Copier-duplicator machine providing for photoelectrostatic master from which copies are made

Claim 2

A copier-duplicator apparatus for making copies of an original using a photoconductive master comprising: a master-preparing unit for creating an electrostatic image on the master in accordance with the original, said unit including a first drive means for moving the master through the unit along a path, a copy-producing unit for making copies of the original on copy sheets by developing the electrostatic image with a material and transferring the material to a copy sheet, a rotatable cylinder in the copy-producing unit, said cylinder including securing means for removably attaching the master to the cylinder, the master being fed from said path to the securing means and the cylinder, second drive means for rotating the cylinder, and switch means actuated by the lead edge of the master when the master reaches a predetermined point in said path for rendering said second drive means operative to rotate the cylinder and carry out the copy-producing cycle.

Claim 3

The copier-duplicator apparatus set forth in claim 1 including means controlled by said switch means for terminating operation of said first drive means.

Claim 4

The copier-duplicator apparatus set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of switches in said switch means, and control circuit means for rendering a selected one of switches effective to render said second drive mean effective.

Claim 5

The copier-duplicator apparatus set forth in claim 3 in which the control circuit means includes a manual selector for selecting one of the switches to render the second drive means effective.

Claim 6

A copier-duplicator apparatus for making one or more copies of an original on copy sheets using a master comprising: a rotatable cylinder having securing means for detachably attaching the master to the cylinder, drive means for rotating the cylinder, copy sheet feeding means for feeding a copy sheet to the cylinder to receive a copy of the original from the master during each cycle of rotation of the cylinder, a first control circuit connected to the drive means for operating the drive means to rotate the cylinder, a control means coupled to the first control circuit and operable when copies are to be produced for rendering the first control circuit operative at the conclusion of the master preparation cycle to control operation of the drive motor, a program unit settable to the number of copies desired and operable to count the number of copies made, a secoNd control circuit connected to the drive means for operating the drive means to rotate the cylinder through a single cycle of rotation, and means controlled by the program unit for disabling the first control circuit and for rendering the second control circuit operative for a time sufficient to control the drive means to eject the master when the desired number of copies have been made.

Claim 7

A copier-duplicator apparatus for making one or more copies of an original on copy sheets using a master comprising: a rotatable cylinder having securing means for detachably attaching the master to the cylinder, drive means for rotating the cylinder, copy sheet feeding means for feeding a copy sheet to the cylinder to receive a copy of the original from the master during each cycle of rotation of the cylinder, a first control circuit connected to the drive means for operating the drive means to rotate the cylinder, a control means coupled to the first control circuit and operable when copies are to be produced for rendering the first control circuit operative at the conclusion of the master preparation cycle to control operation of the drive motor, a program unit settable to the number of copies desired and operable to count the number of copies made, a secoNd control circuit connected to the drive means for operating the drive means to rotate the cylinder through a single cycle of rotation, and means controlled by the program unit for disabling the first control circuit and for rendering the second control circuit operative for a time sufficient to control the drive means to eject the master when the desired number of copies have been made.

Claim 8

The apparatus set forth in claim 5 including solenoid controlled means for releasing the securing means on the cylinder, and means in said second control circuit for operating said solenoid controlled means.

Claim 9

A copier-duplicator apparatus using a photoconductive member to produce one or more copies of an original on copy material comprising: a source supply of masters and a master-charging unit, a master-preparing unit for feeding the charged masters through the master-preparing unit to an outlet, flash exposure means for imparting a flash illumination of said original and casting the image to said charged master as it moves along said preparing unit, a copy-producing unit including a rotatable drum to receive the master from the outlet, clamping means to releasably secure the master on the drum, means for developing the electrostatic image on the master to provide a material image which is transferred to the copy material, operating means for operating the clamping means, first switch means disposed in the path of said master for energizing said flash exposure means, second switch means associated with said drum for controlling the positioning of said drum at a home position for receiving said master into said clamping means as said master leaves said outlet, drive means for rotating said cylinder between said home position and a printing condition, control means responsive subsequent to the energization of said flash means for terminating the home-positioning control of said first switch and initiating said printing operation.

Claim 10

A copier-duplicator apparatus using a photoconductive member to produce one or more copies of an original on copy material comprising: a source supply of masters and a master-charging unit, a master-preparing unit for feeding the charged masters through the master-preparing unit to an outlet, flash exposure means for imparting a flash illumination of said original and casting the image to said charged master as it moves along said preparing unit, a copy-producing unit including a rotatable drum to receive the master from the outlet, clamping means to releasably secure the master on the drum, means for developing the electrostatic image on the master to provide a material image which is transferred to the copy material, operating means for operating the clamping means, first switch means disposed in the path of said master for energizing said flash exposure means, second switch means associated with said drum for controlling the positioning of said drum at a home position for receiving said master into said clamping means as said master leaves said outlet, drive means for rotating said cylinder between said home position and a printing condition, control means responsive subsequent to the energization of said flash means for terminating the home-positioning control of said first switch and initiating said printing operation.

Claim 11

A photoelectrostatic copier-duplicator apparatus for producing one or more copies of an original on copy material using a disposable photoconductive master sheet comprising: a master sheet preparation unit including spaced sheet inlet and outlet means, a charging means for charging a master sheet, an exposing means for exposing the charged sheet in accordance with the original to produce an electrostatic image on the sheet, and sheet-feeding means for feeding a master sheet from the inlet means to the outlet means and past the charging means and the exposing means in sequence; a copy-producing unit including a rotatable drum for removably receiving a master sheet discharged from said outlet means, developing means for developing the electrostatic image on the sheet to provide a material image, copy material feeding means for feeding copy material to the drum, transfer means adjacent the drum for transferring the material image from the sheet to the copy material, ejecting means for removing the master sheet from the drum, selector means for selecting the number of copies of the original to be made on the copy material, and drive means for rotating the drum and operating the copy material feeding means; a first control circuit connected to the charging means, exposing means, and sheet-feeding means and including a start means for placing the charging means in operation, for operating the sheet-feeding means to feed a sheet past the charging and exposing means to the outlet means, and for actuating the exposing means to produce an electrostatic image on the sheet; a second control circuit connected to the drive means, the selector means, and the ejecting means and responsive to the discharge of a master sheet from said outlet means to the drum, said second control circuit including means controlled by the discharge of the master sheet from the outlet means to the drum for placing the drive means in operation to rotate the drum through a number of cycles determined by The selector means, said second circuit means also including means controlled by the selector means for operating the ejecting means at the end of said number of cycles to remove the master sheet from the drum; and third circuit means interconnecting the first and second circuit means and responsive to the operation of the second circuit means to disable operation of the first circuit means when the master sheet is discharged from the outlet means and to return the first circuit means to the control of said start means when the ejecting means is operated.

Claim 12

A photoelectrostatic copier-duplicator apparatus for producing one or more copies of an original on copy material using a disposable photoconductive master sheet comprising: a master sheet preparation unit including spaced sheet inlet and outlet means, a charging means for charging a master sheet, an exposing means for exposing the charged sheet in accordance with the original to produce an electrostatic image on the sheet, and sheet-feeding means for feeding a master sheet from the inlet means to the outlet means and past the charging means and the exposing means in sequence; a copy-producing unit including a rotatable drum for removably receiving a master sheet discharged from said outlet means, developing means for developing the electrostatic image on the sheet to provide a material image, copy material feeding means for feeding copy material to the drum, transfer means adjacent the drum for transferring the material image from the sheet to the copy material, ejecting means for removing the master sheet from the drum, selector means for selecting the number of copies of the original to be made on the copy material, and drive means for rotating the drum and operating the copy material feeding means; a first control circuit connected to the charging means, exposing means, and sheet-feeding means and including a start means for placing the charging means in operation, for operating the sheet-feeding means to feed a sheet past the charging and exposing means to the outlet means, and for actuating the exposing means to produce an electrostatic image on the sheet; a second control circuit connected to the drive means, the selector means, and the ejecting means and responsive to the discharge of a master sheet from said outlet means to the drum, said second control circuit including means controlled by the discharge of the master sheet from the outlet means to the drum for placing the drive means in operation to rotate the drum through a number of cycles determined by The selector means, said second circuit means also including means controlled by the selector means for operating the ejecting means at the end of said number of cycles to remove the master sheet from the drum; and third circuit means interconnecting the first and second circuit means and responsive to the operation of the second circuit means to disable operation of the first circuit means when the master sheet is discharged from the outlet means and to return the first circuit means to the control of said start means when the ejecting means is operated.

Claim 13

A copier-duplicator apparatus using a photoconductive member to produce one or more copies of an original on copy sheet material comprising: a source supply of masters and a master-charging unit; a master-preparing unit for preparing and feeding the charged masters through the master-preparing unit to an outlet; exposure means for illuminating said original and casting the image onto said charged master at a predetermined location in said preparing unit; first switch means associated with said master-preparing unit disposed in the path of said master for energizing said charging unit and said illuminating source as the master moves through said unit; a copy-producing unit including a rotatable drum to receive the master from said outlet; clamping means to releasably secure the master on said drum; means for developing an electrostatic image on the master to provide a material image on which transferable images are formed and from which said images are transferred to said copy sheet material; control means for operating the clamping means to an open position adjacent said outlet for receiving the lead edge of the master therein; second switch means disposed in the path of said master adjacent said outlet for actuating said clamp control means to a closed position; and control means for initiating said copy-producing unit responsive to the actuation of said last-named switch including the feeding of copy sheets to the rotating drum to receive the transferable image thereon.

Claim 14

A copier-duplicator apparatus using a photoconductive member to produce one or more copies of an original on copy sheet material comprising: a source supply of masters and a master-charging unit; a master-preparing unit for preparing and feeding the charged masters through the master-preparing unit to an outlet; exposure means for illuminating said original and casting the image onto said charged master at a predetermined location in said preparing unit; first switch means associated with said master-preparing unit disposed in the path of said master for energizing said charging unit and said illuminating source as the master moves through said unit; a copy-producing unit including a rotatable drum to receive the master from said outlet; clamping means to releasably secure the master on said drum; means for developing an electrostatic image on the master to provide a material image on which transferable images are formed and from which said images are transferred to said copy sheet material; control means for operating the clamping means to an open position adjacent said outlet for receiving the lead edge of the master therein; second switch means disposed in the path of said master adjacent said outlet for actuating said clamp control means to a closed position; and control means for initiating said copy-producing unit responsive to the actuation of said last-named switch including the feeding of copy sheets to the rotating drum to receive the transferable image thereon.