Abstract: A method and system for on-demand book production is provided in which covers and book content are synchronized at book binding equipment. In one exemplary system and method, a single printer prints a book cover followed by its corresponding book block. The cover and book block are each sequentially staged and synchronized together for binding in the binding equipment. In another method and system for on-demand book production, covers are printed and encoded at a first printer and a book block printing instruction is initiated in response to decoding of the cover in the binding equipment. Printing of the book block is in a separate but integrated printer and the book block is fed to the binding equipment for binding with the book cover. In each instance, synchronized book covers and book blocks are bound in and output from the binding equipment.

Abstract: A production and finishing system, particularly a printing and finishing system, for electronic management and control of a wide range of finishing processes characterized by input from multiple production operations and equipment that, depending upon the job, may be variably applied to work pieces that themselves are highly variable between different jobs. Particular emphasis is demonstrated in relation to printing and finishing operations for printed documents. The principles of the present invention, however, apply to such production and finishing systems as, without limitation, textile production (which may include printing, cutting, sewing, and finishing), packaging operations for various consumer and industrial products, and printed wiring board production, etc. The present invention is particularly applicable to many operations where processes for production of work pieces are managed separately from processes for finishing and packaging of such work pieces.

Abstract: A method and system for on-demand book production is provided in which covers and book content are synchronized at book binding equipment. In one exemplary system and method, a single printer prints a book cover followed by its corresponding book block. The cover and book block are each sequentially staged and synchronized together for binding in the binding equipment. In another method and system for on-demand book production, covers are printed and encoded at a first printer and a book block printing instruction is initiated in response to decoding of the cover in the binding equipment. Printing of the book block is in a separate but integrated printer and the book block is fed to the binding equipment for binding with the book cover. In each instance, synchronized book covers and book blocks are bound in and output from the binding equipment.

Abstract: A production and finishing system, particularly a printing and finishing system, for electronic management and control of a wide range of finishing processes characterized by input from multiple production operations and equipment that, depending upon the job, may be variably applied to work pieces that themselves are highly variable between different jobs. Particular emphasis is demonstrated in relation to printing and finishing operations for printed documents. The principles of the present invention, however, apply to such production and finishing systems as, without limitation, textile production (which may include printing, cutting, sewing, and finishing), packaging operations for various consumer and industrial products, and printed wiring board production, etc. The present invention is particularly applicable to many operations where processes for production of work pieces are managed separately from processes for finishing and packaging of such work pieces.

Abstract: A sheet feeder with single sheet bypass sheet feeding capability has a sheet support platform for supporting a stack of sheets, at least one sheet feed roll fixedly mounted on a rotatable shaft and having a segmented feed portion for contacting and feeding the top sheet in a stack of sheets and defining therewith a sheet feeding path, sheet registration rolls downstream of the feed roll, at least one sheet bypass registration finger upstream of the registration rolls and downstream of and freely mounted about the feed roll shaft in the sheet feeding path, a sheet bypass guide rotatably mounted about the sheet registration rolls, the bypass guide having an angled sheet entrance throat to center a sheet and guide the leading edge into said bypass registration finger, the feed roll being rotatable through an opening in the bypass guide from a nonfeeding, standby position where the segmented portion is on the side of the shaft opposite the sheet support platform and a sheet feeding position where the segmented po

Abstract: An automatic printing machine which forms an image on a sheet substrate has a multi-mode sheet output station in the form of a brush decision gate having a bidirectionally rotatable cylindrical fibrous brush to direct sheets upwardly over the top of the brush in a first sheet transport path when rotated in a counter clockwise direction and downwardly under the bottom of the brush in a second sheet transport path when rotated in a clockwise direction, the brush being selectively rotated in a clockwise and counter clockwise direction.

Abstract: A sheet stacker and an automatic printing machine containing a sheet stacker are provided comprising a generally horizontal stacking platform having an outboard and an inboard end, an arcuate turn baffle at the inboard end of the platform for guiding and turning sheets onto the platform having a convex side forming a drive nip with a sheet drive assembly comprising a rotatable dirve shaft having fixedly mounted thereto as least one cylindrical, compressible foam drive roll and least two cylindrical fiber brushes, the diameter of the fiber brushes being greater than the diameter of the foam drive rolls whereby the brushes when rotated urge the lead edge of a sheet being fed generally vertically downward toward the nip formed between the foam rolls and the baffle to enable the foam rolls to actively drive the sheet through the nip around the turn baffle onto the support platform toward the outboard end.

Abstract: A drive assembly for a stalled roll sheet feeding device is illustrated. It comprises a registration roll and a feed roll driven in timed sequence each with a control collar comprising a clutch to engage and disengage the respective shaft and each collar having control stops positioned to interact with a control arm pivotally mounted between them which with a solenoid actuator selectively pulls one end of the control arm down releasing the other and, when the solenoid is deenergized a spring positively retracts the control arm from engagement with the control collar. In a preferred embodiment the sheet feed roll comprises a segmented feed roll and a cam actuated spring is used to multiply the positive retraction force supplied to the control arm when it is retracted from engagement with the control collar.