arm including holding members configured for contacting the individual sheets individually;
• and an elevation station including a platform configured for collecting the individual sheets, the delivery station including a delivery table defining a horizontal plane, the method comprising the steps of:
• delivering and presenting the sheets individually onto the delivery table;
• positioning the handling arm in a first position above the delivery table;
• actuating the holding members to contact and hold each individual sheet on the delivery table;
• moving the handling arm from the first position to a second position above the platform of the elevation station;
• actuating the holding members to release the sheets individually onto the platform of the elevation station;
• and
• moving the platform vertically from a first level to a second level, the first level being substantially in the same horizontal plane as the horizontal plane of the delivery table, and the second level being located parallel with and below the horizontal plane of the delivery table so as to allow the sheets to be stacked on top of one another.

A method of dispensing and stacking individual sheets using a sheet dispensing and stacking system that comprises a reel loading station, a sheet dispenser station including a feeding mechanism and a cutting mechanism having a reciprocating cutter, and a delivery station operatively connected to the sheet dispenser station, the reel loading station including a supply reel holding a cellulose fiber-based web, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a smoothing mechanism having a first guide roller and a second guide roller at one of the reel loading station, the sheet dispenser station, and the delivery station;
• dispensing the cellulose fiber-based web to the feeding mechanism of the sheet dispenser station from the supply reel;
• cutting the cellulose fiber-based web by moving the reciprocating cutter of the cutting mechanism transversally relative to the cellulose fiber-based web from a first position to a second position at opposite sides of the cellulose fiber-based web;
• adjusting at least one of the first and second guide rollers so as to alter a smoothing angle dependent on a diameter of the supply reel as the cellulose fiber-based web is dispensed so as to compensate for a curvature of the cellulose fiber-based web, thereby to provide non-curved individual sheets;
• and
• dispensing the individual sheets to the delivery station.