US3802694A

US3802694A - Collator

Info

Publication number: US3802694A
Application number: US00187671A
Authority: US
Inventors: G Post; L Rattin
Original assignee: Olivetti SpA
Current assignee: Olivetti SpA
Priority date: 1971-10-08
Filing date: 1971-10-08
Publication date: 1974-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-09

Abstract

A machine for sorting multiple copies into separate bins, comprising a carriage holding vertically spaced bins and a transmission for lowering the carriage after each new copy is received and thereafter raising it to an uppermost position for facilitating removal of sheets from the bins. An overflow conveyor belt is mounted on the carriage above the uppermost bin, to transport excess copies to an output that can lead to another similar collating machine. The transmission includes a pair of substantially elliptical gears that make one revolution for every indexing of the carriage to bring a new bin into a sheetreceiving position, the elliptical gears providing smooth acceleration and deceleration of the bins.

Description

United 3 States Patent [1 1 Post et al. [451 Apr. 9,1974

[ COLLATOR [75] Inventors: Gerald Post, Kew Gardens, N.Y.; [Slammer-Robert Mlche" Luciano Rattin, Pino Torinese, Italy [73] Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C. S.p.A., lvrea,

Italy [22] Filed: Oct. 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 187,671

[52] US. Cl. 270/58, 271/64 [51] Int. Cl B65h 39/02 [58] Field of Search 270/58; 271/64; 312/50, 312/60, 312, 268; 74/393, 437

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 615,636 12/1898 Regensteiner 271/64 3,638,937 2/1972 Schulz et al. 270/58 3,613,470 10/1971 Arakawa 74/393 3,361,510. 1/1968 McDerrnott 312/312 3,004,758 10/1961 Mestre 270/58 2,093,992 9/1937 Braam 271/64 3,467,371 9/1969 Britt et al 270/58 Assistant Examiner-L. R. Oremland Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lindennerg, Freilich &

Wasserman [5 7] ABSTRACT A machine for sorting multiple copies into separate bins, comprising a carriage holding vertically spaced bins and a transmission for lowering the carriage after each new copy is received and thereafter raising it to an uppermost position for facilitating removal of sheets from the bins. An overflow conveyor belt is mounted on the carriage above the uppermost bin, to transport excess copies to an output that can lead to another similar collating machine. The transmission includes a pair of substantially elliptical gears that make one revolution for every indexing of the carriage to bring a new bin into a sheet-receiving position, the elliptical gears providing smooth acceleration and deceleration of the bins.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures MENTEDAPR 9 m4 SHEET 1 0f 5 N w mw mw 0. mm U ML 5 Jlllhh mini iihm QTTOQAIE vs PATENTEUAPR 9 m4 SHEET 3 (If 5 INVENToQ 65201.0 Pos'r By LUCY/4N0 6 B/ITf/A/ COLLATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to sorting or collating apparatus for usewith paper sheets and the like.

When many copies are made of a document that has many pages, sorting or collating apparatus with multiple bins may be used to separate the copies so that each bin contains one copy of each page of the document. One type of collating machine has stationary bins and numerous rollers that direct succeeding sheets into s'uccessive bins. However, the requirement for many rollers and switching devices can result in a complicated machine. Furthermore, in copying processes wherein the sheets may still be wet or damp, it is desirable that there be a minimum of sheet handling, and particularly that the sheets not be pressed between rollers.

A minimum of sheet handling is possible by the use of a collating machine with multiple bins that move past a sheet-receiving station. However, this can lead to limitations as to the number of bins that can be provided. The number of bins may be limited in a moving bin machine because of the large mass that may have to be moved, particularly where the multiple bins have to be rapidly accelerated and decelerated to bring successive bins into a position to receive thenext sheet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a collating machine of minimum complexity is provided which can handle wet copies without smearing the image, and which is useful in collating a large number of copies. The apparatus includes a plurality of vertically spaced bins mounted on a carriage that can move up and down along a frame. Sheets are received at an input opening of the frame for moving directly into a bin opposite the opening. After each sheet is received the carriage indexes downwardly to bring a new bin into position opposite the input opening. An overflow conveyor belt is mounted at a position above the uppermost bin, so that after the last bin has received a sheet, further copies are transported along the conveyor belt to an output. Another similar collating machine can be mounted at the output to receive and collate the excess copies. Thus, while each machine has a limited number of bins, several machines can be mounted in series for collating a large number of copies.

The transmission which moves the carriage includes a pair of elliptical gears which make one revolution for each indexing of the carriage to a new bin position. The elliptical gears provide a smooth acceleration of the carriage to a new position and smooth deceleration in a relatively simple mechanism. The fact that the carriage indexes downwardly means that the motor driven transmission merely has to brake the carriage movement rather than apply powerto rapidly accelerate and decelerate it. Such braking is facilitated by the use of a worm drive in the transmission to prevent uncontrolled carriage lowering, the motor supplying only enough power to run the worm without applying any additional power to it. After collating all copies of a document page, the motor drives the carriage at a constant speed to its uppermost position, where the carriage then stops. With the carriage stopped at its uppermost position, a minimal bending is required by a human operator to remove copies from the bins.

The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawmgs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collator constructed in accordance with the invention, shown used with a copier machine;

FIG. 2 is a rear view taken on the line 22 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the collator of FIG. 1, shown in use with another. similar collator;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the drive transmission of the. collator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the transmission of FIG.

FIG. 6 isa view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 2, showing the overflow conveyor thereof;

FIG. 8 is a partial side view of the overflow conveyor of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of acontrol circuit of the copier of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates a collating machine 10 being used to collate or sort copies received from a copier 12. The copier 12 maybe an electrostatic copier or ink type duplicator, and in many cases the sheets 14 exit from the copier output in a damp or wet condition. The collator 10 is designed to place multiple copies of a document page into separate bins 18 with a minimum of handling and particularly without applying a roller or the like to an upper surface of the copy, to thereby prevent smearing. The collator 10 has a limited number of bins such as twenty, so that only the first 20 copies of a document sheet can be stored in the bins. However, the apparatus is also provided with an overflow mechanism 22 that can carry the twenty-first and succeeding copies to an output region 23. Where only one collating machine 10 is available, the overflow copies may be caught in a tray 24. However, the overflow copies can be collated by utilizing another collating machine 10 similar to machine 10, in the manner shown in FIG. 3, to collate the overflow copies in its bins.

As also shown in FIG. 2, the collator 10 includes a carriage 26 which is mounted for up and down movement on a machine frame 28, the carriage 26 carrying the multiple bins I8 and the overflow conveyor 22 with it. A drive apparatus 30 powered by an electric motor is connected by a chain 32 to the carriage to move it up and down. The carriage 26 starts in an uppermost position with the lowermost bin 18L located adjacent to the input region 16 to receive the first copy. After each copy is received, the drive 30 lowers the carriage 26 by a distance equal to the vertical spacing S of the bins on the carriage. When the last copy of a series is received, the carriage moves upward back to its original position and stops, to await the arrival of the first copy of the next series. If there are more than twenty copies in a series, then after the uppermost or highest bin 18H receives a copy, the carriage indexes down so that the overflow conveyor 22 can receive succeeding copies to carry them to the output 23. When the last overflow copy is received, the carriage returns to its uppermost position.

During downward indexing of the carriage, it is desirable to move the carriage rapidly between the indexing positions where bins can receive copies, and to stop the bins or move them very slowly past the positions where the bins are in line to receive copies. FIGS. 4-6 illustrate the transmission of the apparatus which indexes the carriage downwardly and raises it up again. As best shown in FIG. 4, an electric motor 34 supplies power that is coupled through various elements to a sprocket 36 that drives the chain 32 which can raise and lower the carriage. During downward indexing of the carriage, power from the motor is transmitted through a pair of substantially

elliptical gears

38, 40 of the transmission to repeatedly accelerate and decelerate the carriage as it is lowered. The transmission is constructed so that the

elliptical gears

38, 40 make one revolution for each indexing of the carriage to bring a new bin into position to receive a copy. The elliptical gears are mounted so that the' carriage moves slowly past each index position where a bin can receive a sheet, and then moves rapidly to the next index position. This is accomplished by mounting the elliptical gears so that the smallest radius portion of the driving gear 38 engages the largest radius portion of the driven gear 40 as each bin reaches a position to receive a sheet. The use of elliptical gears to transmit power, with the gears making one revolution for each indexing of the carriage to a new position, provides a relatively simple mechanism for smooth acceleration and deceleration of the bins.

The drive mechanism 30 includes a first shaft 42 that is always rotated in the direction of arrow 44 by the motor 34, and a second shaft 46 that rotates in either two directions, depending on whether the carriage is being raised or lowered. During lowering of the carriage, when it moves in steps to fill the bins, the second shaft rotates in the direction of arrow L. During raising of the carriage, when the carriage is rapidly moved up at a constant speed, the second shaft moves in the opposite direction as indicated by arrow R. A sprocket 48 that is fixed to the second shaft 46 drives a chain that turns another sprocket 50, which transmits power through a pair of bevel gears 52 to a worm 54. The worm 54 drives a worm gear 56 that drives the I sprocket 36. As earlier mentioned, the sprocket 36 drives the chain 32 that is connected to the carriage to raise and lower it.

When the transmission is to be driven so as to lower the carriage, a lowering solenoid 56 is energized. Solenoid 56 operates a clutch 58 that causes the elliptical gear 38 to be positively driven from the first shaft 42, so that the gear 38 rotates in the direction of arrow 44. The clutch apparatus includes a clutch plate 60 that is fixed to the first shaft 42 to always rotate with it and a second clutch plate 62 that can be engaged with the first clutch plate when the solenoid is energized. The second clutch plate 62 is fixed to the first elliptical gear 38 to drive it. It should be noted that the gear 38 is mounted for free rotation on the shaft 42, so it could remain stationary unless the clutch is energized. The first elliptical gear 38 drives the second gear 40 which is fixed to a differential gear 64. Both the second gear 40 and differential gear 64 are freely rotatable on the second shaft 46. The differential gear 64 is engaged with spider gears 66 that freely rotate on a spider shaft 68 that is fixed to the second shaft 46. A second differential gear 70 is also engaged with the spider gear 66. If this second differential gear 70 is stationary, then the spider gear 66 will rotate slowly in accordance with rotation of the first differential gear 64. As a result, the spider shaft 68 and second shaft 46 will be rotated in the direction of arrow L at one-half the speed of rotation of the elliptical gear 40 and first differential gear In order to assure that the second differential gear 70 remains stationary, it is fixed to a cam wheel 72 that is engaged by a roller 74 that prevents its rotation in the direction of arrow L. Thus, the spider shaft 68 and shaft 46 are driven in the direction of arrow L and they drive the sprocket 48 in the direction of arrow L. The sprocket 48 therefore drovesthe rest of the transmission to rotate the output sprocket 36 in a direction that lowers the carriage. The carriage, and bins thereon therefore descend, moving slowly while each bin receives a sheet and then accelerating and again slowing as the next bin is positioned to receive a sheet.

When the carriage must be raised to its uppermost position, a raising solenoid 76 is energized but the lowering solenoid 56 is not energized. The way in which this causes raising of the carriage can be understood by noting that the motor constantly rotates the first shaft 42 in the direction of arrow 44. A sprocket 78 fixed to the first shaft 42 drives another sprocket 80 that is free to rotate on the second shaft 46 and which is fixed to a clutch plate 82. When the raising solenoid 76 is energized, it operates a clutch mechanism 84 that engages the driven clutch plate 82, that is rotating in the direction of arrow R, with a second clutch plate 86. The second plate 86 is fixed to the second differential gear 70 and also to the cam wheel 72. Thus, with the raising solenoid 76 energized, the second differential gear 70 is driven in the direction of arrow R. It may be noted that the cam wheel 72 can rotate in the direction of arrow R without interference from roller 74.

The second differential gear 70, which is rotating in the direction of arrow R during raising of the carriage, is engaged with the spider gears 66. During rotation of the second differential gear 70, the first differential gear 64 is held stationary, as will be described below. Accordingly, the spider shaft 68 rotates in the direction of arrow R at one-half the speed of the second differential gear 70. Since the spider shaft 68 is fixed to the second shaft 46, the second shaft 46 therefore rotates in the direction of arrow R and therefore drives the sprocket 48 in that direction. The rest of the transmission accordingly drives the output sprocket 36 in a direction that raises the carriage.

In order to assure that the spider shaft 68 will rotate in the direction of arrow R, the first differential gear 64 must be prevented from being dragged in the direction of arrow R. This is assured because differential gear 64 is fixed to the elliptical gear 40, which is engaged with the other gear 38 which is engaged with another cam wheel 88. Another roller engaged with the cam wheel 88 prevents rotation of the cam wheel 88 in the direction of arrow 92, thereby preventing rotation of the first differential gear 64 in the direction of arrow R and thereby assuring that it remains stationary. The

sizes of the sprockets'78, 80 that couple the first and second shafts are chosen so that the carriage moves more rapidly in an upward direction than in a downward direction. Thus, control of upward and downward carriage movement is accomplished by energizing the

solenoids

56, 76. When neither solenoid is energized, generally the carriage will not move up or down, although another solenoidcan be employed to operate a brake at such times to prevent any carriage movement.

The worm drive of the transmission, formed by the worm 54 and worm gear 56 assures that the carriage cannot drive the transmission, and therefore the speed at which the carriage is lowered is easily controlled regardless of the mass of the carriage. Actually, the only power that need be supplied by the motor and transmission is enough power to rotate the worm 54. The weight of the carriage less that of a counterweight 93 on the chain, supplies all of the force that is necessary to lower it. This is advantageous because it permits the use of a smaller motor to control carriage movement as it is lowered.

As shown in FIG. 2, the chain 32 that is driven by the sprocket 36, extends in a loop about another sprocket 94 that is located at the top of the frame of the machine. The chain is fixed at 98 to the carriage 26. The carriage is guided in up and down movement along the frame 28 by three ball bearing glides 102-104(FIG. 7) that assure low friction movement.

The overflow apparatus 22 which is brought into position to carry away excess copies after all of the bins are filled, includes three belts 110 that extend in a loop path around a pair of

rollers

112, 114. Both of the

rollers

112, 114 are rotatably mounted-on the carriage 26 near the top thereof. A gear 116 (FIG. 2) is fixed to one of the rollers 112 and can receive power to drive the roller and therefore drive the belts. The gear 116 can engage another, constantly rotating drive pinion 118 that is rotatably amounted on the frame 28 of the machine. The drive pinion 118 has a sprocket 120 driven by a chain 122 from another sprocket 124 that is mounted on the shaft of the motor 34. The pinion 118 is constantly rotating, but it engages the other gear 116 to drive the overflow belt, only when the carriage is in its lowermost position to receive the overflow copies. At other times, when the carriage is above its lowermost position, the gear 116 is above the drive gear 118 and the belt is not rotated. Thus, the pinion 118serves as a rotary overflow drive member that is constantly driven, but which only occasionally engages the driven gear member 116 that is connected to the conveyor belts 110.

ln order to hold down sheets of paper to the belt 110, it is constructed with numerous perforations that can apply a partial pressure, or vacuum, to the underside of the sheet to hold it down. The upper portion of the looped belt moves over a perforated plate 126 (FIGS. 7, 8 and 9) whose underside opens to a vacuum region 128. The region 128 can be maintained at a partial pressure by a blower 130 which is driven by a separate blower motor 132. When the overflow apparatus is operating, the intake of the blower 130 is connected to the vacuum region 128 by a hose 13] fixed to the blower intake and another hose 133 fixed to the car- -riage and leading to the vacuum region 128. The

blower 130 and its motor are fixed to the machine frame, so they do not ride up and down with the carriage. However, as the carriage moves to its lowermost position, the two

hoses

131, 133 become connected so that air can be pumped through them. While the blower could operate at all times, it is noisy and therefore it is desirable to operate the blower only when it is needed. Accordingly; a contact switch portion 136 is electrically connected between a power cable 134 and the motor 132 to turn on the motor only when the carriage 126 arrives at its lowermost position.

In order to accurately synchronize downward movement of the carriage with the receipt of sheets to be collated, a photoelectric sensor (see FIG. 2) is provided at 140 to sense sheets entering through the input opening 16 of the machine. A light source 142 shines a light across the input opening 16 towards the photosensor 140 so that light reaches it except when a sheet is present. The sensor 140 is connected to a control circuit shown in a simplified diagram in FIG. 10, that controls energization of the lowering and raising

solenoids

56, 76 that determine the carriage moves up or down or remains stationary.

The control circuit of FIG. 10 is shown in a condition wherein the carriage is in its uppermost position, and a first copy is entering the collator. The control circuit includes a sensing relay 144 operated by the detector 140, which has a switch member 146 that respectively moves against contact 148 or contact 150 as the leading or trailing edge of a sheet moves past the detector 140. When the leading edge of a sheet is sensed, current from a power line 152 flows through the switch member 146 and contact 148, and through a relay coil 154 to the otherpowerline 156. The relay coil 154 then closes a pair of switches 158 and 160, the switch 158 serving to latch on the relay coil. Switch 160 is in series with the lowering solenoid 56 but cannot yet carry current from the power line 152 to solenoid 56. When the trailing edge of the sheet passes the detector 140, the member I46 moves against contact 150, and current can flow through the lowering or down solenoid 56.

The flow of current through the down solenoid 56 causes the carriage to move down until it approaches the next index position, when a cam 162 attached to shaft 46 of the drive apparatus opens a switch 164 to briefly break the circuit that is energizing the relay coil 154. As a result, switch 160 opens and the down solenoid 56 is deenergized. The transmission coasts far enough so that the cam 162 releases switch 164 and it again closes. The next copy received by the collator repeats the cycle.

When the carriage reaches its lowermost position, it operates two

switch portions

166 and 136 of a lower limit switch assembly 165. Specifically, at the lowermost carriage position the contacts of switch portion 166 are opened, thereby preventing further actuation of the down solenoid 56. Also, the contacts of switch portion 136 are closed, thereby allowing current to flow through the blower motor 130.

The carriage remains in its lowest position until a restore or signaling switch 170, located in the copying machine 12 is operated so that a switch member 172 thereof moves away from contact 174 thereof and against contact 176 thereof. Such operation of the switch singals that the last copy ofa group of multiple copies of a document has been delivered. This switch is operated by circuitry (not shown) in the copying machine, which moves switch member 172 against contact 176 a short time after the last copy of a document has been made, this short period being just long enough for the last copy to reach the collator. After the trailing edge of the last copy has passed the detector 140, the sensing switch member 146 moves against contact 150, and current flows through the raising or up solenoid 76. The carriage then moves up until it operates an upper limit switch 178 to terminate the flow of current to the up solenoid 76. A short period after the first copy of another document is made, the copying machine operates its switch 170 so that the switch member 172 thereof moves against contact 174 to allow downward indexing to begin again. Of course, a variety of control circuits can be employed, including a circuit within the collator that includes a timer which operates a switch similar to switch 170 if no document is received after a certain period longer than the normal period between the generation of succeeding copies of a document.

The driving and transmission apparatus 30, which is shown located at the rear of the collator, could instead be located at the bottom of the machine. However, by locating the transmission at the rear, space is made available near the floor to accomodate bins so that more bins can be mounted on the carriage. The design of the collator so that the carriage indexes downwardly and then rises to an uppermost position where it awaits the first copy of the next series, facilitates use by a human operator. The operator removes copies from the bins by inserting her fingers into the sides of the bins through an opening 150 (FIG. 1) in the frame. The fact that the bins are as high as possible means that there is a minimum of bending required of the operator, even in removing sheets from the lowermost bin.

Thus, the invention provides a collating machine of moderate size that can collate a moderate amount of copies, but which can be used in collating a much larger number of copies, by the use of an overflow mechanism. The overflow mechanism allows excess copies to be captured in a bin or to be fed into another similar collating machine that can collate the excess copies. The collating apparatus directs copies into different bins without contacting the upper face of the copies, so that there is no smearing of the copies even if they are not yet dry. The apparatus utilizes a carriage that moves multiple bins past an opening, and utilizes a transmission with substantially elliptical gears to provide smooth acceleration and deceleration of the bins between the positions at which they must move slowly or stop in order to receive copies. The apparatus is constructed so that the carriage indexes downwardly and then is rapidly raised to an uppermost position where it awaits the arrival of the first copy of another series. This minimizes the power required to move the carriage, and allows a worm and wormwheel drive mechanism to be utilized to prevent uncontrolled lowering of the bin. The fact that the bins stop in an uppermost position minimizes the amount of bending required by an human operator.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in the art and, consequently, it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.

What is claimed is:

1. Collating apparatus comprising:

a frame having a sheet input region and a sheet output region;

a carriage mounted for movement along said frame, said carriage defining a plurality of successively spaced positions including a first plurality of positions and a last position;

a plurality of sheet-holding bins mounted on said carriage at said first plurality of positions, to successively receive sheets arriving at said sheet input region as said carriage moves along said frame;

overflow conveyor means mounted on said carriage at said last position thereon to receive sheets from said input region after said bins have received sheets, for carrying sheets received from said sheet input region to said sheet output region; and

means for moving said carriage along said frame.

2. Collating apparatus comprising:

a frame having a sheet input region at a predetermined height, and having a sheet output region;

a carriage;

means mounting said carriage on said frame for substantially vertical movement thereon;

a plurality of vertically spaced bins mounted on said carriage, for successive movement past said sheet input region;

conveyor means mounted on said carriage above the uppermost of said bins for carrying sheets from said input region to said output region; and

motor means including a transmission coupled to said carriage for moving it up and down, said transmission including a first portion activatable to lower said carriage with a variable speed so that it at least slows as each bin is near a position to receive a sheet from said input region and then accelerates, said first portion capable of lowering the carriage until the conveyor means is opposite the input region, and a second portion for raising said carriage to an uppermost position.

3. Apparatus for collating sheets from a sheet feeding means comprising:

a frame having a sheet input region for receiving sheets from the sheet feeding means, and having a sheet output region;

overflow conveyor means mounted on said carriage at said last position thereon to receive sheets from said input region after said bins have received sheets, for carrying sheets received from said sheet input region to said sheet output region;

means for moving said carriage along said frame, including motor means and a first transmission portion coupling the motor means to the carriage for selectively driving it;

a rotary overflow drive member mounted on said frame at a predetermined location thereon;

a rotary overflow driven member mounted on said carriage at a location for engaging and disengaging said drive member as said carriage is respectively moved to and away from a location where said overflow means is positioned to receive sheets from said sheet input region, and means connecting said driven member to said overflow conveyor means; and

a second transmission portion coupling said motor means to said drive member to continuously rotate 4. Apparatus for collating sheets from a sheet feeding means comprising:

a plurality of sheetholding bins mounted on said carriage at said first plurality of positions, to successively receive sheets arrivingat said sheet input region as said carrige moves along said frame;

overflow conveyor means mounted on said carriage at said last position thereon to receive sheets from said input region after said bins have received sheets, for carrying sheets received from said sheet input region to said sheet output region, said overflow conveyor means including a perforated belt and roller means for driving said belt in an endless path;

air pump means having an intake positioned for coupling to said belt to draw air through said perforations, a pump motor coupled to said pump means to drive it, and switch means responsive to the position of said carriage for turning said pump motor on and off as said overflowconveyor means respectively reaches and moves away from a position to receive sheets from said sheet input region; and

means for moving said carriage along said frame.

5. The apparatus described in claim 4 wherein:

said overflow conveyor means includes means mounted on said carriage forming a vacuum chamber leading to said belt to draw air through said perforations thereinto, and first hose means mounted on said carriage, said hose means having a first end connected to said vacuum chamber and an open second end; and

said air pump means is fixed to said frame so that it does not move with said carriage along said frame, and said air pump means includes second hose means having one end connected to said intake and a second end positioned to engage and disengage said second end of said first hose means as said overflow means respectively reaches and moves away from a position to receive sheets from said input region.

6. Apparatus for collating sheets from a sheet feeding means, comprising:

a frame having a sheet input region for receiving sheets from the sheet feeding means; a carriage having a plurality of uniformly spaced bins;

means for guiding said carriage on said frame in substantially vertical movement therealong so that said bins successively pass adjacent to said input region;

a motor; and

a transmission coupling said motor to said carriage to moveit along said frame, said transmission including a pair of substantially elliptical gears mounted for one rotation at every movement of said carriage by a distance equal to the spacing of said bins along said carriage, a first of said gears driving a second of said gears to move said carriage, said first gear having a portion of smallest radius engaged with a portion of saidsecond gear of greatest radius substantially as each bin reaches a position to receive a sheet from said sheet input region;

said transmission also including a worm, a worm gear engaged by said worm, and means coupling said worm gear to said carriage to move it up and down, and said transmission also includes means coupling said motor to said worm selectively through said substantially elliptical gears to move said carriage downwardly or through a transmission portion that bypasses said elliptical gears to move said carriage upwardly, whereby rapid acceleration of said carriage during indexing of the bins can be accomplished with a minimum of power.

7. Apparatus for collating sheets from a sheet feeding means, comprising:

a frame having an input opening for receiving sheets from the sheet feeding means, and having an output opening;

a carriage mounted for vertical movement on said frame;

a plurality of bins mounted on said carriage so they are vertically spaced from each other;

an overflow conveyor mounted above the uppermost of said bins, including a pair of rollers respectively adjacent to said input and output openings and a belt extending in a closed path about said rollers;

means for detecting sheets at said input openings;

means responsive to said detecting means for downwardly indexing said carriage so that said bins and then said overflow conveyor are successively positioned opposite saidinput opening; and

means for raising said carriage at a substantially constant speed, and then stopping it when the lowermost of said bins is positioned. opposite said input opening.

8. The apparatus described in claim 7 including:

a reproducing machine for making multiple copies of a document, said reproducing machine having a reproducing machine output positioned adjacent to said input opening of said frame to feed copies thereto, and having electrical signaling means which operate when the last of a group of multiple copies of one document passes through said reproducing machine output; and

drive means mounted in said frame and coupled to said signaling means and to said carriage for immediately moving said carriage upwardly to its uppermost position upon the operation of said signaling means.

Claims

1. Collating apparatus comprising: a frame having a sheet input region and a sheet output region; a carriage mounted for movement along said frame, said carriage defining a plurality of successively spaced positions including a first plurality of positions and a last position; a plurality of sheet-holding bins mounted on said carriage at said first plurality of positions, to successively receive sheets arriving at said sheet input region as said carriage moves along said frame; overflow conveyor means mounted on said carriage at said last position thereon to receive sheets from said input region after said bins have received sheets, for carrying sheets received from said sheet input region to said sheet output region; and means for moving said carriage along said frame.

2. Collating apparatus comprising: a frame having a sheet input region at a predetermined height, and having a sheet output region; a carriage; means mounting said carriage on said frame for substantially vertical movement thereon; a plurality of vertically spaced bins mounted on said carriage, for successive movement past said sheet input region; conveyor means mounted on said carriage above the uppermost of said bins for carrying sheets from said input region to said output region; and motor means including a transmission coupled to said carriage for moving it up and down, said transmission including a first portion activatable to lower said carriage with a variable speed so that it at least slows as each bin is near a position to receive a sheet from said input region and then accelerates, said first portion capable of lowering the carriage until the conveyor means is opposite the input region, and a second portion for raising said carriage to an uppermost position.

3. Apparatus for collating sheets from a sheet feeding means comprising: a frame having a sheet input region for receiving sheets from the sheet feeding means, and having a sheet output region; a carriage mounted for movement along said frame, said carriage defining a plurality of successively spaced positions including a first plurality of positions and a last position; a plurality of sheet-holding bins mounted on said carriage at said first plurality of positions, to successively receive sheets arriving at said sheet input region as said carriage moves along said frame; overflow conveyor means mounted on said carriage at said last position thereon to receive sheets from said input region after said bins have received sheets, for carrying sheets received from Said sheet input region to said sheet output region; means for moving said carriage along said frame, including motor means and a first transmission portion coupling the motor means to the carriage for selectively driving it; a rotary overflow drive member mounted on said frame at a predetermined location thereon; a rotary overflow driven member mounted on said carriage at a location for engaging and disengaging said drive member as said carriage is respectively moved to and away from a location where said overflow means is positioned to receive sheets from said sheet input region, and means connecting said driven member to said overflow conveyor means; and a second transmission portion coupling said motor means to said drive member to continuously rotate it.

4. Apparatus for collating sheets from a sheet feeding means comprising: a frame having a sheet input region for receiving sheets from the sheet feeding means, and having a sheet output region; a carriage mounted for movement along said frame, said carriage defining a plurality of successively spaced positions including a first plurality of positions and a last position; a plurality of sheet-holding bins mounted on said carriage at said first plurality of positions, to successively receive sheets arriving at said sheet input region as said carriage moves along said frame; overflow conveyor means mounted on said carriage at said last position thereon to receive sheets from said input region after said bins have received sheets, for carrying sheets received from said sheet input region to said sheet output region, said overflow conveyor means including a perforated belt and roller means for driving said belt in an endless path; air pump means having an intake positioned for coupling to said belt to draw air through said perforations, a pump motor coupled to said pump means to drive it, and switch means responsive to the position of said carriage for turning said pump motor on and off as said overflow conveyor means respectively reaches and moves away from a position to receive sheets from said sheet input region; and means for moving said carriage along said frame.

5. The apparatus described in claim 4 wherein: said overflow conveyor means includes means mounted on said carriage forming a vacuum chamber leading to said belt to draw air through said perforations thereinto, and first hose means mounted on said carriage, said hose means having a first end connected to said vacuum chamber and an open second end; and said air pump means is fixed to said frame so that it does not move with said carriage along said frame, and said air pump means includes second hose means having one end connected to said intake and a second end positioned to engage and disengage said second end of said first hose means as said overflow means respectively reaches and moves away from a position to receive sheets from said input region.

6. Apparatus for collating sheets from a sheet feeding means, comprising: a frame having a sheet input region for receiving sheets from the sheet feeding means; a carriage having a plurality of uniformly spaced bins; means for guiding said carriage on said frame in substantially vertical movement therealong so that said bins successively pass adjacent to said input region; a motor; and a transmission coupling said motor to said carriage to move it along said frame, said transmission including a pair of substantially elliptical gears mounted for one rotation at every movement of said carriage by a distance equal to the spacing of said bins along said carriage, a first of said gears driving a second of said gears to move said carriage, said first gear having a portion of smallest radius engaged with a portion of said second gear of greatest radius substantially as each bin reaches a position to receive a sheet from said sheet input region; said transmission also including a worm, a worm gear engaged by said worm, and meaNs coupling said worm gear to said carriage to move it up and down, and said transmission also includes means coupling said motor to said worm selectively through said substantially elliptical gears to move said carriage downwardly or through a transmission portion that bypasses said elliptical gears to move said carriage upwardly, whereby rapid acceleration of said carriage during indexing of the bins can be accomplished with a minimum of power.

7. Apparatus for collating sheets from a sheet feeding means, comprising: a frame having an input opening for receiving sheets from the sheet feeding means, and having an output opening; a carriage mounted for vertical movement on said frame; a plurality of bins mounted on said carriage so they are vertically spaced from each other; an overflow conveyor mounted above the uppermost of said bins, including a pair of rollers respectively adjacent to said input and output openings and a belt extending in a closed path about said rollers; means for detecting sheets at said input openings; means responsive to said detecting means for downwardly indexing said carriage so that said bins and then said overflow conveyor are successively positioned opposite said input opening; and means for raising said carriage at a substantially constant speed, and then stopping it when the lowermost of said bins is positioned opposite said input opening.

8. The apparatus described in claim 7 including: a reproducing machine for making multiple copies of a document, said reproducing machine having a reproducing machine output positioned adjacent to said input opening of said frame to feed copies thereto, and having electrical signaling means which operate when the last of a group of multiple copies of one document passes through said reproducing machine output; and drive means mounted in said frame and coupled to said signaling means and to said carriage for immediately moving said carriage upwardly to its uppermost position upon the operation of said signaling means.