US3776545A

US3776545A - Unitary ledger feeder and stacker with refeed from a stacker hold position

Info

Publication number: US3776545A
Application number: US00268579A
Authority: US
Inventors: H White
Original assignee: Burroughs Corp
Current assignee: Unisys Corp
Priority date: 1972-07-03
Filing date: 1972-07-03
Publication date: 1973-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 1990-12-04
Also published as: BE801213A; JPS5623901B2; GB1402374A; JPS4965300A; FR2191790A5; DE2329379A1

Abstract

A unitary ledger handling device is provided for ready and convenient attachment to the forms handling mechanism of an accounting machine or the like, the accounting machine being effective for readably and writably processing ledger-type documents as well as for printably recording transactions on fanfold or continuous journal paper. The device includes a hopper compartment into which the documents to be processed are manually deposited, a stacker compartment into which completely processed documents are automatically advanced, and a document hold position disposed contiguously downstream of the stacker compartment where partially processed documents are stored pending the generation of data to be recorded in summary thereon. Means are provided within the unitary device for automatically feeding documents singly from the hopper compartment to the processing station of the accounting machine, for automatically advancing partially and fully processed documents from the processing station to the document hold position and to the stacker compartment, respectively, and for recallably feeding partially processed documents from the document hold position to the processing station to complete the processing thereof.

Description

[ UNITARY LEDGER FEEDER AND STACKER WITH REFEED FROM A STACKER HOLD POSITION [75] Inventor: Howard P. White, Livonia, Mich.

[731 Assignee: Burroughs Corporation, Detroit,

Mich.

22 Filed: July 3, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 268,579

[52] US. Cl 271/4, 271/87, 271/116, 271/163 [51] Int. Cl. B65h 1/14, B65h 31/06 [58] Field of Search 271/4, 3, DIG. 9, 271/5-7, 10, 87, 86, 61, 62 B, 39, 36, 163; 214/7 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,672,664 6/1972 Santirocco et al 27l/3 2,351,854 6/1944 Hall 271/4 3,669,444 6/ I972 Van Namen 271/3 3,704,793 12/1972 Nicol et al. 214/7 3,630,515 12/1971 Knapp 271/4 3,032,338 5/1962 Anderson et al. 271/36 Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant ExaminerBruce I-I. Stoner, Jr. Att0rneyPaul W. Fish et al.

[ Dec. 4, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT A unitary ledger handling device is provided for ready and convenient attachment to the forms handling mechanism of an accounting machine or the like, the accounting machine being effective for readably and writably processing ledger-type documents as well as for pnntably recording transactions on fan-fold or continuous journal paper. The device includes a hOpper compartment into which the documents to be processed are manually deposited, a stacker compartment into which completely processed documents are automatically advanced, and a document hold position disposed contiguously downstream of the stacker compartment where partially processed documents are stored pending the generation of data to be recorded in summary thereon. Means are provided within the unitary device for automatically feeding documents singly from the hopper compartment to the processing station of the accounting machine, for automatically advancing partially and fully processed documents from the processing station to the document hold position and to the stacker compartment, respectively, and for recallably feeding partially processed documents from the document hold position to the processing station to complete the processing thereof.

27 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 4 7 SHEET 2 [1F 6 NOTE PATENTED DEC 4 I973 sum 3am PATENTEU DEC 4 i973 sum 8 UF UNITARY LEDGER FEEDER AND STACKER WITH REFEED FROM A STACKER HOLD POSITION CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present invention is related to the Sheet Stacking Device disclosed by Harold M. Frederick and Edward A. Nicol in U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,793, and to the Ledger Handling Device disclosed by Harold M. Frederick in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 233,562 filed on Mar. 10, 1972, both of which have been assigned to the assignee of the present application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A significant innovation in the updating of business documents, such as accounts receivable ledgers, has been the introduction of ledgers with one or more magnetic stripes longitudinally disposed on the reverse side thereof, and the introduction of business machines that are qualified for printably recording transactions on the face of the ledgers and magnetically recording information on, and reading information from, the magnetic stripes disposed on the reverse sides. It has been customary in utilizing these magnetic stripe ledgers and the accounting machines adapted for their processing and updating, to magnetically record on the reverse side magnetic stripes, the account number, new balance resulting from the posted transaction, and the line indication representing the printing line that was last used on the face of the ledger. Upon the subsequent posting of the ledger in the accounting machine, the account number, old balance, and line indication are magnetically read from the stripe, the account number and amount of the current transaction then being entered in the keyboard of the machine. Should the separately entered account numbers agree, the ledger would be advanced to the printing line selected by the magnetically recorded line indication, and the posting then completed both with respect to the printed information on the face of the ledger and the magnetically recorded information on the reverse side.

Although means have been provided in the prior art for automatically handling magnetic stripe ledgers when it is desired merely to read information from the stripes of a plurality of ledgers, without attending to their individual updating (as by means of the Document Handling Machine disclosed by Forest E. Holladay in U.S. Pat. No. 3,064,886), the updating of striped ledgers has generally required manual haiidfiii bhiiie part of the operator. This handling has involved the manual removal of each ledger from a stack, insertion of the ledger into an insertion throat associated with the accounting machine, removal of the ledger from the throat upon completion of processing, and replacement of the ledger in the stack. In those instances where an interruption in the processing of a given ledger was required, in order to generate .data to be recorded in summary on the ledger, it was additionally necessary for the operator to remove the ledger from the throat, temporarily store the partially processed ledger in any available space, and to re-insert the ledger into the throat for the summary recording. This type of manual handling of ledgers by the operator has generally proven to be tedious and time consuming as well as exceedingly tiresome to the operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a ledger handling device of an automated nature wherein a quantity of ledgers may be deposited by the operator into a hopper compartment, the individual ledgers being thereafter automatically fed to the processing station for updating, and then automatically advanced from the processing station to a stacker compartment for periodical subsequent removal by the operator.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a ledger handling device wherein a ledger hold position is provided for the temporary storage of partially processed ledgers, and wherein means are provided for automatically advancing the partially processed ledgers from the processing station to the hold position and for automatically recalling the ledgers from the hold position to the processing station for the completion of processing.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a ledger handling device of unitary construction that may be readily and conveniently attached to existing accounting and business machines having magnetic stripe ledger handling capability, such attachment of the unitary device involving but a simple mounting procedure wherein a support shaft is readily secured to the journal-paper handling mechanism by means of a pair of mounting brackets, the support shaft and mounting brackets being made available as an installation kit.

An important aspect of the invention is the provision of a unitary ledger handling device that is readily attachable to the journal handling mechanism of an accounting machine, the device including a hopper compartment, a stacker compartment, and a hold position particularly suited for storing partially processed ledgers, the hopper and stacker compartments being complementary to one another within a predetermined depth space dimension and separated by a pivotal divider. The hopper compartment is pivotally biased to hold the leading ledger therein in movable contact with ledger feeding means, said pivotal biasing serving also to gradually minimize the depth space dimension utilized by the hopper compartment and to optimize the depth space dimension utilized by the stacker compartment as ledgers are fed from the hopper compartment to the processing station and to the stacker compartment.

Another important aspect of the invention is the provision of automatic ledger advancing means including a self-contained reversible motor, a plurality of rotatable roller-supporting shafts including a plurality of pulleys, and a plurality of one-way roller clutches for feedably advancing ledgers at two different speeds from the hopper compartment to the processing station, and for feedably advancing ledgers from the processing station to the stacker compartment.

Still another important aspect of the invention is the use of solenoid clutch means in cooperation with a first signal transmitted to the reversible motor for rotating the motor in a first direction and for activating a plurality of roller-supporting shafts at a relatively slow pick speed to thereby advance the ledger from the hopper compartment to the control of a more rapidly rotating roller-supporting shaft, the ledger being thereafter advanced at a predetermined faster speed to the processing station. A second signal to the reversible motor is effective for rotating the motor in a second direction to thereby activate a separate plurality of rollersupporting shafts to advance the ledger from the processing station to the stacker compartment.

Yet another aspect of the invention is the provision of means operable independently of the solenoid clutch means, upon transmission of a first signal to the reversible motor, for recallably advancing a ledger from the hold position to the processing station, the ledger having storably come to rest between at least two of said separate plurality of roller-supporting shafts and their associated idler rollers upon the premature termination of a second signal, such termination of the second signal having occurred while the ledger was in transit between the processing station and the stacker compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING These and other objects, advantages and aspects of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a left side sectional elevation of a preferred embodiment of the unitary ledger handling device showing the arrangement of the hopper and stacker compartments, the first and second guide means, and the arrangement of the various shafts, pulleys, gear and rollers that are utilized for transporting ledgers as be tween the hopper compartment and the processing station and from the processing station to the stacker compartment;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the preferred embodiment of the invention showing the relationship of the unitary device to the pin-feed or journal handling mechanism of the accounting machine when in its mounted state thereon;

FIG. 3 is a right side perspective view showing the reyersible motor mounted on the right side frame of the device and various of the gears and parts that are associated with the ledger feed means effective for advancing a ledger from the hopper compartment to the processing station;

FIG. 4 is a right side perspective view showing the gears and parts of FIG. 3 in greater detail;

FIG. 5 is a left side fragmentary perspective view showing the relationship of the various shafts, pulleys and gears that are associated with the ledger feed means and the ledger stacking means; and

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the unitary device as it would appear to an operator of the accounting machine on which it is mounted, a quantity of ledgers being shown in the hopper compartment with a single ledger in the process of being fed from the hopper compartment to the injection-ejection throat of the accounting machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention resides in the provision of a unitary ledger handling device that may be readily attached to the journal handling mechanism of an accounting machine for effectively automating the updating of business documents and particularly magnetic stripe ledgers, it being characteristic of such updating to interrupt the machine processing of individual ledgers and to store the partially processed ledger at a point removed from the processing station while data that is to be summarily recorded on the ledger is independently generated. I

Attachment of the unitary ledger handling device to the pin-feed or journal paper handling mechanism of the accounting machine, generally indicated at 11 in FIGS. 2 and 3, may be accomplished readily by securing a pair of mounting brackets 13 to the pair of upright side frames 15 of the pin-feed carriage 11 by means of screws 17, the mounting brackets 13 being provided with apertures (not shown) for supportably receiving the ends of a support shaft 19. The support shaft 19 is provided with a pair of bearing limit members 21 secured to the support shaft 19 by set screws 23, each bearing limit member comprising an outboard bearing surface for receiving a circular recess 24 formed in each of a pair of side frame members 25 of the unitary device, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. Each of the bearing limit members 21 is provided also with a projecting arm 27 having a foot portion 29, as best shown in FIG. 2, the foot portions 29 of the projecting arms 27 in cooperation with the side frame members 25 serving to limit the pivotal rotation of the device on the support shaft 19. The arrangement of the bearing limit member 21 and projecting arm 27 disposed contiguously to the right side frame member 25 (left side as viewed in FIG. 2) is such as to limit the rearward tilting movement of the device (as viewed from the position of the operator as shown in FIG. 6), and the arrangement of the bearing limit member 21 and projecting arm 27 disposed contiguously to the left side frame member 25 (right side as viewed in FIG. 2) serving to support the left side frame member 25 in opposition to gravitational force. In addition to the projecting arm 27 and foot portion 29 of the leftmost bearing limit member 21 (rightmost as viewed in FIG. 2), the weight and gravitational force of the unitary ledger handler is also supported by a limit stud 31 secured to the right side frame member 25, as shown in FIG. 3, such limit stud gravitationally limiting against the right side frame 15 of the pin-feed carriage.

Each of the side frame members 25 of the inventive unitary device is provided with a freely pivotal latch 33 serving to gravitationally enclose the circular recess 24 of its associated side frame member to thereby retainably hold the unitary device securely mounted on the bearing limit members 21 of the support shaft 19. The rearward extremity of the rightmost latch 33 cooper ates with a ledge 35 (FIG, 2) formed in the rightmost mounting bracket 13, when the unitary device is tilted rearwardly by the operator, the latch portion thereof cooperating with the ledge 35 to thereby hold the device in a rearwardly tilted position appropriate for servicing the injection-ejection throat of the accounting machine, such throat being generally defined by a pivotable sight bar 37 as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6. Attachment of the inventive unitary ledger handling device to the pin-feed or journal paper handling mechanism of the accounting machine also requires attachment of a cable leading from the accounting machine to thereinafter described solenoid means and to an electric motor supported on the right side frame member 25, such cable attachment being accommodated by a mounting bracket 39 shown in FIG. 4.

In addition to the side frame members 25, the preferred embodiment of the unitary ledger handling device provides a filamentous hopper compartment generally designated at 41 in FIG. 1, and a filamentous stacker compartment generally designed at 43, the two compartments being separated by a pivotally mounted divider 45 also shown in FIG. 1. The hopper compartment 41 is utilized by the operator of the accounting machine for the bottom-edge stacking of a quantity of ledgers to be processed, and the stacker compartment 43 is utilized to receive processed ledgers as they are automatically fed by the device from the hopper compartment to the processing station via first guide means generally designated at 47, and fed from the processing station via second guide means generally designated at 49. The hopper compartment, stacker compartment, pivotally mounted divider, and first and second guide means are constructed of a plurality of longitudinally dispoed spaced-apart wire-like members held together by latitudinally disposed wire-like cross braces, the latter braces being connected to the right and left side frame member 25 as best shown in FIG. 2. The hopper compartment 41 and stacker compartment 43 are provided with a common stationary floor 51, also constructed of wire-like members, as represented in FIG. 1, and the stacker compartment is provided with a stationary filamentous rear wall 53. Unlike the rear wall 53 of the stacker compartment, the hopper compartment is comprised of an arcuately movable frame structure that is pivotally connected to the side frame members 25 by means of a rotatably joumaled pivot shaft 55, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. This movable frame structure includes a filamentous front wall 57 and lower connecting shaft 59 (as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6), a pair of rigidly mounted end plates 6161 (as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6), and a pivotally movable rear wall defining the divider 45, such divider being rotatably connected to the end plates 61-61 by means of a pilot rod 62 upwardly and parallelly adjacent a follower shaft 63 as best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The hopper compartment 41, pivotally connected to the side frame members 25 by the pivot shaft 55, is provided a clockwise biasing force (as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4) by a pair of springs 65 anchored at one end to each of the side frame members 25 and at the other end to a lever 67 (FIG. 1) fixed to each end of the pivot shaft 55. The resulting clockwise biasing force that is afforded the arcuately movable hopper compartment 41 is effective to apply a loading force to the ledgers contained therewithin, such force being applied by the follower shaft 63. The ledgers in the hopper compartment are accordingly held in a frontwardly disposed position such that the leading ledger in the hopper is held in pickable contact with the hereinafter described upper feed rollers 71 shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6. The arcuately movable hopper compartment, in addition to the rigidly mounted end plates 61, is also provided with an adjustably displaceable left end plate 73 (FIG. 2) which may be insertably connected to selected grooves 75 formed in the lower connecting shaft 59, the follower shaft 63, and in an upper connecting shaft 69 of the hopper compartment, to thereby provide for the accommodation of ledgers of various widths.

The previously referred to first and second guide means generally esignated at 47 and 49 in FIG. 1, share a common U-shaped filamentous member 79 supported by a pair of cross members 81 connected to the side frame members 25, such U-shaped member 79 cooperating with an exterior extruded guide member 83 (shown also in FIGS. 4 and 5) to singly guide ledgers from hereinafter described ledger feed means to the injection-ejection throat of the accounting machine, and cooperating with a lower extension 85 of the rear wall 53 of the stacker compartment to guide ledgers from the injection-ejection throat to the stacker compartment 43, such feedable advancement of ledgers to and from the processing station of the accounting machine being accomplished by hereinafter described ledger feed means and ledger stacking means, respectively. A reversible motor 87 fixed to the right side frame member 25 of the unitary device, and an associated motor shaft 89 extending through both side frame members 25, provide the motivating power for both the ledger feed means and the ledger stacking means, the shaft 89 being hereinafter referred to as input shaft 89.

The ledger feed means of the unitary ledger handling device may best be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5. With reference to FIG. 5, the input shaft 89 extending through the left side frame member 25 is belt-connected to a pinch roller pulley 91 which is connected by a one-way roller clutch 93 to a pinch roller shaft 95. The shaft 95 is journaled within the side frame members 25 and comprises a plurality of fixed pinch rollers generally designated at 97 in FIG. 1, such pinch rollers 97 in combination with a like number of cooperating biased idler rollers generally designated at 99, partially define the path of travel of the ledgers from the hopper compartment to the guide means 83-79 and to the injection-ejection throat. The rightmost extremity of this shaft 95, which extends through the right side frame member 25, is provided with a fixed hub tooth clutch 101 (FIG. 4) having three equally spaced apart exterior teeth 103. Freely rotatable on the outermost extremity of the shaft 95 is a geared tooth clutch 105 having a hub portion 107 disposed on one side thereof and three equally spaced apart teeth on the opposite side, the hub 107 being positioned in end-to-end alignment with the armature of a solenoid 106 which is supported by a bracket 109 fixed to the right side frame member 25. Retainably disposed between the fixed hub tooth clutch 101 and the rotatable geared tooth clutch 105 is a spring 111 which holds these two members in spaced apart relationship when the solenoid 106 is deenergized, such spaced apart relationship enabling rotation of the shaft 95 independently of the geared tooth clutch 105. Cooperating engageably with the gear portion-of the geared tooth clutch 105 is a reduction gear 113 which is rotatably connected to the right side frame member 25 by means of an anchor stud 115, the reduction gear 113 having an integrally formed reduced geared portion 117 disposed in engaged relationship with a gear 119 assembled on the rightmost extremity of an upper feed shaft 121 (shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6), which provides support for the previously mentioned plurality of upper feed rollers 71, and in engaged relationship also with a gear 123 (FIG. 4) assembled on the rightmost extremity of a lower feed shaft 125 which is likewise provided with a plurality of fixed feed rollers hereinafter referred to as the lower feed rollers.

As in the case of the pinch roller pulley 91 (FIG. 5), each of the gears 119 and 123 (FIG. 4) is pressably assembled on a well-known one-way roller clutch of the type sold by the Torrington Corporation. The arrangement of the roller clutch 93 in the pinch roller pulley 91 is such that the counterclockwise rotation of the input shaft 89 and pulley 91 (as viewed in FIG. 5) will effectively rotate the shaft 95 and hub tooth clutch 101 (FIG. 4), whereas clockwise rotation of the pinch roller pulley 91 will be ineffective to so rotate the shaft 95 and hub tooth clutch 101, the roller bearings of the clutch 93 being thereby released from their clamping relationship relative to the shaft 95. The arrangement of the one-way roller clutches upon which the

gears

119 and 123 are pressably assembled is such that the clockwise rotation of the gears 119 and 123 (as viewed from the right in FIG. 4) will be effective to rotate their associated

shafts

121 and 125, respectively, in a corresponding direction, to thereby feed the leading ledger in the hopper compartment 41 in the direction of the first guide means 47, at the same time permitting the

shafts

121 and 125 and feed rollers connected thereto to run ahead of the

gears

119 and 123 when the ledger that is being fed comes under the control of the hereinafter described more rapidly rotating pinch rollers 97 fixed to the shaft 95.

Associated also with the above-described ledger feed means is a single ledger control device generally designated at 127 in FIG. 5. This device can best be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and wherein the rightmost and leftmost extremities, respectively, of a rotatable scrub shaft 129 are shown in joumaled relationship with a right and left

pivotable bracket

131 and 133, respectively, the scrub shaft 129 extending through clearance holes (not shown) formed in the right and left side frame members 25, and the

brackets

131 and 133 being latitudinally adjustable relative to the lower feed shaft 125 (FIG. 1) by means of anchoring pivot pins 132 and adjustment screws 135. The scrub shaft 129 is provided with a plurality of scrub rollers representatively illustrated in FIG. 1 at 137, there being a scrub roller 137 disposed in coplanar relationship relative to each feed roller that is fixed to the lower feed shaft 125. It is the function of the

adjustable brackets

131 and 133 to establish a predetermined spaced apart relationship between the scrub rollers 137 and their corresponding feed rollers fixed to the lower feed shaft 125, such predetermined spaced apart relationship providing a ledger thickness gap appropriate for the free passage of a single ledger to the control of the pinch rollers 97 and biased idler rollers 99 (FIG. 1), and to prevent the passage of a second ledger therebetween should such second ledger be picked by the leading ledger in the hopper compartment as the leading ledger is picked by the upper feed rollers 71. Each of the feed rollers fixed to the lower feed shaft 125 is provided with a friction material having a higher coefficient of friction (such as neoprene rubber) than the friction material utilized on the scrub rollers 137 (such as polyurethane), the latter rollers 137 having a medium coefficient of friction. As shown in FIG. 5, the pinch roller shaft 95 is provided with a fixed gear 139 disposed in engaged relationship with an intermediate gear 141 carried by an adjustable bracket 143 secured to the left side frame member 25 by a screw 145, such bracket permitting effective adjustment of the mesh of the intermediate gear 141 with a gear 147 fixed to the leftmost extremity of the scrub shaft 129. The previously described counterclockwise rotation of the pinch roller pulley 91 and shaft 95, to thereby feed ledgers by means of the upper and

lower feed shafts

121 and 125 in the direction of the first guide means 47, is accordingly effective to rotate the intermediate gear 141 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 5), and the gear 147 and scrub shaft 129 in a counterclockwise direction, the resulting counterclockwise rotation of the plurality of scrub rollers 137 thereby tending to urge second ledgers that might inadvertently enter the above defined ledger thickness gap upwardly into the hopper compartment, such urging being effectuated by the polyurethane material utilized on the scrub rollers 137. It is to be noted that the neoprene rollers fixed to the lower feed shaft and the polyurethane scrub rollers 137 fixed to the shaft 129 are rotated in opposite directions with reference to a ledger disposed therebetween, the feed rollers rotating in such direction as to feedably advance the leading ledger in the direction of the first guide means 47, and the scrub rollers 137 rotating in such direction as to urge a second ledger inadvertently picked by the leading ledger upwardly into the hopper compartment.

The ledger stacking means of the unitary ledger handling device may best be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5. An upper stack shaft 149 and a lower stack shaft 151 are shown in FIG. 2 in joumaled relationship relative to the right and left side frame members 25, each of these shafts being provided with a plurality of fixed stack rollers 153 with each stack roller 153 backed up by a biased idler roller 155 shown representatively in FIG. 1. As best shown in FIG. 5, the leftmost extremity of the upper stack shaft 149 is provided with a fixed upper stack pulley 157, and the leftmost extremity of the lower stack shaft 151 is provided with a fixed lower stack pulley 159, the

pulleys

157 and 159 being drivenly coupled to the input shaft 89 and idlingly coupled to an idler roller 161 by means of two side-by-side O ring belts 163. When the input shaft 89 is rotated in a clockwise direction (counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1), the

pulleys

157 and 159 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction (clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1) to thereby rotate the

stack shafts

149 and 151 and stack rollers fixed thereto in a corresponding direction, ledgers ejected singly from the injection-ejection throat 37 being accordingly advanced upwardly along the second guide means 49 into the stacking compartment 43, the pivotable sight bar 37 of the accounting machine having been pivoted in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 5) by accounting machine means not forming a part of the present invention. It is to be noted that the clockwise rotation of the input shaft 89 (as viewed in FIG. 5) will also rotate the pinch roller pulley 91 in a clockwise direction. Such clockwise rotation of the pulley 91, however, is ineffective to rotate the pinch roller shaft 95 due to the previously described effect of the one-way roller clutch 93, the rollers thereof being released from their clamping relationship relative to said shaft.

In addition to the function of the upper and

lower stack shafts

149 and 151, and associated rollers thereof, in feedably advancing ledgers ejected singly from the injection-ejection throat of the accounting machine to the stacker compartment 43, these shafts and associated rollers also define a hold or park position for the temporary storage of a partially processed ledger, it being desired to recall such ledger when data to be recorded in summary thereon has been generated by the accounting machine. By abbreviating a signal from the accounting machine to the reversible motor 87, such signal being referred to in the ensuing Operation section as a second type signal, the motor 87 and input shaft 89 are rotated in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. for a predetermined interval sufficient for advancing a partially processed ledger from the injection-ejection throat to an interposed position relative to the stack rollers 153 and associated idler rollers 155 of the upper and

lower stack shafts

149 and 151, such predetermined interval of motor rotation being insufficient to advance the partially processed ledger into the stacker compartment 43.

OPERATION The operation of the preferred embodiment of the unitary ledger handling device may be described in terms of a ledger feed operation, ledger stack op eration, ledger park operation, and park recall operation.

Ledger feed operations, following the placement by the operator of a quantity of ledgers to be processed in the hopper compartment 41, are initiated by the transmission of a first type signal to the reversible motor 87, and by the concurrent energization of the solenoid 106. Such first type signal is effective to rotate the input shaft 89 in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 5), the pinch roller pulley 91 and shaft 95 being thereby rotated in a counterclockwise direction (clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4). Energization of the solenoid 106 (FIG. 4) is effective to engage the teeth of the geared tooth clutch 105 with the teeth 103 of the hub tooth clutch 101, against the bias of the spring 1 11, the geared tooth clutch 105 being thereby rotated in a clockwise direction by the shaft 95, and the reduction gear 113 being rotated in a counterclockwise direction. counterclockwise rotation of the reduced geared portion 117 of the reduction clutch 113 is effective to rotate the gear 119 of the upper feed shaft 121 and the gear 123 of the lower feed shaft 125 in a clockwise direction, such rotation of the

shafts

121 and 125 being at a slower speed than the speed of rotation of the pinch roller shaft 95. The leading ledger in the hopper compartment 41, being held in biased contact with the plurality of upper feed rollers 71 fixed to the upper feed shaft 121 by the bias supplied to the follower shaft 63, is accordingly lowered from the hopper compartment to the complementary control of the plurality of feed rollers fixed to the lower feed shaft 125, and then to the control of the plurality of pinch rollers 97 fixed to the pinch roller shaft 95. Since the pinch roller shaft 95 is rotating at a faster speed than the

shafts

121 and 125, the ledger is accordingly advanced at a faster speed into a path of travel defined by the guide member 83 and U-shaped member 79 (FIG. 1) to the injectionejection throat of the accounting machine. It is to be noted that during the transfer of control from the slower rotating feed rollers to the faster rotating pinch rollers, the resulting acceleration in ledger travel will effectively cause the feed rollers fixed to the

shafts

121 and 125 to run ahead of the driving force of the

gears

119 and 123, such overrun being enabled by means of the previously described one-way roller clutches upon which the

gears

119 and 123 are pressably assembled. Ledger stack operations are initiated by the transmission of a second type signal to the reversible motor 87, the input shaft 89 being thereby rotated in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 5). The upper and

lower stack shafts

149 and 151 are accordingly rotated in a counterclockwise direction, and the pinch roller pulley 91 is rotated in a clockwise direction. Clockwise rotation of the pinch roller pulley 91, as previously stated,

is ineffective to rotate the pinch roller shaft 95 in view of the one-way roller clutch 93. counterclockwise rotation of the lower stack shaft 151 (clockwise rotation as viewed in FIG. 1) is effective to receive a ledger ejected from the injection-ejection throat of the accounting machine, and to advance the received ledger, in cooperation with the rotating upper stack shaft 149, along the second guide means 49 defined by the U-shaped member 79 and the lower extension of the rear wall 53 (FIG. 1) into the stacker compartment 43.

Ledger park operations are initiated by the transmission of an abbreviated second type signal to the reversible motor 87 to thereby rotate the input shaft 89 for a predetermined interval in a clockwise direction (FIG. 5) and to rotate the upper and

lower stack shafts

149 and 151 for a predetermined interval in a counter clockwise direction (clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1), in like manner to ledger stack operations. The interval of rotation of the input shaft 89 and upper and

lower stack shafts

149 and 151 is such that a ledger ejected from the injection-ejection throat will come to a rest position in interposed relationship relative to the stack rollers fixed to these two shafts and to their associated idler rollers 155.

Park recall operations are initiated by the transmission of a first type signal to the reversible motor 87, as in the case of ledger feed operations, but without energizing the solenoid 106. The input shaft 89, pinch roller pulley 91 and shaft 95 are accordingly rotated in a counterclockwise direction (FIG. 5), as in ledger feed operations. counterclockwise rotation of the input shaft 89 is effective to rotate the upper stack shaft 149 and the lower stack shaft 151 in a clockwise direction (counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1), and the ledger interposed between the stack rollers of these shafts and their associated idler rollers 155 is accordingly lowered from the park position along the second guide means 49 to the injection-ejection throat 37. It is to be noted that the counterclockwise rotation of the pinch roller pulley 91 and shaft 95 (as viewed in FIG. 5) will serve to rotate the plurality of pinch rollers fixed to the shaft 95 in a ledger feed direction. This rotation, however, will be ineffective to feed a ledger from the hopper compartment to the control of these rotating pinch rollers, since the upper and

lower feed shafts

121 and 125 remain stationary during park recall operations through failure to energize the solenoid 106 and to thereby couple the hub tooth clutch 101 and the geared tooth clutch 105 (FIG. 4).

It is to be noted also that the scrub shaft 129 (FIG. 5) is rotated in a counterclockwise direction during both ledger feed and park recall operations, such shaft being driven by the gear 139 fixed to the pinch roller shaft 95. During ledger feed operations, this rotation (clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1) is effective to prevent the feeding of a second ledger to the control of the pinch rollers 97, and to return an initially picked second ledger to the hopper compartment 41. During park recall operations, on the other hand, this rotation of the scrub shaft 129 and scrub rollers 137 will be of a nonfunctional nature inasmuch as neither the upper feed shaft 121 nor lower feed shaft 125 is rotated during such operations, the leading ledger in the hopper compartment accordingly remaining unpicked. It is further to be noted that this rotation of the scrub rollers 137 during park recall operations will not interfere with the stationary state of the feed rollers fixed to the lower feed shaft 125, in view of the previously described ledger thickness gap therebetween as adjustably set by the

brackets

131 and 133 on the right and left side frame members 25.

While an embodiment of the inventive unitary ledger handling device has been shown and described in considerable detail, it will be understood that various modifications and alternations thereof may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary sheet handling device removably attachable to an accounting machine or the like, such machine being effective for readably and writably processing ledgers and the like when inserted into an injectionejection throat thereof, said device comprising:

a. a right and left side frame member providing said unitary characteristic of said device,

upon said manual despositing of a quantity of ledgers therein as the depth space dimension of said stacker compartment is thereby minimized, and the depth space dimension of said hopper compartment being gradually minimized and that of said stacker compartment gradually optimized as ledgers are fed from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat and to said stacker compartment during and upon completion of their readable and writable processing.

2. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 1 wherein said hopper compartment, said stacker compartment and said first and said second guide means are formed of a plurality of wire-like members longitudinally aligned with the direction of sheet travel and latitudinally supported coplanarly in spaced-apart relationship by wirelike cross braces.

3. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 1 wherein said second guide means in cooperation with said automatic advancing means define a ledger park position contiguously downstream from said stacker compartment, said ledger park position being effective for temporarily storing a partially processed ledger for subsequent recall by said automatic advancing means to said injection-ejection throat for the completion of its said readable or writable processing.

4. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 3 wherein said means for automatically advancing a ledger or the like from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat and from said injectionejection throat either toward or into said stacker compartment comprises:

a. a reversible motor mounted on one of said side frame members, said motor having a driven shaft serving as an input shaft for sais automatic advancing means,

b. ledger feed means associated with said hopper compartment and said first guide means, said ledger feed means being responsive to said motorand to a said first signal for feeding a ledger from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat, and ledger stacking means associated with said stacker compartment, with said ledger park position and with said second guide means and effective in response to said motor and to a said second signal for advancing a ledger from said injection-ejection throat to said ledger park position or into said stacker compartment, and effective in response to said motor and to a said first signal for feeding a ledger from said ledger park position to said injection-ejection throat.

5. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 4 wherein said hopper compartment is pivotally suspended between said right and said left side frame members and biased in the direction of said ledger feed means such that the leading ledger in said compartment is held in movable contact with said means and enterably aligned with said first guide means, the axis of said pivotally movable divider being thereby rendered pivotal with said biased hopper compartment.

6. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 5 wherein said ledger feed means comprises:

a. a rotatably mounted first pulley coupled to said input shaft for rotation therewith in either direction in response to a said first or a said second signal,

b. a first roller-supporting shaft couplable to said first pulley in response to a said first signal and to the rotation of said pulley in a first direction, said shaft being effective for advancing a ledger or the like along said first guide means at a predetermined first speed to said injection-ejection throat, said first shaft remaining immobilily uncoupled from said first pulley when said pulley is rotated in a second direction in response to a said second signal,

c. solenoid means associated with said first rollersupporting shaft, and

d. second and third roller-supporting shafts couplable to said rotating first roller-supporting shaft upon energization of said solenoid means for advancing a ledger or the like at a predetermined second speed from said hopper compartment to the control of said first roller-supporting shaft.

7. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 6 wherein said first speed is faster than said second speed and said second and said third roller-supporting shafts are accordingly permitted to accelerate from their characteristic second speed rotation when urged by a ledger that is under the control of said first rollersupporting shaft, said acceleration being enabled by said coupling of said second and third roller-supporting shafts to said first roller-supporting shaft.

8. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 7 wherein said ledger stacking means comprises:

a. rotatably mounted second and third pulleys coupled to said input shaft for rotation therewith in either direction in response to a said first or a said second signal, and

b. fourth and fifth roller-supporting shafts coupled to said second and said third pulleys, respectively, for cooperatively and rotatably advancing a ledger or the like in response to a said second signal from said injection-ejection throat along said secong guide means either toward or into said stacker compartment, depending upon the length of said second signal.

9. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 8 and additionally comprising:

a sixth roller-supporting shaft coupled to said first roller-supporting shaft and couplable to said first pulley when said input shaft and said first pulley are rotated in said first direction, said coupling of said sixth roller-supporting shaft to said rotating first pulley being effective to urge a second ledger initially picked by said second and said third rollersupporting shafts of said ledger feed means concurrently with the feeding of the leading ledger in said hopper compartment thereby, back into said hopper compartment.

10. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 9 wherein said fourth and said fifth rollersupporting shafts, in cooperation with corresponding idler rollers, additionally define a ledger park position wherein a partially processed ledger may be temporarily stored pending data generation by said accounting machine, the length of said second signal in response to which said fourth and said fifth roller-supporting shafts are rotated being sufficient to advance a ledger from the injection-ejection throat to a position intermediate said shafts and said idler rollers, but insufiicient for ad vancing said ledger into said stacker compartment.

11. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 10 wherein said ledger stacking means is additionally effective for feedably advancing a ledger from said ledger park position to said injection-ejection throat in response to a said first signal transmitted at a time when said solenoid means is deenergized, said deenergized state of said solenoid means serving to maintain said second and said third roller-supporting shafts in uncoupled relationship with said first rollersupporting shaft, to thereby avoid feeding a ledger from the hopper compartment.

12. A sheet handling device removably attadhable to a business machine or the like, said machine being effective for readably and writably processing ledgers and the like when inserted into an injection-ejection throat thereof, said device comprising:

a. a hopper compartment having an adjustable interior width for receiving variously dimensioned manually deposited ledgers or the like preparatory to their readable or writable processing by said business machine,

b. a stacker compartment for receiving ledgers and the like following their said readable or writable processing, said hopper compartment and said stacker compartment being complementary within a predetermined depth space dimension and separated by a pivotally movable divider serving as a rear wall of said hopper compartment and the front wall of said stacker compartment,

c. means for transporting said ledgers and the like including a reversible motor having a driven input shaft, first moving means responsive to a first or a second signal transmitted to said reversible motor for advancing ledgers singly from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat preparatory to said machine processing, and second moving means responsive to a said first or a said second signal for transporting said ledgers singly from said injection-ejection throat in the direction of said stacker compartment following said processing,

d. frame means rendering said hopper compartment, said stacker compartment, and said transporting means a unitary device, and

e. attachment means associated with said frame means and rendering said unitary device readily and conveniently attachable to the forms handling mechanism of an existing business machine.

13. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 12 wherein said ledger transporting means additionally comprises:

a. first guide means for directing ledgers singly from said hopper compartment along a path of travel leading to said injection-ejection throat, and

b. second guide means for directing ledgers along a path of travel leading from said injection-ejection throat to said stacker compartment, said first moving means being effective for advancing ledgers from said hopper compartment along said first guide means, and said second moving means being effective for advancing ledgers from said injectionejection throat along said second guide means.

14. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 13 wherein said hopper compartment, said stacker compartment and said first and said second guide means are formed of a plurality of wire-like members longitudinally aligned with the general direction of sheet travel and latitudinally supported coplanarly in spaced apart relationship by wire-like cross braces.

15. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 15 wherein said first moving means comprises:

a. a rotatably mounted first pulley coupled to said input shaft for rotation therewith in either direction in response to said first or a said second signal,

b. a first rotatable roller-supporting shaft couplable to said first pulley in response to a said first signal and to the rotation of said pulley in a first direction, said shaft being effective for advancing a ledger or the like along said first guide means at a predetermined first speed to said injection-ejection throat, said first shaft remaining immobilely uncoupled from said first pulley when said pulley is rotated in a second direction in response to a said second signal,

c. solenoid means associated with said first rollersupporting shaft, and

d. second and third rotatable roller-supporting shafts couplable to said rotating first roller-supporting shaft upon energization of said solenoid means for advancing a ledger or the like at a predetermined second speed from said hopper compartment to the control of said first roller-supporting shaft.

16. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 15 wherein said first speed is faster than said second speed and said second and said third rollersupporting shafts are accordingly permitted to accelerate from their characteristic second speed rotation when urged by a ledger that is under the control of said first roller-supporting shaft, said acceleration being enabled by said coupling of said second and said third roller-supporting shafts to said first roller-supporting shaft.

17. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 16 wherein said second moving means comprises:

a. rotatably mounted second and third pulleys coupled to said input shaft for rotation therewith in either direction in response to a said first or a said second signal, and b. fourth and fifth rotatable roller-supporting shafts coupled to said second and said third pulleys, respectively, for cooperatively and rotatably advancing a ledger or the like in response to a said second signal from said injection-ejection throat along said second guide means either toward or into said stacker compartment, depending upon the length of said second signal. 18. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 17 wherein said frame means comprises a right side frame member and a left side frame member, said side frame members serving to connectibly support said wire-like cross braces of said hopper compartment, said stacker compartment and said first and said second guide means, and serving also to journably support said first, said second, said third, said fourth and said fifth rotatable roller-supporting shafts.

19. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 18 wherein said attachment means comprises:

a. a support shaft connectible to said forms handling mechanism of said business machine by means of a pair of mounting brackets,

b. a pair of bearing limit members slidably installable on said support shaft prior to the connection thereof to said forms handling mechanism, each of said bearing limit members having a bearing portion and each being adjustably securable to said support shaft by means of set screws,

c. a circular recess formed in each of said side frame members for receiving said bearing portions of said bearing limit members,

(:1. a latch pivotally connected to each of said side frame members in cooperable enclosing relationship relative to its said circular recess, and

e. a limit stud fixed to said right side frame member and cooperating with said forms handling mechanism of said business machine when said circular recesses are supported by said bearing portions of said bearing limit members and said latches are enclosed about said recesses with said bearing portions disposed therewithin, whereby said unitary device may be readily installed on said forms including mechanism by positioning said pair of limit bearing members on said support shaft, by securing said support shaft by means of said mounting brackets, and by engaging said side frame recesses with said bearing portions of said bearing limit members.

20. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 19 wherein said bearing limit members are provided with projecting arms having foot portions disposed in cooperating relationship with said side frame members, the arrangement of said projecting arms and foot portions thereof serving to limitably restrict the pivotal movement of said side frame members and recesses thereof on said bearing portions of said bearing limit members, the foot portion cooperating with said right side frame member serving to limit the rearward tilting movement of said unitary device on said bearing limit members, and the foot portion cooperating with said left side frame member in combination with said cooperation of said limit stud of said right side frame member with said forms handling mechanism defining said home position of said unitary device on said business machine.

21. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 20 wherein said mounting bracket of said attachment means corresponding to said right side frame member is provided with an integrally formed ledge disposed in cooperating relationship with said latch pivotally connected to said right side frame member, said latch engageably contacting said ledge upon the rearward tilting of said unitary device to define an open tilted position of said device removed from its said home position.

22. A sheet handling device removably attachable to a business machine or the like, said machine being effective for processing ledgers or the like when inserted into an injection-ejection throat thereof, said device comprising:

a. a hopper compartment for receiving manually deposited ledgers or the like preparatory to their processing by said business machine,

b. a stacker compartment for receiving ledgers and the like following their said processing, said hopper compartment and said stacker compartment being complementary within a predetermined depth space dimension and separated by a pivotally movable divider serving as a rear wall of said hopper compartment and the front wall of said stacker compartment, first moving means including a first plurality of rotatable roller-supporting shafts for transporting said ledgers and the like singly from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat preparatory to said machine processing, and

d. second moving means including a second plurality of rotatable roller-supporting shafts for transporting said ledgers singly from said injection-ejection throat in the direction of said stacker compartment following said processing.

23. The sheet handling device defined in claim 22 wherein said hopper compartment and said stacker compartment are formed of a plurality of wire-like members longitudinally aligned with the general direction of sheet travel and latitudinally supported coplanarly in spaced relationship by wire-like cross braces.

24. The sheet handling device defined in claim 23 wherein said first and said second moving means are coupled to and motivated by a reversible motor forming a part of said device, said motor being responsive to a first signal for rotation in a first direction, and to a second signal for rotation in a second direction.

25. The sheet handling device defined in claim 24 wherein said first plurality of rotatable rollersupporting shafts of said first moving means are operable during said first direction rotation of said motor in response to a said first signal to feed the leading ledger in said hopper compartment from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat at a predetermined initial pick speed followed a predetermined faster advancing speed, and operable also to prevent the passage of a second ledger to said injection-ejection throat with said leading ledger and to return any such second ledgers initially picked by said leading ledger to said hopper compartment.

26. The sheet handling device defined in claim 24 wherein said second plurality of rotatable rollersupporting shafts of said second moving means are operable during said second direction rotation of said motor in response to a said second signal of predetermined length to advance ledgers singly from said injection-ejection throat to said stacker compartment, and operable during said second direction rotation of said motor in response to a said second signal of predetermined shorter length to advance ledgers singly from said injection-ejection throat to a storage position intermediate said injection-ejection throat and said stacker compartment, said storage position being defined by at least two of said second plurality of rollersupporting shafts.

27. The sheet handling device defined in claim 26 wherein said second moving means is additionally operable during said first direction rotation of said motor in response to a said first signal to return a ledger stored in said storage position to said injection-ejection throat.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,776,5 6 Dated December 4, 1973 Inventor: Howard P. White It is certified that error appears in tho above-identifod patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

001. 5, line 61, "esignat ed." should read --designated--. Col. ll, between lines 18 and. 19, insert the omitted. portion of Claim 1 as follows:

- (b) a hopper compartment connecting said right and said. left side frame members and providing an adjustable interior width for receiving manually deposited ledgers of varying widths preparatory to their readable or writable processing by said. accounting machine,

(0) a stacker compartment connecting said right and. said left side frame members for receiving ledgers and. the like following their said readable or writable processing by said. machine,

(d) first guide means for guiding ledgers and the like singly from said. hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat preliminary to their said. readable or writable processing,

(e) second guide means for guiding ledgers and the like away from said injection-ejection throat upon full or partial completion of said readable or writable processing, and

(f) means responsive to a first signal from said accounting machine effective for automatically advancing a ledger or the like fromsaid hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat as guided by said. first guide means, and responsive to a second signal from said accounting machine effective for automatically advancing a ledger or the like from said injectionejection throat either toward or into said stacker compartment as guided by said. second. guide means, said. hopper compartment, and said stacker compartment being complementary within a predetermined depth space dimension and separated by a pivotally movable divider serving as a rear wall of said hopper compartment and the front wall of said stacker compartment, the depth space dimension of said hopper compartment being optimized-;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Page 2 CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,776,5[5 Dated December L 1973 Inventor(s) Howard P. White It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 11, line 5'3, "sais" should read said Col. 12, line 51;, secong" should read second Col. 13, line 2?, "attadhaole" should read attachable Col. 15, lines 32 and 33, forms including mechanism" v should read forms handling mechanism Signed and sealed this 30th day of April 19m.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDI! RD N .FLETGHER JR. G MARSHALL DAMN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM 90-1050 0- 8) uscoMM-oc 60376-P69 l U.5. GOVERNMENT [RINTING OFFICE "l9 0-366-334.

Claims

1. A unitary sheet handling device removably attachable to an accounting machine or the like, such machine being effective for readably and writably processing ledgers and the like when inserted into an injection-ejection throat thereof, said device comprising: a. a right and left side frame member providing said unitary characteristic of said device, upon said manual despositing of a quantity of ledgers therein as the depth space dimension of said stacker compartment is thereby minimized, and the depth space dimension of said hopper compartment being gradually minimized and that of said stacker compartment gradually optimized as ledgers are fed from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat and to said stacker compartment during and upon completion of their readable and writable processing.

2. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 1 wherein said hopper compartment, said stacker compartment and said first and said second guide means are formed of a plurality of wire-like members longitudinally aligned with the direction of sheet travel and latitudinally supported coplanarly in spaced-apart relationship by wire-like cross braces.

4. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 3 wherein said means for automatically advancing a ledger or the like from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat and from said injection-ejection throat either toward or into said stacker compartment comprises: a. a reversible motor mounted on one of said side frame members, said motor having a driven shaft serving as an input shaft for sais automatic advancing means, b. ledger feed means associated with said hopper compartment and said first guide means, said ledger feed means being responsive to said motor and to a said first signal for feeding a ledger from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat, and c. ledger stacking means associated with said stacker compartment, with said ledger park position and with said second guide means and effective in response to said motor and to a said second signal for advancing a ledger from said injection-ejection throat to said ledger park position or into said stacker compartment, and effective in response to said motor and to a said first signal for feeding a ledger from said ledger park position to said iNjection-ejection throat.

6. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 5 wherein said ledger feed means comprises: a. a rotatably mounted first pulley coupled to said input shaft for rotation therewith in either direction in response to a said first or a said second signal, b. a first roller-supporting shaft couplable to said first pulley in response to a said first signal and to the rotation of said pulley in a first direction, said shaft being effective for advancing a ledger or the like along said first guide means at a predetermined first speed to said injection-ejection throat, said first shaft remaining immobilily uncoupled from said first pulley when said pulley is rotated in a second direction in response to a said second signal, c. solenoid means associated with said first roller-supporting shaft, and d. second and third roller-supporting shafts couplable to said rotating first roller-supporting shaft upon energization of said solenoid means for advancing a ledger or the like at a predetermined second speed from said hopper compartment to the control of said first roller-supporting shaft.

7. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 6 wherein said first speed is faster than said second speed and said second and said third roller-supporting shafts are accordingly permitted to accelerate from their characteristic second speed rotation when urged by a ledger that is under the control of said first roller-supporting shaft, said acceleration being enabled by said coupling of said second and third roller-supporting shafts to said first roller-supporting shaft.

8. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 7 wherein said ledger stacking means comprises: a. rotatably mounted second and third pulleys coupled to said input shaft for rotation therewith in either direction in response to a said first or a said second signal, and b. fourth and fifth roller-supporting shafts coupled to said second and said third pulleys, respectively, for cooperatively and rotatably advancing a ledger or the like in response to a said second signal from said injection-ejection throat along said secong guide means either toward or into said stacker compartment, depending upon the length of said second signal.

9. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 8 and additionally comprising: a sixth roller-supporting shaft coupled to said first roller-supporting shaft and couplable to said first pulley when said input shaft and said first pulley are rotated in said first direction, said coupling of said sixth roller-supporting shaft to said rotating first pulley being effective to urge a second ledger initially picked by said second and said third roller-supporting shafts of said ledger feed means concurrently with the feeding of the leading ledger in said hopper compartment thereby, back into said hopper compartment.

10. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 9 wherein said fourth and said fifth roller-supporting shafts, in cooperation with corresponding idler rollers, additionally define a ledger park position wherein a partially processed ledger may be temporarily stored pending data generation by said accounting machine, the length of said second signal in response to which said fourth and said fifth roller-supporting shafts are rotated being sufficient to advance a ledger from the injection-ejection throat to a position intermediate said shafts and said idler rollers, but insufficient for advancing said ledger into said stackeR compartment.

11. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 10 wherein said ledger stacking means is additionally effective for feedably advancing a ledger from said ledger park position to said injection-ejection throat in response to a said first signal transmitted at a time when said solenoid means is deenergized, said deenergized state of said solenoid means serving to maintain said second and said third roller-supporting shafts in uncoupled relationship with said first roller-supporting shaft, to thereby avoid feeding a ledger from the hopper compartment.

12. A sheet handling device removably attadhable to a business machine or the like, said machine being effective for readably and writably processing ledgers and the like when inserted into an injection-ejection throat thereof, said device comprising: a. a hopper compartment having an adjustable interior width for receiving variously dimensioned manually deposited ledgers or the like preparatory to their readable or writable processing by said business machine, b. a stacker compartment for receiving ledgers and the like following their said readable or writable processing, said hopper compartment and said stacker compartment being complementary within a predetermined depth space dimension and separated by a pivotally movable divider serving as a rear wall of said hopper compartment and the front wall of said stacker compartment, c. means for transporting said ledgers and the like including a reversible motor having a driven input shaft, first moving means responsive to a first or a second signal transmitted to said reversible motor for advancing ledgers singly from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat preparatory to said machine processing, and second moving means responsive to a said first or a said second signal for transporting said ledgers singly from said injection-ejection throat in the direction of said stacker compartment following said processing, d. frame means rendering said hopper compartment, said stacker compartment, and said transporting means a unitary device, and e. attachment means associated with said frame means and rendering said unitary device readily and conveniently attachable to the forms handling mechanism of an existing business machine.

13. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 12 wherein said ledger transporting means additionally comprises: a. first guide means for directing ledgers singly from said hopper compartment along a path of travel leading to said injection-ejection throat, and b. second guide means for directing ledgers along a path of travel leading from said injection-ejection throat to said stacker compartment, said first moving means being effective for advancing ledgers from said hopper compartment along said first guide means, and said second moving means being effective for advancing ledgers from said injection-ejection throat along said second guide means.

15. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 15 wherein said first moving means comprises: a. a rotatably mounted first pulley coupled to said input shaft for rotation therewith in either direction in response to said first or a said second signal, b. a first rotatable roller-supporting shaft couplable to said first pulley in response to a said first signal and to the rotation of said pulley in a first direction, said shaft being effective for advancing a ledger or the like along said first guide means at a predetermined first speed to said injection-ejection throat, said first shaft remaining immobilely uncoupled from said first pulley when said pUlley is rotated in a second direction in response to a said second signal, c. solenoid means associated with said first roller-supporting shaft, and d. second and third rotatable roller-supporting shafts couplable to said rotating first roller-supporting shaft upon energization of said solenoid means for advancing a ledger or the like at a predetermined second speed from said hopper compartment to the control of said first roller-supporting shaft.

16. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 15 wherein said first speed is faster than said second speed and said second and said third roller-supporting shafts are accordingly permitted to accelerate from their characteristic second speed rotation when urged by a ledger that is under the control of said first roller-supporting shaft, said acceleration being enabled by said coupling of said second and said third roller-supporting shafts to said first roller-supporting shaft.

17. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 16 wherein said second moving means comprises: a. rotatably mounted second and third pulleys coupled to said input shaft for rotation therewith in either direction in response to a said first or a said second signal, and b. fourth and fifth rotatable roller-supporting shafts coupled to said second and said third pulleys, respectively, for cooperatively and rotatably advancing a ledger or the like in response to a said second signal from said injection-ejection throat along said second guide means either toward or into said stacker compartment, depending upon the length of said second signal.

18. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 17 wherein said frame means comprises a right side frame member and a left side frame member, said side frame members serving to connectibly support said wire-like cross braces of said hopper compartment, said stacker compartment and said first and said second guide means, and serving also to journably support said first, said second, said third, said fourth and said fifth rotatable roller-supporting shafts.

19. The unitary sheet handling device defined in claim 18 wherein said attachment means comprises: a. a support shaft connectible to said forms handling mechanism of said business machine by means of a pair of mounting brackets, b. a pair of bearing limit members slidably installable on said support shaft prior to the connection thereof to said forms handling mechanism, each of said bearing limit members having a bearing portion and each being adjustably securable to said support shaft by means of set screws, c. a circular recess formed in each of said side frame members for receiving said bearing portions of said bearing limit members, d. a latch pivotally connected to each of said side frame members in cooperable enclosing relationship relative to its said circular recess, and e. a limit stud fixed to said right side frame member and cooperating with said forms handling mechanism of said business machine when said circular recesses are supported by said bearing portions of said bearing limit members and said latches are enclosed about said recesses with said bearing portions disposed therewithin, whereby said unitary device may be readily installed on said forms including mechanism by positioning said pair of limit bearing members on said support shaft, by securing said support shaft by means of said mounting brackets, and by engaging said side frame recesses with said bearing portions of said bearing limit members.

22. A sheet handling device removably attachable to a business machine or the like, said machine being effective for processing ledgers or the like when inserted into an injection-ejection throat thereof, said device comprising: a. a hopper compartment for receiving manually deposited ledgers or the like preparatory to their processing by said business machine, b. a stacker compartment for receiving ledgers and the like following their said processing, said hopper compartment and said stacker compartment being complementary within a predetermined depth space dimension and separated by a pivotally movable divider serving as a rear wall of said hopper compartment and the front wall of said stacker compartment, c. first moving means including a first plurality of rotatable roller-supporting shafts for transporting said ledgers and the like singly from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat preparatory to said machine processing, and d. second moving means including a second plurality of rotatable roller-supporting shafts for transporting said ledgers singly from said injection-ejection throat in the direction of said stacker compartment following said processing.

25. The sheet handling device defined in claim 24 wherein said first plurality of rotatable roller-supporting shafts of said first moving means are operable during said first direction rotation of said motor in response to a said first signal to feed the leading ledger in said hopper compartment from said hopper compartment to said injection-ejection throat at a predetermined initial pick speed followed a predetermined faster advancing speed, and operable also to prevent the passage of a second ledger to said injection-ejection throat with said leading ledger and to return any such second ledgers initially picked by said leading ledger to said hopper compartment.

26. The sheet handling device defined in claim 24 wherein said second plurality of rotatable roller-supporting shafts of said second moving means are operable during said second direction rotation of said motor in response to a said second signal of predetermined length to advance ledgers singly from said injection-ejection throat to said stacker compartment, and operable during said second direction rotation of said motor in response to a said second signal of predetermined shorter length to advance ledgers singly from said injection-ejection throat to a storage position intermediate said injection-ejection throat and said stacKer compartment, said storage position being defined by at least two of said second plurality of roller-supporting shafts.