Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The invention relates to a device for the sorted collection of
sheets, which device is coupled with a copying apparatus and comprises a
frame, a transport mechanism in this frame for transporting sheets along a
mainly vertical track which at the feed side connects with the copy-ejection
part of the copying apparatus, a number of mainly horizontal bins situated
along the track of movement, which are supported by the frame mentioned, and
guide organs which can be brought into the track of movement of the sheets
to be sorted.
Devices of this kind are generally known. Hereby the device is
coupled as loose unit to the copying apparatus. In general this will mean,
that the device occupies a certain floor surface, while moreover the in-
stallation is also of such a nature, that the operation cannot be observed
directly from the normal working position of the operator.
In accordance with this invention there is provided device for the
sorted collection of sheets, comprising a frame in which at least one series
of adjacent bins is installed, transport organs for transporting the sheets
to be sorted one by one along a track extending near the bins, and guide -
organs which can be brought into the track of movement of the sheets to be
sorted, whereby each guide organ is movable between two positions, a first
position whereby the guide organ extends into the track of movement of the
sheets, and a second position whereby the guide organ is situated out of the
track of movement of the sheets, and each guide organ is brought from the
first to the second position by laying a sheet down into the corresponding ~ -
.
bin, characterized in that the first position of each guide organ is the only
; stable position of equilibrium~ and that each guide organ is provid~d with a
locking organ which after the guide organ has been brought to the second -~
position positively locks this guide organ in this position.
~n this way lt is on the one hand achieved, that the device does
not occupy any extra floor surface, while its operation can easily be con-
trolled by the operator of the copying apparatus, as by the installation
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chosen the device is almost at eye height and in the direct nearness of the
operator.
In an embodiment, whereby the bins are installed in a supporting
construction which is connected in a hinging way round a vertical shaft with
the frame mentioned, the device is preferably constructed in such a way, that
seen in the horizontal plane, the hinge shaft is situated at the height of
the point of the frame which lies at the smallest distance from the normal
working position of the operator of the copying apparatus.
In this way it is achieved that when troubles occur in the device
especially jamming of the sheets in the track of movement, the bins can be
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turned away into the direction where ccrtainly no spatial hirldrance is present.
This is very important for those copying apparatus which have been installed
against a will. ~loreover, it will never or hardly ever be necessary for the
operator to change place because of such manipulations.
The invclltion also relates to a device for the sorted collection of
sheets, comprising a frame in wllicll at least one series of adjacent bins is
inst~led~ transport orguls for transporting the sheets to be sorted one by
one .~ong a traclc, extending near the bins, and guide organs which can be
brought into the track of movement of the sheets to be sorted~ whereby each
guide orgc~ can be moved between tl~O positions, a first position whereby the
guide org~ e~tends into the track of movement of the sheets and a second posi-
tion wllereby the guide organ is situated out of the track of movement of the
sheets, and each guide organ can be brought from the first to the second posi-
tion by lay~g ~ sheet down into the eorresponding bin.
With this kno~Yn deviee both the first and the second position is a
stable position of equilibrium. The transition from the first to the second
position requires a quantity of energy, which is supplied by the kinetic energy
of the sheets to be sorted. The reversed movement also requires only a small
quantity of energy~ which means that as a result of vibrations~ shocks or
pushes a guide organ can return to the first position at an undesired moment,
by which the sorting would be disturbed.
~ device of the type mentioned, whereby the relevant disadvantage
is prevented is provided in that the first position of each guide organ is the
ol~y stable position of equilibrium and in that each guide organ is provided
with a locking organ, which after a guide organ has been brought into the second
position, positively locks this guide organ in this position.
In this way it is achieved~ that the guide organs do not move at an
undesired moment from the second to the first position as a result of shocks
of pushes against the apparatus.
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Other characteristics and advantages will become clear from the
following description, whereby reference is made to the enclosed drawings,
in which:
Figure 1 is a front view of a copying apparatus provided with a
sorting device according to the invention,
Figure 2 is a top view of Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a section according to the line III-III in Figure 2,
Figure 4 is a section according to the line IV-IV in Figure 3,
Figure S is a section according to the line V-V in Figure 4, with
the guide organ in the first position,
Figure 6 is a section as in Figure 5, with the guide organ in
the second position, and
Figure 7 is a section according to the line VII-VII in Figure 4.
In the Figures 1 and 2 a copying device 10 is represented. On this
copying device 10, in the nearness of the ejection opening of the copies
made, a sorting device 20 according to the invention is installed. The sort-
ing device 20 comprises a transport section 21 and a sorting box 22. The
transport section 21 comprises a suction box in combination with a number oE
transport belts. The complete sorting device 20 rests via the front- and
rear-wall of the transport section 21 on the frame of the copying apparatus
10. ` ` ~
As appears clearly from Figure 2, the position of the device has
been arranged in such a way, that the sorting box 22 is situated above the
working plane of the copying apparatus 10 and that the sorting device 20 is
supported via the transport part 21 by the copying apparatus 10. In the
horizontal plane the sorting device 20 thereby fully lies ~ithin the circum- `
ference of the copying apparatus 10.
The sorting box 22 is built up of a frame comprising three vertical
profiles 30, 31 and 32 (see Figure 4), of which the profiles 30 and 31 are
interconnected at the upper and lower side by horizontal profiles 33 and 34
(see
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Figure 3) ~hich in their turn arc connected almost in the centre with the lower
resyectively upper side of the profile 32 by means of horizontal profiles 35
rcspectively 36.
The frame thus formed is fixcd via the profile 30, of which the
extremities are provided with pins which cooperate with holes in consoles 37
and 38, to the transport section 21 and is connected with this in a hinging way,wllereby, as represented in the position drawn in full line in Figure 2, the
plane formed by the profiles 30, 31, 33 and 34 is situated near and parallel
to the transport way for the copies in the transport section 21. In the opened
position drawn in Figure 2 in interrupted line, the transport way in the trans-
port section 21 is freely accessible, so that in case of jamming the sheets can
easily be removed.
The place of the hinge shaft thus chosen, determined by the holes in
tlte consoles 37 and 38, makes it possible to open the sorting device 20, even
when the copying~apparatus 10 is installed with a side against a wall, or even
when the copying apparatus 10 is installed in a corner.
The sorting box 22 is kept in the closed or active position by means
of a permanent magnet 39, which is fixed on the profile 33, while moreover pro- ;
visions have been made, for instance in the form of a microswitch, to stop the
transport section as soon as the sorting box is opened.
From the preceding it follows, that the good operation of the sorting
device can easily be checked visually as the sorting box is situated in front
and at eye's height of the operator. ~oreover any troubles may easily be elimi-
natcd as it is hardly necessary for the operator to chan~e place.
Against each of the facing sides of the profiles 30 and 31 a U-shaped
profile 40 respectively 41 is fixed, and a same U-shaped profile 42 is fixed on
that side of the profile 32 which faces the transport section 21 in the closed
position (see Figure 4). The flanges of each U-shaped profile 40, 41 and 42
are provided at regular distances with recesses in the form of saw cuts. In '
`~ 30 each pair of recesses lying in a horizontal plane a plate 45 is installed with
a general form as represented in Figure 2. In this way a number of plates 45
are installed above each other, which plates serve as bins or receiving trays
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of the sorting device. In order to retain the bins, an L-shaped profile 46
respectively 47 is fixed on that side of each profile 30 respectively 31
which in the closed position faces the transport section.
Below each bin 45 a strip 48 is fixed, which seen from the trans-
port section obliquely extends backwards and downwards up to the next bin.
This strip 48 serves for braking and stacking the sheets to be laid down into
a bin.
The edge of each bin 45 which in the closed position faces the
transport section 21 is provided with a recess 50, whereby also two flanges
51 and 52, extending vertically upwards (see Figure 4) and two flanges 53
and 54 extending vertically downwards (see Figure 3) are formed. The flanges
51 and 52 prevent, that sheets laid down in a bin 45 can fall out of this
into the direction of the transport section 21. The flanges 53 and 54 have
their flat sides facing, and are each provided with a hole in which a shaft
55 is rotatably mounted.
On each shaft 55 a guide organ 60 is fixed. Each guide organ
comprises an L-shaped profile 61, which extends parallel to the shaft 55,
two end-flanges 62 respectively 63, which form a whole with the L-shaped
profile 61 and which are fixed on the shaft 55, three scraping knives 64,
65 and 66, installed at regular distances from each other which also form
a whole with the L-shaped profile 61 and a number of arms 67 which give a
proper distribution of weight to the whole.
Each guide organ 60 cooperates with a locking organ 70 which is
fixed on each bin 45 near the profile 31. The locking organ 70 comprises a
holder 71 which at the upper side is provided with a longitudinal recess
being open at one side, in which a blade spring 72 is installed whereby
holder and blade spring are together fixed for instance by means of screws
73 and 74 on the upper side of the bin 45, whereby the blade spring 72 almost
extends up to the shaft 55.
The construction is executed in such a way, that in the active
position of the guide organ 60, this is the position in which the guide organ
extends into the transport path of the sheets to be sorted, which position as
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a result of the arms 67 is the only free position of equilibrium of the guide
organs. The blade spring 72 rests on the upper side of the vertical leg of
the L-shaped profile 61. When as a resul~ of the laying down of a sheet
into a bin, which sheet thereby pushes against the arms 67, the guide organ
60 is reversed into the position drawn in Figure 6, the blade spring 72 will
arrive behind the vertical leg of the L-shaped profile 61 and the free edge
of the blade spring 72 will start cooperating with a groove formed in the
leg mentioned, so that the guide organ is blocked in this position. In this
position the sheets transported in the transport path can freely pass the
guide organ.
In order to return a reversed guide organ to the active position a
dislocking device is installed, comprising a rod 80, extending over the
height of the sorting device and along the blade springs. On this rod 80 a
small shaft 81 is fixed per locking organ, which small shaft 81 extends
below the blade spring 72 of the pertaining locking organ 70. When the rod
80 is moved upwards, all blade springs 72 will also be moved upwards and will
come loose from the groove in the L-shaped profile 61, by which all guide
organs 60 can return to this natural position of equilibrium which corre-
; sponds with the active position. It is remarked that the guide organ belong-
ing to the upper bin is always kept in the active position.
For moving the rod 80 upwards an opening 82 is made near its lower
extremity, in which opening one extremity of a tumbling lever 83 extends
which via a shaft 84 is rotatably installed on the profile 34. The other
extremity of the tumbling lever 83 is connected with the anchor of a lifting
magnet 85 which is also fixed against the profile 34. The lifting magnet is
electrically connected with the start button of the copying device 10,
coupled with the sorting device 20, in such a way, tha-t the lifting magnet
85 is excited in synchroni~ation with the operation of the start button and
as a result of this brings all guide organs in the active position.
The operation of the sorting device is as follows: when the copying
run of a first original is started, whereby the lifting magnet 85 is excited,
by which all guide organs 60 are brought in the active position, the first
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copy arrives into the sorting device 20 in course of time, and this will be
laid down in the lowest bin 45 by the guide organ 60 belonging to this lowest
bin 45. As a result of the laying down of the copy the guide organ 60 is
turned round the shaft 55 and is locked by the blade spring 72 in the non-
active position. Consequently the second copy will be laid down in the
second lowest bin, etc. When the original is exchanged, the start button
of the copying device must again be operated, and the first copy of the
second original will also be laid down in the lowest bin, etc.
Besides an on/off switch 91 on an operation panel 90 of the sorting
device 20 a second switch 92 is installed, with which a method can be chosen
for laying all copies down in the lowest bin. This can be achieved by
permanently exciting the lifting magnet 85 when the switch 92 is in the
relevant position.
It is clear that the invention is not restricted to the embodiment
described and represented, but that within the scope of the invention numerous
modifications can be applied, in particular with regard to the construction
of the locking organ and the dislocking mechanism. Thus the blade spring 72
described can be replaced by a unilaterally rotatable small plate, or the
dislocking can be realized by a descending movement of the rod 80.
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