Patent US3880016A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3880016A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Variable displacement apparatus for platen and tractor feed
Assignee: Qume Corp
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Filing: 1974-03-07
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Granted: 1975-04-29
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Expires: 1994-03-07
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for enabling manual alignment of a flexible sheet in a sheet transport device having automatic detent. An incremental stepping motor providing document detent drives a platen and a tractor feed apparatus via a unique drive train. The drive train includes a first gear rotatably mounted on the platen shaft, a second gear secured to the platen shaft inboard of the first gear and a motion transfer plate slideably and rotatably received on the platen shaft. The motion transfer plate has a pair of arcuately shaped beveled gear surfaces normally engaged with a beveled inner gear surface of the first gear when the transfer plate is in a first position on the platen shaft. The beveled gear surfaces are joined by a pair of wall surfaces which are embraced by a pair of arms integral with the second gear. The motion transfer plate is secured to a control shaft having an adjustment knob, the control shaft being slideably received in a bore in the platen shaft and normally biased by a spring to the first position. The sheet is aligned relative to the detent position by displacing the control shaft inwardly until the motion transfer plate is disengaged from the first gear and by rotating the transfer plate by means of the knob and control shaft to adjust the angular position of the platen, the second gear and the tractor feed apparatus relative to the stepping motor detent position. Upon release, the control shaft and motion transfer plate return under the action of the spring to the first position. A pair of alignment devices are used in conjunction with two independently rotatable platen halves and independently operable drive trains and stepping motors to provide independent alignment of a pair of flexible sheets associated thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 John W Jamieson
- 👤 Ronald G Weller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 13:13
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16D; F16D11/00; F16D11/14; B; B41; B41J; B41J11/00; B41J11/24; B41J11/26; B41J11/30; B41J19/00; B41J19/76; B41J19/78; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S400/00; Y10S400/902; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/19; Y10T74/19614
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
In combination with a drive train for coupling rotary motion from a source to a platen having a shaft, said drive train including means for providing positive motion detent, the improvement comprising means for enabling variable positional alignment of said platen relative to said positive detent means, said alignment means including: first gear means coupled to said drive train; second gear means coupled to said platen; motion transfer means coupled to said second gear means and normally coupled to said first gear means when in a first position; and means for translating said motion transfer means to a second position in which said first gear means is disengaged therefrom and for enabling rotation of said motion transfer means independently of said first gear means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
In combination with a drive train for coupling rotary motion from a source to a platen having a shaft, said drive train including means for providing positive motion detent, the improvement comprising means for enabling variable positional alignment of said platen relative to said positive detent means, said alignment means including: first gear means coupled to said drive train; second gear means coupled to said platen; motion transfer means coupled to said second gear means and normally coupled to said first gear means when in a first position; and means for translating said motion transfer means to a second position in which said first gear means is disengaged therefrom and for enabling rotation of said motion transfer means independently of said first gear means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
111 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said first gear means is rotatably mounted on said platen shaft and has an outer gear surface driven by said drive train and a beveled inner gear surface; said motion transfer means comprises a gear plate translatably received on said platen shaft adjacent said first gear and having a pair of oppositely disposed beveled gear surfaces joined by a pair of wall surfaces and engagEable with said inner gear surface; and said second gear means is secured to said platen shaft adjacent said motion transfer means and is provided with a pair of arms extending towards said gear plate and embracing said wall surfaces thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The combination of claim 2 wherein said translating means comprises a translatable shaft secured to said motion transfer means, said translatable shaft being received in an open bore in the end of said platen shaft, and means for biasing said shaft in an axial direction to urge said motion transfer means to said first position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The combination of claim 3 wherein said platen shaft is provided with an axially extending transverse slot and said translatable shaft and said motion transfer means are provided with a transverse bore, and further including a lock pin received in said transverse bores and said slot.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination of claim 1 further including a tractor drive assembly having a drive gear coupled to said second gear means via an intermediate gear.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
141 words
For use in a printer having a print station, the combination comprising: a housing; a stepping motor mounted on said housing and having an output gear, said stepping motor providing a detent position; a platen having a shaft rotatably mounted on said housing for feeding flexible sheet material past said print station; a first gear means driven by said output gear; a second gear means secured to said platen shaft; motion transfer means for transferring motion of said first gear to said second gear when said motion transfer means is in a first position; and means for translating said motion transfer means to a second position in which said first gear means is disengaged therefrom and for enabling rotation of said motion transfer means independently of said first means to enable alignment of said sheet material relative to said detent position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
141 words
For use in a printer having a print station, the combination comprising: a housing; a stepping motor mounted on said housing and having an output gear, said stepping motor providing a detent position; a platen having a shaft rotatably mounted on said housing for feeding flexible sheet material past said print station; a first gear means driven by said output gear; a second gear means secured to said platen shaft; motion transfer means for transferring motion of said first gear to said second gear when said motion transfer means is in a first position; and means for translating said motion transfer means to a second position in which said first gear means is disengaged therefrom and for enabling rotation of said motion transfer means independently of said first means to enable alignment of said sheet material relative to said detent position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
119 words
The combination of claim 6 wherein said first gear means is rotatably mounted on said platen shaft and has an outer gear driven by said output gear and a beveled inner gear surface; said motion transfer means comprises a gear plate translatably received on said platen shaft adjacent said first gear and having a pair of oppositely disposed beveled gear surfaces joined by a pair of wall surfaces, said beveled gear surfaces being engageable with said inner gear surface of said first gear means; and said second gear means is secured to said platen shaft adjacent said motion transfer means and is provided with a pair of arms extending towards said gear plate and embracing said wall surfaces thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
The combination of claim 7 wherein said translating means comprises a translatable shaft secured to said motion transfer means, said translatable shaft being received in an open bore in the end of said platen shaft, and means for biasing said translatable shaft in an axial direction to urge said motion transfer means to said first position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination of claim 6 further including a tractor drive assembly having a drive gear coupled to said second gear means via an intermediate gear.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination of claim 8 wherein said platen shaft is provided with an axially extending transverse slot and said translatable shaft and said motion transfer means are each provided with a transverse bore, and further including a lock pin received in said transverse bores and said slot.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
154 words
The combination of claim 6 further including a second stepping motor mounted on said housing and having an output gear, said second stepping motor providing a dentent position; a second platen having a shaft rotatably mounted on said housing for feeding flexible sheet material past said print station; a third gear means driven by said output gear of said second stepping motor; a fourth gear means secured to said second platen shaft; second motion transfer means for transferring motion from said third gear to said fourth gear when said second motion transfer means is in a first positIon; and means for translating said second motion transfer means to an alternate position in which said third gear means is disengaged therefrom and for enabling rotation of said second motion transfer means independently of said third gear means to enable alignment of said sheet material relative to said detent position provided by said second stepping motor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
141 words
The combination of claim 11 wherein said third gear means is rotatably mounted on said second platen shaft and has an outer gear driven by said output gear of said second stepping motor and a beveled inner gear surface; said second motion transfer means comprises a gear plate translatably received on said second platen shaft adjacent said third gear and having a pair of oppositely disposed beveled gear surfaces joined by a pair of wall surfaces, said beveled gear surfaces of said second motion transfer means being engageable with said inner gear surface of said third gear means; and said fourth gear means is secured to said second platen shaft adjacent said second motion transfer means and is provided with a pair of arms extending towards said gear plate of said second motion transfer means and embracing said wall surfaces thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
63 words
The combination of claim 12 wherein said means for translating said second motion transfer means comprises a translatable shaft secured to said second motion transfer means and received in an open bore in the end of said second platen shaft, and means for biasing said last-named translatable shaft in an axial direction to urge said second motion transfer means to said alternate position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination of claim 11 further including a second tractor drive assembly having a drive gear coupled to said fourth gear means via an intermediate gear.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
The combination of claim 13 wherein said second platen shaft is provided with an axially extending transverse slot and said last-named translatable shaft and said second motion transfer means are each provided with a transverse bore, and further including a lock pin received in said transverse bores and said slot.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3670861A
Cited
US3766795A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-28 | 1978-10-28 | 1979-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-28 | 1982-10-28 | 1983-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-28 | 1986-10-28 | 1987-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |