Patent ID: 8052147

Claim:
An inserter system comprising: sheet transport means for transporting a sequence of sheets in a downstream direction; a sheet accumulator subsystem, located in the downstream direction from the sheet transport means, for receiving and accumulating the sheets transported by the sheet transport means; the sheet accumulator subsystem including a drive belt and a drive shaft engaged with the drive belt at an upstream end of the drive belt, the drive shaft selectively driving the drive belt in a forward direction and a reverse direction, the drive belt for driving one or more of said sheets in said downstream direction when the drive belt is driven in said forward direction by the drive shaft, the drive belt for driving one or more of said sheets in an upstream direction when the drive belt is driven in said reverse direction, said upstream direction opposite to said downstream direction; a divert gate located in said upstream direction relative to the drive belt, the divert gate pivotally mounted at an upstream end thereof, the divert gate having a downstream end that is movable between an upper position and a lower position, the divert gate located relative to the drive belt such that the divert gate downwardly diverts one or more of said sheets when the downstream end of the divert gate is in the upper position and the drive belt is driven in the reverse direction; and coupling means for coupling the divert gate to the drive shaft to impart force from the drive shaft to the divert gate for pivotally moving the divert gate to shift the downstream end of the divert gate between the lower position and the upper position, the coupling means including a linkage connected to the divert gate and a friction clutch disposed between and connecting the drive shaft to the linkage, the friction clutch including: a collar affixed to and rotating with the drive shaft; a first bushing adjacent to and coaxially aligned with the collar, a second bushing proximal to an end of the drive shaft and coaxially aligned with the first bushing, and a coil spring interposing and abutting the first and the second bushings, the first bushing frictionally engaging the collar along a surface perpendicular to the rotational axis of the drive shaft and including a flange projecting radially therefrom for connecting the bushing to the linkage, the second bushing axially restrained relative to the rotational axis of the drive shaft, and the coil spring operative to bias the first bushing into frictional engagement with the collar.