Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm William A. Henry, II
  • Four roll inverter
    Patent number: 4986529
    Abstract: A tri-directional inverter for use in machines requiring copy sheet inversion for collated copy set output uses four rollers forming three sheet-feeding nips. All sheets enter the center nip and contact a diverter gate that urges them in either of two directions. The sheets are corrugated by corrugating rollers as they enter a spring loaded inversion channel. The spring and corrugation rollers urge the sheets back out of the inversion channel into engagement with either of the selected other nips formed by the four rollers for feeding back into the machine for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Vinod K. Agarwal, Barry M. Dixon, Joseph C. Foerster, Gregory G. Jones
  • Bottom vacuum corrugation feeder stack height detection system calibration method
    Patent number: 4960272
    Abstract: A vacuum corrugation feeder stack height detection calibration system and method includes placing a single document in the document tray. Coupled to the stack height arm at the pivot point is a high resolution rotary encoder and dual beam sensor. The stack height arm is flipped up and then back down onto the document and pulses are counted. This difference in up and down pulses represents the "one sheet case." Software then stores this number in non-volatile memory and uses it to create a table of values for various document stack heights by adding constant values to the originally obtained "one sheet case" value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald R. Wierszewski, Richard F. Scarlata, Thomas Acquaviva, James F. Matysek
  • Positive drive, passive, sheet rotation device using differential roll velocities
    Patent number: 4955965
    Abstract: A device capable of rotating sheets 90.degree. relative to an input orientation, utilizes a set of continuously driven rolls all turning with different surface velocities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Barry P. Mandel
  • Pneumatic compiling apparatus
    Patent number: 4930766
    Abstract: A dual vacuum belt transport system for compiling copy sheet sets in a compiling tray includes a first vacuum belt that picks up a copy sheet and moves it to a forward registration wall for front edge alignment, and releases it. A second vacuum belt then picks up the copy sheet and moves it to a side registration wall to complete the compiling sequence. Each vacuum belt is angled with respect to a vertical plane in order to drive each copy sheet into a corner formed by the intersection of the forward and side registration walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Gerald M. Garavuso
  • Small inexpensive finisher
    Patent number: 4925172
    Abstract: A low-cost finisher that creates stapled books includes a tray that is tilted at an acute angle backward and away from the direction of incoming copy sheets. Copy sheets are fed into and slide down the copy sheet support surface of the tray and against a rear registration wall of the tray under the influence of tampers. Another tamper forces the copy sheets against a side registration guide of the tray to align them in the head of a stapler. Stapled books are transported out of the tray to a catch tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth G. Christy, Thomas F. Cooper, Richard Dastin
  • Set transport
    Patent number: 4905984
    Abstract: A set transport including a direction changing device is disclosed which includes a sun roll 76, arcuate guide means 80, 81 around the sun roll 76 and a plurality of spaced planet rolls 77, 78, 79 which coact with the sun roll 76. The planet rolls are driven faster than the sun roll. Preferably the sun roll 76 has a rigid surface and the planet rolls have compliant surfaces and form an interference relationship with the sun roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Richard A. Haigh
  • Decorative binding apparatus
    Patent number: 4904333
    Abstract: A tape binding apparatus for applying decorative tape to a previously stapled booklet is disclosed as having a pair of binding surfaces upon which a piece of tape is placed after being drawn from a tape dispenser attached to one end of the apparatus. A manually operable device drives one of the surfaces toward the other surface when the bound edge of the booklet is applied to the surfaces. A pivotal guide mechanism is arranged to guide the booklet to the surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: John D. Zoltner
  • Recirculating folder for direct mail application
    Patent number: 4900391
    Abstract: A sheet recirculating, folding and gluing system folds documents, holds them at a wait station and then inserts them into another sheet which is folded and glued "on-line" to form an envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Barry P. Mandel, William R. Burger
  • Sheet turning and registration system
    Patent number: 4877234
    Abstract: A copy sheet rotator in which a sheet is moved by two separately driven crowned rolls that form nips with cooperating idler rolls. For sheet turning, one roll is stopped with the sheet in the nip while the other roll continues to drive and rotate the sheet. A separate scuffer roller registers the rotated sheet after it has been released from the rolls without scuffing damage. The position, angle and velocity of the scuffer allows the sheet to remain in tension during rotation and therefore prevents buckling without the need for nip release systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Barry P. Mandel
  • Vacuum fluorescent printing device
    Patent number: 4859913
    Abstract: A vacuum fluorescent printing device is disclosed having cathode filaments, a multiplexed control grid and a skewed matrix of addressable phosphor elements configured on an anode in such a fashion as to enable convenient electrical connection plus imagewise recombination of emitted light from said phosphor elements into a high resolution linear array for the purpose of directing this collection of addressable points of light onto a single line of a photoreceptor drum or belt thereby enabling a xerographic image to be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Frank C. Genovese, James W. Lannom
  • Sheet transporting apparatus
    Patent number: 4858909
    Abstract: Sheet transporting apparatus including a pair of rollers (13, 14) forming a sheet transporting nip (12), and adapted, when in an initial position (FIG. 1a), to engage the leading edge (17) of a sheet (11) delivered thereto, and subsequently to produce an orbital motion of the rollers one about the other so as to progressively change the direction of motion of the sheet while the sheet is advancing through the nip (FIGS. 1b-1d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Denis J. Stemmle
  • Sheet registration apparatus
    Patent number: 4844440
    Abstract: Apparatus for registering one or more sheets in a registration position defined for example in a corner formed by two edge stops has a sheet support member and a tamping member that engage the edge or edges of the sheet or sheets on the support member. The tamping member is mounted on the end of an arm which is mounted for angular movement about a shaft. On movement of the arm the tamper moves so as to push the sheet(s) into the registration position. The tamping member includes a brush having bristles that engage the edge(s) of the sheet(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: John R. Gray
  • Self-cleaning scorotron with focused ion beam
    Patent number: 4841146
    Abstract: A self cleaning charging unit includes an insulating housing and a current limited, low capacitance corona wire positioned within the housing and located 0.5-6 mm away from biased conductive plates which form a slit through the bottom of the housing that allows ions to pass therethrough onto a receptor surface. The conductive plates are used to control the flow of ions through the slit and opposing insulating wedges are positioned above and incontacting relationship with each conductive plate in order to focus additional ions to the center of the slit. At inside edges of the slit there are additional fringe fields that aid in pumping ions out of the slit. Charging a receiver in corotron or scorotron fashion is possible with this charging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Gundlach, Richard F. Bergen
  • Sheet sorters
    Patent number: 4836526
    Abstract: A sheet sorter is disclosed which is designed to permit the sorting of sheets of significantly-greater area than the sorter bin support surface, without the projecting area of sheet bending over the bin edge and potentially interfering with the introduction of new sheets into adjacent bins. Each bin surface is provided with wings to induce a curve into a sheet being fed and stored in a bin, so as to give the sheet sufficient beam strength for the projecting portions to remain aligned with the portion of sheet which is in the bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Melink
  • Copy finishing apparatus
    Patent number: 4832330
    Abstract: Copy finishing apparatus includes a compiling surface (62) for compiling sheets into sets, a registration device (71) for driving sheets into a registration corner defined by end (69) and side registration stops and a conveyor system (63, 67, 68) for conveying sheets on to surface (62) in a first direction, the surface (62) sloping downwardly towards end registration stop (69) in the opposite direction. Sheets are delivered to the surface (62) beyond the registration device (71) and the slope of surface (62) is such that they slide under gravity beneath the device (71). The apparatus suitably also includes set ejecting mechanism (73, 74) and stapler (72) and the path (63) extends over these also.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Stewart D. Picton
  • Sheet collector
    Patent number: 4830359
    Abstract: A sheet stacker or sorter for a xerographic or other copier has respectively one or more upwardly-inclined or vertical sheet receiving bins fed from below by nip rolls located at the exit of a pair of guide plates which direct the sheet towards the bin. The trail edge of the sheet is lifted from the exit of the guide plates onto a ledge of the bin by a scoop differentially pivoted at the end of a drive arm and a slave arm, the slave arm being limited in its pivotal excursion by pins journalled on the drive arm. With this mechanism a scoop is tipped forward when it enters the bin first depositing the sheet and then the rear wall of the scoop urges the trailing portion of the sheet into conformity against the support face of the bin for improved stacking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Melnik
  • Copy sheet prepackaged, shipping and loading wrapper for use in a high volume duplicator
    Patent number: 4830186
    Abstract: A disposable wrapper is disclosed which is adapted to hold a supply of copy sheets in the form of a pack equivalent to a plurality of reams for a printing machine. The wrapper is constructed of two main portions which permit the operator to carry the stack to a sheet supply platform for the machine without disrupting the stack. One of the portions of the wrapper stiffens the pack and serves to permit the operator to carry and place the stack upon the platform. The other portion is in the form of a flexible strip wrapped around the pack and which may be slidably removed from under the stack thus effecting the loading of the stack in the printing machine preparatory to the sheet feed operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Clifford L. George, Richard H. Nagel
  • Passive "pinwheel" copy sheet rotator
    Patent number: 4830356
    Abstract: An in-line passive "pinwheel" copy sheet rotator in a rotating disc configuration for use in a copier, intermediate module or the like rotates copy sheets 90 or 180 degrees as desired. The disc has four quadrants and is used in combination with and positioned in-line with a sheet transport such as a ball-on-belt registration mechanism and an edge guide for registering the sheets once they have been rotated. Copy sheets come into contact with fins on the disc due to their movement by the ball-on-roll transport and are rotated along with the disc. A deflector is positioned over a portion of the disc in order to enhance the guiding of copy sheets into the disc by reducing the inertia of the disc after each copy is rotated and indexes each quadrant through the application of drag on the fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: John D. Zoltner
  • A sheet mechanism having drive means for removing compiled sheet sets therefrom
    Patent number: 4826383
    Abstract: A sheet stacker in which sheets are compiled in a tray (71) against registration (74) and a completed set is ejected, the registration members (74) being retracted, by an eject mechanism comprising a continuously rotating drive roller (80) projecting through the base (72) of the tray and a coacting idler roller (81) mounted on a spring arm (82) which is retracted during stacking and then pressed against the top of the completed set to effect ejection. Preferably the roller (80) is a deformable roller having a low coefficient of friction surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Millen
  • Paper feed cassette
    Patent number: 4826147
    Abstract: A dual purpose cassette is disclosed that allows the feeding of sheets in either a short edge or long edge direction. The cassette has openings on the short edge and long edge of its base and side portions so that depending on which direction the cassette is inserted into the machine sheets can be fed in the longitudinal or lateral directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: Rank Xerox Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Shino, Akira Sasahara, Kiyoshi Ishikawa, Shigeru Shibasaki, Shinji Takashina