Feeder for a sheet-processing machine, and machine for processing substrate sheets

Abstract

The invention relates to a feeder (01) for a sheet-processing machine with a stack chamber (04) in which a stack (03) of sheets (B) to be conveyed out of the feeder (01) can be received, comprising a receiving and transporting device (13) through which an uppermost sheet (B) of a received stack (03) can be transported in a transport direction (T) away from the stack (03) into a downstream adjacent transport path, wherein a support device (11) designed as a sheet flap (11) is provided on the downstream side of the stack chamber (04) and is movable between a first position, in which it is situated to form a stop with a stop surface (09) in the transport path provided for the transport of the sheets (B) to be conveyed out of the feeder (01), and a second position, in which it frees the transport path provided for the transport, and wherein the sheet flap (11) has a sheet flap blade (26; 26.x) which comprises the stop surface (09), extends in its width transversely with respect to the transport direction (T) and in length from a foot region (27), remote from the transport path, to a free end (28) and is elastically deformable in at least one length section. The invention further relates to a machine for processing substrate sheets (B) with such a feeder (01).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a feeder for a sheet-processing machine and to a machine for processing substrate sheets according to the preamble of claims 1 and 12, respectively.

[0002] On sheet-processing machines, such as sheet-fed printing presses or, in particular, mechanical sheet-processing machines such as die-cutting machines, feeders are used to separate sheets of different materials prepared in stacks and feed them to the printing press. The sheets are separated and fed by so-called sheet separators. A pivoting sheet flap is provided near the top of the stack, i.e., the side facing in the conveying direction. Such feeders can vary in further details depending on the application and sheet properties.

[0003] From DE 10 2008 042 841 A1 a feeder for a sheet handling or processing machine is known, wherein at least one transport tool is provided, by means of which an uppermost sheet of a received stack can be transported in a transport direction away from the stack into a downstream transport path, and wherein a sheet flap is provided on the downstream side of the stack, which sheet flap can be displaced between a position in which it is located with a stop surface in the transport path of a sheet to be conveyed from the feeder, and a position in which it releases the transport path provided for the transport.

[0004] DE 101 03 903 A1 discloses a feeder of a sheet-processing machine with a pivotable flap in the area of ​​the upper stack leading edge, via which the uppermost sheet is fed to a feed roller of the machine. The uppermost sheet(s) of the stack may not be straight at the front, as seen in the sheet width direction, but rather curved downwards in the edge regions. To prevent these edge regions from colliding with the flap, a leading edge of the flap has a shape whose upper side is or can be adapted to the contour of the uppermost sheet at the front of the stack.

[0005] EP 0 538 638 A1 relates to a feed table, such as one provided in the inlet area of ​​a printing unit, for precisely aligning incoming sheets with their leading edge against front lays before they are taken over by grippers. The front lays are pivoted onto a so-called guide bar in the opposite direction of transport for the alignment phase of an incoming sheet, and pivoted out of the transport path again by the grippers for the onward transport of the sheet. To ensure secure contact of the front lays with the guide bar, the front lay, formed there by a curved leaf spring, is pre-tensioned against the stop surface of the guide bar.

[0006] For optimal sheet travel, however, the requirements for the design or position of the sheet flap can vary depending on the substrate being processed. Material thickness or stiffness, or even deviations from the ideal sheet geometry, e.g., a deformed or curved sheet geometry, can also result in reduced production speed or require adjustment of the sheet flap. In addition to existing deviations in the sheet geometry, e.g., existing deformations in the stacked sheets, the leading edge may also sink to a greater or lesser extent due to gravity when conveying the sheet from the feeder, causing it to catch on the sheet flap.Deformations can also occur due to sagging of a sheet that is already supported by the conveyor belt in the leading section of the sheet but is still held in place by the sheet separator in the trailing section, or due to the falling off of the rear section of a sheet that has been bent downward due to deformation. In both of these latter cases, this can lead to a collision between the retracting sheet flap and the underside of the sheet from below, resulting in a disruption to the feeder's operation.

[0007] The invention is based on the object of creating a feeder for a sheet processing machine and a machine for processing substrate sheets.

[0008] The object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1 and 12 respectively.

[0009] The advantages achievable with the invention are, in particular, that it provides a feeder that is less sensitive to changing substrate properties. In particular, high quality and reliability are achieved in the sheet feeding into the sheet processing machine for a wide range of substrates and / or geometric deviations from an ideal quality. The flexible or spring-elastic contact element ensures, for example, reliable feeding across an expanded substrate range, even at higher production speeds, without the need for complex adjustments to the sheet flap when changing substrates or due to geometric peculiarities of the sheets to be fed. In particular, the flexible or spring-elastic contact element enablesOn the one hand, the spring-elastic deformable contact element largely eliminates or at least reduces the risk of impact with the front edge during transport and the associated tearing or snagging for a wider range of substrates, and on the other hand, reduces the risk of disruption caused by the above-mentioned collision of the swinging-back sheet flap with the underside of the sheet.

[0010] Such problems can occur particularly when feeding sheets with greater stiffness than simple paper sheets of small to medium weight and thickness, such as with heavy weight and thickness papers of more than one millimeter, or even with sheets made of cardboard, paperboard, including corrugated board, or a composite of layers with a thickness of more than one, especially more than two, millimeters. Such sheets often do not adhere completely flat to a flat substrate and, depending on the pretreatment or circumstances, may have an uneven, e.g., convex surface.

[0011] A generic feeder for providing sheets to be fed into a sheet-processing machine comprises a stacking space in which a stack of sheets to be conveyed from the feeder can be received, and a receiving and transport device by which a top sheet of a received stack can be transported in a transport direction away from the stack into a downstream transport path. On the downstream side of the stacking space, a feeding device referred to or designed as a sheet flap is provided, which can be displaced between a first, e.g. pivoted-in position, in which it is located to form a stop with a stop surface in the transport path provided for the transport of the sheets to be conveyed from the feeder, and a second, e.g. pivoted-out position, in which it releases the transport path provided for transport.According to the invention, the sheet flap has a sheet flap leaf which encompasses the stop surface, extends in its width transversely to the transport direction and in its length from a foot region remote from the transport path to a free end and is resiliently deformable in the transport direction in at least one longitudinal section.

[0012] The resiliently deformable sheet flap is particularly designed such that, in the second position of the support device with the foot area held fast, it is resiliently deformable by applying a force with at least one force component in the transport direction of the sheets - of, for example, a specific force of less than, for example, five hundredths, in particular one hundredth of a Newton per one millimeter of width of the sheet flap, in particular in a longitudinal section adjoining the foot area - in such a way that, with the foot area stationary, its free end deflects or can deflect several millimeters from its rest position. This means that, in the second position of the support device with the foot area held fast, it is resiliently deformable by colliding with the leading end of a sheet being conveyed or to be conveyed, in particular a sheet that is intended, iewithin the permissible application spectrum for the operation of the feeder, and a resulting spring-elastic deformation with a deflection of the free end of several, i.e. at least two or more millimeters. For example, the above-mentioned spring-elastic deformability can be provided and / or dimensioned in such a way that the above-mentioned deflection of the free end, with the foot area held firmly, is or can be caused at least by a - e.g., intended - sheet with a grammage of, e.g., at least 300 g / m².

[0013] A generic machine for processing substrate sheets with a feeder, by means of which substrate sheets to be processed can be fed to a substrate path leading through the machine on the input side, comprises one or more units provided in the substrate path, in particular at least one unit designed as a punching or embossing unit, by means of which the substrate sheets can be processed, and a delivery device by means of which the processed substrate sheets can be combined to form bundles, wherein the feeder is designed in the above-mentioned manner.

[0014] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawing and are described in more detail below.

[0015] They show: Fig. 1: a schematic representation of a feeder with an indication of a conveyor line leading to one or more downstream processing units; Fig. 2: a schematic representation of an embodiment of a spring-elastically deformable sheet flap blade when a sheet start is running up; Fig. 3: a schematic representation of an embodiment of a spring-elastically deformable sheet flap blade when pivoting back during the run-off of a sheet end; Fig. 4: a three-part design of the sheet flap; Fig. 5: a design of the sheet flap with a bent sheet flap blade.

[0016] In Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a feeder 01 provided or foreseeable on the input side of a machine for processing substrate sheets B, also referred to as a sheet-processing machine or sheet-processing machine for short, with one or more substrate sheets B, or sheets B for short, processing units. In this case, the machine to be supplied with sheets B by the feeder 01 is designed, in an advantageous embodiment, as a sheet-fed printing press with one or more printing units arranged in the substrate path, in particular sheet-fed printing units, or in a preferred embodiment as a sheet-fed processing machine for mechanically processing sheets B, e.g. embossing, cutting or, in particular, punching, with one or more units that mechanically process the sheets B, e.g. with at least one punching or embossing unit.In an advantageous further development of the machine, it can also be designed as a hybrid machine, a machine for mechanically processing sheets B, comprising at least one punching or embossing unit and, in addition, at least one sheet-fed printing unit arranged upstream in the substrate or transport path. On the output side, a delivery device, also referred to as a stack delivery, can be provided for the sheets B processed in the machine, by means of which the sheets B can be gathered into bundles. Further units, such as a dryer, a coating unit, a calendering unit, or other units acting on the sheets B, can be provided in the transport path.

[0017] On the output side of the feeder 01, a conveyor device 02, preferably in the form of a belt table 02, in particular a suction belt table 02, is connected in the transport path, which takes over the sheets B to be conveyed from the feeder 01 and - if necessary via further conveyor devices downstream - feeds them to a single or first processing unit of the machine.

[0018] In the feeder 01, a stack 03, in particular a sheet stack 03, is placed on a stacking table 06 provided in a stacking space 04. The stacking table 06 is height-adjustable, for example, with the aid of a lifting device 07, in order to keep the topmost sheet B of the sheet stack 03, regardless of the number of sheets B in the stack 03, at a fixed or only slightly variable height suitable for the transfer of the sheets B to the subsequent conveyor device 02. In the illustration of the Fig. 1 the sheets B of the stack 03 lie directly on the stacking table 06, but there can also be a pallet between the stack 03 and the stacking table 06 on which the stack 03 has been transported to the stacking table 04 and placed on it.

[0019] On the side of the stacking space 04 facing in the transport direction T, a stop device 08 is provided, e.g. a single-part or multi-part front stop 08, the stop surface of which, directed opposite to the transport direction T, defines a vertical plane which serves as a stop for the front edges, i.e. the edges leading during transport, of the sheets B of the sheet stack 03. Viewed vertically, this stop device 08 does not reach as far as the upper stack edge, but is continued in its vertical alignment, if required, by a stop surface 09 of an active support device 11, also referred to in particular as a sheet flap 11. For this purpose, the support device 11 can be switched between an active position, e.g. a pivoted position, in which it is located with its stop surface 09 in the transport path of a sheet B to be conveyed from the feeder 01, and an inactive position, e.g.pivoted position in which it releases the transport path intended for transport, displaceable, in particular pivotable.

[0020] Although other mechanisms are also conceivable by which the sheet flap 11 can be displaced between the two positions mentioned, the sheet flap 11 is preferably pivotably mounted in the feeder 01 about a pivot axis S. For this purpose, for example, a support element 12 is provided, which is effective or designed as a shaft 12, e.g. flap shaft 12, which supports the sheet flap 11 and, for example, between the Fig. 1 The position shown as an example, in which the sheet flap 11 extends into the transport path and whose stop surface 09 continues the stop surface of the front stop 08 in a straight line upwards, can be pivoted into a position in which it enables sheet transport over the sheet flap 11. The latter can be a position in which the conveyed sheet B has no contact with the sheet flap 11 or, to support it, a contact to a permitted or desired extent.

[0021] The feeder 01 comprises, here combined in a receiving and transport device 13, various transport tools 14; 16 for removing individual sheets B from the stack 03 and for transporting the sheets B onto or into the conveyor device 02 downstream of the feeder 01.

[0022] By means of the receiving and transport device 13, e.g. a so-called sheet separator 13, a sheet B located at the top of the stack 03 can be picked up and transported in the direction of the downstream conveyor device 02. It or it has, for example, vertically movable and horizontally movable suction cups 14; 16 as corresponding transport tools 14; 16. For example, a plurality of first suction cups 14 as so-called separating suction cups 14 are arranged on the sheet separator 13 in the region of a rear edge of the stack 03 in the transport direction T of the sheets B and are movable essentially in the vertical direction. Furthermore, for example, a plurality of second suction cups 16 are provided as so-called transport suction cups 16, which are provided on the sheet separator 13 closer to the front stop 08 as viewed in the transport direction T and are movable horizontally in and against the transport direction T. As a further tool 17, a so-called probe foot 17 can be provided, which is supported on the top side of the stack.

[0023] In order to facilitate separation of the picked-up sheet B from the rest of the stack 03, a blowing device 18 can be provided which blows the stack 03 at the rear, i.e. from the stack side opposite to the transport direction T in an upper area. The air possibly blown in between the sheet layers by the blowing device 18 lifts the sheet B from the stack 03 and forms an air cushion under the sheet B, on which the sheet B, driven by the horizontal movement of the transport suction devices 13, is pushed over the sheet flap 11, which is then moved into the inactive position, onto the belt table 02.

[0024] The belt table 02 arranged downstream of the feeder 01 is designed, for example, as a suction belt table 02 and preferably comprises at least two rollers 19, of which Fig. 1 only a first one, viewed downstream, is shown, and of which one is designed as a drive roller 19 and one or more others as deflection rollers. A single-part or multi-part table plate 21 extends between the rollers 19 and forms, for example, the multi-perforated top side of a suction box 22. The two rollers 19 are wrapped by at least one conveyor belt 23 which, like the table plate 21 over which it extends, has multiple perforations so that it is not sucked onto the table plate 21, but a sheet B is sucked onto the conveyor belt 23. In the area where sheets B to be conveyed run up, above the inlet-side roller 19 of the conveying device 02 arranged downstream of the feeder 01, there is a roller 24 which interacts with the roller 19 or the belt table 02, for example B. timing roller 24, which presses the incoming sheets B against the conveyor device 02 in time with the incoming sheets B.

[0025] As explained above, the conditions for trouble-free operation can vary, for example, due to one of the above-mentioned reasons of varying substrate properties - be it due to different substrate properties or due to arc geometries that deviate from one another and / or from an ideal shape - to such an extent that, in order to ensure trouble-free operation, for example, the positioning or design of a arc flap 11 that is variable in position but rigid or unyielding would have to be adjusted or at least a reduction in the machine speed would be necessary.

[0026] In order to remedy the above-mentioned substrate properties over at least a wide range of fluctuations, the sheet flap 11 comprises a sheet flap leaf 26 which is resiliently deformable, in particular as a result of a collision with a conveyed sheet B, and which has the stop surface 09. This sheet flap leaf 26 runs over a free length L26 in the direction of its width in the feeder 01 horizontally and transversely to the transport direction T and is firmly connected to the support element 12 which directly or indirectly supports the sheet flap leaf 26 at a foot region 27 which is located particularly far away from the transport path, wherein it extends from the foot region 27 over a length L26 running perpendicular to the width to a free end 28. In the following, the length L26 is defined between the point of fixation in the foot region 27 directly on the support element 12 or on the rigid support 29 provided on the support element 12, e.g.a support strip 29, and the free end 28, also referred to as the free length L26. The curved flap leaf 26 can be designed as a continuous one-piece widthwise or as a multi-piece widthwise width with interruptions, whereby the latter should also be included under the designation curved flap leaf 26 unless explicitly distinguished.

[0027] The above-mentioned spring elasticity is in particular dimensioned such that the sheet flap leaf 26, in the inactive position of the sheet flap 11 and the stationary foot area 27, is bent in the transport direction T upon collision in the area of ​​the free end 28 with an approaching sheet B in such a way that the free end 28, with the stationary foot area 27, deflects or can deflect by a - particularly significant - deflection Δ, ie a deflection from the previously assumed rest position of in particular several millimeters, e.g. at least 3 mm or even at least 5 mm (see e.g. schematically in Fig. 2 ). In this case, the sheet flap leaf 26 is designed and matched on at least one longitudinal section - e.g. in at least one longitudinal section close to the foot area - with such elastic flexural rigidity that the above-mentioned deflection takes place or can take place in the area of ​​the free end 28 without the sheet B crumpling and without the connection carrying the sheet B to the receiving and transport device 13 conveying the sheet B coming loose or slipping. On the other hand, the sheet flap leaf 26 should be stiff enough to offer the uppermost sheet B sufficient resistance against slipping in the transport direction T beyond the alignment of the front stop 08 - e.g. due to blast air.

[0028] A sheet flap leaf 26 designed in this way, which avoids an incoming sheet B in the above-mentioned manner by elastic deformation, is conversely also suitable for experiencing a change in shape inclined in the transport direction T during the backward movement of the sheet flap 11 under, for example, a falling sheet end (see, for example, schematically in Fig. 3 ).

[0029] The dimensioning and design of the curved flap leaf 26 suitable for the above-mentioned purpose fundamentally depends on factors such as, among others, the mass or stiffness of the sheet B, the holding force of the receiving and transport device 13, the effective width of the curved flap leaf 26, which may be continuous in one piece or interrupted in several parts, the length L26 free or effective for elastic bending between the free end 28 and the fixed foot region 27, as well as its material and material thickness. The foot region 27 is understood to be the area of ​​the point at which, coming from the free end 28, the flexible curved flap leaf 26 is just not yet firmly connected to the, in particular rigid, support element 12 or to a, in particular rigid, support 29 provided on it.

[0030] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention - in particular in conjunction with the above-mentioned stiffer sheets B, such as those made, for example, by sheets B that are more than 1 mm thick, e.g. sheets B made of cardboard, paperboard, in particular corrugated cardboard, or a composite material with, for example, several paper layers or made of paper and / or cardboard and / or cardboard or corrugated cardboard layers and / or possibly other layers or coatings - the sheet flap sheet 26 has, continuously or with a varying length L26 in at least one section, a free length L26 of at least 18 mm and / or, for example, a greatest length L26 in the range from 18 to 30 mm, preferably from 20 to 27 mm. Basically independent of this, but preferably in addition to this, the sheet flap sheet 26 has, over the entirety or at least one section - preferably close to the foot area - of its free length L26, e.g. at least a quarter of it, a material thickness d of at most 0.50 mm, e.g.in the range from 0.08 to 0.50 mm, in particular from 0.10 to 0.30 mm. This ensures, for example, that the above-mentioned deformation already sets in at forces which, in practice, come into consideration during damage-free transport of the sheets B by the receiving and transport device 13 on the sheet flap 11. Preferably, the above-mentioned deflection Δ of the free end 28, with the contact device 11 in the inactive position, should already occur when a force is applied in the region of the free end 28 with a force component in the transport direction T of the sheets B which, for example, is applied at a specific force, i.e. force per width, of less than, for example, one tenth, in particular one hundredth of a Newton N per millimeter of width of the sheet flap leaf 26, in particular at least in a longitudinal section adjoining the foot region (i.e. < 0.05 N / mm, in particular < 0.01 N / mm).For example, for a curved flap leaf 26 with a width of 1,000 mm, this means that in an inactive position, even when a force of less than 50 N or, in particular, less than 10 N is applied to its free end 28, it will deflect by several millimeters, e.g., at least 2 millimeters. In the case of a width of the curved flap leaf 26 that varies over its longitudinal extent, the smallest width in the longitudinal section adjoining the base area and extending over a quarter of the maximum length L26 of the curved flap leaf 26 can be used to dimension the specific force effect. Such a section close to the base comprises the longitudinal area that develops a particularly large bending effect due to the leverage effect.

[0031] Basically independent of, but preferably with one or more of the above design details, the curved flap leaf 26 is formed in an advantageous embodiment from a plastic, e.g. a thermoplastic or duroplastic, or preferably from a steel, in particular stainless steel, e.g. in the manner of a spring plate.

[0032] In an advantageous further development, the curved flap leaf 26 can be constructed in multiple parts, e.g., three parts, and comprises adjacent—possibly spaced—curved flap leaf sections 26.x (where x = 1, 2, 3), which in an advantageous embodiment are arranged, e.g., on support sections 29.y (where y = 1, 2, 3), preferably of the same number of parts. Additionally or alternatively, the curved flap leaf 26 or a respective curved flap leaf section 26.x can have a length L26 that varies across the width, e.g., slope down towards the sides, and / or have incisions or cutouts 31 in the region of the free end 28.

[0033] The above-mentioned characterization of the spring-elastic compliance or deformability via the deflection Δ already caused by the aforementioned specific force application should include both the case in which such a specific force acts on the end 28 of a continuous curved flap blade 26 with a corresponding curved flap width and the case in which a corresponding force acts on a curved flap blade section 26.x with a corresponding section length. In addition to the uniform impact of a sheet B on the curved flap 26 or a curved flap blade section 26.x with this flap length-related specific force, this should also include a punctual, slightly oblique impact, initially at a point on the curved flap blade 26 or the relevant curved flap blade section 26.x of the corresponding width.

[0034] Furthermore, in addition to the above or alternatively thereto, in an advantageous further development, the single- or multi-part curved flap sheet 26 can be fastened in a material-to-material manner, e.g. via a double-sided adhesive tape, to one side of the carrier 29 and / or, e.g. for safety reasons, can be formed at the free end 28 by a folded spine of a bent material section 32, e.g. bent by 180°. List of reference symbols

[0035] 01Feeder 02Conveyor device, belt table, suction belt table 03Stack, sheet stack 04Stacking space 05- 06Stacking table 07Lifting device 08Stop device, front stop 09Stop surface 10- 11Feed device, sheet flap 12Support element, shaft, flap shaft 13Pick-up and transport device, sheet separator 14Transport tool, suction cup, separating suction cup 15- 16Transport tool, suction cup, transport suction cup 17Tool, feeler foot 18Blowing device 19Roller, drive roller 20- 21Table plate 22Suction box 23Conveyor belt 24Roller, timing roller 25- 26Sash flap sheet 26.xSash flap sheet section (x = 1, 2, 3) 27Foot area 28End, free 29Carrier, support bar 29.ySupport section (y = 1,2,3) 30- 31Recess 32Material section BSubstrate sheet, sheet SPivot axis TTransport direction L26Length dMaterial thickness ΔDeflection

Claims

1. Feeder (01) for a sheet-processing machine, comprising a pile space (04) in which a pile (03) of sheets (B) to be conveyed out of the feeder (01) can be received, and comprising a picking-up and transporting device (13) by which a topmost sheet (B) of a received pile (03) can be transported in a transport direction (T) away from the pile (03) into a downstream adjoining transport path, wherein a bearing device (11) designed as a sheet flap (11) is provided on the downstream side of the pile space (04), which bearing device is movable between a first position, in which it is situated in the transport path provided for the transport of the sheets (B) to be conveyed out of the feeder (01), so as to form a stop with a stop surface (09), and a second position, in which it frees the transport path provided for the transport, characterized in that the sheet flap (11) has a sheet flap leaf (26; 26.x) which comprises the stop surface (09), extends in its width transversely to the transport direction (T) and in length from a foot region (27) remote from the transport path to a free end (28), and is elastically deformable in the transport direction (T) in at least one longitudinal portion.

2. Feeder according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastically deformable sheet flap leaf (26; 26.x) is designed in such a way that, in the second position of the bearing device (11) with the foot region (27) held stationary, it is elastically deformable through the application of force in the region of the free end (28) upon collision with an approaching sheet (B) with at least one component in the transport direction (T) of the sheets (B) such that, with the foot region (27) stationary, it deflects or can deflect with its free end (28) several millimeters out of its rest position in the transport direction (T).

3. Feeder according to claim 2, characterized in that the sheet flap leaf (26; 26.x) is designed to be elastically deformable in such a way that a deflection of the free end (28) by several millimeters already occurs when a force is applied in the region of the free end (28) with a force component in the transport direction (T) of the sheets (B) that is less than one tenth of a Newton per one millimeter of width of the relevant sheet flap leaf (26; 26.x) in at least one longitudinal portion adjoining the foot region (27).

4. Feeder according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the sheet flap (11) comprises a carrier element (12), which is pivotably mounted in the feeder (01) and on which the sheet flap leaf (26; 26.x) is arranged directly or indirectly in such a way that, in the first position of the bearing device (11), it is situated in the transport path provided for the transport of the sheets (B) to be conveyed out of the feeder (01), so as to form the stop with its stop surface (09).

5. Feeder according to claim 4, characterized in that the carrier element (12) is designed as a shaft (12), on which a support (29) that supports the sheet flap leaf (26; 26.x) is provided.

6. Feeder according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the sheet flap leaf (26; 26.x) has, in at least one portion, a free length (L26) between the point of fixation in the foot region (27) and the free end (28) of at least 18 mm.

7. Feeder according to claim 4, 5 or 6, characterized in that the sheet flap leaf (26; 26.x) has, along the entirety or at least a sub-portion of its free length (L26) between the point of fixation in the foot region (27) and the free end (28), a material thickness (d) of at most 0.50 mm.

8. Feeder according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, characterized in that the sheet flap leaf (26; 26.x) is formed from a steel and / or is formed at the free end (28) by a folded spine of a bent-over material portion (32).

9. Feeder according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the sheet flap leaf (26; 26.x) is of multipart design and comprises a plurality of adjacent, spaced-apart sheet flap leaf portions (26.x) which are arranged on a common support (29) or on a plurality of support portions (29.y).

10. Feeder according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the sheet flap leaf (26) or a respective sheet flap leaf portion (26.x) has a length (L26) that varies across the width.

11. Feeder according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that the sheet flap leaf (26) or a respective sheet flap leaf portion (26.x) has notches or cutouts (31) in the region of the free end (28).

12. Machine for processing substrate sheets (B), comprising a feeder (01) by which substrate sheets (B) to be processed can be fed on the inlet side to a substrate path leading through the machine, comprising one or more units which are provided in the substrate path and by which the substrate sheets (B) can be processed, and comprising a delivery device by which the processed substrate sheets (B) can be brought together to form bundles, characterized by the design of the feeder (01) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. Machine according to claim 12, characterized in that the machine comprises, in the substrate path, at least one unit designed as a die-cutting or embossing unit.

14. Machine according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the machine is designed as a machine for processing cardboard or paperboard sheets or as a machine for processing composite material sheets comprising cardboard or paperboard, and the feeder (01) is configured to separate substrate sheets (B) made of cardboard, paperboard, corrugated cardboard or a composite material and to feed them to a conveyor line leading into a downstream unit.

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