Abstract:
A copying machine wherein successive finished sheets issue from an opening in the front wall of the housing in such positions that the printed matter is observable from above. Successive sheets pass below an observation window which is adjacent to the opening so that the quality of printed matter can be observed from above. The sheets are thereupon inverted so that the printed matter faces downwardly, and are stacked on top of each other in a tray having a bottom panel the inner end portion of which constitutes the observation window. The sheets are inverted in a channel having an inlet below the observation window and an outlet above the end of the tray which is remote from the opening.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to copying machines wherein flexible sheets are converted into finished reproductions each of which is provided with printed matter or other information, at least at one side thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus which is embodied in or associated with a copying machine and serves to manipulate finished reproductions, particularly to stack the reproductions on top of each other. 
     It is known to attach to a wall of the housing of a copying machine a tray or a like receptacle having an open top and serving to accumulate successive finished reproductions in such a way that the information on each reproduction of the stack faces upwardly. Thus, the reproductions are not stacked in the same sequence in which the originals are fed or placed into the copying machine. Consequently, each stack must be rearranged by hand or by a complex attachment so that finished reproductions are stacked in proper sequence, i.e., that the reproductions of successive pages of a book, brochure or the like are stacked in numerical order. 
     It is also known to mount an inverting device between the tray and the housing of the copying machine so that each finished reproduction is turned upside down before it enters the tray. This insures that the reproductions are stacked in proper sequence. However, presently known inverting devices for finished reproductions are mounted in such a way that they do not permit for observation of information on successive finished reproductions, i.e., the operator of the machine cannot determine whether or not each finished reproduction carries any information and/or whether or not the imprinted or otherwise applied information is satisfactory. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus which forms part of or is connectable with a copying machine and is capable of manipulating finished flexible sheet-like reproductions in such a way that the quality, presence and/or absence of information on successive reproductions is observable as well as that the reproductions are stacked or otherwise assembled in proper sequence. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved inverting or turn-around device for use in the just outlined apparatus. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact and inexpensive apparatus which can assemble finished reproductions in proper sequence and allows for visual determination of the quality of information on successive finished reproductions. 
     An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved combination of sheet-inverting and sheet-stacking means in or on a copying machine, such as a xerographic copying machine. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can manipulate finished reproductions in the above outlined manner and can be rapidly detached from a copying machine, either in its entirety or to such an extent that it is not in the way when the machine is not in use. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved tray or an analogous open-top receptacle for stacks of finished reproductions which issue from a copying machine. 
     The invention is embodied in an apparatus for manipulating preferably flexible sheet-like finished reproductions in a copying machine wherein at least one side of each finished reproduction is provided with information. The apparatus comprises means (e.g., a pair of driven rollers behind the discharge opening in the front wall of a copying machine) for advancing successive finished reproductions into an elongated path having successive first, second and third portions in the first of which the one side of each finished reproduction faces substantially upwardly so that the one side of each reproduction is observable from above for determination of the presence, absence and/or quality of information, means for inverting successive reproductions in the second portion of the path so that the one side of each inverted reproduction faces downwardly, and an open-top receptacle or tray or analogous means for stacking successive inverted reproductions on top of each other in the third portion of the path. 
     The apparatus preferably further comprises an observation window which is disposed above the first portion of the path and may constitute an integral or separable part of the bottom panel of the tray. In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the observation window is located between the advancing means and the stacking means, and at least a portion of the inverting means is preferably located below the stacking means. 
     The inverting means may include an elongated channel having pairs of rails or analogous guide means which define the first and second portions of the path, and the tray of the stacking means defines the third portion of the path. 
     The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The single FIGURE of the drawing is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of an apparatus which forms part of a copying machine and embodies one form of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The drawing shows a portion of a copying machine 1 (e.g., a xerographic copying machine) having a housing including an upright supporting wall 1a (e.g., a front wall) which is formed with a discharge opening 1b for finished flexible reproductions such as sheets 3 of paper. The means for expelling successive sheets 3 through and beyond the discharge opening 1b of the supporting wall 1a and into an elongated path includes a pair of advancing rolls 6 which are installed in the housing of the copying machine 1 and whose nip is located immediately behind the discharge opening. 
     The wall 1a of the housing of the copying machine 1 supports a turn-around or inverting device 4 for successive finished sheets 3 and a forwardly and downwardly inclined receptacle or tray 9 which collects and stacks successive sheets 3 so that the imprinted sides of the sheets face downwardly. The inverting device 4 has a container 104 with two spaced-apart parallel side walls 5 which are disposed in vertical or nearly vertical planes and carry angular brackets 8 (only one shown) serving as supports for the front portion of the tray 9. 
     In accordance with a feature of the invention, that portion 10 of the bottom panel 9a of the tray 9 which is immediately or closely adjacent to the discharge opening 1b  constitutes an observation window having a length (as considered at right angles to the plane of the FIGURE) which preferably equals the width of the bottom panel and a width (as considered in the direction of travel of successive sheets 3 through and beyond the discharge opening 1b, see the arrows A) which suffices to enable an attendant or another operator of the copying machine to observe the recorded information on successive sheets 3 while such sheets enter into the inverting device 4. The length of the panel 9a preferably exceeds the length of longest sheets 3 to be used in the copying machine 1 so that the sheets of the stack 2 in the tray 9 cannot overlie the observation window 10. 
     The container 104 of the inverting device 4 accommodates an elongated channel consisting of three pairs of suitably inclined guide rails 11, 12 and 13. The inlet of the channel is located below the window 10 and close to the discharge opening 1b so that a sheet 3 which issues from the housing of the copying machine 1 automatically enters the inlet of the channel and advances therein longitudinally to be inverted during travel between the guide rails 13 and to automatically descend onto the uppermost sheet of the stack 2 in the tray 9. That portion of the channel which is defined by the guide rails 11 and 12 is located below and is substantially parallel to the bottom panel 9a of the tray 9. The marginal portions of the guide rails 11, 12 and 13 are preferably inserted into suitable recesses or sockets of the side walls 5 forming part of the container 104. 
     The means for transporting successive sheets 3 along those (first and second) portions of an elongated path which are defined by the channel 11-13 comprises three pairs of driven rolls 15, 16 and 17. The rolls 15 are disposed between the guide rails 11, 12 and the rolls 16 are disposed between the guide rails 12, 13. The rolls 17 are mounted at the outlet of the channel, i.e., close to the upper end portions of the guide rails 13. Each of the guide rails 13 has a substantially semicircular shape. The lower roll 15 is driven by a belt, cord or an analogous endless flexible element 20 and drives the lower roll 16 through the medium of another endless flexible element 18. The lower roll 16 drives the lower roll 17 through the medium of a third endless flexible element 19. The shafts of the rolls 15-17 are journalled in one or both side walls 5 of the container 104. The flexible element 20 is driven by a pulley or sheave 21 which is mounted on a shaft 22. The shaft 22 further carries a friction wheel 23 which is the input element of the sheet transporting means and a portion of which extends into the interior of the housing of the copying machine 1 through an aperture 1c of the wall 1a and engages a driven friction wheel or output element 24. The wheel 24 and one or both advancing rollers 6 receive motion from the main prime mover (e.g., an electric motor, not shown) of the copying machine. The shaft 22 is rotatably mounted in one or both side walls 5. If desired, the friction wheels 23, 24 can be replaced by two gears which are in mesh when the container 104 is properly attached to the wall 1a. 
     The bottom wall 5a of the container 104 has a substantially vertical extension 5b which abuts against the outer side of the wall 1a below the aperture 1c. A hook-shaped coupling portion 7 of the extension 5b passes through the aperture 1c and abuts against the inner side of the wall 1a opposite the extension 5b. The lower portion of the aperture 1c is preferably wide, and the width of the coupling portion 7 (as considered in a direction at right angles to the plane of the drawing) is sufficient to insure that the container 104 is not likely to be tilted when the coupling portion 7 assumes the illustrated position. The friction wheel or gear 23 then meshes with the friction wheel or gear 24, and the inlet of the channel defined by the guide rails 11-13 is immediately adjacent to the discharge opening 1b, i.e., the window 10 is in an optimum position to allow for observation of information which is imprinted on successive sheets 3 issuing from the housing of the copying machine 1. 
     The operation is as follows: 
     Finished reproductions or sheets 3 are discharged from the housing of the machine face up, i.e., the recorded information is observable by looking downwardly (arrow B) through the window 10. Thus, an attendant or another person who operates the copying machine 1 is in a position to determine the presence, absence and/or quality of information on successive sheets 3 and to intercept a defective sheet before it lies flat against the preceding sheet of the stack 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the sheet 3 which is observable by looking through the window 10 is the one immediately following the sheet which is in the process of coming to rest on top of the stack 2. The window 10 may comprise a transparent or translucent pane made of glass or synthetic plastic material, or it may constitute a cutout in the rearmost or innermost portion of the bottom panel 9a. The inversion of successive sheets 3 takes place during travel in that (arcuate) portion of the channel which is defined by the guide rails 13. Since the container 104 is open at the top, the stack 2 or a discrete sheet 3 is readily accessible from above. The inclination of the bottom panel 9a may be so pronounced that the sheets 3 tend to slide forwardly (in a direction to the right, as viewed in the drawing) so as to abut against the front panel 9b of the tray 9. The upper edge of the front panel 9b is preferably closely or immediately adjacent to the lower transporting roll 17. 
     When the copying machine 1 is not in use, the entire inverting device 4, together with the tray 9 therein, can be detached from the wall 1a by the simple expedient of removing the coupling portion 7 from the aperture 1c. The extension 5b can be provided with two or more spaced apart coupling portions 7, i.e., one or more coupling portions can be located behind and/or in front of the illustrated coupling portion 7. 
     An important advantage of the improved apparatus is that it allows for observation of recorded information on successive sheets 3 even though the sheets are stacked face down, i.e., in the same sequence in which the corresponding originals are fed into the copying machine 1. This insures that a careful attendant can remove defective sheets 3 from the top of the stack 2 or even before a defective sheet reaches the stack. 
     Another important advantage of the apparatus is that it occupies little room, mainly because the tray 9 is located within the confines of the container 104 of the inverting device 4. However, and if the space is not at a premium, the tray 9 can be installed below the bottom wall 5a of the container 104 by the simple expedient of utilizing guide rails 13 which are curved downwardly from the right-hand ends of the guide rails 12, i.e., the guide rails 13 then extend downwardly from the guide rails 12 from a 12 o&#39;clock position (rolls 16) to a 6 o&#39;clock position below the rolls 16 where the outlet of the channel discharges sheets 3 into that (third) portion of the path which is defined by the tray. The container 104 is actually a simple frame which supports the tray 9, the observation window 10 and the component parts 11-13, 15-23 of the inverting device 4. If desired, the window 10 can be fixedly mounted on the portion 1a&#39; of the wall 1a so that it remains permanently attached to the housing of the copying machine 1. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of our contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims.