Electrostatic book copier

Claim 2

A photocopying machine comprising a housing, an exposing station at the top of said housing and relatively toward one side thereof, a copy delivery station at the top of said housing adjacent said exposing station and relatively adjacent the opposite side of said housing, a paper storage safe in said housing, an exposure station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said safe to said exposure station, an optical system in said housing for projecting an image of material to be copied from said exposing station onto a surface of said paper at said exposure station, a developing station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said exposure station to said developing station with the exposed surface of said paper facing downwardly, said developing station including distributing means providing a layer of liquid toner upon which said paper rests, such that said toner is applied to the exposed surface only with the opposite surface of said paper remaining substantially dry, said toner being applied in substantial amounts to develop said exposed surface while precluding harmful engagement of said surface with said distributing means, and a relatively short reentrant path leading from said developing station to said delivery station, said developing station further comprising a substantially flat supporting surface leading from said distributing means towards said reentrant path, said distributing means and support surface being inclined downwardly with respect to the horizontal in the direction of travel of said paper to facilitate the flow of liquid toner from said distributing means over said support surface, and means disposed proximate the edge of said support surface remote from said distributing means for removing excess toner from said exposed surface.

Claim 3

A copying machine as set forth in claim 1, further including a sump disposed beneath said distributing means and said support surface for collecting excess liquid toner.

Claim 4

A photocopying machine comprising a housing, an exposing station at the top of said housing and relatively toward one side thereof, a copy delivery station at the top of said housing adjacent said exposing station and relatively adjacent the opposite side of said housing, a paper storage safe in said housing, an exposure station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said safe to said exposure station, an optical system in said housing for projecting an image of material to be copied from said exposing station onto a surface of said paper at said exposure station, a developing station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said exposure station to said developing statioN with the exposed surface of said paper facing downwardly, said developing station including distributing means providing a layer of liquid toner upon which said paper rests, such that said toner is applied to the exposed surface only with the opposite surface of said paper remaining substantially dry, said toner being applied in substantial amounts to develop said exposed surface while precluding harmful engagement of said surface with said distributing means, and a relatively short reentrant path leading from said developing station to said delivery station, the means for feeding the paper along the reentrant path comprising open guides leaving the face of said paper substantially free, and further including a heat source adjacent said reentrant path and acting on said face of said paper, said copying machine further including a light source for said exposing station, and wherein said light source comprises said heat source.

Claim 5

A photocopying machine comprising a housing, an exposing station at the top of said housing and relatively toward one side thereof, a copy delivery station at the top of said housing adjacent said exposing station and relatively adjacent the opposite side of said housing, a paper storage safe in said housing, an exposure station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said safe to said exposure station, an optical system in said housing for projecting an image of material to be copied from said exposing station onto a surface of said paper at said exposure station, a developing station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said exposure station to said developing statioN with the exposed surface of said paper facing downwardly, said developing station including distributing means providing a layer of liquid toner upon which said paper rests, such that said toner is applied to the exposed surface only with the opposite surface of said paper remaining substantially dry, said toner being applied in substantial amounts to develop said exposed surface while precluding harmful engagement of said surface with said distributing means, and a relatively short reentrant path leading from said developing station to said delivery station, the means for feeding the paper along the reentrant path comprising open guides leaving the face of said paper substantially free, and further including a heat source adjacent said reentrant path and acting on said face of said paper, said copying machine further including a light source for said exposing station, and wherein said light source comprises said heat source.

Claim 6

A photocopying machine comprising a housing, an exposing station at the top of said housing and relatively toward one side thereof, a copy delivery station at the top of said housing adjacent said exposing station and relatively adjacent the opposite side of said housing, a paper storage safe in said housing, an exposure station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said safe to said exposure station, an optical system in said housing for projecting an image of material to be copied from said exposing station onto a surface of said paper at said exposure station, a developing station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said exposure station to said developing station with the exposed surface of said paper facing downwardly, said developing station including distributing means providing a layer of liquid toner upon which said paper rests, such that said toner is applied to the exposed surface only with the opposite surface of said paper remaining substantially dry, said toner being applied in substantial amounts to develop said exposed surface while precluding harmful engagement of said surface with said distributing means, and a relatively short reentrant path leading from said developing station to said delivery station, said exposure station including, a vacuum chamber positioned opposite the surface of said paper to be exposed and a positive pressure chamber proximate said surface, and a fan assembly for withdrawing air from said vacuum chamber and exhausting same into said positive pressure chamber to create a pressure different which facilitates the maintaining of said paper in position during exposure.

Claim 7

A photocopying machine comprising a housing, an exposing station at the top of said housing and relatively toward one side thereof, a copy delivery station at the top of said housing adjacent said exposing station and relatively adjacent the opposite side of said housing, a paper storage safe in said housing, an exposure station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said safe to said exposure station, an optical system in said housing for projecting an image of material to be copied from said exposing station onto a surface of said paper at said exposure station, a developing station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said exposure station to said developing station with the exposed surface of said paper facing downwardly, said developing station including distributing means providing a layer of liquid toner upon which said paper rests, such that said toner is applied to the exposed surface only with the opposite surface of said paper remaining substantially dry, said toner being applied in substantial amounts to develop said exposed surface while precluding harmful engagement of said surface with said distributing means, and a relatively short reentrant path leading from said developing station to said delivery station, said exposure station including, a vacuum chamber positioned opposite the surface of said paper to be exposed and a positive pressure chamber proximate said surface, and a fan assembly for withdrawing air from said vacuum chamber and exhausting same into said positive pressure chamber to create a pressure different which facilitates the maintaining of said paper in position during exposure.

Claim 8

A photocopying machine particularly for books comprising a housing, an exposing station at the top of said housing and relatively toward one side thereof, a copy delivery station at the top of said housing adjacent said exposing station and relatively adjacent the opposite side of said housing, a paper storage safe in said housing, an exposure station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said safe to said exposure station, an optical system in said housing for projecting an image of material to be copied from said exposing station onto a surface of said paper at said exposure station, a developing station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said exposure station to said developing station with the exposed surface of said paper facing downwardly, said developing station including distributing means providing a layer of liquid toner, such that said toner is applied to the exposed surface only with the opposite surface of said paper remaining substantially dry, said toner being applied in substantial amounts to develop said exposed surface while precluding harmful engagement of said surface with said distributing means, and a relatively short path leading from said developing station to said delivery station, said exposing station including substantially horizontal support means for receiving one page and the corresponding side of a book, said housing further including a supporting surface extending diagonallY downward from said exposing station horizontal support means for receiving the facing page and corresponding opposite side of a book, and an upward-projecting blade supported between said exposing station horizontal support means and said diagonally downward-supporting surface and adapted to be received in the binding of a book to insure proper positioning and support of a book.

Claim 9

A photocopying machine particularly for books comprising a housing, an exposing station at the top of said housing and relatively toward one side thereof, a copy delivery station at the top of said housing adjacent said exposing station and relatively adjacent the opposite side of said housing, a paper storage safe in said housing, an exposure station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said safe to said exposure station, an optical system in said housing for projecting an image of material to be copied from said exposing station onto a surface of said paper at said exposure station, a developing station in said housing, means for feeding paper from said exposure station to said developing station with the exposed surface of said paper facing downwardly, said developing station including distributing means providing a layer of liquid toner, such that said toner is applied to the exposed surface only with the opposite surface of said paper remaining substantially dry, said toner being applied in substantial amounts to develop said exposed surface while precluding harmful engagement of said surface with said distributing means, and a relatively short path leading from said developing station to said delivery station, said exposing station including substantially horizontal support means for receiving one page and the corresponding side of a book, said housing further including a supporting surface extending diagonallY downward from said exposing station horizontal support means for receiving the facing page and corresponding opposite side of a book, and an upward-projecting blade supported between said exposing station horizontal support means and said diagonally downward-supporting surface and adapted to be received in the binding of a book to insure proper positioning and support of a book.