International Business Machines Corporation

Gary A Clark

Carl A Queener

Frederick W Johnson

George G Promis, Jr

The invention concerns a method and apparatus for operating a multibin sheet collator, particularly a copier/collator installation. Additional to the number of sets to be collated, the number of sheets contained in each set is entered into the collator logic. If this number of sheets in a set exceeds the capacity of a single collator bin, adjacent bins are grouped together and treated as one virtual bin with increased capacity, thus extending the collator usage. Sheets exceeding the total capacity of the collator can be fed into additional receptacles.

Method and apparatus for adaptive collation

In an electrophotographic apparatus, a plurality of original sheets are copied onto a plurality of copy sheets in an order permitting assembly of multiple-sheet booklets. The originals are presented to an automatic document feeder by an operator in one order which repeatedly presents the originals to the copier for reproduction in another order. The copies are reduced in size and placed adjacent each other onto both sides of sheets of copy paper in a sequence facilitating booklet assembly. Initially the originals are loaded into the automatic document feeder with the lowest numbered original page presented to the copier first. Odd-numbered originals are copied onto successive halves of copy sheets. When half of the originals have been copied, the copies are reloaded into the copier to permit copying of odd-numbered originals onto halves of the backs of the same copies. Thereafter, the originals are restacked in reverse order with the last-numbered page presented to the copier first, and the copies are reloaded. Copying is completed by copying the even-numbered originals onto the remaining halves of the copies, in the same manner as the odd-numbered originals, to give a completed booklet. Copy operation may be facilitated: by the use of a recirculating document feed in place of the automatic document feed, by rotation of originals or copies during the reloading/restacking operation or by double exposure of the copies. Duplexed originals may be used in place of originals having images on one side only.

Booklet preparation utilizing an electrophotographic apparatus

A method and apparatus is disclosed for generating duplex copies from simplex originals. A plurality of originals are sequentially fed through the copying area of an electrophotographic copying machine during a first pass with a predetermined number of copies being electrophotographically made only with respect to each original appearing at an even number in the sequence as fed to the copying area and with the copies being made on one side of separate sheets of copy paper withdrawn from a storage receptacle. After collection of the sheets of copy paper from the copying area, these sheets are replaced in the storage receptacle and the plurality of originals again sequentially fed through the copying area of the copying machine during a second pass. During this second pass through the copying area, a predetermined number of electrophotographic copies equal to the number made during the first pass are made with respect to each original appearing at an odd number in the sequence as fed to the copying area with the copies being made on the side of the sheets opposite to that used during first pass copying, these sheets having been previously replaced in the storage receptacle and withdrawn therefrom for a second time during copying. Through proper orientation of the sheets replaced in the storage receptacle, duplex copies are therefore made from adjacent originals in the sequence of originals as fed to the copying area during each pass.

Method and apparatus for generating duplex copies

Method and apparatus are described for job recovery when jamming of copies occurs in copying devices generating duplex copies electrophotographically from either simplex or duplex originals. Recovery from jams while copying the first side of simplex or duplex originals can normally be immediately effected during the initial, or normal, run, after clearing the jam. Recovery from jams during copying of the second side is effected by clearing the jammed copies from the copying device, optionally inserting blank sheets as the initial copying run is continued to flag the position of each of the removed jammed copies in the generated stack of copies, rerunning the originals through the copying device after completion of the initial copying run with duplex copies being generated only as necessary to replace jammed copies occurring during the initial run, and then inserting the duplex copies last made in the proper positions in the stack of copies made during the initial run, which copies replace the blank flagging sheets, if utilized. The apparatus includes a plurality of counters, memory registers and comparators interconnected by logic circuitry to semi-automatically effect job recovery due to jammed copies occurring during duplex copying from either simplex or duplex originals.

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Longmont, CO, United States of America

Gary A Clark