Abstract: A sorter having a plurality of receptacles vertically disposed at given intervals includes a lift member for receiving a copied sheet. The lift member is vertically movable between a home position at which it can receive a sheet and positions corresponding to those of the receptacles. The lift member includes a pair of discharge rollers controlled so as to pinch a sheet being discharged to the sorter while the lift member is vertically moving between the home position and the level of one of the receptacles.

Abstract: A sorting apparatus having a first sorter connectable to a second sorter. The first sorter has a plurality of sorting bins and non-sort discharge outlet. A non-sort tray or a bridge is selectively connected to the discharge outlet. The bridge has a first sheet path for transporting the discharged sheet to the second sorter and a second sheet path for transporting the discharged sheet to another non-sort tray provided to the bridge.

Abstract: In a serial connection of plural sheet sorters, each sorter is capable of checking the state of downstream sorters and, in case an assigned sorter is not in a normal state, the sheets are stored in an immediately preceding sorter. In this manner it is made possible to prevent a situation where the function of the entire sorters is blocked by a single failure. Also sorters of desired number can be connected in series since same control circuits can be used in all sorters.

Abstract: A sheet sorting device for use in a sheet processing machine having at least one sorting unit including a plurality of superposed sheet receiving bins and a first conveyor for conveying sheets selectively to one of the sheet receiving bins and a second conveyor positioned below and substantially normal to the first conveyor for conveying sheets from the processing machine to the first conveyor. The second conveyor is mounted to the sorting unit so as to be displaceable between a first position disposed below said receiving bins and a second position adjoining said sheet processing machine.

Abstract: A sorting module is provided, having as its principal operative element a pivotable carrier for a plurality of guide rails, having at their front end funnel shaped entrance openings, cooperating with a narrower opening trough which records pass, for placement in between two guide rails the selection of which depends on step motor driven adjustment of the carrier. The guide rails together, with stationary walls lead to sorting compartments.

Abstract: A method and device for sorting flat and indexed articles are disclosed, the method involving two passes. In the first pass, articles having a destination common to a very large member of articles are sorted and distributed to N/2 receptacles (10), the receptacles being fewer in number than the total number (N) of possible destinations for the articles, while the other articles are put aside in a buffer receptacle (12). In the second pass, a control circuit (7) assigns new destinations to the sorting receptacles, placing a marker (16) after each pack of articles contained in the receptacles, and the articles initially set aside (21) are resorted to the new destinations. The invention is particularly applicable to mail sorting.

Abstract: A sheet deflector drive for driving a sheet-delivering deflector between a plurality of vertically stacked paper-receiving shelves, including a pair of deflector carrying belts for moving the deflector between the shelves; a rotatable drive shaft for driving the belts to move the deflector, rotation of the shaft in one direction moving the deflector upward and rotation of the shaft in the other direction moving the deflector downward; a bidirectional drive motor selectively engageable with the shaft for rotating the shaft to one or the other rotational direction; a cam connected to the shaft for rotation therewith and having three radially projecting lobes, the lobes having an angular spacing therebetween corresponding to the rotational movement of the shaft necessary to move the deflector from a sheet-delivering position adjacent to one of the shelves to such a position adjacent to an immediately neighboring one of the shelves; a pivoted cam follower arm biased toward the cam for engaging the lobes, the foll

Abstract: A sheet sorter apparatus is disclosed as having a basic sorter unit comprising a horizontal transport, a vertical transport, and a plurality of sorter bins wherein the vertical transport has a pair of bin indexing guide elements, one of which is arranged to index sheets into the bins sequentially, while the other element is arranged to index sheets to a second sorter unit containing only a plurality of bins thereby allowing the use of additional bins without added transport structure.

Abstract: In an electronic copying apparatus, a bin selecting carriage is movably arranged along a paper sheet convey path which communicates with a sort paper sheet convey path. The paper sheet fed to the paper sheet convey path by the bin selecting carriage is fed to one of the sort bins. As the bin selecting carriage moves, a guide selector which is arranged at the branch between a non-sort paper sheet convey path and the sort paper sheet convey path is operated. A drive mechanism for driving the guide selector for selectively feeding the paper sheets discharged from a paper discharge section to the sort and non-sort paper sheet guide paths is not required. The operation timing of the guide selector may be synchronized with the feed operation timing of the paper sheets into the respective bins of the sort storage section.

Abstract: An improved drive system for a tandem collator obviates the need for multiple motors to drive the various components of the several modules. In a simple manner, the drive train of this invention achieves greater electrical efficiency with reduced maintenance by using a direct current motor to drive a shaft which extends into the primary bin of the primary module and which has coupling means to extend through the primary module into secondary modules attached in tandem. Power takeoff means associated with the line drive shaft power the various elements of each bin, particularly the deflector assembly. A preferred power takeoff includes a plurality of idler and drive sprockets associated with the drive shaft, a driven shaft which is transverse to the drive shaft, and a three-dimensional endless belt which runs between and around the various sprockets.

Abstract: A sheet distribution method for collating a plurality of sets of copies produced by a copying machine into respective bins of a collating apparatus operatively connected to the copying machine, each set of copies consisting of one copy of each respective page of an original document, includes the steps of providing a first display unit, displaying a total number of sets of copies to be produced and collated on the first display unit, computing whether the total number of sets is greater than a number of available bins in the collating apparatus, when the total number of sets is smaller than the number of available bins, collating the sets of copies into the respective bins in a single collation operation, when the total number of sets is greater than the number of available bins, collating the sets of copies into the respective bins in a plurality of successive collation operations, providing a second display unit, during collation of a page of the document by the collating apparatus, computing a total number

Abstract: A scanning mechanism is provided for scanning individual output bins for receiving documents from a paper printer. The mechanism determines each bin's availability for receiving documents, the degree of fullness and whether or not a lock box is positioned in the bin for receiving designated documents.

Abstract: A plurality of bins (31) to (40) are divided into two groups which are used alternatingly when a number of copies N to be collated exceeds the number of bins, thus allowing a copying machine to operate continually and further allowing an operator to remove the collated copies from one group while the copies are being collated in the other group. When the number of pages P of a document exceeds a predetermined number, the first group is defined to contain more bins than the second group, thereby reducing the number of times each page must be fed to the copying machine. A unique sensor arrangement (151) senses for feed failures using only two sensors (78), (79).

Abstract: A sorter mechanism for receiving and stacking discrete sheets in a preselected order. A plurality of bins are provided for receiving discrete sheets delivered to the bins with a given side facing in a particular orientation. The bins, each of which have oppositely disposed first and second sheet supporting members, are positionable so as to support the sheets with the given side facing the first sheet supporting members when the bins are in a first position and with the given side facing the second sheet supporting members when the bins are in the second position. Sheets fed along a predetermined path to the sorter mechanism are directed into selective bins, the bins being selectively positioned in either of the mentioned positions dependent upon the original orientation of the given sheet side in the predetermined path and the desired final order of the sheets being stacked.

Abstract: Copy production machine under program control selectively interleaving copy separation sheets between successive copy jobs. The copy separation sheets can be supplied from the same copy sheet supply source as the copies being produced or from an alternate supply source. The number of separation sheets supplied is a predetermined relationship between the number of copy receiving bins in an output receiving the copy separation sheets and the number of copies to be produced from a source. The effective capacity of a collator is extended by such interleaving using a programmable control that talies copies made versus copies selected greater than the capacity of a collator such that the collator job is automatically segmented.

Abstract: A collator being adapted to receive and carry copy sheets from a copying machine and distribute the copy sheets to a plurality of bins arranged in series for storing the copy sheets. The collator is provided with a copy sheet feeding table and a copy sheet feeding mechanism for sending, one by one, the copy sheets stacked on the copy sheet feeding table. It results that copy sheets received in an over-flow tray or produced by other copying machines can be collated or sorted automatically in the collator according to the invention.