Abstract: The printer is for printing a continuous fan-folded paper web having series of perforations at each side edge thereof which is adapted to be fed into the printer from the bottom of the printer. The printer comprises an upper housing member swingably supported by a lower housing member so that the upper housing member is movable between a closed position for the printing operation and an opened position at which an accessible space is provided between the bottom of the upper housing member and the lower housing member. The upper housing member includes a printing mechanism and a pin-tractor mechanism for feeding the paper web a portion of which extends outwardly downwardly from the bottom of the upper housing member. The lower housing member has a feed-in opening at the bottom thereof for the paper web.

Abstract: The invention provides a paper feed device for a printer which comprises a pin feed mechanism mounted for changing over movement between a pushing position and a drawing position, a guide plate for guiding sprocket paper to a platen from a position rearwardly of the pin feed mechanism in the pushing position, a pinch roller mounted on the guide plate for movement toward and away from the platen, a movable guide plate for guiding a cut sheet from between a front face of the pin feed mechanism and the platen to a contact point between the platen and the pinch roller, a pair of arms pivotally supported at opposite side ends of the movable guide plate, and supporting means located on opposite sides of the pin feed mechanism, the supporting means retracting the movable guide plate upwardly when the pin feed mechanism is changed over to the drawing position.

Abstract: Pin tractors for feeding blank paper in various printers, typewriters, etc. for use as output devices for electronic computers, especially for personal computers. A belt carrying pins is wound rotatably around a driving toothed pulley and a driven pulley. A driven pulley is fitted rotatably to a cylindrical part of a fixing member composing a lock means to fix a frame to a guide shaft or to a tubular part of a revolving member.

Abstract: A tractor feeder for feeding continuous printing paper having perforations along its side fringes by driving pins engaged to the perforations. The pins are formed on the outer surface of an endless belt which is passed around a drive sprocket on one hand and a guide member on the other hand. The guide member is adjustable by an adjusting member such as an eccentric cam so as to apply a desired tension to the endless belt. The guide member may be provided with a roller rotatively supported by the guide member or a pair of rollers rotatively supported by the frame so as to minimize the friction to the traveling motion of the endless belt. These pulleys may be provided with flanges so that friction between the side edges of the endless belt and the guide member may be minimized.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding perforated webs which has a form factor and cost which may be much less than conventional perforated paper feed mechanisms such as pinwheels and tractors, and in a preferred form is an elliptical path pin feed using an endless belt having pins which engage the perforations in the paper and a frame guides the belt over an elliptical path having major curved surfaces and minor curved surfaces along opposite sides and at the ends of the path, respectively. A sprocket journaled in the frame drives the belt. Guide members upstream and downstream of the web feed path and spaced from the opposite ends of one of the major surfaces guide the web so that it remains in contact with the belt along the major surface and enters and leaves the major surface along tangents thereto which are common to the major and minor end surfaces of the elliptical belt path.

Abstract: A tractor feed for paper webs with margin perforation for use in printers of data processing systems in which endless bands support feed pins engagable with said perforations to effect paper transport toward, around and away from a platen. Upper and lower runs of the endless band and feed pins supported thereby are selectively adjustably movable into and out of paper guide slots to facilitate introduction and loading of the paper web. The band is movable by movable upper and lower guide rails which are controlled by an adjusting mechanism and by springs acting to spread said guide rails apart.

Abstract: Web feeding apparatus which may be in the form of a tractor which feeds perforated webs, such as perforated paper in a computer printer, typewriter or the like has a frame which locates a belt having pins projecting from the belt which enter the perforations in the paper and drive the paper when the belt is driven, as by a sprocket which is journalled in the frame. In the closed position, the lid overlies the belt and presents a surface adjacent the belt which is separated by a gap through which the paper passes when it is engaged with the pins. The paper also overlies the surface of the inside side plate. The gap spacing (the distance which separates the surface of the belt on which the paper is disposed) is set automatically by a gap setting member which projects from the lid and is biased with the lid into engagement with the paper when the lid is in closed position and the belt is in driving relationship with the paper.

Abstract: In order to maintain document feed tractors, especially of the type which have timing belts made of the elastomeric (rubber or plastic) material, in circumferential registration with the sprocket which engages and can drive the belt, a member is disposed circumferentially outward from the sprocket between the sides of the belt where the pins thereon can engage the perforations in the document. This member presents a spaced circumferential retainer outward from the sprocket a distance slightly greater than the altitude of the pins. Preferably this wall has a notch in alignment with the pins and which the pins slightly clear and are guided. The member provides for minimal frictional drag on the belt while maintaining the circumferential registration of the belt on the sprocket.

Abstract: A paper feeder for a printer having a platen and a printing member disposed in confronting relation to the platen includes a pair of slide blocks which can be moved to vary the spacing therebetween dependent on the width of recording paper placed on the platen, each of the slide blocks supporting a track rotating body having a plurality of pins mounted on a peripheral surface thereof and spaced at prescribed intervals, a paper holder member confronting the track rotating body, and a drive roller. A drive shaft is disposed in each of the slide blocks for driving the track rotating body and the drive roller. A roller shaft supports thereon a pair of pinch rollers for contacting the drive rollers, respectively, and is movable away from the slide blocks, the pinch rollers being held by the paper holder members for slidable movement along the roller shaft in response to movement of the slide blocks.

Abstract: A paper feed mechanism for use in a printer has a pin tractor unit disposed on one side of a platen which is opposite to a print head, and a paper guide plate located below the pin tractor unit. The pin tractor unit has an endless tractor belt trained around a plurality of pulleys to form a first guide passage above the pin tractor unit and a second guide passage inclined from the first guide downwardly toward a position beneath the platen. The tractor belt has pins for fitting into perforations defined in the side margins of continuous paper. The continuous paper is inserted between the pin tractor unit and the paper guide plate, threaded between the platen and the print head, and then extended along the first guide passage. By moving the tractor belt in a prescribed direction, the continuous paper can be pulled by the pin tractor unit so as to be fed along in one direction.

Abstract: Tractor mechanism for paper traction feed printers and typewriters, said mechanism including in a holder (2) an endless belt (8) which is mounted for movement in its endless direction, as well as a drive connection for the belt. The belt has external teeth (10) intended to drive a printing medium such as a paper web or the like through the printer on movement of the belt by engagement with a row of holes along an edge of the medium. The holed edge and the toothed belt run in a gap defined by two wall portions of the holder the height of the gap being less than at the height of the teeth plus the thickness of the belt and the wall portion facing towards the teeth has a groove (26) for the teeth.

Abstract: A transporting device for marginal punched single-layered or multiple-layered webs of material, in particular for record carriers in a printer, is provided.

Abstract: A feeder for a printer serves for guiding and/or advancing the record carrier. Tractors (1a and 1b) placed in a pair are provided. The tractors (1a and 1b) have hinged parts which can be adjusted in different hinged positions by pivoting bearings (11). To provide hinged part on printers, particularly dot matrix printers, with simple pivoting bearings that can be produced economically and to eliminate a special fastener for the pivoted positions, a spring steel wire piece (18) cut to length serves as a pivot pin (17) and for fixing of the closed and open end positions of the hinged part (10). The spring steel wire piece (18) is put under tension by bending.

Abstract: A feeder for an edge-punched record carrier (3) which can be installed on existing printers with only slight structural changes on the printer. To be able to process continuous record carriers trouble-free even in an unfavorable position of the paper supply, with a method of construction that is suitable for mass production and in which the parts can be economically produced and mounted, the feeder (6) forms a self-supporting frame including side supports (7a, 7b) which can be connected to the printer frame (1a) by means of a pair of suspension hooks (13, 14) provided on each side support (7a, 7b). The suspension hooks (13, 14) are mounted on corresponding fastening bolts (15, 16). A cover (18) for the drive elements is mounted on one of the side supports (7a, 7b). A catch (17) is provided on the cover (18) which serves to maintain the feeder (6) in operating position.

Abstract: A tractor for a web feeding assembly has a chassis providing a pair of apertures extending therethrough and a belt extending thereabout. A drive pulley mounted in one of the chassis apertures is engaged with the driven surface of the belt and has an aperture therethrough receiving the drive shaft. Convexly arcuate belt support means cooperates with the drive pulley to define the web drive path for the belt therebetween, and a cover on the chassis overlies the belt and web drive path. An integrally formed belt tensioning means is movably supported on the chassis below the drive path for resiliently biasing the belt against the guide means. The belt tensioning means includes a support plate portion and at least one resiliently deflectable leg portion depending therefrom and slidably seated in a recess in the tractor chassis.

Abstract: An overhead unit used with a printer having a platen for feeding continuous, fan-folded, edge perforated forms. Tractors engage the feed perforations on the forms. The unit automatically bursts the side perforations by the use of flexural members which extract energy from the forms feed and oscillate to burst the side perforations. Bursting of the cross perforations is carried out by a pivotally mounted, lever actuated bar which engages the platen and forms a toggle therewith to engage the successive forms against the platen just below the cross perforations; the toggle being arranged to tighten and increase the clamping force, as the form is pulled away from the platen when bursting the cross perforations. A roller assembly including rollers engaging the outside of the loop on the infeed or upstream side of the platen removes any platen wave due to differential displacement of the forms as they travel with linear motion through the tractors and with rotational motion around the platen.

Abstract: Pin tractors which are used in various printers, typewriters, etc. for use as output devices for electronic computers, especially for personal computers. This pin tractor has a synthetic resin frame around which a belt carrying pins is wound revolvably and a presser member made of synthetic resin supported revolvably by said frame. Blank paper having feed perforations at its both edges is held between said frame and said presser member. Pins of said belt carrying pins are engaged with feed perforations of blank paper for feeding blank paper. Said presser member has pawl parts and said frame has concaves to correspond to said pawl parts. Said pawl parts are fitted in said concaves to keep said presser member opened in the specific degree.

Abstract: A drive mechanism having a sprocket and a belt with inter-engaging lugs and receptacles on the belt and sprocket, respectively, wherein orthographic motion is obtained of the lugs into and out of the receptacles so as to provide for smooth, high efficiency transmission of drive forces by providing a fulcrum at inter-pitch spacing positions about which the belt bends along a radius centered at the fulcrum to bring the lugs directly into registry with the receptacles in the sprocket. The system provides virtual sprocket teeth, thereby effectively doubling or multiplying the number of teeth on the sprocket, compared to lugs on the belt so that a small, low-inertia, sprocket-belt drive system effectively provides the smoothness of transmission of a system with twice or greater the number of sprocket teeth than lugs, but without the cost of such additional teeth and lugs and without sacrificing belt life due to additional flexures of the belt.

Abstract: A tractor for feeding perforated webs, such as perforated paper in a computer printer, typewriter or the like has a frame which locates a sprocket and a belt having pins projecting from the belt and lugs driven by the sprocket. To provide precision feeding of the web the lid is arranged with respect to the frame so that the web is maintained substantially at the pitch line of the belt where the pins enter, are engaged by and leave the perforations. The distance between the surface of the lid which faces the belt and the belt surface is limited such that the perforations contact the pin surface below a critical position where the web clings to the pins. This is the position where the angle between the surface of the belt and a line from the position of repose perpendicular to a tangent to pin surface which intersects the belt surface is equal to the art tangent of the coefficient of friction between the web and pin materials.

Abstract: A structure is disclosed primarily but not exclusively as a supplement to an existing printer or typewriter or the like, which structure includes a clamping shaft, either for clamping endless sheet stock against the traction device for the stock, or against an added on anvil bar or both.

Abstract: A board for feeding a single sheet of paper including holes for paper-feeding which are to be engaged by the sprocket for a paper-feeder of a printer formed at specified intervals on both sides thereof and a part for gripping the rear end of the single sheet of paper and a part for gripping the front end of the single sheet of paper respectively formed on the surface of the board at a specified distance between them in the paper-feeding direction.

Abstract: A forms feed tractor belt includes drive members molded around a thin, flexible band at longitudinal intervals. To make the belt, slots are first punched at longitudinal intervals in at least one side of the flexible band. Drive members are then molded around the band at the slots except for at least one drive memberless interval at each end of the band. The ends of the band are overlapped so that the slots of the drive memberless intervals coincide. Final drive members are then molded around the slots of each pair of coincided drive memberless intervals to complete the endless tractor belt.

Abstract: A print paper feeding apparatus wherein a discrete print paper is fed by cooperative action of a platen and rollers, while a continuous print paper is fed by cooperative action of a platen and a pin tractor. The print paper feeding apparatus further comprises a gear transmitting mechanism disposed between a paper feed motor and the platen; an actuating lever pivotally supporting, at one end thereof, an idle gear engaged with a pin tractor driving gear, the actuating lever being movable between an engaged position wherein the idle gear engages a gear of the gear transmitting mechanism, and a disengaged position wherein such engagement is released; a switching lever connected at one end thereof to the other end of the actuating lever and supported switchably between the engaged and disengaged positions, the switching lever having an operating portion formed at the other end thereof; and a biasing member for urging and holding the actuating lever to and in the engaged disengaged positions.

Abstract: A continuous forms feed tractor in the form of an elongated housing mounts for rotation thereon, an endless belt from which protrude longitudinal spaced aligned pins, projectable within similarly spaced holes along an edge of a continuous forms record medium for positively feeding the continuous forms medium about a rotary platen and between the platen and a print head for implementing printing on the continuous form. The housing is provided with a long cut forms chute running the length of the same, below the endless belt and parallel therewith for feeding letter size or legal size paper sheets onto and about the platen. A short cut forms chute extends obliquely through the elongated housing, at the end facing the platen, inclined downwardly towards the platen and the long cut forms chute for feeding short cut forms, such as a punch card onto and about the platen for printing thereon.

Abstract: A tractor for a web feeding assembly having spaced support and drive shafts has a chassis providing a pair of apertures extending therethrough and a belt extending thereabout. A drive pulley mounted in one of the chassis apertures is engaged with the driven surface of the belt and has an aperture therethrough receiving the drive shaft, and a cantable insert within a pulley body defines at least a portion of the drive shaft receiving aperture. As a result, irregularities in the drive shaft, and variations in axial spacing of the shafts occurring during operation, may be accommodated by canting movement of the cantable insert within the pulley body. A convexly arcuate belt support surface cooperates with the drive pulley to define the web drive path for the belt therebetween. A resilient spring clamp is mounted adjacent the other aperture in the chassis and releasably clamps the tractor on the support shaft.

Abstract: A device for horizontally positioning and maintaining the horizontal tension on paper forms as they are transported through a printer. The device employs a single control knob to make all position adjustments to the paper tractors which grip the computer forms. The device utilizes a cable pulley system to position the paper tractors. The control knob has a first position in which adjustment of the tension on the paper form is facilitated and a second position which facilitates adjustment of the position of the paper form within the printer.

Abstract: An improved forms feed mechanism for bidirectionally moving an edge perforated record material, while maintaining the same relative position between the drive shaft and the driven member in both directions of drive shaft rotation, so that printing may be effected in both directions. This may be accomplished by biasing the driving and driven surfaces toward one another.

Abstract: A connecting device for releasably securing an axle on a support plate comprising a bushing member rotatably receiving the axle, said bushing member being disposed in an aperture of a support plate, which aperture has an opening to the edge to form a narrow throat which has a dimension less than the diameter of the aperture. The bushing member has a cylindrical body with portions removed to form at least one flat surface and a retaining lever connected to the switching body in a relationship so that with the lever in a first position the body can be inserted through the narrow portion of the throat into the aperture and then rotate it to a second position locking the bushing member in the aperture.

Abstract: An automatic positioning device for sheets or forms to be spliced comprising a casing in which the sheets to be spliced are advanced so that the edges to be spliced are exactly aligned with each other.

Abstract: A powered paper transport for use in association with platen machines, such as typewriters and printers, utilizing perforated margin paper. The transport mechanism is attachable and detachable adjacent the platen, is driven from the platen and is displaceable relative to the platen to provide a desired bias force on the paper between the platen and the tractor drive of the transport. Adjustable stop means are provided to limit the displaceability.

Abstract: A tractor feed assembly for an automatic printer. A manually operated tension bar is provided between the tractor feeder and the printer platen. The bar is locked in place by a spring that biases a knob attached to the bar into locking contact with a member formed on or attached to the tractor feed frame.

Abstract: The tractor comprises a frame, a drive roller carried by the frame, a pressure roller and a carrier therefor. The pressure roller is biased against the drive roller. The pressure roller can be moved to be spaced slightly from the drive roller to enable paper adjustment or it can be moved to a storage position. The friction feed tractor has a paper edge guide which is automatically moved to a storage position when not in use. In their storage positions the friction feed tractor and paper edge guide act as paper supports for pin feed tractor operation.

Abstract: A transport or conveyor belt provided with prongs and extending around two rollers serves to convey a recording medium to and away from a platen or the like. To facilitate insertion of the starting portion of the recording medium which, for example, may be constituted by continuous forms or form sets the transport belt including the carrier therefor can be pivoted into such a position that the recording medium can be placed with its marginal perforations on the prongs of a threading or insertion roller and into an open guide gap.

Abstract: A pin feed mechanism (10) for transporting continuous stationery (11) having perforations (46) at both longitudinal edges thereof, in which transport pins (38) are arranged to engage with the perforations (46) and move the stationery (11) past a printing station. The pins (38) each have a tapered end to facilitate insertion of the pins (38) into the perforations (46). The tapered end of each pin (38) is shaped to have biconvex cross section, so that the curvature of its paper engaging surfaces has a constant radius of curvature along the length of the pin (38).

Abstract: A tractor for a web feeding assembly having spaced support and drive shafts has a chassis providing a pair of apertures extending therethrough and a belt extending thereabout. A drive pulley mounted in one of the chassis apertures is engaged with the driven surface of the belt and has an aperture therethrough receiving the drive shaft. A convexly arcuate belt support surface cooperates with the drive pulley to define the web drive path for the belt therebetween. A resilient spring clamp is mounted adjacent the other aperture in the chassis and releasably clamps the tractor on the support shaft. The mounting desirably permits the clamp to rotate about the axis of the aperture receiving the support shaft.

Abstract: A tractor for a web feeding assembly has a chassis providing a pair of apertures extending therethrough and a belt extending thereabout. A drive pulley mounted in one of the chassis apertures is engaged with the driven surface of the belt and has an aperture therethrough receiving the drive shaft. Resiliently deflectable means on the pulley defines at least a portion of the shaft receiving aperture and resiliently bears upon the drive shaft over a portion of its length. The deflectable means provides a passage portion of reduced cross section to engage the surface of the shaft. As a result, irregularities in the drive shaft, and variations in axial spacing of the shafts occuring during operation, may be accommodated by deflection of the deflectable means.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding a paper having holes utilizes an endless belt which contains a plurality of pins which are mounted so that they are positioned to a side of an outer periphery of the endless belt. The pins fit into holes in the paper to feed the paper as the endless belt is driven by two main pulleys. An auxiliary pulley is rotatably mounted on one of the shafts which supports one of the main pulleys in such a manner that the auxiliary pulley confronts and supports the bottoms of the pins, thus preventing the pins from being deflected inward. Because the auxiliary pulley is driven with one of the main pulleys, friction between the bottoms of the pins and the auxiliary pulley is minimized.

Abstract: A tractor for a web feeding assembly has a chassis providing a pair of apertures extending therethrough and a belt extending thereabout. A drive pulley mounted in one of the chassis apertures is engaged with the driven surface of the belt and has an aperture therethrough receiving the drive shaft. The pulley has a pair of elements, one of which has axially extending resiliently deflectable posts thereon and the other of which has means thereon engaging the posts. Resiliently deflectable means on the second pulley element defines at least a portion of the shaft receiving aperture and resiliently bears upon the drive shaft over a portion of its length. The deflectable means provides a passage portion of reduced cross section to engage the surface of the shaft. As a result, irregularities in the drive shaft, and variations in axial spacing of the shafts occuring during operation, may be accommodated by deflection of the deflectable means and of the posts.

Abstract: A tractor for a web feeding assembly has a chassis providing a pair of apertures extending therethrough and a belt extending thereabout. A drive pulley mounted in one of the chassis apertures is engaged with the driven surface of the belt and has an aperture therethrough receiving the drive shaft. Convexly arcuate belt support means cooperates with the drive pulley to define the web drive path for the belt therebetween, and a cover on the chassis overlies the belt and web drive path. Belt tensioning means is movably supported on the chassis below the drive path for resiliently biasing the belt against the guide means. As a result, pressures on the belt during operation of the tractor tending to produce deflection away from the cover are resisted by the belt tensioning means to maintain a rectilinear drive path for the web tightly against the cover.

Abstract: High performance tractor apparatus having one or more of the following features: selectable tractor feed or friction feed of the web where the tractor and friction feed modes are carried out in non-interfering relationship and with precision line registration in either mode; a latch-down lid which is movable between closed position over the tractor belt and open position for threading of the web with one hand without sacrificing the hold-down force exerted by the latch when the lid is in closed position; hinging of the lid from the frame without any parts other than the frame and lid themselves which can be latched together to provide a unitary assembly; and tensioning of the belt with a shoe which is spring-biased but fixed in position upon assembly of the tractor to apply predetermined tensioning to the belt which may be reestablished from time to time by releasing and then reapplying the clamping force which holds the frame together and fixes the position of the shoe in the frame.

Abstract: A sheet-feed tractor of the type that includes a belt with pins for advancing edge-perforated paper is provided with an extension on its web-retention door for mounting an idler roller that is used for friction feed of paper that does not have edge perforations. A drive roller is provided opposite the idler roller on a drive shaft that also is used to drive the belt containing the pins. As a consequence, paper located between the drive and idler rollers is advanced when the drive shaft is rotated.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a forms feed tractor mechanism having a belt with pins and driving elements extending threrethrough. The pins are adapted to engage perforated holes along the edge of a recorded medium. Driver means are provided for rotating the belt and pins and thereby rotate the engaged medium. Also, there is provided a spring tensioner for maintaining tension on the belt. The tractor includes a door which is rotatably snapped fitted into the housing of the tractor and maintained above the plane of the record medium by an extension on the lower surface thereof. The belt and pins are constructed by molding the pins around the belt side so that the belt is below the feeding surface of the tractor mechanism upon which the paper rests.

Abstract: A curvilinear, semi-rigid paper guide for a bi-directional line printer mounted on a platen which provides a surface that bears against the moving print head as the print medium passes between the print head and the paper guide is disclosed. By adjusting the curvature of the paper guide, differences in the distances between adjacent drive sprockets of upper and lower print medium drive mechanisms may be compensated for thus ensuring the printing of straight, parallel and unskewed character lines. In addition, the present invention may be used in a line printer having a single print medium drive mechanism to compensate for nonlinearities in and non-parallelism between the surface of the platen and print head movement.

Abstract: A film projection system for use with a continuous film motion telecine machine includes a film guide (17, 18) which guides the film (1) past a gate (13). The film guides (17, 18) form part of two endless bands (14, 15). The parts of the bands (14, 15) in contact with the film (1) are arranged to move at substantially the same velocity as the film and there is provided means (19, 20) for varying the spacing between the bands.

Abstract: A web feed tractor having an endless belt with drive pins which engage the perforations in a web such as computer forms which are to be driven has a frame which define concave and convex reaches of the belt. An outwardly open convex slot and a partially closed concave slot along opposite edges of the frame support and guide the belt reaches. The tips of the pins extending from the belt along the concave reach of the belt are in sliding contact with the outer wall of the partially closed slot. The tractor is compact and the concave reach of the belt which is not in driving relationship with the web is retained inside the tractor structure so that it does not interfere with other parts of the equipment in which the tractor is installed. The tractor is concavo-convex and oblong in shape or somewhat banana shaped.

Abstract: A paper web in an office machine is transported from the one side of a transporter (tractor) comprising a transport chain to the printing backing and back again on the other side of the transporter. In the case of multilayer paper webs, notably webs comprising more than four layers, an increasingly larger wave of the paper web tends to in front of the printing backing. In order to avoid such waves, the associated transporters comprise guide pieces for the paperweb which extend from the tractor to the vicinity of the zone of contact between the paper web and the printing backing and whose surface is situated at least substantially in the plane tangential to the printing backing at this zone of contact.

Abstract: A bidirectional document tractor unit having spaced apart laterally adjustable tractor mechanisms each provided with an endless tractor belt which is in driving engagement with a document support belt to provide a document path interposed between the support belt and the tractor belt. The support belts include perforations engageable with the drive pins on the tractor belt. The support belts also are drivably engaged with sprocket members having document drive pins formed thereon. The tractor belts are driven through suitable sprockets in driving engagement with an elongated driveshaft. Movable gates are disposed adjacent to the drive sprockets which provide for lead-in driving engagement with the document which is trained along the tractor belt between the tractor belt and the support belt, then through the printer platen and then along the opposite run of the tractor belts before returning to a document magazine or stack.

Abstract: Apparatus used in conjunction with printer document feed mechanisms for allowing the dynamic adjustment of the feed mechanisms while paper feed is occurring, thus adjusting paper tension. The apparatus has a linear adjustment capability over its total range. In particular, adjusting levers are attached to the feed mechanism support shaft, pinions being attached to each end of the shaft. The pinion teeth mesh with the teeth of racks attached to each side plate of the feed mechanism. As the adjusting levers are moved, the support shaft and pinions rotate. The rotation of the pinion meshing with the rack causes the support shaft (and feed mechanism) to move, changing the distance between the feed mechanism and the printer platen. This distance, and paper tension, vary linearly with the angular position of the levers. The paper tension can be adjusted while the feed mechanism is operative.

Abstract: A device for mounting a paper tractor assembly between the side frames of a computer printer which allows the entire paper tractor assembly to be "popped out" by the application of finger pressure alone, and which eliminates the cost of rounding the ends of the square drive rod of the paper tractor assembly. The mounting device consists of mounting brackets to secure the rods of the paper tractor assembly, bushings to engage the ends of the square drive rod and adapt them to fit into the mounting brackets, and springs or other resilient means to allow the paper tractor assembly to be "popped out.

Abstract: An automatic electrostatographic duplicating machine in which computer fanfold documents are fed by an automatic handling means from a supply position above the machine platen to a second position overlaying the platen below the supply position by a tractor means having motor driven sprocket means operative to advance the document material, and control means for supplying control signals to said motor driven means to advance the document material continuously, intermittently, or to selected positions.