Sequencer device for controlling web replacement in electrophotographic apparatus

Claim 2

In electrophotographic apparatus, having an electrophotosensitive web, and means for moving the electrophotosensitive web along an endless path relative to a plurality of actuable work stations wherein each of the work stations is operative when actuated to perform a work operation on the web, the combination comprising: a. a plurality of actuable work station actuating means; b. web replacement means including: i. web receiving means, ii. first actuable means effective when actuated for disconnecting the electrophotosensitive web on the path from the moving means and for removing such web from the path and feeding such web into said receiving means, and iii. second actuable means effective when actuated for feeding a new electrophotosensitive web along the endless path and for connecting such new web with the moving means; and c. sequencer means effective in a first condition for sequentially actuating particular ones of said plurality of work station actuating means to cause particular ones of the work stations to perform work operations respectively and effective in a second condition for sequentially actuating said first and second means respectively to cause the removal of a web from the path and the replacement of a new web along the path.

Claim 3

In electrophotographic apparatus including an electrophotosensitive web, means for repetitively moving the electrophotosensitive web along an endless path relative to a plurality of actuable work stations wherein each of the work stations is operative when actuated to perform a work operation on the web, web receiving means, first actuable means operative when actuated for disconnecting the electrophotosensitive web on the path from the moving means and for removing the web from the path and feeding the web into the web receiving means, second actuable means for feeding a new electrophotosensitive web along the endless path and for connecting the web with the moving means, the combination comprising: means defining a second predetermined path; a plurality of actuable work station actuating means, each of said work station actuating means being disposed at a predetermined position along the second predetermined path; and means movable along said second predetermined path and effective in a first condition for sequentially actuating particular ones of said plurality of work station actuating means in timed relation to movement of the web along the first predetermined path past predetermined positions along the first path for sequentially actuating the work stations to perform work operations on the web respectively and effective in a second condition for causing the sequential actuation of said first and second actuable means to replace a web along the first path.

Claim 4

In electrophotographic apparatus including an electrophotosensitive web, means for repetitively moving the electrophotosensitive web along an endless path relative to a plurality of actuable work stations wherein each of the work stations is operative when actuated to perform a work operation on the web, web receiving means, first actuable means operative when actuated for disconnecting the electrophotosensitive web on the path from the moving means and for removing the web from the path and feeding the web into the web receiving means, second actuable means for feeding a new electrophotosensitive web along the endless path and for connecting the web with the moving means, the combination comprising: means defining a second predetermined path; a plurality of actuable work station actuating means, each of said work station actuating means being disposed at a predetermined position along the second predetermined path; and means movable along said second predetermined path and effective in a first condition for sequentially actuating particular ones of said plurality of work station actuating means in timed relation to movement of the web along the first predetermined path past predetermined positions along the first path for sequentially actuating the work stations to perform work operations on the web respectively and effective in a second condition for causing the sequential actuation of said first and second actuable means to replace a web along the first path.