Gradco Japan Ltd.

Gradco Systems, Inc.

Graoco (Japan) Ltd

Bradco (Japan) Ltd.

Peter M Coombs

Klaus Thogersen

James R Seay

Bradford Billings

Edward Seibel

Niels Hvid

Frederick J Lawrence

Masakazu Takeuchi

Kiichiro Noguchi

Bryson Bennett

Hans Graafmans

Ryan S Stevenson

Newton H Lee, Jr

Richard S Howell, Jr

Søren Dybdal

Bryson Bennet

An automatic stapling apparatus and method is disclosed which may have a stapling mechanism moved by a stapler engaging mechanism into a stapling position in relation to a stack of sheets to be stapled, inserted through a stack insertion opening, and adapted to staple a stack of sheets up to a maximum thickness, and may comprise: a sheet stack thickness gauging apparatus adapted to move into a sheet stack thickness gauging position prior to the stapling mechanism being moved by the stapler engaging mechanism into the stapling position; the sheet stack thickness gauging apparatus being further adapted to engage any object within the insertion opening in position to be engaged by the stapler which is of a thickness greater than or equal to a pre-selected thickness; and, a safety disconnect apparatus adapted to prevent the operation of the stapler in the event that the sheet stack thickness gauging apparatus engages an object in the insertion opening in position to be engaged by the stapler which is of a thickness greater than or equal to the pre-selected thickness. The apparatus and method may further comprise the safety disconnect apparatus being adapted to prevent the operation of the stapler engaging mechanism. The sheet stack thickness gauging apparatus may further comprise: a safety gate lever pivotally mounted for pivoting movement about a pivot axis by the operation of a portion of the stapler engaging mechanism prior to the stapling mechanism being moved by the stapler engaging mechanism into the stapling position, up to a point where the sheet stack thickness gauging apparatus is in an operating position.

Automatic stapling method and stapler

A set finishing apparatus and method adapted for use with an image producing machine discharging sheets of paper in sets that are arranged for finishing is disclosed which may comprise: a moveable set finishing unit having a home position and a plurality of set finishing station positions located generally along a longitudinal axis, and having at least at each finishing station position a retracted position and an operating position, with each respective finishing station retracted position and operating position displaced from each other generally orthogonally to the longitudinal axis; a drive motor having an output drive shaft; a translational drive mechanism comprising a rotating shaft mounted generally parallel to the to the longitudinal axis and operatively connected to the drive motor output drive shaft and adapted to rotate in a rotating direction in response to rotation of the drive motor output drive shaft in a rotating direction; and, the moveable set finishing station being operatively connected to the rotating shaft of the translational drive mechanism in such a way as to be moved sequentially through each of the set finishing station positions and returned to the home position without changing the rotating direction of the drive motor output drive shaft or the rotating direction of the translational drive mechanism rotating shaft. The translational drive mechanism may be adapted to move the moveable set finishing unit out of the retracted position and into the operating position by changing the rotating direction of the drive motor output shaft. The translational drive mechanism rotating shaft may further comprise: an generally cylindrical outer surface of the rotating shaft having formed therein a traveling track groove; and the moveable set finishing unit may further comprise: a traveling track groove follower attached to the moveable set finishing unit and adapted to engage the traveling track groove and move within the traveling track groove when the translational drive mechanism rotating shaft is rotated.

SET FINISHING DEVICE HAVING A SINGLE MOTOR DRIVEN APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING THE SET FINISHING DEVICE IN A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT FINISHING STATIONS AND MOVING THE SET FINISHING DEVICE INTO AND OUT OF FINISHING POSITION

A sheet post processing machine has a first shelf for assembling a number of sheets without causing any inhibition to the speed of sheet delivery from a host printer or copier, and the assembled sheets are dumped from the first shelf to a second shelf at which the sheets are collected in sets, jogged into edge alignment, stapled at the corners or along an edge, the sets are offset from one another, and finally, dumped from the second shelf onto a stacker tray.

High speed post processing machine

Apparatus is provided for receiving and assembling sheets in a binding station at which thermal binding strips are automatically supplied to the side edges of the assembled sets, the sheet receiving trays at the binding station are laterally moved apart to allow a set of assembled bound or unbound sheets to gravitate to a stapling station at which an assembled set of sheets may be stapled together, and the trays forming the stapling station are moved laterally apart to allow the stapled set to gravitate to a stacker tray which is allowed to move downwardly as progressive sets are deposited on the stacker tray and the stacker tray is moved upwardly to a set receiving position following removal of finished sets.

Method and apparatus for set binding, stapling and stacking

Set binding, stapling and stacking apparatus

A moving shelf set finishing mailbox has a plurality of trays vertically movable by rotatable cams to opposite sides of a sheet inlet location from which sheets are supplied serially from a copier or printer, the sheets being supported at their trailing edge on a shelf integral with the tray and their forward ends being supported by the tray and by any underlying sheets. The trays are sequentially or randomly moved by the rotary cams and when randomly moved, the apparatus functions as a mailbox in which the sheets are stapled while the trailing edges are supported on the shelf and the sets are moved by pushers from the shelf by pushers so that the trailing end of the sets are finally supported by the tray.

Moving shelf set finishing mailbox

A stapling stacker has a sheet infeed, a pivoted shelf on which the trailing ends of sheets are assembled with the leading ends supported by previously stacked sets, the sets are side edge aligned, stapled into sets and offset with respect to previously stapled sets, and the shelf then is operated to dump the trailing ends onto previously stapled sets of sheets on the stacker.

Stapling stacker

A printed sheet transporting apparatus has a sheet inlet adjustable to selected heights and including an optional inverter for incoming sheets, a sheet feed path leading to selected positions in which a deflector may be adjustably positioned for deflecting sheets to various receivers for the sheets which are mounted on the apparatus at a plurality of vertically spaced sheet receiving positions.

Selective sheet delivery apparatus

A punch is disclosed in which cams at the opposite ends of a rotary shaft move a spring returned mechanism so as to apply a force to a number of punches which are aligned across a pressure plate and movable towards a die plate for punching sheets of paper fed between the pressure plate and the die plate upon each revolution of the shaft and the cams, the punches being formed and supported by the pressure plate so as to progressively enter the sheet of paper to allow for a reduction in the motor force required for performing a punching operation.

Paper sheet punch for sheet post processing machines

A sorter mailbox has a sheet transport for moving sheets through a feed path to a set or sets of vertically spaced receiver trays having sheet deflecting gates which are actuated so as to sowing toward or into an open sheet deflecting position so as to contact with light spring pressure a sheet moving through the sheet feed path but to open to deflect the sheet into a selected tray from the sheet feed path.

Mailbox with spring biased gates

A moving bin sorter of the type in which the trays are individually and collectively moved vertically relative to a sheet inlet location and opened to provide an enlarged sheet entry space for receiving the sheets, has cams and counterbalancing springs to lift the trays supported in a support structure which maintains the trays in parallel relation, thereby maintaining equal spacing for printed sheet storage along the complete effective length of the trays. In one form, the support structure is a unit moved upwardly by the springs, and in another form, the support structure has a member integrated with the tray housing and a cooperative member moved upwardly by the springs, the trays being supported at all times in parallel relation.

Parallel moving tray sorter

A moving bin sorter of the type in which the trays are individually and collectively moved vertically relative to a sheet inlet location and opened to provide an enlarged sheet entry space for receiving the sheets, has trays displaced in a manner which controls and allows them to move parallel to each other at all times. Alignment and registration units have steel rule type members oppositely extensible into the enlarged sheet entry space with pads on the ends thereof conforming in shape to the enlarged sheet entry space for aligning the edges of various sizes of sheets and moving sets of sheets laterally of the trays to a stapler and returning the stapled sets towards the center of the trays.

Alignment means and fixed stapler

A self-contained offset stacker tray assembly is operable in conjunction with the sheet output of a host printer or copier to receive sheets from the host machine and deposit the sheets in offset sets. The assembly includes a supporting base for a frame structure reciprocable transversely of the direction of sheet infeed from the host and containing a receiver tray, infeed rolls to supply sheets to the trays, a rotary cam mechanism for shifting the frame assembly relative to the output from the host machine and the receiver tray being vertically movable within the frame structure and biased upwardly by counter balancing springs to be moved downwardly as the weight of the sheets in the tray increases.

Offset stacker

A moving tray sorter has a set of trays configured to extend upwardly from a horizontal plane at the point of sheet entry and each tray has progressively from the sheet inlet end a back stop against which the trailing edges of sheet are aligned, a horizontally extended section and an upwardly inclined section of a substantial angle from the horizontal providing trays which are short, which occupy a relatively small area or footprint and which support sheets of relatively large size and overhang without droop of the sheets at the outer ends.

Tray configuration for sheet receiving apparatus

A sheet receiver has multiple trays for receiving printed sheets from a host copier or printer to collate or receive the printed sets or jobs made up of sequential sheets fed to the trays by an infeed roll driven at variable speeds depending upon the measured length of the sheets as they are moved past a sheet sensor by the infeed roll.

Growing community of inventors

Tustin, CA, United States of America

Peter M Coombs