GB2265360A - Document stacker - Google Patents

Abstract

Documents, e.g. processed cheques, are selectively fed into trays 26 (only one shown), e.g. according to their bank of origin. The documents pass along a track 22 and are diverted by a respective pivoting track sections into respective trays to add to the stacks already in the trays. Each tray is releasably securable by means 76 to a tray support 46. When a tray is full, mechanism (figure 6) releases fastening 76, removes the tray and replaces it with an empty one. <IMAGE>

Description

DEMOUNTABLE DOCUMENT STACKER The present invention relates to document processing apparatus. It relates to the field of document processing apparatus where documents are automatically read, data extracted therefrom, and on a basis of that data are distributed to one or more distribution bins, otherwise known as stackers. The present invention particularly relates to such stackers.

Document processing apparatus is much used in the processing of cheques, money orders and the like.

Processed cheques are distributed among stackers to be returned to their bank of origin. Each document processing machine is manned by an operator. The function of the operator is to type in uncertain characters that have been read, and otherwise service the machine. When a stacker becomes full, it is necessary for the operator to leave her post, take the cheques or documents from the stacker, and put them in secondary storage for later physical transmission. This means that the document processing apparatus is temporarily unmanned, is stopped and thus loses productivity. In a high volume environment, this may mean the difference between having addition machines and not. Further, the lifting and carrying of a loose stack or bundle of documents can result in its being dropped or otherwise disorganised, necessitating specialized further reprocessing to regain its order.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to the dilemma.

The present invention consists in a document stacker system wherein documents are assembled, one by one, into a stack in a repository, said repository comprising: a document transport, selectably operable to divert a document into said repository and comprising a plurality of paper moving elements, cooperative to assemble a stack of documents; a removeable tray; a tray support operative to support and locate said tray; reversible tray locking means selectably operable to assume a locked position to hold said tray on said support or to assume an open position to release said tray; where said tray comprises a plurality of apertures for said plurality of paper moving elements to gain access to the interior of said tray for a stack of documents to be assembled therein; and where said tray is removeable to be replaced by another, like tray.

The present invention also provides that the tray may be automatically removed, when full, by a stack picker for replacement and automatic transfer to secondary storage, using a stack picker assembly having a picker arm positionable, over a predetermined volume, in three dimensions.

The present invention is further described, by way of an example, by the following description, taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded schematic view of a document processing machine according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows the rear stacker module of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the general items of the rear stacker module of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows an exploded view of the document transport mechanism of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a cut-away view of a tray in place and Figure 6 shows details of the stack picker assembly of Figure 1 Figure 1 shows a semi exploded view of a document processing apparatus according to the present invention.

An input tray 10 receives documents to be processed, such as cheques or money orders. The input tray feeds individual documents, one by one, into an input document path 12 where automatic apparatus reads data from the documents into a computer, held within an operator console 14. Documents are stopped at a stop-and-display station 16 where an operator, viewing data, read from the document, on a fixed display 18 can correct any errors using a keyboard 20. Having been processed, the documents continue on an output document track 22 to a rear stacker 24 to be distributed among a plurality of trays 26. When each tray 26 is full, this is sensed and the computer commands a stack picker assembly 28 to lift the individual trays 26 and move them along a transport rail 30 to a secondary storage rack 32. The stack picker assembly 28 then replaces the removed tray 26 with a fresh tray.

Figure 2 shows, from an opposite perspective, the rear stacker 24 of Figure 1. An incoming document 34 enters along the output document track 22 to be sent and distributed by a document transport mechanism 36 among a plurality of trays 26. The document transport mechanism 36 comprises means for selecting a document to go into a particular tray. Which tray is selected depends upon the data which has been read from the document 34 at the operator console 14.

Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the elements of Figure 2. A drive motor 38 drives an endless belt 40 around pulleys 42 which, in turn, rotate corresponding drive shafts 44 which, when assembled, empower the document transport mechanism 36.

A base plate 46 comprises tray guides 48, adapted to accept a tray 26 there-between. Pegs 50 are adapted to engage a tray 26 between the tray guides 48 to define the limit of travel of the tray 26. The tray 26 rests on the base plate 46 between the tray guides 48 in abutment with the pegs 50.

Figure 4 shows a detailed, exploded view of a part of the document transport mechanism 36 associated with a particular tray 26.

Shaft 44 engages and turns a track drive roller 52 which engages a document 34 with is peripheral edge to move it along the output document track 22. The track drive roller 52 in turn drives, by means of a coupling belt 54 a pocket drive roller 56 on a pivotal track wall 58 which can be selectively pivoted by means of a rotary solenoid 60 to deflect a document, under control from the computer in the operator console 14, to deflect a document 34 into a particular tray 26, or not.

In this way documents are distributed among the trays 26.

In the event that a document 34 is not deflected into a tray 26, an intermediate drive roller 62, again driven by the endless belt 40, transports the document 34 onto a succeeding tray 26.

Idler wheels 64 press against driven wheels 62, 56 to grip a document 34 there-between for its transportation and/or deflection.

A pull-in roller 66 assists to drive a document 34 into a tray and an auger drive coupling 68 drives an auger (later described) to assure proper entry of the document 34 into a tray. The auger drive shaft 68 is supported. on an auger support bearing 70, as will later become clear, to provide access beneath tray 26. A forming roller assembly 72 presses against the track drive roller 52 in order to provide a slight bow on the document 34 to give it added rigidity for its insertion into a stacker of documents 34 in a tray 26. A side wall assembly 74 provides for angled entry of a document 34 into a tray 26.

Figure 5 shows a semi cut-away view of the assembly of Figure 4, on the base plate 46 with a tray 26 in place.

The tray 26 sits between a pair of tray guides 48 on the base plate 46. A tray locking mechanism 76, of a type well known in the art, employs a lever, angularly moveable between a locked and an open position, to lock the tray 26 in place on the base plate 46. Figure 5 shows the locking mechanism 76in the closed position. The lever 76 is flipped through ninety degrees for release of the tray 26. An auger 78, being part of the tray 26, protrudes through an auger aperature 80 in the leading edge 82 of the tray 26. It is to be understood that the auger 78 could equally be pary of the document transport mechanism 36, and be permanently affixed to the auger drive coupling 68. A flag transport slot 84, in the base of the tray 26, supports an integral flag 86 which supports a stack of documents 34 (shown in cut-away view) in the tray 26.Integral with the tray is a guide bearing 88 on a flag support shaft 90 to guide the flag 86 along the flag transport slot 84.

If the rotary solenoid 60 (Figure 4) is not energized, a document 34 automatically enters the tray 26. If the solenoid 60 is energized, a document carries on along the path 22 to enter a tray, further along the output document track 22.

The computer in the operator console 14 may keep track of whether a tray is full or not by counting the number of documents diverted thereto. Alternatively, a sensor aperture 92 may be provided in the base of the tray 26 to allow an optical sensor to determine when the stack of documents 34 has reached a predetermined point where the tray 26 is full.

Figure 6 shows the stack picker assembly 28 of Figure 1. A vertical guide pillar 94 supports a picker arm 96 comprising an advanceable and retractable picker arm shaft 98 supporting, at its distal end, a picker assembly 100. A picker motor 102 rotates a picker activating shaft 104 to cause a picker finger 106, selectably, either to be distant from or contact a picker support plate 108. The picker support plate 108 is adapted to grip a side wall 111 (shown in Figure 5) of the tray 26. An extension and retraction motor 110 is selectably operable, by the computer at the operator console 14, to cause extension or retraction of the picker arm shaft 98.

The picker arm 96 is moved, up and down the vertical guide pillar 94, by a vertical motion motor 112 which is selectably operable to move the picker arm 96 to a vertical position, selectable under control of the computer in the operator console 14.

The entire vertical guide pillar is supported on bearing rollers 114 to be moveable along the transport rail 30 by a horizontal movement motor 116.

The entire assembly is powered via a flexible strip cable 118 which furls and unfurls as the vertical guide pillar 94 moves along the transport rail 30.

In operation, when it is sensed that a tray 26 is full, the vertical guide pillar is moved adjacent to the tray which is to be removed. The picker arm shaft 98 is advanced and either the picker finger 106 or the picker support plate 108 brought, in first movement sequence, down to contact a first side of the lever 76 to move the lever of the tray locking mechanism 76 into an open position. Thereafter the picker finger 106 is moved definitively to be distant from the picker support plate 108 and the picker arm shaft 98 retracted. The picker arm 96 is then raised. The picker arm 96 is then lowered and the picker finger 106 brought towards engagement with the picker support plate 108. This grips the side wall 111 of the tray 26. The picker arm 96 is then raised, and the vertical guide pillar assembly 94 moved along the transport rail 30 to deposit the tray 26 into the secondary storage area 32 (shown in Figure 1).

Having deposited a full tray 26, by an exactly similar movement, the stack picker assembly 28 selects an empty tray, and transports it back whence it came.

The empty tray is placed on the base plate 46 and advanced onto the pegs 50. Thereafter, in a second movement sequence the picker arm 96 flips the lever 76, of the locking mechanism 76 into the locked position.

Thus, a constant supply of empty trays may be provided without intervention by the operator.

Equally, the trays 26 may be removed and replaced manually, the operator working the locking mechanism 76. The stack of documents is then safely contained, in the tray 26, still held by the flag 86, for transportation.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS:

1. A document stacker system wherein documents are assembled, one by one, into a stack in a repository, said repository comprising: a document transport, selectably operable to divert a document into said repository and comprising a plurality of paper moving elements, cooperative to assemble a stack of documents; a removeable tray; a tray support operative to support and locate said tray; reversible tray locking means selectably operable to assume a locked position to hold said tray on said support or to assume an open position to release said tray; where said tray comprises a plurality of apertures for said plurality of paper moving elements to gain access to the interior of said tray for a stack of documents to be assembled therein; and where said tray is removeable to be replaced by another, like tray.

2. A system according to claim 1 comprising a stack picker assembly, selectably operable to execute a tray replacement operation which comprises the steps of: releasing said tray locking means; grasping said tray; removing said tray from said support; transporting said tray to secondary storage rack; picking up a replacement tray from said secondary storage rack; transporting said replacement tray to said support; placing said replacement tray on said support; and operating said tray locking means to hold said replacement tray on said support.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein said stack picker assembly comprises a picker arm, locatable, within a predetermined volume, in three dimensions.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein said picker arm comprises, at its distal end, a picker support plate and an opposed picker finger; said picker finger being selectably moveable from an open position, distant from said picker support plate, to a closed position, in abutment with said picker support plate, to grasp an object there-between.

5. A system, according to claim 4 wherein said picker finger and said picker support plate are adapted and cooperative to grasp a side wall of a tray.

6. A system according to any of claims 3 to 5 wherein said tray locking means comprises an operating lever and wherein said picker arm is positionable to engage said operating lever; said picker arm then being selectably operable to execute a first movement sequence to move said operating lever for said locking means to go from said open position to said closed position; or said picker arm being then selectably operable to execute a second movement sequence to move said operating lever for said locking means to go from said closed position to said open position.

7. A system according to any of claims 3 to 6 wherein said picker assembly comprises: a guide pillar for supporting said picker arm along a first axis; first axis positioning means, selectably operable to move and position said picker arm at a selectable position, within a first predetermined range, on said first axis; a transport rail, disposed along a second axis, at ninety degrees to said first axis, operative to support said picker arm along said second axis; second axis positioning means, selectably operable to move and position said picker arm at a selectable position, within a second predetermined range, on said second axis; and a shaft, disposed along a third axis, at ninety degrees both to said first axis and to said second axis, for supporting said picker arm along said third axis; and third axis positioning means, selectably operable to move and position said picker arm at a selectable position, within a third predetermined range, on said third axis.

8. A system, substantially as described, with reference to the appended drawings.