| 摘要 |
A document handling system and method for automatically and successively transporting documents is provided. The system includes a primary path and means feeding documents in a predetermined sequence along the primary path from a stack of documents. The document handler system also provides a means for transporting selected ones of the document along the path to an upstream portion of the primary path out of the sequence and means for returning the selected ones of the documents to the other fed documents so that the combined documents are arranged in a collated manner corresponding to the predetermined sequence. The method of the present invention includes the steps of feeding documents in sequence along the path from a stack of documents, diverting selected ones of the fed documents from the defined path to an upstream portion of the path output so that the combined documents are in sequence again. The invention includes a secondary or shunt path which acts as a buffer for holding sheet units previously passing through the processing station. The secondary path is arranged to permit selected return of ones of the documents in the secondary path to the processing station while providing sequential return of the documents to the primary path for transport to the sheet output. Thus, the document handling system and method provides for selective reprocessing of documents to promote job recovery operations.
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