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US3782820A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Combined reading and enlarging apparatus for microfilm

Assignee: Agfa Gevaert AG
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Filing: 1972-01-10
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Granted: 1974-01-01
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Expires: 1992-01-10
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Abstract

Abstract A combined reading and enlarging apparatus for microfilm wherein the screen of the reader is located in the front wall and the enlarger is mounted in the upper portion of the housing. The enlarger employs guide rolls which transport freshly cut sheets of ZnO paper in a horizontal plane wherein the sheets are exposed to light passing through that frame of microfilm whose image is projected onto the screen, and there-upon along a looped path spaced sections of which intersect each other and wherein the freshly exposed sheets travel through a developing liquid confined in a tank and filling a gradually widening passage between the concave internal surface of the tank and the convex surface of a developing electrode. The length of that portion of the path which extends from and back to the point of intersection between the spaced sections of the path exceeds the length of a sheet, and the sheets which leave the tank to travel toward the point of intersection move upwardly to facilitate the removal of developing liquid. Each freshly exposed, developed and dried sheet is caused to slide along an inclined discharging surface to emerge through an outlet in a side wall of the housing. An intermediate section of the path wherein the sheets advance during travel through the developing liquid is configurated in such a way that the image-bearing sides of the sheets face the convex surface of the electrode and, a nozzle of the enlarger discharges developing liquid onto such sides of the sheets to keep them out of contact with the electrode.

Inventors

  • 👤 E Kohn
  • 👤 H Bickl
  • 👤 J Pfeifer
  • 👤 H Schrecke

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 22:24
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/06; G03G15/10; G03B; G03B21/00; G03B21/10; G03B21/11; G03B21/118

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 255 words
In a combined reading and enlarging apparatus for microfilm, a combination comprising a housing having a front portion and an upper portion; a reader mounted in said housing and having a screen positioned in said front portion to receive enlarged microfilmed images; and an enlarger including first guide means mounted in said upper portion of said housing for maintaining image-receiving sheets of predetermined length in a predetermined plane for exposure of such sheets to light passing through microfilm whose image is being projected onto said screen, second guide means mounted in said upper portion of said housing and defining for exposed sheets in said housing an elongated looped path having a first section which receives exposed sheets from said plane, an arcuate second section and an upwardly extending third section intersecting said first section, the length of said path from and back to the point of intersection between said first and third sections being at least equal to said predetermined length, a vessel adjacent to said second section, means for maintaining in said vessel a supply of developing material through which exposed sheets pass during travel along said second section, each exposed sheet having an image-bearing side which faces away from said vessel during travel of exposed sheets along said second section of said path, and developing electrode means adjacent to said second section of said path opposite said vessel, said means for maintaining in said vessel a supply of developing material comprising nozzle means arranged to discharge onto said image-bearing sides a liquid developer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 255 words
In a combined reading and enlarging apparatus for microfilm, a combination comprising a housing having a front portion and an upper portion; a reader mounted in said housing and having a screen positioned in said front portion to receive enlarged microfilmed images; and an enlarger including first guide means mounted in said upper portion of said housing for maintaining image-receiving sheets of predetermined length in a predetermined plane for exposure of such sheets to light passing through microfilm whose image is being projected onto said screen, second guide means mounted in said upper portion of said housing and defining for exposed sheets in said housing an elongated looped path having a first section which receives exposed sheets from said plane, an arcuate second section and an upwardly extending third section intersecting said first section, the length of said path from and back to the point of intersection between said first and third sections being at least equal to said predetermined length, a vessel adjacent to said second section, means for maintaining in said vessel a supply of developing material through which exposed sheets pass during travel along said second section, each exposed sheet having an image-bearing side which faces away from said vessel during travel of exposed sheets along said second section of said path, and developing electrode means adjacent to said second section of said path opposite said vessel, said means for maintaining in said vessel a supply of developing material comprising nozzle means arranged to discharge onto said image-bearing sides a liquid developer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said screen is located in a substantially vertical plane and said predetermined plane is substantially horizontal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said predetermined plane is located at a level above said screen and said housing further comprises a lower portion, said reader further comprising a light source and optical elements mounted in said lower portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and third sections of said path are substantially straight and said seCond section extends along an arc of at least 180*.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising a supply of ZnO paper in said housing, and means for severing such paper to thus form said image-receiving sheets.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
A combination as defined in claim 5, further comprising means for electrostatically charging said paper upstream of said predetermined plane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 30 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the width of at least a portion of said second section of said path increases in the direction toward said third section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 31 words
A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said portion of said second section is flanked by the internal surface of said vessel and a convex surface of said electrode means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 26 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein further comprising means for removing liquid from exposed and developed sheets in said third section of said path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 24 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for receiving exposed and developed sheets downstream of said third section of said path.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said guide means comprises pairs of intermittently driven rollers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 284 words
In a combined reading and enlarging apparatus for microfilm, a combination comprising a housing having a front portion and an upper portion; a reader mounted in said housing and having a screen positioned in said front portion to receive enlarged microfilm images; and an enlarger including first guide means mounted in said upper portion of said housing for maintaining image-receiving sheets of predetermined length in a predetermined plane for exposure to such sheets to light passing through microfilm whose image is being projected onto said screen, second guide means mounted in said upper portion of said housing and defining for exposed sheets in said housing an elongated looped path having a first section which receives exposed sheets from said plane, an arcuate second section and an upwardly extending third section intersecting said first section, the length of said path from and back to the point of intersection between said first and third sections being at least equal to said predetermined length, a vessel adjacent to said second section, means for maintaining in said vessel a supply of developing material through which exposed sheets pass during travel along said second section, and developing electrode means extending into said vessel so that exposed sheets advancing along said second section of said path pass between said vessel and said electrode means, said electrode means having a convex surface facing said second section of said path and said means for maintaining in said vessel a supply of developing material comprising nozzle means for discharging liquid developer between said convex surface and said vessel, each exposed sheet having an image-bearing side which faces away from said vessel during travel of exposed sheets along said second section of said path.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 284 words
In a combined reading and enlarging apparatus for microfilm, a combination comprising a housing having a front portion and an upper portion; a reader mounted in said housing and having a screen positioned in said front portion to receive enlarged microfilm images; and an enlarger including first guide means mounted in said upper portion of said housing for maintaining image-receiving sheets of predetermined length in a predetermined plane for exposure to such sheets to light passing through microfilm whose image is being projected onto said screen, second guide means mounted in said upper portion of said housing and defining for exposed sheets in said housing an elongated looped path having a first section which receives exposed sheets from said plane, an arcuate second section and an upwardly extending third section intersecting said first section, the length of said path from and back to the point of intersection between said first and third sections being at least equal to said predetermined length, a vessel adjacent to said second section, means for maintaining in said vessel a supply of developing material through which exposed sheets pass during travel along said second section, and developing electrode means extending into said vessel so that exposed sheets advancing along said second section of said path pass between said vessel and said electrode means, said electrode means having a convex surface facing said second section of said path and said means for maintaining in said vessel a supply of developing material comprising nozzle means for discharging liquid developer between said convex surface and said vessel, each exposed sheet having an image-bearing side which faces away from said vessel during travel of exposed sheets along said second section of said path.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3100432A Cited
US3183768A Cited
US3511564A Cited
US3442254A Cited
US3500734A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-12-31 1977-07-02 1978-01-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-12-31 1981-07-02 1982-01-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-12-31 1985-07-02 1986-01-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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