Apparatus for removing perforated side edge guide strips from printer paper

A device for removing side edge guide strips from printer paper, comprising:

• first and second plate members which are secured together along one side in a spaced apart parallel relationship to one another with a narrow slot defined therebetween for receiving a printer paper having a marginal side edge portion and a side edge guide strip attached to the marginal side edge portion;
• said first and second plate members each having a planar main body portion and a corner portion, said corner portions being delineated from said main body portions by respective narrow slits that extend from front edges of the plate members toward rear edges thereof and respective bend lines which are generally perpendicular to said narrow slits, said corner portions being angled relative to said main body portions about said bend lines so as to diverge away from respective parallel planes containing said main body portions;
• wherein said corner portions cooperate together to create a first path for the side edge guide strip that diverges abruptly at said bend lines from a second path created by the main body portions for the marginal side edge portion of the printer paper, and wherein an inner edge of one of the corner portions passes closely across an outer edge of the narrow slot between the main body portions, whereby the side edge, guide strip can be removed from the marginal side edge portion using a combination of shearing and tearing forces without using moving parts and without using a cutting blade.

A printer for printing on a continuous sheet of paper having side edge guide strips formed on opposite side edges of the paper, comprising:

• a paper outlet where the continuous sheet of paper is discharged from the printer after printing;
• and
• a guide strip removal system positioned at the paper outlet for removing the side edge guide strips from the printed paper as the paper is discharged from the outlet, said removal system comprising first and second guide strip removal devises positioned one on each side of the paper outlet, each guide strip removal device comprising:
• first and second plate members which are secured together along one side in a spaced apart parallel relationship to one another with a narrow slot defined therebetween for receiving a respective marginal side edge portion and side edge guide strip of the discharged paper;
• said first and second plate members each having a planar main body portion and a corner portion, said corner portions being delineated from said main body portions by respective narrow slits and bend lines, said narrow slits extending from front edges of the plate members toward rear edges thereof and said bend lines being perpendicular to said narrow slits, said corner portions being angled relative to said main body portions about said bend lines so as to diverge away from respective parallel planes containing said main body portions, said corner portions Cooperating to create a first path for the side edge guide strip that diverges abruptly at said bend lines from a second path for the marginal side edge portion, whereby the respective side edge guide strips are removed from the marginal side edge portions using a combination of shearing and tearing forces as the paper is discharged from the printer.