US2807347A - Strip feeding mechanism - Google Patents

Description

p 1957 A. w. METZNER 2,807,347

STRIP FEEDING wscaaursm Filed Jan. 12. 1954 IN VEN TOR. ALBERT W. MBTZNER United States Patent STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM Albert W. Metzner, Dayton, Ohio, assig'nor to The Standard Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 12, 1954, Serial No. 403,550. 8 Claims. Cl. 197-133 This invention relates to strip feeding mechanism and has particular reference to typewriting and like machines having a rotatable platen equipped with pin feeding devices for accurate registration and positive feeding of marginally perforated record strip material.

The pins of the pin feeding devices have a progressive engagement with the perforations in the strip. It is desirable that, in entering the perforations, the pins contact the fore side or what may be considered the leading edge of the perforations, thus obviating lost motion and reducing the likelihood of misalignment'among the several record copy forms which ordinarily comprise a record strip. It has been endeavored in the past to achieve this object by an appropriate placing of the pack from which the record strip is fed, but the results thereof are inconsistent.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of strip feeding mechanisms, whereby such mechanisms may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more satisfactory in use, of longer life, adaptable to a wide variety of applications, and be unlikely to get out of repair.

It is an object of this invention to make positive provision for engagement of the feeding pins with the leading edges of the record strip perforations, whereby to advance the strip consistently under the most favorable conditions.

Another object of the invention is to utilize in such positively acting control friction feed devices heretofore having alternative use only, in connection with pin feeding mechanismsg A further object of the invention is to provide for simplified adjustment of the described positively acting control in order that it may function with optimum effect irrespective of the number of record copies comprised in the record strip. e

A further object of the invention is to provide a strip feeding mechanism possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, as herein described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown one, but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view, in perspective, of one end of the carriage of a typewriting machine, modified in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in cross section, showing the friction release lever and associated parts, the friction rollers pressing the record'strip to the platen;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the friction rollers out of pressural relation to the platen;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, in perspective, of the friction release lever;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, in plan, of the friction release lever and associated detenting mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, in front elevation, of the platen showing the engagement of the feeding pins in the record strip perforations. Like parts are indicated by similar characters of ref erence throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, a typewriting machine in ac cordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention includes a cylindrical platen 10, mounted on a shaft 11 supported in a frame 12, the latter being a part of the carriage of the machine. Means, including a gear 13, are provided for turning the platen 10 in a step by step rotary motion. A guard housing 14 substantially encloses the platen actuating means and is mounted on the frame 12.

Rotating with and forming a part of the platen 10 is a pin wheel assembly 15,. including a body 16 and radial pins 17 which are projected and retracted relatively to the periphery of the body 16, according to a series proextends to the platen from the rear thereof, passes be-' neath and around the platen, and through and beyond the writing line 18. The feeding pins 17 normally are projected in the area of the writing line, and the strip 19 has perforations 21 to receive such pins. Thus rotation of the platen and pin wheel assembly is accompanied by a positive movement of corresponding extent of the strip 19. It will be further understood that, according to the usual cooperative arrangement of the parts, the strip 19 has a continuous row of perforations 21 in each side margin thereof, and that there are separate laterally spaced apart pin wheel assemblies 15 for each row of perforations.

Beneath the platen 10 is a pressure plate 22 and rollers 23 and 24 constructed and arranged for pressural engagement with the platen. The strip 19 is interposed between the platen and the described pressure applying assembly, which thus acts as a friction means holding the strip to the surface of theplaten. The assembly comprising plate 22 and rollers 23 and 24 is connected to a lever means 25 supported for rocking motion from the frame 12, as by a bracket 26 One arm' of the lever means 25 carries a roller 27 received in an arcuate slot 28 in the lower end of a lever 29, such lever being pivotally connected intermediate its ends at 31 to the frame 12. The upper end of the lever 29 rises through a slot 32 in the guard housing 14, projecting upward therefrom for manipulation by the hand of the operator of the machine. Movable to and fro between the extremes of motion shown in'Figs. 2 and 3,- the lever 29 rocks the lever means 25 to adjust the plate.

22 and rollers 23 and 24 alternatively to the operating position of Fig. 2 and the release position of Fig. 3. Ad

. justed as shown in Fig. 2, the plate 22 and rollers 23 and 24 press the strip 19 frictionally upon the platen 10. Adjusted as shown in Fig. 3, the plate 22 and rollers 23 and 24 are in effect backed off from the platen 10 and have no frictional effect upon the strip.

It may be recognized that the friction applying and friction control devices-above described are constructed;

Patented Sept. 24, 19,57

and arranged as and function as the friction feed and friction release means of a conventional typewriting machine. In the case of a machine equipped with pin wheel feeding devices as here disclosed, ithas heretoforebeen the practice to set the lever 29 to the release position of Fig. 3, it being the intent that the pressure plate 22 and rollers 23 and24 should serve no purpose in a pin feeding operation. According to the concept of the present invention, however, the friction feed devices are used in conjunction with and at the same time as the pin feed mechanism. To this end, in the operation of the machine the lever 29 is set 'to an operating position, as the position of Fig. 2.

The strip 19 is thus urged into frictional contact with the platen prior to reaching the writing line 18. A drag or tension is thereby exerted on the strip tending to insure that the pins 17 willenter the perforations 21 at the front thereof substantially in the manner indicated in Fig. 6.

A slight amount of tension on the strip will produce the desired effect. So that this amount may be selected and varied at will, and also to compensate for differences in the thickness of the strip, the lever 29 is made adjustable to multiple positions between the extremes as represented by Figs. 2 and 3. As seen in Figs. 1 and 5, the guard housing 14 mounts a toothed rack 32. The lever 29 has a spring detent 33 attached thereto which travels over the rack 32, riding into and out of successive teeth thereon, as the lever is moved to and fro. It will be evident that the arrangement provides for selective adjustment of the lever 29 to any one of a plurality of positions, each of which may represent the correct position for applying the proper amount of tension to a strip of predetermined thickness. Thus starting from the position of Fig. 2, the lever 29 will be moved toward the position of Fig. 3 different distances, depending upon whetherthe strip is comprised of three copies, five copies and so on.

From the 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 any of 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 to the specific features shown, F

but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Ina typewriting or like machine, a rotatable platen, friction mechanism adjustable to effect in conjunction with said platen gripping and releasing of interposed writing paper, a manually operable lever situated in adjacent relation to said platen and movable to and fro to adjust said mechanism, said lever having opposing extremes of motion, and detenting means determining a plurality of positions of adjustment for said lever between said extremes, said lever being settable selectively to said positions in accordance with the number of copies comprised in the interposed writing paper.

2. In a typewriting or like machine, a carriage including a frame, a platen mounted on said frame for relative rotary motion, pressure means mounted on said frame for approaching and withdrawing motions relatively to said platen to grip and release interposed writing paper, a manually operable lever pivotally connected to said frame for to and fro motion, cam means connecting said lever to said pressure means and moving said pressure means in company with the motion of said lever, and a 4 detenting connection between said lever and said frame providing for multiple position adjustment of said lever.

3. A typewriting machine according to claim 2, characterized in that said detenting connection includes a toothed rack mounted on said frame, and a detent memher on said lever selectively engaged between adjacent teeth on said rack.

4. In a typewriting or like machine, a rotatable platen, pin wheel feeding devices on said platen and rotatable therewith, said machine acting on writing paper extending over said platen and having perforations engaged by said feeding devices for positive advance of the paper in accompaniment with rotation of said platen, and means adjustable in accordance with variations in the number of copies determining the thickness of the writing paper for exerting a drag tension upon the writing paper prior to its engagement by said pin feeding devices and means yieldingly holding said "last named means in selected positions of adjustments 5. Ina typewriting or like machine, a rotatable platen assembly including a platen roll and pin wheel feeding devices, there being writing paper extending over said roll and having perforations progressively engaged by said feeding devices for advancing the paper in accompaniment with rotation of the platen assembly, the perforations in'said paper receiving the pins on said feeding devices with a relatively loose fit, means for frictionally retarding advance of, the writing paper in advance of its engagement'by said pin feeding devices to cause the feeding pins to enter the perforations in the writing paper in adjacent substantially contacting relation to the front edges thereof, means for adjusting said frictional retarding means to compensate for variations in the number of copies comprised in the writing paper determining the thickness thereof, and means yieldingly holding said retarding means in selected positions of adjustment.

6. In a typewriting or like machine, a rotatable platen assembly, including a platen roll and pin Wheel feeding devices, there being Writing paper extending over said roll and having perforations progressively engaged by said feeding devices for advancing the paper in accompaniment with rotation of the platen assembly, the perforations in said paper receiving the pins on said feeding devices with a relatively loose fit, pressure means between said platen roll and which said writing paper is inserted, said pressure means being adjustable between extremes to impose and to release frictional pressure upon the paper, said paper being tensioned by the imposing of such pressure to cause the feeding pins to enter the perforations in the writing paper in adjacent substantially contacting relation to the front edge thereof, a friction release lever for operating said pressure means, and means determining a plurality of adjustment positions forsaid operating lever, each of which represents an optimum position for a Writing paper of predetermined nuinber'qf copies.

7. In a typewriting or like machine, operable upon writing paper having perforations for positive feeding thereof, a rotatable platen assembly including a platen roll and pin wheel feeding devices making progressive engagernent with the perforations in the paper, friction rolls engageable and disengageable with the platen roll whereby frictionally to engage the paper with the platen roll, a release lever for said friction rolls adjustable to release said friction rolls different amounts to compensate for different numbers of copies comprised in the Writing paper, and means for holding said lever in se lected adjusted positions.

8. The combination, in a typewriting or like machine, of a rotatable platen, pin wheel feeding devices on said platen, there being record material having series arranged perfo rations progressively engaged by the pins of said feeding devicesfor advancing the record material,

frictionally feed rolls for pressing the record material frictionallyagains t the platen to exert a drag tension on I said record material producing an optimum cooperative engagement of said pins with said perforations, said friction feed'rolls being located to engage said record material in advance of its engagement by said feeding devices, having reference to the direction of motion of said record material, means for adjusting said friction feed rolls to compensate for different thicknesses of record material, and means for holding said friction feed rolls in selected adjusted positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 538,641 Crandall Apr. 30, 1895 Sherman Aug. 25, 1942 Thieme Nov. 9, 1948 Metzner Jan. 5, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Oct. 26, 1931

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