Patent GB-637268-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to photographic copying apparatus
IPC: G03B27/62
Filed: 1947-11-05
Abstract: 637,268. Photographic copying-apparatus. KODAK, Ltd. Nov. 5, 1947, No. 29558. Convention date, Nov. 5, 1946. [Class 98 (i)] Documents to be copied in the apparatus are inserted into a document feeding station and passed through a document photographing station to a discharge exit by two series of rollers, one of which is positioned between the feeding station and the photographing station, and the other of which, positioned between the photographing station and the discharge exit, is operatively connected to the driving means for the first series of rollers. Two document feeding stations may be provided into which documents are fed horizontally and vertically respectively. A receptacle may be slidably mounted in the apparatus casing to receive documents from the discharge exit. As shown in section in Fig. 3, the apparatus is enclosed in a casing having the form of a desk with a knee-hole 12. Plates 15, 17, secured to the top 11, are formed to provide an entry slot 14 through which small documents may be introduced vertically into the apparatus. Plates 19 are formed to extend across and slide along the slot in order to vary its length in accordance with the size of the documents to be copied. A part 13 of top is slidable horizontally to uncover, in the position shown, a second entry slot 24 formed by a plate 25 carrying plates 29 which have document-guiding flanges 31, and are slidable on plate 25 to vary the effective width of the entry slot. The plate 25 has downwardly extending flanges 26 in. which a rod 28, supported by frame members of the apparatus, is journalled, enabling the slot assembly 24 to pivot downwards to an inoperative position, resting on pins 47 extending from the frame members. In this position it is covered by the slidable part 13, which is pushed inward until a retaining spring 41 engages an edge 42 of a recess in the front wall 43. To bring the assembly into operative position, the part 13 is pulled out. By means of a finger hole, plate 25 is raised, and the part 13 is pushed slightly back so that the edge of plate 25 rests on a lip of a flange 36 on the part 13. When plate 25 is lowered, the lower edge of a plate 51 (see also Fig. 7) hinged at 50 rests on a plate 48. The plate 51 and a plate 49 are shaped to guide documents inserted through slot 14. On raising plate 25, a flange 53 thereon engages and raises slightly plate 51. A document inserted at slot 14 or slot 24 is then guided between plates 49, 51, or plates 51, 48, respectively. The document is led, in both cases, to a first series of rollers and gripped first between driven rollers 60 on a single shaft 61, Fig. 7, and a single idler roller 62 on a shaft 63, and then between rollers 66 on a shaft 67 journalled in the frame members, and idler rollers 68 on a shaft 69 journalled in brackets pivoted to the frame members and spring urged to press the rollers 68 towards rollers 66. An electric motor 74, Fig. 3, drives a sprocket 89 through a belt and pulley system, the sprocket 89 having a chain drive to sprockets keyed to the shafts 61, 67. The document is thus fed between glass guide plates 55, at which point it is photographically copied and passed between plates 115, 116, Fig. 7, by driven rollers, four series of rollers 95, 96, 97, 98 being carried respectively on shafts 99, 100, 101, 102 journalled in the frame, and by four series of idler rollers 103, 104, 105, 106 on shafts 107, 108, 109, 110 ; the latter shafts being journalled in brackets 111 pivoted to the frame members and urging the idler rollers towards the driven rollers under the action of springs 112. Apertures are provided in plates 115, 116 through which peripheral portions of the driven and idler rollers extend to contact the document. A chain 127 transmitting the drive from shaft 67 to shaft 99 passes also over an idler sprocket 124, so that the chain passes round the guides 55, enabling them to be readily removed from the machine. A sprocket fast with sprocket 124 drives, through chain and sprocket drives, the shafts 100, 101, 102. The ends of plates 115, 116 are curved to discharge the document into a receptacle 140, Fig. 3, consisting of a plate 141, Fig. 12, bent to form a sloping portion and a horizontal portion 143 ; side walls 145 form therewith a box with a sloping back having a rearward extension 141. The back and extension have a plate 156 on each side, having a flange extending into inclined guideways 153 fixed to the sides of the recess 12 in the casing of the apparatus, so that the receptacle is movable towards or away from the point where the documents are discharged. Arms 161 are pivoted at their ends by a shaft 162 journalled near the upper ends of plates 156 and their free ends are joined by a bar 163. When the bar 163 is raised, the receptacle may be adjusted in position by hand. On release of bar 163, its weight causes plates 164 on bars 161 to press the upper parts of the guideways 153 to grip the flanges of plates 156. The front of the receptacle has two transparent windows, with a vertical slot between them to enable the documents to be grasped. A modified form of receptacle is described which. is smaller and is supported at one side of the recess 12 on a carrier plate adjustable in the guideways 153 by means similar to the adjusting means for the receptacle 140. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 states that the roller shaft 63, Fig. 7, is mounted in pivoting brackets 64 to operate a micro-switch 65 to stop the machine if more than one document is fed at a time, and that the documents are photographed on both sides as they pass between the plates 55 by means of an optical system including mirrors. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.