Abstract: Apparatus is provided for transporting a sheet in a predetermined path of travel. The apparatus comprises a plate having a lower surface extending parallel to and defining the path of travel, and having an aperture formed therein. In addition, the apparatus comprises sheet feeding structure, including a first pair of rollers spaced apart from one another and an endless belt looped about the first rollers, wherein the belt has a lower belt run extending between the first rollers and beneath the plate. Further, the feeding structure includes instrumentalities for driving one of the first rollers for moving the lower belt run at a constant velocity in the direction of the path of travel. Moreover, the feeding structure includes a second pair of rollers which are disposed beneath the plate and are made of a compliant material.

Abstract: A copying apparatus in which a document inserted into a document feed-in device is circulated through a recirculating path of a recircular automatic document feeder for multi-copying, and a copying paper is fed by cutting a roll paper on the basis of a first document detecting signal of a first detector disposed at the document feed-in device when copying a first sheet, and on the basis of the document length stored in a memory device and a second document detecting signal of a second detector disposed at the recirculating path when copying a second sheet onward, thereby the roll paper can be cut corresponding to the document length at multi-copying without enlarging the recircular automatic document feeder.

Abstract: A circulation-type bill receiving and dispensing machine reuses received bills for dispensing. It has a bill receiving and dispensing port and operating section at both sides of the machine. The bill receiving and dispensing machine includes separate bill discriminating sections each of which is arranged on each received-bill transferring route of the bill receiving and dispensing ports of the two sides for the exclusive use of that port. Thus the bill receiving and dispensing machine of the present invention can be operated at the same time from both sides. Accordingly, a customer can deposit bills at any time even if the machine is being operated in the bill receiving mode by the teller.

Abstract: In handling flat sheets as for example from a sheet processing machine to a downstacker a plurality of narrow parallel belt conveyors are necessarily employed. Non-uniformity in manufacture of the belts and different slippage on the pulleys causes unequal speed of travel of the individual belts resulting in improper and unequal handling. Utilizing a lower set of conveyor driving belts on which are super-imposed overlapping driven carrier belts overcomes this problem by producing uniform speed of travel of the belts.

Abstract: An off-line image fixing apparatus includes a feed sensor disposed at the center of a paper inlet for sensing the presence of a sheet of copying paper, and a controller for forwardly driving a paper conveyor, which is in a normal state continuously driven backwardly in accordance with a paper sensing signal from the feed sensor. Thus a sheet of copying paper can be inserted from only the central portion of the paper inlet, so that a sheet of copying paper inserted from the paper inlet and conveyed to the heating unit passes necessarily over a paper jam sensor disposed in the center of the conveyance passageway.

Abstract: Two dispensing port mechanisms are arranged in parallel in a banknote distributing and dispensing machine. A distributing mechanism is provided to be selectively arranged at either one of two dispensing port mechanisms. A transmission mechanism is provided to transmit the movement of conveyor belts in the distributing mechanism to the conveyor belts of the selected dispensing port mechanism.

Abstract: An infrared dryer is provided for a printing press which uses a series of carriers, each comprising one or more gripper bars, on a conveyor to respectively carry printed sheets past the dryer. The sensor produces different binary signals in response to the presence or absence of material, viz, a gripper bar structure or carried sheets in the path, each carrier producing a predetermined number of transitions between the presence and absence signals, the only change between an empty carrier and one carrying a sheet being the duration of the presence and absence signals. A microprocessor is programmed to cyclically count from zero to the predetermined number of transitions, with each count cycle representing the passage of a carrier. The microprocessor also measures and compares the total durations of the presence and absence signals during each count cycle. If the presence signal duration exceeds the absence signal duration, then the heater is actuated to a preselected operating intensity.

Abstract: In a document handling apparatus for registered feeding of document sheets to the imaging station of a copier with a document imaging station transport, and a document sheet acquisition and initial registration system for feeding document sheets to the document imaging station transport, the improvement wherein said document sheet acquisition and initial registration system includes a sheet inversion path with a sheet inverting roller and spaced plural sheet retaining belts partially wrapped around the inverting roller to provide separate document sheet lead edge capturing nips therewith, and to provide a non-slip document feeding path when a document is held between the plural belts and the roller, and with apparatus for mounting a central one of the plural belts differently from the other belts for centrally engaging a document sheet in a registration nip with the central belt prior to engagement of a document sheet in the capture nips of the other belts.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing documents from a storage location to a discharge area includes structure for transporting the documents from the storage location along a transport path to an escrow or collection station. The leading and trailing edges of the document are positioned in a holding position removed from the transport path at the collection station so that successive documents may be loaded into the collection station. The apparatus includes a double detector for separating two documents removed at the same time from the storage location and for returning all but one of the simultaneously removed documents to the storage location. When the proper number of documents have been collected in the collection station, they are moved along the transport path and deflected to the discharge area by a divert gate positioned in the path of the collection of documents.

Abstract: A security-oriented conveyor system for currency dispensers and the like comprising a pair of conveyor belts which lie in facial contact with one another to grip one or more sheets of currency between them and convey same through a downwardly inclined slot in a vault wall. Conveyor rollers are located adjacent the slot openings to prevent tampering.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus attachable to a printer for feeding and delivering envelopes. Storage means for fresh and printed envelopes which are disposed perpendicularly to the orientation of print direction. A reduction in overall size required in a mechanism for handling feed and delivery of both cut sheets and envelopes is achieved.

Abstract: A loader for signatures, loose sheets, gathered sheets and the like, in particular for collating, pamphletizing, stitching and similar bookbinding machines, which can be moved in an automated manner with respect to the bookbinding machine when switching from one size format of the signatures or the like to another. The loader comprises a frame carried in a displaceable fashion by a fixed base, preferably through rolling bearings. The displacement is accomplished by means of an electric motor associated with a threaded rod cooperating with a nut attached to the movable frame of the loader.

Abstract: An improved document registration system in a copier having a platen for exposing documents includes a registration edge at the forward end of the platen and at least one foam document aligning belt located adjacent to and above the registration edge. The alignment belt is adapted to extend a short distance over and conform to the registration edge so that documents can be driven toward the registration edge with positive control and thereby reduce up-curl and registration edge jumping.

Abstract: A paper handling system capable of providing a single or multiple pass of a printing medium by an ink jet printing head for the reproduction of original documents utilizes an endless conveyor belt to support the printing medium. The belt can be driven both forwardly and in reverse to cycle the printing medium under a printing head which prints tracks of information onto the medium. After each cycle, the printing head is advanced in a direction transverse to the motion of the printing medium until complete coverage of the printing medium is achieved. Either an interlace or band printing scheme can be used.

Abstract: An original sheet document for electrostatic reproduction is inserted into the mechanism face up, and the mechanism feeds and positions the document onto a glass platen face down. Endless belts are trained over pulleys forming a plurality of parallel runs which are disposed closely above the platen. Idler feed rollers are disposed above the pulleys which feed the document into engagement with a guide member which reverses the direction of movement of the document by 180.degree. and guides the document between the belts and the platen. The belts are oriented at an angle to the edges of the platen and move the document both forwardly and laterally across the platen. Elongated stops are provided at the edges of the platen toward which the document is moved by the belts, and the document aligningly abuts against the stops. The belts are arranged to yield upon said abutment. The stop at the forward edge is movable to allow the belts to move the document off the platen onto a receiving tray.

Abstract: Folded signatures of lightweight stock are fed in a direction parallel to the backbone of the signatures and deposited in sets of predetermined number and in shingled relation onto a main conveyor moving transverse to the direction of feed from the supply stack. The main conveyor deposits the signatures on the top of a stack in the hopper of a gathering machine. The height of the stack in the hopper is sensed, and this is used to control feeding from the supply stack. Preferably, the supply stack is held in a hopper with the signatures resting on a second or supply conveyor which extends upwardly and outwardly from the main conveyor so that adjacent loading machines can be nested to reduce space requirements.

Abstract: A signature feeder with a stack-supporting conveyor for moving a stack of signatures to a dispensing location. A pick-up conveyor engages the stack and positions the signatures in an imbricated stream and a guide member directs them to a deposit location where the signatures are again placed into a stack from whence they are dispensed to a feeder mechanism. Sensors are disposed at the forward face of the stack and also at the deposit location, and the sensors are connected to electric motors which in turn drive either the stack-supporting conveyor or the pick-up conveyor.