Abstract: A full productivity, tri-roll inverter for reversing the lead and trail edges of a sheet includes an input nip and an output nip positioned to feed sheets at a machine's process speed into and out of a chute and a reversing roll nip positioned in a predetermined position along the chute closely adjacent to but downstream of the input and output nips and adapted to open and allow a sheet to be driven into the chute by the input nip and closed to drive a sheet into the output nip. After a first sheet is captured by the output nip, the reversing roll nip is opened and a second sheet is driven into the chute by the input nip while the first sheet is simultaneously being pulled out of the chute by the output nip.

Abstract: An apparatus for reversing an orientation of flat items includes a first conveyor driven with a first speed; a second conveyor adjoining the first conveyor such that items discharged by the first conveyor are introduced into the second conveyor; a third conveyor driven with a second speed and adjoining the second conveyor such that items discharged by the second conveyor are introduced into the third conveyor; a sensor for determining a moment when a trailing edge of an item leaves the first conveyor; and a control arrangement connected to the sensor and the second conveyor for driving the second conveyor with the first speed as an item enters the second conveyor from the first conveyor, for decelerating the second conveyor when the sensor determines the moment when a trailing item edge passes by, for reversing a direction of motion of the second conveyor after deceleration and for accelerating the second conveyor to the second speed as an item enters the third conveyor from the second conveyor.

Abstract: A paper transport is formed by a plurality of substantially identical conveyor modules which are arranged end-to-end and separated by gaps selected as a function of active devices which are to be installed along the paper path defined by the transport. The conveyor modules each include plural conveyor belts and documents are held against the belts for transport there through the creation of a small pressure differential thereacross, the pressure differential resulting from establishing a large volume air flow through the conveyor modules, the same air flow being employed for cooling the electronic components of the active devices associated with the transport.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for feeding sheets, one by one, from a stack of sheets. The sheet feeding device basically comprises a suction cup or pad which is used to attract and hold an uppermost one of stacked sheets for thereby taking out the uppermost sheet from the stacked sheets and which is swingable at a given angular range, a delivery mechanism for receiving the uppermost sheet from the suction pad for deliverying the same to a succeeding device, a drive source for swinging the suction pad, and a control circuit for swinging the suction pad at, at least, either a first angular velocity or a second angular velocity which is lower than the first angular velocity and is used to deliver the uppermost sheet to the delivery mechanism. The sheet conveying speed the delivery mechanism to the succeeding device can accurately be adjusted so as to match with the actual sheet conveying speed of the succeeding device.

Abstract: The present invention provides an automatic original feeding apparatus comprising first rotary supply means for supplying a sheet original, second rotary supply means disposed at a downstream side of the first supply means to supply the sheet original, control means for rotating the second rotary supply means reversely to return the sheet original toward an upstream side by a small amount, retract means for directing a trailing end of the returned sheet original out of a sheet path connecting between the first and second rotary supply means, controlling means for controlling the first rotary supply means to cause the first rotary supply means to feed a next sheet original until a leading end of the next sheet original is overlapped with the trailing end of the first sheet original, information means for the kind of sheet originals, and means for changing a return amount of the sheet original effected by the controlling means, in accordance with the kind of the sheet original from the information means.

Abstract: A turnover-sequencer staging apparatus for sheets comprises: a receiver, a turnover-sequencer, and a staging segment. The receiving device receives at least two side-by-side sheets and supplies these to the turnover-sequencer wherein the sheets are overturned and rerouted in a substantially orthogonal direction, the relationship between sheets having been converted to sequential whereby the sheets become disposed seriatim and imbricated. The overturned and rerouted seriatim-imbricated sheets are selectively de-imbricated in the staging segment by separation of selected consecutive sheets. Separation is effected by braking or stopping of the conveying motion of the trailing one of two consecutive sheets. In other embodiments, separation can be accomplished by changing the speed of conveying of one of two consecutive sheets; either by speeding up of the leading sheet or by slowing down of the trailing sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of processing documents by moving them from an input hopper to a destination site at a controlled rate, including driving each document into a feed path from the input hopper at an adjustable time period after a previous document had been fed; thensensing the distance separating that document from a following document, and adjusting the time period between driving of succeeding documents to achieve a desired relationship between the document feed rate and inter-document gap.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes an endless belt which is postioned to be adjacent to a rear part of a sheet stand on which trailing edges of a pile of sheets are loaded. The endless belt includes a holding member to hold a leading edge of a sheet that is being returned to the sheet stand so that the endless belt conveys the sheet together with the holding member and inserts the sheet being returned to the sheet stand under the pile of sheets. A single stopper is provided on the sheet stand to align the sheets of the pile as well as the sheets inserted under the pile.

Abstract: An input roller pushes the media through the electrophotographic device at a given linear velocity. An output roller pulls the media through the electrophotographic device after the media leaves the input roller. The output roller has a linear velocity greater then the input roller's linear velocity. In-between the input and output rollers is a variable media path having an arcuate shape. A compressible media guide is placed along the concave side of the variable media path. As the media is pulled faster by the output roller, the variable media path decreases. The compressible media guide begins to compress thereby creating a constant tension in the media as it passes through the electrophotographic device. By keeping the media under a constant pressure, the likelihood of deformations is greatly reduced.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for slowing down signatures sent to a quarter fold of a folder for a printing machine are disclosed. Signatures are transported between a first set of fast belts including upper belts and lower belts. The signatures are then received at their leading edge by an assembly of upper and lower partial pulleys mounted to a frame which changes the speed of the signatures to a slow speed. The signatures are then received at their leading edge by a second set of slow belts including upper belts and lower belts.

Abstract: Groups of differently printed advertising inserts are collated into stacks of at least two inserts each, and the stacks are advanced along a main predetermined path for feeding to a host machine having continuously moving pockets which contain newspaper jackets and which receive the collated stacks of inserts in order to marry the inserts and the jackets. Initially, at least two relatively tall stacked bundles of inserts are located above and are spaced laterally from the main path. Inserts are stripped from the tall bundles, are advanced laterally toward the main path and are stacked in two relatively short queues located above and spaced along the path. A first vacuum belt strips inserts from the upstream queue and advances such inserts in an upstream direction as a running shingle, which then reverses directions and proceeds downstream. As an incident thereto, successive leading inserts are stripped from the shingle and are advanced in spaced relation along the main path toward the host machine.

Abstract: In a sheet feed device for image forming equipment, a sheet feed section and a register section are each provided an exclusive drive arrangement. The sheet feed section starts feeding a sheet toward the register section in response to a feed start signal generated in an image forming section. The time for causing the sheet feed section to stop feeding a sheet or the time for causing the register section to start driving the sheet is delayed in matching relation to a print speed. As a result, the sheet feed section provides a sheet with a sufficient slack while the register section brings the sheet into accurate register with an image and can change the position of an image on the sheet in the top-and-bottom direction.

Abstract: A singulator of the friction belt type capable of synchronous or asynchronous modes of operation is described. The singulator includes a buffer assembly for accepting a shingled stream of documents, a feeder pinch belt for extracting the first document from the buffer and a scanner for scanning the document as it passes through the feeder into an accelerator which is also a pinch belt. The accelerator accelerates the document to a constant speed leaving the singulator. A control means is provided which operates coupled to the feeder drive and the scanner so that the next upstream document is extracted a predetermine time after the first document leaves the accelerator.

Abstract: Endless drive belts are provided in a spaced-apart relation to each other such that one endless driven belt is set in contact with one of these drive belts and the other endless driven belt is set in contact with the other drive belt. The one drive belt is driven by one pulse motor through one drive roller and that other drive belt is driven by the other pulse motor through the other drive roller. A bill is conveyed with its opposed edges gripped by the drive and driven belts. A controller measures the skew of the bill and bill-to-bill interval on the basis of output signals detected by forward-stage detecting units against the conveying bill and controls the respective rotational speeds of the one pulse motor and that other pulse motor on the basis of a result of measurement.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder having a 2-in-1 mode which serially locates first and second documents adjacent to one another at a copying position. The document feeder includes a separating part for separating documents one by one from a bundle of documents, a document feeding part for feeding documents at a speed which is faster than the transport speed provided by a document transporting part, with the transporting part located downstream from the feeding part. Since the feeding speed is faster than the speed of the transporting part, a space controlling part is provided for controlling a space between the first and second documents, such that after said space controlling part achieves a spacing of a predetermined distance, the document feeding part and the document transporting part transport the first and second documents and the first and second documents are placed serially on the contact glass without any undesired or excessive spacing between the first and second documents.

Abstract: A paper sheet feeding apparatus includes a driving motor having a driving gear rotatable in forward and reverse directions, a first driven gear engaged with the driving gear and rotating only in the forward direction, a second driven gear having a different number of teeth than the first driven gear and rotatable only in the reverse direction, a pick-up roller, driven by rotation of the first or second driven gear, for picking up paper sheets, a paper sheet feeding roller for feeding paper sheets picked up by the pick-up roller, a separating roller for separating, one by one, paper sheets which are supplied from the paper sheet feeding roller, and a resist roller for aligning the paper sheets supplied from the paper sheet feeding roller. The speed of the paper sheet feeding apparatus can be changed in accordance with the speed of an image forming apparatus to which the paper sheet feeding apparatus is connected.

Abstract: A separating device wherein two belts with different friction coefficients present respective straight portions facing each other and converging at a contact portion. The belts are fed with a number of mail items which are wedged in the V-shaped opening defined by the straight portions and are fed singly through the contact portion by the higher friction coefficient belt and to the input of a follow-up conveyor belt system. The device comprises a barrier of sensors located between the contact portion and the input of the conveyor belt system, and which provide for determining the form and spacing of the mail items. The signal generated by the barrier of sensors is used for adjusting operation of the higher friction coefficient belt.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for winding bags. A winder in accordance with the present invention includes a dancer assembly for speed regulation, a haul-in assembly for receiving a film, and a tumbler assembly to receive the film from the haul-in assembly. The tumbler assembly increases the path length the film travels to either separate bags and/or to provide for interleaving.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a first feeding device having an endless traction member circulated at a constant speed and a carrier pawl mounted on the traction member for engaging a trailing edge of a sheet to be advanced. The apparatus further has a second feeding device being a continuation of the first feeding device and having an endless traction member; a carrier device mounted on the second traction member for engaging a trailing edge of a sheet to be advanced; and a drive for circulating the last-named traction member with a periodically changing travelling speed having a minimum value not higher than the speed of the traction member of the first feeding device and a maximum value greater than the speed of the traction member of the first feeding device and at the most equal to an initial speed with which the sheet enters a sheet handling station downstream of the second feeding device. The initial speed is at least as high as the constant speed of the traction member of the first feeding device.

Abstract: A binding line having selectable pin spacing on a gathering chain includes a gathering section including the gathering chain having a plurality of spaced pusher pins for transporting gathered signatures seriatim therealong to a signature exit end. A stitcher section includes a stitcher chain having a plurality of spaced pusher pins for transporting signatures seriatim therealong from a signature entry end. A drive system provides for driving the gathering chain synchronously with the stitcher chain so that both the gathering section and stitcher section operate at a constant signature feed rate. The gathering chain pins are spaced apart a first select distance and the stitcher chain pins are spaced apart a second select distance, different from the first select distance. The drive system drives the gathering chain at a different velocity from the stitcher chain to provide the constant signature feed rate.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image recording device having a conveying section for conveying sheet-like subjects, an illuminating section for illuminating the subjects with the light and a recording section for recording image information given from the illuminating section. A driving source for a paper feed section positioned upstream with respect to the illuminating section and an intra-device conveying section exclusive of the paper feed section is divided. A conveying speed of the paper feed section is made variable through a display section for displaying the conveying speed thereof and a setting switch capable of manually arbitrarily setting the conveying speed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for winding bags. A winder in accordance with the present invention includes a dancer assembly for speed regulation, a haul-in assembly for receiving a film, and a tumbler assembly to receive the film from the haul-in assembly. The tumbler assembly increases the path length the film travels to either separate bags and/or to provide for interleaving.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for a computer driven printer moves a sheet of paper from a supply stack to a holding station at which movement of the sheet of paper is temporarily stopped. Any skew present in the leading edge of the paper is automatically removed by engagement of the leading edge with a pair of spaced bights between opposed rollers before the paper progresses from the holding station to a printing station. One sheet of paper can temporarily remain in the holding station as a previously fed sheet of paper is simultaneously being passed from the holding station to the printing station or it can pass essentially continuously through the holding station on its way to the printing station. Separate motors for driving paper feed rollers and paper drive rollers permit implementation of different algorithms to accomplish this objective.

Abstract: In a printing system capable of printing and outputting collated sets of plural duplex copy sheets from input job sets of plural page images using a trayless duplexing buffer loop path of a known normal plural copy sheet length for recirculating the copy sheets imaged on one side back to be imaged on their opposite sides; operating in a continuous loop burst-interleave mode, using a variable speed duplex drive, for driving at least a major portion of the duplexing path sheet feeders at at least two different sheet feeding speeds so as to initially feed a limited number of the sheets to be printed on one side, less than the duplexing path length, at full rate without skips, to the duplexing path to be selectively partially fed therein at substantially higher than normal velocities, and to variably selectively reduce the velocity of the duplexing path with the initial sheets therein, to generate sheet interleaving spaces between these duplexing path sheets, so that they may be interleaved for their second side

Abstract: A hand scanner support and paper guide apparatus is disclosed for mechanically scanning a thin sheet, e.g. a sheet of paper, using a scanner designed to be hand-held. The apparatus includes a housing which includes a planar upper wall which serves as a flat surface along which the thin sheet is moved. A support assembly is connected to the housing and supports the scanner a spaced distance above the planar upper wall as the thin sheet is moved past the scanner. A guide assembly is connected to the housing and guides the thin sheet in a straight path as the thin sheet is moved along the planar upper wall. A drive assembly is housed within the housing and moved the thin sheet past the scanner. The drive assembly includes a driven, thin-sheet-contacting element such as a cylindrical roller; and a slot, in the planar upper wall, permits the cylindrical roller to contact and move the thin sheet as it lies on the planar upper wall.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for feeding sheets, one by one, from a stack of sheets. The sheet feeding device basically comprises a suction cup or pad which is used to attract and hold an uppermost one of stacked sheets for thereby taking out the uppermost sheet from the stacked sheets and which is swingable at a given angular range, a delivery mechanism for receiving the uppermost sheet from the suction pad for deliverying the same to a succeeding device, a drive source for swinging the suction pad, and a control circuit for swinging the suction pad at, at least, either a first angular velocity or a second angular velocity which is lower than the first angular velocity and is used to deliver the uppermost sheet to the delivery mechanism. The sheet conveying speed the delivery mechanism to the succeeding device can accurately be adjusted so as to match with the actual sheet conveying speed of the succeeding device.

Abstract: A document transport system for transporting and selectively recirculating relatively large documents through a processing station. In accordance with this invention, a transport is provided which has a defined endless document path. A gripper bar is provided for selectively and releasably securing the leading edge of large documents, and a driven chain is also provided for supporting and moving the gripper bar at a predetermined imaging speed through an imaging station. Further, drive rollers are provided proximate the imaging station to urge documents in the document path through the imaging station at the predetermined imaging speed. The invention also includes control apparatus for halting the gripper bar at a first position downstream from the processing station to enable release of documents from the gripper bar and at a second position upstream from the processing station to enable selective insertion and retention of documents in the gripper bar.

Abstract: In order to select certain sheet sizes or formats for a rotation by 90.degree. in the plane of the sheet, sensors are provided which sense the presence of a sheet on a supply and turning table. The sensors provide a respective signal for the control of a sheet turning mechanism. After turning the sheets are fed in the proper positional orientation to further processing, for example, in a folding apparatus. The turning mechanism also performs a sheet lifting and lowering operation. The sheet transport out of the turning mechanism is performed at a speed higher than the speed of the sheets travelling into or onto the turning mechanism to provide the time necessary for the sheet turning operation which takes place in three steps: sheet lifting, sheet turning, and sheet lowering in response to a control signal from the sensors which determine what sheet format needs to be reoriented.

Abstract: A transport section for a document-handling machine includes a pair of horizontally-oriented feed belts which act in conjunction with segment flaps on a segmented, vertically-oriented feed belt to deliver groupings of mail items in a feeding direction. A set of horizontally-oriented take-away belts receives documents from the horizontally-oriented-feed belts and transports them at an accelerated speed with respect to the horizontally-oriented feed belts. The accelerated speed of the take-away belts is used to compensate for the acceleration of each given document by the tips of the flaps as the flaps round the corner at the end of their run.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus having a sheet deck for stacking a plurality of sheets and accommodating the sheets, a separation unit for separating the sheets stacked on the sheet deck one sheet after another, a sheet detecting unit mounted at the downstream of the separation unit for detecting the sheet separated by the separation unit, and a controller for activating again, if the sheet detecting unit does not detect the sheet after the start of the operation of the separation unit, the separation unit at a lower operation speed, and if the sheet detecting unit detects the sheet thereafter, setting the operation speed of the separation unit to an original speed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an automatic sheet feeding apparatus with a separation roller rotated in a sheet feeding direction, a reversible roller abutted against the separation roller and adapted to be rotated in a direction opposite to the sheet feeding direction, a supporting device pivotally provided on a support shaft and adapted to support the reversible roller for movement toward and away from the separation roller, driving force transmitter for transmitting a driving force to the reversible roller, and a interruption device provided in the driving force transmitter and adapted to interrupt the transmission of the driving force in response to a load.

Abstract: Sheets, such as business forms, are turned so that their orientation is changed from landscape to portrait mode, or vice versa. Simple apparatus effects sheet rotation, and includes a conveyance surface on which a sheet travels in a first direction, first and second rollers for engaging the sheet traveling on the conveyance surface, and first and second drives (e.g., D.C. stepper motors) for driving the first and second rollers independently of each other. A sensor senses the position of the sheet just downstream of the rollers, and a controller (computer)--in response to the sensor--controls the speed and direction of rotation of the motors so that one roller rotates with a given tangential speed in a first direction of rotation, while the other roller rotates at that same speed in an opposite direction of rotation.

Abstract: A sheet sorting apparatus operable in a sorting mode in which sheets are sorted and in a non-sorting mode in which the sheets are not sorted includes a plurality of bins for receiving and sorting the sheets; a stapler for stapling the sheets accommodated in the bins; wherein one of the plural bins functions to receive the sheets in the non-sorting mode; an expander for changing a sheet accommodating space of the bin for receiving the sheets in the non-sorting mode; and a controller for operating the expander to expand the accommodating space when a number of sheets received by the bin is larger than a staplable number of the sheets of the stapler.

Abstract: In order to accommodate either a loose lift of signatures or, alternatively, a signature log for the purpose of stream feeding a supply of signatures to a packer box on a binding line in an effective and efficient manner, a signature stream feeding apparatus is disclosed which includes an upstream conveyor, an intermediate conveyor, and a down stream conveyor. The upstream conveyor receives and supports signatures in a generally upright position on the fore edges or backbones thereof, and it is downwardly inclined relative to the horizontal in the direction of signature travel therealong. The intermediate conveyor then receives the signatures from the upstream conveyor and conveys them toward the packer box, and it is inclined upwardly and away from the upstream conveyor in the direction of travel of the signatures therealong.

Abstract: Disclosed are Power Encoder means for imprinting MICR characters on checks, with optical check-sensing means disposed along a check-transport path, including optical skew-sensor means and a transport control arrangement for advancing checks past processing stations according to one or several "velocity-profiles", depending upon the type and/or condition of the check.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder of a fax machine has a fully mechanical clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism employs an assembly of a coil spring and a pair of pulleys respectively affixed to a feeding roller and a dividing roller of the fax machine. The coil spring expands due to a first type torsional deformation so that transmission is engaged to drive both the feeding roller and the dividing roller to feed the document into the fax machine one sheet at a time; and as the coil spring is constricted due to a second type torsional deformation caused at the time when one printed sheet is under scanning for fax transmission, transmission is disengaged to stop the feeding roller.

Abstract: A laser printer has a circulating photoreceptor belt 20 and a transfer station 4 at which toner images are transferred from the belt to copy sheets. Each copy sheet is registered, upstream of the transfer station 4, in the nip of registration rolls 12 before being fed to the transfer station. The copy sheet is fed to the registration rolls 12 (which at that time are stationary) by feed rolls 13, 14 which continue to rotate so that a buckle is formed in the sheet to assist in removing any de-skew. When the sheet has been registered, the registration rolls 12 are rotated and, initially, are accelerated to a speed about 20% greater than the normal operating speed. That has the effect of decreasing the amount of buckle in the sheet before the trail end of the sheet reaches the registration rolls. When the buckle has been reduced, the speed of the rolls is reduced to the normal operating level, which is typically about the same as the speed of the photoreceptor belt.

Abstract: An Apparatus for separating and advancing documents includes a moving element for frictionally engaging and advancing one of the documents along a path, and a stationary element for frictionally engaging and halting the advance of the remainder of the documents. The moving element and the stationary element each include a plurality of belts and are disposed in relative juxtaposition whereby the one document is gripped between the moving element and the stationary element and advanced along the path under the influence of the moving element. The moving element and the stationary element contact the first and second surfaces, respectively, of the one document via the respective belts to provide a column strength to the one document over a substantial surface area of the document as the one document advances through the apparatus, thereby preventing portions of the one document from being crimped between the moving element and the stationary element.

Abstract: A finisher connectable to an image forming apparatus for surely discharging sheets to bin trays thereof without regard to the sheet size while preventing the sheets from dropping from the bin rays or from being inaccurately positioned on the bin trays. The finisher has a discharge roller for sequentially discharging sheets driven out of the image forming apparatus to the bin trays. The rotation speed of the discharge roller is controlled on the basis of size information representative of the size of sheets to be transferred from the image forming apparatus to the finisher.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a feed device for feeding a sorting machine for sorting flat objects and comprising at least one input feeder for the objects and pockets to which the objects are fed vertically for transport, the feed device allowing the objects to be fed one by one from the input feeder towards a vertical pocket. A conveyor module comprises at least two stop gates spaced by a distance greater than the maximum length of the objects. An accelerator module is located between the conveyor module and a vertical transfer device and comprises a downstream stop gate. The vertical ejection device is formed by an injecting module. These modules are provided with continuously operating positive entrainment devices and the stop gates control the movements of the objects in response to detectors located in the path of the objects.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet containing device for supporting sheets, a sheet supply device for feeding out the sheet from the sheet containing device, and a path surface for deflecting the sheet by abutting the sheet fed from the sheet supply device against the path surface to guide the sheet in a predetermined direction. In such sheet feeding apparatus, a rotary feeding device for applying a feeding force to the sheet by slidingly contacting with a surface of the sheet fed from the sheet supply device, which is opposite to a surface facing the path surface, is provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manipulating the velocity of a copy sheet in a color reprographic system creates a buckle in the copy sheet to decouple accelerations of the leading edge of the copy sheet from the portion that is in contact with the photoreceptor belt and reduces the buckle on long copy sheets for which the buckle can become large enough that the toner image on the body of the copy sheet can become disrupted by contact with stationary portions of the system. The method and apparatus also accelerates the leading edge of the copy sheet as the trailing edge disengages from the photoreceptor belt to prevent the uncontrolled trailing edge of lightweight copy sheets from contacting stationary portions of the system.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding a sheet-like object comprises a motor, a fly-wheel rotated by the motor at a uniform speed, a rotor for displacing one of stacked sheet-like objects by a torque of the rotor in the direction of the torque, and a cam mechanism for converting the uniform speed rotational movement of the fly-wheel to non-uniform speed rotational movement, and transmitting the non-uniform speed rotational movement to the rotor. The cam mechanism comprises a stationary cam member, an orbit forming member formed on the cam member, a roller urged by uniform speed rotational movement of the fly-wheel to move along the orbit forming member, and a transmission mechanism for transmitting to the rotor non-uniform speed rotational movement obtained as a result of the movement of the roller along the orbit forming member.

Abstract: A multistage paper feeding/conveying apparatus has a plurality of recording paper storing devices vertically arranged at multiple stages; a paper feeder for feeding a sheet of recording paper one by one from arbitrary one of the recording paper storing devices; and a vertical conveyer vertically extending and opposed to a paper feeding side of each of the recording paper storing devices. The vertical conveyer conveys the sheet of recording paper fed from the paper feeder to a paper receiving section of an image forming apparatus. The paper feeder has a single paper feeding unit which can selectively come in contact with a front end portion of an uppermost sheet of recording paper on an upper face thereof with respect to sheets of recording paper stored within the plural recording paper storing devices. The paper feeding unit and the vertical conveyer have a single endless conveying belt and a device for forming an electric charge pattern for adsorbing the sheet of recording paper to the endless belt.

Abstract: An overlap cam for use in a precision sheeting machine for preventing overlap marks on carbonless paper includes a predetermined outer radius, a predetermined relieved area and an outer circumferential surface, all dictated by various sheeter section operating speeds. At least one lobe projects from the relieved area out to the outer predetermined radius. Rotation of the overlap cam will enable the lobe to engage a clip of sheets traveling at high speed at a point displaced a predetermined distance from the leading edge of a clip for preventing compression of active CB and CF together during braking and thereby preventing an overlap mark from being formed on a previously decelerated clip while still performing braking action of a clip of sheets supplied to the overlap section of the sheeter.

Abstract: An automatic document conveyer for use with a photoelectric copier which copies an image of a document at a platen of the photoelectric copier onto a copying sheet. The document conveyor includes a first conveyor part for conveying the documents one by one to the platen, and a second conveyor part for conveying the documents from the platen to the outside of the photoelectric copier after a copying operation. The first conveyor part conveys the documents at either a fast speed or a slow speed, and conveys the documents at the slow speed while a forwarded document is placed at the platen.

Abstract: Disclosed is the structure of a clutch mechanism of an automatic document feeder of a fax machine. The structure is fully mechanical, without any electromagnetic member. A combination of springs and pulleys are utilized to substitute for the conventional electromagnetic clutch and single directional bearings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating feeding and sorting stacked products utilizes a computer controlled conveyor transport path. The transport path comprises infeed, separating and output sections. The infeed section includes an infeed conveyor and feed roller to regulate downstream movement into the separating section. The separating section includes a plurality of individually and selectively controlled friction feeder rolls arranged on a laterally tilted incline plane. The method and apparatus includes sensors along the separating section for determining position and relative movement of products. Through computer control, individual feeder rolls or sets of feeder rolls on the inclined plane are selectively energized to separate underlying products from stacked overlying or overlapping products. The foregoing process is repeated until all products in a stack have been separated into individual units.

Abstract: A sheet feed tray on which sheets are stored, a feed member for feeding out sheets one at a time from the sheet feed tray, a separating member for separating sheets when a plurality of sheets are fed out at a time from the sheet feed tray by the feed member, to feed the sheets one at a time, a transporting member for transporting the sheet delivered from the separating member to a image forming member, a sheet detecting member for detecting the passage of the leading edge of the sheet past a first position in the transporting member, a calculation member which, based on the behavior of a sheet which is fed by the feed member, but is then detained by the separating member, determines a target time at which a sheet should arrive at a second position downstream of said first position, and calculates from the detection result provided by the sheet detecting member the deviation from said target time of the sheet, and control member for varying the sheet transport speed on the basis of the results of calculation m

Abstract: High speed sheet feeders receive blocks or bricks of paper sheets, cards or folders stacked edgewise on a downsloping supply ramp, and singulate these for edgewise feeding in rapid succession. The frontmost sheets ready for feeding are buckled and fanned at their upper edges, and their lower edges are arched forward to form a dimple or ridge-shaped pocket by an underlying central traction singulator. A pair of ganged or synchronized feed belts engage the frontmost sheet and propel it rapidly downward edgewise, and a slanting discharge belt receives and diverts the sheet at even higher speed between the discharge belt and a tractive pinch roller. A transfer assembly beneath the discharge belt may receive sheets from an adjacent feeder and interleave them upon command with sheets delivered by the discharge belt.