Apparatus for classifying and counting sheets

Claim 2

Apparatus for classifying and counting sheets comprising: 1. conveyor means for conveying said sheets in a predetermined direction; 2. a gate positioned at an intermediate point of said conveyor means for deflaecting said sheets away from said predetermined direction; 3. sheets detecting means positioned at an intermediate point of said conveyor means for generating a signal when it detects said sheet; 4. a plurality of classification receivers adapted to receive said sheets of different classes conveyed by said conveyor means; 5. check means for determining the classes of said sheets which are to be collected in the corresponding classification receivers, said check means generating classification signals corresponding to said classes; 6. gate driving means responsive to said classification signals and to the signal generated by said sheet detecting means; 7. first counting means associated with said classification receivers for counting the number of sheets collected in the respective classification receivers; 8. second counting means for adding the numbers of the sheets collected in the respective classification receivers; 9. a comparator for comparing the sum of the numbers of the sheets counted by said second counting means with a preset number of sheets for determining whether the sum and the preset number coincide with each other or not; 10. third counting means of the number equal to the number of said classification receivers for counting the number of sheets counted by said first counting means and collected in the respective classification receivers when said comparator determines that said sum coincides with said preset number; 11. count control means for controlling the operation of said second and third counting means, and 12. timing means for timing the operation of said third counting means.

Claim 3

a gate positioned at an intermediate point of said conveyor means for deflaecting said sheets away from said predetermined direction;

Claim 4

a gate positioned at an intermediate point of said conveyor means for deflaecting said sheets away from said predetermined direction;

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1 which further includes comparators for respective receivers which determine whether the numbers of sheets received in respective classification receivers and counted by said first counting means coincide or not with the numbers of the classification signals generated by said detector means corresponding to said sheets.

Claim 6

said classification receivers are located at the ends of said first and second conveyor sections respectively;

Claim 7

said classification receivers are located at the ends of said first and second conveyor sections respectively;

Claim 8

said sheet detector means comprises a source of light and a photoelectric converting element disposed to receive said light;

Claim 9

said sheet detector means comprises a source of light and a photoelectric converting element disposed to receive said light;

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said comparator comprises a classification signal counter for counting the classification signals of the sheets which are checked by said check means and classified to be received in a predetermined classification receiver, a comparator for comparing the count of said classification signal counter and the number of sheets counted by said first counting means and collected in respective classification receivers, and means responsive to the output from said comparator for determining whether said compared count and said number coincide with each other or not.

Claim 11

sheets detecting means positioned at an intermediate point of said conveyor means for generating a signal when it detects said sheet;

Claim 12

sheets detecting means positioned at an intermediate point of said conveyor means for generating a signal when it detects said sheet;

Claim 13

a plurality of classification receivers adapted to receive said sheets of different classes conveyed by said conveyor means;

Claim 14

a plurality of classification receivers adapted to receive said sheets of different classes conveyed by said conveyor means;

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said means comprises a NAND circuit input terminals connected to receive the output signal from said comparator for comparing the numbers of sheets collected in respective receivers and a reference signal, and an output terminal connected to an alarm.

Claim 16

said check means includes a check circuit to detect at least one of the features of the sheets including the width, thickness, codes, marks, numerals and pattern printed thereon for determining a classification receivers in which a sheet being checked is to be received and for generating a classification signal as a result of the check;

Claim 17

said check means includes a check circuit to detect at least one of the features of the sheets including the width, thickness, codes, marks, numerals and pattern printed thereon for determining a classification receivers in which a sheet being checked is to be received and for generating a classification signal as a result of the check;

Claim 18

said gate driving means comprises a switch element which operates upon receiving said classification signal from said check circuit and a signal from said gate detecting means, a switching circuit controlled by a signal from said switch element, and a relay operated by said switching circuit;

Claim 19

said gate driving means comprises a switch element which operates upon receiving said classification signal from said check circuit and a signal from said gate detecting means, a switching circuit controlled by a signal from said switch element, and a relay operated by said switching circuit;

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 1 which further includes means for classifying said sheets collected in said respective classifying receivers into bundls for collecting the same in corresponding bundle receivers.

Claim 21

check means for determining the classes of said sheets which are to be collected in the corresponding classification receivers, said check means generating classification signals corresponding to said classes;

Claim 22

check means for determining the classes of said sheets which are to be collected in the corresponding classification receivers, said check means generating classification signals corresponding to said classes;

Claim 23

gate driving means responsive to said classification signals and to the signal generated by said sheet detecting means;

Claim 24

gate driving means responsive to said classification signals and to the signal generated by said sheet detecting means;

Claim 25

said counting means comprises sheet detecting means for detecting the sheets which are to be received in respective receivers, and for generating signals when detecting said sheets, and counters for counting said signals from said sheet detecting means;

Claim 26

said counting means comprises sheet detecting means for detecting the sheets which are to be received in respective receivers, and for generating signals when detecting said sheets, and counters for counting said signals from said sheet detecting means;

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 5 which further includes duplicate addition preventing means which prevents a fractional number of said sheets smaller than a definite number from being added to the number of sheets which are reclassified when certain number of sheets are stopped on their way toward said classification receivers and these stopped sheets and the fractional number of sheets remaining in a classification receiver are removed and subjected to a reclassification operation.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said sheet bundle classifying means comprises a conveyor for conveying said sheet bundles in a given direction; means for discharging said sheet bundles onto said conveyor from said classification receivers, means responsive to said discharge of said sheet bundles for generating classification signals; a sheet bundle detector including a source of light and a photoelectric converting element disposed to receive said light; a gate associated with said conveyor for deflecting said sheet bundles from said conveyor; a plurality of sheet bundle receivers associated with said conveyor for receiving sheet bundles of different classes; a plurality of switching means of the number corresponding to the types of said classification signals, said switching means being connected to operate in response to the classification signals from said classification signal generator and the output signal from said sheet bundle detector; and gate control means responsive to the output signal from said switching means; and gate operating means responsive to the output signal from said gate control means.

Claim 29

said count control means comprises a clock pulse generator; clock pulse pass control means for controlling the passage of the clock pulse generated by said clock pulse generator; a plurality of pulse inhibitors of the same number as said receivers for successively controlling the passage of the pulses passed through said clock pulse pass control means; a plurality of clock pulse counters associated with said clock pulse inhibitors for counting the clock pulses passed through said clock pulse inhibitors; and a plurality of comparators associated with said clock pulse counters for comparing the counts of said clock pulse counters with the numbers of sheets for respective classification receivers counted by said first counting means;

Claim 30

said count control means comprises a clock pulse generator; clock pulse pass control means for controlling the passage of the clock pulse generated by said clock pulse generator; a plurality of pulse inhibitors of the same number as said receivers for successively controlling the passage of the pulses passed through said clock pulse pass control means; a plurality of clock pulse counters associated with said clock pulse inhibitors for counting the clock pulses passed through said clock pulse inhibitors; and a plurality of comparators associated with said clock pulse counters for comparing the counts of said clock pulse counters with the numbers of sheets for respective classification receivers counted by said first counting means;

Claim 31

first counting means associated with said classification receivers for counting the number of sheets collected in the respective classification receivers;

Claim 32

first counting means associated with said classification receivers for counting the number of sheets collected in the respective classification receivers;

Claim 33

second counting means for adding the numbers of the sheets collected in the respective classification receivers;

Claim 34

second counting means for adding the numbers of the sheets collected in the respective classification receivers;

Claim 35

said second counting means comprises clock pulse control means for controlling the passage of the clock pulses passed through said plurality of clock pulse inhibitors; and an addition counter for counting the number of clock pulses passed through said clock pulse control menas;

Claim 36

said second counting means comprises clock pulse control means for controlling the passage of the clock pulses passed through said plurality of clock pulse inhibitors; and an addition counter for counting the number of clock pulses passed through said clock pulse control menas;

Claim 37

An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said sheet bundle classifying means comprises a plurality of sheet bundle detectors disposed along said conveyor; wherein said switching means comprises a plurality of switch elements of the same number as said sheet bundle detectors, said switch elements being connected to receIve outputs from corresponding sheet bundle detectors, the first switch element being connected to receive the classification signal from said classification signal generator, the last switch element being connected in said gate control means for operating the same, said first switch element operating when it receives said classification signal and the output signal from said sheet bundle detector, and another switching elements operating sequentially when they are subsequently supplied with the output signals respectively from said sheet bundle detectors.

Claim 38

An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein each of said switching elements comprises a plurality of J - K type flip-flop circuits, each having first and second output terminals on which ''''1'''' and ''''0'''' outputs are produced when set, the first and second output terminals of the first stage J - K type flip-flop circuit being connected to the J and K terminals respectively of the second stage J - K type flip-flop circuit, the J and K terminals of said first J - K type flip-flop circuit being connected to receive the classification signal from said classification generator, the first and second output terminals of the last stage flip-flop circuit being connected to said gate operating means for actuating the same and the terminals T of respective flip-flop circuit being connected to receive the output signals respectively from said sheet bundle detectors.

Claim 39

a comparator for comparing the sum of the numbers of the sheets counted by said second counting means with a preset number of sheets for determining whether the sum and the preset number coincide with each other or not;

Claim 40

a comparator for comparing the sum of the numbers of the sheets counted by said second counting means with a preset number of sheets for determining whether the sum and the preset number coincide with each other or not;

Claim 41

said first counting means comprises clock pulse pass control means for controlling the passage of the pulses passed through said clock pulse inhibitors and a counter for counting the pulses passed through said pulse pass control means thereby determining the sum of said sheets collected in the respective receivers;

Claim 42

said first counting means comprises clock pulse pass control means for controlling the passage of the pulses passed through said clock pulse inhibitors and a counter for counting the pulses passed through said pulse pass control means thereby determining the sum of said sheets collected in the respective receivers;

Claim 43

said timing means comprises a delay circuit having two delay times, and a reset signal generator; and

Claim 44

said timing means comprises a delay circuit having two delay times, and a reset signal generator; and

Claim 45

third counting means of the number equal to the number of said classification receivers for counting the number of sheets counted by said first counting means and collected in the respective classification receivers when said comparator determines that said sum coincides with said preset number;

Claim 46

third counting means of the number equal to the number of said classification receivers for counting the number of sheets counted by said first counting means and collected in the respective classification receivers when said comparator determines that said sum coincides with said preset number;

Claim 47

An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the switching element of said switching member further includes switch operation check means.

Claim 48

An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said switch operation check means comprises a first AND circuit having input terminals connected to receive the output from said first output terminal of the switch element of one switching member, the output from the first output terminal of the switch element of the other switch member, and the output from said sheet bundle detector; a second AND circuit having input terminals connected to receive the output from the secone output terminal of the switching element of said one switching member, the output from the second output terminal of said switch element of said other switching means and the output from said sheets bundle receuver; and an OR circuit having input terminals connected to receive the outputs from said first and second AND circuits and an input terminal connected to an alarm device.

Claim 49

count control means for controlling the operation of said second and third counting means, and

Claim 50

count control means for controlling the operation of said second and third counting means, and

Claim 51

said sum comparator comprises a comparator circuit for comparing the sum and control means for controoing the operation of said sum comparator circuit.

Claim 52

said sum comparator comprises a comparator circuit for comparing the sum and control means for controoing the operation of said sum comparator circuit.

Claim 53

timing means for timing the operation of said third counting means.

Claim 54

timing means for timing the operation of said third counting means.

Claim 55

An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said gate control means comprises a switching circuit connected to be operated by the output signal from said gate operation control means, and a relay controlled by said switching circuit.

Claim 56

An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said sheet bundle classifying means comprises at least two sheet bundle receivers, a gate, and two switch members; and wherein said gate operation control means comprises two switch elements, one of said element having an output terminal which produces a ''''1'''' output when set and the other seitch element having an output terminal which produces a ''''0'''' output when set, an AND circuit connected to the output terminals of said two switch elements, a set-reset type flip-flop circuit having a set terminal connected to the output terminal of said flip-flop circuit, and first and second output terminal on which a ''''1'''' and a ''''0'''' outputs are produced when said flip-flop circuit is set, said first output terminal being connected to said gate operating means.

Claim 57

An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said sheet bundle classifying means further includes gate operation checking means which checks the operation of said gate.

Claim 58

An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said gate operation checking means comprises a gate position detector and a gate operation checking means.

Claim 59

An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said gate position detector comprises a micro-switch, disposed to be closEd when said gate is positioned in a position in which it permits free passage of said sheet bundle carried by said conveyor, and wherein said gate operation checking means comprises a first AND circuit having a first input terminal connected to said micro-switch and a second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of said set-reset type flip-flop circuit of said gate operation control means; a second AND circuit having a first input terminal connected to said micro-switch through an inverter, and a second input terminal connected to the first output terminal of said setreset type flip-flop circuit; and an OR circuit having input terminals connected to receive the outputs from said first and second AND circuits.

Claim 60

An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said duplicate addition preventing means comprises a first detector adapted to detect normal sheets; a normal sheet counter for successively counting the outputs from said counter, said normal sheet counter setting a predetermined value; a second detector for detecting the normal sheets collected in a corresponding receiver, a first counter associated with said receiver for successively counting the outputs from said second detector, said first counter baing set when its count reaches a predetermined value for commencing a new counting cycle; a memory for storing a fraction of the count of said counter which is smaller than a predetermined number; a third detector which detects discharge of the bundle of the sheets of said predetermined number from said receiver, a second counter responsive to the output from said third detector for counting the number of said sheet bundles discharged from said receiver; and a subtractor for subtracting said fraction stored in said memory from the count of said second counter, said subtractor setting the result of subtraction in said normal sheet counter.

Claim 61

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein;

Claim 62

An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein a single J - K type flip-flop circuit having terminals J, K and T is provided for a first gate, said terminal J being connected to receive the classification signal from said check circuit, said terminal K being connected to receive an inverted signal of said classification signal, said terminal J being connected to receive detect signal from detecting means adapted to count the number of all sheets to be collected in respective classification receivers, and said J - K type flip-flop circuit being connected to said switching circuit for applying an output thereto, and wherein n J - K type flip-flop circuits, each having terminals J, K and T, are provided for n-th gate (excluding the first gate), the terminal J of the first flip-flop circuit being connected to receive the classification signal from said check means, the terminal K being connected to receive an inverted signal of said classification signal, the terminal J being connected to receive a signal from detecting means which counts the number of all sheets to be collected in respective receivers, the ''''1'''' output signals and the ''''0'''' output signals from said J - K type flip-flop circuits being supplied sequentially to the terminals J and K of up to the nth J - K type flip-flop circuits, the terminal J of up to the nth J - K type flip-flop circuits being connected to receive detect signals from detecting means provided before said gates (excluding the first gate), and the nth J - K flip-flop circuit being connected to supply the output signal thereof to said switching circuit.

Claim 63

An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said clock pulse pass control means of said counting control means comprises a set-reset type flip-flop circuit including a set terminal, a reset terminal, a first output terminal on which a ''''1'''' output is produced when said flip-flop circuit is set and a second output terminal on which an ''''1'''' output is produced when said flip-flop circuit is reset; a J - K type flip-flop circuit including terminals J, K and T and first and second output terminals, said J - K type flip-flop circuit producing a ''''1'''' output on said first output terminal when it is reset and a ''''1'''' output on said second output terminal when set, said first output terminal being connected to said terminal J, said second output terminal being connected to said terminal J and said terminal T being connected to receive a signal from said first comparator means, a first NAND circuit with input terminals connected to the second output terminal of said set-reset type flip-flop circuit and to the second output terminal of said J - K type flip-flop circuit; and a second NAND circuit with input terminals connected to the output of said first NAND circuit and to the output of said clock pulse generator, said second NAND circuit being connected to said clock pulse inhibitor to supply the output thereto, and wherein said clock pulse inhibitor comprises a plurality of NAND circuits, the NAND circuit corresponding to the first receiver having a input terminal connected to receive the output pulse from said pulse pass control member and the output signal from said sheet number comparator associated with said first receiver and an output terminal connected to said clock pulse counter, said NAND circuits passing the clock pulses from said clock pulse pass control means until said sheet number comparoator generates a coincidence signal; and wherein the NAND circuit associated with the nth receiver (excluding the first receiver) having input terminals connected to receive the output pulse from said clock pulse pass control means, the output signal from said sheet number comparator associated with said nth receiver, and the output signal from the sheet number comparator associated with the (n - 1)th receiver, and an output terminal connected to said clock pulse counter, said NAND circuit passing the clock pulse from said clock pulse pass control means when said sheet number comparator associated with said (n - 1)th receiver generates said coincidence signal.

Claim 64

An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said clock pulse control means of said second counting means comprises a first NAND circuit having an input connected to receive the output pulses from said plurality of clock pulse inhibitors; and a second NAND circuit having input terminals connected to receive the output from said first NAND circuit and the output from the second output terminal of the J - K type flip-flop circuit of said clock pulse pass control means and an output terminal connected to said sum counter.

Claim 65

An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the pulse pass control means of said third counting means includes NAND circuits associated with respective clock pulse inhibitors, each NAND circuit having input terminals connected to receive the output signal from a corresponding clock pulse inhibitor, and the output from the J - K type flip-flop circuit of said clock pulse pass control means, and an output terminal connected to said sum counter for counting the sum of the numbers of said sheets collected in the respective receivers.

Claim 66

An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the delay circuit of said timing means comprises two serially connected monostable malutivibrators, the first stage monostable multivibrator having a set terminal and first and second output terminals on which a ''''1'''' and a ''''0'''' output signals are produced respectively when said first stage monostable multivibrator is set, said set terminal being connected to receive the output from said sum comparators, the first output terminal of said first stage monostable multibibrator being connected to the set terminal of the second stage monostable multivibrator, said second stage monostable multivibrator having a first output terminal on which a ''''1'''' output is produced when said second stage monostable multivibrator is set, said first output terminal being connected to the terminal T of said J - K type flip-flop circuit and the second output terminal of said first stage monostable multivibrator being connected to the reset terminal of said set-reset type flip-flop circuit and to said reset signal generator; and where said reset signal generator comprises a first NAND circuit having input terminals connected to receive the output signal from the operation control member of said comparator means, and the output signal from the first output terminal of said J - K type flip-flop circuit, and an output terminal for providing an output for resetting said J - K type flip-flop circuit and said sum counter, and a second NAND circuit having input terminals connected to receive the output signal from said first NAND circuit and the output signal from said second output terminal of said first stage monostable multivibrator of said delay circuit, and an output terminal connected to said clock pulse counter for resetting the same.

Claim 67

An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said operation control means for said comparator means comprises a NAND circuit having input terminals connected to receive output signals from said respective sheet number comparators, and an output terminal; and an AND circuit having input terminals connected to receive the output from said NAND circuit and the output from the second output terminal of said J - K type flip-flop circuit and an output terminal connected to said comparator for comparing the sum of the number of said sheet for resetting said comparator.