Patent ID: 7909321

Claim:
A linkage arrangement for handling sheets in an accumulator, the sheets being conveyed along a sheet path, comprising: an accumulation gate pivotally mounted to a support structure of the accumulator and having a stop surface traversing the sheet path, the stop surface being movable between an interference position and a release position, the interference position inhibiting the travel of sheets along the sheet path, and the release position releases the sheets for continued travel along the sheet path; a locking over-center mechanism including a longitudinally aligned actuating arm and connecting arm, the actuating arm pivotally mounted to the support structure about a rotational axis and the connecting arm pivotally mounted to the accumulation gate at one end and pivotally mounted to the actuating arm at the other end, whereby, in response to a force applied to the stop surface in the direction of the sheet path, the locking over-center mechanism inhibits motion of the accumulation gate when disposed in the interference position, whereby, in response to a moment load applied to the actuating arm, the locking over-center mechanism releases the accumulation gate from the interference position to the release position.