SHEET CONTAINER AND FEEDING DEVICE
United States Patent 3635468
A detachable copy sheet container for automatic sheet-feeding device of a copying machine, wherein the front end of a receiving plate on which copy sheets are placed is supported from the outside of the container by a guide post passing through an opening on the bottom of the container, the back end being supported by the bottom plate of the container, and the front end of the container itself is supported by corner separators contacting the copy sheet. The corner separators are provided at upper parts of the front end of the container. The back end of the container is supported by an outside fulcrum provided at the middle of the width of the back end.
US Patent References:
Dispensers for facial tissues and the like
Peebles - September 1967 - 3343716
Card or pamphlet holding and feeding device
Johnson - April 1926 - 1582610
Sheet separating mechanism for duplicators
Perzentka - January 1960 - 2922644
Sheet feeding assembly
Tregay - September 1967 - 3339916
Dispensers for facial tissues and the like
Peebles - September 1967 - 3343716
Card or pamphlet holding and feeding device
Johnson - April 1926 - 1582610
Sheet separating mechanism for duplicators
Perzentka - January 1960 - 2922644
Sheet feeding assembly
Tregay - September 1967 - 3339916
Application Number:
04/849333
Publication Date:
01/18/1972
Filing Date:
08/12/1969
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
Kabushiki Kaisha Ricoh (Tokyo, JA)
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
221/198, 271/127
International Classes:
B65H1/04; G03B27/58; B65H1/04
Field of Search:
271/36,39,61,62 221/279,280,198,43,65,52,56
Primary Examiner:
Wegbreit, Joseph
Assistant Examiner:
Stoner Jr., Bruce H.
Claims:
I claim
1. A copy sheet-feeding device, comprising:
2. A sheet container for an automatic sheet-feeding means comprising
3. The container, as set forth in claim 2, wherein
4. The container, as set forth in claim 2, wherein
5. The container, as set forth in claim 4, wherein
6. The container, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising
7. A sheet container for an automatic sheet-feeding means comprising
8. The container, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising
1. A copy sheet-feeding device, comprising:
2. A sheet container for an automatic sheet-feeding means comprising
3. The container, as set forth in claim 2, wherein
4. The container, as set forth in claim 2, wherein
5. The container, as set forth in claim 4, wherein
6. The container, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising
7. A sheet container for an automatic sheet-feeding means comprising
8. The container, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising
Description:
The present invention relates in general to a sheet container usable in a copying machine and an automatic sheet-feeding means, and more specifically to a cassette-type container and cooperative feeding device which is simple in structure and is easy to remove and mount.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet-feeding device and a cassette-type container which is easy to set to and to remove from a copying machine, and which, loaded with a stack of sheets of copying paper having a standard size, is easy to replace with another container.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cassette-type container having well-known "corner separators" whose positioning is independent of sizes of sheets.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a structurally very simple sheet container for an automatic sheet-feeding means of a copying machine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sheet container which can be easily and very exactly set to an automatic sheet-feeding means in its position, having an opening or openings at its base through which a guide post or posts fixed to a copying machine itself protrude into the container and push up a receiving plate laid free and loose inside the container, a stack of sheets being placed on the receiving plate.
With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet container constructed in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the mode of usage of the sheet container.
Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a sheet container having corner or sheet separators 3 which are fixed at a slightly higher level than that of the upper edge of a front panel 1 of the container. The function of an automatic sheet-feeding means with such corner separators and that of the corner separators themselves are well known.
Inside the container there is provided a receiving plate 4 for receiving a stack of copying paper sheets thereupon. A bottom baseplate 5 of the container is provided with openings 6 in its front portion. When the sheet container is mounted on an automatic sheet-feeding means, guide posts 7 fixed to a baseplate 8 are fitted loosely into the openings 6 and push up the receiving plate 4 through the openings. The baseplate 8 is firmly fixed to side plates 9 of the copying machine and a supporting arm 10 with an apex 10a at one end is inserted through the baseplate 8. Therefore, the container loaded with sheets S tilts down to the left in FIG. 2, with the apex 10a at the end of the supporting arm 10, supporting the rear part of the container and working as a fulcrum until the sheet separators 3 come into contact with and press the leading edge of the topmost sheet of the sheet stack. As the weight of the container affects the pressure of the separators 3 against sheets, the weight of the container should be chosen so that the pressure of the separators 3 on the sheets shall be proper. It is obvious, however, that the pressure of the separators 3 is not only determined by the weight of the container, but can also be changed by adjusting the contact position of the end of the supporting arm 10. For example, when the apex 10a of the supporting arm 10 is shifted a short distance more forwardly than seen in FIG. 2, the pressure decreases. For this reason, the supporting arm 10 is movably mounted on to the baseplate 8 so as to be movable back and forth (to the left and right in FIG. 2). For feeding the sheets, there is provided a sheet-feeding means comprising a sheet-feeding roller 11 so as to contact the topmost sheet of the stack with pressure. This roller rotates clockwise as shown by an arrow provided in FIG. 2 when it is to feed sheets. The sheet-feeding roller 11 is supported freely by an end of a rocking arm (not shown in the drawing) and when the container loaded with sheets is to be mounted on or removed off, it is necessary to lift the roller 11 upwardly until it reaches the position shown by dotted lines 11A. For driving the roller 11 there is provided a chain 12 which engages with a sprocket wheel 14 fixed to a driving shaft 13. The rocking arm is supported by the driving shaft 13. Although there are various kinds of automatic sheet-feeding means to be mounted on a copying machine in addition to one shown in the FIG. 2, the sheet container in accordance with the present invention may be used in any kind of system only by providing guide posts 7 and a supporting arm 10.
As sheets of paper are fed out one by one, the front portion of the container is lowered by a distance equal to the thickness of the sheets of paper and the pressure of the separators against the remaining sheets is kept almost constant.
Since the sheet container in accordance with the present invention is simple in structure and easy to manufacture, it may be disposed when all sheets set therein are used up, although it may, of course, be used again by reloading it with a stack of sheets. In case the container is molded from plastics, the sheet separators can be formed as an integral part of the container.
For protecting photosensitive sheets from exposure to light, a cover plate 15 may be used. This cover plate may be adapted to be partially removable to engage the roller 11 onto the topmost sheet of the stack or may be adapted to be wholly removable to reload said container with sheets.
While the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment shown but, on the contrary, intended to cover the various alternatives, an equivalent constructions included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet-feeding device and a cassette-type container which is easy to set to and to remove from a copying machine, and which, loaded with a stack of sheets of copying paper having a standard size, is easy to replace with another container.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cassette-type container having well-known "corner separators" whose positioning is independent of sizes of sheets.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a structurally very simple sheet container for an automatic sheet-feeding means of a copying machine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sheet container which can be easily and very exactly set to an automatic sheet-feeding means in its position, having an opening or openings at its base through which a guide post or posts fixed to a copying machine itself protrude into the container and push up a receiving plate laid free and loose inside the container, a stack of sheets being placed on the receiving plate.
With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet container constructed in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the mode of usage of the sheet container.
Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a sheet container having corner or sheet separators 3 which are fixed at a slightly higher level than that of the upper edge of a front panel 1 of the container. The function of an automatic sheet-feeding means with such corner separators and that of the corner separators themselves are well known.
Inside the container there is provided a receiving plate 4 for receiving a stack of copying paper sheets thereupon. A bottom baseplate 5 of the container is provided with openings 6 in its front portion. When the sheet container is mounted on an automatic sheet-feeding means, guide posts 7 fixed to a baseplate 8 are fitted loosely into the openings 6 and push up the receiving plate 4 through the openings. The baseplate 8 is firmly fixed to side plates 9 of the copying machine and a supporting arm 10 with an apex 10a at one end is inserted through the baseplate 8. Therefore, the container loaded with sheets S tilts down to the left in FIG. 2, with the apex 10a at the end of the supporting arm 10, supporting the rear part of the container and working as a fulcrum until the sheet separators 3 come into contact with and press the leading edge of the topmost sheet of the sheet stack. As the weight of the container affects the pressure of the separators 3 against sheets, the weight of the container should be chosen so that the pressure of the separators 3 on the sheets shall be proper. It is obvious, however, that the pressure of the separators 3 is not only determined by the weight of the container, but can also be changed by adjusting the contact position of the end of the supporting arm 10. For example, when the apex 10a of the supporting arm 10 is shifted a short distance more forwardly than seen in FIG. 2, the pressure decreases. For this reason, the supporting arm 10 is movably mounted on to the baseplate 8 so as to be movable back and forth (to the left and right in FIG. 2). For feeding the sheets, there is provided a sheet-feeding means comprising a sheet-feeding roller 11 so as to contact the topmost sheet of the stack with pressure. This roller rotates clockwise as shown by an arrow provided in FIG. 2 when it is to feed sheets. The sheet-feeding roller 11 is supported freely by an end of a rocking arm (not shown in the drawing) and when the container loaded with sheets is to be mounted on or removed off, it is necessary to lift the roller 11 upwardly until it reaches the position shown by dotted lines 11A. For driving the roller 11 there is provided a chain 12 which engages with a sprocket wheel 14 fixed to a driving shaft 13. The rocking arm is supported by the driving shaft 13. Although there are various kinds of automatic sheet-feeding means to be mounted on a copying machine in addition to one shown in the FIG. 2, the sheet container in accordance with the present invention may be used in any kind of system only by providing guide posts 7 and a supporting arm 10.
As sheets of paper are fed out one by one, the front portion of the container is lowered by a distance equal to the thickness of the sheets of paper and the pressure of the separators against the remaining sheets is kept almost constant.
Since the sheet container in accordance with the present invention is simple in structure and easy to manufacture, it may be disposed when all sheets set therein are used up, although it may, of course, be used again by reloading it with a stack of sheets. In case the container is molded from plastics, the sheet separators can be formed as an integral part of the container.
For protecting photosensitive sheets from exposure to light, a cover plate 15 may be used. This cover plate may be adapted to be partially removable to engage the roller 11 onto the topmost sheet of the stack or may be adapted to be wholly removable to reload said container with sheets.
While the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment shown but, on the contrary, intended to cover the various alternatives, an equivalent constructions included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.