US 4,065,123 A · Apparatus for stacking documents in sequence

Abstract

Documents are stacked on edge on a bed assembly having a backplate assembly near one end and a slidable backstop assembly aranged to be incremented away from the backplate assembly as the documents fill the stacking space therebetween. The backstop assembly is fixed to and alternately freed from the bed assembly by an escapement assembly coupled therebetween and actuated electrically. Preferably the escapement assembly comprises a pawl and ratchet together with cogged or spurred belts guiding the backstop assembly along the bed assembly. A photoresponsive, or like, assembly is arranged to sense the entrance of documents into the stacking space, and electric reed switches and corresponding actuating magnets are assembled on the backstop and bed assemblies for predetermining an initial increment of stacking space. Electric control circuitry is connected to the photoresponsive assembly and the reed switches and to the escapement assembly for actuating the latter in successive steps as the documents fill the stacking space. Preferably, the electric control circuitry is arranged to count pulses representative of individual documents encountered in the interval in which the initial increment of stacking space is filled. This count is transferred to counter circuitry for storing a number proportional to the number of documents originally counted, which stored number is used subsequently for actuating the escapement assembly and advancing the backstop assembly as subsequent documents are received.

Claims20

Dependent claims

Apparatus for stacking documents in sequence, comprising

a bed assembly on which said documents are to be stacked,
a backstop assembly slidably arranged on said bed assembly,
a backplate assembly arranged at one side of said backstop assembly,
electric circuit components on said bed assembly and on said backstop assembly arranged at a spacing proportional to a predetermined initial increment of stacking space located between said backplate and said backstop assemblies,
a sensing assembly for detecting the entrance of a document into the space between said backstop and backplate assemblies,
an escapement assembly arranged on said bed assembly and coupled to said backstop assembly for alternatively fixing and freeing said backstop assembly with respect to said bed assembly and having an electric control element for actuating said escapement assembly,
an electric control signal generating circuit arrangement having input terminals connected to said electric circuit components, output terminals connected to said escapement control element, and other input terminals connected to said sensing assembly, and
circuitry intermediate said terminals for counting a series of said documents entering the stacking space between said backstop assembly and said backplate assembly within said initial increment of stacking space, for storing said count for use in each succeeding incrementing of said backstop assembly, and for actuating said escapement assembly for subsequent incrementing of said backstop assembly along said bed assembly.

5 more elements

Apparatus for stacking documents in sequence, comprising

a bed assembly on which said documents are to be stacked,
a backstop assembly slidably arranged on said bed assembly,
a backplate assembly arranged at one side of said backstop assembly,
a sensing assembly comprising a photosensitive device for detecting the entrance of a document into the space between said backstop and backplate assemblies,
electric switch assemblies spaced apart and arranged on said bed and backstop assemblies and having electric contact elements for indicating first, second and third modes when in the respective conditions of at least two spaced contact elements in one state, two spaced contact elements in unlike states, and two spaced contact elements in another state opposite said one state,
an escapement assembly arranged on said bed assembly and coupled to said backstop assembly for alternatively arresting and freeing said backstop assembly with respect to said bed assembly and having an electric control element for operating the assembly,
an electric control circuit arrangement comprising input terminals connected to said photosensitive device, terminals connected to said electric switch assemblies and output terminals connected to said electric control element, and
counting circuitry connected to said photosensitive device and to said electric switch assemblies for counting the number of sheets in said second mode, for storing a number proportional to said number, for decrementing said number proportional to said count in response to said photosensitive device in said third mode, each such decrementing of said number resetting said counting circuitry and delivering a control pulse at said control circuit output terminals.

5 more elements

Apparatus for stacking documents in sequence, comprising

a bed assembly on which said documents are to be stacked,
a backstop assembly slidably arranged on said bed assembly,
a backplate assembly arranged at one side of said backstop assembly,
a light source and photosensitive device assembly for detecting the entrance of a document into the space between said backstop and backplate assemblies,
one electric switch and an actuator therefor arranged on said bed and backstop assemblies, and
another electric switch and an actuator therefor arranged on said bed and backstop assemblies with both switches closed in a first mode, said one switch open and said other switch closed in a second mode, and both switches open in a third mode,
an escapement assembly arranged on said bed assembly and coupled to said backstop assembly for alternatively arresting and freeing said backstop assembly with respect to said bed assembly and having an electric solenoid control element for operating the assembly,
a bilateral flip-flop circuit having a reset terminal connected to said one switch, a set terminal and complementary erect and inverted output terminals,
incrementing counting circuitry having a reset terminal connected to said one electric switch, an incrementing terminal, and count outputting terminals,
bidirectional counting circuitry having incrementing and decrementing input terminals, count input terminals, reset terminals and count output terminals including at least one predetermined zero and another predetermined other than zero count output terminals,
loading gating circuitry having an actuating input terminal, having input terminals connected to said count outputting terminals of said incrementing counting circuitry and having output terminals connected to said count input terminals of said bidirectional counting circuitry,
another AND gating circuit having an output lead connected to said actuating input terminal of said loading gating circuitry, one input lead connected to said erect terminal of said flip-flop circuit and another lead coupled to said predetermined zero outputting terminal of said bidirectional counting circuitry,
a futher AND gating circuit having an output lead connected to said incrementing terminal of said bidirectional counting circuitry, one input lead connected to said inverted output terminal of said bilateral flip-flop circuit, another input lead connected to said other electric switch and a further input lead connected to said photosensitive device,
an additional AND gating circuit having an output lead connected to said decrementing terminal of said bidirectional counting circuitry, one input lead connected to said erect output lead of said bilateral flip-flop circuit, another input lead and a further input lead connected to said photosensitive device,
an inverting circuit having an input lead connected to said other electric switch and an output lead connected to said other input lead of said additional AND gating circuit and coupled to said set terminal of said bilateral flip-flop circuit, and
an OR gating circuit having an output lead for coupling to said electric solenoid control element, one input lead connected to a differential circuitry connected in turn to said erect output terminal of said bilateral flip-flop circuit, another input terminal connected to one of said predetermined output terminals of said bidirectional counting circuitry and another input lead connected to another output terminal of said bidirectional counting circuitry.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for stacking documents in sequence

Life of this patent

Apparatus for stacking documents in sequence

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20