Patent ID: 7429036

Claim:
A method for printing and sorting a plurality of non-identical transaction cards, said method comprising, (a) configuring a printer to print the plurality of non-identical transaction cards onto print receiving spaces on a sheet such that each print receiving space is set to receive printing for one of said plurality of non-identical transaction cards along with a sort indicator which is unique to said print receiving space; (b) printing a plurality of sheets pursuant to the configuring of step (a); (c) separating said cards from said sheets after said plurality of sheets have been printed; (d) providing a plurality of accumulators such that a separate accumulator corresponds to each respective print receiving space; and (e) moving each card by said accumulators seriatim, with each accumulator detecting the sort indicator on said card passing by it, until one of the following two events occurs: (i) one of said accumulators detects the sort indicator on said card which corresponds to the same print receiving space as does that accumulator, in which event said one of said accumulators collects such card, and (ii) said card passes beyond all of said accumulators without being collected.