A.b. Dick Company

Richard P Wischnef

Abraham Bejerano

A xerographic copier including a novel photoconductive belt and drive structure is disclosed. The thin metal belt is provided with at least one transverse break or gap and is preferably formed of two belt segments. In use, the break or gap between segments are held in end-to-end relationship by tow bars which captivate the edges of the segments, hold them in position and provide mechanical bias therebetween. The photoconductive belt is driven in a unique manner by means of the tow bars which are drawn about a non-circular path by an inelastic but flexible guide means such as chains and sprockets. The belt passes over drums which support the belt and define it's path but do not drive it. The drums include a low friction surface and provision (a soft layer) for accommodating small foreign objects that may pass between the belt and the drums without hurting the belt. The tow bars project only on the inner side of the belt and provision is made for accommodating them on the drums so as to not excessively bend the photoconductor bearing surface of the belt. This provision is at least one channel in each drum which are driven in synchronism with the tow bars and so sized and spaced as to have the channels receive the tow bars as they travel about the path.

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Huntington Beach, CA, United States of America

Richard P Wischnef