Microfiche duplicating means

Claim 1

Microfiche duplicator means comprising: a. film holder means for supporting a continuous roll of vesicular copy film; b. metering means for measuring a predetermined length of copy film; c. cutting means for severing the selected length of copy film received from said metering station; d. holder means for receiving a master film and the severed length of copy film whereby the master film and the copy film are oriented in juxtaposition; e. platen means for pressing the master film and the copy film together while in said latter holder means; f. exposure means for exposing the vesicular copy film to a source of high energy radiation to define an abeyant image therein in terms of the image of the master film by the decomposition of the sensitizer compound dispersed in the vehicle of the vesicular copy film; g. copy retrieval means defining a pick up arm for removing the exposed vesicular copy film from said holder means; h. conveyor means for conveying the exposed copy film from said holder means to developer means; i. developer means for conveying and heating the exposed vesicular copy film whereby the abeyant image therein is formed upon the relaxation of the vehicle of the vesicular film; j. chilling and de-curling means including cooling means, film forming means, and conveying means for conveying the heated developed copy film through said film forming means while simultaneously subjecting the developed film to the said cooling means; and k. clearing means for again subjecting the vesicular film to a source of high energy radiation and thereby decompose any undecomposed sensitizer remaining in the developed vesicular copy film.

Claim 5

A method of producing physically flat vesicular microfiche comprising: a. metering a selected length of vesicular copy film; b. severing the selected length of copy film; c. pressing the severed length of copy film in juxtaposition with a master to be copied; d. exposing the vesicular film to a source of high energy radiation to decompose the sensitizer compound dispersed in the vehicle of the vesicular copy film to thereby define an abeyant image therein corresponding to that of the master film; e. conVeying the exposed copy film to heater means; f. heating the exposed copy film to at least the glass transition temperature of the vehicle of the vesicular copy film whereby it is relaxed and vesicles are formed therein by the gas produced upon the decomposition of the sensitizer compound dispersed therein; g. deforming the heated developed vesicular film by passing it through a plane opposite in shape to that of the curl imparted to the film, while simultaneously cooling the film to thereby produce a physically flat microfiche film copy; and h. clearing the film by subjecting it to a source of high energy radiation whereby un-decomposed sensitizer compound remaining therein is decomposed.

Claim 6

A method of producing physically flat vesicular microfiche comprising: a. metering a selected length of vesicular copy film; b. severing the selected length of copy film; c. pressing the severed length of copy film in juxtaposition with a master to be copied; d. exposing the vesicular film to a source of high energy radiation to decompose the sensitizer compound dispersed in the vehicle of the vesicular copy film to thereby define an abeyant image therein corresponding to that of the master film; e. conVeying the exposed copy film to heater means; f. heating the exposed copy film to at least the glass transition temperature of the vehicle of the vesicular copy film whereby it is relaxed and vesicles are formed therein by the gas produced upon the decomposition of the sensitizer compound dispersed therein; g. deforming the heated developed vesicular film by passing it through a plane opposite in shape to that of the curl imparted to the film, while simultaneously cooling the film to thereby produce a physically flat microfiche film copy; and h. clearing the film by subjecting it to a source of high energy radiation whereby un-decomposed sensitizer compound remaining therein is decomposed.