Patent attributes
A plate feeding method includes a suction-holding step for causing suction pads to suck and hold an upper surface adjacent an end edge, remote from nip rollers, of each plate, a moving step, while swinging the suction pads about a moving unit, for moving the moving unit toward the nip rollers, thereby inverting a portion adjacent the end edge of each plate P, and subsequently moving the end edge of the plate inverted to a position to be pinched by the nip rollers, a pinching step for causing the nip rollers to pinch the end edge of the plate having been inverted, a releasing step for canceling suction-holding of the plate by the suction pads, a pressing step for pressing the plate with a support roller, and a transporting step for rotating the nip rollers to transport the plate P.
