Abstract:
An improved stripping and transfer roller assembly which is related to the device disclosed and claimed in prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,996 assigned the same assignee as the present invention. The present stripping and transfer roller assembly provides a hollow protective reinforcing sleeve element which surrounds and protects the compressible transfer elements and also permits compression and expansion of said elements during the transfer of a film sheet.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     While the device disclosed and claimed in said prior patent worked relatively satisfactorily, it was found that the trailing edges of the film sheets being transferred damaged the compressible outer ends of the stripping and transfer elements and the present invention provides a protective outer shell surrounding the outwardly extending transfer elements and is also being retractable with said transfer elements when the same are compressed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is specifically designed to provide an outer protective element surrounding the soft resilient compressible stripping and transfer elements normally extending outwardly beyond the periphery of a hollow transfer roller while being radially retractable into the hollow transfer roller when said compressible transfer elements are compressed during the transfer of the film sheets by said roller and being expandable with said transfer elements when the same expand to engage the trailing edge of the sheet being transferred and deliver the same laterally outwardly from said roller into the upright storage bin. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the roller assembly and film sheet-receiving bin; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the roller assembly; 
     FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the roller assembly taken substantially along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a stripping and transfer element; 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the stripping and transfer element; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the element shown in FIGS. 4 and 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the roller assembly and bin showing the engagement of the trailing edge of a film sheet by the protruding portions of the elements; and 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the protective sleeve, per se. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a pair of rollers 1 and 2 are positioned in closely spaced parallel relation to each other and are interconnected by the pair of meshing gears 3 and 4. Said gear 4 is also meshed with drive gear 5 of motor 6. Said pair of rollers 1 and 2 are closely disposed towards a discharge opening 10a of processor wall 10. A plurality of pairs of diametrically opposed openings 8a are formed in the hollow roller 1 and, as best shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of soft compressible stripping and transfer elements 8 are inserted into the roller 1 and aligned with the openings 8a so that portions 8b of either end of the elements 8 extend or protrude through the openings 8a and beyond the outer surface of roller 1. Said elements 8 are generally cross-shaped, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the transverse portions thereof being slightly wider than the inside diameter of roller 1 so that the elements 8 must be somewhat compressed when inserted thereinto. FIG. 3 shows how the transverse portions of the elements 8 compress to conform to the inner surface of roller 1 and ensure continued proper alignment of the longitudinal protruding portions 8b with the corresponding openings 8a. A generally upstanding film sheet receiving bin 9 is positioned in closely spaced relation to roller 1 and extends into opening 10a of wall 10 which opening permits the sheets of film 7 to pass into the bin. In FIG. 2, a sheet of film 7 is shown positioned between rollers 1 and 2 and in driving contact therewith. 
     A protective sleeve 12 surrounds each of the protruding portions 8b, as best shown in FIGS. 2 through 7. The sleeves 12 are slightly smaller than the openings 8a in the roller 1 to permit the same to slide freely therein. A pair of spring arms 12a are formed by slits in the sidewall of each sleeve 12 and bayonet-type retaining elements 12b are provided at the inner free ends of the arms and extend a slight distance inwardly beyond the inner end of the sleeve body portion. The bayonet-type retaining elements snap into the hollow roller 1 and engage the inside wall surface to retain the sleeves 12 in operative position around the protruding portions 8b of stripping and transfer elements 8. 
     In typical operation, means (not shown) transport each sheet 7 into contact with rollers 1 and 2. Motor 6 rotates rollers 1 and 2 and thus drives sheet 7 between rollers 1 and 2 and into contact with the closed, remote panel 9a of bin 9. 
     As the protruding portions 8b of elements 8, with the sleeves 12 surrounding the same, are rotated into contact with the outer surface of roller 2, they are radially compressed into the openings 8a as shown in FIG. 3. The compressed portions 8a with the retracted sleeves 12 therearound press outwardly on sheet 7. 
     As roller 1 is rotated, said portions 8b and sleeves 12 are moved out of contact with roller 2 and expand to their normal radially outwardly beyond the outer surface of roller 1. This expansion forces, or strips, sheet 7 from roller 1. 
     Rollers 1 and 2 drive the leading edge of sheet 7 into contact with bin wall 9a, which guides the upper end of sheet 7 upwardly, as shown in FIG. 1. When the trailing edge of sheet 7 is driven out of contact with roller 2, it momentarily rides on the outer surface of roller 1 until it engages the sleeves 12 surrounding protruding portions 8b. As roller 1 rotates the sleeves 12, in contact with the lower edge of the film, move it laterally towards bin 9, as best shown in FIG. 7. The trailing edge will be dropped from roller 1 and onto the sloping bottom of bin 9. In this manner sheet 7 is deposited in a generally upright position in bin 9, as shown. 
     The protective sleeves 12 add substantially to the life of the relatively soft protruding portions 8b. However, if one of the protruding portions 8b of an element 8 should break off, that element is removed from its hole 8a in roller 1 along with sleeves 12, and a new element 8 is compressed to insert it into roller 1 and the protruding portions 8 are then aligned with the corresponding openings 8a and extend therethrough. Thereafter the protective sleeve 12 is replaced in surrounding position around each protruding portion 8b of the element 8. 
     It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportion of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter set forth in the accompanying claim.