Abstract: The invention concerns a method and apparatus for operating a copier/collator installation. By disabling the copier portion insofar as copy production is involved, the copier/collator installation can be used as an offline collator. This extended function allows the execution of copy and collate jobs which exceed the capacity of the collator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a small collator/sorter adaptable for use with a document producing machine such as a copier and having particular utility as the only output receptacle. The collator/sorter is a multi-pocket device with a limited number of bins, each of which has a limited copy capacity and is well suited to be constructed and arranged as an integral part of a copier serving as a replacement for the conventional exit tray. The paper bins are preferably contained within a small space such that they can be unloaded in a one hand operation.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of controlling a multi-bin sheet collator. Adjacent collator bins are treated as one virtual bin and sheet feeding is controlled appropriately by skipping bins if the number of sets to be collated equals or is smaller than half the number of bins. Thus, multi-page documents having a number of pages exceeding the capacity of a single bin can be collated. In a combined copier/collator the number of copies selected by the operator determines the number of sets, and thus the size and grouping of the virtual bins.

Abstract: Ferromagnetic chromium dioxode is normally produced using other chromium compounds as starting materials. In most reactions a Cr(VI) compound, such as chromium trioxide is used in some stage of the procedure. Following the conversion reaction there are inevitably small amounts of the original chromium (VI) ions in the form of salts or oxide compounds which are strongly adsorbed on or attached to the chromium dioxide in a manner which prevents them from being easily removed by normal washing techniques. These Cr(VI) ions, if left in the chromium dioxide can cause problems. These disadvantages have now been overcome by treating the impure chromium dioxide with a peroxide compound in a manner which causes the Cr(VI) ions to change their character and allow their removal from the chromium dioxide.