Transport and alignment system for producing variable thickness collations

A system is provided for aligning multi-sheet collations including a conveyance system having a transport deck for supporting and conveying the multi-sheet collation along a feed path. The system includes a first pair of registration members disposed orthogonal to the feed path and defining a processing station along the feed path. The registration members further define registration surfaces which are repositionable from an active position above the transport deck to an idle position below the transport deck. A first displacement mechanism raises and lowers the registration members into and out of the active and idle positions, and oscillates at least one of the registration surfaces forward and aft in a direction parallel to the feed path when the registration member is in its active position. A processor controls the motion of the conveyance system relative to the registration members of the alignment station, and controls the first displacement mechanism to: (i) raise the registration surfaces into the active position, (ii) oscillate the registration surfaces to align the opposing edges of the multi-sheet collation, and (iii) lower the registration surfaces into the idle position to facilitate conveyance of the aligned multi-sheet collation along the feed path.