Separation of sheet metal elements from a stack

Apparatus suitable for separating at least one sheet metal element from a stack of apertured sheet metal elements, comprising:

• (a) guide duct means for guideably issuing said stack, said duct having a lower end from which can gravitationally issue said at least one element;
• (b) plunger means lowerable so that the top thereof returnably descends from a first level to a second level, and returnably descends from said second level to a third level,
• (i) said first level enabling said plunger top to support thereon said stack;
• (ii) said second level providing lowering of said at least one issued element and lowering of the rest of said stack, such that a plane of separation will exist between the top of said at least one issued element and the rest of said stack above said plane;
• (iii) said third level providing a separation gap between said plane of separation and the top of said at least one element that is below that plane;
• (c) slide means having a leading face whose upper leading edge is below and downwardly spaced apart from said duct lower end so as to define a separation gap therebetween, said slide face being returnably advanceable from a first position at one side of the duct lower end to a second position, and returnably advanceable from said second position to a third position,
• (i) said first position existing when said plunger top is at said first level, said first position being such that said leading slide face will be spaced apart from said at least one element supported on said plunger top;
• (ii) said second position existing when said plunger top is at said second level, said second position being such that said slide leading face will be pushed against said at least one issued element so as to provide first sideways shifting of said at least one issued element supported on said plunger top, the top of said slide in said second position preventing descent of said stack therebelow;
• (iii) said third position existing when said plunger top is at said third level, said third position being such that said leading slide face will be pushed against said first shifted at least one issued element so as to provide second sideways shifting of and removal from said plunger top of that at least one element and wholly off of said plunger top, the top of said slide means in said third position preventing descent of said stack.