US3799537A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Document feeding mechanism
Assignee: Dennison Manufacturing Co
•
Filing: 1971-06-11
•
Granted: 1974-03-26
•
Expires: 1991-06-11
Abstract
Abstract A mechanism for feeding originals to a copier apparatus so that the apparatus in one mode of operation automatically makes copies of related documents and delivers such copies in a predetermined collated arrangement and in another mode of operation makes copies of a plurality of unrelated documents, each of which may require a different number of copies, and automatically delivers the desired number of copies of each unrelated original. Each original is placed in a semi-rigid carrier device and the carriers are appropriately stacked near the copier apparatus. A reciprocating pick-up arm removes the carriers from the stack, one by one, delivers them to the copier apparatus exposure window and returns them to the stack in order for recirculation, if desired, in the first mode of operation. In the second mode of operation, each carrier has an encoding device for indicating the numbers of copies desired and the reciprocating pick-up arm removes each carrier from the stack for delivery to the exposure window, one at a time, at which location a decoding device decodes the encoded information and permits the copier apparatus to make the desired number of copies before removing that original and delivering the next original for copying.
Inventors
- 👤 H Cobb
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 11:36
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/60; G03G15/602; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/32; G03B27/52; G03B27/62; G03B27/6207; G03B27/625; G03B27/6264; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S271/00; Y10S271/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A document feeding mechanism for feeding one or more documents to the viewing window of a copying apparatus, said mechanism comprising carrier means for holding a single document to be copied; rack means for holding a stack of one or more of said carrier means; reciprocating means for sequentially moving said carrier means one at a time from one end of said stack at said rack means to said viewing window for producing a copy of the document in said carrier means and for returning said carrier means from said viewing window to the opposite end of said stack at said rack means, said reciprocating moving means including means for coupling said reciprocating moving means to said carrier means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
119 words
A document feeding mechanism for feeding one or more documents to the viewing window of a copying apparatus, said mechanism comprising carrier means for holding a single document to be copied; rack means for holding a stack of one or more of said carrier means; reciprocating means for sequentially moving said carrier means one at a time from one end of said stack at said rack means to said viewing window for producing a copy of the document in said carrier means and for returning said carrier means from said viewing window to the opposite end of said stack at said rack means, said reciprocating moving means including means for coupling said reciprocating moving means to said carrier means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said coupling means is adapted to be coupled to the carrier means at the top end of said stack and further including means for permitting the insertion of said returned carrier means to the bottom end of said stack.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
93 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 2 and further comprising frame means for attaching said rack means to said copying apparatus substantially adjacent said viewing window; and further wherein said insertion permitting means includes ramp means attached below said stack at the side of said rack means nearest to said viewing window in the path of said carrier means during its return from said view window to said rack means, said ramp means thereby permitting said carrier means to be slidably inserted at the bottom of said stack at said return.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 3 and further including means for permitting said ramp means to be removed from said path of the carrier means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 2 wherein said reciprocating moving means comprises a movable arm; pick-up means mounted at the end of said movable arm for removing said carrier means from the top end of said stack; and means for moving said arm in a reciprocating manner.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 5 wherein said last-named means includes a motor for producing rotary motion; a shaft connected at one end to said movable arm; linkage means coupling said motor to said shaft for imparting reciprocating motion to said shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 6 wherein said shaft is flexible.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 7 wherein said flexible shaft comprises tubular spring means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A document feeding mechanism according to claim 5 wherein said carrier means each includes a magnetic means affixed thereto; and a portion of said pick-up means is metallic, whereby a magnetic attraction occurs between said metallic pick-up means and said magnetic means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
A document feeding mechanism according to claim 9 wherein said pick-up means further includes means affixed thereto for guiding said pick-up means to a position adjacent the topmost carrier means of said stack when said pick-up means is moved toward said rack means to remove said topmost carrier means therefrom.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 10 wherein said guiding means includes an upwardly inclined planar surface mounted at the side of said pick-up means nearest said rack means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said carrier means is moved from said stack to said viewing window and is returned from said viewing window to said stack in a single reciprocating motion of said reciprocating moving means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
74 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stack comprises a plurality of said carrier means placed in said rack in a preselected order; and further including means for cyclically operating said reciprocating moving means for successively moving said plurality of carrier means from said stack in said preselected order for producing copies of the documents retained therein and for returning said carrier means to said stack in said preselected order.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said carrier means comprise backing means; transparent cover means attached to said backing means whereby a document can be inserted between said cover means and said backing means; and means for preventing said document from accidentally escaping from said carrier means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 14 wherein said backing means is made of a substantially rigid opaque material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 14 wherein said transparent cover means is made of a flexible plastic material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
A document feeding mechanism according to claim 14 wherein said preventing means comprises at least one magnetic means affixed to said backing means and a metallic element affixed to said cover means and oppositely disposed to said magnetic means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
58 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said carrier means each includes a magnetic element and said rack means includes magnetic means for providing an attractive force on said magnetic elements for retaining the remaining ones of said stack of carrier means when one of said carrier means is moved therefrom by said moving means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
129 words
A document feeding mechanism for feeding one or more documents to the viewing window of a copying apparatus, said mechanism comprising carrier means for holding a single document to be copied; rack means for holding a stack of one or more of said carrier means; means for moving one of said carrier means of said stack from said rack means to said viewing window for producing a copy of the document in said carrier means, said moving means including means for coupling said moving means to said carrier means; stop means mounted adjacent said viewing window for causing said carrier means to be retained at said viewing window when said carrier means is moved thereto from said stack; and means for aligning said carrier means at said viewing window.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
129 words
A document feeding mechanism for feeding one or more documents to the viewing window of a copying apparatus, said mechanism comprising carrier means for holding a single document to be copied; rack means for holding a stack of one or more of said carrier means; means for moving one of said carrier means of said stack from said rack means to said viewing window for producing a copy of the document in said carrier means, said moving means including means for coupling said moving means to said carrier means; stop means mounted adjacent said viewing window for causing said carrier means to be retained at said viewing window when said carrier means is moved thereto from said stack; and means for aligning said carrier means at said viewing window.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 19 wherein said aligning means includes key means formed at one edge of each of said carrier means; and corresponding key means formed at said stop means for matching said carrier key means so as to align said carrier means at said viewing window.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
45 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 20 wherein said carrier key means includes one or more indentations each having a preselected configuration formed therein; and said corresponding key means comprises one or more protrusions each having the same preselected configuration as said indentations.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
179 words
A document feeding mechanism for feeding one or more documents to the viewing window of a copying apparatus, said mechanism comprising carrier means for holding a single document to be copied; rack means for holding a stack of one or more of said carrier means; means for moving one of said carrier means of said stack from said rack means to said viewing window for producing a copy of the document in said carrier means, said moving means including means for coupling said moving means to said carrier means; said carrier means includes encoding means for indicating preselected operational instructions to said copying apparatus; and said mechanism further includes decoding means mounted so as to be adjacent said encoding means when said carrier means is at said viewing window for reading out said preselected operational instructions for providing an operating signal in response thereto; and means responsive to said operating signal for actuating the return of said carrier means to said rack from said viewing means when said preselected operational instructions have been carried out by said copier apparatus.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
179 words
A document feeding mechanism for feeding one or more documents to the viewing window of a copying apparatus, said mechanism comprising carrier means for holding a single document to be copied; rack means for holding a stack of one or more of said carrier means; means for moving one of said carrier means of said stack from said rack means to said viewing window for producing a copy of the document in said carrier means, said moving means including means for coupling said moving means to said carrier means; said carrier means includes encoding means for indicating preselected operational instructions to said copying apparatus; and said mechanism further includes decoding means mounted so as to be adjacent said encoding means when said carrier means is at said viewing window for reading out said preselected operational instructions for providing an operating signal in response thereto; and means responsive to said operating signal for actuating the return of said carrier means to said rack from said viewing means when said preselected operational instructions have been carried out by said copier apparatus.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
67 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 22 wherein said encoding means comprises a plurality of apertures located on said carrier, each said aperture being associated with a number; and means for changing the optical characteristics of said apertures to correspond to said operational instructions; and said decoding means comprises photoelectric means responsive to the changed optical characteristics of said apertures for producing said operating signal.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
66 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 22 wherein said operational instructions of said encoding means indicates a preselected number of copies of said documents held therein which are required to be made; said decoding means reads out said preselected number; and said actuating means returns said carrier means to said rack when said preselected number of copies has been made of said copier apparatus.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
114 words
A document feeding mechanism for feeding one or more documents to the viewing window of a copying apparatus, said mechanism comprising means for holding a stack of one or more of said documents; reciprocating means for moving said documents one at a time in sequence from one end of said stack to said viewing window to permit copies thereof to be made at said viewing window and for returning said documents in sequence from said viewing window to the opposite end of said stack, said reciprocating moving means including means for coupling said moving means to said documents to permit said documents to be removed one at a time in sequence from said stack.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
114 words
A document feeding mechanism for feeding one or more documents to the viewing window of a copying apparatus, said mechanism comprising means for holding a stack of one or more of said documents; reciprocating means for moving said documents one at a time in sequence from one end of said stack to said viewing window to permit copies thereof to be made at said viewing window and for returning said documents in sequence from said viewing window to the opposite end of said stack, said reciprocating moving means including means for coupling said moving means to said documents to permit said documents to be removed one at a time in sequence from said stack.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
57 words
A document feeding mechanism in accordance with claim 25 and further including means at said holding means for permitting said returned documents to be placed at the other end of said stack; said documents being moved from said stack to said viewing window and returned to said stack in a single reciprocating motion of said reciprocating means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1106489A
Cited
US2342571A
Cited
US3124260A
Cited
US3215056A
Cited
GB1198806A
Cited
US3499710A
Cited
US3536320A
Cited
US3627307A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-03-25 | 1977-09-24 | 1978-03-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-25 | 1981-09-24 | 1982-03-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-25 | 1985-09-24 | 1986-03-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |