Sheet separation apparatus and method

Claim 1

In apparatus including means for printing indicia on flexible sheets, wherein there are provided: a plurality of guiding means defining an opening, having an entry and an exit, an arbitrary reference line connecting a point at the entry with a point at the exit, for receiving at the entry sheets from the printing means having edges upredictably aligned with respect to the reference line; driving means extending through at least one of the guiding means and, in the absence of a sheet, contacting another one of the guiding means, operable to drive sheets along a route from the entry toward the exit at an angle to the reference line; an improvement for delivering the printed sheets in offset positions, comprising: a first reference means, coincident with the reference line, for engaging one of the edges of sheets driven fronm the entry to the exit, and thereby aligning edges of these sheets with the line; a second reference means, aligned relative to but not coincident with, the first reference line, operable to engage one of the edges of sheets driven from the entry to the exit; and means selectively operable for positioning one of said reference means in and out of intercepting relationship with the edges of sheets driven by the driving means; whereby the edges of sheets engaged by the second reference means are aligned relative to, but not coincident with, the edges of sheets which engage the first reference means.