US 7,740,553 B2Granted

Detachable feed tray with self adjusting side guides

AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.

InventorsJames A. Salomon, Donald Surprise, Christopher D. Clark

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method and mechanism are provided for controlling the movement of a belt. The arrangement may have a moveable member is coupled to an adjustable member. The members are coupled such that when the moveable member is moved in a first direction the adjustable member is move in a first direction and when the moveable member is moved in a second direction the adjustable member is moved in a second direction. A belt is coupled to the movable member. Movement of the belt in a first direction moves the moveable member in the first direction and movement of said belt in a second direction moves the moveable member in the second direction. A belt tensioner mechanism is connected to the belt so that when the belt moves in the first direction a biasing force is created that drives said belt to move a controlled amount in the second direction when movement of the belt in the first direction is stopped. The arrangement may be employed with a materials feed tray. Side guides for the tray are automatically set correctly for proper feeding from the tray without jamming, skew or off set of the materials.

Claims5

Dependent claims

An apparatus having a left adjustable member and a right adjustable member, comprising:

a moveable member coupled to said left adjustable member and said right adjustable member such that when said moveable member is rotated in a clockwise direction said left adjustable member and said right adjustable member are moved apart and when said moveable member is moved in a counter clockwise direction said left adjustable member and said right adjustable member are moved closer together;
and
a belt coupling said movable member to a mechanism, wherein said mechanism converts rotation of said belt into coordinated motion of said left adjustable member and said right adjustable member so that said left adjustable member and said right adjustable member move the same distance in opposite directions wherein said mechanism includes a tensioner member and a clamp member, said tensioner member and said clamp member positioned to engage opposing surfaces of said belt, said tension member moveably mounted such that said tensioner member can rotate and is biased toward said clamp member, so that said tension member causes said left adjustable member and said right adjustable member to back off a controlled amount when said moveable member is released.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/123,617Filed 6 May 2005
Published: US 2006/0252590 A19 Nov 2006
Granted: 22 Jun 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B65H 1/00
Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated
B65H 9/101
Pusher and like movable registers; Pusher or gripper devices which move articles into registered position: acting on the edge of the article
B65H 2403/20
Power transmission; Driving means: belt drives
B65H 2403/411
Rack-and-pinion, cogwheel in cog railway: double rack cooperating with one pinion, e.g. for performing symmetrical displacement relative to pinion