Zig-zag folded strip bottom feeder
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorLeo Steven Balandis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tray for accommodating flat pack material such as computer fanfold adapted to enable feeding of the flat pack from off the bottom of the tray. The subject tray includes a base section comprising a plurality of rollers distributed for movement in a track means such that the rollers move back and forth in correspondence with unfolding movement of the flat pack. As another embodiment, the rollers may be reciprocated back and forth in timed relationship with unfolding of the flat pack by drive means.
Claims10
A pack tray for supporting an endless web fanfolded into a pack for feeding of said web from off the bottom of said pack, the improvement comprising:
- plural base members arranged in substantially parallel relationship to one another on which said pack is adapted to rest;
- track means supporting the terminal ends of said base members with said base members extending therebetween for movement in a direction paralleling the direction of web unfolding,
- said web being disposed between an adjoining pair of said members so that on movement of said web and unfolding of said pack, said base members oscillate back and forth, and means to restrain said pack against oscillation in said tray whereby said pack remains substantially stationary during oscillation of said base members as said pack unfolds.
In a system for feeding fanfolded web material, the improvement comprising:
- tray means for holding a supply of said web material pending feeding thereof, said web material being folded into a pack configuration,
- said tray means including a base and upstanding sides, said base and sides cooperating to form a generally U-shaped tray for receiving said pack, said sides cooperating to restrain said pack against movement along said base as said web material is fed from below said pack,
- said base having at least two pack supporting members for supporting said pack in said tray, said supporting members being movable back and forth along said base in a direction paralleling the direction of unfolding of said pack during feeding thereof, said web material being movable between said pack supporting members during feeding.
In a system for feeding fanfolded web material, the improvement comprising:
- tray means for holding a supply of said web material pending feeding thereof, said web material being folded into a pack configuration,
- said tray means including a base for supporting said pack and adapted to permit said web material to be fed from below said pack,
- said base having at least two pack supporting members movable in a direction paralleling the direction of unfolding of said pack during feeding thereof, said web material being movable between said pack supporting members during feeding, and
- a track pair for supporting said pack supporting members, said track pair extending parallel to the direction of unfolding of said pack adjoining each side of said tray, said track pair being U-shaped in configuration to render said tray means compact.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.