Patent ID: 7717419

Claim:
A sheet stacking device comprising: a support frame; a conveyor having an intake end pivotably connected to the support frame and a discharge end, the conveyor having a width and carrying sheets of material in a longitudinal direction of travel from an upstream location near the intake end to a downstream location near the discharge end; and an accumulator at the discharge end; the accumulator comprising a plurality of elongate fingers each having an outer end, at least one of said plurality of elongate fingers including a rack having teeth along a first side, a rotatable drive shaft having a longitudinal axis extending in the width direction of the conveyor, at least one gear having teeth mounted on said drive shaft and operatively engaging said rack of said at least one of said plurality of elongate fingers, and a rotary actuator operably connected to said drive shaft, said rotary actuator rotating said drive shaft in a first direction to move the outer end of said at least one of said plurality of elongate fingers away from the conveyor discharge end and in a second direction to move the outer end of said at least one of said plurality of elongate fingers toward said discharge end.