Buffered stacker with drop floor assembly

Abstract

A buffered stacking system for selectively diverting horizontally disposed documents from a generally horizontal main conveying path, stacking the documents in a horizontal orientation and dropping the documents into replaceable receiving receptacles is provided. The system has a primary horizontal conveyor belt with a lower horizontal reach defining a horizontal primary conveying path. A plurality of sorting stations are located serially along and below the primary conveying path. Each of the sorting stations has at least one diverter arm disposed along the conveying path. The diverter arms are selectively movable from a generally horizontal position which allows passage of the documents along the conveying path to an inclined position to divert the document into the corresponding sorting station. The diverter arms divert the document in a downwardly inclined direction into a stacking station. The stacking station is formed with a lower drop floor assembly for supporting the diverted documents in a stacked generally inclined orientation and for pivoting open to allow the stacked documents to fall into a replaceable receiving bin located below a drop floor which forms a part of the drop floor assembly. The stacking assembly also includes a method of operation whereby the drop floor is activated when the documents in the stacking bin are equal to or higher than a predetermined height and when additional documents are not being diverted into the stacking bin.