Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~1132~2
Backgroulld of the Invention
This invention relates to sheet distributing or
sorting devices and more particularly to an apparatus
which can contlnuously sort large numbers of multi-
~aged documents as copies of a particular page proceed
from a reproducing device such as a printer or copy making
machine. This application references copending applications
Serial No. 3~s 5-s~ , for !'Feeding Mechanism For A
Continuous Sorting Machine"; Serial No. 3~ SS~
for "Bin Receiver Mechanism for a Continuous Paper Sortiny
Maclline"; and Serial No. 3~ ~ ~ , for "Paper
Sheet Deflecting System for Sorter Mechanism" all of which
have been filed on even date with the instant application.
Pr-or art paper distributors, sorters and/or collators
have encountered many problems. One is that the increases
in material and labor costs have made it imperative that
the capacity of the reproduction machine be utilized to
its maximum. In order for the maximum production capability
- of a printiny or copy making machine to be utilized, it is
necessary that the sorter have the capacity to receive the
printer or copy making machine output without undue loss
of press or copy making machine time. Large volume sorting
machines have been introduced to the market place but they
are not continuous. For instance, after a column of tray~
or bins has been filled~ it is necessary to shift that
filled column away from the feeder and move an empty column
into position to continue the sorting job. Thus, there is
lost a significant amount of press or copy machine production
8;2
time between columns. Additionally, time is lost if the
bins have to be unloaded on line.
Tlle differences in the volume of jobs that sorters
must handle suggest that sorters should be modular to the
extent that if a module does not have the eapaeity, add-
itional n~odular receiver bin seetions may be provided
without any substantial loss of time or extra handling of
the copied material. While smaller collators or sorters
are mainly intended for the office market as a necessary
; 10 adjunet to office copying machinery, larger sorters are
More intended for the high production commercial market
and for large in-plant reproduction centers, commercial
houses and printiny departments. These higher volume
paper handling installations may be turning out catalogs,
maintenance manuals, instruction books, brochures, sales
material and perhaps other items such as reports, bid
specifications and other large quantity multi-page pub-
lications. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the
savings in labor, time and money if the output of a
printing or copying center can be sorted and handled at a
rate which is snatched to the press and duplicatiny machinery
production capability.
Among the prior art references which may be considered
with respect to the features of this invention are the
; 25 following; United States Patent Nos. 3,420,517; 3,273,882;
3,356,362; 3,848,867i 3,937,4S9; 3,~38,aOl; 3,740,050;
3,944,217; and 3,963,235. The devices covered by the above
list of patents are considered to be non-anticipatory of
the teachin~s of this invention.
2~8~
Sunmary of the Invention
A continuous paper sorting machine in which the
receiver with the bins is designed generally in accordance
with the teachings of U. S. Patent No. 3,938,801 which
describes side-by-side stacks of inclined columns of paper
receiving ~ins or shelves. The receiver of this invention
is moved laterally with respect to a generally upright
feeding device, in which the feeder is comprised of a base
section and an upstanding tower portion. An in-feed con-
veyor is located generally midway between the top and
bottom of the tower and receives sheets of paper from the
press or duplicating machinery. A proof tray is supported
above the infeed conveyor and a deflector mechanism is
provided ~n the infeed conveyor for directing the sheets
either upwardly into the proof tray or to allow the sheets
to pass on through to the feeder. At the inner end of the
infeed conveyor are an upwardly extending intermediate
conveyor and a downwardly extending intermediate conveyor.
A deflector at the junction of the infeed and the upward
and downwardly intermediate conveyors directs sheets of
paper either into the upper intermediate conveyor or onto
the downwardly intermediate conveyor depending upon feeder
controls programming. A generally vertically dispo~ed
reversible feeder conveyor extends between the outer ends
of the two intermediate conveyors and receives paper from
either direction. The feeder has drive and clutching mean~
for reversing the direction of movement of the feeder con-
veyor. A series of paper deflectors are located on the feed
~L32~
conveyor and are designed to deflect paper copies from
either direction. The deflectors are individually actuated
by drive solenoids. A deflector guide section is provided
on a hinged frame which swings away from the conveyor to
allow access ~o paper jams and for maintenance. The
deflector guide frame is mounted for pivotal movement
so that the guides are precisely located with respect to
the entrances to the bins on the receiver.
The receiver is constructed in two col~lm modules
which moves on casters along a track assembly. A chain
drive mechanism has means for being releasably engaged
by a fork on the receiver base. The chain is precisely
controlled to present a particular bin address to a
deflector at a given instant in time. Several modular
receiv~rs may ~e detachably engaged to each other so that
as many as 600 bin addresses may be utilized. The bins
are generally horizontal at their entrance end but tilt
or slant to one side in order to aid the alignment of
paper sheets into neat stacks as the sheets are fed into
the bin.
Accordingly, it is among the features, objects and
advantages of the invention to provide a paper sorting
machine feeder device which is continuous and uniguely
designed and intended for maximizing the production of
a commercial printing, reproducing, duplicating or copying
center. The invention is particularly intended to reduce
and to minimi~e the amount of tiMe a reproduction, printing
- or copying device loses due to the lack of a continuous
paper copy sorting capability which i9 matched to copy
~ ~ 3~
making capacity. Because of the unique feeder in conjunction
with the canted columns of bins type of receiver, there is
no necessity to stop the sorting of paper copies from
column to column. The machine can continue to ~ort a~ it
moves from column to column without interruption of copy
production. The receiver can be unloaded off line, so that
a filled receiver may be rolled away and an empty receiver
moved into position with a minimum of lo~t time. The
invention is particularly suited for use in printing shops
1~ or reproduction centers for such things as multi-page
brochures, catalogs, books and other items which must be
produced in large numbers. The machine is capable of
-receiving sheets and feeding them at the hiyh speed~ of
present day advanced copying, printing and duplicating
machinery.
Brief Description of Drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the general
arrangement an~ org~nizatiDn of the sorter and paLticularly
of the feeder mechanism of this invention;
Figure 2 iB a partial top plan view of the infeed
conveyor including the proof tray;
Figure 3 is a partial side elevation view in c~o~s-
section showing detail~ of the infeed conveyor and detail~
of lt~ ~on~truct~on~
Figure 4 i~ a partial elevational cross- ection vi~w
of th~ machine showin~ additional details of the inter-
mediate conveyors and of the infeed conveyor section;
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.
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Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the conveyor drives and
clutching arrangements for reversing the feeder conveyor;
Figures 6 and 7 are schematic representations of the belt drive
arrangement for the various conveyors;
Figure 8 is a Partial cross-section view along the line 8-8 of
Figure 4 showing additional detai Is of the feeder conveyor construction;
Figure 9 is a Partial elevational cross-sectional view along the
line 9-9 of Figure 8 showing additional conveyor details;
Figure lO is a partial front elevation view of the deflector guide
section of the feeder;
Figure 11 is an enlarged partial cross-section view in elevation
showing in greater detail the construction features of the invention;
Figure 12 is a partial view in perspective showing additional details
of the deFlector;
Figure 13 is a front elevation view of the receiver of this invention;
Figure 14 is a Partial top plan view of the track assembly showing
details of the track construction;
Figure 15 is a partial elevational cross-section view of the receiver
base and track assembly;
Figure 16 is a partial elevational cross-section view showing
details of the chain engagement means and the module interlock;
Figure 17 is a Partial plan view of the details of Figure 16;
Figure 18 is a partial plan view of a bin in the receiver;
IFigure l9 is an end elevational view of the bin of Figure 18;
1~ 3~82
E'igur~ 20 is a partial elevation crosR-section of a
bin and ~articularly of its entrance end with respect to
deflector guides on its feeder; and
Fi~ure 21 i a partial fxont diagrammatic view of the
receiver to further illustrate details of construction.
Description of Preferred Embodiment
Referring now to the drawings and particularly Figure
1, it will be seen that the feeder mechanism of this invent-
ion, generally designated by the number 10, is in position
between a du~licator or press device generably designated
by the nwl~er 12 and a receiver mechanism generally
. designated by the number 19. The receiver moves laterally
on track structure 16. Feeder 10 includes infeed conveyor
section 18, a proof tray assembly 20 and a control panel
22. The infeecl conveyor feeds either to an upwardly angled
- intermediate conveyor 24 or a downwardly angled intermediate
conveyor 26. A tower section generally desiynated by the
number 2~ supports a vertically diApo.~ed reversible feeder
conveyor, bin deflectors and guides t~ be described more
in detail hereinafter. The tower section 28 is supported
on a base section 30 ~hown in yenerally outlined form in
Figure 1.
Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that
the infeed conveyor 20 includes side frame members 36 in
which is supported a conveyor plenum enclosure 38 having
an outer end 40 and inner end 42~ The conveyor plenum 3
has a wall 46 in which are disposed rows of openings 48.
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2~
The openings 48 are formed in the wall 45 so as to present
transverse as well as longitudinal rows over substantially
the entire length of the plenum structure 38. A shaft 50
is supported adjacent the inner end 42 of the plenum and
haa affixed thereto a plurality of rollers 52. In like
manner, at the outer end 40 a shaft 54 has a series of belt
rollers 56. A series of belts 58 extend around the rollers
52 and 56 as seen in the drawings. A short sPction of
transfer conveyor belts 60 extend around rollers 62 which
are also affixed to shaft 54 to accept the sheets of paper
from the press or duplicating device for transfer to the
infeed conveyor 18. A fan means 34 is provided in the
infeed conveyor for creating vacuum or negative pressure
for holding the sheets of paper on the belts 58.
The proof tray structure, generally designated by the
nun~er 20 includes proof conveyor belts 64 which extend
around pulleys 66 and 68 mounted on shafts 70 and 72
respectively. The proof conveyor feeds to a tray 74 having
side walls 76. A proof deflector 80 is mounted on a shaft
82 and i~ biased into a normal po~ition ~uch that when pow~r
is off the deflector would be in an intercept position
with respect to sheets of papers coming onto the infeed
conveyor. The proof deflector 80 is actuated by a solenoid
84 as seen in E`i~ure 2. Additionally, a direction deflector
86 is provided at the inner end of the infeed conveyor
structure for directing sheets of paper off the infeed
conveyor either to the upwardly angled intermediate conveyor
24 or the downwardly anyled intermediate conveyor 26.
~irectional deflector 86 is mounted on shaft 88 and is in
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turn selectively actuated by the solenoid 90 again ~hown
in Figure 2. The proof conveyor belts and pulleys 64, 66
and 68 are dri.ven by a power belt 92 extendlng from a drlve
pulley 94 on shaft 54 to a pulley 96 mounted on shaft 70.
The infeed conveyor belts 58 in turn are driven by a belt
98 which extends around drive pulley 100 mounted on shaft
50, again as best seen in Figure~ 2 and 3.
. ~igure 4, directed to details of the base 30 and the
feeder tower frame 28, shows base 30 to be a generally
rectangular box-like structure housing motor 110 and other
- parts as will be more particularly described hereinafter.
Base 30 has a bottom wall 112, side walls 114,a rear
wall 116 and top wall 118. A conveyor frame receiving area
is defined by a recessed wall 120 which is spaced a pre-
determined distance from the front wall 120, and as can be
seen, angles upwardly and rearwardly generally parallel to
the bottom intermediate conveyor section 26~ Supported
within the recessed area of the frame are two spaced apart
main upstandin~ or vertical frame members 124 and 126 seen
in Figure 4 and also in Figure 8. A horizontal top frame
member 128 interconnects main upright frame members 124 and
126. Mounting frame members 128 and 1~0, as best seen
in Figure 8, are secured to the main upright frame members
124 and 126, respectively, for additional frame rigidity
as well as for supporting other parts.
Supported between the uprights 124 and 126 is an
internal, triangular, inner wall structure generally
designated by the number 132. It will be seen by reference
to Figure 4 that the wall 132 extends from near the lower
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~'~,f3~
end of the uprights to a point near the upper end of the
uprights. Extending generally vertically is a wall 134
which with wall 132 defines a triangular enclosed space
; 136 within a basic fraMe structure. A shroud occupied
by tlle fan 140 provides air evacuation means for the
lower intermediate conveyor 26 while a fan 144 surrounded
by shroud 142 provides air evacuation means for the upper
intermediate conveyor 24. Note that the shrouds and fans
138, 140, 142 and 144 are part of the wall structure 132
just described. In the vertical wall 134 are shroud 146
towards the lower part of cavity 136 and shroud 148 towards
the upper part of cavity 136. In this regard, see also
Figure 5. Shrouds 146 and 148 are occupied by fans 150
and 152, respectively. The air evacuation means direct
the air inwardly from the direction of the conveyors and
exhaust it through screened openings 154 as shown in
Figure 1.
Lower intermediate conveyor 26 includes an elongated
~enerally rectangular plenum wall 160 which has both trans-
verse and longitudinal series of holes 162. At the lower
end of the plenum are a series of belt conveyor pulleys 164
mounted on shaft 166. At the upper end of lower inter-
mediate conveyor 26 are a plurality of belt pulleys 168
mounted on shaft 170. Since the sheets of paper must trans-
verse around the lower end of intermediate conveyor 26,
the radius of turn is larger as can be seen by reference to
the relative difference between the lower pulley 164 as
opposed to the upper pulleys 168. A series of guide and
idler pulleys 172 increase the amount of wrap of the belts
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~ 32'I:3 ~3;2
174 around rollers 164 but are primarily for the purpose
of keeping the belts out of the way of other parts.
A series of spaced apart guide plates 176 having a radius
of curvature 178 extend along the bottom in non-interfering
relationship with belts 174. A plurality of individual
guide or pressure rollers laO are mounted on plates 176
onto engage belts 174 as they begin to contact rollers
164. In like manner, a series of rollers 184 also mounted
on plates 176 engage the belts 174 to assist in the positive
movement of sheets of Uaper around the lower end of the
intermediate conveyor as the belts leave contact with
rollers 164. In this way, paper sheets move positively
around the end of the intermediate conveyor to be engaged
by the feed conveyor 28 to be described hereina~ter.
Ir. like manner, upper intermediate conveyor 24 has
laryer diameter upper belt pulleys 190 mounted on
shaft 192 with pressure or paper guide rollers 194 and 196.
Lower end pulleys 198 are mounted on sha~t 200 with the
upper end shaft 192 and the lower end shaft 200 being mounted
at th~ ends of plenum wall 202 having transverse and long-
itudinal rows of openings 204. Belts 206 extend around
the upperandlower pulleys again with idler or wrap-around
pulley assembly 208 serving the same function as pulleys
172 at the lower end of the lower intermediate conveyor.
Finally, guide plates 210 having a radius of curvature
212 allow a sheet of paper to traverse around the top end
of the conveyor to the vertical feed conveyor. It i8 to be
observed that the pressure or retainer rollers 196 and 194
could be mounted individually on the guide plates or on a
common shaft or bar extending laterally across the top.
~13ZQ8~
,
The feeder conveyor section 28, reference being had
to Figures 4 and 8 through 12, has side frame members 220
and 222 which attach to and extend between the vertical
:. mounting pieces 129 and 130 as seen in Figure a. At the
upper end of feeder conveyor 28 are belt pulleys 224
mounted on shaft 226 and at the lower end are pulleys 228
mounted on shaft 230. A series of belts 232 extend around
the upper and lower pulleys 224 and 228 and idler or
guide roller assembly with pulleys 234 are mounted at spaced
intervals between the upper and lower end pulley assem~lies
as seen in Figures 8 and 9.
A series of deflectors numbering 51 in total are
spaced between the frame members 220 and 222, said de-
flectors being generally designated by the numher 240.
The deflectors 240 are elonyated mer~ers of light aluminum
sheet having a front surface 242 and at approximately 90
ox at a right angle thereto a backwardly extending top
surface 244 and the two walls form an edge 243. At each
end of the deflector is an extension portion 246 with a
2~ mounting tab piece 24~ located at the outermost lower part
of the extension section 246. The tabs 248 mount in the
triangular openings 250 in the side mounting pieces 220
and 222. It can be seen that the deflectors are formed
with a series of cutout sections 252 which are formed in
the f~ce wall 242 and the top wall 244. Diagonal portions
254 extend from the lower part of the face wall 242 to the
rear paxt of the upper wall 244 within the cutout sections
252 although diagonals 254 may be eliminated altogether.
The openings 252 are formed in the deflector to provide
cledrdn~e for the ~lts 232 when the deflector is moved out
to its ~d~er inter~ept ~osition. A rear wall 256 extends
from the lower part of the front face wall 242 generally
rearwardly along substantially the entire lPngth of the
deflector to provide a strengthening contlnuous wall
section for the deflector. A rearwardly and downwardly
angling top connector wall 25~ also extends from the rear
part of top wall 244 for the same strengthening fea$ures.
At one end section 246 of the deflector is a depending
actuator leg 260 which as can be se~n i9 connected to one
end of a compression spring 262. The deflector is biased
by the spring 262 into its retracted Mode by pushing
against the ley 260 to rotate the deflector rearwardly.
Each spring 262 connects to the core member of a solenoid
264 so that when the solenoid is actuated the spring 262
is compressed to pull tab 260 in to force the deflectors
to rotate outwardly into the position shown best by the
second deflector in Figures 4 and 11.
Figures 4, 8, 10 and 11 show dPtails of the deflector
guide assembly generally designated by the number 27
which includes side frame men~ers 272 and 274 with,~ one
side 274 being provided with a hinge 276 for swinging the
deflector guide assembly away from the face of the feed
conveyor. Extending horizontally between the side frame
25 ~ members 272 and 274 are the generally Y-shaped guide de-
flectors indicated by the number 278. The guide deflectors
have a horizontal outer section 2ao terminating at an outer
end 281 and an upwardly angled inner arm 282 and a downwardly
angled inner arm 284. It will be noted by xeference to
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~3~ 2
Figures 4 and 11 that the outer end 281 of the horizontal
section 280 of the deflector guides terminates approximately
mid-way between the openings to bins in the receiver.
~hen the deflectors 240 are rotated or pivoted outwardly
to intercept a piece of paper the edge 243 is approximately
midway between the lower angled arm 284 and the upper
angled arm 282 of adjacent deflector guides. Thus a heet
of paper coming from the top of the feeder conveyor will
be deflected into a given bin address by one deflector and
if approaching its bin address from the bottom of the feed
conveyor will be deflected into the same address by the
next lower deflector. Since ~here are 50 binq in the
receiver and 50 guide deflectorR 278 it i5 necessary that
there be 51 deflectors in order to properly address sheets
of paper into the available bins. An opening 286 is formed
in each (~uide 278 and extends all the way from the top to
the bottom of the deflector guide assembly 270 to accommodate
the light and photocell components 283 and 285 as seen at
the bottom and top of the feeder conveyor tower in Figure 4.
Receiver 14 has fifty functioning bins 15 aa seen in
Figures 4 and 11. The top bin 17 is a nonfunctioning bin
because it will be observed that the topmost deflector
guide 278 is located below the nonfunctioning bin 17 and
above the topmost of the fifty functioning bins 15. By
reference to ~iyure 11, it will be seen that a sheet
of paper coming down the conveyor is directed into bin Bl
by the topmost deflector 240 being energized into its
deflect or intercept position. In order to direct a sheet
of paper into bin ~1 coming up the conveyor it is necessary
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~32~82
that the next lower deflector 240 be actuated. The Rorter
control system is programmed so that the proper deflector
is actuated in order that a specific bin addres-~ receive
a paper sheet. Because it takes two deflectors to service
one bin, it will be appreciated that the conveyor requires
51 deflectors with 50 deflector guides 278 to service 50
functioning bins 15. ~y referring to the deflector~ and
particularly the actuated deflector, it is understood
that it services two bins 15 depending on the direction
of travel of the paper sheets.
A clutching and drive a~sembly is shown diagrammatically
in Figure 7 and includes motor 110 and a drive pulley 111.
The drive pulley drives belt 113 which in turn drives
pulley 115 on shaft 166 at the bottom of lower intexme~iate
conveyor assembly 26. Note in Figure 6 that a belt 98,
also seen in Figure 2, is used to tranRfer power from the
lower intermediate conveyor 26 to the upper intermediate
conveyor 24 and also to the infeed conveyor 18. A belt
92 at the outer end of the infeed conveyor drives the proof
oonYeyor b~lt~. Thu~ it will be ~een th~t the motor 110
drives all of the conveyor sections of the feeder. In
order to reversibly drive feeder conveyor belts 232,two
clutch assemblies 117 and 119 are driven by a belt 121
through a lower pulley 123 and an upper pulley 1~5. A
reversing drive belt 127 connects drive power to lower
shaft 230 of the reversible feed conveyor through pulley
231. Whell clutch 117 is engaged, the feeder conveyor is
moved to transport paper upwardly from the bottom. When
the lower clutch 119 is engaged, the feeder conveyor will
transport paper from the top down. It will be seen by
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reference to Figure 4 that a horizontally disposed contact
roller 290 near the top and a horizontal roller 292 near
the bottom are supported on the feeder to engage the
receiver 14 as it moves laterally by the feeder to prevent
S contact and to maintain a predetermined distance relation-
ship between receiver and feeder.
It will be seen by reference to Figure 13 that the
receiver 14 is comprised of a base section 300 having a
bottom wall 302, and casters 304 and 306 with the casters
306 being located under the extension section 308 of the
base '~0. Upwardly extending side frame members 310 and
312 are interconnected at their upper end by frame top
section 314. A center frame piece 316 divides the receiver
into two angled columnar spaces 318 and 320. The columnar
spaces 318 and 320 include individual shelves or bins 322
which will be described more in detail hereinafter. The
generally up~tanding receiver structure has an entrance
side 324 and an unloading or exit side 326. The frame is
generally vertical in the plane of its entrance and exit
sides and inclines at a predetermined angle in the dir-
ection of its movement.
Extending across the depth of the machine from the
entrance to the unloading side, as best seen in Figures 15,
16 and 17, is an actuator rod 328 which is spaced just
above bottom wall 302 and which rod 328 is supported by
bearing 330 at one end and bearing 332 on the exit side
of the ~achine. ~od 328 can be seen to extend through the
base wall 300 to the exit side and on the outside is pro-
vided with a handle 334, which extends generally upwardly
for eas~ access by the operator.
2~3~2
Secured to rod 328 are a pair of depending engage-
ment forks 336 which extend through an opening 338 in
bottom wall 302. As can he seen, the forks 336 are spaced
apart so that they will not interfere with the receiver
chain drive on the support and drive track. Handle
33q of the engagement rod 328 engages a notch 340 in a
holding clip 342 secured to the center frame piece 316
on the unloading side. It will be noted that the handle
334 engages retainer notch 390 in the generally perpendicular
position and in which position the forks 336 extend generally
straight down. A spring latch member 344 is supported
at its anchor end 346 by wall 302. The spring latch member
has a generally horizontal section 348 which extends under
rod 66 and towards that end of the base away from extension
~latforll~ 308. An o~ening 350 is prov1ded in base wall 302
to receive a coupler section 352 and range 354 formed in
the other end of the spring latch 344. When handle 334
is in the vertical position, as shown in Figure 16, spring
latch 344 with the coupler ~ection 352 is up as shown so
that if a second modular receiver unit 1~ is being used
the two units will be latched together. A flat is foxmed
in rod 328 to registex with the latch when the forks
are enyaged with the chain. An opening is located in
extension section 30a which will slide up ramp 354 and under
the opposite end of the base and will register with the
opening 350. When the ~orks on xvd 336 are ~t~ai~hk down
and thus engaged with the chain, as mentioned above, spring
latch 344 is up and the coupler section 352 extends through
the opening 350 in the base wall 302 as well as through the
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82
opening in the extension section 30B of thè second receiveL
module thus holding the two receivers together. It will
be noticed that the handle 334 is moved according to the
direction which it is desired to roll the receiver. When
handle 334 is moved the flat is rotated with the rod to
cam the latch down and release the receiver module from
each other. If an empty receiver is being rolled onto the
track section, the handle will be moved in one direction so
as to present the forks 336 at an appropriate angle. If
it is desired to roll the receiver off after it is filled,
then the handle 328 is moved in the opposite direction to
permit forks 336 to release from the chain mechanism.
The track section 16 includes a floor wall 360
with upstanding side channel 362 on the entrance side and
upstanding channel 364 on the exit side. Supported on the
floor wall 360 of the track section 16 are caster guide
walls 366 for casters 304 and 306 and track guide walls
36a near side rail 364 for receiving the other caster~
304 and 306. The guide rails 366 and 368 can be seen in
Figure 14 to be spread slightly at the incoming end of the
track to facilitate rolling an empty unit onto the track.
Between the guide rail channels for the casters is a
drive motor 370 which through drive chain 372 turns a
reduction gear which in turn drives a main chain pulley
374. An $dler chain pulley 376 is located at the other
end of the track section so that a continuou~ drive ch~in
378 extends around the chain pulleys 374 and 376. Secured
to the chain as can be seen in Figures 15, 16 and 17, i~ a
transverse arm memb~r 38Q which i8 mounted on the cl~ain
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such that it extends out on either side to ba engaged by
fork~ 336. When a new receiver has been rolled onto the
track section, the handle 334 which controls the position
of the engaging forks 336 is moved so that the fork are
angled to allow the forks to engage member 380. As soon
as en~a~merlt hds been made, the bar is moved to the up-
rigllt position to firmly secure the receivex to the chain.
The controls will then by appropriate energizing signals
to motor 370 position the receiver with respect to the
feeder to present a particular bin address such as bin
number Bl in proper po~ition for beginning a sorting
operation.
The bins, best shown in Figures 18 through 20, and
generally identified by the number 322, have a generally
upstanding entrance wall 390 which has an upper edge 392
which as can be seen is spaced a predetermined distance
below the bin next above. The deflector guides 278 are
part of the feeder and are in appxoximately the position
shown in Figure 20, when the sorter is in operation.
~hus, the entrance wall 390 i9 angled as at 394 and 396 to
facilitate the entrance of sheets of paper which will be
entering a bin either from above or from below depending
upon whether the feeder is sending sheets over the top or
around the bottom. The bins 322 have main support wall or
~ shelf portion 398 which also can best be seen in Figure 18
to have a center cut-away portion 400 which extends from
the exit or unloading end 402 generally centrally thereof
to an inner end 404 which as can be seen is a slightly
more than half-way toward the entrance end of the bin.
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The bins 322 are formed such that the shelf portion 398 is
generally horizonal acro~s the front.
Extending diagonally from one disde of the front to
the opposite side at the unloading end is a line 406 which
places the approximate other hal~ of the shelf portion 39
at a slight downward angle to assist in moving paper into
lined stacks in the bin. A side wall 408 is formed along
the high side of the bin and on the opposite side is wall
410 along that side of the bin having the angled down
section. At the top and bottom of the sorter frame structur~
are two support rods 412, only one of which is shown in
Figure 18, which support releasable slide pieces 414. A
belt me~er 416 attaches to the pieces 414 and extends
through the cut-out portion 400 of the stack of bins to
arrest the motion of the sheets of paper after they enter
the bins. The belt 416 is not a jogging device since the
slanting of the bin shelves is the primary factor in the
alignment of the sheets of paper into neat stacks.
Figure 21 indicates diagr~runatically more detail about
the arrangement of the bins. The bins are arranged so that
in a column the bin next below the bin next above is spaced
laterally a specified amount as for instance .30 or .242
inches d~pending upon the width of the bin~ in the part-
icular receiver being used. The increment of dista~ce by
which the bins are laterally offset from each other is
consistent down the entire length of the colun~n from Bl to
B50. In like manner, the top bin B51 in the second column
is spaced the same amount of distance laterally from B50
as the rest of the bins are from each othex. The controls -
are set to index the motor or movement of the chain to
~3~ai82
present a particular bin dress from Bl through B100 to
a delivery position adjacent the feeder 14.
Operation of the feeder and receiver is continuou~
and is best described as follows. A first or page "1"
master is inserted in the press or duplicator. Several
copies are first directed to the proof tray and then the
sorting job begins. Odd numbered pages coming out of the
press are directed to lower intermediate conveyor 26 and
up the feeder conveyor to the top bin. Sheets will be fed
up the conveyor 232 and deflected to the desired bin
address by a deflector and the lower surface of a Y-shaped
deflector. The receiver moves a discrete distance from
left to right and presents the next bin address until all
50 bins in a column have been filled. If the sorting job
extends to the next column copies continue to be fed to the
feeder conveyor via lower intermediate conveyor 26 and up
the feeder conveyor to the topmost bin in the second column.
The topmost bin of the second column is offset from the
lowermost bin of the first column by the same increment of
distance as the bins are offset from each other in each
column. Assuming that two complete columns of bins are
being used for a sorting job, the feeder continues to feed
around the lower intermediate conveyor until all fifty
bins in the second col~nn are filled. By the time the
bottom-most bin in the second column has received its copy
of page 1 from the press, copies of the page 2 master are
already proceeding up the upper intennediate conveyor 26.
The feeder belts 232 are reversed to bring the first sheet
from the top to the bottom of the feeder conveyor and
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~132~8~
filling o~ the bins Wit]l copies of page 2 begins with
the lowest bin in column 2 where the first page sorting
iob ended. Thus the feediny of bins is continuous not
only from bin to bin but from column to column. Also,
it can be appreciated that odd numbered pages from the
duplicator are fed from the bottom up while the receiver
indexes from left to right and even numbered pages are
fed from the top down while the receiver moves fro~
right to left. Obviously, also, two adjacent deflectors
are needed for a single bin address. When coming down
the conveyor sheets are deflected by the top one of two
adjacent deflectors and directed against the top surface
of a deflector guide and into the bin opening. When
coming from the bottom the sheet is deflected by the
lower one of two adjacent deflectors and off the lower
surface of a deflector into the same bin address. Thus
the need for one more deflector than there are bins or
guides.
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