Right angle stager apparatus and method

A right-angle sheet stager apparatus for merging multiple input sheet streams into a single output sheet stream, the sheet stager apparatus comprising:

• (a) an inside input path including an inside transport surface and an inside staging surface, the inside staging surface having an elevation and communicating with the inside transport surface at an inside interface location, the inside interface location including an upper surface having an elevation greater than the elevation of the inside staging surface;
• (b) an outside input path including an outside transport surface and an outside staging surface communicating with the outside transport surface at an outside interface location, the outside staging surface having an elevation different from the elevation of the inside staging surface, the outside interface location including an upper surface having an elevation greater than the elevation of the outside staging surface;
• and
• (c) an output path including an output surface, the output path oriented in a right-angle relation with respect to the inside and outside input paths and communicating with the inside and outside input paths at a merger location.

A right-angle sheet stager apparatus for merging multiple input sheet streams into a single output sheet stream comprising:

• (a) a plurality of means for transporting a plurality of sheet streams along a plurality of different respective input paths;
• (b) a plurality of means for staging sheets of the respective sheet streams, each staging means communicating with a corresponding one of the transporting means at a transitional location disposed between each staging means and corresponding transporting means, wherein the sheets are staged in each staging means at an elevation different than an elevation of the other staging means;
• and
• (c) means for directing sheets received and staged at the plurality of staging means into a single output sheet stream along an output path, wherein the output path is substantially perpendicular to each of the plurality of input paths.

A right-angle sheet stager apparatus for merging multiple input sheet streams into a single output sheet stream, the right angle sheet stager apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of input channels, each input channel including an input surface and terminating at a staging surface;
• (b) an output channel including an output surface, the output channel oriented in a substantially right-angle relation with respect to the input channels and communicating with the input channels at a merger location;
• and
• (c) means for driving a first sheet staged on one of the staging surfaces toward the output channel after a second sheet being fed into the staging surface from its corresponding input surface has moved into an overlapping relation with the first sheet.

A right-angle sheet stager apparatus for merging multiple input sheet streams into a single output sheet stream, the right angle sheet stager apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of input channels, each input channel including an input surface and terminating at a staging surface;
• (b) an output channel including an output surface, the output channel oriented in a substantially right-angle relation with respect to the input channels and communicating with the input channels at a merger location;
• and
• (c) means for driving a first sheet received at the merger location from a first one of the staging surfaces along the output surface after a second sheet received from a second one of the staging surfaces has moved into an overlapping relation with the first sheet.

A method for merging multiple input sheet streams into a single output sheet stream oriented at a right angle with respect to the input sheet streams comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a staging area including a plurality of staging surfaces disposed at different elevations;
• (b) feeding a plurality of sheets in a plurality of input sheet streams into the staging area, wherein the sheets of each input sheet stream are transported onto a corresponding one of the staging surfaces;
• (c) providing a sheet outfeed area including an output surface in communication with each of the staging surfaces;
• (d) staging a first sheet on a first one of the staging surfaces;
• (e) bringing the first sheet into contact with a sheet driving mechanism;
• (f) activating the sheet driving mechanism to transport the first sheet towards the outfeed area;
• and
• (g) permitting a second sheet to enter the first staging surface and to overlap with the first sheet prior to transportation of the entire first sheet out of the staging area.

A method for merging multiple input sheet streams into a single output sheet stream oriented at a right angle with respect to the input sheet streams comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a staging area including a plurality of staging surfaces disposed at different elevations, wherein each staging surface includes a sheet driving element operatively associated therewith;
• (b) feeding a plurality of sheets in a plurality of input sheet streams into the staging area, wherein the sheets of each input sheet stream are transported onto a corresponding one of the staging surfaces;
• (c) providing a sheet outfeed area including an output surface in communication with each of the staging surfaces;
• (d) staging a first sheet on a first one of the staging surfaces;
• (e) staging a second sheet on a second one of the staging surfaces;
• (f) bringing the first sheet into contact with the sheet driving element of the first staging surface;
• (g) bringing the second sheet into contact with the sheet driving element of the second staging surface;
• (h) activating the sheet driving element of the first staging surface to transport the first sheet towards the outfeed area in a direction substantially perpendicular to at least one of the input sheet streams;
• and
• (i) activating the sheet driving element of the second staging surface to transport the second sheet towards the outfeed area in a direction substantially perpendicular to at least one of the input sheet streams.