Strip feeding mechanism

Claim 2

A strip-feeding mechanism for feeding a leading end of a strip along a guide path, said mechanism comprising: a first movable guide plate; a second movable guide plate generally parallel to said first guide plate defining said guide path; a rotatable drive roller normally extending through one of said guide plates into said guide path; a rotatable pressure roller normally extending through the other of said guide plates into said guide path; means movable from a first position to a second position and cooperant with at least one of said rollers and with said guide path defining means for moving one of said rollers away from said other of said rollers and for moving each of said guide plates to enlarge said guide path upon movement of said movable means from said first position to said second position; and control means cooperant with said movable means to move said movable means from first position to said second position.

Claim 3

In a strip-feeding mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein movement of said movable means from said first position to said second position effects sequential movement of one of said rollers out of said guide path, said first movable guide plate away from said second guide plate and said second movable guide plate away from the other of said rollers.

Claim 4

In a strip-feeding mechanism, as claimed in claim 2, further including: means on one of said guide plates engageable with the other of said guide plates after predetermined movement of said one of said guide plates for moving the other of said guide plates.

Claim 5

A strip-feeding mechanism comprising: means for supporting a supply of strip material to be fed along a predetermined path; a drive roller rotatably mounted about a shaft extending across said path, said drive roller being positioned for driving engagement with said strip material to advance said strip material along said path; a pressure roller rotatably mounted about a shaft in juxtaposition with said drive roller for holding said strip material against said drive roller; spring means for biasing said pressure roller toward said drive roller to feed said strip material therebetween; a first guide plate forming one side of said path and having means defining an opening therein through which said pressure roller normally extends into said path, said first guide plate being mounted for pivotal movement about an axis spaced from said pressure roller shaft along said path; a second guide plate extending generally parallel to said first guide plate and forming a second side of said path and having means defining an opening therein through which said drive roller normally extends into said path, said second guide plate being pivotally mounted about said axis; cam means, having a detent, pivotally mounted on said drive roller shaft and movable from a first position wherein said pressure roller is in driving engagement wiTh said drive roller to a second position wherein said pressure roller shaft is engageable by said detent to move said pressure roller shaft away from said drive roller shaft to separate said pressure roller from said drive roller; means on said first guide plate engageable with said pressure roller shaft after a predetermined movement of said pressure roller shaft to pivot said first guide plate about said axis and away from said second guide plate; and means on said second guide plate engageable with said first guide plate after a predetermined movement of said first guide plate to pivot said second guide plate about said axis and away from said drive roller to provide an unobstructed and enlarged path between said first and second guide plates for positioning an end of said strip material between said rollers.

Claim 6

A strip-feeding mechanism comprising: means for supporting a supply of strip material to be fed along a predetermined path; a drive roller rotatably mounted about a shaft extending across said path, said drive roller being positioned for driving engagement with said strip material to advance said strip material along said path; a pressure roller rotatably mounted about a shaft in juxtaposition with said drive roller for holding said strip material against said drive roller; spring means for biasing said pressure roller toward said drive roller to feed said strip material therebetween; a first guide plate forming one side of said path and having means defining an opening therein through which said pressure roller normally extends into said path, said first guide plate being mounted for pivotal movement about an axis spaced from said pressure roller shaft along said path; a second guide plate extending generally parallel to said first guide plate and forming a second side of said path and having means defining an opening therein through which said drive roller normally extends into said path, said second guide plate being pivotally mounted about said axis; cam means, having a detent, pivotally mounted on said drive roller shaft and movable from a first position wherein said pressure roller is in driving engagement wiTh said drive roller to a second position wherein said pressure roller shaft is engageable by said detent to move said pressure roller shaft away from said drive roller shaft to separate said pressure roller from said drive roller; means on said first guide plate engageable with said pressure roller shaft after a predetermined movement of said pressure roller shaft to pivot said first guide plate about said axis and away from said second guide plate; and means on said second guide plate engageable with said first guide plate after a predetermined movement of said first guide plate to pivot said second guide plate about said axis and away from said drive roller to provide an unobstructed and enlarged path between said first and second guide plates for positioning an end of said strip material between said rollers.

Claim 7

A strip-feeding mechanism, as claimed in claim 4 wherein said spring means includes: an endless spring extending around said drive roller shaft and said pressure roller shaft for urging said pressure roller shaft against said cam and said pressure roller toward said drive roller, said spring being yieldable upon rotation of said cam to said second position to permit separation of said pressure roller from said drive roller, said spring holding said pressure roller shaft against said detent when said cam is in said second position.

Claim 8

A strip-feeding mechanism for feeding a leading end of a strip along a guide path, said mechanism comprising: means defining a guide path; a rotatable drive roller mounted on a first shaft; a rotatable pressure roller mounted on a second shaft; a rotatable cam having a detent, said cam being pivotal from a first position, wherein said rollers extend into said path and are in pressure contact with each other, and a second position wherein said detent is in engagement with one of said roller shafts to hold said rollers apart and is cooperant with said guide path defining means for enlarging said guide path when in said second position.

Claim 9

A strip-feeding mechanism for feeding a leading end of a strip along a guide path, said mechanism comprising: means defining a guide path; a rotatable drive roller mounted on a first shaft; a rotatable pressure roller mounted on a second shaft; a rotatable cam having a detent, said cam being pivotal from a first position, wherein said rollers extend into said path and are in pressure contact with each other, and a second position wherein said detent is in engagement with one of said roller shafts to hold said rollers apart and is cooperant with said guide path defining means for enlarging said guide path when in said second position.

Claim 10

In a strip-feeding mechanism, as claimed in claim 6 further including: an endless spring extending around each of said shafts for urging said pressure roller and said drive roller toward each other when said cam is in said first position and for holding said rollers apart when said cam is in said second position.