International Business Machines Corporation

Larry T Sehringer

Ho Chong Lee

Jack Louis Zable

Edward Frank Helinski

Gary D VanBurger

A paper stacker includes adjustable sides to receive paper passively of different widths. The uppermost ends of the sides are flared to avoid paper encountering these ends, permitting the received paper to slide down between the sides to settle on a bottom surface without assistance. Each of the sides has a portion cut away to permit grasping a paper stack for removal. A trapezoidal platform is located on the bottom between the sides and has a friction material on a substantially flat upper surface to prevent paper slippage.

Paper stacker device for receiving fanfold paper without assistance

Tractor drives of a high speed printer move a length of continuous-form paper longitudinally up from a box of fanfold stacked paper, through a print mechanism and downward to refold onto a fanfold stack. A set of bead or link chains hang vertically from the printer on each respective major side of the descending paper. The chains are positioned to interact with the folding paper. The chains swing against the paper to aid in creasing the paper at the folds in the proper fanfold direction. One or more chains have pendants attached at the chain's lower swinging end. The pendants are sufficiently long, stiff and light weight to prevent the lower ends of the chains from getting caught in the refolding stack of paper which could lead to jamming the travel of paper through the tractor drives. Preferably, the pendants are produced from 7 inch long segments of approximately 25 mil. diameter piano wire, bent at mid length to form a wide tip loop that prevents the pendant from falling into sprocket holes along each longitudinal edge of the length of paper, and both ends of the wire loop are soldered to the lower end of the chain.

Printer and folder with chains having light weight pendants hanging

An interposer device for use in an impact printer for printing at condensed pitches includes an interposer plate and a striker strip attached thereto. The interposer plate is a thin spring steel plate slotted to have a plurality of chevron flexure elements symmetrically disposed across the plate. The striker strip is a thin strip of elastomeric material which is similarly slotted to have a plurality of chevron wear prevention flexure elements. Tabs on the edges of the striker strip and pockets on the surface of the interposer plate which receive the tabs provide for removably attaching the strip to the plate whereby the chevron wear flexure elements of the strip overlay the chevron flexure elements of the plate for joint deflection by impact.

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Vestal, NY, United States of America

Larry T Sehringer