Xerox Corporation

Thomas R Cross

Clifford L George

Thomas Acquaviva

Jacob W Patla

In a document handling system for a copier, for sequentially feeding and registering document sheets to the imaging station, including a registration gate retractably insertable into the document feeding path to engage and register an edge of the document fed thereagainst; the registration gate has first and second registration sides spaced apart by a preset defined distance, the first edges of the documents are registered against one side of the registration gate while it is inserted into the document feeding path, and the document feeding and registering system then lifts the gate and feeds the document past the gate, and then reverses the direction of motion of selected documents to back their opposite edges into registration with the opposite (second) side of the gate in coordination with reinserting the gate into the document path and in coordination with also registering a first edge of the next-fed document against the first side of the gate, and then the gate is re-retracted and those two (or more) documents are fed to the imaging station for 'two-up' copying with a registered spacing between them determined by the thickness of the gate.

Automatic 'two-up' document registration and feeding for copiers

An apparatus in which a plurality of articles are stapled to one another. The apparatus includes a commom member for actuating sequentially the stack clamper, staple driver and staple clincher.

Stapling apparatus

A stapler device is disclosed for a finishing station in a copying or duplicating machine which is arranged to produce automatically a predetermined number of copy sheet sets in accordance with a collated document stack. The copy sheets are compiled into individual sets and stapled in the upper left-hand corner of each set as viewed in a reading orientation. The staple has its bridge (crown) portion angularly related to the edges of a set corner, and for optimum strength for which the staple is capable, the angle is such as to be perpendicular to the diagonal of the set.

Stapler arrangement for a copier/finisher

Sorter with bin indicator

A sheet sorting apparatus having a main bin and a plurality of sorting bins. Multiple vertical transports advance copy sheets to the main bin or to the sorting bins according to the desired mode of operation. A horizontal transport advances the copy sheets onto one of two oppositely moving vertical transports via a pivotally mounted gate which is moved from a first position when in a sorting mode of operation into a second position when in a stacking mode of operation. At least one of the vertical transports is pivotally mounted to provide access to the sorting bins.

Sorting apparatus

A sheet sorting apparatus including a main bin and a plurality of sorting bins positioned adjacent to the main bin. A sheet transport including a horizontal conveyor and a vertical conveyor advance copy sheets from a copy processor past the inlets of the sorting bins. A deflector in the sheet path is actuatable from a first position to direction sheets into the main bin to a second position to direct sheets onto the horizontal conveyor which the moves them onto the vertical conveyor for entry into the sorting bins. The horizontal and vertical conveyors have a common drive and are of the vacuum type such that sheets can be handled face down past the main bin and directed along a path adjacent the inlets of the sorting bins.

A compact sheet sorting apparatus having a first modular assembly which includes a plurality of bins and a second modular assembly which includes a sheet transport for transporting sheets along the inlets of the bins. The second modular assembly is juxtaposed with the first assembly and is pivotally mounted to move from a first position when in a sorting mode of operation to a second position opened away from the first assembly to provide access thereto.

Compact sorting apparatus

A bin indicator device for sheet sorting apparatus which includes a plurality of bins for receiving copy sheets advanced from a processor. Extending along the transport path adjacent to the inlets of the bins are a pair of helical screw members which rotatably support and advance a carriage carrying deflector fingers which deflect the copy sheets into the bins. The drive for rotating the helical screw members includes a motor spring which drives a single revolution latching device to provide intermittent movement of the carriage past the inlets of each of the bins which are numbered. A bin indicator device is secured to the carriage to identify the last bin to receive a copy sheet in the event of a jam or malfunction in the sorter and/or processor. A clutch which is connected to the drive of the transport rewinds the motor spring after untensioning thereof after a sorting run to reset the carriage at the bin starting position.

Bin indicator device

Sheet distributing apparatus for a sorter which includes a plurality of bins for receiving copy sheets advanced from a processor. Extending along the sheet path adjacent to the inlets of the bins are a pair of helical screw members which rotatably support and advance a carriage carrying deflector members which direct the copy sheets into the bins. The drive for rotating the helical screw members include a motor spring which drive a single revolution latching device to provide intermittent movement of the carriage past the inlets of each of the bins. A clutch which is connected to the drive of the sheet transport rewinds the motor spring after untensioning thereof after a sorting run.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

Thomas R Cross