Am International Incorporated

Addressograph Multigraph Corporation

William E Roberts

In an apparatus capable of duplicating jacketed and unjacketed microfiche, a bank of clear cylindrical lenses is provided, each lens being divided into segments by a series of substantially opaque baffles. The lenses are used with a corresponding bank of aperture lamps, and are disposed between the lamps and microfiche to provide relatively uniform, collimated light upon an image plane, the side of the lenses closest to the microfiche being flattened, and the baffles having an index of refraction lower than that of the clear segments of the lens.

Lens system for microfiche duplicators

Apparatus for duplicating microfiche, which is of moderate cost yet which operates rapidly to make duplicates of high quality from both jacketed and unjacketed microfiche. A relatively uniform and collimated light source is provided for use with jacketed microfiche, by utilizing a bank of fluorescent aperture lamps and a bank of cylindrical lenses between the lamps and microfiche, with the side of the lenses closest to the microfiche being flattened and with the lenses having baffles of lower index of refraction than the clear segments of the lenses. A developing station for holding gaseous ammonia or other developing medium, is sealed by an inflatable seal.

Microfiche duplicator

A microfiche duplicator exposure station where a copy sheet lies facewise over a master while an elongated lamp shines light through the master to expose the copy sheet. A shutter that controls exposure, includes two plates lying over the lamp and a solenoid that quickly pivots the plates to positions beside opposite ends of the lamp to allow light from the lamp to reach the microfiche. The plates have mirror surfaces extending at an incline of about 60.degree. from the vertical when the plates are at opposite ends of the lamp, to shine light onto opposite ends of the microfiche, to thereby compensate for low illumination thereat produced by an elongated lamp.

Exposure station

A developing station for developing microfiche includes a pair of closely spaced walls, an inflatable tube defining the developing region of the station, a system for inflating the tube to seal the region, and a member for transporting a copy sheet into the region. The transporting member is withdrawn from the region during the developing step and moved back into the region subsequent to the developing step to transport the copy sheet from the developing region.

Method and apparatus for developing microfilm

A microfiche developer of a type which includes upper and lower walls that are slightly spaced to receive a microfiche, and which also includes a seal extending around a region between the plates where the microfiche lies, to seal this region when pressured ammonia or other developer is introduced through a conduit in the lower wall into this region to develop a microfiche therein. Passages are formed in the upper wall to receive air during the period when ammonia is pumped into the sealed region, to draw the microfiche up against the upper wall so that all of the lower face of the microfiche which carries the emulsion, is exposed to the developer. The seal is an elastomeric ring with radially inner and outer flanges that are held down and sealed to the lower wall, a middle portion which can be deflected up against the upper wall, and intermediate portions which lay up against the supporting wall portions when the middle portion is deflected up.

Microfiche developer

Apparatus for holding a master microfiche in contact with a copy sheet of film in a machine that includes rollers for moving the copy sheet onto the master and then off of it towards a developing station. The holder includes a base or lower frame containing a glass plate, and an upper frame that can move away from the lower frame to enable the insertion of the master between the upper frame and the glass plate. The upper frame includes thin rollers rotatably mounted about a vertical axis and having peripheral portions lying over the edge of a master on the lower frame. A transport roller for feeding a copy film onto the master, can bear against the periphery of the thin roller, so that the copy film is captured between the two rollers to facilitate its movement. The frame can be lifted by pivoting down a handle at one side of the holder, which slides a pair of rods with camming portions that move against the upper frame to lift it.

Growing community of inventors

Palos Verdes Penn., CA, United States of America

William E Roberts