US3044728A - Plastic insert for carbon ribbon - Google Patents

Description

July 17, 1962 w. D. LANDGRAF ET AL 3,044,728

PLASTIC INSERT FOR CARBON RIBBON Filed Aug. 12, 1959 IN V EN TORS,

United States Patent Ofifice 3,044,728 Patented July 17, 1962 3,044,728 PLASTIC INSERT FOR CARBON RIBBON Walter I). Landgrat, 4808 96th Place, Oak Lawn, 111.,

and Richard P. Landgraf, 9948 S. Hoync Ave, Chicago, Ill.

Filed Aug. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 833,210 4 Claims. (Cl. 242-685) The present invention relates generally to inserts for carbon ribbon rolls, and more particularly to totally plastic inserts capable of universal use in carbon rolls fabricated according to different modes of manufacture.

Carbon ribbons are approximately 7 wide and 4" in diameter, as presently fabricated for use in typewriters, business machines, and the like. The material used is either paper, cellulose or some similar non-absorbent base, carbon coated on one side. In manufacture, such ribbon rolls are made of about 12 or 18" length, which are split to form the finished ribbons. Several modes of manufacturing are employed. The wide rolls may be wound on a 1 /2 D. paper or fiber tube of the same length as the roll, according to one method. In another method, the wide rolls are wound on a plurality of plastic inserts, smooth on their outer diameter-s, which when placed side by side form an arbor. In the first instance, laminated paper inserts are placed within the paper or fiber tube, snugly fitting, and these have axial apertures of The plastic fillers may also have axial apertures of this diameter.

In either case, then, a filler is employed, made of laminated paper or of plastic.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a standard or universal plastic insert, which may be employed internally of an axially extended roll of material, by placing a plurality of such inserts side by side, and which are capable of use either for winding tape directly on the inserts or for insertion within a paper or fiber roll on which the tape has been wound.

If a paper of fiber tube is employed, its inner diameter is subject to variation due to manufacturing tolerances. In accordance with the present invention, the plastic inserts are provided with plural radially outwardly extending thin ribs or protuberances, the widths of which are less than the widths of th inserts at their outer diameters. For larger diameter tubes, the latter bear against the ribs. For smaller diameter tubes, the ribs can be forced into the material of the tubes, which would be impossible were the inserts smooth on their outer diameters.

The same inserts can also be axially stacked and a wide roll of ribbon wound directly on the stack. The stacking then takes place on an arbor, and the start of the roll may be made between the ribs. wound on the inserts, or while it is being wound, it is slit to form ribbons. If slitting takes place after winding the fact that the ribs are axially shorter than the insert diameter is taken advantage of to enable the slitting blade to complete its operation cleanly and completely, yet without cutting into the plastic. On the other hand, a series of plastic inserts may be placed on an arbor of predetermined width, the end of a wide roll of carbonized mate rial wound on another arbor is plasted to the inserts, and as the roll is Wound on the inserts the single thickness thereof is slit by a series of cutter blades properly spaced. Thereby, the roll is formed into ribbons, and the latter wound on the inserts, in a single operation.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a novel plastic insert for a carbon ribbon of the type employed in business machines.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a cylindrical plastic insert, having an axial aperture, and having protuberances on its outer diameter, the latter After the roll is being slightly narrower than the outer diameter of the insert and radially thin.

The above and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of a carbon ribbon mounted on a plastic insert according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken on the line 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view of an elongated roll wound on stacked plastic inserts according to the invention, and indicating the mode of cutting oif individual ribbons; and

FIGURE 5 is a view in section of a plastic insert according to the invention, employed as a filler for a ribbon wound on a paper or fiber mandrel.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference numeral 1 denotes a roll of carbon ribbon. Internally of the roll and coaxial therewith is a plastic insert 2, according to the invention. The plastic insert 2 includes a cylindrical hub portion 3 of relatively small width and a cylindrical outer flange or hub 4 of relatively greater width, equal to the Width of the ribbon roll. The inner portion 3 is joined to the outer hub 4 by a thin web 5 of plastic material which is integral with the inner portion over the entire circumference of the latter, but which joins the outer flange over limited areas internally of the latter, as by junctions 6, 7, 8 and 9. Thereby, resilience is provided for the outer hub. Ribs 10, 11, 12 and 13 extend radially from the outer hub 4,

and are located intermediate the junctions 6, 7, 8 and 9, so that pressure on the ribs radially inwardly will not crack the hub 4, the latter having room to bend inwardly, provided by the spacers 15, 16, 17 and 18 intermediate the web 5 and the inner surface of the hub 4.

At the line 22 of FIGURE 1 the carbon ribbon rests directly on the flange 4, while on the line 3-3, it rests directly on the rib 10.

In fabricating a carbon ribbon of the type illustrated in FIGURES l-3, inclusive, an elongated roll of carbon rib bon material, perhaps 12" to 18" wide, may be wound on a mandrel M formed by stacking axially a sufficient number of inserts 2. The individual ribbons are then formed by cutting after the roll is formed, as by means of a blade 20, on the lines 21, 22, 23, located between the ribs, as 10, 11, 12, 13. Thereby, the roll can be cut through cleanly without cutting into the material of the inserts 2. However, the sheet material forming the roll may also be cut as it is being wound, so that it is wound on the inserts 2 in the form of individual ribbons.

Where a ribbon has previously been wound on a paper or fiber tube, as 24 (FIGURE 5), the insert 2 may be pressed internally of the latter. If the internal diameter of the latter is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the ribs, as 10, 1'1, 12, 13, the latter can readily bite into the material of the tube. Thereby, a tight fit is assured regardless of manufacturing tolerances in fabricating the paper or fiber tube 22.

The ribs 10, 11, 12, 13 extend circumferentially of the inserts, being about long, having a height of about or less and a thickness of about or less. The

ribbons therefore essentially rest on the outer circumferences of the inserts, the ribs then providing some opposition to rotation of the ribbon material with respect to the inserts.

In order to prevent rotation of the inserts 2 with respect to the mandrel M, and to facilitate their accurate alignment, the latter may be provided withan axial key 19, and the inserts 2 are provided with mating key-ways 20.

While we have described and illustrated one specific embodiment of our invention, it will be clear that variations of the details of construction which are specifically illustrated and described may be resorted to without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What We claim is:

1. A totally plastic insert for a carbon ribbon, including a hub, an outer flange surrounding said hub, said outer flange having a larger width than said hub, a thin radial web extending between said hub and said flange, said web being joined to said flange only at discrete juncture points thereof, and said web being spaced from said flange intermediate said juncture points, relatively thin protuberances secured on the outer diameter of said flange at points intermediate said juncture points, said protuberances each extending axially well within the edges of said flange, said hub, web, flange and protuberances being a unitary and integral plastic structure.

2. A totally plastic insert for a carbon ribbon, including a cylindrical hub having a predetermined inner diameter and a predetermined width, a cylindrical outer flange surrounding said hub and having a greater width than said predetermined width, a disc shaped thin web extending radially between said hub and said flang and symmetrically of said hub and said flange, said web being secured to said hub over the entire circumference of said hub, said Web being joined to said flange at not more than six dimensionally small junction points, smooth protuberances located on the external surface of said flange, said protuberances being located equidistantly of the edges of said flange and positioned only intermediate the points of juncture of said web and flange and symmetrically thereof, said hub, flange, web and protuberances being a unitary integral structure.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said protuberances are ribs extending circumferentially about of height not more than & and of width not more than 4. A wholly plastic cylindrical insert for a carbon ribbon, including an outer plastic flange, said outer flange including smooth plastic protuberances at spaced points thereabout, said outer flange having a predetermined width and said protuberances having widths less than said predetermined width and being located axially symmetrically of said flange, said insert including a hub, and a thin web securing said outer flange to said hub at a plurality of dimensionally small fixed juncture points, whereby said outer flange is radially resilient, said protuberances being located circumferentially only intermediate said fixed juncture points, said outer flange, protuberances, hub and Web being integral.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,999,765 Laveau Apr. 30, 1935 2,476,928 Thomas July 19, 1949 2,535,188 Beclcner Dec. 26, 1950 2,679,988 Morgan June 1, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 422,639 Italy June 23, 1947

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