US3847387A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Adjustable paper stack guide apparatus
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1973-04-09
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Granted: 1974-11-12
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Expires: 1993-04-09
Abstract
Abstract Adjustable paper stack guide apparatus having at least one set of square, rotatable guide members which are individually rotatable in 90* increments, each guide member in a set rotating in opposite directions. A large, rotatable drive plate having a plurality of gear segments thereon is positioned with the gear segments in meshing engagement with a like number of rotatably mounted gudgeon gears. Each guide member is fixedly mounted to one of the gudgeon gears, but positioned so that center of rotation of the gudgeon gears is off-axis with respect to the center of the guide members. Rotation of the drive plate will cause the guide members to rotate, thereby varying the distance between guide members in a particular set, allowing the apparatus to accommodate a range of different size paper.
Inventors
- 👤 M Sick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 22:15
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H1/00; B65H1/26; B65H1/266; B65H1/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
415 words
Apparatus for operatively positioning any of a plurality of different width stacks of sheet material on a supporting platform to enable the feeding of sheets therefrom, said apparatus comprising: a. a first elongated guide member operatively associated with such supporting platform and being of uniform cross-section and mounted for rotation about an axis which is parallel to and displaced from the length centerline of said first guide member and which is perpendicular to such supporting platform, said first guide member having a plurality of engaging means, at least two of which are at differing distances from said axis, (1) for engaging the lateral side of a stack, positioned on such platform, at more than one spaced line of contact to prevent rotation of the first guide member about its axis when one of the engaging means is in engagement with the lateral side of the stack, and (2) for guiding the sheets from such positioned stack during feeding; b. a second elongated guide member operatively associated with such supporting platform and being similar to said first guide member and mounted for rotation about an axis which is parallel to and displaced from the length centerline of said second guide member and parallel to the length centerline of said first guide member, said second guide member having a plurality of engaging means, at least two of which are at differing distances from said axis, (1) for engaging the lateral side of a stack, positioned on such platform, at more than one spaced line of contact to prevent rotation of the second guide member about its axis when one of the engaging means is in engagement with the lateral side of the stack, and (2) for guiding the sheets from such positioned stack during feeding; c. means operatively coupling said first and second guide members for synchronous rotational movement about the rotational axes thereof to change, by the same amount, the effective distance of the engaging means of said first and second guide members from an imaginary first plane, said first plane being parallel to said axes and to the direction of such feeding of sheets, and equidistant from said axes, said effective distance being the perpendicular distance between said first plane and imaginary planes lying tangent to the facing engaging means of said first and second guide members, and parallel to said first plane; and d. means for otating said first and second guide members to determine said effective distance in accordance with any such width.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
415 words
Apparatus for operatively positioning any of a plurality of different width stacks of sheet material on a supporting platform to enable the feeding of sheets therefrom, said apparatus comprising: a. a first elongated guide member operatively associated with such supporting platform and being of uniform cross-section and mounted for rotation about an axis which is parallel to and displaced from the length centerline of said first guide member and which is perpendicular to such supporting platform, said first guide member having a plurality of engaging means, at least two of which are at differing distances from said axis, (1) for engaging the lateral side of a stack, positioned on such platform, at more than one spaced line of contact to prevent rotation of the first guide member about its axis when one of the engaging means is in engagement with the lateral side of the stack, and (2) for guiding the sheets from such positioned stack during feeding; b. a second elongated guide member operatively associated with such supporting platform and being similar to said first guide member and mounted for rotation about an axis which is parallel to and displaced from the length centerline of said second guide member and parallel to the length centerline of said first guide member, said second guide member having a plurality of engaging means, at least two of which are at differing distances from said axis, (1) for engaging the lateral side of a stack, positioned on such platform, at more than one spaced line of contact to prevent rotation of the second guide member about its axis when one of the engaging means is in engagement with the lateral side of the stack, and (2) for guiding the sheets from such positioned stack during feeding; c. means operatively coupling said first and second guide members for synchronous rotational movement about the rotational axes thereof to change, by the same amount, the effective distance of the engaging means of said first and second guide members from an imaginary first plane, said first plane being parallel to said axes and to the direction of such feeding of sheets, and equidistant from said axes, said effective distance being the perpendicular distance between said first plane and imaginary planes lying tangent to the facing engaging means of said first and second guide members, and parallel to said first plane; and d. means for otating said first and second guide members to determine said effective distance in accordance with any such width.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention according to claim 1 wherein said axes of rotation are within the periphery of a cross-section of said first and second guide members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention according to claim 1 wherein the cross-section of said first and second guide members is such that a line passing through the center thereof divides said cross-section into two congruent geometric figures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention according to claim 1 wherein said elongated guide members are of multilateral cross-section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
117 words
The invention according to claim 1 wherein: a. said first and second guide members are of multilateral cross-section; b. said coupling means includes: first and second gears fixedly mounted on said first and second guide members, respectively, so that the axes of rotation of said gears are coincident with the axes or rotation of said guide members, and a plate rotatably mounted in operative relation to such supporting platform having a segmented gear portion in meshing engagement with said first and second gears whereby a rotation of said plate results in synchronous rotation of said guide members; and c. said axes of rotation are within the periphery of a cross-section of said first anD second guide members.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
386 words
Apparatus for operatively positioning any of a plurality of different width stacks of sheet material on a supporting platform to enable the feeding of such sheet material therefrom, said apparatus comprising: a. first, second, third and fourth elongated guide members operatively associated with such supporting platform and being of multilateral, uniform cross-section and mounted respectively for rotation about individual axes which are parallel to and displaced equal amounts from the length centerlines of said guide members and which are perpendicular to such supporting platform, said guide members each having a plurality of engaging means, at least two of which are at differing distances from said axis of the respective guide member, (1) for engaging the lateral side of a stack, positioned on such platform, at more than one spaced line of contact to prevent rotation of the respective guide member about its axis when one of the engaging means is in engagement with the lateral side of the stack, and (2) for guiding the sheets from such positioned stack during feeding; said first guide member having a first engaging means parallel to an imaginary bisecting plane which is parallel to the axes of rotation of said guide members and to the direction of such feeding of sheet material, said second guide member having a second engaging means parallel to and facing said first engaging means, said first and second engaging means, and respective axes thereof, being equidistant from said bisecting plane, said third guide member having a third engaging means parallel to and in the same plane as said first engaging means, the respective axes of said first and third guide members defining a plane parallel to said bisecting plane, said fourth guide member having a fourth engaging means parallel to and in the same plane as said second engaging means, the respective axes of said second and fourth guide members defining a plane parallel to said bisecting plane; b. means operatively coupling said first, second, third and fourth guide members for synchronous rotational movement about the rotational axes thereof to change by the same amount the perpendicular distance of said first, second, third and fourth engaging means from said bisecting plane; and c. means for rotating said first, second, third, and fourth guide members to determine said perpendicular distance in accordance with any such width.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
386 words
Apparatus for operatively positioning any of a plurality of different width stacks of sheet material on a supporting platform to enable the feeding of such sheet material therefrom, said apparatus comprising: a. first, second, third and fourth elongated guide members operatively associated with such supporting platform and being of multilateral, uniform cross-section and mounted respectively for rotation about individual axes which are parallel to and displaced equal amounts from the length centerlines of said guide members and which are perpendicular to such supporting platform, said guide members each having a plurality of engaging means, at least two of which are at differing distances from said axis of the respective guide member, (1) for engaging the lateral side of a stack, positioned on such platform, at more than one spaced line of contact to prevent rotation of the respective guide member about its axis when one of the engaging means is in engagement with the lateral side of the stack, and (2) for guiding the sheets from such positioned stack during feeding; said first guide member having a first engaging means parallel to an imaginary bisecting plane which is parallel to the axes of rotation of said guide members and to the direction of such feeding of sheet material, said second guide member having a second engaging means parallel to and facing said first engaging means, said first and second engaging means, and respective axes thereof, being equidistant from said bisecting plane, said third guide member having a third engaging means parallel to and in the same plane as said first engaging means, the respective axes of said first and third guide members defining a plane parallel to said bisecting plane, said fourth guide member having a fourth engaging means parallel to and in the same plane as said second engaging means, the respective axes of said second and fourth guide members defining a plane parallel to said bisecting plane; b. means operatively coupling said first, second, third and fourth guide members for synchronous rotational movement about the rotational axes thereof to change by the same amount the perpendicular distance of said first, second, third and fourth engaging means from said bisecting plane; and c. means for rotating said first, second, third, and fourth guide members to determine said perpendicular distance in accordance with any such width.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention according to claim 6 wherein said individual axes of rotation are within the periphery of a cross-section of said first, second, third and fourth guide members.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-11 | 1978-05-13 | 1978-11-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-11 | 1982-05-13 | 1982-11-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-11 | 1986-05-13 | 1986-11-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |