Translating nip registration device

An apparatus for advancing a sheet in a primary sheet feeding direction and for deskewing and side registering the sheet, comprising:

• means, located in a home position, for advancing the sheet in the primary sheet feeding direction and deskewing the sheet;
• means for sensing the sheet, said advancing means moving in unison with the deskewed sheet in a direction substantially transverse to the primary sheet feeding direction from the home position to a side registration position, said sensing means detecting the sheet in the side registration position wherein said advancing means returns to the home position from the side registration position in response to said sensing means detecting the sheet;
• and
• means, responsive to a signal from said sensing means, for storing the side registration position of said advancing means and returning said advancing means to said stored side registration position when said advancing means moves, from the home position to a position spaced from the side registration position wherein said advancing means returns to the home position from the side registration position in response to said sensing means detecting the sheet.

An electrophotographic printing machine of the type in which a sheet is advanced in a primary sheet feeding direction and is deskewed and side registered, wherein the improvement comprises:

• means, located in a home position, for advancing the sheet in the primary sheet feeding direction, deskewing the sheet and translating the sheet in a direction substantially transverse to the primary sheet feeding direction;
• means for sensing the sheet, said advancing and translating means moving in unison with the deskewed sheet in a direction substantially transverse to the primary sheet feeding direction from the home position to a side registration position, said sensing means detecting the sheet in the side registration position;
• and
• means for storing the registration position.

A method for deskewing and side registering a sheet in an electrophotographic printing machine comprising the steps of:

• advancing the sheet in the primary sheet feed direction until a portion of the sheet engages a non-operative roll pair so as to deskew the sheet;
• actuating the roll pair after deskewing the sheet to advance the sheet in the primary sheet feed direction;
• moving the roll pair in unison with the advancing sheet in a direction transverse to the primary sheet feed direction from a home position to a side registration position;
• and
• sensing the presence of the sheet in the side registration position;
• and
• storing the registration position.

A method for deskewing and side registering a sheet in an electrophotographic printing machine comprising the steps of:

• advancing the sheet in the primary sheet feed direction until a portion of the sheet engages a non-operative roll pair so as to deskew the sheet;
• actuating the roll pair after deskewing the sheet to advance the sheet in the primary sheet feed direction;
• moving the roll pair in unison with the advancing sheet in a direction transverse to the primary sheet feed direction from a home position to a side registration position;
• sensing the presence of the sheet in the side registration position;
• storing the home position of said roll pair and returning said roll pair to the stored home position after each sheet exits roll pair;
• and
• storing the sensed proper side registration position of said roll pair and returning said roll pair to the stored side registration position when said roll pair moves, from the home position to a position spaced from the side registration position.