Xerox Corporation

Michael G Ladell

Philip R Thompson

Alan E Bickerstaff

Rebecca Floyd

Andrew Michael South

David M Neale

Shaun Hutchinson

Austin H Cotton

A toner loading system for an image forming apparatus includes a valve for a toner bottle and a valve opening member on a toner hopper of the image forming apparatus. The valve includes a first valve member non-rotatably secured to an opening of the toner bottle and a second valve member rotatably secured to the first valve member. The first and second valve members each include tabs and apertures. When the tabs of the first and second valve members are aligned the apertures of the first and second valve members do not overlap and no toner may be dispensed from the toner bottle. The toner bottle is engaged with the valve opening member on the toner hopper to dispense the toner. The valve opening member prevents rotation of the second valve member with respect to the hopper and permits rotation of the first valve member and the toner bottle with respect to the toner hopper. Rotation of the first valve member relative to the second valve member in a first direction causes the tabs to move out of alignment and the aperture of the first valve member to overlap the aperture of the second valve member, allowing dispensing of the toner. The valve opening member prevents disengagement of the toner bottle from the toner hopper while the valve is open, thus preventing spilling of the toner. Rotation of the first valve member relative to the second valve member in a second direction opposite to the first direction moves the tabs back into alignment and closes the valve. The toner bottle may then be disengaged from the valve opening member.

Toner loading system

A web-steering mechanism, particularly for the endless belt of a xerographic copier, uses two rolls to hold the belt under tension. An idler roll is designed to rotate about an axis which is at a small angle to a tilt axis of the idler roll assembly. Small tilting movements of the idler roll assembly, under the control of a servo-motor are effective to alter the angle at which the web enters and/or leaves the roll, to cause the web to walk along the tilted roll.

Web-steering mechanisms

Apparatus for supplying a liquid to a heated surface includes a distribution gallery arranged to supply the liquid to the surface. The liquid is supplied from the gallery through a series of spaced orifices each of which opens into an individual drop-forming chamber above the surface, the dimensions of each orifice and drop-forming chamber being such that some liquid always remains in each of said orifices over the range of temperatures from ambient to that of the heated surface. A pump delivers the liquid to the distribution gallery, which is situated above, and spaced from, a wick in contact with the surface.

Apparatus for supplying a liquid to a heated surface

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Aspley Guise, United Kingdom

Michael G Ladell