AUTOMATIC PAPER LOADER FOR A PRINTER

摘要

Apparatus for automatically loading paper from a supply roll (19) into a printer (10). The printer includes a base (12) and a cover (13, 14) hinged t o the base. A contoured guide is mounted adjacent to a drive roll to form a paper path that converges from an upper entrance region to a lower exit regi on in the direction of the drive roll rotation. A biased member is mounted in t he top cover of the printer and is arranged to move into contact with the drive roll within the entrance region when the cover is closed. In practice, when the cover is open a run of paper from the roll is placed over the entrance region to the paper path. Closing the cover produces rotation of the drive roll and causes the biased member to force the paper into driving contact wi th roll producing a fold in the front section of the paper supply. The folded section passes through the paper path into a nip formed between the drive ro ll and pinch rollers whereupon the folded section is advanced through a printin g station into a read station.