US 4,304,345 A · Modular bidirectional tractor feed assembly

Abstract

A modular bidirectional tractor feed assembly having its own platen, which is substituted for the platen normally in the printer, is installed on the printer as a single unit using projections on the side platen of the feed assembly. Adjustments are performed on the assembly during manufacture to assure proper alignment of elements to provide error-free feeding of record material and properly aligned printing thereon. The assembly includes mechanism to provide positive assist in loading the record material, mechanism to prevent the perforations in the record material from becoming stuck on the drive pins when the record material leaves the feed mechanism, mechanism for easily locking and unlocking the feed mechanism in position to accommodate various widths of record material and mechanism to easily adjust the tension in the drive pin carrying chains of the feed mechanism.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A modular feed assembly for feeding record material therealong, said mechanism comprising:

a base member,
a first and second support member attached to opposite edges of said base member, said first and second support members being substantially parallel to each other,
a platen rotatably supported about an axis by said first and second support members,
a drive shaft rotatably supported about an axis by said first and second support members and positioned substantially parallel to said platen,
feed means operatively engaging said drive shaft to be driven thereby, and
means interconnecting said platen and said drive shaft for simultaneously rotating the same.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Modular bidirectional tractor feed assembly

Life of this patent

Modular bidirectional tractor feed assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10