Buffered stacker with drop floor assembly

US5538140A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Bell and Howell, LLC · US

Inventors

• Kenneth L. Guenther · Paddy Lane, US
• Tom Faber · Skokie, US
• Joseph Kalika · Niles, US
• Mel Kerstein · Lincolnwood, US
• John S. O'Callaghan · Wilmette, US
• K. George Rabindran · Morton Grove, US
• Michael Wisniewski · Bolingbrook, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 19, 1994
• Grant date: Jul 23, 1996
• Expiry date: Oct 19, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S209/90
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A buffered stacking system for selectively diverting horizontally disposed documents from a generally horizontal main conveying path, stacking the documents in a horizontal orientation and dropping the documents into replaceable receiving receptacles is provided. The system has a primary horizontal conveyor belt with a lower horizontal reach defining a horizontal primary conveying path. A plurality of sorting stations are located serially along and below the primary conveying path. Each of the sorting stations has at least one diverter arm disposed along the conveying path. The diverter arms are selectively movable from a generally horizontal position which allows passage of the documents along the conveying path to an inclined position to divert the document into the corresponding sorting station. The diverter arms divert the document in a downwardly inclined direction into a stacking station. The stacking station is formed with a lower drop floor assembly for supporting the diverted documents in a stacked generally inclined orientation and for pivoting open to allow the stacked documents to fall into a replaceable receiving bin located below a drop floor which forms a part of the…