Extended stacker

Apparatus for counting and handling sheets comprising, an input tray receiving a stack of paper sheets;

• first means for separating sheets delivered thereto from said input tray into a single-file arrangement and for moving sheets arranged in said single file arrangement in a first direction along a feed path;
• second means cooperating with said input tray for delivering the bottommost sheet supported in said input tray towards said first means;
• third means for accelerating sheets in said first direction delivered thereto from said first means to create a gap between adjacent sheets moving through said third means and along said feed path;
• fourth means for detecting the presence of a gap for counting the separated documents;
• said feed path extending between said input tray and said third means moving sheets generally into the interior of said apparatus;
• fifth means for receiving sheets and for accelerating said sheets in a second direction toward a stacker apparatus;
• a curved guide plate having a first surface portion for deflecting sheets delivered thereto by said third means toward said fifth means;
• said fifth means extending partially through said curved guide plate and directing documents delivered thereto against a second concave surface portion of said guide plate wherein the direction of movement of paper sheets accelerated by said fifth means forms an acute angle with said guide plate at the point where the leading edge of the sheet first engages said guide plate surface whereby the accelerated sheet is caused to closely follow said concave surface portion as it leaves the influence of said fifth means;
• a plurality of rotating stacker wheels mounted upon a common shaft;
• means for rotating said stacker wheels in a first direction;
• each of said stacker wheels having a plurality of curvilinear fingers arranged at spaced intervals about the periphery of said stacker wheel, said fingers each being formed of a yieldable material and having a first portion extending substantially radially outward from the periphery of said wheel and a second portion extending in a direction which is transverse to said radial portion and is opposite the direction of rotation of said stacker wheel;
• said second portions being curved whereby adjacent fingers cooperatively form a curved pocket region having a curved contour for receiving sheets delivered into a pocket by said guide plate and for urging said sheet to assume the shape of a pocket;
• said guide plate having a convex surface portion extending at least partially about said stacker wheels and having an opening sufficient to allow said fingers extending therethrough to freely rotate without engaging said curved guide plate, said convex portion curving partially about said stacker wheels being adapted to allow the leading edges of sheets delivered to said stacker wheels by said first means to enter into a pocket between adjacent fingers;
• a stacker tray having a stripping portion positioned in the path of the sheet carried by said stacker wheels for stripping the sheets from said pockets and supporting said sheets as said fingers pass the stripping portion of said stacker tray;
• a movable stacker plate being movably arranged along said stacker tray for holding said sheets in an upright position and resilient bias means for urging said stacker plate toward said stacker wheel;
• and
• said fingers engaging the lower portions of the sheets to urge the sheets stripped from the pockets of said wheels toward said stacker plate whereby the collection of sheets upon said tray causes said stacker plate to move against said biasing force thereby neatly stacking said sheets and compressing the stacked sheets in the outfeed stacker.

Stacker apparatus for receiving paper sheets from a document handling and counting apparatus which includes an input tray and means for counting said sheets, means for delivering said counted sheets in a first direction and at a first predetermined velocity away from said input tray, said stacker apparatus comprising:

• first accelerating means for accelerating sheets in said first direction;
• second accelerating means for receiving sheets and for accelerating said sheets toward the stacker apparatus;
• a curved guide plate having an undulating configuration;
• said second accelerating means extending partially through said curved guide plate for directing documents delivered thereto against a concave surface portion of said guide plate wherein the direction of movement of paper sheets accelerated by said second accelerating means forms an acute angle with said guide plate at the point where the leading edge of the sheet first engages said guide plate surface whereby the accelerated sheet is caused to closely follow said concave surface portion as it leaves the influence of said second acceleration means in a second direction;
• a plurality of rotating stacker wheels mounted upon a common shaft;
• means for rotating said stacker wheels in a first direction;
• each of said stacker wheels having a plurality of curvilinear fingers arranged at spaced intervals about the periphery of said stacker wheel, said fingers each being formed of a yieldable material and having a first portion extending substantially radially outward from the periphery of said wheel and a second portion extending in a direction which is transverse to said radial portion and is opposite the direction of rotation of said stacker wheel;
• said second portions being curved whereby adjacent fingers cooperatively form a curved pocket region having a curved contour for receiving sheets delivered into a pocket by said guide plate and for urging said sheet to assume the shape of a pocket;
• said guide plate having a convex surface portion extending at least partially about said stacker wheels and having an opening sufficient to allow said fingers extending therethrough to freely rotate without engaging said curved guide plate, said convex portion curving partially about said stacker wheels being adapted to allow the leading edges of sheets delivered to said stacker wheels by said first means to enter into a pocket between adjacent fingers;
• a stacker tray having a stripping portion positioned in the path of the sheet carried by said stacker wheels for stripping the sheets from said pockets and supporting said sheets as said fingers pass the stripping portion of said stacker tray;
• a movable stacker plate being slidably arranged along said stacker tray for holding said sheets substantially upright and resilient bias means for urging said stacker plate toward said stacker wheels;
• said fingers being adapted to urge sheets stripped from the pockets of said wheels along said stripping portion and toward said stacker plate whereby the collection of sheets upon said tray causes said stacker plate to move against said biasing force thereby neatly stacking said sheets and compressing the stacked sheets in the outfeed stacker.

Apparatus for turning and stacking sheets, comprising:

• first accelerating means for receiving and accelerating sheets and for moving said sheets in a first direction to sheet-turning means;
• said sheet-turning means including a first guide plate adapted to be engaged by said sheets for changing the direction of movement of said sheets to a second direction;
• said sheet-turning means further including a curved guide plate having a concave surface portion and a convex surface portion and second accelerating means partially extending through said concave surface portion and cooperating with said curved guide plate for further changing the direction of movement of said sheets to a third direction so that said sheets are turned at least 90.degree. relative to the sheets moving in said first direction;
• said second accelerating means cooperating with said curved guide plate for accelerating said sheets in said third direction;
• and
• means adjacent to said convex surface portion for loosely receiving and holding said sheets in a curved configuration and transferring said turned sheets to a stacker tray which supports said sheets in an upright fashion.

A stacker apparatus for neatly stacking sheets delivered thereto in serial fashion comprising:

• first accelerating means for receiving sheets and for accelerating said sheets in a first direction;
• a first guide plate disposed to engage sheets accelerated by said first accelerating means for changing the direction of movement of said paper sheets;
• a second curved guide plate;
• second accelerating means for accelerating and directing documents delivered thereto against a concave surface portion of said second guide plate wherein the direction of movement of paper sheets accelerated by said second means is changed and forms an acute angle with said second guide plate at the point where the leading edge of the sheet first engages said concave surface whereby the accelerated sheet is caused to closely follow said concave surface portion as it leaves the influence of said first means;
• a plurality of rotating stacker wheels;
• means for rotating said stacker wheels;
• each of said stacker wheels having a plurality of curvilinear fingers arranged at spaced intervals about the periphery of said stacker wheel, said fingers each being formed of a yieldable material and having a first portion extending substantially radially outward from the periphery of said wheel and a second portion extending in a direction which is transverse to said radial portion;
• said second portions being curved whereby adjacent fingers cooperatively form a curved pocket having a curved contour for receiving a sheet delivered into a pocket by said guide plate and for urging said sheet to assume the shape of a pocket;
• said second curved guide plate having a convex surface portion connected to the downstream end of said concave surface portion for further changing the direction of movement of said sheets and extending at least partially about said stacker wheels and having an opening sufficient to allow said fingers extending therethrough to freely rotate without engaging said curved guide plate, said convex portion curving partially about said stacker wheels being adapted to allow the leading edges of sheets delivered to said stacker wheels by said first means to enter into a pocket between adjacent fingers;
• a stacker tray having a stripping portion positioned in the path of the sheet carried by said stacker wheels for stripping the sheets from said pockets as said fingers pass the stripping portion of said stacker tray;
• a movable stacker plate being movably arranged along said stacker tray and resilient bias means for urging said stacker plate toward said stacker wheels to hold said sheets in a substantially upright position;
• and
• said fingers wipingly engaging the lower portions of the sheets to urge said sheets stripped from the pockets of said wheels toward said stacker plate along the surface of said stripping portion and toward said stacker plate whereby the collection of sheets upon said tray causes said stacker plate to move against said biasing force thereby neatly stacking said sheets and compressing the stacked sheets in the outfeed stacker.