Apparatus and method for separating blanks from a stack of blanks

Abstract

An apparatus for separating blanks from a stack of blanks includes a drive shaft that interacts with the drive unit and that drives a belt arranged in a cassette. The drive shaft is neither enclosed nor carried by the cassette. A reversible securing means secures the cassette to a carrying structure of the apparatus in a detachable manner in such a way that the cassette can be repeatedly removed or detached and then refitted.

Having described the invention, and a preferred embodiment thereof, what is claimed as new and secured by letters patent is: 
     
         1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for separating blanks from a stack of blanks, said apparatus comprising a drive unit, a drive shaft, a belt, reversible securing means, and a cassette, wherein said belt is an ejecting belt, wherein said cassette is a belt cassette, wherein said drive shaft interacts with said drive unit, wherein said belt is arranged in said cassette, wherein, when said cassette is attached to a carrying structure of said apparatus, said drive shaft drives said belt, wherein said drive shaft is neither enclosed nor carried by said cassette, wherein said reversible securing means is configured to secure said cassette to said carrying structure in a detachable manner in such a way that said cassette can be repeatedly removed or detached and then refitted. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said cassette is one of a plurality of identical cassettes and said reversible securing means is one of a plurality of identical securing means, all of which secure a corresponding one of said cassettes to said carrying structure in a detachable manner in such a way that said cassette can be repeatedly removed or detached and then refitted. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said securing means secures said cassette to said carrying structure in such a way that a positive fit exists between said carrying structure and said cassette. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said securing means secures said cassette to said carrying structure in such a way that there exists an absence of a positive fit between said carrying structure and said cassette. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said carrying structure comprises first and second rails that run along an axial direction that is parallel to said drive shaft, wherein said cassettes are securable to said rails at any position along said axial direction. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a pair of holding elements, wherein each of said holding elements engages both said cassette and a rail that extends along an axial direction parallel to said drive shaft, wherein said holding elements enable said cassette to be secured to said first and second rails. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a first holding element and a second holding element, wherein said first holding element causes a positive fit to exist between a first rail and said cassette, wherein said second holding element causes a positive fit to exist between a second rail and said cassette, wherein said cassette is securable to said rails at any position along an axial direction along which said first and second rails extend parallel to said drive shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising first and second wheels configured to transfer rotation of said drive shift to said belt, wherein said first wheel engages said drive shaft and said second wheel, and wherein said first and second wheels are toothed wheels. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said first wheel is freely displaceable axially on said drive shaft and can be secured in any position along said drive shaft. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said cassette comprises a toothed belt disk that drives said belt, wherein said toothed belt disk is connected in a torsion-resistant manner to said second wheel. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said belt extends between first and second sides of said cassette, said first and second sides being opposite sides of said cassette, wherein said belt disk and said second wheel deflect said belt, wherein said belt disk is secured to a first bearing plate and said second wheel is secured to a second bearing plate, wherein said first bearing plate is on first side of said cassette, and wherein said second bearing plate is on said second side of said cassette. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said cassette is detached from said carrying structure, wherein, as a result, said drive unit fails to drive said belt. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said cassette is one of a plurality of identical cassettes and wherein belts of said cassettes are drivable independently of each other. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said belt comprises ribs. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said cassette is a modular exchangeable cassette that is removable from the apparatus as a unit, wherein said modular exchangeable cassette remains functionally viable after removal from said apparatus, wherein said modular exchangeable cassette can be secured to said apparatus with no structural changes being made to said apparatus other than securing of said modular exchangeable cassette thereto, wherein said modular exchangeable cassette is removable from said apparatus with no structural changes being made to said apparatus other than removal of said modular exchangeable cassette therefrom, wherein said modular exchangeable cassette is detachable from a drive axle of said apparatus as a complete and unchanged component, and wherein said modular exchangeable cassette retains its structural integrity after removal from said apparatus. 
     
     
         28 . A method comprising adjusting an apparatus for destacking and separating blanks, said method comprising aligning a toothed drive-wheel at an axial position of a drive shaft and securing a cassette to a pair of rails such that said toothed drive-wheel interacts with a toothed transfer wheel for driving a belt in said cassette, wherein said belt is an ejecting belt, and wherein said cassette is a belt cassette. 
     
     
         29 . The method of claim  31 , wherein, prior to securing said cassette, securing a pair of accommodation elements to said pair of rails to align said toothed drive-wheel.