International Business Machines Corporation

Paul S Bach

James A Craft

Richard A Lamos

Gerald B Lammers

Roger D Shepherd

James Charles Rogers

Harvey R Markham

Steven R Harding

A document feeder system, interfaced with a copier system having, inter alia, a semi-automatic document feeder (SADF), an automatic document feeder (ADF) a document queue, and an associated logic control system that allows the suspending of a prior task being run on either of the foregoing document feeders and the commencing of a subsequent or urgent task on any one of the other foregoing document feeders immediately thereafter. Thus, when an urgent task operator selects a feeder suspending/commencing mode button, a single control panel is instantly made available so that the urgent task copy quantity and feature selections can be made. After the foregoing is accomplished, the single copying of the prior task original document on the document viewing glass is completed and the document stored in the document queue or ejected into a prior task exit pocket. Then the chosen urgent task feeder is enabled for feeding. In addition, the prior task status is retained for recall without having to reformat the single control panel. Accordingly, when the urgent task is completed, the urgent task operator de-selects the feeder suspending/commencing mode button thereby causing the copy quantity and feature selections of the prior task to be re-entered into the single control panel and the prior task to be immediately re-commenced without further operator intervention.

Document feeder system having a suspending/commencing mode

A copier/collator installation wherein the copier's output copy sheets are collated into sets in a multi-bin collator. The collator bins are vertically stacked. Vertical stacking of the electrostatically charged and heated copy sheets, which therefore tend to curl, is enhanced by providing collator bins having electrically nonconductive walls. The bottom sheet-receiving walls are formed to have a generally concave cross section, facing upward. Considering the direction of sheet movement, this concave surface extends generally transverse the sheet movement. Pivoted and biased paper stabilizing wires hold down the leading portion of the sheet stack in the bin, and also absorbs the sheet's kinetic energy as the sheet enters the bin. A flexible, electrically nonconductive plastic flap, at the bin's entrance or mouth, holds down the sheet's trailing portion, and also absorbs the sheet's kinetic energy. A sheet discharging electrically conductive tinsel is mounted in the top of the bin, intermediate the stabilizing wire and the flap. This tinsel is mounted generally behind the flap so as not to physically engage the sheet.

Collator bins

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Paul S Bach