Facsimile drum feed

Claim 2

Apparatus for holding an edge of a flexible sheet on the surface of a drum mounted on a shaft for rotation of said drum on an axis parallel to a curved surface thereof, said apparatus comprising: a slot on the surface of said drum parallel to said axis, an elongated bar and feed roller combination, said bar being disposed parallel to the axis of said roller and in contact therewith, said combination being mounted flush on said drum in said slot with both the axis of said roller and the center line of said bar being disposed in a plane passing through said drum at approximately a right angle with a plane tangent to said drum surface, and means for turning said feed roller while said drum is stationary and said sheet is being fed into said slot from one side of said combination with said edge of said sheet moving into contact with both said bar and said roller.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a plate fixed to said drum and extending from said one side of said slot toward said roller and bar to guide said edge of said sheet to where said roller and bar meet, and a plate fixed to said drum and extending from said other side of said slot toward said roller and bar to guide said edge of said sheet out away from said drum.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for turning said roller is comprised of a gear train carried by said drum at one end thereof, a worm gear drive to said gear train fixed on a sleeve journaled on said shaft by bearings and means coupling said sleeve to said gear train for locking said sleeve to a first gear of said gear train upon turning said sleeve in one direction by driving said worm gear drive in one direction, and unlocking said sleeve from said first gear of said train when said drum is rotated.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 including means coupled to a gear in said gear train for locking said gear train when said drum is rotated in said one direction and unlocking said gear train while said sleeve is turned in said one direction.

Claim 6

Apparatus for loading and unloading a flexible sheet on the surface of a drum adapted to be rotated in one direction, said apparatus comprising: a guide bar mounted flush on said drum in a longitudinal slot parallel to the axis of rotation, a feed roller disposed within said drum bearing against said bar with its axis parallel to said guide bar, means for turning said roller in said one direction while said drum is stationary and a sheet is being fed into said slot from one side with its leading edge moving into contact with both said bar and said roller to cause the leading edge of said sheet to be pulled in between said bar and roller, means for stopping said roller when said leading edge emerges from between said bar and roller on the other side, and means for overriding said stopping means while said drum is stationary to rotate said roller in said one direction to unload said sheet from said drum.

Claim 7

Apparatus for loading and unloading a flexible sheet on the surface of a drum adapted to be rotated in one direction, said apparatus comprising: a guide bar mounted flush on said drum in a longitudinal slot parallel to the axis of rotation, a feed roller disposed within said drum bearing against said bar with its axis parallel to said guide bar, means for turning said roller in said one direction while said drum is stationary and a sheet is being fed into said slot from one side with its leading edge moving into contact with both said bar and said roller to cause the leading edge of said sheet to be pulled in between said bar and roller, means for stopping said roller when said leading edge emerges from between said bar and roller on the other side, and means for overriding said stopping means while said drum is stationary to rotate said roller in said one direction to unload said sheet from said drum.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 including a plate fixed to said drum and extending from said one side of said slot toward said roller and bar to guide said edge of said sheet to where said roller and bar meet, and a plate fixed to said drum and extending from said other side of said slot toward said roller and bar to guide said edge of said sheet out away from said drum.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for turning said roller in said one direction is comprised of a gear train carried by said drum at one end thereof, a worm gear drive to said gear train fixed on a sleeve journaled on said shaft by bearings and means coupling said sleeve to said gear train for locking said sleeve to a first gear of said gear train upon turning said sleeve in one direction by driving said worm gear drive in one direction, and unlocking said sleeve from said first gear of said train when said drum is rotated.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including means coupled to a gear in said gear train for locking said gear train when said drum is rotated in said one direction and unlocking said gear train while said sleeve is turned in said one direction.

Claim 11

Apparatus for loading and holding a flexible sheet on the surface of a drum while said drum is stationary, said drum being fixed on a shaft with the axis of said shaft parallel to said drum surface, said shaft being supported for rotation in one direction in a frame, said apparatus comprising a guide bar mounted in a longitudinal slot in the surface of said drum parallel to said shaft axis, said bar being flush with said drum surface and said slot being substantially wider than said bar, a feed roller disposed within said drum with its axis parallel to said drum surface, said roller bearing against said bar, means carried by the drum for turning said roller in said one direction while said drum is stationary and a sheet is fed into said slot from one side with its leading edge moving into position between said bar and roller until it is in contact with both said bar and roller to cause the leading edge of said sheet to be fed to the other side of said slot on the other side of said bar and roller, and means for stopping said roller turning means when said leading edge emerges from between said bar and roller on said other side, whereby said sheet is held by its leading edge to cause it to wrap itself around said drum when said drum is thereafter rotated.

Claim 12

Apparatus for loading and holding a flexible sheet on the surface of a drum while said drum is stationary, said drum being fixed on a shaft with the axis of said shaft parallel to said drum surface, said shaft being supported for rotation in one direction in a frame, said apparatus comprising a guide bar mounted in a longitudinal slot in the surface of said drum parallel to said shaft axis, said bar being flush with said drum surface and said slot being substantially wider than said bar, a feed roller disposed within said drum with its axis parallel to said drum surface, said roller bearing against said bar, means carried by the drum for turning said roller in said one direction while said drum is stationary and a sheet is fed into said slot from one side with its leading edge moving into position between said bar and roller until it is in contact with both said bar and roller to cause the leading edge of said sheet to be fed to the other side of said slot on the other side of said bar and roller, and means for stopping said roller turning means when said leading edge emerges from between said bar and roller on said other side, whereby said sheet is held by its leading edge to cause it to wrap itself around said drum when said drum is thereafter rotated.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 including means for overriding said stopping means while said drum is again stationary to again rotate said roller in said one direction to unload said sheet from said drum.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 including a plate fixed to said drum and extending from said one side of said slot toward said roller and guide bar to guide the leading edge of said sheet to where said roller and guide bar meet, and a plate fixed to said drum and extending from said other side of said slot toward said roller and guide bar to guide the leading edge of said sheet out away from said drum.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for turning said roller in said one direction is comprised of a gear train carried by said drum at one end thereof, a worm gear drive to said gear train fixed on a sleeve journaled on said shaft by bearings and means coupling said sleeve to said gear train for locking said sleeve to a first gear of said gear train upon turning said sleeve in one direction by driving said worm gear drive in one direction, and unlocking said sleeve from said first gear of said train when said drum is rotated.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 including means coupled to a gear in said gear train for locking said gear train when said drum is rotated in said one direction and unlocking said gear train while said sleeve is turned in said one direction.