| 摘要 |
<p>A plurality of rows (A,B) of sheet loading stations (A1-A4, B1-B4) for receiving a supply of sheets to be collated are spaced in parallel with one another. A sheet receiving and transfering line (28) having a plurality of sheet receiving stations (34,35) aligned for receiving sheets from the sheet loading stations is arranged. A sheet feeding mechanism is (21,22) provided for repeatedly feeding sheets from each row of sheet loading stations to the sheet receiving stations, with first clip mechanisms (21) feeding sheets from a first row (A) of sheet loading stations (A1-A4), and second clip mechanisms (22) feeding sheets from a second row (B) of sheet loading stations (B1-B4). A mechanism (32,33) for transfering sheets received at each sheet receiving station to the respective next sheet receiving station on the sheet receiving and transfering line is also provided in order to receive sheets fed from another row of sheet loading stations according to a predetermined collation sequence (as illustrated in Fig.3). Even in case a great number of pages should be collated, a reduction of the horizontal dimension of the collator is achieved so as to economize space for installing the collator. <IMAGE></p> |
