Abstract: A sheet sorting apparatus for collating and distributing sheets received from a reproducing apparatus and adapted to reduce static charge from the sheets includes an array of sheet receiving bins defined by tray members. A transport means conveys sheets past each of the bins. Each bin has at its opening an electrically insulting diverter member that can be pivoted from an inoperative to an operative position to deflect and guide a sheet into the associated bin. Attached to the diverter member is an electrically conductive brush arranged to contact a sheet entering the bin and an electrically conductive track connecting the brush via conductive bearings to the grounded conductive frame of the sorter.

Abstract: A conveyor system is described, consisting of a pair of electrically conductive rollers about which an insulating belt is trained and a static-charge eliminator. The static charge of the belt and, thus, the conveyor system is reduced by providing the electrically conductive rollers with an insulating sleeve, guaranteeing the reliable transport of the document. The conveyor system may be used in a copier for moving originals onto a glass platen or copies through the toner transferring section.

Abstract: There is disclosed a sorter provided with transporter for transporting sheet members supplied with a first speed at a larger second speed along a transport path and plural bins arranged along the transport path for storing the sheet members transported by the transporter, wherein said second speed is so selected that, when a sheet member is stored in one of the bins, the succeeding sheet member does not arrive at the most upstream bin in the transport path.

Abstract: In a device for collating sheets of paper having at least one receiving surface made from electrically insulating material, a set of rolls for feeding a sheet from one side of the receiving surface and depositing it thereon and an improved charge remover for removing electrical charges from a deposited sheet comprising at least one conductor connected to earth potential which is disposed on the side of the insulated receiving surface remote from the side where the sheet enters and which forms an abutment with which the leading edge of each sheet comes into contact when it is being deposited on the insulated receiving surface, thereby removing electrical charges from the entire sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sorter which has a controller for receiving a reset signal generated by a copying machine main body and for positioning sort bins in a sort home position in response to the reset signal.

Abstract: In the stacking device for paper notes according to the present invention, the notes are successively transported edgewise and discharged from a transporting passage. Each discharged note is held between two adjacent blades of a rotating wheel, and is rotated toward a stacking box. A note edge contacting member is positioned along the path of the note as it rotates toward the stacking cradle. This note edge contacting member functions to maintain alignment of the notes by preventing projection of the notes and eliminating electrostatic charge caused by contact with the rotating blades. As a result, the notes are temporarily and evenly stacked.

Abstract: Paper sheets are advanced seriatim between high speed upper and lower conveyor belts across a gap onto a slower speed multi-belt conveyor with which the upper high speed belts cooperate to form a sheet controlling tunnel. Static eliminating and sheet knock-down air is directed through the upper high speed belts and into the sheets traversing the gap. Advance of the sheets across the gap is facilitated by impermanent wave-like longitudinal stiffening rib deflection of the sheets where they leave the high speed conveyor belts. After each sheet has been fully received on the slow speed conveyor, its high speed travel is stopped by stop roll means to assure overlap of a succeeding sheet thereon. The stop roll means cooperate with the slower speed conveyor belts to effect impermanent wave-like longitudinal jam preventing stiffening rib deflection of the sheets.

Abstract: A paper sheets processing apparatus including a plurality of rod-like separators extending normally and horizontally into a paper sheets stacking chamber, said separators being rockable from their normal position to a position slanted upward by a certain angle as well as retractable in the longitudinal direction; and a plurality of beat members disposed at the upper portion of the stacking chamber so as to swing within a certain angle range and serving to forcedly beat down every paper sheet fed into the stacking chamber.

Abstract: A magnetic recording-reproducing apparatus is provided with a pinch roller made partly or wholly of an electrically conductive rubber, a pinch roller shaft made of an electrically conductive metal and a pinch roller bearing made of an electrically conductive metal. Electrostatic charge, if accumulated on a magnetic tape, will escape from the magnetic coating of the tape to the housing of the apparatus through the pinch roller, pinch roller shaft and pinch roller bearing--all electrically conductive.

Abstract: Each of a pair of belts for conveying a photographing film therebetween comprises an insulating layer and at least one electrically conductive layer whose surface resistivity is less than 10.sup.9 ohms.

Abstract: In a first embodiment a stop having a plurality of ports is connected to and covers an end of a rectangular sleeve. In a region near the stop a narrow wall of the sleeve also has a plurality of ports. Near the other end of the sleeve the other narrow wall includes a plurality of ports communicating with the space inside the sleeve and a chamber of a grounded metallic manifold coupled to the sleeve. Insulators support in the chamber an electrode connected to a voltage source and a pump forces air past the electrode and into the sleeve to provide therein an ionized fluid. The fluid exits through the ports in said narrow wall and stop and if a charged sheet is in the sleeve it is neutralized and registered against said narrow wall and stop. In a second embodiment, similar to the first, the ports in the narrow wall and sleeve communicate with the chamber of a second manifold coupled to the sleeve.

Abstract: An improved decurler device, in the form of a rounded, substantially M-shaped vacuum bar, is provided for drawing curled sheet material into its rounded trough where a multiplicity of spaced vacuum openings are located thereby reversely bending the sheet and taking out the curl previously imparted to it. The bar is made of a reinforced plastic material with a hard and very smooth surface which wears well and does not scratch, mar or otherwise destruct the face of the sheet materials. A dispersion of fine carbon particles in the surface material of the bar is also effective to eliminate static electric charges built up in the sheet material incident to previous processing operations.

Abstract: A fully automatic paper sorter designed for use as an accessory to an office copier or copier/duplicator machine. The sorter bins have a concave configuration which takes advantage of paper curl developed in the copier to provide more efficient utilization of available bin space. A speed buffering arrangement permits the sorter to operate with copiers having various speeds of paper movement. A separate paper diverting gate is associated with each paper receiving bin, the gates being activated in succession by a rotating cam stack. A sophisticated paper monitoring and control system detects various types of paper jams, and responds either by shutting down the sorter immediately, or by routing subsequent paper sheets directly to a paper catch tray, depending upon the type of jam involved. When the capacity of the sorter is exceeded, excess sheets are routed to the paper catch tray.

Abstract: A copier/collator installation wherein the copier's output copy sheets are collated into sets in a multi-bin collator. The collator bins are vertically stacked.Vertical stacking of the electrostatically charged and heated copy sheets, which therefore tend to curl, is enhanced by providing collator bins having electrically nonconductive walls. The bottom sheet-receiving walls are formed to have a generally concave cross section, facing upward. Considering the direction of sheet movement, this concave surface extends generally transverse the sheet movement. Pivoted and biased paper stabilizing wires hold down the leading portion of the sheet stack in the bin, and also absorbs the sheet's kinetic energy as the sheet enters the bin. A flexible, electrically nonconductive plastic flap, at the bin's entrance or mouth, holds down the sheet's trailing portion, and also absorbs the sheet's kinetic energy.