Xerox Corporation

David C Lasher

Kenneth F Blanchard

Karl E Liechty

A set separator for offsetting sets of sheets of paper is provided. A first set of paddle wheels is provided which, in one position, directs a sheet of paper forwards towards a stop wall and to one side, and in a second position directs the sheet of paper forwards towards the wall and to the opposite side. A pair of sideposts is spaced apart more than the dimension of the leading edge of the sheet of paper so that only one post is engaged by one side edge of a sheet of paper, when the paddle wheels are in the first position, and only the other post is engaged by the opposite side edge of a sheet of paper when the paddle wheels are in the second position. The sideposts rotate in directions opposite to one another to move the sheet forwards toward the wall. A second pair of paddle wheels, also spaced apart more than the dimension of the leading edge of the sheet of paper so that only one paddle wheel engages the sheet of paper at a time, is located adjacent the stop wall. The second pair of paddle wheels rotates in directions opposite to one another about axes which extend in the same general direction that the sheet of paper moves. A particular one of the second pair of paddle wheels engages the sheet of paper at a particular time to urge the paper in the same side direction that the first pair of paddle wheels is uging the sheet. The second pair of paddle wheels acts to keep the sheet from riding up the wall. The first pair of paddle wheels is in one position until the required number of sheets are received to make up one set. Then the first pair of paddle wheels is changed to its other position to direct the sheets of another set toward the opposite side of the separator to laterally offset the sets from one another.

Set separator

An automatic document handler for supplying documents singly to the platen of a processing apparatus such as a copying machine. Following copying, each document is returned to the document supply where the used documents are kept separated from documents awaiting copying by means of a resettable bail bar. To position the documents properly for copying, the document handler includes a register against which the document trailing edge is abutted through reversal of the platen transport belt. To allow the document to be removed and the platen cleared for the next document, means are provided to remove the register and lower a document deflector into an intercept position, the deflector then serving to guide the document into a predetermined return path back to the document supply without interfering with movement of the next document forward. The platen transport comprises an endless belt conveyor supported for substantially single line contact with the platen surface at a point adjacent to and parallel with the register.

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Canandaigua, NY, United States of America

David C Lasher