Paper handling system material feed path arrangement

A materials handling system, comprising:

• a feeder station having a plurality of material feeders;
• an insertion subsystem;
• each of said plurality of feeders connected to a common material transport path, said common materials transport sequentially transporting materials fed from each of said plurality of feeders;
• said common materials transport including a pre-fold accumulator transport, said pre-fold accumulator transport having a pre-fold accumulator gate operable to be positioned to stop ongoing transport and to accumulate materials being sequentially transported by said pre-fold accumulator transport and operable to be positioned to allow ongoing transport of materials being sequentially transported by said pre-fold accumulator transport;
• a first diverter connected to a first material transport and to a second material transport, said diverter operable to selectively divert materials being transported by said pre-fold accumulator transport to said first or to said second material transport;
• said first and said second material transport each connected said insertion subsystem, said second material transport including a folder subsystem;
• a second diverter connected to said first materials transport and to a third material transport, said second diverter operable to selectively divert materials traveling along said first materials transport to third material transport;
• and,
• said third material transport connected to said insertion subsystem.

In materials handling system of the type having a feeder station having a plurality of material feeders and an insertion subsystem, a method comprising the steps of:

• feeding materials from each of said plurality of feeders onto a common material transport path;
• selectively transporting materials on said common transport path onto a first material transport path connected to said common material transport path, and transporting materials on said first transport path to said insertion subsystem;
• selectively transporting materials on said common transport path onto a second material transport path, said second transport path including a folder subsystem and connected to said common material transport path, and to said insertion subsystem and transporting materials on said second materials transport path to said insertion subsystem;
• and,
• selectively transporting materials on said first transport path onto a third material transport path, said third material transport path connected to said first material transport path and to said insertion subsystem and transporting materials on said third materials transport path to said insertion subsystem.