Patent US3877696A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3877696A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet orienting apparatus
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1973-11-08
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Granted: 1975-04-15
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Expires: 1993-11-08
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is an apparatus for properly orienting a thin flexible lighographic master sheet prior to the master sheet being fed to and clamped onto the master sheet cylinder of a lithographic press. The apparatus is basically a flat tray with movable pushers mounted thereon for shifting a sheet deposited on the tray in a lateral direction with respect to the direction of travel of the sheet and also longitudinally along the direction of travel of the sheet in order to place the sheet in a precise predetermined position with respect to a take-away mechanism. The apparatus also includes a movable wire guide device which maintains the sheet in a flat condition while it is being oriented to prevent the sheet from buckling more than the very slight degree which is specifically provided for to assure proper orientation. The device is constructed to be self-powered and readily removable from the duplicating machine with which it is normally associated.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph F Miciukiewicz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 19:46
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41L; B41L29/00; B41L29/12; B65; B65H; B65H9/00; B65H9/10; B65H9/101
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
267 words
A device for orienting sheets in a predetermined dimensional and timed relationship between two independently operable instrumentalities, said device comprising: A. sheet support means adapted to be positioned between the instrumentalities to receive a sheet from one instrumentality and deliver the sheet to the other instrumentality, said sheet support means being dimensioned to be at least slightly larger in length and width than the corresponding dimensions of the sheet to be handled, B. means for feeding sheets onto said sheet support means in substantially flat condition, C. sheet guide means mounted on said device over substantially the entire extent of said support means in closely spaced relationship with said support means for maintaining a sheet thereon in substantially flat condition, D. movable side edge registering means mounted on said device for establishing a predetermined position of a sheet on said support means laterally with respect to the direction of travel of the sheet along said support means, E. movable lead edge registering means mounted on said device adjacent an inlet end of said sheet orienting device in position to engage the trailing edge of a sheet deposited on said support means by said feeding means for establishing a predetermined position of the sheet on said support means longitudinally with respect to the direction of travel of the sheet along said support means, F. actuating means for moving said side edge registering means and said lead edge registering means in a predetermined timed sequence, and G. means operable to initiate operation of said actuating means when a sheet is deposited upon said support means by said feeding means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
267 words
A device for orienting sheets in a predetermined dimensional and timed relationship between two independently operable instrumentalities, said device comprising: A. sheet support means adapted to be positioned between the instrumentalities to receive a sheet from one instrumentality and deliver the sheet to the other instrumentality, said sheet support means being dimensioned to be at least slightly larger in length and width than the corresponding dimensions of the sheet to be handled, B. means for feeding sheets onto said sheet support means in substantially flat condition, C. sheet guide means mounted on said device over substantially the entire extent of said support means in closely spaced relationship with said support means for maintaining a sheet thereon in substantially flat condition, D. movable side edge registering means mounted on said device for establishing a predetermined position of a sheet on said support means laterally with respect to the direction of travel of the sheet along said support means, E. movable lead edge registering means mounted on said device adjacent an inlet end of said sheet orienting device in position to engage the trailing edge of a sheet deposited on said support means by said feeding means for establishing a predetermined position of the sheet on said support means longitudinally with respect to the direction of travel of the sheet along said support means, F. actuating means for moving said side edge registering means and said lead edge registering means in a predetermined timed sequence, and G. means operable to initiate operation of said actuating means when a sheet is deposited upon said support means by said feeding means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means operable to initiate operation of said actuating means comprises means responsive to the arrival of a sheet on said support means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said actuating means for said side edge registering means and said lead edge registering means includes a source of power mounted on said orienting device for operating said actuating means, and said means operable to initiate operation of said actuating means comprises means responsive to the arrival of a sheet on said support means for energizing said source of power.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
75 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said sheet guide means comprises a plurality of elongate fingers extending substantially horizontally over said sheet support means and substantially from one end of said sheet support means to the other, means mounting said fingers for limited movement thereof toward and away from said support means to facilitate entry and exit of a sheet to and from said sheet support means, and actuating means for moving said fingers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
125 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said sheet guide means comprises: A. a first plurality of elongate fingers extending substantially horizontally over said sheet support means from an intermediate location toward one end of said sheet support means, B. a second plurality of elongate fingers extending substantially horizontally over said sheet support means from said intermediate location toward the opposite end of said sheet support means, C. means disposed at said intermediate location for mounting said first and second plurality of fingers for movement toward and away from said sheet support means to facilitate entry of a sheet to and from said sheet support means, and D. actuating means for moving said first and second plurality of fingers independently in a predetermined timed relationship.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
A device according to claim 5 wherein said actuating means for said first and second plurality of fingers and said actuating means for said side edge registering means and said lead edge registering are operatively associated to actuate said first and second plurality of fingers in a predetermined timed relationship with the actuation of said side edge registering means and said lead edge registering means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
A device according to claim 6 wherein said actuating means for said first and second plurality of fingers, said side edge registering means and said front edge registering means includes a source of power for operating all said actuating means, and wherein said means operable to initiate operation of said actuating means comprises means responsive to the arrival of a sheet on said support means for energizing said source of power.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
118 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said movable lead edge registering means comprises: A. a plurality of spaced apart fingers projecting upwardly through apertures formed adjacent the entry end of said sheet support means, and B. means mounting said fingers on said sheet support means for limited movement longitudinally of the direction of travel of a sheet along said sheet support means, and wherein said sheet feeding means is mounted on said sheet support means in juxtaposition with the outermost position of said fingers to thereby deposit a sheet on said sheet support means in position to have the rear edge of a sheet engaged by said fingers when said fingers are moved by said actuating means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
309 words
A device for orienting sheets in a predetermined dimensional and timed relationship between two independently operable instrumentalities, said device comprising: A. sheet support means adapted to be positioned between the instrumentalities to receive a sheet from one instrumentality and deliver the sheet to the other instrumentality, said sheet support means being dimensioned to be at least slightly larger in length and width than the corresponding dimensions of the sheet to be handled, B. means for feeding sheets onto said support means in substantially flat condition, C. sheet guide means mounted on said device over substantially the entire extent of said sheet support means in closely spaced relation with said sheet support means for limited movement toward and away from said sheet support means, D. side edge registering means mounted on said device along one longitudinal edge of said sheet support means for limited movement toward and away from the opposite longitudinal edge of said sheet support means, E. lead edge registering means mounted on said device adjacent an inlet end of said sheet orienting device in position to engage the trailing edge of a sheet deposited on said support means by said feeding means adjacent one lateral edge of said sheet support means for movement toward and away from the opposite lateral edge of said sheet support means, and F. actuating means for moving said sheet guide means, said side edge registering means and said lead edge registering means successively in a predetermined timed sequence whereby said sheet guide means moves toward said sheet support means to maintain a sheet thereon in flat condition, said side edge registering means then moves toward said opposite longitudinal edge to register the sheet laterally of said sheet support means and said lead edge registering means then moves toward said opposite lateral edge to register the sheet longitudinally of said sheet support means.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
309 words
A device for orienting sheets in a predetermined dimensional and timed relationship between two independently operable instrumentalities, said device comprising: A. sheet support means adapted to be positioned between the instrumentalities to receive a sheet from one instrumentality and deliver the sheet to the other instrumentality, said sheet support means being dimensioned to be at least slightly larger in length and width than the corresponding dimensions of the sheet to be handled, B. means for feeding sheets onto said support means in substantially flat condition, C. sheet guide means mounted on said device over substantially the entire extent of said sheet support means in closely spaced relation with said sheet support means for limited movement toward and away from said sheet support means, D. side edge registering means mounted on said device along one longitudinal edge of said sheet support means for limited movement toward and away from the opposite longitudinal edge of said sheet support means, E. lead edge registering means mounted on said device adjacent an inlet end of said sheet orienting device in position to engage the trailing edge of a sheet deposited on said support means by said feeding means adjacent one lateral edge of said sheet support means for movement toward and away from the opposite lateral edge of said sheet support means, and F. actuating means for moving said sheet guide means, said side edge registering means and said lead edge registering means successively in a predetermined timed sequence whereby said sheet guide means moves toward said sheet support means to maintain a sheet thereon in flat condition, said side edge registering means then moves toward said opposite longitudinal edge to register the sheet laterally of said sheet support means and said lead edge registering means then moves toward said opposite lateral edge to register the sheet longitudinally of said sheet support means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
88 words
A device according to claim 9 wherein said sheet guide means comprises: A. first guide means extending substantially horizontally over said sheet support means from an intermediate location toward one end of said sheet support means, B. second guide means extending substantially horizontally over said sheet support means from said intermediate location toward the other end of said sheet support means, and C. means disposed at said intermediate location for mounting said first and second guide means for independent movement toward and away from said sheet support means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
91 words
A device according to claim 10 wherein said actuating means includes means for moving said first and second guide means independently of each other and in predetermined timed sequence with said side edge registering means and said lead edge registering means such that said first guide means moves toward said sheet support means prior to said side edge registering means moving toward said opposite longitudinal edge and said second sheet guide means moves away from said sheet support means after said lead edge registering means moves toward said opposite lateral edge.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
102 words
A device according to claim 11 wherein said actuating means comprises: A. a cam shaft, B. a plurality of cams fixedly mounted on said cam shaft, one for each of said first and second sheet guide means, said side edge registering means and said lead edge registering means, C. a plurality of cam followers operatively associated with said cams, and D. linkage means operatively interconnecting said cam followers with said first and second sheet guide means, said side edge registering means and said lead edge registering means whereby the latter are caused to move in response to rotation of said cam shaft.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
A device according to claim 12 further including means for rotating said cam shaft through a single revolution for each sheet deposited upon said sheet support means whereby said actuating means is operated through a single cycle of the aforesaid series of movements for each sheet deposited on said sheet support means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
65 words
A device according to claim 13 wherein said means for rotating said cam shaft through said single revolution comprises means responsive to a sheet being deposited on said sheet support means for initiating rotation of said cam shaft, and means responsive to the completion of one revolution of said cam shaft for terminating rotation thereof until another sheet is deposited on said sheet support means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-14 | 1978-10-14 | 1979-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-14 | 1982-10-14 | 1983-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-14 | 1986-10-14 | 1987-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |