Control circuit for sorting system

Claim 1

A control circuit for a sorting system comprising: motor means for driving a conveyor transporting sheets along a predetermined path past trays into which the sheets are distributed in accordance with a predetermined control logic, a jam detection circuit for detecting sheet jam conditions, including timing means, first circuit means for supplying signals to said jam detection circuit indicative of the transit of sheets along the conveyor path and for setting said timing means, second circuit means for supplying signals to said jam detection circuit indicative of the transit of sheets leaving the conveyor path and entering a predetermined tray and for resetting said timing means, said jam detection circuit being coupled to said motor drive means and responsive to signals supplied from said first and second circuit means for de-energizing said motor drive means in the event of a jam condition, third circuit means for counting reference signals representative of the number of copies produced by a copy processor, fourth circuit means for counting signals of said second circuit means, fifth circuit means for comparing counts of said third with said fourth circuit means, said fifth circuit means supplying a reset signal to said fourth circuit means during normal sorting operation, said fourth circuit means being coupled to said jam detection circuit to indicate a jam condition in the absence of the reset signal.