Manual paper collator

A manually operable collator for simultaneously gathering multiple sheets of paper comprising, in combination, a plurality of trays for receiving and storing stacks of paper sheets arranged according to a desired sequence of assembly;

• means for simultaneously transporting the top sheet of paper from each tray having elongated pivotally mounted pusher means extending into each of said trays to engage said top sheets of paper;
• adjustable guide means disposed adjacent said trays and pivotally movable between a paper loading position and a plurality of paper guiding positions in which said guide means is adapted to receive and converge the leading edges of the transported paper sheets to facilitate the gathering thereof;
• and means operatively linked to the guide means and the pusher means for pivotally lifting said pusher means out of engagement with said top sheets of paper when the guide means is moved to the paper loading position.

In a collator of the type having a plurality of paper receiving trays, and a corresponding plurality of gravity biased elongated pusher arms extending into said trays and adapted to simultaneously transport the top sheets of paper therefrom, the improvement comprising:

• selectively operable disengaging means for raising the pusher arms out of engagement with the paper to facilitate loading the trays;
• guide means disposed adjacent said trays and movable between a paper loading position, and one or more paper guiding positions in which the guide means receives and converges the leading edges of the paper sheets transported from the trays to facilitate the gathering thereof;
• and a control linkage operatively connecting the guide means and the disengaging means for moving the disengaging means to raise the pusher arms when the guide means is moved to the paper loading position.