Retractable pin sprocket wheel assembly

Claim 2

A cylindrical platen having a cylindrical opening at each end; a pair of pin sprocket wheel assemblies located at opposite ends of the platen; each wheel assembly comprising a main body including a hub adapted to fit into one of the openings of the platen, the dimensions of the hub and the opening being such as to effect an interference fit between the two; a rim, concentric with the hub, having an outside diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the platen, the rim having a plurality of notches emanating radially from the center of the rim toward its periphery; a plurality of flexible fingers extending in a direction normal to the direction of the notches, each of the fingers located between two adjacent notches and along a circumference concentric with the rim; a readily replaceable unitary pin assembly comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending pins interconnected by a flexible molded ring integrally formed with said pins; a uniform width cam having a cylindrical opening of a diameter sufficiently large to accommodate the plurality of flexible fingers while permitting relative motion between the cam and the rim; means for rotatably locking the cam to the rim; and means associated with the cam for sequentially moving the pins in and out past the periphery of the rim.

Claim 3

A cylindrical platen having a cylindrical opening at each end; a pair of pin sprocket wheel assemblies located at opposite ends of the platen; each wheel assembly comprising a main body including a hub adapted to fit into one of the openings of the platen, the dimensions of the hub and the opening being such as to effect an interference fit between the two; a rim, concentric with the hub, having an outside diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the platen, the rim having a plurality of notches emanating radially from the center of the rim toward its periphery; a plurality of flexible fingers extending in a direction normal to the direction of the notches, each of the fingers located between two adjacent notches and along a circumference concentric with the rim; a plurality of pins, each having a lateral notch, the pins joined together by a flexible ring integrally formed with said pins holding the pins circumferentially a predetermined distance apart and orienting the pins so that the lateral notch of each pin faces in a common direction, each pin being of a size and shape to be slidably accommodated by a respective notch in the rim; a cam of uniform width having a cylindrical opening of a diameter sufficiently large to accommodate the plurality of flexible fingers while permitting relative motion between the cam and the rim; an eccentric flange of a thickness such that it is slidably accommodated by a lateral slot of each of the pins extending from the cam; means for rotatably locking the cam to the rim; and means for moving the pins in and out past the periphery of the rim.

Claim 4

A cylindrical platen having a cylindrical opening at each end; a pair of pin sprocket wheel assemblies located at opposite ends of the platen; each wheel assembly comprising a main body including a hub adapted to fit into one of the openings of the platen, the dimensions of the hub and the opening being such as to effect an interference fit between the two; a rim, concentric with the hub, having an outside diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the platen, the rim having a plurality of notches emanating radially from the center of the rim toward its periphery; a plurality of flexible fingers extending in a direction normal to the direction of the notches, each of the fingers located between two adjacent notches and along a circumference concentric with the rim; a plurality of pins, each having a lateral notch, the pins joined together by a flexible ring integrally formed with said pins holding the pins circumferentially a predetermined distance apart and orienting the pins so that the lateral notch of each pin faces in a common direction, each pin being of a size and shape to be slidably accommodated by a respective notch in the rim; a cam of uniform width having a cylindrical opening of a diameter sufficiently large to accommodate the plurality of flexible fingers while permitting relative motion between the cam and the rim; an eccentric flange of a thickness such that it is slidably accommodated by a lateral slot of each of the pins extending from the cam; means for rotatably locking the cam to the rim; and means for moving the pins in and out past the periphery of the rim.

Claim 5

Apparatus in accordance with Claim 2 wherein the means for rotatably locking the cam to the rim includes the cam having a recess within the cylindrical opening which recess is engaged by tabs located on each free end of the flexible fingers.