Apparatus and method for stacking sheets discharged from a starwheel assembly

A method for stacking sheets from a starwheel assembly rotated about an axis, the method comprising:

• feeding sheets to the starwheel assembly;
• discharging sheets from the starwheel assembly with a barrier;
• inserting a first separator finger between two adjacent sheets positioned within the starwheel assembly;
• moving a second separator finger independently of the first separator finger;
• and
• supporting a first sheet of the two adjacent sheets with the first separator finger, the first sheet beginning a first stack and a second sheet of the two adjacent sheets completing another stack.

A sheet stacking apparatus for stacking sheets from a starwheel assembly, the sheet stacking apparatus comprising:

• a separator finger;
• a first actuator coupled to the separator finger, the first actuator actuatable to move the separator finger in a first direction;
• and
• a second actuator coupled to the separator finger, the second actuator actuatable to move the separator finger in a second direction;
• the separator finger movable by at least one of the first and second actuators from a retracted position with respect to sheets within the starwheel assembly to an extended position between first and second adjacent sheets within the starwheel assembly, the separator finger movable to support the first sheet to begin a first stack upon the separator finger and to separate the first sheet from the second sheet completing another stack, wherein the first and second actuators are independently controllable.

A method of stacking sheets of product discharged from a starwheel, the method comprising:

• actuating a first actuator coupled to a separator finger;
• moving the separator finger in a first direction responsive to actuation of the first actuator;
• actuating a second actuator coupled to the separator finger;
• moving the separator finger in a second direction different from the first direction responsive to actuation of the second actuator;
• and
• separating sheets in the starwheel by moving the separator finger in at least one of the first and second directions, wherein the first actuator is actuated independently of the second actuator.