Abstract: In an image processing machine, having a housing, and including, within the housing, at least one sheet stack accumulation station at which a stack of sheets having been operated on by the image processing machine are accumulated, a method and apparatus for automated post processing sheet stack binding is disclosed which may comprise: an automated sheet stack binding station; a sheet stack transfer mechanism adapted to seize a stack of sheets and to transfer the stack of sheets from the accumulation tray to the automated sheet stack binding station and to hold the stack of sheets in a binding position at the automated sheet stack binding station during a binding operation; a sheet stack binding strip supply mechanism containing a plurality of sheet stack binding strips; a sheet stack binding strip transfer mechanism adapted to transfer one of the sheet stack binding strips from the sheet stack binding strip supply mechanism to the automated sheet stack binding station; the automated sheet stack binding statio

Abstract: Sheet receiving apparatus is disclosed for receiving paper sheets from a supply of printed sheets, aligning the sheets edgewise, dropping the sheets to a receiver tray through horizontally openable preliminary sheet supporting plates, the sets of sheets being either stacked in vertical alignment or horizontally offset relationship, and in one form means are provided for stapling the sets of sheets.

Abstract: A continuous sheet stacker and finisher apparatus and method are disclosed in which sets of sheets delivered from a sheet printer or copier are collected at an assembly station, moved to a stapling position and finished prior to deposit on a stack of previously finished sets. The set assembling continues during movement of a previously collected set to the stapling station and then to a stacker in which the finished sets are collected during the period of time that a printer or copier is supplying a new set of sheets to the sheet assembly station.

Abstract: A sheet receiving sorting device or mailbox has a sheet infeed including a short, pivoted distributor to direct sheets from the infeed, selectively or in sequence, to the input ends of an array of sheet guides extending at angles radiating from the center of the infeed outwardly to the inlet ends of a vertical stack of trays. At the sheet infeed ends of the trays are drive rolls for carrying the sheets into the trays depending upon the positioning of the distributor with respect to the array of sheet guides. The frame structure enables removal of the guides for sheet jam removal.

Abstract: A random access sheet receiver has pairs or sets of trays for receiving sheets arranged in vertically spaced relation and extending horizontally in opposite directions from a central sheet path defined by gates and feed rollers and extending vertically between the sheet inlet ends of the trays. Each set of trays may have one or a plurality of trays of selected sheet capacity. A double acting actuator is employed to selectively actuate any gate or deflector randomly to direct sheets in a selected direction into a selected tray.

Abstract: A random access mailbox has a stack of horizontally extended trays for receiving sheets of paper supplied from a printer. A modular construction provides a sheet transport system including gates to deflect sheets into a selected tray from sheet feeding rollers incorporated in the modules for carrying sheets through a sheet path defined between the rollers and pressure applying rollers to the respective gates which can be actuated randomly to deflect a sheet from the rollers into a selected tray between cooperative modules. A sheet detector is provided at each gate along the feed path to detect the presence of a sheet at any location along the feed path. The gates or deflectors nest or overlap vertically to reduce overall height of the apparatus and provide continuity to the sheet guide surfaces.

Abstract: A sorter of the moving bin type has a set of horizontally extended trays moved vertically between positions above and below a sheet entry location by cams which provide an enlarged entry space. A stapler is moved between a non-stapling position and a stapling position. The cams also enlarge the space between trays at the stapling position to permit a tray to be received in the throat of the stapler between stapler anvil and body.A sheet aligning jogger has opposed jogging bars extending vertically at opposite sides of the trays and simultaneously moveable towards and away from one another to engage opposite sides of the sheets in the trays to align the side edges of the sets of sheets in a neat stack. The jogging bars are also rotated in opposite directions to apply a force to the sheets urging the trailing edge of the sheets opposite to the direction of feed into the trays against an alignment surface on the tray normal to the side edges for aligning the trailing edges of the sheets in the set.

Abstract: A sorter has a tray moving cam construction which is an assembly of molded plastic parts including an elongated noncircular shaft and a pair of similar cam parts turned 180.degree., end-to-end and having a hub slidably applicable to the shaft from opposite ends, or over opposite ends of a supporting core shaft, the hubs or the core shaft having an axial opening conforming with the non-circular shaft keying them together for rotation, and complemental cam segments on the hubs combine to provide a complete cam profile when the cam parts are applied to the shaft or core shaft in opposite axial directions from opposite ends of the shaft.

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.

Abstract: A sheet sorting machine of the shifting tray type has a plurality of trays mounted for shifting movement past a sheet infeed location during sorting operation. The trays are pivoted to widely spaced relation at the entry location and are also cammed open by tray ends at distal ends of the trays in response to the pivotal motion. A tray support is moved with the trays to maintain uniform tray angle.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for automatic printers has a single cassette sheet feeder in which the printer rests. The printer supports an over-the-top feed apparatus which receives sheets from the cassette and transports sheets to the platen of the printer and from the platen to a receiver.

Abstract: A sheet receiver has a plurality of trays to receive paper sheets in a sequential or selected order as sheets are successively fed to the receiver from a source, such as a printer or copier, and transported to the inlet ends of the trays between opposing transport rolls which define a continuous straight paper path past the trays. Selected pressure or nip rolls are actuated from positions relative to feed rolls forming the straight path past the trays to positions relative to an adjacent feed roll to interrupt the straight paper path and form a nip at which the rolls are positioned to change the direction of sheet travel to direct a sheet into a tray.

Abstract: A sheet sorting machine of the movable bin type has a frame structure which supports a plurality of bins at one end of the bins, adjacent to a sheet entry location, the other ends of the bins being free and spaced for removal of sorted sets of sheets. The bins have pairs of trunnions at opposite sides engageable with one another and by pairs of bins shifting spiral cams to raise and lower the bins in parallelism. The trunnions for the bins and the spiral cams are mounted in spring loaded housing with springs which bias the trunnions into the spiral cams, and a trunnion is always in the cam track of the spiral cams.

Abstract: A sorting machine is provided to receive successive sheets from an outlet from a copying machine. The sorting machine has plural trays mounted to move progressively past the sheet outlet in opposite directions, the trays being relatively close together when positioned at either side of the outlet, but adjacent trays being widely spaced to accommodate the incoming sheets from the outlet. The trays are fed past and spaced at the outlet by driven members at opposite sides of the tray which engage and shift stacked tray supports in succession.

Abstract: A sorting machine is provided to receive successive sheets from an outlet from a copying machine. The sorting machine has plural trays mounted so that the inlet ends of the trays move progressively past the sheet outlet in opposite directions, the inlet ends of the trays being relatively close together when positioned at either side of the outlet, but the inlet ends of adjacent trays being widely spaced to accommodate the incoming sheets from the outlet of the copier. The trays are fed past and spaced at the outlet by driven members at opposite sides of the tray which engage and shift stacked tray supports in succession. The other ends of the trays are supported for relative angular and longitudinal sliding movements on a vertically shiftable support timed with the feed of the inlet ends to minimize tray angle.