Microfiche duplicating apparatus

Claim 2

A microfiche duplicating machine comprising: a storage station for storing a roll of unexposed film; means for intermittently feeding the unexposed film from the stored roll along a path past an exposure station, a developer station, and then to a cutoff station; an exposure station; means at the exposure station for placing a microfiche master in juxtaposition with a portion of the unexposed film; an energy source at the exposure station for exposing the section of unexposed film juxtaposed with the microfiche master; a developer station along the path and adjacent the exposure station for developing the exposed film section; means for cutting off the developed section of film from the balance of the film strip; and the means for placing the microfiche master in juxtaposition with a portion of the unexposed film comprising a microfiche master holding tray having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section hingedly connected to the lower section, and including means for moving one of said trays laterally relative to the other so that the upper tray moves upward on the hinges to press the microfiche master against the unexposed film.

Claim 3

The duplicating machine of claim 1 and wherein the developer station for developing the exposed film comprises: a pressure pad for pressing the exposed film against a cooperating developing chamber, and including heating means in the pressure pad for heating the surface of the pad which is in contact with the film.

Claim 4

The duplicating machine of claim 1 and including means for collecting the cut off section of film.

Claim 5

The duplicating machine of claim 1 and wherein the intermittent feeding means includes means for advancing the film intermittently a sufficient distance to permit multiple fiche images to be developed in the film with no spacing between the fiche.

Claim 6

The duplicating machine of claim 2 wherein the surface of the pressure pad has a plurality of holes therein for venting of air entrapped between the pad surface and the film.

Claim 7

The duplicating machine of claim 2 wherein the surface of the pressure pad has a coating thereon of material of lower thermal conductivity than the material of the pad so that the coating acts as a thermal impedance.

Claim 8

The duplicating machine of claim 2 wherein the surface of the pressure pad has a Teflon coating thereon.

Claim 9

A machine for making duplicate microfiche comprising: a holder for a roll of unexposed film; a dancer roll for maintaining constant tension on the film as it is fed from the roll through the machine; an exposure station wherein a microfiche master may be juxtaposed with a section of the film fed from the roll for transferring the image from the master to a section of the unexposed film; a microfiche master feeding tray assembly, said tray slideable along an axis perpendicular to the film being fed through the machine, said tray having means for securing a microfiche master thereto, and means for pressing the microfiche master and unexposed film together at the exposure station, said tray having an upper platen carrier and a lower platen carrier pivotally connected together at a plurality at parallel pivot points and including means for moving one of the carriers relative to the other along the pivotal connections so that the carriers move apart; a developing station adjacent the exposure station for developing the latent image in the section of the film after exposure; cut off means for cutting the exposed and developed section of film from the balance of the roll; feeding means for intermittently advancing the film from the roll holder through the exposure station, the developing station, and to the cut off means; and control means for determining the number of copies of the microfiche master to be made by advancing the film incrementally sufficiently to feed the final exposed section through the developing station and the cut off station.

Claim 10

A machine for making duplicate microfiche comprising: a holder for a roll of unexposed film; a dancer roll for maintaining constant tension on the film as it is fed from the roll through the machine; an exposure station wherein a microfiche master may be juxtaposed with a section of the film fed from the roll for transferring the image from the master to a section of the unexposed film; a microfiche master feeding tray assembly, said tray slideable along an axis perpendicular to the film being fed through the machine, said tray having means for securing a microfiche master thereto, and means for pressing the microfiche master and unexposed film together at the exposure station, said tray having an upper platen carrier and a lower platen carrier pivotally connected together at a plurality at parallel pivot points and including means for moving one of the carriers relative to the other along the pivotal connections so that the carriers move apart; a developing station adjacent the exposure station for developing the latent image in the section of the film after exposure; cut off means for cutting the exposed and developed section of film from the balance of the roll; feeding means for intermittently advancing the film from the roll holder through the exposure station, the developing station, and to the cut off means; and control means for determining the number of copies of the microfiche master to be made by advancing the film incrementally sufficiently to feed the final exposed section through the developing station and the cut off station.