GB2145066A - Apparatus for sorting photocopies - Google Patents

Abstract

Mechanism for separating sheet-receiving trays (33) of a sorter for photocopy machines, comprises a plurality of drive cams (26) each slidable up and down on its own drive shaft (51), and each having a helical slot (49) on its outer surface, and which rotate as the shafts (51) are rotated so that the trays (33) are moved up or down as the cams rotate, by means of trunnions (40) on the trays engaging the cam slot (49). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for sorting photocopies The present invention relates to apparatus for sorting photocopies.

Apparatus and processes for producing photocopies are well known in the art, and the art is also well-developed with regard to devices for receiving, stacking and sorting the sheets as they are discharged from the photocopy machine. U.S. Patents Nos. 3,721,435, 4,203,587, 3,788,640 and 3,774,902 are relevant, as is copending Application No.

8038506.

In the sorting and stacking devices of the prior art, however, the trays which receive the sheets generaily move so that the paper entry point (i.e., the discharge point from the machine) is always the same. Such devices are complicated, because they require that the entire stack of trays be movable.

In accordance with the present invention a sheet sorter includes a plurality of sheet-receiving trays, at least two trunions on each tray, at least two rotatable drum-cams, each in operative juxtaposition to a trunion, a slot in each cam-surface, a rotatable shaft for each cam, each cam having a central hole to receive a shaft, said cams being slidable on their respective shafts and arranged to rotate in unison with the shaft, said trays being separated by said cams and movable to positions above and below the cams as the shafts are rotated, and as a trunion is engaged in a cam-surface slot.

In the present invention, a relatively fixed stack of trays provides the advantage that virtually the entire vertical height of the sorter can be used for a supply of trays and, therefore, increase the number of sheets which can be handled at a given time. At any one moment, one tray will be wide open to receive a sheet of paper discharged from the copy machine, and the trays need not be in alignment with the discharge chute of the copier. All the other trays will be in their compressed spacing.

The central holes of the drum-cams may be irregularly shaped (i.e., square or star-shaped or any shape other than circular), and arranged to slide up and down on a similarly shaped shaft. Under these circumstances, the cams rotate as the shafts rotate, but the cam can slide along the length of the shaft. Each cam may have a helical cam-surface slot. The trunions, which may be affixed to the sides of the paper-receiving trays, follow in the slots of the cams as the cams and shafts rotate. This causes a separation between the trays immediately above and below the cams while keeping ail the rest of the trays stacked adjacent to the aforementioned pair of trays.

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example and not by way of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a sorter of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a detailed view of the stack of trays, a pair of cams and the paper conveyor; Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of a cam shown in operative juxtaposition to the trunions of the paper-receiving trays; Fig. 4 is a top fragmentary view of a pair of cams and one of the paper-guiding rollers; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the cams showing the trunion-guiding groove therein; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the trays.

In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings and firstly to Fig. 1, a photocopier 1 5 has a discharge port 1 6 through which a sheet of paper passes from the photocopier.

The sheet is discharged through the guides 1 7 and 18, past the paper switch 1 9 between the rollers 20 and 21, which, with the rollers 22 and 23, guide the elastic belts 24 and 25.

The rollers 22 and 23 are guided in appropriate slots 22a in the side frame and move up and down with the helical cams 26 so that the paper sheet discharged from the copy machine will be guided by the elastic belts 24 and 25 between the rollers 22 and 23 into the gap (between the paper-receiving trays) created by the positioning of the tray 27 (above the cam 26) and the tray 28 (below the cam 26).

The belts 24 and 25 are elastic and stretch between their respective guide rollers, as the rollers 22 and 23 rise or fall in the guide slots 22a.

Referring now to Fig. 6, one sees a tray 33 having a generally flat portion 34 and shaped wings 35 and 36.

The paper is discharged into the tray in the direction shown by the arrow 37 with the leading edge of the paper extending beyond the wings 35 and 36. The wings 35 and 36 give the sheet a siight curvature and provide a stiffening effect and prevent the paper from drooping beyond the outermost ends of the wings 35 and 36. The flat portion 34 has a lip 38 which prevents the paper from sliding rearwardly after it is discharged into the tray.

Also disposed on the lip 38 are a pair of trunions 39 and 40 which are guided in slots 29 and 30.

At the outcrmost ends of the wings 35 and 36 are pads 60 which are thicker than the material of the wings so as to separate the trays as-shown in Fig. 1. The lowermost pair of pads 60 on the lowermost tray rest on supports 61. The size and shape of the pads 60 and the location of the support 61 ensure that the trays above the cams 26 are generally horizontal.

The force of gravity tends to rotate the trays 33 in the clockwise direction as shown in Fig.

1, thus causing the outer ends of the trays to stack up on the pads 60 on top of the support 61.

It is to be understood that the disposition of the slots 29, the trunions 39 and 40, the pads 60, and the support 61 can be such that the upper trays may be disposed horizontally (as shown) or inclined either upwardly or downwardly, if desired.

With reference now to Fig. 5, it can be seen that each of the cams has a slot 49 which engages a respective trunion. In addition, the cams have a square (or other noncircular shape) central hole 50 through which a shaft 51 fits. A gear or similar drive mechanism 52 at one end of the shaft 51 causes the shaft to rotate, thus causing the attached cam to rotate. When the cam slot 49 engages a trunion (as the shaft 51 rotates in one direction), it will engage the trunion on the tray directly beneath the cam and move the trunion and tray upwardly. When the shaft rotates in the other direction, it will engage the trunions on the tray directly above the cam and move that tray downwardly.

During such rotation of the shafts 51, the cams either "crawl" up or down the shafts, depending upon the respective rotation of the shaft.

As can be seen particularly in Fig. 2, the trays are spaced by the larger diameter of the trunions on the tray-side of the frame, thus providing the proper separation of the trays, while yet providing the proper diameter of the trunion to engage the slot 49 and the respective cam.

As is also seen in Fig. 2, the outer ends of the upper trays can be lifted to permit access to the contents of the trays.

The drive mechanism for the respective elements is not shown in detail, but in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the driver rollers 20 and 21 can be separately driven by motor elements (not shown) within the housing of the sorter.

With reference to Fig. 4, the trunion 39 is shown in juxtaposition with its respective cam 26 and a yoke 54 rests upon the upper surface of the cam. Thus the pair of guide rolls 22 and 23 move up and down with the rise and fall of the cams and the sheet of paper is always discharged into the gap between the trays 27 and 28.

Although the distance between the rollers 22 and 23 changes in respect to the rollers 20 and 21, the elasticity of the belts 24 and 25 accommodates such change and the paper is always discharged directly into the gap between the trays 27 and 28.

Although the groove in the cams is shown as having but one revolution of a fixed pitch groove, in reality this will be a more sophisticated cam shape having a sine curve. It is also to be understood that the curve could be more or less than one revolution, as is desired in the actual construction.

Understandably, both of the shafts 51 are driven at the same time so as to rotate the cams 26 to transfer a tray from an upper to a lower position, or from a lower to an upper position depending upon the direction of rotation. During the operation, the helical cams slide vertically on the square posts, their location being controlled by a stack of trays either above or below the cams.

A positive driving action is provided separating the trays in a stack of trays to provide an opening to receive each sheet discharged from the photocopying machine.

Claims (9)

1. A sheet-sorter including a plurality of sheet-receiving trays, at least two trunions on each tray, at least two rotatable drum-cams, each in operative juxtaposition to a trunion, a slot in each cam-surface, a rotatable shaft for each cam, each cam having a central hole to receive a shaft, said cams being slidable on their respective shafts and arranged to rotate in unison with the shaft, said trays being separated by said cams and movable to positions above and below the cams as the shafts are rotated, and as a trunion is engaged in a cam-surface slot.

2. The sheet-sorter of claim 1 wherein the cams cause a gap to be formed between those trays above the cams and those trays below the cams, as the cams are rotated.

3. The sheet-sorter of claim 2 including sheet-feeding means to guide a sheet into the gap.

4. The sheet-sorter of claim 3 wherein the sheet-feeder includes an upper elastic belt and a lower elastic belt, each belt travelling around an in-feed roller and an out-feed roller, the in-feed rollers being disposed in fixed position, the out-feed rollers being movable in unison with the cams so that the sheet discharged from between the said out-feed roller is in alignment with the said gap.

5. The sheet-sorter of claim 2, 3 or 4 wherein all the trays are pivotable about their trunions to provide access to space between said trays.

6. The sheet-sorter of any preceding claim further including spacers at the outer end of each tray, said spacers being arranged to rest upon each other and upon a support means whereby to create sheet-receiving spaces between the trays.

7. A sheet-sorter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

7. A sheet sorting machine comprising a frame structure, plurality of trays in said frame structure arranged in a stack and having laterally spaced trunnions projecting from opposite sides of said trays at an inner end thereof, said trays being pivotally mounted one on the other at their outer ends, rotary travelling tray opening means engaged with said trunnions and operably to engage and space the inner ends of adjacent trays and to move from tray to tray in response to rotative engagement thereof with said trunnions, said travelling tray opening means including a pair of cams at opposite sides of said frame structure, and means for driving said cams while allowing them to travel on said trunnions.

8. A sheet sorting machine as claimed in claim 7, including a sheet infeed leading to said trays and movable with said travelling tray opening means.

9. A sheet-sorter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.