High-speed printer

Claim 2

Apparatus for printing images from a photographic medium onto a photosensitive medium having a plurality of predetermined portions, said apparatus comprising an exposure station, first transport means for continuously moving said photosensitive medium through said exposure station, a light source for exposing an image from said photographic medium onto said photosensitive medium at said exposure station, second transport means for moving said photographic medium to position one of said images for exposure thereof on the continuously moving photosensitive medium and for maintaining said photographic medium stationary during exposure, first registration means for actuating said light source when one of said predetermined portions of the photosensitive medium is registered in said exposure station to be exposed by the stationary image from said photographic medium, second registration means for detecting registration of the photographic image in said exposure station, and logic means responsive to said second registration means and to said first registration means for actuating said light source on the registration of a predetermined portion of the continuously moving photosensitive medium in said exposure station while the stationary photographic image is registered therein.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said logic means is controllably coupled to said second transport means and causes said second transport means to move the photographic medium to a further position whereat another image thereon is then maintained stationary and in registration in said exposure station, after said light source has been actuated a preselected number of times to expose the previously positioned image, and after said first transport means has continuously moved a corresponding preselected number of said predetermined portions of the photosensitive medium through the exposure station so that each of these predetermined portions has been exposed to said previously positioned image.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 including means for operating said second transport means intermittently to position each successive image on said photographic medium for exposure, whereby each successive image is maintained stationary during its exposure to said photosensitive medium.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for projecting an enlarged image from said photographic medium for exposure of said photosensitive medium.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said photographic medium is in the form of microfilm, said photosensitive medium is in the form of electrophotographic paper, and said apparatus comprises means for electrophotographically copying the enlarged microfilm images onto said paper.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises a strobe-type flashlamp for providing a high-intensity, short-duration light flash for each exposure.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for maintaining the movement of said photosensitive medium in synchronism with said first transport means, said first registration means comprising means responsive to the positional orientation of said transport means and to a registration information program corresponding to the length of said predetermined portions of said photosensitive medium for providing an output signal to actuate said light source upon registration of said predetermined portions in said exposure station as indicated by the transport means and registration program.

Claim 9

Apparatus for printing images from a photographic medium onto a photosensitive medium in the form of fan-folded paper, said apparatus comprising an exposure station, first transport means for continuously moving said photosensitive medium through said exposure station, a light source for exposing an image from said photographic medium onto said photosensitive medium at said exposure station, and second transport meAns for moving said photographic medium to position one of said images for exposure thereof on the continuously moving photosensitive medium and for maintaining said photographic medium stationary during exposure, said first transport means comprising means for moving the paper through said apparatus from a loading station to a receiving station, and said apparatus further comprising track means disposed in proximity to both loading and receiving stations, and a train of carts, each adapted to hold a stack of said fan-folded paper, movably engaged with said track means and spaced apart a distance so that one cart is in paper-loading relation to said loading station while another cart is in paper-receiving relation to said receiving station.

Claim 10

Apparatus for printing images from a photographic medium onto a photosensitive medium in the form of fan-folded paper, said apparatus comprising an exposure station, first transport means for continuously moving said photosensitive medium through said exposure station, a light source for exposing an image from said photographic medium onto said photosensitive medium at said exposure station, and second transport meAns for moving said photographic medium to position one of said images for exposure thereof on the continuously moving photosensitive medium and for maintaining said photographic medium stationary during exposure, said first transport means comprising means for moving the paper through said apparatus from a loading station to a receiving station, and said apparatus further comprising track means disposed in proximity to both loading and receiving stations, and a train of carts, each adapted to hold a stack of said fan-folded paper, movably engaged with said track means and spaced apart a distance so that one cart is in paper-loading relation to said loading station while another cart is in paper-receiving relation to said receiving station.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein additional carts are movably engaged with said track means and positioned in a loading line behind the cart which is in loading relation to said loading station, all of said carts being tandemly coupled together so that the fan-folded paper may be fed through said apparatus in an endless manner by splicing the trailing edge of paper in each cart in the loading line to the leading edge of the paper in each succeeding cart and shifting each loading cart toward the receiving position as it is emptied.

Claim 12

Apparatus for printing images from a photographic medium onto a photosensitive medium having a plurality of predetermined portions, said apparatus comprising an exposure station, first transport means for continuously moving said photosensitive medium through said exposure station, a light source for exposing an image from said photographic medium onto said photosensitive medium at said exposure station, second transport means for moving said photographic medium to position one of said images for exposure thereof on the continuously moving photosensitive medium and for maintaining said photographic medium stationary during exposure, first registration means for actuating said light source when one of said predetermined portions of the photosensitive medium is registered in said exposure station to be exposed by the stationary image from said photographic medium, means for registering the photographic image in said exposure station, a source of multiple copy control signals representative of a selected number of copies to be made from the photographic image, counting means responsive to said first registration means for counting the number of predetermined portions of the photosensitive medium which pass the exposure station while the stationary image is registered therein, and control means responsive to said multiple copy control signals and to said counting means for controlling said second transport means so that said second transport means maintains the photographic medium stationary until the selected number of exposures of the image are made on a like number of predetermined portions of the photosensitive medium and advances the photographic medium upon completion of the exposure of the selected number of copies.

Claim 13

Apparatus for printing images from a photographic medium onto a photosensitive medium having a plurality of predetermined portions, said apparatus comprising an exposure station, first transport means for continuously moving said photosensitive medium through said exposure station, a light source for exposing an image from said photographic medium onto said photosensitive medium at said exposure station, second transport means for moving said photographic medium to position one of said images for exposure thereof on the continuously moving photosensitive medium and for maintaining said photographic medium stationary during exposure, first registration means for actuating said light source when one of said predetermined portions of the photosensitive medium is registered in said exposure station to be exposed by the stationary image from said photographic medium, means for registering the photographic image in said exposure station, a source of multiple copy control signals representative of a selected number of copies to be made from the photographic image, counting means responsive to said first registration means for counting the number of predetermined portions of the photosensitive medium which pass the exposure station while the stationary image is registered therein, and control means responsive to said multiple copy control signals and to said counting means for controlling said second transport means so that said second transport means maintains the photographic medium stationary until the selected number of exposures of the image are made on a like number of predetermined portions of the photosensitive medium and advances the photographic medium upon completion of the exposure of the selected number of copies.

Claim 14

A high-speed printer for making enlarged copies of microfilm images on electrophotographic paper having a corona charging station, an exposure station, and a further processing station; first transport means for continuously moving said paper through each of said stations, a fast light source and projection means for enlarging and projecting the images of the microfilm on the paper at said exposure station, second transport means for intermittently moving said microfilm from one image to another so that the projected image is maintained stationary during exposure.

Claim 15

A high-speed printer for making enlarged copies of microfilm images on electrophotographic paper having a corona charging station, an exposure station, and a further processing station; first transport means for continuously moving said paper through each of said stations, a fast light source and projection means for enlarging and projecting the images of the microfilm on the paper at said exposure station, second transport means for intermittently moving said microfilm from one image to another so that the projected image is maintained stationary during exposure.

Claim 16

The printer of claim 11 wherein the electrophotographic paper is fan folded and has sprocket holes along the margins thereof, said first transport means comprising pinwheel assemblies for engaging the sprocket holes so that the paper is moved in synchronism with the rotation of the pinwheel assemblies, and registration means responsive to the rotation of said pinwheel assemblies for synchronizing the actuation of said light source with the paper movement, so that the light source momentarily projects the stationary microfilm image when a predetermined portion of the paper between successive folds is centered in said exposure station.

Claim 17

The printer of claim 12 wherein each frame of the microfilm has an optical registration mark associated therewith, said printer comprising image registration detecting means responsive to the registration mark image for providing an output indicative of image registration in said exposure station, and control means responsive to the output of said detecting means for causing said second transport means to stop the motion of the microfilm so that the projected image therefrom is maintained in registration in the exposure station.

Claim 18

The printer of claim 11 wherein the electrophotographic paper is of the fan-folded type, said first transport means comprises means for moving the paper through the printer from a loading station to a receiving station, guide means disposed in proximity to and beneath both loading and receiving stations, a train of carts movably engaged with said guide means and spaced apart a distance so that one cart is in paper loading relation beneath said loading station while another cart is in paper receiving relation beneath said receiving station, each cart being adapted to hold a stack of the fan-folded paper and, all of said carts being tandemly coupled together so that the fan-folded paper may be fed through said printer in an endless manner by splicing the trailing edge of paper in each cart beneath and behind the loading station to the leading edge of the paper in each succeeding cart and shifting each loading cart to the receiving station position after being emptied.

Claim 19

A printing apparatus for printing microfilm images onto a continuous paper web which is fan folded, said printer comprising a transport means having means for moving the paper web through the printer from a loading station to a receiving station, rail means disposed in proximity to both loading and receiving stations, a train of carts movably engaged with said rail means and spaced apart a distance so that one cart is in paper loading relation to said loading station while another cart is in paper receiving relation to said receiving station, each cart being adapted to hold a stack of the fan-folded paper, and all of said carts being tandemly coupled together so that the fan-folded paper may be fed through the printer in an endless manner by splicing the trailing edge of paper in each cart in and behind the loading station to the leading edge of the paper in each succeeding cart and shifting each cart in the loading station to the receiving station after being emptied.

Claim 20

A printing apparatus for printing microfilm images onto a continuous paper web which is fan folded, said printer comprising a transport means having means for moving the paper web through the printer from a loading station to a receiving station, rail means disposed in proximity to both loading and receiving stations, a train of carts movably engaged with said rail means and spaced apart a distance so that one cart is in paper loading relation to said loading station while another cart is in paper receiving relation to said receiving station, each cart being adapted to hold a stack of the fan-folded paper, and all of said carts being tandemly coupled together so that the fan-folded paper may be fed through the printer in an endless manner by splicing the trailing edge of paper in each cart in and behind the loading station to the leading edge of the paper in each succeeding cart and shifting each cart in the loading station to the receiving station after being emptied.

Claim 21

A high speed printer for making enlarged copies of microimages on photosensitive material, comprising: a photosensitive material in elongated strip form including a plurality of predetermined portions located sequentially thereon, a microimage member in elongated strip form including a plurality of discrete microimages located sequentially thereon, an exposure station for exposing selected portions of said photosensitive material, first transport means for continuously moving said strip of photosensitive material through said exposure station, a light source for illuminating selected microimages of said member with brief high intensity flashes of actinic radiation, optical means optically coupled to said light source for projecting enlarged images of said selected microimages onto said exposure station, and second transport means for intermittently moving said microimage member past said light source, whereby each selected microimage is held stationary proximate said light source and said optical means while at least one predetermined portion of photosensitive material is exposed to an enlarged image thereof.

Claim 22

A high speed printer for making enlarged copies of microimages on photosensitive material, comprising: a photosensitive material in elongated strip form including a plurality of predetermined portions located sequentially thereon, a microimage member in elongated strip form including a plurality of discrete microimages located sequentially thereon, an exposure station for exposing selected portions of said photosensitive material, first transport means for continuously moving said strip of photosensitive material through said exposure station, a light source for illuminating selected microimages of said member with brief high intensity flashes of actinic radiation, optical means optically coupled to said light source for projecting enlarged images of said selected microimages onto said exposure station, and second transport means for intermittently moving said microimage member past said light source, whereby each selected microimage is held stationary proximate said light source and said optical means while at least one predetermined portion of photosensitive material is exposed to an enlarged image thereof.

Claim 23

A high-speed printer according to claim 16 further comprising: first indexes located on said photosensitive material in a fixed relation to the predetermined portions thereoF, first registration means responsive to said first indexes and coupled to said light source to initiate a brief flash of actinic radiation whenever one of said predetermined portions passes a predetermined position relative to said exposure station, second indexes located on said microimage member in a fixed relation to the discrete microimages thereon, and second registration means responsive to said second indexes for stopping the motion of said microimage member when the projected image of one of said discrete microimages is at a predetermined position relative to said exposure station.

Claim 24

A printer according to claim 17 wherein, said first indexes comprise perforations in at least one margin of the strip of photosensitive material, said first registration means includes at least one sprocket wheel for engaging said perforations, said second indexes comprise one optical mark per discrete image in the margin of the microimage strip, and said microimage member is unperforated microfilm.

Claim 25

A printer according to claim 18 wherein, said first registration means further comprises program control means coupled to said sprocket wheel, said program control means including a replaceable program element having third indexes spaced in a manner representative of the lengths of said predetermined portions of the photosensitive medium, and said light source is a gas-filled flash lamp and each brief flash of actinic radiation therefrom persists for a period less than the time required for the photosensitive material to move 0.01 inch.

Claim 26

A printer according to claim 17 further comprising: a source of multiple copy control signals representative of a selected number of copies to be made from each microimage, counting means responsive to said first registration means for counting the number of predetermined portions of photosensitive material which pass the exposure station while a projected image is registered thereon, and transport control means responsive to said multiple copy control signals and to said counting means for controlling said second transport means, whereby said second transport means holds the microimage member stationary until the selected number of exposures of the projected image are made on a like number of predetermined portions of the photosensitive material, and advances the microimage member upon completion of the exposure of the selected number of copies.

Claim 27

A printer according to claim 16 wherein, said photosensitive medium is fan-folded electrophotographic paper, said printer further comprises a loading station, a charging station, a developing station, a receiving station and guide means disposed proximate the loading and receiving stations, said first transport means is adapted to move said paper from said loading station, through said charging station, through said exposure station, through said developing station, and to said receiving station, and said printer further comprises a train of carts movably engaged with said guide means and spaced apart a distance so that one cart is in paper loading relation to said loading station while another cart is in paper receiving relation to said receiving station, each cart being adapted to hold a stack of fan-folded paper and all of said carts being tandemly coupled together so that the fan-folded paper may be fed through the printer in an endless manner by splicing the trailing edge of paper in each cart in and behind the loading station to the leading edge of the paper in each succeeding cart and shifting each cart in the loading station to the receiving station after each such cart is emptied.