GB1269678A - A photocopy machine including document feed means - Google Patents

Abstract

1,269,678. Electrostatic copier; sheet handling. PITNEY-BOWES Inc. Dec. 15, 1969 [Dec. 23, 1968], No. 61073/69. Heading G2H. A sheet handling apparatus for an electrostatic copying machine comprises free-floating drum 14 supported by rollers 16, 18 and held thereon by an upper roller 20 biassed downwards and driven with rollers 16, 18. A document to be copied is fed into the nip of roller 20 and drum 14 and drawn downwardly past guide 22 to pass between roller 18 and drum 14 to a space between rollers 16 and 18 where it is illuminated for image projection Fig. 1 (not shown). After passing between roller 16 and the drum 14, the document is either diverted to a shelf 30 or allowed to pass around the drum again by a selectively positionable gate mechanism. Microswitch arms 66a, 68a are contacted by the trailing and leading edges respectively of the document to actuate a corona charger (50) and a sheet cutting mechanism (46) for a copy sheet. A front guide plate 32 is readily removable to allow access to drum 14 which itself is removable by uncoupling elastic drive belts (96) Fig. 2 (not shown). Communicating the drive from the rollers 16, 18 to upper roller 20. The gate mechanism 28 comprises diverter elements 116 which are selectively positioned by rotation of shaft 114 so that tips 116a thereof are either disposed in annular grooves in drum 14 or in annular grooves in roller 16. A gate control mechanism Fig. 3 (not shown) comprises a bellcrank (120) on shaft 114 linked to a plunger (126a) of a solenoid 126 which is controlled by a microswitch (150) in a countdown mechanism with a copy number selection wheel 142. Short documents may be placed in a transparent carrier for passage around the drum 14.