U.S. patent number 3,733,128 [Application Number 05/135,870] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-15 for electrophotographic microfilm re-enlarging apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kalle Aktiegesellschaft. Invention is credited to Erich Blume, Gerhard Marx, Gerhard Naumann.
United States Patent |
3,733,128 |
Naumann , et al. |
May 15, 1973 |
ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC MICROFILM RE-ENLARGING APPARATUS
Abstract
This invention relates to an electrophotographic microfilm
re-enlargement apparatus comprising, for optical projection of a
negative, an optical system including a plurality of lens means
individually insertable into a projection beam and so selected
that, with an at least approximately constant projection path, the
negative can be projected, at a different enlargement factor for
each lens, onto a fixed image plane, and pre-selectable drive means
for moving optical elements of the optical system into positions
corresponding to each available enlargement factor.
Inventors: |
Naumann; Gerhard
(Wiesbaden-Biebrich, DT), Marx; Gerhard (Hahn,
DT), Blume; Erich (Wiesbaden-Biebrich,
DT) |
Assignee: |
Kalle Aktiegesellschaft
(Wiesbaden-Biebrich, DT)
|
Family
ID: |
5784862 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/135,870 |
Filed: |
April 21, 1971 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 11, 1970 [DT] |
|
|
P 20 50 012.3 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
355/45; 355/60;
396/549; 355/57 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B
15/00 (20130101); G03B 21/118 (20130101); G03G
15/041 (20130101); B23D 15/08 (20130101); G03G
15/26 (20130101); G03G 15/6523 (20130101); G03B
27/588 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B23D
15/00 (20060101); G02B 15/00 (20060101); B23D
15/08 (20060101); G03B 21/10 (20060101); G03G
15/26 (20060101); G03G 15/041 (20060101); G03B
27/58 (20060101); G03G 15/00 (20060101); G03B
21/11 (20060101); G03b 013/28 () |
Field of
Search: |
;355/3,7,11,45,57,60
;95/4.5R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Matthews; Samuel S.
Assistant Examiner: Wintercorn; Richard A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electrophotographic microfilm re-enlargement apparatus
comprising, for optical projection of a negative, an optical system
including a plurality of commercially available projection lenses
individually insertable into a projection beam and so selected
that, with an approximately constant projection path, the negative
can be projected, at a different enlargement factor for each lens,
onto pre-selected locations of a fixed image plane, and
pre-selectable drive means for moving optical elements of the
optical system into pre-selected positions, the locations in the
image plane and the corresponding positions of the movable optical
elements being selected in accordance with the focal length of the
respective lens whereby the exact enlargement factor is
obtained.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 including, for control of the
drive means for the movable optical elements, induction switch
means whereby the said elements can be locked in their set
positions.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2 including, for each movable
optical element, a synchronous motor with permanent magnet, the
switching-off of which by a corresponding induction switch means
being controllable such that an element employed for locking
reaches its locking position with substantially no residual kinetic
energy.
4. An apparatus according to claim 2 in which each drive means is
contained in a logic circuit for moving the corresponding optical
element from one set position to the other by the shortest
route.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which adjustment of the
movable optical elements can give enlargement factors of 7.4, 10.5,
and 14.8.
6. An apparatus according to claim 1 including exposure timer means
so connected to means for setting to a particular enlargement
factor that upon effecting such a setting the exposure timer is set
to a time which varies with the square of the set enlargement
factor.
7. An apparatus according to claim 1 including, in conjunction with
the optical system, additional optical element means whereby an
image of the negative can be projected on a screen for
inspection.
8. An apparatus according to claim 1 including pre-selectable means
for supplying to a cutting means, from one of a plurality of webs
of copying material, a sheet of a size suitable to accommodate an
image of a pre-selected enlargement factor.
9. An apparatus according to claim 8 including, for alternative
supply of two webs of copying material, withdrawal means comprising
a transport roller for each web and a pivoted roller for
cooperation with either transport roller to feed one of the webs,
and guide means for each web so fed, each guide means including an
inlet slot, a confining element, a return element to retract the
web from the cutting means, and means for prevention of reverse
movement of the material.
10. An apparatus according to claim 9 in which the inlet slots and
confining elements are accommodated in a single structural
member.
11. An apparatus according to claim 1 so arranged that in its
passage through a cutting, a charging, an exposure and a
development section of the apparatus, the web or a sheet cut
therefrom proceeds in a horizontal or near-horizontal plane.
12. Apparatus according to claim 1 the movable optical elements of
which consist of mirror means which deflects by 90.degree. and is
movable in the direction of the optical axis of the projection
lens.
Description
This invention relates to an electrophotographic microfilm
re-enlarging apparatus, for use particularly in the field of
technical drawing and documentation.
Electrophotographic re-enlarging apparatuses are known in which the
supply of copying material is present in the form of rolls or
stacked sheets. In known apparatuses using material in roll form
with only one supply roll, the applicability of these apparatuses
is limited in a manner undesirable in practice, since
re-enlargement is possible to at most two sheet sizes. The change
to a sheet size not corresponding to the supply roll requires a
time-consuming and complicated exchange of rolls. For this reason,
the possibility of re-enlarging to smaller sheet sizes than the
original sizes, which saves copying material, cannot in practice be
realized in apparatuses of this kind.
A re-enlarging apparatus with two supply rolls is also known which
is provided with an intermediate image carrier in the form of a
photoconductor layer on a rotatable drum. The enlarged projection
of the film negative onto the rotating drum necessitates the moving
of the negative past an exposure slot at a speed depending upon the
enlargement factor required. Apart from the high consumption of
mechanical and electrical energy for the optical projection, this
process has the disadvantage of a possible lack of sharpness caused
by movement during exposure.
The slot-type projection of the negative onto the photoconductor
drum does not permit checking or correction of the picture position
in the relatively frequent cases of an inexact mounting of the
negatives in the film punch cards commonly used. In addition, the
toner image transfer process requires a large supply of energy for
the fixing of the image on the final image carrier.
Further, re-enlarging apparatuses are known in which the change of
the scale of enlargement, required for universal applicability, is
carried out by varying the distance of a lens or by exchanging the
entire projection components. The adjustment of the enlargement
factor by varying the distance requires the complicated
simultaneous interdependent variation of image and object
distances, for which purpose the entire projection head and the
lens in it must be shifted relative to the negative plane. This
process is time-consuming and demands, in order to achieve
sufficient precision, an expensive construction and an intensive
instruction of the operators. Also, when the paper sheet size and
the enlargement factor are to be changed frequently, speedy and
rational operation is not possible with apparatus in which the
projection head must be exchanged when the enlargement factor is
varied, because the projection head is unwieldy and heavy and must
be readjusted in each case. In addition there is the danger of
damage when it is handled carelessly.
Regardless of whether they are to operate with a constant or
variable enlargement factor, the known re-enlargement apparatuses
with one or several stacks of sheets have the disadvantages that
the stacks of sheets particularly in the case of larger sheet
sizes, due to their space requirement, adversely affect the size of
the apparatus, and that, as experience has shown, the automatic
withdrawal of a single sheet from the sheet stack is much more
liable to disturbance than the cutting of a sheet of a particular
size from a roll. Moreover, the replenishment of the supply of
sheets, which requires great care, is cumbersome owing to the
additional danger of mechanical damage.
The present invention provides an electrophotographic microfilm
re-enlargement apparatus comprising, for optical projection of a
negative, an optical system including a plurality of lenses
individually insertable into the projection beam and so selected
that, with a constant or approximately constant projection path,
the negative can be projected, at a different enlargement factor
for each lens, onto a fixed image plane, optical elements of the
optical system being movable by pre-selectable drive means to bring
them into positions corresponding to each available enlargement
factor.
Preferably for control of electrical drive means for the movable
optical elements, an induction switch system is provided by means
of which the elements can be locked in their set positions.
The apparatus advantageously includes, in conjunction with the
optical system, additional optical elements by which an image of
the negative can for inspection be projected on a suitable
screen.
The apparatus normally also will include pre-selectable means for
supply, from either or any of a plurality of webs of copying
material, a sheet of a size suitable to accommodate an image of a
pre-selected enlargement factor.
An electrophotographic microfilm re-enlarging apparatus according
to the invention avoids the drawbacks described, may be applied
universally, is easy to operate, makes a high copying performance
possible, is relatively inexpensive and requires a low consumption
of energy.
The invention is illustrated diagrammatically by way of example in
the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the apparatus;
FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are, respectively, a front elevation, a side
elevation and a plan of a reversible drive of a mirror shown in
FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is an elevation showing the copying material supply;
FIG. 6 is an elevation of a cutting device; and
FIG. 7 is a front elevation of the apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, for projection, a negative 15,
for example that of a film punch card, is illuminated by means of a
low voltage point source lamp 16 and a double condenser 17 in such
a manner that the image of the point source is formed in the
entrance pupil of the lens, the correct distance of the lamp being
adjusted automatically when the lens is changed. A heat filter 18
is provided to protect the negative. A film stage, on which the
film is mounted, can be pivoted. Three lenses 19 of different focal
lengths, positioned in a lens turret, are provided for the
projection of the film image onto the electrophotographic copying
material. The focal lengths of the lenses are so selected that the
projection of the negative, having a fixed position in the
apparatus, onto the image plane 9, also having a fixed position in
the apparatus, is carried out with approximately equal projection
distances. Since the focal lengths of the lenses that can be
obtained commercially cannot be matched exactly according to the
ratio of the desired enlargement factors, the exact enlargement
factor is obtained by parallel displacement, in the direction v of
the optical axis of the projection lens, of a first mirror 21 of
two mirrors 21, 22 which deflect by 90.degree.. In a preferred
embodiment, the focal lengths of the lenses 19 and the projection
distance are so selected in conjunction with the mirrors 21 and 22
that adjustment to enlargement factors 7.4, 10.5 and 14.8 is
possible.
The exposure time is automatically changed over by selecting the
enlargement factor 77 (see below FIG. 7), in accordance with the
ratio of the areas of the image plane exposed in the case of each
of the enlargement factors to be set. If the ratio of the
enlargement factors a:b:c is about 1:.sqroot.2:2, the ratio of the
exposure times a.sup.2 :b.sup.2 :c.sup.2 must be 1:2:4, for
example.
In a simpler manner the result is thereby achieved that no manual
adjustment of the exposure timer is necessary when the enlargement
factor 77 is changed during the enlargement of negatives of
approximately equal density. In addition, the relative sensitivity
to adjustment remains the same when the enlargement factor is
changed, so that the angle by which the adjustment knob 89 (see
below with reference to FIG. 7) for the exposure timer is turned to
compensate for a particular density difference is the same for all
enlargement factors.
All movements of the optical elements shown in FIG. 1, such as the
point source lamp 16, the lens turret 20 with three lenses 19,
mirror 21, mirror 26 and diaphragm 27 behind a ground glass screen
25, are effected by reversible drives free from play, coupled
undetachably and elastically with the optical elements, which is
illustrated by way of example for the mirror 21 in FIGS. 2, 3 and
4.
A main guide shaft 34 and counter guide shaft 35 are mounted
between two bars 31, 32, positioned in a stationary housing 33. Two
slotted ball races 36 with an adjustable bearing flange 37 are
arranged on the main guide shaft. The counter guide shaft 35
accommodates a ball bearing 38 with stay bolt 39 and pressure pin
40. Both are attached to a flange plate 41 which serves to
accommodate the housing for the mirror 21. A drive motor 42 with
brake is arranged on the flange plate 41. Preferably, a synchronous
motor 42 with a permanent magnet is built in. A drum 43 is arranged
on the drive shaft of this motor. A cable 44 runs from the
righthand bar 31 with a single turn around the drum 43 to the
lefthand bar 32 where it can be tensioned by means of a take-up
screw 45. On the flange plate 41 there is also an extension 46 with
a control vane 47 of thin steel plate of a material width x. This
control vane 47 moves through four induction switches 48 which are
constructed as slot initiators. They can be adjusted axially on a
setting bridge 49.
Mechanical ratchet notches 50 are arranged above the stationary
housing 33, being adjustable by axial movement.
A ratchet pin 51 with a roller 52 is guided in a ball race 53 which
is mounted in an adjustable housing 54. Lateral forces can be taken
up by this means, without tilting the ratchet pin 51. A coil spring
55 with adjusting pin 56 provides adjustable counter forces. An
intermediate plate 57 connects the housing 54 with the bearing
flange 37.
Four inductor switches 48 are arranged for three notches 50, the
middle two inductor switches being appropriate for one enlargement
factor. Since the control vane 47 has a material width x, the
control edges of this vane are separated by a distance x when the
motor is rotated to the left or to the right, and therefore the
middle induction switches 48 must be separated by a distance x.
Depending upon the direction of rotation, one or other switch of
this twin arrangement is caused to function.
By selecting the enlargement factor, the corresponding induction
switch 48 is actuated; the direction of rotation of the motor 42 is
so controlled by a logic circuit that the switch is started by the
shortest route. The rotation is transmitted to the drum 43, which
traverses the tensioned cable.
When the edge of the control vane 47 has uncovered the induction
switch up to its switch-over point, it switches off the drive motor
42 accurately and exactly. Within 50 microseconds the motor brakes
itself by means of its permanent magnet and engages with the pin 51
into the corresponding notch 50. By adjusting the induction switch
48 on the setting bridge 49, the switching-off of the motor can be
co-ordinated so exactly that when the pin 51 engages in this notch
50, it has no residual kinetic energy.
A ground glass screen projection system is provided for the
optional checking of the film picture as regards picture content
and position in the picture window. The checking is carried out
with a separate lens 23 (FIG. 1) and a fixed enlargement factor of
about 6. The adjustment is achieved by means of three regulating
knobs 24 which rotate the film stage and shift it up or down and
sideways. The correct position of the film picture can be
determined by means of size markings on a ground glass screen 25
(FIG. 7).
When the ground glass screen projection is switched on, the
projection lamp 16 is conveyed to a point which is the correct
distance from the lens 23 used for projection, the first mirror 26
of the ground glass screen projection system is moved from the side
into the path of the beam, the diaphragm 27 behind the ground glass
screen which during the copying process prevents the entry of
extraneous light, is retracted, and the projection lamp 16 is
switched on. On the exit side of the lens 23, there is provided a
pentagonal prism 28 and two planar mirrors 29, 30. The steps
proceed in reverse when the ground glass screen projection is
switched off manually, or automatically by operating a starter
button 82 for the copying process.
The microfilm re-enlargements are produced on electrophotographic
copying material, in particular on zinc oxide paper. The supply of
material is stored in the form of two rolls 1 and 2 on spindles
with braking and friction devices 58, at least three different
sheet sizes, preferably standard sizes, being available. The
leading ends of the material rolls are threaded into a common
withdrawal device 3 which comprises the transport rollers 4, two
inlet slots 5 and the return elements 6.
In the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, the two inlet slots 5
and a holding-down element 59, which operates continuously, form a
common structural member (FIG. 5).
The inlet slots 5 are conical shafts with an aperture of between
10.degree. and 30.degree. which are formed by an acute-angled
wedge-shaped sheet metal plate 60 and cover sheet metal plates 61.
The wedge-shaped sheet metal plate 60 has an extension in the
direction of the bisector of the angle, which extension forms
together with the plates 61 two channels of height h, at the
holding-down element 59. This structural member fulfills
surprisingly well and in the simplest manner the purpose of the
trouble-free feeding of a web 62 of copying material to the cutting
device 7, and of holding it for the cutting step. However, to
immobilize webs of material of greater width, flanges or beads are
fixed to the wedge-shaped or cover metal plates, preferably in the
region of the holding-down element 59. They may extend over the
entire width of the material web or over only part of it.
The height h of the slot is as small as possible in order to guide
exactly and stabilize the web 62 of copying material. However, the
lower limit of the height of the slot depends upon the technical
properties of the web and the selected feed speed. The slot height
ranges from double the thickness of the web of material to about 3
mm.
In one embodiment of the apparatus, in which the 75 to 100 micron
thick and 297 or 420 mm. wide copying material is fed at about 10
meters per minute, a holding-down element of a slot height of 0.5
mm. has proved useful.
The feed of the copying material is effected by a roller system
consisting of two transport rollers 4 and a pivoted roller 63. All
three rollers are coated with rubber or plastic material in order
to improve their grip when withdrawing the webs of material.
The transport rollers 4 are arranged at the smallest effective
distance from the inlet slots 5. The bisectors of the aperture
angles form tangents to the peripheries of the transport rollers.
Only one pivoted roller 63 is provided for the two transport
rollers and it presses against one or other of the two transport
rollers 4. When at rest, the roller 63 is positioned geometrically
between the two transport rollers 4.
The fixed axis transport rollers 4 which are adjusted relative to
the image plane 9 are coupled to a continuously running chain drive
by electromagnetic couplings. In the preferred embodiment, the
pivoted roller 63 is free running, and this is particularly
advisable in the case of greater widths of the material web,
approximately over 500 mm. The pressing of the pivoted roller 63
against one of the transport rollers 4 may be effected for example,
by an electromagnetic twin stroke magnet 64. Instead of the twin
stroke magnet 64, other known alternatives may be employed.
The transport rollers 4 are at rest before and after each copying
material feed step, the roller 63 is at its middle position and the
webs of material 62 hang in loose loops over the return elements 6,
until an electrical impulse simultaneously excites the
electromagnetic coupling which is mounted on the transport rollers
for the transmission of the rotary motion, and the twin stroke
magnet 64 for pivoting the roller 63 into the direction determined
by the selection of the re-enlargement sheet size, so that the
roller 63 presses against the corresponding transport roller 4. In
this manner, the copying material positioned between these two
rollers is withdrawn from the corresponding supply roll. The return
element 6 is also urged out of its null position by the material
itself being gradually tautened. The couplings of the transport
roller 4 and the twin stroke magnet 64 of the roller 63 remain
excited until the cut is made. After the cutting operation, the
roller 63 returns into its middle position so that the return
element 6 can retract the web of material by the set distance.
The construction of the return elements 6 is different for the
upper and lower supply rolls 1 and 2. A rotatable, lightly braked
roller 6a, coated with soft material, preferably rubber, runs over
the coated side of the upper web of copying material. The back of
the lower web of copying material is pulled over a table 6b
provided with prevention means 65 against reverse movement of the
material. Both return elements are pivotally suspended and their
path is limited by adjustable stop screws of conventional
construction.
Free-wheeling rollers, blocks of plastic foam or lever mounted
brushes of known construction may also be used for prevention of
reverse movement of the material.
The return elements 6 which are urged out of the null position by
the material web tautening when fed in, become stabilized during
the advance of the material web, by their own weight or by the
tension of the material web. After the cutting step is completed
with simultaneous interruption of the feeding of the copying
material, as described above, the return elements retract, by their
own weight or by spring tension, the web of material from the
cutting device 7 into the respective inlet slot 5 or holding-down
element 59. Thus the possibility is avoided that the webs from the
supply rolls may touch and interfere with one another when the
feeding of the material is renewed, and that the web of material
not selected may be carried by the selected web of material towards
the knife. In the idle position, the web of copying material hangs
as a loose loop over the return element, or it is held by the
device 65. Thus the possibility is avoided that the loose web of
material may slide back from the holding-down element 59. The
return elements of the apparatus of the invention have the
advantage that renewed withdrawal from the supply roll is carried
out smoothly and gently even at high speed, whereby in particular
any damage to the sensitive photoconductor layer is avoided.
Arranged immediately adjacent the withdrawal device 3 is the
cutting device 7 which is controlled for the cutting by the leading
edge of the web of material by way of knife switches 66a.
Scissor knives, rotary knives or roller knives are used and the
cutting edge of the upper knife may have a variety of V or
W-shapes. In the case of rotary or roller knives, the correct
cutting angle is obtained by eccentric mounting of the knife. The
known devices have the common disadvantage that the knife edge
moves perpendicularly to the web of material to be cut, whereby,
due to the rectilinear impact of the cutting edge, the
photoconductor layer is fragmented. The fragments settle mainly in
the path of the knife, so that the knife jams after a relatively
short operating time and therefore has an unsatisfactory service
life.
In the apparatus according to the invention, on the other hand,
settling of fragments on the knives and resulting breakdown of the
cutting device do not occur.
The cutting device (FIGS. 5 and 6) is constructed as an independent
unit which can be inserted in the apparatus. It includes a base
mounting 67, a counter-blade 68, a cutting blade 69 with two guide
levers 70, 71 of different lengths, an electromagnet 71a of known
construction and a return spring 72 for the cutting blade.
Parallel to the plane 73 of the web of material and below it, the
blade 68 is let into the lower part of the base mounting 67 in such
a way that it is fixed only at the end at which the cut commences
and is urged by a spring 74 against the cutting blade 69.
The cutting blade 69 is pivotally mounted above the web of material
by means of the shorter guide lever 70 at the side of the beginning
of the cut, and a longer guide lever 71, preferably of double the
length, at its other end, in such a manner that during the cutting
process a constantly changing cutting angle is obtained. In one
embodiment, a cutting angle of 4.degree. at the beginning and of
about 20 minutes at the end of a 420 mm. long cut have proved of
particular advantage.
In the apparatus of the invention, the cutting knife 69 penetrates
with a constantly increasing cutting speed obliquely from above and
from one side into the web 62 of material to be cut. In
co-operation with the blade 68 the result is achieved at the same
time that during the cutting operation always only a point contact
of the cutting edges of the two knives takes place and that the
cutting edges maintain themselves sharp.
Arranged in sequence after the knife is an electrostatic charging
station 8, in the form of a corona discharge device, for the
uniform charging of the photoconductor layer. After charging, the
electrophotographic material is taken up by electrostatically
charged transport belts 9, which at the same time constitute the
exposure plane. After exposure by means of the projection device,
the transport belts transmit the sheet to a developing station 10.
There, dispersion developer is sprayed from a slot die 11 onto the
upper side of the electrophotographic material and excess developer
is removed by means of a pair of nip rollers 12 made of elastic
material which are pressed together only when the apparatus is
switched on. The finished copy is dried by an air current 14 before
reaching a collecting basket 13.
The guiding of the sheets through the cutting-, charging-,
exposure- and developing stations 7, 8, 9, 10 in a near-horizontal
plane, together with the provision of the copying material in the
form of rolls, renders it possible to make the apparatus of
relatively small dimensions, while the advantages of stationary
exposure are maintained. By avoiding all detours, the path to be
travelled by the copying material, which path is substantially
determined by the dimensions of the largest re-enlarging size,
becomes relatively short and, with accurately controlled transport
speeds of the copying material, the copying performance is
therefore greater than in apparatus with a different method of
guiding the material. In addition, the guiding of the copying
material according to the invention renders it possible to deliver
copies at a height convenient for the operator. Further,
substantially horizontal transport of the copying material ensures,
in a simple manner and with the use of a minimum number of
transport elements, the smooth and faultless guiding through the
processing stations even of thin and not very stiff copying
material and thus achieves extraordinary reliability of
service.
Moreover, by exploiting the possibilities of the
electrophotographic process operating with development by liquid,
the apparatus has an extraordinarily small power consumption.
Sequence of operations:
By means of a key-type switch 75 (FIG. 7), the pair of nip rollers
12 in the developing section are brought into the pressure position
and the main relay is switched on, whereby the main drives of the
apparatus, the current supply for the electronics, the charging of
the transport belts 9 and the developer circulation are also
switched on. The apparatus is then ready for use and a negative can
be inserted.
By pressing the key 76 for the screen projection system, the
following processes are automatically initiated: Mirror 26 and the
diaphragm 27 of the ground glass screen 25 moves into the operating
position and the projection lamp 16 moves into the position for
ground glass screen projection, whereupon the lamp lights up. The
image appears on the ground glass screen and can be adjusted if
desired. On renewed pressing of the key 76, the projection lamp 16
goes out and the mirror 26 and the diaphragm 27 and the ground
glass screen 25 revert to their starting positions.
Now, data for the required number of copies 79, the enlargement
factor 77 and the sheet size 78 may be fed in, although this could
have been done previously. The following are possible combinations:
##SPC1##
When one of combinations 1 to 4 has been selected, a horizontal
arrow 87 in the fascia board of the apparatus lights up to indicate
that the film stage must be in the position provided for lateral
insertion of the film punch cards. If this is the case, the
apparatus is ready for further operations. Otherwise, the apparatus
remains locked until the negative is turned into the corresponding
position. When combination 5 or 6 is selected, a vertical arrow 88
lights up and similar conditions apply. When combinations 7 to 9
are selected, the "over-size" sign 80 appears. The apparatus is
again locked. When an admissible combination has been selected, the
following drives are automatically switched on: drive for
projection lamp adjustment, drive for the lens turret head 20 and
drive for the mirror 21. In accordance with the preselection, they
are moved by the shortest route into the prescribed positions.
After arrival, the green "free" sign 81 appears. The machine is
again ready for further operation.
On actuating the "start" key 82, the keys for enlargement factor
and sheet size are locked in place. The "free" sign goes out.
Further, the coupling of that transport roller 4 which has been
actuated by the selection of the sheet size and the magnet 64 of
the roller 63 are switched on in the direction determined by the
choice of sheet size, and the corresponding copying material is
taken in. The corona discharge voltage is also switched on. When
the leading edge of the material reaches the knife switch 66a (FIG.
1) pre-selected by the selection of the sheet size, the operating
lever of which switch lies in the path of the material web, the cut
to the correct sheet size is carried out. At the same time, the
magnet 64 of the roller 63 and the coupling of the transport roller
are switched off. After the leading edge of the material has
reached the image stage switch 66b (FIG. 1) pre-selected by the
combination of enlargement factor and copying material sheet size,
the operating lever of which switch also extends into the path of
the web of material, band transport and corona potential are
switched off and the exposure timer is switched on, which in its
turn switches on the projection lamp for the duration of the
exposure time to which it is adjusted. At the end of the exposure
period, the exposure timer controls the copy counter 90 and
initiates the next copying process. The exposed copy is led to the
developing section, developed and delivered from the apparatus.
After exposure of the last of the copies to which the number
selector is set, there remains only the transport of this copy to
development and further processing. When the entire copying process
is completed, the locking of the control device is automatically
released.
A "stop" key 83 is provided for interrupting the copying process,
in which case the last copying step initiated is completed. The
interrupted process can be resumed by pressing the "start" key
82.
When the roll of copying material is exhausted, the web of
material, which then takes up a radial position with respect to the
core of the roll, its end being fixed to the core of the roll,
actuates a corresponding switch. Optical indication of this
situation is effected by the lighting-up of tell-tale lamps 84. A
copying step already started is completed and the apparatus is then
locked. After insertion of a fresh roll to render the apparatus
again ready for operation, a further switch, not shown, must be
actuated, which cancels the switch previously mentioned.
A further control lamp 85 in the fascia board of the apparatus
lights up when the amount of developer in the supply container is
exhausted, except for a residual quantity, the amount of which can
be adjusted.
To maintain the correct toner concentration, a predetermined
further amount of toner can be introduced by actuating a "toner"
key 86.
By switching off the main switch, firstly the servo-motor of the
nip rollers in the developing section is actuated so that the
rollers separate. After reaching the terminal position, the main
relay is switched off and the apparatus becomes inactive.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many
modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention
without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention
includes all such modifications.
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