Feed mechanism

Claim 2

A feed mechanism which comprises: a strip of flexible material having its thinnest dimension between a feeding surface and a surface closely adjacent thereto, said strip being formed into an endless belt, drive elements projecting transversely from the feeding surface of said belt, a frame supporting said belt along the surface thereof opposite to said feeding surface, driving means engaged with said belt, said drive elements having a pin portion which projects through said feeding surface, said pin portion having a cylindrical base and a hemispherical cap on said base and a drive means engagement portion which projects through said opposite surface of said strip, said drive means engagement portion being a hemicylinder having its axis perpendicular to said pin portion, and its base in juxtaposition with said opposite surface, said pin having a hemispherical cap, the surface of said cap and said hemi-cylinder lying along a common circle, said strip being perforated at positions longitudinally spaced from each other, and said drive elements being disposed in said perforations.

Claim 3

A feed mechanism which comprises: a strip of flexible material having itS thinnest dimension between a feeding surface and a surface closely adjacent thereto, said strip being formed into an endless belt, a frame supporting said belt along the surface thereof opposite to said feeding surface, driving means engaged with said belt, drive elements projecting transversely from the feeding surface of said belt, said drive elements having a pin portion which projects through said feeding surface, said pin portion having a cylindrical base and a hemispherical cap on said base, and a drive means engagement portion which projects through said opposite surface of said strip, said strip being formed into an endless belt, said strip being perforated at positions longitudinally spaced from each other, said drive elements are disposed in said perforations, and said perforations each having a tab projecting therefrom into interlocking relationship with said drive elements therein.

Claim 4

A feed mechanism which comprises: a strip of flexible material having itS thinnest dimension between a feeding surface and a surface closely adjacent thereto, said strip being formed into an endless belt, a frame supporting said belt along the surface thereof opposite to said feeding surface, driving means engaged with said belt, drive elements projecting transversely from the feeding surface of said belt, said drive elements having a pin portion which projects through said feeding surface, said pin portion having a cylindrical base and a hemispherical cap on said base, and a drive means engagement portion which projects through said opposite surface of said strip, said strip being formed into an endless belt, said strip being perforated at positions longitudinally spaced from each other, said drive elements are disposed in said perforations, and said perforations each having a tab projecting therefrom into interlocking relationship with said drive elements therein.

Claim 5

A feed mechanism which comprises: a strip of flexible material having its thinnest dimension between a feeding surface and a surface closely adjacent thereto, said strip being formed into an endless belt, a frame supporting said belt along the surface thereof opposite to said feeding surface, driving means engaged with said belt, drive elements projecting transversely from the feeding surface of said belt, said drive elements having a pin portion which projects through said feeding surface, said pin portion having a cylindrical base and a hemispherical cap on said base, and a drive means engagement portion which projects through said opposite surface of said strip, said drive means engaging element having a larger diameter than said pin portion as measured respectively at the opposite and feeding surfaces of said strip, said strip being perforated at positions longitudinally spaced from each other, said drive elements being disposed in said perforations, and said pin portion having a circumferential lip which tapers outwardly in the direction opposite from the cap thereof to define a slot between the bottom of said lip and the top of said drive means engaging portion for receiving one of said perforations in said strip when said drive element is snap fitted therein.

Claim 6

A feed mechanism which comprises: a strip of flexible material having its thinnest dimension between a feeding surface and a surface closely adjacent thereto, said strip being formed into an endless belt, a frame supporting said belt along the surface thereof opposite to said feeding surface, driving means engaged with said belt, drive elements projecting transversely from the feeding surface of said belt, said drive elements having a pin portion which projects through said feeding surface, said pin portion having a cylindrical base and a hemispherical cap on said base, and a drive means engagement portion which projects through said opposite surface of said strip, said drive means engaging element having a larger diameter than said pin portion as measured respectively at the opposite and feeding surfaces of said strip, said strip being perforated at positions longitudinally spaced from each other, said drive elements being disposed in said perforations, and said pin portion having a circumferential lip which tapers outwardly in the direction opposite from the cap thereof to define a slot between the bottom of said lip and the top of said drive means engaging portion for receiving one of said perforations in said strip when said drive element is snap fitted therein.

Claim 7

A feed mechanism which comprises: a strip of flexible material having its thinnest dimension between a feeding surface and a surface closely adjacent thereto, said strip being formed into an endless belt, drive elements projecting transversely from the feeding surface of said belt, said drive elements having a pin portion which projects through said feeding surface, said pin portion having a cylindrical base and a hemispherical cap on said base; a frame supporting said belt along the surface thereof opposite to said feeding surface, and driving means engaged with said belt, a drive means engagement portion which projects through said opposite surface of said strip; said perforations being selected from square and non-symmetric shapes, said strip being perforated at positions longitudinally spaced from each other and said drive elements are disposed in said perforations.

Claim 8

A feed mechanism which comprises: a strip of flexible material having its thinnest dimension between a feeding surface and a surface closely adjacent thereto, said strip being formed into an endless belt, drive elements projecting transversely from the feeding surface of said belt, said drive elements having a pin portion which projects through said feeding surface, said pin portion having a cylindrical base and a hemispherical cap on said base; a frame supporting said belt along the surface thereof opposite to said feeding surface, and driving means engaged with said belt, a drive means engagement portion which projects through said opposite surface of said strip; said perforations being selected from square and non-symmetric shapes, said strip being perforated at positions longitudinally spaced from each other and said drive elements are disposed in said perforations.

Claim 9

A feed mechanism which comprises: a strip of flexible material having its thinnest dimension between a feeding surface and a surface closely adjacent thereto, said strip being formed into an endless belt, drive elements projecting transversely from the feeding surface of said belt, a frame supporting said belt along the surface thereof opposite to said feeding surface, said frame includes a pair of side plates disposed along opposite edges of said belt, each of said plates having a shoulder extending along the path of said belt, each shoulder extending under said surface of said belt opposite to said feeding surface thereof; said plates each have guide surfaces above said shoulders, said guide surfaces extending linearly between the ends of said plates, said guide surfaces being coplanar with said feeding surface of said belt, said shoulders and said guide surfaces having a wall therebetween, said wall and said shoulders providing a guide for said belt along a linear path coplanar with said guide surfaces and, driving means engaged with said belt.

Claim 10

A feed mechanism which comprises: a strip of flexible material having its thinnest dimension between a feeding surface and a surface closely adjacent thereto, said strip being formed into an endless belt, drive elements projecting transversely from the feeding surface of said belt, a frame supporting said belt along the surface thereof opposite to said feeding surface, said frame includes a pair of side plates disposed along opposite edges of said belt, each of said plates having a shoulder extending along the path of said belt, each shoulder extending under said surface of said belt opposite to said feeding surface thereof; said plates each have guide surfaces above said shoulders, said guide surfaces extending linearly between the ends of said plates, said guide surfaces being coplanar with said feeding surface of said belt, said shoulders and said guide surfaces having a wall therebetween, said wall and said shoulders providing a guide for said belt along a linear path coplanar with said guide surfaces and, driving means engaged with said belt.

Claim 11

The invention as set forth in claim 5 wherein said drive elements include pin portions and hemi-cylindrical lugs, which are spaced in equi-distance from each other along a predetermined circular path, said drive means comprising a pair of sprockets journalled in said frame between the plates thereof, said sprockets having peripheries which define said circular path, said sprockets also having hemi-cylindrical slots therein spaced along said path by distances equal to the spacing of said lugs.

Claim 12

The invention as set forth in claim 6 wherein said feed mechanism includes a pair of the mechanisms as defined in claim 5, a drive shaft and a guide shaft, disposed in parallel relationship, said drive shaft extending into and in driving relationship with a first sprocket on each of said mechanisms, and said guide shaft extending into the second of said sprockets of each of said mechanisms, said mechanisms being spaced laterally from each other along said shafts.

Claim 13

The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein a perforated web is disposed on said guide surfaces of said mechanisms with the perforations therein in engagement with the pins projecting from the belts of said mechanisms, each of said mechanisms having a slotted guide plate pivotally mounted on the frames thereof, said guide plates being pivotable onto guide surfaces thereof to hold down said web on said guide surfaces with said pin portions projecting through said slots in said guide plates.

Claim 14

A feed mechanism which comprises: a strip of flexible material having its thinnest dimension between a feeding surface and a surface closely adjacent thereto, said strip being formed into an endless belt, drive elements projecting transversely from the feeding surface of said belt, said strip being perforated at positions longitudinally spaced from each other and said drive elements are disposed in said perforations; said drive elements having a pin portion which projects through said feeding surface, said pin portion having a cylindrical base and a hemispherical cap on said base; and a drive means engagement portion which projects through said opposite surface of said strip; a frame supporting said belt along the surface thereof opposite to said feeding surface, and driving means engaged with said belt, and said pin and drive means engaging portion being integral with each other and formed by molding on to said strip, said belt and said drive elements being of dissimilar materials made into an integral assembly by placing said belt in a mold and injecting said drive element materials into said mold and through said belt perforations.

Claim 15

A feed mechanism which comprises: a strip of flexible material having its thinnest dimension between a feeding surface and a surface closely adjacent thereto, said strip being formed into an endless belt, drive elements projecting transversely from the feeding surface of said belt, said strip being perforated at positions longitudinally spaced from each other and said drive elements are disposed in said perforations; said drive elements having a pin portion which projects through said feeding surface, said pin portion having a cylindrical base and a hemispherical cap on said base; and a drive means engagement portion which projects through said opposite surface of said strip; a frame supporting said belt along the surface thereof opposite to said feeding surface, and driving means engaged with said belt, and said pin and drive means engaging portion being integral with each other and formed by molding on to said strip, said belt and said drive elements being of dissimilar materials made into an integral assembly by placing said belt in a mold and injecting said drive element materials into said mold and through said belt perforations.