Jam-free continuous-forms printer
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRobert F. Jessen, Christopher A. Mertens, Nathan J. Olsen, Robert J. Telfer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Tractor drives of a high speed printer move a length of continuous-form paper longitudinally up from a box of fanfold stacked paper, through a print mechanism, across paper directing means, and downward to refold onto a fanfold stack. A misfold detector is positioned at the paper directing means to sense the jumble of paper caused by misfolding prior to jamming of paper movement through the tractor drive to prevent damage to the paper, complex restarting procedures, or data loss.
Claims6
A continuous-forms printer comprising in combination:
- means for supplying a length of continuous form paper which is prefolded laterally along linear perforations which connect between sheets;
- printing means for producing images on the surface of the length of paper;
- tractor means for moving the length of paper longitudinally through the printing means and downward onto a fanfold output stack after printing;
- surface means for stacking the perforation connected paper sheets thereon in a fanfold arrangement up to a maximum operating stack height;
- means for directing the paper from tractor means downward toward surface means;
- a misfold detector positioned at said paper directing means for detecting misfolds between the tractor drives and directing means and for detecting misfolds between the directing means and output stack.
A continuous-forms printer comprising in combination:
- means for supplying a length of continuous form paper which is prefolded laterally along linear perforations which connect between sheets;
- printing means for producing images on the surface of the length of paper;
- tractor means for moving the length of paper longitudinally through the printing means and downward onto a fanfold output stack after printing;
- surface means for stacking the perforation connected paper sheets thereon in a fanfold arrangement;
- means for directing the paper from tractor means downward toward surface means;
- means for connecting a misfold detector at paper directing means including a receptacle for the plug connection of a cable for transmitting misfold detection signals for stopping printing when misfolding is detected.
A continuous-forms printer comprising in combination:
- means for supplying a length of continuous form paper which is prefolded laterally along-linear perforations which connect between sheets;
- printing means for producing images on the surface of the length of paper;
- tractor means for moving the length of paper longitudinally through the printing means and downward onto a fanfold output stack after printing;
- surface means for stacking the perforation connected paper sheets thereon in a fanfold arrangement up to a maximum operating stack height;
- means for directing the paper from tractor means downward toward surface means;
- a misfold detector including:
- a 1ever which activates the detector if pushed in either of two opposite directions for detecting misfolding paper for detecting misfolds between the tractor drives and directing means and for detecting misfolds between the directing means and output stack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.