Single pivot bin sorter

Claim 1

Sorting apparatus comprising a support frame, a nest of a plurality of sheet receiving bins, each bin with a sheet output end at one end thereof and an input end at the other end thereof, each of said plurality of bins being pivotally mounted at its output end about the same pivot point on said support frame such that the output end of each bin is at a level higher than its input end so that the bins slope upwardly from the input end to the output end thereby providing uphill stacking of individual sheets as they are inserted in each of the bins, said bins being spaced relatively close together at the input end and being spaced relatively far apart at the output end, means to sequentially pivot the bins about their mounting pivot and index the input end of each of said bins past a fixed sheet feed throat to facilitate insertion of a sheet into each bin, said indexing means sequentially moving said bins from one side of the feed throat to a position opposite the fixed sheet feed throat to the other side of the feed throat, said indexing means widely spacing apart adjacent said bins to provide a sheet entry for successive bins when positioned opposite said fixed feed throat, said input ends of said bins being nested close together on either side of said sheet entry.