Multiple section sheet sorter with stacking tray positioned there between

In a sheet output module for the collection and stacking of printed media sheets from the output of a reproduction apparatus, with multiple separate sheet collection bins in a vertical array, a sheet input for receiving the sheets, and a sheet transport path for transporting the sheets to a selected bin; the sheet input is at a central vertical level intermediately of the module and the vertical bin array, the vertical bin array is divided into first and second portions with a central vertical space therebetween, the sheet transport path has a common shared central path from the input to a branching position where it arcuately branches in opposite directions, with a first branch path extending upwardly to feed sheets to the first portion of the bins and a second branch path extending downwardly to feed sheets to the second portion of the bins. A sheet deflector gate is located at this branching position for selectively deflecting sheets from a the common shared path portion into one of these first and second branch paths. A high capacity stacking tray is located within this vertical space between the first and second portions of the vertical array of bins.

There is disclosed in the embodiment herein an integral output plural mode 
sheet sorting and stacking system capable of independently handling and 
separating different jobs for different users or addressees automatically 
and/or alternately stacking large and/or multiple jobs in a high capacity 
stacker, in a compact shared unit. 
More particularly, there is disclosed in this embodiment a compact 
integrated sheet output unit with a high capacity sheet stacker and 
multiple sorter or mailbox bins in an improved modular configuration with 
an improved paper path. 
Disclosed in this embodiment is an improved "mailbox" or sorter system for 
automatically discretely handling and segregating received sheets (from a 
copier, scanner, facsimile, multi-mode or other such printer outputs) with 
a desirable mid-level sheet entrance. 
The disclosed "mailboxing" or sorter unit embodiment can desirably be a 
universal modular or stand-alone unit that may be attached to, or even 
simply moved next to, the output of almost any conventional copier or 
printer, including facsimile machines or networked electronic mail 
printers. 
For mailboxing, fixed bins systems (requiring longer paper paths) are 
preferable to moving bins type sorters. Moving bin sorters are not 
desirable for mailbox systems for bin unloading operability reasons. They 
are unlike sorter systems, which hold only plural sets of one single users 
job, and stop after set completion. A mailbox system holds many different 
users jobs in different bins and can start up at any time, including times 
while other bins are being unloaded. If the bins of a mailbox system 
started to move when someone was unloading their job, it could be 
disturbing to the user. Furthermore, since moving bin systems typically 
collapse the bins as they move past the sheet input location, that could 
pinch the users hand. Also, although moving bins systems can have shorter 
sheet transport paths, they have difficulty moving the bin array fast 
enough to provide rapid random access to any bin rather than just 
sequential adjacent bin access. Large multiple fixed bin sorters have 
other advantages over moving bin sorters, such as not requiring a high 
powered elevator motor to rapidly vertically move the weight of all bins 
when they are all filled with stacked sheets, and not having external 
exposed moving components. However, most fixed bin sorters and mailbox 
systems require particularly long paper paths, in order to sequentially 
transport sheets past all of the desired multiple bins or trays, since the 
sheet may be taken from such an elongated transport into any one or more 
of these bins, i.e, variably selectively deflected from the elongated 
transport path for stacking into a particular bin or bins. Thus, the sheet 
transports of such multibin sorters, collators or mailbox systems present 
particular design and cost problems. 
By way of background, the following additional partial broad definitions 
may be helpful to the discussions herein: "Mailbox[ing]": temporarily (or 
semi-permanently) assigning a unique predetermined electronic address to 
designated ones of plural bins of a sorter-like output device and enabling 
a user's output to be directed into a selected bin so assigned. It may or 
may not include locked bins with privacy doors. Preferably, the user's 
mailbox output is plural, pre-collated, jobs with all sheets going to a 
single bin, not requiring sorting. "Sorting": conventionally, this refers 
to sending one copy sheet of each original page into one bin of a sorter, 
the next copy sheet into the next bin, etc., repeated for the number of 
copies, until each of the plural bins required has one copy, then stacking 
one copy sheet of the next original in each said bin, etc, to compile one 
collated set in each bin. Thus, job or addressee "mailboxing" is not 
"sorting" in the common or usual sense of a collating plural identical 
copy sheets by sequentially placing each sheet in a different bin, and 
repeating those steps. However, similar "sorter" hardware may be employed 
in part if it can provide rapid random bin access and other desired 
features. "Stacking": providing the ability to arrange sets of sheets 
(which may be stapled or otherwise finished sets of sheets), into a well 
controlled, generally vertical, common stack, although partial 
"offsetting" of separate job sets may be desirable. 
To express it in another way, a "mailbox" in the example herein takes 
multiple print jobs from a printer (from user terminals, fax, networked 
page images, scanned document jobs, or the like, or combinations thereof) 
and separates jobs by users and stacks these hardcopy outputted print jobs 
into individual bins for individual users, by users. [As an additional 
software option, users may also send print jobs to other users' mailbox 
bins if desired.] Mailbox bins can, in general, be either user assignable, 
or automatically assigned by the printer, print server, or mailbox unit. 
Optionally, jobs can be individually stapled if a stapler unit is 
provided. Optional privacy or security doors can be added to any or all 
bins if desired. An overflow bin or general, shared, stacking tray may 
also desirably be provided, not assigned to any one user. 
A specific feature of the specific embodiment disclosed herein is to 
provide a sheet output module for the collection, separation and stacking 
of printed media sheets received from the output of a reproduction 
apparatus, with multiple separate sheet collection bins in a vertical 
array, a sheet input for receiving the print media sheets from the output 
of the reproduction apparatus, and a sheet transport path for transporting 
the sheets from said sheet input to a selected said bin, the improvement 
wherein: said sheet input is at a vertical level intermediately of said 
module and said vertical bin array; said vertical bin array is 
intermediately divided into first and second portions with a vertical 
space therebetween; said sheet transport path has a common shared path 
portion from said central sheet input to a branching position where said 
sheet transport path branches arcuately in opposite directions, with a 
first branch path extending upwardly to feed sheets to said first portion 
of said bins and a second branch path extending downwardly to feed sheets 
to said second portion of said bins; a sheet deflector gate is mounted at 
said branching position for selectively deflecting sheets from said common 
shared path portion into one of said first and second branch paths; and a 
high capacity stacking tray is located within said vertical space between 
said first and second portions of said vertical array of bins also 
connecting with said sheet transport path to receive said print media 
sheets. 
Further specific features disclosed herein, individually or in combination, 
include those wherein said sheet transport path is in the general shape of 
a rotated "T"; and/or wherein said first and second branch paths extend 
past said respective first and second portions of said vertical array of 
bins; and/or wherein said first and second portions of said bins comprise 
approximately equal halves of said vertical array of bins; and/or wherein 
said sheet deflector gate is activated by movement of a movable 
compiler/finishing unit between said first and second portions of said 
vertical bin array: and/or wherein said compiler/finishing unit is between 
said first and second branch paths and said bin array, and feeds said 
printed media sheets from a selected first or second branch path to a 
selected said bin; and/or wherein said sheet transport path further 
includes a bypass extension path system to feed sheets on to said central 
sheet input of a second said sheet output module, said bypass extension 
path being at a vertical level intermediately of said module and said 
vertical bin array and communicating with said common shared path portion 
from said central sheet input to said branching position and then 
extending on from between said first and second branch paths. 
One desirable feature of "mailbox" bins or stacking trays is to store 
plural (more than one) bound (e.g. stapled) sets in a selected assigned 
one or more mailbox bins or stacking tray (i.e. so that any particular 
user-designated bin can store plural stapled sets from the same or 
different jobs). Noted in this regard is Xerox Corporation U.S. Pat. No. 
5,098,074 issued Mar. 24, 1992 to the same Barry P. Mandel, et al 
(D/88157), especially FIG. 4 and its description, and the last paragraph 
of the specification, and the corresponding abstracted "Xerox Disclosure 
Journal" publication Vol. 16, No. 5, pp. 281-283 dated Sept./Oct. 1991. 
Also disclosed of interest in said U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,074 patent is a 
partial (shared with a tray) compiler shelf, tamper, stapler, eject rolls, 
stack height sensor, elevator high capacity stacker, and other hardware of 
interest to the embodiment herein. Further noted with respect to partially 
shared (with a tray) compiler/stackers is Canon U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,265. 
Of further "mailbox" background interest is Seiko Epson Corporation U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,141,222 issued Aug. 25, 1992 by Shigeru Sawada, et al., (and 
its equivalent EPO Application No. 0 399 565, "Printer", published Nov. 
28, 1990). U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,914 issued Sep. 8, 1987 to F. J. Lawrence 
(Gradco Systems, Inc.) discloses a random plural bin access [with plural 
solenoids] sheet receiver. It discloses sheet input from both the right or 
left sides, indicated as from a copier and a printer respectively. Gradco 
Systems, Inc. U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,434 filed Nov. 17, 1987 and issued Jun. 
27, 1989 to F. Lawrence et al has a brief discussion of "mailboxing" for 
electronic or laser printers in Col. 1, lines 28 et al., noting in 
particular there that: "mailboxing is more difficult, because the 
documents or jobs destined for different mailboxes may not and most likely 
will not be processed in sequence. Thus, mailboxing requires random access 
or positioning of the sheet feed for delivery to a selected bin or 
mailbox." [Col. 1 lines 37-42]. This specification then goes on to 
indicate that rapid bin movement is a problem for that in the prior art 
sorters, and that it provides high speed job separation and ease of random 
access operation. 
As to usable specific or alternative hardware components of the subject 
apparatus, it will be appreciated that, as is normally the case, some such 
specific hardware components are known per se in other apparatus or 
applications. For example, various commercially available stand-alone, 
self-controlled modular sorter units are known for sorting the output of 
xerographic copiers or printers, with various hardware systems. Examples 
include above-cited art and its references. 
The presently disclosed apparatus may be readily operated and controlled in 
a conventional manner with conventional control systems. It is well known 
in general and preferable to program and execute such control functions 
and logic with conventional software instructions for conventional 
microprocessors. This is taught by various patents and various commercial 
copiers, printers, and sorters. Such software may of course vary 
considerably depending on the particular function and the particular 
software system and the particular microprocessor or microcomputer system 
being utilized, but will be available to or readily programmable by those 
skilled in the applicable arts without undue experimentation from either 
verbal functional descriptions, such as those provided herein, or prior 
knowledge of those functions which are conventional, together with general 
knowledge in the software and computer arts. Controls may alternatively be 
provided utilizing various other known or suitable hard-wired logic or 
switching systems. 
All references cited in this specification, and their references, are 
incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate 
teachings of additional or alternative details, features, and/or technical 
background. 
Various of the above-mentioned and further features and advantages will be 
apparent from the specific apparatus and its operation described in the 
example below, as well as the claims. Thus, the present invention will be 
better understood from this description of one embodiment thereof, 
including the drawing figures (approximately to scale) wherein:

Turning now to the exemplary embodiment 10 of an integrated stacker and 
multibin mailbox [or sorter] unit shown in the Figures, it will be 
appreciated that this is merely one example of the claimed system. The 
printer to which the mailbox system may be operatively connected is only 
partially shown, for its output at the left side of FIG. 1, since various 
printers may be so connected to this unit 10, with little or no printer 
modifications. The illustrated mailbox bins, compiler/stapler, etc., 
illustrated or described herein are also exemplary, and may individually 
vary considerably. The general reference number 10 is utilized below for 
the entire output unit or module. Likewise, the general reference number 
11 will be used throughout for any individual mailbox (or sorter) tray or 
bin. 
The specific example illustrated is a mailbox/finisher/stacker module 10 
with a sheet path 12 that is desirably fed sheets (entered) at a central 
or intermediate sheet entrance 13 level at one side thereof. The sheets 
are fed into a common path portion 12a, and then into one of two split 
path vertical sheet transports 12b or 12c respectively branching up or 
down, as selected by a gate 14. 
As will be further noted, this central sheet path deflector gate 14 may be 
switched or actuated here into either an up or down position simply by the 
motion of a finishing carriage 20. Therefore, this gate 14 requires no 
additional electronics or logic. 
The vertical array of bins 11 here are in two sets, vertically spaced 
apart. A high capacity (elevator) output tray 17 is located near or 
slightly below the center of the mailbox bins array in that space. This 
tray 17 location, relative to the sheet path 12a and its entrance 13, 
yields optimum unload height for the high capacity tray 17 and also 
minimum first copy output time for such copying jobs (e.g. from 
multifunction machines). Previous designs compromised one or more of these 
factors. The "T" sheet path configuration 12a, 12b, 12c results in shorter 
average and more reliable paper paths to the respective bins 11 as well as 
to the elevator stacking tray 17 (which can handle the widest array of 
sizes/materials), and also a shorter path to a central bypass transport 
such as 22. 
Although a finisher unit or carriage 20 is shown here, it is not required, 
and similar advantages here can be provided in a non-finishing sorter or 
mailbox module. This particular moving compiler/finisher unit 20 is merely 
exemplary. Although there are slight differences in, e.g., the stapler 
orientation, width, and an additional sheet input path feeding nip in the 
finishing carriage 20 of FIG. 1 versus the alternative of FIG. 2 [from the 
above cross-referenced applications], they are otherwise sufficiently 
similar for purposes of this description such that common numbering may be 
utilized here. The wider carriage and extra nip of FIG. 1 is for allowing 
the stapler to move in and out along the registration (rear) edge of the 
compiled set, for landscape or other multiple stapling, and is not 
relevant to this application. 
By way of background, in order to provide good unload operability, it is 
desirable for mailbox devices to utilize fixed bins 11 rather than a 
moving bins design. A multiple gate and vertical sheet transport system, 
as shown here, enables very reliable bin entrance paper paths, as well as 
a small module 10 footprint. Existing known fixed bin sorters and 
mailboxes with multiple-gate (dedicated individual gate) bin entrance 
systems have a vertical transport that is entered from either the top or 
the bottom thereof. These systems also typically have a common bin 
entrance gate/nip geometry for all bins. In those systems, if the sheet 
exit height of the printer or other sheet processor does not line up with 
either the top or bottom of the sorter or mailbox units' vertical 
transport, then an additional interface transport is required to direct 
sheets to the top or bottom of the unit. A multiple gate sorter or mailbox 
system with a vertical transport that is entered from a central level is 
not known to the inventors here. 
One reason for that is shown in FIG. 4. A central entrance to the bin array 
would be expected to result in considerable "wasted" space in the center 
of the bin array (shown by phantom unusable bin spaces) to allow for the 
requisite oppositely oriented paper path minimum turning radii such as R1, 
R2, R3 and R4, curving in opposite directions to turn the sheet up (or 
down) and then horizontally into a bin. If a typical minimum desirable 
turning baffle radius of 50 mm is used, such lost vertical spacing 
(unusable for bins) would be about 4 times that (R1+R2+R3+R4), or 200 mm. 
That is, the minimum unusable spacing between the two sets of bins that 
lie above and below the intermediate paper path entrance point to the 
vertical transports is roughly equal to four times the required minimum 
baffle or deflector bend radius. Another reason is that entering a fixed 
bin sorter system from a central point also means that the bin entrance 
direction and thus the requisite gate configuration is different for the 
bins above the entrance point than it is for those bins below that point 
(although the entrance gates may be common parts, mounted inverted, as 32 
here). That is, R2 and R4 are oppositely curved. A further reason is that 
a central path entrance would be expected to require an extra gate 
actuator such as a solenoid to move a gate such as 14 to select between 
directing sheets to the upper or lower bin array. 
The mailbox/finisher module 10 here makes effective use of a desirable 
center entrance paper path, yet overcomes the above-noted and other 
expected disadvantages. It yields a configuration with several significant 
advantages over previous systems. As shown, the sheet vertical transport 
here consists of two separate and oppositely driven belt transports 
defining branch paths 12b and 12c respectively providing upper and lower 
sheet paths selected by a center entrance gate 14 therebetween. Here, that 
gate 14 may be actuated solely by being contacted and moved by the motion 
of the finishing carriage 90. The gate 14 thus requires no external 
actuator or drive (e.g., a solenoid), or logic. The gate 14 is 
automatically moved into the correct position to direct sheets to either 
the upper or lower vertical paths 12a or 12b by the vertical motion 
(impact) of the finishing carriage 20 with an extension 14a of the gate 14 
extending into its path, as shown. 
The module 10 also includes an, e.g., 500 sheet, elevator stacking tray 17, 
here shown initially located at what would otherwise be the first bin 
position above the vertical transport central entrance level. This 
elevator stacker 17 makes effective use for its movement downward (as it 
fills) in the otherwise lost vertical space between it and the next usable 
bin below. This position at tray 17 also provides a nigh capacity output 
location at a level convenient for operator unloading. Since the details 
of an elevator stacking tray such as 17 per se are well known from the 
above-cited and other art and products, it need not be described in detail 
herein. A conventional elevator-moved stacking tray can be used, like 
those described in the above-cited Mandel 5,098,074 or U.S. Pat. No. 
5,137,265; 5,026,034; 4,541,763; or 4,880,350. 
As also shown, an optional bypass transport 22, as in FIG. 1, can be 
substituted and used in the location of two adjacent bins 11, preferably 
the two bins closest to the output end of central sheet path 12a. This 
bypass 22 passes sheets centrally on to another unit 10 or other finishing 
module with conventional roller or belt feeders. 
This module 10 plural mode center entrance architecture results in a high 
capacity output tray 17 desirably located near the center of a mailbox bin 
vertical array, in what would otherwise be wasted space. The elevator tray 
system 17 moves down within this space as it fills, utilizing this space 
to allow high capacity stacking. This yields optimum unloading height for 
the high capacity tray 17, and also, on average, shorter and more reliable 
paper paths, especially to the elevator stacker 17, which must handle the 
widest array of sizes/materials, and thus benefits from the straightest 
possible entrance path. The central sheet entrance geometry here also 
enables a short bypass path such as 22 on to a second or third such 
mailbox unit 10 also having the same central level input 13 and central 
thruput path 12a. It enables a common input 13 location for all such 
mailbox modules, no matter where in a chain of modules and stackers they 
are located. 
Described now in further detail are the general function and features of 
the exemplary embodiment of a stand-alone printer output "mailbox" job 
sorting unit 10, with plural bins 11, and an integrated job 
compiler/finisher unit, such as 20, although this invention is not limited 
thereto. As described in said parent and cross-referenced applications, 
this disclosed system provides for stacking the sheets sequentially 
outputted from a printer in separate job sets into one or more temporarily 
and variably assigned "mailboxes" of a "mailboxing" job sorting accessory 
unit 10 having a number of variably assignable "mailbox" bins 11. A 
variable display connected to controller 100 may indicate the bin(s) into 
which that particular user's jobs have been placed last and not yet 
removed (FIG. 1). These may be plural pre-compiled and/or prestapled job 
sets stacked in a selected user bin. The exemplary disclosed system may 
also provide a bypass for sequentially stacking unstapled user sheets 
directly in a mailbox without compiling and stapling. An exemplary 
integral moving sheet deflector, compiler and stapler unit 20 is shown 
more particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3 for collecting, compiling, and 
optionally stapling, and ejecting job sets of sheets for separate 
designated users into one or more of these discrete but variably assigned 
"mailboxes" 11. The disclosed "mailboxing" units may also have "privacy 
doors" locking for restricting access to at least some of the mailbox 
bins, with electrical door unlocking of selected bins in response to entry 
of a user access code, and other user features. 
For "mailboxing" functions, the conventionally sequentially received hard 
copy of plural page collated documents from a pre-collation output 
electronic printer or the like may be fed into the mailbox unit 10 and 
automatically fed to the particular bin 11 assignment destination of those 
job sheets. The mailbox unit 10 preferably directs all designated sheets 
of a users job to an available bin or bins 11 temporarily assigned to that 
printer user based on bin availability. 
As noted, the disclosed unit 10 is desirably a universal stand-alone unit 
that is attached to, or even simply moved next to, the output of almost 
any conventional printer. Plural units 10 may be ganged in series, like 
plural sorters, if desired, as shown in FIG. 1, for an increased number of 
available bins, using conventional sheet pass-through feeders and gates 
and/or the bypass 22 shown herein, or the like. As is well known in 
sorting, sorter bin units can be extended or serially connected in this 
manner to provide more available bins. The job sorting unit 10 can take 
sheets inputted at its sheet input 13 from various printer outputs, 
including multi-functional units. The input 13 may, if desired, be 
provided with a pivotal or otherwise vertically adjustable input ramp 
and/or feeder, which may be in an interface module, to align with various 
levels of printer outputs. Since the output of the printer may be acquired 
sequentially as individual unstacked sheets as it outputs, no sheet 
separator is required for the unit 10, and thus a very simple input feeder 
can be used. It can even be positioned or adapted to reach into the 
pre-existing sheet output tray of the printer to pull the sheets out of 
that tray. The unit 10 input preferably has a conventional sheet input 
sensor actuated by sensing the entrance of a sheet lead edge into its 
sheet entrance path 12a. 
Referring further to the optional bypass transport 22, this provides a 
short and central bypass extension path through a module 10 on to the 
central entrance 13 of another module 10. It can be provided simply by 
removing two adjacent bins in an area adjacent the center of the bin array 
and mounting into that space a removable simple sheet transport, such as 
that illustrated, which extends out centrally through and slightly beyond 
the outer ends of the array of bins, to provide an optional sheet output 
centrally on the side of the module 10 opposite the entrance 13 side of 
the module 10, as shown in FIG. 1. 
The internal sheet feeding path 12 in the mailbox unit 10 can utilize 
various known sorter sheet transports, many of which are shown in cited 
art and other art, providing the sheet path and advantages discussed above 
are provided. Here, in this example, once each output sheet of the printer 
has been acquired by the input feeder or the like of an initial common 
path 12a of the unit 10, the further sheet feeding may be done in path 12b 
or 12c by the illustrated rollers 25 engaging respective sets of belts 26a 
or 26b to form feed nips feeding the sheet along the belts 26 until the 
sheet meets a bin selection and feeding means 30 which, when activated, 
deflects the sheet into that selected bin 11, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 
3. Here the inside flight or bight of the two sets of moving belts 26a and 
26b respectively carries the sheet thereon upwardly in path 12b (or 
downwardly in path 12c from the center of the unit 10 past a respective 
series of gates or sheet deflectors 32. The sheet is deflected 11 by a 
curved surface 32a of the gate 32 for a selected bin when the sheet 
reaches an opened gate 32 adjacent the selected bin or tray 11, as further 
described below. Where a finisher carriage such as 20 here is provided, 
the sheet is deflected into that units paper path, which then transports 
the sheet to the appropriate, adjacent, bin. 
As noted, various components of the mailbox unit 10 can be conventional, 
even commercially available, except as controlled and modified as 
described herein. Various feeding and gating arrangements whereby inputted 
sheets are fed to and gated into selected bins by a moving gate with a 
positionable sheet deflector, rather than by separate associated 
deflecting bin gates, as here, are well known in the art. The illustrated 
moving frictional belts 26 transport system and the plural stationary but 
pivotal sheet deflectors 32 to selectably deflect sheets from the feed 
belts 26 into the selected bin 11 are merely exemplary. 
As noted, the entire operation of the exemplary mailbox module unit 10 here 
may be controlled by an integral conventional low cost microprocessor 
controller 100, conventionally programmable with software for the 
operations described herein. Such a system has more than ample capability 
and flexibility for the functions described herein, and also for various 
other functions if desired, such as jam detection and jam clearance 
instructions. 
Optionally, one bin or tray 11 of the unit 10 may (conventionally) provide 
an open general use tray or bin. The top most bin of a sorter is often so 
used for undesignated or unknown users jobs, jam purges, overcapacity jobs 
too large for regular bins, etc., since it is not limited in stack height 
by any overlying tray. In the present design such a designated general use 
tray 11 may the tray or bin 11 located just below the tray 17 output 
location, where it may be fed sheets via the uppermost or top gate 32 on 
the lower vertical belt transport 12c. Since all users may have to access 
a general use tray, this central location ensures that all users can reach 
it easily. Where that tray is to be so designated, then the two trays 11 
to be removed for the bypass module 22 are preferably the next two trays 
below that. i.e., slightly varying from FIG. 1, there would be this one 
dedicated general use tray 11 above the bypass module 22. Note however 
that here the high capacity stacking tray 17 is also available for 
automatic switchover of the printer output to this tray 17 by controller 
100 for such modes. The unit 10 may, if desired, also be flexibly 
modifiable into different size, capacity or spacing tray/bin 
configurations. Examples of systems for variably mounting shelves and/or 
movable sheet stacking trays to the same frame unit are shown, for 
example, in the above-cited Mandel et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,074, and in 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,279. Other such variable shelf mounting systems are 
well known e.g., for wall-mounting racks or bookshelves, such as a fixed 
vertically slotted track into which the "J" shaped ends of bookshelf or 
rack supports are cantilever mounted. 
The plural mode system disclosed herein accommodates host-connected 
printers and other applications where high capacity stackers such as 17 
are desired. Especially, printers used as "departmental" printers rather 
than individual addressed mailboxes. 
Optionally, here, instead of the stacking tray 17 conventionally moving 
down as it fills to maintain the top of the stack slightly below the 
compiler exit level, the present system can desirably move the 
compiler/stapler unit 20, or the like, up as tray 17 fills. This 
optionally allows a simple fixed tray to be used, with no elevator 
mechanism for that tray, by using the same indexing elevator system as is 
also used here to direct jobs from the same movable compiler finishing 
unit 20 to selected mailbox bins 11. 
In the illustrated mailbox sheet diversion system 30 example here, plural 
sheet diverter gates 32 are commonly mounted in line on rotatable shafts 
33 to define plural gate units 34. The number and spacing of such 
gates/shaft units 34 equals the number and spacing of the bins 11. They 
are closely parallel to, and vertically spaced along, the plural belts 26 
sheet transport. The same shafts 33 may also support the sheet path idler 
rollers 25 forming the sheet feeding nips with that side of the belts 26, 
as shown. However, instead of being conventionally directly adjacent the 
bins, (as they could be) in this example the diverter gate units 34 here 
are horizontally separated from the bins here by the space for (width of) 
the vertically moving finishing carriage 20, here comprising 
compiler/stapling unit 90. When one set or unit 34 of the pivotal gates 32 
is pivoted, the top surface 32a, including end fingers 32b of each gate 
32, acts as sheet deflectors to deflect sheets off of the sheet transport 
belts 26 at that gate unit 34 location, and into (or through) the adjacent 
compiler unit 90 which is located at that selected bin 11 location. The 
selected single line of gates 32 (one gate unit 34) may be pivoted on 
shaft 33 by direct mechanical engagement of a cam actuator 35 on the 
elevator/compiler unit 90 with a gate opening cam follower 36 on the 
pivotal gate unit 34 shaft 33. This pivots said end fingers 32b of that 
set of gates 32 out through spaces between or on each side of the vertical 
sheet transport belt(s) 26 so that these fingers 32b are positioned to 
catch the sheets on their top surface 32a and deflect them off of the belt 
transport and into the compiler unit 90. 
Meanwhile, all the other pivotal gates 32 are all spring (or gravity) 
loaded into a closed (vertical) position, in which their rear or left 
sides 32c function as sheet guides or baffles to maintain sheets on the 
transport belts 26 vertical path passing thereby. 
When the pulley/cable or other elevator system for the finishing carriage 
20 moves that compiler unit 90 on to a different selected bin position, 
the previously opened adjacent bin gates reclose, and that other newly 
selected set of 34 gates 32 is pivoted open. This eliminates the 
requirement for multiple solenoids, one for each bin, and their wiring for 
bin selections. That is, here there are plural, but dual mode, gates, 
which are individually cammed open one at a time by a moving 
compiler/finisher unit, which also forms part of the sheet path into the 
selected bin. Thus, this unit 20 here actuates, and forms part of the 
sheet diversion and bin selection system 30. [Note that moving gate 
sorters (e.g., Norfin Co. Snelling, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,254) are 
known in the sorter art. However, typically these have only a single 
non-pivotal gate, per se, having one set of non-pivotal deflector fingers 
between the bins and the belt and/or vacuum sheet transport, always 
extending into the belts, which single gate is moved up and down past the 
bins by an elevator mechanism]. In contrast, here the compiler unit 90 is 
vertically moved up or down to its adjacent bin, not the gates. Various 
known elevator systems may be used for the compiler/stapler unit here, 
such as elongated screw shafts rotated by a motor at their top or bottom, 
or a driven cable belt and pulley system. The unit 20 can conventionally 
slide up and down on conventional vertical elevator rails or smooth 
cylindrical rods. 
Further referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, this example here of a sheet job set 
compiling and stapling and/or ejecting system 90, per se, may be, for 
example, similar to that disclosed and described in Xerox Corporation 
application Ser. No. 07/888,091, filed May 26, 1992, by the same Barry P. 
Mandel, et al, now allowed, (D/91697). Another compiling and stapling 
system is disclosed in his above-cited U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,074. The 
sequentially incoming sheets from the above-described sheet deflecting or 
bin gating system 30 here are fed into an input feeding nip 91 of compiler 
90. Then, here the sheets are either fed directly through the 
compiler/stapler unit 90 on into the adjacent bin 11 without compiling or 
stapling, as shown in the dotted line path; or the sheets may first be 
compiled in a compiler tray 92 by dropping and being fed backwards and 
registered against the downhill stacking rear wall 92a of this compiling 
tray 92. During this set compiling and registration, a compiled set 
discharge arm device 93 (with its driver roller 94) is in an up position 
out of contact with the discharge idler roller 95 (at the compiler tray 92 
outlet), as represented by its illustrated solid line position. That is, 
during this compiling cycle, this set discharge arm device 93 is in an up 
position not in contact with any of the sheets in the compiling tray 92. 
[Note that if single sheets are being sequentially fed straight on through 
the compiler 90 to the bin 11 without compiling (in a bypass or sorting 
mode), rollers 94 are held down in engagement with rollers 95.] Once the 
incoming sheet has been discharged from the sheet entrance rolls nip 91 
and drops onto partial compiler tray 92, and slides downhill, the top 
surface of the incoming sheet is then also contacted by a rotatable 
frictional flexible compiler belt 96, causing the sheet to be driven back 
and downhill until it is fully registered against the rear wall 92a of the 
tray 92. This type of compressible open or "floppy belt" jogger or 
compiler assistance is further disclosed in Canon U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,265, 
issued Nov. 28, 1989 to N. lida, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,265, and 
EPO 346851. Each subsequent job sheet is compiled on top of the prior 
sheets on tray 92 in this manner. A conventional lateral registration 
tamper can also be provided, as in the cited art thereon. That is, once 
each sheet is discharged and rear registered by the rotation of the floppy 
belts 96 against the topmost surface of the sheet in the compiling tray 
92, the lateral tamper engages to shift each sheet to a lateral 
registration edge of the tray 92. Because the floppy registration belts 96 
are so flexible, and are held only at their top, they are easily deformed 
in the lateral direction. Note that even during this compiling operation 
the sheets also partially extended and hang out into the adjacent bin 11, 
saving overall mailbox width. That is, the compiler tray 92 is only a 
partial sheet supporting shelf for most sizes of sheets, as in the 
above-cited Mandel 5,098,074 or Canon 5,137,265. 
Once the job set is compiled (the entire job set is stacked) and both 
longitudinally and laterally registered, the compiled stack may then be 
attached together, by means of a stapler 97, or stitcher, or other 
suitable set binding device, as is known in the art. As shown in that art, 
and otherwise well known, stapling or other binding may be in one corner 
of the set, or along one edge, or along a central spline as a saddle 
stitch. However, set stapling is not required here. Whether stapled or 
not, the discharge device 93 is then automatically lowered onto the top 
surface of the completed compiled set to form a nip gripping the set 
between its discharge roller 94 and eject idler rollers 95, as represented 
by the phantom line position of 93. The compiled (and normally stapled) 
set is thus driven out of the compiling tray 92 and fully into the 
adjacent bin 11 to stack therein. 
The set discharge device 93 here is exemplary. Set discharge could also be 
accomplished by a transport belt or mechanical pusher fingers, or other 
suitable set transport devices. Here, after a set ejection, the sheet 
discharge nip 94, 95 opens as the device 93 lifts to return to its initial 
position, and the compiling apparatus 90 is ready to compile another 
subsequent set of copy sheets thereon after being moved to another bin. 
Thus, there is provided integral the unit 10 a single repositionable 
compact compiling/stapling unit 90 for stacking, registering and attaching 
sets of printing machine output. In the present system, this same 
compiler/finisher unit 20 may also be positioned to similarly feed sheets 
or sets of sheets on top of a stack of sheets in the stacking tray 17. 
However, as noted, this is a plural mode operating system, which can also 
function as a single sheet pass-through feeder, feeding sheets directly 
sequentially into the bin 11 to stack therein, or on to a bypass transport 
such as 22 to pass sheets sequentially on to another module 10. 
If desired, the compiling/stapling unit 90 can increment up after set 
ejection by a vertical distance related to the set sheet count, so as to 
eject the next set into that same bin from a higher level, for stacking 
assistance. 
In conclusion, this disclosed design results in an integral bin array and 
stacker unit without wasted space, and a more central sheet entrance level 
and paper path more compatible with the output of reproduction machines, 
and other modules. Furthermore, because it requires less overall paper 
path length and hardware, especially including interfaces, it may be less 
expensive than alternative designs overall. 
While the embodiment disclosed herein is preferred, it will be appreciated 
from this teaching that various alternatives, modifications, variations or 
improvements therein may be made by those skilled in the art, which are 
intended to be encompassed by the following claims: