Method and apparatus for assembling a stack of sheet articles from multiple input paths

An apparatus for merging multiple sheet paths, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of individual sheet input paths along which one or more sheet articles can be advanced;
• (b) a central accumulation area for receiving one or more sheet articles advanced from each individual sheet input path and from at least two different directions, and for assembling the sheet articles into a single sheet stack;
• (c) an accumulator module disposed in a corresponding one of the sheet input paths for accumulating one or more sheet articles of the corresponding input path into a subset and for feeding the subset into the central accumulation area;
• and
• (d) an output path for advancing an assembled sheet stack from the central accumulation area.

An apparatus for assembling a stack of sheet articles, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of sheet paths for advancing one or more sheet articles;
• (b) one or more readers for reading code data from sheet articles advanced on the plurality of sheet paths;
• (c) an electronic controller operatively connected with the one or more readers;
• (d) one or more of the plurality of sheet paths having a staging area for accumulating advanced sheet articles into one or more subsets;
• and
• (e) a central accumulation area for assembly of a stacked document of sheet articles selectively advanced from the plurality of sheet paths.

A method for merging multiple sheet paths, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) advancing one or more sheet articles along each of a plurality of individual sheet paths;
• (b) advancing the one or more sheet articles from each of the plurality of individual sheet paths into a central accumulation area where the one or more sheet articles are accumulated into a single sheet stack at a single elevation;
• and
• (c) advancing the sheet stack out of the central accumulation area into an output path.

A method of assembling a document, the method comprising:

• (a) advancing one or more sheet articles along a plurality of sheet paths;
• (b) reading code data printed on one or more of the sheet articles advanced along the plurality of sheet paths to identify the one or more sheet articles and determine whether or not the one or more sheet articles should be advanced to a central accumulation area;
• and
• (c) assembling sheet articles advanced from the plurality of sheet paths into a stack of sheet articles collected in a predetermined order in the central accumulation area.