Patent ID: 6460844
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: B65H,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus for selectively streaming and merging sheets comprising:an input feed surface that transfers side-by-side sheets in a downstream direction; a diverter assembly including side-by-side diverter ramps that are movable so as to selectively direct corresponding side-by-side sheets entering therein to from the input feed surface in each of an upward and a downward direction; an upper feed surface for receiving sheets transferred in the upward direction from the diverter assembly; a lower feed surface for receiving sheets transferred in the downward direction from the diverter assembly; an upper edge guide on a first edge of the upper feed surface; a lower edge guide on a second edge of the lower feed surface, the second edge being opposite the first edge as taken along widthwise direction transverse to the; a feed assembly constructed and arranged to enable the upper feed surface and the lower feed surface to be moved in the widthwise direction so as to locate the upper edge guide at least two widths of one of the sheets away from the lower edge guide and to locate the upper edge guide approximately one width of the one of the sheets away from the lower edge guide to thereby enable sheets moving along each of the upper edge guide and the lower edge guide to be, respectively, maintained in a side-by-side streams or an overlapping merged orientation; and an output feed ramp for passing the sheets onto a common output surface from each of the upper feed surface and the lower feed surface in either an overlapping merged orientation or a streamed side-by-side orientation.