The invention relates to an apparatus for use in the feeding of a table printer with endless paper sheets. Table printers, i.e. printers adapted to be placed on a tab¬ le, usually have two feeding slots for endless paper sheets, viz. a feeding slot on the rear side of the printer and a feeding slot on the underside of the printer.

Where the feeding of endless paper sheets takes place through the slot on the rear side of the printer, the latter cannot be placed in close proximity to .a wall, because there must be access to the rear side of the printer when ^• shifting to a fresh or different endless paper sheet.

When feeding endless paper sheets through the feeding slot on the underside of the printer, the above mentioned problem is avoided, but it is then necessary to use a special table, viz. a table, the top of which is constructed with a slot through which the endless sheets can be drawn unobstructedly into the feeding slot from .a supply, e.g. from a box placed under the table top. Another disadvantage of such bottom feeding of a printer is that the printer cannot be placed in an arbitrary position on the table, but must be so placed that the said slot in the table top is present directly under the feeding slot in the underside of the printer.

Moreover, in carrying out the known bottom feeding system, the operator, in order to shift the paper sheets, has to crawl down under the table in order to be able to introduce the end of the end¬ less paper sheet. This occurs when the format has to be changed and also when an endless paper sheet has been used up and has to be replaced by a fresh one. It is the object o the invention to avoid the described drawbacks in the feeding of table printers, and to provide an appara¬ tus by means of which the paper sheet is always introduced from the front side both when the printer is fed from the bottom and when it is fed from the rear side. This object is achieved by the apparatus according to the invention, which is characterized in that it comprises a base plate for the printer, said base plate having supporting members so designed that when placing the apparatus on a table a space is formed between

the base plate and the table top, a guide for the endless paper sheet being connected with the base plate and comprising a first portion substantially parallel to the base plate and located in the space between the base plate and the table top, and a second portion operatively associated with the first portion and extending to a point above the base plate in a position immediately adjacent the feeding slot of a table printer placed on the base plate.

When using the apparatus according to the invention for the feeding of a printer, no special table is required, and the apparatus can be placed on the table in any desired position . The printer is then placed on the apparatus in such a manner that its feeding slot is positioned immediately adjacent the point at which the second portion of . the guide ends. The feeding of the printer is then initiated by introducing the end of an endless paper sheet from the front side of the apparatus into the first portion of the guide which, as mentioned, is substantially parallel to the base plate and is located in the space between the base plate and ^' the table top . From this first portion of the guide the end of the endless sheet will automatically be guided through the second portion of the guide into the feeding slot of the printer until it is gripped by the endless paper sheet feeding means of the printer, whereafter these take over the continued feeding of the endless sheet.

If it is desired to move the printer to another position on the table, or to another table, this can easily take place by moving the apparatus according to the invention ^* , with the printer placed the¬ reon, to the new position, making sure that the position of the prin¬ ter on the apparatus is not changed.

In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the invent¬ ion the second portion of the guide extends through the base plate, substantially perpendicularly thereto, to a feeding slot on the under¬ side of the printer.

In another embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, the second portion of the guide has a section extending round the rear edge of the base plate .substantially perpendicularly thereto, and a section which is substantially parallel to the base plate and extends forwardly to a feeding slot on the rear side of the printer.

By both of these embodiments it becomes possible to remedy the above mentioned drawbacks in connection with both bottom feeding and rear feeding. However, in the case of rear feeding a small distance

from the wall must be established with a view to the accomodation of the second portion of the guide.

In a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention a bottom plate is attached to the supporting members in a position between the base plate and the ends of the supporting mem¬ bers remote from the base plate so that a space is formed between the base plate and the bottom plate, the portion of the guide extending substantially parallel to the base plate being accomodated in the space between the base plate and the bottom plate. In this embodiment of the apparatus the end of an endless paper sheet is fed into the first portion of the guide extending substantially parallel to the base plate in the space between the base plate and the bottom plate.

The base plate is preferably composed of parallel slat-like elements which are loosely supported on transverse supporting beams, and at least one of which is connected with the second portion of the guide.

By using this embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention it becomes possible, in the case of bottom feeding, to vary the position of the second portion of the guide, extending substantial- ly perpendicularly to the base plate, and thereby to adapt the appa¬ ratus for use in connection with printers with different positioning of the bottom feeding slot. In the case of rear feeding, the guide is so placed that the section of the second portion of the guide extending substantially perpendicularly to the base plate passes rearward round the rearmost slat-like element, said section of the second portion being adjustable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base plate, so that the section extending forwards substantially parallel to the base plate can be adjusted in different heights above the base plate. Thus, the apparatus can be used in connection with printers ^" with different positioning of the rear feeding slot.

Advantageously, the apparatus according to the invention comprises a leading plate, one end of which can be placed adjacent to or in contact with the entrance to the first portion of the guide for the endless sheets extending parallel to the base plate, the other end of the leading plate being curved so as to be capable of extending round the edge of a table top. By using such a leading plate the advantage is obtained that an endless sheet can smoothly be drawn into the first portion of the guide, even if the supply of endless.

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sheets is placed right under the table on which the apparatus accord¬ ing to the invention is placed.

In a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, the apparatus may be provided with both a guide for bot- torn feeding, the first portion of which, extending parallel to the base plate, being accomodated in the space between the base plate and the bottom plate, and a guide for rear feeding, the first portion of which, extending parallel to the base plate, being accomodated in the space between the bottom plate and the table top. With this embodiment the user can choose freely between bottom feeding and rear feeding with¬ out any conversion of the apparatus. Moreover, this embodiment pro¬ vides the possibility of introducing the paper sheet through the guide located in the space between the base plate and the bottom plate and to take out the paper sheet from the apparatus through the guide located in the space between the bottom plate and the table top . In that case both the supply of paper sheet and a container for collecting the ^" paper sheet can be placed in front of or under the table on which the apparatus and the printer are placed .

The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the drawing, in which

Fig . 1 shows one preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention for bottom feeding, as viewed from above, Fig . 2 a cross section along the line 11 -I I. through the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 3 a front view of the apparatus according to Fig.2, as viewed from right towards left. Fig. 4 an exploded view of an apparatus according to the invention, placed on a table, and a printer with a bottom feeding slot,

Fϊg . 5 a cross section, corresponding to Fig . 2, through another preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, for use in connection with a printer with a rear feeding, slot, and Fϊg. 6 a front view, corresponding to Fϊg. 3, of the ap¬ paratus according to Fig. 5. For simplification, indications of direction will be used in the description, such as horizontal, vertical, underside etc. , correspond-

ing to a normal orientation of the apparatus where the printer is placed on a horizontal supporting surface. "

The apparatus according to the invention may be left-right symmetrical about a vertical plane, as seen from in front, but ϊs shown in Figs. 1 -3 in an asymmetric constructional form comprising a base plate composed of six slat-like elements 1-6 supported on two

-transverse supporting beams 7. The outermost slat-like elements 1 and 6 are fastened to the supporting beams 7 by means of screws 8.

In the upper face of the beams 7, guiding strips 9 are mounted which are engageable in grooves 10, 11 provided in the underside of the elements 1 -6 so as to prevent the latter from being, displaced in their longitudinal direction . The grooves 10 serve to secure ^' the plate formed by the elements 1 -6 in the longitudinal direction of the elements in the position shown . The plate elements 1 -6 (Figs . 1 and 3) extend further beyond the right supporting beam 7 than beyond the left supporting beam 7. Owing to the asymmetric support of the plate 1 -6 on the supporting beams 7, the space confined below the plate and between the supporting beams will be asymmetric with respect to the longitudinal direction of the elements 1-6. Through this space an endless paper sheet can be front-fed to the bottom of a printer placed on the plate 1 -6 by means of the guide to be described in detail below. The asymmetric supporting of the plate 1 -6, and thereby the asymmetric positioning of the said space below the plate and between the supporting beams ϊs advantageous for many table printers because their bottom feeding slot for an endless paper sheet is asymmetrically arranged in the printers, usually at a displacement to the left, when viewing the printers from in front.

However, the embodiment of the apparatus shown in the drawing can also be used (without change) for table printers in which the bottom feeding slot for an endless paper ^• sheet is .symmetrically arranged in respect of right and left, when viewing the printer from in front, and by a change, which can be made quickly, it can also be adapted to table printers with a bottom feeding slot that is arranged asymmetrically at a displacement to the right, when viewing the prϊn- ters from in front. In the latter case, either the whole apparatus is turned 180° in a horizontal plane, whereafter the guide carrying ele¬ ments 3, 4 (to be mentioned in more detail below) are lifted, so that these together with the associated guide are liberated from the appa-

ratus, and are turned 180 in a horizontal plane and are displaced in their .longitudinal direction so as to engage the guide strips 9 on the^ ^* supporting beams 7 in the grooves 11 in the underside of the elements, or the apparatus as such ϊs maintained in the position shown, while the whole of the plate 1-6 is liberated from the guiding strips 9 and displaced to the left so as to engage the guiding strips 9 in the grooves 11 in the underside of the plate elements 1 -6. In the latter case additional screw holes (not shown) must be provided in the plate elements 1 and 6 for fastening these to the supporting beams 7 by means of the screws 8, or alternatively these elements must be separa¬ tely liberated from the plate and then be turned 180° in a horizontal plane, whereafter their grooves 10 are engaged with the guiding strips 9, whereafter the . screw holes shown can be used for the fastening, provided that they are respectively located at the same distance from the longitudinal edges of the elements.

In the position illustrated, the apparatus can furthermore be changed from front feeding of an endless paper sheet to rear feed¬ ing of such a sheet to the bottom feeding slot of a table printer, should this be desirable for some reason . The simplest way of achϊev- ϊng this ϊs by lifting the guide carrying elements 3,4 to liberate them, together with the attached guide, from the apparatus, turning them 180° in a horizontal plane, displacing them in their longitudinal direction, and lowering them to engage theϊr grooves 11 with the guiding strips 9 on the supporting beams 7. Needs for combinations of the .possibilities above described can of course also be satisfied by suitable combinations of the opera¬ tions described .

- The apparatus shown also comprises a bottom plate 12 which is arranged between the supporting beams 7 in such a manner that a space ϊs formed between the base plate 1-6 and the bottom plate 12, said space accomodating the horizontal portion of the guide mentioned below. The bottom plate is mounted in recesses on the underside and the inner side of the beams 7 in such a manner that a space is formed between the bottom plate and a table top on which the apparatus ϊs placed, when the apparatus rests on the supporting beams 7 on the table top. Antϊ-skid strips 13 are attached to the underside of the bottom plate 12 in the recesses of the beams 7 and extend beyond the underside of the beams 7, so that the underside of the beams 7 does

not come into direct contact with a table top on which the apparatus is mounted . The anti-skid strips 13 are preferably made from a resilϊ- * ent material which under the influence of the weight of the apparatus (and the printer) yields to some extent and is deformed towards the middle, whereby the loose leading plate 22 to be mentioned below can be clamped between the anti-skϊd strips 13 and can thereby be maintai¬ ned in its -position solely by the weight of the apparatus (and table printer) .

I n an embodiment of the apparatus where no bottom plate is provided , anti-skid strips 13 of resilient material which in similar manner are arranged in recesses in the underside and inner side of the beams 7 will also be capable of clamping the guide plate 22 and maintain it in its position between the beams 7 solely by the weight of the apparatus (and the table printer) . The slat elements 3 and 4 are held at a fixed mutual distan¬ ce by means of dowels 14 inserted in holes in the edges of the slats, whereby a space 15 is formed between the slats . Inserted in this space are the ends of two plates 16 and 17 which together form a guide for an endless paper sheet, the plate 16 being connected with the front and rear edges of the slat 3, and the plate 17 being connect¬ ed with the front edge of the slat 4. Thus, the said guide comprises a vertical portion 18, a horizontal portion 19, and an intermediate curved portion . It ϊs observed that the horizontal portion of the plate 17 is arranged in loose contact with or above the bottom plate 12, so that . he position of the exit 28 of the vertical portion 18 of the guide in or above the base plate 1 -6 can be changed by lifting and inter¬ changing the loosely mounted plate elements 2 and 3-4, or 5 and 3-4, respectively.

The plate 16 and the plate 17, which combine to form the guide, are preferably connected with the front and rear edges of the plate element 3, and with the front edge of the plate element 4, re¬ spectively, in such a manner as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the plate elements and, if desired, to be lockable in pre¬ determined positions by suitable means (not shown) . This arrangement, in combination with the loose fit of the horizontal portion of the plate 17 on the bottom plate, makes it possible to perform the previously described lifting, 180° turning in a horizontal plane, and longitudinal displacement of the guide carrying elements 3, 4 until their grooves

11 are engaged with the guiding strips 9 on the beams 7, so that the horizontal portion 19 of the guide will be reversed with respect to the ' position shown ϊπ Fig . 2, while at the same time the ends of the ele¬ ments 3, 4 flush with the ends of the other plate elements without having to subject the latter to the same 180° turn in a horizontal plane.

The plates 16 and 17 may also be provided with spacing members (not shown) in the marginal zone of the plates so as to ensure a suitable. mutual spacing of the plates. Fϊg . 4 shows a table 20 on which an apparatus 21 according to the invention ϊs placed. This apparatus has the same build-up as the apparatus of Fϊgs. 1 -3, but additionally comprises a loose leading plate 22, one end of which ϊs placed, contiguously with the horizontal portion of the plate 17, while its other end has a bend 23 that can be arranged to fit around an edge of the table on which the apparatus ϊs placed . The first end of the leading plate 22 can be arranged to abut the end of the horizontal portion of the plate 17, but it can also be arranged to extend over or under the end of the horizontal portion of the plate 17. Moreover, the first end of the leading plate 22 can be pushed ?n under the bottom plate 12 and be clamped and held there by means of the anti-skid strips 13, as previously described .

Under the table 20 there is placed a carriage 24 serving for the transportation and holding of a supply of endless paper sheet 25. Fϊg . 4 also shows a printer 26 placed on top of the appara- tus according to the invention . The printer 26 is so placed that its bottom feeding slot (not shown) is present immediately above the vertical portion 18 of the guide of the apparatus 21 . By means of the apparatus 21 with associated leading plate 22 the smooth passage of the endless paper sheet 25 from the carriage 24 to the printer 26 is secured .

The apparatus shown in Fϊgs. 5 and 6 ϊs broadly speaking constructed in the same manner as above explained with reference to Fϊgs. 1 -4, and the features and elements that are identical will not be explained in detail in connection with an apparatus for use in the case of rear feeding of the table printer.

Here again, the guide of the apparatus comprises a first horizontal portion 19. In this embodiment, the second portion of the guide ϊs composed of a plurality of sections 18, 18a, 18b, the fϊrst

two sections extending vertically round the rear edge of the base plate (1 -6) , the third section 18b extending substantially horizontally forwards, so that the exit 29 of the second portion 18 will be located immediately adjacent the rear feeding slot of a table printer placed on the base plate. The height of the exit 29 above the base plate can be adapted to various table printers, because the vertical sections 18, 18a of the guide are vertically adjustable. The vertical section 18a and the horizontal section 18b are advantageously made in the form of one integral element consisting of two plates 30, 31 . The plate 30 ϊs provided with vertically elongated holes (not shown) and is adjustably fastened to the plate 19 by means of screws 32 passed through the said holes. The plate 31 , which for reasons of strength is advantage¬ ously constructed in the form of a U-profile, is connected with the plate 30 by means of spacing members 33 provided in the marginal zones of the guide.

In Fϊgs . 5 and 6 the apparatus is shown as being construct¬ ed with a frame consisting of two beams 34 interconnected by means of two or more transverse bars 35. The beams 34 are provided on their upper side with recesses 36 which together with the recesses in the beams 7 establish a firm mutual connection between the beams 34 and the beams 7, where the apparatus is provided with such a frame. By means of the frame an adjustment of height can be obtained , which makes it possible to use the apparatus in connection with most table printers on the market. I n Figs . 5 and 6, the apparatus ϊs shown without the above mentioned anti-skid strips, guiding strips and grooves, but these could of course also be provided in this embodiment.

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