Sheet separator with increased pocket opening

Claim 2

A sheet distributing device comprising conveyor means disposed to convey sheets on a path of travel, gating means operatively associated with said conveyor means to selectively divert the conveyed sheets at a plurality of locations on said path of travel, bin means including a plurality of catch trays defining a plurality of sheet receiving pockets each having an entrance opening oriented toward said conveyor means in alignment with said selected sheet diverting locations defined by said gating means, and actuating means associated with said catch trays and said gating means to selectively move one of said catch trays relative to an adjacent tray to increase the size of the entrance opening of the pocket aligned with the sheet diverting location defined by said gating means; said actuating means including means pivotally mounting said catch trays for movement between an open position and a normal position, and means responsive to the position of said gating means to pivot one of the catch trays defining the pocket aligned therewith to its open position.

Claim 3

A sheet distributing conveyer comprising conveyor means disposed to convey sheets on a path of travel, gating means operatively associated with said conveyer means to selectively divert the conveyed sheets at a plurality oF locations on said path of travel, bin means including a plurality of catch trays defining a plurality of sheet receiving pockets each having an entrance opening oriented toward said conveyer means in alignment with said selected sheet diverting locations defined by said gating means, and actuating means operably associated with said catch trays and said gating means to selectively move one of said catch trays relative to an adjacent tray to increase the size of the entrance opening of the pocket aligned with the sheet diverting location defined by said gating means, said actuating means including means pivotally mounting said catch trays for movement between an open position and a normal position, and means responsive to the position of said gating means to pivot one of the catch trays defining the pocket aligned therewith to its open position, and wherein said means responsive to the position of the gating means includes actuating arm means movable to the location of said gating means and positioned to engage and pivot said one catch tray to its open position upon engagement therewith.

Claim 4

A sheet distributing conveyer comprising conveyor means disposed to convey sheets on a path of travel, gating means operatively associated with said conveyer means to selectively divert the conveyed sheets at a plurality oF locations on said path of travel, bin means including a plurality of catch trays defining a plurality of sheet receiving pockets each having an entrance opening oriented toward said conveyer means in alignment with said selected sheet diverting locations defined by said gating means, and actuating means operably associated with said catch trays and said gating means to selectively move one of said catch trays relative to an adjacent tray to increase the size of the entrance opening of the pocket aligned with the sheet diverting location defined by said gating means, said actuating means including means pivotally mounting said catch trays for movement between an open position and a normal position, and means responsive to the position of said gating means to pivot one of the catch trays defining the pocket aligned therewith to its open position, and wherein said means responsive to the position of the gating means includes actuating arm means movable to the location of said gating means and positioned to engage and pivot said one catch tray to its open position upon engagement therewith.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 2 further characterized by means mounting said actuating arm means for pivotal movement in one direction and preventing movement in the opposite direction, whereby movement of said actuating arm means in one direction will cause the actuating arm to open the catch tray upon engagement therewith and movement of the actuating arm means in the opposite direction will cause the actuating arm means to pivot to override the catch tray upon engagement therewith.

Claim 6

A sheet distributing device comprising conveyer means disposed to convey sheets on a path of travel, gating means operatively associated with said conveyer means to selectively divert the conveyed sheets at a plurality of locations on said path of travel, bin means including a plurality of catch trays defining a plurality of sheet receiving pockets each having an entrance opening oriented toward said conveyer means in alignment with said selected sheet diverting locations defined by said gating means, means for pivotally mounting each of said catch trays for pivotal movement about a pivot axis at one end thereof from a normal position to a bin open position, means for engaging the opposite end of each said catch tray to support said opposite end while said tray is in its normal position, actuating means operatively associated with said gating means and said catch trays for engaging a selected one of said trays at a location adjacent said opposite end and pivotally displacing said tray about said axis so that said catch tray is pivoted from its normal position to its bin open position, said actuating means including tray engaging surface means for engaging and supporting said tray while in its open position.

Claim 7

A sheet distributing device comprising conveyer means disposed to convey sheets on a path of travel, gating means operatively associated with said conveyer means to selectively divert the conveyed sheets at a plurality of locations on said path of travel, bin means including a plurality of catch trays defining a plurality of sheet receiving pockets each having an entrance opening oriented toward said conveyer means in alignment with said selected sheet diverting locations defined by said gating means, means for pivotally mounting each of said catch trays for pivotal movement about a pivot axis at one end thereof from a normal position to a bin open position, means for engaging the opposite end of each said catch tray to support said opposite end while said tray is in its normal position, actuating means operatively associated with said gating means and said catch trays for engaging a selected one of said trays at a location adjacent said opposite end and pivotally displacing said tray about said axis so that said catch tray is pivoted from its normal position to its bin open position, said actuating means including tray engaging surface means for engaging and supporting said tray while in its open position.