Patent US3817516A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3817516A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Document edging and stack advance system
Assignee: Unisys Corp
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Filing: 1973-05-31
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Granted: 1974-06-18
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Expires: 1993-05-31
Abstract
Abstract The present disclosure describes an edging and stack advance system that is capable of automatically preparing documents such as letters and the like, that have been loaded onto a conveyor for subsequent feeding, sorting and/or processing. Significant features of the system include the use of separate zones for conveyance and edging, and a plurality of interconnected stack sensing switches. The latter switches cooperate to establish and maintain a stack geometry having a degree of looseness which permits reliable edging and subsequent feeding of the documents. The entire system has been designed to be relatively uncomplicated and may be manufactured at low cost.
Inventors
- 👤 S Lazzarotti
- 👤 E Wojtowicz
- 👤 J Hunter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 10:25
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H1/00; B65H1/02; B65H1/025; B65H5/00; B65H5/02; B65H5/021; B65H7/00; B65H9/00; B65H9/10; B65H9/101
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
371 words
A system for stack advance and document edging in preparation for the feedout of documents by a vacuum feeder mechanism comprising: a conveyor zone and an edging zone contiguous to each other and having a common side registration wall, said edging zone having a forward wall in proximity to said feeder mechanism, said conveyor zone having transport means for conveying a stack of said documents toward said edging zone, said edging zone being characterized by the absence of said transport means and having edger bar means operatively connected to agitate said documents in a vertical plane and to move them in a direction perpendicular to the motion of said documents in said conveyor zone toward said side registration wall, the documents in said edging zone being concurrently pushed forward toward said forward wall by the documents in the conveyor zone under the influence of said transport means, said edging zone further including a plurality of stack sensing means, at least a pair of said sensing means being positioned respectively in said forward wall and said side registration wall, said sensing means being electrically interconnected for controlling the motion of said transport means and being initially in an unactuated condition, the actuation of said forward wall sensing means in response to the physical contact made therewith by the initial document in said stack being indicative of the attainment of a proper feedout position by said stack and causing the termination of motion of said stack by said transport means, said side registration wall sensing means being actuated concurrently with said forward wall sensing means by physical contact of the documents in said edging zone upon the attainment of said last mentioned position, the subsequent attraction of each of said documents in turn to said feeder mechanism as a result of the vacuum forces associated therewith, and the feedout of documents from said edging zone creating an incrementally increasing angular separation between the document in position for feedout and the next succeeding document, said side registration wall sensing means being responsive to said increasing angular separation such that upon the attainment of a predetermined angle, said last mentioned sensing means resumes its unactuated condition, thereby permitting said transport means to resume stack motion.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
371 words
A system for stack advance and document edging in preparation for the feedout of documents by a vacuum feeder mechanism comprising: a conveyor zone and an edging zone contiguous to each other and having a common side registration wall, said edging zone having a forward wall in proximity to said feeder mechanism, said conveyor zone having transport means for conveying a stack of said documents toward said edging zone, said edging zone being characterized by the absence of said transport means and having edger bar means operatively connected to agitate said documents in a vertical plane and to move them in a direction perpendicular to the motion of said documents in said conveyor zone toward said side registration wall, the documents in said edging zone being concurrently pushed forward toward said forward wall by the documents in the conveyor zone under the influence of said transport means, said edging zone further including a plurality of stack sensing means, at least a pair of said sensing means being positioned respectively in said forward wall and said side registration wall, said sensing means being electrically interconnected for controlling the motion of said transport means and being initially in an unactuated condition, the actuation of said forward wall sensing means in response to the physical contact made therewith by the initial document in said stack being indicative of the attainment of a proper feedout position by said stack and causing the termination of motion of said stack by said transport means, said side registration wall sensing means being actuated concurrently with said forward wall sensing means by physical contact of the documents in said edging zone upon the attainment of said last mentioned position, the subsequent attraction of each of said documents in turn to said feeder mechanism as a result of the vacuum forces associated therewith, and the feedout of documents from said edging zone creating an incrementally increasing angular separation between the document in position for feedout and the next succeeding document, said side registration wall sensing means being responsive to said increasing angular separation such that upon the attainment of a predetermined angle, said last mentioned sensing means resumes its unactuated condition, thereby permitting said transport means to resume stack motion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor zone includes a block-like member adapted to be carried by said transport means for supporting said stack of documents, said block-liKe member having its face portion inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical such that the documents standing on edge and leaning thereagainst assume a substantially like angle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
97 words
A system as defined in claim 2 further characterized in that said edging zone includes a plurality of said edger bar means having their longitudinal axes parallel to the direction of motion of the documents in the conveyor zone, a retarder strip positioned between a pair of said edger bar means, said retarder strip being comprised of a plurality of saw-tooth shaped teeth oriented with respect to the motion of the stack such that the documents contact consecutive teeth of the strip as they are pushed toward said forward wall by the documents in said conveyor zone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
A system as defined in claim 3 wherein said edger bar means each include an elongated portion which is square in cross section, and a tapered end which first makes contact with the documents advancing toward said forward wall, said edger bar means being continuously rotated by drive means in a direction to move said documents toward said side registration wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
A system as defined in claim 4 further characterized in that the portion of each of said edger bar means opposite said tapered end and situated adjacent the front surface of said forward wall is a pulley, said means for driving said edger bar means including a friction belt disposed on said pulley, the edged documents approaching said forward wall contacting said friction belt and being maintained in, or further edged into, a registered condition thereby.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as defined in claim 5 wherein said transport means comprises a plurality of friction belts mounted on pulleys and driven by motor means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said stack sensing means comprises an actuator finger operatively connected to an electrical micro-switch, physical contact with said actuator finger by said documents resulting in the actuation of said switch.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
85 words
A system as defined in claim 7 further characterized in that the electrical switch portions of a pair of sensing means are mounted behind said side registration wall in a vertical plane and in spaced apart relation, said registration wall having a pair of slots therein to receive the actuator fingers of said sensing means, said fingers protruding therethrough to contact the documents in said stack, and being pivotally mounted to rotate in the direction of stack movement, thereby actuating the switches associated respectively therewith.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as defined in claim 8 wherein each of said pair of side registration wall sensing means includes a spring member coupled between its actuator finger and a fixed support to provide more consistent switch operational cycles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
130 words
A system as defined in claim 9 wherein the electrical switch portion of the front wall sensing means is connected in parallel with a circuit path containing the electrical switch portions of the pair of side wall sensing means, the series/parallel arrangement of all the switches being interposed between a source of electrical power and the motor driving said transport means, the front wall switch when unactuated being in a closed circuit condition to permit said motor to be energized, the pair of side wall switches being connected in an exclusive-or configuration whereby an electrical circuit path from said source of power to said motor is established therethrough if, and only if, one of said switches is actuated, but not if both switches are in an actuated or unactuated condition.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-17 | 1977-12-17 | 1978-06-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-17 | 1981-12-17 | 1982-06-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-17 | 1985-12-17 | 1986-06-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |