Abstract: A fusing apparatus includes a fusing roll and a backing roll that define a nip at which toner applied to marking material is fixed to paper under high pressure. A surface of the fusing roll includes a semi-conductive metal-oxide surface. Grounded conductive guides are arranged at the entrance and at the exit of the nip defined by the fusing roll and the backing roll.

Abstract: A method and a device for treating a web, wherein the web is coated by a coating device. The coated web is calendered, and a steam application device applies steam to the coated web before the coated web is calendered. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: A method of recycling a copy sheet carrying a hydrophobic image thereon by impregnating the sheet with a water-containing separating liquid, causing the to image contact an image separating member, and heating the sheet for thereby transferring the image to the image separating member. The image separating member has a critical surface tension of 25 mN/m or above.

Abstract: This invention relates to fiber reinforced composite materials, and to methods and apparatus for forming such materials. The apparatus includes an impregnation chamber having an elongate impregnation passageway with an entrance end and an exit end, means for supplying a polymer material to said impregnation chamber, and means for advancing continuous filament fibers into and through said impregnation chamber, entering through said entrance end and exiting through said exit end, so that the polymer material is immersed in said polymer material. Shear inducing means is mounted in said impregnation chamber and cooperates with said fibers for imparting shear to the polymer material as it contacts the advancing fibers to enhance the wetting and impregnation of the fibers by the polymer material.

Abstract: A sheet calendering method and apparatus including a calendering cylinder, a delivering cylinder, and a conveyor for transporting sheets between the calendering cylinder and the delivering cylinder; wherein the conveyor includes two flexible elongated members forming parallel endless loops around the calendering and delivering cylinders, a plurality of support members attached between the parallel loops, and a plurality of calendering plates each linked to an adjacent plate by the support members to form an endless belt.

Abstract: An electrostatographic toner fusing member having a support and a layer containing a crosslinked polyfluorophosphazene elastomer with thermally conductive filler particles. This fusing member is used in a device for fusing electrostatographic toner materials to a substrate which device employs both heat and pressure The fusing member exhibits an excellent combination of properties, including resistance to swelling by release liquids, resistance to thermal degradation and thermal conductivity that is superior to prior art fusing members employing crosslinked fluoroelastomers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for chemically treating articles, often with a liquid treatment fluid that is corrosive, while the articles are being delivered along a path through a substantially closed chamber. During treatment, the articles pass through a nip formed between opposed rollers. Because of the thin flexible nature of the articles, they may tend to wrap around a roller after passing through the nip. The articles are engaged as they pass downstream of the nip and are urged away from the surface of the roller, to continue to follow a predetermined path of travel. In engaging the articles to urge them away from the nip, they are preferably contacted by eccentrically mounted rings, carried by the roller. The rings have portions that protrude away from the surface of the roller that enables them to engage the article.

Abstract: An image fixing unit for a wet-type electrophotographic copying machine capable of forming a latent electrostatic image on a photoconductor element, developing the latent electrostatic image to a visible toner image by a developer comprising a carrier liquid and toner particles and transferring the visible toner image to a transfer sheet, is disclosed, which comprises (a) a non-thermal carrier liquid content reduction device for reducing the content of the carrier liquid in the developer deposited imagewise on the transfer sheet without application of heat thereto; and (b) a thermal image fixing device for fixing the toner image to the transfer sheet by directly heating the toner image formed on the transfer sheet after the reduction of the content of the carrier liquid in the imagewise deposited developer by the non-thermal carrier liquid content reduction device.

Abstract: A hot roll glosser and method for the transparentising of resin-coated microencapsulated media includes a pair of heated pressing rolls, in which the roll which comes into contact with a resin surface is formed with an ultra-smooth silicone surface of low furface energy, and the glossing temperature of the rolls at the pressing nip is maintained below the glass transition temperature of the resin. Take-off rolls are disclosed for maintaining a tension in the web material exiting the nip to maintain a negative exit angle with respect to the silicone roll and to prevent adhesion and sticking to the roll.

Abstract: A pressure image forming apparatus in which a sheet S of photo-sensitive and pressure-sensitive material is exposed to an original image, a sheet C of image fixing material is overlaid on the sheet S, and the image on the sheet S is transferred by a pair of pressure rolls 304, 312. One of the rolls is a hard roll having a multiplicity of small projections on its surface which rupture microcapsules on the sheet S to effect the image transfer to sheet C.

Abstract: A pressure device for applying pressure between an upper fixing roller and a lower fixing roller, the pressure applying device being disposed at each end of the lower fixing roller and including a bearing member for supporting a rotary shaft mounted in the lower fixing roller and a biasing spring for biasing the bearing member upwards. The upper and lower fixing rollers are held in pressure contact with each other through depression of the upper fixing roller towards the lower fixing roller, under the influence of the pressure device.

Abstract: Roll-type pressure-treating apparatus, for subjecting sheet or web material to a uniformly high and uniform pressure across a nip, includes a pair of annular pressure rolls mounted in nip-defining relation to each other. Each of the pressure rolls has received internally thereto a crowned loading roll. The crowned loading rolls have ends which are received in journal blocks through which the pressure rolls are loaded, by compression springs. The crowned loading rolls apply a loading force to the respective inside surfaces of the pressure rolls in immediate adjacent relation to the opposite sides of the nip formed therebetween.

Abstract: A web coating method and apparatus includes a web scraping mechanism arranged after a coating section, the scraper being in the form of a wire bar. The scraping efficacy of the device is improved by forming the wire bar from small gauge wire wound upon a circular or polygonal rod, where the radius of curvature of the wire is 2 mm or less. If desired, the wire bar may be rotated relative to the web as scraping is effected.

Abstract: A fixing device for use in an image formation apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying apparatus or recording apparatus, and more particularly a fixing device in which a sheet such as paper having a toner image on the surface thereof is passed between a pair of rotatable members pressed against each other to thereby fix the toner image on the sheet. In the substance forming the surface of at least one of the pair of rotatable members, particles having a hardness higher than that of said substance are dispersed to enhance the fixativeness.

Abstract: Fusing apparatus for fixing toner material to a copy sheet. The apparatus comprises a pair of parallel, cold pressure fixing rollers, each of said rollers including a cylindrical metal tube open at both ends thereof, a cured elastomer occupying the volume enclosed by and bonded to said cylindrical tube, and a shaft extending through and bonded to said elastomer. The shaft is concentric with the tube. The apparatus also comprises means for applying a force to one of the two roller shafts to thereby apply a uniform pressure to the nip of the cold pressure fixing rollers.

Abstract: An apparatus for fixing powder images to a receptor to provide low gloss copies is provided. The apparatus comprises first and second contacting pressure members that have skewed longitudinal axes with respect to each other. The first pressure member contacts the imaged surface of a receptor and comprises an irregular, non-compliant surface comprising a plurality of randomly sized domed projections. The second pressure member contacts the unimaged surface of a receptor and comprises a compliant surface.

Abstract: A pressure roller and apparatus for pressure fixing imaging powder in an electrostatic duplicating machine, the apparatus comprising a pair of fixing rollers in pressure contact along a narrow band to define a nip. The fixing rollers are hollow cylindrical rollers with parallel longitudinal axes and are rotatably supported by pressure transfer rollers inside each fixing roller. The pressure transfer rollers in each fixing roller are rotatably supported by a shaft and housing. Pressure supplied by loading means at the ends of the shafts to pressure fix imaging powder to a substrate transported through the nip is distributed uniformly along the nip by the pressure transfer rollers without causing bending moments on the fixing rollers.

Abstract: A device for fixing a toner image to a carrier sheet by pressure, comprising a pair of side frame members cooperating with a base frame member, a top roll and a bottom roll forming a pair of pinch rolls, rotatably mounted on said pair of side frame members and arranged in rolling engagement with each other to provide a nip through which a carrier sheet with a deposit of toner particles thereon is passed to fix the toner particles to the carrier sheet, and a backup roll disposed in rolling engagement with said bottom roll, wherein the axis of the bottom roll extends at an angle within a range from 10' to 1.degree.30' relative to the axis of the top roll.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning a wedge in a web coating machine utilizes hydraulic actuating cylinders for moving the wedge and a multicylinder constant displacement pump for operating the hydraulic actuating cylinder. Valve circuits are provided to transmit trains of pulses generated by the pump to a selected port of the hydraulic actuating cylinder and a valve circuit is provided to select the cylinders of the pump utilized to operate the hydraulic actuating cylinder. Each cylinder of the pump generates volumetrically metered pulse trains of pressurized hydraulic fluid and the valve circuits transmit selected numbers of pulses from selected pulse trains to the hydraulic actuating cylinder for a time period equal to a multiple of the cycle time of the pump.

Abstract: A toner image pressure-fixing device has a pair of pinch rolls arranged in rolling engagement with each other to provide a nip through which a carrier sheet with a deposit of toner particles thereon is passed to fix the deposit to the carrier sheet by pressure. One of the pinch rolls is of a diameter smaller than that of the other and is solid while the other pinch roll is hollow. The small-diameter pinch roll is resiliently urged against the large-diameter pinch roll by leaf springs and is backed up by a single back-up roll which is disposed on the side of the small-diameter pinch roll substantially diametrically opposite to the large-diameter pinch roll and is resiliently urged against the small-diameter pinch roll whereby the small-diameter pinch roll is prevented from being deflected by pressure produced when a carrier sheet is passed through the nip between the pinch rolls.

Abstract: A novel apparatus and method for pressure fixing imaging powder to a receptor (such as paper) to produce photocopies having reduced gloss is provided. The apparatus comprises non-compliant pressure members (e.g., pressure rollers) one of which has a surface of defined texture or roughness. An offset prevention material is applied to the textured pressure member such that offset of imaging powder from a receptor passing between the pressure members to the textured pressure member is essentially prevented.

Abstract: Apparatus for fixing a toner image on a toner image supporting member in an electrophotographic copying machine is disclosed. The fixing apparatus comprises three rotary rollers which are in contact with each other under the action of pressing means. One of the three rollers has a smaller diameter than the remaining two rollers. In order to press the toner image supporting member uniformly between the two rollers with which the supporting member comes into contact, the two rollers are disposed in such a manner that the roller axes cross one another.

Abstract: An improved apparatus is disclosed for developing images on an electrophotographic copy sheet, characterized by the provision of a distribution roller having a soft porous peripheral surface for evenly spreading the toner dispersion on the electrophotographic copy sheet. The distribution roller is arranged between pairs of in-feed and squeeze roller means arranged in the developing chamber for transporting the electrophotographic sheet therethrough. Improved spray tube means are also provided for spraying the toner dispersion uniformly upon the peripheral surface of the upper in-feed roller.

Abstract: A device for pressure fixing powder images utilizing a pair of rollers in pressure contact and in skewed relationship, each of the rollers formed with a solid shaft or core encased in a tubular metal casing and including an elastomeric collar that fits into a recess formed by circumferentially cutting out portions at the ends of the shaft and the casing and supports the shaft at its ends inside the casing providing an annular air space between the shaft and the inside casing wall. The shaft ends are received in conventional bearings and under high compressive loads the shaft deflection is much greater than the deflection in the casing because of this elastomeric collar permitting much smaller skewing angles, particularly for rolls that exceed 10 inches in length.

Abstract: A toner image pressure-fixing device has a pair of pinch rolls arranged in rolling engagement with each other to provide a nip through which a carrier sheet with a deposit of toner particles thereon is passed to fix the deposit to the carrier sheet by pressure. One of the pinch rolls is of a diameter smaller than that of the other and is solid while the other pinch roll is hollow. The small-diameter pinch roll is resiliently urged against the large-diameter pinch roll by leaf springs and is backed up by a single back-up roll which is disposed on the side of the small-diameter pinch roll substantially diametrically opposite to the large-diameter pinch roll and is resiliently urged against the small-diameter pinch roll whereby the small-diameter pinch roll is prevented from being deflected by pressure produced when a carrier sheet is passed through the nip between the pinch rolls.