Abstract: A stapling apparatus for an office machine includes a housing having a fixed position output providing a sequential source of sheets. An output tray is mounted on the housing adjacent the output for supporting the sheets. A compiler shelf is located on the housing adjacent the output tray. A compiling mechanism is mounted on the housing. A stapler is movably mounted on the housing and is longitudinally reciprocable in relation to the shelf and the compiling mechanism. The stapler and the compiler mechanism are so located in relationship to each other that the stapler has a strictly linear motion along an edge of the sheets.

Abstract: A modular, flexibly adaptable "mailboxing" unit and system for both sequentially processing and separating, into a superposed array of plural separate mailbox print job sheet collection bins or trays, the sheet outputs of various users of various printers (including facsimile receivers, copiers or combination units). The mailbox module has left and right side printer inputs and vertical sheet transport input paths therefrom to at least one vertically modular replaceable sub-module for operating sequentially on sheets in the mailbox module sheet path prior to the separating and feeding of sheets into the mailboxes. The replaceable sub-module comprises at least one of a sheet rotator, a sheet inserter, a sheet inverter, a sheet folder, or a sheet hole punch. The mailbox module then provides a third vertical sheet transport path from the replaceable sub-module past the array of mailboxes to provide a bin selection path for the sub-module processed sheets, with optional compiling and finishing.

Abstract: A paper transport system includes an apparatus for controlling movement of the sheets along the predetermined course to provide sheet buffering. The apparatus includes first and second friction surfaces mounted for movement in orbital paths on opposite sides of the predetermined course in opposed relationship to define a nip through which the paper sheets pass. A selectively operable drive is provided for independently controlling the movement of the first and second friction surfaces, and the first friction surface has a coefficient of friction with the paper sheets which is greater than the coefficient of friction of the second surface with the paper sheets which is in turn greater than the coefficient of friction between the paper sheets.

Abstract: In a sheet output module for the collection and stacking of printed media sheets from the output of a reproduction apparatus, with multiple separate sheet collection bins in a vertical array, a sheet input for receiving the sheets, and a sheet transport path for transporting the sheets to a selected bin; the sheet input is at a central vertical level intermediately of the module and the vertical bin array, the vertical bin array is divided into first and second portions with a central vertical space therebetween, the sheet transport path has a common shared central path from the input to a branching position where it arcuately branches in opposite directions, with a first branch path extending upwardly to feed sheets to the first portion of the bins and a second branch path extending downwardly to feed sheets to the second portion of the bins.

Abstract: A signatures finishing system for on-line center folding of sets of signature sheets outputted by a reproduction system; by sequentially individually fully folding the signature sheets in a folding rollers nip as they are outputted and reversing the nip at a position in which the opposite ends of the sheet engage the opposite sides of a closely adjacent saddle compiler to sequentially stack the folded signature sheets on the saddle compiler to form plural sheet compiled pre-folded signature sheet booklets, and then, after stapling, ejecting the compiled folded signatures booklet from the saddle compiler through the same folding rollers nip to a booklet output system which may perform edge trimming and stacking of the booklets ejected through the folding rollers nip.

Abstract: A finishing apparatus for receiving and attaching sets of sheet material in succession. A movable bin array including plurality of bins are provided for receiving the sheet in each individual bin. Rollers are provided for transporting a copy sheet to the finishing apparatus to one of each individual bin. Registration of the sheet is accomplished by the uphill nature of the each individual bin in the bin array sloping towards a registering portion of a gate assembly, and the action of a tamper mechanism registers the sheets. A stapling means having a cam that is radially urged moves in a plane substantially parallel to the orientation of the the bin array. The action of the cam drives the stapler means into a notched area of each individual bin positioned thereat so that registered sheet sets therein may be stapled in the notched area.

Abstract: An apparatus for use with xerographic equipment or the like automatically applies a plastic U-shaped spline binder strip from a cassette housing a plurality of strips onto a first edge of a document set clamped to a planar surface. A binding strip cassette storage holds a plurality of binding strips for single-file automatic installation onto a series of document sets generated by the xerographic equipment. A spreader member disposed between the cassette storage and the document set opens finger portions of the binding strip as it translates from the cassette and onto the document set.

Abstract: A dynamic "mailboxing" unit and system for separating by users the sheet outputs of various users of a shared users printer (including facsimile receivers, copiers or combination units). It provides for stacking the sheets sequentially outputted from the printer in separate job sets into one or more temporarily and variably assigned "mailboxes" of a "mailboxing" job sorting accessory unit having a number of variably assignable "mailbox" bins. It may also provide a bypass for sequentially stacking unstapled user sheets directly in a mailbox without compiling and stapling. A variable display indicates the bins into which that particular user's jobs have been placed last and not yet removed. Also disclosed is automatic overflow assignments of additional temporarily designated bins for identified users, as needed, to provide effectively unlimited or "virtual bin" plural job stacking.

Abstract: A "mailboxing" unit and system for separating by users the job sheet outputs of various users of a shared users printer. It provides for compiling, finishing, and stacking the sheets sequentially outputted from the printer in separate job sets into one or more temporarily and variably assigned "mailboxes" of a "mailboxing" job sorting accessory unit having a number of variably assignable "mailbox" bins. An integral moving sheet deflector, compiler and stapler unit is shown for collecting, compiling, and optionally stapling, and ejecting job sets of sheets for separate designated users into one or more of these discrete but variably assigned "mailboxes". It may also provide a bypass for sequentially stacking unstapled user sheets directly in a mailbox without compiling and stapling. A variable display indicates the bins into which that particular user's jobs have been placed last and not yet removed.

Abstract: In a multi-bin sheet collecting system for a reproduction apparatus, in which printed sheets may be directed an array of bins for job separation, sorting, and/or user mailboxing, to stack on a tray in a selected bin, the removal of printed sheet from individual bins is sensed to indicate the availability of those bins for receiving further printed sheets by an integral optical transmitter/receiver unit mounted in an aperture in each bin tray in an area to be overlaid by sheets stacked thereon. Each transmitter/receiver unit has a light transmitting element transmitting a first light beam in a first direction towards another transmitter/receiver unit in the next adjacent bin in the first direction, and a light beam receiving element for receiving a second light beam from a second, opposite direction and generating an electrical bin empty signal to a controller unless the second light beam is blocked by sheets in the tray of the adjacent bin.

Abstract: A sheet stacking system for stacking the sequential sheet output of a reproducing apparatus, with a sheet stacking tray providing an upwardly inclined sheet stacking surface at a substantial angle above the horizontal for receiving and registering sheets to be stacked thereon from a sheet output against an edge registration surface, and with a tray elevator for linearly repositioning the sheet stacking tray relative to the sheet output for maintaining the top stacking position and inclination, for the accumulation of a large stack; wherein the tray elevator repositions the sheet stacking tray downwardly in a linear but non-vertical movement path which is more perpendicular to the angle of the inclined sheet stacking surface and parallel to the edge registration surface, to provide non-vertical but more squarely superposed sheet stacking in the sheet stacking tray.

Abstract: A dynamic "mailboxing" unit and system for separating by users the sheet outputs of various users of a shared users printer (including facsimile receivers, copiers or combination units). It provides for stacking the sheets sequentially outputted from the printer in separate job sets into one or more temporarily and variably assigned "mailboxes" of a "mailboxing" job sorting accessory unit. The "mailboxing" unit has locking "privacy doors" for restricting access to at least some of the mailbox bins, with electrical unlocking of selected bin doors in response to entry of a user access code, and in particular, automatic lifting of one edge of the sheets in that bin in coordination with the bin door opening to assist user removal of their sheets from the bin.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking, registering and attaching one or multiple sets of electrophotographic printing machine output. The copy sheets are discharged from the machine and fall into an inclined compiling tray and are longitudinally registered by flexible, endless belts contacting the top surface of each sheet. Each sheet is then laterally shifted by a tamping mechanism which has upwardly flared baffle to corrugate the sheet as it is shifted to increase the sheet beam strength and facilitate easier and more complete registration. The discharge nip assembly which includes the flexible belts is vertically adjustable either based on discharged sheet count or in response to feedback from a stack height sensor so as to maintain optimum contact by the endless registration belt and allow for high capacity compiling. The compiling tray can also be adjustable.

Abstract: In a copier or printer producing a sequential stream of sheets with limited time therebetween, and with compiling and finishing of those output sheets on-line while subsequent sheets are being printed, a non-slip sheet feeder normally feeding copy sheets downstream to the compiler is selectably intermittently temporarily stopped holding the lead edge area of the first copy sheet for the next set to be finished so that continued feeding of the trail end of the same sheet by a relatively closely spaced upstream feeder buckles that sheet into a buckle chamber assisted by a buckle inducing arcuate baffle extending from the other side of the sheet path. The next printed sheet is fed normally while the buckled first sheet is positively held out of its way. When the second sheet reaches the downstream feeder, it restarts to positively feed both sheets downstream to the compiler, together, but overlapped by a preset amount for registration stacking.

Abstract: A system for adding moisture to a copy sheet is disclosed. The toner fixation step of electrostatographic reproduction desiccates paper, which may lead to the formation a wave along the sheet edge. The invention uses a pair of porous rolls defining a nip to transfer additional moisture to the copy sheet as it is passed through the nip. The added moisture prevents edge wave formation.

Abstract: An apparatus which adhesively binds a set of sheets by applying a strip having an adhesive to one surface thereof to the spine of the set. The apparatus includes a compiling station which holds at least one set of sheets. A transport advances the set of copy sheets from the compiling station to the bind and to a receiving station. The transport is movable from a non-operative position, coupling the compiling station to the receiving station, to an operative position coupling the compiling station to the binder. In addition, there is a manual insertion station located at the operative position enabling a set of sheets to be inserted into the transport when the transport is positioned in the operative position. The transport is then adapted to advance the manually inserted set of sheets to the binder which then binds the manually inserted set of sheets to one another.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of straightening turned over (dog-eared) or curled edges of sheets of paper or the like, particularly, original documents being fed in a document feeder. In various sheet feeders for feeding flimsy sheets of paper or the like in a sheet feeding direction through a sheet feeding path at a desired sheet movement speed, some such sheets have or acquire folded corners which are folded back relative to said sheet feeding direction. This system can automatically unfold the leading edge sheet corners with rotatable bristled brushes. The periphery of the bristled brush extends into the sheet feeding path and is rotated at a peripheral brush bristle speed with a forward vector component in the direction of sheet movement which is substantially higher than the sheet movement speed for acquiring and lifting the folded back sheet corners and forwardly unfolding them in the sheet feeding direction while the sheet continues to move.

Abstract: An automatic copy paper selecting device that chooses the proper type of copy sheet based on the paper weight of the sheets of the original document without the necessity of utilizing coded control sheets or other operator input. A paper weight sensor in the document handler determines the weight of each original sheet and sends a signal to a programmable controller which then selects the proper copy sheet feed tray based on preprogrammed parameters.

Abstract: An apparatus in which sheet material is decurled. The apparatus includes a baffle type decurler in which a sheet moving therethrough chooses one of three paths and baffles, depending on the direction and amount of curl. Triangular shaped baffles prevent sheet stubbing and a decurling system reverse bends the sheets in two of the three paths.

Abstract: In a sheet stacking system with top sheet input registration assistance by a scuffer, or the like, and a cooperative floating buckle suppression baffle or ski over the stack, disclosed is a flotation and mounting system for automatically maintaining a baffle evenly spaced closely above the top of said stack, and automatically moved up as incoming sheets are added to the top of said stack, to allow incoming sheets to be easily fed thereunder with low friction. Preferably this spacing is maintained by the scuffer position. This floating baffle can also provide an integral sheet stopping lip extending downwardly from the top of the stack along one edge thereof to provide stack edge registration and to prevent registration edge climbing of incoming sheets.