Abstract: A sheet-shaped medium aligning apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a sheet-shaped medium after-treatment apparatus where an arranging device is moved from a position predetermined to arrange sheet-shaped mediums on a sheet piling device to a position receiving the sheet-shaped mediums in a body so that, in taking out the sheet-shaped mediums from the body, an injury of hands or destruction of the arranging device can be prevented.

Abstract: A sheet containing device including a device frame, a sheet stacking portion that is provided in the device frame and supports sheets, an end regulating portion that abuts against an end of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking portion to perform positional regulation of the sheets, a hitting member that is arranged between the device frame and the end regulating member and moves in accordance with the movement of the end regulating member, and an abutting member for abutting the hitting member in a position to which the hitting member moves, in which deflection of the end regulating member is restricted by the device frame through the hitting member and the abutting member.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device comprises a conveying mechanism for conveying a sheet material almost horizontally; and a supporting member movably attached to the conveying mechanism for supporting a sheet material, at least two or more supporting members being provided as aforesaid supporting member in the widthwise direction of conveyance substantially orthogonal to the conveying direction of sheet material, and at least one or more of the aforesaid supporting members being capable of supporting a sheet material in positions having different heights in the direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet material, and further, the positions of the aforesaid supporting members for supporting a sheet material being variable substantially in the same direction as the conveying direction of sheet material.

Abstract: An adjustable gripper system for releasably holding at least one sheet against a surface includes an adjustment body, a gripper connected thereto for holding the sheet against the surface, and a cam follower to be actuated by a cam. The cam follower is connected to the adjustment body and displaces the adjustment body dependent upon a cam position, which correspondingly displaces the gripper along the surface. The system can be part of a sheet-collating pocket having a top portion, forward and rearward walls pivotally connected to one another and defining a sheet-receiving opening, which pocket can be part of a sheet-collating machine having the cam, a conveyor, a sheet feeding device, and other pockets. A method for adjusting the grippers positions the cam in the pocket path to contact each and selectively displace the gripper holding portion with dependent upon the cam position while the cam and pocket contact.

Abstract: An apparatus for centering preferably flat objects, in particular, printing plates, includes a centering device with portion that can be moved, in particular, can be driven, in opposite directions with respect to one another. The portions are coupled to one another for movement such that, during the centering operation, they move jointly and uniformly toward an axis of symmetry, which, at the same time, is the centering axis for the object that is to be centered. The centering operation results in reliable alignment of the object, following which it is basically unnecessary to check the position of the object.

Abstract: An adjustable gripper system for releasably holding at least one sheet against a surface includes an adjustment body, a gripper connected thereto for holding the sheet against the surface, and a cam follower to be actuated by a cam. The cam follower is connected to the adjustment body and displaces the adjustment body dependent upon a cam position, which correspondingly displaces the gripper along the surface. The system can be part of a sheet-collating pocket having a top portion, forward and rearward walls pivotally connected to one another and defining a sheet-receiving opening, which pocket can be part of a sheet-collating machine having the cam, a conveyor, a sheet feeding device, and other pockets. A method for adjusting the grippers positions the cam in the pocket path to contact each and selectively displace the gripper holding portion with dependent upon the cam position while the cam and pocket contact.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking sheets has a conveyor for delivering a succession of the sheets in a longitudinal transport direction on a conveyor plane to an upstream side of a stacking station with longitudinal edges of the sheets extending parallel to the direction. A vertically displaceable platform in the station below the plane receives the sheets in a stack. A row of upper feed belts extending in the direction immediately above the conveyor and the stacking station has lower reaches engageable down against the sheets on the conveyor at the upstream side of the station. A feed-belt adjuster moves the upper feed belts transversely of the direction and sets the upper feed belts in any of a plurality of different transversely offset positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for changing the redirecting the path of a flat article transported in an article processing system. A transport including a ramp that can raise the elevation of vertically oriented envelopes from a first level to a second level, and maintaining the alignment and orientation of transported envelopes square with the direction of travel. The transport comprised of nips which act to drive and orient the envelopes in the direction of travel. Sets of these nips comprising a driven roller and an idler roller. The idler roller has a toroidally shaped outer surface biased against the driven roller. The nips operate to allow the transported articles to pivot and maintain alignment in the travel direction as they are driven forward. In an alternative embodiment, the invention can be used to transport horizontal envelopes and alter the path of horizontal envelopes while maintaining the orientation of the envelopes in the direction of travel.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism having a frame support assembly and an accumulating area mounted on the frame support assembly. The accumulating area has a feeding mechanism and a release mechanism. The feeding mechanism adapted to feed sheets into the accumulating area to accumulate a stack of sheets. A mechanism for moving a stack of sheets out of the accumulating area past the release mechanism. A mechanism for changing the length of the accumulating area to permit the accumulating area to receive sheets of different lengths.

Abstract: A jogger for a signature feeder includes a back stop disposed at a first side of a hopper of the feeder and a flexible jogging element disposed at a second side of the hopper opposite the first side. As a stack of signatures is formed in the hopper, the flexible jogging element is oscillated in a lateral direction so as to periodically bend the flexible jogging element against the stack of the signatures and form a pushing zone and a vibrating zone in the hopper. The vibrating zone is below the pushing zone, and the vertical lengths of the pushing and vibrating zones are a function of the height of the stack of signatures. The signatures in the pushing zone are urged against the back stop by the flexible jogging element so as to register the signatures as the stack is formed, and the signatures in the vibrating zone are vibrated by the flexible jogging element so as to improve the registration of the signatures in the stack.

Abstract: An adjustable sheet tray for receiving sheets of material from a sheet feeding machine which counts out a number of sheets to be added to a stack. The sheet tray receives the sheets and allows the stacks to be easily removed. The sheet tray is easily adjustable for the length and width of the sheets delivered to it and for the depth of the stack of sheets. The sheet tray has a sensor, which tells the sheet feeder to start sending more sheets to it when it senses that the stack of sheets in the sheet tray has been removed. A spring loaded hanging finger provides a stop on an otherwise open end of the sheet tray and is pushed up and out of the way when a stack of sheets is removed from the sheet tray and returns the fingers to their original position after the stack of sheets is removed.

Abstract: An automatic adjusting device for a bank note holding member is provided. The bank note holding member can be inserted into a safe for the dispensing of bank notes. The holding member can have relatively movable side and end walls which can automatically and mechanically adjust to the particular size of the stack of bank notes that are inserted therein. When the bank note holding member is removed, the walls can be automatically extended to open the space to receive bank notes. When the bank note holding member is inserted into a safe, the respective walls can close on the stack of bank notes and assert a predetermined force to align the bank notes stored therein.

Abstract: A sheet tray for a conveyor belt delivery system wherein sheets fed from a sheet feeder are stacked in the sheet tray and then transported from the sheet tray on the conveyor. The sheet tray as two walls at least one of which is movable to hold different sized sheets in a stack. The sheet feeder has two open ends to allow for the transport of stacks by a conveyor belt. The sheet feeder delivers a specified number of sheets to the stack and then stops delivering sheets. The conveyor has a post to engage and move the stack out of sheets off the base of the walls onto the conveyor belt. A sensor on the sheet tray notified the sheet feeder that the sheet tray is empty and to start feeding sheets to a new stack.

Abstract: This invention relates to an aligning device for a feeder of a mailing machine, comprising a first rear aligning guide mobile in one direction of advance of the mailpieces and a second lateral aligning guide mobile in a direction perpendicular to this direction of advance, each aligning guide being adapted to be displaced in a respective groove. The groove associated with the rear aligning guide is inclined by a determined angle &agr; with respect to the direction of advance of the mailpieces, with the result that the rear aligning guide remains substantially centered on the small dimension of the mailpiece whatever the format of this piece. The rear aligning guide preferably presents the shape of a wedge having at least two successive slopes, a first slope of slight inclination and a second slope of steep inclination.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism comprising feeding sheets to an accumulating area. The accumulating area being at a first lateral plane and comprising spaced side rails at said first lateral plane. The accumulating area is between the side rails. The side rails are movable to a second lateral plane spaced from the first lateral plane. The distance between the side rails may be adjusted and after adjustment, the side rails are moved back to the first lateral plane.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism having a frame support assembly and an accumulating area mounted on the frame support assembly. The accumulating area has a feeding mechanism and a release mechanism. The feeding mechanism adapted to feed sheets into the accumulating area to accumulate a stack of sheets. A mechanism for moving a stack of sheets out of the accumulating area past the release mechanism. A mechanism for changing the length of the accumulating area to permit the accumulating area to receive sheets of different lengths.

Abstract: An output paper stacking device includes a tray installed at a position lower than a paper discharge opening of a printing apparatus so that printed paper sheets discharged through the discharge opening can stack sequentially. Guide levers are installed to project upward through respective through slots provided in the tray for guiding both sides of the printed paper sheet, and for aligning the paper sheet at a predetermined position. A supporting unit for rotatably supporting the guide levers is provided so that one end of each guide lever can be balanced by another end of the guide lever in a state in which one end of the guide lever projects upward through the through slot of the tray. Thus, the output paper stacking device according to the present invention guides and aligns a paper sheet with guide levers having simple structures and which do not require any external driving power.

Abstract: An adjustable tray for receiving and storing sheets of web material, such as photographic paper and film, has adjustable sheet width aligning and sheet receiving guide members that can alignably accommodate various sizes of paper. Independent quick release/latch mechanisms enable easy and quick deployment of the adjustable sheet width aligning and sheet receiving guide members.

Abstract: A device for vertically forming partial stacks of printed products. Said device comprises a belt conveyor (1) for transporting printed products, a bulging device (11), by which the printed products conveyed on the belt conveyor (1) may be provided with a convexity around an axis extending in the conveying direction of the belt conveyor (1) vertically extending collecting shaft (2), adjustable in format and disposed at one end of the belt conveyor (1) in the extension thereof, and having an openable stacking support (21) disposed therein, from which a stack of printed products may be picked up, and a first supporting finger (3), disposed on the side of the belt conveyor (1) facing away from the collecting shaft (2) and above the stacking support (21), said finger being displaceable by a displacing device (5) from a starting position, in which it extends centrally into the collecting shaft (2) above the stream of printed products, vertically downwards into said stream of conveyed printed products.

Abstract: A foldable tray is angularly displaceably supported at an end portion of a sheet tray of a printer body so as to be angularly displaceable about a supporting shaft, which foldable tray is capable of being folded onto an upper surface side of the sheet tray and is angularly displaced downwardly from the sheet stacking position when a force which exceeds the maximum loading weight of sheets is applied to the foldable tray. Further, the sheet tray comprises a stopper for holding the foldable tray at a sheet stacking position and at a downwardly displaced position by abutting the foldable tray against the stopper.

Abstract: An assembly of at least one stop for a sheet pile edge in a sheet-processing machine, the stop being constructed as a rotatably mounted, adjustable-format roller, comprising a vertically pivotable link whereon the roller is disposed so as to be adjustable in height.

Abstract: A sheet material conveying apparatus includes a plurality of pockets, each pocket including a setting device for adjusting a height of the pocket when the pocket is stationary so as to define a set height, the setting device including a setting rod, a ring gear having an outer surface connected to the setting rod, and a lock ring selectively releasable from the ring gear, the setting rod including a disengaging device for releasing the lock ring from the ring gear during a setting operation. A method and a sheet material pocket are also provided.

Abstract: A sheet accommodating device is provided which always performs stable sheet feeding in accordance with sizes of sheets or the number of sheets to be stacked. A holder member that is movable back and forth supports a sheet pressing plate near the center of gravity of the sheets. The holder member is movable in accordance with the sizes of the sheets or the amount of stacked sheets, so that the sheets can be stacked and fed with stability.

Abstract: A sheet alignment device is provided with a movable aligning member and a variable push member, movable to push one or more sheets fed onto a tray toward a sheet aligning reference surface defined on the tray, thus to align the sheets. The sheets of large size are pushed at the point close to the center of gravity of the sheets toward the aligning reference surface mainly by the variable push member, and the sheets of small size are pushed at the point close to the center of gravity of the sheets toward the aligning reference surface mainly by the movable aligning member. The sheets of any size can be properly pushed stably without experiencing an undesirable rotational moment, thus to be exactly aligned.

Abstract: An output paper stacking device includes a tray installed at a position lower than a paper discharge opening of a printing apparatus so that printed paper sheets discharged through the discharge opening can stack sequentially. Guide levers are installed to project upward through respective through slots provided in the tray for guiding both sides of the printed paper sheet, and for aligning the paper sheet at a predetermined position. A supporting unit for rotatably supporting the guide levers is provided so that one end of each guide lever can be balanced by another end of the guide lever in a state in which one end of the guide lever projects upward through the through slot of the tray. Thus, the output paper stacking device according to the present invention guides and aligns a paper sheet with guide levers having simple structures and which do not require any external driving power.

Abstract: A stencil printer includes a document size sensing device for sensing the size of a document and a paper size sensing device for sensing the size of papers. A controller determines the orientation and size of the document and those of the paper on the basis of information output from the two sensing devices. If the document and paper are different in orientation, the controller controls a master making section on the basis of the orientation of the papers for forming a document image in a master in accordance with the orientation of the paper. At the same time, the controller controls a side fence moving device and an end fence moving device such that side fences and an end fence mounted on a paper discharge tray each are located at a particular position matching with the size of the papers. The side fences are movable in the widthwise direction of the paper while the end fence is movable forward and backward in the direction of paper discharge.

Abstract: A method and system for transporting envelopes from an envelope feeder to an envelope staging area in an envelope insertion machine. The envelope transport system includes two envelope bins and two envelope supply paths linking the envelope bins to an envelope feeder. Each of the bins is used to temporarily store an envelope before that envelope is moved to the staging area. The envelope supply paths are controlled by a flipper gate which alternately opens one path and closes another so as to allow an envelope to enter one envelope bin while another envelope in the other envelope bin is moved to the staging area. With the dual envelope bins connected to the dual supply paths to receive envelopes released by the envelope feeder, the envelope feeder does not have to slow down substantially in order to wait for the released envelope to clear the feeding path.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet material stacking device comprising a sheet material discharging means for discharging a sheet material, a sheet material stacking means on which the sheet materials discharged by the sheet material discharging means are stacked, and an elongation tray extensibly housed within the sheet material stacking means and capable of extending in accordance with a size of the sheet material, and wherein the elongation tray has an inclined surface at an upstream end thereof in a sheet material stacking direction.

Abstract: Printer and receiver supply cassette therefor, and method of assembling same. A printer comprises a print head for printing an image on any of a plurality of receiver sheets arranged in a stack. A receiver sheet supply cassette is also provided, which cassette comprises a cassette body having a plurality of notches formed therein. A backstop is connected to the cassette body. The backstop has a portion thereof adapted to engage any of the notches. In this manner, the backstop is fixed relative to the cassette body while the portion of the backstop engages the notch. The cassette also includes a rotatable beam connected to the stop portion, so that the stop portion disengages the notch as the beam rotates and lifts the stop portion.

Abstract: A tamping mechanism for tamping the edge of sheets in a stack including a tamping assembly having a tamping blade. The tamping blade is positioned adjacent an edge of a stack of sheets and is moved toward and away from the edge. Magnets are provided to move the tamping blade toward and away from the edge. The tamping blade has one magnet and another magnet is movable into and out of magnetic interaction of the said first magnet. The second magnet is in a wheel adjacent tamping blade. The wheel has a plurality of magnets and is rotated so that the magnets in the wheel are moved into and out of magnetic interaction with the magnet in the tamping blade.

Abstract: A catch tray attachment for a sheet feeding machine allows rapid accumulation and manual removal of a predetermined count of sheet articles from the catch tray. The catch tray itself is adapted for mounting to the frame of the sheet feeding machine so as to position it in the discharge path of sheet articles exiting the sheet feeder. Upon removal of an accumulation of sheet articles from the catch tray, a signal is sent back to the sheet feeder to initiate further machine cycles whereby a predetermined count of sheet articles are again deposited in the catch tray.

Abstract: A sheet aligning apparatus for a copying machine having a loading unit capable of loading a plurality of stacked sheets. A comparing unit determines and compares respective sizes of at least two sheets partially stacked and loaded on the loading unit. An alignment unit carries out alignment when the width of a sheet of a first job is the same or smaller than a sheet of a second job and inhibits carrying out alignment when the width of a sheet of the first job is greater than a sheet of the second job. The apparatus further includes first and second discharge units for discharging a group of sheets from respective first and second jobs onto the load unit. A determination unit determines successiveness of the first and second jobs and, based on a result of the determination, a post-processing unit executes post-processing for the group of sheets of the first job upon completion of discharging the group of sheets of the second job.

Abstract: A bail assembly has a first portion of an arm pivotally supported by a printer frame. A second portion of the arm is slidably supported by the first portion of the arm so that the length of the arm can be adjusted in accordance with the length of sheets being fed to a support for stacking. The second portion of the arm has a stop pivotally mounted on its distal end. The stop has a flange for engaging each of the fed sheets so that the leading edges of the sheets are in substantial vertical alignment. The first portion of the arm has notches, which are spaced apart the differences in the sizes of the sheets being fed, to receive a detent on the second portion of the arm to releasably hold the second portion of the arm in its adjusted position on the first portion of the arm. The second portion of the arm has two curved surfaces for engaging each fed sheet adjacent its leading edge in a transverse line point contact prior to the pivotally mounted stop engaging the leading edge of the fed sheet.

Abstract: A pair of paper delivery side fences is provided within a paper delivery unit so as to approach each other and move away from each other. A drive unit drives the pair of paper delivery side fences so as to change an opposite interval defined therebetween. At this time, the size of a sheet of transfer paper discharged to the paper delivery unit is recognized and the interval defined between the pair of paper delivery side fences is set to an interval corresponding to the size of the transfer paper. Thus, the interval defined between the opposed paper delivery side fences can be automatically set according to the size of the transfer paper delivered to the paper delivery unit and hence workability can be improved.

Abstract: A document transport device provided with a document tray comprising a main tray and a foldable auxiliary tray disposed above a discharge tray. A document transport device provided with a projection and a projection on an auxiliary tray to guide ejected sheets to a discharge tray without buckling or bending at the gap and height differential at the order between a main tray and an auxiliary tray, and to allow both large size document and small size documents to be easily removed from a document tray.

Abstract: The telescopic structure which has a plurality of stages of sheet supporting bodies and all stages of the sheet supporting bodies are provided with top plates for covering the areas above the sheets, wherein the top plate for, at least, the last-stage sheet supporting body has of the plate member that is attached rotatably to an upper rear end part of the sheet supporting body of a stage previous to the last. The plate member can be pivoted so as to be placed on the top plate of the previous-stage sheet supporting body. The sheet feeder cassette is attached to an image forming apparatus and the top plates and such constitute the supporting body for the sheets which are discharged from the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A mail item feed device adapted to be mounted on the upstream side of a franking machine and including in succession along a mail item transport path, a first or mail item feed area for receiving a stack of mail items, a second or mail item selection and transport area including a selector and transport module for separating the items one by one from the stack, and possibly a third or mail item closing area including a closing module for closing the mail items, the selector and transport module including independent selector means including selector rollers for separating the mail items one by one from the feed area and transport means including at least one set of transport rollers co-operating with the conveyor means in the selection and transport area to transport the mail items separated in this way towards an area farther downstream, and manual release means additionally being provided for raising the selector rollers if the mail items have a thickness greater than a predetermined thickness.

Abstract: A bi-directional stacking conveyor is mounted below the discharge from a main conveyor and lies substantially perpendicular to the main conveyor. An adjustable length backstop and adjustable width guide fingers are carried by the stacking conveyor to accommodate forms of different lengths and widths, the backstop and side guides holding the sheets snugly in the stack. In response to a signal from a controller, the guide fingers on a side of the stack in the direction of desired movement are displaced to an out-of-the-way position and a motor drives the stacking conveyor belt to displace the stack in a first direction.

Abstract: A recycle document feeder according to the present invention includes a pair of document width regulating guides (9a, 9b) for guiding opposite edges of document originals (D) fed back onto a document placing plate (8) for alignment thereof with respect to the width thereof. With this construction, if the document width regulating guides (9a, 9b) each had a small length (A) as measured along a document transportation direction, the document originals (D) fed back onto the document placing plate (8) could not properly be aligned by the document width regulating guides (9a, 9b) thereby to be randomly stacked on the skew with respect to the document transportation direction.

Abstract: An expandable cassette for use with device to support a sheet that is fed into from a communication machinery. The expandable tray may include a first tray and a second tray mounted on the first sheet support so that the second tray can be rotated around a shaft that is attached to tray in the direction that paper is discharged from the image forming device. A third tray may be slidably mounted on the second tray in such a manner that the third tray is moveable back and forth along direction that paper is discharged from the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking mailpieces received from a mail processing machine includes a deck; a sloped wall extending from the deck; a plurality of continuous belts each extending along the deck in a first direction and positioned at substantially equal intervals along a second direction of the deck, each of the plurality of continuous belts having a top surface which extends above the deck and which contacts the mailpieces received from the mail processing machine; structure for driving the plurality of belts in the first direction to move the received mailpieces along the sloped wall in a shingled configuration; a registration wall disposed on the deck to define a landing area on the deck for the received mailpieces, the registration wall being mounted for slideable movement along the deck in the second direction to change a size of the landing area to accommodate the receiving of different sized mailpieces from the mail processing machine; and structure, connected to the registration wall and the plurality

Abstract: A variable cut sheet stacker has an internal stacking volume that is readily adjusted (in length, width and height) for a large variety of form sizes and thicknesses. First and second side members are spaced from each other horizontally and the positions between them can be adjusted, typically uniformly moved with respect to a central support. An inlet and support is provided in an inlet for the stacker, having a ramp, and an outlet end guide is adjustable with respect to the inlet end support. A top conveyor conveys cut sheets past the inlet support toward the outlet end guide in a first direction, and a bottom support is vertically spaced in an adjustable manner from the top conveyor for supporting cut sheets. The open interior volume defined by these elements is substantially a rectangular prism. The top conveyor includes a frame that is pivotable about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the first direction to move between a conveyance position and an adjustment-facilitating position.

Abstract: A sheet accommodating apparatus includes sheet accommodating means for accommodating one by one sheets fed thereto; aligning means for aligning the sheets; sheet interval detecting means for detecting interval time or distance between adjacent sheets; and control means for preventing the aligning means from operating when an output of the sheet interval detecting means indicates that sheet interval time or distance is shorter than time required for the aligning means to align the sheets or the distance through which the sheets moves in the time required for the aligning means to align the sheets.

Abstract: The invention includes an adjustable media tray for an image forming device such as a printer, copier or facsimile machine. The media tray incorporates a media guide which is slidably mounted on the tray. The media tray and associated guide incorporate a releasable locking mechanism which, when engaged, permits the guide to be slidably moved in one direction, but prevents the guide from being slidably moved in the opposite direction. The locking mechanism incorporates a plurality of pawls and at least one ratchet rack with equally-spaced, ramp-shaped teeth. Each of the teeth has a vertical edge. Each of the pawls has associated therewith a plurality of teeth of a single rack, and each of the pawls is adapted to sequentially engage a vertical edge of each of its associated plurality of teeth. Engagement of each pawl with the vertical edge of each of its associated plurality of teeth is out of phase with engagement of each other pawl with the vertical edge of each of its associated plurality of teeth.

Abstract: In a sheet ejection and stacking system, such as for a document handler output, in which an upper sheet feeding and ejection unit with a sheet ejection path is repositionable between an open and a closed position relative to a lower sheet stacking unit which is providing a sheet stacking tray for the ejected sheets, here a platen cover unit. The sheet stacking tray has an automatically adjusting sheet stacking registration edge wall defining system which is automatically maintained closely adjacent to the sheet ejection position of the upper unit. This system is defined by upstanding stack retaining wall members movably mounted to the sheet stacking tray and a plurality of aligning post members integral the upper unit which automatically engage and move the stack retaining members into alignment with the upper unit, into a proper sheet receiving position therewith, when the upper unit is closed.

Abstract: A document accumulator comprising for high-speed document assembly includes first and second pulleys, a first outer belt extending between the first and second pulleys for contacting and transporting a document, a second outer belt extending between the first and second pulleys, and extending generally parallel to and horizontally displaced from the first outer belt, for contacting and transporting a document, and an inner belt generally parallel to and horizontally displaced from both the first and second outer belts such that it lies between the first and second outer belts. A first side guide has a first vertical surface adjacent to a horizontal reach of the first outer belt, and a second side guide has a second vertical surface adjacent to a horizontal reach of the second outer belt. A belt-dampening table having a horizontal surface adjacent to a horizontal reach of the inner belt is provided for dampening oscillations of the inner belts which occur at high speeds.

Abstract: A sheet material conveying apparatus includes a plurality of sheet material feeders. A plurality of pockets are movable past each of the sheet material feeders in turn to sequentially feed sheet material into the pockets. Each pocket has an upper end portion through which sheet material enters the pocket, a lower end portion through which sheet material leaves the pocket, and a support which supports sheet material in the pocket. The support is movable between a plurality of closed positions in which the support is spaced different distances from the upper end portion of the pocket and at least partially blocks the lower end portion of the pocket. The support is movable from each of the closed positions to an open position in which sheet material is movable out of the pocket through the lower end portion of the pocket. The pocket includes a rack and a pinion which are relatively movable to move the support between each of the closed positions and the open position.

Abstract: A recycle document feeder includes a partitioning unit (17) and action plates (19, 20). The partitioning unit (17) includes a partitioning bar (18). When the partitioning bar (18) is lowered, the leading edges of discharged document originals are stopped by the partitioning bar (18). The action plates (19, 20) guide the discharged document originals toward an upper side of the trailing edges of document originals yet to be fed, and push the trailing edges of the discharged document originals to transport the document originals for re-feeding thereof. The partitioning unit (17) and the action plates (19, 20) are driven by a common motor (47). Further, a partitioning unit driving mechanism (110) and an action plate driving mechanism (111) are provided for driving the partitioning unit (17) and the action plates (19, 20), respectively.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder according to the present invention is mountable on a copying machine. The automatic document feeder mounted on the copying machine is displaceable to a closed state and an open state with respect to the copying machine. In the closed state, originals can be automatically set on the copying machine by the automatic document feeder. When the originals are manually set on the copying machine, the automatic document feeder is brought into the open state. A tray 11 provided in the automatic document feeder is divided into a main tray 61 and a sub tray 62. The main tray 61 and the sub tray 62 are so connected to each other that their connected state is changeable to an extending state or a contracted state. When the automatic document feeder is brought into the open state, the connected state between the main tray 61 and the sub tray 62 is automatically brought into the contracted state.

Abstract: A device for forming a sheet pile in a delivery of a sheet-fed printing press includes jogging plates for jogging edges of the sheet. The jogging plates are disposed perpendicularly to a lateral surface of the sheet pile and are drivable so as to move in a stationary sheet guide and to a sheet stop, respectively. The jogging plates are elastically suspended, without any other guide elements, in at least one of the stationary sheet guides and the sheet stop. An oscillation exciter is connected to each of the jogging plates for respectively oscillating and vibrating the jogging plates independently of a cycle of the delivery.