Sheet feeder and diverter apparatus

A sheet feeder and diverter apparatus, comprising:

• an incoming conveyor for advancing a succession of sheets along a generally horizontal transport path to a downstream end of said conveyor in a direction of travel along said path;
• a pair of outgoing conveyors having upstream ends including an acute angle with one another and spaced from said downstream end of said incoming conveyor;
• and
• a diverter between said downstream end of said incoming conveyor and said upstream ends of said outgoing conveyors for selectively diverting sheets arriving from said incoming conveyor selectively onto said outgoing conveyors, said diverter comprising:
• a lower guide element swingable about a first fixed axis below said path and directly downstream of said incoming conveyor,
• an upper guide element spaced above said lower guide element and forming a guide gate with said lower guide element through which said sheets pass, said guide gate having an outlet opening swingable back and forth between said outgoing conveyors, said upper guide element being swingable about a second fixed axis different from said first fixed axis and located above said path and in a region between said downstream end of said incoming conveyor and an ends of a free space between said incoming conveyor and said upstream ends of said outgoing conveyors,
• a member connected to said upper guide element,
• a link pivotally connected at a third axis to said member and at a fourth axis to said lower guide element, thereby interconnecting said guide elements for swinging movement, and
• a pivoting drive connected to said member for swinging said upper guide element back and forth about said second axis.