Terminal Data Corporation

Autologic, L.l.c.

John S Burton

Ronald L Whitney

William R Limburg

Herman W Pass

Forest L Langford

William C Turner

A media transport system in a phototypesetter for 'leading' and 'reverse leading' movement of film media at minimal inertia and little friction between a supply cassette and a self-threading take-up cassette, and characterized by vacuum pockets adjustable to varied media width and controlled by sensors for the delivery and removal of media and for the transport thereof across a make-up area where said media is held taught in a focal point while being positioned and moved by encoded drive means synchronizing placement of the typeset image at the make-up area.

Self threading phototypesetter transport system

A transporter for delivering cut lengths of exposed film media from a phototypesetter into a film media processor and comprising a series of spaced roller pairs motorized through slip clutches to transport and permit reverse movement of said film media, and when cut adapted to move the film media forwardly at a rate substantially greater than the throughput rate of the phototypesetter which is substantially twice that of the processor, and having a buffer storage area to receive film media delivered from the phototypesetter to be returned thereto or delivered to the film processor, there being a turn gate alternately directing the film media to the buffer storage area and in an emulsion 'up' condition or to the film processor for development and delivering the same in emulsion and character 'up' sheets cut at the entry thereof into the transporter.

Media transporter for phototypesetter-processor

A photographic exposure control for sensing and electrically processing illumination reflected from a moving document. An opto-photoelectric pickup accepts reflected illumination having a selected spectral characteristic. Electronic analog logic; (1) samples and holds the equivalent electrical magnitude of the reflected illumination, (2) provides an electrical timing interval that is the reciprocal of the electrical magnitude, (3) arranges automatically for constant exposure of the film through an adjustable electrical ramp generator, and (4) generates an 'exposure stop' signal in a comparator that receives the ramp and the reciprocal timing information. The control signal thereby formulated typically accurately actuates a translational type shutter through a stepper motor to maintain a constant density of the background of images on microfilm for successive documents regardless of the background reflectivity thereof. A 'Manual' mode is alternately available for providing a fixed exposure, particularly for documents having unorthodox reflectivity formats.

Electronic exposure control

A recorder, as for photographing original documents on microfiche, the documents selectively having information on one or both sides, which information is to be successively recorded at high speed. After initial transport by a feed belt, a first vacuum-retaining belt having document-present actuated controls moves the document to a photographing position. Thereafter this belt is reversed in direction and the document is taken from the first belt to a second vacuum-retaining belt by pneumatic force. Adhering to the second belt, the document is rotated 180.degree., side for side, and discharged again to the first belt. A second forward motion of the first belt returns the document to the photographing station, second side up. Further forward motion discharges the document. The images upon the fiche have the same orientation for both sides of the document for easy reading. Typically, one-sided documents are turned over, but are not photographed on the second (blank) side. An electronic logic system of the state counter type correlates the several steps of document handling.

Method of moving a document for stationarily exhibiting both sides

A microfiche is titled by synchronously and incrementally imaging title information having a rotary motion upon the film carrying the microfiche that has a linear motion. Selectable drums carry the title information. Image-forming means transfers this information for the exposure of microfiche film. Equivalent motor means drive both the drum and the microfiche film. Electronic control logic connected to both of the motors accomplishes synchronous motion so that the title information is fixedly impressed with respect to the microfiche film despite the fact that both are in motion.

Growing community of inventors

Los Angeles, CA, United States of America

John S Burton