Sheet stack jogging mechanism

Abstract

A device for jogging or laterally tapping a loosely formed stack of sheets in order to form neat piles in receiving bins having a plurality of vertical rows of shelves. A jogging rod periodically is activated to move the stack of sheets located upon the shelves against a uniform backing device assuring a vertical stack, the jogging rod is movable to a position allowing access to the shelves from the side having the jogging mechanism.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. In combination with a sheet receiving .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin comprising a column of shelves with each shelf .Iaddend.adapted to receive a plurality of sheets and form .Iadd.a .Iaddend.uniform .[.stacks therefrom.]. .Iadd.stack thereon.Iaddend., a sheet stack jogging means comprising; backup means mounted on the side of the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.against which the stacks may be aligned,   a jogging apparatus .Iadd.including at least one.Iaddend.bar, .Iadd.said bar being adjustable in distance from the backup means to accommodate sheets of different widths and being .Iaddend.mounted for movement to and from the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.at a first position on the opposite side of the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.from the backup means, said .[.jogging apparatus.]. .Iadd.bar .Iaddend.movable .[.from.]. .Iadd.between .Iaddend.the first position whereat it periodically jogs the sheets and a second position whereat it is substantially removed from the side of the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.allowing easy access to the .[.stack.]. .Iadd.stacks.Iaddend., and   linking means connecting said bar to an eccentrically mounted, motor driven wheel whereby the bar is periodically moved, when in its first position, to and from the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.moving the sheets into contact with the backup means assuring .[.an.]. even .[.stack..]. .Iadd.stacks, said linking means including adjusting means operatively associated with said bar for varying the distance between the bar and said backup means for accommodating sheets of various widths. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       2. A jogging means as in claim 1 wherein the backup means is a second jogging apparatus whereby the stacks are jogged from both sides of the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.and similarly can be removed from both sides of the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       3. A jogging means as in claim 1 wherein the jogging apparatus is a single bar. 
     
     
       4. A jogging means as in claim 1, wherein the jogging apparatus is a plurality of bars operating simultaneously. .[.5. A jogging means as in claim 1 and further including an adjusting device whereby the space between the jogging apparatus and the backup means may be varied to 
     
     
        accommodate sheets of varying sizes..]. 6. A jogging means as in claim 1 and further including a means for absorbing the movement of .[.the source of reciprocal motion.]. .Iadd.said motor driven wheel .Iaddend.without 
     
     
        damage to the structure. 7. A jogging means as in claim 1 wherein the linking means and .[.the source of motion.]. .Iadd.said motor driven wheel .Iaddend.are mounted beneath .[.a.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.bin comprising a plurality of stacked shelves and the jogging apparatus extends vertically upwardly substantially the entire vertical dimension of the .[.shelf.]. 
     
     
        .Iadd.bin.Iaddend.. 8. A jogging means as in claim 1 wherein ready access may be had to both sides of the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.for removal 
     
     
        of the stacks whereby the device is of universal utility. 9. A jogging means as in claim 4, wherein each of the bars is driven by .[.the source of reciprocal motion.]. .Iadd.said motor driven wheel .Iaddend.and 
     
     
        .[.are.]. .Iadd.is .Iaddend.discrete. 10. In combination with a sheet receiving .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin comprising a column of shelves with each shelf .Iaddend.adapted to receive a plurality of sheets and form uniform stacks thereon, a sheet stack jogger comprising; backup means mounted on one side of the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.against which the stacks may be aligned, jogging means mounted adjacent the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.opposite of and for movement toward and away from the backup means, an independent source of reciprocal motion mounted to the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.and .[.linked to the jogging means,.]. .Iadd.first linking means linking said source of reciprocal motion to the jogging means, .Iaddend.said .Iadd.first .Iaddend.linking means comprising lever means mounted to receive motion from the source and having a fulcrum which is adjustable relative to the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.to vary the distance between the jogging means and the backup means, rigid plate means pivotally mounted to .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.lever .Iadd.means .Iaddend.to receive motion therefrom and adjustably mounted to .[.said shelf structure.]. .Iadd.the bin .Iaddend.for selective positioning relative to the fulcrum of said lever means, rigid linking means interconnecting the plate means and the jogging means whereby the plate movement is transmitted to the jogging means and the adjustment of the fulcrum of .[.the plate.]. .Iadd.said lever means .Iaddend.relative to the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.varies the distance between the jogging means and the backup means allowing use of the mechanism with paper of a 
     
     
        variety of sizes. 11. A combination as in claim 10, wherein the jogging means comprises a single vertical bar on one side of the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.and the .[.backing.]. .Iadd.backup .Iaddend.means is a 
     
     
        fixed surface. 12. A combination as in claim 10, and further including at least one moveable pivot to absorb the reciprocal motion in the event of a 
     
     
        mechanical jam. 13. A combination as in claim 10, wherein the jogging means is adapted for movement to a position where it does not impede 
     
     
        removal of the stacks of material. 14. A combination as in claim 10, wherein the backup means comprises a vertical bar which is reciprocal toward and away from the .[.shelf.]. .Iadd.bin .Iaddend.providing a surface against which the .[.stack.]. stacks may be aligned and further, providing a tapping action against the .[.stack.]. .Iadd.stacks .Iaddend.to assure proper alignment. .Iadd. 15. In combination with a sheet receiving bin comprising a column of shelves with each shelf having means to receive a plurality of sheets and to form a uniform stack thereon, a sheet stack jogging means comprising: backup means mounted on the side of the bin against which the sheets in the stacks may be aligned;   a jogging apparatus including at least one vertically extending jogging bar located adjacent said stacks and adapted to simultaneously contact the edges of the stacks, said bar being adjustable in distance from the backup means to accommodate sheets of different widths, mounting means mounting said bar for movement between a first jogging position on the opposite side of the bin from the backup means and a second position substantially removed from the sides of the stacks allowing easy access for side removal of all said stacks; and   linking means connecting said jogging bar to an eccentrically mounted, motor driven wheel, whereby the bar is periodically moved, when in its first position, to and from the bin in jogging motion, moving the sheets in said stacks into contact with the backup means, assuring even stacks, said linking means including adjusting means operatively associated with said bar for varying the distance between the bar and said backup means for accommodating sheets of various widths. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. A jogging means as in claim 15 wherein, said mounting means for said jogging bar includes detachable connecting means for disconnecting said bar from the linking means to allow the bar to swing from said first position outwardly away from the stacks to said second position. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 17. The sheet stack jogging means of claim 1, wherein the linking means further includes locking means engagable with the jogging apparatus when said bar is in its first position, and wherein the jogging apparatus can be disengaged from the locking means by moving said bar vertically. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 18. The sheet stack jogger of claim 10, further comprising means linking the backup means to the first linking means such that adjustment of the fulcrum of said lever means relative to the bin causes the backup means and the jogging means to move in opposite directions. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. The sheet stack jogger of claim 10, wherein the jogging means is rotatable between a first position adjacent the bin and a second position whereat it is substantially removed from the bin allowing easy access to the stacks. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. The sheet stack jogger of claim 19, wherein the rigid linking means includes means for locking the jogging means in its first position. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 21. The sheet stack jogger of claim 10, wherein the backup means is rotatable between a first position adjacent the bin and a second position whereat it is substantially removed from the bin allowing easy access to the stacks. .Iaddend.