Claims
- 1. Paper supply apparatus for a printer having a paper drive moving a paper web through said printer in a paper feeding direction, wherein said paper supply apparatus comprises:
a roll mounting bracket disposed externally from said printer; a spindle removably and rotatably mounting a paper supply roll in said roll mounting bracket; a tensioning roller applying a tensioning force to a portion of said paper web extending between said paper supply roll mounted on said spindle and said printer; and a tensioning roller support structure constraining said tensioning roller to move along a preferred path, wherein said tensioning roller moves along said preferred path in a first direction as said paper roll is accelerated to rotate in an unspooling direction in response to said paper drive starting to move said paper web through said printer, and wherein said tensioning roller moves along said preferred path opposite said first direction as said paper roll is decelerated in response to said paper drive stopping movement of said paper web through said printer.
- 2. The paper supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein
said tensioning roller support structure includes a slot on each side of said portion of said paper web extending between said paper supply roll mounted on said spindle and said printer, and a weight of said tensioning roller holds said tensioning roller in contact with said portion of said paper web extending between said paper supply roll mounted on said spindle and said printer.
- 3. The paper supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein
said tensioning roller support structure includes a pivotally mounted bracket, said tensioning roller is rotatably mounted on said pivotally mounted bracket to move along said preferred path with pivoting motion of said pivotally mounted bracket, and said paper supply apparatus additionally comprises a tensioning spring applying a torque to said pivotally mounted bracket to hold said tensioning roller in contact with said portion of said paper web extending between said paper supply roll mounted on said spindle and said printer.
- 4. The paper supply apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising a paper web holding surface extending at an oblique angle relative to said preferred path, wherein said tensioning roller clamps said portion of said paper web extending between said paper supply roll mounted on said spindle and said printer against said paper web holding surface when said paper web is released from said paper drive.
- 5. The paper supply apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising a braking spring engaging said paper supply roll for stopping rotation of said paper supply roll.
- 6. The paper supply apparatus of claim 5, wherein said braking spring is formed as a cantilever spring including a first end portion extending to press against a peripheral surface of said paper supply roll.
- 7. The paper supply apparatus of claim 6, wherein
said braking spring includes an intermediate portion disposed adjacent said tensioning roller at an end of movement of said tensioning roller opposite said first direction, said intermediate portion extends at an oblique angle relative to said preferred path, and said tensioning roller clamps said portion of said paper web extending between said paper supply roll mounted on said spindle and said printer against said intermediate portion when said paper web is released from said paper drive.
- 8. The paper supply apparatus of claim 7, wherein
said first end portion additionally includes a tab extending to engage a flap extending from an end of a paper web of paper supply roll, and said braking spring is slidably mounted to be pulled into said printer with said tab engaging said flap.
- 9. The paper supply apparatus of claim 6, wherein
said first end portion additionally includes a tab extending to engage a flap extending from an end of a paper web on said paper supply roll, and said braking spring is slidably mounted to be pulled into said printer with said tab engaging said flap.
- 10. The paper supply apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising a paper guiding member having a tab extending to engage a flap extending from an end of a paper web of said paper supply roll, wherein said paper guiding member is slidably mounted to be pulled into said printer with said tab engaging said flap.
- 11. The paper supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein
said spindle includes a shaft having a first pulley attached at a first end of said shaft and a second pulley removably attached at a second end of said shaft, said paper supply apparatus additionally comprises a cable extending on each side of said spindle, engaging said first and second pulleys between an anchor point and a handle, and said roll mounting bracket includes a slot at each side of said roll mounting bracket into which said spindle is movable while said spindle is held in suspension by said cable.
- 12. The paper supply apparatus of claim 11, wherein
said apparatus additionally comprises a idler pulley rotatably mounted at each side of said roll mounting bracket, and said spindle additionally includes a first cable guide holding a first portion of said cable in alignment with said first pulley and a second cable guide holding a second portion of said cable in alignment with said second pulley.
- 13. Paper supply roll mounting apparatus for a printer having a paper drive moving a paper web from a paper supply roll through said printer in a paper feeding direction, wherein said paper supply apparatus comprises:
a roll mounting bracket disposed externally from said printer, wherein said roll mounting bracket includes a slot at each side of said roll mounting bracket; a spindle for removably and rotatably mounting said paper supply roll in said roll mounting bracket, wherein said spindle includes a shaft having a first pulley attached at a first end of said shaft and a second pulley removably attached at a second end of said shaft; and a cable extending on each side of said spindle, engaging said first and second pulleys between an anchor point and a handle, wherein said spindle is movable into said slot at each side of said roll mounting bracket while said spindle is held in suspension by said cable.
- 14. The paper supply roll mounting apparatus of claim 13, wherein
said apparatus additionally comprises a idler pulley rotatably mounted at each side of said roll mounting bracket, and said spindle additionally includes a first cable guide holding a first portion of said cable in alignment with said first pulley and a second cable guide holding a second portion of said cable in alignment with said second pulley.
- 15. Printing apparatus comprising:
a printer including a paper drive moving a paper web through said printer in a paper feeding direction as visible markings are formed on said paper web; a roll mounting bracket disposed externally from said printer; a spindle removably and rotatably mounting a paper supply roll in said roll mounting bracket; a tensioning roller applying a tensioning force to a portion of said paper web extending between said paper supply roll mounted on said spindle and said printer; and a tensioning roller support structure constraining said tensioning roller to move along a preferred path, wherein said tensioning roller moves along said preferred path in a first direction as said paper roll is accelerated to rotate in an unspooling direction in response to said paper drive starting to move said paper web through said printer, and wherein said tensioning roller moves along said preferred path opposite said first direction as said paper roll is decelerated in response to said paper drive stopping movement of said paper web through said printer.
- 16. The printing apparatus of claim 15, additionally comprising a counter, wherein said printer is disposed above a counter and said roll mounting bracket is disposed below said counter.
- 17. The printing apparatus of claim 15, wherein
said paper drive is disengaged from said paper web to provide access to said paper web, and said printing apparatus additionally comprises a paper web holding surface extending at an oblique angle relative to said preferred path, wherein said tensioning roller clamps said portion of said paper web extending between said paper supply roll mounted on said spindle and said printer against said paper web holding surface when said paper web is released from said paper drive.
- 18. The printing apparatus of claim 15, additionally comprising a braking spring formed as a cantilever spring including a first end portion extending to press against a peripheral surface of said paper supply roll for stopping rotation of said paper supply roll.
- 19. The printing apparatus of claim 18, wherein
said first end portion additionally includes a tab extending to engage a flap extending from an end of a paper web on said paper supply roll, and said braking spring is slidably mounted to be pulled into said printer with said tab engaging said flap.
- 20. The printing apparatus of claim 15, wherein
said spindle includes a shaft having a first pulley attached at a first end of said shaft and a second pulley removably attached at a second end of said shaft, said paper supply apparatus additionally comprises a cable extending on each side of said spindle, engaging said first and second pulleys between an anchor point and a handle, and said roll mounting bracket includes a slot at each side of said roll mounting bracket into which said spindle is movable while said spindle is held in suspension by said cable.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is related to a U.S. application, docket No. RPS9-2000-0123US1, filed on an even day herewith, entitled “Paper Roll Retention System for a Point of Sale Printer, having the same assignee as the present invention.