US3399754A

US3399754A - Easy threadable printing ink ribbon

Info

Publication number: US3399754A
Application number: US570952A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Rooney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-08-08
Filing date: 1966-08-08
Publication date: 1968-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 1985-09-03

Description

Sept- 3, 1968 w. www 3,399,754

EASY THREADABLE PRINTING INK RIBBON Filed Aug. e. 1966 2 21/ INVENTOR E?. William J. Rooney BY @Mgg United States Patent() 3,399,754 EASY THREADABLE PRINTING INK RIBBON William J; Rooney, 670 Corlis Ave.,

Phillipsburg, NJ. 08865 Filed Aug. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 570,952 1 Claim. (Cl. 197-172) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An easy threadable printing ink ribbon for typewriters having means for joining a self adhesive coupling tab and the fabric inked ribbon of the typewriter to prevent accidental separation of the ribbon from the tab. The means include indentations on the end portion of the ribbon to permit opposite sides of the adhesive tab to grip each other through the indentations, parts of the ribbon outside of the indentations serving-as mechanical locking means. The end portions of the ribbon also have holes through which parts of the tab sides mutually engage to supplement the grip of the tabs on indented portions of the ribbon. The tab lies ilat and moves smoothly along with the ribbon end through tape guides `on the typewriter.

This invention relates to an improved self threadable inked printing ribbon for typewriters and other machines usedv for manual or automatic printing on paper, and more particularly concerns means providing a more secure union between a self adhesive coupling tab and the fabric inked ribbon to prevent accidental separation of the ribbon from the tab.

The invention is an improvement over the construction disclosed in my prior Patent 3,108,675.

A principal object of the invention is` provision of an inked ribbon with tabs at opposite ends, end portions of the ribbon having indentations to permit opposite sides of the adhesive tab to grip each other through the identations, parts of the ribbon outside of the indentations serving as mechanical locking means.

Another object is to provide an inked fabric ribbon with adhesive coupling tabs, wherein end portions of the ribbon have holes through which parts of the Itab sides mutually engage to supplement the grip of the tabs on indented portions of the ribbon.

A further object is to provide improved means for attaching a coupling tab to an end of a typewriter ribbon so that the tab lies flat and moves smoothly along with the ribbon end through tape guides of a typewriter.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing and to the appended claim in which the Various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one end of a fabric inked ribbon with attached coupling tab and attached associated coupling strip.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. l.

FIG. 4 is an exploded plan view of parts of the ribbon end, coupling tab and coupling strip.

FIG. 5 is a reduced plan view with parts omitted of a fabric inked ribbon with coupling tabs at opposite ends.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are plan view of ends of -two fabric inked ribbons embodying moditlcations of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an end of another fabric inked ribbon partially enclosed in an adhesive coupling tab.

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FIG. 9 is a plan view of the ribbon end of FIG. 8, shown enclosed in the coupling tab.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-5, there is shown an elongated fabric inked ribbon 10 of indefinite length having

parallel side edges

12, 14. Attached to each end of the ribbon as shown in FIG. 5 is a folded coupling tab 15. The coupling tab 15 in unfolded form as best shown in FIG. 4, is a flat sheet of paper or plastic material coated on one side with a pressure sensitive adhesive 16. The tab can be folded along a longitudinal line 18 to define two generally rectangular

adhesive wings

20, 22. Wing 22 terminates at one end in a straight transverse end 23. Wing 20 extends beyond wing 22 to define an elongated adhesive coated tongue 24.

Notches

26, 28 aligned with each other transversely of the -tab and also aligned with a hole 30 in the tab on line 18 are provided. The purpose of these notches and hole is described below.

The ribbon 10 has at each end, an end portion 32 formed with two lateral notches or

indentations

34, 36 defining a head 35 at -the free end of the ribbon; see FIG. 4. Also formed in each end portion 32 is a series of holes 37 spaced apart longitudinally of the ribbon.

The complete assembly includes a coupling strip 38 of paper or plastic material which engages on the reel of a typewriter or other printing machine. This strip has a series of transverse lines of perforations 40 spaced apart longitudinally of the strip for purposes described in detail in my prior Patent 3,108,675 above mentioned. The strip 38 is coated at one side with a suitable adhesive 42 to engage on the reel of the prin-ting machine. The strip has a straight rectangular end portion 44 which engages on the tongue 24 of the tab. Wing 22 is slightly wider than wing 20 so that a narrow edge portion 45 of wing 22 overlaps and adheres to the free edge 46 of wing 20; see FIG. 2. Wing 22 is folded on line 47 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

When the coupling tab 15 is assembled to the ribbon 10, adhesive portions of wing 20 will be exposed at

indentations

34, 36 and at holes 37. Portions of wing 22 will engage the exposed parts of wing 20. The head end 35 of the ribbon has shoulders 48 which can withstand considerable tension and will prevent the ribbon end from slipping out from the abutted, adhering

wings

20, 22 of the tab. A cross clip 50 may be mounted on the assembly for actuating a ribbon reversal mechanism of the typewriter. Such :clips are described in my prior Patent 3,108,675. I-t is necessary that the ends of the clip do not extend beyond opposite lateral edges of the ribbon to prevent -catching of the clip in the tape guides of the type- Writer. Also it is necessary that the material of the tab lie smooth and not bunch up when the clip is attached. The

notches

26, 28 overlay each other in registration at one edge of the folded tab to define one notch, and the hole 30 denes another notch 30' at fold line 18 as shown in FIG. 5. The opposite ends of clip 50 engage in these notches. Thus the material of the tab does not bunch up. In addition the ends of the clip engaging in

notches

26, 28 and 30' provide abutments to restrain shoulders 48 of head end 35 of the ribbon. By this arrangement the tab and ribbon cannot separate accidentally.

FIG. 6 shows another inked fabric ribbon 10a which is generally similar to ribbon 10, except that a plurality of indentations or notches 34a, 36a are formed at opposite lateral edges of the end portion 32a of the ribbon. In addition the serrated lateral edges of the end portion 32a are indented with respect to the edges 12a, 14a of the ribbon 10a so that at all points the width of the end portion 32a is less than the width of wider, inner portions of the ribbon.

FIG. 7 shows another inked fabric ribbon 10b which is similar to ribbon 10 except that holes 37 are diamond shaped instead of round. Also notches 52 are formed in 3 v opposite edges of head end 3517 of the ribbon end portion 32b. This arrangement as well as the arrangement u of ribbon end 32a provides more indented points through which the

adhesive tab wings

20, 22 can engage each other and mechanically lock in the ribbon end.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a ribbon 10c having an end portion 32C formed with an angularly cut end 54 so that the ribbon end comes to apoint. Notches 34b and 36b are formed in opposite edges of the end portion 32e` of the ribbon. Notches 26 and 28 in the tab are clear of the ribbon end 54 when the tab is folded. Notch 34b is larger than hole 30 in the tab to clear the notch 30 when the tab is folded on line 18. This arrangement also provides a very secure attachment of the tab to the ribbon end.

In all ribbon and tab assemblies described adhesive coated tongue 24 of wing 20 is exposed for attachment of the free end of coupling strip 38. The coupling strip 38 is torn transversely at the perforated line 40 :closest to tongue 24 when the ribbon is used up and is to be replaced by another having similar tabs 15 on opposite ends thereof. The invention overcomes a difficulty heretofore encountered in easily changed inked ribbons, wherein the tabs frequently separated from the ribbon ends. By the present invention the tabs are effectively secure to the ribbon ends, they lie flat without bunching up and pass smoothly through tape guides of the printing machines.

It shall be understood that this invention for ribbons may be made of plastic as well as of fabric.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

1. An easy threading ribbon construction comprising an inked, fiat fabric ribbon body of extended length having straight parallel longitudinally extending edges, said ribbon having an end portion formed with first indentations at opposite lateral edges thereof so that said end portion of the ribbon is narrower at said first indentations than at other parts of the ribbon body between the first` named lateral edges, and a'folded coupling tab enclosing said end portion of the ribbon said tab having two juxtaposed adhesive coated wings with said end portion of the ribbon disposed therebetween, one of said wings being longer than kthe other to vdefine an exposed elongated adhesive coated tongue for attachment of a coupling strip thereto, whereby said wings are attached to each other-.at said first indentations, said wings having other indentations at lateral edges thereof disposed in registration and definingl one notch to receive one end of a transverse clip, said tab having a hole therein defining another'notch'aligned with said one notch transversely of the folded tab to receive the other end of a transverse clip, a transverse clip engaged on the tab and extending across the tab with opposite ends of the clip in said notches, said first indentations terminating short of the free end of the ribbon to dene a head having inwardly extending shoulders to serve as abutments inside said clip, said end portion of the ribbon having at least one hole for exposing the adhesive coated portions of the wings whereby the wings adhere to each other thereat, the attachment of the wings to each other at said hole supplementing the attachment of the wings to each other at said first indentations,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 587,941 8/1897 Doty 197-172 1,298,824 4/1919 Taylor 197-172 2,128,510 8/1938 Whelan 197-172 2,276,324 3/1942 Mann 197-172 3,108,675 10/1963 Rooney 197-172 3,286,808 11/1966 Arena et al 197-172 p OTHER REFERENCES IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Improved Magnetic Tape, Vranka et al., vol. 7, No. 4, September 1964, p. 275.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. E. T. WRIGHT, Assistant Examiner.