Abstract: Electrophotographic apparatus incorporating a corona discharge station with corona discharge from a wire. The corona wire extends as a continuous loop between two pulleys and is advanced at a velocity in excess of the velocity of the photoconductor to be charged. The ends of the wire from which the loop is made are tied together by means of a knot, and the knot is embedded in a bead of an elastic material, preferably polyurethane.

Abstract: A self-threading spool or core for a moving web or strip in which the web or strip is guided onto the periphery of a supported frame for rotation about a horizontal axis by freely flexible guide means anchored at one end to the frame and extending from said anchored end generally tangentially to the underside of the core periphery and then up and over said periphery to be held by gravity in partially encircling contact therewith or with the web being wound, the guide means defines with the periphery of said core a nip into which the leading edge of a web travelling between the core and flexible means is directed into winding engagement with the core. When a sufficient number of coils has been collected on the core, the flexible means slides free of the core to an out-of-the-way position beneath the core.

Abstract: A daylight loading device (40) for loading a microfiche cassette (10) with unexposed microfiches makes use of an inclined platform (50) having guides (51) and (52) upon which the microfiche cassette (10) may be positioned. Microfiches are fed from an adjacently positioned dispensing station (43) via a slot (46) and a transport roller pair. In order to provide for an optimum registering of the microfiche in the bottom of the microfiche cassette (10) a spadelike element (55) is temporarily positioned near the latter. A mechanism is provided for re-locking the microfiche cassette (10) after loading.

Abstract: A device (40) for unloading microfiche casettes (10) in daylight conditions comprises a housing (41) into which the microfiche cassette (10) is introduced and which is light-tightly closed by means of a door (42). The exit of the housing (41) is coupled with the inlet of a processing apparatus (50) in which the microfiche undergoes its chemical treatment.The unlocking of the microfiche cassette (10) occurs by disengagement of the locks (19,20) under the influence of tapered portions from the openings (23,24) in the bottom of the microfiche cassette 10 (34,35). Opening of the cassette (10) is carried out by exerting a downwardly directed force upon the rearwardly protruding portion of screen (13). Due to the inclined position of the opened microfiche cassette (10), the microfiche contained in the latter slides towards the entry rollers of the processing apparatus (50).