← Back to Patent Explorer
US4351519A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Sheet feeding apparatus

Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1979-08-29
•
Granted: 1982-09-28
•
Expires: 1999-08-29
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Sheet feeding apparatus comprising a rotatable feed roll shaft having one feed roll permanently attached at one end and a second axially movably mounted feed roll on the other end of the shaft with a yoke means to axially move the roll. The feeding apparatus is used with a sheet cassette which, when inserted in the sheet supply station, engages positioning means responsive to the insertion of the cassette which thereby automatically positions the movable feed roll so that both feed rolls are positioned substantially the same distance from the sheet edge irrespective of the size of the sheet material. In this manner the sheet feeding apparatus automatically adjusts itself for feeding sheets of various sizes.

Inventors

  • 👤 Rodney J. Jendrick

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 02:05
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H1/00; B65H1/26; B65H1/266; B65H1/04; B65H3/00; B65H3/44

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 176 words
Sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a sheet cassette; a frame having a first and second opposing parallel frame members; a rotatably driven feed roll shaft mounted between said first and second frame members said shaft having a feed roll fixedly mounted thereon; a second feed roll axially movably mounted on said feed roll shaft, means to axially move said second feed roll on said shaft; guide means mounted between said frame members for receiving and guiding said sheet cassette into feeding position with said feed roll shaft, said fixed feed roll being mounted on said shaft a fixed distance from a first side of said cassette; said second feed roll on said feed roll shaft including means automatically responsive to the insertion and movement of a sheet cassette onto said guide means and into the feed position on said guide means to axially move said second feed roll on said feed roll shaft to a position such that said axially movable feed roll is positioned the same fixed distance from the opposite parallel side of said cassette.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 176 words
Sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a sheet cassette; a frame having a first and second opposing parallel frame members; a rotatably driven feed roll shaft mounted between said first and second frame members said shaft having a feed roll fixedly mounted thereon; a second feed roll axially movably mounted on said feed roll shaft, means to axially move said second feed roll on said shaft; guide means mounted between said frame members for receiving and guiding said sheet cassette into feeding position with said feed roll shaft, said fixed feed roll being mounted on said shaft a fixed distance from a first side of said cassette; said second feed roll on said feed roll shaft including means automatically responsive to the insertion and movement of a sheet cassette onto said guide means and into the feed position on said guide means to axially move said second feed roll on said feed roll shaft to a position such that said axially movable feed roll is positioned the same fixed distance from the opposite parallel side of said cassette.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 43 words
The sheet feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said automatic responsive means includes a yoke axially mounted on said feed roll shaft said yoke including at least two arms such that one arm is mounted on each side of the movable feed roll.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
The sheet feeding apparatus of claim 2 wherein said yoke includes a third arm mounted to engage the leading side of said sheet cassette as it is inserted in said guide means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including a spring to axially spring bias said second feed roll toward said first feed roll.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 84 words
The sheet feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cassette comprises a base support member with an aperture about in the center of the feeding lead edge, a tray member inserted within the base support upon which a stack of sheets may be placed to be fed, said tray member being pivotable about its feeding trail edge, said feeding apparatus further comprising a lifting tongue insertable through said aperature to lift the sheets of said tray member into feeding engagement with said feed rolls.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said cassette comprises corner sheet snubbers to separate individual sheets.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sheet feeding apparatus feeds sheets in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which said cassette is guided into said frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 48 words
The sheet feeding apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first feed roll is positioned a fixed predetermined distance from a first edge of sheets stacked in said cassette and said automatically responsive means positions said second feed roll the same distance from said opposite edge of said sheets.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 153 words
Sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a rotatably driven feed roll shaft with a first feed roll fixedly mounted on said shaft; a second feed roll axially movably mounted on said feed roll shaft; means to axially move said second feed roll on said shaft; a sheet cassette; guide means for receiving and guiding said sheet cassette into feeding position with said feed roll shaft; said fixed feed roll being mounted on said shaft a fixed distance from a first side of said cassette; said second feed roll on said feed roll shaft including means automatically responsive to the insertion and movement of a sheet cassette onto said guide means and into the feeding position on said guide means to axially move said second feed roll on said feed roll shaft to a position such that said axially movable feed roll is positioned the same fixed distance from the opposite parallel side of said cassette.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 153 words
Sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a rotatably driven feed roll shaft with a first feed roll fixedly mounted on said shaft; a second feed roll axially movably mounted on said feed roll shaft; means to axially move said second feed roll on said shaft; a sheet cassette; guide means for receiving and guiding said sheet cassette into feeding position with said feed roll shaft; said fixed feed roll being mounted on said shaft a fixed distance from a first side of said cassette; said second feed roll on said feed roll shaft including means automatically responsive to the insertion and movement of a sheet cassette onto said guide means and into the feeding position on said guide means to axially move said second feed roll on said feed roll shaft to a position such that said axially movable feed roll is positioned the same fixed distance from the opposite parallel side of said cassette.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 90 words
The sheet feeding apparatus of claim 9 wherein said automatic responsive means includes a yoke axially mounted on said feed roll shaft said yoke including an arm mounted on each side of the movable feed roll and a third arm mounted to engage the leading side of said sheet cassette as it is inserted in said guide means whereby upon insertion of said sheet cassette to said feeding position said axially movable feed roll is positioned a distance from the opposite end of said cassette equal to said fixed distance.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2893729A Cited
US3689064A Cited
US3647207A Cited
US3977666A Cited
US4037953A Cited
US4098501A Cited
JPS53113534A Cited
EP0002229A1 Cited
US4231566A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-09-27 1986-03-29 1986-09-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-09-27 1990-03-29 1990-09-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-09-27 1994-03-29 1994-09-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag