Abstract: A microfilm system stores document on film for compact and secure filing. Full-size paper copies may be made of any document in the file. A single, attractively styled, compact housing contains a preferably manually fed camera, with an electrophotographic 16 mm roll film packaged in a cassette for easy film loading and unloading. The film is processed immediately after each image is recorded so that it is ready for instant retrieval. A bar code is recorded adjacent each image, responsive to a keyboard operation. During retrieval, a high-speed film transport searches for a designated bar code. Once an image is found, it may be projected on either a screen or paper in a printing system.

Abstract: A desk top microfilm reader and work station having a rectangular base enclosing a film housing and projection system. The base has a flat top surface which functions as an operator work surface and an image projection surface. A support arm rises vertically from the base and a hood is attached near the top of the support arm. There are illumination lamps and a mirror in the hood. The lamps illuminate the work surface and are turned off when a micro image is to be projected onto the image projection surface. The optical projection path from the projection system to the mirror in the hood and back to the projection surface is unenclosed.

Abstract: A deskewing document transport device delivers individual documents one at a time into the nip of a pair of pickup rollers. The documents are gravity fed from an angled panel into the nip. A curved guide finger is positioned near the bottom of the angled panel and confronting one of the pickup rollers in order to form a curved gap which causes the documents to curl slightly as they approach the nip. A horizontal table is positioned under the curved gap so that, if the document is skewed, the leading edge of the curled document is lightly pressed against the table for deskewing the document as it passes through the gap. The inventive transport device is particularly well-suited for use with a microfilming camera.

Abstract: A microfilm reader/printer has a plurality of interchangeable film carriers to accommodate microfiche of different sizes and format. The film carriers are normally latched into two orthogonally oriented pairs of spaced, parallel rails so that film movement is limited. However, if a film carrier is unlatched from said rails, one of the carriers may be interchanged for another.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a drive system having an intermittently rotating output shaft. In operation, the output shaft is caused to accelerate to a constant rotational velocity, held at that velocity for a predetermined portion of its rotation, then decelerated to zero velocity. The acceleration and deceleration values are caused to be low in magnitude so that components of the system are subjected to reduced shock loadings and generate reduced noise as compared to a rapid acceleration and deceleration system. Particular applicability for the system is found in document endorsers having an endorsing plate connected to the output shaft and rotated such that the endorsing plate contacts and imprints documents in an endorsing area on command.

Abstract: A single sensor system reads a traveling bar code comprising a plurality of marks separated by spaces. Each of the marks may have either of two durations and each of the spaces has a uniform duration. The bar codes are transported, relative to the sensor, at any of many different speeds so that the signals generated by the sensor may have unpredictable durations. The inventive reader determines the speed at which the bar code is being transported and interprets the signals generated by the bar code marks according to the determined speed. As used herein, the reference to "any of many different speeds" recognizes that different bar code transport devices, owing to their own inherent characteristics, may operate at different speeds although the speed for any given code transport device will tend to be fairly uniform. In some embodiments, the invention accommodates speed fluctuations in the operation of a single transport device.

Abstract: An image focusing apparatus for microfiche film readers and other optical systems has a lens holding apparatus which rests on a transparent or glass plate, a rotatable lens adjusting assembly in the lens holding apparatus, a shaft slidably and pivotally connected to the lens adjusting assembly, a knob on the shaft, and a shaft holder which fixes the position of the shaft with respect to the reader. The lens holding apparatus is universally mounted to the frame of the reader to enable the lens holding apparatus to move freely in response to changes in the angular disposition of the glass plate with respect to the horizontal plane. The lens adjusting assembly has an eccentric finger which translates the rotating motion of the knob and shaft into a vertical force, which moves the lens. The lens adjusting assembly has a barrel, a socket in the barrel and key slots along the socket. The shaft has a partially-spherical end and keys which slidably and pivotally fit into the socket and key slots.

Abstract: A flow, or rotary type, microfilm recording apparatus for filming documents having a document transport means to move documents past an aperture area. An alternating current powered fluorescent lamp is employed for illuminating the documents in the aperture area. In order to adjust, set and maintain a substantially constant level of illumination in the aperture area and to reduce flicker, a lamp regulator circuit is provided which includes a shunted rectifier load circuit and a variable current device responsive to the illumination from the fluorescent lamp for varying the voltage drop across the shunt in accordance with the illumination.

Abstract: The inventive ink jet printing system is driven from a repertoire data storage medium such as perforated tape or cards, magnetic tape or cards, or the like, on which the stored data may be changed, updated, increased or decreased, or deleted in whole or in part. The data read from this storage medium is fed into a microprocessor which directs a ganged multiplicity of ink jet printing heads, to simultaneously printout a plurality of lines of type. A transport mechanism picks up and feeds paper, magazines, or the like through a printing station where the ganged ink jets print out responsive to the data supplied from the repertoire storage medium. A number of housekeeping functions are carried out simultaneously, to insure that ink is delivered to and collected from the nozzles of the printing heads.

Abstract: A microfilm reader with a projection system through which individual images on a piece of microfiche can be projected through a viewing screen. The reader has a base structure on which is mounted a carriage assembly which holds the microfilm and is mounted for horizontal movement relative to the base structure. A series of magnets mounted on the carriage assembly and base structure causes the carriage assembly to be magnetically held in predetermined positions. In one embodiment the predetermined magnetically held positions are identical to the distances between the individual images on the microfiche whereby images from the microfiche can be precisely positioned on the screen without the operator viewing the image on the screen.

Abstract: The present invention is used in photo-recording machines, such as microfiche recorders, which receive a document and record an image of the document on a photo-recording medium such as photoplastic film. The invention inhibits double exposures on frames of the film by use of distinctive indicator marks recorded on the film at preselected locations called indicator mark fields. The presence or absence of an indicator mark in such an indicator mark field signifies, respectively, that its corresponding frame is or is not available for recording a document image.In an improved recorder, prior to a proposed recording, a detector scans the indicator mark field corresponding to the frame selected for recording. If the detector detects an indicator mark, the recorder is inihibited from recording the document in the selected frame. A projection light source forms the image of the indicator mark field and projects it along an optical path in which a sensor of the detector is interposed.

Abstract: A web supply and take-up system in which the web is transported from a supply reel to a take-up reel by means of a capstan and pressure roller. The take-up reel is driven to wind up the transported web. The improvement comprises a roller mounted for restricted rotation and placed between the supply and take-up reels in frictional engagement with the web. The roller supplies a counter force to the take-up reel drive force which assists the capstan and pressure roller in stopping undesired web movement.

Abstract: A microfiche viewer with a light projection path whereby different images on an individual piece of microfilm can be placed in the light projection path for viewing. The fiche is rectangular in configuration and is inserted into the viewer with the shorter side parallel to the front of the viewer. A rotatable base is attached to the bottom of the viewer which is designed to limit the angular rotation of the microfiche viewer.

Abstract: A web cassette has a carrier plate with a supply and take up cartridges mounted thereon. The web is pulled from a reel in the supply cartridge, led over a path including guide posts or rollers, and connected to a reel in the take-up cartridge. A V-tooth coupler on each of these reels interfaces with driven V-tooth couplers on a machine using the cassette to transport the web from the supply to the take-up cartridge. When the transport is completed, the take-up cartridge is removed for processing, the former supply cartridge is moved to the take-up position on the cassette, and a new supply cartridge is mounted on the cassette.

Abstract: A film transport mechanism moves film from area to area and then stops it to project an image. During the period while the film is being transported, the lens is shuttered and glass flats on either side of the film are opened. This way, the viewer does not see a blurred montage of images being moved across a screen at a high rate of speed, and there is a much less chance of scratching film. The shutter may be either a mechanical blade which cuts across a beam of light or an electrical circuit which dims a light supply to darken the screen. Dimming is preferred to switching a lamp off or on since it is much less damaging to a filament if it remains continuously energized.