Production of multiple-copy business forms

Claim 2

Apparatus for producing continuous multiple-copy business forms, comprising an upright frame member, a first set of parallel spaced spindles supported in a cantilevered manner by said frame member in tandem relation and adapted to receive supply rolls of copy webs, a second set of parallel spaced spindles supported in a cantilevered manner by said frame member in tandem relation and adapted to receive corresponding rolls of carbon transfer webs, a plurality of print cylinders, means supported by said frame member and rotatably supporting said print cylinders, means associated with each said cylinder for successively printing a corresponding copy web, means for punching a set of laterally spaced feed holes within each of the copy and transfer webs at longitudinally spaced intervals, the longitudinal spacing between adjacent sets of said feed holes corresponding to the length of the forms, drive pin means for engaging said feed holes and for feeding the copy webs from at least some of the corresponding supply rolls partially around the corresponding said print cylinders, means for collating the copy and carbon transfer webs into overlying relation with the feed holes and printing on the webs in registration, means for fastening the collated webs together across the width of the webs adjacent said feed holes, and means for at least partially severing the collated webs along transverse lines at longitudinally spaced intervals adjacent the feed holes to define for each business form a removable stub portion having the corresponding feed holes.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including an endless drive belt for each said spindle of said first set, a carriage supporting each said belt, linear track means supporting each said carriage for substantially radial horizontal movement in relation to the corresponding said spindle, and means for urging each said carriage toward the corresponding said spindle with a substantially constant force to hold said drive belt in substantially constant pressure engagement with the corresponding roll as the roll reduces the diameter.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means for completely severing each form from the collated webs, elevating stacking means positioned to receive each severed form and to move the form upwardly, and guide means extending upwardly from said stacking means to produce a vertical stack of forms in response to the addition of forms to the bottom of the stack by said stacking means.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said stacking means comprise a set of parallel spaced horizontal rotary stacking members each having means defining a plurality of peripherally spaced slots, said stacking members being disposed for said slots to receive opposite edge portions of each form, an endless conveyor having an upper horizontal run extending between said stacking members, and means for rotating said stacking members in opposite directions to elevate each form to produce a stack of forms from the bottom of the stack.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means for punching a series of machine readable holes within the collated webs at predetermined longitudinally spaced intervals, and knife means movable with said punching means for cutting laterally extending slits within the collated webs at the ends of the forms and simultaneously with the punching of said holes to size each form to length in precise registration with the punched hole.

Claim 7

Apparatus for producing continuous multiple-copy business forms each including a card-like copy, comprising an upright frame member, a first set of parallel spaced spindles supported by said frame member in tandem relation and adapted to receive supply rolls of copy webs, a second set of parallel spaced spindles supported by said frame member in tandem relation and adapted to receive corresponding rolls of carbon transfer webs, a plurality of print cylinders, means supported by said frame member and rotatably supporting said print cylinders, means associated with each said print cylinder for successively printing a corresponding copy web, means for punching a set of laterally spaceD feed holes within each of the copy and transfer webs at longitudinally spaced intervals, the longitudinal spacing between adjacent sets of said feed holes corresponding to the length of the forms, drive pin means for engaging said feed holes for feeding the copy webs from at least some of the corresponding supply rolls partially around the corresponding said print cylinders, means for punching a set of laterally spaced openings with each of the carbon transfer webs at longitudinally spaced intervals and in generally lateral alignment with the corresponding said feed holes, means for collating the copy and carbon transfer webs into overlying relation with the feed holes and printing the webs in registration, means for fastening the collated webs together through said openings within the adjacent said transfer web, means for punching machine readable holes in the collated web assembly at longitudinally spaced intervals, means for engaging said feed holes for feeding the collated webs through said punching means, and means movable with said punching means for at least partially severing the collated webs along transverse lines at longitudinally spaced intervals adjacent the feed holes to define for each business form a removable stub portion having the corresponding said feed holes and said openings.

Claim 8

Apparatus for producing continuous multiple-copy business forms each including a card-like copy, comprising an upright frame member, a first set of parallel spaced spindles supported by said frame member in tandem relation and adapted to receive supply rolls of copy webs, a second set of parallel spaced spindles supported by said frame member in tandem relation and adapted to receive corresponding rolls of carbon transfer webs, a plurality of print cylinders, means supported by said frame member and rotatably supporting said print cylinders, means associated with each said print cylinder for successively printing a corresponding copy web, means for punching a set of laterally spaceD feed holes within each of the copy and transfer webs at longitudinally spaced intervals, the longitudinal spacing between adjacent sets of said feed holes corresponding to the length of the forms, drive pin means for engaging said feed holes for feeding the copy webs from at least some of the corresponding supply rolls partially around the corresponding said print cylinders, means for punching a set of laterally spaced openings with each of the carbon transfer webs at longitudinally spaced intervals and in generally lateral alignment with the corresponding said feed holes, means for collating the copy and carbon transfer webs into overlying relation with the feed holes and printing the webs in registration, means for fastening the collated webs together through said openings within the adjacent said transfer web, means for punching machine readable holes in the collated web assembly at longitudinally spaced intervals, means for engaging said feed holes for feeding the collated webs through said punching means, and means movable with said punching means for at least partially severing the collated webs along transverse lines at longitudinally spaced intervals adjacent the feed holes to define for each business form a removable stub portion having the corresponding said feed holes and said openings.