US4050690A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Document separator mechanism
Assignee: NCR Voyix Corp
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Filing: 1976-09-16
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Granted: 1977-09-27
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Expires: 1996-09-16
Abstract
Abstract A drive roller and a driven, braked, retard roller are juxtaposedly positioned along the path of documents being transported beyond a document feeding mechanism to provide passage of only one document at a time. The retard roller is carried on an arm which is swingable on a pivot and lightly spring loaded against the drive roller, such arm being placed and positioned at a certain angle rearward of a line extending perpendicular from the document, this angle being larger than the friction angle of document against document, but smaller than the friction angle of document against roller. A single document will pass between the rollers with both rollers rolling at the same speed, whereas when two documents attempt to pass between the rollers at the same time the second document will be retarded by the retard (braked) roller. When both the retard roller and the second document have come approximately to a near stop or standstill, such attitude is sensed at the retard roller, and the retard roller is lifted off or swung away from the documents to give the first document a head start, whereupon the retard roller is re-engaged after a certain short period of time to start the second document on its journey.
Inventors
- 👤 Gunnar P. Michelson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 10:27
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H3/00; B65H3/46; B65H3/52; B65H3/5246; B65H7/00; B65H7/02; B65H7/06; B65H7/12; B65H2220/00; B65H2220/09; B65H2404/00; B65H2404/10; B65H2404/14; B65H2404/143; B65H2701/00; B65H2701/10; B65H2701/19; B65H2701/1912
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
Mechanism for separating documents in singular manner from a stack thereof, comprising feed means engageable with the documents for initiating movement thereof; drive means adjacent said feed means and engageable with the documents for advancing thereof after initial movement, and retard means cooperating with said drive means for advancing the documents in singular manner, said retard means including roller means carried on a member pivotally supported distal from said roller means and movable from said drive means when more than one document is present at the point of contact between said drive means and said roller means, said retard means further including timing means measuring advancement of one document in relation to a predetermined time whereby one document is driven by said drive means and another document adjacent said one document is restrained by said retard means until said one document has been advanced beyond said drive means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
Mechanism for separating documents in singular manner from a stack thereof, comprising feed means engageable with the documents for initiating movement thereof; drive means adjacent said feed means and engageable with the documents for advancing thereof after initial movement, and retard means cooperating with said drive means for advancing the documents in singular manner, said retard means including roller means carried on a member pivotally supported distal from said roller means and movable from said drive means when more than one document is present at the point of contact between said drive means and said roller means, said retard means further including timing means measuring advancement of one document in relation to a predetermined time whereby one document is driven by said drive means and another document adjacent said one document is restrained by said retard means until said one document has been advanced beyond said drive means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said feed means includes a plurality of belts movable toward and away from the stack of documents for initiating movement of the documents.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said drive means includes a drive roller adjacent said retard roller means for providing a throat therebetween, said retard roller means being swingable from said drive roller to expand said throat and cause one document to be advanced therethrough at a time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said retard roller means has a frictional surface thereon, and said retard roller means carrying member is disposed at an angle rearward of a perpendicular from the document larger than the frictional angle between two documents and smaller than the frictional angle between a document and the frictional surface of the roller member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
The mechanism of claim 4 wherein said retard roller means carrying member includes a spring member to urge said roller means into contact with said drive means, said timing means timing the rotation of said retard roller means and causing the swinging of said retard roller means carrying member upon more than one document moving past said drive means to permit driving of one document thereby prior to the driving of another document thereby.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
193 words
In document sorting apparatus having a document hopper, feed mechanism at one end of said hopper for initiating movement of documents from said hopper, and means for separating the documents in single manner prior to transporting thereof, said separating means including drive means adjacent said feed mechanism for advancing the documents, and retard means cooperating with said drive means and having a braked retard roller juxtaposed said drive means, said retard means including arm means carrying said roller and pivotally supported distal from said retard roller and swingable from said drive means when more than one document is present at the point of contact between said drive means and said retard roller, the presence of more than one document increasing the friction between the retard roller and the document adjacent thereto and slowing the rotation of said retard roller, and said retard means including disc means rotatable with said retard roller for timing the advancement of one document in relation to a predetermined time thereby permitting driving of one document past said drive means and restraining an adjacent document by said retard means until one document has been advanced beyond said drive means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
193 words
In document sorting apparatus having a document hopper, feed mechanism at one end of said hopper for initiating movement of documents from said hopper, and means for separating the documents in single manner prior to transporting thereof, said separating means including drive means adjacent said feed mechanism for advancing the documents, and retard means cooperating with said drive means and having a braked retard roller juxtaposed said drive means, said retard means including arm means carrying said roller and pivotally supported distal from said retard roller and swingable from said drive means when more than one document is present at the point of contact between said drive means and said retard roller, the presence of more than one document increasing the friction between the retard roller and the document adjacent thereto and slowing the rotation of said retard roller, and said retard means including disc means rotatable with said retard roller for timing the advancement of one document in relation to a predetermined time thereby permitting driving of one document past said drive means and restraining an adjacent document by said retard means until one document has been advanced beyond said drive means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
In the apparatus of claim 6 wherein said drive means includes a drive roller defining the fixed side of a throat, said retard roller defines a movable side of said throat and is swingably disposed at an angle rearward of a perpendicular from the document to permit driving of only one document at any one time through said throat.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
In the apparatus of claim 7 wherein said drive roller and said retard roller each includes a frictional surface thereon, said angle of disposition of said retard roller being larger than the frictional angle between two documents and smaller than the frictional angle between a document and the frictional surface of the retard roller.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
In the apparatus of claim 6 wherein said retard means includes a spring member against which said retard roller is urged in swingable movement thereof, said timing means timing the rotation of said roller and the swinging of said retard means upon more than one document moving past said drive means to cause driving of one document therepast prior to driving another.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
85 words
In the apparatus of claim 6 wherein said drive means includes a shaft having a drive roller secured at one end thereto and said retard means includes a shaft having the retard roller journaled thereon, said drive and retard rollers forming a throat therebetween for passage of documents therethrough, and said retard means including an arm member supporting said retard shaft and roller and having a reduced portion therein for permitting pivoting of said retard roller in swinging movement toward and from said drive roller.
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) | 1980-09-26 | 1981-03-28 | 1981-09-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-09-26 | 1985-03-28 | 1985-09-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-09-26 | 1989-03-28 | 1989-09-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |