Adjustable tray

Claim 2

A paper input tray for a document copier or the like adapted to receive sheets of a plurality of sizes having different dimensions, the tray comprising: means defining a first guide surface having first and second side edges along opposite sides thereof; adjustable means comprising a plurality of elongate flexible tray segments positioned beside the first and second side edges of said first guide surface, each tray segment being movable between a first position and a second position, each tray segment having a second guide surface that is spaced above the first guide surface when the tray segment is in the first position and forms a continuation of the first guide surface when the tray segment is in its second position so that sheets having a dimension equal to or less than the dimension between the side edges of the first guide surface can be guided properly along the tray when the tray segments are in their respective first positions and larger sheets having a dimension equal to or less than the sum of the guide surfaces can be guided properly along the tray when the tray segments are in their respective second positions; and movable cam means engageable with each of said segments for moving said segments between their respective second positions and their respective first positions, said segments when in the first position being in a flexed condition and being biased toward the second position so that the segments can flex to the second position in response to movement of said cam means.

Claim 3

A paper input tray for a document copier or the like adapted to receive sheets of a plurality of sizes having different dimensions, the tray comprising: means defining a first guide surface having first and second side edges along opposite sides thereof; adjustable means comprising a plurality of pairs of elongate tray segments, one segment of each pair being beyond the first side edge of the first guide surface and a second segment of each pair being beyond the second side edge of the first guide surface, one pair of said segments being located adjacent to said first guide surface and all of the segments being flexible between a first position and a second position, each of said segments being biased toward its second position, each of the segments having a second guide surface that is spaced above the first guide surface when the segments are in their respective first positions and forms a continuation of the first guide surface when the segments are in their respective second positions so that sheets having a dimension equal to or less than the dimension between the side edges of the first guide surface can be guided properly along the tray when the tray segments are in their respective first positions and larger sheets having a dimenson equal to or less than the sum of the guide surfaces can be guided properly along the tray when the tray segments are in their respective second positions; and cam means engageable with said segments for controlling movement of said segments from their respective second positions to their respective first positions in a sequence beginning with the pair of segments most remote from said first guide surface and ending with the pair of segments nearest said first guide surface, whereby the size of the guide surface is adjusted in increments to accommodate sheets of a plurality of sizes.

Claim 4

A paper input tray for a document copier or the like adapted to receive sheets of a plurality of sizes having different dimensions, the tray comprising: means defining a first guide surface having first and second side edges along opposite sides thereof; adjustable means comprising a plurality of pairs of elongate tray segments, one segment of each pair being beyond the first side edge of the first guide surface and a second segment of each pair being beyond the second side edge of the first guide surface, one pair of said segments being located adjacent to said first guide surface and all of the segments being flexible between a first position and a second position, each of said segments being biased toward its second position, each of the segments having a second guide surface that is spaced above the first guide surface when the segments are in their respective first positions and forms a continuation of the first guide surface when the segments are in their respective second positions so that sheets having a dimension equal to or less than the dimension between the side edges of the first guide surface can be guided properly along the tray when the tray segments are in their respective first positions and larger sheets having a dimenson equal to or less than the sum of the guide surfaces can be guided properly along the tray when the tray segments are in their respective second positions; and cam means engageable with said segments for controlling movement of said segments from their respective second positions to their respective first positions in a sequence beginning with the pair of segments most remote from said first guide surface and ending with the pair of segments nearest said first guide surface, whereby the size of the guide surface is adjusted in increments to accommodate sheets of a plurality of sizes.

Claim 5

A tray for guiding sheets of several different sizes, the tray having a central portion with the guide surface substantially equal in width to a dimension of one size of a sheet to be guided along the tray, a first pair of tray segments comprising a first segment located along one side of said surface and a second segment located along a second side of said surface, and a second pair of tray segments comprising a third segment located adjacent the side of the first segment that is opposite from said surface and a fourth segment located adjacent the side of the second segment that is opposite from said surface, each of said segments having an upper guide surface and being movable between a lowered position wherein its upper surface is substantially coplanar with said guide surface to form a continuation thereof and a raised position wherein its upper surface is above said guide surface of said central portion, and means for independently moving said segments in pairs between their respective lowered positions and raised positions with the second pair of segments being moved to the raised position before the first pair of segments is moved to the raised position whereby sheets of at least three different sizes can be accommodated on said surfaces by selective positioning of said segments in their lowered and raised positions.

Claim 6

A tray for guiding sheets of several different sizes, the tray having a central portion with the guide surface substantially equal in width to a dimension of one size of a sheet to be guided along the tray, a first pair of tray segments comprising a first segment located along one side of said surface and a second segment located along a second side of said surface, and a second pair of tray segments comprising a third segment located adjacent the side of the first segment that is opposite from said surface and a fourth segment located adjacent the side of the second segment that is opposite from said surface, each of said segments having an upper guide surface and being movable between a lowered position wherein its upper surface is substantially coplanar with said guide surface to form a continuation thereof and a raised position wherein its upper surface is above said guide surface of said central portion, and means for independently moving said segments in pairs between their respective lowered positions and raised positions with the second pair of segments being moved to the raised position before the first pair of segments is moved to the raised position whereby sheets of at least three different sizes can be accommodated on said surfaces by selective positioning of said segments in their lowered and raised positions.

Claim 7

The invention as set forth in claim 3 further comprising a third pair of segments comprising a fifth segment located adjacent said third segment and a sixth segment located adjacent said fourth segment, said fifth and sixth segments having upper guide surfaces and being movable between a lowered position wherein the upper surfaces are substantially coplanar with said guide surface to form a continuation thereof and a raised position wherein the upper surfaces are above said guide surface of said central portion, and said moving means comprising means for moving said third pair of segments between their lowered and raised positions with the third pair of segments being moved to the raised position before the second pair of segments is moved to the raised position.

Claim 8

The invention as set forth in claim 4 further comprising a pair of stationary guides located adjacent said fifth and sixth segments, said stationary guides having portions adjacent said fifth and sixth segments and extending above the upper surfaces of said fifth and sixth segments when such segments are in their respective lowered positions to define the maximum dimension of a sheet that can be guided along the tray.

Claim 9

The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein said moving means comprises a plurality of cam surfaces, each of said cam surfaces being engageable with one of said segments, and means for moving said cam surfaces relative to said segments.