Movable gap-control device

Claim 2

In apparatus for serially transporting paper sheets or the like past a processing element, a device for maintaining the transported sheets in contact with an operative position of the processing element comprising: a resilient member having a sheet-bearing surface extending through an operating station and therein contacting the operative position of the processing element, said sheetbearing surface being resiliently yieldable at the point of contact with the processing element to accept a sheet transported therebetween and movable past the processing element in the direction of sheet transport; driving means for imparting a driving force to said resilient member and for urging the sheet-bearing surface through the operating station in the direction of sheet transport; and means providing a predetermined frictional coupling between said resilient member and said driving means, whereby the displacement of the sheet-bearing surface is normally restrained by the processing element and the driving force imparted to said resilient member by said driving means aids in accelerating the resilient member in the direction of sheet transport upon the displacement of a sheet through the operating station.

Claim 3

A device as defined by claim 1 wherein the sheet-bearing surface of said resilient member is composed of a material having a relatively low coefficient of friction with the sheets so that a sheet rapidly transported into the operating station may initially slide upon the sheet-bearing surface.

Claim 4

A device as defined by claim 1 wherein the shape of the sheet-bearing surface of said resilient member is characterized by a right circular cylinder.

Claim 5

A device as defined by claim 3 wherein said resilient member has a center aperture and a resilient body portion surrounding the center aperture in a substantially circular configuration, said center aperture having an inner surface cooperating with said frictional coupling means to thereby provide frictional engagement with said driving means.

Claim 6

A device as defined by claim 4 wherein the resilient body portion has a uniform radial thickness, the radial termination of the body portion being connected to and providing support for the sheet-bearing surface.

Claim 7

A device as defined by claim 5 wherein said driving means is an axially driven shaft and wherein said frictional coupling means comprises a key fixed to said shaft, a bearing collar having a keyway cooperable with said key and an annular post frictionally cooperating with said inner surface of said center aperture of said resilient member such that the sheet-bearing surface of said resilient member is urged through the operating station in the direction of sheet transport.

Claim 8

In apparatus for serially transporting paper sheets or the like past a linear operative position of a processing element including a drive roller for driving sheets over the linear operative position, the drive roller having a rotational axis disposed substantially parallel with and outwardly from the linear operative position, and a driven shaft coaxially coupled with the drive roller for imparting an axial rotation thereto, a device for maintaining transported sheets in contact with the linear operative position of the processing element comprising: a resilient member having a center aperture and a resilient body portion surrounding the center aperture in a substantially circular configuration, the radial termination of the body portion being connected to and supporting a sheet-bearing surface normally disposed in abutment with the operative position of the processing element; and means providing a predetermined frictional coupling between said center aperture of said resilient member and said driven shaft such that said abutment of said sheet-bearing surface with said processing element iS normally effective to inhibit rotational motion thereof, whereby the driving force imparted to said resilient member by said driven shaft and said frictional coupling means aids in accelerating the resilient member upon the transport of a sheet between the processing element and the sheet-bearing surface of said resilient member.

Claim 9

In apparatus for serially transporting paper sheets or the like past a linear operative position of a processing element including a drive roller for driving sheets over the linear operative position, the drive roller having a rotational axis disposed substantially parallel with and outwardly from the linear operative position, and a driven shaft coaxially coupled with the drive roller for imparting an axial rotation thereto, a device for maintaining transported sheets in contact with the linear operative position of the processing element comprising: a resilient member having a center aperture and a resilient body portion surrounding the center aperture in a substantially circular configuration, the radial termination of the body portion being connected to and supporting a sheet-bearing surface normally disposed in abutment with the operative position of the processing element; and means providing a predetermined frictional coupling between said center aperture of said resilient member and said driven shaft such that said abutment of said sheet-bearing surface with said processing element iS normally effective to inhibit rotational motion thereof, whereby the driving force imparted to said resilient member by said driven shaft and said frictional coupling means aids in accelerating the resilient member upon the transport of a sheet between the processing element and the sheet-bearing surface of said resilient member.

Claim 10

A device as defined by claim 7 wherein said resilient member has a resilient body portion of uniform radial thickness surrounding the center aperture thereof.

Claim 11

A device as defined by claim 8 wherein the inner surface of the center aperture of said resilient member is formed by a sleeve composed of a relatively hard material for frictionally cooperating with an annular post of said frictional coupling means.

Claim 12

A device as defined by claim 9 wherein the body portion of said resilient member is characterized by a thin web of resilient material with a relatively non-resilient ring of greater thickness than the web being circularly formed thereabout, the ring having an outer surface forming the sheet-bearing surface of said resilient member.

Claim 15

A device as defined by claim 11 wherein the sheet-bearing surface of said resilient member is biased in contact with the operative position of said processing element, the frictional resistance of the processing element being normally effective to maintain the sheet-bearing surface motionless in opposition to the torque applied by said driven shaft and said frictional coupling means, whereby said torque is effective to assist in angularly accelerating said resilient member when a sheet is driven by said drive roller past the processing element.