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US 4,060,177 AGranted
Stamp dispensing apparatus
OwnerJohn L. Surber, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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OwnerJohn L. Surber, Jr.inventor
Estimating the term…
An elongated web of stamps comprising a plurality of stamps connected together by a backing strip or longitudinally spaced transverse rows of perforations and formed into a roll is used in the dispensing apparatus disclosed. The stamp web is moved from the roll through an opening in the housing the distance required to position the desired number of stamps to be cut from the web each time the apparatus is actuated. To accurately position the web so that the web is cut along a connection between stamps such as a row of perforations, the web travels over a freely rotating indexing wheel having ridges positioned to engage the web at the connection between stamps only. The tension in the web during the dispensing operation and the structural weakness of the connection causes the web to bend at the line of contact with the ridges which insures that the wheel is rotated by the web without slippage and provides a very accurate means of controlling the position of the web when the dispensed stamps are severed from the web. Between dispensing operations, a roller exerts a resilient force on the web between two ridges in which the web is in contact, which holds the wheel and web in a known position for the start of the next vending operation.
Apparatus for dispensing items, such as stamps, tickets, and the like from an elongated web of said items formed by a plurality of the items connected through a backing strip, rows of perforations, and the like, comprising a housing having an opening through which the web is moved when such items are being dispensed, means for moving the web through the opening, means for actuating the web moving means, means for stopping the web moving means when a preselected number of such items have been dispensed, and means to position the web for the dispensed item or items to be severed at a connection between such items and the remaining web, said positioning means including a wheel mounted to rotate freely around an axis transverse the direction of movement of the web, said wheel being positioned for the web to wrap around a portion of the wheel as it moves toward the dispensing opening and having a plurality of ridges parallel to the axis of rotation and spaced to engage the web at the connections between the items forming the web as the wheel is rotated by the moving web, and means providing a resilient force on the web to hold the web in engagement with the wheel sufficient to prevent slippage between the wheel and the moving web, and said means for stopping the web moving means including means responsive to the position of the wheel to stop the web moving means when a preselected number of such items have been dispensed.
Apparatus for dispensing items, such as stamps and the like from an elongated web of said items formed by a plurality of the items connected together through a backing strip, rows of perforations, and the like, comprising a housing having an opening through which the web is moved when such items are being dispensed, means for moving the web through the opening, means for actuating the web moving means, means for stopping the web moving means when a preselected number of such items have been dispensed, and means for positioning the web for the dispensed item or items to be severed at a connection between such items and the remaining web, said positioning means including an indexing wheel, means mounting the wheel to rotate freely around an axis transverse the direction of movement of the web and in position for the web to move over the wheel as the web moves to the dispensing opening, said wheel having a plurality of ridges parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel with each ridge positioned to engage the web at the connections between the items forming the web to bend the web along the line of engagement to cause the wheel to rotate with the web as it is moved, and means exerting a resilient force on the web urging it toward the wheel and positioned to exert said force between two ridges in engagement with the web when the moving means is deactuated to cause the wheel and web to seek a position with the force exerting means midway between said two ridges at the end and start of each dispensing operation to insure that the web is properly positioned for the dispensed items to be severed at a connection between such items and the end of the dispensing operation and said means for stopping the web moving means including means responsive to the position of the wheel to stop the web moving means when a preselected number of such items have been dispensed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.