Patent ID: 6644657
Filing Date: 2003-11-11
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A document processing and collating machine having a feeding path leading to one or more document accumulating bins for receiving a series of documents that are fed downstream in spaced apart collations having documents in shingled relationship, the document processing and collating machine comprising:a support frame; at least one input conveying apparatus for conveying a collation of shingled documents along the feeding path to a diverting apparatus; a document conveying apparatus for accepting the collation of the shingled documents from the diverting apparatus into at least a first document accumulator bin within the document conveying apparatus having a first set of conveyor support pulleys at an input end of the document conveying apparatus, and a second set of conveyor support pulleys at an output end; an intermediate conveying and diverting apparatus including a driven segmented roller located within a span between the first and second set of conveyor support pulleys for momentarily intercepting a leading end of a shingled collation of documents for deposit in the first document accumulating bin of the document accumulating apparatus thereby providing registration of a leading end of the collation of shingled documents at a nip between a second set of conveyor rollers at the output end of the first document accumulating bin; a biased conveyor pressure assembly operatively associated with the intermediate conveying and diverting apparatus by a connector attached to a pivotable assembly of diverting gate members that are raised to a diverting position upon receiving a signal of a leading end of a shingled group of documents moving along the feed path leading to the first document accumulator bin, and; a drive system operatively connected to a sensing system and a control system to continuously drive the document conveying apparatus and to stop the second set of conveyor rollers upon receiving a signal of the passing of the leading end of the collation of shingled documents until the collation of shingled documents has completed registration at the nip of the second set of conveyor rollers.