US1944118A - Manifolding - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 16, 1934. w. G 'BORCHERS 1,944,118

MANIFOLDI NG Filed March 12, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l :1 51 I v INVENTO N I. '1 N 53 ATTOR Jan. 16, 1934. w. G. BORCHERS MANIFOLDI NG Filed March 12, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Autographic Register Company, 'Hoboken,

N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application March 12, 1932. Serial No. 598,318 16 Claims. (01. 282-21) This invention relates to manifolding, and more particularly, to a manifolding register especially adapted for use with a zigzag folded paper supply and provided with means for aligning and tensioning the strips.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of means for imparting to the advancing strips individual tension and, at the same time,

separating the strips and alsov producing retrograde motion of the strips for aligning purposes at the end of the feeding operation.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a feeding device which releases the strips at the end of the feeding operation, and at substantially the same time causes the aligning pins to enter form-registering apertures in the strips, so that when given retrograde motion the leading edges of the apertures will be aligned against the front ends of the pins.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, which show the form of this invention which is at present preferred- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a manifolding register, showing the present invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, with overlying portions of the machine removed to show the operating parts.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the upper portion of the register, showing the positions of the parts during the feeding operation.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view, showing the relation between the apertured portion of the worksheet strip and the pin which exists at the point of feed shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 3, but showing the position of the parts at the other end of the feeding operation and before the strips are aligned by retrograde movement.

Fig. 6 is a view like Fig. 4, but showing the relation between the strip and the pin existing in Fi 5.

Fig. '7 is a view like Figs. 3 and 5, but-showing the positions of the parts while retrograde impetus is being given to the strips to align the leading edges of the apertures against the front ends of the pins. 7

Fig. 8 is a View like Figs. 4 and 6, but showing the conditions existing in Fig. "I. i

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the separating, tensioning, and retrograde movement-producing device of the present invention.

The register shown in the accompanying drawings comprises side plates 10 between which is supported a bottom 11 carrying a tray 12 for a pile 13 of zigzag folded worksheet strips 14 divided into form-lengths by transversely extending lines of perforations 15 (see Fig. 6) occurring at the folds 16.

The strips are led from the tray 12 upwardly and forwardly so that they will pass over and rest upon a platen 17 having a cover or marginal frame 18 provided with an opening through which 55 writing operations may be performed on the strips 14. At the platen the strips 14 are interleaved with carbon strips 19 so that writing on the upper strip will be reproduced on the lower strip. The carbon strips 19 are supplied from a roll adapted to be supported in a box 20 at the side of the machine.

The strips 14 are advanced form-lengths by a feeding mechanism located at the forward end of the platen 17. This feeding mechanism com prises a pressure roller 21 having a shaft 22.

It also comprises a pair of feeding disks 23 mounted on a shaft 24 journalled in the side plates 10 and having beyond one of the side plates a handle 25 by means of which the shaft may be ro- 3o tated.

The feeding mechanism is of the mutilated roller type having a peripheral feeding surface 26 substantially equal to the length of the forms on the strips-4. e. equal to the length of the 35 strip between lines of perforations 15-and each time the handle is given one turn from a controlling stop 27, the feeding surface 26 advances the strips to carry them beyond the tear-01f knife 28 and to position to be grasped by the operator and turn along said knife. As a matter of fact. however, the feeding surface 26 of the disk 23 is just slightly longer than the length of the form so that the strips 14 will give a slight over-feed.

Each form in each strip is provided with a pair of form-registering apertures 29 having a definite and fixed relation to the line of severance l5 and located adjacent thereto. These apertures are provided for the purpose of permitting aligning pins 30 to pass through the strips. The aligning pins are each mounted on a slide 31 carried by'a frame 32 secured to the side plates 10 by screws 33 and each pin-carrying slide is provided with a spring 34 tending to move the slide and pin carried thereby upwardly across the path of the strips 14. During the writing operation, that is during the time that the handle 25 is engaged by the stop 27, the pins 30' are located in the apertures 29.

When it is desired to-feed the strips 14, however, the pins 30 are withdrawn concurrently with the movement of the feeding surface 26 on the locating disk 23 to position to press the strips against the pressure roller 21. This is accomplished by providing the slide 31 with a follower 35 riding on a cam 36 secured to the disk 26-the cam having a rise 37 which causes the pins to be depressed while the leading edge 38 of the feeding surface 26 approaches the pressure roller and strips 14. The cam 36 has a dwell 39 which holds its associated pins 30 depressed during the advancing movements of the strips 14.

When the end 40 of the feeding surface 26 passes from under the strips 14, however, a drop 41 on the cam permits the follower 35 on the pin slide 31 to rise and cause the pin to enter the apertures 29 which, by that time, have moved to a position overlying the pin.

According to the present invention in its broader aspects, the pin 30 could exactly fit the apertures 29, in which event no further movement of the paper would be permitted. This, however, would require that aligning relative movement between the several strips 14 would have to be effected by the pin and as a result of its tapered form. In pratice, it has been found that such alignment is not effective unless the pin have a movement in the direction of travel of the paper. It has the further disadvantage that the pin would have to be completely withdrawn from the aperture before positive engagement between the feeding surface 26 and the pressure roller 21, during which time relative shifting movement between the paper strips 14 might occur.

To avoid this, the pins 30 are made substantially smaller in diameter than the diameter of the apertures, and provision is made for applying retrograde motion to the paper strips to align them.

In the use of zigzag folded worksheet strips 14 having lines of perforations coincident with the folds, it has been found that the fibres projecting from the perforations sometimes nest with each other and cause the rear edges of the transversely extending carbon sheets to be torn.

To avoid this, it has been proposed heretofore to provide devices at the introductory side of the platen- 17 for physically separating the strips as they approach the platen. These separating devices also tend to flatten-out the folds somewhat, thereby permitting the strips to pass between the carbon sheets with less resistance.

This is accomplished by the present invention by providing a bar 42 at the introductory side of the platen over which the lower strip 14 passes. Above this there is provided a separator in the form of a metal plate 43 which separates the lower strip 14 from the intermediate strip 14. Above this is another metal plate 14 which separates the intermediate strip from the upper strip, and above this is still another metal plate 45 which bears down on the upper strip 14 and by pressing them together with the intervening plates 43 and 44 against the transverse member 42 applies a predetermined tension to the strips in their advancing movements. This tension is obtained by means of a spring 46 resting on the upper plate 45.

To produce more friction between the strips 14 and the plates 43-44-45, they, as well as the transverse member 42, are provided with cloth strips 47.

According to the present invention, these sepa- 14 so as to align the front edges of the apertures 29 against the front surface of the pins 30. To do this, the transverse member 42, plates 43-44-45 and spring 46 are mounted on a frame 48 sliding within an opening 49 on a frame 50 which supports the platen. The frame 48 is normally held in its rearmost position where it engages the rear edge of the opening 49 by means of springs 51. When the strips are being advanced, as in Fig. 3, however, the friction between the separating mechanism, including the transverse member 42 and plates 43-44-45, is great enough to cause the frame 48 to advance with them until the frame strikes the front edge 52 of the opening 49 as shown in Fig. 3. The continued advancement of the strips under the pull imparted by the pressure roller 21 and the feeding surface 26 is sufiicient to maintain this forward advanced position of the frame 48. Hence, as shown in Fig. 5, even at the end of the feeding operation, the frame 48 is still in its forward position while the pins 30 have entered the apertures 29.

With the release of the paper strips 14 from the feeding surface 26, however, the frame 48 is pulled rearwardly by its springs 51, thereby imparting to the strips 14 a tendency toward retrograde motion. This motion, however, is limited by the leading edges of the apertures 29 engaging the forward surface of the pins, as shown in Fig. 8. After this is accomplished, the frame 48, having begun to move, continues while still drawing the strips 14 taut on the platen until the frame engages the rear margin of the opening 49, asl 'shown in Fig. 7.

In moving rearwardly, it should be noted that the frame 48 does not impart the tendencies toward retrograde motion to the pile of strips 14 as a whole, but, because the strips are individually gripped between the cross member 42 and the plates 43-44-45, the back-drag is applied individually to each strip. Accordingly, each strip is moved to position where the leading edge of its holes are engaged by the front faces of the pins and accurate and true alignment of the strips on the platen is produced.

In order to facilitate loading of the register, the springs 46 are pivoted on screws or studs 53 in a transverse member 54 of the frame 48, so that they may be swung out of the way as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 2, and permit the easy insertion of the leading edges of the strips 14 between the plates 43-44-45 after the platen frame 50 has been swung up as usual about its pivot 55.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to obtain Letters-Patent, is:-

1. In a manifolding machine, a platen over which superposed worksheet strips are advanced from a supply compartment; strip-advancing means adapted to release the strips for aligning operations; and means including a plurality of superposed sirip-separating and tensioning plates in advance of said supply compartment for producing retrograde movement of the strips when released by said advancing means.

2. In a manifolding machine, a platen over which superposed worksheet strips are advanced from a supply compartment; strip-advancing means adapted to release the strips for aligning operations; a plurality of superposed strip-separating and tensioning plates at the platen; and a' movable carrier common to all of said plates for producing retrograde movement of the strips when released by said advancing means.

3. In a manifolding machine, a platen over which superposed worksheet strips are advanced from a supply compartment; strip-advancing means adapted to release the strips for aligning operations; a plurality of separators located between the supply compartment and the platen and between which the several superposed strips pass; means cooperating with said separators for individually tensloning the several strips; and

means acting on said separators and tensioning 7 when the advancing means ceases to feed the means for producing retrograde movement of the s'rips when released bysaid advancing means.

4. In a manifolding machine, a platen over which superposedworksheet strips are advanced from a supply compartment; strip-advancing means adapted to release the strips for aligning operations, said strips having aligning apertures; aligning pins adapted to en'er said apertures when said advancing means releases the strips; a plurality of superposed strip-separating and tensioning plates in advance of said supply compartment for producing retrograde movement of the strips (0 cause the leading edges of the apertures of the strips to align against said pins when said advancing means releases said strips.

5. In a manifolding machine, a platen over which superposed worksheet strips are advanced from a supply compartment; strip-advancing means adapted to release the strips for aligning operations, said strips having aligning apertures; aligning pins adapted to enter said apertures when said advancing means releases the strips; and means at the platen including a plurality of pivotally mounied strip-separating and tensioning plates for producing retrograde movement of the strips to cause the leading edges of said apertures to align against the pins when the strips are released by said advancing means.

6. In mechanism for feeding a plurality of superposed s'rips of fabric, the combination with a platen over which said strips are intended to be fed and to be worked upon; means located at one side of said platen for advancing said strips thereover; a member at the other side of the platen; means individual to each of a plurality of fabric strips for pressing it yieldingly toward said member to retard its advancement thereover; a frame on which said means and said member are mounted; and means for guiding said frame for movement toward and from the pla en' in a direction longitudinally thereof.

'7. In mechanism for feeding a plurality of superposed strips of fabric, the combination with a platen over which said strips are intended to be fed and to be worked upon; means located at one side of said platen for advancing said strips thereover; a member at the other side of the platen; means individual to each of a plurality of fabric strips for pressing it yieldingly toward said member to retard i' s advancement there- 'over; a frame on which said means and said member are mounted; means for guiding said frame for movement toward and from the platen in a direction longitudinally thereof; and means tending to move said frame away from the platen.

8. In mechanism for feeding a plurality of superposed strips of fabric, the combination with a platen over which said strips are intended to be fed and to be worked upon; means located at one side of said platen for advancing said strips thereover; a member at the other side of the platen; means individual to each of a plurality of fabric strips for pressing it yieldingly toward said member to retard its advancement thereover; a frame on which said means and said member are mounted; means for guiding said frame for movement toward and from the pla en in a direction longitudinally thereof, said frame with the member and individual retarding means being adapted to move toward the platen under the influence of the fabric strips when fed by said advancing means; and means for moving said frame and individual retarding means carried thereby away from the platen and tending to impart retrograde motion to the fabric strips same.

9. In a manifolding machine having a platen over which a pile of worksheets is fed from a supply compartment; means for guiding the worksheets from said supply compartment to said platen comprising a frame, rods on the frame, and cloth strips on the rods and interposed be tween the worksheets of the pile; and means for guiding said frame for movement to and from the platen in a direction longitudinally thereof.

10. In a manifolding machine having a platen over which a pile of worksheets is fed from a supply compartment; means'for guiding the worksheets from said supply compartment to said platen comprising a frame, rods on the frame, and cloth strips on the rods and interposed between the worksheets of the pile; means for guiding said frame for movement to and from the platen in a direction longitudinally thereof; and means for normally pulling said frame away from the platen.

11. In a manifolding machine having a platen over which a pile of worksheets is fed from a supply compartment; means for guiding the worksheets from said supply compartment to said 115 platen comprising a frame, rods on the frame, and cloth strips on the rods and interposed between the worksheetsof the pile; springs carried by said frame for pressing said worksheets and cloth strips together; means for guiding said 126 frame for movement to and from the platen in a direction longitudinally thereof; and means for normally pulling said frame away from the platen.

12. In a manifolding machine, a platen over which superposed worksheet strips are advanced 125 from a supply compartment; means for advancing said worksheet strips form-lengths comprising rollers having an operating peripheral surface substantially equal to one form-length, and a cooperating pressure roller, the feeding rollers being cut away to release the strips from engagement with the pressure roller and feeding disks, said worksheet strips having apertures at formlength intervals; pins adapted to enter said apertures; and means adapted to hold said pins out of 135 engagement with said-strips until the latter are released from engagement with said feeding disks and pressure roller.

13. In a manifolding machine, a platen over which superposed worksheet strips are advanced 140 from a supply compartment; means for advancing said worksheet stripsform-lengths comprising rollers having an operating peripheral surface substantially equal to one form-length, and a cooperating pressure roller, the feeding rollers being cut away to release the strips from engagement with the pressure roller and feeding disks, said worksheet strips having apertures at form-length intervals; pins adapted to enter said apertures; a cam connected to said feeding disks;

and a follower connected to said pins adapted to hold said pins out of engagement with said strips until the latter are released from engagement with said feeding disks and pressure roller.

14. In a manifolding machine, a platen over which superposed worksheet strips are advanced from a supply compartment; means for advancing said worksheet strips form-lengths comprising rollers having an operating peripheral surface substantially equal to one form-length, and a cooperating pressure roller, the feeding rollers being cut away to release the strips from engage-' ment with the pressure roller and feeding disks, said worksheet strips having apertures at formlength intervals; pins adapted to enter said apertures; means adapted to hold said pins out of engagement with said strips until the latter are released from engagement with said feeding disks and pressure roller; and means for causing the strips to have retrograde movement when the advancing means thereof ceases and when the pins enter said apertures to align the leading edges of the apertures against the pins.

15. In a manifolding machine, a platen over which superposed worksheet strips are advanced from a supply compartment; means for advancing said worksheet strips form-lengths comprising rollers having an operating peripheral surface substantially equal to one form-length, and a cooperating pressure roller, the feeding rollers being cut away to release the strips from engagement with the pressure roller and feeding disks, said worksheet strips having apertures at formlength intervals; pins adapted to enter said apertures; means adapted to hold said pins out of engagement with said strips until the latter are released from engagement with said feeding disks and pressure roller; and means located between the supply compartment and the platen for causing the strips to have retrograde movement when the advancing means thereof ceases and when the pins enter said apertures to align the leading edges of the apertures against the pins.

16. In a manifolding machine, a platen over which superposed worksheet strips are advanced from a supply compartment; means for advancing said worksheet strips form-lengths comprising rollers having an operating peripheral surface substantially equal to one form-length, and a cooperating pressure roller, the feeding rollers being cut away to release the strips from engagement with the pressure roller and feeding disks, said worksheet strips having apertures at form-length intervals; pins adapted to enter said apertures; a slide supporting said pins and mounted for reciprocatory travel at substantially a right angle to the strips; and means adapted to reciprocate said slide and thereby hold said pins out of engagement with said strips until the latter are released from engagement with said feeding disks and pressure roller.

WILLIAM G. BORCHERS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1, 944,118.

January 16, 1934.

WILLIAM G. BORCHERS.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specif above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page insert the semicolon and words and that the said Letters Patent should be read 4, after the syllable "partment" supporting said superposed plates;

with this correction therein that the same may con in the Patent Office.

ication of the 3, line 26, claim and a slide form to the record of the case Signed and sealed this 6th day of March, A. D. [934.

(Seal) F. M. Hopkins Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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