Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a paper rolling system
for feedinq paper to a printing unit and for rerolling and
reversing the paper tape so that it can be refed in-to the
printing unit for printing on the unused side of the printing
tape.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Printing units such as adding machines and the like,
generally operate using a paper tape which is fed through the
unit and unrolled from a source by the automatic mechanisms of
the unit. When the unit is in operation it prints on one side
- of the paper tape and then pushes the printed tape outwardly
while drawing further tape from the supply source. The printed
paper tape pushed out by the printing unit forms a long, uncon-
trolled cumbersome strip which is generally ripped off and
discarded by the operator of the unit.
This ripping off and discarding of the paper tape
results in two significant drawbacks. Firstly, it is difficult
to store the individual pieces of paper tape in the event that
the operator wishes to keep a good record of the figures printed
on the tape, and secondly, a conventional system as described
; above, only makes use of one side of the paper tape, i.e., only
one side of the tape is printed. The tape is discarded without
making any use of -the other side of the tape, resulting in a
substantial paper wastage. In the long run, such a wastage
requires the cu-tting down of more trees used to provide the
paper products as well as greater useage of paper treating
chemicals entering our water systems and atmosphere.
The present invention provides a paper rolling system
adapted to substantially reduce paper wastage and in particular,
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1 che wastage of paper tape which is fed into a printing unit and
unrolled from a rolled source by the printing unit. The paper
rolllng system of the present invention is adapted to permit
printing on both sides of the paper tape. The system comprises
a first roller from which a roll of the paper tape is unrolled
by the printing unit into which the paper tape is fed, a second
unit to which a free end of the paper tape is secured and which
automatically rerolls and reverses the paper -tape after it is
passed through the prin-ting unit and a housing provided with a
pair of upwardly, opening,blind ended slots in which both of the
rollers are rotatably engaged. The first roller is supported at
the blind ends of the slots and the second roller is separated
from the first roller only by the paper tape between the two
.,
rollers. The arrangement is such that as the paper tape is
unrolled from the first roller, by and through the prin-ting unit
the first roller and the roll of paper tape therearound,,are
rotated in one direc-tion and frictionally drive the second roller
to rotate in the opposite direction causing rerolling and rever-
sing cf the paper tape on the second roller. Thereafter, the
reversed paper tape can be refed from the second roller into the
printing unit for printing on both sides of the paper tape.
BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE DR~WINGS
The above, as well as other advantages of and features
of the present invention will be described in greater detail,
according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention
wherein;
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view looking down
on one arrangement of a preferred aspect of a paper tape supply
source and paper tape reroller when removed from -the rolling
system housing.
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1 Figure 2 is a perspective view looking down on a
preferred arrangement of the overall paper rolling system.
Figures 3 and 4 are sideviews showing the system in
operation.
Figure 5 is a perspective view looking down on the
paper tape after being rerolled onto the rewinding core.
Figure 6 is a sideview showing the refeeding of -the
paper tape into a printing unit from the rewinding core of Figure
5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION ~CCORDING TO TIIE
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF Tl-IE PRESENT INVENTION
Figure 1 shows a paper tape 1, wound as a roll 5 about
a firs-t core portion or roller 3 having axles 3a. The figure
also shows a wei~3hted cylindrical rewind roller 9 and a housing
15. Roller 9 includes axle portions ll essentially identical to
axle portions 3a of roller 3. Both of the rollers are rotatably
secured in upwardly opening slots 17 of housing 15 via their
axles 3a and 11 respectively when the system is assembled.
Figure 1 shows a system before any printing has been
done whatsoever, on the paper tape and in fact, does not show
how the paper tape is fed into and rewound from a printing unit.
However, Figure 1 does show that both the supply roller and the
rewind roller are readily removable from housing 15. The figure
also shows the free end 7 of paper tape 1 and elongated slot 13
on rewind roller 9 into which the paper tape free end 7 is fitted
and frictionally secured when the system is in operation. It
will be apparent from Figure 1 and is shown in Figures 2 through
4 that during the rerolling and reversing of the paper tape onto
the rewinder, core portion 3 is located below rewinder 9 in
slots 17 supported at its axles 3a by the slot blind ends 19.
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1 Referring now to Figures 2 through 4, paper -tape 1
is unrolled from supply roll 5 and fed through a printing unit
21 and more specifically, around a mechanically driven rotatable
drive mechanism 23. The printing uni-t which may be an adding
machine or the like, also includes a reciprocating printing
- head 25 which prints numerical or alphabetic characters on the
side or surface of paper tape 1, exposed to the print head. This
arrangement of the drive mechanism with the paper tape wrapped
therearound and being exposed for printing to the print head
is typical to standard printing unit setups.
As is clearly shown in Figure 2, the paper tape, after
having been fed through printing unit21is guided beneath weighted
cylindrical roller 9 between the rewind roller and supply roll 5
and wrapped at least partially around the weighted cylindrical
roller with its free end 7 frictionally secured in elongated
groove 13. Accordingly, the paper tape is sandwiched between the
- two rollers with the weight of roller 9 bearing down on the paper
tape. For purposes of insuring a maximum weight transfer from
cylindrical roller 9 onto the paper tape and roller beneath,
slots 17 may be made exactly plumb, i.e. at 90 to the hori~ontal.
Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, during operation of
printing unit 21, print head 25 records on the side of the
paper tape to which it is exposed. Driye assembly 23 around which
the paper tape is fitted and frictionally engaged, is then rotated
in the counter clockwise direction to draw new unprinted paper
tape into the printing head and to force the printed paper tape
out of the printing unit. It will be apparent from the figures
that to this point, the printing head has printed on the front
surface of the paper only, leaving the back surface totally
free of printing.
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1The drawing in of new tape by drive mechanism 23 as
descrlbed above, causes rotation of roller 3 and its associated
roll of tape 5 wrapped therearound, in the counter clockwise
direction. As described above, cylindrical weighted roller 9
bears down under its own weight against the paper tape beneath
i-t and is frictionally driven through the paper tape in the clock-
!' wise direction by the counter clockwise rotation of roll 5. The
clockwise rotation of weighted roller 9 with the free end of the
paper tape secured in groove 13 results in the rerolling of the
paper tape around the upper free floating roller.
Figure 3 shows the initial rerolling of the paper tape
whereas Figure 4 shows the bulk of the paper tape rewound as a
roll 5a about the upper free floating roller. These figures also
show that regardless of the amount of tape around either one of
the rollers, the system is operated as described above, wherein
the frictional drive for rewinding is transferred from the supply
roller through the paper -tape to the upper roller. Furthermore,
because both of the rollers are secured in the same sets of
grooves and separated from one another only by the paper tape
between them, the system will operate using a minimal as well as
an extreme amount of paper tape, i.e. the upper roller will be
driven through the lower roller, even when the source roll has
a very small diameter and the two rollers are only slightly
spaced from one another.
As seen from the travel of the tape, through figures
3 and 4, the side of the tape that is printed on has an outward
exposure on roll 3. ~owever, when it is rerolled onto weighted
roller 9 the printed side of the paper tape has an inward exposure
so that the tape is reversed on the upper roller. This is clearly
shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. ~fter the initial supply roll
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'~ 1 J has been completely unwound from roller 3 having passed through
the printing unit, the two rollers are readily removed from
housing 15 by simply lifting them up out of the open ended slots.
Thereafter, roller 9 is replaced in the slots where it now be-
comes the supply roller wi-th its axle portions ll supported at
the lower blind ends l9 of slot 17. From this position, the
paper tape is refed into the printing unit as is shown in Figure
6 whereby the reverse side of the paper tape is exposed to
printing head 25, permitting printing on both sides of the paper
tape.
For purposes of increasing the tightness of roll 5a
about weighted roller 9, the weighted roller should have a
diameter of at least 3/4's of an inch and should have a minimum
weight of 3 ounces. If thè weighted roller has a diameter less
than 3/4's of an inch, and/or a weight of less than three ounces,
there is a tendency for the paper tape to form large loops about
the weighted roller during the rerolling and reversing of the
paper tape. E~owever, it will be appreciated that the weighted
roller need not be limited to these specific sizes and weights.
As is clearly understood from the description above,
the paper rolling system of the present invention not only
provides for rerolling of used paper tape for storing purposes,
but also reverses the paper about the weighted roller which is
interchangeable with the primary source roller such that the
paper tape is ready for a second pass with its unprinted side
exposed through the printing unit. Thi~ doubles the useage of
the paper and cuts the paper wastage and costs in half.
Although various preferred embodiments of the invention
have been described herein in detail, it will be apparent to one
skilled in -the art that variations may be made to thereto, wi-th-
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1 ~ut departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of
the appended claim~s. By way of examp].e, the housing may be sep-
arate from the printiny unit as shown in the drawings or may
: .
be made as part of the printing unit if desired.
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