Abstract: A guide apparatus and method are provided for selectively guiding sheet articles into a first, second or third conveying path. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second conveying paths are the upper and lower conveying paths, respectively, of a dual-deck accumulator and the third conveying path is a divert path. The guide apparatus includes a guide member having a pair of spaced-apart divert plates which are elongated and parallel so as to define a slot therebetween for passage of sheet articles therethrough. The divert plates are fixedly positioned with respect to one another and selectively pivotal in a first position for guiding sheet articles into a first conveying path, a second position for guiding sheet articles into a second conveying path and a third position for guiding sheet articles into a third conveying path.

Abstract: A typical printing device has a document feeder, a printer, and a document transport mechanism for transporting documents from the document feeder to the printer. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a thickness measurer which measures the thickness of a document prior to the transport of the document to the printer, a controller which receives the thickness information and which provides a gap-adjustment signal, and an adjuster which receives the gap-adjustment signal and adjusts the gap accordingly.

Abstract: A typical printing device has a document feeder, a printer, and a document transport mechanism for transporting documents from the document feeder to the printer. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a thickness measurer which measures the thickness of a document prior to the transport of the document to the printer, a controller which receives the thickness information and which provides a gap-adjustment signal, and an adjuster which receives the gap-adjustment signal and adjusts the gap accordingly.