Photoconductor sheet clamp apparatus

A photoconductor sheet clamp apparatus comprising, in combination, a drum adapted to have a photoconductor sheet wound therearound, and having a recess, at one part of its peripheral surface, extending along a generating line of said peripheral surface;

• a drum shaft about which said drum is rotatable;
• a front end clamp member in said recess and operable to clamp the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet into said recess;
• front end clamp member operation means operable on said front end clamp member to clamp and unclamp the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet;
• a back end clamp member operable to clamp the trailing end portion of a photoconductor sheet in said recess, said back end clamp member being disengageable from said recess and rotatable around the axis of said drum shaft independently of said drum;
• back end clamp member operation means operable to move said back end clamp member relative to said drum;
• leading end separation guide means operable to separate the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet from said drum for discharge of a photocondutor sheet;
• and drum stopping means operable to stop said drum at a predetermined angular position for unclamping a photoconductor sheet from said drum for discharge of a photoconductor sheet, said back end clamp operation means comprising epicyclic gear trains, with said epicyclic gear trains comprising a pair of sun gears fixed to respective ends of said drum shaft;
• a pair of support arm plates, each substantially fixed to a respective one of said sun gears, said support arm plates extending radially outwardly of said drum in the said direction relative to said drum shaft;
• a further shaft disposed parallel to said drum shaft, a pair of planetary gears fixed to respective ends of said further shaft and each engaged with a respective sun gear;
• and stopping means operable to arrest motion of one of said support arm plates;
• said back end clamp member extending between said pair of support arm plates along a generating line of the peripheral surface of said drum.

A photoconductor sheet clamp apparatus comprising, in combination, a drum adapted to have a photoconductor sheet wound therearound, and having a recess, at one part of its peripheral surface, extending along a generating line of said peripheral surface;

• a drum shaft about which said drum is rotatable;
• a front end clamp member in said recess and operable to clamp the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet into said recess;
• front end clamp member operation means operable on said front end clamp member to clamp and unclamp the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet, a back end clamp member operable to clamp the trailing end portion of a photoconductor sheet in said recess, said back end clamp member being disengageable from said recess and rotatable around the axis of said drum shaft independently of said drum;
• back end clamp member operation means operable to move said back end clamp member relative to said drum;
• leading end separation guide means operable to separate the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet from said drum for discharge of a photoconductor sheet;
• and drum stopping means operable to stop said drum at a predetermined angular position for unclamping a photoconductor sheet from said drum for discharge of a photoconductor sheet, said leading end separation means comprising a rotatable shaft and a plurality of separation fingers mounted on said rotatable shaft and facing the peripheral surface of said drum;
• and scraper means mounted on said rotatable shaft and operable to guide said separation fingers to advance along the peripheral surface of said drum and the bottom of said recess to enter between the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet and the peripheral surface of said drum.

A photoconductor sheet clamp apparatus comprising, in combination, a drum adapted to have a photoconductor sheet wound therearound, and having a recess, at one part of its peripheral surface, extending along a generating line of said peripheral surface, a drum shaft about which said drum is rotatable;

• a front end clamp member in said recess and operable to clamp the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet into said recess;
• front end clamp member operation means operable on said front end clamp member to clamp and unclamp the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet;
• a back end clamp member operable to clamp the trailing end portion of a photoconductor sheet in said recess, said back end clamp member being disengageable from said recess and rotatable around the axis of said drum shaft independently of said drum;
• back end clamp member operation means operable to move said back end clamp member relative to said drum;
• leading end separation guide means operable to separate the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet from said drum for discharge of a photoconductor sheet;
• and drum stopping means operable to stop said drum at a predetermined angular position for unclamping a photoconductor sheet from said drum for discharge of a photoconductor sheet;
• and a pressure plate connected over and to said back end clamp member extending across said recess and over said front end clamp member when said front and back end clamp members clamp the leading and trailing portions of a photoconductor sheet in said recess, to cover and close said recess.

A photoconductor sheet clamp apparatus comprising, in combination, a drum adapted to have a photoconductor sheet wound therearound, and having a recess, at one part of its peripheral surface, extending along a generating line of said peripheral surface;

• a drum shaft about which said drum is rotatable;
• a front end clamp member in said recess and operable to clamp the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet into said recess;
• front end clamp member operation means operable on said front end clamp member to clamp and unclamp the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet;
• a back end clamp member operable to clamp the trailing end portion of a photoconductor sheet in said recess, said back end clamp member being disengagable from said recess and rotatable around the axis of said drum shaft independently of said drum;
• back end clamp member operation means operable to move said back end clamp member relative to said drum;
• leading end separation guide means operable to separate the leading end portion of a photoconductor sheet from said drum for discharge of a photoconductor sheet;
• and drum stopping means operable to stop said drum at a predetermined angular position for unclamping a photoconductor sheet from said drum for discharge of a photoconductor sheet;
• said back end clamp member operating means comprising a pair of sliding plates connected to said back end clamp member each mounted on opposite sides of said drum shaft;
• guide means guiding said sliding plate for movement on opposite sides of said drum shaft radially of said drum;
• a pin extending from each of said sliding plates and into said recess when said back end clamp member is operable to clamp the trailing end portion of a photoconductor in said recess, said pin abutting said recess and movable along said recess and the outer peripheral surface of said drum;
• spring means biasing said sliding plate radially inwardly of said drum;
• a stopper member mounted adjacent the outer periphery of said drum having a concave portion facing said drum into which said pin is engageable when said pin abuts against the outer periphery of said drum for stopping the rotation of said back end clamp member with respect to the rotation of said drum;
• a limiting lever pivotally mounted adjacent said drum;
• a solenoid connected to said limiting lever for pivoting said limiting lever;
• said limiting lever engageable with said back end clamp member for stopping the rotation thereof when said solenoid is activated for causing said pin to ride up said recess and across the outer periphery of said drum and be engaged in said concave portion of said stopper member.