Abstract: A scanning system receives and ejects material to be scanned in a given plane. There are first and second transports, each for holding material to be scanned. A table has a bed capable of holding one of the transports. Rails above the bed hold the other transport. These rails may be operated to drop any transport that is on the rails onto the bed. The bed and rails may be raised and lowered so that any transport, on the bed, is in the given plane when a transport is to be fed into the scanning system, and so that any transport ejected from the scanning system will be received on the rails. With this apparatus the two transports may be scanned alternately, with the material on one being changed while the other is being scanned. The transports are moved by rollers and pushing devices.

Abstract: A method of feeding material to be scanned to, and ejecting such material from, a scanning system is provided. The scanning system receives, ejects and transports carrying material to be scanned. Two such transports are provided, to permit material to be scanned on one transport while the material on the other transport is changed and/or modified. The transports are fed into the scanning system from a bed and are received from the system on rails. The rails are above the bed. The bed and rails are in one vertical position when transports are fed from the bed into the scanning system and at another vertical position when a transport is ejected from the scanning system onto the rails. A transport may be dropped from the rails to the bed.