US3100432A - Apparatus for making copies - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 13, 1963 w. LIMBERGER APPARATUS FOR MAKING COPIES Filed N ov. 7. 1960 klnunrlnlllll-llllailllllr lllnllllll all!! f claims United States Patent() t 3,1st,4s2

APPARATUS ron MAKING cortas WaltenLimhergen Hambnrg-Poppenhnttel, Germany, as-

Thisinvention relates to an apparatus tor making copiesby using twoV sheets of copying paper, one of which is passed together with the original to be copied initially through an exposure device, and thereupon together with .the other sheet of copying paper through a developing device.

In making copies according to the -diiusion method the sheets of copying paper consist of the so-called negative and positivewsheets Lot paper. If already the operation of an apparatus, into which during one-operating step three sheets vof'paper (the original andl two copying papers) have to be introduced, and which possibly requires other manipulations yet, is rather intricate, the operation is rendered more diicul-t yet by the fact that the negative paper is 'light sensitive. Therefore this sheet of paper must be removed quickly from a container `and -introduced into the apparatus, and at the same time it must Ibe aligned at least with the original too.

'Ilstnanipulation requires relatively great skill, and in spite of it spoilage cannot be -avoided with certainty.

-For storing particularly light sensitive paper it is known to use sheet `dispensing containers out of which these sheets of paper-may be transported by means of a` handlever anda mechanism arranged'within the housing ot the dispensing-container. rIlhese ydispensing containers pare with respect :to the exposure device separate means, and therefore always a certain transporting path is required to transfer'the negative sheet of paper to the apparatus `for making copies. i

. One'obiect ot the invention is to provide an apparatus forv making copies lin which the Vdisadvantages of the known devices are avoided, which is simple to manupaper is pushed to the entrance of the developing device n by the extraction ot the first sheet of copying paper.

By means of this arrangement only one actuation i-s requiredk tor operating two sheet dispensing devices and,

even though two sheets of copy paper Vare beingfed, the associated apparatus for making copies may lbe actuated like` 4'an apparatus using only one sheet of copy; paper y which, if desired, may additionallybe readily rachieved kin a very advantageous manner with the same apparatus.

According to a preferred embodiment the ,handv lever for dispensing the fust sheet of copy paper is also connected with a corresponding feed noller arnangementby means of lwhich the `second sheet of copy paper is pushed in la position ofreadiness. Suitably the connection be-v tween the hand lever and the feed roller arrangement tor the second sheet ot copy paper provides. tor a reverse movement with respect tothe direction of dispense .of the 4first sheet of copy paper, so that bot-h sheets ot copy paper are dispensedV in opposite directions.

, rillte reversal of movement may tor example lbe achieved in such a manner that the hand lever having the form of a `pensi-ngk devices 4, 5.

l Patented Aug. 13, 1963 ICC draw bar is actuating a double armed lever the ends of which each control a feed roller arrangement.

` According to an especially advantageous embodiment a non-rotatable feed element is disposed fwithin the dispensing device tor the second sheets of copy paper, said sfeed element'bein-g moved in :the same direction las the `f-eed roller arrangement within thevdispensing' device tor the Afirst sheets of'copy paper. This feed element cooperates on the one hand with an abutment edge, eg. a face wall of the housing of the dispensing device, and on lthe other hand with a rake pivotally engaging the top of a pile of paper sheets in such a way that always, in initially moving the feed element in a first direction, the top sheet of paper is bent upwardly by abutting said edge and simultaneously is drawn forwardly Ifrom beneath the rake, said top sheet lbeing pushed over the rake into a position of readiness when the feed element is moved in a second opposite direction. This `second movement is |assisted by the tact that the resiliency of the bent-up portion of the sheet abutting the edge will act in a direction of .the second movement.

This second movement corresponding to -a return movement of the hand lever maybe lleft to the operator having to rnove the hand lever for one actuation lboth directions. Preferably however the hand lever is connected with l'a spring movingfthe hand lever back automatically.

In the position of readiness in front of the developing device transport means must -be provided which will take care of further .transporting the paper, but which must also provide tor a stopped position of .the sheet of paper in its position of readiness. This transporting means may be' formed iby pairs of rollers which will enga-ge the sheet of copyingpaper, and which is driven inexact timing, or the transporting means may preferably be formed by acurved transporting path and at least onetransporting roller which will be engaged Kby the sheet of paper, due to its inherent resiliency when it is bent inpassing the curved transporting path.

A preferred embodiment according 'to the invention provides for an arrangement of thesheet dispensing devices in a superimposed position below an apparatus for making copies. In this it is preferred to provide a staggered arrangement in which the upwardly facing exposed Yportion of the lower forwardly projecting sheet dispenser is forming a lid for dispensing the sheet of paper which has to 'be fed into the apparatus together with the original to be copied.

Additional advantages and features'of .the invention will become evident from the following'descript-ion of one embodiment, shown by way ot example only in the attached drawing. i 1

rIfhe drawing shows a sectional side view Vof an apparatus in accordance with the invention.

Below an apparatus denominated in its entirety with the reference numeral l1, comprising within a housing an exposure device 2 `and a diffusion developing device 3, there are provided two functionally combined lsheet dis- The sheet dispensing device 5 which, if a diffusion developing device 3 is used, contains the positive Vsheets of paper, partly extends into the housing 6 of theapparatus 1, ie. it is disposed vat least with its rearward end position above the bottom plate '7 of the apparatus. rl'ihe sheetdispensing device 4 serves in the illustrated embodiment to receive a stack of negative sheets of paper. The housing 8( of the sheet dispensing device `4 is arranged at least partly below the housing plate 7 .and between .the legs 9, 9 of the apparatus.

Both sheet dispensing devices project beyond the apparatus 1 at its operating side. The bottom plate 7 needs not extend over the same length. As may be seen inthe drawing a staggered arrangement is preferred, being such that the housing S of the sheet dispensing device 4 is pr`onegative' sheets of paper on its bottom. forward end is provided with a curved upwardly extending guide surface 12 `which in dispensingwill guide theforward ends of the sheets to thelsurface 13 of the housing 8..sa.id surface 13 being exposed upwardly bythe staggered arrangement of the sheet dispensing devices. The surface A13 is formed by a lid which is shown at 1-4 in its open position. Thus the -lid 13 covers the dispensing opening of the housing 8 of the lsheet dispensing device 4 in a light proof manner and is -only opened when a sheet of paper is passed out.

A hand lever vin form of a draw bar 15 is serving to actuate the sheet dispensing device 4, said hand lever Vbeing guided longitudinally o-n one lor both side walls of the housing Sfor example, in bearing bushings 16, 17. A bridge 1,8 arranged within the housing and extending across the stack of sheets is fixed to one or both arms of -the draw bar 15.A Pivotally attached to this bridge 18 is a pivoting lever .19 which is carrying a feed roller 20 at its -free end facing the dispensing opening. This feed roller 20 engages with the weight of this arrangement, formed by the feed roller 20 :and the pivoting lever 19, on the top sheet. It should be noted however that, according to a V.preferred embodiment, the pivot point is selected at a location that -the draw bar 1-9 is declining somewhat towards the end carrying the roller.

The roller is rotatable only in the direction indicated by the :arrow 22 and is blocked against rotation in the opposite direction. Therefore, if the draw bar 15 is pulled forwardly the roller cannot rotate but takes the top sheet of .paper along, due to the fric-tional force caused by the `pressure of the weight. If the draw bar 15 is returned, either by action fof the operator, or by the force of'spring, the roller may rotate, ie. it may return over ythe pile of sheets substantially without friction, so that no feeding action is exerted on the top sheet.

It may he seen fromrthe drawing that within the circumferential surface of the roller 20 an -axially extending strip 23 is provided consisting of a material having good frictional lcharacteristics. This strip 23 extends radially beyond the circumference of the roller 20. 'Ilhe adjustment of the roller 20 is such that the strip 23 will he directed obliquely downwardly in the starting position of .the advance movement, thus acting directly upon the uppermost sheet of paper when the 'draw bar is actuated. `In an arrangement with such a strip 23 the circumference of the roller is dimensioned with respect to the path of movement of .the drawbar 15 in such a manner that the return movement from the position 24 shown in dashed lines to the starting position shown in full lines will cause an angular movement of the roller 20 about 360 so tha 60 the strip 28 will return to its initial position.

Furthermore a cam slide 25 having a rounded cam surface 26 at its `forward end is mounted on at least one arm of Ithe draw bar 15'. This cam surface 26 cooperates with an actuating lever 27 for the lid 13, 14. When the cam surface 26 engages the actuating lever 27 which extends into the lhousing 8 the lid 13 will be raised into v -lbottom plate 7 of the housing 6 into the sheet dispensing paper.

29 of the sheets of positive The legs 28 are ydisposed laterally of the stacks 11, 29 and are extending through yslots provided in the |bottom plate '7. A pivoting'lever 3d corresponding to the pivoting lever 19 is mounted rotatably on the legs device 5 above the stack 28, a feed element 31 being arranged at the free end of the pivoting lever 30. This feedelement 31 is shownV Below the pivoting lever 30,'Which preferably is formed i by a U-shaped lstirrup, the leg or legs of which are disposed above the side walls of the fbox 'for the stack of i. paper sheets 29, supporting means, preferably formed Iby a roll 74, are arranged in such ia way, that .the feed element 31 is lifted off, or the engaging pressure respectively is relieved Ifrom the stack 29 when the feed element is in its inward position, as shown vin full lines. This is achieved in connection with the supporting means 74 by a declined arrangement of the pivoting lever ,39, or the pivoting llever arm respectively, toward the feed ele ment 31, the pivot point 75 Ibeing arranged in such a height that the arm of the stirrup-likeY pivoting lever 30 moves in its retracted position on top of the supporting means 74 thereby lifting the feed element, while upon forward movement it will move away from the supporting means 74. The same yeffect would 'be attained if for example -a wedge-like engaging Vsurface 'would bearranged on the Ilower iside of the pivoting lever 30 in such ak manner that the wedge-like surface would be moved in engaging contact on the supporting means 74.

Y The face lwall of the housing 10 is defining the forward end 0f the stack 29. This face wall extends over the height of the stack. A pivotally arranged rake 33 is restmg on the rear endof the stack .29. This pivotal rake is hingedly connected at 34 with a guide path 35 for a posi-V tive sheet of paper. It should be noted that it is importarlt tciave the stack 29 extend at least below the pivotal ra e 'Y When the draw 4bar 15 is actuatedrthe feed element 31 means of this, 4initially the Ifeed element is brought into engagement with the top sheet of paper which thereby will 'be taken along if the movement is continued and, as shown yat 37, will thereby be -bent upwardly caused by abutting against the face wall of the housing 10. The length `0f the path of movement, or the dimensioning of the parts respectively, is such that the rear edge of the top sheet of paper, which is bent upwardly at its front edge, as shown at 37, is pulled forwardly Afree from fbelow the rake 33. Upon return movement of the draw bar 15, and therewith of the |feed element 31, the top sheet of paper 1s taken along, this movement -being assisted by the *stress inherent in thebent portion 37. In its re-` tracted position the feed element is lifted, as already described. As the rake 33 is resting already with its sharp edged end 38 on the next sheet `of the stack after the top sheet has been advanced, the rear edgeof the top sheet will move upon the return movement of the ifeed element 31 onto the upper side of the rake 33 so that thls Isheet of paper is moved into a position yof readiness 1n front of the developing device 3 on the` guide path 35. Due to the fact that the 'feed element 31 is lifted free from the stack in its starting position, the little frictional forces of the elements acting on the sheet of paper will sufce to advance the sheet of paper.

l The arrangement for moving the sheet'into its position of readiness comprises the guide path 35 with the curved portions 39, 40. Within these portions transportang rollers 41, 42 are arranged with spaced relation to the guide path for rotating movement in the direction indicated Iby the arrows. The arrangement is such that the top sheet of paper is moved through the curved portion 39 already, when rit is taken -along by the feed element 31 lon its return movement. Due (to its resiliency the sheet of, paper will4 contact the roller 41, thereby being advanced-to Ithe guide path-35'. The sheet of paper will move through the curved portion 40,*un`til it engages an abutment 43 provided in the -feed path tothe bath of the'jdeveloping device. 1 The strongly curved portion 40 ensures a relatively great component-of advance to be `exerted onl the sheet of paper, but at -the same'time allowing, kdue to thespace between the guide path'35` and the transporting rollers 41,42, .free rotation of the rollers relative the sheet of paper, which is stopped on the abutment 43. When the abutment 43 isv released, as shall be described followingly, the component-of advance becomeseiective and the sheetof positive paper is moved into the developing device with :a rate determined by the speed of the roller `42. `The abutment 43 comprises. an actuating rod 45 guided on rolls 55, 56 for reciprocating movement, `as indicated by the arrow 44, said actuating rod 45 being provided vnwith an abutment 146 lat one end. This abutment, for

example, cooperates with a pin 47 mounted on la pivotal segment 48 which is arranged Within the housing 6. The pivotal segment is moved into Ithe illustrated position by a weight 49 which is suspended on the pivotal segment 48. A rotating lever 50 is connected, the pivotal segment 48, said rotating lever controllingthe movement of the voriginal to be copied vand the negative sheet of paper,

For the sake of completeness it is pointed out that a source of light S7 is arranged within la housing '58 having ia transparent exposure plate 59, and serving at .the same time as .la reflector. Mounted on the rotating lever 50 is la tongue 60 extending overy the exposure plate 59 and reaching to the introduction slots. An arman-gement of rollers 61, 62 and belt 63 is provided serving as a drive, The original to be copied is received above la stripper 65 and removed through the slot 64 ont ofthe housing 6. r[the tongue 60, for example, is provided with a rib-like abutment 66 which will be engaged by thel original to be copied as it is driven bythe belt 63, whereby the tongue 60 and the rotating lever 50 zare moved to the position 53. The stripper 65 is formed in such a way that it will sidewlardly extend beyond the abutment 66. The exposure device 2 comprises la supply container 67 for the developing liquid, and sa bath container 68 provided withv two passage ways. From ythe bath container 68 the positive and the negative sheets of paper rare moved viaithe guide suriaoe 69 land la pairof squeezing and transporting rollers 70, 71 toward the exit slot 72 through which .they are moved ont ofthe apparatus.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for making copies by using a first and la second sheet of copying paper, said iirst sheet ci copying paper being initially passed through first processing means and then together with the other sheet of copying paper through second processing means, said apparatus comprising a housing, first processing means arranged within said housing, first inlet means within said housing through which said first copying paper together with an original to be copied are -fed tothe inlet of said first processing means, first outlet means arranged on said housing through which said original :after having passed said first processing means is moved out of said housing, a second processing mean-s arranged within said housing, first guide means extending from said fir-st processing means to said second processing means for passi-ng said tirst copy paper trom said first processing means to said inlet mea-ns of said second processing means, second outtlet means arranged within ,said housing for moving said sheet dispensing means and said inlet Vto said -second processing lmeans-for guidingone of said second sheets of copy paper dispensed by said first sheet dispensing means l :to said inlet of said second processing means, second sheet ,-dispensingmeans arranged on said housing adapted to receive a stack of saidfirst'sheets of copy paper, first feed vmeans for removing one of said first sheets of copy pape-r outofsaid second sheet dispensing means, second feed y for feeding one of -said second sheets of copy paper to said second guide means, said first and said second feed means being drvingly interconnected so that upon removal of one of said iirst sheets ofy copy paper out of said second sheet dispensing means one of said second sheets of copy paper -will be removed out of said first sheet dispensing means and fed to said second guide means, common actuating means for said iirst land second feed means extending out of said housing, and guide means in one of said sheet dispensingmeans for yguiding said actuating means for reciprocating movement.

2. An apparatus Vaccording to claim l, in which spring means are provided connected with one end with said hand lever and with the other end with said housing, said 'spring means becomingfstressedwhen said hand lever is moved in one direction.

3. An apparatus according to claim l, in which said hand lever is supported for reciprocating movement on saidsecond sheet dispensing means for said first copy paper, -a pivoting lever is rotatably mounted on said hand lever, yand a roller is mounted on the free end of said pivoting lever, said roller being rotatable in one direction only and resting on the stack. of said irst sheets of copy paper.

4. An lapparatus according to claim 3, in which an insert strip of friction increasing material is mounted on the circumference of said feed roller extending exi-ally therealong, the circumference of said feed rolle-r being dimensioned with respect to its working stroke so as to rotate through an angle of approximately 360 when said ond feed means, said actuating means comprising a handV lever guided in one of said sheet dispensing means and coupled with connecting means interconnecting said first and said second feed means, said connecting means being arranged for reciprocating movement within said first and said second sheet dispensing mean-s, said second sheet dispensing means being 'arranged within a housing, the sheet dispensing end of which 'having closure means arranged lthereon =adapted to be opened, coupling means the cooperating parts of which being mounted on the one hand on said housing closure means and on the other hand on said hand lever in such -a Way that said closure means will be opened when one of said first sheets of copy paper is removed from said second sheet dispensing means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said coupling means comprise la yslide `and la pivoting lever, said slide being mounted on said hand lever and being provided with a cam surface, said pivoting lever being mounted on said movable closure means, said cam surface on said slide and said pivoting lever engaging each other upon movement of said hand lever causing said closure means to 'be moved.

7, An 'apparatus [according to claim l, in which actuating means are provided extending out of said housing kand connecting means being drivingly connected with said feed means for simultaneously actuating said first and said second feed means, said first feed means comprising;

a non-rotatabie feed element, a pivoting lever, ramp means for lsaid pivoting lever, the arrangement being such that said pivoting lever is rotatably mounted on said connecting means, said feed elem-ent is arranged on the free end of said pivoting lever, and said ramp means for said'pi-votof copy paper, rake means hingedly connected with said second guide means the free end of said rake means restingl on the top ysheet of Vsaid stack of second copy papers in a Zone adjacent its one end, Kand an abutment `edge provided at the opposite end of said sfheet dispensing means against which the facing edge of a second sheet of copy paper will abut when said -rst feed means are actuated lfor pulling the opposite edge of said second sheet of copy paper out from Ibelow said rake means, said second sheet of copy paper will Ibend upwardly in the zone between said abutment edge and said `first feed means when the latter `are actuated.

l'8. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the second -feed means comprise; a curved guide surface, at lleast one driven transporting roller spaced-1y arranged from said guide surface, but journalled in the zone of curvature causing said second sheet of copy paper to bend when moving into said second guide means and to contact at ieast one transporting roller 'due to its inherent re- 8 Y, silieney, `thereby Ibeing moved against abutment Vmeans arranged within said second guide means, said abutment means Abeing movably supported in such Ia vvay thatu'pon Vactuation said'rabutment mean-s may be retracted'out of said secondl guide meansthereby allowing-,said second sheet `of copy paper retained in said ,secondfguide means by said abntrr'rentl means to pass said second guide lmeans and to Ibe fed to theinlet of said second processing means;

' 9. An'apparatus accordingwto claim" 8', in which coupling means are arranged :between saidlrstguide means and said abutment means 'insuchjja Way," that-sjaidabntment means .will be retracted out of said `second guide means when said iirst sheet'of copy paper moves into vsaid inlet of said second processing means.

1,0. 'Ilheapparatus yas set forth in claim 1, in ,which said .iirst and second feed means are movable back and forth along the top of said first and secon-d stacks, respectively,

said first feed means feeding the top sheet from said first stack `when Vsaid iirst and second vfeed means are moving in one direction, and said second feed means feeding the' top sheet from said second stack when said first and second `feed means are moving in the `-other direction,

v References cited in the s1@ ojf this patent. Y

UNITD VSTAT ES PATENTS' Y Limberger Ian. '31, `1956 Ricord` Ma'yk 17

Claims (1)

1. AN APPARATUS FOR MAKING COPIES BY USING A FIRST AND A SECOND SHEET OF COPYING PAPER, SAID FIRST SHEET OF COPYING PAPER BEING INITIALLY PASSED THROUGH FIRST PROCESSING MEANS AND THEN TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER SHEET OF COPYING PAPER THROUGH SECOND PROCESSING MEANS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A HOUSING, FIRST PROCESSING MEANS ARRANGED WITHIN SAID HOUSING, FIRST INLET MEANS WITHIN SAID HOUSING THROUGH WHICH SAID FIRST COPYING PAPER TOGETHER WITH AN ORIGINAL TO BE COPIED ARE FED TO THE INLET OF SAID FIRST PROCESSING MEANS, FIRST OUTLET MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID HOUSING THROUGH WHICH SAID ORIGINAL AFTER HAVING PASSED SAID FIRST PROCESSING MEANS IS MOVED OUT OF SAID HOUSING, A SECOND PROCESSING MEANS ARRANGED WITHIN SAID HOUSING, FIRST GUIDE MEANS EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST PROCESSING MEANS TO SAID SECOND PROCESSING MEANS FOR PASSING SAID FIRST COPY PAPER FROM SAID FIRST PROCESSING MEANS TO SAID INLET MEANS OF SAID SECOND PROCESSING MEANS, SECOND OUTLET MEANS ARRANGED WITHIN SAID HOUSING FOR MOVING SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND COPY PAPERS OUT OF SAID HOUSING, A FIRST SHEET DISPENSING MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID HOUSING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A STACK OF SAID SECOND SHEETS OF COPY PAPER, SECOND GUIDE MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FIRST SHEET DISPENSING MEANS AND SAID INLET TO SAID SECOND PROCESSING MEANS FOR GUIDING ONE OF SAID SECOND SHEETS OF COPY PAPER DISPENSED BY SAID FIRST SHEET DISPENSING MEANS TO SAID INLET OF SAID SECOND PROCESSING MEANS, SECOND SHEET DISPENSING MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID HOUSING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A STACK OF SAID FIRST SHEETS OF COPY PAPER, FIRST FEED MEANS FOR REMOVING ONE OF SAID FIRST SHEETS OF COPY PAPER OUT OF SAID SECOND SHEET DISPENSING MEANS, SECOND FEED MEANS ARRANGED WITHIN SAID FIRST SHEET DISPENSING MEANS FOR FEEDING ONE OF SAID SECOND SHEETS OF COPY PAPER TO SAID SECOND GUIDE MEANS, SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND FEED MEANS BEING DRIVINGLY INTERCONNECTED SO THAT UPON REMOVAL OF ONE OF SAID FIRST SHEETS OF COPY PAPER OUT OF SAID SECOND SHEET DISPENSING MEANS ONE OF SAID SECOND SHEETS OF COPY PAPER WILL BE REMOVED OUT OF SAID FIRST SHEET DISPENSING MEANS AND FED TO SAID SECOND GUIDE MEANS, COMMON ACTUATING MEANS FOR SAID FIRST AND SECOND FEED MEANS EXTENDING OUT OF SAID HOUSING, AND GUIDE MEANS IN ONE OF SAID SHEET DISPENSING MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID ACTUATING MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT.

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