Apparatus and method for inverting, staging and diverting sheet articles

A sheet processing apparatus for selectively inverting, staging and selectively advancing sheet material along a selected predetermined conveying path, said sheet processing apparatus comprising:

• (a) a pair of support plates defining a space therebetween for advancement of sheet material therethrough;
• (b) at least one pair of cooperating nip rollers for operatively engaging sheet material in said space between said support plates, said nip rollers being positioned on first and second inner shafts which extend between opposing base members and at least one of said nip rollers being fixedly attached to said first inner shaft;
• (c) a pinion extending from one of said base members and being connected to at least said first inner shaft such that rotation of said pinion simultaneously rotates said first inner shaft;
• (d) opposing first and second outer shafts each operatively connected to a different one of said base members such that rotation of said first and second outer shafts simultaneously rotates said base members and said first and second inner shafts;
• (e) a first gear member operatively attached on at least said first outer shaft and engaging said pinion such that rotation of said first gear member against said pinion to simultaneously rotate said pinion simultaneously rotate said nip roller on said first inner shaft;
• and
• (f) a rotation mechanism for selectively rotating said first and second outer shafts and said first gear member.

A method of selectively inverting, staging and/or selectively advancing sheet material along a predetermined path, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) advancing sheet material between a pair of support plates between at least a pair of nip rollers attached to separate nip roller shafts, said nip rollers and said nip roller shafts together defining a nip roller mechanism;
• (b) selectively staging said sheet material between said support plates and said pair of nip rollers;
• (c) selectively simultaneously rotating said support plates and said nip roller mechanism at least partially about an arc of a circle with said sheet material between said support plates to selectively position said sheet material for subsequent advancement along a predetermined conveying path;
• and
• (d) selectively advancing with rotation of at least one of said nip rollers said sheet material from between said support plates along a predetermined conveying path.

A method of selectively inverting, staging and/or selectively advancing sheet material along a predetermined path, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) advancing sheet material between a pair of support plates where said sheet material is maintained in position by at least one nip roller on a shaft with a central axis maintained at a vertical position;
• (b) selectively simultaneously rotating said support plates with said sheet material therebetween at least partially about an arc of a circle while simultaneously rotating the vertical position of said shaft holding said nip roller to selectively position said sheet material for subsequent advancement along a predetermined conveying path;
• and
• (c) selectively actuating said at least one nip roller to advance said sheet material from between said support plates.

A sheet processing apparatus for selectively inverting, staging and selectively advancing sheet material along a selected predetermined conveying path, said sheet processing apparatus comprising:

• (a) a pair of support plates defining a space therebetween for advancement of sheet material therethrough;
• (b) at least one pair of cooperating nip rollers for operatively engaging sheet material in said space between said support plates, said nip rollers being positioned on first and second inner shafts which extend between opposing base members and at least one of said nip rollers being fixedly attached to said first inner shaft;
• (c) a pinion extending from one of said base members and being connected to at least said first inner shaft such that rotation of said pinion simultaneously rotates said first inner shaft;
• (d) at least one outer shaft operatively connected to one of said base members such that rotation of said outer shaft simultaneously rotates both base members and said first and second inner shafts;
• (e) a first gear member operatively attached to said outer shaft and engaging said pinion such that rotation of said first gear member against said pinion to simultaneously rotate said pinion simultaneously rotates said nip roller on said first inner shaft;
• and
• (f) a rotation mechanism for operatively connecting with and for selectively rotating said outer shaft and said first gear member.

A method of selectively advancing sheet material along a selected predetermined conveying path, said method comprising the steps of:

• (b) providing a sheet processing apparatus comprising:
• (i) a pair of support plates defining a space therebetween for advancement of sheet material therethrough;
• (ii) at least one pair of cooperating nip rollers for operatively engaging sheet material in said space between said support plates, said nip rollers being positioned on first and second inner shafts which extend between opposing base members and at least one of said nip rollers being fixedly attached to said first inner shaft;
• (iii) a pinion extending from one of said base members and being connected to at least said first inner shaft such that rotation of said pinion simultaneously rotates said first inner shaft;
• (iv) at least one outer shaft operatively connected to one of said base members such that rotation of said outer shaft simultaneously rotates both base members and said first and second inner shafts;
• (v) a first gear member operatively attached to said outer shaft and engaging said pinion such that rotation of said first gear member against said pinion to simultaneously rotate said pinion simultaneously rotates said nip roller on said first inner shaft;
• and
• (vi) a rotation mechanism for selectively operatively connecting with and for selectively rotating said outer shaft and said first gear member;
• (b) advancing sheet material between said support plates and said nip rollers wherein said nip rollers engage said sheet material;
• (c) selectively simultaneously rotating said support plates a predetermined extent with said sheet material therebetween;
• and
• (d) actuating at least one of said nip rollers to selectively advance said sheet material from between said support plates along a predetermined conveying path.