Abstract: Sheet stacking apparatus for handing simplex and duplex copy sheets has both inverting and non-inverting copy sheet paths (6a, 6b) which can be selected by moving a diverter (7) between two positions. In one position (7a) the copy sheet is directed along guide branch (6a) into slots (9) of the disc inverter (8) which rotates to invert the sheet. The sheet is advanced by nip rolls (32a, 32b) at the output end of the inverting path (6a). An upwardly inclined collection tray (10) has a backstop (30) located in the path of the inverted sheet, but with recesses (20) which allow the discs (8) to pass freely. The lead edge of the sheet is brought to rest when it abuts the backstop (30). Nip rolls (32a, 32b) continue to advance the sheet until its trail edge exits the rolls (32a, 32b) and thus it is delivered into the collection tray (10) inverted.

Abstract: A top vacuum corrugation feeder employs a vacuum feedhead working in conjunction with an air knife to feed sheets from the top of a stack. The air knife includes a pair of trapezoidal shaped fluffer jets that enable high speed feeding of 13# to 110# paper with one pneumatic setting while at the same time improving reliability and expanding stack height latitudes.

Abstract: A vertical vacuum corrugation feeder for separating and feeding sheets from either of two stacks includes a single feed mechanism positioned between the stacks having integral dual feed heads surrounded by at least one feed belt. The dual feed heads include vacuum plenums for pulling the sheets against the feed belt for forwarding away from the stacks.

Abstract: A sheet sorter of the nesting-bin type includes translatable bins that are driven so that there is an additional space between the bin immediately on top of a sheet-entry location and any superposed bins. This provides access to a corner of a set of sheets registered in that bin for a stapler which is reciprocable between a remote position permitting free indexing of the bins and an inner position in which it can be operated to staple the respective set of sheets together.

Abstract: A sheet stacker, e.g. for a photocopier, providing accurate trail edge registration includes co-acting driven output rollers associated with a sheet guide for directing sheets in an upwardly inclined direction. An output tray for receiving sheets exiting the output rollers has a support face inclined upwardly in the direction of sheet travel at an angle greater than that imparted to the approaching sheets such that the leading edges of the sheet contact the support face before the trail edges exit the output rollers. The output tray also includes a base edge support which, in the plane of the support face, is inclined downwardly and comprises at the lower end a corner registration stop. A fulcrum is provided at the upper end of the base edge support and is arranged such that after exiting the output rollers the sheets slide under their own weight, trail edge first, down the support face and abut the fulcrum intermediate their edges remote from the registration corner stop and the center of the sheets.

Abstract: A top vacuum corrugation feeder employs a vacuum feedhead working in conjunction with an air knife to feed sheets from the top of a stack. The vacuum feedhead includes a vacuum plenum with a plurality of perforated feed belts entrained around it. The feed belts have a diamond shaped knurl pattern on their sheet engaging surfaces in order to obtain a higher pressure differential across the sheet material during sheet acquisition.

Abstract: An arrangement for turning pages of a facedown booklet for use with a copier. A rotating vacuum roll located between two platens peel pages from the book as the book is moved back and forth between the two platens. As the book moves over the vacuum roll, an air knife fluffs the pages and the page adjacent the vacuum roll is captured by the vacuum roll. As the book spine passes through the region between the platens, the vacuum roll reverses and with assistance from the air knife presses the captured pages against the other half of the book.

Abstract: A copier capable of producing simplex and duplex copies includes a tri-roll inverter that employs a corrugation roll on roll return force applicator located downstream of and off line from the input nip of the tri-roll input/output members. A sheet driven by the input nip into the inverter is corrugated as it penetrates the roll on roll return force applicator nip. When the last portion of the sheet is driven into the return force applicator nip, the friction return force of the nip will cause the sheet to drive into a foam roll which delivers the sheet to the output nip.

Abstract: A sheet rotation and registration vertical transport includes the combination of a belt conveyor and a series of housed free floating balls arranged such that the balls selectively retard one side of a sheet moving along the conveyor, thereby causing the sheet to rotate 90.degree. due to the pull of gravity against the sheet.

Abstract: An arrangement for turning the pages of a booklet within a copier. A air knife fluffer, the pages and a wheel is translated against the page to be turned and creates a buckle in the previously separated page. The vacuum wheel is then lifted bringing the page with it and rotated to flip the page. Afterwards, translation of the vacuum wheel without rotation continues in order to flatten the now flipped sheet. The vacuum is then returned to its home position.

Abstract: A decorrugating sheet transport system includes a drive shaft with three drive rollers mounted for rotation in relation to three idler rollers. The three drive rollers have relieved areas on portions of their circumferences and are positioned on the drive shaft so that upon receiving the lead edge of a corrugated sheet only the two outer rollers drive the sheet initially. This allows the corrugations in the sheet to expand toward the outer rollers. Next, all three rollers drive the sheet for about a 30.degree. arc and then the sheet is driven only by the center roller with the outer two rollers separated to allow the corrugations to dissipate to the edges of the sheet through a small gap between the outer rollers.

Abstract: A modular sheet feeding apparatus for connection to a copying machine is disclosed in which a series of tables are mounted as a group and individually positioned for sheet feeding into a copier main frame. The modular apparatus can either include its own feed rolls for each table or use one feed roll that is mounted within the main frame to be moved into and out of sheet feeding position.

Abstract: In a system of plurally recirculating a set of document sheets for precollated copying wherein the document sheets are repeatedly individually fed seriatim from the bottom of an overlying stack thereof for copying with registration and returned to the top of the stack for restacking in a tray having a support surface, a rear guide and two edge guides, an improvement is disclosed that includes a straight ramp attached to one of the edge guides so that document sheets returned to the support surface will lie flat against the edge guide and thereby provide a positive registration position along the junction between the ramp and the rear guide thereby reducing the possibility of mis-registration due to bending of the document sheets during feeding and recirculation.

Abstract: An improved knife folder includes a blade adapted to collapse a sheet a predetermined amount in order to allow nip rollers to buckle the sheet into a pair of folding cylinders. In this manner, potential for blade damage to the sheet and a critical set up are eliminated while at the same time insuring positive paper acquisition.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding individual substrates from the top of a stack of substrates upon demand includes a paddle wheel having paddles that are semi-cylindrical. The paddles buckle upon contact with the substrates rather than bending and thereby providing reduced normal force sensitivity to paddle deflection and reduced pressure since the force of buckling is a function of the paddle cross-section rather than paddle length for all areas of the paddles except near the paddle wheel hub. The semi-circular blades reduce misfeeding and multifeeding while having an extended wear life.

Abstract: A top vacuum corrugation feeder employs a vacuum feedhead working in conjunction with an air knife to feed sheets from the top of a stack. The air knife includes fluffer jets and vectored auxiliary fluffer jets in order to assist in separating and feeding downcurled sheets. To improve sheet acquisition, increase reliability and decrease minimum feed speed, a vacuum plenum is preferably equipped with a negative pressure source that is on continuously during the feed cycle, with the only criteria for sheet feeding being that the motion of the vacuum feedhead is ceased prior to the trail edge of the acquired sheet exposing all of the vacuum ports.

Abstract: A bottom sheet separator feeder is described for separating and forwarding sheets seriatim from the bottom of a stack of sheets to be fed. It comprises a tray for supporting a stack of sheets to be fed, a vacuum belt feeder extending through at least a front end of the tray for acquiring and advancing the bottom sheet of the stack, and an air knife arranged to inject air into the front end of the stack. A common blower creates a negative sheet acquisition pressure at the vacuum feed belts and a positive air pressure at the air knife. An air knife relief valve can be opened or closed to vary the air pressure at the air knife relative to the sheet acquisition pressure at the vacuum feed belts. The feeder may be shared by two trays of which one of the trays can be raised and lowered into and out of position within the other tray, the valve being open when the one of said trays is raised and closed when the tray is lowered.

Abstract: A sheet curl control apparatus that includes a pair of coacting rolls and a baffle extending across the path of a sheet exiting the nip between the rolls so as to deflect it about one of the rolls.

Abstract: A top vacuum corrugation feeder employs a vacuum feedhead working in conjunction with an air knife to feed sheets from the top of a stack. The feedhead is valveless and has a vacuum applied thereto during the entire feed cycle in order to increase reliability and decrease minimum feed speed. The top vacuum corrugation feeder includes fluffer jets and vectored auxiliary fluffer jets in order to assist the air knife in separating severely downcurled sheets for feeding.

Abstract: A bottom sheet feeding apparatus including a sheet separator and feeder and a sheet stacking tray which has a planar base portion defining a base plane, the front of the base portion having an opening within which the bottom sheet separator and feeder is positioned, the tray further including two sloping planar side wings, one at each side of the opening in the base portion. In a preferred embodiment, the sheet separator and feeder includes a slide plate with a vacuum applied thereto. The slide plate has a sloping front portion for more positively separating the bottom sheet in a sheet stack from the remaining sheets.