Sheet feeding mechanism

Abstract

A feeding mechanism comprising an accumulating area. A mechanism for feeding at least one sheet into the accumulating area. An exit mechanism and a mechanism for moving sheets from the accumulating area through the exit mechanism. The moving mean comprises a kicker mechanism at one end of the accumulating area mounted for reciproactable rotary movement to push a stack of sheets through said exit mechanism. A release gate mechanism is provided in front of a stack being accumulated in the accumulating area and mechanism is provided to activate and move the release gate out of the way to permit a stack of sheets to be moved out of the accumulating area.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A feeding mechanism comprising an accumulating area, means for feeding at least one sheet into said accumulating area, an exit mechanism, means for moving sheets from said accumulating area through said exit mechanism, said moving means comprises a kicker mechanism at one end of the accumulating area mounted for reciprocatable rotary movement to push a stack of sheets through said exit mechanism.  
     
     
         2 . A feeding mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said exit mechanism comprises exit rollers and wherein a stack of sheets is adapted to pass between said exit rollers when moving through the exit mechanism.  
     
     
         3 . A feeding mechanism as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said kicker mechanism is provided adjacent the rear of said accumulating area and wherein means are provided to activate the kicker mechanism to push a stack of sheets out of the accumulating area.  
     
     
         4 . A sheet feeding mechanism as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said kicker mechanism is mounted on a shaft which is adapted to swing the kicker mechanism back and forth from a position behind a stack to a forward position to push a stack out of the accumulating area.  
     
     
         5 . A sheet feeding mechanism as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein a release gate mechanism is provided in front of a stack being accumulated in said accumulating area and wherein means are provided to activate and move the release gate out of the way to permit a stack of sheets to be moved out of the accumulating area.  
     
     
         6 . A sheet feeding mechanism as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said release gate is mounted for reciprocatable rotary movement.  
     
     
         7 . A sheet feeding mechanism as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein said release gate is mounted on a shaft which is adapted to swing the release gate back and forth from a position in front of a stack of sheets in the accumulating area to a position away from the front of the accumulating area to allow a stack to move out of the accumulating area.  
     
     
         8 . A sheet feeding mechanism as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the reciprocatable rotary movement of the kicker and the release gate mechanism are coordinated so that the kicker is moved forward while the release gate mechanism is moved away from the front of a stack in the accumulating area and vice versa.  
     
     
         9 . A sheet feeding mechanism as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said shafts are parallel to each other and spaced from each other  
     
     
         10 . A sheet feeding mechanism as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein sheets accumulate between at least a pair of superimposed cables.