US4817934A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dual tote sorter and stacker
Assignee: EMF Corp
•
Filing: 1987-07-27
•
Granted: 1989-04-04
•
Expires: 2007-07-27
Abstract
Abstract The present invention comprises a dual tote sorting and stacking apparatus for continuously transporting, sorting and stacking sequentially fed sheets of paper such as from printing, copying and duplicating machinery. The apparatus employs mass airflow type of conveyors for paper transport. A diverter is provided for selectively diverting the sheet to designated receiving trays or, optionally, for expelling the sheet from the apparatus. A jogger is provided for jogging the sheets which are deposited into the trays into individually aligned job stacks. An assembly may also be provided for flipping the sheets as they enter the apparatus or for feeding individual sequentially fed sheets into the apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter A. McCormick
- 👤 Douglas W. Langton
- 👤 James Kellum
- 👤 Steve McKelvy
- 👤 Greg Phillips
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 14:56
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H31/00; B65H31/34; B65H31/38; B65H31/24; B65H31/26; B65H39/00; B65H39/10; B65H39/11; B65H2301/00; B65H2301/50; B65H2301/51; B65H2301/513; B65H2301/5133; B65H2408/00; B65H2408/10; B65H2408/11; B65H2408/111; B65H2801/00; B65H2801/03; B65H2801/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
279 words
An apparatus for receiving, transporting, and stacking sheets into stacks comprising the combination of: (a) a support frame defining an enclosure, said enclosure having sheet receiving means for entry of said sheet into said enclosure; (b) vertical conveyor means extending along one wall of said enclosure; said vertical conveyor having a plurality of foraminous belts through which air is drawn into a vacuum plenum, a wall of said vacuum plenum supporting said belts for movement thereon, said belts being trained about upper and lower rollers; (c) means for conducting said sheets from said receiving means to said vertical conveyor; (d) means for removing said sheets from said vertical conveyor and placing said sheets in a stack on a support surface, said means for removing comprising a carriage assembly abutting said vertical conveyor and having means to raise and lower said carriage assembly engaging said frame, said means for removing having a transfer deflector attached in said carriage, said transfer deflector being located between said vacuum plenum and said foraminous belts, and extendable into the path of sheets travelling along said vertical conveyor to deflect said sheets onto said carriage assembly, further comprising means to deliver sheets to an inclined tray and an extendable and retractable sheet transfer support surface over which said sheets move from said vertical conveyor to said tray; (e) an inclined tray assembly, said tray assembly having an inclined tray removably attached to said support frame and being located near the end of said extendable and retractable sheet transfer surface, said tray receiving sheets from said carriage, the vertical location of said carriage indexing with the height of the stack of said sheets within said tray.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
279 words
An apparatus for receiving, transporting, and stacking sheets into stacks comprising the combination of: (a) a support frame defining an enclosure, said enclosure having sheet receiving means for entry of said sheet into said enclosure; (b) vertical conveyor means extending along one wall of said enclosure; said vertical conveyor having a plurality of foraminous belts through which air is drawn into a vacuum plenum, a wall of said vacuum plenum supporting said belts for movement thereon, said belts being trained about upper and lower rollers; (c) means for conducting said sheets from said receiving means to said vertical conveyor; (d) means for removing said sheets from said vertical conveyor and placing said sheets in a stack on a support surface, said means for removing comprising a carriage assembly abutting said vertical conveyor and having means to raise and lower said carriage assembly engaging said frame, said means for removing having a transfer deflector attached in said carriage, said transfer deflector being located between said vacuum plenum and said foraminous belts, and extendable into the path of sheets travelling along said vertical conveyor to deflect said sheets onto said carriage assembly, further comprising means to deliver sheets to an inclined tray and an extendable and retractable sheet transfer support surface over which said sheets move from said vertical conveyor to said tray; (e) an inclined tray assembly, said tray assembly having an inclined tray removably attached to said support frame and being located near the end of said extendable and retractable sheet transfer surface, said tray receiving sheets from said carriage, the vertical location of said carriage indexing with the height of the stack of said sheets within said tray.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 1, having an upper and lower removable tray, each tray having a means for removing sheets from said vertical conveyor associated therewith.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said continuous belts are made of a mesh-like, flexible material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said transfer deflector 3 associated with said upper tray is pivotally mounted for 4 extension into a first position in the path of sheets carried by 5 said vertical conveyor or into a second retracted position permitting the sheets to pass to the lower removable tray.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said paper receiving surface is canted upwardly toward said vertical conveyor causing said sheets in said tray to be stacked at an angle from horizontal, whereby entering sheets are jogged by gravity against the back of said tray into a neat stack.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said carriage means further includes driven rollers between which said sheets pass to impart a preselected velocity to said sheets whereby consistent stacking occurs, said driven rollers being located near the upper edge of said stack and maintained at a fixed distance therefrom as the stack height increases.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
136 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a means for jogging said sheets on said tray perpendicular to the path of sheet travel said tray having a sheet receiving surface, a g backstop wall, and first and second side walls, said backstop wall being substantially perpendicular to said sheet receiving surface and to said first and second side walls, said jogging means comprising an elongated, flexible jogging finger mounted for rotation into contact with the upper surface of a sheet deposited upon said tray in a wiping movement, thereby moving only a single sheet on the top of the stack of said sheets located within said tray against said first or second side wall depending upon the direction of rotation, whereby the next lower sheet remains quiescent thereby separating said stack of sheets into separate sets.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said flexible jogging finger is comprised of polyurethane with a durometer hardness of about 60.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said flexible jogging finger has a substantially triangular prismatic shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said flexible jogging finger rotates about an axis angled with respect to the upper surface of said tray, whereby sheets are jogged both toward said side wall and said backstop wall as said jogger finger rotates.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said flexible jogging finger is shaped substantially as an elongated triangular prism, one flat surface of which is positioned substantially parallel to said backstop.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said first flexible jogging finger is capable of reversing its rotational direction after each job stack has been obtained.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further including a sheet flipper assembly, said flipper assembly being positioned at said sheet receiving means and being capable of selectively inverting said sheets before said sheets reach said vertical conveyor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
81 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said flipper apparatus includes diverter means for allowing said sheets to pass through or enter into said flipper apparatus, said flipper apparatus having an arcuate rebound tray, a rebound spring means and entrance and exit sheet path means whereby the trailing edge of a sheet entering said arcuate rebound tray becomes the leading edge and momentum of said sheet is transferred in direction by said rebound spring to urge said sheet into said exit path.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claims 1, further comprising a slip sheet feeder assembly, said slip sheet feeder assembly feeding said sheets towards said vertical conveyor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
83 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pass-through conveyor apparatus, said pass through conveyor apparatus having a continuous second conveyor belt, and a third roller and a fourth roller enabling said second conveyor belt to be rotatably taut, said second conveyor belt assembly being horizontally oriented and having a second outer run, said first pivotal deflector being capable of deflecting said sheets along said first path towards said second outer run, said second conveyor belt transporting said sheets outward from said apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US27976A
Cited
US3166313A
Cited
US3356362A
Cited
US3385457A
Cited
US3709480A
Cited
US3774906A
Cited
US3802694A
Cited
USRE27976E
Cited
US4047713A
Cited
US3841754A
Cited
US3944217A
Cited
GB1494325A
Cited
US3934868A
Cited
US4047472A
Cited
US4228995A
Cited
US3937459A
Cited
US4169674A
Cited
US3977667A
Cited
US3990695A
Cited
US3973769A
Cited
US3988018A
Cited
US3955811A
Cited
US4046371A
Cited
US4070015A
Cited
US4166614A
Cited
US4103885A
Cited
US4181078A
Cited
US4157822A
Cited
US4176945A
Cited
US4179215A
Cited
US4344614A
Cited
US4221379A
Cited
US4248525A
Cited
US4204727A
Cited
US4315621A
Cited
US4297025A
Cited
US4238126A
Cited
US4352490A
Cited
US4333641A
Cited
US4469323A
Cited
US4359219A
Cited
US4673176A
Cited
US4530593A
Cited
US4515458A
Cited
US4452440A
Cited
US4578582A
Cited
US4498665A
Cited
US4496143A
Cited
US4589654A
Cited
US4512255A
Cited
US4667809A
Cited
US4624452A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-04-03 | 1992-10-03 | 1993-04-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-04-03 | 1996-10-03 | 1997-04-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-04-03 | 2000-10-03 | 2001-04-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |