The Mead Corporation

Daniel T Noonan

Barry C Kockler

James W Davis

Lonnie K Spears

Donald F Renfrow

Bradley W Larson

Harley F Bean

John E Dobson

N Flynt Moreland

Apparatus is disclosed for preparing side-stitched documents. The apparatus includes means for feeding a series of sheets to be included in said document in a paused, timed, preselected order, a downstream, in-line accumulating station to receive the sheets, first clamping means associated with the accumulating station for grasping a complete assembly of sheets on the side opposite the side to be stitched, and means for moving said clamped assembly to a downstream, in-line stitching station. The stitching station includes a stitching head to make two or more stitches in the assembled sheets at selected loci along their edge, means for moving the stitched assembly downstream from the stitching station, stop means downstream of the stitching station to stop movement of the side-stitched document, second clamping means associated with said stop means for grasping the document on its upstream side transverse to the stitched side, means for releasing the first clamping means from the document and returning said clamping means to the accumulating station, and means for releasing the second clamping means and transferring the side-stitched, document to a packing station.

Apparatus and method for preparing multipage, side-stitched documents

Apparatus is disclosed for preparing side-stitched (and preferably taped) documents which lie flat when opened on a flat support surface, such as a desk. The apparatus includes means for feeding a series of sheets to the apparatus in a paused, timed, preselected order, scoring means for impressing a vertical score line along one edge of each sheet as it passes through the scoring means, means for changing the position of the scoring element of the scoring means so that the score line of each sheet can be offset from the score line of adjacent sheets in the document being prepared, a downstream, in-line accumulating station to receive scored sheets from the scoring means, first clamping means associated with the accumulating station to grasp a complete assembly of sheets on the side opposite the score lines, means for moving the clamped assembly to and through in-line, downstream operating units including a stitching station and a stopping station, a stitching station including a stitching (stapling) head for making two or more stitches in the assembly at loci adjacent to and exterior of the score lines, and a stopping station including second clamping means for grasping the side-stitched document on its upstream side transverse to the stitched side.

Apparatus and method for preparing multipage, taped, side-stitched

Document scanner

A paper handling system is used in combination with a duplicator of the type having a printing station and means for conveying printed sheets from the printing station. The paper handling system includes a gravity feed accumulator for receiving sheets from the sheet conveying means and collecting them in a set, a finishing station positioned at the lower level of the accumulator for receiving collected sets from the accumulator and including a stapling device for binding together the sheets of the set, an elevator which communicates with the finishing station to receive bound pamphlets therefrom, and a stacking device which is positioned above the finishing station and communicates with the elevator for receiving pamphlets and arranging them in a stack. The stacking device includes an upper level stacking station, a discharge station located beneath the stacking station, and a movable tray which is capable of being indexed between the upper level and the discharge station. The discharge station includes a discharge conveyor which transports the offset stack of sets of sheets from the tray to a shelf positioned at an optimum height above the floor of the work area within which the paper handling system is located.

Paper handling system

Reproduction machine

The utility of a document exposing system for a copying machine that has a separate exposure platen for bulky documents with a cover containing a transport mechanism, is improved by providing for the platen cover to swing up and away from the platen by being pivoted on a horizontal hinge axis that is remote the rear edge of the platen and by providing for the single sheet document feeder to pivot away from the side of the platen by turning about a vertical axis located behind the back edge of the platen. Thus, an open, unobstructed volume over and at the side of the platen is provided whereby pages of extremely large bound volumes may be copied.

Large document access for a scanning system of a copying machine

Ink jet printer

Growing community of inventors

Irving, TX, United States of America

Daniel T Noonan