CA1199513A - Cutting and collating apparatus for tickets - Google Patents

Abstract

A B S T R A C T

An apparatus for cutting and collating cards or tickets arranged on paper stock in a specific sequen-tial printed side-by-side order by moving a common one of each pair of the cards or tickets laterally of their path of movement along a camming surface, which camming surface places the moving card or ticket of each pair behind the other card or ticket of that pair of tickets all in a proper sequential arrangement.

Description

i~9~35J1 3 CUTTING AND COLLATING APP.~RATUS FOR TICKETS

Back~round of the Invention .
This invention relates to apparatus for cutting and collating cards or tickets arranged in printed side-by-side columns. More particularly, this invention relates to cutlcing and collating tickets that are printed two abreast on paper stock specifically sequenced in a given order. When collated, all tickets will have smooth edges.and stacked with printed side up and in a predetermined se~uential order.

Descri~tion of the Prior Art ~t the present time, collators have been provided for dispensing single sheets or articles from an evenly arranged sta¢k of such objects. Cam means carefully disengage the lowermost ~heet or article in the stack to provide a smooth transf~r of the load from the stack supporting means to a conveyor.
U. S. Patent No. 3,640,426 discloses a collating feeder for sequentially dispensin~ in~lividual sets of sheets from a stack of crisscrossed sets. The stack is support.ed by two alternatively operative escapement means that oscillate into engagement with alternate sets to dispense the sets seq~entially.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with the invention claimed, a new and improved collator is provided for cutting and collating tickets that are printed two abreast on paper stock such that ~ickets on one side of the stock are specifically sequenced with tickets on another side of the stock in column confiquratlons.

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35~3 It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a new and improved collator for tickets.
According to one aspect of this invention there is provided an apparatus for cutting parts from a preprinted strip of paper stock and collating the parts in a specific sequential order comprising:
a track for guiding the strip of paper stock preprinted with a sequence of pairs of specifically identified parts arranged two abreast along a given path, means for moving the strip along said path at a given speed, cutter means for simultaneously separating each pair of the parts from the strip when the strip reaches a given area on said track, a camming surface for receiving the separated two abreast parts of each pair of the two abreast parts, a collecting means for receiving the parts, and means for sequentially moving a common one of each pair of the separated two abreast parts laterally of said path along said camming surface in a substantially vertical orientation to said collecting means, said camming surface guiding the other part of each pair of said two abreast parts downstream of the laterally displaced one of the parts of each pair to said collecting means in a properly sequenced stacked configuration.
According to another aspect of this invention there is provided an apparatus for cutting tickets from a sprocket fed strip of paper stock and collating the tickets in specific sequential order comprising:
a track for guiding the strip of paper stock preprinted with a sequence of pairs of specifically identified tickets arranged two abreast along a given path, ~ ~3~35~3 sprocket means having teeth which engage the paper stoek for moving the strip of paper stock along said path at a given speed, cutter means for simultaneously separating each pair of the tickets from the strip of paper stock when the strip of paper stock reaches a given area on said track, a camming surface for receiving the separated two abreast tickets of each pair, said camming surface comprising a pair of substantially parallel surfaces, one displaced laterally thereof and inter-connected by a ramp, a eolleeting means for reeeiving the tiekets, and means for sequentially moving a eommon one of each pair of the separated two abreast tickets laterally of said path along said camming surface in a substantially vertical orientation to said collecting means, said camming surface guiding the other ticket of each pair of said two abreast tickets downstream of the laterally displaced one of said tiekets of eaeh pair to said eolleeting means in a properly sequeneed stacked eonfiguration.
Aecording to a further aspect of this invention there is provided a method of cutting tiekets from a strip of paper stoek and eollating the tickets in a specific order comprising the steps of:
feeding a strip of preprinted ticket paper stock having pairs of tickets printed in two abreast arrangements laterally across the strip through a cuttin~ means, feeding the separating two abreast pairs of tickets to a camming surface, sequentially moving a common one of each pair of said two abreast tickets laterally along said ca.mming surface in a substantially vertical orientation to a collecting means, \\
i~39~.~3 guiding the other of each pair of said two abreast tickets over said camming surface downstream of the laterally displaced one of said tickets of each pair to said collecting means in a specific stacked configuration.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved cutter and col:lator for fan folded paper stock for tickets which is comple-tely mechanically operable.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.
Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention may be more readily described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cutter and collator apparatus for fan folded paper stock and embodying the invention;
Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the paper loading shelf mounted at the rear of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 which when closed also serves as a guide or door for bulk feed paper stock;
Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of a ticket cutting head, sprocket drive mechanism and collator portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 with the cover removed;
Figure ~ is a diagrammatic illustration of the component parts of the apparatus shown in Figure l;
Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of the left side gear drive and ticket collating mechanism of the apparatus shown in Figure l;
Figure 6, on the same sheet as Figures 1 and 2, is a cross-sectional view of the paper cutting and slici.ng mechanism -3a-\
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of the apparatus shown in Figure l;
Figure 7 is an enlarged front view of the ticket-collating mechanism shown in Figures 1 and 5;
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 7 taken along the line i3-~ in the direction of the arrows;
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 7 taken along the line 9-9 in the direction of the arrows;
Figure 10 is a diagrammatical illustration of the ticket stock moving through the cutters of the apparatus and then collated into a numerically sequenced stack of tickets;
Figure 11, on the same sheet as Figure 5, is a diagrammatic view of the sprocket actuated fan folded partially cut ticket stock used in the apparatus of Figure 1 and showing their inverted entry into the apparatus of Figure l; and Figures 12A, 12B and 12C, also on the same sheet as Figure 5, illustrate by top views the sequence of steps of ticket movement during a collating operation.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring more particularly to the drawings by characters of reference, Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a ticket cutting and collating apparatus 15 comprising a supporting structure or frame 16 employing a pair of spaced apart parallel rails 17 (only one of which is shown in Figure 1) supported by a pair of transverse legs 19 and 20. The lower part of the frame 16 encases a hollow skirt 21 open at the back to receive a bin 22 for receiving and collecting the scrap paper from the -3b-3 ~ 5.~

~rlnted ticket ~tock after it i8 sliced as hereinafter ex~lained.
,. The worki~g head 23 shown particularl~ in Figs. 3 ~d 5 of apparatu3 15 i~ shielded by cover 24 which serves on lt~ outer ~urface as a track for receiving and guiding a stac~
o~ sprocketed fan folded paper stock 25. The working head 23 s~led betw~en a pair of spaced frame members 26 and Qunt~ on a pair of cross members 28 tonly one of which i~
~hown in ~ig. l) affixed to the to~ of rails 17.
As best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the frame members 26 and 27 have mounted between them in a spaced horizont~l arrange-~e~t a pair of drive ~hafts 29 and 30 the ends of which are ~u~nall~d in fra~ mPmbers 26 and 27. .~
The~e shafts are interconnected by a pair of driving or feeding d~vices such as tractors 34 and 35 each formed by drive wh~ls 36 and 37 over which a tightly positioned belt 38 is arrang~d. Belt 38 of each tractor is provided with sprocket t~eth 39 extending laterally from its outer surface as clearly ~how~ in Fig. 6. The tractors 34 and 35 further eac~ compris~
a 310tted plate 40 which i5 sprin~ biased to lie over the spro~ket t~th GO a8 to hold the paper stock 2~ a~ainst the track pf cover 24 ~ith i~s ~prock~t holes in ~rive contact with teeth 39 of belt 38 ~ the u~ual known manner.
A~ ~hown in Figs. 3 and 4, shaft 30 is driven by mo~or 33 th~ough its drive shaft 41 and sprockets 42 and 43 mounted on the ri~ht end of shaft 30 as shown in Fig, 3 by a belt or ch ~n ~rive 44. Thus, the free end of the pap~r stocX 25 mount0d on ~h~lf 45 at the back of apparatus lO m~y be fed over cover 24 a~d betwe~n ~he plates 40 of ~e tractors 34 and 35 and ~he top ~urf2~ ~f coYer 24 with the apertures arranged along he edge of the paper stock in driving contact with the teeth of the drive chain or belt 38 to the plurality of pairq of spaced cutter ~heels 46.
It should be noted that the paper stock 25 comprises an elongat~d fan folded arrangement of a plurality of pre-printed tickets 47 that are printed ~wo abreast on the pre-~old~d stock of paper having sprocket holes 48 along each of its edg~s in a predetermined spaced arrangemen~. The tickets aro ~umbered such khat odd numbere~ tickets are on one side, f~r ~xample, the right side a~ shown in Figs. 10 and 11 and the e~n num~er~ on the other edge.
This paper ~tock is further precut al~ng the horizontal ~dges 49 o the tickets so all that is needed to separate `the tickets is to cut ~he stock vertically along the edges 50 of the ticket~. It ~hould be noted ~hat the complete horizontal or longitudinal edges of the tickets have been precut with apparatus 10 cuttîng the complete lateral or vertical edges of the ticket-~
in the ~trip of paper stock 25. The cuttinq of the la~eral edges 50 of the ti~kets 47 results in the creation o~ the longitudinal ~trip 51 at the left side of the paper stock 25, as shown in Fig~ 11, the longitudinal strip 52 arrange~ along the center or longitudinal axis of the pape~ stock 25 and the longitudinal strip 53 arranged along the ri~ht side of the paper stock. As lat~r explained, these strips of paper ~tock are sliced by cutting them laterally of their longitudinal lenqths with the pieces dropped into bin 22.
The ticket cutter a~sembly 54 of the apparatus, a~
3h~wn in Fig~. 3~ 4 and 5, comprises a pair of shafts 55 and 56 parallely p~sitio~ed in ~ide-by-side arrangement with ~heir ends ,t journal~d in frame member~ 26 and 27. Shaf~ 56 is provided with a ~procke~ 57 at i~ righ~ end, a shown in Figs~ 3 and 4, which i~ in toothed engagement wi~h chain drive ~4 for rotation ther~of.

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On the left ends of sha~ts 55 and 56 ex~ending outside of the walls of fxame members 26 and 27 are mounted a pair of meshing ge~rs 58 and 59 so ~hat upon ro~ation of shaft 56 by chain drive 44 shaft 55 will xotate in unison therewith but in an oppo~ite direction thereto.
A plurality of cutter wheels 46 are spacedly posi-tioned along shafts 55 and 56 and operate in pairs, one on each of thc ~hafts to cut or sever ~he tickets 47 from the paper ~to~k 25 ~long the lines or edges~-50 of the paper stock as h~retofore explained. The paper stock 25 is fed from the rear of the apparatus between the associated pairs of cutter wheels ~6 by the tractors 34 and 35 to cause ~he tickets to be ~evered from the paper stock 25. ~' After tickets 47 are severe~ from the paper stock 25, they are guided by ~.heir movement in the direction of arrow A
~hown in Fig. 6 between a pair of accelerating rollers 60 and 61 the ends of which are journaled in frame members 26 and 27 juxta-po~itioned to and in parallel arrangement with shafts 55 and 56.
Shaft 61 is provided with a sprocket 62 at its left end, as ~hown in Figs. q and S, which is in driving contact with a chain bclt 63 driven by a drive sprocket 64 mounted on the end o a drive shaft 65 of a motor 66. As noted from Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, a pair of cutter wheels cooperate in the manner o a pair of blades of ~ scissor to cut the paper moving between their c03perating cutting edges in a well kno~n manner.
In accordance with the invention claimed, the tickets 47~ a~ter ~eparation from paper stock ~5, are collated in a proper sequenc~. This collating mechanism comprises~ among other th~ng~, a temporary holding means such as righ~ angular plate ,, !~ .
.
5.~3 67 with its spring biasing leg 67A which holds the left most ticket~ sever~d from the paper stock as viewed in Fig. 8 against driving roller 70~. Each ticket 47 received back of leg 68 of the holding plate 67 and roller 70A is actuated by roller 70A
and drive and guide rollers 70B and 70C, respectively, and over a c~ming ~urface 6~ comprising portions 69A, 69B and 69C.
Cam~ing suriace por~ions 69B and 69C are off~et from the plan~
of cammi~g surface portion 69A. In a ~iven ~imed sequence, the left mo~t ticket 47, for example, ticket No. 2, is moved latorally toward ticket No. 1 out and over the ramp formed by ca~ming aur~ace portion 69B and the camming surface portion 69C to a position behind ticke~ No. 1. Ticket No. 1 moves dir~ctly ov~r the camming surface portion 69C, sometimes called a mixsr plate, which is spaced in fron~ of the plane of camming surface portion 69h, as shown in Figs. 1, 7 and 10. Thu~, be~ore ticket No. 2 reaches a spot behind ticket No. 1, ticket No. 1 has moved forwardly of ticket No. 2 by means of the shape of the cammin~ surface 69C and longitudinally along the tray or trough 71. All of the even numbered tickets move back of the preceding odd numberPd ticket in a perfect numerical order in th~ ~m~ manner ~s described relative to tickets Nos. 1 a~d 2.
In order for ~ickets in a proper ~equence to be able to reach a position behind its preceding uni~uely identified ticket in a properly sequenced stacked configuration, the even nu~ber~d tickets9 for example, must move laterally a~ a speed fa~t enough during the stacking ope~ation to ena~le the eve~
nu~b~red tickets to move across the camming surfaces, io portions 69~, 69B and 69C before the next odd number ticket i~
p~a~d in ~he ~tacked configurationO This i~ accomplished by ~he ~peed of rollQrs 70A and 70~.
A~ ~hown in Figs. 4 and 5, shafts 72A and 72B of 35~3 roller~ 70A and 70B are provided with sprockets 73A and 73~
at th~ir free ~ds which are driven by a chain belt 74 driven by ~ drive sprocket 75 fixedly a~tached to a shaft 76. Shaft 76 i~ actuat~d by a gear box 77 driven by a shaft 78 and sprocket 79 which i~ in driving contact with chain belt 63. Gear box 77,which increa~es the speed o rotation of rollers 70A and 7~B over that of the speed of rotation of rollers 60 and 61,~.
may be replac~d by a direct drive motor of a higher R.P.M. than mo~or 23 and 66, if so desired. As noted, 70C i~ a b~mper or idl~r roller.
As the tickets are cut and separated from the scrap ~trips of paper by the cutter wheels 46 along their ends ln order to detach them from the paper stock, the leftover waste or scrap ~trips of paper 51, 52 and 53 arP each distorted in theix plane of ~ravel from the direction of travel of the associated ticket~
47 by an arm 80 mounted immediately below rollers 60 and 61 in~o ~ c~ter ~r slicer 81. This slicer comprises a rotating wheel B2 having a plurality of cutting arms 83 turning at a fast rate which ~hears against a cooperating blade or cutting edge 84 on the ~ase of arm 80 to cut the strip longitudinally thereof into small pieces, the length of which is equal to the dwPll time of the blad~s in relation to the feed rate of the stock. These small pieces of paper are then dropped by gravity and the rotating forced effect of the cutting arms 83 into bin 22.
A~ noted from Fig. ~, three slicers 81 are mounted on a shaft 85 having flexi~le joints 86 which shaft is geared by sprocket 87 and chain belt 88 to a sprocket 89 mounted on the right end oE ~haft 90 of roller 61 for rota~ion thereof ~ at high speed.
3 Thus, in accordance with the teachings of this inven-tion, a ~tructure for and method of colla~ing cards or tickets 35~;~

from a partially precut and preprinted paper stock is pro-vided, with the cards and tickets arranged in a predetermined m~nner. In order to have these articles stacked in a proper sequence, the paper stock must be fed into the ticket cutters and collators face up and in an inverted manner over the cover 24 of the apparatus as heretofore described. In this instance, the firs~ juxtapositioned side-by-side arrangement of printed'~
tic~et~ previously cut along their longitudinal edges are severed by the cutter wheels 46 with the left hand ticket moving between the ~pring biased ieg 67A of holding plate 67 and roller 70A. Leg 67A holds the ticket in frictional contact with drive roller 70A which moves it at an accelerated rate between rollers 70B and 70C across the camming surace portion 69A, 698 and 69C
behind the associated adjacent preceding specifically identified ticket in a stack configuration. This action and the sequential stacking arrangement of the tickets in the stack occurs for all the tickets printed on the paper stock 25 in the manner illu5-txated diagrammatically by Figs. 8 and 9.
Figs. 1 and 3 illustrate that a~paratus 10 is elec-trically operated and may be controlled by hand controls or a foo~ pedal 91, if so desired.
The electrical system may comprise a plurality of switches 92, 93 and 94 diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1 wherei~
switch 92 may selectively energize the circuits, switch 93 may energi~e the paper feed motors 33 and 66 while switch 94 may stop or in~errupt the power to the apparatus. The foot pedal may actuate ~he paper feed motor switch for on-of opera-tion of the appaxatus.
It should be noted that although ~he paper stock has been deined as having cards or tickets printed thereon in a num~rical order, any specific sequential order of any ~ype may 5.~

be used in place of numerals and fall within the scope of this invention. Further, the paper stock may be any strip form of material, friction or sprocket driven,through the cutter h~ad~ of the apparatus. If sprocket driven, one or more rows of sprscket holes may be formed in the paper stock for moving the paper stack through the apparatus.
Although but one embodiment of the present inventio~, ha~ been illus~rated and described, it will be apparent to those 3killed in the art that various chànges and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the inven-tion or from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (23)

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and the manner in which it is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for cutting parts from a preprinted strip of paper stock and collating the parts in a specific sequential order comprising:
a track for guiding the strip of paper stock preprinted with a sequence of pairs of specifically identi-fied parts arranged two abreast along a given path, means for moving the strip along said path at a given speed, cutter means for simultaneously separating each pair of the parts from the strip when the strip reaches a given area on said track, a camming surface for receiving the separated two abreast parts of each pair of the two abreast parts, a collecting means for receiving the parts, and means for sequentially moving a common one of each pair of the separated two abreast parts laterally of said path along said camming surface in a substantially vertical orientation to said collecting means, said camming surface guiding the other part of each pair of said two abreast parts downstream of the later-ally displaced one of the parts of each pair to said collecting means in a properly sequenced stacked configuration.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:
said means for moving the strip of paper stock comprises a sprocket means having teeth which engage the paper stock for movement thereof.

3. Apparatus for cutting tickets from a sprocket fed strip of paper stock and collating the tickets in specific sequential order comprising:
a track for guiding the strip of paper stock preprinted with a sequence of pairs of specifically identi-fied tickets arranged two abreast along a given path, sprocket means having teeth which engage the paper stock for moving the strip of paper stock along said path at a given speed, cutter means for simultaneously separating each pair of the tickets from the strip of paper stock when the strip of paper stock reaches a given area on said track, a camming surface for receiving the separated two abreast tickets of each pair, said camming surface comprising a pair of substantially parallel surfaces, one displaced laterally thereof and interconnected by a ramp, a collecting means for receiving the tickets, and means for sequentially moving a common one of each pair of the separated two abreast tickets laterally of said path along said camming surface in a substantially vertical orientation to said collecting means, said camming surface guiding the other ticket of each pair of said two abreast tickets downstream of the laterally displaced one of said tickets of each pair to said collecting means in a properly sequenced stacked configuration.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein:
said camming surface comprises a pair of flat surfaces one spaced downstream of the other in the direction of movement of the tickets into said collecting means.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein:
said means for sequentially moving a common one of each pair of the two abreast tickets accelerates said common one of each pair to a speed greater than the speed of movement of the other ticket of said pair.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein:
said sprocket means and said cutter means operate at a predetermined speed.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein:
said sprocket means and said cutter means oper-ate at a speed less than the speed of movement of said other ticket of each of said pair of tickets.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 in further combination with:
means for accelerating the movement of each separated ticket of each pair enroute to said camming surface.

9. The apparatus set forth in claim 8 wherein:
said means simultaneously accelerates the move-ment of each separated ticket of each pair.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 in further combination with:

slicing means mounted downstream of said cutter means for slicing the strip of paper stock remain-ing after the tickets have been removed therefrom.

11. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein:
said slicing means comprises arm means for distorting the direction of travel of the strip of paper stock after the tickets have been removed therefrom laterally away from the separated tickets.

12. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein:
said cutter means comprises a plurality of pairs of spacedly arranged cooperating rotating cutter blades, and said slicing means comprises a plurality of spacedly arranged rotating blade means one arranged downstream of each of said pairs of cutter blades for receiving a portion of the remainder of the strip of paper stock.

13. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 in further combination with:
a strip of paper stock preprinted with a sequence of pairs of specifically identified tickets arranged two abreast, said strip of paper stock having a plurality of sprocket holes arranged longitudinally thereof along each of its edges.

14. The apparatus set forth in claim 13 wherein:
said strip of paper stock is folded at a plurality of lines along its length to form a stack for feeding into said apparatus.

15. The apparatus set forth in claim 13 wherein:
the printed side of said paper stock is inverted and fed to said track.

16. A method of cutting tickets from a strip of paper stock and collating the tickets in a specific order comprising the steps of:
feeding a strip of preprinted ticket paper stock having pairs of tickets printed in two abreast arrangements laterally cross the strip through a cutting means, feeding the separating two abreast pairs of tickets to a camming surface, sequentially moving a common one of each pair of said two abreast tickets laterally along said camming surface in a substantially vertical orientation to a collecting means, guiding the other of each pair of said two abreast tickets over said camming surface downstream of the laterally displaced one of said tickets of each pair to said collecting means in a specific stacked configuration.

17. The method set forth in claim 16 wherein:
said strip of preprinted ticket paper stock is sprocket driven through said cutting means.

18. The method set forth in claim 16 wherein:
said common one of each pair of said two abreast tickets are moved along said camming surface at a speed sufficient to place it in a predetermined sequence with the associated other ticket of said pair in said stacked configuration.

19. The method set forth in claim 16 wherein:
the separated two abreast pairs of tickets are fed to said camming surface at an accelerated speed greater than their speed through said cutting means.

20. The method set forth in claim 16 wherein:
said strip of preprinted ticket paper stock is inverted and fed through said cutting means.

21. The method set forth in claim 16 wherein:
said strip of preprinted ticket paper stock comprises a member having two rows of sprocket holes, one arranged along each of the longitudinal edges of said paper stock.

22. The method set forth in claim 16 in further combination with the step of:
slicing a remainder of said strip of paper stock after the tickets have been separated therefrom.

23. The method set forth in claim 16 in further combination with the steps of:
distorting the path of movement of a remainder of the paper stock after the tickets have been removed therefrom laterally of the movement of the tickets, slicing the remainder of the strip of paper stock, and directing the sliced stock into a bin under the action of gravity and/or rotary action of the slicing device.