Patent ID: 6199857
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A stacker for identification cards comprising a hopper having a pair of side walls, said hopper having an opening at one end thereof to receive cards to be stacked, a card lift having an upper surfaces for supporting a card, a lift member positioned to operably lift and lower the upon actuation, and a pair of pawls, one extending through each of the side walls and positioned above the card lift in a home position of the card lift, said card lift being movable to a raised position such that the plane of the upper surface is above the pawls, and a pair of ratchets for retracting the pawls during movement of the card lift from a home position to a raised position to provide clearance along the side walls for a card on the card lift to move upwardly above the pawls, said pawls being spring loaded, and being released to move inwardly when the card lift rails have moved to a selected raised position wherein said pawls have cams thereon each of the ratchets engaging the respective cam to move the pawls outwardly from the hopper as the card lift is moved to lift a card said ratchets having a clearing position that releases the respective cam when the card lift has reached the raised position.