Abstract: A method and associate apparatus for providing a universal feeder interface circuit for a multi-station document inserter having a plurality of document feeder stations or modules and a central processor which stores a supervisory program is provided. Each interface circuit has a unique address and a distributed processor which stores feeder programs containing instructions for operating a variety of different types of feeders. The interface circuit, in response to address and command signals received from the central processor provides operating instructions from the programs stored in the distributed processor to its feeder station to operate the feeders in a manner pre-selected by the user.

Abstract: A combination tool is basically a carpenter's square in which an elongate blade is connected perpendicularly to an elongate handle. The blade has measuring scales on opposite edges each of which commence at the adjacent edge of the handle, and lines extend across the blade to permit easy visual alignment of both scales. Elongate apertures are formed along each line to facilitate use of the square as a scribing tool. The handle is a clear plastic hollow shell which is substantially filled with a liquid except for a small bubble so that the handle can function as a plumb level.

Abstract: Within a copier, a scanning carriage assembly is mounted for reciprocal motion upon a pair of elongate parallel, spaced apart guides. A pair of flexible drive members rotatably mounted in juxtaposition to the guides, and are each separately mounted on opposing lateral ends of the carriage structure. The flexible drive members are driven simultaneously from a common shaft, and there is also a pair of stabilizing cables mounted parallel to the guides and terminally connected to end frames of the copier framework. The cables are guided by pulleys which are mounted on the carriage structure in parallel relationship to the spaced apart guides. The pulleys and spaced apart guides are arranged in parallel relationship to each other and the pulleys, spaced apart guides, belts and cables are positioned and mounted in order to obtain substantially equal and opposite tension within the stabilizing cables on opposing sides of the carriage during reciprocal carriage motion.

Abstract: A postage metering machine has the capability of printing postage on mail by means of a printing device having a plurality of selectively settable printing wheels. The printing wheels have a plurality of numerical printing members, around their periphery, and there is a plurality of spaced printing members disposed between the wheels from which decimal point shaped printing members can be selectively removed in order to vary the position of the decimal point. The ability to vary the decimal point position, provides a means of accommodating various currency denominations required by various countries of the world.

Abstract: An Edge Printing Device is utilized adjacent to the exposure station of a document reproducing apparatus having an auxiliary document handling apparatus mounted over the exposure station. The documents, moving over the exposure station drive a friction roller which in turn rotates an indicia roller so that supplemental information thereon is copied simultaneously with the image on the moving document. The supplemental information is produced on an edge portion of the copy sheet, in an area beyond the lateral dimensions on the copy sheet.

Abstract: An external, reciprocating platen carriage mounted upon an electrophotographic copying machine has a document cover pivotally mounted on the rear elongated portion of the carriage assembly. The document cover has a retaining pocket which extends substantially along a major portion of its longest mounting side, and laterally a relatively short portion of its width. The pocket includes ends which prevent documents which are placed upon the uppermost surface of the cover from sliding off the cover due to abrupt terminal motion of the platen carriage.

Abstract: Within a recirculating sheet feeding apparatus capable of feeding sheets from a back to a stack support, a set separation device having an elongated separator member is arranged to distinguish between cycles of feeding a given stack of sheets. The separator member is mounted with respect to the stack of sheets so that it rotates alongside one edge of the sheets, and past the adjacent edge when the last sheet from the stack is fed. A drive mechanism enables the separator member to rotate beneath the sheet stack support back to the topmost sheet in the stack when the member passes through an aperture in the stack support.

Abstract: A two piece articulated stripping device is provided, having an elongate member pivotally connected to a fixed support on a copier so that a free end of the member is in juxtaposition with the outer surface of a heated fuser roll.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying machine has a device for fixing toner. The fixing device is constructed such that it has a base support with two pairs of locating holes for a pair of spaced apart lower end blocks having means to support bearings which rotatably support the lower fixing roller. There is an upper pressure roller which rests upon the lower roller. The upper roller is rotatably supported by bearings which are clamped downwards through engagement with "U" Bolts. In turn, the "U" Bolts are yieldably attached through the locating holes to the base support of the fixing unit. The "U" Bolts are threaded at the respective straight shanks, which allows for easy adjustment of the roller nip pressure through springs and adjusting nuts, engaged to the shanks of the "U" Bolts beneath the base support.

Abstract: A novel screwdriver is disclosed which incorporates both the features of a directionally oriented hand grip for achieving greater turning force and storage pockets for holding a plurality of interchangeable tool bits. The handle portion has an outer covering of resilient material with angled fingers which provide a high gripping force when the handle is turned against the direction of the angled fingers. Also both ends of the handle are provided with pockets for holding different turning tools which can be inserted into a shank attached to the handle.

Abstract: A material working machine for edge finishing of workpieces of different sizes and shapes and of different materials has a material work station supported by a table like construction with a mechanical cutting tool mounted at the work station. The machine includes a workpiece feeding assembly comprised of a pair of resilient juxtaposed feeding belts having opposed gripping surfaces adapted to grip the opposite faces or sides of a workpiece to feed the workpiece across the working station as the resilient belts are moved. An adjustable pressure plate is mounted behind the feeding surface of each belt and can be moved toward or away from the opposite belt so as to be able to adjust the pressure exerted by the belts on the workpiece and also to accommodate workpieces of varying thickness.

Abstract: A solar reflecting panel for use with a variety of apparatus for concentrating solar radiation on a close range or distant receiver for producing high temperatures at the receiver in order to commercially utilize the heat energy thereby generated. The solar reflecting panel has a relatively large area, thin, flexible and highly reflective sheet member mounted on a tensioning frame which has an inner frame member capable of withstanding high compressive loads, an outer frame member, and several frame separating devices by which the outer frame member is forcibly urged outwardly relative to the inner frame member. By connecting the sheet reflecting member to the outer frame member, the tensioning frame imposes a high linear tensile strain on the reflecting member so that it is maintained in a substantially planar and highly tensioned condition.

Abstract: In a receiving tray for sheet document material, a jogging apparatus is included to cause registration of the sheets to one or more registration walls. The jogging apparatus is comprised of an elongated strip of flexible material which is fastened to the structural framework of the tray, while being deflected from at least one end to form bow-shaped waves which engage the edges of the sheets in order to urge the sheets towards the registration wall.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for feeding a sheet of copy paper to the photoconductive drum in a photocopier machine. The apparatus includes sheet separating means, sheet feeding means and drive means alternately disposed between one of two positions for successively causing sheet separation and feeding of a sheet of copy paper from a stack to a registration position synchronized with a developed image rotatably carried on the photoconductive drum. The apparatus also includes an actuating linkage arrangement for effecting one of two positions of the drive means, through motion caused by cams attached to the reciprocating original document carriage.

Abstract: A fire extinguishing device for use with a heat fusing apparatus in an electrophotocopying machine, comprising a roller movably mounted above a copy paper conveyor associated with and located downstream of the heat fusing apparatus, means for moving the roller into rolling contact with the conveyor when an abnormality is detected in the fusing apparatus during the copying operation, and means for maintaining the roller out of rolling contact with the conveyor when no abnormality in the fusing apparatus is detected during the copying operation.

Abstract: An improvement in an electrophotocopying machine having a photoconductive surface and a retractable, pivotably mounted developer unit for developing an electrostatic image on the photoconductive surface. The improvement comprises at least one eccentric cam for moving said developer unit into and out of developing engagement with said photoconductive surface, said cam having a curved, cantilevered arm extending therefrom, said arm increasing the effective radius of said cam starting from the junction of the arm with the cam to the end of the arm remote from said junction, and means for reciprocally rotating said cam whereby said cam moves said developer unit into and out of developing engagement with said photoconductive surface.

Abstract: An improvement in an electrophotocopying machine having a photosensitive member. The improvement includes at least two rollers for charging the photosensitive member or at least two rollers for transferring a toned image from the photosensitive member to a plain copy sheet. The rollers are mounted on a turret adjacent the photosensitive member. The improvement also includes a mechanism for rotating one of the rollers into its operating position adjacent the photosensitive member and the other of the rollers into a cleaning position removed from the photosensitive member, and a cleaning device for cleaning the other roller in its cleaning position.

Abstract: A compact, table top plain paper copy machine has a teardrop shaped photoreceptor belt. A reciprocating carriage scan exposes an original document to the photoreceptor through an optical system having a Z-shaped optical path. The optical system and a number of other processing stations are located directly underneath the carriage thereby contributing to the overall compactness of the machine. A pair of pressure fusing rollers fix a dry toned image to a plain paper copy sheet, so that no energy is required to maintain the machine in a warm-up or stand-by mode of operation.

Abstract: A double ended adjustable wrench for turning nuts, bolts, pipe and the like. The wrench is generally elongated in the manner of a conventional adjustable wrench, but the body of the wrench is made up of two substantially identical sections which are connected together for relative lateral movement toward and away from each other. The opposite ends of each section are appropriately shaped so that they cooperate with each other to define jaws which open and close as the two body sections move laterally. A mechanism is provided for movably connecting the two body sections together and for adjustably moving them relative to each other in order to open the jaws in a parallel manner a desired amount within predetermined limits. The jaws at one end are larger than the jaws at the other end, and at least one end of the wrench includes serrated jaws, so that a single wrench constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention replaces at least two if not three standard adjustable wrenches.

Abstract: A utility box for tools, parts and the like which is adapted to be placed upon and removably secured to the top platform typically provided at the top of a step ladder. The box includes a bottom wall, two side walls and two end walls forming a rectangular receptacle having approximately the same dimensions as the platform of the step ladder. A plurality of resilient retaining clips are attached to the box and are shaped to press against the lower surface of the bottom wall, the clips having sufficient resilience so that they can be opened and will press against the lower surface of the step ladder platform when the box is positioned thereon.