The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 25, 1990
Filed:
Dec. 28, 1988
Hugh S Dannatt, Bethel, CT (US);
Thomas W Alesi, Jr, New Fairfield, CT (US);
Walter J Kulpa, Trumbull, CT (US);
Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A tape supply for supplying tape under constant tension is disclosed. The tape supply includes a mechanism for mounting a reel of tape. The reel rotates as tape is withdrawn therefrom. The tape supply also includes a roller mounted on a lever. The tape passes over the surface of the roller as the tape is withdrawn. The lever is pivoted to move the roller in opposite directions. The tape supply also includes a torsion spring having two ends. One end of the spring is fixed against movement. The second end is coupled to the lever by a coupling mechanism so that: (a) the spring urges the lever in a first of the opposite directions to apply tension to tape passing over the roller; (b) the lever moves in the second of the opposite directions in response to an increase in tension on the tape, thereby torsioning the spring; and (c) the lever moves in the first direction in response to a decrease in tension on the tape, thereby relieving the torsioning of the spring. In a range of torsioning of the spring, the coupling means compensates for the increase in torque produced by the torsioning of the spring, whereby the roller applies a constant tension to the tape in a given range of pivoted positions of the lever.