DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The reloading device, used, for example, in connection with feeders, has a paper receptacle 1 in which a paper stack 2 can be arranged. The receptacle 1 is open at the top and has advantageously four sidewalls rectangularly positioned relative to one another. FIG. 1 shows two sidewalls 3 and 4. In place of the sidewalls as lateral limiting devices for the fixation of the paper stack 2, the receptacle 1 can have lateral limiting devices in the form of bars, rods or the like which are positioned at a spacing to one another and secure the paper stack 2.
[0016] The paper stack 2 is positioned on a support 5 which comprises rollers 6 as well as belts 7 positioned at a spacing to one another. Across the width of the paper stack 2 advantageously several parallel belts 7 are arranged adjacent to one another so that the paper stack 2 is provided with a proper support in the receiving duct 8. Instead of the belts 7 it is also possible to employ a strap or band which has a corresponding width. The belts 7, with the rollers 6 positioned therebetween, are endless and configured to circulate. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the support 5 extends underneath the receptacle 1. On both sides of the receptacle 1, the belts 7 are guided across deflection rollers (not illustrated). The paper stack 2 is supported by means of the rollers 6 on components of the reloading device.
[0017] The support 5 is provided in the support area of the paper stack 2 with an interruption or through opening 10 which is located in an initial position of the reloading device adjacent to a sidewall 4 of the receptacle 1. The sidewalls 3, 4 extends into close proximity of the support 5. Underneath the support 5, a downstream processing unit such as a feeder is arranged. This processing unit, preferably a feeder, has a bottom 9 and sidewalls 11, 12 which are advantageously aligned with the sidewalls 3, 4 and extend into close proximity of the support 5. In the initial position illustrated in FIG. 1, the interruption (through opening) 10 of the support 5 extends to the sidewall 4. Since the interruption 10 matches the width of the paper stack 2, the paper stack 2 is not supported in this area. This has the result that the lower sheets or bottom sheets 13 of the paper stack 2 are slightly curved downwardly and are thus fanned or spread apart. Advantageously, the interruption 10 has such a width that even the greatest size of paper stack 2 is not supported in this area.
[0018] A peeling device in the form of a peeling blade 14 is arranged on the support 5. In the initial position according to FIG. 1, the peeling blade 14 is arranged such that it does not project into the chute 8 of the receptacle 1. This peeling blade 14 can be fixedly connected to the belts 7 of the support 5 and projects past the belts 7 in the direction toward the paper stack 2. It is also possible to secure the peeling blade 14 separately. The peeling blade 14 can be optimally supported on the belts 7.
[0019] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the plate-shaped peeling blade 14 is provided with a slanted edge 15 having a roof-shaped contour. It has ascending edge portions 19, 20 beginning at the opposed narrow sides 16, 17 and ascending in the peeling direction 18 such that at half the length of the peeling blade 14 they intercept one another at an obtuse angle and form a tip. The peeling blade 14 is advantageously thin so that during the peeling process to be described in the following it can easily move between the sheets 13 of the paper stack 2. Advantageously, the edge 15 is beveled or chamfered such that a type of cutting edge 21 is formed with which the peeling blade 14 reliably engages between the sheets 13.
[0020] In order for the peeling blade 14 to move easily and without problems between the sheets 13, in the area of the sidewalls 4, 12 at least one air nozzle 22 is arranged whose outlet opening is oriented toward the sheets 13 such that the air exiting from the air nozzle 22 optimally spreads apart or fans out the sheets 13. Advantageously, several air nozzles 22 are arranged adjacent to one another across the width of the paper stack 2.
[0021] In order to peel off the sheets 13 in the lower (bottom) area of the paper stack 2, the peeling blade 14 is moved to the left from the initial position according to FIG. 1. The support 5 is moved by the same amount and rolls on the underside of the paper stack 2 during the peeling process like a crawler-type track and securely supports the paper stack 2 in this way. The support 5 is supported in the device laterally outside of the paper stack 2 so that the load which is exerted by the paper stack 2 is diverted to the reloading device.
[0022] At the beginning of the peeling process, the compressed air is blown through the air nozzle 22 in the direction toward the slightly downwardly projecting edges of the lower sheets 13 in the paper stack 2 so that the edges of the sheets 13 are spread apart or fanned out. The peeling blade 14 can move with its cutting edge 21 reliably between two sheets 13. In order for the sheets 13 to be reliably peeled off in the downward direction through the interruption 10 of the support 5, the interruption 10 has a sufficient width in the peeling direction 18 so that the sheets 13 can be removed from the lower stack end by peeling without there being the risk of damaging the sheets 13.
[0023] The beveled edge of the peeling blade 14 which extends at a slant downwardly and to the rear in the peeling direction 18 ensures that the peeled-off sheets are deflected reliably downwardly through the interruption 10. During the peeling process the paper stack 2 is supported substantially across its entire length on the support 5 while the peeling blade 14 is substantially relieved of any load. The peeled-off sheets 13 which drop downwardly through the interruption (cutout) 10 fall onto the bottom 9 of the downstream unit and are then transported away from the bottom 9. The peeling blade 14 is moved to such an extent until its edge 15 reaches the area between the sidewalls 3, 11 (FIG. 3). In this phase, the lower sheets 13 are completely removed from the lower or bottom end of the paper stack 2 and have dropped through the interruption (cutout) 10 downwardly onto the bottom 9. From this position shown in FIG. 3, the peeling blade 14 and the support 5 are moved back into the initial position illustrated in FIG. 1. During this return movement, no sheets are removed from the lower end of the paper stack 2.
[0024] However, it is also possible to peel off sheets 13 at the lower end of the paper stack 2 during the return movement into the initial position off FIG. 1. In this case, the support 5 is provided with an additional peeling blade which relative to the peeling blade 14 is rotated by 180 degrees and arranged at the other edge of the interruption 10.
[0025] The number of sheets that can be removed from the lower end of the paper stack 2 depends on the spacing between the support side of the support 5, measured in the vertical direction, and the edge 15 of the peeling blade 14. The greater this distance, the more sheets can be removed at the lower end of the paper stack 2.
[0026] During peeling, the paper stack 2 remains stationary while the peeling blade 14 is moved in the described way relative to the paper stack 2. Since the paper stack 2 is supported on the rollers 6 and the belts 7 of the support 5, the peeling blade 14 is loaded only minimally so that the sheets 13 in the lower area of the paper stack 2 can be removed easily and effortlessly.
[0027] Since the forward edge 15 of the peeling blade 14, viewed in the peeling direction 18, has edge portions 19, 20 that are slanted relative to one another in a roof shape, the peeling blade 14 does not move immediately with its entire length between the sheets 13 but gradually as the peeling process continues. In this way, the sheets 13 can be peeled from the lower end of the paper stack in a gentle way.
[0028] Since the sheets 13 are removed at the lower end of the paper stack 2, the receiving chute 8 itself can be reloaded from the top during the peeling process. The paper stack 2 can be tall because it is supported on the rollers 6 and the belts 7 and does not load the peeling blade 14. The reloading device requires only a minimal space for its installation because of its small footprint resulting from the fact that the individual sheets 13 of the stack 2 are positioned on top one another (are vertically stacked or aligned).
[0029] In the described way, it is also possible to stack large size sheets and to remove large size sheets at the lower end of the stack by peeling. In the case of such large size sheets, a simple reloading is possible even during the peeling process. It is advantageous to automatically reload the sheets in small stack units of, for example, 50 to 100 sheets from above so that in the receptacle chute 8 always the same conditions and a uniform removal of the sheets 13 are ensured. Since the sheets in the receptacle chute 8 and within the stack 2 are not moved, no friction occurs and thus also no static charging. The paper stack 2 must also not be spread apart or fanned so that a simple operation is ensured.
[0030] At least the topside of the peeling blade 14 is comprised advantageously of a friction-reducing material, for example, poly tetrafluoro ethylene (PTFE).
[0031] The support 5 must not be a circulating one. Since the support, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, is only moved back and forth, it is also possible to operate the two parts of the support 5 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 separately or to connect them at their ends facing away from the interruption 10 by push/pull means.
[0032] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.