Copying system for on-line finishing

An improved copying method for providing multiple precollated sets of copies from a mulitply recirculated set of documents, comprising:

• normally making 2 (first and second) consecutive identical copies (copy sheets) per document per circulation of said document set,
• feeding and directing each of said 2 identical copy sheets seperately into only 2 of only 3 compiler bins per said copying circulation of the set of documents,
• sequentially accumulating and stacking said copy sheets into two completed compiled collated copy sheet sets in said two compiler bins,
• removing one said completed collated copy sheet sets from one said compiler bin without interfering with said feeding and directing of other said copy sheets into two other said compiler bins, and
• wherein said three compiler bins comprise first, second, and third compiler bins, and in one said circulation of the set of documents said first copies are accumulated in said first bin and said second copies are accumulated in said second bin and no copies are accumulated in said third bin and for a subsequent said document set circulation said first copies are placed only in said second bin and said second copies are placed only in said third bin and a completed collated set of copies is removed from said first bin and for another said subsequent document circulation said copies are placed only in said first and second bins again, and this sequencing is repeated until a selected total number of precollated sets of copies is produced.

An improved copying method for providing multiple collated copy sets from a multiply recirculated set of documents copied in precollated page sequential order in a copier, comprising normally making immediately sequential pairs of identical copies of each document in said precollated order and sequentially feeding them into an associated three bin finishing unit in precollated page sequential order;

• and normally stacking one of said pair of copies in one bin and the other in another bin;
• and, during the same time period, holding a previously stacked complete copy set, which is awaiting removal and finishing, in the other, third, bin, which is then serving as a buffer or waiting station;
• and meanwhile finishing another previously stacked and removed copy set in an associated set finisher;
• and alternating which bin so serves as said buffer or waiting station, and which two bins are so fed copy sheets for stacking, in coordination with said recirculations of the set of documents.

In a specialized copying system for producing multiple finished collated copy sets by repeatedly generating copies in a copier in sequential page order sets, but normally generating two, and only two, identical copies per page at a time irrespective of the number of said multiple copy sets being made, and feeding said sequential page order pairs of copies separately to two bins of a finisher unit for removal therefrom and finishing of completed collated copy sets, the improvement for copying and finishing said collated copy sets at up to the full copying rate of the copier, comprising:

• a movable bin unit with only three or four bins;
• a single set removal means for removing a completed copy set for finishing from a bin which is adjacent said set removal means;
• bin indexing means for indexing said movable bin unit so that said one side of a selected varying one of said three or four bins is positioned adjacent said set removal means;
• and
• bin loading and control means for sequentially feeding said copies into a selected, varying, pair of said bins, other than a bin from which a completed copy set is being removed, and from a different side of said bins, said bin loading means so feeding said copies into said selected pair of bins while another bin is awaiting or undertaking removal of a copy set by said set removal means, or while a copy set previously removed from another bin is being finished, or while said movable bin unit is being indexed by said indexing means, to avoid interruption of said generating of copies and said bin loading thereby.

In a specialized copying method for producing multiple finished collated copy sets by repeatedly generating copies in a copier in sequential page order sets, but normally generating two, and only two, identical copies per page at a time irrespective of the number of said multiple copy sets being made, and feeding said sequential page order pairs of copies separately to two bins of a finisher unit for removal therefrom and finishing of completed collated copy sets, the improvement for copying and finishing said collated copy sets at up to the full copying rate of the copier, comprising:

• feeding all said copies to a movable bin unit with only three or four bins;
• removing a completed copy set for finishing from a bin at one position of one side of a bin;
• indexing said movable bin unit so that said one side of a selected varying one of said three of four bins is positioned adjacent said one position;
• and
• sequentially feeding said copies into a selected, varying, pair of said bins other than a bin containing a completed copy set which has not yet been removed, and from a different side of said bins than the side from which a completed copy set is being removed;
• so feeding said copies into said selected pair of bins while another bin is awaiting or having removal of a copy set, or while a copy set previously removed from another bin is being finished, or while said movable bin unit is being indexed, to avoid interruption of said generating of copies and said bin loading thereby.