Apparatus for feeding a continuous form and cutforms

Claim 1

An apparatus for feeding a continuous form and cutforms which is unitized and is able to be mounted on and removed from the main body of a business machine, comprising: a single form feeding passage to the main body of said business machine, a cutform feeding passage for feeding cutforms to said single form feeding passage and a cutform feeding means located upstream thereof, a continuous-form feeding passage for feeding a continuous form to said single form feeding passage and a tractor for feeding a continuous form located upstream thereof, and a continuous-form cutting means provided in said continuous-form feeding passage, which operates in response to a signal for causing the continuous form to be cut so that cutforms can be fed after cutting and ejecting the continuous form if the cutforms are to be fed between uses of the continuous form.

Claim 2

An apparatus for feeding a continuous form and cutforms which is unitized and is able to be mounted on and removed from the main body of a business machine, comprising: a single form feeding passage to the main body of said business machine, a cutform feeding passage for feeding cutforms to said single form feeding passage and a cutform feeding means located upstream thereof, a continuous-form feeding passage for feeding a continuous form to said single form feeding passage and a tractor for feeding a continuous form located upstream thereof, and a continuous-form cutting means provided in said continuous-form feeding passage, which operates in response to a signal for causing the continuous form to be cut so that cutforms can be fed after cutting and ejecting the continuous form if the cutforms are to be fed between uses of the continuous form.

Claim 5

An apparatus for feeding a continuous form and cutforms which is contained in a single unit and is operable to be mounted upon and removed from the main body of a business machine, comprising: a single form feeding passage to the main body of a business machine; a cutform feeding passage for defining cutforms to the single form feeding passage; means for feeding cutforms through the cutform feeding passage; a continuous form feeding passage for feeding a continuous form to the single form feeding passage; means for feeding a continuous form through the continuous form feeding passage; continuous form cutting means in the continuous form feeding passage for cutting the continuous form in response to a signal; means, responsive to a command to switch from feeding a continuous form to feeding cutforms, for determining if a continuous form is in the continuous form feeding passage; and means, responsive to a determination that a continuous form is in the continuous form feeding passage, for providing said signal to the continuous form cutting means, so that after it is cut the continuous form is fed out of the single form feeding passage permitting cutforms to be fed through the single form feeding passage.

Claim 6

An apparatus for feeding a continuous form and cutforms which is contained in a single unit and is operable to be mounted upon and removed from the main body of a business machine, comprising: a single form feeding passage to the main body of a business machine; a cutform feeding passage for defining cutforms to the single form feeding passage; means for feeding cutforms through the cutform feeding passage; a continuous form feeding passage for feeding a continuous form to the single form feeding passage; means for feeding a continuous form through the continuous form feeding passage; continuous form cutting means in the continuous form feeding passage for cutting the continuous form in response to a signal; means, responsive to a command to switch from feeding a continuous form to feeding cutforms, for determining if a continuous form is in the continuous form feeding passage; and means, responsive to a determination that a continuous form is in the continuous form feeding passage, for providing said signal to the continuous form cutting means, so that after it is cut the continuous form is fed out of the single form feeding passage permitting cutforms to be fed through the single form feeding passage.