US2456414A

US2456414A - Tape advancing and refracting means

Info

Publication number: US2456414A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1948-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 1965-12-14

Description

Dec. '14, 1948. F. w. HEYEL 2,456,414

TAPE ADVANCING AND RETRACTING MEANS Filed Jan. 24, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Dec. 14, 1 948. F. w. HEYEL 2,456,414

TAPE ADVANCING AND-RETRACTING MEANS Filed 'Jan. 24, 1947 2 Sheets$heet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .2,456,414 TAPE ADVANCIN G AND RETRACTING MEANS Frederick W. Heyel, East signer to Pitney-Bowe a corporation of Dela Port Chester, s, Inc., Stamford, Conn., Ware Conn., as-

Application January 24, 1947, Serial No. 723,915 5 Claims. (o1.101 235) In postage printing machines, also known as metered mail machines, a rotary printing memher is adapted to print postage on letters which are fed horizontally through themachine, and is further adaptedto print on a tape strip which is guided from a tape supply to the point of printing contact between a rotary printing die and platen roller. After printing, the tape is advanced to a cutting position where the printed portion is severed from the strip. The tape is then retracted to return the leading edge thereof to the printing position.

When printing is to be effected on letterspthe tape is retracted to remove the leading end away from the printing position.

Various types of tape control mechanism have been devised for the control of tape units to perform the above operations. herein disclosed, improvement is provided in the form of simplified tape end locating means, and of manipulative plunger control means for the release of a spring actuated tape feed sector from a normal tape printing position to a non-printing position. Among'other features, there is also in-- cluded novel means for providing 'a.-shorter retracting distance of movement of the tape than the advancing movement thereof after printing, to thereby provide for a margin at the leading edge during the following printing operation.

It is one object of the invention therefore to It is another'object to with a tape unit of the provide in combination class above mentioned,

manipulative plunger means to effect control of" the leading tape edge.

It is another object to provide a tape feed con- In the arrangement known in theart.

. illustrated in y 2 maybe made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the inven tion.

.A preferred embodiment of the invention is the accompanying drawings, wherein;

1 is a front view showing a portion of a postage printing machine, including a tape unit with tape advancing and retracting mechanism;

guide fingers and tape feed handle removed;

Fig. 3 isa detail view showing the essential operation;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to parts in a position assumed after the printed p01- been retracted to a printing position; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the parts in the position assumed after the manipulation of a depressible plunger, provided forthe purpose of releasing the tape mechanism. for the retraction of the leading tape edge to a position away from the path of letter feed.

of either letters or tape. Letters are passed along the surface of a feed plate l2, and whenin a proper relation to the. printing member H], a printing operation is eifected in a manner Well In the present invention'a tape control unit is provided for thepurpose of printing postage upon tape at the same point of printing as the printing ofpostage-upon letter Said tape control unit comprises a bracket [3, including side walls l4-' 14: secured to a bearing liwhich bearing is supported upon a shaft lfisecured to the base I! of the machine. The free end of the bracket I3 is biased toward the printing member Ill, the

side walls l4-l4 of said bracket I 3.

Tapeguide means is provided which comprises includes a stationary shear portion 25 and a ro-- W tary shear 26, side walls l4-l4 of the bracket [3. tail of the above named in Patent No. 2,141,119.

Cooperating with the above mechanism which comprises anupper tape, feed roller 21, fixed to a shaft 28, which shaft isrn oun-t ed in bearings walls 14-14. An idler roller 3| is mounted on a shaft' 32,'supported 'between th'e' walls 14-14 of the bracket 13, andcooper'ates with theupper roller 21 to effect feeding and retraction of tape. Actuator means is provided for: controlling the drive of. the upper feed I roller to either advance or retract the tape as required. Said means includes a-toOthed wheel-:33, which is freely mounted'on the'shaftazil, and a clutch 'collar 34, which is fixed" to. the: shaft 28. -Said clutch collar 34 .is provided withdriven faces 35a-36'a, which are adapted to cooperate with drivingfaces 35-36 respectivelyiof a hub poi" tion 31, projectirlgfrom .the' toothed wheel"33.

each suitably mounted between the Further de- As viewed ingFigs. 3 ands, it will be noted that a space- 38 is provided between the upper faces 35-35a, and that in Fig. 5.the space is indicated between the lower faces 36-36a. A spring 40, secured to the members 33':and 34,normally r effects the spacing.38.-

' 1 Another tooth wheel 39 is axed to the shaft 28, adjacent thetdothedwheel 33'. i

A toothed section 4| is 'freely mounted upon a stud 42, which stud projects outwardly from the front wall to move in a counter-clockwise direction by means of a coil spring 431 Ahandle 44 is fixed on a hub 45 projecting from said sector;

-:Within the face ofthe toothed sectoris an arcuate slot 45, the ends 4511 and provide sector positioning when engaged i by a stop plunger 46,projecting therethrough; Saidstop plunger 46 is slidably mounted in bearings 41-41, projecting from the walls [4-14, and

is normally urged in an outward direction by means of a coil spring 48. An enlarged diametral plunger 46, projects within the slot 45,:and when the tape unit is in the normalntape' operating position in Figs. 1 and 3, thesend 45 is urged against the projecting portion.'49.t 7.

Projecting forwardly the stop plunger 46 is another portion 5! of narrower diameter, which narrower portion is adapted to coact' with an arcuate slot:..52 'con-. tinuing from the right end :ofthe slot l45, .as When therefore, theplunger viewed from Fig. 1. 46 is depressed sufficiently 150 remove'ither larger diameter portion 49 beyond thev'slot 45, :the nar rower'diameter portion. 5l,,being. in'the path of the narrower slot 52, will allow the toothed sector 4| to'be-urged countereclockwise by-the coil spring 43, until the plungerstop' portion 51' is engaged by the end of the narrowerslot 52.- 'See The toothed sector'zfl has two. toothed poris a tape control" [4 of the bracket l3,"and is urged '45b of which I 45b of said slot 160 beyond the portion :49 of T l portion 49 ofthe stop nected with erally indicated at 58, Figs. 1

' and assuming that 'wouldbein the position shown in Fig.

tions, one provided at 53 directly on the sector plate 4|, which is adapted to mesh with the free toothed wheel 33, and an offset toothed portion 54 which is adapted to mash with the fixed toothed wheel 39.

A cutter acuating lever 55 is pivotally supported on a stud 55 projecting from the front wall l4, and hasi'a lug "'51 projecting therefrom and in the path of oneedge-of the offset toothed portion 54. The free end of the lever 55 is conthe rotary cutter blade 26, as gen and 4.

the operation of the device, v the tape unit is in a position for the printing of postage on tape, the parts 1, with the, leading tape edge in a position to be engaged by the printing die D of the rotary printer Referring now to H3. The'printing operation is next effected, as

indicated in Fig. 3, which results in the feeding or thetape while printing. It will benoted that thef'sector toothed-portions 53. and Marc positiOned-toithe left and right respectively of the.

toothed wheels

33 and 39,'as viewed'in Fig. l, therebyrpermitting free movement of the-tape between'the tape'feedro'ller 21 and idlerroller 3! while printing is effected. w

= 'Atthe end of a printing operation, the printed portion of the tape is" advanced through the cutter blades 25, 25 by depressing the handle 44, the feed of the tape being effected when the toothed portion 53 of the sector-4i moves into engagement with the toothed wheel 33 and drives same in the direction of the arrow Fig. 4. Upon the engagement of the plunger portion 49 with the end 45a of the 'arcuate slot 45, theedge of the offset toothed portion 54 of the sector will have engaged and effected rocking of the cutter actuator lever 55, thereby causing the severing of the printed portion of the tape from the tape strip;

Return of the leading tape'edge is" effected by action of the return spring 43, when the handle 44 is released, the tape edge returning to a position slightly in advance of mentby'the printing die D. I This slightly advanced position provides'for a desired margin at the leading tape end sequent postage impression. To produce this margin, the previously stated spacing arrangement of the clutchfaces 'of clutch collar 34 relative to the driving faces of the hub portion 31 is utilized.

Referring a Fig. 3, it will be noted that 'the 35-3511 are spa-ced'apart and that upper faces the lower faces 36-36a are in engagement. Inasmuch as the hub 31 is the driving member, the clutch collar 34 will be :driven in a counterclockwise direction when the handle 44 .is depressed, thereby effecting a like rotation of the tape feed'wheel" 21. This action,"which occurs afterprinting, will effect movement of the tape from the position of Fig. 3, to the cut-off position of Fig. 4.

When the handle 44 is released, and the direction of. rotation of the driving hub3l is reversed, to effect the return of the leading tape end to a printing position, the initial motion of 'the hub portion 31 will not effect the drive of the clutch collar 34 until the driving face 35'moves the distance of the space 38 to engage the face 35:; of the clutch collar 34. This movement'allows a portion of the driving motion to be effected'be-' tween the toothed portion 53 and the point of engage before printing of the sub.-

tape'fe'ed. Hence, the lead ins and of the tape is moved-a .shorterdista-nce during retraction than during advancement, which leaves the leading tape end slightly in ad.- Vanee of the printing position.

is desired to print postage. impressions upon lettersy-instant removal of the leading tape end away from thepr-inting position is adapted to be effected upon depressing the plunger 46. 'I'helatter' operation moves the projection 49 out of engagement with the arcuate slot 45 and thus causes the spring 143 to move thesector 4| in a counter-clockwise direction from the position of Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 6. During said movement the offset toothed portion 54 will engage and drive the toothed wheel 39 in a clockwise direction, the latter being fixed to the shaft 28, as previously stated. The upper feed roller 21 is thus driven in a clockwise direction to retract the leading tape end to a position away from the point of printing and clear of the path of letter feed.

Return of the tape to a printing position is effected, when again desired, by depressing the handle 44. A reverse drive between the toothed.

segment 54 and toothed wheel 39 will move the tape the same distance forward as the distance retracted. The projection 49, will upon becoming aligned with the arcuate slot, re-engage the slot to provide the proper stop relative to the slot end 451). To prevent overthrow of the sector 4!, before the plunger is returned to its normal extended position, a stop 58 is provided at the lower right end of the ofiset toothed portion 54. Said stop 58 will bear against the peripheral surface 59 of another portion the stop plunger 46, which surface is of a larger diameter than the portion 49. When the projection 49 has been projected the full distance through the slot 45, the stop 58 will be clear of the surface 59, as seen in Fig. 2.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a letter and tape printing device, the combination with a printing member arranged to print impressions upon letters or tape at the same printing position; of tape advancing and retracting devices comprising, a feed roller engaging one surface of the tape and including a toothed member connected therewith, an idler roller cooperating with the feed roller, a toothed sector adapted to mesh with the toothed member to effect rotation of the feed roller and including hand control means therefor to eifect movement of the sector in one direction, means normally urging said sector in an opposite direction, said sector having one stop means associated therewith to limit the return thereof and of the leading tape edge to a printing position, a depressible stop plunger having one portion arranged to engage the said sector stop means when in the latter named position, and a second stop means associated with said sector and cooperating with said depressible stop when depressed to provide additional sector and tape movement.

2. In a letter and tape printing device, the combination with a printing member arranged to print impressions upon letters or tape at the same printing position; of tape advancing and retracting devices comprising, a feed roller engaging one surface of the tape and including a toothed member connected therewith, an idler roller cooperating with the feed roller, a toothed sector adapted to mesh with the toothed member to effect rotation of the feed roller and including hand control means therefor to eifect movement of the sector in one direction, means normally urging said sector in an opposite direction, said sector having Lil an arcuate slot therein, a depressible stop plunger protecting through said slot and coacting withthe ends of the slotto limit thestroke of the sector in .either direction, a narrower arcuate slot con.- tinuingfromthe first named slot, and a projection on said plunger having a reduced diameter which will engage the narrower slot and allow additional movement ofthe sector and tape when the plunger is depressed.

.3. In a letter and tape printing and tape cutting device, the combination with a rotary printing member arranged to print'impressions upon let-.- ters or tape at the same point of printing and to advance the tape while printing; of tape advancing and retracting devices to advance the tape to a cutting position after printing then return the leading tape edge to a printing position after cutting respectively and comprising, a feed roller engaging one surface of the tape and including a toothed member rotatable therewith, an idler roller cooperating with the feed roller, a toothed sector adapted to mesh with the toothed member to effect rotation of the feed roller and includin hand control means therefor to eifect movement of the sector in one direction, a spring connected with the toothed sector to normally urge said sector in an opposite direction, said sector having an arcuate slot therein, a spring returned depressible stop plunger projecting through said slot and coacting with the ends of the slot to limit the stroke of the sector in either direction and to thereby control the position of the tape edge, a narrower arcuate slot continuing from the first named slot, and a projection on said plunger having a reduced diameter which will engage the narrower slot and allow additional movement of the sector and tape when the plunger is depressed to a position placing the reduced portion in alignment with the narrower slot, thereby causing the sector to move the leading tape edge to a position away from the printing point.

4. In a letter and tape printing device, the combination with a printing member arranged to print impressions upon letters or tape at the same printing position and means for cutting the tape; of tape advancing and. retracting devices comprising, a feed roller engaging one surface of the tape and including a toothed member connected therewith, an idler roller cooperating with the feed roller, a driving toothed sector adapted to mesh with the toothed member and including hand control means therefor to effect movement of the sector in one direction to advance the tape to a cutting position after the printing thereof, means normally urging said sector in an opposite direction, said sector having stop means cooperating with a relatively fixed stop to limit the return of the leading tape edge to a printing position, and a lost motion drive between the driving sector and roller operable to effect a predetermined movement of the sector and toothed member before the feed roller is rotated, whereby the return movement of the tape becomes less than the advance movement thereof to thereby provide a margin at the leading tape edge when printing is again effected.

5. In a letter and tape printing device, the combination with a printing member arranged to print impressions upon letters or tape at the same printing position and means for cutting the tape; of tape advancing and retracting devices comprising, a feed roller engaging one surface of the tape and including a'toothed member connected therewith, an idler roller cooperating with the feed roller, a driving toothed sector adapted to printing'positio'n, and a, 10st motion drive between the driving sector and roller operable to effect a predetermined movement of the sector and toothed member before?the feed roller is rotated, whereby the return movement of the tape becomes less than the advance movement thereof to thereby provide a margin at the leading tape edge when printing is again effected.

FREDERICK W. HEYEL.

, No references cited.