Abstract: In a lateral sheet shifting system, wherein sheets are fed from a sheet input to a sheet output with controlled shifting transversely of the process direction, there is a pivotal arcuate sheet path defining baffle unit providing an arcuate sheet-feeding path between the input and output. This arcuate baffle unit is mounted for pivotal angular movement laterally of the process direction by a controllable automatic variable angle pivoting system to form a variable sheet spiraling path therein. The arcuate baffle unit may be generally "S" or "U" shaped, and may be defined by, or consist solely of, opposing relatively closely spaced similarly arcuate baffles, such as at least two operatively connecting but oppositely facing generally quarter-cylindrical sections which can provide sheet side shifting without introducing any sheet skewing. The sheets in the baffle unit need not be engaged by any sheet feeding rollers therein, and the sheet input and output can be simple conventional fixed rollers on fixed axes.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for reorienting printable material, such as the signatures of a web fed rotary printing press, in a manner whereby a new velocity vector can be positively imparted to a signature instantaneously. Exemplary embodiments used selected portions of a drive mechanism to actively redirect the signatures with a new velocity vector. Because the new velocity vector is actively imparted to the signatures, exemplary embodiments provide a highly reliable reorientation of the signatures, without causing damage to the signatures, and without risking potential jamming of the printing press. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention not only preserve the quality of a shingled stream by providing an ability to retain the original lateral alignment and pitch of the incoming shingled stream, but in addition, exemplary embodiments can correct the pitch between signatures of an incoming shingled stream.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of effecting, without resorting a precise staple command, adequate finishing matching with an environment including the condition of papers, thereby reducing defective printings when stapling is desired. When a rough stapling position, e.g., the top left corner or the top right corner of a paper is designated via a rough command inputting device, papers can be stapled in a desired pattern with high probability.

Abstract: When discharging a sheet material from an image forming apparatus after completion of image formation, at least one spur roller for discharging the trailing edge of the sheet material downward is provided. Hence, it is possible to more stably discharge the sheet material than ever, and to arrange and mount sheets of the sheet material on a discharged-sheet tray in a manner better than ever.

Abstract: A printed sheets output inverting and stacking system for printers printing normal size sheets oriented widthwise and long size sheets oriented lengthwise, with a disk type rotatable sheet inverting and stacking system positioned adjacent to one side of the printer output path with its axis of rotation parallel to the direction of sheet movement of the printer. A scuffer or other lateral sheet feeding system receives the printed sheet output of the printer and laterally moves each sheet towards one side of the printer output path, at right angles to the original direction of sheet movement, and into the sheet inverting slots of the rotatable disk inverter-stacker, so that the long size sheets are inverted widthwise, for increased stacking reliability.

Abstract: A paper advance mechanism which minimizes the size of a printer includes a printer head and a platen disposed below the printer head and separated from the printer head by a gap. A first channel defined by the platen and a chassis is in the form of an arc for guiding a sheet from a paper cassette to advance along the chassis and towards the printer head while the platen is rotating in a first direction. A pair of driving rollers is disposed close to the gap for controlling the moving direction of the sheet. A second channel in communication with the first channel guides the sheet from the first channel, and a third channel in communication with and horizontally aligned with the second channel guides the sheet from the second channel to a paper exit opening. The printer had prints on the sheet when the sheet is advancing from the second channel to the third channel. After printing is finished, the sheet is fed back to the second channel for retrieval.

Abstract: A photographic printing paper, which is discharged from a discharge opening of a processor section with an image forming surface facing downward, is conveyed upward by conveying rollers, and along the way, the image forming surface is oriented upward. Thereafter, the photographic printing paper whose image forming surface has been oriented upward is stacked in a tray of a sorter with the image forming surface facing upward.

Abstract: An apparatus for changing the direction of travel of a flat article being conveyed seriatim along a paper path without changing the orientation of the flat article with respect to a first direction of travel. The apparatus includes a deck having an upstream end for receiving a flat article being conveyed along a paper path in a first direction and a registration wall upstanding on the deck and spaced from the upstream end, the registration wall having a longitudinal axis defining a second direction that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction. A drive assembly is operatively coupled to the deck in proximity to the registration wall and is operative to seize a first leading edge of a flat article traveling in the first direction on the deck and convey the flat article in the second direction such that the leading edge of the flat article abuts against the registration wall.

Abstract: A resistance device for use in an exercising apparatus having a plurality of resistance elements, a force transmission device and a resistance adjusting device. Through the force transmission device, a user can apply an exercise force to the resistance elements which in general provide a resisting force derived from atmospheric pressure. For adjusting the total resistance, the user may operate the resistance adjusting device to determine which resistance element(s) is(are) enabled to adjust the level of resisting force.

Abstract: An apparatus for preventing jams in a folder of a printing press includes a roller having vacuum holes to which vacuum pressure may be applied to attract the loosely constrained signature towards the roller. The signature will follow the curved path of the roller and be led away from a jam area of the printing press. When the printing press is running at normal operating speed (e.g., steady state), the vacuum is removed from the roller because the signatures will be guided by grippers and will then take a path through the printing press for further processing.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing printed products from a web of paper printed on according to a predetermined page sequence and subsequently cut crosswise, or crosswise and lengthwise to form individual sheets which can be optionally turned by 90.degree., relative to their position, on a continued conveying route. The individual sheets are supplied one after another in one or several rows and via a joint conveying segment to a location for further processing. An arrangement for implementing the process includes a cutting device that follows a printing machine and is connected for effectively conveying to a further processing arrangement. A downstream end of a conveying route between the cutting device and the further processing arrangement has a conveying segment into which two conveying routes discharge. The two conveying routes are separated by a diverter.

Abstract: A conveyor receives and holds a recorded sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus, the sheet is conveyed along a path and another conveyor is provided along the path at a predetermined distance from the first conveyor to further convey the sheet. There is a shifting device between the two conveyors for holding and individually shifting groups each containing a prescribed number of sheets, perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the sheets. There is a delivery tray for receiving the sheets delivered by the other conveyor.

Abstract: A paper sorting device is incorporated in a recording machine. The paper sorting device includes a first paper tray located near a recording paper exit of the recording machine and a second paper tray located below the first paper tray. A flap is provided as a part of the first paper tray such that it can move to form an opening for passing of the recording paper therethrough. A drive mechanism is also provided for maintaining the flap in position or moving the flap to form the opening. When the flap is maintained in position, the recording paper is ejected onto the first paper tray. When the flap is moved, the recording paper falls onto the second tray through the opening made by the moved flap. Therefore, two kinds of recording paper are separately collected in the two paper trays respectively. The flap may be hinge-linked to the first paper tray so that it can rotate about its hinge upwards and downwards.

Abstract: A sheet advancing over a transport plane by pairs of transport rollers is rotated through an angle of 90.degree. by retaining the sheet at a point of rotation coupled with the releasing of one of the transport roller pairs so that only the other transport roller pair exerts a torque on the sheet. By disposing the other of the transport roller pairs exerting the torque somewhat downstream of the center of rotation, the sheet is maintained taut during rotation.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for a photographic image forming device which has a print part, such as an inkjet. A non-stationary sheet pick device pushes the separated sheet out of the paper tray in an upward angle. Then the separated sheet is pushed towards a sheet feeding roller which in turn forces the sheet through a radius, so that the trailing edge never touches the roller. Then the roller reverses the rotation direction and pushes the sheet backwards. A sheet path control device forces the sheet into a new paper path direction, onto the print table and towards the final sheet advance roller. Forcing the sheet through a radius and providing a paper path which wraps around the print mechanism enables miniaturization of the entire device.

Abstract: An electromagnetically operated sheet diverter for an image forming apparatus. The sheet diverter diverts a sheet from a common path to one of two possible paths upon discharge from the image forming apparatus. The sheet diverter is small and compact, making the sheet diverter suitable for desktop image forming devices. A main controller operates the sheet diverter to divert sheets depending on the tray of origin. The sheet diverter has a holding bracket. An electromagnet is mounted to the holding bracket. A spring-biased paper diverting member is selectively attracted by and brought into contact with the electromagnet only when the magnet is activated. A longitudinal shaft is tightly held by the paper diverting member and is selectively rotated along with the paper diverting member. The longitudinal shaft has a plurality of fitting grooves, which are spaced out at regular intervals and have a D-shaped cutting configuration.

Abstract: Apparatus for sorting and distributing sheet-like items, such as postal matter. A feeder successively feeds the sheet-like items with the front surfaces of all the items facing in the same direction. A stacker is positioned above the feeder for stacking the sheet-like items in an upright position. As the sheet-like items are conveyed from the feeder to the stacker, a selector activates either a first reader or a second reader to read address codes applied to the front surfaces or the back surfaces of the sheet-like items. The selector selects the one of the first reader and the second reader to be activated based on which of the front surfaces and the back surfaces of the sheet like items have address codes thereon.

Abstract: A media sheet handling system and a method of duplex printing are disclosed wherein a media sheet is imaged with a phase change ink on both sides of the media sheet without smudging or remelting the images and the media sheet is partially exited from the printer into a media output tray and then is drawn back into the printer along a duplex path of travel that automatically reverses the media sheet so that the trailing edge becomes the leading edge during the imaging of the second side of the media sheet. The stiffness of the media sheet facilitates the media sheet moving above and beyond a stationary media path diverter prior to reversing its direction of travel along and passing along the duplex path of travel back to the imaging station.

Abstract: A sheet conveyed into a sheet discharge processing device is conveyed through a straight convey path by first convey rollers and then is discharged onto a first discharge tray by second convey rollers and first discharge rollers. Second discharge rollers are arranged on a reverse convey path. A second discharge tray and a fan for applying an external force to the rear surface of a sheet are placed below the reverse convey path. When the trailing end of a sheet is detected by a second detection sensor, the fan is driven for a predetermined period of time to blow air against the rear surface of the discharged sheet. When sheets conveyed into the sheet discharge processing device are guided to a post-processing convey path by the first convey rollers so as to be subjected to post-processing, and are sequentially conveyed to a sheet storing section by convey rollers from the last or start page, the sheets are guided along one of guide plates constituting the sheet storing section to be aligned.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for unloading a sheet medium from a vacuum drum which may be a vacuum drum of an imagesetter for example, or a vacuum drum of an input scanning machine. The unloading is facilitated by the stiffness of sheet medium. When the vacuum holding a sheet medium is released, the stiffness of the sheet medium causes the sheet to separate from the drum. A roll forces the sheet onto the drum and the motion of the drum forces the sheet medium onto a table which has been moved into proximity of the drum. The sheet travels onto a transport mechanism which eventually takes over the moving of the sheet medium without requiring synchronism between the drum rotational speed and the transport mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking mailpieces received from a mail processing machine includes a deck; a sloped wall extending from the deck; a plurality of continuous belts each extending along the deck in a first direction and positioned at substantially equal intervals along a second direction of the deck, each of the plurality of continuous belts having a top surface which extends above the deck and which contacts the mailpieces received from the mail processing machine; structure for driving the plurality of belts in the first direction to move the received mailpieces along the sloped wall in a shingled configuration; a registration wall disposed on the deck to define a landing area on the deck for the received mailpieces, the registration wall being mounted for slideable movement along the deck in the second direction to change a size of the landing area to accommodate the receiving of different sized mailpieces from the mail processing machine; and structure, connected to the registration wall and the plurality

Abstract: An automatic document feeder feeds documents placed on a document table to a document exposure position, and has a document discharge means having a discharge roller for discharging the document after exposure onto the document table, the document discharge means being movable in the document conveying direction. The automatic document feeder includes a drive pulley mounted on an end portion of the discharge roller; a pair of transmission pulleys disposed outside the moving range of the drive pulley in the document conveying direction, and rotatably supported at a stationary part; a timing belt looped between the pair of transmission pulleys and the drive pulley; and a drive source transmittingly connected to one of the pair of transmission pulleys and disposed at a stationary part.

Abstract: A method of assembling successively fed paper sheets subjected to a printing treatment, and groupwise delivery thereof to a following station for further treatment, is described. The paper sheets are fed by a first transport mechanism along a main transit path over a guide mechanism to a second transport mechanism situated at a distance therefrom in the processing direction. The paper sheets are engaged by the second transport mechanism for transport in the processing direction. The second transport mechanism, for the purpose of receiving each following paper sheet in the group, is temporarily driven in a direction opposite to the processing direction. The trailing part of each of the sheets returned by the second transport mechanism is deflected out of the main transit path.

Abstract: To produce a desired sheet orientation between upstream and downstream positions of a sheet path along which sheets travel successively in a predetermined sheet travel direction, each sheet is driven uniformly along the path with an intermediate phase in which the sheet is driven differentially to rotate the sheet without changing its velocity component in the sheet travel direction. If the sheet has a skew or an offset error, the amount of rotation and its starting point are adjusted appropriately to compensate for both.

Abstract: A conveyer belt includes a conveying face which is divided into at least two areas one of which has a larger coefficient of friction than the other. Alternatively, the conveying face includes an area in which a coefficient of friction thereof varies from a large value to a small value from one side to the other side along a direction transverse to the belt. A transfer device is provided for discharging sheet material on to the conveying face of the conveyer belt in the direction transverse to the belt. The conveyer belt is disposed in such a manner that the area of the conveying face on the side of the transfer device has a larger coefficient of friction than the area on the other side.

Abstract: A device for selectively extracting samples from a folding unit is provided. The device includes a signature transport system for transporting signatures to a deceleration device. The deceleration device has a plurality of rotating arms with gripping elements assigned thereto for seizing signatures emerging-from the transport system. Portions of the signature transport system or selectively actuable gripping elements either deliver sample signatures to a delivery system or deviate sample signatures into an alternate transport path.

Abstract: A reversing device for at least one sheet of paper, intended particularly for inclusion in a scanner in a printing device such as a printer or a copying machine. The reversing device has a first guide for guiding one or more paper sheets along a feed path in a first direction. A roller system is also provided and is disposed downstream from the first guide. The roller system defines a transport nip and comprises at least one driven roller which is adapted to be driven selectively in two opposite directions of rotation for selectively driving the sheet of paper respectively in a second direction and a third direction. The second direction has a component which is in the first direction, and the third direction is opposite to the first direction. A second guide is also provided for guiding the paper sheet in a fourth direction which has a component in the third direction. When moving in the fourth direction, the paper sheet moves along a discharge path which is different from the feed path.

Abstract: A blade for use in an apparatus for urging sheets against registration edges in a sheet compiler is provided. The blade includes a body having a contact surface for contact with the sheets and a locating feature. The locating feature is connected to the body for locating the blade to the apparatus. The locating feature includes a prevention feature for preventing the blade from being inserted into the apparatus in a first orientation and to permit the blade to be inserted into the apparatus in a second orientation, opposed to the first orientation, so that the blade is properly installed into the apparatus.

Abstract: A diverter apparatus and method are provided for high-speed media processing for diverting media such as envelopes or envelope inserts including folded sheets of paper from a conveying path and in a divert direction substantially opposite to the direction of the conveying path. In the preferred embodiment, the diverter apparatus includes a rotation member such as a belt which can be moved in opposite directions and which includes a plurality of push members thereon for engaging and conveying media. A closed-loop servomotor or a step motor can be utilized to drive the belt. In an advance mode, the belt rotates so that at least one push member causes media to be conveyed in the direction of the conveying path. In a divert mode, rotation of the belt is reversed so that at least one push member diverts and conveys media in a divert direction opposite to the direction of the conveying path. Diverted media is advanced to a divert chute through which it can pass to a collecting bin.

Abstract: A document collector, stager and diverter apparatus and method are provided for processing sheet articles through a first and second stage. The first stage is adapted for receiving sheet articles advanced thereto and collected therein and includes a first transport mechanism being operative for selectively diverting collected sheet articles in a divert direction opposite to the conveying direction of the sheet articles. Alternately, the first transport mechanism is operative for selectively advancing the collected sheet articles from the first stage to the second stage. In the second stage, sheet articles can be independently processed and held until a predetermined time when they can be advanced from the second stage by a second transport mechanism. The first and second transport mechanisms each preferably includes plastic chains each with plastic lugs thereon. The chains of the first and second transport mechanisms are simultaneously rotatably movable by a motor and gears or pulleys associated therewith.

Abstract: An arrangement for feeding a conveying apparatus comprising hoppers for flat products such as envelopes, mailing pouches, workpieces and the like, which can be emptied at certain intervals and are secured on a rotatably driven traction element. A device including a slanted guide wall defining a conveying channel is located above the conveying apparatus for conveying the products in a conveying direction into a respective one of the hoppers located below the conveying channel. The device includes a size intake opening communicating with the conveying channel for receiving products into the conveying channel from a side of the device in a direction at a right angle to the conveying direction. The device further includes a rotating clearing mechanism laterally penetrating the conveying channel and operating jointly with the guide wall for conveying the products into the hoppers.

Abstract: Sheets to be coated with water-based coating material, for example a primer and a low adhesion backsize, are supplied from a feeder (1), in end-to-end overlapping relationship, to a dual coater (3) in which the sheets are coated individually on both sides. A sheet inserter (2) is provided, upstream of the dual coater, to insert sheets from a second supply into the sheets from the feeder (1). The dual coated sheets are dried as individual sheets or as a pseudo-web of overlapped sheets. The sheets are then overlapped, unless previously overlapped, and the direction of overlap changed, if necessary, to provide the trailing edge of each sheet on top of the leading edge of each succeeding sheet. The overlapped sheets are conveyed through an adhesive transfer station (7) where stripes (236) of at least partially dried adhesive are coated onto the dual coated sheets from a transfer belt (71).

Abstract: Sheets to be coated with water-based coating material, for example a primer and a low adhesion backsize, are supplied from a feeder (1), in end-to-end overlapping relationship, to a dual coater (3) in which the sheets are coated individually on both sides. A sheet inserter (2) is provided, upstream of the dual coater, to insert sheets from a second supply into the sheets from the feeder (1). The dual coated sheets are dried as individual sheets or as a pseudo-web of overlapped sheets. The sheets are then overlapped, unless previously overlapped, and the direction of overlap changed, if necessary, to provide the trailing edge of each sheet on top of the leading edge of each succeeding sheet. The overlapped sheets are conveyed through an adhesive transfer station (7) where stripes (236) of at least partially dried adhesive are coated onto the dual coated sheets from a transfer belt (71).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which a sheet conveying path and a sheet discharging path are exposed when a side cover is opened for removing a jammed sheet. The side cover, together with attached copy exit guide plate for sheets is exchangeably and detachably mounted to the main body of the apparatus and serves commonly as a side cover for a simplex type copying machine and a duplex type copying machine. Separate units, attached to each other and aligned, establish sheet discharging paths to different destinations, for example, sheet discharging trays. Sheets are guided to the paths by a course selecting pick. One of the two units includes rollers for directing sheets to a mail box or duplex copying unit, selectably. Disclosed embodiments enable copy sheets to be delivered selectably to face up and face down discharging trays or selectably to mail box and face down discharging trays.

Abstract: An apparatus for accumulating sheets from a secondary source and changing their conveyance direction 90.degree.. The accumulator is a group of vertically stacked bins that discharge batchwise and are loaded from the secondary source alternately by way of a diverter. Discharge is synchronous with a directionally constant primary sheet source.

Abstract: A photocopier having a duplex copy unit unable to stack a plurality of recording media thereon, wherein an image scanner is controlled such that the scanner reads the first document, then reads the first document and the second document alternately, and finally reads the second document. A medium feed device and the duplex copy unit are controlled such that one recording medium is fed from the medium feed device, then recording media are alternately fed from the medium feed device and duplex copy unit one at a time, and finally one recording media is fed from the duplex copy unit, thereby reducing the period of time necessary for reproducing the images of a document or documents on both sides of recording media and enhancing the productivity of the copier.

Abstract: The apparatus of this invention is a buffering device for the transport of documents that comprises four variable pitch screws that have a tapered outside diameter and a tapered root diameter at the input portion of the screw. A upstream screw and a downstream screw are on the left hand side of the buffering device and a upstream screw and a downstream screw are on the right hand side of the buffering device. The upstream screw has its largest outside diameter on the top of the screw and its smallest outside diameter on the bottom of the screw. The downstream screw has its largest outside diameter on the bottom of the screw and its smallest outside diameter on the top of the screw. The screws on the left hand side of the buffering device have a left handed screw thread and the screws on the right side of the buffering device have a right handed screw thread, or visa versa.

Abstract: A currency counting and discrimination machine for rapidly counting and discriminating currency bills is set forth having a jam detection and clearing mechanism. The machine has a transport mechanism which engages and transports the currency bills, one at a time, along a transport path from an input receptacle to an output receptacle. A sensing device for scanning and counting the currency bills is adjacent a segment of the transport path. Several sensors along the transport path detect when a currency bill becomes jammed. Once a jammed currency bill is detected, the operation of the transport mechanism is interrupted. A portion of the transport mechanism is then adjusted to relieve pressure exerted on the jammed currency bill by the transport mechanism. The transport mechanism is then reactivated to remove the jammed currency bill from the transport path.

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: An electronically actuated turning device for transport apparatus which receives product such as paper folders, detects the presence of the product, causes a ball to contact the product and allows the product to rotate 90 degrees, releases the ball and allows the product to be transported in the same direction by the apparatus for further operations as required.

Abstract: A beltless, automatic document feeder for a flat bed document scanner or other hard copy apparatus using a flat bed scanning station is disclosed. A paper path is formed between a feeder frame guide and a paper loading tray. A document sheet pulled from a stack loaded in the tray is transported along the path by a dual function driver. A pad overlaying the flat bed of the scanner is provided with a cooperative lip such that the leading edge of the pulled document sheet is directed from the paper path to the flat bed and under the pad. A second, bi-directional driver, associated with the pad and the flat bed, transports the document sheet to a fully scannable position between the pad and flat bed without releasing the trailing edge of the document sheet. After scanning, the second driver is reversed to remove the scanned document sheet from the bed and transport it to the dual function driver which then ejects the sheet along a second path. The first path and second path are on the same side of the flat bed.

Abstract: A method for discharging a sheet from a printer that includes feeding a first sheet from a sheet tray, conveying the sheet by the force applied by the driving roller until a leading edge of the first sheet contacts the trailing edge of a second sheet, thereby urging the second sheet in the feed direction such that the second sheet is no longer supported by supporting portions, and reversing the direction of the first sheet by reversing the rotation of the driving roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a movable separator to separate a recording medium from a feeding belt includes feeding structure for feeding an attached recording medium in a predetermined feeding direction. Image forming structure receives the recording medium from the feeding structure and forms images on the received recording medium. The separator is located on a downstream side of the image forming structure, and separates the attached recording medium from the feeding structure in a direction which is angled from the predetermined feeding direction. The separator moves to push the recording medium from a non-recording face thereof to a recording face thereof while the recording medium is stopped during intermittent feeding to cause even separation of the recording medium from the feeding structure.

Abstract: Apparatus for sorting sheets or the like, in which mail distributed to a number of collection sections can be easily recycled to a feeder for sorting the mail in accordance with the delivery order. Stackers, in which mail is sorted in accordance with address codes, are provided on an upper portion of the feeder. By pulling out a bottom plate of the stackers, the mail in the stackers falls down into the feeder. The mail distributed once can be recycled to the feeder in a short period of time, thereby reducing the time for carrier route sequencing of the mail. The mail is conveyed in a path extending both above and below the feeder and the stackers, thereby reducing the area required for the apparatus.

Abstract: A system of improved duplex color printing by reducing copy sheet feeding jams due to first side color printing sheet curl by feeding and printing a first plural color image on a first side of a copy sheet with the copy sheet in a first orientation, then automatically rotating the copy sheet by 90 degrees from the first orientation into a second orientation and feeding and printing a second plural color image on the second side of the copy sheet with the copy sheet in the second orientation. Additionally disclosed is, in coordination therewith, automatically rotating the image for the second side of the copy sheet by 90 degrees from the first plural color image for the printing of the second plural color image on the second side of the copy sheet with the copy sheet in the second orientation, so that commonly oriented images are provided on the first and second sides of the copy sheet. The first printing pass orientation of the copy sheet may be long edge first, and the second short edge first.

Abstract: An improved sheet feeding apparatus and a method thereof, which includes a driving unit for driving corresponding elements; a sheet feeding unit for feeding a sheet by the driving unit; a sheet withdrawing detection unit for detecting as to whether or not a sheet is withdrawn; a sheet feeding direction converting unit for converting a feeding-back direction of the sheet; a sheet feeding-back completion detecting unit for detecting the completion of feeding-back sheet; and a sheet storing unit for storing a sheet into a sheet storing box, and further includes the steps of a first step which judges as to whether or not a sheet is fed back; a second step which converts a sheet feeding direction; a third step which feeds back the sheet; a fourth step which judges as to whether or not a sheet feeding-back is completed; and a fifth step which stores a sheet into a sheet storing box, thus advantageously preventing jamming and skewing of a sheet in operation.

Abstract: The conveying apparatus has a feed conveyor which is intended for conveying printed products against a stop. The printed products arrive at the conveying apparatus in an imbricated formation in which each printed product rests on the following printed product. The distance (A) between the stop and the directing member can be changed in time with the arriving printed products, with the result that, when the distance (A) is shortened, the directing member engages beneath the printed product respectively butting against the stop and directs it into the range of action of the removal conveyor.

Abstract: A document drive apparatus has an upstream end, a downstream end, and a document feeding line defined between the ends. The apparatus directs a document around a corner. The apparatus includes a drive drum having a central axis and rotatably mounted on a base member for rotation about its central axis. An endless drive belt is disposed on a pivot support and first and second arm members having one end thereof connected to the pivot support. The belt and the drum cooperate to define at least a portion of the feeding line defined between the upstream and downstream ends.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in feeding sheet material assemblages includes rollers which define a nip through which the sheet material assemblages are moved. Nip adjustment mechanisms are operable to adjust the width and configuration of the nip. When sheet material assemblages which are relatively thick at one end portion are to be fed through the nip, the nip adjustment mechanisms are operated so that the thick portion of the sheet material assemblage is fed through a wide portion of the nip. A gate assembly is provided to direct the sheet material assemblages toward either a reject tray or a trimmer mechanism. The size of the nip can be changed without varying the setting of the gate assembly. Similarly, the setting of the gate assembly can be changed without varying the size of the nip. When the size of the nip is varied, the reject tray is moved with rollers which define one side of the nip.

Abstract: Apparatus for turning and aligning flat articles. The apparatus includes: a first conveyor for transporting flat articles horizontally from an upstream to a downstream position; a second conveyor oriented at an angle to the first conveyor, the second conveyor having an upstream and a downstream end, wherein the upstream end of the second conveyor is situated adjacent the downstream end of the first conveyor, and second conveyor is situated to receive the flat articles from the first conveyor; a pivoting device located on one side of the second conveyor for engaging a side of the flat articles; and a third conveyor having an upstream end located adjacent the downstream end of the second conveyor, the third conveyor having a flat deck, an angled roller extending just above the flat deck, a registration wall on one side of the flat deck, and a normal force sphere mounted above the angled roller, wherein the angled roller and the sphere drive the flat articles downstream and against the registration wall.