Patent GB-947588-A (GB)
Title: Photocomposing machine
IPC: G03B27/62
Filed: 1960-03-04
Abstract: 947,588. Registering and delivering sheets. VARI-TYPER CORPORATION. March 4, 1960 [April 15, 1959 ; Sept. 25,1959], No. 7766/60. Headings B6B and B6H. [Also in Divisions B8 and G2] In apparatus for photographically copying data from microfilm cards 88 on to a film in a copying camera (see Divisions G2), the cards are fed succes sively by a pusher (see Division B8) from a supply magazine into the photographing station 14, photographed while stationary, and then removed to a card stacker 16 (Fig. 25). Registering sheets.-As the leading end of a card emerges from the magazine 12 it is engaged by a driven roller 121 in the photographing station 14 and is fed by roller pairs including driven rollers 121 and 123 or 125 until it engages a resiliently mounted gate stop member 150 carrying a felt pad which may be impregnated with polytetrafluoroethylene. The roller 123 or 125 defines the trailing end position for the card, roller 123 being used for small cards while roller 125 is used for large cards. The vertical location of the card is then corrected by tamping fingers 165, 166, controlled by a cam 179 and when this positioning has been effected register pins 191, 192 with tapered ends are passed through apertures in cards to position them exactly under control of a cam 203. When the card has been photographed, the gate member 150 is moved away by a cam 159 to allow card feed and a kick-out roller 127 is moved into contact with the card by a cam 231. Roller 127 and a further drive roller 135 then feed the card to the stacker 16. Sheet delivery.-The card stacker 16 comprises a belt driven card feed roller 619 which is supported on an arm 612 pivoted on a belt drive shaft 619 and projects through a fixed guide 621 having a card-arresting extension 623 adjustable to accommodate either of two card sizes, and a back-up plate 626 secured on metal nylon or other fabric tapes 627, 628 drivable by sprockets 634, 637. The roller 619 rotates more slowly than the rollers 135, 136 so slowing down the card in the stacker. As the stack builds up as from the initial position in which the back-up plate is close to the roller 619, the arm 612 is moved by pressure of the cards and closes switch 656 to energize a motor 647 (Figs. 27, 33, not shown), driving through gear 644 the shaft 641 carrying the tape drive sprockets 634, 637. When it is desired to return the back-up plate to the initial position as after removal of a stack of cards, a clutch 653 is operated to allow back rotation of sprockets 634, 637 manually by means of a knob 652. In a modification (Figs. 28, to 32, not shown), a flexible baffle member is secured to the member 622 for directing the cards against the back-up plate and when the card engages the extension 623 of the member 622 the end of a pusher arm is caused to move through an aperture in the member 622 to press the card against the backup plate. Provision is also made for employing a different card-engaging roller for large cards. The operation of the card feeding, arresting positioning, and stacking operations are all controlled from a main timing cam-shaft 161 while the driven card rollers operate continuously. If failure of card feed occurs, it is detected photo-electrically in the photographing, station 14 and the feeding mechanism is shut down until restarted by a start switch. A separate manually-operable stop switch is also provided.