Abstract: Apparatus for handling workpieces of limp sheet material including an endless conveyor having a forward-traveling upper reach for conveying workpieces in a forward direction, each workpiece having a leading edge and a trailing edge. An airfoil extends transversely across the upper reach of the conveyor and a manifold rearward of the airfoil may deliver a jet of air in a generally forward direction between the conveyor and the airfoil as the workpiece travels forwardly under the airfoil such that the leading edge portion of the workpiece raises up from the conveyor toward the airfoil. A clamping mechanism forward of the airfoil receives the leading edge portion of the workpiece. A sensor detects the presence of the leading edge portion between the clamping members and sends a signal in response to which the clamping mechanism is activated to clamp the leading edge portion.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for automatically inverting workpieces of limp sheet material, such as fabric sheet material. The apparatus includes an endless conveyor having a forward-traveling upper reach for conveying workpieces in a forward direction. A gripper grasps a portion of the workpiece adjacent its leading edge as the workpiece travels on the conveyor, and lifts the leading edge portion of the workpiece off the conveyor. The gripper holds the leading edge portion stationary with a trailing portion of the workpiece extending downwardly from said pick-up means. A pushing mechanism acting on a generally rearwardly facing surface of the trailing portion of the workpiece pushes the trailing portion forwardly to effect complete inversion of the trailing portion as the leading edge portion is held stationary by the gripper. The gripper releases the leading edge portion of the workpiece after the trailing portion of the workpiece has been inverted.

Abstract: In a printer, a unit for turning over a sheet comprises: a conveying roll provided downstream of a printer head; a top roll and a bottom roll which are rotatably coupled to the front end and the rear end of a swingable link, respectively; and at least one elastic endless belt reeved around the top roll and bottom roll, the swingable link being swingable about the axis of the top roll with the top roll into contact with the conveying roll through the endless belt, and a control mechanism for operating the link so that it is swung down for a first half of a period of time for which a sheet passes through the conveying roll and the top roll, and swung up for the second half.

Abstract: A copier with a coordinated hybrid or non-sequential postcollation sorter operation is disclosed in a hybrid copying system comprising a document feeder with a document bypass loop for copying documents in desired non-linear page sequences for improved copying efficiency for duplex copying with a trayless copy sheet duplexing loop buffer path duplexing system circulating copy sheets from and back to the image transfer station of the copier to eliminate intermediate copy sheet stacking and refeeding between first and second side copying, and outputting the duplexed copy sheets therefrom in an unconventional non-directly sequential page order which is nevertheless properly collated by unconventional non-sequential sorter bin loading sequences.

Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus for copying and transporting sheets which comprises an image processing apparatus containing an image processing face, a sheet processing device disposed above said image processing face and operative to move toward and away from said image processing face, a sheet transport device including a pair of wrapping connector driving devices constituted by a combination of chains and sprockets, said sheet transport device turning on itself to form a loop which passes between said image processing apparatus and said sheet pressing device in sequential, opposite directions, a driving mechanism for driving the sheet transport device, a sheet gripping mechanism connected to said wrapping connector driving device for gripping the edges of the sheet being transported, a sheet pickup device for successively selecting the sheets, one-by-one, for distribution to the sheet gripping mechanism, and a sheet discharge device for receiving and transporting sheets received from the sheet transport device

Abstract: A sheet reversing apparatus is disclosed which includes a buckle chamber and input and output rollers which cooperate with a common roller respectively to form input and output nips for conveying a sheet into and out of the buckle chamber to reverse the lead and trail edge orientation thereof. The trail edge of the sheet is engaged by foam rolls coaxial with the common roller to transfer it from said input nip to said output nip and one or more fingers are arranged to urge the sheet trail edge into contact with the foam rolls.

Abstract: There is disclosed an automatic original feeder of an improved structure capable of functioning in a first mode in which the original is ejected after exposure and in a second mode in which the original is reversed between exposures of both sides before ejection.

Abstract: An inverter apparatus for strips of sheet material which are affected by a magnetic field. The apparatus includes a pair of parallel drums which rotate in opposite directions immediately adjacent each other. Mounted within the drums in prescribed and fixed relationship are permanent magnets. A strip adheres to the first drum under the effects of the magnets within and rotates with that drum until it comes between the two drums. At that point the strip enters the field of the magnets in the second drum and departs the field of those in the first whereby it adheres to the second drum. The strip rotates with the second drum until it departs the field of the magnets therein, whereupon the strip drops off the drum in inverted relationship.

Abstract: An apparatus for the formation of images, including: paper-ejection rollers that eject recording paper on which an image has been formed with the surface facing upward, a first tray in which the recording paper ejected from the paper-ejection rollers is received with the surface facing upward, a route for turning over the recording paper, which is ejected with its face upward by the paper-ejection rollers, wherein said paper passes through the inside of the route after it is ejected by said paper-ejection rollers, a second tray in which the recording paper is received with the surface facing downward, guides that make possible the selection of either said first tray or said route for turning over the paper as the direction in which the paper ejected by said paper-ejection rollers is sent, and a switching means for switching said guides, by which the direction in which the recording paper is sent is switched between supplying of the recording paper to said first tray and to said route for turning paper over.

Abstract: A document conveying system suitable for use with a copying apparatus, printer, etc., including a document storage section located above a document illuminating section. Documents supported in a stack in the document storage section are fed one by one through a forward portion of the document storage section and have their direction of movement altered so as to move in an opposite direction. The direction of movement is altered again to move them the same direction as when fed from the document storage section, so that each document can be illuminatingly scanned in the document illuminating section. After being illuminatingly scanned, the documents are conveyed and have their direction of movement altered again, to be returned to the document storage section in a direction opposite the direction in which they were initially fed from the document storage section.

Abstract: A face and back mechanism for coordinating the faces and backs of sheets has a rotating and moving device capable of holding sheets, a conveying passage feeding the sheets into the rotating and moving device, a stopper for stopping the sheets held by the rotating and moving device at a prescribed position, and an extracting and conveying-out device for extracting each of the stopped sheets from the rear end thereof and conveying it out. Any sheets to be reversed are reversed in a short period of time, and conveyed in the direction of a joint point of convergenge of the conveying passage and a bypassing passage.

Abstract: An integral removable duplex module for use in conjunction with a reproduction processor is disclosed including two paper trays, a first operable as a duplex copy buffer tray or a paper tray and a second operable as an auxiliary paper tray, each tray having a copysheet feeder associated therewith comprised of a single cam operated mechanism having two cantilevered arms supporting constantly rotating feed rollers suspended above each paper tray and associated tray elevator mechanisms which enhances copysheet feeding when the feed rollers are pivoted toward the trays into copysheet feeding position and maintain copysheet trays in non-feeding positions during non-feeding operation. Copysheets are received in the duplex copy buffer tray from the reproduction processor via a reversible exit nip at the output of the processor, which directs sheets passed to an output back to a duplex module paper path, for repassing through the reproduction processor.

Abstract: A recirculating document feeder for presenting document sheets to a copier apparatus for reproducing multiple collated sets of information respectively contained on one face of such document sheets, or information respectively contained on both faces of such sheets, at a rate which makes maximum use of the full reproduction rate of the copier apparatus. In the recirculating document feeder, during the first circulation of a set of document sheets, after both sides of each sheet are exposed to reproduce information contained thereon, such sheets are returned to the hopper with their facial orientation reversed with respect to their initial facial orientation in the hopper. During all during subsequent circulations of such document sheets except the last circulation, after both sides of each sheet are exposed to reproduce information contained thereon, such sheets are returned to the hopper with the facial orientation reversed with respect to their initial facial orientation in the hopper.

Abstract: A mechanism for use with a sheet transport apparatus for turning over a sheet transported along a travel path, such mechanism reliably functioning irrespective of sheet weight or size. With the mechanism, a sheet is selectively moved in one direction from a travel path or in an opposite direction into such travel path. The surface of the moving sheet is engaged so that energy derived by the sheet being transported in the direction from the travel path is stored. When the sheet is no longer being transported in such direction, the stored energy is utilized to move the sheet in the opposite direction to a point where it can be transported in such opposite direction back into the travel path with its trail edge becoming the lead edge and its surface orientation reversed.

Abstract: An apparatus for arranging the obverse and reverse sides of the bills or the like includes a carrying-in passage and a carrying-out passage. A reversible conveying passage is provided between the carrying-in passage and the carrying-out passage for conveying the bills from the carrying-in passage in a direction identical or opposite to the carrying-in passage.

Abstract: A recording paper can be discharged on a paper-discharging tray which directs the recording side thereof upward when the tray is in a first position and downward when the tray is in a second position. The tray is movable between the first position, at which the tray is disposed in the vicinity of a paper-discharging device, and the second position, at which the tray is disposed below the paper-discharging device and the tray is inclined with a lower upstream end thereof positioned upstream of an end point of a paper-discharging operation, in the paper-discharging direction.

Abstract: Sheet turning device for small offset printing machines, comprising a conveyor system with gripper bridges linking two adjacent small offset printing machines for transporting a sheet having at least one printing performed thereon from one of the small offset printing machines to the other, the conveyor system being formed of two endless conveyor strands extending parallel to one another and being twisted in the form of a Mobius band, one part of the conveyor system extending between pairs of sprockets and Mobius-band twist formed therein, while the other part of the conveyor system is located opposite the one part and extends rectilinearly, so that the sheet transported in the region of the one part of the conveyor system is turned around the longitudinal axis thereof as it is being transported.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a load-bearing frame overlying a stacking stand or shelf and supporting at least one gripping element connected to an entrainer and adapted to pick up a sheet-like element being fed from a transport. The apparatus further comprises an element for supporting the sheet-like element as picked up from the transport and actuated by at least one gripping element during its movement to entrain the sheet-like element, members for disengaging the supporting element from the at least one gripping element, and members for opening at least one of the gripping elements cooperating sequentially with one another to then release the sheet-like element which is deposited onto the stack on the stacking stand or shelf.

Abstract: An apparatus for turning over copies supplied from a copying machine including first and second rollers arranged vertically to form a first nip portion through which copies are successively fed horizontally. A third roller is arranged beside the second roller to form a second nip portion therebetween, and a fourth roller is arranged beneath the third roller to form a third nip portion therebetween. A first sheet guide is provided which can be selectively projected into a copy feed path supplied from the first nip portion to divert the copy onto an inclined surface of a sheet guide member. An arcuate second sheet guide member is arranged between the second and third rollers in such a manner that a sheet fed from the first nip portion and diverted by the first sheet guide member into the sheet support member is fed from the second nip portion into the third nip portion.

Abstract: In an automatic sheet reversing apparatus having a convey/reversing section with a plurality of conveyor belts, a stacking/moving section with a stopper for stopping a leading end of a reversed sheet, and a feed section, the stopper is located below the conveyor belts. The upper portion of the stopper is located above the lower surface of the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A sheet reverse apparatus for reversing a paper sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus has a mounting mechanism fixed to the image forming apparatus, and a power transmission mechanism. The power transmission mechanism is engaged with an output gear coupled to a drive source of the image forming apparatus, and transmits a driving force from the image forming apparatus to an input gear. The power transmission mechanism has a swingable plate and a spring for biasing the swingable plate in one direction. A movable gear meshed with the input gear and rotatable therearound is axially supported on the swingable plate. When the sheet reverse apparatus is mounted on the image forming apparatus, driving power from the sheet reverse apparatus can be supplied from the image forming apparatus through the input gear and the power transmission mechanism.

Abstract: A bill handling apparatus of the recycle type having a bill receiving system and a bill disbursing system. The bill receiving system includes a bill insertion opening, a bill discriminating unit, a unit for arranging bills so that the front and back sides of the bills face in the same direction and for accumulating the bills, and bill-receiving boxes for receiving bills according to denomination. The bills to be deposited are fed from the bill insertion opening, via the discriminating unit, to the bill arranging and pooling unit and, thereafter, via the discriminating unit, to the bill receiving boxes. The bill disbursing system is constructed so that the bills received in the bill receiving boxes are fed, via the discriminating unit, to a bill disbursing opening.

Abstract: A sheet material transporting apparatus has a first convey portion for conveying a sheet having an image on one surface thereof in a first direction along a first convey path, the image being formed by an image-forming section, and a second convey portion for conveying the sheet in a second direction along a second convey path extending to the image-forming section through the first convey path so as to form an image on the other surface of the sheet. A trailing edge detector is arranged in the vicinity of a branched portion between the first and second convey path to detect the trailing edge of the sheet. In a sheet guide portion for causing the branched portion between the first and second convey paths to communicate with the discharge portion, the sheet is sent in a first direction for a predetermined period of time after the trailing edge of the sheet is detected by the trailing edge detector to invert the sheet conveying direction to the second convey path.

Abstract: A device including unpiling apparatus of the gripper type, each gripper including a pick-up beak, the fixed plate of the gripper being rigid with a carriage movable on a horizontal guide, this carriage being coupled to the piston rod of a fixed fluid-operated cylinder and adapted to transfer the sheet or web picked up by the beak from one pick-up station to the treatment station. It further includes apparatus for causing the pick-up beak to grip the web by turns in a first and a second positions, the second gripping position causing the picked-up web to be turned upside down.

Abstract: A device for classifying handled objects. This device comprises a mechanical sorting system and an electronic control system. The former comprises two storage devices, each organized in the form of a queue or line, i.e., the objects can be removed in the order in which they are entered, and a third storage device organized in the form of a stack or pile, i.e., the objects can be removed in the opposite order to that in which they entered. The mechanical system also comprises conveyors for transferring the objects between the different storage devices. The electronic system comprises a control computer, equipped with two memory zones organized in the form of a queue, and a third memory zone organized in the form of a stack, in which are stored the codes allocated to each object. The computer controls the transfer of codes from one memory zone to another, in order to sort in one of them the codes in a given order, and controls the corresponding displacement of the objects carrying the codes.

Abstract: Described is a method of discriminating between front and back sides of the paper sheet bearing different printed design on the front and back sides, the printed design being in dissymmetry both in the up and down direction and in the left and right direction. The amount of light transmitted through plural portions of the paper sheet is sensed for deriving pattern signals indicative of changes in the amount of transmitted light, said pattern signals being then compared to reference pattern signals stored in advance to permit discrimination between the upper and lower edges and between the front and back sides of the sheet.

Abstract: In a recirculating document handling apparatus for a copier, in which a set of document sheets are sequentially circulated from a stack thereof to the imaging station of the copier and back to the stack, and in which selectable inverting apparatus is provided for inverting or not inverting the document sheets as they are being so circulated and before they are returned to the stack, the latter comprises a large diameter inverting roller adjacent the downstream side of the imaging station, normally rotated in a first direction, and selectably rotated in the reverse direction, and a repositionable wedge-shaped first sheet guide provides in a first position, a document sheet first path from said imaging station around the outside of said inverting roller and towards the stack with the inverting roller driven in the first direction, and said first guide being repositionable to a second position, in coordination with said reverse rotation of said inverting roller in which a document sheet is guided in a second pat

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: Reproduction apparatus for producing duplex collated copies from duplex and simplex original documents. A document feeding section circulates original document sheets a plurality of times to an exposure position. In a duplex mode of operation, the originals are inverted between alternative odd and even circulations such that even pages are presented for exposure on the first and every subsequent odd circulation and odd pages are presented for exposure on the second and every subsequent even circulation. In a simplex mode of operation, the pages are copied selectively, even pages on odd circulations, and the odd pages on even circulations. A duplexing section of the copier, including a first-in first-out intermediate hopper, operates in coordination with the feeding section to present and re-present copy supports to a position for receiving images on the appropriate first and second faces of the copy supports.

Abstract: A multimode document handling apparatus and reproducing apparatus containing same are described wherein the document handling apparatus comprises an upper frame portion pivotally mounted along its rear edge to a lower base frame portion to provide open and closed positions of the upper frame relative to the lower frame. The lower frame contains a substantially horizontal imaging platen and document transport defining a generally horizontal document transport path. The upper portion contains a vertically inclined document loading chute the lower exit portion of which intersects the generally horizontal document transport path. The document loading chute includes a gate to permit loading of successive copies in the chute while preventing it from being fed as the preceding document is being copied.

Abstract: An automatic paper handling system capable of loading individual sheets of a stack of paper onto a drum for printing or scanning, escaping a printing or scanning transducer relative to the drum, and stacking the sheet of paper after printing or scanning is additionally provided with duplexing capability to print or scan on the opposite side of a page of paper previously mounted to the drum without the requirement for manual reloading of the page by an operation. During unloading of the page after printing or scanning on a first side thereof a deflector path is interposed in the paper unloading path to cause the trailing edge of the paper during unloading to become the leading edge of the paper for a succeeding loading operation such that the side of the paper previously in contact with the drum will become the side of the paper exposed to the printing or scanning transducer.

Abstract: A reproduction machine adapted for producing copies of an original on both sides of a copy sheet and forwarding the finished copy to a collator. An inverter-reverser is employed which allows single-sided copy to a waiting station for subsequent processing to allow copying on the reverse side of the sheet to produce duplex copies, and for inverting duplex copies prior to delivery to the collator to provide the required sheet orientation in the collator. A sheet buckle control device cooperates with the inverter-reverser to insure that papers of widely different paper sizes, weights and stiffness will be inverted during the inverting stage of delivery of duplex copies.

Abstract: A document feeder for automatically inverting a duplexed original so that the second side may be copied. The inverting mechanism is a turnaround roll located at the exit of the copy station. The inverting mechanism cooperates with rollers located above the document glass for moving documents thereacross. The rollers are inclined at an angle to the direction of paper movement in order to position paper against a side reference edge. When receiving a document from the turnaround roll and moving it in the reverse direction, the inclination of the rollers is removed or altered to a minus angle. Alternatively, a second set of rollers, inclined at a minus angle, are brought into active use when documents are moved in the reverse direction.

Abstract: A copying system for copying either duplex or simplex original document sets as pre-collated copy sets, utilizing a document handling system providing selective automatic recirculative pre-collation copying of either duplex or simplex document sheets, with selective automatic sheet inversion. Also described is an integral sheet stack normal force/jogger unit for continuous and simultaneous top loading and bottom feeding from either opposite or common directions from a stack of document or copy sheets.

Abstract: A servo-controlled recirculating automatic document feeder (RADF) includes a plurality of independently driven document transport devices. A picker mechanism separates documents in seriatim from a stack. An entry turnaround transport device buffers and delivers picked documents to a platen transport device for exposure. After exposure, the document is transported along a simplex or duplex path for duplex or simplex copying. The document is then buffered in an exit turnaround transport device and is subsequently returned to the stack. Each transport device is independently driven by a motor and a closed-loop servo. A common reference oscillator generates source signals for the servo-loops. A microcomputer operates on the source signals and generates reference signals for driving the transport devices.

Abstract: A print system for duplex printing a plurality of document page images on a plurality of copy sheets includes means for storing print control information which defines the document images. An ink jet printer prints the page images on copy sheets as they are transported past a print station by a transport arrangement defining a closed sheet path. The sheet path is of sufficient length such that a number of copy sheets are transported simultaneously therethrough. A copy sheet inverter receives copy sheets sequentially from the sheet path after the sheets are printed on their first sides and returns them to the sheet path in an inverted orientation prior to printing on the second sides of the copy sheets.

Abstract: Sheet handling apparatus is provided including first and second convergent paths along which sheets are moved seriatim. A sheet engagement mechanism is located adjacent to the first path near the convergence of the two paths. A sheet guide member is mounted for movement between a first position adjacent to the first path and a second position adjacent to the second path. When the guide member is in the first position, the sheet engagement mechanism extends into the first path to register sheets moved along the first path. When the guide member is in the second position the sheet engagement mechanism is held remote from either path.

Abstract: Printing apparatus, having a rotatable platen with a printing element in front of it and a reversible platen drive for rotating the platen counterclockwise or clockwise relative to the printing element, is operable to feed, from an upper hopper extending upwardly and rearwardly from the bottom of the platen, an unprinted sheet to the bottom of the platen and forwardly and upwardly to the front of the platen into printing position. A selector switch may be provided for selecting the direction of rotation of the platen after completion of printing so that its rotation counterclockwise moves the printed sheet upwardly and rearwardly toward the upper hopper and its rotation clockwise moves the printed sheet downwardly for sequential stacking in the lower hopper to collate successive printed sheets in their order of printing.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying apparatus capable of effecting dual-side copying and forming a multiple image. To automatically carry out an operation of dual-side copying, etc., apparatus for reversing a sheet (17) and for switching the path of transportation of a sheet (24,38,43,45,59) are provided. When necessary, a second switching device (25,39) for selectively delivering a sheet to an ejected sheet tray (28) is provided, or a device is provided to resupply a sheet (34,35,36) and a third switching device (32) is provided for automatically effecting delivery of a sheet to a collator.

Abstract: The present invention concerns stacking of shingles, in particular shingles having one edge portion thicker than the other edge portion. Such shingles require that at least some of the shingles in a stack be oriented to place the thicker edge thereof opposite the thicker edge of the other shingles in the stack to form a neat and easily packaged stack of shingles. Such a stack of shingles must be formed quickly and accurately in order to keep up with the high rate of shingle production. The present invention accomplishes this by permitting selected shingles to be dropped and simultaneously rotated about a longitudinal axis as the shingles drop from one star wheel catcher (20) to another star wheel catcher (30). This rotation takes place by applying a substantial moment to the shingle as it falls by interposing specially shaped flipping fingers (46) in the path of the shingle.

Abstract: An apparatus in which documents are moved in a recirculating path from a stack to an imaging station. Successive bottommost documents are fed from the stack to the imaging station with one side of the document being facedown for imaging. The document is transported from the imaging station simultaneously with the next successive document being fed thereto. After leaving the imaging station, the document returns to the top of the stack along one of two paths. One path returns the document to the top of the stack with the image side facedown. The other path returns the document to the top of the stack with the image side face up.

Abstract: A copier capable of producing simplex and duplex copies includes a tri-roll inverter that employs a corrugating roll on roll return force applicator located downstream from the tri-roll input/output members. A sheet coming into the inverter is driven by a pair of the tri-rolls into a nip formed between corrugating rings mounted on the dual rolls of the return force applicator. One of the rolls has a minimal friction force and rotates continuously in the opposite direction to the incoming sheet. When the last portion of the sheet is driven into the corrugation nip, the friction force of the nip will cause the sheet to buckle into an output nip of the tri-roll members for outward movement.

Abstract: Apparatus for delivering business forms and the like selectably in a "face up" or "face down" position, which incorporates a set of creels and a delivery conveyor that can be selectably positioned for receiving individual forms from a separator conveyor and then shingling the forms in either a "face up" or "face down" position. The creels and one end of the delivery conveyor are mounted on rotatable plates which permit either the creels or the one end of the delivery conveyor to be positioned adjacent the separator conveyor.

Abstract: A succession of pads such as disposable diapers, all folded in the same direction originally, are received in an oscillating conveyor which directs alternate pads into separate lanes. The first lane has orbiting paddles for receiving pads folded in their original direction and for inverting them to reverse their fold direction. A conveyor transports the inverted pads to a collection table. The second lane has cooperating conveyor belts for transporting pads, having their folded edges in the original orientation, to the collection table for being stacked on top of a coincidentally arriving inverted pad from the first lane.

Abstract: A duplex printing arrangement is provided for printing on both sides of a plurality of rectangular sheets of paper, each of the sheets having a pair of parallel opposite edges which are shorter than the pair of edges perpendicular thereto. Each of the sheets is transported past a printer in a direction parallel to the longer pair of the edges of the sheet. The sheets are printed on a first side as they are moved past the printer with a first edge of the pair of shorter edges being the leading edge. The sheets are thereafter turned end-for-end and moved past the printer for printing a second side of each of the sheets, with the second printing pass being such that the first edge of each of the sheets is again the leading edge.

Abstract: A machine for stacking mesh reinforcement grids alternatingly in initial and reversed orientations includes a frame on which the grids to be reoriented are held during the reversing operation. The frame is mounted on swivelling arms for swivelling therewith and for turning relative thereto between two positions, and the frame is turned through 180.degree. relative to the arms during their swivelling to one of such positions and held stationary relative thereto during the swivelling toward the other position. Guide rails are retractably positioned along the feed path of the grids to support those grids which are not to be reoriented, prior to the retraction of such rails which takes place before the release of the reoriented grid from the frame.

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.

Abstract: A sheet inverter which accommodates the reversal of motion of sheets of different sizes within a curved fixed length inversion chute having a variable buckle control provided by highly flexible and low force spring members chordally intersecting the inverter chute which provide assistance in positively feeding the sheet back out of the chute, after it has been positively buckled therein against the chute end, but allows the undisturbed formation of buckles of various dimensions within the chute depending on the size of the sheet.

Abstract: Sorting apparatus for collating both simplex or side one up and duplex or side two up copies from a copying machine. The sorting apparatus includes tray assemblies arranged .[.axially.]. .Iadd.radially .Iaddend.of a rotatable member adapted to rotate in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. A conveyor transports sheets toward a first or second feed zone adjacent the path of the tray assemblies. The direction of the tray assemblies and feed zone selected depend on the sorting mode of operation desired by the machine operator. The copy sets are unloaded at a gate into a tray member which is slideably reciprocated on receiving alternate sets to stagger the sets into separately identifiable stacks in the tray member.

Abstract: A system for presenting documents to a slit-scan xerographic exposure station includes a fluidic storage station having a housing in which a rack for storing documents is located. The rack includes a plurality of pockets in each of which a document may be stored, the rack being movable in a vertical direction so that any one of its pockets may be aligned with an opening in the housing. A fluid stream is used to move a document in a pocket aligned with the opening out of the storage apparatus and into engagement with transport apparatus. The transport apparatus includes a vacuum document drum which moves a document past the exposure station and, in one mode of operation, inverts the document prior to its return to a pocket at the station. In another mode of operation, the direction of travel of the drum is reversed after the document has been exposed and the document is returned without inversion.