Film centering device

Abstract

A sheet centering device for centering at least first and second sized sheets comprising: a base member having a surface along which a sheet is transported along a sheet transport path; a skew roller mounted on the base member at an angle to the sheet transport path; a first sheet guide mounted on the base member along one side thereof; a second sheet guide mounted on the base member parallel to but inwardly of the first sheet guide; and a drive assembly for moving the second sheet guide between a position out of the sheet transport path when a first sized sheet is transported along the sheet transport path and a position in the sheet transport path when a second sized sheet smaller than the first sized sheet is transported along the sheet transport path.

1 . A sheet centering device for centering at least first and second sized sheets comprising: 
 a base member having a surface along which a sheet is transported along a sheet transport path;    a skew roller mounted on said base member at an angle to said sheet transport path;    a first sheet guide mounted on said base member along one side thereof,    a second sheet guide mounted on said base member parallel to but inwardly of said first sheet guide; and    a drive assembly for moving said second sheet guide between a position out of said sheet transport path when a first sized sheet is transported along said sheet transport path and a position in said sheet transport path when a second sized sheet smaller than said first sized sheet is transported along said sheet transport path.    
   
   
       2 . The sheet centering device of  claim 1  wherein said first sheet guide is fixedly mounted on said base member.  
   
   
       3 . The sheet centering device of  claim 1  wherein said first sheet guide is mounted on said base member for movement between an up position in said sheet transport path and a down position out of said sheet transport path.  
   
   
       4 . The sheet centering device of  claim 1  wherein said drive assembly includes a rotatable cam contacting said second sheet guide for moving said guide between said first and second positions.  
   
   
       5 . The sheet centering device of  claim 4  wherein said drive assembly includes a lift spring engaging said second sheet guide for biasing said guide against said cam.  
   
   
       6 . The sheet centering device of  claim 1  including imaging nip rollers mounted on said base plate and a skew roller drive for rotating said skew roller so as to move a sheet into contact with on of said guides and along said sheet transport path to said imaging nip rollers.  
   
   
       7 . The sheet centering device of  claim 1  including means for mounting said skew roller for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said sheet transport path so as to vary the drive angle of said roller in relation to different sized sheets transported along said path.