Strip-chart recorder with paper supply in replaceable cartridge

Claim 2

A replaceable cartridge for housing only a supply of a recording medium for use in a strip-chart recorder comprising a container, said container comprising a rectangular box-like member having side and bottom walls and a top wall, a supply of flexible recording medium within the container, means on the container providing an external surface to back-up the recording medium during the recording process, said back-up surface comprising a curved member extending horizontally across the box and located in an upper corner at one side of the box and substantially level with its top wall, first means on the container for guiding the recording medium from within the container over the back-up surface, and second means on the container for guiding the recording medium from the back-up surface over the top wall of the container whereby the same is visible and accessible, said container being free of any permanent physical connection to marking means or drive means for the recording medium whereby it constitutes a self-contained unit completely separable from the recorder proper.

Claim 3

A cartridge as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first medium guiding means comprises wall portions defining a narrow slot extending horizontally beneath the back-up surface, said slot and back-up surface being dimensioned such that the recording medium can pass from the supply on the interior through the slot outside of the container and thence over the back-up surface and thence in a horizontal plane across and over the top wall of the box to exit from the box at the box side opposite to said one side.

Claim 4

A cartridge as set forth in claim 2 wherein the second guide means comprises horizontal members extending inward from the box walls to define with the box top wall a horizontal slot for passage of the recording medium across and over the box top.

Claim 5

A cartridge as set forth in claim 3 wherein the back-up surface comprises a roller journalled in the box walls, and handle means are provided on the container, said handle means comprising two upwardly-extending ear extensions of the walls each adjacent one of the horizontal members of the second guide means, said ear extensions being offset from the center between the one and the opposite sides of the container.

Claim 6

A strip-chart recorder comprising a housing having a top defining a rectangular recessed area, a cartridge removably seated within the recessed area and comprising a rectangular box-like container having a top surface, said cartridge being free of any permanent physical connection to the recorder housing, means in an upper corner of one side of the container providing an external surface to back-up a recording medium, said back-up surface being substantially level with the container top surface, a supply of flexible recording medium within the container, first means in the container for guiding the recording medium from within the container over the back-up surface, second means on the container for guiding the recording medium from the back-up surface over the container top surface to exit from the container from the side opposite to its one side and in a substantially horizontal plane, drive means for the recording medium, said drive means comprising movable means mounted in the recorder housing adjacent its top for engaging the underside of the recording medium and advancing same from the supply, over the back-up surface and through the exit, a lid member mounted on the recorder housing so as to extend over the cartridge, said lid having an opening directly Overlying the cartridge top making accessible from the outside the topside of the recording medium as it passes over the cartridge top, and marking means mounted in the recorder housing for engaging and marking the recording medium as it passes over the back-up surface.

Claim 7

A strip-chart recorder comprising a housing having a top defining a rectangular recessed area, a cartridge removably seated within the recessed area and comprising a rectangular box-like container having a top surface, said cartridge being free of any permanent physical connection to the recorder housing, means in an upper corner of one side of the container providing an external surface to back-up a recording medium, said back-up surface being substantially level with the container top surface, a supply of flexible recording medium within the container, first means in the container for guiding the recording medium from within the container over the back-up surface, second means on the container for guiding the recording medium from the back-up surface over the container top surface to exit from the container from the side opposite to its one side and in a substantially horizontal plane, drive means for the recording medium, said drive means comprising movable means mounted in the recorder housing adjacent its top for engaging the underside of the recording medium and advancing same from the supply, over the back-up surface and through the exit, a lid member mounted on the recorder housing so as to extend over the cartridge, said lid having an opening directly Overlying the cartridge top making accessible from the outside the topside of the recording medium as it passes over the cartridge top, and marking means mounted in the recorder housing for engaging and marking the recording medium as it passes over the back-up surface.

Claim 8

A strip-chart recorder as claimed in claim 5 wherein the drive means movable means comprises a horizontally-extending roller located adjacent the opposite side of the cartridge container and adjacent the recording medium exit, the lid comprises an idler roller, and means are provided for mounting of the lid on the recorder housing such that it is movable from an open position wherein the recessed area accommodating the cartridge is exposed enabling removal or insertion of the cartridge, to a closed position wherein the lid closes over the cartridge and the lid idler roller engages the top side of the recording medium at a position overlying the drive means roller.

Claim 9

A strip-chart recorder as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising releasable locking means on the recorder housing for locking the lid in its closed position, and recording medium take-up means removably mounted on the recorder housing adjacent the cartridge exit.

Claim 10

A strip-chart recorder as claimed in claim 6 wherein the lid end adjacent the cartridge exit extends beyond the drive means roller, means are provided on the said lid end for severing of the recording medium, a recording galvanometer is mounted within the recorder housing adjacent the cartridge recessed area and is coupled to the marking means, the marking means comprises a stylus coupled to the galvanometer and having a writing end engaging the paper as it passes over the back-up surface, and a motor for activating the drive means roller is mounted in the recorder housing adjacent the recorder galvanometer.

Claim 11

A strip-chart recorder as set forth in claim 6 wherein the cartridge container comprises two upwardly extending ear extensions, said ear extensions being offset from the center of the container and being positioned to extend through the lid opening only when the cartridge is seated in its operative position within the recessed area.

Claim 12

A strip-chart recorder as claimed in claim 5 wherein the recording galvanometer is mounted on the lid with the marking means positioned to engage the paper as it passes over the top surface of the cartridge.