US3866903A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet feeding apparatus
Assignee: Agfa Gevaert AG
•
Filing: 1972-10-27
•
Granted: 1975-02-18
•
Expires: 1992-10-27
Abstract
Abstract A sheet feeding apparatus which delivers successive topmost sheets of a stack of sheets into the range of advancing rolls in an electrostatic copying machine has a sheet feeding device using a cylindrical sleeve consisting of elastomeric material with a high coefficient of friction and and bearing against the topmost sheet of the stack. The sleeve is rotated intermittently by a drive in a direction to move the leading portion of the topmost sheet over a front stop and two corner separators into the range of the advancing rolls. Once the topmost sheet is engaged by the advancing rolls, it begins to rotate the sleeve because it is moved forwardly at a speed exceeding the peripheral speed of the sleeve under the action of its drive. The sleeve becomes disengaged from the topmost sheet in a predetermined angular position in which its lowermost point is still located above the topmost sheet. This insures that the sleeve cannot simultaneously engage the trailing portion of the topmost sheet and the nextfollowing sheet of the stack. The disengagement of the sleeve from the topmost sheet is effected by a steel roller which orbits about the axis of the sleeve and engages the topmost sheet in the predetermined angular position of the sleeve. The roller is attached to a disk which is secured to and rotates with a metallic core surrounded by the sleeve.
Inventors
- 👤 Rudolf Eppe
- 👤 Karl Hartwig
- 👤 Juergen Vossnacke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 15:59
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/65; G03G15/6502; B; B65; B65H; B65H3/00; B65H3/02; B65H3/06; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/32; G03B27/52; G03B27/58; G03B27/585; G03B27/586
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
327 words
In a sheet feeding apparatus, particularly for transporting successive topmost sheets of a stack of sheets into the range of sheet advancing means in an electrostatic copying machine whereby the leading portions of successive topmost sheets must bypass corner separators and front stops, a combination comprising a carrier for a stack of sheets including a topmost sheet; a rotary feeding device including a topmost sheet; a rotary feeding device including an elastically deformable element having a peripheral surface normally bearing against the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier, the material of said element having a high coefficient of friction; and means for rotating said device about the axis of said element so that said element moves the topmost sheet lengthwise, said feeding device further including a disengaging member arranged to disengage said peripheral surface of said element from the topmost sheet in a predetermined angular position of said feeding device, said disengaging member including a roller having a portion extending beyond the peripheral surface of said element and an axis which is parallel to the axis of said element, said roller engaging the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier in said predetermined angular position of said feeding device, the line connecting the axis of said element with the axis of said roller and the line including the axis of said element and extendng at right angles to the plane of the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier making in said predetermined angular position of said feeding device an angle alpha which satisfies the equation sin Alpha 1/PA (MGcos Alpha /rG - MA/rL), wherein Mg is the moment of frictional resistance of said roller, MA is the moment of frictional resistance of said element, PA is the bias of said element upon the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier, rG is the radius of said roller, and rL is the distance between the axes of said element and said roller.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
327 words
In a sheet feeding apparatus, particularly for transporting successive topmost sheets of a stack of sheets into the range of sheet advancing means in an electrostatic copying machine whereby the leading portions of successive topmost sheets must bypass corner separators and front stops, a combination comprising a carrier for a stack of sheets including a topmost sheet; a rotary feeding device including a topmost sheet; a rotary feeding device including an elastically deformable element having a peripheral surface normally bearing against the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier, the material of said element having a high coefficient of friction; and means for rotating said device about the axis of said element so that said element moves the topmost sheet lengthwise, said feeding device further including a disengaging member arranged to disengage said peripheral surface of said element from the topmost sheet in a predetermined angular position of said feeding device, said disengaging member including a roller having a portion extending beyond the peripheral surface of said element and an axis which is parallel to the axis of said element, said roller engaging the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier in said predetermined angular position of said feeding device, the line connecting the axis of said element with the axis of said roller and the line including the axis of said element and extendng at right angles to the plane of the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier making in said predetermined angular position of said feeding device an angle alpha which satisfies the equation sin Alpha 1/PA (MGcos Alpha /rG - MA/rL), wherein Mg is the moment of frictional resistance of said roller, MA is the moment of frictional resistance of said element, PA is the bias of said element upon the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier, rG is the radius of said roller, and rL is the distance between the axes of said element and said roller.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said peripheral surface of said element has a flat located in the region of sid disengaging member and facing the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier in said predetermined angular position of said feeding device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said roller extends at least in part radially beyond said flat of said peripheral surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
300 words
In a sheet feeding apparatus, particularly for transporting successive topmost sheets of a stack of sheets into the range of sheet advancing means in an electrostatic copying machine whereby the leading portions of successive topmost sheets must bypass corner separator and front stops, a combination comprising a carrier for a stack of sheets including a topmost sheet; a rotary feeding device including an elastically deformable element having a peripheral surface normally bearing against the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier, the material of sid element having a high coefficient of friction; and means for rotating said device about the axis of said element so that said element moves the topmost sheet lengthwise, said feeding device further including a disengaging member arranged to disengage said peripheral surface of said element from the topmost sheet in a predetermined angular position of said feeding device, said disengaging member including a first roller having a portion extending beyond the peripheral surface of said element and an axis which is parallel to the axis of said element, said first roller engaging the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier in said predetermined angular position of said feeding device and said feeding device further comprising a second roller engaging the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier in said predetermined angular position of said feeding device, the axis of said second roller being parallel to the axis of said first roller, at least one of said rollers being rotatable about the respective axis in response to engagement with the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier and the opposition which said one roller offers to rotation about the respective axis being less than the opposition offered by the other of said rollers to rotation about the axis of said other roller.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
300 words
In a sheet feeding apparatus, particularly for transporting successive topmost sheets of a stack of sheets into the range of sheet advancing means in an electrostatic copying machine whereby the leading portions of successive topmost sheets must bypass corner separator and front stops, a combination comprising a carrier for a stack of sheets including a topmost sheet; a rotary feeding device including an elastically deformable element having a peripheral surface normally bearing against the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier, the material of sid element having a high coefficient of friction; and means for rotating said device about the axis of said element so that said element moves the topmost sheet lengthwise, said feeding device further including a disengaging member arranged to disengage said peripheral surface of said element from the topmost sheet in a predetermined angular position of said feeding device, said disengaging member including a first roller having a portion extending beyond the peripheral surface of said element and an axis which is parallel to the axis of said element, said first roller engaging the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier in said predetermined angular position of said feeding device and said feeding device further comprising a second roller engaging the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier in said predetermined angular position of said feeding device, the axis of said second roller being parallel to the axis of said first roller, at least one of said rollers being rotatable about the respective axis in response to engagement with the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier and the opposition which said one roller offers to rotation about the respective axis being less than the opposition offered by the other of said rollers to rotation about the axis of said other roller.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
342 words
In a sheet feeding apparatus, particularly for transporting successive topmost sheets of a stack of sheets into the range of sheet advancing means in an electrostatic copying machine whereby the leading portions of successive topmost sheets must bypass corner separators and front stops, a combination comprising a carrier for a stack of sheets including a topmost sheet; a rotary feeding device including an elastically deformable element having a peripheral surface normally bearing against the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier, the material of said element having a high coefficient of friction; and means for rotating said device about the axis of said element so that said element moves the topmost sheet lengthwise, said feeding device further including a disagaging member arranged to disengage said peripheral surface of said element from the topmost sheet in a predetermined angular position of said feeding device, said disagaging member including a first roller having a portion extending beyond the peripheral surface of said element and an axis which is parallel to the axis of said element, said first roller enaging the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier in said predetermined angular position of sid feeding device and said feeding device further comprising a second roller engaging the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier in said predetermined angular position of said feeding device, the axis of said seCond roller being parallel to the axis of said first roller, the lines respectively connecting the axis of said element and said first roller and the axes of said element and said second roller making an angle 2 alpha wherein the angle alpha satisfies the equation sin Alpha 1/PA (MGcos Alpha MA)/rG rL, wherein MG is moment of frictional resistance of said first roller, MA is the moment of frictional resistance of said element, PA is the bias of said element upon the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier, rG is the radius of said first roller and rL is the distance between the axes of said element and said first roller.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
342 words
In a sheet feeding apparatus, particularly for transporting successive topmost sheets of a stack of sheets into the range of sheet advancing means in an electrostatic copying machine whereby the leading portions of successive topmost sheets must bypass corner separators and front stops, a combination comprising a carrier for a stack of sheets including a topmost sheet; a rotary feeding device including an elastically deformable element having a peripheral surface normally bearing against the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier, the material of said element having a high coefficient of friction; and means for rotating said device about the axis of said element so that said element moves the topmost sheet lengthwise, said feeding device further including a disagaging member arranged to disengage said peripheral surface of said element from the topmost sheet in a predetermined angular position of said feeding device, said disagaging member including a first roller having a portion extending beyond the peripheral surface of said element and an axis which is parallel to the axis of said element, said first roller enaging the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier in said predetermined angular position of sid feeding device and said feeding device further comprising a second roller engaging the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier in said predetermined angular position of said feeding device, the axis of said seCond roller being parallel to the axis of said first roller, the lines respectively connecting the axis of said element and said first roller and the axes of said element and said second roller making an angle 2 alpha wherein the angle alpha satisfies the equation sin Alpha 1/PA (MGcos Alpha MA)/rG rL, wherein MG is moment of frictional resistance of said first roller, MA is the moment of frictional resistance of said element, PA is the bias of said element upon the topmost sheet of the stack on said carrier, rG is the radius of said first roller and rL is the distance between the axes of said element and said first roller.
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) | 1978-02-17 | 1978-08-19 | 1979-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-17 | 1982-08-19 | 1983-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-17 | 1986-08-19 | 1987-02-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |