US3856293A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automated fold pan
Assignee: Bell and Howell Co
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Filing: 1972-12-14
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Granted: 1974-12-24
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Expires: 1992-12-14
Abstract
Abstract A buckle-type sheet folding machine is described wherein an adjusting mechanism for a fold-pan paper stop includes reversed crown extension springs attached to the paper stop. The adjusting mechanism further includes rotatable sprockets which mesh with longitudinally spaced apertures in the reversed-crown extension springs to drive extended portions of the springs and thereby move the paper stop. An indicator mechanism is described wherein an indicator sprocket, which rotates with the rotatable sprockets, meshes with apertures in a steel band, and therefore drives the steel band as the paper stop is moved. The steel band has indicia thereon for indicating the position of the paper stop. The adjusting mechanism is mounted on a bias bar which, in turn, is pivotally mounted on the fold pan. Means are provided for pivoting the bias bar relative to the fold pan in order to place the paper stop at an angle to the fold pan. In an embodiment a pivoting mechanism includes an eccentric cam. Means are also provided for automatically positioning the paper stop relative to the fold pan when it is used as a deflector.
Inventors
- 👤 H Boyer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 05:57
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H45/00; B65H45/12; B65H45/14; B65H45/142; B65H45/144; B65H9/00; B65H9/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A fold-pan assembly for attachment to a sheet folding machine comprising: a pair of parallel spaced plates defining a space therebetween with a sheet-entrance mouth at one end thereof; a fold-controlling paper stop disposed in said space movable toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth; a crown extension spring attached to said paper stop, said crown extension spring normally having a stored coiled portion and a non-coiled extended portion having an end attached to said paper stop; and a paper-stop adjusting means rigidly engaging said extended portion for moving said extended portion to thereby move said attached paper stop toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth and to coil and uncoil portions of said crown extension spring.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
A fold-pan assembly for attachment to a sheet folding machine comprising: a pair of parallel spaced plates defining a space therebetween with a sheet-entrance mouth at one end thereof; a fold-controlling paper stop disposed in said space movable toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth; a crown extension spring attached to said paper stop, said crown extension spring normally having a stored coiled portion and a non-coiled extended portion having an end attached to said paper stop; and a paper-stop adjusting means rigidly engaging said extended portion for moving said extended portion to thereby move said attached paper stop toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth and to coil and uncoil portions of said crown extension spring.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A fold-pan assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said crown extension spring has longitudinally spaced apertures therein; and said paper-stop adjusting means includes a rotatable gear which meshes with said apertures and causes said extended portion to move when said gear is rotated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
100 words
A fold-pan assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein an indicating assembly is attached to said rotatable gear to indicate the positioN of said paper stop as said paper stop is moved, said indicating assembly comprising: an indicator drive gear which rotates with said rotatable gear; and an elongated indicating band having apertures therein which mesh with said gear, said elongated band having indicating indicia thereon; whereby as said rotatable gear is rotated, said indicator drive gear is also rotated and moves said indicating band longitudinally to indicate the position of said paper stop relative to the sheet entrance mouth.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A fold-pan assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are two crown extension springs attached to said paper stop and two paper-stop adjusting means for respectively moving extended portions of said two crown extension springs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
108 words
A fold pan assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein an indicating assembly is linked to said paper-stop adjusting means to indicate the position of said paper stop as said paper stop is moved, said indicating assembly comprising: an indicator drive gear which rotates in response to actuation of said paper-stop adjusting means; and an elongated indicating band having apertures therein which register with said gear, said elongated band having indicating indicia thereon; whereby, as said paper-stop adjusting means is actuated said indicator drive gear is rotated and moves said elongated indicating band longitudinally to indicate the position of the paper stop relative to the sheet entrance mouth.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
79 words
A fold-pan assembly as claimed in claim 4 further including a bias bar on which said paper-stop adjusting means are mounted wherein said bias bar is pivotally mounted on said parallel spaced plates and further including a locking means for locking said bias bar at various positions on said parallel spaced plates; whereby said bias bar can be rotated relative to said parallel spaced plates to position said paper stop at various angles relative to said parallel spaced plates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
A fold pan assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein a pivoting mechanism is included which comprises a cam linkage and a pivotal linkage between said bias bar and one of said parallel spaced plates, whereby said cam is manually movable to provide controlled pivotal movement of said bias bar relative to said parallel spaced plates.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
A fold pan assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein is further included: two spacially separated squaring abutment members mounted on said paper stop; and an abutment structure mounted on said parallel spaced plates near said sheet-entrance mouth for abuting said squaring abutment members when said paper stop moves to a forward position at said sheet-entrance mouth and thereby automatically squaring said paper stop relative to said parallel spaced plates.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A fold-pan assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said crown extension spring is a reversed-crown extension spring.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
123 words
A sheet-folding machine having a plurality of sheet feeding rollers comprising: a fold-pan assembly comprising: a pair of parallel spaced plates defining a space therebetween with a sheet-entrance mouth at one end thereof; a fold-controlling paper stop disposed in said space and movable toward and away from said sheet entrance mouth; a crown extension spring attached to said paper stop, said crown extension spring normally having a stored coiled portion and a non-coiled extended portion having an end attached to said paper stop; and a paper-stop adjust means rigidly engaging said extended portion for moving said extended portion to thereby move said attached paper stop toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth and to coil and uncoil portions of said crown extension spring.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
123 words
A sheet-folding machine having a plurality of sheet feeding rollers comprising: a fold-pan assembly comprising: a pair of parallel spaced plates defining a space therebetween with a sheet-entrance mouth at one end thereof; a fold-controlling paper stop disposed in said space and movable toward and away from said sheet entrance mouth; a crown extension spring attached to said paper stop, said crown extension spring normally having a stored coiled portion and a non-coiled extended portion having an end attached to said paper stop; and a paper-stop adjust means rigidly engaging said extended portion for moving said extended portion to thereby move said attached paper stop toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth and to coil and uncoil portions of said crown extension spring.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
A sheet-folding machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein: said crown extension spring has longitudinally spaced apertures therein; and said paper-stop adjusting means includes a rotatable gear which meshes with said apertures and causes said extended portion to move when said gear is rotated.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
100 words
A sheet-foldIng machine as claimed in claim 11 wherein an indicating assembly is attached to said rotatable gear to indicate the position of said paper stop as said paper stop is moved, said indicating assembly comprising: an indicator drive gear which rotates with said rotatable gear; and an elongated indicating band having apertures therein which mesh with said gear, said elongated band having indicating indicia thereon; whereby as said rotatable gear is rotated, said indicator drive gear is also rotated and moves said indicating band longitudinally to indicate the position of said paper stop relative to the sheet entrance mouth.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A sheet-folding machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein there are two crown extension springs attached to said paper stop and two paper-stop adjusting means for respectively moving extended portion of said two crown extension springs.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
107 words
A sheet-folding machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein an indicating assembly is linked to said paper-stop adjusting means to indicate the position of said paper stop as said paper stop is moved, said indicating assembly comprising: an indicator drive gear which rotates in response to actuation of said paper-stop adjusting means; and an elongated indicating band having apertures therein which mesh with said gear, said elongated band having indicating indicia thereon; whereby, as said paper-stop adjusting means is actuated said indicator drive gear is rotated and moves said elongated indicating band longitudinally to indicate the position of said paper stop relative to the sheet entrance mouth.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
80 words
A sheet-folding machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein is further included a bias bar on which said paper-stop adjusting means are mounted wherein said bias bar is pivotally mounted on said parallel spaced plates and further including a locking means for locking said bias bar at various positions on said parallel spaced plates; whereby said bias bar can be rotated relative to said parallel spaced plates to position said paper stops at angles relative to said parallel spaced plates.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
A sheet-folding machine as claimed in claim 15 wherein a pivoting mechanism is included which comprises a cam linkage and a pivotal linkage between said bias bar and one of said parallel spaced plates, whereby said cam is manually movable to provide controlled pivotal movement of said bias bar relative to said parallel spaced plates.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
67 words
A sheet-folding machine claimed in claim 15 wherein is further included: two spacially separated squaring abutment members mounted on said paper stop; and an abutment structure mounted on said parallel spaced plates near said sheet-entrance mouth for abuting said squaring abutment members when said paper stop moves to a forward position at said sheet-entrance mouth and thereby automatically squaring said paper stop with said parallel space plates.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sheet-folding machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein said crown extension spring is a reversed-crown extension spring.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
143 words
A fold pan adopted for attachment to a sheet folding machine comprising: a pair of parallel spaced plates defining a space therebetween with a sheet-entrance mouth at one end thereof; a fold-controlling paper stop disposed in said space and movable toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth; a paper-stop adjusting means which is actuated by means of an actuating shaft for moving said paper stop toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth; wherein said paper-stop adjusting means comprises an indicator device which includes: an indicator drive gear mounted on said actuating shaft; an elongated band having apertures therein which meshes with said gear, said elongated band having indicating indicia thereon; whereby, as said shaft is rotated, said indicator drive gear is also rotated and moves said elongated band longitudinally to indicate the position of said paper stop relative to the sheet entrance mouth.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
143 words
A fold pan adopted for attachment to a sheet folding machine comprising: a pair of parallel spaced plates defining a space therebetween with a sheet-entrance mouth at one end thereof; a fold-controlling paper stop disposed in said space and movable toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth; a paper-stop adjusting means which is actuated by means of an actuating shaft for moving said paper stop toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth; wherein said paper-stop adjusting means comprises an indicator device which includes: an indicator drive gear mounted on said actuating shaft; an elongated band having apertures therein which meshes with said gear, said elongated band having indicating indicia thereon; whereby, as said shaft is rotated, said indicator drive gear is also rotated and moves said elongated band longitudinally to indicate the position of said paper stop relative to the sheet entrance mouth.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
145 words
A fold-pan assembly adapted For attachment to a sheet folding machine comprising: a pair of parallel spaced plates defining a space therebetween with a sheet-entrance mouth at one end thereof; a fold-controlling paper stop disposed in said space and movable toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth; a crown extension spring attached to said paper stop, said crown extension spring normally having an extended portion attached to said paper stop, and a stored, coiled portion; and a paper-stop adjusting means for moving said extended portion to thereby move said attached paper stop toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth and to coil and uncoil portions of said crown extension spring; said crown extension spring having longitudinally spaced apertures therein; and said paper-stop adjusting means including a rotatable gear which meshes with said apertures and causes said extended portion to move when said gear is rotated.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
145 words
A fold-pan assembly adapted For attachment to a sheet folding machine comprising: a pair of parallel spaced plates defining a space therebetween with a sheet-entrance mouth at one end thereof; a fold-controlling paper stop disposed in said space and movable toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth; a crown extension spring attached to said paper stop, said crown extension spring normally having an extended portion attached to said paper stop, and a stored, coiled portion; and a paper-stop adjusting means for moving said extended portion to thereby move said attached paper stop toward and away from said sheet-entrance mouth and to coil and uncoil portions of said crown extension spring; said crown extension spring having longitudinally spaced apertures therein; and said paper-stop adjusting means including a rotatable gear which meshes with said apertures and causes said extended portion to move when said gear is rotated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1606459A
Cited
US3495818A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-23 | 1978-06-24 | 1978-12-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-23 | 1982-06-24 | 1982-12-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-23 | 1986-06-24 | 1986-12-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |