Apparatus for adapting a single sheet feed offset duplicator to print on continuous form paper

An apparatus for modifying an individual sheet feed offset duplicator (10) to print impressions on continuous form paper (50), said duplicator having its sheet feed (16) removed from its input (12) and having its sheet delivery (18) removed from its output (14), said duplicator having a rotating printing mechanism (60, 70) for printing said impressions on said continuous form paper and for pulling said continuous form paper through said duplicator, said apparatus comprising:

• means (30) connected to said input of said duplicator and engaging said paper for delivering said paper into said duplicator,
• means (40) connected to said output of said duplicator and engaging said paper for maintaining a predetermined amount of tautness on said paper by providing supplementary pulling on said paper as said paper is pulled through said duplicator by said printing mechanism,
• means (270) in said delivering means and engaging said paper for generating power as said paper is pulled through said duplicator, said generating means further providing drag to said paper, and
• means (35) connected to said duplicator and to said generating means and maintaining means for extending said power from said generating means to said maintaining means to provide the power necessary for said supplementary pull so that said tautness on said paper is created from said drag located at said input and said supplementary pull located at said output as said paper is pulled through said duplicator.

An apparatus for modifying an individual sheet feed offset duplicator (10) to print impressions on continuous form paper (50), said duplicator having its sheet feed (16) removed from its input (12) and having its sheet delivery (18) removed from its output (14), said duplicator having a rotating printing mechanism for printing said impressions on said continuous form paper and for pulling said continuous form paper through said duplicator, said apparatus comprising:

• a pair of opposing mounting plates (500, 502) mounted to said input of said duplicator,
• a pair of elongated tractors (210) mounted between said plates for engaging punched holes (360) on margins (370) on opposite sides of said paper, said tractors having a substantial length equal to the longitudinal length of a page in said paper and creating drag to said paper.
• means (912, 1000) connected to said tractors for holding said paper in engagement with said pair of tractors,
• means (554, 556) connected to said tractors for generating power as said paper is pulled through said duplicator,
• means (552) connected between said plates for angularly moving in a direction perpendicular to the direction containing said plates,
• a cam (526) having an actuating surface (820), said cam driven to rotate one revolution with each revolution of said printing mechanism,
• a lever (527, 552, 830) operatively engaging said cam to provide indexing of said paper when said lever operatively engages said actuating surface,
• a V-shaped key (240) located on said lever,
• at least one timing gear (260) engaging said generating means, said at least one timing gear having a V-shaped index opening (250) on the outer surface thereof, said opening being located on said at least one gear at a location wherein when said paper has stopped moving between printing of said impressions, said key with each revolution of said cam fully engages said opening and forces said paper to a predetermination registration (320) position so that the engagement of said V-shaped key with said V-shaped opening at an index point (252) corrects overshoot or undershoot of said paper after the printing of each impression,
• means (280) connected to said moving means and to said generating means for selectively pivoting said moving means about said generating means in a predetermined angle to vary the registration of said impression a predetermined distance on said paper while said impressions are being printed,
• means (40) connected to said output of said duplicator and engaging said paper for maintaining a predetermined amount of tautness on said paper by providing supplementary pulling on said paper as said paper is pulled through said duplicator by said printing mechanism, and
• means (35) connected to said duplicator and to said generating means and maintaining means for extending said power from said generating means to said maintaining means to provide the power necessary for said supplementary pull so that said tautness on said paper is created from said drag located at said input and said supplementary pull located at said output as said paper is pulled through said duplicator.