Method and apparatus for business forms

• US 5,630,780 A
• Filed: 03/10/1995
• Issued: 05/20/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: First Union National Bank (Wells Fargo & Company)
• Original Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc. (Demco SRL)
• Inventors: Crowley, H. W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavinder, Jack W.
• Application Number:
  US08/402,517
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 493/405-416, 493/357-360, 493/436, 414/789.2, 414/789.3, 414/789.4, 414/789.8, 414/790.4, 414/790.6, 414/790.5, 414/373, 211/49.1, 211/50-53, 271/149, 271/151-153, 108/1, 108/6, 108/12, 108/13
• US Class Current: 493/416
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 1/08 having auxiliary wheels used during loading or unloading
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 1/10 in which the load is intended to be transferred totally to the wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2202/64 Documents, files or paper sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2203/10 comprising lifting means
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2203/22 the fork comprising more than two tines
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/10 characterised by supports specially adapted to objects of definite shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/33 Modifying, selecting, changing orientation
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4216 of web folded in zig-zag form
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/42252 Vehicles, e.g. carriage, truck
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/312 Trolley, cart, i.e. support movable on the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/3311 for storing articles horizontally or slightly inclined
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/06 the articles being piled on edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/3054 by moving the surface supporting the lowermost article of the pile, e.g. by using belts or rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/1015 Folding webs provided with predefined fold lines; Refolding prefolded webs, e.g. fanfolded continuous forms

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.

Claims

1. A system for stacking materials comprising a conveyor for the materials, a table having a tabletop support surface, the table being positioned adjacent to the conveyor in a position for receiving a substantially horizontal stack of the material from the conveyor, the table having a pivot structure that enables tilting of the 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 movable supporting surface that is selectively locatable to support the stack as it is moved from the horizontal to the vertical stack position, and a cart having a stack supporting surface, the cart being movable to a position wherein the stack supporting surface of the cart is positioned substantially beneath the movable supporting surface of the table and wherein the stack supporting surface of the cart and the movable supporting surface of the table are constructed and arranged so that the stack can be transferred onto the stack supporting surface of the cart by moving the movable supporting surface of the table relative to the stack supporting surface of the cart.

2. A system as set forth in the system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the material comprises folded business forms.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the material comprises cut sheets.

4. The system is set forth in claim 1 wherein the table includes a support structure for supporting the movable supporting surface in a position extending from the tabletop support surface into a path of travel of the material as it moves in a direction from the conveyor toward the table.

5. The system is set forth in claim 4 wherein the support structure is constructed and arranged to enable the movable supporting surface to be moved into and out of the extended position relative to the tabletop support surface.

6. The system is set forth in claim 5 wherein the support structure is constructed and arranged to enable the movable supporting surface to move to a position beneath the tabletop support surface and out of the path of travel of the material.

7. The system is set forth in claim 5 wherein the movable supporting surface is constructed and arranged to move out of a position for supporting the vertical stack when the table is located in the substantially vertical position to transfer the vertical stack onto the stack supporting surface of the cart.

8. The system is set forth in claim 1 wherein the movable backing surface is located on the tabletop support surface in a position adjacent the conveyor and further comprising a downstream backing surface located more remote from the conveyor than the movable supporting surface on the table top support surface.

9. A system is set forth in claim 1 wherein the stack supporting surface of the cart comprises a plurality of sections separated by a wall structure each for receiving a stack of the material.