Sorting apparatus

Claim 2

A sheet sorting apparatus comprising: a frame, a main bin supported on said frame,

Claim 3

a plurality of sorting bins supported on said frame adjacent to the main bin, transport means for transporting copy sheets from a processor along a sheet path past the inlets of the plurality of sorting bins, said transport means including a substantially horizontal conveyor overlying the main bin and a vertical conveyor extending past the inlets of the plurality of sorting bins, deflector means positioned in the sheet path actuable to move from a first position to deflect sheets directly into the main bin to a second position to direct the sheets onto the horizontal conveyor past the main bin and then onto the vertical conveyor for movement past the inlets of said sorting bins, and control means including a solenoid for actuating said deflector means to position it at its first or second positions to effect stacking in said main bin or sorting in said sorting bins, respectively at the option of a machine operator, wherein said horizontal and vertical conveyors transport copy sheets under vacuum, wherein said conveyors are pivotally mounted to pivot relative to said frame and bins.

Claim 4

a plurality of sorting bins supported on said frame adjacent to the main bin, transport means for transporting copy sheets from a processor along a sheet path past the inlets of the plurality of sorting bins, said transport means including a substantially horizontal conveyor overlying the main bin and a vertical conveyor extending past the inlets of the plurality of sorting bins, deflector means positioned in the sheet path actuable to move from a first position to deflect sheets directly into the main bin to a second position to direct the sheets onto the horizontal conveyor past the main bin and then onto the vertical conveyor for movement past the inlets of said sorting bins, and control means including a solenoid for actuating said deflector means to position it at its first or second positions to effect stacking in said main bin or sorting in said sorting bins, respectively at the option of a machine operator, wherein said horizontal and vertical conveyors transport copy sheets under vacuum, wherein said conveyors are pivotally mounted to pivot relative to said frame and bins.

Claim 5

A sheet sorting apparatus comprising: a frame, a main bin supported on said frame, a plurality of sorting bins supported on said frame adjacent to the main bin, transport means for transporting copy sheets from a processor along a sheet path past the inlets of the plurality of sorting bins, said transport means including a substantially horizontal conveyor overlying the main bin and a vertical conveyor extending past the inlets of the plurality of sorting bins, deflector means positioned in the sheet path actuable to move from a first position to deflect sheets directly into the main bin to a second position to direct the sheets onto the horizontal conveyor past the main bin and then onto the vertical conveyor for movement past the inlets of said sorting bins, and control means including a solenoid for actuating said deflector means to position it at its first or second positions to effect stacking in said main bin or sorting in said sorting bins, respectively at the option of a machine operator, wherein said horizontal and vertical conveyors transport copy sheets under vacuum, wherein said conveyors are pivotally mounted to pivot relative to said frame and bins, wherein said conveyors have a common drive.

Claim 6

A sheet sorting apparatus comprising: a frame, a main bin supported on said frame, a plurality of sorting bins supported on said frame adjacent to the main bin, transport means for transporting copy sheets from a processor along a sheet path past the inlets of the plurality of sorting bins, said transport means including a substantially horizontal conveyor overlying the main bin and a vertical conveyor extending past the inlets of the plurality of sorting bins, deflector means positioned in the sheet path actuable to move from a first position to deflect sheets directly into the main bin to a second position to direct the sheets onto the horizontal conveyor past the main bin and then onto the vertical conveyor for movement past the inlets of said sorting bins, and control means including a solenoid for actuating said deflector means to position it at its first or second positions to effect stacking in said main bin or sorting in said sorting bins, respectively at the option of a machine operator, wherein said horizontal and vertical conveyors transport copy sheets under vacuum, wherein said conveyors are pivotally mounted to pivot relative to said frame and bins, wherein said conveyors have a common drive.