Compact sheet cutter for a document reproduction machine

A document reproduction machine of the type having a moving photoreceptive surface;

• a charging station for placing a charge on the photoreceptive surface;
• an exposure station for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptive surface;
• a developing station for developing the electrostatic latent image with toner particles;
• a transfer station for transferring the developed image to a copy sheet;
• and a fusing station for fusing the developed image onto a sheet media, wherein the fusing station includes an input system for advancing sheet media at a first rate, said document reproduction machine further including a sheet cutter, comprised of:
• a bi-directional drive motor;
• a motor driven feed roller for advancing sheet media toward the input system;
• a roller clutch for selectively engaging said feed roller to said drive motor;
• a buckle sensor for sensing a minimum size buckle in the sheet media;
• a motor driven sheet cutter disposed between said feed roller and said input system, said sheet cutter for cutting the sheet media when said sheet cutter is driven by a motor;
• a sheet cutter clutch for selectively engaging said sheet cutter to said drive motor;
• and
• a sheet media length circuit for generating a cut signal when a predetermined length of sheet media has advanced from said feed roller;
• wherein said sheet cutter clutch engages said sheet cutter to said drive motor upon the occurrence of a cut signal;
• wherein said roller clutch engages said feed roller to said drive motor when said buckle sensor does not sense a minimum size buckle;
• wherein said sheet media advances toward the input system at a second rate which is greater than said first rate when said feed roller is driven by said drive motor, whereby an expanding buckle is formed in the sheet media;
• wherein said hi-directional drive motor rotates in a first direction when said sheet cutter clutch is engaged;
• and
• wherein said bi-directional drive motor rotates in a second direction when said roller clutch is engaged.