US3669327A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Forms feeding tractor and jam detector therefor
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1970-08-05
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Granted: 1972-06-13
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Expires: 1990-08-05
Abstract
Abstract A fixed belt support is peripherally grooved to receive headed tractor drive pins which project through perforations within an endless pin support belt conforming to the periphery of the fixed support. The ends of the pins project through similar perforations in an overlying endless drive belt and also a perforated form carried thereon. A spring biased ''''floating'''' pressure shoe carries a third endless cover belt having similar perforations which finally receive the ends of the pins and sandwichs the form between the drive belt and the cover belt to facilitate forms alignment and continuous precision in feeding. A microswitch on a fixed block is operatively coupled to a forms detecting lever carried by the shoe to sense the absence of a form, the presence of a correct form or jamming of the form between the floating pressure shoe and the underlying drive belt.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert A Dowd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:00
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J11/00; B41J11/26; B41J11/30; G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
In a forms feeding tractor for feeding a thin planar form or the like carrying a series of spaced longitudinal perforations, said tractor including a fixed support defining a longitudinally extending form feed path, a series of tractor pins movable along said path and backed by said support with the free ends of said pins projecting through associated perforations in said form, an endless, resilient cover belt on the side of said form from which said pins project, longitudinally spaced perforations within said cover belt for receiving complementary projecting ends of said tractor pins, and means for moving said pins along said path to drive said belt and said form in unison, the improvement comprising: an elongated pressure shoe overlying the portion of said cover belt in contact with said form, and being in contact with said cover belt over essentially the full length of said fixed support, and means biasing said elongated shoe and said cover belt in contact with said form to maintain pressure on said form throughout said longitudinal feed path to thereby prevent bunch-up of the form during feeding and to facilitate alignment of said form in continued precision in feeding of the same.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
198 words
In a forms feeding tractor for feeding a thin planar form or the like carrying a series of spaced longitudinal perforations, said tractor including a fixed support defining a longitudinally extending form feed path, a series of tractor pins movable along said path and backed by said support with the free ends of said pins projecting through associated perforations in said form, an endless, resilient cover belt on the side of said form from which said pins project, longitudinally spaced perforations within said cover belt for receiving complementary projecting ends of said tractor pins, and means for moving said pins along said path to drive said belt and said form in unison, the improvement comprising: an elongated pressure shoe overlying the portion of said cover belt in contact with said form, and being in contact with said cover belt over essentially the full length of said fixed support, and means biasing said elongated shoe and said cover belt in contact with said form to maintain pressure on said form throughout said longitudinal feed path to thereby prevent bunch-up of the form during feeding and to facilitate alignment of said form in continued precision in feeding of the same.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
94 words
The forms feeding tractor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixed support comprises a block having a guide slot within its periphery for receiving said pins and allowing said pins to move about the block periphery, a perforated endless pin support belt surrounding said block with the ends of said tractor pins projecting therethrough and an endless drive belt overlying said pin support belt and moveable therewith and carrying aligned perforations for receiving the projecting ends of said pins which in turn pass through corresponding perforations in said form and said cover belt.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
The forms feeding tractor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said elongated pressure shoe includes a longitudinal groove extending about the pressure shoe periphery for supporting said endless cover belt thereon, a support arm supporting said pressure shoe and said cover belt in overlying fashion with respect to said form and springs coupled intermediate of said arm and said elongated pressure shoe for biasing said pressure shoe in the direction of said form.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
85 words
The forms feeding tractor as claimed in claim 3 further comprising means for mounting said shoe support arm for pivoting about a horizontal axis extending parallel to the plane oF said moving form, and to one side thereof, spring means tending to bias said shoe support arm to an angular position such that said cover belt is out of contact with said forms, and latching means for latching said arm in near horizontal position with said cover belt overlying and in contact with said form.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
116 words
The forms feeding tractor as claimed in claim 4, wherein said mounting means for said shoe support arm comprises a pivot mount fixedly positioned on one side of said block and having a pair of end projections, said shoe support arm comprises an H-shaped plate with outboard projections pin connected to the projections of said pivot mount, said H-shaped plate being further provided with inboard projections received within paired slots formed within said shoe, guide pins fixedly traversing said slots and slidably penetrating said inboard projections, and wherein said springs are coil springs concentrically carried by said guide pins and compressed between the lower face of said slots and the bottom of said arm inboard projections.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
107 words
The forms feeding tractor as claimed in claim 5, wherein said pivot mount is L-shaped in configuration and has a horizontal portion extending inwardly toward the edge of said drive belt, a latching plate fixedly coupled to said horizontal inwardly extending portion of said pivot mount and including a lip extending beyond the lateral edge of said mount and said latching means further comprises a T-shaped latch slidably mounted on said arm, said T-shaped latch including a notch within one end face engageable with the lip of said plate and means for spring biasing said latch toward the position where said notch normally receives said projecting lip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
127 words
The forms feeding tractor as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a pivotable forms detecting lever pivotably mounted on said pressure shoe and having a portion normally in contact with the surface of said form, a spring biased, detecting lever follower mounted for movement about a fixed pivot axis and having one end in contact with said detecting lever on the side opposite said pivot axis from that in contact with said moving forms, and means for fixedly mounting a microswitch with respect to said follower such that the other end of said follower presses against the microswitch actuator button during the absence of a form or during form jamming but is released therefrom during normal feeding of a proper thickness form by said forms feeding tractor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-13 | 1975-12-13 | 1976-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-13 | 1979-12-13 | 1980-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-13 | 1983-12-13 | 1984-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |