Patent GB-724716-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for the assembly and finishing of sets of duplicating forms
IPC: B42C3/00
Filed: 1953-03-27
Abstract: 724,716. Manifolding stationery. BURGMER, J. March 27, 1953 [March 27, 1952], No. 8581/53. Class 16. [Also in Group XVI] Apparatus for the continuous production of sets of duplicating forms from a plurality of paper webs which may be printed and from which a manifold web is assembled which thereafter is cut, perforated or similarly treated, comprises a series of drafting rollers arranged above and transversely to the upper run of a conveyer band and onto which they spread successively the separate paper webs, the conveyer band having a working surface of slats or the like, arranged transversely at intervals, to which one margin of the assembled web is detachably fastened while maintaining their relative positions, the band thereafter feeding the manifold web to the other device or devices for further operations. As shown, a conveyer band 9 runs over rollers 12a, 12b which are driven through worm gears 11 and a common driving shaft 10, the shaft 10 also being used to drive, through worm wheels 103, a series of pairs of rollers 7a- 7e mounted above the upper run of the band 9 which slides in a guideway 102. In the drive of each pair of rollers, an infinitely variable gear is connected so that the speed of the rollers can be regulated independently of each other, as by a control means (not shown) which may be of an optical type, or other means such as the speed of a wheel fitted with detector pins to engage continuous perforations in the web. In each case, the control means regulates the speed of the pair of rollers so that there is delivered to the conveyer band 9 in a predetermined time, exactly that part of the paper web which corresponds to the length of form required for the duplicating set, each of the webs being provided with a regularly repeated impression corresponding to the form, so that each set of forms are superimposed independently of stretching or actual length of impression on the individual webs. In order to maintain the sets of forms in position on the band 9, the band is formed by two chains interconnected by a series of bars 13 provided with needles 14 at one end which perforate the margins of the webs 6a-6e in turn as they are laid thereon by the pairs of rollers 7a-7e, the webs where necessary being corrugated. The feeding speed of the conveyer band 9 is regulated to be equal to whichever of the rollers 7a-7e is travelling at the slowest speed so that that web will be stretched taut but without fear of the needles 14 tearing the web. In order to prevent tearing by the needles 14 as the band 9 runs over the roller 12b, each bar 13 is provided with a plate 15 having an opening to engage over the needle 14 on the bar 13 preceding it so that the plate 15 holds the webs while the needle 14 on the next bar starts its downward movement. In a suggested alternative to the plates 15, the needles 14 may be retractable on, or just prior to, reaching the roller 12b. Rollers 16, running at the same speed as the conveyer band, grip the web assembly as it leaves the band and passes it to a cutting device 17 having a rotating blade cooperating with a fixed cutter 17a, the speed of the blade being adjustable so that the web is divided in accordance with the length of the forms. Just before being cut, each set of forms 18 passes to a pad roller 19 driven through gearing 21 from the roller 12b so that the roller 19 has a higher peripheral speed so as to tension the web before cutting and to separate the sets of forms 18. The forms 18 are held on the roller 19 by an endless band 20 having links connected at form length intervals by rods 22a, b, c. Pivotally mounted on each of the rods 22a-22c are two armed levers 23 with freely rotatable rollers 24 on one arm and guide rollers 25 on the other arm co-operating with a guide member 26 to press the roller 24 downwardly to grip the web just before the severing operation. In place of the severing device 17, a perforating device may be provided and the web then rolled or folded in zig-zag form.