Abstract Sheet propelling apparatus for use with a sheet stacking assembly which includes a shaft member, a hub member affixed thereto, and a plurality of blade members extending from the hub member to contact sheet material fed along a sheet path. The blade members are made from a flexible material of predetermined shape and thickness and formed to make a helix angle with the shaft axis of from about 20* to about 50* to impart one component of thrust on the sheet material at right angles to the sheet path and another component of thrust in the same direction of the sheet path. This invention relates to apparatus for propelling sheet material into position for stacking and/or stapling or the like. As is well known in the art of bookmaking, it is generally necessary to first print or copy sheets and then gather groups of different sheets placed in a definite order referred to as collating. The operation of printing and then assembling sheets into booklets usually requires several steps, the last of which is taking one sheet from each of the stacks and putting these sheets together in the order desired. Normally the assembling of the sheets into booklets by hand is slow and cumbersome. Also, the number of people necessary is considerable and the likelihood of making a mistake great. Present devices for mechanically assembling sheets into booklet form have the disadvantage of being prolix and costly and have not been entirely satisfactory. The present invention enables automatic assembling of sheet material into separate identifiable stacks or booklets which may be fastened into a finished form. To accomplish this, a finishing apparatus accepts copy sheets from a processor and either staples them into booklets or stacks them in separated bundles by the action of a sheet propelling assembly. It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the printing of booklets. It is another object of the present invention to stack collated sets of copy sheets from a processor in a manner more simple and cheaper than heretofore. It is another object of the present invention to collect copy sheets from a processor into separated identifiable stacks. It is another object of the present invention to propel sheet material fed along a sheet path in sideways and ahead directions. It is another object of the present invention to handle stacking and/or stapling sheet material in a manner more expeditious than heretofore. It is another object of the present invention to provide a sheet paddle assembly which is simple and compact in design.
Sheet propelling and registering apparatus comprising shaft means including a hub portion operative to rotate on an axis extending at right angles to a path along which sheet material is to be fed, a plurality of flexible blade members having a predetermined shape and thickness extending from said hub portion for rotation therewith and positioned to contact the surface of sheet material fed along the sheet path, said blade members each forming a helix angle with the axis of from about 20* to about 50* so as to be caused to flex at the leading tip thereof to impart one component of thrust on the surface of the sheet material at right angles to the sheet path and another component of thrust on the surface of the sheet material in the same direction as the sheet path to effect corner registration of the sheet material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
145 words
Sheet propelling and registering apparatus comprising shaft means including a hub portion operative to rotate on an axis extending at right angles to a path along which sheet material is to be fed, a plurality of flexible blade members having a predetermined shape and thickness extending from said hub portion for rotation therewith and positioned to contact the surface of sheet material fed along the sheet path, said blade members each forming a helix angle with the axis of from about 20* to about 50* so as to be caused to flex at the leading tip thereof to impart one component of thrust on the surface of the sheet material at right angles to the sheet path and another component of thrust on the surface of the sheet material in the same direction as the sheet path to effect corner registration of the sheet material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the axis is inclined to an angle relative to the plane of the sheet path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the axis is parallel to the plane of the sheet path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said shaft means includes at least two hub portions each carrying associated blade members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the helix angle formed by said blade members ranges from about 25* to about 35*.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said blade members have a length to width ratio ranging from about 2:1 to about 3:1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said blade members have a thickness ranging from about 0.050 inch to about 0.100 inch.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the thickness of said blade member ranges from about 0.065 inch to about 0.075 inch.