Copy sheet transport apparatus

Claim 1

In an electrostatic copying machine equipped with charging, exposing and developing stations for imaging a photoconductive member having a photoconductive surface and means for transporting the photoconductive member between said stations, the combination comprising: first conveyor means for transporting a charged member from the charging station to the exposure station with the photoconductive surface of said member facing in the first direction where said surface is imparted an electrostatic charge pattern, second conveyor means for feeding said member to a developing station with said member facing in a second direction opposite to said first direction, third conveyor means for transporting said member from said exposure station to said developing station and being adapted to receive said member with its photoconductive surface in direct contact with the surface of the third conveyor means, said third conveyor means being constructed of a base material having deposited thereon a layer of a piled or brush-like configuration of fibers selected from the group consisting of nylon, dacron, and orlon, said charge pattern bearing photoconductive surface of said member being directly supported by said piled fibers above the base material thereby preserving the charge pattern on said photoconductive surface.

Claim 13

An apparatus for making copies of an original electrostatically on copy sheet material transported along a copy sheet path sequentially past a charging station whereat a uniform charge is applied to a surface of said sheet material, an exposure station whereat said charged surface is exposed to a pattern of light and shadow in accordance with said original to produce a latent image on said surface, and a developing station whereat electroscopic toner powder is applied to said surface for development of said latent image, transport means for transporting said imaged copy sheet material from said exposure station to said developing station substantially without dissipation of said charge image, said transport means including an endless belt mounted on a plurality of roller members providing a vertical and a first horizontal span of said belt over the path of movement, said copy sheet material being retained on said vertical span of the belt during exposure with said charged surface facing in a direction away from said belt, a second endless belt mounted for movement in a continuous path provided with a second horizontal span in contiguous contacting relation with said first horizontal span, said copy material being transported in sandwiched fashion between said belts with the changed surface thereof in contacting relation with said second belt, said second endless belt being formed of a piled or brush-like, non-conductive, moisture resistant, said material providing a minimum area of contact with the charged surface of said material thereby minimizing dissipation of the charge on said copy material as said copy material passes from said vertical position to said horizontal position.

Claim 14

An apparatus for making copies of an original electrostatically on copy sheet material transported along a copy sheet path sequentially past a charging station whereat a uniform charge is applied to a surface of said sheet material, an exposure station whereat said charged surface is exposed to a pattern of light and shadow in accordance with said original to produce a latent image on said surface, and a developing station whereat electroscopic toner powder is applied to said surface for development of said latent image, transport means for transporting said imaged copy sheet material from said exposure station to said developing station substantially without dissipation of said charge image, said transport means including an endless belt mounted on a plurality of roller members providing a vertical and a first horizontal span of said belt over the path of movement, said copy sheet material being retained on said vertical span of the belt during exposure with said charged surface facing in a direction away from said belt, a second endless belt mounted for movement in a continuous path provided with a second horizontal span in contiguous contacting relation with said first horizontal span, said copy material being transported in sandwiched fashion between said belts with the changed surface thereof in contacting relation with said second belt, said second endless belt being formed of a piled or brush-like, non-conductive, moisture resistant, said material providing a minimum area of contact with the charged surface of said material thereby minimizing dissipation of the charge on said copy material as said copy material passes from said vertical position to said horizontal position.