The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 30, 1992
Filed:
Jul. 16, 1991
Frederick J Lawrence, Tustin, CA (US);
Gradco (Japan) Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A sheet sorter for a copy producing machine has trays which are sequentially moved past a sheet entry location by a tray shifting device. Sheets are fed into the trays to form collated sets. A gripper is moved from a retracted position into a position at the trailing edge of the sheets to grip a set of sheets during stapling operations and partially remove the set of sheets from the tray and move the set into the throat of a stapler. After stapling, the gripper returns the stapled set to the same tray and releases it. Alternative forms of devices are disclosed for opening the trays to receive sheets from an infeed and for affording space for the gripping means to move between adjacent trays in a space between trays provided by the tray shifting cams.