US2414478A - Pin type feeding device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 21, 1947. A. w. METZNER rm TYPE mamas DEVICE Filed July "24, 1942 2 sh ts-sum 1 llllmlllllull INVENTOR AL BER r WMEIZA/ER Jan. 21, 1947.

A. METZNER PIN TYPE FEEDING DEVICE Filed July 24-, 1942" 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR m m w W. T R

k yn u sv Patented Jan. 21, 1947 1' T P rsnnmcnnvrcn Albert W. Metmer, Dayton, Ohiorassignor to The Standard Register Company, llaytom ohio, a

" ,,corporation of Ohio Application July 24, 1942, Serial No. 452,150

8 Claims. (CL 271-24) This invention pertains to motion transmitting apparatus of thechain and sprockettype,"

pin feeding apparatus to typewriters, billing,

andmore particularly to a construction and mode of operation wherein the advantageousoperating conditions of a sprocket of relatively large diametermay be achieved within a limited working space too restricted to"acconimodate a conventlonal sprocket wheel of commensurate size.

The invention is herein illustrated and described as comprising a pin type lfeeding device for progressively advancing continuous strips of record material past a recording position of a writing or imprinting apparatus, for which purpose the present apparatus is well adapted, but

it is to be understood that in suitable size and design the invention is" applicable to other sprocket drive operations for various purposes,

and is not'necessarily limited tofeeding manifolding stationery.

, Continuous form type feedingdevlces is ordinarily provided with longitudinallyspaced holes or other configuratfims, usually, but not necessarily, in the margin t ereof. When such punched material is tan gentially advanced over a sprocket orpin wheel of relatively small "size, thefeeding pins or sprocket teeth abruptly enter and leavethe holes in the material along curved paths which intersect the path of the record material atre'latively wide angles, whereas when the record material tangentially passes over a sprocket of larger size,

stationery engageable by pin tabulatingand addressing machines, the dispositlon ofcontiguous parts ofthe'rnachine effectually,

prevent use of a relatively large pin wheel, 'the, eifect of whichis achieved withinlimited bounds i by the present disclosure.

In registering and aligning superposed record stripsby means of pin type-feeding devices, to,

compensate for differential] stretch and shrinkage of individual record strips and mechanical imperfections of. printing and punching theil feed holes are punched in definite relation with succeeding printed record impressions, and minute relative shiftingmotion or jogging effect of the superposed record strips one relative to another is effectedas the pinsprogressiveiyenter the, succeeding feed holes to adjust the correspond ing forms into exact registry regardless e: the expansion or contraction thereof, or slight errors of spacing of succeeding imprinted formsthere-f one It is highly desirable, however, that the the pins or sprocket teeth enter and leave the I A holes in the strip non; alongerfarc of greater radius inlmore' acute relation with the path of travel of "the strip. M i i The "strip maintains its feeding engagement with the smaller sprocket during a less period oftime. To maintain a given rate of feeding. speed, the small sprocket must be rapidly rotated causing the feeding pins or sprocketteeth to eriter and leave the holes in'the strip more quickly, effecting a more or less jerky or disturbed motion. To the contrary, the feeding pins or teeth of a pin wheel of greater diameternot only enter and leave the holes less abruptly, but maintain their engagement through a greater range,

or arc, and the peripheral speed of the larger sprocket or pin wheel being greater, less rotation is required, and a more even, -smooth feeding action is efiected.

However, in manyinstances the available space for location of the sprocket or pin wheel is quite limited, as for exampleJn an autographic register of the portable type, the housing orcabinet of which is comparatively shallow, or, in; applying number of feeding pins having full and partial engagement with the record material be com- 'rnensurate with the sizefof .the feed holes in the record material and the relative spacing thereof and the clearance of the pins therein. in too few pins engage the holes in the record materialat a given time, the freedom for relative shifting movement may be excessive, thereby losing complete control of the material, and the record material may not beheld sumciently accurately positioned during the recording operation. To the contrary, if too many feeding pins simultaneously engage in the holes of ,thesuperposed record material, the capability for relative adjustment necessary for accurate registry and alignment may be so restricted as, to defeat such purpose, or indeed to entirely prevent the desirablejogging or shiftingmotion.

The most efllclent and desirable range of pin engagement with the record material and number thereof lies betweerithe mentioned extremes,

andis determined byth size-of the feed holes,

rapid the relative spacingthereof and the clearance of u the feeding pins therein. The present disclosure enables the, are through whichthe pin carrying conveyor belt is, guided to be changed at will for another of diirerent radius to better accommodate the particular character of the record material being fed and the conditions of use of the feeding unit. The construction,. further enables the benefit and advantages of large orsmall radius travelof thefeeding pins to .be achieved on varioustypes of recording, writing and imprintdescribed.

ing apparatus, wherein Substitution of full size pin wheels would be quite impossible.

construction as well as the means and mode ofoperation of driving sprockets, and particularly pin type feeding devices for strip material,

whereby they may not only be economically,

manufactured, but will be more efficient in use, automatic in operation, uniform in action, having few operating parts, and be unlikely to'get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to enable the achievement of the advantageous operations'of'a sprocket or pin wheel, of comparatively large size within a space too limited to accom-" modate aconventional sprocket or pin wheel of commensurate size. I A further object of the invention is to provide a. construction wherein feeding teeth or pins will gradually enter into engagement with a driven member and will maintain their engagement therewith throughout a greater range'of travel. A further object of the invention isto enable relatively shallow strip feeding devices to be constructedfand used without sacrificing the strip feeding advantages of deeper andmore capacious constructions. v 1. A further and'important object of the inven- 4 Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a similar view online 68 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7'is a diagrammatic view showing comparatively the relation to the engaged strip of conventional sprockets of different radii, and their direction of travel of their teeth into and out of feeding engagement.) I

Fig. 8 is. a side elevation of a tractor; feed for a typewriter,'tabula tor,- billing machine or the like, embodying the presentinvention.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of -a guide roller therefor. Fig- 10 is a modifiedembodiment of the structure shown in Fig.8. I

Like parts are indicatedby similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1' a typical autographic register to which the present invention is .applied, which includes a housing or cabinet lhaving therein a compartment 2 toreceive a supply packet of stationery 3, which is progressivley advanced past a recording position upon a writing tablet 4' beneath anaccess opening 5 in the cabinet top.

The stationery. 3.: advanced over thewriting tablet by the pin type feeding devices herein, disclosed comprises superposed continuous marginally punched strips of series connected detachableprinted forms divisibleaon longitudi-. j

nallyspaced transverseweakened lines into in-' dependent sheets or slips. Experience has shownji that best strip feeding conditions prevail when a relativelylarge pin wheel is employed, for example, one of eleven inches circumference, havtlon is to provide strip feeding mechanism "af fording a. large feeding radiusfor short length record forms.

"A further object of the invention is to effect a gradual entry of the feeding pins into feeding engagement with the strip of material being ad'- ,vanced, and to maintain the feeding engagement through increased range, but effect a quick disengagement of the pins therefrom at the end of the activefeeding interval of such 'pins.

A further object of th'einvention is to provide a" sprocket or pin type 'feedin'g'construction, wherein the feeding radius may be optionally varied to accommodate different record mate-' rials, and meet different operating conditions.

A further and primary object of the invention is to provide a sprocket or pin type feeding device having the advantageous structural features and embodying the inherent meritorious characteristics and mode of operation herein equivalents, as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein is shown the preferred but obviouslynot necessarilythe only forms of embodiment of the invention,

Fig.1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portable type autographic register in which the presentinvention is embodied. r

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the assembled autographic register shown in Fig.

Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view.

ing twenty-two radial teeth spaced at half inch intervals. Such pin wheel is capable of feeding a full eleven inch record form upon va single rotation.

Howeveiy a typical portable autographic V register, ,such as that. hereinillustrated, will accommodate only a small sizepin wheel of not more than five inches circumference"(l.5915" diameter) having but ten feeding pin's. As is illustratedin Fig. 7, the feeding pins '8 of a pin wheel A of larger size, approach the plane of the advancing strip 3 at an acute angle a, and enter and leave the holes in'the recordstrip more slowlyand gradually, and maintain their engagement therewith through greater range of movement-than do, the pins 1 of the smaller wheelB. The pins .1 of the smaller .pinwheel traverse a I path at amuch wider angle b, with the engaged thereof, and the mode of operation, or their Fig. 4 is a detail side elevationviewe'd from the side opposite Fig. 1.

strip, and enter and leave the holesjtherein abruptly. With such small diameter pin wheel the pin I which is leaving the strip is entirely disengaged beforethe incoming pin 1 is properly engaged, and at an intermediate position only one pin is in operative"engagementwith the strips. I'To feed a givenlength form at a specified speed requires twice the rotation of thesmaller pin wheel. Q'I'he larger wheel radius A ,enablesthe, strip to be advanced at a greater speed without danger offmutilating the feed holes, and the pins entering and leaving the strip more slowly "and through greater range, tend to efl'ect more smooth operation.

In the present instance, the large size of the sprocket or pin wheel is eliminated, but the increased efiective feeding arcof: the pin travel is retained.

Near the 'front of the cabinet journaled in suitable bearings inspaced partitions athereof, isa transverse revoluble shaft 9. At'its end is a rotary disc 10 onwhich is eccentrically posi- 'or'pulley l2. Additional discs I! tioned a crank H for manual rotation of the shaft. is Mounted on the rotary shaft 9 is a pair of spaced circular heads orpulleys l2, the peripheral faces of: which are smooth throughout the greater portion of theirwidths, but which have a narrow series of sprocket teeth 13 pro-.

jecting beyond the smooth peripheral surfaces thereof. The gear or sprocket teeth I: are pref erably, but not necessarily, formed upon separate discs 14 secured to a lateral face of each head peripheries agreeing with those of themain heads I! are secured outside with the shaft 9. titions 8 adjacent I2 are segmental guides which are arcuate upon radii greater than those of the heads or pulleys 12, but disposed secured to the cabinet parto the rotary heads tangentially thereto. .The relationissuch that studs l 1 projecting from the rollers l8. Disposed about the pulleys l2 and the idler rollers l8 and over the arcuate surface of the guide it therebetween are endless flexible belts or tapes I! equipped with spacedfeeding pins 20 fixed thereto. In their approach to the.

arcuate guides IS, the endless tapes or belts l9 pass beneath inverted channeled guides 2 lflwhich maintain the belts or tapes l9 and the feeding pins 20 thereon in a substantially straight path of travel below and th plane of travel of thereover.

The feeding pins 20 of project within the inverted. channels of the guides 2i, while the marginsof the tapes or belts have traveling engagement upon the under faces of the guides at opposite sides of the channels.

Beyond the channeled guides 2 l, of which there is one at each side of the register, the belts or tapes are directed upwardly over the arcuate surfaces of the guides i and thence onto the pehaving smooth the toothed discs M to form complete units which are revoluble the level of the. writing tablet 4 the, record material 3 the I endless belts or pulleys II, the upper surfaces of diameter is thatthe .pins enter into and with-.

draw from the holes in the. strips within a much lesslineal travel in the instance, of thesmaller radius than when advanced over an arc of greater radius at exactly the same lineal speed. By the combination of the arcuate guide of larger radius and the pulley of smallerfradius, over which thepin carrying belt is advanced successively, an effect of slow and gradualfentr'yand longer maintalned feedingengagement 'of the feeding pins, followed by a quickwithdrawal, is

accomplished. e

After passing about the rotary heads or pulleys 12, the peripheries of which aretangential to the arcuate guide surfaces of the guides I5, thebelts or tapes. is are directed along curvedgchanneied guides 22, within thechannels of which the feed pins 20 project while the tapes or belts ride upon the guides at oppositesides of the channels. The curvilinear portions oi disposed tangentially to the periphery of the rotary pulleys 12 ward portions of such guides 22 extend in tangential relation with the idler pulleysifl. To transmit motion uniformlydrom the' rotary pulleys I: to the pin carryingbelts or tapes 19, the latter. are each series of holes. or perforations 23 in which the teeth l3 of the discs i4, comprising portions of thecorrespo nding pulleys zQmve progressive engagement. The coaction of the sprocket teeth H with the corresponding belt or tape is is but a conventional sprocket and chain drive.

The pins 20 traveling up the curved surface of the guide Ii they are gradually anduniformly elevated into feeding engagement in .corresponcl ing holes in the stationary strips 3. ,Because of the larger radius of the guide it, the feed pins approach the plane. of the record strips along a more acutely disposed. path of travel. enter the holes, more slowly through a greater range of travel, and maintain their engagement therewith through a further greater range than if the feeding pins were carried directly on there-- vpleted their strip ripheries of th corresponding rotary heads or v pulleyslZ. i r i In their advance over the arcuate guides the conveyor belts or e tangentialrelation withthe-record strips 3 and 20 are progressively projected terval. As the pins pass beyond th crests of thearcuate guides iirthey begin to withdraw from the feed holesiri the record material. As the feed pins ass from-the large radii arcuate guides it onto the pulleys I! of lesser radii, the withdrawal of the .pins fromthe holes is accelerated.

tapes are elevatedinto tary heads or pulleys l2. However, having co'm-' pins in. passing about the periphery of the ro tary heads or pulleys act in a manner. as though mounted on such pulleys. As a result, the'disengagementof the'pins from the strips is effected more quickly and abruptly and Within alesser range of movement of the strips. While a greater. number of turns of the crank handle and P leys is jnece'ssary to advance-the Th feed pins the belts I! and although the speed of lineal advancement remains the same.

One of the differences between the action of pin wheels or sprockets of larger and smaller record strips a'g-iven distance than would 'be required if a large sprocket or pin wheels were employed, nevertheless the feeding effect of the pins 20 as they advance over the curved guide 16 is quite analogous to the advantageous feeding action of such larger size sprocket or pin wheel; Thus, the action of a' feeding device of larg'e size is attained within able register cabinet,.;or other strip feeding or recording apparatus too small to contain such large size feeding unit.

It is recognized that sprocket chainsjupon which relatively spaced feeding pinsarec'arried have been heretofore used for feeding marginally punched record. strips and for other conveyor purposes. but such series connected feeding pins have not been directed through arcuate paths of travel in tangential relation with the driven member in such relation as to afford the advantage of a larger size feeding sprocket or pin wheel within a limited space.

the guides 22' are while the elevated straightrear provided with a continuous feeding operation, thefeedi the limitedspace of a portstantially tangential relation While the invention is herein described in its relation to an autographic register, it is to be mentor disengagement of the pins and record material have been effected about'arcs of rela-'- tively short radii.

The present means of affording the advantages of a large pin wheel within restricted spaces available upon typewriters, tabulators, billing and addressing machines, and the like, is illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10. In such embodiment, the

record material 3 is advanced abouta rotary platen roll 24 past a writing position,wherein the record material is engaged by an imprinting type member 25, and beyond which the inscribed record material is directed in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined direction.

The pin carrying belt l9 isconducted about a pair of spaced sprockets 25,.one of which is either directly'connected or is connected through a gear trainforfunison rotation with the platen roll. Located intermediate the sprockets 25, in the path of travel of the conveyor belt l8,.is anarcuateguide l6 of thedesired radius disposed in subwith the path of travel of therecord material. The feeding pins upon the conveyor belt are maintained out of engagement wtih the record material during their upward travel by grooved guide rollers 26, except as they pass over the arcuate guide l6.- During such passage the pins 20 are progressively and gradually projected into the holes in the record material and are temporarily maintained in feeding engagement therein, and subsequently withdrawn. The timing of the v tlons of the feeding pins 20 and the record material is determined by the radius of the arcuate guide l8. Obviously, such type of feeding device may be disposed to effect feeding engagement with the record material either during its departure from the platen roll as illustrated,

or during its approach thereto, as is more or less common with other types of feeding mechanisms of the prior art.

In Figs. 1 and 4 the guide member, has been shown to -be adjustable relative to thepulley I2 to enable the extent of the arcuate deflection of the pin'carrying band or tape to-be varied.

Fromthe above description'it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but

which obviously is susceptible of modification-in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved-or sacrificing anyof its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited changing rela-- cations within the legitimate and valid scope or the appended claims. a

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A strip feeding device for a recording appa-.

ratus, including a traveling conveyor belt, a series of spaced feeding pins carried thereby and engageable with a strip of record material to advance the latter past a recording position, com- I municating arcuate guide portions for the belt of 2.- A record strip feeding device for a recording apparatus, including a traveling conveyor belt, a series of relatively spaced feeding pins carried thereby and progressively engageable in correspondingly spaced holes in the record strip, a

rotary driver for the belt, and contiguous them to, a segmental arcuate guide of greater radius, contour of which merges the driver, and disposed in than the driver, the

uniformly into that of substantially tangential relation with the path of travel of the strip over which the pin carryingbelt is progressively advanced from one tothe other, the construction and arrangement being. such that the advancement of the pins into en-' gaging relation with the strip and the range of engagement maintained therewith will be substantially equivalent to those of a pin wheel hav ing a radius equal to that of the arcuate guide. 8. A strip feeding register, having a writing tablet over which superposed strips of record material are advanced past a writing position, including an endless belt conveyor engageable with the record material, a

rotary driver for advancing the conveyor, and an arcuate guide for the conveyor being ofgreater radius than the rotary driver the guiding face 01' which is disposed in tangential relation with the periphery of the rotary driver over which the belt is directed, and by which the belt is deflected from its course determined by the driver into operative engagement with.the record material.

4. A pin type feeding device progressively engageable in longitudinally spaced configurations,

in a strip of material to be fed, including an endless traveling belt, a plurality of relatively spaced feedingof travel of means for an autograr'ihic pins carried thereby and engageable in I the configurations of the strip to be fed, a pulley about which the belt is directed, and an arcuate guide element of greater radius than the pulley disposed with its arcuate face in substantially that the belt traverses the arcuate guide, and

pulley successively in tangential relation with the path through which the strip to be fed is ad- 7 to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of itsformsor modifitangential relation with the periphery of the pulley, the construction and arrangement being such vanced thereby.

5. A belt conveyor apparatus, including a traveling belt, a plurality of relatively spaced pins carried thereby and guide means for directing the belt through a'pathof travel, including a bight of changing radii in tangential relation with a member to be conveyed with which the pins progressively engage, the construction and arrangement being such that the engagement acres" 9 and disengagement of the pins therewith will be 7 effected differentially.

6. A strip feeding device whereby a continuous strip of record material is progres'siveiy'ad- Vanced pasta recording position, comprising a traveling pin carrying belt, the pins of which are progressively engageable in longitudinally spaced holes in the record strip. and an arcuate guide for the belt of progressively changing radius dis- -sed in' tangential relation with the path of ravei oi. the record strip by which the pins are given a dliferent rate of engaging and disengaging movement relative to the strip. g '1. A pin type strip feeding devi ior progressively advancinga record strip past a recording position. including a series of traveling pins progressively engageable in longitudinally spaced holes in the strip. and guide means ior directing the pins through an arcuatepath of, travel of progressive changing radius tangential with the path of travel of the strip, wherein the pins progressively engage and disengage the record strip through travel 8. A pin type strip ieeding device for progressiveiy advancing a record-strip past a recording position, including a series of traveling pins progressively engageable in longitudinally spaced holes in the strip, and adjustable guide means for directing the traveling pinsthrough an arcuate path of varlable extent with the record strip.

g ALBERT W.

ranges of different lineal extent.

in tangentialrelation

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