Collator with removable bins

Claim 2

A collator which comprises: a support frame; a plurality of paper supply bins individually removably mountable in said frame; a drive shaft on each of said bins; a paper drive roller on each of said bins, mounted on said drive shaft and positioned to engage the bottom paper sheet therein; a drive sprocket on each of said drive shafts; a common drive chain carried by said frame and positioned to drivingly engage each of said drive sprockets when its related paper supply bin is mounted in said frame; and means for driving said common drive chain to substantially simultaneously actuate the paper drive rollers of all bins mounted in said frame.

Claim 3

The collator of claim 1 wherein each of said bins comprises: a bottom tray; and left and right side paper guides extending upwardly therefrom.

Claim 4

The collator of claim 2 wherein at least one of said paper guides is adjustable relative to said bottom tray.

Claim 5

the collator of claim 1 wherein said support frame comprises spaced first and second sidewalls, one of said sidewalls including a first idler sprocket positioned at the top thereof and a second idler sprocket positioned at the bottom thereof, said drive chain engaging said first and second idler sprockets and extending substantially vertically therebetween.

Claim 6

A collator which comprises: a support frame including spaced first and second sidewalls; a first idler sprocket positioned at the top of one of said sidewalls; a second idler sprocket positioned at the bottom of said one sidewall; a drive chain engaging said first and second idler sprockets; means for driving said drive chain; a plurality of paper supply bins removably mountable between said sidewalls in spaced vertical relationship; a paper drive shaft on each of said bins; a paper drive roller on each of said bins, mounted on said paper drive shaft and positioned to engage the bottom paper sheet therein and at least partially eject it therefrom; and a Paper drive sprocket mounted on each said paper drive shafts and positioned to engage said drive chain upon mounting of the associated bins between said sidewalls.

Claim 7

A collator which comprises: a support frame including spaced first and second sidewalls; a first idler sprocket positioned at the top of one of said sidewalls; a second idler sprocket positioned at the bottom of said one sidewall; a drive chain engaging said first and second idler sprockets; means for driving said drive chain; a plurality of paper supply bins removably mountable between said sidewalls in spaced vertical relationship; a paper drive shaft on each of said bins; a paper drive roller on each of said bins, mounted on said paper drive shaft and positioned to engage the bottom paper sheet therein and at least partially eject it therefrom; and a Paper drive sprocket mounted on each said paper drive shafts and positioned to engage said drive chain upon mounting of the associated bins between said sidewalls.

Claim 8

The collator of claim 5 wherein said one sidewall defines a plurality of slots extending rearwardly from the front edge thereof, each positioned to receive the paper drive shaft of a bin mounted in said support frame; and wherein said drive chain is disposed in a substantially vertical plane.

Claim 9

The collator of claim 6 wherein each of said bins comprises: a bottom tray; and left and right side paper guides extending upwardly therefrom.

Claim 10

The collator of claim 7 wherein at least one of said paper guides is adjustable relative to said bottom tray.

Claim 11

The collator of claim 8 wherein each of said paper supply bins includes means for latching said bin between said sidewalls.

Claim 12

A collator arrangement: comprising a frame; a plurality of individual sheet stack containing bins each having a sheet dispensing means mounted thereon and each being adapted to dispense individual sheets from one end thereof and to be loaded with sheets from the other end thereof; means for selectively removably mounting said bins on said frame, each bin having an increased sheet capacity when the adjacent bin is removed; and a common drive means adapted to drive the sheet dispensing means carried by each of said bins.

Claim 13

A collator arrangement: comprising a frame; a plurality of individual sheet stack containing bins each having a sheet dispensing means mounted thereon and each being adapted to dispense individual sheets from one end thereof and to be loaded with sheets from the other end thereof; means for selectively removably mounting said bins on said frame, each bin having an increased sheet capacity when the adjacent bin is removed; and a common drive means adapted to drive the sheet dispensing means carried by each of said bins.