Patent ID: 6102391
Filing Date: 2000-08-15
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
An apparatus for changing the direction of travel of a flat article being conveyed seriatim along a paper path without changing the orientation of the flat article with respect to an input direction of travel, comprising:a deck having an upstream end for receiving a flat article being conveyed along a paper path in an input direction;a registration wall upstanding on the deck and spaced from the upstream end, the registration wall having a longitudinal axis defining an output direction that is substantially orthogonal to the input direction; anda drive assembly operatively coupled to the deck in proximity to the registration wall and being operative to seize a leading edge of a flat article traveling in the input direction on the deck and change the flat articles travel direction such that the flat article is conveyed in the output direction whereby the leading edge of the flat article abuts against the registration wall, the drive assembly including:a plurality of roller pairs operative to seize the leading edge of the flat article traveling in the input direction, wherein each roller pair has travel axis of rotation that is disposed at a twenty five degree (25.degree.) angle relative to the input direction of travel such that the output direction velocity vector imparted on a flat article is 0.906 (cosine25.degree.) and the input direction velocity vector imparted on a flat article is 0.422 (sine25.degree.) whereby the vertical velocity vector causes the leading edge of the flat article to register against the registration wall and the horizontal velocity vector conveys the flat article in the output direction along the longitudinal axis of the registration wall while the leading edge remains in registration with the registration wall.