Abstract: A document feeding apparatus wherein documents are fed one by one from a document stacker by a first document feeding device and a second document feeding device which is provided in the midway of a path from the first document feeding device to a processing unit, and the movement of the document is stopped temporarily by a document stopping device before the leading end of the document fed from the second document feeding device reaches a synchronous sensor provided in the midway of a path from the second document feeding device to the processing unit. The first document feeding device consists of a feeding belt connected to a drive source through an electromagnetic clutch, and a separating roller which is in sliding contact with an upper surface of the feeding belt in a non-rotary state. The second document feeding device consists of a drive roller connected to a drive source through an electromagnetic clutch, and a driven roller which is press contact with the drive roller.

Abstract: To feed a sheet of paper by use of a frictional force with the paper sheet, feed holes aligned in the direction of feeding at either edge of the paper sheet are detected by means of a feed hole detecting means located in a feed hole detecting position. An actual amount of paper feeding is measured by detecting the feed holes that pass through the feed hole detecting position, and then the amount by which the paper feeding means is to advance is adjusted according to the measured actual amount of paper feeding. Paper feeding can thereby be precisely controlled. Additionally, a paper feeding amount control circuit measures the initial phase difference between the position of a feed hole in a sheet of paper and the feed hole detecting position in the initial stage of paper feeding.

Abstract: A paper sheet feeder includes an input roller, an interposed roller, an output roller and a motor. The interposed roller serves both as a paper-feeder and a paper-stopper by changing the drive direction of the motor. A one-way clutch is provided at the interposed roller and is effective to allow the roller both to stop the paper and to drive the paper. The input roller is also provided with a one-way clutch. A single motor effects both sheet removal from a pile and sheet feeding.

Abstract: An apparatus for scanning a sheet-shaped recording medium comprises a first conveyance system and a second conveyance system for receiving and conveying the recording medium conveyed by the first conveyance system. The second conveyance system is spaced from the first conveyance system by a distance shorter than the length of the recording medium. A roller is positioned between the first conveyance system and the second conveyance system and moves up and down to contact and bend the recording medium after the recording medium conveyed by the first conveyance system reaches the second conveyance system. A scanning optical system is positioned on the side opposite to the roller with respect to the recording medium for scanning the bent surface of the recording medium by a light beam in a scanning direction normal to the conveyance direction of the recording medium.

Abstract: An embossing module for an automatic embossing machine utilizes a pair of opposed embossing element carrying wheels driven by oscillating bail arms which directly engage the embossing punch and die elements. An electromechanical interrupter mechanically decouples motion of the bail arm from the embossing elements in the event of a failure. The printwheels are driven by separate motors utilizing separate position encoders and common servo command circuits.

Abstract: A sheet material conveying device includes a feed roller assembly and a temporary hampering device disposed downstream of the roller assembly. The conveying device includes a driven shaft to be rotated by a driving source and a plurality of driven rollers mounted on the shaft. The driven rollers comprise at least one positively driven roller having a non-slip rotary connection with the driven shaft and at least one negatively driven roller having a slip connection with the driven shaft. The positively driven roller is mounted on the driven shaft so as to be rotated continuously with rotation of the driven shaft. The negatively driven roller has an inside diameter larger than the outside diameter of the driven shaft and is rotatably mounted on the driven shaft.

Abstract: A paper feeding device includes conveyor rollers including top rollers and bottom rollers which rotate in the same direction and disposed respectively on two shafts in alternate positions. Timing rollers are provided on the down stream side of the conveyor rollers. The center-to-center distance between the two shafts is somewhat smaller than the sum of the radii of the top and bottom rollers. A recess is provided on each of the top rollers, so that the recess faces the direction of the circumference of the bottom rollers, when the forward end of the original sheet conveyed to the timing rollers by conveyor rollers abuts the timing rollers.

Abstract: A copying paper conveying device for conveying a sheet of copying paper having an upper and a lower introducing passage and a main conveying passage extending from a point of meeting of the upper and lower introducing passages. A pair of conveyor rollers are disposed in the upper introducing passage, and a pair of timing rollers are diposed in the main conveying passage. At least the downstream sections of the upper and lower introducing passages are partitioned by a common guide plate, and at least the downstream section of the common guide plate is formed of a flexible material. When a copying paper is conveyed through the upper introducing passage and the main conveying passage, the pair of conveying rollers are actuated in relation to the operation of the pair of timing rollers, and the copying paper is maintained bent between the pair of conveying rollers and the pair of timing rollers at least until the trailing edge of the copying paper leaves the pair of conveying rollers.

Abstract: A paddle wheel feeder includes a paddle wheel having a foam hub with at least three blades molded therein. The paddle wheel is mounted to be rotatably driven by a shaft having a Geneva mechanism attached thereto which causes the paddle wheel to stop just before one of the blades contacts the top sheet in a stack and then accelerate to drive the sheet forward. For normal force optimization, internal springs are located inside each paddle of the wheel is one embodiment and a thick bladed foam paddle wheel is utilized in another embodiment with each blade having a coating of high friction material.

Abstract: A silk-screen printing machine, preferably of the kind which uses an endless conveyor belt as a material conveying means, said conveyor belt being driven by a drive source in a manner such that the belt can be stopped in a first position for registering or aligning the material to be printed upon, and then to convey the material to a printing position where a print corresponding to a stencil pattern is applied to the material. A sensing device for sensing the movement of the material from the registering position to the printing position with an accuracy less than 0.5 millimeters is connected to a counter. The counter includes an arrangement which at a predetermined setting substantially corresponding to the conveyed distance between the first and second positions generates a signal adapted to actuate a drive for stopping the conveyor when the material is in the second position.

Abstract: A document feeding method and apparatus for frictionally (non-sprocket) feeding computer forms web having sprocket holes to the imaging station of a copier for copying, compatible with individual document sheet feeding. After automatically determining that a computer forms web rather than an individual document sheet is being frictionally fed to the imaging station the computer forms web is automatically frictionally fed incrementally in selected incremental lengths and registered to the imaging station with a controllable frictional servo-drive system without engaging the sprocket holes. A system is provided for sensing and accumulating first signals corresponding to the movement of the controllable frictional drive system, and for sensing and accumulating second signals corresponding to the number and position of sprocket holes in the computer forms web being so frictionally fed, including a system of validating sensed holes as being sprocket holes by validating hole dimensions and positions.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive printer is provided with an apparatus for effecting the stoppage of a travelling ink donor sheet as soon as a recording sheet can be separated therefrom of the printing, in order to economize the consumption of the donor sheet.

Abstract: In a document transport 10 for transporting an original document sheet 14 over the imaging station 18 of a copier 12 there is disclosed a single integrally movable roller unit 11 solely engaging and driving a document sheet over the platen from an initial position 24 upstream of the imaging station to a document ejection position 32 downstream thereof with driving means 35 both rotating and translating the roller unit relative to the platen to translate the roller unit 11 and a document sheet held and transported thereunder over and through the imaging station without imaging the roller unit or rubbing the platen glass in the imaging area. The disclosed roller unit 11 reciprocates a distance 33 from and back to the initial position 24 with pinion gears 28 on the roller shaft 30 engaging racks 26 to control the combined rotational and translational movement of the transport wheels 25 in the transporting movement direction. Clutch release of the rollers may be provided in the return movement.

Abstract: A screen printer has a flat bed coplanar with a loading and an unloading surface on opposite sides thereof, the bed being divided into a stationary middle section and two movable outer sections confronting one another along boundary lines paralleling the direction of movement of copy sheets from the loading surface to the unloading surface. Such movement is effected with the aid of a conveyor comprising two chains underneath the bed entraining sheet-gripping jaws through the gaps formed between these sections when they are transversely separated. The jaws are almost flush with the plane of the bed and the loading and unloading surfaces; upon closure of the bed sections, they are received in cutouts of the outer sections and are thus immobilized while a printing screen descends into contact with a copy sheet overlying the bed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mechanism for feeding unit documents, such as sheets, envelopes, pages, cards, and the like to an apparatus for processing. A mechanism is provided for feeding the documents to and removing them from the operating apparatus at a relatively high rate of speed. During the time that an individual document is being operated upon it is conveyed by a mechanism associated with the operating apparatus. Examples of such operations would be printing addresses on an envelope, embossing credit cards, encoding magnetic tapes, and the like. Upon conclusion of the operation, the documents are removed quickly so that a second document may be supplied to the operating apparatus expeditiously.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents having both pre-printed information adapted to be identified by an automatic recognition device and handwritten information adapted to be identified by the human eye. Each document is subjected to an operation involving the reading of the information contained thereon in two recurrent operating phases and an operation involving the recording of fresh data thereon. In the first phase, the pre-printed information is read by an automatic recognition device. During the second phase, the handwritten information is read visually and transcribed by an encoding device. Simultaneously therewith, fresh data is recorded on another document which was subjected to a reading operation in the course of the two next preceding operating phases.

Abstract: A conveyor, particularly for feeding preshaped pieces of cardboard to a machine for packaging cigarettes into hinged lid packets, and in which a guide is provided to control the vertical position of said pieces when they fall from the bottom of an upper vessel on to said conveyor under the action of an extractor, said guide being movable to and from a working position in which the guide interferes with the falling path of said pieces.

Abstract: Disclosed is a means for feeding unit documents, such as sheets, envelopes, pages, cards, and the like to an apparatus for processing. Means is provided for feeding the documents to and removing them from the operating apparatus at a relatively high rate of speed. During the time that an individual document is being operated upon it is conveyed by means associated with the operating apparatus. Examples of such operations would be printing addresses on an envelope, embossing credit cards, encoding magnetic tapes, and the like. Upon conclusion of the operation, the documents are removed quickly so that a second document may be supplied to the operating apparatus expeditiously.

Abstract: A single revolution mechanism is disclosed in which a feed roll is mounted on a print lever which is attached rotatably to a pivot. By rotating the lever, the feed roll can be brought into contact with an external driving shaft. The feed roll is coupled to a ratchet mechanism comprising a pawl and ratchet. The pawl is engaged with a spring urged pressure lever so that when the feed roll is driven, the ratchet pushes itself away from the second lever to latch the print lever and roll in the operative position during a full revolution. After performing the revolution, the print lever reengages the ratchet to unlatch the device from the driving roll in preparation for another actuation.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for feeding rectangular metal sheets from a supply to a cupping press in which can body blanks are cut and drawn from the metal sheets. The apparatus includes a table providing a flat conveying surface, and three sheet feeding mechanisms are provided at locations along the table between the opposite ends thereof. A sheet to be transferred is deposited on one end of the table and is transferred therefrom to a second position by an endless chain and feed finger arrangement. At the second position, the trailing edge of the sheet is engaged by a reciprocating feed finger arrangement to advance the sheet one step to a third position on the table in which the sheet is accurately spaced longitudinally relative to a reference point in the press.

Abstract: Document feeding apparatus for feeding original documents of varying length to the copying station of a copier machine. If the document is less than or equal to a predetermined length, the document is moved to the copying station, a corresponding copy is made, and the original document is then transported to an exit stacker. If the original document exceeds the predetermined length, which length is slightly less than the length of a copy document, then the feed moves the original document to and through the copy station in increments slightly shorter than the length of the copy document, until the entire length of the original document has been copied. A particular use of the invention is in connection with the copying of adding machine tapes.

Abstract: A paper feeding and receiving system for use on presses and duplicators, such system including a paper feed regulator assembly which has a microswitch mounted on a supporting arm above a vertically reciprocable feed table for sensing the height of papers vertically stacked thereon. An electrically actuated solenoid is mountable on the duplicator or press, and operates in response to closure of the microswitch to actuate a pawl latch lever and mechanical linkage to control and effect the incremental elevation of the paper feed table disposed below the microswitch. The paper feed and receiving system further includes a balance beam subassembly mounted on the paper feed table for supporting dual, horizontally spaced, vertically extending stacks of paper to facilitate simultaneous feeding of two sheets of paper to the press or duplicator.

Abstract: A conveying device for intermittently conveying a sheet through a platen press having a pair of endless chains with gripper bars extending therebetween, a drive shaft having drive sprockets engaging each of the pair of chains, at least one driven sprocket for each of the pair of chains, means including an oscillating sector gear for intermittently rotating the drive shaft characterized by at least one of the driven sprockets having an axial extension, braking means supported on a portion of the press frame adjacent each of the extensions for engaging the extension, means including at least one blower for cooling the braking means and means for actuating the braking means including a control shaft which is rotated one complete revolution for each cycle of oscillation of the sector gear and has means for causing the engagement and disengagement of the braking means during a portion of each revolution thereof.

Abstract: A document encoding system transmits an incoming document at a high transport speed. When the document is received at an encoding station it is first stopped and registered and then retransmitted for encoding at a relatively low speed, the exact value being dependent on whether MICR or OCR encoding is used. After characters are encoded on the document the trailing edge is detected and the document is caused to accelerate to the high transport speed where it is transmitted for further processing.In a second alternative embodiment, information relating to character field positions is used to transmit the document at the relatively low speed when encoding and at a heightened speed when otherwise in the encoding station but not encoding.In a third alternative embodiment, the document is received by the encoding station on the fly at the high transport speed. It is advanced at that speed until decelerated to the relatively low speed at the first encoding position.

Abstract: Apparatus for incrementally advancing a sheet with high accuracy in which a single actuator causes both the incremental advance of a sheet-advancing roller and also the engagement of the sheet with a printing head upon completion of the incremental advance. The apparatus is particularly adapted to advance thermally sensitive paper past thermal print heads for line-at-a-time printing.

Abstract: A programmably alterable incrementing system particularly adapted for use in conjunction with an apparatus for selectively indexing punch cards or like sheet material through a work station; such apparatus being particularly susceptible to errors in tolerance such as may be due to inaccuracies in mechanical components, but which are particularly attributable to variation in humidity conditions. Means including a stepping switch are provided to introduce a corrective factor, as needed, into the indexing system to ensure that the required correspondence exists between the actual and the intended increment imparted to a punch card as it is advanced through the work station.