Allen L Palmer

US Patent:

41381025, Feb 6, 1979

Filed:

Mar 30, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/782660

Inventors:

Allen J. Palmer - Bedford TX

Assignee:

Xerox Corporation - Stamford CT

International Classification:

B65H 522
B65H 2930
B65H 2906

US Classification:

271 3

Abstract:

The present invention provides a document handling system having a processing device for transmitting information to and from a document and a document feed unit for driving the document along a feed path to the processing device. The system includes a pair of gripper bars and an electromagnet structure for selectively attracting the gripper bars to maintain them adjacent to the processing device. The processing device is fitted with a magnetic surface, and a control system, operating in conjunction with the feed mechanism, deactivates the electromagnet structure retaining the first gripper bar as a document is fed to the processing device. The first gripper bar is attracted to the magnetic surface of the processing device thereby clamping the document to the processing device. As the document is fed onto the processing device, the control system deactivates the electromagnet retaining the second gripper bar such that the second gripper bar is attracted to the surface of the processing device to clamp the trailing edge of the document thereto. After the processing step has been completed, the electromagnet structure is activated to magnetically withdraw the gripper bars from the processing device to free the document for ejection from the system.