Remote printing job confidentiality

Claim 1

In a shared users printing and mailboxing system, with a shared remote printer with an operatively connecting array of lockable mailboxes, in which system electronic print jobs from different users at different locations may be electronically sent to be printed in said shared remote printer as hardcopy sheets print jobs, which hardcopy print jobs are automatically fed from said printer into respective selected said lockable mailboxes to be temporarily stored therein until subsequent unlocking of said mailboxes for pickup of said hardcopy print jobs; wherein said printer has an internal paper path for said printing of said hardcopy print jobs with a sheet sensing system for signaling a sheet jam in said paper path and sheet jam clearance capability, and at least one openable printer access door providing access when opened to said internal printer paper path for said printer hardcopy sheet jam clearances, a print job security improvement comprising: an automatic locking system for electronically locking said printer access door for the time periods in which said electronic print jobs are being printed and hardcopies thereof are in said paper path, to prevent access to said internal printer paper path, said automatic locking system automatically unlocking said printer access door after said hardcopies of said electronic print jobs have reached said selected mailboxes if there is no said sheet jam sensing system signal, said automatic locking system maintaining said locking of said printer access door if said sheet jam sensing system is indicating that there is a sheet jam in said internal printer paper path until said automatic locking system is actuated by entry of an authorized jam clearance access code.