Patent NL7407939A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3891203A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3891203A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Office machine including flat article feeder
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-12-27
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Granted: 1975-06-24
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Expires: 1993-12-27
Abstract
Abstract An office machine including input and output feeders for processing flat articles, such as for automatically labelling envelopes. The output feeder includes a conveyor belt on a conveyor platform for feeding the articles away from the processing station, the conveyor platform being made of a plurality of hinged sections permitting the platform and the conveyor belt to be disposed in either an extended operating position wherein the hinged platform sections are extended for conveying the flat articles from the processing station, or in a folded non-operating position wherein the hinged platform sections are folded to conform to the configuration of, and to serve as a part of, the casing for the machine. The input feeder includes a rotatable web for supporting the stack of flat articles, a rotatable roller for receiving the articles from the bottom of the stack, and a bowed stripper member spring-urged against the roller and assuring a one-by-one feed of the articles.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Schiff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 06:30
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65C; B65C9/00; B65C9/02; B65C1/00; B65C1/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
An office machine comprising a machine casing, means within the casing for processing a plurality of flat articles, an input feeder feeding the flat articles from a supply station at the input side of the casing to a processing station within the casing, and an output feeder at the output side of the casing for feeding the articles away from the processing station, at least one of said feeders comprising a conveyor belt and a conveyor platform supporting the belt, said conveyor platform incluDing a plurality of hinged sections permitting the platform and the conveyor belt supported thereby to be disposed in either an extended operating position wherein the hinged platform sections are extended for conveying the flat articles, or in a folded nonoperating position wherein the hinged platform sections are folded to conform to the configuration of the machine casing and the conveyor belt disposed within the machine casing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
An office machine comprising a machine casing, means within the casing for processing a plurality of flat articles, an input feeder feeding the flat articles from a supply station at the input side of the casing to a processing station within the casing, and an output feeder at the output side of the casing for feeding the articles away from the processing station, at least one of said feeders comprising a conveyor belt and a conveyor platform supporting the belt, said conveyor platform incluDing a plurality of hinged sections permitting the platform and the conveyor belt supported thereby to be disposed in either an extended operating position wherein the hinged platform sections are extended for conveying the flat articles, or in a folded nonoperating position wherein the hinged platform sections are folded to conform to the configuration of the machine casing and the conveyor belt disposed within the machine casing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
An office machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the hinged conveyor platform sections are foldable to extend across the top of the machine casing and to cover the other feeder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
An office machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the output feeder is the foldable one, and wherein the end hinged section of its conveyor platform includes a stacker member for stacking the flat articles fed thereto.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
An office machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the foldable conveyor platform includes a supporting member on one or more hinged sections for supporting the conveyor platform in its extended operating position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
An office machine as defined in claim 1, further including a roller supporting the conveyor belt carried on each of the end hinged sections of the foldable conveyor platform.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
An office machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the output feeder is the foldable one and wherein the flat articles are supported in a stack in the supply station, said input feeder feeding the articles from the bottom of the stack.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
140 words
An office machine as defined in claim 6, wherein said input feeder comprises a rotatable member, drive means for rotating said rotatable member, and a stripper member including a flexible strip supported above the rotatable member with its lower end resiliently-urged against the upper surface of the rotatable member and bowed in the direction of feed of the flat articles, said rotatable member and flexible strip being of a width at least equal to the width of the flat articles which are fed between the two, the surface friction of the rotatable member being greater than that of the lower free end and of the flexible strip whereby the rotatable member feeds the flat articles from the bottom of the stack and the flexible strip assures that only one flat article is fed at one time by the rotatable member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
An office machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said stripper member comprises a supporting element supporting the upper end of the flexible strip, and at least one spring finger secured at its upper end to the supporting element, the lower end of this spring finger being bowed and bearing against the flexible strip for urging same against the rotatable member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
An office machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said rotatable member is a roller, and said input feeder further includes a rotatable web at the input side of the roller for supporting the stack of flat articles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
An office machine as defined in claim 9, wherein said stripper member includes a rigid plate overlying and spaced above the roller, said plate cooperating with said web in maintaining the articles in a stack during the rotation of the web without the need for rear or side walls.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
205 words
An office machine including a feeder for feeding flat articles from the bottom of a stack, comprising: a rotatable web for supporting the stack of flat articles; a roller disposed in alignment with the rotatable web at the end thereof in the direction of feed of the flat articles; drive means for rotating said roller and web; a rigid plate spaced above said roller; and a stripper member including a flexible strip supported by said rigid plate above the roller with the lower end of the flexible strip resiliently urged against the upper surface of the roller and bowed in the direction of feed of the flat articles; said roller, flexible strip and rigid plate being of a width at least equal to the width of the flat articles to be fed, the surface friction of the roller being greater than that of the lower free end of the flexiblE strip; whereby the machine may be continuously loaded without adjusting for the width, length or thickness of the flat articles, the flat articles being fed one at a time from the bottom of the stack and being maintained in a stack by the rotation of the web without the need for rear or side walls.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
205 words
An office machine including a feeder for feeding flat articles from the bottom of a stack, comprising: a rotatable web for supporting the stack of flat articles; a roller disposed in alignment with the rotatable web at the end thereof in the direction of feed of the flat articles; drive means for rotating said roller and web; a rigid plate spaced above said roller; and a stripper member including a flexible strip supported by said rigid plate above the roller with the lower end of the flexible strip resiliently urged against the upper surface of the roller and bowed in the direction of feed of the flat articles; said roller, flexible strip and rigid plate being of a width at least equal to the width of the flat articles to be fed, the surface friction of the roller being greater than that of the lower free end of the flexiblE strip; whereby the machine may be continuously loaded without adjusting for the width, length or thickness of the flat articles, the flat articles being fed one at a time from the bottom of the stack and being maintained in a stack by the rotation of the web without the need for rear or side walls.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
An office machine as defined in claim 11, wherein said stripper member is secured to the lower end of the rigid plate and includes at least one spring finger secured at its upper end to the rigid plate, the lower end of the spring finger being bowed and bearing against the flexible strip for urging same against the roller.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
An office machine as defined in claim 12, further including a spring-loaded pressure member bearing against the lower end of the spring finger.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
An office machine as defined in claim 11 wherein said rotatable web is at a downwardly incline to the horizontal plane in the direction of the rigid plate.
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) | 1978-06-23 | 1978-12-23 | 1979-06-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-23 | 1982-12-23 | 1983-06-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-23 | 1986-12-23 | 1987-06-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |