SHEET SORTING DEVICE

Abstract: Sheet sorting device (1) having a number of sorting units (6,7; 39) each comprising a number of superposed sheet receiving bins (9,10; 40) and a conveyor system (25-33; 43,44) underneath said units, which device (1) is adapted for selectively directing copy sheets discharged from a copying machine (2) in one of said bins (9,10; 40). The conveyor system (25-33; 43,44) is displaceable between a position in which it projects outside the device (1) and is above the sheet receiving tray (4) of the copying machine (2) and a position in which it is situated completely below a sorting unit (6,7; 39). Beneath the conveyor system (25-33; 43,44) an additional sheet receiving tray (36,45) is situated for receiving sheets fed by the conveyor system. If during a sorting operation a disturbance occurs in a sorting unit (6,7; 39), the conveyor system (25-33; 43,44) automatically conveys copy sheets discharged thereafter by the copying machine (2) into the additional tray (36,45). If such a disturbance occurs elsewhere in the sorting device (1) the conveyor system (25-33; 43,44) is displaced to the position underneath the sorting unit (6,7; 39); copy sheets discharged thereafter by the copying machine (2) are collected in the receiving tray (4) of the copying machine (2).

Description: This invention relates to a sheet sorting device in a sheet processing machine, e.g. a copying machine, comprising at least a sorting unit comprising a number of superposed receiving bins and a first conveyor system which conveys a sheet through a path extending along the sorting unit and can feed said sheet selectively into one of the receiving bins of said sorting unit, and a second conveyor system for supplying sheets to the first conveyor system. A sheet sorting device of this kind is known from US Patent 3 944 217, in which the sheet sorting device described comprises a number of sorting units each having a conveyor system provided with diverting means for selectively directing a sheet into one of the receiving bins, and a fixed conveyor system which extends from a sheet processing machine to the sorting units and then underneath the sorting units, said fixed conveyor system being provided with diverting means for selectively directing a sheet into one of the sorting units. A sheet tray is provided next to the conveyor path which extends from the sheet processing machine to the sorting units, and sheets can be collected unsorted in said tray. A diverting means in this conveyor path can be set to a position to feed sheets in said sheet tray, e.g. if a disturbance occurs in a part of the sorting device situated further on. When this known sheet sorting device is disposed next to a sheet processing machine provided with a receiving tray for finished sheets, it is no longer possible to use this tray. If that part of the sheet sorting device which directly joins the sheet processing machine becomes inoperative, then the entire sheet sorting device has to be removed from the sheet processing machine in order that the latter together with the collecting tray associated with that machine can be used. This is a disadvantage particularly in the case of sorting devices which have a large number of and/or large receiving bins, and are therefore heavy. The object of the invention is to provide a sheet sorting device of the kind referred to in the introduction without having this disadvantage. According to the invention, this object is attained in that the second conveyor system is displaceable between a first, inoperative position in which it is situated completely below the sorting unit and a second, operative position in which it adjoins the sheet processing machine. As a result, in the event of a disturbance in the sheet sorting device, the latter and the sheet processing machine can readily be disconnected by moving the second conveyor system from the second, operative position into the first, inoperative position, so that sheets then delivered by the sheet processing machine can be collected in a collecting tray of the processing machine. In an advantageous embodiment of a sheet sorting device according to the invention having a number of sorting units, each sorting unit is provided with a second conveyor system provided with a diverting means for selectively directing a sheet to the associated first conveyor system, said second conveyor systems being adapted to be coupled to form a continuous conveyor path. Consequently, the sheet sorting device according to the invention can be built up from a number of completely identical units. Preferably, a tray for collecting sheets is provided beneath the sorting unit and a diverting means is provided in the second conveyor system for each sorting unit, which diverting means in the second position of the second conveyor system can occupy two positions, in the first of which a sheet is fed into the sorting unit and in the second of which a sheet is fed into the collecting tray. The result of this is that the collecting tray can be made relatively large and at the same time is readily accessible for the removal of sheets collected therein. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of embodiments of a sheet sorting device according to the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig.1 is a front view of a sheet sorting device according to the invention connected to a sheet processing machine, Fig.2 is a front view of a sheet sorting device according to Fig.1 disconnected from the sheet processing machine, Fig.3 is a top view of the sheet sorting device and the sheet processing machine according to Fig.1, and Fig.4 schematically represents another embodiment of a sheet sorting device according to the invention. The sheet sorting device 1 represented in Figs. 1 - 3 is disposed next to a copying machine 2. The copying machine 2 is provided with an opening 3 through which sheets printed and possibly folded in the copying machine are fed out of the copying machine. In the absence of a sheet sorting device next to the copying machine 2, the said sheets are deposited in a receiving tray 4 connected to the copying machine. Two sorting units 6 and 7 respectively, each comprising ten superposed receiving bins, are secured next to one another in the frame of the sheet sorting device 1 denoted by reference 5. The units 6 and 7 are substantially identical in construction so that only one of said units will be described. The bottom tray of a unit, denoted by reference 9 has a larger receiving capacity than the other trays denoted by 10. A sheet conveyor path 11 formed by guide plates extends vertically along the trays 9 and 10. Driven conveyor roller pairs 12 are disposed at regular intervals in the conveyor path 11 and can feed a sheet upwards in the conveyor path 11. Conveyor paths 13 extend between the sheet conveyor path 11 and each receiving tray 9 and 10 respectively. A driven conveyor roller pair 14 is disposed in each of these conveyor paths 13 and can advance a sheet in the associated path 13. At the place where each conveyor path 13 adjoins the conveyor path 11 a deflector plate 15 is provided which, as shown in Fig.1, is pivotable about a pivot 16 and when in the inoperative position is in a position in which the defector plate is situated completely outside the sheet conveyor path 11. Each deflector plate 15 can be set, by means not shown, e.g. a solenoid, into a position in which the deflector plate 15 projects into the sheet conveyor path 11 to deflect a sheet fed in the path 11 to the associated adjoining path 13. Openings are formed in the guide plates forming the sheet conveyor paths 13 and together form a straight duct. At one end of that duct a lamp 18 is disposed while a detector 19 is disposed at the other end of the duct, said detector being sensitive to the radiation of the lamp 18, said radiation being adapted to be interrupted by a sheet in one of the paths 13. The means capable of actuating each deflector plate 15 are coupled to a control system (not shown), e.g. the control system of copying machine 2, for selective actuation of the deflector plates 15 in a way which will be explained hereinafter in connection with the description of the operation of the sheet sorting device. The conveyor rollers of the conveyor roller pairs 12 situated on the outside of the sorting unit 6 are rotatably secured in a subframe 20 which is pivotably secured at 21 to the frame 5 (see Fig.3) Excluding the rollers of the conveyor roller pairs 12 adjacent the sorting unit 6, the sorting unit 7 is secured in a subframe 22 which is pivotably secured to frame 5 at 23. Of the conveyor roller pairs 12 those rollers which are mounted in that part of the sorting units which is connected to frame 5 are driven rollers. Each conveyor roller mounted in the hinged subframes 20 and 22 respectively is pressed by a spring against the driven roller with which the roller forms a pair. A carriage 25 is secured in the frame 5 of the sorting units 6 and 7. Guide plates in the carriage 25 form a sheet conveyor path 26 which extends horizontally through the entire carriage 25 and discharges on either side thereof. Sheet conveyor rollers 27 are mounted rotatably in the carriage. The rollers 27 may be driven by drive means (not shown) to feed a sheet through the path 26. The sheet conveyor path 26 is followed by two conveyor paths 28 and 29 which discharge at the top of the carriage 25. The distance between these discharge points is equal to the distance between the discharge points of the conveyor paths 11 at the bottom of the sorting units 6 and 7, so that the latter paths can simultaneously adjoin the sheet conveyor paths 28 and 29. Where sheet conveyor paths 28 and 29 adjoin the sheet conveyor path 26 deflector plates 30 and 31 respectively are provided and, as shown in Fig.1, are pivotable about an axis 32 and 33 respectively. In the inoperative position deflector plates 30 and 31 are in a position in which they are situated completely outside the sheet conveyor path 26. Means not shown, e.g. a solenoid, can selectively put them into a position in which the associated deflector plate projects into the sheet conveyor path 26 to deflect a sheet in the sheet conveyor path 26 to the associated sorting unit 6 or 7 respectively. Carriage 25 is movable between two position represented respectively in Fig.1 and Fig.2 and in which positions the carriage 25 is locked. Means not shown enable the carriage 25 to be manually unlocked and moved to the other position in which the carriage is again locked. In the position of the carriage 25 represented in Fig.1, the sheet conveyor paths 11 in the sorting units 6 and 7 adjoin the conveyor paths 28 and 29 respectively and a part 35 of the carriage 25 projects outside the sorting units casing. In this position, that part of the sheet conveyor path 26 which is situated in the part 35 of the carriage adjoins the exit opening 3 of a copying machine 2 disposed next to the sorting device 1, and in so doing covers the receiving tray 4 belonging to the copying machine. Beneath the sorting unit 7 and beneath the space in which the carriage 25 can move a receiving tray 36 is secured in the frame 5 of the sheet sorting device 1. When the deflector plates 30 and 31 are in the inoperative position, a sheet fed through the conveyor path 26 by sheet conveyor rollers 27 is fed to said tray 36. In the position of the carriage 25 represented in Fig.2, carriage 25 is completely beneath the sorting units 6 and 7, thus covering receiving tray 36, and the sheet sorting device 1 is disconnected from the copying machine 2 next to it. In this position of the carriage 25 sheets discharged from the copying machine 2 are deposited in receiving tray 4 belonging to the copying machine. The operation of the sheet sorting device represented in Figs. 1 - 3 is as follows. The sheet sorting device 1 is set to sorting, collating or collecting by operation of the appropriate controls on a control panel of the copying machine 2. Initially the deflector plates 15 at the receiving bins 9 and 10 in the sorting units 6 and 7 are actuated by the associated solenoid and the deflector plates 30 and 31 in the carriage 25 are actuated by the associated solenoid. The sheet sorting device can also be set to deposit sheets in sorting unit 6 or to deposit sheets in sorting unit 7. When set to "sort", the copies discharged consecutively from the copying machine after being made from one original are deposited in consecutive bins, starting at the bottom bin 9 of the unit which has been set up. This cycle is repeated after each change of original. When set to "collate", the copy sheets consecutively discharged from the copying machine and associated with one and the same original are deposited in the bottom bin 9 of the unit that has been set up. After each change of original the copy sheets discharged thereafter are deposited in the next bin. When set to "collect", all the copy sheets discharged from the copying machine are deposited in the bottom bin 9 of the sorting unit that has been set up. When the detector 19 detects that a sheet has not at the correct time passed one of the sheet conveyor paths 13 leading to the receiving bins of a sorting unit 6 or 7 respectively, then the deflector plate 30 or 31 respectively leading to the associated sorting unit is inactuated automatically. Sheets discharged thereafter from the copying machine are fed, via conveyor path 26, to sheet tray 36 and deposited therein. Sheets collected in tray 36 can be taken out of tray 36 from the front of the sheet sorting device or from the side of the sheet sorting device. When detector 19 signals a fault and sheets are fed to tray 36, the control system reports that a disturbance has occurred in one of the sorting units. The copying machine operator can eliminate the disturbance in the sheet sorting device and then carry on working with the sorting unit that has been set up. If a disturbance occurs elsewhere in the sorting device, e.g. if a copy sheet jams in the conveyor path 26 in carriage 25, it is nevertheless possible to continue copying rapidly. For this purpose, the carriage 25 is unlocked and pushed into the position in which the carriage is completely beneath the sorting units 6 and 7. Copy sheets discharged thereafter from the copying machine are collected in the collecting tray 4 belonging to the copying machine. The sheet sorting device represented diagrammatically in Fig.4 consists of a number of completely identical sorting units 39. Each sorting unit 39 comprises a number of superposed bins 40 and a conveyor path 41 situated adjacent the same and provided with deflector plates 42 for selectively depositing sheets in the bins 40. Each sorting unit 39 is provided with a carriage 43 movable between a position in which the carriage projects outside the sorting unit as represented in Fig.4, and a position in which the carriage is completely beneath the bins 40. Each carriage 43 is provided with a conveyor path 44 extending horizontally through the carriage and a branch, accessible via a deflector plate, which in the extended position of the carriage adjoins the conveyor path 41 of the sorting unit. A receiving bin 45 is also provided in each unit beneath the carriage 43. A unit 39 can be pushed against a copying machine 2 or against another unit 39, the extended part of the carriage 43 fitting over the receiving tray 4 of the copying machine or adjoining the carriage 43 of the sorting unit 39 previously pushed up. The conveyor paths 44 through the carriages 43 of units pushed against one another form a continuous conveyor path.

Claims: 1. A sheet sorting device (1) in a sheet processing machine (2), e.g. a copying machine, comprising at least a sorting unit (6,7,39) comprising a number of superposed receiving bins (9,10,40) and a first conveyor system (11-15, 41-42) which conveys a sheet through a path (11) extending along the sorting unit and can feed said sheet selectively into one of the receiving bins (9,10,40) of said sorting unit, and a second conveyor system (25-33; 43,44) for supplying sheets to the first conveyor system (11-15, 41-42), characterised in that the second conveyor system (25-33; 43-44) is displaceable between a first, inoperative position in which it is situated completely below the sorting unit (6,7,39) and a second, operative position in which it adjoins the sheet processing machine (2). 2. A sheet sorting device according to claim 1, having a number of sorting units (39), characterised in that each sorting unit (39) is provided with a second conveyor system (43,44) provided with a diverting means for selectively directing a sheet to the associated first conveyor system (41-42), said second conveyor systems (43,44) being adapted to be coupled to form a continuous conveyor path. 3. A sheet sorting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a tray (36,45) for collecting sheets is provided beneath the sorting unit (7,39) and in that a diverting means (30,31) is provided in the second conveyor system (25-33; 43,44) for each sorting unit (6,7,39), which diverting means in the second position of the second conveyor system (25-33; 43,44) can occupy two positions, in the first of which a sheet is fed into the sorting unit (6,7,39) and in the second of which a sheet is fed into the collecting tray (36,45). 4. A sheet sorting device according to claim 3, characterised in that each sorting unit (6,7,39) has a detection device (18,19) for detecting a conveying fault in the conveyor path (11,41) of the first conveyor system (11-15,41-42) and in that control means are provided which in response to a conveying fault detected by the detection device (18,19) set the diverting means (30,31) at the associated sorting unit (6,7,39) and at sorting units situated further on as considered in the direction of conveyance, into a position in which sheets subsequently supplied are fed to the collecting tray (36,45). 5. A sheet sorting devide according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a second detection device is provided for detecting a conveying fault in the conveyor path (26,44) of the second conveyor system (25-33; 43,44) and in that control means are provided which in response to a conveying fault detected by the second detection device move the second conveyor system (25-33) or the second conveyor systems (43,44) associated with sorting units where the conveying fault has been detected and the second conveyor systems (43,44) associated with the sorting units situated further on as considered in the direction of conveyance, from the second position to the first position.

Inventors: GEURTS, PETRUS ANTONIUS MARIE
Applicants: OCE-NEDERLAND B.V.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B65H39
IPC codes: B65H39, G03G15