Patent US3741116A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3741116A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vacuum belt
Assignee: American Screen Printing Equipment Co
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Filing: 1970-06-25
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Granted: 1973-06-26
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Expires: 1990-06-25
Abstract
Abstract An improved conveying means for feeding and removing sheet stock to and from a selected area for printing or the like. The conveying means is inexpensively formed from an endless belt of monofilament polyester mesh which moves across a vacuum base disposed beneath a printing head. The mesh functions as a conveying means and is supported by the vacuum base during printing. The mesh size is fine enough to permit the printing of high quality thin paper stock without discernible mesh marks appearing after printing is complete. Vacuum is applied to the underside of the stock to be printed through the mesh from a known type of vacuum base with sufficient force generated to hold the sheet stock properly positioned during printing and feeding. The mesh is of the order of from about 140 to 300 threads per inch. In another embodiment of the invention, the vacuum belt principle is shown in another form wherein it functions as a take-off conveyor which functions to assist in holding the stock during printing. A small manifold functions as a belt guide and is all that is required to pull the stock onto the conveyor.
Inventors
- 👤 M Green
- 👤 C Oltra
- 👤 H Bubley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 22:52
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41F; B41F15/00; B41F15/14; B41F15/16; B41F15/18; B41F15/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
An improved conveying means for feeding sheet stock under a printing head for printing or the like, said printing head being positioned above said conveying means and movable toward and away from a porous printing bed disposed beneath said conveying means, said conveying means comprising an endless belt formed of thin polyester woven fabric material having a mesh size from about 140 lines per inch to about 300 lines per inch disposed around roller means positioned on opposite sides of said printing head and said belt projecting beyond opposite sides of a selected printing area, said belt passing over said porous bed, said porous bed formed with a plurality of spaced perforations and being sufficiently rigid to support said stock during printing, means to selectively apply negative pressures to said porous bed, and uniformly through said belt to hold said flat stock placed on said belt in position for printing, and positive pressures to release said flat stock after printing and means to advance said belt across said porous bed to move said flat stock under said printing head.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
179 words
An improved conveying means for feeding sheet stock under a printing head for printing or the like, said printing head being positioned above said conveying means and movable toward and away from a porous printing bed disposed beneath said conveying means, said conveying means comprising an endless belt formed of thin polyester woven fabric material having a mesh size from about 140 lines per inch to about 300 lines per inch disposed around roller means positioned on opposite sides of said printing head and said belt projecting beyond opposite sides of a selected printing area, said belt passing over said porous bed, said porous bed formed with a plurality of spaced perforations and being sufficiently rigid to support said stock during printing, means to selectively apply negative pressures to said porous bed, and uniformly through said belt to hold said flat stock placed on said belt in position for printing, and positive pressures to release said flat stock after printing and means to advance said belt across said porous bed to move said flat stock under said printing head.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
129 words
In a printing press having a bed to support stock during printing thereon, and a printing head positioned above said bed for movement toward and away from said bed during a printing operation, the improvement which comprises a take-off conveyor to remove said stock upon completion of printing, said take-off conveyor including an endless belt formed of thin polyester material having a mesh of a size from about 140 threads per inch to about 300 threads per inch having an end thereof disposed adjacent an edge of said bed and including means to apply a vacuum through said belt to said stock such that said end supports and holds a portion of said stock to be printed across the entire leading edge of said stock during the printing thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
129 words
In a printing press having a bed to support stock during printing thereon, and a printing head positioned above said bed for movement toward and away from said bed during a printing operation, the improvement which comprises a take-off conveyor to remove said stock upon completion of printing, said take-off conveyor including an endless belt formed of thin polyester material having a mesh of a size from about 140 threads per inch to about 300 threads per inch having an end thereof disposed adjacent an edge of said bed and including means to apply a vacuum through said belt to said stock such that said end supports and holds a portion of said stock to be printed across the entire leading edge of said stock during the printing thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The printing press as defined in claim 2 wherein a vacuum manifold is located beneath said take-off conveyor in the region of said edge of said stock to be printed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The printing arrangement as defined in claim 2 wherein said bed to support said stock during printing includes means to selectively apply positive and negative pressures to the underside of said stock during printing and thereby permit holding and removal of said stock, respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
99 words
In combination, a printing press, a porous bed for supportiNg stock to be printed, and conveying means to assist in holding said stock during printing and for removal thereof after printing, said means including an endless mesh belt adapted for movement in a direction away from said porous bed, a manifold means disposed under said belt and closely adjacent a margin of said porous bed, means to apply a negative pressure to said manifold means through said mesh belt thereby to hold said stock during printing said mesh belt effecting lateral movement of said stock after printing is complete.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
In combination, a printing press, a porous bed for supportiNg stock to be printed, and conveying means to assist in holding said stock during printing and for removal thereof after printing, said means including an endless mesh belt adapted for movement in a direction away from said porous bed, a manifold means disposed under said belt and closely adjacent a margin of said porous bed, means to apply a negative pressure to said manifold means through said mesh belt thereby to hold said stock during printing said mesh belt effecting lateral movement of said stock after printing is complete.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The improvement in conveying means as defined in claim 5 wherein said endless belt is of a mesh size from about 140 lines per inch to about 300 lines per inch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The printing arrangement as defined in claim 5 wherein said manifold means is provided with an arcuate edge forming a fixed guide to change the direction of said mesh belt.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The printing arrangement as defined in claim 5 wherein said porous bed for supporting stock during printing includes a means to selectively apply negative pressure during printing and positive pressure upon completion of printing to permit holding and removal of said stock, respectively.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The printing arrangement defined in claim 5 wherein said conveying means to assist in holding and removing said stock includes a vacuum base adjacent said manifold means and immediately beneath said conveying means to apply additional vacuum to said stock as it is undergoing removal from the printing area.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-25 | 1976-12-25 | 1977-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-25 | 1980-12-25 | 1981-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-25 | 1984-12-25 | 1985-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |