US3468530A

US3468530A - Decollator

Info

Publication number: US3468530A
Application number: US582344A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roy F Bird
Original assignee: ROY F BIRD
Current assignee: ROY F BIRD
Priority date: 1966-09-27
Filing date: 1966-09-27
Publication date: 1969-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 1986-09-23

Description

R. F. BIRD DECOLLATOR Sept. 23, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 27, 1966 a/Ja rw f 0 wlzmzntl" I Por 3K0 g Jp/w, gf/4, 'il

sept. 23, 1969 'R F, BIRD 3,468,530

DECOLLATOR Filed Sept. 2'?, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l U.S. Cl. 270--52.5

lUnited States Patent O 3,468,530 DECOLLATOR Roy F. Bird, 1631 Garfield, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401 Filed Sept. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 582,344 Int. Cl. B65h 41/00, 45/101 4 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLUSURE Method and apparatus are provided for decollating strips folded in zigzag fashion 'by drawing an inner strip upwardly and coiling it while allowing adjacent strips to -fall by gravity into separate piles.

T his invention relates to decollating machines and, more particularly, to an improved machine for separating into separate piles continuous adjacent strips folded in zigzag fashion.

Various types of business machines such as, for example, automatic `accounting equipment, use continuous form paper. Frequently, this continuous form paper comprises at least three continuous adjacent strips which are folded in zigzag fashion into a pile or stack comprised of parallel sections of the strips. One of the outer two strips is an original on stationary paper, the middle strip is carbon paper, and the other outer strip is a carbon copy. There may also be additional carbon strips and carbon copies.

After using such continuous form paper, it is frequently necessary to decollate or separate the original and carbon copy strips into individual piles in which the strips are folded in zigzag fashion as before, and to remove the middie strip or carbon paper for disposal. Manual separation of these strips of continuous form paper is often a tedious and time-consuming process, as well as a disagreeable one in that the carbon or ink frequently wipes olf the middle strip onto the hands and clothing. Although machines have been devised for performing this decollating or separating function, such machines have heretofore been relatively complex, rendering the machines expensive to manufacture and maintain. It has also frequently made them difficult to load and hard to adapt to various types and weights of continuous form paper.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved machine for decollating or separating continuous adjacent strips folded in zigzag fashion into a pile or stack comprised of parallel sections of the strips.

Another object of the invention is to provide a decollating machine of the type described which is low in cost and simple of construction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a decollating machine of the type described which is easy to load when initiating the decollating operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a decollating machine of the type described which is light in weight and compact of size.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a decollating machine of the type described which is adaptable to a variety of types and weights of continuous form 1 aperp Other objects, and the various advantages of the invention, will become apparent to those skilled in the Aart from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the machine taken along the line 2--2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the machine taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE l; and

ICS

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partially broken away sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2.

The machine of the invention is particularly adapted to separate three continuous adjacent strips 11, 12 and 13.which are folded in zigzag fashion into a pile 14 (FIG. 2). Very generally, the machine comprises a platform 16 for supporting the pile 14 which is to be decollated, with the folded strips in a generally horizontal position. A coiling device 17 is provided for drawing the middle or intermediate strip 12 substantially vertically upwardly from the platform 16. The coiling device is positioned a suicient distance from the top of the pile 14 to permit the two outer strips 11 and 13 to fall away from the middle strip 12 on opposite sides thereof as the middle strip is drawn upwardly.

Guides

18 and 19 defined by the platform 16 direct the two outer strips 11 and 13 into

individual piles

20 and 21 where they re-fold in zigzag fashion.

Referring now more particularly to the details of the invention, the machine includes a frame for supporting the various elements thereof. The frame is comprised of an elongated rectangular base 22 which is shown in the drawings as being comprised of a web of expanded metal stilfened by end members 23 and side members 24 attached to the underside of the base. However, solid sheet metal might also he used for the base if desired. The end members 23 bear against the floor upon which the machine is placed while the side members 24 are elevated slightly thereabove (FIG. 2).

The frame of the machine also includes a pair of

upright pedestals

25 and 26 which are disposed on opposite sides of the base 22. The pedestal 25 includes four legs 27 of square cross section which are secured in pairs by two spacer blocks 28 placed approximately midway of the height of the legs. The two legs 27 nearest the base 22 are secured to one of the side members 24, such as by welds or screws, and extend below the base 22 the same distance as the corresponding extent of the end members 23 to provide two spaced floor bearing points for the base midway between its ends.

The pedestal 26 includes four legs 29, also of square cross section, although a lesser number of legs could be used. The legs are separated and secured in pairs by two spacer struts 31. The spacer struts 31 are longer than the spacer blocks 28 of the pedestal 25 and, hence, the secured pairs of legs 29 are spaced further apart in the direction away from the 'base 22 than are the corresponding pairs of the legs 27. The spacer struts 31 are secured approximately midway of the height of the legs 29 and the pairs of the legs 29 of the pedestal 26 are each approximately aligned with a respective pair of the legs 27 of the pedestal 25. The two of the legs 29 of the pedestal 26 which are nearest the base 22 are secured to one of the side members 24 in the same manner as the two inner legs 27 of the pedestal 25, and extend below the base to provide further floor bearing points for supporting the base.

The platform 16 extends transversely between the legs of the two

pedestals

25 and 26 approximately midway of the height thereof. It is of generally polyhedral form, having a number of planar surfaces and being open at each end. The platform includes a plateau 32 for supporting the pile 14 (FIGURE 2) of at least three continuous adjacent strips 11, 12 and 13 folded in zigzag fashion. The pile 14 is supported with the strips in a generally horizontal position; however, the plateau 32 is depressed toward the center thereof to produce a slightly concave bowing of the folded segments of the strips in the pile to prevent the pile from toppling over. In order to achieve the depression of the plateau, it is composed of two intersecting planar sections such that the line of intersection runs the length of the transverse support member between the two

pedestals

25 and 26.

The platform 16 is further comprised of the pair of

guides

18 and 19 which are in the form of planar surfaces which depend from opposite sides of the platform 16 and extend outwardly therefrom. The

guides

18 and 19, being positioned below and on opposite sides of the platform 16, direct the two outer strips 11 and 13 into

individual piles

20 and 21 where they re-fold in zigzag fashion, as will be subsequently explained in connection with the operation of the machine. A pair of connecting bars 33 on the platform 16 extend between the lower corners of the

guide surfaces

18 and 19, affording rigidity to the platform member and supporting the lower edges of the guide surfaces.

The platform 16 is shown as being formed of a unitary piece of expanded metal or other suitable material stiifened by suitable edge strips 34. Other constructions may be used, however, such as an assembly of several pieces of metal or other suitable material welded or otherwise fastened together. The platform is attached to the

pedestals

25 and 26 and, more particularly, to the inner ones of the

legs

27 and 29, at the edge strips 34 at opposite edges of the

guides

18 and 19 and at the connecting bars 33. The attachment may be made by any suitable means, but is preferably accomplished by welds or screws.

The coiling device 17 for drawing the middle strip 12 of the three strips 11, 12 and 13 substantially vertically upwardly of the platform 16 from the pile 14 supported thereon includes a roller 17a upon which the middle sheet is coiled. Thus, if the middle sheet is comprised of carbon paper, the roller 17a may be coated with a gummed or adhesive material to which the paper will adhere. The roller 17a may be of any suitable material, but is preferably of cardboard, the low cost thereby making it disposable. This makes it unnecessary to unroll the middle strip when the middle strip is to be disposed of.

The roller 17a extends between and is supported by means extending from a pair of

housings

35 and 36. The housing 35 is mounted atop the legs 27 of the pedestal 25, and the internal structure thereof may be seen in FIGURE 4. The housing 35 is constructed of a plurality of outer plates 30 secured to each other at the corners of the housing on the top portions of the legs 27. The plates 30 may be welded or screwed to the legs. The housing 36, which is mounted atop the legs l29 of the pedestal 26, is of similar construction and includes a pluraltiy of outer plates 30 secured to each other at the corners of the housing on the top portions of the legs 29.

A pair of reinforcing plates 3S are provided near one end of the housing 35 (see FIGURE 4) and are secured to the adjacent plates 30. Suitable openings are provided in the reinforcing plates 38 and their adjacent plates 30 for accommodating a shaft 41 journalled in bushings 42 and 43 which are preferably of nylon or a similar selflubricating material. A knob 39 is attached -by means of a screw 40 to one end of the shaft 41 protruding externally of the housing 35. The opposite end of the shaft'41 externally of the housing 35 is threaded into a retalner or contact element 46. A spring retaining pin 44 extends dlametrically through the shaft 41, and a coil spring 45 is disposed about the periphery of the shaft 41 and is cornpressed between the pin 44 and the reinforcing plate 38 closest to the knob 39. This compression biases or spring loads the knob 39 inwardly toward the housing 35, and correspondingly spring loads the retainer or contact element 46 outwardly of the housing 35 toward the housing 36. The retainer 46 is provided with a plurality of annular groves Sti which engage and grip the roller 17a for rotating same.

The housing 36, as previously mentioned, is of the same type of construction as the housing 35. The housing 36, however. is larger than the housing 35 and encloses a motor 47 suitably supported therein by means not illustrated. The motor 47 rotates a drive shaft 48 which is journalled in a self lubricating bushing 49 which extends through suitable openings in a stiffener plate 53 and one of the plates 30. The drive shaft 43 is in axial alignment with the shaft 41 of the housing 35. A contact element 52, which may be identical with the contact element 46, is attached to the end of the drive shaft 48 externally of the housing 36. The contact element 52 may be attached to the drive shaft 51 in the same manner as the contact element 46 is attached to the drive shaft 41, and is of construction identical with the contact element 46. The contact element 52 engages and drives the opposite end of the roller 17a from that of the contact element 46.

It will be noted that the axis of the roller 17a is positioned offset from a position directly above the plateau 32 of the platform 16. In order to insure that the middle strip 12 is withdrawn directly upwardly from the pile 14, and in order to insure proper tension on such middle strip as it is wound on the roller, the middle strip is threaded through a pair of

guides

54 and 56 which are attached to and extend between the

housings

35 and 36. The guides consist of a pair of metal rods spaced from each other 'and parallel to each other, and are positioned directly above the center of the plateau 32. It should be noted at this point that the

pedestals

25 and 26 are of sufficient height that the coiling device 17, consisting of the roller 17a and the

guides

54 and 56 and associated elements, are a sufficient distance above the platform 16 and the top of the pile 14 to permit the two outer strips 11 and 13 to fall away from the middle strip 12 on opposite sides thereof as the middle strip is drawn upwardly over the top of the guide 56, under the guide 54 and onto the roller 17a.

In operating the machine of the invention, the pile 14 of, for example, three continuous adjacent strips, 11, 12 and 13, folded in zigzag fashion, is placed on the plateau 32 of the platform 16. The middle strip is manually grasped and drawn upwardly over the guide rod 56, under the guide rod 54, and onto the roller 17a. The knob 39 is then manually turned until the middle strip is Wrapped at least once around the roller 17a. At this point, the motor is started.

Because of the positioning of the

guides

54 and 56, and the roller 17a, as the middle strip 12 is drawn upwardly, the two outer strips 11 and 13 fall away therefrom on opposite sides of the middle strip. The guide surfaces 18 and 19 on the transverse support member 32 direct the strips 11 and 13 downwardly and outwardly of the platform 16 so that they drop down to the upper surface of the base plate 22 and are refolded in zigzag fashion into

separate piles

20 and 21. The point at which the middle strip 12 leaves the pile 14 will move from side to Side, as viewed in FIGURE 2, as the pile unfolds.

When the entire stack 41 has been depleted and decollated, the

separate stacks

20 and 21 may be removed and the roller 17a also removed from the machine. Removal of the roller 17a may be accomplished by drawing the knob 39 axially outwardly of the housing 35 against the bias or loading of the spring 45. This will move the contact element 46 toward the housing 35 and permit the roller 17a to be released. The middle strip 12 may then be removed from the roller 17a or, in the case of carbon paper and a cardboard roller, may be disposed of along with the roller. A new roller or the emptied roller may then be inserted between the contact elements 46 and the machine will be ready to decollate a new pile of continuous paper.

In order to facilitate the refolding of the strips 11 and 13 into the

piles

20 and 21, a pair of receivers 60 are placed on the base plate 22. Each of the receivers comprises a pair of spaced three-lingered

uprights

62 and 63 supported by a paiir of

brackets

64, 64, respectively. The

uprights

62 and 63 may be of metal or other suitable material and each has a wire 69 tackwelded or soldered to it and extending across the fingers near the tips thereof.

The brackets 64 are suitably secured by guides 66, on the underside of the brackets, in an elongated slot 67 running the length of a metal strip 68 on the base 22. Thus, the

uprights

62 and 63 may be positioned at any desired distance apart in order to accommodate a particular size of continuous paper.

Although the invention has been described in connectidn with continuous paper comprising three continuous strips 11, 12 and 13, it will be understood that the continuous paper may be formed of more than three continuous strips, in which case the piles or 21 or both may be comprised of several adjacent continuous strips rather than only a single strip, folded in zigzag fashion. It has been found that the construction described in connection with the invention provides extremely reliable and consistent operation.

The machine is easily adapted to provide precise control for any type or -weight of continuous paper by varying the speed at which the middle strip 12 is drawn upwardly. To permit such variation, the motor 47 may be provided with a variable speed control, not illustrated, to vary the speed at which the roller 17 is rotated. The gravity or free fall aspect of the machine renders the machine simple in construction for trouble-free operation and low cost. The lightweight and compact sizeof the machine permits the machine to be taken and positioned readily in any convenient location.

It may therefore be seen that the invention provides an improved machine for separating continuous strips folded in zigzap fashion into a pile. The machine is of low cost and simple construction, is easily loaded, and is of lightweight and compact size. The machine is readily adaptable to a variety of types and weights of continuous paper. Various modilications and embodiments of the invention other than those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Such other embodiments and modilications thereof are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for separating a pile of at least three continuous adjacent strips folded in zigzag fashion into separate piles, said machine comprising a support frame including a base and a pedestal extending upwardly of said base, a platform supported by said pedestal in overhanging relation to said base, said platform having a plateau thereon for supporting the pile, said plateau being formed with a depression toward the center thereof and being located a suicient distance above said base to permit refolding on said base of strips leaving said plateau in an unfolded condition, a roller disposed in overhanging relation to said plateau and mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, said roller being adapted to be attached to and draw one strip to be separated substantially directly upward of said platform for ywinding on said roller, said roller being adapted to be positioned a suflicient distance above said plateau to permit other strips to freely fall away from the one strip on opposite sides thereof, a motor for rotatably driving said roller, said platform having a pair of depending guides beneath said plateau and extending outwardly from adjacent opposite sides thereof for engaging and guiding the other strips to fold in zigzag fashion into individual piles, and receivers on said base in which said individual piles are received.

2. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said base includes an elongated slot therein, and wherein a receiver having at least two upright walls is positioned in said slot for receiving one of the two other strips therein.

3. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein a spring loaded knob is provided near the upper end of said pedestal, and wherein a contact element is attached to said knob for engaging said roller, whereby said spring loaded knob may be moved axially against the spring loading to release said roller from said contact element and permit removal of said roller.

4. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said roller is positioned to one side of a position directly above the center of said plateau, and wherein a pair of parallel guides are positioned proximate said roller and directly above the center of said plateau, said guides being adapted to receive the middle strip threaded therethrough prior to its being Wound on said roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,967,676 7/ 1934 Marchev 242-68.4 2,805,855 9/ 1957 Sornberger 270-52.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 727,723 4/1955l Great Britain. 988,388 4/ 1965 Great Britain.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner P. V. WILLIAMS, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 270-61