Claims
- 1. A multi-mode sheet stacker apparatus for stacking a wide variety of sheet sizes fed thereto by a feeder means, comprising:
- a vertically liftable main pallet adapted to receive sheets directly thereon from the feeder means when the stacker apparatus is operating in a first mode;
- a container having upstanding walls positioned on said main pallet when the stacker apparatus is operating in a second mode;
- a removable container pallet positioned within said container onto which sheets are placed by the feeder means when the stacker apparatus is operating in said second mode; and
- elevator means for lifting only said container pallet into position to receive sheets from said feeder means when the stacker apparatus is operating in said second mode.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said main pallet includes two-position latch means for engaging said main pallet with said elevator means or disengaging said main pallet from lifting by said elevator means.
- 3. An electrophotographic printing machine for reproducing a set of original documents wherein successive copy sheets imaged by the printing machine are outputted to a stacking apparatus, wherein the improvement includes;
- a vertically liftable main pallet adapted to receive sheets directly thereon from the feeder means when the stacker apparatus is operating in a first mode;
- a container having upstanding walls positioned on said main pallet when the stacker apparatus is operating in a second mode;
- a removable container pallet positioned within said container onto which sheets are placed as they are outputted by the printer, and wherein said removable container pallet is adapted to be removed from said container after sheets have been deposited thereon by the printer; and
- elevator means for lifting only said container pallet into position to receive sheets from the printer when the stacker apparatus is operating in said second mode.
- 4. A multi-mode sheet stacker apparatus for stacking a wide variety of sheet sizes feed thereinto by a feeder means comprising:
- a main pallet adapted for receiving sheets for stacking from the feeder means directly during a first mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus or for supporting a container pallet during a second mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus or for supporting a container with a container pallet positioned therein during a third mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus;
- a container adapted to be positioned on said main pallet during said third mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus;
- a movable container pallet adapted to be positioned and supported within said container during said second mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus;
- a two-position latch mechanism rotatably positioned beneath said main pallet; and
- an elevator means for lifting either said main pallet or said container pallet into a sheet receiving position and indexing downwardly periodically as sheets are fed by the feeder means; and wherein in said first mode of operation of the multi-mode sheet stacker apparatus with said latch means in a first position and with said container removed from the stacker apparatus, said main pallet is moved into a sheet receiving position; and wherein in said second mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus said container pallet is placed on said main pallet and said latch mechanism is actuated into a second position such that said elevator means when actuated lifts only said container pallet and not said main pallet; and wherein in a third mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus said container with said container pallet therein is placed on said main pallet, and said elevator means lifts only said container pallet into sheet receiving position.
- 5. A method for stacking a wide variety of sheet sizes in a multi-mode sheet stacker apparatus feed thereinto by a feeder means, comprising the steps of:
- providing a main pallet for (a) receiving sheets for stacking from the feeder means directly during a first mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus, or (b) for supporting a container pallet during a second mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus, or (c) for supporting a container with a container pallet positioned therein during a third mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus;
- positioning a container on said main pallet during said third mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus;
- placing a movable container pallet within said container during said second mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus for receiving feed by the feeder means;
- providing a two-position latch mechanism rotatably positioned beneath said main pallet; and
- providing an elevator means for lifting either said main pallet or said container pallet into a sheet receiving position and indexing downwardly periodically as sheets are fed by the feeder means; and wherein in said first mode of operation of the multi-mode sheet stacker apparatus with said latch means in a first position and with said container removed from the stacker apparatus, said main pallet is moved into a sheet receiving position; and wherein in said second mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus said container pallet is placed on said main pallet and said latch means is actuated into a second position such that said elevator means when actuated lifts only said container pallet and not said main pallet; and wherein in a third mode of operation of the multi-mode stacker apparatus said container with said container pallet therein is placed on said main pallet, and said elevator means lifts only said container pallet into sheet receiving position.
- 6. A method for stacking sheets in a sheet stacking apparatus and easily removing the sheets from the sheet stacking apparatus for further processing, comprising the steps of:
- providing a main pallet;
- providing a container pallet positioned on said main pallet for receiving sheets from a source for stacking and wherein said main pallet is adapted to be lifted vertically when sheets are to be received directly thereon or when sheets are not to be stacked directly on said container pallet;
- providing an elevator for lifting either said container pallet, or said main pallet or both said main pallet and said container pallet into position to receive sheets thereon and periodically indexing the sheet receiving pallet downward as sheets are received thereon, and
- removing said container pallet from said main pallet once stacking of sheets is complete thereon.
- 7. The sheet stacking method of claim 6, including the step of providing a container having a support surface and upstanding wall, and placing said container pallet on said support surface of said container for receiving sheets thereon.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/757,092 filed Sep. 10, 1991 by Otto R. Dole and entitled SHEET STACKING APPARATUS which is now abandoned.
Cross-reference is hereby made to copending and commonly assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 07/569,003, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,167, entitled DISK STACKER INCLUDING TRAIL EDGE TRANSPORT BELT FOR STACKING SHORT AND LONG SHEETS, filed Aug. 17, 1990 by Thomas C. McGraw et al. and copending and commonly assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 07/757,090, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,906 entitled TWO CORNER SHEET STACKING APPARATUS, filed Sep. 10, 1991 by Otto R. Dole are included herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
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365214 |
Dec 1922 |
DEX |
0162455 |
Jul 1986 |
JPX |
Continuations (1)
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757092 |
Sep 1991 |
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