Apparatus for collating or otherwise sorting the output of sheet-delivering devices

Claim 2

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a housing mounted in stationary relation with respect to said output station, a frame supported for generally vertical movement relative to said output station by a plurality of elongated flexible members attached to rotatable winding drums carried by said housing, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than the height of said frame, means for rotating said winding drums to lift said frame and a selected plurality of the trays therein to form a stack wherein the lowermost of the trays thus lifted is in a first position sufficiently high relative to said output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, means for selectively dropping successively lowermost trays of said stack from said first position to a second position within said frame sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon, and means for selectively causing said means for dropping successively lowermost trays of said stack to drop a single lowermost tray after the deposit on a tray in said second position of a predetermined number of sheets of material.

Claim 3

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a housing mounted in stationary relation with respect to said output station, a frame supported for generally vertical movement relative to said output station by a plurality of elongated flexible members attached to rotatable winding drums carried by said housing, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than the height of said frame, means for rotating said winding drums to lift said frame and a selected plurality of the trays therein to form a stack wherein the lowermost of the trays thus lifted is in a first position sufficiently high relative to said output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, means for selectively dropping successively lowermost trays of said stack from said first position to a second position within said frame sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon, and means for selectively causing said means for dropping successively lowermost trays of said stack to drop a single lowermost tray after the deposit on a tray in said second position of a single sheet of material.

Claim 4

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a housing mounted in stationary relation with respect to said output station, a frame supported for generally vertical movement relative to said output station by a plurality of elongated flexible members attached to rotatable winding drums carried by said housing, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than the height of said frame, means for rotating said winding drums to lift said frame and a selected plurality of the trays therein to form a stack wherein the lowermost of the trays thus lifted is in a first position sufficiently high relative to said output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, means for selectively dropping successively lowermost trays of said stack from said first position to a second position within said frame sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon, and means for selectively causing said means for dropping successively lowermost trays of said stack to drop a single lowermost tray after the deposit on a tray in said second position of a single sheet of material.

Claim 5

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a housing mounted in stationary relation with respect to said output station, a frame supported for generally vertical movement relative to said output station by a plurality of elongated flexible members attached to rotatable winding drums carried by said housing, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than the height of said frame, means for rotating said winding drums to lift said frame and a selected plurality of the trays therein to form a stack wherein the lowermost of the trays thus lifted is in a first position sufficiently high relative to said output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, and means for selectively dropping successively lowermost trays of said stack from said first position to a second position within said frame sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon.

Claim 6

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a housing mounted in stationary relation with respect to said output station, a frame supported for generally vertical movement relative to said output station by a plurality of elongated flexible members attached to rotatable winding drums carried by said housing, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than the height of said frame, means for rotating said winding drums to lift said frame and a selected plurality of the trays therein to form a stack wherein the lowermost of the trays thus lifted is in a first position sufficiently high relative to said output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, and means for selectively dropping successively lowermost trays of said stack from said first position to a second position within said frame sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon.

Claim 7

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a plurality of sheet-receiving trays, means for positioning a selected plurality of said trays in a stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high relative to such output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, indexing means including a plurality of toothed escapement wheels selectively rotatable in unison, means on each of said trays engageable with said escapement wheels for holding the successively lowermost trays of said stack in said first position with the weight of all trays above it in each stack resting thereupon, means for selectively releasing said escapement wheels for rotation due to the weight of said stack of trays sufficient to release the lowermost tray held therein to drop by gravity to a second position sufficiently low relative to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon and for stopping rotation of said escapement wheels to hold a successive lowermost tray of said stack in said first position, and governor means for establishing a substantially constant angular velocity of rotation of said escapement wheels when released.

Claim 8

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a plurality of sheet-receiving trays, means for positioning a selected plurality of said trays in a stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high relative to such output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, indexing means including a plurality of toothed escapement wheels selectively rotatable in unison, means on each of said trays engageable with said escapement wheels for holding the successively lowermost trays of said stack in said first position with the weight of all trays above it in each stack resting thereupon, means for selectively releasing said escapement wheels for rotation due to the weight of said stack of trays sufficient to release the lowermost tray held therein to drop by gravity to a second position sufficiently low relative to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon and for stopping rotation of said escapement wheels to hold a successive lowermost tray of said stack in said first position, and governor means for establishing a substantially constant angular velocity of rotation of said escapement wheels when released.

Claim 9

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a plurality of horizontal sheet-receiving trays, means for positioning a selected plurality of said trays in a stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high relative to such output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, indexing means including a plurality of toothed escapement wheels selectively rotatable in unison, means on each of said trays at opposite ends thereof engageable with said escapement wheels for holding the successively lowermost trays of said stack in said first position with the weight of all trays above it in said stack resting thereupon, and means for selectively releasing said escapement wheels for rotation due to the weight of said stack of trays sufficient to release the lowermost tray held therein to drop by gravity to a second position sufficiently low relative to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon and for stopping rotation of said escapement wheels to hold a successive lowermost tray of said stack in said first position.

Claim 10

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a plurality of horizontal sheet-receiving trays, means for positioning a selected plurality of said trays in a stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high relative to such output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, indexing means including a plurality of toothed escapement wheels selectively rotatable in unison, means on each of said trays at opposite ends thereof engageable with said escapement wheels for holding the successively lowermost trays of said stack in said first position with the weight of all trays above it in said stack resting thereupon, and means for selectively releasing said escapement wheels for rotation due to the weight of said stack of trays sufficient to release the lowermost tray held therein to drop by gravity to a second position sufficiently low relative to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon and for stopping rotation of said escapement wheels to hold a successive lowermost tray of said stack in said first position.

Claim 11

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a plurality of horizontal sheet-receiving trays, means for positioning a selected plurality of said trays in a stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high relative to such output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, indexing means including a plurality of toothed escapement wheels selectively rotatable in unison, means on each of said trays at opposite ends thereof engageable with said escapement wheels for holding the successively lowermost trays of said stack in said first position, and means for causing said escapement wheels to rotate sufficiently to release a lowermost tray held therein to drop to a second position sufficiently low relative to said output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will be deposited thereon and for stopping rotation of said escapement wheels to hold a successive lowermost tray of said stack in said first position.

Claim 12

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a plurality of horizontal sheet-receiving trays, means for positioning a selected plurality of said trays in a stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high relative to such output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, indexing means including a plurality of toothed escapement wheels selectively rotatable in unison, means on each of said trays at opposite ends thereof engageable with said escapement wheels for holding the successively lowermost trays of said stack in said first position, and means for causing said escapement wheels to rotate sufficiently to release a lowermost tray held therein to drop to a second position sufficiently low relative to said output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will be deposited thereon and for stopping rotation of said escapement wheels to hold a successive lowermost tray of said stack in said first position.

Claim 13

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a frame mounted for generally vertical movement relative to said output station and having top members, bottom members and connecting members establishing a predetermined distance between said top and bottom members, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than said predetermined distance, means for lifting said frame to position a selected plurality of the trays therein in an upper stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will pass below it, indexing means for holding the lowermost tray of said upper stack in said first position and for releasing successively lowermost trays of said upper stack to drop one at a time from said first position downwardly to form a lower stack of trays, means for terminating the operation of said means for lifting said frame, and means for lowering said frame relative to said upper stack of trays to a position in which said frame is supported by the top members thereof resting by gravity upon the top of said upper stack for downward movement as the height of said upper stack diminishes due to dropping of trays from said first position, said lower stack being supported by the lower members of said frame for said downward movement therewith whereby as the height of said lower stack increases due to dropping of trays thereon the successively uppermost trays of said lower stack will be in a second position sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon.

Claim 14

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a frame mounted for generally vertical movement relative to said output station and having top members, bottom members and connecting members establishing a predetermined distance between said top and bottom members, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than said predetermined distance, means for lifting said frame to position a selected plurality of the trays therein in an upper stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will pass below it, indexing means for holding the lowermost tray of said upper stack in said first position and for releasing successively lowermost trays of said upper stack to drop one at a time from said first position downwardly to form a lower stack of trays, means for terminating the operation of said means for lifting said frame, and means for lowering said frame relative to said upper stack of trays to a position in which said frame is supported by the top members thereof resting by gravity upon the top of said upper stack for downward movement as the height of said upper stack diminishes due to dropping of trays from said first position, said lower stack being supported by the lower members of said frame for said downward movement therewith whereby as the height of said lower stack increases due to dropping of trays thereon the successively uppermost trays of said lower stack will be in a second position sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon.

Claim 15

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a frame mounted for generally vertical movement relative to said output station and having top members, bottom members and connecting members establishing a predetermined distance between said top and bottom members, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than said predetermined distance, means for lifting said frame to position a selected plurality of the trays therein in an upper stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will pass below it, indexing means for holding the lowermost tray of said upper stack in said first position and for releasing successively lowermost trays of said upper stack to drop one at a time from said first position downwardly to form a lower stack of trays, means for terminating the operation of said means for lifting said frame, and means for lowering said frame relative to said upper stack to a position in which said frame is supported by the top of said upper stack for downward movement as the height of said upper stack diminishes due to dropping of trays from said first position, said lower stack of trays being supported by said frame for said downward movement therewith whereby as the height of said lower stack increases the successively uppermost trays of said lower stack will be in a second position sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon.

Claim 16

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a frame mounted for generally vertical movement relative to said output station and having top members, bottom members and connecting members establishing a predetermined distance between said top and bottom members, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than said predetermined distance, means for lifting said frame to position a selected plurality of the trays therein in an upper stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will pass below it, indexing means for holding the lowermost tray of said upper stack in said first position and for releasing successively lowermost trays of said upper stack to drop one at a time from said first position downwardly to form a lower stack of trays, means for terminating the operation of said means for lifting said frame, and means for lowering said frame relative to said upper stack to a position in which said frame is supported by the top of said upper stack for downward movement as the height of said upper stack diminishes due to dropping of trays from said first position, said lower stack of trays being supported by said frame for said downward movement therewith whereby as the height of said lower stack increases the successively uppermost trays of said lower stack will be in a second position sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon.

Claim 17

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a frame mounted for generally vertical movement relative to said output station and having top members, bottom members and connecting members establishing a predetermined distance between said top and bottom members, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than said predetermined distance, means for lifting said frame to position a selected plurality of the trays therein in an upper stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will pass below it, indexing means for holding the lowermost tray of said upper stack in said first position and for releasing successively lowermost trays of said upper stack to drop one at a time from said first position downwardly to form a lower stack of trays, means for terminating operation of said means for lifting said frame, and means for supporting said frame for downward movement as the height of said upper stack diminishes due to dropping of trays from said first position, said lower stack of trays being supported by said frame for said downward movement therewith whereby as the height of said lower stack increases the successively uppermost trays of said lower stack will be in a second position sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon.

Claim 18

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a frame mounted for generally vertical movement relative to said output station and having top members, bottom members and connecting members establishing a predetermined distance between said top and bottom members, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than said predetermined distance, means for lifting said frame to position a selected plurality of the trays therein in an upper stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will pass below it, indexing means for holding the lowermost tray of said upper stack in said first position and for releasing successively lowermost trays of said upper stack to drop one at a time from said first position downwardly to form a lower stack of trays, means for terminating operation of said means for lifting said frame, and means for supporting said frame for downward movement as the height of said upper stack diminishes due to dropping of trays from said first position, said lower stack of trays being supported by said frame for said downward movement therewith whereby as the height of said lower stack increases the successively uppermost trays of said lower stack will be in a second position sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon.

Claim 19

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a frame mounted for generally vertical movement relative to said output station and having top members, bottom members and connecting members establishing a predetermined distance between said top and bottom members, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than said predetermined distance, means for lifting a selected plurality of said trays into an upper stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high relative to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will pass below it, and indexing means for holding the lowermost tray of said upper stack in said first position and for releasing successively lowermost trays of said upper stack to drop one at a time from said first position downwardly to form a lower stack of trays, said frame being supported for downward movement as the height of said upper stack diminishes due to dropping of trays from said first position, said lower stack of trays being supported by said frame for said downward movement therewith whereby as the height of said lower stack increases the successively uppermost trays of said lower stack will be in a second position sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon.

Claim 20

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a frame mounted for generally vertical movement relative to said output station and having top members, bottom members and connecting members establishing a predetermined distance between said top and bottom members, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for stacking movement within said frame, the distance between the lowermost and uppermost of said trays when they are arranged in a single stack being significantly less than said predetermined distance, means for lifting a selected plurality of said trays into an upper stack the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high relative to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will pass below it, and indexing means for holding the lowermost tray of said upper stack in said first position and for releasing successively lowermost trays of said upper stack to drop one at a time from said first position downwardly to form a lower stack of trays, said frame being supported for downward movement as the height of said upper stack diminishes due to dropping of trays from said first position, said lower stack of trays being supported by said frame for said downward movement therewith whereby as the height of said lower stack increases the successively uppermost trays of said lower stack will be in a second position sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting said output station will be deposited thereon.

Claim 21

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a plurality of sheet-receiving trays, means for positioning a selected plurality of said trays in an upper stack in which each tray supports all of the trays above it and the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high relative to said output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, indexing means for holding the successively lowermost trays of said upper stack in said first position and for releasing said successively lowermost trays to drop one at a time to form a lower stack in which each tray supports all of the trays above it and the uppermost tray of which is in a second position sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will be deposited thereon, and means for supporting said lower stack from the top of said upper stack whereby said second position remains substantially constant as trays are successively dropped by said indexing means.

Claim 22

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a plurality of sheet-receiving trays, means for positioning a selected plurality of said trays in an upper stack in which each tray supports all of the trays above it and the lowermost tray of which is in a first position sufficiently high relative to said output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will pass below it, indexing means for holding the successively lowermost trays of said upper stack in said first position and for releasing said successively lowermost trays to drop one at a time to form a lower stack in which each tray supports all of the trays above it and the uppermost tray of which is in a second position sufficiently low with respect to said output station that a sheet exiting from said output station will be deposited thereon, and means for supporting said lower stack from the top of said upper stack whereby said second position remains substantially constant as trays are successively dropped by said indexing means.

Claim 23

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a frame, means for mounting said frame in fixed relation with said output station, a carriage mounted for reciprocating movement in said frame, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for reciprocating movement in said carriage, means for elevating all of said trays to a position above said output station, a bottom tray spaced a predetermined distance from the lowermost of said plurality of trays when said plurality of trays is in elevated position, said spaced distance being located adjacent said output station, escapement means for supporting said elevated trays, and means responsive to the deposit of a sheet on a tray for actuating said escapement means for dropping a lowermost tray of said plurality of trays and simultaneously lowering said bottom tray whereby to maintain said spaced distance between trays adjacent said output station substantially constant as the uppermost trays are released in succession by the escapement means.

Claim 24

Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets of material delivered in succession from the sheet output station of a sheet-delivering device including in combination a frame, means for mounting said frame in fixed relation with said output station, a carriage mounted for reciprocating movement in said frame, a plurality of sheet-receiving trays mounted for reciprocating movement in said carriage, means for elevating all of said trays to a position above said output station, a bottom tray spaced a predetermined distance from the lowermost of said plurality of trays when said plurality of trays is in elevated position, said spaced distance being located adjacent said output station, escapement means for supporting said elevated trays, and means responsive to the deposit of a sheet on a tray for actuating said escapement means for dropping a lowermost tray of said plurality of trays and simultaneously lowering said bottom tray whereby to maintain said spaced distance between trays adjacent said output station substantially constant as the uppermost trays are released in succession by the escapement means.