US 3,944,217 AGranted

Tower type sorting and collating apparatus

AssigneeEMF Corporation

InventorsRonald W. Greene, Edmund I. Fagan, Jack D. Keeler

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Abstract

Sorting and collating apparatus for use with copying and duplicating machinery for distribution of flexible sheet material to designated stations or series of stations. The device has an interface unit for accepting paper sheet copies and which selectively diverts said copies into a tray or to the base of the sorter tower. From the base the copies are either directed into the sorter tower to a designated bin or they are sent on to the next sorter tower module. The apparatus employs mass air movement type conveyors for paper transport. Means are provided for selectively diverting paper copies into designated paper receiving bins, and means may also be provided for maintaining the papers in aligned relationship in the individual paper receiving stations.

Claims24

Dependent claims

Tower type sheet sorting apparatus, comprising:

a. an interface section for accepting sheets from a reproducing machine, said interface section including an interface base portion, an interface conveyor portion on said interface base portion, such that said interface conveyor portion angles generally downwardly from said reproducing machine, proof tray means located over said interface conveyor portion and first deflector means for selectively directing sheets off said interface conveyor portion into said proof tray,
b. a sorter base connected to said interface base portion having a generally horizontally disposed sorter base conveyor means for receiving sheets from the lower end of said interface conveyor portion, said sorter base including a second deflector means for directing sheets upwardly into a sorter tower assembly supported on said sorter base or to allow said sheets to continue on said sorter base conveyor means,
c. a sorter tower assembly on said sorter base and including a tower bin section rigidly supported on said sorter base, said bin section having a vertical array of generally horizontally disposed, spaced apart paper copy receiving trays, and
d. a generally vertically disposed tower conveyor section pivotally supported on said tower bin section for receiving sheets from said sorter base conveyor means when directed upwardly by said second deflector means, and also including a plurality of third deflector means for directing sheets into said trays.

1 more element

Tower type sheet sorting apparatus comprising:

a. an interface section for accepting sheets from a reproducing machine, said interface section including interface base and interface conveyor portions and also including proof tray means located above the conveyor and first deflector means for directing sheets into said proof tray or for permitting the sheets to continue on to the sorter section of said apparatus,
b. a sorter base connected to said interface section including a sorter base conveyor and a second deflector means for directing sheets upwardly into a tower section supported on said sorter base or on through to exit the same from the apparatus,
c. a sorter tower assembly on said sorter base and including a tower tray section supported on said sorter base and having a vertical array of generally horizontally disposed, spaced apart paper copy receiving trays, and
d. a tower conveyor section for transporting sheets upwardly from said sorter base conveyor and which is pivotally connected to said tower tray section so that if a jam occurs the tower conveyor section can be swung away from said tray section to allow rapid and easy access for removal of said jam, said tower conveyor section further including third deflector means for directing sheets into said trays.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.