High capacity, high speed document accumulator

A system for accumulating collations at high speed comprising:

• a deck including a stacking area,
• means for conveying the sheets into said stacking area,
• first gating means for stopping said sheets in said stacking area to form the collation;
• means for transporting the collation from said accumulation device;
• and
• means for controlling said transporting means wherein said transporting means squares the collation as an end of collation sheet is conveyed against said first gating means wherein said transporting means includes at least a pair of laterally spaced pushers mounted respectively on a pair of chain drives controlled by a servo motor, said chain drives having an upper reach moving through longitudinal grooves in said deck.

Apparatus for accumulating a collation of sheets fed seriatim from an upstream feeding device, comprising:

• a stacking area including a deck on which the sheets are accumulated;
• means adjacent an upstream end of said stacking area for inputting sheets seriatim into said stacking area;
• a plurality of ramps laterally disposed on said deck at the upstream end of said stacking area;
• an upper O-ring belt transport suspended above said deck, said upper O-ring belt transport including at least two endless, O-ring belts, said O-ring belts having a lower reach that extends below the upstream end of said ramps such that said upper O-ring transport transports the sheets passing over said ramps;
• at least one registration gate situated at a downstream end of said stacking area;
• pusher means for squaring a collation stopped against said registration gate and for transporting the collation out of said stacking area;
• wherein said input means feed each sheet over said ramps toward said stacking area and said upper O-ring belt transport completes the transporting of the sheets into said stacking area to form the collation.