Horizon International Inc.

Koji Oishi

Yoshiyuki Horii

A plurality of rows of sheet loading stations for receiving a supply of sheets to be collated are spaced in parallel with one another. A sheet receiving and transfering line having a plurality of sheet receiving stations aligned for receiving sheets from the sheet loading stations is arranged. Sheet feeding mechanism is provided for repeatedly feeding sheets all together from each row of sheet loading stations to the sheet receiving stations. A mechanism for transferring sheets received at sheet receiving stations to the respective next sheet receiving stations on the sheet receiving and transfering line in order to receive sheets fed from another row of sheet loading stations according to a predetermined collation sequence. Even in case a number of pages should be collated, the reduction of the horizontal dimension of the collator is achieved so as to economize space for instaling the collator.

Collator with multiple rows of feeders

A paper feeding apparatus is provided wherein a paper supply shelf with a stack of paper sheets, from which the uppermost paper sheet of the stack is picked up, is guided for vertical movement and urged upwardly by the resilient force of a spring, and the upward movement of the paper supply shelf is limited by the engagement of the uppermost sheet of the stack with a stopper. The shelf is intermittently pushed down for a predetermined constant stroke by a click and ratchet arrangement. The picking up operation of the uppermost paper sheet of the stack is interlocked with the intermittently pushing down operation of the paper supply shelf, so that when the uppermost paper sheet of the stack is picked up, the paper supply shelf is synchronously lowered for a constant stroke.

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Kyoto, Japan

Koji Oishi