US3204543A - Method and apparatus for producing a copy of an original - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 7, 1965 A. E. O'KEEFFE 3,204,543

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A COPY OF AN ORIGINAL 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21, 1963 6 3 TE NW 0 5 Sept. 7, 1965 A. E. OKEEFFE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A COPY OF AN ORIGINAL 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 21, 1963 III I WNW WEB/50W Sept. 7, 1965 A. E. O'KEEFFE 3,204,543

METHQD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A COPY OF AN ORIGINAL Filed May 21, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 ANDPEH 5 OVE BY rropmsyg Sept. 7, 1965 A. E. OKEEFFE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A COPY OF AN ORIGINAL 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 21, 1963 INVENTOR fl/vogsw E. 07(EEFFE Sept. 7, 1965 A. E. O'KEEFFE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A COPY OF AN ORIGINAL 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 21 1963 CYCLE SWITCH i E M m N m i m L r I 1| W 7% m Q 5 W W, M Z \\H hmnnv 1/1 H /l \l I W mm a m w m w 1 w E m m W NEYS Sept. 7, 1965 A. E. OKEEFFE 3,204,543

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A COPY OF AN ORIGINAL Filed May 21, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Ti Q17.

2b 26 -HO COP) [5J5 Z5 Z5 .1'- .lrEI E1. Tl 1 E1 A T INVENTOR. fl/YDPEW 5 0 K EEFFE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A COPY OF AN ORIGINAL Filed May 21, 1963 Sept. 7, 1965 A. E. O'KEEFFE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 I TI SrEP 1 SrEPZ INVENTOR. ,44 090/ 15 GX EEFFE BY 0st. DWI/6 r Ive vars United States Patent 3,204,543 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A COPY OF AN ORIGINAL Andrew E. OKeeffe, Summit, N.J., assignor to Keuifel & Esser Co., Hoboken, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 21, 1963, Ser. No. 282,041 1 Claim. (Cl. 9575) This invention relates to a copying device and more particularly to a copying device which produces a rightreading copy directly upon exposure in a face to face relation with the original.

In the art of making copies of originals, one of the areas of the greatest development and growth in recent years has been that which includes oflice copying machines. Of of the various types of these machines, one of the more common forms is that of the reflex photographic copier. In one such machine a sheet of negative photocopy paper is placed in a face to face relationship with the original and then exposed by the reflex process in which light is projected through the negative paper and onto the original. The original reflects a mirror image of itself onto the sensitive surface of the negative paper. The negative paper is then placed in a face to face relation with a sheet of positive photocopy paper and while together, the two sheets are inserted into a developing solution. In the chemical bath the relatively unexposed areas of the negative give up a chemical material such as the solubilized silver salts imagewise from a silver halide emulsion and permit transfer to the positive paper. Upon coming into contact with the chemical coating of the positive paper, a visible image is formed and in this way a right-reading positive copy is obtained.

The reflex photographic process has the advantage in that it enables originals having a substantially opaque background or originals in which prints or the like are disposed on both sides, such as book pages, to be copied without requiring the light to pass through the original as is the case in direct photographic copying. The consequence, however, of reflex copying is that the reflected image is a mirror image which must be converted to a right-reading one. This mirror image results since it is desirable to place the sensitive surface of the negative paper facing the original so that the reflected light need not pass through the negative paper itself. It, therefore, can be seen that the reflex photographic copying process necessarily requires that a second sheet of photocopy paper be employed, namely the positive copy which gives the right-reading copy.

The necessity of producing a mirror image copy before producing the right-reading copy increases the cost of the reflex process over a theoretical minimum cost. In addition, the requirement of the mirror image copy increases the cycle time necessary to produce a single copy and, therefore, limits the production that can be obtained from a single machine. Furthermore, the use of the intermediate mirror image copy necessarily results in a final copy of less quality and definition than that which could be theoretically obtained by eliminating the intermediate copy and producing the positive right-reading copy directly.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for producing rightreading copies of an original without the need for an intermediate mirror image copy.

It is another object of the invention to provide a reflex photographic copying machine which can produce a rightreading copy without the need of an intermediate mirror image copy.

Patented Sept. 7, 1965 Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for converting a reflex mirror image from an original into a right-reading image as it is formed.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device for dissecting a mirror image and recombining it to provide a right-reading image.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for converting a reflex mirror image from an original into a right-reading image of predetermined magnification. The term magnification is intended to include all ratios thereof whether greater or less then unity.

Other objects will become apparent during the course of the specification.

In one embodiment of the invention means are provided for dissecting a mirror image into a plurality of elements and for combining the elements into a rightreading image by maintaining the relative position of the elements with respect to one of the orthogonal axes of the mirror image and by reversing the relative position of the elements with respect to the other of the orthogonal axes.

In another embodiment of the invention there is included means for dissecting a mirror image into elements disposed in a predetermined order and means for combining the elements in an order reverse to the predetermined order in order to produce a right-reading copy.

In still another embodiment of the invention, there is provided means for moving the original in a predetermined direction and means for moving a surface upon which the right-reading copy is to be produced in a direction substantially opposite to the predetermined direction. The surface is disposed in a facing relation with the original. In addition, there is included means disposed between the paths of movement of the original and the surface for transmitting towards the surface at a given time a portion of the mirror image emitted from the original and extending across the original at an angle to the direction of the movement thereof. The transmitting means transmits all portions of the original during the movement of the original thereby producing a right-reading copy.

In an additional embodiment of the invention, means are provided for transmitting toward the surface upon which the right-reading copy is to be formed at a given time a portion of the original extending thereacross at a predetermined angle thereto. Means are also included for providing relative movement of the original with respect to the transmitting means which is substantially opposite in direction and is a predetermined ratio to the relative movement of the copy with respect to said transmitting means. The ratio determines the degree of distortion or magnification of the copy with respect to one of the orthogonalaxes of the original. Subjecting the copy so produced to a repetition of the same degree of distortion or magnification along its other orthogonal axis yields a second copy which is a magnification of the original along both orthogonal axes.

In another additional embodiment of the invention, means are provided for moving the original and the surface upon which the right-reading copy is to be produced adjacent one another and in substantially opposite directions. In addition, there is provided a source of radiant energy and a slit extending at an angle to the paths of movement of the original and the surface and adjacent to the side of the surface opposite to that adjacent to the original. The slit transmits radiant energy through the surface to illuminate a portion of the original and thereby reflect a mirror image of the portion from the original to the surface. The slit illuminates all. portions of the original during the movement of the original and in this way a right-reading copy is formed upon the surface.

In a further embodiment of the invention the relative speed between the original and the surface upon which the right-reading copy is to be formed is selected in order to thereby determine the degree of magnification of the right-reading copy.

Each of the embodiments of the invention has the advantage of enabling a right-reading copy to be produced directly from the original without the need of any intermediate step or copy. In this way, not only a saving in material costs and time of operation, but also a reduction in the loss of copy quality and resolution is eitected. Furthermore, the invention has the advantage of being applicable wherever the proper relationship of relative motions can be achieved for the original, the means for transmitting the elements of the mirror image from the original, and the surface upon which the right-reading copy is to be formed.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an original for which a rightreading copy is to be produced;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mirror image of the original shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is, in part, a plan view of the mirror image shown in FIG. 2 dissected into a plurality of substantially parallel elements and in addition a plan view showing the elements combined by maintaining the relative position of the elements with respect to one of the two orthogonal axes of the mirror image and by reversing the relative position of the elements with respect to the other of the orthogonal axes;

FIG. 4A is a representation of the relative motion of the original and the surface upon which a right-reading copy is to be produced with respect to the slit disposed beneath them;

FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing a portion of the original folded away from a portion of the surface upon which the right-reading copy has been produced in part;

FIG. 5A is an elevation view showing the mirror image transmitted through a slit, a cylindrical lens and an addi tional slit to the surface upon which the right-reading copy is to be produced;

FIG. 5B is a vertical section view taken along the line 5B5B in FIG. 5A and showing the septa arrangement for the cylindrical lens;

FIG. 6A is an elevation View showing optical fibers for transmitting the mirror image from the original to the surface upon which theright-reading copy is to be produced;

FIG. 6B is a vertical section view taken along line 6B 6B in FIG. 6A and further showing the optical fibers;

FIG. 7A is an elevation view showing slits and a cylindrical lens for transmitting the mirror image to the surface;

FIG. 7B is a vertical section View taken along the line 7-B7B in FIG. 7A and showing the septa adjacent the cylindrical lens;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation View of the copy machine of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the copying machine;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section view taken along the line 10-10 in FIG. 9 and showing the relative movement between the original and copy surface;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary section view corresponding to a portion of FIG. 10 and showing the slit for illuminating a portion of the original;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the machine showing the relative movement of the original and copy surface;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the slit arrangement;

FIG. 14- is a schematic representation of the electrical circuitry of the copying machine;

FIG. 15 is a schematic representation of a point source of light for illuminating the original;

FIG. 16 is a schematic representation of an arrangement for producing a right-reading copy from a cathode ray tube presentation;

FIG. 17 is a vertical section view showing the arrangement for pressure transferring the mirror image of the original to the surface in forming a right-reading copy;

FIG. 18A is an elevation view showing a plurality of openings for transmitting the mirror image from the original to the surface;

FIG. 18B is a vertical section view taken along the line 18B18B in FIG. 18A and further showing the openings;

FIG. 19 is an elevation view of an arrangement for oscillating a lens containing septa;

FIG. 20 is a schematic representation showing the method of magnifying the original along one of its orthogonal axes to produce a copy and then subsequently magnifying the copy with respect to the other of the orthogonal axes to produce a final copy magnified in both directions;

FIG. 21 is a vertical section view showing another arrangement for pressure-transferring the mirror image of the original to the surface in forming a right-reading copy.

The principle of the invention whereby a mirror image of an object is dissected into a plurality of elements disposed in a predetermined order and whereby the elements are combined in an order reverse to the predetermined order to produce a right-reading copy, is shown in FIGS. 1-3. Original 20 contains printed matter, that is, various letters of the alphabet. Mirror image 21 of original 20 is shown in FIG. 2. Dissected mirror image 21a of FIG. 3 includes a plurality of parallel elements a-u which extend across dissected mirror image 21a adjacent to and substantially parallel to one another.

Rightsreading copy 21b of FIG. 3 shows the result of combining the elements a-u by maintaining the relative position of the elements with respect to one of the orthogonal axes of a mirror image namely, the one extending parallel to the length of the elements and by reversing the relative position of the elements with respect to the other of the orthogonal axes, that is, by reversing the order of the elements as compared to the order in dissected mirror image 21a. Thus it can be seen that by dissecting and combining in the manner described, a correct reading copy is obtained. The quality and definition obtained in right-reading copy 21]) is dependent upon the number of elements a-u that mirror image 21a is dissected into. Thus by increasing the number of elements a right-reading copy of higher resolution can be obtained.

FIG. 4A illustrates the principle of the invention as applied to a photographic or image transfer process as opposed to the mechanical process described above. Thus, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 4A, original 20 is moved in one direction and photocopy paper 22 in face to face relation with the original is moved in the opposite direction adjacent slit 23. Radiant energy 23a of source 23b transmitted through slit 23 reflects from original 20 and forms a line portion or element of the mirror image upon the sensitive surface of paper 22. The radiant energy passing through the slit is in the form of a wide thin band. If the movement of the original and paper 22 are considered to be done on an incremental basis it can be understood that a series of line exposures in an order reversed to that of the original will be formed upon paper 22. The same principle of operation occurs during the continuous movement of the original and the copy with the result that a right-reading copy is produced.

The process of the invention is applicable to produce copies by means of paper which is sensitive to radiant energy from sources such as ultra-violet radiation, infrared radiation, visible light, etc. Thus the process is adapted to be used with any type of sensitized paper and the necessary source of radiant energy required to activate the sensitive paper. Here the width of slit 23 is analogous to the width of elements a-u in dissected copy 21a so that the width of slit 23 determines the fineness of resolution which can be obtained.

The invention is not limited to an arrangement in which the original and copy surface are moved in opposite direc tions with respect to a fixed slit or mirror image transmitting means. In accordance with the operating principle of the invention, it is the relative motion of the original, the mirror image transmitting means, and the copy surface which results in the production of a right-reading copy from the original. The necessary relative motion condition is that in which the relative motion of the original with respect to the image transmitting means is opposite to and in a predetermined ratio with the relative motion of the copy surface with respect to the image transmitting means. The ratio determines the degree of magnification, that is the factor of enlargement or reduction, of the copy with respect to the original along an axis of the copy which is parallel to the direction of the relative motion. Consequently, if the copy surface is moved opposite to and faster than the original, the magnification will be a factor greater than unity and enlargement or apparent stretching of the copy along the one axis will result. This is shown by the schematic representation of step 1 in a portion of FIG. 20. In the drawing it can be seen that the several letters of the alphabet in the original are magnified along one axis so that in the copy the letters appear to be enlarged or stretched in one direction. Where it is desired to magnify the original in both directions, it is necessary to repeat the method of step 1 after the copy resulting from step 1 has been positioned at right angles to its original direction of travel. Thus as shown in FIG. 20 at step 2, the elongated image in the copy is magnified, that is enlarged or stretched along a direction at right angles to the original direction of movement. In this way the original can be magnified along both of its orthogonal axes.

If the image transmitting device is moved with respect to a stationary original at a given speed, it is necessary to move the copy surface in the same direction and at twice the given speed as the image transmitting means in order to maintain unit magnification.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are a simplified representation of one of the embodiments of the invention for use in the photographic process. As shown by the arrowheads, original 24 and copy paper 25 are moved in opposite directions. The means for transmitting toward the surface of copy paper 25 at a given time a portion of the mirror image emitted from original 24 and extending thereacross at an angle to the direction of movement thereof include slit 26, cylindrical lens 27 and slit 28. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the slits and cylindrical lens are disposed between the paths of movement of the original and that of copy paper 25. Original 24 and copy 25 are each positioned at a distance from cylindrical lens 27 equal to twice its focal length, that is 2 from the center of the cylindrical lens. With this arrangement a line element of the mirror image emitted from original 24 is transmitted to copy 25.

In order to obtain a clear reproduction of the line element of the original at the copy paper, it is necessary to restrict or collimate the rays transmitted by the slits and cylindrical lens to rays which extend substantially perpendicular from the original toward the copy. This can be achieved by the use of a plurality of septa 29 which divide lens 27 into a plurality of cylinders disposed along a common cylinder axis.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B the portoin of the image obtained from original 24 is transmitted by means of optical fibers 30 and slits 26 and 28 to copy paper 25. With one optical fiber provided for each small element of an image, a bundle of fibers will transmit a complete image in a manner that is free of many of the restrictions characteristic of other optical systems. The optical fibers can be made of any highly transparent material usually glass or clear plastic and are surrounded by another transparent material of lower refractive index such as the atmosphere. Fiber dimensions are not critical provided the diameters are large compared to the wave length of radiant energy employed and provided that the fibers in a bundle are spaced at least a wave length apart to prevent light leakage from one to another. In the arrangement shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, slits 26 and 28 can be dispensed with where a narrow row of optical fibers extending in the direction of the slits is employed in place of a bundle of optical fibers. In this arrangement the thickness of the narrow row of optical fibers serves the function of directly forming a line of radiation rather than forming a line of radiation by use of the slits. The limit of the number of rows of optical fibers that can be used, whether defined by the slit-bundle arrangement or by the row of optical fibers, is the thickness of the path of radiation which can adversely effect the resolution of the copy.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 7A and 7B the radiant energy transmitted from original 24 is passed through slit 26, cylindrical lens 31, and slit 28 to copy 25. In order to insure that the transmitted radiant energy is substantially perpendicular to the planes of the original and the copy, a plurality of septa 32 are disposed between the cylindrical lens and the original as well as the copy. Thus radiant energy passing through slit 26 at an angle to the perpendicular is intercepted and blocked by the septa. In this way, proper resolution is obtained at copy 25.

Office copy machine shown in FIG. 8 operates in accordance with the principles of the invention. The means for moving original 33 in a predetermined direction, that is in a counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 8, includes drum 34 about which original 33 is wrapped. Drum 34 contains slot 35 having inclined portion 35a extending at an angle to the remainder of the slot in the direction of rotation (FIGS. 8 and 12). Clamping bar 36 disposed in slot 35 includes wedge-shaped portion 36a which mates with inclined portion 35a of the slot when the clamping bar is in its closed position. In the closed position, outer surface portion 36b of the clamping bar lies along the cylinder defined by the cylindrical surface of drum 34.

Each end of clamping bar 36 is provided with followers 37 which are biased by springs 38 to urge bar 36 toward its closed position Within drum 34. Followers 37 engage cams 39 attached to each end of cam shaft 40. Handle 41 attached to cam shaft 40 is adapted to move the cams from the closed position shown in FIG. 12 wherein flats 39a of the cam engage the followers. Moving handle 41 upwardly as shown in FIGS. 8 and 12 rotates shaft 40 and the cams with the result that the curved portions 39b of the cams engage the followers and move clamping bar 36 outwardly with respect to the drum to the open position.

With the bar in the open position, the original is wrapped around the drum and the free end of the original is inserted into the gap between wedge-shaped portion 36a of the bar and inclined surface 35a of the drum. Downward movement of handle 41 then enables springs 38 to urge the bar downwardly with respect to the drum to the closed position which serves to clamp the original in position.

In order to interlock the machine from rotation of the drum from its rest or loading position while clamping bar 36 is in its open or extended position where it could destructively interfere with other portions of the machine, safety interlocking switch 42 attached to support plate 43 (FIG. 8) is provided with arm 42a which is actuated by extension 41a of the handle when the handle is moved downwardly to close the clamping bar (FIG. 12). Thus the interlocking circuit is released and operation of the machine enabled by the actuation of arm 41a by closing handle 41.

Drum '34 mounted on shaft 44 is supported for rotation in supports 43 and 45 by the engagement therewith 7 of journals 44a and b of the shaft, respectively. Drum 34 is driven counterclockwise as seen in FIG. 8 by means of motor 46 having output shaft 47 upon which drive pulley 48 is mounted. Toothed belt 49 connects drive pulley 48 to driven pulley 50 attached to shaft 44- (FIG. 9).

Referring to FIG. 9, copy paper 51 which is to be exposed in the machine is stored on feed plate 52 between guides 53. Guides 53 can be moved in slots 54 in order to be adjusted to fit the size of copy paper 51 that is to be used. Stop 55 which is adapted to be moved with respect to slide 56 in feed plate 52 engages the end portion of the stack of paper which is to be fed into the machine.

To feed the paper into the machine it is necessary to advance the leading edge of the paper disposed opposite to stop 55 between feed roller 57 and pressure roller 58 which is biased toward the feed roller by arm 59 supported about pivot 6i? and urged downwardly by spring 61 (FIG. 8). The feed of copy paper can be related to the cycle of rotation of the drum by coupling the feed to shaft 44 of the drum. This is done by means of eccentrics 62 which are driven by shaft 44 and are engaged to plate 63 disposed therebetween. In turn plate 63 is coupled to push rod 64 which is connected to link 64a (FIGS. 9 and 12). Feed bar 65 having rubber feed rollers 66 is attached to link 6411 (FIG. 8). Push rod 64 is supported with respect to support plate 45 by means of slide 67. During rotation of the drum, feed rollers 66 cyclically reciprocate with respect to feed plate 52 and deliver the copy paper along the feed plate and adjacent inclined portion 52a thereof between pressure roller 58 and drive roller 57.

The means for moving the surface upon which the rightreading copy is to be produced, that is copy paper 51, in a direction substantially opposite to the predetermined direction of drum 34 and the original thereon includes not only feed roller 57 and pressure roller 58 but also feed roller 67 and pressure roller 68 (FIG. 8). The drive to feed rollers 57 and 67 is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 and includes toothed pulleys 69 and 70 connected to feed rollers 57 and 67, respectively. The toothed pulleys are connected by toothed belt 71 to variable speed pulley 72 driven by motor 73. The variable speed pulley includes pulley flanges 72a and 72b which are biased together by spring 74.

Motor 73 is attached to slide 75 which is engaged with support plate 43 (FIG. 9). The relative position of the motor and slide with respect to the support plate is set by means of screw 76 which extends through nut 77 attached to the support plate. Screw 76 having knob 78 is engaged to the slide and thereby the motor by retaining ring 79 engaging annulus 76a of the screw. By rotating the screw and moving motor 73 to the right as viewed in FIG. 9 belt 71 is tightened about pulleys 69 and 70 as well as variable pulley 72 and causes flanges 72a and 72b to separate, thereby enabling the belt to enter upon a smaller diameter of the faces of the flanges. In this way the speed of the drive to the feed rollers is reduced. Movement of the motor toward the left as viewed in FIG. 9 achieves the opposite result and thereby increases the speed to the drive.

The variable speed control for the feed rollers determines the speed of the movement of the copy paper through the machine and thereby serves as the means for determining the magnification of the copy to be produced. When the copy is moved at the same surface speed as that of the original mounted on drum 34, the linear magnification factor is unity. On the other hand, if the copy paper is moved at a greater surface speed than that of the original, the right-reading copy is enlarged in the direction of movement by a predetermined magnification factor greater than unity.

Pressure roller '80 in FIG. 8 is biased by means of pivotally supported arm 81 and spring 82 toward original 33 disposed about roller 34 in order that the original is pressed smoothly against the roller prior to being advanced toward the copying surface. In addition, the pressure roller restrains the drum from any random oscillatory motion due to the presence of backlash in the drive to the drum.

The means for transmitting toward the surface of copy paper at a given time a portion of the mirror image emitted from the original and extending thereacross at an angle to the direction of movement thereof include a source of radiant energy such as lamp 83 disposed within lamp housing 84 (FIGS. l0l2). Dependent upon the type of sensitivity and transparency of the copy paper, the lamp can be incandescent, fluorescent, ultra-violet, infrared, etc. The radiant energy is transmitted to a portion or an element of the original by means of slit 85 extending across opaque surface 86 in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of shaft 43. The opaque surface containing the slit can be a mirror surface applied to glass window 87 mounted within support plate 88 in FIG. 11. The support plate is provided with slot 88a and relieved portion 88b underlying the region of the window in which the slit is disposed.

It should be understood that the required level of radiant energy is an inverse function of the width of slit 85. Since the fineness of resolution varies directly as the slit width a very fine slit would commonly be used and this would result in the necessity of using a high level source of radiant energy.

Furthermore, the distance between the original and the copy will affect the slip width dimension since in such a case the radiant energy can tend to diverge and lose focus whenever it travels over a distance. In an analogous manner to the exposure time in the photographic art it can be understood that the path speed of travel of the radiant energy being transmitted along the copy paper effectively determines the exposure time and that this must be taken into consideration with the width of the slit which is analogous to the size of the iris of a photographic camera device.

In FIG. 11 it can be seen that the copy is moved adjacent to the opaque surface and adjacent to original 33 mounted upon drum 34. With this arrangement the radiant energy passes through the slit and the copy paper and then is reflected as a mirror image from the original into the sensitized surface 51a of the copy 51. Plates 89 and 9t) overlying support plate 88 are spaced from this plate at a distance suflicient to insure that plates 89 and 90 hold copy 51 flat against the support plate 88.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 12, switch 91 having switch arm 91a is adapted to be actuated by the engagement of pin 92 with the switch arm whenever drum 34 rotates to a position where the engagement occurs. Switch 91 as shown in FIG. 14 is adapted to interrupt the energizing circuit to motors 46 and 73 in order to stop drum 34 whenever pin 92 engages the switch arm. The location of pin 92 with respect to the drum is selected to insure that upon actuating switch 91 that clamping bar 36 has been rotated adjacent to or beyond the location of slit 85 so that upon a subsequent rotation of the drum the next right-reading copy can be produced. In accordance with the principle shown in FIG. 4, the bottom portion of the original is to the right of clamping bar 36 as shown in FIG. 8. The original extends about drum 34 and the top portion therefore is adjacent to the drum at the left of clamping bar 36 as seen in FIG. 8. Consequently, as soon as the clamping bar has passed beyond slit 85, the bottom portion of the original is copied at the leading portion, that is the ultimate bottom portion, of the copy paper.

It will be apparent that in the modifications of the invention shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 8 to 12 inclusive that a type of sandwich is formed by the document or original and the radiation sensitive copy sheet in the region of the slit through which the wide thin band of radiant energy passes even though other portions of the document being copied and that radiation sensitive copy sheet are spaced apart.

As shown in FIG. 14, the machine is energized from source 93 by means of on-ofi switch 94. Lamp 83 is illuminated upon closing switch 94. After completing the previous cycle the drum is stopped when pin 92 engages switch arm 91a and opens switch 91. In order to start the cycle to produce a copy, cycle switch 95 is momentarily closed by the operator. This close-s the circuit from the source, through the normally closed safety switch 42, to drum motor 46 and feed roller motor 73. Movement of drum 34 immediately carries pin 92 out of engagement with switch arm 91a with the result that switch 91 closes and maintains the circuit from the source to the motors even after cycle switch 95 is opened. Rotation of the motors continues until the drum returns to the stop position at which point pin 92 actuates switch 91 and opens it.

During rotation of the drum from its initial position wherein clamping bar 36 is to the right of the slit as viewed in FIG. 12, safety switch 42 remains closed and the circuit remains completed to the motors. However, if handle 41 and consequently clamping bar 36 are not in their downward or closed positions as viewed in FIG. 12, extension 41a of the handle actuates switch arm 42a of the safety switchand opens it thereby terminating the circuit from the source to the motors. This arrangement protects the machine from the possibility of having the drum rotated with he clamping bar in its raised position which would otherwise intersect pressure roller 80 upon rotation to the position and possibly damage the machine.

Eccentric 62 is positioned with respect to shaft 44 to insure that the eccentric by means of the push rod and feed bar arrangement has delivered a sheet of copy paper 'to adjacent pressure roller 58 and feed roller 57 prior to the beginning of a cycle. Thus after a cycle has begun the eccentric returns the feeding arrangement to the right as viewed in FIG. 8 to engage the next sheet of copy paper from adjacent guides 53 and stop 55. During the latter portion of the rotation of the drum the feeding arrangement moves the next sheet of paper to the left in order to prepare the machine for the next cycle of operation.

In various embodiments shown, the slit and the slit used in conjunction with a lens system have been shown to be stationary while the original moves in one direction and the copy in the opposite direction. However, in accordance with the principle of the invention for producing a right-reading copy from an original, it should be understood that the controlling factor is the relative motion of the slit or its equivalent, the original, and the copy paper, one to another. Thus several combinations of relative motion can be employed beyond that of maintaining the slit or its equivalent stationary and moving both the original and copy in opposite directions. Thus in accordance with the invention, the original may be held stationary while the slit or its equivalent is moved across the original at a given velocity .and the copy is moved in the same direction at twice the given velocity.

As shown in FIG. 15, the septa arrangement shown in FIGS. A, 5B, 7A and 7B can be dispensed with if the source of radiant energy is point source 96, if the original is transparent, and if the original is transilluminated. The radiant energy from point source 96 can pass through original 24, slit 26, cylindrical lens 97, slit 28 and form a right-reading image on the copy 25. With this arrangement the point source of light insures that the image is clear and has the proper resolution.

In FIG. 16 in accordance with the invention rightreading copy 98 can be formed from the display of a cathode ray tube 99 by the use of slit 100. The signal to be presented upon screen 99a of the cathode ray tube can be inserted by means of vertical input circuit 101. The horizontal deflection for the cathode ray tube is supplied by horizontal sweep circuit 102. By setting the horizontal sweep frequency by means of circuit 102 to be slightly different from the frequency of the input signal inserted by circuit 101, it is possible to parade the wave form across screen 99a of the cathode ray tube. The direction of movement of the parade is determined by the sense of the frequency diflerence of the two signals. As shown in FIG. 16, when the parade is directed in the direction of the dash arrow and the copy paper 98 is moved in the direction of the solid arrowhead, the mirror image passing through slit 100 will be copied as a right-reading image by copy paper 98. To obtain unity magnification the speed of the paraded signal is set to be equal to that of the speed of the copy paper in the opposite direction.

In another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 17, a right-reading copy can be formed from an original where the original contains an image which can be transferred to a copy paper by the application of pressure between a portion of the original and copy paper, such as along a line element. Original 103 having an image which can be pressure-transferred is disposed about drum 104 and passes adjacent to slit 105. The copy paper of a type adapted to receive an image in response to being pressed against the original is moved in the opposite direction to that of the original and adjacent to slit 105. Copy paper 106 can be a waxed paper where the original contains an inked image, such as that of newsprint or the like. The copy paper is moved by rollers 107 past the slit while pressure roller 108 urges copy paper 106 against the original along the line element defined by the slit. In this way a right-reading copy can be produced directly from an original by purely physical transfer.

In FIG. 21 there is shown another embodiment of the invention for pressure-transferring an original directly to a copy. As copy paper 106 is moved by rollers 107 past slit 105, knife-bar 109 is oscillated in a vertical plane by oscillating drive 109a to force the copy paper in a rapid intermittent manner against the original. The edge of the knife-bar extends beneath the split for the length thereof and upon moving vertically as shown in the drawing, urges a line element of copy paper 106 against original 103.

FIGS. 18A and 18B show another form of optical fibers as compared to that of FIGS. 6A and 6B. In many applications of optical fibers the fibers are bent in order to transmit light in various directions such as where it is necessary to transmit light around a corner. In embodiments of the invention where there is no need for bending light rays, the light can be transmitted from original 24 through slit 26 and ultimately to slit 28 and the copy paper by means of opaque body 110 containing a plurality of openings 110a which can be formed directly from the opaque body or which can be formed by a plurality of small tubes mounted therein.

It can be understood that upon employing the arrangement shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7A and 7B that the septa or optical fibers will result in a right-reading copy having fine parallel lines extending in the direction of the paper travel as a result of the blocking of the radiant energy by the structure which forms the septa or the region between the optical fibers. With an arrangement of the type shown in FIG. 19 such parallel lines can be eliminated. FIG. 19 shows a cylindrical lens and septa arrangement similar to that shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The principle of the arrangement shown in FIG. 19 is that of causing lens 27 to oscillate in a direction prependicular to the path of travel of original 24 and copy 25 and along the central axis of the lens. The extent of the oscillation which is a right-left motion as seen in FIG. 19 corresponds to the length of the lens element for between septa 29. In the case where optical fibers are employed the extent of oscillation is that substantially equal to the center-to-center distance between neighboring fibers. In

1 1 the arrangement of FIGS. 7A and 7B the extent of oscillation is that equal to the distance between septa 32.

In addition to determining the extent of oscillation, the frequency of oscillation must be controlled such that one cycle Will be completed while original 24 and copy 25 are moved a distance equal to the slit width. Thus as shown in FIG. 19, oscillating drive 111 coupled to lens 27 oscillates the lens at a frequency determined by the speed of the original and the copy and by the slit width, and through an extent of travel corresponding to the distance between septa 29 disposed within lens 2'7. The control of the frequency of oscillation is accomplished by synchronizing oscillating drive 111 to the drive of the original or the copy paper.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments described herewith are merely intended to be illustrative of the present invention and that variations may be made thereon by one skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed:

The method of making a reflex right reading copy from a document having a right reading image on one surface comprising making a sandwich of a document and a radiation sensitive copy sheet with the right reading image surface of the document facing the radiation sensitive copy sheet, passing a wide thin band of radiant energy to which the copy sheet is sensitive through the copy sheet by entering the copy sheet from the surface of the copy sheet away from the document into impinging relation with the right reading surface of the document, maintaining the document and copy sheet in contact in the area of said band of radiant energy, maintaining said band of radiant energy stationary while moving the radiation sensitive copy sheet through the band in a first straight line direction transverse to the plane of the band of radiant energy at a given speed and simultaneously moving the document through the band in a second straight line direction transverse to the plane of the band of radiant energy at the same given speed and precisely opposite said first direction thereby progressively exposing the radiation sensitive copy sheet and producing a right reading copy of the image as viewed from the surface of the copy sheet facing the document.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,325,198 12/19 Hochstetter 8824 2,198,115 4/40 John 881 2,214,072 9/40 Biederrnann 8824 2,823,579 2/58 Fitter 8824 2,930,284 3/60 Limberger 8824 3,060,805 10/62 Brumley 8824 3,060,806 10/ 62 Lewis et a1 8824 3,073,234 1/63 Roganti 8824 X 3,125,013 3/ 64 Herrick et al 8824 3,126,809 3/64 Adams et al 95-75 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

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