Abstract: A tray receives and guides document sheets that are being manually fed to a copier/duplicator or the like. The tray has a plurality of flexible segments movable in pairs to adjust the size of a guide surface so that sheets of several sizes can be accommodated by the tray.

Abstract: A registration mechanism registers document sheets on a copier platen at an edge of the platen surface. The mechanism includes a unique gate member that moves relative to the platen edge to either register a document sheet or to permit the sheet to be driven past the edge and over a sheet deflector. For duplex copying, the deflector can be raised to guide the leading edge of the sheet over the platen edge as the sheet is returned to the platen for copying a second side of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet registration mechanism aligns a sheet along a sheet path prior to feeding of the sheet to an exposure position of a copier/duplicator. The mechanism can selecitvely latch a registration member in either of three positions. In one position the registration member aligns the sheet. In second and third positions the registration member is remote from the sheet path to allow sheets to move in two opposite directions along the sheet path.

Abstract: Documents are fed to a platen of a copier from two different feeding apparatus, one of which is a recirculating feeder adapted to sequentially feed a plurality of document sheets from one document to the platen for copying each sheet in a known manner. Typically the recirculating feeder is used in making most of the copies, and it may be used to keep the machine running substantially continuously. The platen also can receive one or more sheets of another document from a document positioner. For example, the positioner can feed a document sheet that is too large to be accommodated by the recirculating feeder, or it can feed a document sheet that may not be reliably handled by the recirculating feeder (such as a document sheet made by assembling copy onto a backing sheet), or the positioner can feed documents comprising a single sheet. Also, the positioner can be used for making document masters that are then copies using the recirculating feeder.

Abstract: A document sheet registration mechanism is located on a copier adjacent a platen. The mechanism has a pair of registration members connected to a shaft by a pair of levers so that the members are moved in response to rotation of the shaft. Each member has a flat upper surface and a registration surface that is perpendicular to the upper surface. The registration members are movable by the shaft between (1) a registration position wherein the registration edges project above the platen surface for engagement by a document sheet and (2) a release position wherein the registration edges are beside the platen surface and the upper surfaces of the members are substantially coplanar with the platen so that a sheet can be driven from the platen across the upper surfaces of the members.

Abstract: A recirculating document feeder feeds document sheets to an exposure station wherein the sheets can be exposed for copying. The feeder includes a support which receives and holds one or a plurality of document sheets. A vacuum feeder sequentially removes sheets from the bottom of the stack in the support. A vacuum belt sheet transport picks up the sheets removed from the support and circulates the sheets from the support to the exposure station and then away from the exposure station. The transport is of a size to simultaneously circulate a plurality of document sheets. At the appropriate time in the machine cycle a separator removes the sheet from the sheet transport and directs the removed sheet back to the support and on to the top of any other document sheets in the support.

Abstract: Document sheets are fed to a platen of a copier from two feeding apparatus, one of which is a recirculating feeder adapted to sequentially feed a plurality of document sheets of one document to the platen for copying information on one or both sides of each sheet. The sheets are circulated in a manner that results in the production of collated sets of copies. The platen also can receive one or more sheets of another document fed from a document positioner. The positioner can be used to feed a document that is too large to be accommodated by the recirculating feeder, or it can feed a document that may not be reliably handled by the recirculating feeder (such as a document made by assembling pieces of copy onto a backing sheet), or the positioner can feed documents comprising a single sheet. Also, the positioner can be used for making document masters that are then copied using the recirculating feeder.

Abstract: A recirculating feeder for use with a document copier to produce collated copies of multi-page documents and the like. The feeder operates with the document pages or sheets stacked right-side-up in their normal sequential order. The sheets are removed one-at-a-time from the bottom of the stack, presented face-down for copying, and returned again right-side-up to the top of the stack. The right-side-up orientation and bottom feed permits visual inspection of the copying cycle for assurance that it is proceeding properly, facilitates collation of the final copies in the right-side-up orientation, and permits visual comparison of the document stack with the copy stack.

Abstract: A copier receives different documents on two platens, one of which preferably has a recirculating feeder associated with it for sequentially feeding a plurality of sheets from one document to the platen for copying each sheet in a known manner. The first platen is used to make most of the copies from the copier and is used to keep the machine running substantially continuously. The other platen can receive another original document including, for example, a document that is too large to be accommodated on the first platen or by the recirculating feeder, a document that will not feed reliably through the feeder (such as a document made by assembling copy onto a backing sheet) and a single sheet document. Thus the second platen can be used for making document masters that are then placed in the recirculating feeder on the first platen.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing duplex or simplex collated copies from duplex and simplex originals comprising a copier having a duplexing section with two transfer stations separated by a copy-sheet inverter. A document feeding section circulates and recirculates original sheets, one-after-another, for producing sets of copies in page-sequential order. The document feeder is provided with a single hopper for receiving and maintaining the originals in their usual page sequence or order so that no preparation (i.e., special arrangement) of an original is necessary prior or subsequent to copying for making collated copies. The duplexing section requires only a single fuser that is positioned so that the copy sheets pass through both transfer stations before entering the fuser, thus permitting transfer of images under similar conditions in both transfer stations.

Abstract: A convenience copier having duplex capabilities includes a collating feeder that inverts the document automatically for copying both sides thereof. The copier includes a processing section for establishing visible representations of the document, feeding sections for presenting document and copy sheets to the processing section on a one-document-sheet one-copy-sheet basis, and inverting means for presenting both sides of the document sheets for copying and both sides of the copy sheets for receiving the visible representations. The document feeding section circulates and recirculates the document sheets from a supply to an exposure position and back to the supply, and inverts the document sheets during such circulation and recirculation in a manner suitable for making collated copies without disturbing the sequence of the document.