Method and apparatus for business forms compacting
First Claim
1. A moveable cart adapted to receive a plurality of continuous business forms in a compacted configuration from a folder unit and moving the plurality of forms to a forms utilization unit, comprising:
- a forms backstop having a bottom surface, and a top;
a cart main surface for supporting compacted forms thereon, having a periphery and having means for providing appropriate frictional engagement with said forms backstop bottom surface and forms, while said backstop top extends upwardly above said main surface, to facilitate compacting forms, wherein said frictional engagement providing means comprises a corrugated configuration of said cart main surface, and wherein said forms backstop has a high lubricity material on at least a portion of the bottom surface thereof which engages said corrugated configuration, and wherein said corrugated configuration is aluminum;
wall means upstanding from said main surface around at least part of the periphery thereof, and defining at least one open end for receipt of forms; and
a plurality of legs supporting said main surface, with roller means at the bottoms of said legs, said cart with said roller means adapted to be rolled into and out of position to receive said business forms in a compacted configuration from the folder unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Fan folded business forms are compacted so as to provide the maximum run time, and minimum operator effort. The system includes a folder, transfer table with compacting conveyor, and wheeled cart with a backstop on it. The backstop is continuously pushed along the cart by the compacting forms until it reaches a position at the end of the cart, at which time a cart full sensor operates an alarm and/or shuts off the folder. The compacted forms on the cart may be easily moved to any desired location. Forms may be fed either printed side up or printed side down into another piece of equipment. The main surface of the cart on which the forms travel with their fold lines engaging the main surface, may be manually tilted about a horizontal axis after the cart is full, so that the end of the cart from which forms are to be withdrawn is elevated. This provides efficient withdrawal of forms while minimizing curling of the forms.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A moveable cart adapted to receive a plurality of continuous business forms in a compacted configuration from a folder unit and moving the plurality of forms to a forms utilization unit, comprising:
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a forms backstop having a bottom surface, and a top; a cart main surface for supporting compacted forms thereon, having a periphery and having means for providing appropriate frictional engagement with said forms backstop bottom surface and forms, while said backstop top extends upwardly above said main surface, to facilitate compacting forms, wherein said frictional engagement providing means comprises a corrugated configuration of said cart main surface, and wherein said forms backstop has a high lubricity material on at least a portion of the bottom surface thereof which engages said corrugated configuration, and wherein said corrugated configuration is aluminum; wall means upstanding from said main surface around at least part of the periphery thereof, and defining at least one open end for receipt of forms; and a plurality of legs supporting said main surface, with roller means at the bottoms of said legs, said cart with said roller means adapted to be rolled into and out of position to receive said business forms in a compacted configuration from the folder unit.
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2. A cart receipt of continuous business forms in a compacted configuration, comprising:
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a forms backstop having a bottom surface, and a top; a cart main surface for supporting compacted forms thereon, having a periphery and having means for providing appropriate frictional engagement with said forms backstop bottom surface and forms, while said backstop top extends upwardly above said main surface, to facilitate compacting of forms; wall means upstanding from said main surface around at least part of the periphery thereof, and defining at least one openable end for receipt of forms; and wherein said frictional engagement providing means comprises a plurality of lugged belts, means for mounting the belts so that the lugs extend upwardly, and so that they are movable along said main surface, and low friction portions of said main surface disposed under said belts.
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3. A cart for receipt of continuous business forms in a compacted configuration, comprising:
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a forms backstop having a bottom surface, and a top; a cart main surface for supporting compacted forms thereon, having a periphery and having means for providing appropriate frictional engagement with said forms backstop bottom surface and forms, while said backstop top extends upwardly above said main surface, to facilitate compacting of forms; wall means upstanding from said main surface around at least part of the periphery thereof, and defining at least one openable end for receipt of forms; wherein the volume between said legs is substantially open; and guide means extending below said main surface, for guiding forms after they have been compacted and while they are being withdrawn from said main surface.
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4. A cart for receipt of continuous business forms in a compacted configuration, comprising:
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a forms backstop having a bottom surface, and a top; a cart main surface for supporting compacted forms thereon, having a periphery and having means for providing appropriate frictional engagement with said forms backstop bottom surface and forms, while said backstop top extends upwardly above said main surface, to facilitate compacting of forms; wall means upstanding from said main surface around at least part of the periphery thereof, and defining at least one openable end for receipt of forms; and wherein said wall means comprises a first end wall upstanding from said main surface and at the opposite end of said main surface from said openable end, and electromagnetic radiation reflective means at a top portion of said firs end wall, but below the top of said forms backstop when said forms backstop is adjacent said first end wall.
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5. A cart for receipt of continuous business forms in a compacted configuration, comprising:
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a forms backstop having a bottom surface, and a top; a cart main surface for supporting compacted forms thereon, having a periphery and having means for providing appropriate frictional engagement with said forms backstop bottom surface and forms, while said backstop top extends upwardly above said main surface, to facilitate compacting of forms; wall means upstanding from said main surface around at least part of the periphery thereof, and defining at least one openable end for receipt of forms; and means for mounting said cart main surface with respect to said cart legs so that it may be tilted so that said first end is elevated or lowered after said cart is filled with forms. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A system for stacking continuous business forms in a compacted in-line configuration, comprising:
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a folder for folding the continuous business forms along fold lines, and for conveying the folded forms in a first direction at a first speed; means for mounting said conveying means adjacent said folder so that folded forms discharged by said folder are received by said conveying means; a movable cart having a main surface, and a wall means upstanding from said main surface and defining a first, openable, end said main surface for receipt of forms discharged by said conveying means, said movable cat having caster means allowing said movable cart to be rolled into and out of position with said conveying means; a forms backstop movable along said main surface in response to forms stacking thereagainst; and means for mounting said main surface adjacent said conveying means so that forms discharged by said conveying means compact on said forms backstop. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for stacking continuous business forms in a compacted in-line configuration, comprising;
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a folder for folding the continuous business forms along fold lines, and for conveying the folded forms in a first direction at a first speed; conveying means for conveying forms received thereby in said first direction at a second speed, slower than said first speed; means for mounting said conveying means adjacent said folder so that folded forms discharged by said folder are received by said conveying means; a movable cart having a main surface, and wall means upstanding from said main surface and defining a first, openable, end, said main surface for receipt of forms discharged by said conveying means; a forms backstop movable along said main surface in response to forms stacking thereagainst; and wherein said conveying means comprises a plurality of parallel continuous belts having lugs extending outwardly and inwardly, the outwardly extending lugs engaging forms conveyed thereby; and
drive means for driving said belts at said second speed in said first direction, said inwardly extending lugs engaging said drive means.
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18. A system for stacking continuous business forms in a compacted in-line configuration, comprising:
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a folder for folding the continuous business forms along fold lines, and for conveying the folded forms in a first direction at a first speed; conveying means for conveying forms received thereby in said first direction at a second speed, slower than said first speed; means for mounting said conveying means adjacent said folder so that folded forms discharged by said folder are received by said conveying means; a movable cart having a main surface, and wall means upstanding from said main surface and defining a first, openable, end, said main surface for receipt of forms discharged by said conveying means; a forms backstop movable along said main surface in response to forms stacking thereagainst; and wherein said main surface of said cart comprises frictional engagement providing means comprising a plurality of lugged belts, means for mounting the belts so that the lugs extend upwardly, and so that they are movable along said main surface, and relatively friction free portions of said main surface disposed between said belts, said lugs engaging said forms backstop to provide frictional resistance to movement of said forms backstop by compacted forms.
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19. A system for stacking continuous business forms in a compacted in-lien configuration, comprising:
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folder for folding the continuous business forms along fold lines, and for conveying the folded forms in a first direction at a first speed; conveying means for conveying forms received thereby in said first direction at a second speed, slower than said first speed; means for mounting said conveying means adjacent said folder so that folded forms discharged by said folder are received by said conveying means; a movable cart having a main surface, and wall means upstanding from said main surface and defining a first, openable, end, said main surface for receipt of forms discharged by said conveying means; a forms backstop movable along said main surface in response to forms stacking thereagainst; said cart main surface being supported by a plurality of cart legs having an open volume therebetween; and means for mounting said cart main surface for tilting movement with respect to said cart legs so that said first end may be elevated or lowered after said cart is filled with forms. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of compacting continuous business forms utilizing a movable cart with a forms backstop mounted thereon, comprising the steps of:
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(a) folding the forms along fold lines; (b) transporting the folded forms in a first direction at a first speed; (c) physically engaging the forms being transported in the first direction at the first speed, and significantly slowing down their transport in the first direction to a second speed, lower than the first speed, so that the forms stand substantially upright on a folded edge; (d) pushing the substantially upright forms in the first direction at the second speed into operative engagement with the forms backstop located on the movable cart so that the forms are compacted; and (e) once the movable cart is full of compacted forms, terminating feed of forms onto it, and replacing it with an empty cart. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification