Patent US2377991A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4867058A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Document transport and printing apparatus
Assignee: NCR Voyix Corp
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Filing: 1989-04-14
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Granted: 1989-09-19
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Expires: 2009-04-14
Abstract
Abstract A document transport and printing apparatus which utilizes an associated clutch for use in printing and endorsing documents like checks at a printing station in the apparatus. The apparatus utilizes a single input shaft as an input member for the clutch and as an input member for a soft drive roller located at the printing station. The clutch utilizes a moveable sector portion which is moved between inactive and active positions to rotate an associated planetary member to provide a reduction in the rotary movement of the output member of the clutch when the sector portion is moved to the active position.
Inventors
- 👤 Graham Luckhurst
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 20:14
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41K; B41K3/00; B41K3/02; B41K3/12; B41K3/121; B41K3/44; B41K3/50; B41K3/62; B41K3/64
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
226 words
An apparatus comprising: a document track having first and second sides; a printing station located along said document track; feeding means for feeding documents serially in said document track in spaced relation along a feeding direction to said printing station; a rotatable member located on said first side and also having an axis of rotation which is parallel to said first side and adjacent thereto; said rotatable member having first, second and third cam sections thereon, rotating means for rotating said rotatable member on said axis of rotation when a document to be printed upon approaches said printing station; a pinch roller positioned on said second side to cooperate with said first cam section to move a said document through said printing station; said second cam section having a printing element thereon to print on said document while using said pinch roller as a platen; a printer; said third cam section being a combined inking roller and a platen for said printer; said printer being positioned on said second side to cooperate with said third cam section to print on a said document which is positioned between said rotatable member and said pinch roller while at said print station; means for inking said printing element and said third cam section; and moving means for moving said documents downstream along said feeding direction from said printing station.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
226 words
An apparatus comprising: a document track having first and second sides; a printing station located along said document track; feeding means for feeding documents serially in said document track in spaced relation along a feeding direction to said printing station; a rotatable member located on said first side and also having an axis of rotation which is parallel to said first side and adjacent thereto; said rotatable member having first, second and third cam sections thereon, rotating means for rotating said rotatable member on said axis of rotation when a document to be printed upon approaches said printing station; a pinch roller positioned on said second side to cooperate with said first cam section to move a said document through said printing station; said second cam section having a printing element thereon to print on said document while using said pinch roller as a platen; a printer; said third cam section being a combined inking roller and a platen for said printer; said printer being positioned on said second side to cooperate with said third cam section to print on a said document which is positioned between said rotatable member and said pinch roller while at said print station; means for inking said printing element and said third cam section; and moving means for moving said documents downstream along said feeding direction from said printing station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said moving means includes a vertically-aligned shaft having a driving roller thereon and also includes means for rotating said shaft at a substantially constant velocity; said rotating means including means for rotatably mounting said rotatable member on said vertically-aligned shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said first, second, and third cam sections are vertically aligned along said axis of rotation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
89 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said rotating means includes a clutch unit having an active state during which said rotatable member is rotated and an inactive state during which said rotatable member is stationary; said first, second, and third cam sections being dimensioned to provide a clearance for a said document to freely pass through said printing station when said clutch unit is in said inactive state; said rotating means also including control means for switching said clutch unit between said active and inactive states.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said first cam section and said pinch roller are made of a material having a higher coefficient of friction than said feeding means and said moving means to thereby control the feeding of said documents at said printing station.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said second cam section has means thereon for detachably securing said printing element thereon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said third cam section is made of a resilient material and said printer is a wire matrix printer, and in which said printing element is arcuately shaped and is used to print on the rear side of a said document.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said control means includes means for sensing a said document approaching said printing station.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said clutch unit includes a planetary member which is driven by said vertically-aligned shaft.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
404 words
An apparatus comprising: a document track having first and second sides; a printing station located along said document track; feeding means for feeding documents in said document track in spaced relation along a feeding direction to said printing station; a rotatable member located on said first side and also having an axis of rotation which is parallel to said first side and adjacent thereto; said rotatable member having first, second and third cam sections thereon, rotating means for rotating said rotatable member on said axis of rotation when a document to be printed upon approaches said printing station; a pinch roller positioned on said second side to cooperate with said first cam section to move a said document through said printing station; said second cam section having a printing element thereon to print on said document while using said pinch roller as a platen; a printer; said third cam section being a combined inking roller and a platen for said printer; said printer being positioned on said second side to cooperate with said third cam section to print on a said document which is positioned between said rotatable member and said pinch roller while at said print station; means for inking said printing element and said third cam section; and moving means for moving said documents downstream along said feeding direction from said printing station; said rotating means comprising: an input shaft having an axis of rotation which is coincident with the axis of rotation of said rotatable member; mounting means for mounting said input shaft for rotation at a substantially constant velocity; said rotatable member being rotatably mounted on said input shaft for independent rotation thereon; coupling means moveable between active and inactive positions for operatively coupling said input shaft to said rotatable member when said coupling means is in said active position and to uncouple said input shaft from said rotatable member when said coupling means is in said inactive position; and actuating means for moving said coupling means between said active and inactive positions; said coupling means including a planetary unit which is coupled to said input shaft to produce circular movement which rotates said rotatable member when said input shaft is rotated and when said coupling means is moved to said active position, with said planetary unit being uncoupled from said input shaft when said coupling means is moved to said inactive position; said moving means including said input shaft.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
404 words
An apparatus comprising: a document track having first and second sides; a printing station located along said document track; feeding means for feeding documents in said document track in spaced relation along a feeding direction to said printing station; a rotatable member located on said first side and also having an axis of rotation which is parallel to said first side and adjacent thereto; said rotatable member having first, second and third cam sections thereon, rotating means for rotating said rotatable member on said axis of rotation when a document to be printed upon approaches said printing station; a pinch roller positioned on said second side to cooperate with said first cam section to move a said document through said printing station; said second cam section having a printing element thereon to print on said document while using said pinch roller as a platen; a printer; said third cam section being a combined inking roller and a platen for said printer; said printer being positioned on said second side to cooperate with said third cam section to print on a said document which is positioned between said rotatable member and said pinch roller while at said print station; means for inking said printing element and said third cam section; and moving means for moving said documents downstream along said feeding direction from said printing station; said rotating means comprising: an input shaft having an axis of rotation which is coincident with the axis of rotation of said rotatable member; mounting means for mounting said input shaft for rotation at a substantially constant velocity; said rotatable member being rotatably mounted on said input shaft for independent rotation thereon; coupling means moveable between active and inactive positions for operatively coupling said input shaft to said rotatable member when said coupling means is in said active position and to uncouple said input shaft from said rotatable member when said coupling means is in said inactive position; and actuating means for moving said coupling means between said active and inactive positions; said coupling means including a planetary unit which is coupled to said input shaft to produce circular movement which rotates said rotatable member when said input shaft is rotated and when said coupling means is moved to said active position, with said planetary unit being uncoupled from said input shaft when said coupling means is moved to said inactive position; said moving means including said input shaft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
136 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which said coupling means includes a cooperating member having an inner cylindrical wall with which said planetary unit cooperates to produce said circular movement; said cooperating member having a portion of said inner cylindrical wall removed therefrom; said coupling means also including a section which is mounted for movement towards an active position in which said section completes said inner cylindrical wall and couples said planetary unit to said input shaft to enable said planetary unit to produce said circular movement, and also for movement towards an inactive position in which said planetary unit is uncoupled from said input shaft to stop said circular movement; said actuating means being effective to move said section to said active position when said coupling means is moved to said active position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
88 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which said planetary unit comprises: a connecting member having one end secured to said output member and a free end which is resiliently biased away from said input shaft; and a circular member; and means for rotatably mounting said circular member on said free end; said circular member being configured to cooperate with said input shaft and with said inner cylindrical wall and said section to produce said circular movement when said coupling means is moved to said active position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 in which said cooperating member has an abutment area, near said portion of said inner wall which is removed, to enable said circular member to abut against said abutment area to stop the rotation of said output member when said section of said coupling means is moved to said inactive position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which said input shaft has a driving portion and in which said circular member engages said driving portion and said section and said inner cylindrical wall to enable said planetary unit to produce said circular movement at a large reduction in rotary speed compared to the rotation of said input shaft.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 in which said driving portion is a knurled portion of said input shaft and said circular member is made of urethane.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 in which said section is resiliently biased for movement towards its said inactive position; said clutch further including a brake member secured to said section to cooperate with said planetary unit to brake said planetary unit when said section is moved towards its said inactive position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 in which said first cam section and said pinch roller are made of a material having a higher coefficient of friction than said feeding means and said moving means to thereby control the feeding of said documents at said printing station.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 in which said second cam section has means thereon for detachably securing said printing element thereon.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 18 in which said third cam section is made of a resilient material and said printer is a wire matrix printer, and in which said printing element is arcuately shaped and is used to print on the rear side of a said document.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-09-18 | 1993-03-20 | 1993-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-09-18 | 1997-03-20 | 1997-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-09-18 | 2001-03-20 | 2001-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |