Patent GB-878518-A (GB)
Title: Duplicating apparatus and data processing system
IPC: G06K1/04
Filed: 1957-11-20
Abstract: 878,518. Series printing. MAGNAVOX CO. Nov. 20,1957 [Nov. 26, 1956], No. 36126/57. Classes 100(1) and 100(2) Duplicating apparatus for use with a plurality of sheets, cards or like members, each of which has an image formed thereon of information to be duplicated includes means for individually feeding the sheets to means for transporting them, means for selecting any particular sheet from those transported and means for producing from the selected sheet at least one duplicate of the information thereon and control means for determining the number of duplicates to be produced. Master sheets are contained in a feeding hopper 108 (Fig. 4) and are fed in succession to a vacuum transport drum 102 upon which they are held by suction. Release of the masters is effected by energization of a solenoid 200. The plates are moistened and inked by suitable mechanism and pass over scanning heads 192 before contacting a blanket, or offset cylinder 106 which may be pivoted out of contact with the drum 102 by energization of a solenoid 188. A second vacuum transport drum 104 is provided to which paper sheets are fed from a hopper 160 by a suction arm 162 upon energization of a solenoid 168. The paper sheets are contacted by the impression on the blanket cylinder 106 and then printed. The sheets are delivered into a receiver 174 and the master sheets are delivered into a hopper 150. The hoppers 108 and 150 are similar so that the master sheets may be recirculated from hopper 150 to hopper 108 upon energization of a solenoid 206 to restore them to their original order in the hopper 108. The apparatus is such that a duplicate may be made of every master sheet or of selected master sheets only. To this end an electric control circuit (Fig. 6) is provided. The solenoids 188, 168, 200 and 206 are connected so that they are energized when valves 268, 280, 292, and 296 respectively are rendered conducting. Information marks on a master sheet 220 are scanned by the heads 192, 192a, 192b, 192c, the latter scanner merely indicating the presence or absence of a sheet. The signals from the heads 192, 192a and 192b are fed to a comparator 252 for comparison with signals from a manually set register 254. When the information on the master corresponds with that set up in the register 254 a pulse is sent out over line 260, while if there is no correspondence a pulse is sent out over line 256 or 258. For continuous duplication either the switch 316 is closed and switches 224, 226 and 228 opened, or switch 316 is opened, switches 224, 226 and 228 closed, and switches 257 and 259 moved to their lower contacts so that for every master 220 scanned a pulse is delivered to network 276, through delay network 278 to the grid of valve 280 so that the paper feed solenoid 168 is energized and a sheet of paper fed to the drum 104. The machine is started by depressing a button 304 which energizes a drive motor 300. A "flip-flop" circuit 290 is normally in condition to impress a high voltage on the grid of valve 292 so that solenoid 200 is energized to allow master sheets to be fed to drum 102. The low voltage on the right hand output terminal of the flip-flop 290 renders valve 296 non-conductive and prevents energization of solenoid 206. After a predetermined number of master sheets have been duplicated a counter 284 delivers a pulse through a delay network 286 to the flip-flop 290 to change it from its normal condition to the opposite condition in which valve 292 is rendered non-conductive and valve 296 conductive. This stops further master sheet feed and thus, since no further pulse appears on the valve 280, also stops the paper feed. Since solenoid 206 is now energized the masters are recirculated back to hopper 108. If this is not desired a switch 288 is operated so that the pulse from the binary counter 284 is impressed on the stop relay 302 and the drive stopped. If the plates are being recirculated a switch 310, positioned in the hopper 108 is actuated to send a pulse to recondition the flip-flop 290, thus stopping recirculation, and to the stop relay 302 to stop the machine. For duplication from selected master sheets only the switch 316 is opened and switches 224, 226 and 228 closed. The switches 257 and 259 remain in the positions shown. When a selected master is sensed a pulse appears on the line 260. Otherwise a pulse appears on one of the lines 256 or 258. In the latter case the pulse is delivered to a flip-flop circuit 264 so that valve 268 is rendered conductive, the solenoid 188 energized and the blanket cylinder 106 held away from the drum 102 while the unselected master circulates to hopper 150. The flip-flop is returned to normal, thus de-energizing solenoid 188, by the same pulse entering its right hand input terminal after travelling through a delay network 266. When a selected master is sensed the pulse is delivered to energize the paper feed solenoid 168 in the manner described above. The operation of the counter is the same as in the case of successive printing. In a further embodiment (Fig. 8) the apparatus includes vacuum drums 404 and 406 for carrying the master sheets, a blanket cylinder 408 in permanent contact with the drum 406 and with a vacuum drum 416 which carries the sheets to be printed. The sheets to be printed are fed from a hopper 418 by a solenoid controlled suction arm similar to the arm 162 of Fig. 4 and deposited in a hopper 422. The master sheets are fed from a hopper 402. When it is desired to print from every master sheet a gate 434 is set in the position shown and the master sheet transferred from drum 404 to drum 406 where an impression is made on the blanket cylinder and consequently on a sheet released from the hopper 418. The master may be collected in a hopper 412 or in a hopper 410 in which case the gate 434 is operated to transfer the master back to the drum 404 before the next master is fed from the hopper 402. Whether or not the hopper 412 collects a master depends upon the energization of a solenoid 446 and the position of the gate 434 upon the energization of a solenoid 440. The operation of the machine and the energization of the various solenoids are controlled in timed relation by an electric circuit (Fig. 16, not shown) in such a fashion that successive prints from a single master sheet may be made by rendering hopper 412 ineffective and maintaining the gate 434 in the position shown so that the master continues rotating with drum 406. Further prints may be made from selected masters only by operating gate 434 to the position shown only when selected masters are sensed by sensing heads 432, the remainder being circulated from hopper 402 to hopper 410. The selected masters may be stacked after printing in either hopper 412 or hopper 410. Tripping. For swinging the blanket cylinder 106 (Fig. 4) out of contact with the vacuum drums 102 and 104 the armature 190 of the solenoid 188 is connected to one end of a lever 182 pivoted about a shaft 180. The other end of lever 182 is connected to the shaft 179 of cylinder 106. The cylinder is normally biased into contact with the drums 102, 104 by a spring 186, but when solenoid 188 is energized the resistance of the spring is overcome and the lever 182 rotated clockwise about the shaft 180. Printing and impression cylinders. Each vacuum transport drum 10 (Fig. 2) for carrying the master sheets and the sheets to be printed comprises a lower portion 20 and an upper disc-like portion 22. The portion 20 includes a disc-like bottom 24 and an integral annulus 26 having axially spaced discontinuous slots 28, 30 therein. The slots communicate with the hollow interior of the drum and then with a source of vacuum 82 via a conduit 80 and hollow rotatable shaft 40. The drum is supported on a collar 38 formed on one end of the shaft. The shaft is provided with a drive pulley 60 and is supported in bearings 46 and 48 in a housing 44, the pulley and bearings being held in position on the shaft by spacing sleeves 62, 64 and a nut 70 and lock washer 72. A sealing disc 74 is provided. Feeding sheets: The suction arm 162 (Fig. 4) has one or more channels extending therethrough to corresponding orifices in the lower face of the arm and connected to a source of vacuum by a line 172. The arm is pivoted on a shaft 164 and the face of the arm is normally biased down over the upper surface of the top sheet in the hopper 160 by a spring 166 connected to the upper end of the arm. The armature of the solenoid 168 is also connected to the upper end of the arm 162. When the solenoid 168 is energized the arm is rotated clockwise to feed a sheet to the suction drum 104. The feed of sheets to the drum 416 (Fig. 8) by the arm 420 is exactly similar. The hopper 108 for feeding the master sheets includes a stop member 193 affixed to a bracket 194 which is slidably mounted on the machine housing. The bracket is connected to the armature 202 of the solenoid 200 so that when the solenoid is energized the stop member 193 is withdrawn and a sheet is carried away by the vacuum drum 102 by virtue of the suction therein. The hopper 150 is provided with similar feeding means whereby master sheets stacked therein can be refed to the hopper 108. Both hoppers 108 and 150 may be used as feeding or stacking hoppers. The hopper 402 for feeding master sheets to the drum 404 (Fig. 8) has upper walls inclined in the direction of sheet feed. A sheet retainer 430 having suction orifices 451 (Fig. 9) is provided adjacent the stack in a position such that when suction is applied to the retainer via a circuit 452 the suction in the drum 404 is overcome and no sheets are fed. When no suction is applied to the retainer 430 sheets are taken in succession by virtue of the suction in the drum 404. Suction in the retainer 430 is controlled by a valve member 454 which has two apertures 458, 460. One or other of these apertures is closed by arms 464, 466 under the control of the electric circuit control