Apparatus for contact printing

Abstract

Abstract AN APPARATUS FOR CONTACT PRINTING FROM AN IMAGE-BEARING MASTER TO DUPLICATE OR WORK STOCK IN WHICH THE MASTER AND DUPLICATE STOCK ARE CONTINUOUSLY MOVED THROUGH AN EXPOSURE ZONE WHICH INCLUDES A LIGHT SOURCE AND A DEVICE FOR MAINTAINING THE MASTER AND DUPLICATES STOCK IN REGISTRY DURING EXPOSURE INCLUDING AN ENTRANCE VACUUM DEVICE. IN ONE EMBODIMENT, THE REGISTRY DEVICE INCLUDES ELONGATED MEMBERS DISPOSED BETWEEN THE MARGINAL EDGES OF THE MASTER AND DUPLICATE STOCK SO AS TO DEFINE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SPACES WHICH ARE IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THE ENTRANCE VACUUM DEVICE SO AS TO EVACUATE THE SPACES BY WITHDRAWING AIR THEREFROM ALONG LONGITUDINAL PATHS SO AS TO EFFECT ATMOSPHERIC COMPRESSION OF THE MASTER AND DUPLICATE STOCK TO PREVENT RELATIVE MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN. THE ELONGATED MEMBERS FOR SEPARATING THE MARGINAL EDGES OF THE MASTER AND DUPLICATE STOCK MAY BE MOVABLE OR STATIONARY. THE ENTRANCE VACUUM DEVICE MAY COMPRISE A VACUUM REGION FOR EVACUATING THE AIR BETWEEN THE MASTER AND DUPLICATE AS THEY ARE GUIDED TOGETHER ALONG A GRADUALLY CONVERGING PATH. THE VACUUM REGION MAY BE PROVIDED THROUGH WEDGE-SHAPED DEVICE DISPOSED AT THE ENTRY END OF THE EXPOSURE ZONE AND BETWEEN THE MASTER AND DUPLICATE STOCK OR THROUGH ROLLERS IN NON-SLIDING CONTACK ALONG A CONTINUOUS LINE BETWEEN A PAIR OR SIDEWALLS WHICH DEFINE A CONVERGING VACUUM SPACE OR REGION FROM WHICH THE AIR IS WITHDRAWN TO EFFECT INITIAL COMPRESSION ARE REGISTRY OF THE MASTER AND DUPLICATE STOCK.

Inventors

• 👤 Robert Beispel

Bibliographic Details