Sheet overlap device

In a sheet overlapping apparatus, which includes oppositely rotating coacting feed rolls,

• means for introducing stock material between the feed rolls,
• a rotating bed roll and a rotating fly knife roll mounted adjacent each other,
• means for rotating said fly knife roll and said bed roll in opposite directions relative to each other,
• means for directing the stock material between said fly knife roll and said bed roll whereby sections of stock material are severed and cut in to sheets, and
• a rotating pressure roll cooperatively mounted relative to said bed roll forming a nip therebetween through which the sheets are fed,
• the improvements include:
• vacuum means on said bed roll for holding the sheets thereon,
• a lap roll contiguous to said bed roll,
• means for rotating said lap roll and said bed roll in opposite directions relative to each other, and at the same surface velocity,
• vacuum means on said lap roll for holding the sheets on the periphery of said lap roll to thereby transfer of sheets from said vacuum bed roll to said vacuum lap roll at the same surface velocity,
• a pair of coacting retard rolls for engaging the sheets therebetween and located immediately downstream of said lap roll relative to the path of movement of the sheets,
• means to rotate said retard rolls at a speed of approximately two thirds of the speed of said bed roll thereby producing an overlap in said sheets of approximately one-third the length thereof as successive sheets are advanced through said apparatus,
• and top strippers and bottom guides interposed between said retard rolls and said lap roll to respectively strip sheets from said lap roll and guide the sheets to the retard rolls.