Method and apparatus for separating paper sheets into units and distributing them

Abstract

An apparatus for separating a pile of paper sheets into units and distributing them is equipped with a separating device adapted to separate a pile of paper sheets into reams in accordance with markers provided on the pile. The apparatus is also equipped with a distributing device including a number of forks, which are inserted into a gap that is formed by the separating device between a ream of paper sheets to be separated from the pile and the rest of the pile, whereby at least one of the forks is first moved horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the ream-distributing direction, and then all the forks are moved in the ream-distributing direction. The markers consist of ream-marker tapes, and the separating device consists of an insertion member and a device for raising the ream-marker tapes, the insertion member being inserted into the pile using the lower surface of each ream-marker tape as a guide. When distributing reams of paper sheets, the insertion member is brought under a ream to be separated and distributed while the previous ream is being distributed, thus shortening the operation cycle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.