Clip separator for interfolded sheets

A separator for forming clips of a predetermined number of interfolded laminar products comprising:

• a. a table carriage means for selectively positioning an interfolding table means to:
• i. a package building station for supporting the continuous building of a stack of interfolded laminar products, and
• ii. a separator outlet station for discharging a clip of a predetermined number of interfolded laminar products from said interfolding table;
• b. platform count finger means selectively interposed above said table means after a predetermined number of laminar products have been interfolded into said stack for temporarily supporting the continued building of interfolded laminar products into a new stack;
• and
• c. package build finger means selectively interposed relatively closely below said platform count finger means for repositioning a loose end portion of the laminar product partially resting on said platform count finger means such that said loose end portion becomes the first layer of the next successive clip separated from said stack.

An improvement for use with paper interfolding and stacking machinery of the type have folding rolls and packer fingers continuously interfolding and building individual paper sheets into a stack along a principal axis, the improvement comprising:

• a. table means bi-directionally movable longitudinally along said stack principal axis and operative to:
• i. support said stack of interfolded paper sheets until a predetermined number of said sheets have been stacked, and
• ii. move a clip made up of said predetermined number of sheets away from said folding rolls;
• b. platform means movable generally transversely to said stack principal axis and operative to temporarily support said continued stack building while said table means moves said clip away from said folding rolls;
• and
• c. retention means movable longitudinally along said stack principal axis and operative to retain said clip while said table means moves said clip away from said folding rolls, said retention means having selectively releaseable means for:
• i. restraining said retention means in a ready position away from said stack principal axis until said predetermined number of sheets are built into a stack, and
• ii. permitting said retention means to move to an actuated position after said predetermined number of sheets are built into a clip for retaining said clip on said table means while said table means moves away from said folding rolls.