Roller/guide plate assembly for ninety degree document transfer unit

Abstract

An improvement for an apparatus conveying sheets of paper seriatim along a deck between a plurality of roller pairs, including lower driven rollers and corresponding upper biased idler rollers. The improvement comprises a roller and guide plate assembly pivotably mounted on the deck. The roller and guide plate assembly includes a guide plate operatively coupled to rigid support shafts and upper roller assemblies of the roller pairs, and means for supporting the guide plate a fixed distance above the deck. The guide plate is mounted to at least two shaft support blocks, the rigid support shafts for the upper roller assemblies being mounted to the support blocks above the guide plate, the guide plate including slots through which the biased upper rollers of the upper roller assemblies extend therethrough to cooperate with the corresponding lower driven rollers to convey sheets across the deck. One of the shaft support blocks is pivotably mounted to the deck whereby the roller and guide plate assembly is pivotable between a raised position and a lowered operating position. There is a locking mechanism, including a support bracket and means for locking the roller and guide plate assembly to the support bracket in the lowered operating position, the roller and guide plate assembly being supported by a lower leg of the support bracket when the roller and guide plate assembly is in a lowered operating position.