BUFFER WITH SERVICE LOOP AND METHOD

摘要

Disclosed is a buffer (10) disposed to receive cut sheets from a first workstation (12) operating at a first slower speed, deskew the sheets and deliver them to a second workstation (14) operating at a second faster speed. The buffer has a guide (24) defining a path of travel extending from driven inlet rollers (18) at a buffer inlet to driven exit rollers (22) adjacent a buffer exit. The guide includes a trap that opens to accommodate a service loop (5) formed of the cut sheet that is longer than the path of travel. The inlet rollers are driven at the first slower speed to move cut sheets into the buffer and up to the exit rollers and the exit rollers are selectively driven at the second faster speed to deliver cut sheets to the second workstation. The exit rollers are located at an elevation above the inlet rollers and this orientation together with the opening of the trap provides for a vertical separation between the trailing edge of a first cut sheet and the leading edge of a second cut sheet to insure there is non contact spacing between the sheets moving through the buffer.