Patent ID: 6648319
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
Apparatus for collating sheets, comprising:(i) a collation station; (ii) feeding means for successively feeding a plurality of sheets one at a time along a first path to the collation station; (iii) an accumulation station; (iv) transferring means for transferring the sheet(s) at the collation station, after each feeding of a sheet to that station, along a second path to the accumulation station; (v) sheet returning means associated with the accumulation station for returning the sheet(s) at the accumulation station to the collation station; (vi) means at the collation station for collating those sheet(s) and the next of the successively fed sheets, such collation being repeated, in operation of the sheet collating apparatus, until a sheet collation of a predetermined number of sheets is formed at the collation station, and (vii) first driving means for driving said collation of a predetermined number of sheets from the collation station along a third path.