Apparatus and method for stacking sheets discharged from a starwheel assembly

1. An apparatus for moving stacks of product, the apparatus comprising:

a stacking assembly having a first separator finger movable from a retracted position to an extended position between first and second adjacent sheets within the stacking assembly, the first separator finger movable to support the first sheet to begin a first stack upon the first separator finger and to separate the first sheet from the second sheet completing a second stack, and a second separator finger movable independently of the first separator finger;

a first conveyor movable at a first speed, the first conveyor having an upstream end adjacent to the stacking assembly and positioned to receive product from the stacking assembly and having a downstream end;

a second conveyor positioned adjacent and parallel to the first conveyor, the second conveyor movable at a second speed, the second conveyor having an upstream end adjacent to the stacking assembly and positioned to receive product from the stacking assembly and having a downstream end, the downstream end of the first conveyor and the downstream end of the second conveyor being positioned at substantially equal distances from the upstream ends of the first conveyor and the second conveyor, respectively;

the first speed being faster than the second speed to move stacks of product on the first conveyor away from the stacking assembly at a faster speed than stacks of product on the second conveyor; and

a third conveyor located adjacent and transverse to the first conveyor and the second conveyor, the third conveyor configured to receive stacks of product from the first conveyor and the second conveyor and to move stacks of product in the same direction without stacks of product from the first conveyor interfering with stacks of product from the second conveyor;

wherein the third conveyor is a paddle table having at least one paddle extending from the paddle table and movable relative to the first and second conveyors;

wherein the at least one paddle and the first and second conveyors are timed such that a stack of product is deposited on the first conveyor at the same time as a stack of product is deposited on the second conveyor, and the stack from the first conveyor is moved by a paddle before the stack from the second conveyor is moved by a paddle;

wherein the stack from the first conveyor and the stack from the second conveyor are moved by consecutive paddles of the third conveyor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a backstop adjacent to the third conveyor, the backstop positioned to limit stack movement in a direction toward the backstop when the stacks are at least partially positioned on the third conveyor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a motor driving the first and second conveyors.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a first gear coupled between the motor and the first conveyor and a second gear coupled between the motor and the second conveyor, wherein the gear ratio between the motor and the first gear is different than the gear ratio between the motor and the second gear.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conveyors are positioned to receive the respective stacks at substantially the same time.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conveyors run in substantially the same direction.

7. An apparatus for moving stacks of product, the apparatus comprising:

a stacking assembly having a first separator finger movable from a retracted position to an extended position between first and second adjacent sheets within the stacking assembly, the first separator finger movable to support the first sheet to begin a first stack upon the first separator finger and to separate the first sheet from the second sheet completing a second stack, and a second separator finger movable independently of the first separator finger;

a first conveyor movable at a first speed, the first conveyor having an upstream end adjacent to the stacking assembly and positioned to receive product from the stacking assembly and having a downstream end;

a second conveyor positioned adjacent and parallel to the first conveyor, the second conveyor movable at a second speed, the second conveyor having an upstream end adjacent to the stacking assembly and positioned to receive product from the stacking assembly and having a downstream end, the downstream end of the first conveyor and the downstream end of the second conveyor being positioned at substantially equal distances from the upstream ends of the first conveyor and the second conveyor, respectively;

the first speed being faster than the second speed to move stacks of product on the first conveyor away from the stacking assembly at a faster speed than stacks of product on the second conveyor; and

a third conveyor located adjacent and transverse to the first conveyor and the second conveyor, the third conveyor configured to receive stacks of product from the first conveyor and the second conveyor and to move stacks of product in the same direction without stacks of product from the first conveyor interfering with stacks of product from the second conveyor;

wherein the third conveyor is a paddle table having at least one paddle extending from the paddle table and movable relative to the first and second conveyors;

wherein the at least one paddle and the first and second conveyors are timed such that a stack of product is deposited on the first conveyor at the same time as a stack of product is deposited on the second conveyor, and the stack from the first conveyor is moved by a paddle before the stack from the second conveyor is moved by a paddle;

wherein the first conveyor is separated from the second conveyor in the direction motion of the plurality of paddles.

8. A method of moving stacks of product, the method comprising:

stacking product with a stacking assembly, the stacking assembly having a first separator finger and a second separator finger, the first separator finger movable from a retracted position to an extended position between first and second adjacent sheets within the stacking assembly, the second separator finger movable independently of the first separator finger;

discharging a stack onto an upstream end of a first conveyor, the first conveyor having a length;

discharging a stack onto an upstream end of a second conveyor, the second conveyor being substantially the same length of the first conveyor and positioned substantially parallel to the first conveyor;

moving the stacks on the first and second conveyors from the upstream ends of the first and second conveyors at substantially the same time;

moving the stack on the first conveyor a first distance to a downstream end of the first conveyor at a first speed;

moving the stack on the second conveyor a second distance substantially equal to the first distance to a downstream end of the second conveyor at a second speed slower than the first speed of the stack on the first conveyor;

receiving the stack from the first conveyor prior to the stack from the second conveyor by a third conveyor positioned substantially transverse to both the first conveyor and the second conveyor, wherein the third conveyor is a paddle table having at least one paddle extending from the paddle table and movable relative to the first and second conveyors, with the at least one paddle and the first and second conveyors being timed such that a stack of product is deposited on the first conveyor at the same time as a stack of product is deposited on the second conveyor, and the stack from the first conveyor is moved by a paddle before the stack from the second conveyor is moved by a paddle and the stack from the first conveyor and the stack from the second conveyor are moved by consecutive paddles of the third conveyor; and

moving the first stack and the second stack onto the third conveyor in the same direction while maintaining a separation between the first stack and the second stack.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising contacting a backstop with the stacks from the first and second conveyors when the stacks are at least partially received on the third conveyor.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising moving the third conveyor in a transverse direction relative to the first and second conveyors.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising driving the first and second conveyors with a motor.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

driving a first gear located between the motor and the first conveyor; and

driving a second gear located between the motor and the second conveyor, wherein the gear ratio between the motor and the first gear is different than the gear ratio between the motor and the second gear.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein discharging a stack on the first conveyor and discharging a stack on the second conveyor include passing the first separator finger through the upstream end of the first conveyor and passing the second separator finger through the upstream end of the second conveyor.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the stacks are discharged on the first and second conveyors at substantially the same time.