GB2024721A - Web feeding apparatus for typewriters - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for attachment to the carriage 2 of a typewriter for feeding paper from a supply roll 9 of paper carried on the apparatus around the typewriter platen roller 25 and onto a take up spool 21 also carried on the apparatus. The take up spool 21 is spring urged towards the supply roll 9 so that the take up spool 21 is rotated by frictional contact of the paper on the take up spool 21 with paper on the supply roll 9 in response to movement of the paper imparted by the rotation of the platen roller 25. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Feeding apparatus This invention relates to apparatus for feeding a continuous strip of paper or other character recording medium towards and away from a character recording position and in particular to such apparatus suitable for use with a typewriter.

The provision of information on a continuous strip of paper carried on a pair of spools between which the paper can be moved by rotation of the spools to reveal progressively information recorded on the paper has advantages in dispensing facts, knowledge, directions, instructions and other information in a continual unbroken sequence without the inconvenience of page turning, particularly when used in conjunction with suitable viewing apparatus. Route guides, guides to historic buildings, and directions for carrying out processes are examples of uses of information of this kind.

To produce such information by means of a standard typewriter raises problems of feeding paper in long lengths to the platen roller of the typewriter since such machines are intended for use with relatively short lengths of paper. Long lengths of paper carrying perforations at relatively short intervals have been used in standard typewriters, the typed paper being torn off at the perforations after having been passed over the platen roller to draw the succeeding piece of paper into the operative position. Such long lengths of paper are usually supplied folded along the lines of perforations.

In order to provide typewritten information on a roll of paper using a standard typewriter, an apparatus for controlling the supply of paper to the platen roller is desirable and such apparatus should be relatively simple in construction. Whilst paper is the normal medium for typewritten documents, other materials may be used, and the term "tape" is hereinafter used to include material in rolls suitable for receiving typewritten characters.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for feeding a tape from a supply roll to a platen roller of a typewriter and from the platen roller to a takeup spool, comprising a base attachable to the carriage of a typewriter and movable therewith, supporting means on the base adapted to support for rotatation a supply roll of tape, and a take up spool carrier pivotally mounted on the base and spring biased towards the support means, the arrangement being such that a take up spool on the carrier is rotatable by frictional contact of tape on the take up spool with tape on a supply roll on the support means, in response to movement of the tape imparted by rotation of the platen roller.

In a preferred form of the invention the support means comprises a pair of upwardly extending arms and an upwardlyfacing slot in each arm for receiving a spindle or other pivot suitable for rotatably supporting the supply roll.

Preferably, the take up spool carrier comprises a pair of parallel arms connected at one end by a rod member pivoted on the base and inwardly facing pivot members adapted to pivotally mount thereon a take up spool.

The take up spool can conveniently comprise a spindle portion consisting of two spindle members, each having a semicircular cross-section and a longitudinal flat surface, the flat surfaces being held together face to face by a pair of end caps engaging the end portions of the spindle members.

The end caps are provided with a axially extending aperture engageable with the pivot members of carrier.

In order to reduce friction, the pivot members are preferably tapered and the end caps can be moulded from a low friction material such as polytetrafluorethylene (P.T.F.E.) In addition to providing sufficient pressure on the take up spool to create frictional contact between the typed tape and the unused tape, the carrier restrains unwanted rotation of the supply roll thus preventing development of surplus tape between the supply roll and the platen roller.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure lis a side elevation of apparatus according to the invention mounted on the carriage of a typewriter.

Figure 2is a plan view of a take up spool carrier.

Figure 3is a cross-sectional view of an end cap and part of the spindle of a take up spool.

Referring to the drawings, a base 1 is located on the carriage 2 of a typewriter and held firmly in position by an angled clamping piece 3 adjustably secured to the body 1 by means of a wing nut and bolt 4. Rubber pads 5 provide gripping and non scratching surfaces for engagement with the surface of the carriage 2. These pads may be suction pads.

On the upper face of the base lisa pair of upstanding arms 6, one of which is visible in Figure 1, provided with a slot 7 at the upper end in which rests a spindle 8 supporting for rotation a supply roll 9 of paper.

Mounted on the rear portion of the base 1 in hinge plates 10, is a carrier 11 having a rod portion 12 passing through the hinge plates 10 and a pair of upwardly extending arms 13 terminating in pivot members 14. Springs 15 having ends 16 bearing on the base 1 and hooked portions 17 engaging the arms 13 bias the arms 13 towards the supply roll 9.

The pivot members 14 respectively engage a blind aperture 18 of an end cap 19 and a second coaxial blind aperture 20 grippingly receives a spindle 21 consisting of two spindle members 22 and 23 of semicircular cross-section assembled face to face.

The carrier 11 under the pressure of the springs 15 forces the take up spool 21 against an upper portion of the supply roll 9.

In operation a supply roll 9 is mounted on the spindle 8 and placed in the slot 7 of the arms 6 and the paper 24 passed around the platen roller 25 and led up to the take up spool 21 and placed between the abutting flat faces of the two spindle members 22 and 23. The end caps 19 are placed on the ends of the spindle members 22 and 23 and the paper is thus firmly gripped. Several turns of paper are taken up and the arms 11 spring apart to permit the pivot members 14to enter the apertures 18. The take up spool 21 is pressed against the supply roll 9 by spring pressure and rotation of the roll 9 causes the take up spool 21 to rotate and wind up paper 26 moved by rotation of the platen roller 25 when this is operated at the end of a line of typing. The paper 26 is in contact with a portion of the surface of the supply roll 9 and passes round the take up spool 21 in an anticlockwise direction as seen in Figure 1 and this ensures that there is a relatively large area of paper 26 in frictional contact with the paper on the supply roll 9.

The invention has the advantage of simple construction and can be applied to manual and electric typewriters. No external power source is required.

One use of the invention is for the transcribing of subject matter from books, newspapers or magazines so that handicapped persons are enabled to read by use of the tape in a suitable viewer thereby avoiding the difficulties of page turning.

Claims (8)

1. An apparatus for feeding a tape from a supply roll to a platen roller of a typewriter and from the platen roller to a take up spool, comprising a base attachable to the carriage of a typewriter and movable therewith, supporting means on the base adapted to support for rotation a supply roll of tape, and a take up spool carrier pivotally mounted on the base and spring biased towards the support means, the arrangement being such that a take up spool on the carrier is rotatable by frictional contact of tape on the take up spool with tape on a supply roll on the support means, in response to movement of the tape imparted by rotation of the platen roller.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the support means comprises a pair of upwardly extending arms and an upwardly facing slot in each arm for receiving a spindle or other pivot suitable for rotatably supporting the supply roll.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the take up spool comprises a pair of parallel arms connected at one end of a rod member pivoted on the base and inwardly facing pivot members adapted to pivotally mount thereon a take up spool.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 3 wherein the take up spool comprises a spindle portion consisting of two spindle members, each having a semicircular cross-section and a longitudinal flat surface, the flat surfaces being held together face to face by a pair of end caps engaging the end portions of the spindle members.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the end caps are provided with an axially extending aperture engagable with the pivot members of the carrier.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the pivot members are tapered and the end caps are moulded from a low frictional material.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the end caps are moulded from polytetrafluorethlene.

8. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.