Method and apparatus for manufacture of swatch-bearing sheets

An apparatus for adhering swatches on individual sheets at predetermined locations thereon, the apparatus including:

• at least one adhesive applying station for depositing adhesive on the individual sheets at predetermined locations on the sheet;
• one or more swatch applying stations for placing swatches on the adhesive at the predetermined locations on the sheet;
• an elongated support surface extending from upstream to downstream;
• at least two sets of gripping jaws, each set having an upper and lower gripping jaw for pulling a downstream edge of the sheet through and under the adhesive applying station and the swatch applying stations, each set of gripping jaws being disposed laterally from each other along an axis perpendicular to the elongated support surface, the gripping jaws shifting between the open and closed states as the individual sheet is received therein with the gripping jaws closing onto the downstream edge of the received sheet for substantially reducing sheet float when the individual sheet is pulled generally in a plane over the support surface from upstream to downstream without opening the jaws as the individual sheet is pulled through and under the adhesive applying station and the swatch applying stations.

An apparatus for moving a sheet through machinery for applying swatches to sheets, the apparatus comprising:

• a feeding station for separating an individual sheet from a plurality of sheets in a stack and feeding the separated individual sheet;
• an endless flexible drive;
• an elongated sheet support surface extending from the upstream to the downstream for support of the sheet while traveling downstream;
• at least two pairs gripping jaws affixed to the endless flexible drive, the gripping jaws facing upstream for gripping an upstream edge of the sheet;
• an adhesive applying station for applying glue to the sheet;
• one or more swatch applying stations each having one or more operating cylinders having an axis of rotation perpendicular to the machine feed direction for applying one or more swatches to the sheet;
• and
• a receiving station for receiving the sheet after the sheet has been through the adhesive applying station and the swatch applying station,
• each of the at least two pairs of the gripping jaws pivoting on a pivot axis perpendicular to the movement of the sheet moving downstream the jaws pivoting to an open position and a closed position,
• each pair of the gripping jaws being disposed laterally from each other along an axis perpendicular to the elongated sheet support surface;
• and
• the gripping jaws in the closed position for pulling the downstream edge of the sheet from the feeding station downstream through the adhesive applying station and through the swatch applying station to the receiving station, the gripping jaws passing beneath at least one of the one or more operating cylinders of at least one of the one or more swatch applying stations.