US3252557A

US3252557A - Line find mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3252557A
Application number: US473038A
Authority: US
Inventors: William B Templeton
Original assignee: Burroughs Corp
Current assignee: Unisys Corp
Priority date: 1963-04-30
Filing date: 1965-07-19
Publication date: 1966-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 1983-05-24

Description

May 24, 1966 w. s. TEMPLETON LINE FIND MECHANI SM Original Filed April 30, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 uu Ln! r if! L INVENTOR. WILLIAM B. TEMPLE TON. BY

AT TORNEX y 4, 1966 w. B. TEMPLETON LINE FIND MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed April 30. 1963 INVENTOR. WILL/AM B. TEMPLfTO/V BY ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 4 claims. or. 197-127 This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 276,738, for Line Find Mechanism, filed April 30, 1963.

This invention relates generally to business machines and particularly to line find devices for record sheets.

It is an object of the invention to provide for business machines, an improved device for stopping a record sheet, in relation to a record processing station, at a position corresponding to the location in the sheet of a perforation designating the next available unused line on the sheet.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the flexing of a sheet by a sheet stop member to insure a desired abutting relationship between the stop member and a displaceable edge of a sheet perforation designating the next available unused line on the sheet.

A further object of the invention is to provide an efficient and reliable sheet stop device of the above mentioned character.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a record sheet guideway and associated line find mechanism embodying features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of a sheet feed mechanism of FIG. 1 including a record sheet;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1, showing the operating parts of the line find device in their normal positions;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the parts in the positions they assume in the stopping of a record sheet;

FIG. 5 is a modification of device of FIGS. 3 and 4, showing the parts in their normal positions; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing the parts in the positions they assume in the stopping of a record sheet.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference and first to FIGS. 1 to 4, the device includes a sheet guideway 166, defined by a stationary plate member 168 and a pair of laterally positioned plate members 170, arranged in spaced apart broadside relationship to the plate member 168. Within the guideway 166 is the bightof two laterally spaced feed rollers 56 cooperating respectively with two pressure rollers 57 which are preferably power driven and normally operating to feed a record sheet down to a process station, or printer (not shown). The driven rollers 56 are mounted on a driven shaft 50 and also mounted on the driven shaft there is a coil spring brake 108 shown in dotted lines. Mounted to rotate on the driven shaft 50 adjacent the brake 108 is a brake operating lever 172 which has an arm 173 in a normally retracted position Withdrawn from the gu-ideway 166 as shown in FIG. 3. A separate lever 174, biased by spring 134 connected to stud 136, is provided to control movement of the brake operating lever 172 between its retracted ineffective position and its effective position shown in FIG. 4. The lever 174 is mounted to rotate on the driven shaft 50 and normally the free end of the lever, as at 176, extends across the guideway 166, as shown in FIG. 3. A coil spring 178 yieldably connects the levers together.

An elongated aperture or slot 180 in the brake operatmg arm 172 allows for horizontal linear movement of the brake operating arm between its retracted and op erating positions. A pin 182 affixed to the lever 174 projects into an aperture 184 in lever 172, the aperture 184 being elongated longitudinally of lever 172 in line with the elongated aperture 180.

A fragment of a record sheet 24, of a type suitable for use in connection with the present line find mechanism, is illustrated in FIG. 2. Adjacent the rightward side edge of the record sheet 24 there is shown a column of horizontal slit-like perforations 26 which designate lines of print previously made on the sheet. The lowermost slit 26 designates, of course, the next available unused line of the sheet. These slits are preferably made with a punch or perforator formed so as to displace a small portion 27 of the sheet adjacent and directly above the slit such that the portion 27 projects forwardly of the sheet face and downwardly, or such that the upper edge of the slit is displaced from the plane of the sheet. This provides an upper edge of the slit in position for abutment with the brake operating arm 173.

In the operation of the line find device of FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower or leading edge of a sheet being fed downwardly in the guideway lfidengages the arm 176 and pivots lever 174 counterclockwise. Because of the lever connecting pin 182, the lever 172 follows lever 174, the displacement being calculated such that when the leading edge of the sheet passes the arm 176, the arm 173 of the brake operating lever 172 has been pivoted into the guideway 166 in the path of the displaced edge 27 of sheet perforation 26'. At the same time that the

levers

172 and 174 are being pivoted by the leading edge of the descending sheet, the spring 178 is urging the lever 172 linearly toward the sheet to tension the sheet as indicated to insure a good abutting relationship between the displaced edge of perforation 26' and the lever arm 173. The operation of the lever 173 thus far has only taken up slack in the brake spring, but the sheet continues downwardly which further pivots the lever 172 to apply the brake 108, thus stopping the feeding of the sheet. The coil spring brake 108 is a well known type andtherefore it has not been shown in detail, but for a more complete understanding of the brake, reference may be made to my above identified parent application.

Referring now to the modification of FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown, a sheet guideway 186 defined by a pair of stationary guide plates 188, 190 arranged in spaced apart broadside relationship. Within the guide way 186 is the hight of

feed rollers

56 and 57 rotated by the driven shaft 50 on which the brake 108 is mounted as in the previously described line finding device.

Freely rotatable on the driven shaft 50 there is a brake operating lever 192 having an arm 194 which norm-ally projects into and across the guideway 186 for engagement and actuation by the leading edge of sheet 24 being fed downwardly in the guideway. Angularly displaced from the arm 194, clockwise therefrom, as viewed in FIG. 5, the lever 192 has a second arm 196 which is normally retracted from the guideway 186 and is pivotal to an effective position extending across the guideway, as shown in FIG. 6. In this position, the arm 196 is engaged by the upper displaced edge of the last used line designating perforation 26' and is pivoted to apply the brake 108 to stop the

feed rollers

56, 57. In order to further displace the upper edge of the perforation 26 and thus effect a good abutting relationship between said edge and arm 194, the arm is radially movable relative to lever 19-2, in the form of a plunger, biased outwardly by a coil spring 193. As a consequence of the provision of the outwardly biased arm 196, the spring 198 urges the end of arm 196 against the face of the sheet applying a pressure thereto which immediately below the perforation slightly flexes the sheet, as at 200 to provide the desired contact between perforation edge and arm 196. I

Further in accordance with the invention, I provide a lost-motion connection between the lever 192 and the spring brake member 1l18 such that the pivotal action of arm 194 by the leading edge of a sheet to position arm 196 in effective position does not efiect operation of the spring brake member 5118. To this end, the spring brake member 118, which is normally expanded and therefore disengaged from its brake drum, is modified to provide on one end thereof a radially extending arm 202 having an abutment 20 4 in the path of rotation of an arm 206 on lever 192. In operation, when the leading edge of a fed sheet engages arm 194 and pivots lever 19-2 to position mm 1196 in the pathway of the perforation edge, arm 2% is positioned near or against lug 204 and when the upper edge of sheet perforation 26' engages arm 196 and fur- .ther pivots lever 192, the arm 2% pivots spring arm 202 to apply the brake 108.

What is claimed is:

1. In a line finding device for stopping a sheet at a position corresponding to the location in the sheet of a line designating perforation comprising a sheet guideway, sheet feed means normally operating to feed a sheet along said guideway, a brake operable to stop said feed means, a first lever having an arm normally projecting across said guideway for engagement and actuation by the leading edge of a sheet, a second lever pivotally mounted coaxially with said first lever and having an arm normally positioned without said guideway, said second lever bodily movable radially on its pivot and angularly displaced from said first lever a distance substantially equal to displacement of the latter by the leading edge of a sheet to position the arm of said second lever in the path of an edge of the perforation, means connecting said levers for rotation together, and a spring connecting said levers together to urge said second lever radially relative to said first lever.

2. In a line finding device for stopping a sheet at a position corresponding to the location in the sheet of a line designating perforation comprising a sheet guideway, sheet feed means normally operating to feed a sheet along said guideway, a normally released brake member operable to stop said feed means, a lever having a first arm normally projecting across said guideway for engagement and actuation by the leading edge of a sheet through a predetermined angle to retract the arm rfor passage of the sheet, a second arm on said lever displaced from the first by an angle substantially equal to said predetermined operatively connected to said brake member, said sec- 0nd arm radially movable relative to said lever and biased outwardly against the face of the sheet.

3. In a line finding device for stopping a sheet at a position corresponding to the location in the sheet of a line designating perforation comprising a sheet guideway, sheet (feed means normally operating to feed a sheet along said guideway, a brake member operable to stop said feed means, a lever having a first arm normally projecting across said guideway for engagement and actuation through a predetermined angle by the leading edge of a sheet, a second arm carried by said lever and angularly displaced therefrom counter to the direction of rotation of the first arm by an angle substantially equal to said predetermined angle, said second arm positionable by rotation of said lever by the leading edge of a sheet to project across said guidew 'ay in the path of an edge of the perforation for actuation thereby, and a lost-motion connection between said lever and said brake member.

*4. In a line finding device for stopping a sheet at a position corresponding to the location in the sheet of a line designating perforation comprising a sheet guideway, sheet feed means norm-ally operating to feed a sheet along said guideway, a normally released brake member operable to stop said feed means, a lever having a first arm normally projecting across said guideway for engagement and actuation by the leading edge of a sheet through a predetermined angle to retract the arm for passage of the sheet, a second arm on said lever displaced "from the first by an angle substantially equal to said predetermined angle and pivotal to a position projecting across said guideway in the path of an edge of the perforation and operatively connected to said brake member, and a lost-motion connection between said brake member and said lever.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,985,178 12/1934 Loeb 197--127 2,832,454 4/1958 Martin 197127 3,115,963 12/1963 Harbor et al 197-127 FOREIGN PATENTS 935,908 12/1955 Germany. 1,080,125 4/ 1960 Germany.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

ERNEST T. WRIGHT, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A LINE FINDING DEVICE FOR STOPPING A SHEET AT A POSITION CORRESPONDING TO THE LOCATION IN THE SHEET OF A LINE DESIGNATING PERFORATION COMPRISING A SHEET GUIDEWAY, SHEET FEED MEANS NORMALLY OPERATING TO FEED A SHEET ALONG SAID GUIDEWAY, A BRAKE OPERABLE TO STOP SAID FEED MEANS, A FIRST LEVER HAVING AN ARM NORMALLY PROJECTING ACROSS SAID GUIDEWAY FOR ENGAGEMENT AND ACTUATION BY THE LEADING EDGE OF A SHEET, A SECOND LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED COAXIALLY WITH SAID FIRST LEVER AND HAVING AN ARM NORMALLY POSITIONED WITHOUT SAID GUIDEWAY, SAID SECOND LEVERL BODILY MOVABLE RADIALLY ON ITS PIVOT AND ANGULARLY DISPLACED FROM SAID FIRST LEVER A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO DISPLACEMENT OF THE LATTER BY THE LEADING EDGE OF A SHEET TO POSITION THE ARM OF SAID SECOND LEVER IN THE PATH OF AN EDGE OF THE PERFORATION, MEANS CONNECTING SAID LEVERS FOR ROTATION TOGETHER, AND A SPRING CONNECTING SAID LEVERS TOGETHER TO URGE SAID SECOND LEVER RADIALLY RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST LEVER.