Staging mechanism for duplexing copy machines

In an offset duplicator including a surface for receiving images transferrable to copy sheets, a carrier, drive means for moving the surface and carrier in unison, means for feeding the copy sheets between the surface and carrier, first and second grippers associated with the carrier for gripping edges of said sheets and for holding the sheets on the carrier, said feeding means feeding each sheet to the first gripper whereby the leading edge of each sheet is engaged by the first gripper for movement between the surface and carrier and for transfer of a first image to one side of each sheet, means for releasing said sheet from said first gripper, conveyor means with associated drive means for conveying the sheets away from the carrier and for re-feeding said sheets, trailing edge first, to said second gripper for movement again between said surface and carrier and for transfer of a second image to the opposite side of each sheet, and means for directing said sheets from said carrier to said conveyor means, the improvement in said conveyor means and drive means wherein said conveyor means comprise a conveyor bed and a plurality of spaced-apart belts movable over the conveyor bed, means operating said drive means to drive the belts in a first direction away from said carrier, means for reversing said drive means for changing the direction of movement of said sheets back toward said carrier, and suction means associated with the conveyor means for holding the sheets on the belts during movement of the belts in the first direction and also during movement of the sheets back toward said carrier, and including stop members connected to said belts, the leading edges of sheets delivered to said belts engaging said stop members, said stop members controlling the positions of said sheets relative to said belts.

In an offset duplicator including a surface for receiving images transferrable to copy sheets, a carrier, drive means for moving the surface and carrier in unison, means for feeding the copy sheets between the surface and carrier, first and second grippers associated with the carrier for gripping edges of said sheets and for holding the sheets on the carrier, said feeding means feeding each sheet to the first gripper whereby the leading edge of each sheet is engaged by the first gripper for movement between the surface and carrier and for transfer of a first image to one side of each sheet, means for releasing said sheet from said first gripper, conveyor means with associated drive means for conveying the sheets away from the carrier and for re-feeding said sheets, trailing edge first, to said second gripper for movement again between said surface and carrier and for transfer of a second image to the opposite side of each sheet, and means for directing said sheets from said carrier to said conveyor means, the improvement in said conveyor means and drive means wherein said conveyor means comprise a conveyor bed and a plurality of spaced-apart belts movable over the conveyor bed, means operating said drive means to drive the belts in a first direction away from said carrier, means for reversing said drive means for changing the direction of movement of said sheets back toward said carrier, and suction means associated with the conveyor means for holding the sheets on the belts during movement of the belts in the first direction and also during movement of the sheets back toward said carrier, and wherein said means for directing the copy sheets to said conveyor means move said leading edges freely through the air before contact with the conveyor bed whereby the sides of the sheets tend to bend downwardly, and wherein said conveyor bed defines downturned sides to permit unimpeded movement of the copy sheets onto the bed.

In an offset duplicator including a surface for receiving images transferrable to copy sheets, a carrier, drive means for moving the surface and carrier in unison, means for feeding the copy sheets between the surface and carrier, first and second grippers associated with the carrier for gripping edges of said sheets and for holding the sheets on the carrier, said feeding means feeding each sheet to the first gripper whereby the leading edge of each sheet is engaged by the first gripper for movement between the surface and carrier and for transfer of a first image to one side of each sheet, means for releasing said sheet from said first gripper, conveyor means with associated drive means for conveying the sheets away from the carrier and for re-feeding said sheets, trailing edge first, to said second gripper for movement again between said surface and carrier and for transfer of a second image to the opposite side of each sheet, and means for directing said sheets from said carrier to said conveyor means, the improvement in said conveyor means and drive means comprising means operating said drive means to drive the conveyor means in a first direction away from said carrier, means for reversing said drive means for changing the direction of movement of said sheets back toward said carrier, and suction means associated with the conveyor means for holding the sheets on the conveyor means during movement of the conveyor means in the first direction and also during movement of the sheets back toward said carrier and wherein said drive means for said conveyor means include a drive chain, a drive sprocket engageable with said chain, a drive shaft supporting said sprocket, said drive shaft being drivingly connected to said conveyor means, and camming means imparting reciprocating movement to said chain for thereby imparting reciprocating movement to said conveyor means.

In an offset duplicator including a surface for receiving images transferrable to copy sheets, a carrier, drive means for moving the surface and carrier in unison, means for feeding the copy sheets between the surface and carrier, first and second grippers associated with the carrier for gripping edges of said sheets and for holding the sheets on the carrier, said feeding means feeding each sheet to the first gripper whereby the leading edge of each sheet is engaged by the first gripper for movement between the surface and carrier and for transfer of a first image to one side of each sheet, means for releasing said sheet from said first gripper, conveyor means with associated drive means for conveying the sheets away from the carrier and for re-feeding said sheets, trailing edge first, to said second gripper for movement again between said surface and carrier and for transfer of a second image to the opposite side of each sheet, and means for directing said sheets from said carrier to said conveyor means, the improvement in said conveyor means and drive means comprising means operating said drive means to drive the conveyor means in a first direction away from said carrier, and means for reversing said drive means for changing the direction of movement of said sheets back toward said carrier, the means operating said drive means including camming means imparting reciprocating movement to said conveyor means, a shaft for supporting said camming means, a coaxially mounted shaft, additional camming means on said coaxially mounted shaft for controlling said feeding means for feeding each sheet to the first gripper, and means for adjusting said first mentioned shaft and said coaxially mounted shaft relative to each other.