CA1165177A - Feed mechanism for continuous and cut form paper - Google Patents
Feed mechanism for continuous and cut form paperInfo
- Publication number
- CA1165177A CA1165177A CA000384395A CA384395A CA1165177A CA 1165177 A CA1165177 A CA 1165177A CA 000384395 A CA000384395 A CA 000384395A CA 384395 A CA384395 A CA 384395A CA 1165177 A CA1165177 A CA 1165177A
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- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- platen
- sheet
- exit
- printing region
- printing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Abstract
FEED MECHANISM FOR CONTINUOUS
AND CUT FORM PAPER
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A cut form paper transport apparatus in a belt printer includes driven exit friction rollers disposed for rolling engagement with a pressure roller pivotally supported on a pair of support arms which carry a deflector or guide plate spaced above the platen and disposed for engagement with the leading edge of a sheet of paper as it leaves the printing region for deflection of the leading edge into an exit path tangent to the platen and such that the leading edge of the sheet moves between the exit friction rollers and the pressure roller for engagement thereby when the sheet is in the exit path. Mounted on the deflector plate is a pair of adjustment rollers disposed for rolling engage-ment with the outer surface of the platen for adjusting the position of the deflector plate with respect to the platen.
AND CUT FORM PAPER
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A cut form paper transport apparatus in a belt printer includes driven exit friction rollers disposed for rolling engagement with a pressure roller pivotally supported on a pair of support arms which carry a deflector or guide plate spaced above the platen and disposed for engagement with the leading edge of a sheet of paper as it leaves the printing region for deflection of the leading edge into an exit path tangent to the platen and such that the leading edge of the sheet moves between the exit friction rollers and the pressure roller for engagement thereby when the sheet is in the exit path. Mounted on the deflector plate is a pair of adjustment rollers disposed for rolling engage-ment with the outer surface of the platen for adjusting the position of the deflector plate with respect to the platen.
Description
;5~t~t`i;l F~E~D MECHANISI~ FOR CONTINUOUS
AND CUT FORM PAPER
Ba~kground of the Invention The present invention relates to friction feed mechan-i~ms for continuous.and cu~ ~orm paper. In particular, the invention relates ~o improved means for feeding cut forms to and from the inormation recording or reproducing region o~
an infonmation handling device~ .
In an impact printing machin~3 there is generally provided a cylindrical platen around which the paper is f~d, a printing mechanism disposed in a printing region adjacent to the platen and an inked ribbon dic;posed between the printing me~hanism and the platen. In operation, the printing mechanism impacts the inked ribbon and drives it against the paper on the platen to perform the printing operation. It is essential that the paper be held against the platen in the printing region ~o that the paper will have a firm base th~rebeneath, against which the printing elements can be struck. It is also important that no bulges or slack regions be formed in the paper to insure ~hat as the paper - i~ advanced ~y the feed mechanism, the portion o~ the paper in the printing region will mo~e the same distance as the portion in the ~eed mechanism to insure accurate spacing between lines o~ print.
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~.~6S~'7'7
AND CUT FORM PAPER
Ba~kground of the Invention The present invention relates to friction feed mechan-i~ms for continuous.and cu~ ~orm paper. In particular, the invention relates ~o improved means for feeding cut forms to and from the inormation recording or reproducing region o~
an infonmation handling device~ .
In an impact printing machin~3 there is generally provided a cylindrical platen around which the paper is f~d, a printing mechanism disposed in a printing region adjacent to the platen and an inked ribbon dic;posed between the printing me~hanism and the platen. In operation, the printing mechanism impacts the inked ribbon and drives it against the paper on the platen to perform the printing operation. It is essential that the paper be held against the platen in the printing region ~o that the paper will have a firm base th~rebeneath, against which the printing elements can be struck. It is also important that no bulges or slack regions be formed in the paper to insure ~hat as the paper - i~ advanced ~y the feed mechanism, the portion o~ the paper in the printing region will mo~e the same distance as the portion in the ~eed mechanism to insure accurate spacing between lines o~ print.
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~.~6S~'7'7
-2~ 45-SL-01339 In standard typewriters these requirements are met by pro~iding guide means which positively ~uide t~e'paper along substantially its en~ire path around the platen and thr~ugh the printing region. But in line printers of the continuous belt type, such paper guides canno~ ~e used because in the printing region an opening or window must be pravided along the entire lenyth of the platen, since plural points any-where along the platen may be imprinted simultaneously.
Typically, line printers are designed for use with con~inuous form paper. In such machines khe leading edge of the continuous form iB hand-fed around the platen and through the printing region and engaged with a dri~e mechan-ism downstraam from the printing region, which drive mechan-ism qerves to pull the paper through the printing region, ~his pulling action ser~ing to hold the paper against the platen~ ~he drive mechanism may be in the form of pinwheels, pressure rollers and other tractor devices which engage apertures in tho edges of the paplsr form.
While the foregoing arrangem~_nt works fine for contin-uous forms, it cannot be used ~ith cut foxms in discrete sheets, since there is no means for autom~tically feeding such sheets through the machine. More specifically, there is no mechanism or e~fectively driving the sheet through the pri~ting region and ~o the point at which the leading edge engages the tractor mechanism. In a conventional typewriterl thLs feeding is effected through a friction feed mechanism comprising friction xollers coopera~ing with the dri~en platen $rictionally to drive ~he paper therebe~weenO
Such friction ~eed me~h~nism is typically below the pla en and serves to push the paper upw~xdly ~round the platen and ~1~5~'7~
_3- 45-SL-01339 to the printing xegion. Additional pinch rollers may then be u~ed above the printiny region to assist in guiding the paper and holding it against the platen.
Attempts to use ~his standard friction drive mechanism s with belt-type line printers such as chain~ or bands for permitting the automatic feediny of discrete sheets there-through have not been successful for several reason~. First of all, the use of a riction feed which pushes ~he paper through the printing region will not su~fice, in and of it~elf, to permit automatic ~eeding o~ discrete sheets.
This i~ beoause o~ce the trailing edge of the sheet passes the friction feed mechanism, the sheet will no longer be driven. Thus, the last couple of inches of the sheet cannot be moved thxough the printing region. There~ore, it is necessary additionally to use som~ sort of auxiliary ~eed mechanism which engages the leading edge of a sheet down-~tream o~ the printing regio~ for pulling the tail end of the form through the printing region. In standard type-writers ~his is achieved by the use o~ an additional set of friction rollers directly on the clriven platen downstream from the prin~ing region. But, a~ will be explained below, such an arrangem~nt cannot be used in the belt-type line printer.
Secondly, the discrete sheet orms cannot be positively guided all the way through the printing region for the reasons set orth a~ove. This means that it will be neces-sary that ~he sheet tra~ersa an un~uided or free path portion through the printin~ region. Where the positiVe guiding ceases, the leading edge o~ the paper will tend to diverye from the platen generally ~angent thereto. This iS~'77 ~4~ 45-SL-01339 free path portion is arranged so that the sheet does not contac~ the print ribbon, otherwise it will foul the ribbon and cause jamming thereof, and/or create a paper jam and smudges on the paper. Since the paper sheet leaves the platen in t~e printing region, it must be picked up after it clears the ribbon and be guided back to the platen.
It has been found that if upper pinch rollers directly on the platen are used for this purposa and to provide the exit drive ~or the sheet, the leading edge of the paper mu~t be rapidly deflected back to the platen surface to engage the pinch roller, thereby creating a bulge or hump in the paper path between the printing re~ion and the upper pinch rollers. Such a bulge is unaccep1:able because once the ` trailing end of a sheet passes th~ entry friction feed so that it is no longer pushed, the pulling force exerted by the exit riction drive would ~ir~;t ~ake up the slack in the paper hu~p or bulge before continuing to move the paper through the printing region. During this slack take-up period, th~re~ore, line spacing in the prin~ing region would be nonexi~tent or at best ~ery uneven7 5ummary~of the Invention It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved web, such as paper, transpor~ means for transporti~g a web available in various ~orms through an information handling device, such as: a printer.
It is another object of this in~ention to provide a ~aper transport mechanism which will e~ect movement of cut forms ~rom the printing region of the platen without the formation of slack-producing bulges in the sheet downstream o the prin~ing region.
~:~6S~'7~
Still another objec~ of this in~ention is to provide an improved paper transport mechanism of the type set forth which is adapted ~or use in combination with a pinch roller type of entry ~eed mechanism which feeds the paper sheet to the printing region.
Yet another object o~ this invention is the provision of a paper transport mechanism o~ the type set forth, which is readily removably attachable to a line printer normally adapted for feeding of continuous ~orms, without the removal of or in~erference with the normal continuous form transport mechanism.
It i~ another object of this invention to provide an improved paper transport apparatus ~or use in a line printer having a fric~iQn-type entry ~aed mechanism for ~eeding a sheet of papex to the printing region, the apparatus being disposed or driving engagement w:ith the leading edge of a sheet leaving the printing region be~ore the ~railing edge passes the entry drive mechani~m.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved printing machine for handling continuous form paper and pape~ available as discrete sheets.
In connection with the foregoing objects, it is another object of this inven~ion to pro~ide a paper transport mech-anism of tha type set ~orth, which permits the use o~ a friction drive apparatus along the exit path ~rom the printi~g region while avoiding the formation o~ slack-produciny bulges in the paper sheet.
These and other objects are attained by providing paper guide ~pparatus for use with discrete sheets o$ paper in a continuous belt-type printing machine including a rotatable ,. /
1~L65~'7 cylindrical platen, an inked ribbon disposed adjacent to the platen at a printing region, entry drive means for moving the sheets of paper in~o a printing path extending tangent to the platen through the printing region and past the inked ribbon spaced therefrom, and exit drive means spaced from the platen ~or moving the sheets o~ paper from the printing region; the paper guide apparatus comprising deflecting means spaced ~rom the platen downs~ream of the printing region and disposed for engaging the leading edge of the associated sheet past the printing region, the deflecting means being shaped and dimensioned ~or deflecting the associated ~heet into an exit path extending along the platen and thence in a straight line to the exit drive means tangent to the platen and such that the leading edge of the sheet engages the exit drive means when the sheet is in the exit path, whereby the leading edge o~ the associated sheet is held out o contact with the inked ribbon and is moved around the platen without the formation of slack-producing bulges in the sheet downstream of I:he printing region.
Further ~eatures of the invention pertain to the particulæ axrangemen~ of the parts of the paper tranfiport apparatus whereby the above-outline~ and additional oper-ating ~eatures thereof are attained.
The invention, both as to its organization and method of opera~ion, together with ~urther objects and advantages thereof, will be~t be understood b~ reference to the ~ol-lowing spe~ification taken in connection with the accompany-ing drawings.
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~5~77 Briee Oe ~ iptlor ~= the- Drawings FIGURE 1 is a ~ragmentary top plan ~iew of the paper transport apparatus constructed in accordance with and embodying the features of ~he present invention, and illustrated mounted in place on a belt-ty~e line printer;
FIGURE 2 is a reduced perspective view of the paper transport apparatus of FIGURE l; and FIGURE 3 is an enlarged ~ragmentary view in vertical section taken along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1.
Descri~tion of the Pre~erred Embodiment Referring to FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings, there is illustrated a portion of a belt-type line printing machine, generally designated by the numeral 10. Such a printing machine may be of the type sold by General Electric Company under the trademark "TermiNet". ~he printing machine 10 includeæ two laterally spaced-apart pulleys 11 and 12 respectively rotata~ly mounte!d on shafts 13 and 14 and supporking therebetween an~endle!ss belt 15 which carries thereon a plurality of upstanding flexible printing fingers 16, each caxrying at the upper end thereo a print or type character 17 facing outwardly of the belt 15. Mounted within.the endless belt 15 adjacent to the front flight thereof (~and aligned longitudinally thereof) is a plurality of print hammers 18. Di~posed between the print hammers 18 and the printing fingers 16 and above the upper edge of the endless belt 15 is an elongated rebound bar 19. There is also provided an elongated.cylindrical platen 20 coupled to associated.drive means (not sho~nl ~or rotation thereof in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated by t~e ar~ows in FIGURE 3. The platen 20 is arranged with the axis thereo~
. I ' :' :
, .
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iS~77 ~~~ 45-SL~01339 disposed horizontally and has an outer surface 21 disposed closely adjacent to th~ row o~ type characters 17 at a printing region 22. Extending between the platen 2Q and the row of type. characters 17 along the entire length thereof in the prin~ing r~gion 22 is a length of print ribbon 25 which is disposed in a substantially vertical plane, and which is fed from and retrieved by an associated cartridge (not shown) for movement from right to left, as viewed in FI~UR~ l. Preferably, the path of the print ribbon 25 through the printing region 22 i5 slightly inclined down-wardly from right to left, as viewed in FIGURE 1, for more efficient use o~ the space on the prin~ ribbon, in a well-known manner.
In operation, the print hammers 18 are ~electively pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE
Typically, line printers are designed for use with con~inuous form paper. In such machines khe leading edge of the continuous form iB hand-fed around the platen and through the printing region and engaged with a dri~e mechan-ism downstraam from the printing region, which drive mechan-ism qerves to pull the paper through the printing region, ~his pulling action ser~ing to hold the paper against the platen~ ~he drive mechanism may be in the form of pinwheels, pressure rollers and other tractor devices which engage apertures in tho edges of the paplsr form.
While the foregoing arrangem~_nt works fine for contin-uous forms, it cannot be used ~ith cut foxms in discrete sheets, since there is no means for autom~tically feeding such sheets through the machine. More specifically, there is no mechanism or e~fectively driving the sheet through the pri~ting region and ~o the point at which the leading edge engages the tractor mechanism. In a conventional typewriterl thLs feeding is effected through a friction feed mechanism comprising friction xollers coopera~ing with the dri~en platen $rictionally to drive ~he paper therebe~weenO
Such friction ~eed me~h~nism is typically below the pla en and serves to push the paper upw~xdly ~round the platen and ~1~5~'7~
_3- 45-SL-01339 to the printing xegion. Additional pinch rollers may then be u~ed above the printiny region to assist in guiding the paper and holding it against the platen.
Attempts to use ~his standard friction drive mechanism s with belt-type line printers such as chain~ or bands for permitting the automatic feediny of discrete sheets there-through have not been successful for several reason~. First of all, the use of a riction feed which pushes ~he paper through the printing region will not su~fice, in and of it~elf, to permit automatic ~eeding o~ discrete sheets.
This i~ beoause o~ce the trailing edge of the sheet passes the friction feed mechanism, the sheet will no longer be driven. Thus, the last couple of inches of the sheet cannot be moved thxough the printing region. There~ore, it is necessary additionally to use som~ sort of auxiliary ~eed mechanism which engages the leading edge of a sheet down-~tream o~ the printing regio~ for pulling the tail end of the form through the printing region. In standard type-writers ~his is achieved by the use o~ an additional set of friction rollers directly on the clriven platen downstream from the prin~ing region. But, a~ will be explained below, such an arrangem~nt cannot be used in the belt-type line printer.
Secondly, the discrete sheet orms cannot be positively guided all the way through the printing region for the reasons set orth a~ove. This means that it will be neces-sary that ~he sheet tra~ersa an un~uided or free path portion through the printin~ region. Where the positiVe guiding ceases, the leading edge o~ the paper will tend to diverye from the platen generally ~angent thereto. This iS~'77 ~4~ 45-SL-01339 free path portion is arranged so that the sheet does not contac~ the print ribbon, otherwise it will foul the ribbon and cause jamming thereof, and/or create a paper jam and smudges on the paper. Since the paper sheet leaves the platen in t~e printing region, it must be picked up after it clears the ribbon and be guided back to the platen.
It has been found that if upper pinch rollers directly on the platen are used for this purposa and to provide the exit drive ~or the sheet, the leading edge of the paper mu~t be rapidly deflected back to the platen surface to engage the pinch roller, thereby creating a bulge or hump in the paper path between the printing re~ion and the upper pinch rollers. Such a bulge is unaccep1:able because once the ` trailing end of a sheet passes th~ entry friction feed so that it is no longer pushed, the pulling force exerted by the exit riction drive would ~ir~;t ~ake up the slack in the paper hu~p or bulge before continuing to move the paper through the printing region. During this slack take-up period, th~re~ore, line spacing in the prin~ing region would be nonexi~tent or at best ~ery uneven7 5ummary~of the Invention It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved web, such as paper, transpor~ means for transporti~g a web available in various ~orms through an information handling device, such as: a printer.
It is another object of this in~ention to provide a ~aper transport mechanism which will e~ect movement of cut forms ~rom the printing region of the platen without the formation of slack-producing bulges in the sheet downstream o the prin~ing region.
~:~6S~'7~
Still another objec~ of this in~ention is to provide an improved paper transport mechanism of the type set forth which is adapted ~or use in combination with a pinch roller type of entry ~eed mechanism which feeds the paper sheet to the printing region.
Yet another object o~ this invention is the provision of a paper transport mechanism o~ the type set forth, which is readily removably attachable to a line printer normally adapted for feeding of continuous ~orms, without the removal of or in~erference with the normal continuous form transport mechanism.
It i~ another object of this invention to provide an improved paper transport apparatus ~or use in a line printer having a fric~iQn-type entry ~aed mechanism for ~eeding a sheet of papex to the printing region, the apparatus being disposed or driving engagement w:ith the leading edge of a sheet leaving the printing region be~ore the ~railing edge passes the entry drive mechani~m.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved printing machine for handling continuous form paper and pape~ available as discrete sheets.
In connection with the foregoing objects, it is another object of this inven~ion to pro~ide a paper transport mech-anism of tha type set ~orth, which permits the use o~ a friction drive apparatus along the exit path ~rom the printi~g region while avoiding the formation o~ slack-produciny bulges in the paper sheet.
These and other objects are attained by providing paper guide ~pparatus for use with discrete sheets o$ paper in a continuous belt-type printing machine including a rotatable ,. /
1~L65~'7 cylindrical platen, an inked ribbon disposed adjacent to the platen at a printing region, entry drive means for moving the sheets of paper in~o a printing path extending tangent to the platen through the printing region and past the inked ribbon spaced therefrom, and exit drive means spaced from the platen ~or moving the sheets o~ paper from the printing region; the paper guide apparatus comprising deflecting means spaced ~rom the platen downs~ream of the printing region and disposed for engaging the leading edge of the associated sheet past the printing region, the deflecting means being shaped and dimensioned ~or deflecting the associated ~heet into an exit path extending along the platen and thence in a straight line to the exit drive means tangent to the platen and such that the leading edge of the sheet engages the exit drive means when the sheet is in the exit path, whereby the leading edge o~ the associated sheet is held out o contact with the inked ribbon and is moved around the platen without the formation of slack-producing bulges in the sheet downstream of I:he printing region.
Further ~eatures of the invention pertain to the particulæ axrangemen~ of the parts of the paper tranfiport apparatus whereby the above-outline~ and additional oper-ating ~eatures thereof are attained.
The invention, both as to its organization and method of opera~ion, together with ~urther objects and advantages thereof, will be~t be understood b~ reference to the ~ol-lowing spe~ification taken in connection with the accompany-ing drawings.
`~
~5~77 Briee Oe ~ iptlor ~= the- Drawings FIGURE 1 is a ~ragmentary top plan ~iew of the paper transport apparatus constructed in accordance with and embodying the features of ~he present invention, and illustrated mounted in place on a belt-ty~e line printer;
FIGURE 2 is a reduced perspective view of the paper transport apparatus of FIGURE l; and FIGURE 3 is an enlarged ~ragmentary view in vertical section taken along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1.
Descri~tion of the Pre~erred Embodiment Referring to FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings, there is illustrated a portion of a belt-type line printing machine, generally designated by the numeral 10. Such a printing machine may be of the type sold by General Electric Company under the trademark "TermiNet". ~he printing machine 10 includeæ two laterally spaced-apart pulleys 11 and 12 respectively rotata~ly mounte!d on shafts 13 and 14 and supporking therebetween an~endle!ss belt 15 which carries thereon a plurality of upstanding flexible printing fingers 16, each caxrying at the upper end thereo a print or type character 17 facing outwardly of the belt 15. Mounted within.the endless belt 15 adjacent to the front flight thereof (~and aligned longitudinally thereof) is a plurality of print hammers 18. Di~posed between the print hammers 18 and the printing fingers 16 and above the upper edge of the endless belt 15 is an elongated rebound bar 19. There is also provided an elongated.cylindrical platen 20 coupled to associated.drive means (not sho~nl ~or rotation thereof in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated by t~e ar~ows in FIGURE 3. The platen 20 is arranged with the axis thereo~
. I ' :' :
, .
.
iS~77 ~~~ 45-SL~01339 disposed horizontally and has an outer surface 21 disposed closely adjacent to th~ row o~ type characters 17 at a printing region 22. Extending between the platen 2Q and the row of type. characters 17 along the entire length thereof in the prin~ing r~gion 22 is a length of print ribbon 25 which is disposed in a substantially vertical plane, and which is fed from and retrieved by an associated cartridge (not shown) for movement from right to left, as viewed in FI~UR~ l. Preferably, the path of the print ribbon 25 through the printing region 22 i5 slightly inclined down-wardly from right to left, as viewed in FIGURE 1, for more efficient use o~ the space on the prin~ ribbon, in a well-known manner.
In operation, the print hammers 18 are ~electively pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE
3, by associated actuators (not shown~ against the urging of bias means (not shown) for impacting selected ones of the printing fingers 16 and driving the associated print char-acters 17 against the print ribbon 25 and moving the ribbon again~t an associated sheet of paper disposed along the outer surface 21 of ~he platen 20 in the printing region 22.
After impact~ the prin~ hammer 18 will be returned to its original position by its bias means, and the resilien~
printing finger 16 will spring back toward its original position and engage the rebound bar 19, which serves to cushion the return of the printing finger 16 and damp out oscillations thexeof. The operation.o~ this type of printing mechanism is ~escribed in greater detail in U.S.
Patent No. 3,803,558.
~ -- -- -- -- --Referring in particular to FIGURE 3 o~ the drawings, the printing machine 10 includes an entry paper transport assembly, generally designa~ed by the numeral 30, for moving paper ~rom an associated source around the platen 20 and `5 toward ~he printing region 22. The entry paper transport assembly 30 includes an arcuate guide plate 31 which wraps around the underside of the platen 20 coaxially therewith and spaced a predetermined slight distance from the outer surface 21 thereof. Preferably, the guide plate 31 extends latexally ~;ubstantially the entire length of the platen 20, the guide plate 31 bQing ~ixedly secured to the framework of the machine 10 in a suitable manner.
Pixedly secured to the guide plate 31 and projecting rearwardly thereform is a plurality of mounting brackets 32, each supporting a pivot pin 33, o:n which are respectively pivotally mounted a plurality of depending arms 34. Each of the arms 34 carries thereon intermediate the ends thereof a rotatably mounted pinch roller 35 which projects upwardly through a complementary opening in the guide plate 31 for ~olling engagement with the outer surfaces 21 of the platen 20. Each o~ the arms 34 is provided with a depanding finger 36 which is secured to one end of an associated tension spring 37, the other end of which is anchored to a tab 38 fixedly secured to and depending from the guide plate 31, thereby re~iliently to urge the pinch roller 35 into engage-ment with the platen 20.
The ~uide.plate 31 terminates at a forw~rd edge 39 which. is disposed adjacent to the printing region 22, but spaced therefrom. There is also provided a flat planar deflecting plate 40 which extends laterally substantially ~ L65~'7~
the entire length of the platen 20 and projects upwardly in front thereof, the upper edge 41 of the deflecting plate 40 being dispo~ed in the printing region 22 immediately below the level o the print oharacters 17 and resiliently urged into tangent engagement with the outer sur~ace 21 of the platen 20.
In operation, cut forms in the form of discrete sheets of paper, generall~ designated by the numeral 45, are fed from an as~ociated sheet feeding mechanism (not shown~ into the printing machine 10 and downwardly along the rear side of the platen 20. More specifically, ~he leading edge 46 of a sheet is fed be~ween the outer sur~ace 21 of ~he platen 20 and the guide plate 31 and thence to the pinch rollers 35, which cooperate with the driven platen 20 to pick up the leading end of the sheet 45 and drive .it along the guide plate 31 toward the printing region 22. As the leading edge 46 of the sheet 45 passes the forward edge 39 of the guide plate 31! it will tend to continue along a path tangent to the outer sur~ace 21 of the platen 20 at a point opposite the forward edge 39 of the guide plate 31. After traveling a short distance away from the platen 20 along this tangent path, the leading edga 46 of the paper sheet 45 will engage the de~lecting plate 40 and be deflected thereby back toward the platen 20 and will be driven between the outer surface 21 o~ the platen 20 and the upper edge 41 of the deflecting pla e 40 and will emerge t~erefrom in the printing region 22 along a printing path tangent to the platen 20 at the upper edge 41 of the deflecting plate 40, this printing path being designated by the numeral 48.
i5~
~ 45-SL-01339 The orientation of the de~lecting plate 40 and the position of the upper edge 41 thereof are so arranged that the printing path 48 clears the print ribbon 25. This insures that the leading edge 46 o~ the sheet will not engage the print ribbon 25, thereby preventing fouling of the rib~on ox marring or jamming of the paper sheet 45~
It will, o cours~, also be appreciated that the uppér edge 41 of the deflecting plate 40 is spaced below the level of the type chara~ters 17 so as to afford a window through which the type characters 17 can impact the print ribbon 25 and the a~ociated sheet 45 without interference along the entire length of the platen 20.
The foregoing st~ucture is found in existing belt-type impact line printers, but such prior printers have been de~igned solely for use with cont.inuous form paper, such as computer paper and the like. Such continuous forms, shown as 80, available from a source such as a box for fan-fold paper located below or behind the printing machine, are manually fed through the printing region 22 and the leading edge o~ the ~orm is then engaged with a tractor assembly, generally designated by the numer~l 50, dlsposed above and behind the platen 20 downstream o~ the printing region ~2.
Spring loaded arm ~h~ when deflected clockwise moves deflector 40 clockwise away from the platen to facilitate paper loading. In one Pmbodiment deflector 40 was made of spring material and anchored for deflection about one end connected to the machine body. More particularly, the tractor assembly 50 may include a horizontall~-extending drive shaft 51 generally rectan~ular in transverse cxoss section and coupled adjacent to the opposite ends thereo~ respectively ~si5~Y~7 -12~- 45-SL-0133~
wi~h a left-hand tractor 52 and a right-hand tractor 53.
Also interconnecting the upper ends o~ the tractors 52 and 53 is a laterally-extending,tie rod 54, preferably circular in transverse cross section.
In operation, the tractors 52 and 53 are ~ovable laterally along the tie rod 54 and drive shaft 51 into positions for respectively engaging the lef~ and right-hand edges of the continuous form and driving the ~orm upward~y away from the printing region 22. It will, there~ore be appreciated that as soon as this tractor assembly 50 is engaged with the continuous ~orm, it will pull it against khe outer surface 21 of the platen 20 and this continuous pulling mo~ement will prevent the formation o~ any bulges in the paper, since once the form is ~anually threaded through the machine, there æ e no further leading or trailing edges to be concerned with.
But this mechanism has proven to be unsuitable for use with automatically fed cut ~orms, since it provides no means f~r picking up the leading edge of each discrete sheet as it exits the printing region. M~re particularly, since the sheets are discrete, and since they cannot be continuously guided around the platen 20 because of the necessity of providing ~he pxinting window along the entire length of the platen 20, as descr,ibed above, of necessity the leading.edge 46 of each ~heet 45 must leave the outer surface 21 o~ the platen 20 as it passes through the prin~ing region 22.
~ter l~aving the printing surface, it ~ust, t~ere~oxe, be picked up and brought back to the surface 21.
In ~tandard typewriters, where the paper is continuous-ly guided through the printing region, this pickup is ~L~l65~77 effected by an additional pinch roller on top of the platen.
But ~his means i~ ineffecti~e in a belt-type printer, where the leading edge 46 of the sheet 45 must leave the platen along an unguided portion of the print path, since when the leading edge of the sheet is deflected sharply back toward the pinch roller, it creates a bulge in the paper which is spaced rom the surface 21 o~ the platen 20 between the printing region 22 and the upper pinch roller. This bulge creates no problem as long as the entry pinch rollers 35 are in engagement with th~ paper, since the leading and tra~ling ends of the sheet will both b~ driven at the same rate by the driven platen 20. But as soon as the txailing edge 47 of tha sheet 45 passes the pinch rollers 35, the sole driving force will be imparted by the upper pinch rollers, which will then serve to take up the slack in the bulge. During this brief slack take-up period, t:he portion of the sheet in the printing region will remain substantially stationary, thereby destroying the line spacing.
In order to accommodate discr~ete sheets of paper instead of continuous form paper in the arrangem~nt o~ FIGURE 2, there is provi~ed an exit transport assembly 60. The tractors 52 ana 53 are moved laterally along the tie rod 54 beyond where they normall~y engage the xight and left hand edges of the contin-uous orm paper. The assembl~ 60 is inserted for converting the continuous form printing mac~ine into ~ discr~te sheet form printing machine. In the arrangement of FIGURES 1 and 2 ~here is mounted on the drive shaft 51 of the tractor assembly 50 for ro~ation therewith, two laterally spaced-apart friction rollers 55, preferably positioned inwardly of the innermost position~ that the tractors 52 and 53 are S~'7~
likely to occupy in use with standard. continuous forms. The friction rollers 55 600perate to form part ~f an exit trans-port assembly, g~nerally designated ~y the numeral 60, which includes a paix of laterally spaced-apart support arms 61 which are constructed substantially as ~irror images of each oth~r, where~y only one will be described in detail. Each arm 61 is provided at one end thereof with a slot 62 dimen-sio~ed to receive ~herein the tie rod 54 of ~h~ tractor assembly 50. The support arm 61 is provided adjacent to the o~her end thereof with ~wo ~paced~apart dependin~ fingers 63 and 64, integral with the adjacent side edge of an elongated flat planar de~lector or guide pla~e 65 which extends between the support arm~ 61 and is carried thereby. The guide plate 65 is provided at the forward edge thereof with a downwardly inclined lip 66 and is provided adjacent to the right-hand end thereof, as ~iewed in FIGU~E 1, with a rectangular cutout portion 67.
The orwardmost finger 64 of each of the support arms 61 carries thereon a pivot pin 69, there being respectively pivotally mounted on the pins 69 two elongated pivot arms 70, each of which is disposed above the guide plate 65 and project~ upwardly rearwardly therealong. Respectively mounted at ~he opposite ends of the guide plate 65 between the fingers ~3 and 64 are two depending tabs 72 which extend ~ownwardly below the guide plate 65 away from the fingers 63 and 64. Each tab 72 carries th.ereon a pivot pin 73 on which is rotata~ly mounted an adjustment roller 74. ~1 elongated pressure roller 75 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 76 which is carried by and extends between the rear ends of the pivot arms 70 for pivotal movement therewi.th. The pivot arms 70 ~lliL ~ r~ ~IIL 7 7 -15- 45-S~-01339 thus cooperate to form a pivot carriage for the pressure xoller 75.
In operation, the slots 62 of the support arms 61 are slipped over the tie rod 54 of the tractor assembly 50, and the forward end of the exit transport assembly 60 îs lowered until the adjustment rollers 74 are brought into rolling engagement with the outer surface 21 o~ the platen 20. The diameter o ~he adjustment rollers 74 is carefully selected, so that when they are in engagemen~ with the outer surface 21 of the pla~en 20, the pressure roller 75 will be in rolling engagement with the fric~ion rollers 55, and the guide plate 65 will be spaced a predetermined distance above the platen 20, with the lip 66 thereof extending down over the upper edge of the print ribbon 25, but out of contact therewith. The cutout portion 67 on the guide plate 65 will accommoda~e the elevated right end of the inclined print ribbon 2S.
In operation, the drive shat 51 of the tractor assembly 50 is coupled to the platen 20 and i9, therefore, driven simultaneously therewith in a well-known manner.
Thus, the friction rollers 55 will cooperate with the pres ure roller 75 ~o pro~ide a friction drive ~herebetween.
The dimension3 and positioning of the guide plate 65 are such that the lip 66 thexeof intersects the printing path 48 of the paper sheet 45 for engagement with the leading edge 46 of the ~heet to deflect it reaxwardly and upwardly along the guide plate 65, as indicated by the broken-line posi-tions of the leading end of the sheet illustrated in PIGURE
3. As the sheet 45 continues to be driven by the pinch rollers 35, the leading edge 46, because of the inherent s~
stifness of form paper, will slide along ~he underside o~
the guide plate 65 which will guide it without bulging into a straight-line exit path 78 which is tangen~ to the outer surface 21 of the platen 20 at a point upstream of the printing region 22.
The exit transport assembly 60 is so dimensioned and positioned that the leading edge 46 of the sheet 45 will enter between the friction rollers 55 and the pressure roller 75 when the sheet 45 lies in the tangent exit path 78. Thus, it will be appreciated that the leading edge 46 of the shee~ 45 will be picked up by the friction rollers 55 and pressure roller 75 and frictionally driven thereby at a point spaced well away ~rom the platen 20, and at a time when the ~heet 4S i3 disposed in a path tangent to the platen 20, 30 that the sheet 45 lies against the outer surface of ~he platen 20 in the printing region 22 and there ar~ no bulges therein. Thus, when the leading edge 46 of the sheet 45 is picked up and driven by the exit transport assembly 60, there is no slack to be taken up and there will be no 1OSR of line spacing when the trailing edge 47 of the.
sheet 45 passe~ the pinch rollers 35. It will also be apprecia~ed that the positioning of the friction rollers 55 is such tha~ the friction drive provided thereby will be impar~ed to the sheet 45 before the ~railing edge 47 of the sheet 45 passes ~he pinch rollers 35.
It i~ a significant feature of the present invention that the exit transp~rt assembly 60 is readily removable from the printing machine 10 and can be simply and easily attached thereto without the necessity of removing any of the s~andard ~ractor assembly 5Q used with continuous forms.
S~
-~7- 45-SL-01339 Thus, when it i9 desired to operate the printing machine 10 with cut ~orms, the tractors 52 ~nd 53 are simply moved outwardly toward the adjacent sides of the machine, and the exit transport assembly 60 is mounted in place by simply inser~ing the slots 62 over the tie rod 54. Thus, the p~inting machine 10 can easily be used with either con-tinuous forms or cut forms by the use of a simply`mounted attachment mechanism.
From the foregoing, it can be seen ~hat there has been provided an improved paper transport apparatus for trans-porting cu~ forms through a belt-type impact printer without the formation o~ slack-producing bulges in the paper and resultant impairment o~ line spacing.
There has also been provided an improved paper trans-port mec~anism of the character described, which i9 simply and easily mountable and detachable on a standard belt-type printing machine without removal of the standard drive apparatus normally used with continuous forms, whereby the machine can be readily aonverted from continuous form to cut-~orm operation by the addition of a simple attachment.
While there has been described what i9 at present considered to be the pre~erred embodiment of the invention, it will be understoo~ that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to co~er in the appended claims all such modifications ~s f~ll w~thin the true spirit and scope o~ the invention.
After impact~ the prin~ hammer 18 will be returned to its original position by its bias means, and the resilien~
printing finger 16 will spring back toward its original position and engage the rebound bar 19, which serves to cushion the return of the printing finger 16 and damp out oscillations thexeof. The operation.o~ this type of printing mechanism is ~escribed in greater detail in U.S.
Patent No. 3,803,558.
~ -- -- -- -- --Referring in particular to FIGURE 3 o~ the drawings, the printing machine 10 includes an entry paper transport assembly, generally designa~ed by the numeral 30, for moving paper ~rom an associated source around the platen 20 and `5 toward ~he printing region 22. The entry paper transport assembly 30 includes an arcuate guide plate 31 which wraps around the underside of the platen 20 coaxially therewith and spaced a predetermined slight distance from the outer surface 21 thereof. Preferably, the guide plate 31 extends latexally ~;ubstantially the entire length of the platen 20, the guide plate 31 bQing ~ixedly secured to the framework of the machine 10 in a suitable manner.
Pixedly secured to the guide plate 31 and projecting rearwardly thereform is a plurality of mounting brackets 32, each supporting a pivot pin 33, o:n which are respectively pivotally mounted a plurality of depending arms 34. Each of the arms 34 carries thereon intermediate the ends thereof a rotatably mounted pinch roller 35 which projects upwardly through a complementary opening in the guide plate 31 for ~olling engagement with the outer surfaces 21 of the platen 20. Each o~ the arms 34 is provided with a depanding finger 36 which is secured to one end of an associated tension spring 37, the other end of which is anchored to a tab 38 fixedly secured to and depending from the guide plate 31, thereby re~iliently to urge the pinch roller 35 into engage-ment with the platen 20.
The ~uide.plate 31 terminates at a forw~rd edge 39 which. is disposed adjacent to the printing region 22, but spaced therefrom. There is also provided a flat planar deflecting plate 40 which extends laterally substantially ~ L65~'7~
the entire length of the platen 20 and projects upwardly in front thereof, the upper edge 41 of the deflecting plate 40 being dispo~ed in the printing region 22 immediately below the level o the print oharacters 17 and resiliently urged into tangent engagement with the outer sur~ace 21 of the platen 20.
In operation, cut forms in the form of discrete sheets of paper, generall~ designated by the numeral 45, are fed from an as~ociated sheet feeding mechanism (not shown~ into the printing machine 10 and downwardly along the rear side of the platen 20. More specifically, ~he leading edge 46 of a sheet is fed be~ween the outer sur~ace 21 of ~he platen 20 and the guide plate 31 and thence to the pinch rollers 35, which cooperate with the driven platen 20 to pick up the leading end of the sheet 45 and drive .it along the guide plate 31 toward the printing region 22. As the leading edge 46 of the sheet 45 passes the forward edge 39 of the guide plate 31! it will tend to continue along a path tangent to the outer sur~ace 21 of the platen 20 at a point opposite the forward edge 39 of the guide plate 31. After traveling a short distance away from the platen 20 along this tangent path, the leading edga 46 of the paper sheet 45 will engage the de~lecting plate 40 and be deflected thereby back toward the platen 20 and will be driven between the outer surface 21 o~ the platen 20 and the upper edge 41 of the deflecting pla e 40 and will emerge t~erefrom in the printing region 22 along a printing path tangent to the platen 20 at the upper edge 41 of the deflecting plate 40, this printing path being designated by the numeral 48.
i5~
~ 45-SL-01339 The orientation of the de~lecting plate 40 and the position of the upper edge 41 thereof are so arranged that the printing path 48 clears the print ribbon 25. This insures that the leading edge 46 o~ the sheet will not engage the print ribbon 25, thereby preventing fouling of the rib~on ox marring or jamming of the paper sheet 45~
It will, o cours~, also be appreciated that the uppér edge 41 of the deflecting plate 40 is spaced below the level of the type chara~ters 17 so as to afford a window through which the type characters 17 can impact the print ribbon 25 and the a~ociated sheet 45 without interference along the entire length of the platen 20.
The foregoing st~ucture is found in existing belt-type impact line printers, but such prior printers have been de~igned solely for use with cont.inuous form paper, such as computer paper and the like. Such continuous forms, shown as 80, available from a source such as a box for fan-fold paper located below or behind the printing machine, are manually fed through the printing region 22 and the leading edge o~ the ~orm is then engaged with a tractor assembly, generally designated by the numer~l 50, dlsposed above and behind the platen 20 downstream o~ the printing region ~2.
Spring loaded arm ~h~ when deflected clockwise moves deflector 40 clockwise away from the platen to facilitate paper loading. In one Pmbodiment deflector 40 was made of spring material and anchored for deflection about one end connected to the machine body. More particularly, the tractor assembly 50 may include a horizontall~-extending drive shaft 51 generally rectan~ular in transverse cxoss section and coupled adjacent to the opposite ends thereo~ respectively ~si5~Y~7 -12~- 45-SL-0133~
wi~h a left-hand tractor 52 and a right-hand tractor 53.
Also interconnecting the upper ends o~ the tractors 52 and 53 is a laterally-extending,tie rod 54, preferably circular in transverse cross section.
In operation, the tractors 52 and 53 are ~ovable laterally along the tie rod 54 and drive shaft 51 into positions for respectively engaging the lef~ and right-hand edges of the continuous form and driving the ~orm upward~y away from the printing region 22. It will, there~ore be appreciated that as soon as this tractor assembly 50 is engaged with the continuous ~orm, it will pull it against khe outer surface 21 of the platen 20 and this continuous pulling mo~ement will prevent the formation o~ any bulges in the paper, since once the form is ~anually threaded through the machine, there æ e no further leading or trailing edges to be concerned with.
But this mechanism has proven to be unsuitable for use with automatically fed cut ~orms, since it provides no means f~r picking up the leading edge of each discrete sheet as it exits the printing region. M~re particularly, since the sheets are discrete, and since they cannot be continuously guided around the platen 20 because of the necessity of providing ~he pxinting window along the entire length of the platen 20, as descr,ibed above, of necessity the leading.edge 46 of each ~heet 45 must leave the outer surface 21 o~ the platen 20 as it passes through the prin~ing region 22.
~ter l~aving the printing surface, it ~ust, t~ere~oxe, be picked up and brought back to the surface 21.
In ~tandard typewriters, where the paper is continuous-ly guided through the printing region, this pickup is ~L~l65~77 effected by an additional pinch roller on top of the platen.
But ~his means i~ ineffecti~e in a belt-type printer, where the leading edge 46 of the sheet 45 must leave the platen along an unguided portion of the print path, since when the leading edge of the sheet is deflected sharply back toward the pinch roller, it creates a bulge in the paper which is spaced rom the surface 21 o~ the platen 20 between the printing region 22 and the upper pinch roller. This bulge creates no problem as long as the entry pinch rollers 35 are in engagement with th~ paper, since the leading and tra~ling ends of the sheet will both b~ driven at the same rate by the driven platen 20. But as soon as the txailing edge 47 of tha sheet 45 passes the pinch rollers 35, the sole driving force will be imparted by the upper pinch rollers, which will then serve to take up the slack in the bulge. During this brief slack take-up period, t:he portion of the sheet in the printing region will remain substantially stationary, thereby destroying the line spacing.
In order to accommodate discr~ete sheets of paper instead of continuous form paper in the arrangem~nt o~ FIGURE 2, there is provi~ed an exit transport assembly 60. The tractors 52 ana 53 are moved laterally along the tie rod 54 beyond where they normall~y engage the xight and left hand edges of the contin-uous orm paper. The assembl~ 60 is inserted for converting the continuous form printing mac~ine into ~ discr~te sheet form printing machine. In the arrangement of FIGURES 1 and 2 ~here is mounted on the drive shaft 51 of the tractor assembly 50 for ro~ation therewith, two laterally spaced-apart friction rollers 55, preferably positioned inwardly of the innermost position~ that the tractors 52 and 53 are S~'7~
likely to occupy in use with standard. continuous forms. The friction rollers 55 600perate to form part ~f an exit trans-port assembly, g~nerally designated ~y the numeral 60, which includes a paix of laterally spaced-apart support arms 61 which are constructed substantially as ~irror images of each oth~r, where~y only one will be described in detail. Each arm 61 is provided at one end thereof with a slot 62 dimen-sio~ed to receive ~herein the tie rod 54 of ~h~ tractor assembly 50. The support arm 61 is provided adjacent to the o~her end thereof with ~wo ~paced~apart dependin~ fingers 63 and 64, integral with the adjacent side edge of an elongated flat planar de~lector or guide pla~e 65 which extends between the support arm~ 61 and is carried thereby. The guide plate 65 is provided at the forward edge thereof with a downwardly inclined lip 66 and is provided adjacent to the right-hand end thereof, as ~iewed in FIGU~E 1, with a rectangular cutout portion 67.
The orwardmost finger 64 of each of the support arms 61 carries thereon a pivot pin 69, there being respectively pivotally mounted on the pins 69 two elongated pivot arms 70, each of which is disposed above the guide plate 65 and project~ upwardly rearwardly therealong. Respectively mounted at ~he opposite ends of the guide plate 65 between the fingers ~3 and 64 are two depending tabs 72 which extend ~ownwardly below the guide plate 65 away from the fingers 63 and 64. Each tab 72 carries th.ereon a pivot pin 73 on which is rotata~ly mounted an adjustment roller 74. ~1 elongated pressure roller 75 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 76 which is carried by and extends between the rear ends of the pivot arms 70 for pivotal movement therewi.th. The pivot arms 70 ~lliL ~ r~ ~IIL 7 7 -15- 45-S~-01339 thus cooperate to form a pivot carriage for the pressure xoller 75.
In operation, the slots 62 of the support arms 61 are slipped over the tie rod 54 of the tractor assembly 50, and the forward end of the exit transport assembly 60 îs lowered until the adjustment rollers 74 are brought into rolling engagement with the outer surface 21 o~ the platen 20. The diameter o ~he adjustment rollers 74 is carefully selected, so that when they are in engagemen~ with the outer surface 21 of the pla~en 20, the pressure roller 75 will be in rolling engagement with the fric~ion rollers 55, and the guide plate 65 will be spaced a predetermined distance above the platen 20, with the lip 66 thereof extending down over the upper edge of the print ribbon 25, but out of contact therewith. The cutout portion 67 on the guide plate 65 will accommoda~e the elevated right end of the inclined print ribbon 2S.
In operation, the drive shat 51 of the tractor assembly 50 is coupled to the platen 20 and i9, therefore, driven simultaneously therewith in a well-known manner.
Thus, the friction rollers 55 will cooperate with the pres ure roller 75 ~o pro~ide a friction drive ~herebetween.
The dimension3 and positioning of the guide plate 65 are such that the lip 66 thexeof intersects the printing path 48 of the paper sheet 45 for engagement with the leading edge 46 of the ~heet to deflect it reaxwardly and upwardly along the guide plate 65, as indicated by the broken-line posi-tions of the leading end of the sheet illustrated in PIGURE
3. As the sheet 45 continues to be driven by the pinch rollers 35, the leading edge 46, because of the inherent s~
stifness of form paper, will slide along ~he underside o~
the guide plate 65 which will guide it without bulging into a straight-line exit path 78 which is tangen~ to the outer surface 21 of the platen 20 at a point upstream of the printing region 22.
The exit transport assembly 60 is so dimensioned and positioned that the leading edge 46 of the sheet 45 will enter between the friction rollers 55 and the pressure roller 75 when the sheet 45 lies in the tangent exit path 78. Thus, it will be appreciated that the leading edge 46 of the shee~ 45 will be picked up by the friction rollers 55 and pressure roller 75 and frictionally driven thereby at a point spaced well away ~rom the platen 20, and at a time when the ~heet 4S i3 disposed in a path tangent to the platen 20, 30 that the sheet 45 lies against the outer surface of ~he platen 20 in the printing region 22 and there ar~ no bulges therein. Thus, when the leading edge 46 of the sheet 45 is picked up and driven by the exit transport assembly 60, there is no slack to be taken up and there will be no 1OSR of line spacing when the trailing edge 47 of the.
sheet 45 passe~ the pinch rollers 35. It will also be apprecia~ed that the positioning of the friction rollers 55 is such tha~ the friction drive provided thereby will be impar~ed to the sheet 45 before the ~railing edge 47 of the sheet 45 passes ~he pinch rollers 35.
It i~ a significant feature of the present invention that the exit transp~rt assembly 60 is readily removable from the printing machine 10 and can be simply and easily attached thereto without the necessity of removing any of the s~andard ~ractor assembly 5Q used with continuous forms.
S~
-~7- 45-SL-01339 Thus, when it i9 desired to operate the printing machine 10 with cut ~orms, the tractors 52 ~nd 53 are simply moved outwardly toward the adjacent sides of the machine, and the exit transport assembly 60 is mounted in place by simply inser~ing the slots 62 over the tie rod 54. Thus, the p~inting machine 10 can easily be used with either con-tinuous forms or cut forms by the use of a simply`mounted attachment mechanism.
From the foregoing, it can be seen ~hat there has been provided an improved paper transport apparatus for trans-porting cu~ forms through a belt-type impact printer without the formation o~ slack-producing bulges in the paper and resultant impairment o~ line spacing.
There has also been provided an improved paper trans-port mec~anism of the character described, which i9 simply and easily mountable and detachable on a standard belt-type printing machine without removal of the standard drive apparatus normally used with continuous forms, whereby the machine can be readily aonverted from continuous form to cut-~orm operation by the addition of a simple attachment.
While there has been described what i9 at present considered to be the pre~erred embodiment of the invention, it will be understoo~ that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to co~er in the appended claims all such modifications ~s f~ll w~thin the true spirit and scope o~ the invention.
Claims (5)
1. Paper transport apparatus for use with discrete sheets of paper in a continuous belt-type line printing machine including a rotatable cylindrical platen, an inked ribbon disposed adjacent to the platen at a printing region, entry drive means for moving the sheets of paper into a printing path extending tangent to the platen through the printing region and past the inked ribbon spaced therefrom, and an exit drive roller spaced from the platen and having a drive surface moving at the same surface speed as that of the platen; said paper transport apparatus comprising a guide frame including two mounting arms spaced apart longitudinally of the platen adapted for attachment to the printing machine, a deflecting plate carried by said mounting arms and extending therebetween and spaced from the platen downstream of the printing region for engaging the leading edge of the associated sheet past the printing region, two adjustment rollers respectively freely rotatably carried by said deflecting plate and adapted for rolling engagement with the platen and cooperating there-with accurately to position said deflecting plate with respect to the platen, two pivot arms respectively carried by said mounting arms for pivotal movement with respect thereto, and a pressure roller freely rotatably carried by said adjustment arms therebetween and disposed for cooperation with the drive surfaces of the exit drive rollers frictionally to engage the associated sheet therebetween, said deflecting plate deflecting the associated sheet into an exit path extending along the platen and thence in a straight line to the exit drive rollers tangent to the platen and such that the leading edge of the sheet moves between the exit rollers and said pressure rollers for engagement thereby when the sheet is in said exit path, whereby the leading edge of the associated sheet is held out of contact with the inked ribbon and is moved around the platen without the formation of slack-producing bulges in the sheet downstream of the printing region.
2. Paper transport apparatus for use with discrete sheets of paper in a continuous belt-type line printing machine including a rotatable cylindrical platen, an inked ribbon disposed adjacent to the platen at a printing region, entry drive means for moving the sheets of paper into a printing path extending tangent to the platen through the printing region and past the inked ribbon spaced therefrom, and an exit drive roller spaced from the platen and having a drive surface moving at the same surface speed as that of the platen; said paper transport apparatus comprising a guide frame having deflecting means thereon spaced from the platen downstream of the printing region and disposed for substantially continuously engaging the leading edge of the associated sheet past the printing region; a pressure roller rotatably carried by said guide frame and disposed for cooperation with the drive surface of the exit drive roller frictionally to engage the associated sheet therebetween, said deflecting means substantially continuously deflecting the associated sheet for a substantial distance past said printing region into an exit path extending along a sub-stantial portion of the peripheral surface of said platen and thence in a straight line to the exit drive roller tangent to the platen such that the leading edge of the sheet moves between the exit roller and said pressure roller for engagement thereby when the sheet is in said exit path, whereby the leading edge of the associated sheet is moved around around the platen without the formation of slack-producing bulges in the sheet downstream of the printing region, and an adjustment roller freely rotatably carried by said guide frame and adapted for rolling engagement with the platen accurately to position said deflecting means with respect to the platen.
3. Paper transport apparatus for use with discrete sheets of paper in a continuous belt-type line printing machine including a rotatable cylindrical platen, an inked ribbon disposed adjacent to the platen at a printing region, entry drive means for moving the sheets of paper into a printing path extending tangent to the platen through the printing region and past the inked ribbon spaced therefrom, and an exit drive roller spaced from the platen and having a drive surface moving at the same surface speed as that of the platen; said paper transport apparatus comprising a guide frame having deflecting means thereon spaced from the platen downstream of the printing region and disposed for substantially continuously engaging the leading edge of the associated sheet past the printing region; a pressure roller rotatably carried by said guide frame and disposed for cooperation with the drive surface of the exit drive roller frictionally to engage the associated sheet therebetween, said deflecting means substantially continuously deflecting the associated sheet for a substantial distance past said printing region into an exit path extending along a substantial portion of the peripheral surface of said platen and thence in a straight line to the exit drive roller tangent to the platen such that the leading edge of the sheet moves between the exit roller and said pressure roller for engagement thereby when the sheet is in said exit path, whereby the leading edge of the associated sheet is moved around the platen without the formation of slack-producing bulges in the sheet downstream of the printing region, and two, spaced apart, adjustment rollers carried by said deflecting means and adapted for rolling engagement with the platen accurately to spatially position said deflecting means with respect to the platen.
4. Paper transport apparatus for use with discrete sheets of paper in a continuous belt-type line printing machine including a rotatable cylindrical platen, an inked ribbon disposed adjacent to the platen at a printing region, and entry drive means for moving the sheets of paper into a printing path extending tangent to the platen through the printing region and past the inked ribbon spaced therefrom, said paper transport apparatus comprising an exit drive roller spaced from the platen and having a drive surface moving at the same surface speed as that of the platen, a guide frame comprising deflecting means spaced from the platen downstream of the printing region and disposed for engaging the leading edge of the associated sheet past the printing region, a pressure roller rotatably carried by said guide frame and disposed for cooperation with said drive surface of said exit drive roller frictionally to drive the associated sheet therebetween and away from the printing region, said deflecting means being dimensioned to continu-ously deflect the associated sheet into an exit path extending along a substantial portion of the peripheral surface of said platen past said printing region and thence in a straight line tangent to the platen for causing the leading edge of the sheet to move between said exit roller and said pressure roller for engagement thereby when the sheet is in said exit path, whereby the leading edge of the associated sheet is moved around the platen without the formation of slack-producing bulges in the sheet downstream of the printing region, and an adjustment roller freely rotat-ably carried by said guide frame and adapted for rolling engagement with the platen accurately to position said deflecting means with respect to the platen.
5. Paper transport apparatus for use with discrete sheets of paper in a continuous belt-type line printing machine including a rotatable cylindrical platen, an inked ribbon disposed adjacent to the platen at a printing region, entry drive means for moving the sheets of paper into a printing path extending tangent to the platen through the printing region and past the inked ribbon spaced therefrom, and an exit drive roller spaced from the platen and having a drive surface moving at the same surface speed as that of the platen; said paper transport apparatus comprising a guide frame including two mounting arms spaced apart longitudinally of the platen adapted for attachment to the printing machine, a deflecting plate carried by said mounting arms and extending therebetween and spaced from the platen down-stream of the printing region for engaging the leading edge of the associated sheet past the printing region, two adjustment rollers respectively freely rotatably carried by said deflecting plate and adapted for rolling engagement with the platen and cooperating therewith accurately to position said deflecting plate with respect to the platen, two pivot arms respectively carried by said mounting arms for pivotal movement with respect thereto, and a pressure roller freely rotatably carried by said adjustment arms therebetween and disposed for cooperation with the drive surfaces of the exit drive rollers frictionally to engage the associated sheet therebetween, said deflecting plate deflecting the associated sheet into an exit path extending along the platen and thence in a straight line to the exit drive rollers tangent to the platen and such that the leading edge of the sheet moves between the exit rollers and said pressure rollers for
5. Paper transport apparatus for use with discrete sheets of paper in a continuous belt-type line printing machine including a rotatable cylindrical platen, an inked ribbon disposed adjacent to the platen at a printing region, entry drive means for moving the sheets of paper into a printing path extending tangent to the platen through the printing region and past the inked ribbon spaced therefrom, and an exit drive roller spaced from the platen and having a drive surface moving at the same surface speed as that of the platen; said paper transport apparatus comprising a guide frame including two mounting arms spaced apart longitudinally of the platen adapted for attachment to the printing machine, a deflecting plate carried by said mounting arms and extending therebetween and spaced from the platen down-stream of the printing region for engaging the leading edge of the associated sheet past the printing region, two adjustment rollers respectively freely rotatably carried by said deflecting plate and adapted for rolling engagement with the platen and cooperating therewith accurately to position said deflecting plate with respect to the platen, two pivot arms respectively carried by said mounting arms for pivotal movement with respect thereto, and a pressure roller freely rotatably carried by said adjustment arms therebetween and disposed for cooperation with the drive surfaces of the exit drive rollers frictionally to engage the associated sheet therebetween, said deflecting plate deflecting the associated sheet into an exit path extending along the platen and thence in a straight line to the exit drive rollers tangent to the platen and such that the leading edge of the sheet moves between the exit rollers and said pressure rollers for
Claim 5 continued:
engagement thereby when the sheet is in said exit path, whereby the leading edge of the associated sheet is held out of contact with the inked ribbon and is moved around the platen without the formation of slack-producing bulges in the sheet downstream of the printing region, and carriage means mounted on said guide frame for pivotal movement with respect thereto, said pressure roller being carried by said carriage means.
engagement thereby when the sheet is in said exit path, whereby the leading edge of the associated sheet is held out of contact with the inked ribbon and is moved around the platen without the formation of slack-producing bulges in the sheet downstream of the printing region, and carriage means mounted on said guide frame for pivotal movement with respect thereto, said pressure roller being carried by said carriage means.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000384395A CA1165177A (en) | 1981-08-21 | 1981-08-21 | Feed mechanism for continuous and cut form paper |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000384395A CA1165177A (en) | 1981-08-21 | 1981-08-21 | Feed mechanism for continuous and cut form paper |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1165177A true CA1165177A (en) | 1984-04-10 |
Family
ID=4120768
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000384395A Expired CA1165177A (en) | 1981-08-21 | 1981-08-21 | Feed mechanism for continuous and cut form paper |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1165177A (en) |
-
1981
- 1981-08-21 CA CA000384395A patent/CA1165177A/en not_active Expired
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