Document sorting section having a plurality of primary sorting paths
AssigneeBell & Howell Phillipsburg Company
InventorMario Ricciardi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A document sorting section for sorting flat documents wherein a plurality of primary document conveying paths are interposed between rows of opposing document stacking elements and document diverters are positioned in the primary paths. Each of the primary conveying paths are in conveying communication with separate diverters and corresponding sorting paths, such as angularly disposed sorting paths, wherein each of the sorting paths is in conveying communication with either of the primary conveying paths, but not both. A primary pivotal diverter, located upstream from the first and second primary conveying paths, diverts documents from the main transport path to either of the primary conveying paths.
Claims9
A sorting apparatus with improved capabilities for sorting documents which cannot be bent as readily as letter-sized documents and which have been received from a main transport path comprising:
- a first conveying path for selectively conveying a portion of said documents from said transport path to first sorting station means disposed on one side of said first conveying path, said first sorting station means comprising a plurality of sorting paths disposed along the length of said first conveying path;
- a second conveying path for selectively conveying the remaining portion of said documents from said transport path to second sorting station means disposed on one side of said second conveying path, said second sorting station means being substantially directly opposed to said first sorting station means and comprising a plurality of sorting paths disposed along the length of said second conveying path;
- said first and second conveying paths extending along said sorting apparatus and extending between said first and second sorting station means;
- each of said first and second conveying paths including first and second belt means, respectively, extending along the length of each of said conveying paths, said sorting station means including diverter elements spatially disposed along the length of said belt means to selectively deform said belt means at a predetermined location for diverting documents from said first and second conveying paths into one of said first and second sorting station means;
- and,
- a single initial diverting means disposed ahead of said first and second conveying paths for selectively diverting documents into either said first conveying path or said second conveying path from said main transport path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.