GB2160151A

GB2160151A - Combination stencil duplicator and stencil imager

Info

Publication number: GB2160151A
Application number: GB08501873A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Roy Stevens
Original assignee: NRG Manufacturing Ltd
Current assignee: NRG Manufacturing Ltd
Priority date: 1985-01-25
Filing date: 1985-01-25
Publication date: 1985-12-18
Also published as: GB8501873D0

Abstract

Combination printing apparatus 1 comprises a stencil-imaging section 2 and a stencil-duplicating section 3 both controlled by way of control lines 17 and 18 from a controller 15 able to select mode number 1 in which the stencil imaging section 2 is dedicated for use with the stencil duplicating section 3 for automatic feed of an imaged stencil, mode number 2 in which the stencil duplicating section 3 is able to operate independently of the stencil imaging section 2, and mode number 3 in which the stencil imaging section 2 is able to operate independently of the stencil duplicating section 3. The stencil imaging section 2 can thus be used to prepare stencils to be printed on other equipment, and the stencil duplicating section 3 can be loaded with stencils already imaged elsewhere. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Combination printing apparatus having a stencil duplicator and stencil imager The present invention relates to a combination printing apparatus having a stencil duplicator and stencil imager.

It has been known in the past to provide stencil duplicators with built in stencil imagers dedicated for use as a comprehensive printing system in which a stencil is first of all given an image conforming to that of an original sheet to be copied, and the stencil is then inked, a number of copy sheets printed from it, and finally it is ejected for disposal ready for loading of the next stencil imaged from a new original. Such an apparatus is, for example, known from U.S. Patent No. 3,788,221 (BORNEMAN) and Japanese Kokai 59-7082 (MAT SUSHITA).

It is an object of the present invention to provide a more versatile machine than that provided hitherto.

Accordingly, the present invention provides combination printing apparatus incorporating stencil duplicating means for printing copies of an image on a stencil applied to the duplicating means, and stencil imaging means for imparting to such a stencil an image from an original sheet to be duplicated, and manually operable control means for selecting one of two possible modes of operation, namely a first mode in which the stencil imager is dedicated for use with the stencil duplicating means and a stencil imaged by the imaging means is automatically applied to the duplicating means, and a second mode in which the duplicating means is able to be used independently of the imaging means, for printing stencils which have been imaged other than by use of the imaging means of the combination printing apparatus, andior in which the stencil imaging means can be used independently of the stencil duplicating means thereby allowing imaging of a stencil which is to be printed later or on other duplicating apparatus.

In order that the present invention may more readily be understood the following description is given, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows, in schematic form, one embodiment of combination printing apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

In the drawing, the combination printing apparatus 1 comprises a stencil imaging section 2 and a stencil duplication section 3 which are in conjunction with one another so that a stencil 4 and an overlaid original may be imaged in the stencil imaging section 2, in this case by means of a thermal flash lamp 5, and then the stencil 4 can be loaded onto the ink screen 6 of the duplicating section during rotation of the upper and lower cylinders 7 and 8.

The stencil duplicating section 3 in this case further includes a sheet feeder 9, a copy sheet collecting tray 10, and a stencil disposal container 11 to receive inked stencils forwarded thereto by way of intermeshing toothed wheels 12 in the path of an ejected stencil from the mounting pins 13 of a stencil heading bar.

As the stencil 4 is entrained by the passing mounting pins 13, so the original passes leftwardly along an original delivery path onto a delivery tray 14.

The combination printing apparatus further includes a controller 15 having a four position switch 16. The controller 15 is linked to the stencil imaging section 2 by way of a schematically illustrated control line 17 and to the stencil duplicating section 3 by way of a further schematically illustrated control line 18. Thus operation of the controller 15 can energise the stencil duplicating section 3 and the stencil imaging section 2.

In position "0" of the switch 16 the stencil duplicating section 3 and the stencil imaging section 2 are both inoperative and this is effectively a standby condition of the combination printing means. Alternatively, the main electrical supply switch to the combination printing apparatus can be incorporated in switch 16 in which case position "0" corresponds to "power off".

Position "1" of the switch 16 corresponds to dedicated use of the stencil imaging section 2 with the stencil duplicating section 3 and in this position of the switch 16 a stencil imaged from an original (not shown) in the stencil imaging section 2 can be automatically taken up from a loading guide by the mounting pins 13 of the duplicating section 3 and will be then inked and will be duplicated on the required number of copy sheets from the sheet feeder 9, eventually delivered on the copy sheet receiving tray 10. Upon completion of the required number of copy sheets, the stencil can be automatically ejected and disposed of in the container 11.

In position "2" of the combination printing apparatus the duplicating section 3 can be used independently of the imaging section 2, for use with an already imaged stencil.

In position "3" the stencil imaging section 2 can be used independently of the duplicating section 3 which is then de-energised. The stencils imaged in this way can either be stored for subsequent printing or can immediately be printed using some alternative printing apparatus.

The advantage of the combination printing apparatus in accordance with the present invention is that there is now provided not only the possibility of a total system employing stencil imaging and automatic stencil loading, as is well known in the prior art, but additionally the stencil-imaging function and the stencil-duplicating function can be carried out separately. In a large print room, it is therefore possible to have one or more examples of the combination printing apparatus shown in the drawings, alongside simpler duplicators which lack a stencil imaging section. With such a combination of equipment, stencils may be imaged on the combination printing apparatus in accordance with the present invention and used on both the duplicating section of the same combination printing apparatus at some later time, or on the simpler stencil duplicators then or later.Furthermore, it is possible for stencils which have been imaged by some alternative means, for example by direct typing, to be printed on the combination printing apparatus, in the second mode (position 2 of switch 16).

An alternative possibility is for only the combination printing apparatus in accordance with the present invention to be employed and for the stencils supplied to that to have been either previously imaged, for example by direct typing, or to be ready for combined imaging and duplicating, using the imaging section 2.

If desired, the combination printing apparatus in accordance with the present invention may be provided with some alternative control mechanism which allows either a first mode of dedicated use of the stencil imager and duplicator, or a combination second and third mode in which the duplicator section may be used independently of the stencil imaging section, and vice versa, but where simultaneous operation of these two sections is permitted, as opposed to the arrangement previously described where modes numbers 2 and 3 require one of the two sections to be inoperative.

The thermal flash lamp 5 may, for example, be a Xenon flash tube. Furthermore, it is possible for the flash tube to be driven for movement horizontally rightwardly from the position shown in the drawing, whereby the entire length of the stencil in the stencil-imaging section can be irradiated without discontinuity, due to the regularity of the flashes.

Also, it will of course be appreciated that the stencil disposal means 11, 12 may be of any alternative form. However, as illustrated they correspond to the stencil disposal mechanism described and claimed in British Patent No. 1,502,522.

Likewise, the stencil is shown in the drawing as passing down along a chute towards the mounting pins 13. That chute may, for example, correspond to the loading guide of the stencil loading mechanism described and claimed in our British Patent No. 1,560,153. Alternatively any other form of stencil loading mechanism may be used.

Claims

1. Combination printing apparatus incorporat ing stencil duplicating means for printing copies of an image on a stencil applied to the duplicating means, and stencil imaging means for imparting to such a stencil an image from an original sheet to be duplicated, and manually operable control means for selecting one of two possible modes of operation, namely a first mode in which the stencil imager is dedicated for use with the stencil dupli cating means and a stencil imaged by the imaging means is automatically applied to the duplicating means, and a second mode in which the duplicat ing means is able to be used independently of the imaging means, for printing stencils which have been imaged other than by use of the imaging means of the combination printing apparatus, and or in which the stencil imaging means can be used independently of the stencil duplicating means thereby allowing imaging of a stencil which is to be printed later or on other duplicating apparatus.

2. Combination printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in said second mode the stencil imaging means are inoperative.

3. Combination printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in said second mode the stencil duplicating means are inoperative.

4. Combination printing means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the man ually operable control means comprise an electric switch switchable to energise the stencil imaging means and the stencil duplicating means.

5. Combination printing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, and including means for ejecting an inked stencil, after use, ready for disposal.

6. Combination printing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stencil imaging means comprise a travelling thermal flash lamp arranged to flash at regular intervals to irradiate the whole of the stencil, without discontinuity.

7. Combination printing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawing.