Method of assembling numbered documents in order

Abstract

This method and apparatus starts with a lot of distinctively numbered documents consisting of a plurality of stacks of sheets, each sheet bearing multiple reproductions of the document. The documents in corresponding locations of successive sheets in the stack are in consecutive numerical order. In each sheet, the documents are arranged by rows and columns in an arbitrary, nonconsecutive numerical order in which successive members of the order bear numbers separated by a fixed difference. The method involves separating the stacks of documents into a plurality of piles, each pile having its documents in consecutive numerical order, but with the corresponding documents in successive piles separated by said fixed difference. The piles from successive stacks are deposited on successive ones of a plurality of tributary conveyors, all of which deliver their piles to a main conveyor. The delivery of the documents from the tributary conveyors to a loading run of the main conveyor is gated so that each tributary conveyor delivers one pile at a time to the main conveyor. The gates can open only when there is a pile awaiting delivery at every gate and when the loading run of the main conveyor is unoccupied. The piles are deposited on the main conveyor with their documents consecutively numbered from one pile to the next. Two stages of tributary conveyors and main conveyors are provided for handling large consecutive sequences of numbers.