US2964314A - Stacking device for cards or the like - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 13, 1960 M. FiEHL 2,964,314

STACKING DEVICE FOR CARDS OR THE LIKE Fild April 1'7, 195s 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 MICHAEL FIEHL yw /i it A TTORNE Y Dec. 13, 1960 M. FlEHL I 2,964,314

STACKING DEVICE FOR CARDS OR THE LIKE Filed April 17, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 13, 1960 M. FlEHL 2,964,314

STACKING DEVICE FOR CARDS OR THE LIKE Filed April 17, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG- 3 Dec. 13, 1960 t M. FIEHL STACKING DEVICE FOR CARDS OR THE LIKE Filed April 17, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 13, 1960 M. FlEHL 2,964,314

STACKING DEVICE FOR CARDS OR THE LIKE Filed April 17, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 THIS; 5-

' Dec. 13, 1960 M. FIEHL 2,964,314

STACKING DEVICE FOR CARDS OR THE LIKE Filed April 17, 1958 6. Sheets-Sheet G United States Patent 2,964,314 V STACKING DEVICE FoRoARns 0R ran LIKE Michael Fiehl, East Vestal, 'N.Y.,"as'signor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, -N.Y.,.a corporationof New .York I Filed Apr. 11, 1958, set. No. 729,193

21 Claims. (Cl. 271-86) This invention relatesto a stacking device and more particularly to a stacking device for cards or the like which are to be stacked on edge in a suitable receptacle from which they may be removed manually or otherwise for subsequent utilization. l

While not necessarily limited to business machines, the present invention is expected to have primary utility therein, and it is in this setting that it is being presented. In its broader aspects, however, a stacking device of the present. invention will ,have ,utility wherever edgewise stacking of cards or the like is a condition of operation.

As' is well known in the business machine art, it is customary to equip certain machines, such as sorters,

collators, etc., Withone or more stacking devices. In: general, .such stacking devices comprise a receptacle or pocket conveniently located relative to a card track or guideway along which cards can be transported. In one general type of stacking device, commonly termed a gravity or drop-type -stacker,'cards are fed from the card track and directed into the upper end of the receptacle within ming either from bent or warped cards, grossly misaligned cards affected by electrostatic charge'or attempts at man-.

ual removal by a'nattendant during the stacking operation. Heretofore, attempts to eliminate the problems Briefly stated, this invention provides an improved stacking device in which cards or the like are first dropped flatwise, rotated toward an edgewise position, and then dropped on edge in stacked array. The means for accomplishing this form of card stacking is essentially stationary and operates upon the cards within a receptacle within which cards are flatwise dropped. More specifically, a stationary support member is located within the receptacle to momentarily arrest the descent of flatwise dropped cards along one edge. A guide member spaced radially from the arresting support me mber co-acts therewith to produce a turning and edgewise dropping of the cards to the bottom of the receptacle. A. follower-type stack support member slidably mounted on the base of the receptacle sustains the edgewise dropped cards on edge and in stacked array. Pusher means located on the base of the receptacle operates to compress the stacked 7 cards. To enhance the edgewise dropping of the cards,

the pusher means also preferably includes means for vibrating the guide member.

In accordancewith another aspect of this invention,

the alignment of cards occurs during. the period of edgewise dropping of the cards tothe bottom of the recep- 1 structed permits reasonable reverse tilting, such as might be expected when manual removal of stacked cards istaele. For this purpose, stationary means in the form of a constriction is located within the receptacle, within the region where edgewise dropping occurs.

The inherent nature of the stacking device as conattempted without causing jamming of the device during the stacking operation. Opportunity. for jamming the stacker device during the course of stacking is even further reduced by providing card engaging stop means associated with alignment-and the handling of warped or bent cards have produced stacking devices which are unduly complicated and tend to reduce the speed at which plicated, consequently, limiting the speed at which stacking can be performe The present invention is concernedwith a gravity or dropftype stacker and has for its primary object the provision of an improved stacking device for cards or the like inherently capable of operating at increased stacking speeds. t

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved stacking device which is simple in construction and which is particularly suitable for stacking cards, particularly those which may be bent or warped, into reasonably good alignment without sacrificing speed in stacking.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved stacking device from'which stacked cards or the like may be removed manually by an attendant during the stacking operation with less than ordinary risk which prevents a reverse tilting of stacked cards into the path of successive edgewise dropping cards. In one em bodiment, the stop means is apivotal floating member,

suspended from the arrester support member and is deflectable in a forward direction by an upper edge of edge wise dropping cards. In'a second embodiment, the stop means is located on the sidewalls of the receptacle and preferably takes the form of integral tabs which are stag gered to provide for successive engagement of opposite, vertical edges of the edgewise dropping cards. p

In accordance with otheraspects of the present invention relating to the prevention of jamming, means is pro-' vided within the receptacle for damping twisting movements of cards efiected with electrostatic charge as they 7 pass through the dropping phase to the stack condition.

In general, damping is accomplished by means designed to operate on. the cards along one of the side edges thereof parallel to'the axis of turning. In a first embodiment, damping is effected by a damping member pivotallymounted on the cardarresting support member and is. so constructed as to be upwardly deflectable by the cards as they are fed into the receptacle and begin dropping fiatwise onto the card arrestingsupport member. Ina further embodiment, the damping member is operable to engage the card along the edge remote from the card arresting support member thereby arresting the movement of the card along the guide means.

the guide means is also preferably deflectable by the weight of a predetermined number of'cards so that cards Other objects of the invention will be pointedout inj the following description and claims and illustrated in the C Patented Dec- 13, 1960.

However, the opposite edge of the card is then free to move past the card 1 support member so as to drop to the stack support means; The damping member which is preferably mounted on accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of examples, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings;

' Fig. 1 is an elevation of a business machine which incorporates the stacking device of the present invention, details of construction of the machine being eliminated or otherwise simplified for purposes of clarity.

Fig. 2 is a side view showing of the card receptacle construction of Fig. 1 with a portion of one side wall cut away to expose details of inner construction.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the receptacle taken along section line 3--3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an isometric showing of the base member of the receptacle illustrating details of construction in the stack support and the pusher mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the receptacle construction.

Figs. 6 and 7 are schematic drawings of side elevations of card receptacles illustrating the movement of cards in passing through the receptacle to a stacked condition.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. l a business machine of a general type in which the stacking device of the present invention is expected to have utility. As shown, the machine includes a magazine 10 in which is contained a supply of cards 11 for processing. A picker knife 12 of any well-known type operated by suitably driven means through a linkage 13 feeds cards seriatim from the bottom of the magazine through throat 14 into a pair of feed rollers 15 and 16. From feed rollers 15v and 16 cards are advanced along a card track or guideway 17 to one or more stations where any one of several operations may be performed.

At a suitable location along card track 17, a compartment or receptacle 18 having vertical side walls 19 and 20 is suspended or placed to receive cards to be stacked. In accordance with this invention, the vertical side walls 19 and 20 are preferably flat side plates having their planes arranged parallel to each other and transverse to the direction of advance of cards from the card track.

In keeping with this invention, cards fed into the receptacle 18 are dropped on edge to a base member undergoing a turning motion in a radial manner within the vertical channel formed by the vertical side walls. For the purpose of feeding cards into receptacle 18, there is provided on the entrance side of the receptacle from which cards are advanced a set of feed rollers 70 and 21, and a tongue or chute blade 22 extending downwardly into the receptacle. Directly over the upper opening of the receptacle 18 and extending thereacross in a substantially horizontal plane is shear plate 23 underneath which is attached a bracket member 24.

While any means which provides for rapid deflection of cards into the upper end of receptacle 18 in a generally fiat-wise condition is within the contemplated scope of the present invention, the preferred means includes a shear plate 23 of the type described in application Serial No. 399,342 of L. A. Wilson and G. A. Luning, filed December 21, 1953. As there set forth, plate 23 is provided with a downwardly extending slant edge which forms a 45 angle with the body portion. Additionally, to obtain a rapid diverting of single or successive cards into receptacle 18, the plate is mounted so that its front edge forms an angle of approximately 10 with the leading edge of an oncoming card. Bracket 24 is provided to supplement the downward deflection of a card after it has advanced beyond the slant edge 25. Further details and advantages associated with the construction of plate 23 may be better under'stood by reference to the aforesaid application of Wilson et al.

Directly below the shear plate 23 to one side of recepta'cle 18 and extending transversely to the side walls thereof is a card arresting support member 26. While support member 26 may take various forms, it is preferably angled to present a shelf or ledge onto which one edge of cards dropping flatwise from shear plate 23 and associated elements can come to rest. In the form set forth in Fig. 6, support member 26 is L-shaped with the shelf portion being substantially horizontal as well as transverse to the side walls 19 and 20. In the form set forth in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7, support member 26 has a ledge portion which is slanted below the horizontal. In such form, cards dropped thereon move more freely around the edge, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

. Also positioned below shear plate 23 and associated card deflection elements and spaced radially from support member 26, is a guide means taking form of a guide plate member 27 which is preferably attached at its upper end in any suitable manner so as to be suspended within the receptacle 18. Guide plate member 27 in the embodiments illustrated extends transversely across the receptacle 18 and is contoured to provide a guide path extending generally downward into the receptacle along which cards are to be turned and then dropped edgewise from support member 26. It is one aspect of the guide plate member 27 that its upper portion 28 be contoured in a generally circular manner relative to an axis located along a vertical line passing through support member 26. The upper portion 28 which extends in a downwardly diverted circular arc which, in the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6, leads into a straight line portion 29 slanted towards the bottom of receptacle 18. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, the guide member may have an intermediate step portion 30 from which a downwardly extending slanted portion 31 extends.

' The base member onto which cards are dropped is located below the lower extremity of guide plate member 27 and takes the form of a pair of separated U-shaped bracket members 32 and 33 attached to the inner surfaces of side walls 19 and 20 and have their side legs extending inwardly toward each other to provide upper and lower track surfaces. Slidably mounted on the lower track surface is a stack support means comprising a block member 34 and a wire card retainer 35 extending upwardly through the separation between the bracket members. In the assembly, the stack support means provides for the wire retainer member 35 to be attached to one end of block 34 in such a manner that it extends upwardly and at an angle from the vertical in a direction away from the guide plate member 27. Attached to wire retainer 35 is a card retainer plate 36. loosely connected at its upper end to a bowed section of wire retainer 35 l and has its lower edge slidable on the upper track surface provided by bracket members 32 and 33. A spring member 37 anchored at one end to block member 34 and at the other to side wall 20 at 60 biases the stack support means assembly toward the plate guide member 27 from which dropped cards are to be caught and sustained on edge by wire retainer 35 and associated retainer plate 36.

Slidably mounted above block member '34 on the upper track portion afforded by bracket members 32 and 33 and located beneath guide plate member 27 is a pusher block 38 on which is mounted a follower wheel 39. A spring40 anchored at one end to a rod 41 extending from side walls 19 and 20 and at the other end to an extension 42 from pusher block 38 serves to bias the pusher block 38 in a direction away from guide plate member 27 so that a follower wheel 39 engages an eccentric cam 43 mounted on a suitable shaft 44 to be member 27 simultaneously with the compression of' dropped cards.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, there is shown in schematic form for clarity of illustration the manner in which cards are stacked within the stacking device of the PICS}.

26 acting together, the cards continue to fall freely turning a controlled amount about the shelf. The extent of turning is controlled largely by the arc-length of the circular portion 28 of guide plate member 27 and'the width ofthe shelf. However, in causing cards to be turnedin a radial manner, the length of arc is selected to assure that cards are essentially positioned on edge at which point the straight slant portion 29 acts to begin the vertical edgewise descent of cards to the base member. At an intermediate point in the straight slant portion 29, thec'ards will have descended sufiiciently to permit the'upper edge thereof to slide clear of the edge :of the shelf. In the preferred operatiomthe contours and slants have been selected so that the card at this point, while sliding clear ofthe shelf, is still slanted toward the stack support means located on the base member. By way of example, the arrangementand contour of a particular guide plate relative to an L-shaped support 26 wassuch that cards were caused to drop radially about 72 and when dropped to card retainer. 35 were stacked at an angle of about 18 from the vertical. Thus, at thepoint when cards clear the shelf, they are tilted so as to tend to fall onto wire retainer 35. As the cards drop ofi the end of guide plate member 27 to the base member, the falling action in the direction of tilt occurs, whereupon wire retainer 35 acts to catch and sustain the cards on edge and in stacked array. Because the cards are on edge and tilted toward the side opening in receptaclelS, manual removal may be effected relatively easily. 7 a

It, is to be observed, as shown in Fig. 6, that as the successive cards are dropped at a highspeed into the receptacle 18, they do not actually become arrested immediately by the support member but are essentially arrested by the side edge of the preceding cards which are being supported by the support member 26 and which are already in the process of turning toward the vertical edgewise drop position. This serves to demonstrate the inherent operativelatitude permitting removal of cards during the stacking operation. If during such removal, cards in thestack are reverse tilted or the cards at the point of drop-off are prevented from dropping to the base member, theradially turning cards instead of becoming jammed continueturning about the new edge presented by preceding cards as they pile up at the temporary stack position. This aspect of the stacking device of the present invention further points up the fact that considerable latitude is permitted in locating the support member 26 vi s-a-vis guide plate member 27. Thus, the problem of handling bent and warped cards is essentially solved. Even warped and bent cards have no difiiculty turning about the, edge provided by support member 26 or'the edge of preceding cards.

'Essentially, the same inherent characteristics are to be found in the embodiments of which Fig.7 is a schematic illustration. .There, however, it will be seen that the shelf is slanted downwardly and each successive card is For this purpose, a constriction is introduced into the verticalchannel. Thus, cards dropping ofi shelf of supportmember 26 undergo an aligning' action, along their vertical edges. The aligning action continues during the interval of dropping onto the wire retainer 35. In addif tion to aligning, the constriction means also serves an additional function to prevent twisting of cards about a vertical axis. a In the preferred form, the constriction means is an embossed surface 47 on the inner surface of sidewall 20. By proper dimensioning of the con-' striction means and its relatedchannel portion, the essentially free falling nature of the card is not seriously modi- Referring'to Figs. 2 and 5, anothe r aspect'of this in vention is illustrated.- Although the antijamming characteristics are inherently good in the embodiments already discussed, they are further improved by providing positive stop means in the receptacle channel. In the embodiment of Fig. 5, stop means takes'the form of a flipper member 48, deflectable in one direction to permit the upper edge of the edgewise descending cards to pass to the wire retainer 35. As, the cards continue their descent to the base member and theirfalling movement into stacked arrayagainst wire retainer 35, the 'upper. edge advances past the deflectable flipper 48 whichis adapted to return to its original downwardly extending position via rotation aboutsuitable pivot 49. Where the rate of stacking involves the high rate of speed, it will be appreciated that the flipper 48' should bemade essen-. tially" fioat'ing' in order that rapidly successive deflecting actions do not oppose free-falling of the cards into the stacked condition. 7

Another aspect of antijamming maybe seen by referring to Figs. 2 and 3. There illustrated are positive stop means inthe form :of integral tabs 50 and 51 extending fromopposite side walls 19 and 20 of the receptacle. It will be observed that the tabs are so arranged as to be staggered, thus assuring that the freely falling cards will pass therethrough toward retainer35 In, passing through the edgewise dropping and falling stages, the cards are successively engaged along opposite'vertical edges by the tabs. By placing tabs 51 on the same side wall as the constricting means'47, additional aligning action can be realized. The protruding edges of tabs 50 and5 1 of course act to engage the'cardsl along their vertical edges to prevent reversed tiltingo f'the stack beyond the degree which would seriously afiec't'the' dropping of subsequent cards. 1 It has been found that where a single'ca rd or successive cards are slowly. fed into the receptacle, the possibility of misalignment of cards atthe base can beappreciable when electrostatic charge is present. This condition, while not entirely fully understood, is considered to exist by virtue of the' certain amount of twisting and flopping action that the card can experience from the time of flatwise dropping to the point-of being sustainedby wire retainer 35. Where. high speed stacking is performed, this condition more or less is not serious, due to the action of successive cards on each other.- However, the last-card. may besubject to the same undesirabletwist ing action andsubsequent misalignment that is found where a single card is being, dropped into receptacle 18.: This invention provides for the correction of this condition by suitable damping meansf In the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the dampingmeans'comprises a floating member 52 pivotally mounted on 53 so as to rest on the. upper surface of support member 26. An upward extending tab 54 at the forward end'of the member '52 acts to beengaged by the lead edge of cards fed into receptacle 18 from'roller 70 and 21, and, as cards pass into' the receptacle, the upwardly deflected floating member 52 rests 'on the upper surface thereof tending to damp any twisting or flopping motions likely to be present in the card at the time of flatwise droppingthrough'the period of turning radially toward the vertical edgewise condition when vertical edgewise dropping occurs.

In another embodiment as shown in' Figs. 2 and 3, damping of the twisting actions occurs on the edge of the card brought into contact with the guide plate member 27. For that reason, a card arrester in the form of a pair of spring fingers 55 located at an intermediate position on the guide plate member 27, preferably at the point where the card to be arrested, has or can drop edgewise from support member 26. In the preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the finger arrester 55 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 56 attached to the underside of guide plate member 27. A light spring 57 anchored to bracket 56 biases the finger arrester 55 above its pivot. Openings 58' and 59 in guide plate member 27 permit the finger arrester 55 to extend therethrough to engage cards moving across the upper surface of the guide plate member 27. In operation, the bias spring 57 is strong enough to arrest and hold more than one card at the intermediate location. By arresting cards in the step portion 30 of the guide plate member 27, the upper edge of the cards are permitted to drop off the support member 26 to fall onto card wire retainer 35. In this state, the cards are at rest and twisting actions have been effectively damped. In addition, several successively fed cards are arrestable in the intermediate position before their weight causes finger arrester 55 to be deflected downwardly. The collected cards then are freed to slide 01f the end of the guide plate member 31 into the stack. A group of cards thus dropped act upon each other to inhibit undesirable twisting actions which cause misalignment.

While the finger arrester 55 has operated successfully to overcome twisting misalignment of single cards or a number of cards which are fed at relatively slow speeds, it is also effective where a high rate of stacking is desired in which case the finger arrester 55 acts to successively arrest and release cards on opposite sides of the stack which accumulates at the intermediate position. In this condition of operation, the finger arrester 55 is essentially operating while in a biased floating condition.

In all of the various embodiments illustrated, when the cards are dropped to the base member from the end of guide plate member 27, pusher block 38 acting under power supplied by the motive means including cam 43, operates to advance the cards along the base member into compressed stacked array. Simultaneously, the guide plate member 27 is vibrated by intermittent engagement between embossment 46 and wheel 45.

Thus, it is seen that an improved stacking device for cardsor the like has been provided which is capable of operating relatively free from jamming and at a high rate of speed. It is also believed clear that a stacking device has been provided which is inherently simple in construction.

' While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the. form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A stacking device for cards or the like comprising a receptacle having a base member and parallel side walls forming a vertical card receiving channel, means for feeding successive cards edgewise to said receptacle, means for diverting successive. cards into said channel. and edgewise against one of said side walls so as to cause said cards to be successively dropped flatwise. into said channel, support means within, and to one side of said channel transverse to an opposing pair of said side. walls. for successively arresting momentarily the: descent:

ofa corresponding one edge of each ofsaid cards, guide means within said channel spaced radially from said support means and co-acting therewith to produce successive turning and edgewise descent of successive cards to said base member, and stack support means for sustaining successively dropped cards on edge in stacked array on said base member.

2. A stacking device for cards or the like as defined in claim 1 wherein means is provided within said receptacle for periodically compacting said edgewise dropped cards against said stack support means in timed relation with the edgewise dropping of said cards onto said base member.

3. A stacking device as defined in claim 2 wherein said compacting means includes means for periodically pushing said edgewise dropped cards against said stack support means and means for vibrating said guide' member.

4. A stacking device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said compacting means comprises a reciprocating member slidably mounted on said base member, and motive means mounted on said receptacle for reciprocating said member in timed sequence with the edgewise dropping of cards onto said base member.

5. A stacking device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said motive means includes an eccentric cam rotatable upon a shaft, a follower mechanism supportedly mounted on said reciprocating member and means for biasing said reciprocating member into engagement with said eccentric cam.

6. A stacking device in accordance with claim 1 in which said support means is movably mounted on said base member and pushing means is provided for intermittently compressing said dropped cards and advancing said compressed cards and said stack support means along said base member.

1 7. A device for stacking cards or the like comprising means including a base member and side walls forming a receptacle having communicating vertical and lateral channel portions, means for flatwise drop feeding cards into said vertical channel portion, a support member within said vertical channel portion for arresting momentarily the descent of one edge of said dropped cards, guide means within said vertical channel portion and coacting with said support means to produce a turning and edgewise dropping of cards onto said base member, support means movably mounted on said base member for sustaining dropped cards on edge on said base member, and means within said receptacle for pushing said cards intermittently so as to cause them to be advanced in tightened stacked array into said lateral portion.

8. A stacking device in accordance with claim 7 wherein constricting means is provided along one side wall within said vertical channel portion for vertical edge aligning said cards as they are dropped edgewise onto said base member. 9. A stacking device in accordance with claim 7 in which stop means is provided in the region of edgewise dropping to prevent'reverse tilting of said stack cards into said vertical channel portion. 7

10. A stacking device in accordance with claim 9 in which said stop means is pivotally mounted on said support member.

11. A stacking device in accordance with claim 9 in which said stop means are integral tabs extending inwardly from opposite side walls into said vertical channel portions.

- 12. A stacking device as set forth in claim. 11 in. which said stop means are staggered: so as to contact successively opposite vertical edges of said edgewise dropping cards.

13. A stacking device for cards or the like comprising a receptacle having a vertical card receiving channel and a base member at the bottom thereof, means for' dropping. cards: flatwise into said. channel, card support. means located within said channel for arresting momentarily the descent of one edge of said dropping cards, guide means within said receptacle spaced radially from and cooperable with said card support means to produce a turning and edgewise dropping of said cards onto said base member, and means within said receptacle for supporting said edgewise dropped cards on edge on said base member.

14. A stacking device as set forth in claim 13 in which said support means is a shelf member having a horizontal portion extending transversely to said side walls and generally towards said guide member said horizontal portion of said shelf member operating to support the underside of said cards along said one edge.

15. A stacking device as set forth in claim 14 in which a damping member is provided on said shelf member and being deflectable upwardly on said shelf member by impact with the leading edge of cards fed to said receptacle.

16. A stacking device for cards or the like as defined in claim 13 wherein said guide means is stepped at an intermediate location to cause edgewise dropping of said cards from said support member, and means located at said intermediate location for arresting said cards along said guide member whereby said cards are caused to be rotatably dropped in canted condition onto said support means, said card arresting means being defiectable by weight of a predetermined number of cards arrested thereby to produce a further dropping of said arrested cards onto said base member.

17. A stacking device as set forth in claim 13 in which said guide means comprises a plate member having an upper curved portion leading into a straight portion extending downwardly toward said base member, said curved portion and said straight portion being cooperable with said card arresting support means to successively produce a turning and edgewise dropping of said cards to said base member.

18. A stacking device as set forth in claim 13 in which damping means is provided within said channel operable for engaging a surface of said cards coincidentally with said turning and edgewise dropping of said cards by said support means and said guide means.

19. A stacking device as set forth in claim 18 in which said support means comprises a horizontal shelf member and said damping means is a plate member movably mounted on said shelf member and adapted to engage the upper surface of said cards proximate the edge supported by said shelf member.

20. A stacking device as set forth in claim 18 in which said guide means is a guide plate member adapted to guide an edge of said cards turning about said support means and said damping means is a damping member mounted on said guide plate member adapted to interrupt temporarily the movement of said edge of said cards along said guide member.

21. A stacking device as set forth in claim 8 in which tabs are provided on the inner surface of said sidewalls, said tabs extending into said vertical channel portion, said tabs being staggered along the path of movement of said edgewise dropped cards so as to successively contact opposite vertical side edges thereof, said tab last to contact said vertical side edge of said card being located on the same sidewall as said constricting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,755,884 Lowd Apr. 22, 1930 1,991,511 Lyman et al. Feb. 19, 1935 2,124,858 Marchand July 26, 1938 2,797,920 Davy et al. July 2, 1957

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