Abstract: A non-crinkling, wrinkling or curling erasable diazo-type intermediate material comprising a flexible light transmitting substrate, a flexible barrier layer on the substrate comprising an aliphatic organic alcohol insoluble elastomeric or thermoplastic material coated on the substrate in a non-aqueous medium and dried, and a photosensitive layer overlaying the barrier layer comprising an aliphatic alcohol soluble polymer resin binder, a diazo dye and an azo coupler, the photosensitive composition being dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent, coated and dried.

Abstract: In an apparatus capable of duplicating jacketed and unjacketed microfiche, a bank of clear cylindrical lenses is provided, each lens being divided into segments by a series of substantially opaque baffles. The lenses are used with a corresponding bank of aperture lamps, and are disposed between the lamps and microfiche to provide relatively uniform, collimated light upon an image plane, the side of the lenses closest to the microfiche being flattened, and the baffles having an index of refraction lower than that of the clear segments of the lens.

Abstract: A graphic image represented by a two-level pel-to-pel definition is compressed by one-dimensional redundancy reduction coding using an entropy preserving algorithm which allows for real time reduction of the pel-to-pel data without any loss in image resolution. The compressed data is concatenated for transmission and then separated and decoded back to a pel-to-pel format for defining a facsimile image.

Abstract: A pressure fixable toner for electrostatic image development, which can be fixed upon a receiving member by pressure, is formulated with a high density, low molecular weight polyolefin, one or more coloring agents, and optionally, other adjuvants.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for generating a random (mezzotint) screen for producing halftone copies of continuous tone documents. The random screen comprises a matrix of random numbers representing a sequence of digital reference values with respect to which video (scan) signals are compared for producing halftone picture elements (pels). The apparatus comprises a first and a second random number generator, the first being disposed for providing an initial or starting state for the second, in response to applied clock pulses. Using the supplied starting state, the second random number generator produces the random screen reference values in response to applied clock signals. The random screen reference values produced by the apparatus permits minimum halftone dot size (i.e., the size of the dot used in producing halftone images) to be varied, and halftone patterns to be selectively repeated or not repeated.

Abstract: A tandem dual-head lithographic duplicator is equipped for operation in alternative modes, i.e., either for duplexing by printing on opposite faces of the copy sheets in sequence, or for simplexing. In the simplexing mode the printing of the copy sheets is carried out on one head simultaneously with the cleanup and preparation operations on the other head, with a sequence of printing jobs being performed alternately on one printing head and then on the other while, in each case, the non-printing head is being prepared. Accordingly, substantially continuous simplexing operation can be achieved except in the case of very short printing runs.

Abstract: A diazo microfilm which is resistant to fading upon exposure to strong light for extended periods of time is provided. The fade-resistant diazo microfilm is produced by saponifying a cellulose alkanoate film to an extent defined by certain infrared absorption parameters.

Abstract: A photocopy machine is provided comprising an exposure roller for exposing a sensitized copy sheet to an original document to be copied and an applicator roller for applying a developer to the exposed copy sheet to produce a visible image. A drive means is provided for selectively operating the rollers in a first or a second mode of operation. In the first mode of operation, the rollers are positively driven in one direction for making copies and in the second mode of operation the rollers are free wheeling in either direction to facilitate removal of a sheet jam and servicing of the machine.

Abstract: In a developing apparatus for developing exposed copy sheets with liquid developer, which apparatus employs an applicator roll for the developer liquid and metering and pressure blades in contact with the applicator roll for controlling the development process, there is provided a wick for applying the developer liquid to the roll. Means is provided for moving the wick into and out of contact with the surface of the applicator roll so that the wick may be withdrawn whenever the apparatus is stopped in order to allow uniform drying of the roll surface to forestall the possibility of non uniform development treatment which otherwise might occur when the apparatus is next used.

Abstract: A method of reading selected ones of an array of data frames from a microfiche medium substantially without errors attributable to misalignment of the frames. The method, which utilizes a microfiche reader-printer in adjusting for misalignment of the frames, includes the steps of determining the average distance between the frames along a first selected axis (e.g., the X-axis) of the array, and using said average distance in positioning the frames along the axis for reading. The frames are separated from each other by a predetermined nominal distance along the axis. The average distance is determined by dividing the distance between the outermost frames along the axis (the distance between the outermost frames being expressed in terms of the number of stepper motor steps needed to traverse said distance) by one less than the number of frames along said axis to produce a quotient, and adding the quotient to the predetermined nominal distance.

Abstract: The microfiche reader printer has multiple format capabilities. A lens support holding one lens for each format is slidable to position a lens into the light path. Positioning of the lens support closes or opens switches which direct a logic circuit to cause a controller to drive the microfiche holding platen in a certain manner dependent on the format. Copying utilizes a rotating xerographic drum. The platen is driven by stepper motors having a digitized sinusoidal input for microstepping drive for constant velocity drive during copying where the movements of the platen and the drum must be coordinated. The platen also takes a half frame back step before printing so that it can accelerate forward over the half step forward to reach constant velocity during scanning of the frame.

Abstract: There is provided for use with a conveyor, an unloading apparatus for automatically removing a stack of sheets from a succession of shelves or bins, as in a collator, and conveying it to a desired location. The unloading apparatus includes a gripper which is adapted to advance to grip the sheets as presented on a shelf and then retract to insert the stack of sheets onto a conveyor, e.g. a tape conveyor. The gripper includes a four-bar linkage whereby the upper one of its jaws is elevated from a position beneath the plane of travel of the stack of sheets into gripping relation with the stack by a spring biased over-center action. The gripper with the stack is moved linearly onto the conveyor which takes over from the gripper to continue the movement of the stack of sheets. At the delivery end of the gripper stroke, the four-bar linkage is actuated in an opposite direction, the stack released, and the upper jaw retracted out of the path of the stack.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying toner to a tape which has toner-attracting images thereon, including a chamber containing toner, a chamber inlet located below the top of the toner, a chamber outlet above the top of the toner, and a tape guide which is convex along the tape path which leads through the toner to minimize toner pickup on the rear face of the tape. A vacuum is maintained at the top of the chamber to create an inflow of air at the tape outlet, to sweep back loose toner.

Abstract: A portable microfiche viewer is provided for viewing a selected image frame of a microfiche arranged in a cylindrical configuration. The viewer comprises a cylindrical translucent outer wall, a cylindrical transparent inner wall positioned within the outer wall and a transparent cylinder adapted to be manually rotated and axially movable within the inner wall. A microfiche to be viewed is positioned on the periphery of the cylinder and is rotatable therewith for positioning a selected column of the microfiche into a viewing path or aperture extending perpendicularly to an optical path of a lens means mounted on the outer wall. The lens means is movable in a path parallel to the viewing path to a selected row of the microfiche for viewing the selected image frame of the microfiche directly through the lens means.

Abstract: A printing machine is provided for imprinting forms with fixed data from embossed printing plates and variable data from manually settable print wheels by moving a roller platen from a start position across the printing elements and the form to an actuated position to perform a printing operation and back to the start position to complete a printing cycle. The print wheels are selectively positionable by keyset levers movable from a zero position to a selected printing position for rotating each of the print wheels to a desired peripheral setting. Reset means is provided for restoring each of the keyset levers from the selected printing position to the zero position in response to movement of the roller platen through a printing operation, and lock-out means is provided to inhibit movement of the roller platen through a printing operation following a printing cycle. The roller platen is unlocked for movement in response to movement of at least one of the keyset levers from the zero position to a new setting.

Abstract: A series of velocity curves are generated empirically to create a library of information from which a pulse rate for a stepper motor may thereafter be called upon to drive a load a given distance in the minimum time without rebound, known as ringing.

Abstract: A dry electrostatic developer mix having improved fatigue-resistance properties, is realized by adding to the developer mix, which contains carrier particles and pigmented toner particles, molybdenum disulfide in amounts ranging from about 0.005% to about 1.0% preferably in the range of from about 0.009% to about 0.2% based on the weight of carrier particles present in the developer mixture.

Abstract: Carrier particles for use in an electrophotographic process are prepared by coating the surface of the carrier particles with a perfluoro carboxylic acid in a polymeric binder. The resulting carriers are long lived and capable of imparting a positive triboelectric charge to electroscopic powders mixed therewith.

Abstract: A print receiving tray is provided for receiving and stacking in register prints of various predetermined lengths issuing from a copying machine. The tray comprises a fixed support secured to the copying machine and a movable support pivotally mounted on the fixed support. The movable support is positionable among a first, an intermediate and an extended position for conditioning the tray for receiving prints of uniform predetermined lengths at each of the positions differing from the uniform predetermined length of the prints at each of the other positions. Releasable retaining means is provided for holding the movable support in the extended position and for releasing the movable support for movement to either the intermediate or the first position. The movable support also includes register means for aligning a lead end of each print received by the receiving tray.

Abstract: The drawings illustrate the principles involved in an inertial shuttle device originally constructed to operate as an optical character recognition device and adapted to rapid photocomposition.The shuttle is a scanning device which is inherently a very uniform and smooth scanning velocity device and utilizes only a minute amount of driving power. This combination is achieved by means of energy conserving springs which reverse the head very rapidly at the end of each stroke with windage and friction losses made up by a lightweight, low inertia drive motor which itself is variable in power input by alteration of current intensity supplied to the motor.