Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for feeding and stacking single sheets for a printing office machine. Singel sheets (32) may be selectively called up from a plurality of magazine units (30), which are disposed vertically one after another. The single sheets are guided to the printing cylinder (12) by way of a horizontally disposed feed-in conveyor track (20) traveling below the magazine unit (30). The printed single sheets are stacked in sorted fashion in stacking receptacles (70) by way of a horizontally disposed delivery track (66,68) provided with controllable delivery diverters (72) and traveling below the feed-in conveyor track (20), the stacking receptacles (70) being disposed vertically one after another below the delivery track. The induction channel leading from the feed-in conveyor track (20) to the printing cylinder (12) crosses the ejection channel leading from the printing cylinder (12) to the delivery track (66,68).

Abstract: The mail sorting machine of the present invention is capable of receiving a supply of envelopes in a magazine from which the individual envelopes are picked off in succession by means of a suction device operating in combination with a pair of conveying belts having a friction surface facing the incoming envelopes. The suction device acts through holes in the conveying belts to draw the lead envelope against the friction surface of the conveying belts for separation of this envelope from the rest of the supply. The separated envelope is then transferred to a read station where a reading device reads a sort code imprinted on the envelope. The envelope is then provided to the storage section of the machine where it is directed to its designated sorting bin. The storage section of the machine is provided with a plurality of diverter mechanisms which are arranged in pairs to form a guideway through which the envelopes are directed.

Abstract: A self configuring track controller for a diverter gate motor in a stacker area of a document sorting system having pockets in which documents are selectively directed includes identical devices for governing each diverter gate motor in the stacker area. Integral with each track controller is a data line using binary, serial signals to teach each track controller its sequential position in the stacker area relative to other track controllers.

Abstract: A hopper for receiving documents, such as checks, fed on edge from a conveyor and adapted to be stacked one atop the other inside the hopper includes a slot in one wall of the hopper through which a portion of a check projects when the stack reaches a predetermined height. A detector in the form of a light emitting member and light receiver is disposed on respective sides of the slot outside the hopper to provide a control signal when the light beam is interrupted due to projection of a portion of a check to signal when the stack has reached a predetermined height.

Abstract: High speed document processing and sorting apparatus. A stream of documents is guided along a path at high speed. A detector is mounted along said path to detect identifiable documents. A magazine is mounted to receive the detected documents. A vacuum wheel is mounted to remove the detected documents from said path to said magazine. The vacuum picker comprises a vacuum wheel mounted a predetermined spacing over said path, the vacuum wheel having a surface speed equal to the high speed document speed. A solid wheel is movably mounted below said vacuum wheel and below said path. A detector control moves the solid wheel and document up into contact with the vacuum wheel when it is desired to remove a document moving at high speed.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for diverting groups of sheets to one or more processing machines which are adjacent to an elongated path defined by a transporting system consisting of a series of conveyors separated from each other by pivotable switches. Each processing machine can receive sheets from the transporting system in response to pivoting of the adjacent switch to a sheet-diverting position, and the switch which precedes such switch is pivotable to a position in which it diverts sheets onto an auxiliary conveyor which can be started to deliver sheets directly to the respective processing machine. The discharge end of the transporting system delivers surplus sheets to a stacker, and a switch which is located ahead of the foremost auxiliary conveyor can be caused to divert sheets into a row forming machine.

Abstract: A collator which utilizes sheet momentum to operate sheet diverting vanes includes over-center weight elements in the vanes. The vanes are rockably positioned to block and open a sheet conveyance path, and force exerted on the vane by the sheet and the over-center weight element as a sheet moves into a collection compartment tips the vane from a sheet diverting, path blocking position to a path freeing position.