Apparatus for handling sheets of paper

Claim 2

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a receiving portion for accepting and supporting in a horizontal plane said sheets of paper to be counted; a horizontally disposed stacking portion for stacking and supporting in a horizontal plane sheets of paper conveyed from said receiving portion; conveying means, including a conveying passage, for conveying said sheets of paper from said receiving portion to said stacking portion; and a counting and discriminating portion disposed along said conveying passage for counting and discriminating between said sheets of paper being conveyed from said receiving portion to said stacking portion; wherein said receiving portion and said stacking portion are parallel to one another.

Claim 3

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a horizontally disposed receiving portion on one side of said counting apparatus for accepting and supporting in a horizontal plane said sheets of paper to be counted; a horizontally disposed stacking portion on said one side for stacking and supporting in a horizontal plane sheets of paper conveyed from said receiving portion; conveying means, including a conveying passage, for conveying said sheets of paper from said receiving portion to said stacking portion; and a counting and discriminating portion disposed along said conveying passage for counting and discriminating between said sheets of paper being conveyed from said receiving portion to said stacking portion; wherein said receiving portion and said stacking portion are parallel to one another.

Claim 4

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a horizontally disposed receiving portion on one side of said counting apparatus for accepting and supporting in a horizontal plane said sheets of paper to be counted; a horizontally disposed stacking portion on said one side for stacking and supporting in a horizontal plane sheets of paper conveyed from said receiving portion; conveying means, including a conveying passage, for conveying said sheets of paper from said receiving portion to said stacking portion; and a counting and discriminating portion disposed along said conveying passage for counting and discriminating between said sheets of paper being conveyed from said receiving portion to said stacking portion; wherein said receiving portion and said stacking portion are parallel to one another.

Claim 5

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a horizontally disposed receiving portion for accepting and horizontally supporting in a horizontal plane said sheets of paper to be counted; at least two horizontally disposed stacking portions for stacking and supporting in respective horizontal planes sheets of paper conveyed from said receiving portion, each of said stacking portions forming a separate stack; conveying means, including a conveying passage, for conveying said sheets of paper selectively from said receiving portion to said stacking portions; and a counting and discriminating portion disposed along said conveying passage for counting and discriminating between said sheets of paper being conveyed from said receiving portion to said stacking portions; wherein said receiving portion and said stacking portions are parallel to one another.

Claim 6

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a horizontally disposed receiving portion for accepting and horizontally supporting in a horizontal plane said sheets of paper to be counted; at least two horizontally disposed stacking portions for stacking and supporting in respective horizontal planes sheets of paper conveyed from said receiving portion, each of said stacking portions forming a separate stack; conveying means, including a conveying passage, for conveying said sheets of paper selectively from said receiving portion to said stacking portions; and a counting and discriminating portion disposed along said conveying passage for counting and discriminating between said sheets of paper being conveyed from said receiving portion to said stacking portions; wherein said receiving portion and said stacking portions are parallel to one another.

Claim 7

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 3, wherein said stacking portions form said separate stacks in parallel relation to one another.

Claim 8

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 4, wherein said receiving portion has a table for accepting and supporting in the horizontal plane said sheets of paper, and wherein said table is parallel to said stacking portions.

Claim 9

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 3, wherein said receiving portion and said stacking portions are disposed along a common vertical plane as said single plane.

Claim 10

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 6, wherein said receiving portion has a table for accepting and horizontally supporting in the horizontal plane said sheets of paper, and wherein said table is aligned along said common vertical plane in alignment with said stacking portions.

Claim 11

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a receiving portion including a table for accepting and storing in a horizontal plane at least one sheet of paper; a counting and discriminating portion for counting and discriminating said at least one sheet of paper received from said receiving portion; means including a stacking section for stacking counted sheets of paper conveyed from said counting and discriminating portion to form a horizontal stack at said stack section; and said table of said receiving portion and said stack section being disposed along a single plane and in parallel relation to one another.

Claim 12

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a receiving portion including a table for accepting and storing in a horizontal plane at least one sheet of paper; a counting and discriminating portion for counting and discriminating said at least one sheet of paper received from said receiving portion; means including a stacking section for stacking counted sheets of paper conveyed from said counting and discriminating portion to form a horizontal stack at said stack section; and said table of said receiving portion and said stack section being disposed along a single plane and in parallel relation to one another.

Claim 13

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 8, wherein said means for stacking counted sheets of paper includes means for stacking each next sheet of paper conveyed from said counting and discriminating portion on top of the horizontal stack formed at said stack section.

Claim 14

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 8, wherein said table of said receiving portion and said stack section are disposed along a common vertical plane.

Claim 15

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a horizontally disposed receiving portion for accepting and supporting in a horizontal plane said sheets of paper to be counted; horizontally disposed means for stacking and supporting in a horizontal plane counted sheets of paper including means for conveying the counted sheets of paper along a loop path with respect to said receiving portion and means for forming a stack of counted sheets of paper at a stack section; a counting and discriminating portion for counting and discriminating between said sheets of paper being conveyed from said receiving portion to said stacking means; and said receiving portion and said stack section being parallel to one another.

Claim 16

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a horizontally disposed receiving portion for accepting and supporting in a horizontal plane said sheets of paper to be counted; horizontally disposed means for stacking and supporting in a horizontal plane counted sheets of paper including means for conveying the counted sheets of paper along a loop path with respect to said receiving portion and means for forming a stack of counted sheets of paper at a stack section; a counting and discriminating portion for counting and discriminating between said sheets of paper being conveyed from said receiving portion to said stacking means; and said receiving portion and said stack section being parallel to one another.

Claim 17

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 11, wherein said receiving portion has a table for accepting and supporting in the horizontal plane said sheets of paper, and wherein one of said table and said stack section is aligned above the other.

Claim 18

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 11, wherein said receiving portion and said stack section are disposed along a common vertical plane.

Claim 19

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a horizontally disposed receiving portion for accepting and storing at least one sheet of paper in a horizontal plane; a counting and discriminating portion for counting and discriminating said at least one sheet of paper being conveyed from said receiving portion; means for stacking counted sheets of paper including first and second horizontally disposed stack sections supporting counted sheets of paper in respective horizontal planes and first and second loop conveying passages respectively for conveying sheets of paper to said first and second stack sections; said receiving portion and said stack sections being parallel to one another; and said counting and discriminating portion including a discriminator, a counter, and a gate that receives the result of the discriminator, and a main conveying passage for conveying sheets of paper received from said receiving portion through said discriminator and said counter to said gate such that said gate deflects the path of travel of sheets of paper discharged from said discriminator and said counter to one of said first and said second loop conveying passages n accordance with the result of the discriminator so that each one of two types of sheets of paper is stacked on a respective one of said stack sections.

Claim 20

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a horizontally disposed receiving portion for accepting and storing at least one sheet of paper in a horizontal plane; a counting and discriminating portion for counting and discriminating said at least one sheet of paper being conveyed from said receiving portion; means for stacking counted sheets of paper including first and second horizontally disposed stack sections supporting counted sheets of paper in respective horizontal planes and first and second loop conveying passages respectively for conveying sheets of paper to said first and second stack sections; said receiving portion and said stack sections being parallel to one another; and said counting and discriminating portion including a discriminator, a counter, and a gate that receives the result of the discriminator, and a main conveying passage for conveying sheets of paper received from said receiving portion through said discriminator and said counter to said gate such that said gate deflects the path of travel of sheets of paper discharged from said discriminator and said counter to one of said first and said second loop conveying passages n accordance with the result of the discriminator so that each one of two types of sheets of paper is stacked on a respective one of said stack sections.

Claim 21

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 14, wherein said stack sections are aligned along a common vertical plane.

Claim 22

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a horizontally disposed receiving portion for accepting and horizontally supporting in a horizontal plane said sheets of paper to be counted; a counting and discriminating portion having a discriminator, a counter and a gate, and a main conveying passage for conveying sheets of paper received form said receiving portion through said discriminator and said counter to said gate; and two horizontally disposed stacking portions for stacking in respective horizontal planes counted sheets of paper conveyed from said counting and discriminating portion, wherein each of said stacking portions has a conveying passage and said gate deflects the path of travel of counted sheets of paper to one of said stacking portion conveying passages based upon the result of the discriminator; wherein said receiving portion and said stacking portions are parallel to one another.

Claim 23

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, comprising: a horizontally disposed receiving portion for accepting and horizontally supporting in a horizontal plane said sheets of paper to be counted; a counting and discriminating portion having a discriminator, a counter and a gate, and a main conveying passage for conveying sheets of paper received form said receiving portion through said discriminator and said counter to said gate; and two horizontally disposed stacking portions for stacking in respective horizontal planes counted sheets of paper conveyed from said counting and discriminating portion, wherein each of said stacking portions has a conveying passage and said gate deflects the path of travel of counted sheets of paper to one of said stacking portion conveying passages based upon the result of the discriminator; wherein said receiving portion and said stacking portions are parallel to one another.

Claim 24

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, said counting apparatus having a front end, comprising: an entrance for accepting sheets of paper inside the counting apparatus; an exit for releasing sheets of paper outside the counting apparatus; a horizontal hopper disposed close by said entrance, for accepting and piling in a horizontal plane at least one sheet of paper; a counting and discriminating portion for counting and discriminating said at least one sheet of paper from said hopper; a horizontal stacker disposed close by said exit, for piling in a horizontal plane counted sheets of paper received from said counting and discriminating portion; a conveying means for conveying sheets of paper one by one from said hopper to said stacker through said counting and discriminating portion; and said entrance and said exit being parallel to one another.

Claim 25

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, said counting apparatus having a front end, comprising: an entrance for accepting sheets of paper inside the counting apparatus; an exit for releasing sheets of paper outside the counting apparatus; a horizontal hopper disposed close by said entrance, for accepting and piling in a horizontal plane at least one sheet of paper; a counting and discriminating portion for counting and discriminating said at least one sheet of paper from said hopper; a horizontal stacker disposed close by said exit, for piling in a horizontal plane counted sheets of paper received from said counting and discriminating portion; a conveying means for conveying sheets of paper one by one from said hopper to said stacker through said counting and discriminating portion; and said entrance and said exit being parallel to one another.

Claim 26

A counting apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said entrance and exit represent two points forming a line extending across the front end of said counting apparatus.

Claim 27

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, said counting apparatus having a front end, comprising: an entrance for accepting sheets of paper into the counting apparatus; an exit for releasing sheets of paper out of the counting apparatus; a horizontal hopper disposed close to said entrance, for accepting and piling at least one sheet of paper to be counted in a horizontal plane; a horizontal stacker disposed close to said exit, for piling in a horizontal plane counted sheets of paper received from said counting and discriminating portion; a conveying line means for conveying sheets of paper one by one from said hopper to said stacker; a counting and discriminating portion disposed in said conveying line means, for counting and discriminating between said sheets of paper; and said entrance and exit being disposed vertically and parallel to one another at the front end of said counting apparatus.

Claim 28

A counting apparatus for handling sheets of paper and for counting said sheets of paper, said counting apparatus having a front end, comprising: an entrance for accepting sheets of paper into the counting apparatus; an exit for releasing sheets of paper out of the counting apparatus; a horizontal hopper disposed close to said entrance, for accepting and piling at least one sheet of paper to be counted in a horizontal plane; a horizontal stacker disposed close to said exit, for piling in a horizontal plane counted sheets of paper received from said counting and discriminating portion; a conveying line means for conveying sheets of paper one by one from said hopper to said stacker; a counting and discriminating portion disposed in said conveying line means, for counting and discriminating between said sheets of paper; and said entrance and exit being disposed vertically and parallel to one another at the front end of said counting apparatus.