A sheet conveying apparatus configured to convey a sheet includes a reversing portion, a reversing retraction portion provided in the reversing portion, a conveyance portion, a guide member provided in the reversing retraction portion, and a fan provided in the conveyance portion. The reversing portion conveys the sheet in a first direction and then a second direction opposite to the first direction. The reversing retraction portion temporarily retracts the sheet conveyed in the first direction. The conveyance portion has a conveyance path through which the sheet conveyed in the second direction passes and configured to convey the sheet. The guide member guides one surface of the sheet. The fan blows air toward the sheet guided by the guide member and is disposed to blow the air of the conveyance path in the conveyance portion toward the reversing retraction portion and along the guide member in the first direction.

A medium conveyance route switching device includes a support unit, a gate assembly, and a rotation mechanism. The support unit is located at a branching point of a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path and a third conveyance path where conveyance directions of a medium converge in three directions. The gate assembly includes a first to a third gate positioned on one ends of the first to the third conveyance path to guide at the branching point the medium to other conveyance paths than a conveyance path from which the medium is conveyed. The rotation mechanism includes a first actuator rotating the first gate to switch the medium conveyed from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path or the third conveyance path, and a second actuator, when the first gate is rotated, rotating the second gate and the third gate in associated with the second gate.

A medium conveyance route switching device includes a support unit, a gate assembly, and a rotation mechanism. The support unit is located at a branching point of a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path and a third conveyance path where conveyance directions of a medium converge in three directions. The gate assembly includes a first to a third gate positioned on one ends of the first to the third conveyance path to guide at the branching point the medium to other conveyance paths than a conveyance path from which the medium is conveyed. The rotation mechanism includes a first actuator rotating the first gate to switch the medium conveyed from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path or the third conveyance path, and a second actuator, when the first gate is rotated, rotating the second gate and the third gate in associated with the second gate.

A printing apparatus comprises a sheet eject tray; a movable guide arranged on an upstream side of the sheet eject tray with respect to a direction of conveyance of a sheet and being configured to be able to move to a protruding position and a retracted position; and a driving mechanism configured to cause the movable guide to move to the protruding position when a leading edge of a sheet is conveyed along the movable guide and cause the movable guide to move to the retracted position when a trailing edge of a sheet is conveyed along the movable guide, wherein the protruding position includes a first position at which the movable guide presses a sheet to the sheet eject tray and a second position between the first position and the retracted position.

A printing apparatus comprises a sheet eject tray; a movable guide arranged on an upstream side of the sheet eject tray with respect to a direction of conveyance of a sheet and being configured to be able to move to a protruding position and a retracted position; and a driving mechanism configured to cause the movable guide to move to the protruding position when a leading edge of a sheet is conveyed along the movable guide and cause the movable guide to move to the retracted position when a trailing edge of a sheet is conveyed along the movable guide, wherein the protruding position includes a first position at which the movable guide presses a sheet to the sheet eject tray and a second position between the first position and the retracted position.

The invention relates to a stacking device (10) for placing sheet-shaped elements (P) in stacks in a forming machine (1), said stacking device (10) comprising: a movable stacking surface (11), and an actuating device (12) for moving stacking surface (11): between a retracted position and a vertical forward position in a reciprocating back-and-forth motion for stacking sheets, and between the retracted position and a stowed position to open an access to the stack of sheet-shaped elements (P), characterized in that the actuator (12) comprises cam means configured to move the stacking surface (11) upwardly in the retracted position, in a raised position to be located above the top of the sheet stack. The invention also relates to a machine forming sheet-shaped elements comprising at least one such stacking device.

A paper sheet storage device includes a storage unit, a conveyance mechanism including a carry-in path and a carry-out path, a gate member switched between a storage state and a passing state, a lock mechanism including a lock member which restricts a movement of the gate member, and an unlock member that unlocks a locked state. The unlock member is disposed so as to project from a side of one of the carry-in path and the carry-out path to outside of the paper sheet storage device. The lock member is disposed so as to project from a side of the other of the carry-in path and the carry-out path to the outside of the paper sheet storage device. When the paper sheet storage device is connected to another paper sheet storage device, the lock member is moved by the unlock member of the another paper sheet storage device.

A paper sheet storage device includes a storage unit, a conveyance mechanism including a carry-in path and a carry-out path, a gate member switched between a storage state and a passing state, a lock mechanism including a lock member which restricts a movement of the gate member, and an unlock member that unlocks a locked state. The unlock member is disposed so as to project from a side of one of the carry-in path and the carry-out path to outside of the paper sheet storage device. The lock member is disposed so as to project from a side of the other of the carry-in path and the carry-out path to the outside of the paper sheet storage device. When the paper sheet storage device is connected to another paper sheet storage device, the lock member is moved by the unlock member of the another paper sheet storage device.

A sheet sorting apparatus comprising a first tray, a second tray, a conveyance unit, a tray detection unit, a stacking amount detection unit, and a control unit configured to control the conveyance unit to not convey the sheet to the second tray, in a case where the stacking amount detection unit detects that the amount of sheets reaches the predetermined amount, wherein the control unit is configured to permit the conveyance unit to convey the sheet to the second tray, in a case where the tray detection unit detects that the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body in a state where the stacking amount detection unit detects that the amount of sheets reaches the predetermined amount and conveyance of the sheet to the second tray by the conveyance unit is stopped.

A sheet sorting apparatus comprising a first tray, a second tray, a conveyance unit, a tray detection unit, a stacking amount detection unit, and a control unit configured to control the conveyance unit to not convey the sheet to the second tray, in a case where the stacking amount detection unit detects that the amount of sheets reaches the predetermined amount, wherein the control unit is configured to permit the conveyance unit to convey the sheet to the second tray, in a case where the tray detection unit detects that the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body in a state where the stacking amount detection unit detects that the amount of sheets reaches the predetermined amount and conveyance of the sheet to the second tray by the conveyance unit is stopped.