Patent GB-946907-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for applying recording media to record sheets
IPC: G11B5/84
Filed: 1962-08-08
Abstract: 946,907. Printing processes; transferring designs. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Aug. 8, 1962 [Oct. 2, 1961], No. 30349/62. Headings B6B and B6C. Four strips of magnetic recording media are applied to each sheet of a stack of record sheets 48 as they pass successively through a transferring machine to which the strips are fed whilst each is supported on a transfer film which is stripped from the sheets at the discharge point of the machine. The sheet and film feed is intermittent, the necessary arrest of movement being initiated by each sheet as it arrives beneath a heated die element 134, the lowering of which into heated pressure engagement with superposed sheet and films effects the transfer of the strips. The sheets 48, Fig. 1c, are initially stacked on a vertically movable table 35 which is driven in response to a feeler 61 by a motor-driven endless chain arrangement 36, 37, 38, 42. The sheets are fed on to a series of parallel endless moving belts 72 by a feed roller 34 which is perforated over its circumferential surface such perforations being connected to internal ducts. Engagement between the top sheet and the roller is effected by connecting a vacuum source to the duets. Each sheet is moved by the belts 72, Fig. 1A, to a position beneath the die element 134, Fig. 4, where it actuates a microswitch 110 which causes an air-operated actuator 105, Fig. 8, to move rods 101 into its path. Simultaneously, the switch causes air actuation 128, Figs. 3, 4, to operate to move the heated element downwardly on to the superposed films and sheet and thus bond the magnetic media to the sheet. Four supply reels 161, Figs. 1A, 3, of transfer film are mounted on a hub 159 and each strip 162 of such film is passed over guide rollers 160 to be led to a position beneath the die element 134 by a pair of adjustable guide rollers 168, 169, Figs. 3, 9. Positioned between two of the guide rollers 160 and engaging the film are tensioning rollers 163, one for each strip. After the magnetic media has been bonded to each sheet together with the transfer film the rods 101 and die element 134 are returned to their initial positions. As the latter returns to this position a microswitch (not shown) is tripped, thereby operating a pneumatic actuator 204 which allows a pressure roller 205 to engage the strips of film, thus coacting with a drive roller 195 to move the films and sheet bonded thereto towards a cooling element 180 which has in its lower surface a plurality of small holes through which air is blown to cool the strips of film and magnetic media. Located in the operating circuit of the machine is a time delay device which deactivates the actuator 204 after a sufficient time has elapsed in which the sheet has been transported from the element 134 and a new sheet has moved to trip the switch 110, thereby initiating a new operation of the element 134. During subsequent operations of the actuator 204, the sheet moves, by means of the driving of the transfer films by the driving roller 195, beneath the cooling element 180, whereby the bonded magnetic media is cooled, which allows the films to be removed from the sheet without rupturing the media. After leaving the element 180 the sheet is moved toward a guide roller 183 where the films are peeled from the sheet as it passes over the roller 183 toward a receiving tube 206. The sheet finally falls into a bin from which it is retrieved and stacked, whilst the films are sucked into the tube 206 by vacuum created therein by a vacuum pump. The use of this vacuum source results in the tensioning of the films throughout their travel from the supply reels. Feeding sheets.-The supporting structure for the sheets includes a pair of side frames 30, Fig. 1C, having a rod 32 secured therebetween. Journalled between the frames are shafts 31 and 33 the latter mounting the feed roller 34. Associated with the roller is the vertically movable sheet platform 35 which is actuated from a motor drive 41, 42 through a mechanism comprising pairs of sprocket wheels 37 and 30 and a pair of endless chains 36 located adjacent each side frame the sprocket wheels 37 and associated shaft 39 being mounted on the frame through support members 40. The drive to one of the mechanisms derives from the other through worm gears 20 and a shaft 21. The top sheet of the sheet stack 48 is positioned against the roller 34 which is formed with peripheral holes communicating with a series of passageways 43 extending therethrough. Mounted adjacent each end of the roller is a header 44 which has at its lower end an outlet communicating with the roller passageways 44 as they move past during roller rotation. A vacuum source is connected to the top of the header via a pipe 45 such that, in operation, a suction force is created within each passageway 43 as it is adjacent the outlet of the header. This suction force is transmitted to the peripheral holes of the roller to cause the top sheet to be engaged and transported from the stack by the roller. Mounted on one end of the shaft 33 outside the associated frame 30 is a double pulley wheel 47. A belt 49 passes around one of these wheels and is driven from a motor 51 to drive the roller 34. The top sheet of the stack is fed between a further feed roller 54, secured to the shaft 31, and a pressure roller 57. By driving a pulley 55 mounted on one end of the shaft 31 through a belt 56 which passes around the other one of the wheels 47 the motor 51 drives both shafts 31 and 33. A feeler arm 61 having an attached arm 62 is rotatably mounted on one of the frames 30 and engages the top sheet of the stack 40. The arm 62 engages the plunger of a normally open switch 63 in the energizing circuit of the motor 42. Upon the feeding of a number of sheets from the stack the arm 61 rotates clockwise to cause depression of the plunger of the switch 63 and thus activate the motor 42. The platform 35 is then raised until the arm 62 releases the plunger.