Stephen A Horvath

US Patent:

47031727, Oct 27, 1987

Filed:

Mar 17, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/840147

Inventors:

William Sherman - Medford NJ
Francis C. Larkin - Trenton NJ
Stephen J. Horvath - Bensalem PA

Assignee:

Brandt, Incorporated - Bensalem PA

International Classification:

G01N 904
G06M 700

US Classification:

250223R

Abstract:

Sensors in the infeed and output stackers, under control of the microprocessor, monitor the sheets. The apparatus is started automatically by placing sheets in the infeed. A count of the sheets is developed and displayed as the sheets are fed. When the infeed is empty and the output contains sheets, the count is retained. If sheets are removed from the outfeed, the count is retained and is reset only after more sheets are placed in the input. The same rules obtain for batching. The sensors cooperate with singles, holes and doubles detectors and have their gain adjusted depending upon sheet density. Automatic threshold adjustment circuits compensate for dust build-up and component aging. Upon sheet detection, the sensing circuit threshold level is instantaneously shifted to prevent an abrupt change in intensity from the sheet covering the sensor to provide an erroneous indication of the presence of a subsequent sheet or sheets. The sensors assure accurate counting even through sheets are fed in skewed and/or overlapping fashion.

US Patent:

46715029, Jun 9, 1987

Filed:

Mar 14, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/839617

Inventors:

William Sherman - Medford NJ
Francis C. Larkin - Trenton NJ
Stephen J. Horvath - Bensalem PA

Assignee:

Brandt, Inc. - Bensalem PA

International Classification:

G06M 706

US Classification:

271 4

Abstract:

Sensors in the infeed and output stackers, under control of the microprocessor, monitor the sheets. The apparatus is started automatically by placing sheets in the infeed. A count of the sheets is developed and displayed as the sheets are fed. When the infeed is empty and the output contains sheets, the count is retained. If sheets are removed from the outfeed, the count is retained and is reset only after more sheets are placed in the input. The same rules obtain for batching. The sensors cooperate with singles, holes and doubles detectors and have their gain adjusted depending upon sheet density. Automatic threshold adjustment circuits compensate for dust build-up and component aging. Upon sheet detection, the sensing circuit threshold level is instantaneously shifted to prevent an abrupt change in intensity from the sheet covering the sensor to provide an erroneous indication of the presence of a subsequent sheet or sheets. The sensors assure accurate counting even though sheets are fed in skewed and/or overlapping fashion.

US Patent:

46087044, Aug 26, 1986

Filed:

Nov 10, 1982

Appl. No.:

6/440584

Inventors:

William Sherman - Medford NJ
Francis C. Larkin - Trenton NJ
Stephen J. Horvath - Bensalem PA

Assignee:

Brandt, Incorporated - Watertown WI

International Classification:

G06M 706

US Classification:

377 8

Abstract:

Sensors in the infeed and output stackers, under control of the microprocessor, monitor the sheets. The apparatus is started automatically by placing sheets in the infeed. A count of the sheets is developed and displayed as the sheets are fed. When the infeed is empty and the output contains sheets, the count is retained. If sheets are removed from the outfeed, the count is retained and is reset only after more sheets are placed in the input. The same rules obtain for batching. The sensors cooperate with singles, holes and doubles detectors and have their gain adjusted depending upon sheet density. Automatic threshold adjustment circuits compensate for dust build-up and component aging. Upon sheet detection, the sensing circuit threshold level is instantaneously shifted to prevent an abrupt change in intensity from the sheet covering the sensor to provide an erroneous indication of the presence of a subsequent sheet or sheets. The sensors assure accurate counting even though sheets are fed in skewed and/or overlapping fashion.

US Patent:

47075996, Nov 17, 1987

Filed:

Mar 17, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/840961

Inventors:

William Sherman - Medford NJ
Francis C. Larkin - Trenton NJ
Stephen J. Horvath - Bensalem PA

Assignee:

Brandt, Incorporated - Bensalem PA

International Classification:

G01N 904
G06M 700

US Classification:

250223R

Abstract:

Sensors in the infeed and output stackers, under control of the microprocessor, monitor the sheets. The apparatus is started automatically by placing sheets in the infeed. A count of the sheets is developed and displayed as the sheets are fed. When the infeed is empty and the output contains sheets, the count is retained. If sheets are removed from the outfeed, the count is retained and is reset only after more sheets are placed in the input. The same rules obtain for batching. The sensors cooperate with singles, holes and doubles detectors and have their again adjusted depending upon sheet density. Automatic threshold adjustment circuits compensate for dust build-up and component aging. Upon sheet detection, the sensing circuit threshold level is instantaneously shifted to prevent an abrupt change in intensity from the sheet covering the sensor to provide an erroneous indication of the presence of a subsequent sheet or sheets. The sensors assure accurate counting even through sheets are fed in skewed and/or overlapping fashion.

US Patent:

44267851, Jan 24, 1984

Filed:

Jan 4, 1982

Appl. No.:

6/336790

Inventors:

Peter J. Loftus - Levittown PA
Stephen J. Horvath - Bensalem PA

International Classification:

G01B 704
B65H 314

US Classification:

33147L

Abstract:

Sheets moving in a feed direction and arranged at spaced intervals are fed through nips arranged to rollingly engage opposing sides of the sheet, each nip being formed by a roller rotating about a fixed axis and a cooperating swingably mounted roller. Resilient adjustable biasing means urges an assembly upon which the swingably mounted roller is pivotally mounted, as well as an arm forming part of the pivotally mounted roller assembly, in a first direction. A sensor is positioned adjacent the free end of said arm. Sheets moving through said nip cause displacement of said pivotal assembly against the biasing force in accordance with the thickness of the sheet passing through the nip. The biasing means comprises a thick, and accurate resilient element designed to permit the roller assembly to follow even abrupt thickness changes rapidly and accurately without experiencing overshoot or undershoot. The sensor senses the position of a field generating element mounted upon the free end of said arm to provide a signal representative of the size and direction of the displacement.

US Patent:

43814476, Apr 26, 1983

Filed:

Sep 19, 1980

Appl. No.:

6/188891

Inventors:

Stephen J. Horvath - Bensalem PA
Steven R. Wilcox - Mount Laurel NJ

Assignee:

Brandt, Inc. - Bensalem PA

International Classification:

G01V 904

US Classification:

250223R

Abstract:

Electronic solid state circuitry incorporating the microprocessor for automatically controlling document handling apparatus. Sheets are advanced from a stack of sheets arranged in an infeed stacker and are moved one at a time at high speed through an examining location where sensors examine the sheets to determine their condition. The microprocessor periodically initiates an adjustment in the brightness level and gain control level of the lamps and sensor elements employed in the sensor array; tracks each sheet as it moves through the document handling apparatus; and evaluates the outputs developed by the sensors to determine the fitness of each sheet. A gating roller assembly, under control of the microprocessor, is operated to divert each sheet toward one of a plurality of output stackers according to the results of the evaluation performed by the microprocessor. Timing of the electronic circuitry is controlled by timing signals derived from the document handling apparatus to synchronise the electronic circuitry with the document handling apparatus. The sheets are tested during their high speed movement for a variety of conditions which are operator selectable and which conditions are operator adjustable.