US3658364A

US3658364A - Fan-folded print-out paper for high-speed printers

Info

Publication number: US3658364A
Application number: US836730A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick A Da Mert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-06-26
Filing date: 1969-06-26
Publication date: 1972-04-25
Anticipated expiration: 1989-04-25

Abstract

A paper product adapted for print-out use with high-speed printers associated with computer equipment wherein the product can be one-part paper or multiple-part paper, The product includes at least one sheet having transverse perforations or score lines permitting the sheet to be fan-folded into a stack of sheet sections having a predetermined size. Spaced longitudinal stiffeners are applied to one face of the sheet to increase the stiffness thereof and thereby facilitate the fan-folding of the sheet. The stiffeners of adjacent sheets of multiple-part paper are staggered with respect to each other.

Description

United States Patent Da Mert [151 3,658,364 1 May25, 1972 [54] FAN-FOLDED PRINT-OUT PAPER FOR HIGH-SPEED PRINTERS [72] Inventor: Frederick A. De Mert, 31 Muir Ave, Piedmont, Calif. 94610 221 Filed: June 26, 1969 211 Appl. No.: 836,730

Related [1.8. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 676,993, Oct. 9,

1967, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. ..281/5, 282/12 A, 117/44 [51] Int. Cl ..B42d 19/00 [58] Field oiSearch ..281/5; 282/1 l.5,-l 1.5 A, 12 A, 282/21, 28 A; 283/62; 117/44, 152, 155; 270/61 E, 52.5, 73, 79; 402/79 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,794,492 3/1931 Renda1l.... ..117/44 1,902,128 3/1933 Johnson ....282/20 R 2,039,752 5/1936 Thomas ..402/79 2,132,144 10/1938 Blum ..117/44 UX 3,305,247 2/1967 Fulk ..282/1 1.5 A

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 943,345 12/1963 Great Britain ..282/1 1.5 R

1,028,246 5/1966 Great Britain ..282/1 1.5 A

Primary Examiner-Jerome Schnall Attorney-Townsend and Townsend [57] ABSTRACT A paper product adapted for print-out use with high-speed printers associated with computer equipment wherein the product can be one-part paper or multiple-part paper, The product includes at least one sheet having transverse perforations or score lines permitting the sheet to be fan-folded into a stack of sheet sections having a predetermined size. Spaced longitudinal stiffeners are applied to one face of the sheet to increase the stiffness thereof and thereby facilitate the fanfolding of the sheet. The stiffeners of adjacent sheets of multiple-part paper are staggered with respect to each other.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 25 I972 SHEET 1 F 2 40 SCORING PUNCH 38\ MARGIN FAN- FOLD

FAN-

FOLD

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INVENTOR. FREDERICK A. DA MERT ATTORNEYS PATENTEB APR 25 I972 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG.3

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INVENTOR. FREDERICK ADA MERT ATTORNEYS FAN-FOLDED PRINT-OUT PAPER FOR HIGH-SPEED PRINTERS This is a continuation-in-part of copending application, Ser. No. 676,993, filed Oct. 9, 1967 and entitled, FAN-FOLDED PRINT-OUT PAPER FOR HIGH-SPEED PRINTERS now abandoned.

This invention relates to improvements in print-out paper of the type capable of being fan-folded into a neat stack and adapted for use in high-speed printers associated with computer equipment.

The present invention is directed to print-out paper of the type described wherein the paper has improved stiffness characteristics over conventional paper of this type, so that even relatively lightweight paper, i.e., paper having a relatively small degree of stiffness, can be employed for print-out purposes with high-speed printers associated with computer equipment. Also, the teachings of the present invention permit the high-speed processing of paper of this type notwithstanding such things as the various production stages through which the paper must pass and regardless of the fact that the paper is fan-folded at the end of a production run. Such production stages include printing, line-hole punching, perforating, and fan-folding of the paper.

Print-out paper of the aforesaid type is fan-folded to minimize storage space requirements and to provide a simple means of collecting the paper as it issues at high speed from production equipment or from high speed printers. The fanfolding action is obtained by first perforating the paper along longitudinally spaced transverse lines to divide the paper into a plurality of sheet sections of the same size with the sheet sections arranged in end-to-end relationship. The paper can then be directed through suitable fan-folding structure which causes the paper to be foldedso that the sheet sections form a neat stack. The paper may have a pair of longitudinally extending perforations near its side edges to form a pair of strips which can be separated from the main body of the paper. Other paper may have no longitudinal perforations or may have a longitudinal perforation only along one side margin of the paper.

Generally, all paper suitable for this purpose will have sprocket holes therethrough along its opposed side margins, whereby the paper sheet can be coupled'to drive sprockets and thereby be forcibly drivenwithout impairing its capability of receiving printed matter. The stiffener means for the paper may be of any suitable material and preferablyis of the type which is-capable of being applied to the sheet in a flowable condition and thereafter of setting to a relatively solidified, rigid or hardened condition. Thus, the stiffening material can advantageously be applied to the paper sheet during the processing of the paper itself. The stiffener means can be applied or otherwise affixed to the paper sheet on its front face (the face which receives the printed indicia) or on its rear face, or can be applied to both front and rear faces. Preferably, the stiffener means is applied only to the rear face of the sheet, so that the print-receiving capacity of the paper sheet is not impaired.

Fan-folded print-out paper for use in high-speed printers associated with computer equipment is made in different sizes and especially in different thicknesses so that paper of this type varies considerably in stiffness. To distinguish sheets of different stiffnesses, the measure which is generally used is the weight of 500 sheet sections whose dimensions are 17 inches by 22 inches. Based upon this measure, paper can be delineated as pound paper, 12 pound paper, 15 pound paper, 16 pound paper, etc. Other paper stiffnesses can be below, between and above these values. Thus, 10 pound paper has a relatively low degree of stiffness, i.e., has a relatively high degree of flexibility; whereas, 20 pound paper, for instance, has a relatively high degree of stiffness and a relatively low degree of flexibility.

When paper of this type is processed, a roll of paper is provided and the paper is fed off the roll, through machinery by means of which the paper is successively printed, punched (to provide the sprocket holes), perforated, and finally fan-folded and collected in a stack. Thus the sheet sections defined by the transverse perforations on the paper sheet will be stacked in place and can be received in a receptacle of some suitable type. When the paper is ready for use, it is fed through and is printed by a high-speed printer, and is refolded into a neat stack after issuing from the printer.

It is very desirable that, in processing the paper, production speeds be as high as possible so that a greater volume of printout paper can be produced in a given time. Also, speeds at which the paper is used is desirably as high as possible so that it can be used with high-speed printers to thereby minimize print-out time for a given amount of indicia to be printed. A typical high-speed printer prints at the rate of 1,100 lines per minute and usually requires 20 pound paper to assure that the paper will be properly refolded after issuing from the printer.

Generally, fan-folded print-out paper which has a relatively small degree of stiffness, such as 10 pound or 12 pound paper, does not properly fan-fold into a neat stack when the paper is moving at relatively high speeds. The paper tends to bunch and roll as it is fan-folded and, as a result, the stack is not properly formed. During a production run, therefore, the speed of the paper must be reduced to a value which permits the paper to be properly fan-folded when issuing from the production equipment. Such speed reduction is generally not available with conventional printers. Thus, lightweight paper must be used with the lower speed printers as it cannot be properly refolded when issuing from a high-speed printer.

The teachings of the present'invention are especially applicable to one-part paper, i.e., paper comprised only of a single elongated sheet. Thus, where lightweight one-part paper has heretofore been made at relatively slow production speeds, the invention now permits production speeds to be relatively high inasmuch as the fan-folding at the end of a production run has been circumvented by the stiffener means of this invention. Similarly, lightweight, one-part paper can now be utilized with high-speed printers since the refolding of the paper now presents no problem.

The invention is not limited to one-part paper, however. The stiffener means of the invention is preferably applied to each of the sheets of multiple-part paper to stiffen the overall paper unit itself.

A number of advantages accrue from the use of relatively lightweight paper. Firstly, the lighter weight paper stock is less expensive and thereby minimizes production costs. Secondly, relatively lightweight paper provides greater paper capacity for paper-holding cartons of standard sizes, i.e., a greater number of sheet sections can be accommodated in a container of a given size. Thirdly, since a greater amount of the paper can be accommodated in a standard-sized carton, a highspeed printer can operate for a longer time since a greater supply of paper is available to thereby increase the operating time of the printer itself between paper changes. Fourthly, since the lighter weight paper requires a smaller volume than heavier weight paper, the lighter weight paper can be more economically stored.

Since the present invention provides for an increase in paper stiffness without effectively modifying the basic structure of the paper, it permits lightweight paper to be processed and to be used at high speeds so that the aforesaid advantages relating to lightweight paper can be realized. The invention thus avoids the problems associated with bunching and rolling of the sheets which has occurred in the past with lightweight paper which does not have adequate stiffness.

The stiffener means is preferably applied to the rear face of the paper, i.e., opposite to its front or usual print-receiving face. Thus, the teachings of the invention can be used with standard print-out paper without afi'ecting its capacity to receive printed indicia.

The stiffener means includes a number of spaced, longitu dinally extending stiffeners on a paper sheet, preferably on the rear face of the sheet and being formed from a flowable material capable of rapidly solidifying or setting to a hardened condition to prevent tackiness during fan-folding of the sheet after the stiffeners have been applied. For multiple-part paper the stiffeners of adjacent sheets are staggered relative to each other to minimize the build-up in thickness of the multiplepart paper when the latter is fan-folded.

The primary object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an improved print-out paper product capable of being fan-folded along transverse perforations wherein the product includes at least one sheet provided with an applied stiffener means to increase its stiffness and thereby to facilitate the fanfolding of the sheet without affecting the print-receiving capacity of the sheet.

Another object of this invention is to provide print-out paper of lightweight paper stock which is capable of being fanfolded and has stiffener means on one face thereof so that the paper can be moved at high speeds through production equipment and/or through a printer and thereafter be readily fanfolded into a neat stack.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a paper product of the type described wherein the stiffener means may be applied to the sheet in a flowable condition so that a number of spaced stiffeners can be added to basic paper stock as the same is advanced through a series of production stages to thereby minimize production costs as well as to simplify the manner by which the stiffener is applied.

A further object of this invention is to provide a stiffened paper product of the aforesaid character which can be of onepart paper or of multiple-part paper to thereby permit the product to be suitable for a number of different print-out applications yet be capable of readily fan-folding notwithstanding the relatively lightweight character of the sheet or sheets forming the one-part or multiple-part paper.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide multiplepart print-out paper of the type described wherein the paper is comprised of a number of stacked sheets with each sheet having a plurality oflaterally spaced, longitudinally extending stiffeners which are staggered relative to the stiffeners of an adjacent sheet to minimize the overall thickness of the paper when the latter is fan-folded.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing for an illustration of the preferred embodiment ofthe paper ofthis invention.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of apparatus for processing the print-out paper of this invention and for fan-folding the same immediately after the paper has been processed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of the print-out paper showing the front or print-receiving face thereof and illustrating the stiffening means in dashed lines on the rear face thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the print-out paper showing the rear face thereof with a plurality of spaced, longitudinally extending stiffeners;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of print-out paper in multiple-part form with the sheets of the paper being spaced apart to illustrate the staggered relationship of the stiffeners on the rear faces ofthe sheets; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the multiplepart paper of FIG. 4 showing the front faces of the sheets and illustrating in dashed lines the spaced, staggered stiffeners on the rear faces of the sheets.

The print-out paper which forms the subject matter of this invention is broadly denoted by the numeral and includes an elongated sheet 12 provided with a pair of opposed, longitudinally extending side edges 14 which are generally parallel with each other. Sheet 12 is further provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transverse perforations or score lines 16 which divide the sheet into a plurality of sheet sections 18 arranged in end-to-end relationship with each other as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Score lines 16 are uniformly spaced apart as shown in FIG. 3 so that sheet sections 18 will have substantially the same dimensions.

Sheet 12 has spaced sprocket holes 24 therethrough adjacent to and disposed along each side margin of the sheet. The sprocket holes are omitted from FIG. 3 to simplify the illustration of sheet 12. By virtue of sprocket holes 24, sheet 12 can be coupled to drive sprockets, such as in print-out equipment, and forcibly driven thereby. The sheet can also be provided with a longitudinally extending score line (not shown) spaced inwardly from one or both edges 14 to define a side strip having sprocket holes 24 therethrough.

Sheet 12 is further provided with a plurality of transverse lines 26 printed on the front or print-receiving face of the sheet, lines 26 terminating substantially at side edges 14 as shown in FIG. 2. Lines 26, therefore, define the printing area of sheet 12 and the lines may or may not be used to align printing indicia, depending upon the particular application to which sheet 12 is to be put.

Sheet 12 has stiffening means on the rear face thereof, i.e., the face opposite to the face having print lines 26 thereon. Such stiffening means is provided to increase the stiffness of the sheet so as to facilitate the fan-folding thereof as it issues from sheet handling equipment at relatively high speeds.

The aforesaid stiffening means includes a plurality of spaced stiffeners 28 on the rear face of sheet 12, stiffeners 28 extending longitudinally of side edges 14. The stiffeners will generally be parallel to side edges 14 and are preferably uniformly spaced apart with respect to each other. While stiffeners 28 could be provided on the front fact of sheet 12, this is generally undesirable ifit is deemed that the stiffeners might interfere with the application of printed indicia on the front face of the sheet. When applied to the rear face of the sheet, the stiffeners do not interfere with the print-receiving capacity of the sheet on its front face. For purposes of illustration, six stiffeners are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 on sheet 12 with each stiffener being represented by a line having a predetermined width with reference to the longitudinal axis of sheet 12.

Each stiffener 28 is preferably ofa material capable of being applied in a flowable condition to sheet 12 and thereafter setting to a relatively rigid or hardened condition. In such case, the stiffener will be in the form of a layer of material on the rear face of the sheet as shown in FIG. 4. By using a stiffener capable of being put in a flowable condition, the paper stock which forms sheet 12 can be provided with stiffeners 28 during the processing of sheet 12 to thereby avoid having to subject the sheet to additional operations after it has been processed. Also, stiffeners 28, when applied to the paper stock, should be capable of setting rapidly to a solidified condition, should be non-adhesive after setting, should have sufficient densities to stiffen the paper while permitting the latter to be flexible, and be capable of being applied to the paper at a temperature below the kindling temperature thereof.

Some flowable stiffening materials may be applied to the sheet in a heated condition while other flowable materials may be applied when they are cold or at room temperature. If the stiffening material is heated when it is applied, it can be caused to rapidly solidify or to set in any suitable manner, such as by chilling or the like. If applied cold or at room temperature, the stiffener can be rapidly solidified by being dried or the like.

The stiffener may be selected from any of a wide variety of materials, such as resins, waxes and the polyalkylenes including polyethylene. A material which has been found satisfactory for forming stiffeners 28 is a material denoted by the designation, Z-l2l77 Hot Melt, made by Swift Chemical Co., 1211 West 22nd St., Oak Brook, Ill. 60521. This particular material has the following characteristics: it has a ball and ring softening point of 210 F. (beginning point 186 F., end point 210 F it has a good heat stability when tested at 350 F. for a 72 hour period; the viscosity of the material at 370 F. is 51 poise, at 350 F. it is 61 poise, at 340 F. it is 69 poise, and at 330 F. It is 76 poise; the film characteristic is that of a hard, brittle surface; the product is non-blocking at F. when tested for a 24-hour period using a 1 pound per square inch static load; the heat resistance using this particular test method is F and the available opening time using this method is 4 seconds when tested at a product temperature of 350 F.

One method of making the sheet of this invention is shown in FIG. 1 wherein a roll 30 of paper stock is unwound to permit the paper sheet on the roll to be removed therefrom and to be moved through a printing station defined by a pair of printing rolls 32 for printing lines 26 on the front face of the sheet. The sheet is moved past an extruder or other applicator 34 downstream of rolls 32 for applying stiffeners 28 in a flowable condition to the rear face of the sheet as the latter is moved away from the print rolls 32. Adjacent to applicator 34 is apparatus 36 for causing the stiffeners to set to a relatively rigid or hardened condition. Apparatus 36 can be eliminated if the material of stiffeners 28 dries sufficiently fast by contact with the ambient air to prevent the stiffeners from being adhesive in character during the time when the sheet is fan-folded in the manner hereinafter described.

The sheet is then passed through hole punching apparatus 38 by means of which the side margins of the sheet are punched to provide sprocket holes 24 therethrough. Following the punching of the sprocket holes, the sheet is perforated or scored by scoring apparatus 40 downstream of apparatus 38, whereby score lines 16 are formed in the sheet. Longitudinal score lines adjacent to the side margins of the sheet, if the same are used, are also scored by apparatus 40. Finally, the sheet is passed through fan-folding structure 42 shown on opposite sides of the downward path of travel of the sheet, and the latter is received in a fan-folded condition in a receptacle 44 which neatly stacks and holds the various superposed sections 18.

Other ways of processing sheet 12 can be used if desired. While the various steps in the processing of sheet 12 as shown and described with respect to FIG. 1 can be interchanged, it is preferable that such steps be followed to assure that the sheet passes through print rolls 32 before stiffeners 28 are applied to the sheet. 7

As soon as the sheet has been fan-folded and placed in receptacle 44, it is ready for use and can then be fed through a high speed printer of the type associated with computer equipment. The sprocket holes 24 are disposed to mesh with the drive sprockets of the printer so that the paper can be driven at high speeds through the printer itself. Stiffeners 28 provide sufficient rigidity for the sheet so that, when it issues from the printer at high speeds, the sheet can be readily refolded and deposited in a neat stack in a suitable receptacle.

While a minimum of two stiffeners can be utilized in some cases, it is preferable that there be four to six stiffeners 28 on the rear face of sheet 12 at least for relatively lightweight paper. The reason for this is to assure that the paper will be sufiiciently stiffened so that it will readily and properly be fanfolded at high speeds. Another reason for this is to assure that the portions of the paper between adjacent stiffeners 28 will not sag or droop to cause such portions of the paper to present a concave area when a plurality of sheet sections 18 are stacked in a container. This situation might occur for relatively lightweight paper having only a pair of stiffeners 28 which are spaced relatively far apart. By utilizing four, five or six stiffeners 28, this situation, depending upon the weight of the paper, will generally not arise.

A significant advantage of using lightweight paper is that it requires less storage space than heavier weight papers. This feature could represent a substantial saving of space if large amounts of paper are stored before or after the paper has passed through high-speed print-out equipment. The following comparison shows how a greater number of sheet sections of lighter weight paper can be stored in a given container than is possible with the use of heavier weight paper:

PAPER TYPE CAPACITY (Sheets per Carton) l2 lb. l lb. 3,500 16 lb. 3,000 18 lb. 2,500 lb. 2,000

These figures show that space requirements for storing fanfolded paper increases as the weight of the paper increases. However, with stiffeners 28 applied to a fan-folded sheet, these figures will be slightly different, i.e., 12 pound paper will have a figure slightly less than 4,000 sheets per carton, etc., due to the thickness of stiffeners 28.

A further important advantage of the use of sheet 12 with stiffeners 28 thereon is that it reduces the change-over time on the printer, i.e., a longer length of relatively lightweight paper can be accommodated on the printer than is capable with print-out paper without stiffeners 28. Thus, this feature allows the printer to operate fora longer length of time before the printer must shut down to allow additional paper to be supplied thereto.

The teachings of this invention can be applied to multiplepart paper as well as to one-part paper of the type shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Multiple-part paper is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein a plurality of sheets 12a, 12b and are superposed with respect to each other, the sheets in FIGS. 4 and 5 being shown spaced apart to an exaggerated degreee to illustrate their relative stacked positions. In actual practice, however, the sheets will be stacked on each other and the printed material on the upper sheet will be transferred to the lower sheets by carbon paper between adjacent pairs of sheets. This is illustrated in FIG. 5 wherein carbon sheets 46 are disposed between sheets 12a and 12b and between 1212 and 12c, respectively. The carbon sheets are omitted from FIG. 4 to simplify the illustration of the multiple-part construction.

Each of the

sheets

12a, 12b and 120 has a plurality of stiffeners 28 on the rear face thereof, but, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the stiffeners on one sheet are laterally offset with respect to the stiffeners on the next adjacent sheet. Thus, the stiffeners 28 of the three sheets are staggered with respect to each other and this feature assures that the stiffeners will not be superposed on each other when the sheets are stacked so as to increase the effective thickness of the multiple-part paper. This feature is shown in FIG. 5 wherein it is noted that the stiffener 28 adjacent to the left-hand margin of upper sheet 12c is closer to this margin than is the corresponding stiffener 28 of middle sheet 12b. Similarly, the remaining stiffener lines of sheet 12c are closer to the left-hand margin of the sheet than are the corresponding stiffeners of sheet 12b. The same relationship holds between sheets 12a and 12b. The stiffeners in FIG. 5 are shown in dashed lines to indicate that stiffeners 28 are on the rear faces of the sheets.

While three sheets have been shown as comprising the multiple-part paper, it is clear that two or more sheets, up to approximately six in number, can be used to form such multiplepart paper. Regardless of the number of sheets, the stiffeners 28 on the various sheets will be staggered relative to each other as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 to minimize the build-up in the thickness of the paper pack formed when the multiple-part paper is fan-folded.

The purpose of using stiffeners 28 on multiple-part paper is to allow the paper to be properly decollated after the paper has been printed following a run through a high-speed printer. While multiple-part paper formed from lightweight paper stock is generally stiff enough to fan-fold after issuing from a high-speed printer, problems arise when such multiple-part paper is decollated. When the paper is advanced through a decollater the individual sheets, if they are lightweight in character, roll and ball up and generally become unmanageable. The use of the above-mentioned stiffeners avoid this problem.

The sheets of multiple-part paper can be provided with stiffeners regardless of whether or not the paper is made by a method known as the strip process or by a method known as a perfecting press process. Carbon paper is generally inserted in the sheets during a collation process notwithstanding the presence of stiffeners 28 on the sheets.

The number of stiffeners on each sheet is determined generally by the width and weight of the paper. A preferred number of stiffeners is six and this number will assure that the paper will be stiff and heavy enough to fan-fold after decollation if the paper is initially in multiple-part form.

As shown in FIGS. 2-5, each stiffener is many times less in width than the width of the paper sheet. For instance, the sheet may have a width of the order of IS inches and each stiffener may have a width in the range of 0. 100 inches and 0.250 inches. Each stiffener will generally be parallel with the other stiffeners and with side edges 14. Also, the stiffeners may or may not be uniformly spaced apart.

lf the stiffener material is applied in a flowable condition, each stiffener will represent a narrow band of a thin layer of rigidizing chemical compound, such as that described above, applied to a rear face or surface of the sheet. Each stiffener will then have an exposed, outer, solidified surface which is non-adhesive, whereby the stiffeners represent the sole means of increasing the stiffness of the sheet.

What is claimed is:

l. Print-out paper for high-speed printer of the type having a paper drive means comprising: an elongated paper sheet having a front face and a rear face, the front face being capable of being printed when the sheet is in said high-speed printer, said sheet having a pair of opposed side edges and a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transverse fold lines spanning the distance between said side edges to permit the sheet to be fanfolded, said paper sheet being so flexible as to render the same incapable of being fan-folded as it issues at said relatively high speed from said high-speed printer; a number of longitudinally extending, generally parallel stiffeners on the rear face of said paper sheet and being spaced at intervals across the width of the sheet between said side edges, the stiffeners being of a material different from said paper sheet, each stiffener having an exposed, generally solidified, non-transferable outer surface and being of a width many times less than the width of said paper sheet, said paper sheet having a weight of less than pounds per 500 sheet sections 17 inches by 22 inches, said stiffeners increasing the stiffness of the paper sheet sufficiently to permit the sheet to be fanfolded as it issues from said high-speed printer as the latter prints the paper sheet at a speed of approximately 1,100 lines per minute said sheet having sprocket holes along the side margins for coupling the same to said paper drive means of 8 said high-speed printer.

2. Print-out paper as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sprocket holes are in a pair of strips removably coupled with the sheet at respective side edges thereof.

3. Print-out paper as set forth in claim 1, wherein said stiffeners are uniformly spaced apart.

4. Print-out paper as set forth in claim 2, wherein said material is of the type which is capable of being applied to the paper sheet in a flowable condition and of setting to a solidified condition to present a non-adhesive outer surface for each stiffener, respectively.

5. Print-out paper for use with high-speed paper handling equipment of the type having a sprocket means for moving paper at a relatively high speed comprising: a print-out paper sheet assembly including a number of separate, elongated, stacked paper sheets, each sheet having a front face and a rear face, the front face being capable of being printed, each sheet having a pair of opposed side edges and a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transverse fold lines spanning the distance between said side edges to permit the sheet to be fan-folded; a number of longitudinally extending, generally parallel stiffeners on the rear face of each sheet, respectively, the stiffeners of each sheet being generally uniformly spaced apart across the width of the sheet between said side edges and being of a material different from the sheet, each stiffener having an exposed, generally solidified, non-transferable outer surface and being ofa width many times less than the width of the corresponding paper sheet, the stiffeners on each sheet being the sole means of stiffening the same and being laterally staggered with respect to the stiffeners of an adjacent sheet; each of said paper sheets having a weight of less than 20 pounds per 500 sheet sections 17 inches by 22 inches, said stiffeners increasing the stiffness of each paper sheet sufficiently to permit the sheet to be fan-folded as it issues from said highspeed paper handlin eauipment and sprocket holes along the side margins of eac s eet for coupling the paper sheet assembly to said sprocket means of said high-speed paper handling equipment.

Claims

1. Print-out paper for high-speed printer of the type having a paper drive means comprising: an elongated paper sheet having a front face and a rear face, the front face being capable of being printed when the sheet is in said high-speed printer, said sheet having a pair of opposed side edges and a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transverse fold lines spanning the distance between said side edges to permit the sheet to be fanfolded, said paper sheet being so flexible as to render the same incapable of being fan-folded as it issues at said relatively high speed from said high-speed printer; a number of longitudinally extending, generally parallel stiffeners on the rear face of said paper sheet and being spaced at intervals across the width of the sheet between said side edges, the stiffeners being of a material different from said paper sheet, each stiffener having an exposed, generally solidified, nontransferable outer surface and being of a width many times less than the width of said paper sheet, said paper sheet having a weight of less than 20 pounds per 500 sheet sections 17 inches by 22 inches, said stiffeners increasing the stiffness of the paper sheet sufficiently to permit the sheet to be fan-folded as it issues from said high-speed printer - as the latter prints the paper sheet at a speed of approximately 1,100 lines per minute said sheet having sprocket holes along the side margins for coupling the same to said paper drive means of said high-speed printer.

5. Print-out paper for use with high-speed paper handling equipment of the type having a sprocket means for moving paper at a relatively high speed comprising: a print-out paper sheet assembly including a number of separate, elongated, stacked paper sheets, each sheet having a front face and a rear face, the front face being capable of being printed, each sheet having a pair of opposed side edges and a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transverse fold lines spanning the distance between said side edges to permit the sheet to be fan-folded; a number of longitudinally extending, generally parallel stiffeners on the rear face of each sheet, respectively, the stiffeners of each sheet being generally uniformly spaced apart across the width of the sheet between said side edges and being of a material different from the sheet, each stiffener having an exposed, generally solidified, non-transferable outer surface and being of a width many times less than the width of the corresponding paper sheet, the stiffeners on each sheet being the sole means of stiffening the same and being laterally staggered with respect to the stiffeners of an adjacent sheet; each of said paper sheets having a weight of less than 20 pounds per 500 sheet sections 17 inches by 22 inches, said stiffeners increasing the stiffness of each paper sheet sufficiently to permit the sheet to be fan-folded as it issues from said high-speed paper handling equipment and sprocket holes along the side margins of each sheet for coupling the paper sheet assembly to said sprocket means of said high-speed paPer handling equipment.