US5000088A — Document imprinting device

Claim 1

Independent Claim 249 words

A document imprinting device for imprinting on documents such as checks comprising a frame, document feeding means mounted on the frame for sequentially feed documents, conveying means for conveying a document from the document feeding means along a document conveyance path, imprinting means for imprinting the documents conveyed along the document conveyance path, and sensing means positioned along the document conveyance path for sensing the position of the documents and for triggering the imprinting means such that the document is imprinted at a desired location on the document, the document feeding means including a hopper for holding a stack of documents, said hopper having a document exit opening, and means for removing documents sequentially from the hopper through the document exit opening to the conveyance path, further including a follower apparatus, the following apparatus including an arm mechanism mounted on the underside of the frame having a first end portion and a second end portion, the arm mechanism having a first pulley at its first end portion and a second non-rotating pulley at its second end portion, a continuous belt extending between the first and second pulleys, a slot formed in the frame, a rotatable shaft being fixed to the first pulley and extending through the slot, and a panel fixed to the shaft, said panel forming the rear wall of the hopper, and said panel being rotatable with the shaft to maintain its orientation in the hopper as the shaft moves laterally back and forth in the slot.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 249 words

A document imprinting device for imprinting on documents such as checks comprising a frame, document feeding means mounted on the frame for sequentially feed documents, conveying means for conveying a document from the document feeding means along a document conveyance path, imprinting means for imprinting the documents conveyed along the document conveyance path, and sensing means positioned along the document conveyance path for sensing the position of the documents and for triggering the imprinting means such that the document is imprinted at a desired location on the document, the document feeding means including a hopper for holding a stack of documents, said hopper having a document exit opening, and means for removing documents sequentially from the hopper through the document exit opening to the conveyance path, further including a follower apparatus, the following apparatus including an arm mechanism mounted on the underside of the frame having a first end portion and a second end portion, the arm mechanism having a first pulley at its first end portion and a second non-rotating pulley at its second end portion, a continuous belt extending between the first and second pulleys, a slot formed in the frame, a rotatable shaft being fixed to the first pulley and extending through the slot, and a panel fixed to the shaft, said panel forming the rear wall of the hopper, and said panel being rotatable with the shaft to maintain its orientation in the hopper as the shaft moves laterally back and forth in the slot.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

The document imprinting device of claim 1, further including biasing means for biasing the panel towards the front wall of the hopper.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 23 words

The document imprinting device of claim 1, further including drive means for driving the feeding means, the conveying means, and the imprinting means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 212 words

A document imprinting device for imprinting on documents such as checks comprising a frame, document feeding means mounted on the frame for sequentially feeding documents, conveying means for conveying a document from the document feeding means along a document conveyance path, imprinting means for imprinting the documents conveyed along the document conveyance path, and sensing means positioned along the document conveyance path for sensing the position of the documents and for triggering the imprinting means such that the document is imprinted at a desired location on the document, the imprinting means including a rotatable platen mounted on the frame, a rotatable shaft mounted on the frame adjacent to the platen, a print drum mounted on the shaft having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, an upper free-wheeling pulley mounted on the shaft at the upper end portion of the print drum, a lower free-wheeling pulley mounted on the shaft at the lower end portion of the print drum, a first continuous belt extending around the upper pulley and pressing against the platen, a second continuous belt extending around the lower pulley and pressing against the platen, a clutch releaseably securing the shaft to a driving means for rotating the shaft, and a die member mounted on the print drum.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 212 words

A document imprinting device for imprinting on documents such as checks comprising a frame, document feeding means mounted on the frame for sequentially feeding documents, conveying means for conveying a document from the document feeding means along a document conveyance path, imprinting means for imprinting the documents conveyed along the document conveyance path, and sensing means positioned along the document conveyance path for sensing the position of the documents and for triggering the imprinting means such that the document is imprinted at a desired location on the document, the imprinting means including a rotatable platen mounted on the frame, a rotatable shaft mounted on the frame adjacent to the platen, a print drum mounted on the shaft having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, an upper free-wheeling pulley mounted on the shaft at the upper end portion of the print drum, a lower free-wheeling pulley mounted on the shaft at the lower end portion of the print drum, a first continuous belt extending around the upper pulley and pressing against the platen, a second continuous belt extending around the lower pulley and pressing against the platen, a clutch releaseably securing the shaft to a driving means for rotating the shaft, and a die member mounted on the print drum.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

The document imprinting device of claim 4, the print drum having a plurality of positions on which the die member may be mounted.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 17 words

The document imprinting device of claim 4, the die member being releaseably mounted on the print drum.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 36 words

The document imprinting device of claim 4, the imprinting means further including an ink roller mounted on the frame adjacent to the print drum, the ink roller contacting only the die as the drum member rotates.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The document imprinting device of claim 4, further including drive means for driving the feeding means, the conveying means, and the imprinting means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 239 words

A document imprinting device for imprinting on documents such as checks comprising a frame, document feeding means mounted on the frame for sequentially feeding documents, conveying means for conveying a document from the document feeding means along a document conveyance path, imprinting means for imprinting the documents conveyed along the document conveyance path, sensing means positioned along the document conveyance path for sensing the position of the documents and for triggering the imprinting means such that the document is imprinted at a desired location on the document, and stacking means mounted on the frame at the end of the document conveyance path for holding the documents in a stack after the documents have been imprinted upon, further including a follower apparatus, the following apparatus including an arm mechanism mounted on the underside of the frame having a first end portion and a second end portion, the arm mechanism having a first pulley at its first end portion and a second non-rotating pulley at its second end portion, a continuous belt extending between the first and second pulleys, a slot formed in the frame, a rotatable shaft being fixed to the first pulley and extending through the slot, and a panel fixed to the shaft, said panel forming the rear wall of the hopper and, said panel being rotatable with the shaft to maintain ts orientation in the hopper as the shaft moves laterally back and forth in the slot.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 239 words

A document imprinting device for imprinting on documents such as checks comprising a frame, document feeding means mounted on the frame for sequentially feeding documents, conveying means for conveying a document from the document feeding means along a document conveyance path, imprinting means for imprinting the documents conveyed along the document conveyance path, sensing means positioned along the document conveyance path for sensing the position of the documents and for triggering the imprinting means such that the document is imprinted at a desired location on the document, and stacking means mounted on the frame at the end of the document conveyance path for holding the documents in a stack after the documents have been imprinted upon, further including a follower apparatus, the following apparatus including an arm mechanism mounted on the underside of the frame having a first end portion and a second end portion, the arm mechanism having a first pulley at its first end portion and a second non-rotating pulley at its second end portion, a continuous belt extending between the first and second pulleys, a slot formed in the frame, a rotatable shaft being fixed to the first pulley and extending through the slot, and a panel fixed to the shaft, said panel forming the rear wall of the hopper and, said panel being rotatable with the shaft to maintain ts orientation in the hopper as the shaft moves laterally back and forth in the slot.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 22 words

The document imprinting device of claim 9, further including biasing means for biasing the panel towards the front wall of the hopper.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

The document imprinting device of claim 9, further including drive means for driving the feeding means, the conveying means, the imprinting means, and the stacking means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-03-18	1994-09-17	1995-03-19	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-03-18	1998-09-17	1999-03-19	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-03-18	2002-09-17	2003-03-19	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Document imprinting device

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