Apparatus for the unstacking and transportation of blanks

In an apparatus for the unstacking and transportation of blanks into the operating chamber of a processing machine, wherein the blanks are transferred from a stack of blanks, by means of hoisting devices to a suspended conveyor system, which conveys the blanks by way of a double blank control device to a centering station from which the blanks, centered in their position, are transferrable into said operating chamber by way of an intermediate station, the improvement comprising:

• at least two elevator carts, movable at right angles to the direction of blank transport by said conveyor system, upon which respective stacks of blanks are disposed, said carts being arranged in series in the direction of blank transport by said conveyor system, each cart being associated with a respective separately operable suspended conveyor element and associated hoisting units, said suspended conveyor elements associated with the elevator carts having a continuously maintained adherent action,
• a double-blank depositing unit disposed downstream of said double blank control device, beneath said suspended conveyor system, and upstream of said centering station, said double blank control device is coupled to said conveyor system so as to cause said conveyor system, upon detection of a double blank being transferred, to discard said double blank into said double-blank depositing unit and thereby prevent transfer of a double blank to said centering station,
• said conveyor system is composed of a plurality of serially arranged conveyor elements to which the blanks being transferred adhere during transport, and wherein the degree of adherence between that conveyor element which is disposed above said double-blank depositing unit and the blank being transported thereby is controllable by said double blank control device,
• said hoisting units being adjustable in position in accordance with the dimensions of the blanks to be unstacked, and
• wherein each hoisting unit comprises a plurality of suction elements to which the blank to be unstacked adheres, and means, coupled to said suction elements, for activating those suction elements adjacent to the periphery of the blank prior to activating those suction elements adjacent the central portion of the blank, whereby a respective blank to be unstacked is separated from the stack upon which it is disposed starting with the outer portion of the blank.