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A system and method for rotating sheets receiving cut sheets from a source and providing them to a utilization device. The rotator continually engages sheets with at least one drive component throughout the transport and rotation process. The rotator includes a transport mechanism having a plurality

A system and method for rotating sheets receiving cut sheets from a source and providing them to a utilization device. The rotator continually engages sheets with at least one drive component throughout the transport and rotation process. The rotator includes a transport mechanism having a plurality of nip roller pairs along the length of a feed table. The nip rollers (nips) can be selectively engaged with, and disengaged from, the driven rollers using discrete actuators. This allows for feed velocity differentials when entering and exiting the rotator feed table, and also for clearance during sheet rotation. A rotator disk assembly is centered on the table between, and comprises a driven rotator disk and an overriding, freely rotating pressure disk. When sheets enter or pass through the rotator section, the pressure disk is raised to provide a clearance for sheets to pass.

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1. A system for feeding and rotating sheets transported in a downstream direction between a source of sheets and a utilization device comprising: a feed table interconnecting the source of sheets and the utilization device, the feed table including a plurality of rotating drive elements positioned a

1. A system for feeding and rotating sheets transported in a downstream direction between a source of sheets and a utilization device comprising: a feed table interconnecting the source of sheets and the utilization device, the feed table including a plurality of rotating drive elements positioned at predetermined spacing along the feed table in the downstream direction;a plurality of actuable nip rollers that selectively engage with respective drive elements to form a respective drive nip therebetween and disengage from the drive elements to define a clearance therebetween;a rotator disk assembly including a rotating driven disk and opposing pressure disk that selectively engages the driven disk and disengages from the driven disk to provide clearance therebetween, the driven disk and the pressure disk each being located on a common rotational axis perpendicular to a plane of the feed table and the rotator disk assembly being located on the feed table between a plurality of the sets of drive elements upstream and a plurality of the sets of drive elements downstream of the driven disk;further comprising a controller that selectively disengages predetermined nip rollers adjacent to sheets to provide clearance for sheets as sheets are driven at a differential speed with respect to a drive speed provided by the plurality of rotating drive elements and engages the predetermined nip rollers adjacent to sheets when sheets are to be maintained in alignment on the feed table and driven along the feed table at the drive speed provided by the drive elements;wherein the controller selectively disengages at least some of the predetermined nip rollers adjacent to the rotator disk assembly to provide clearance for each of the sheets as the sheets are engaged by the pressure disk and rotated by the driven disk;wherein the controller selectively engages at least some of the predetermined nip rollers adjacent to the rotator disk assembly and disengages the pressure disk to provide a clearance after each of the sheets is rotated by the driven disk so as to transport each of the sheets downstream; andwherein the controller selectively disengages at least some of the predetermined nip rollers adjacent to an upstream end of the feed table when each of the sheets enters the feed table from the source at a source feed rate and engages at least some of the predetermined nip rollers adjacent to the upstream end when each of the sheets is stopped by the source on the upstream end to thereby engage and drive each of the sheets. 2. A system for feeding and rotating sheets transported in a downstream direction between a source of sheets and a utilization device comprising: a feed table interconnecting the source of sheets and the utilization device, the feed table including a plurality of rotating drive elements positioned at predetermined spacing along the feed table in the downstream direction;a plurality of actuable nip rollers that selectively engage with respective drive elements to form a respective drive nip therebetween and disengage from the drive elements to define a clearance therebetween;a rotator disk assembly including a rotating driven disk and opposing pressure disk that selectively engages the driven disk and disengages from the driven disk to provide clearance therebetween, the driven disk and the pressure disk each being located on a common rotational axis perpendicular to a plane of the feed table and the rotator disk assembly being located on the feed table between a plurality of drive elements upstream and a plurality of drive elements downstream of the driven disk;a base support for the pressure disk;wherein the pressure disk comprises an axially moving upper housing and a pressure plate, the upper housing and pressure plate being together that is freely rotatable with respect to the base support and movable laterally within a predetermined range with respect to the base support so as to align an axis of rotation of the pressure disk and an axis of rotation of the driven disk with the common rotational axis. 3. The system as set forth in claim 2 including a main shaft supported for sliding relative to the base support, the upper housing constructed and arranged to provide a clearance gap between the upper housing and the main shaft to allow the upper housing to move laterally with respect to the main shaft. 4. A system for feeding and rotating sheets transported in a downstream direction between a source of sheets and a utilization device comprising: a feed table interconnecting the source of sheets and the utilization device, the feed table including a plurality of rotating drive elements positioned at predetermined spacing along the feed table in the downstream direction;a plurality of actuable nip rollers that selectively engage with respective drive elements to form a respective drive nip therebetween and disengage from the drive elements to define a clearance therebetween;a rotator disk assembly including a rotating driven disk and opposing pressure disk that selectively engages the driven disk and disengages from the driven disk to provide clearance therebetween, the driven disk and the pressure disk each being located on a common rotational axis perpendicular to a plane of the feed table and the rotator disk assembly being located on the feed table between a plurality of drive elements upstream and a plurality of drive elements downstream of the driven disk;wherein the pressure disk is normally biased into an upward, retracted position by a biasing spring, and is movable axially within a base support against the spring bias, downwardly toward the driven disk under action of a solenoid assembly;a main shaft and bearing assembly that enable the main shaft to slide with respect to the base support, the pressure disk including a disk shaped end piece that is nested within a bell-shaped upper housing having a flat top surface and a chamfered top perimeter edge, the top surface providing a clearance with respect to the main shaft, the clearance allowing the upper housing to move laterally with respect to the shaft and corresponding common axis. 5. A system for feeding and rotating sheets transported in a downstream direction between a source of sheets and a utilization device comprising: a feed table interconnecting the source of sheets and the utilization device, the feed table including a plurality of rotating drive elements positioned at predetermined spacing along the feed table in the downstream direction;a plurality of actuable nip rollers that selectively engage with respective drive elements to form a respective drive nip therebetween and disengage from the drive elements to define a clearance therebetween;a rotator disk assembly including a rotating driven disk and opposing pressure disk that selectively engages the driven disk and disengages from the driven disk to provide clearance therebetween, the driven disk and the pressure disk each being located on a common rotational axis perpendicular to a plane of the feed table and the rotator disk assembly being located on the feed table between a plurality of drive elements upstream and a plurality of drive elements downstream of the driven disk;wherein the pressure disk is normally biased into an upward, retracted position by a biasing spring, and is movable axially within a base support against the spring bias, downwardly toward the driven disk under action of a solenoid assembly;a bearing assembly and an inner face plate, the bearing assembly being positioned between the inner face plate and the bottom face of the pressure disk, the plate have a limited range of is freely rotatable with respect to the common axis, being constructed and arranged to rotate with a predetermined range of eccentricity with respect to the common axis so that the sheet is substantially free of slippage with respect to the pressure disk during rotation in response to a minor misalignment between the sheet and the rotator disk assembly. 6. A system for feeding and rotating sheets transported in a downstream direction between a source of sheets and a utilization device comprising: a feed table interconnecting the source of sheets and the utilization device, the feed table including a plurality of rotating drive elements positioned at predetermined spacing along the feed table;a plurality of actuable nip rollers that selectively engage with respective drive elements;a rotator disk assembly including a rotating driven disk and opposing pressure disk that selectively engages the driven disk and disengages from the driven disk to provide clearance therebetween, the driven disk and the pressure disk each being located on a common rotational axis perpendicular to a plane of the feed table and the rotator disk assembly being located on the feed table between a plurality of the sets of drive elements upstream and a plurality of the sets of drive elements downstream of the driven disk;a base support for the pressure disk;wherein the pressure disk comprises an axially moving upper housing and a pressure plate, the upper housing and pressure plate together freely rotatable with respect to the base support and movable laterally within a predetermined range with respect to the base support so as to align an axis of rotation of the pressure disk and an axis of rotation of the driven disk with the common axis of rotation. 7. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the pressure disk is normally biased into an upward, retracted position, and is movable axially downwardly toward the driven disk. 8. The system as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a main shaft and a bearing assembly that enable the main shaft to slide axially with respect to the base support, the pressure disk including a disk-shaped end piece having a flat top surface bearing against the upper housing providing a clearance with respect to the main shaft, the clearance allowing the upper housing to move laterally with respect to the shaft and the common axis. 9. The system as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a bearing assembly and an inner face plate, the bearing assembly being positioned between the inner face plate and the pressure disk and being constructed and arranged to rotate with a predetermined range of eccentricity with respect to the common axis so that the sheet is substantially free of slippage with respect to the pressure disk during rotation in response to a minor misalignment between the sheet and the rotator disk assembly.