Patent US3768803A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3768803A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet feeder
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1972-02-11
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Granted: 1973-10-30
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Expires: 1992-02-11
Abstract
Abstract A separation belt is supported for movement about entrance and exit pulleys with a section of the belt between the pulleys positioned against curved retard means forming a sheet queuing throat. The belt contacts a stack of sheets near its edge and separates the sheets from the stack into the throat. The throat queues or aligns the sheets and the belt advances the queued sheets onto the sheet handling system being served.
Inventors
- 👤 K Stange
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 09:28
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H3/00; B65H3/46; B65H3/52; B65H3/5207; B65H3/5215; B65H3/5223
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
In sheet feeding and separating apparatus for feeding and separating individual sheets from a stack of sheets at an edge of the stack the improvement comprising: an endless sheet feeding and separating belt mounted for sheet feeding engagement with the edge of the stack of sheets, said feed belt being rotatably mounted between spaced supports to provide a deformable unsupported section therebetween, a retard member having a supported finitely curved frictional retard surface, said retard surface deformably engaging said feed belt in said unsupported section of said feed belt to form therewith a correspondingly curved sheet queuing throat in which said retard surface and said belt are continuously mechanically biased against one another, said sheet queuing throat being positioned directly adjacent the edge of the stack and said feed belt operatively extending over only the edge of the stack, cooperatively preventing buckling of sheets fed from the stack by said feed belt into said sheet queuing throat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
In sheet feeding and separating apparatus for feeding and separating individual sheets from a stack of sheets at an edge of the stack the improvement comprising: an endless sheet feeding and separating belt mounted for sheet feeding engagement with the edge of the stack of sheets, said feed belt being rotatably mounted between spaced supports to provide a deformable unsupported section therebetween, a retard member having a supported finitely curved frictional retard surface, said retard surface deformably engaging said feed belt in said unsupported section of said feed belt to form therewith a correspondingly curved sheet queuing throat in which said retard surface and said belt are continuously mechanically biased against one another, said sheet queuing throat being positioned directly adjacent the edge of the stack and said feed belt operatively extending over only the edge of the stack, cooperatively preventing buckling of sheets fed from the stack by said feed belt into said sheet queuing throat.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said curved retard surface of said retard member has a large radius of curvature which is greater than the distance between said retard surface and the edge of the stack.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a side of said retard member diverges from said feed belt directly adjacent said queuing throat to provide a stack edge stop jaw for the stack.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said retard member includes an integral curved tongue member of a different material, curving away from said feed belt at said stack edge and smoothly transitioning into said curved retard surface of said retard member, to assist in guiding sheets from the stack directly into said queuing throat.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said feed belt is deformable and made of an elastic material but is reinforced by comparatively non-elastic fibrous material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said curved retard surface of said retard member has a radius of curvature greater than half the length of said unsupported section of said feed belt.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said retard member is a curved ribbed pad of resilient frictional material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said retard member comprises an endless flexible retard belt of Resilient frictional material and an underlying non-rotating curved supporting guide directly adjacent the stack edge and defining said queuing throat, wherein said retard belt is conformably slidably mounted over said guide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said feed belt is pivotally mounted to move with the stack level and said retard member is movably mounted to provide movement of said retard member together with said feed belt when said feed belt moves with the stack without disturbing said engagement of said retard member with said feed belt.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said feed belt said spaced supports and said retard member are an integral unit pivotally mounted to rotate as a unit relative to the stack.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said curved retard surface of said retard member has a large radius of curvature which is greater than the distance between said retard surface and the edge of the stack, and said curved retard surface of said retard member has a radius of curvature greater than half the length of said unsupported section of said feed belt.
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Cited
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Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-29 | 1977-04-30 | 1977-10-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-29 | 1981-04-30 | 1981-10-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-29 | 1985-04-30 | 1985-10-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |