Printed copy separating and routing mechanism

Printed copy separating and routing mechanism having

• a pair of rotating cylinders (3, 4);
• means (10-15) feeding copy elements (38) to the cylinders;
• receiving means (36) defining two alternate receiving paths into which the copy is selectively guided, or alternate copy elements are alternately guided,
• comprising
• a segmental element (25, 27) located on the circumference of each of the cylinders (3, 4) and positioned in the path of the copy which passes between the cylinders, to deflect the copy into the first path, or the second path, or, alternately, copy elements into the first and second paths, respectively,
• the position of the segments and the rotary speed of the cylinders (3, 4) being matched to the spacing of the arriving copy to effect such deflection into the respective paths;
• and means for controlling the position of the segmental elements in relation to the circumference of the respective cylinder comprising eccentric positioning means (28-31;
• 32-35) selectively projecting respective segmental elements out of the circumference of the respective cylinder, or retracting the respective segmental elements to a non-projecting position from a cylindrical circumference defined by said cylinders (3, 4) whereby, upon projection of the respective elements, the segments will be placed into the path of transport of the copy (38) and deflect the transport path of the copy from a tangential path between the cylinders to a selected one of said first or second paths.