Hermes Precisa International S.a.

Wolfgang Reichel

Jorge Costa

A sheet feed device for a printer or typewriter having a plurality of cassettes supporting stacks of sheets to be printed, a sheet removal mechanism associated with each cassette for removing a sheet from the cassette and positively driving the removed sheet to a position for feeding it into the printer, and a selection mechanism for actuating a selected one of the sheet removal mechanism.

Feed device for a printer or typewriter

The cassette comprises a bottom (25) and four side walls (26 to 29) comprising on their upper edge holding elements (14) for the sheets. These sheets are placed on a support plate (41) held near one of the corners (33) in contact with the bottom (25). Three springs (44 to 46) pull the plate (41) in the direction of the holding elements (14). A locking mechanism (50) consists of a sliding part (51) comprising near its ends two openings (54) able to work with two flathead pins (52) solid with the plate (41) to hold the latter against the bottom (25) in the vicinity either of the corner (31), or of the diametrically opposite corner (32). The same cassette can thus be introduced in the lengthwise or widthwise direction, which makes possible a saving in cassettes and in sheets.

Cassette for a sheet feed device

The sheet feed device (1) comprises several cassettes (13) on which the sheets are stacked, a removal mechanism associated with each of the supports, intended to remove a sheet from the cassette (13) and introduce it into the printer (2), and a selection mechanism (55) intended to activate one of the removal mechanisms. The mechanisms for removal and selection (55) are driven by the platen (3) of the printer (2). The selection mechanism (55) makes use of the position occupied by the mobile carriage (4). The latter carries a drive part (61) that can work with a set of selection levers (56). These levers (56) are equal in number to the removal mechanism. Depending on the position of the carriage during selection, one or the other of the levers (56) is put into active position and moved by a drive wheel (65) to activate a removal control element (76) and to start the removal and introduction processes. The device has the advantage that the platen (3 ) is driven in only one direction during a complete cycle of selection, removal and introduction of a sheet in the printer.

Sheet feed device for a printer or typewriter

The sheet feed device (1) comprises several cassettes (13) on which the sheets (11) are stacked, a removal mechanism, associated with each of the supports, intended to remove a sheet from the cassette (13) and introduce it into the printer (2), and a selection mechanism intended to activate one of the removal mechanisms. This selection mechanism consists of a guide part (72) comprising several tracks (73 to 75) and a selection lever (56) made to engage with the top of guide part (72). When the platen (3) of the printer (2) turns in the direction opposite the direction of introduction of the paper, the selection lever (56) is driven in the same direction. After a rotation of a predetermined angle, greater than two turns of the platen, the direction of rotation is reversed. The lever (56) follows one of the tracks (73 to 75) to activate one of the removal control parts (76 to 78) and to start the removal and introduction process. This arrangement makes possible, on the one hand, an uncomplicated drive control comprising only a single reversal of the drive direction and, on the other hand, the possibility of rolling back the platen (3) to correct or complete a previously printed line, without thereby starting a new selection and removal cycle.

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Yverdon, Switzerland

Wolfgang Reichel