Cartridge with removable take-up sub-cartridge

Claim 2

A main cartridge for a web, said main cartridge comprising a supply reel, removable sub-cartridge take-up means, and guide means in said main cartridge for automatically threading said web from a path extending from said supply reel and into said sub-cartridge, means for inserting said web into said sub-cartridge, and corresponding electrical contacts in each of said main and sub-cartridges, and means for biasing said sub-cartridge into contact with said main cartridge with sufficient pressure to make good contact between said electrical contacts in said cartridge and said electrical contacts in said sub-cartridge.

Claim 3

A main cartridge for a web, said main cartridge comprising a supply reel, removable sub-cartridge take-up means, and guide means in said main cartridge for automatically threading said web from a path extending from said supply reel and into said sub-cartridge, and means for inserting said web into said sub-cartridge, cutter means in said web path between said supply reel and said sub-cartridge take-up means, said cutter means comprising a normally open pair of scissor blades with one blade on each side of said path.

Claim 4

A main cartridge for a web, said main cartridge comprising a supply reel, removable sub-cartridge take-up means, and guide means in said main cartridge for automatically threading said web from a path extending from said supply reel and into said sub-cartridge, and means for inserting said web into said sub-cartridge, cutter means in said web path between said supply reel and said sub-cartridge take-up means, said cutter means comprising a normally open pair of scissor blades with one blade on each side of said path.

Claim 5

The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said bias means comprises a post in said main cartridge for locating said sub-cartridge and a spring for urging said sub-cartridge into contact with said post.

Claim 6

The cartridge of claim 3 and a normally open plurality of nested convolute springs in said sub-cartridge for coiling and embracing the web inserted into said sub-cartridge, whereby said embraced web causes at least one of said convolute springs to expand as additional web is inserted therein, and means responsive to the insertion of a predetermined amount of said web for causing said convolute springs to complete an electrical circuit across said contacts.

Claim 7

The main cartridge of claim 2 wherein said blade comprises a flat spring member having an L-shape with one arm of the L attached to the housing and the other arm of the L cantilevered, split longitudinally, and sharpened as scissor blades.

Claim 8

A sub-cartridge for taking up a web from a supply reel in a main cartridge, said sub-cartridge comprising electrical contacts for completing an electrical connection between said electrical contacts in said sub-cartridge and corresponding electrical contacts in said main cartridge, a normally open plurality of nested convolute springs in said sub-cartridge for coiling and embracing a web inserted into said sub-cartridge, whereby said embraced web causes at least one of said convolute springs to expand as more web is inserted therein, and means responsive to the insertion of a predetermined amount of said web for causing said convolute springs to close and touch each other to complete an electrical circuit across said contacts in said sub-cartridge and said corresponding contacts in said main cartridge.

Claim 9

A sub-cartridge for taking up a web from a supply reel in a main cartridge, said sub-cartridge comprising electrical contacts for completing an electrical connection between said electrical contacts in said sub-cartridge and corresponding electrical contacts in said main cartridge, a normally open plurality of nested convolute springs in said sub-cartridge for coiling and embracing a web inserted into said sub-cartridge, whereby said embraced web causes at least one of said convolute springs to expand as more web is inserted therein, and means responsive to the insertion of a predetermined amount of said web for causing said convolute springs to close and touch each other to complete an electrical circuit across said contacts in said sub-cartridge and said corresponding contacts in said main cartridge.

Claim 10

The sub-cartridge of claim 6 including means associated with said sub-cartridge for applying electrical contact pressure between said main and sub-cartridges.

Claim 11

A resuable cartridge for supplying web material sequentially past a station comprising a web supply reel encased in a removable light tight supply sub-cartridge; means in said cartridge for receiving said supply sub-cartridge; light tight removable take-up sub-cartridge means; first means in said cartridge for receiving said take-up sub-cartridge, said first means includes corresponding electrical contacts in each of said cartridge and said take-up sub-cartridge, and means for bringing said take-up sub-cartridge into contact with said cartridge with sufficient pressure to make good contact between said electrical contacts in said cartridge and said electrical contacts in said take-up sub-cartridge; said cartridge including guide means to direct said web along a path from said supply reel, past said station, and to said take-up sub-cartridge; means to drive said web from said supply reel to said take-up sub-cartridge.

Claim 12

A resuable cartridge for supplying web material sequentially past a station comprising a web supply reel encased in a removable light tight supply sub-cartridge; means in said cartridge for receiving said supply sub-cartridge; light tight removable take-up sub-cartridge means; first means in said cartridge for receiving said take-up sub-cartridge, said first means includes corresponding electrical contacts in each of said cartridge and said take-up sub-cartridge, and means for bringing said take-up sub-cartridge into contact with said cartridge with sufficient pressure to make good contact between said electrical contacts in said cartridge and said electrical contacts in said take-up sub-cartridge; said cartridge including guide means to direct said web along a path from said supply reel, past said station, and to said take-up sub-cartridge; means to drive said web from said supply reel to said take-up sub-cartridge.

Claim 13

The reusable cartridge of claim 8 wherein said cartridge includes means responsive to said web material to generate a signal when said supply reel is substantially spent.

Claim 14

The reusable cartridge of claim 8 wherein said take-up sub-cartridge includes means for creating a signal responsive to the insertion of a predetermined amount of said web in said take-up cartridge.

Claim 15

The reusable cartridge of claim 8 including cutting means in said path of said web material for cutting said web at any predetermined position.