Patent GB-1075748-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to a lamella transport mechanism
IPC: G03B27/08
Filed: 1964-12-23
Abstract: 1,075,748. Feeding sheets. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. Dec. 23, 1964 [Dec. 27, 1963], No. 52352/64. Heading B6B. [Also in Division G2] Two sheet-like members are fed from separate locations into intimate contact at a work station without relative movement therebetween during contact, by apparatus including two gripper heads which are each guided between the separate locations and the work station. In a modification, three sheet-like members can be fed from three separate locations. The apparatus is described as applied to a machine for contact printing in an image storage and retrieval system, wherein a card 1 having an aperture 2, and a " chip " or film strip 24, are fed to the optical axis 6a of a condensing lens 6 in a light housing 5. The card 1 is fed by known means into a slotted guide 3 which is aligned with card tracks 9, 9a in which are slidable transport arms 10, 11 connected to a card gripper 12. The arms 10, 11 have secured to them a block 13 which forms a slideway for a steel tape 15 which is reciprocated lengthwise by known means and is held by guides 17, 18 supported by a frame 19. The tape 15 has a gripper 23 at its free end which can enter, along flexible guides 21, 22, a receptacle 25 containing strips 24 to grip a selected strip and withdraw it towards the lens 6. In operation, the arms 10, 11 are moved forward by a spring 54 to cause the gripper 12 to grip a card 1 in the guide 3, and simultaneously the tape 15 is moved forward to cause the gripper 23 thereon to grip a strip 24 in the receptacle 25. The tape 25 is now moved back towards the lens 6, but the card 1 remains in its initial position in the guide 3 due to the action of the bias spring 54 and a cable 54a which is attached to the gripper 12. At a predetermined position of the tape 25, a block 39, Fig. 3 (not shown), contacts the block 13 and causes the arms 10, 11 to be locked to the tape 25 and to move therewith, such that the strip 24 and the aperture 2 of the card 1 will be moved into alignment on the optical axis 6a, and be in intimate contact with each other. The flexible tape guides 21, 22 are moved by a support 26 in a frame 27 to select a strip 24 from the receptacle 25. Figs. 5 and 6 (not shown), show a second card 1 being fed from another guide 3 by arms 10, 11 to the optical axis 6a. Grippers.-The gripper 23, Fig. 2 (not shown), comprises a slotted base and a picker finger 31 pivoted at 32 and urged to closed position by a spring 35 opposite a strip retaining slot 36, defined by blades 37, 38 on the receptacle 25. The finger 31 is opened by a roller 29 on an armature 30 of a solenoid 28, when the latter is energized. The gripper 12, Fig. 4 (not shown), on the arms 10, 11 comprises a framework 43 with extensions 42 forming gripper pads which enter the guide 3 underneath the front edge of a card 1, the latter being guided over supports 40 on the guide 3. The grippers comprise pins 49, 50 on a support 46 which is pivoted to the frame 43 by pins 44, and biased by springs 47. When a solenoid 7 is energized, an armature 52 removes a foot 53 from the support 46, and the latter is urged by the springs 47 to cause the pins 49, 50 to puncture the card 1 resting on the pads 42. The pins 49, 50 could be replaced by friction jaws.