Method and apparatus for business forms processing
DCFirst Claim
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1. A system for substantially vertically stacking continuous folded material comprising:
- a folder for folding the material along fold lines, a conveyor having a conveyor surface, said conveyor being positioned adjacent said folder so that the folded material from said folder is received on and moved along said conveyor in a downstream direction,a table having a table top support surface,a support bracket that supports the table top support surface adjacent and in line with to the conveyor surface and in a position for receiving a horizontal stack of folded from the conveyor,said support bracket including a pivot mechanism positioned along the table top and having a pivot axis substantially transverse to the downstream direction so that said table pivots from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position to likewise move the stack from a horizontal to a vertical stack position,at least one retractable backing surface substantially transverse to a plane defined by the table top that supports a bottom of the stack when the table is pivoted to a substantially vertical position,and a cart movable to a position adjacent said tilted table for receiving from said table said vertical stack, wherein the retractable backing surface is retracted to allow the vertical stack located thereon to be received from said table.
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Abstract
A system for stacking continuous folded forms coming from a folder and moving to a conveyor. A table is position adjacent and in line with the conveyor and in a position for receiving a horizontal stack of folded forms disposed on the table top. The table is a tiltable table and is able to be tilted from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position to likewise move the stack from a horizontal to a vertical stack position. A cart is movable to a position adjacent to the tilted table for receiving from the table the vertical stack for support on the cart.
25 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A system for substantially vertically stacking continuous folded material comprising:
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a folder for folding the material along fold lines, a conveyor having a conveyor surface, said conveyor being positioned adjacent said folder so that the folded material from said folder is received on and moved along said conveyor in a downstream direction, a table having a table top support surface, a support bracket that supports the table top support surface adjacent and in line with to the conveyor surface and in a position for receiving a horizontal stack of folded from the conveyor, said support bracket including a pivot mechanism positioned along the table top and having a pivot axis substantially transverse to the downstream direction so that said table pivots from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position to likewise move the stack from a horizontal to a vertical stack position, at least one retractable backing surface substantially transverse to a plane defined by the table top that supports a bottom of the stack when the table is pivoted to a substantially vertical position, and a cart movable to a position adjacent said tilted table for receiving from said table said vertical stack, wherein the retractable backing surface is retracted to allow the vertical stack located thereon to be received from said table. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for substantially vertically stacking continuous folded material comprising:
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a folder that folds the material along fold lines, a conveyor, means for positioning said conveyor adjacent said folder so that folded material from said folder is received on and moved along said conveyor, a table having a table top support surface, means for positioning the table adjacent and in line with the conveyor and in a position for receiving a horizontal stack of folded material disposed on said table top, said means for positioning the table including means for enabling tilting of said table from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position to likewise move the stack from a horizontal to a vertical stack position, a flap disposed for bridging between said conveyor and table, wherein said flap is supported from said conveyor and pivotal relative thereto and wherein said flap is pivotable between a substantially horizontal position in which the top surface thereof is substantially flush with the conveyor surface and the table top surface and a substantially vertical position that prevents folded material from progressing off of the conveyor, and a cart movable to a position adjacent said tilted table that receives from said table said vertical stack for support of said vertical stack on said cart.
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- 21. A system for substantially vertically stacking web material comprising a conveyor for said web material, a table having a table top support surface, the table being positioned adjacent to the conveyor and in a position for receiving a horizontal stack of the web material from the conveyor, a pivot mechanism constructed and arranged to enable movement of the table between a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position to, likewise, move the stack from a horizontal to a vertical stack position, and a retractable backing surface positioned on the table adjacent the conveyor, the backing surface being constructed and arranged so that, in a retracted position, web material can pass from the conveyor onto the table free of obstruction from the backing surface and, in an extended position, the backing surface supports a stack of web located on the table when the table is moved to the substantially vertical position, the backing surface being movable to a retracted position to drop the stack of web material onto an adjacent surface when the table is located in the substantially vertical position.
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27. A system for substantially vertically stacking continuous zig-zag folded web comprising:
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a conveyor having a conveyor surface that moves a continuous zig-zag folded web material in a downstream direction; a table having a substantially planar table surface, the table being substantially in line with the conveyor surface and positioned adjacent the conveyor surface to receive the zig-zag folded web material from the conveyor; a frame that supports the table, the frame including a support bracket; a pivot located along the table and interconnected with the support bracket, the pivot having a pivot axis substantially transverse to the downstream direction, the pivot constructed and arranged so that the table pivots from a substantially horizontal position, substantially in line with the conveyor surface, to a substantially vertical position wherein the table surface is substantially transverse to a plane defined by the conveyor surface; a first backing surface extending substantially transversely to the table surface and located at a downstreammost end of the table that limits further downstream movement of the folded web material; a second backing surface positioned at an upstreammost end of the table, the second backing surface extending substantially transversely to the table surface and being movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the second backing surface being constructed and arranged so that, in a retracted position, the folded web passes thereover from the conveyor free of obstruction by the second backing surface, the second backing surface being constructed and arranged to support the folded web in a vertical stack, with the second backing surface positioned at a bottom of the stack when the table is pivoted to a substantially vertical position; and a cart having a base and a vertical wall, the cart further including wheels so that it is portable, the base being located at a height from the ground that is approximately equal to the height from the ground of the second backing surface when the table is pivoted to a substantially vertical position so that the stacks supported thereby can be moved from the backing surface to the cart by positioning the cart base beneath the backing surface and moving the backing surface to a retracted position wherein the stack drops onto the cart base and supported thereby. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for substantially vertically stacking continuous zig-zag folded web comprising:
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a conveyor having a conveyor surface that moves a continuous zig-zag folded web material in a downstream direction; a table having a substantially planar table surface, the table being substantially in line with the conveyor surface and being adjacent the conveyor surface to receive the zig-zag folded web material from the conveyor; a frame that supports the table, the frame including a support bracket; a pivot located along the table and interconnected with the bracket, the pivot having a pivot axis substantially transverse to the downstream direction, the pivot constructed and arranged so that the table pivots from a substantially horizontal position, substantially in line with the conveyor surface, to a substantially vertical position wherein the table surface is substantially transverse to a plane defined by the conveyor surface; a first backing surface extending substantially transversely to the table surface and located at a downstreammost end of the table that limits further downstream movement of the folded web material; and a second backing surface positioned at an upstreammost end of the table, the second backing surface extending transversely to the table surface and being movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the second backing surface being constructed and arranged so that, in a retracted position, the folded web passes thereover free of obstruction by the second backing surface, the second backing surface being constructed and arranged to support the folded web in a vertical stack, with the second backing surface positioned at a bottom of the stack when the table is pivoted to a substantially vertical position wherein the second backing surface can be retracted to allow the stack to drop onto an adjacent surface therebelow.
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Specification