US3861306A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combined electrostatic-lithographic duplicating process and apparatus
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1974-03-21
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Granted: 1975-01-21
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Expires: 1994-03-21
Abstract
Abstract A combined electrostatic-lithographic duplicating process and apparatus is disclosed in which an electrostatic master copy of an original document is made in a zerographic copying unit and the master copy is subsequently converted to a lithographic master from which ink copies are made in a lithograph press. The process is carried out as a continuous operation from the making of the electrostatic master copy through the making of the lithographic ink copies in a series of interrelated steps. Also disclosed is a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the above process in which the various instrumentalities for performing the specific steps of the process are so interrelated and arranged that the entire process is carried out by the apparatus disclosed in a continuous operation. The various instrumentalities are modular in construction to facilitate shipping, service and replacement of components.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Clark Dubois
- 👤 Jr Philip Pollak
- 👤 William A Ross
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 13:38
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41L; B41L17/00; B41L17/08; B41L17/12; G; G03; G03G; G03G13/00; G03G13/26; G03G13/28; G03G15/00; G03G15/22; G03G15/228
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
A METHOD OF MAKING MULTIPLE LITHOGRAPHIC COPIES OF AN ORIGINAL DOCUMENT COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. PROVIDING A SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MASTER MATERIAL COMPRISING A LAYER OF PHOTOCONDUCTIVE MATERIAL ON A CONDUCTIVE SUBSTRATE, B. UNIFORMLY ELECTROSTATICALLY CHARGING THE MASTER SHEET, C. THEREAFTER EXPOSING THE MASTER SHEET BY SUBJECTING THE MASTER SHEET TO PATTERN OF ILLUNINATION CORRESPONDING IN CONTRAST TO THE IMAGE OF INDICIA ON AN ORIGINAL DOCUMENT TO BE COPIED, THEREBY LEAVING A LATENT ELECTROSTATIC IMAGE OF THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT ON SAID MASTER SHEET, D. THEREAFTER DEVELOPING THE LATENT ELECTROSTATIC IMAGE BY APPLYING ELECTROSTATICALLY ATTRACTABLE TONER PARTICLES TO THE LANTENT IMAGE ON SAID MASTER SHEET, E. THEREAFTER MOVING THE MASTER SHEET THROUGH AN ORIENTING ZONE IN WHICH THE MASTER SHEET IS PROPERLY ALIGNED , BOTH LONGITUDINALLY AND LATERALLY, WITH REPECT TO THE MASTER CYLINDER OF A ROTARY PRINTING PRESS, AFTER WHICH THE MASTER SHEET IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE ORIENTING ZONE TO THE MASTER CYLINDER, F. THEREAFTER APPLYING AN ETCHING SOLUTION TO THE MASTER SHEET WHILE THE LATTER IS HELD TO THE MASTER CYLINDER TO RENDER THE NON-IMAGE AREAS OF THE MASTER SHEET HYDROPHILIC, G. SEQUENTIALLY APPALYING A MOISETEING FLUID AND LITHOGRAPHIC INK TO THE MASTER SHEET DURING ROTATION OF THE MASTER CYLINDER, AND H. SEQUENTLY FEEDING COPY SHEETS FROM A SUPPLY THEREOF TO A TRANSFER ZONE WHEREIN INK DEPOSITED ON THE IMAGE AREAS OF A MASTER SHEET IS TRANSFERRED TO THE COPY SHEET.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
233 words
A METHOD OF MAKING MULTIPLE LITHOGRAPHIC COPIES OF AN ORIGINAL DOCUMENT COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. PROVIDING A SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MASTER MATERIAL COMPRISING A LAYER OF PHOTOCONDUCTIVE MATERIAL ON A CONDUCTIVE SUBSTRATE, B. UNIFORMLY ELECTROSTATICALLY CHARGING THE MASTER SHEET, C. THEREAFTER EXPOSING THE MASTER SHEET BY SUBJECTING THE MASTER SHEET TO PATTERN OF ILLUNINATION CORRESPONDING IN CONTRAST TO THE IMAGE OF INDICIA ON AN ORIGINAL DOCUMENT TO BE COPIED, THEREBY LEAVING A LATENT ELECTROSTATIC IMAGE OF THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT ON SAID MASTER SHEET, D. THEREAFTER DEVELOPING THE LATENT ELECTROSTATIC IMAGE BY APPLYING ELECTROSTATICALLY ATTRACTABLE TONER PARTICLES TO THE LANTENT IMAGE ON SAID MASTER SHEET, E. THEREAFTER MOVING THE MASTER SHEET THROUGH AN ORIENTING ZONE IN WHICH THE MASTER SHEET IS PROPERLY ALIGNED , BOTH LONGITUDINALLY AND LATERALLY, WITH REPECT TO THE MASTER CYLINDER OF A ROTARY PRINTING PRESS, AFTER WHICH THE MASTER SHEET IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE ORIENTING ZONE TO THE MASTER CYLINDER, F. THEREAFTER APPLYING AN ETCHING SOLUTION TO THE MASTER SHEET WHILE THE LATTER IS HELD TO THE MASTER CYLINDER TO RENDER THE NON-IMAGE AREAS OF THE MASTER SHEET HYDROPHILIC, G. SEQUENTIALLY APPALYING A MOISETEING FLUID AND LITHOGRAPHIC INK TO THE MASTER SHEET DURING ROTATION OF THE MASTER CYLINDER, AND H. SEQUENTLY FEEDING COPY SHEETS FROM A SUPPLY THEREOF TO A TRANSFER ZONE WHEREIN INK DEPOSITED ON THE IMAGE AREAS OF A MASTER SHEET IS TRANSFERRED TO THE COPY SHEET.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the exposing of the master sheet is accomplished by non-uniform illuminating the original document from a source of high intensity flash illumination while moving the master sheet through the light pattern reflected from the original document.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
132 words
means for feeding the sheet of master material through said series of processing instrumentalities, C. a second upstanding, generally rectangular frame, D. a sheet conveying structure mounted in said second frame, said conveying structure having means defining an inlet end and an outlet end and wherein the orientation of said conveying structure in said second frame is such that said inlet end of said conveying structure is disposed proximate said outlet of said developing apparatus when said first and second frames are connected together, E. a copy paper storing and feeding apparatus mounted in said second frame, said apparatus having means for feeding sheets of copy paper seriatim from a supply thereof, F. a third upstanding, generally rectangular frame, G. a lithographic press mounted in said third frame, said lithographic press having
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
132 words
means for feeding the sheet of master material through said series of processing instrumentalities, C. a second upstanding, generally rectangular frame, D. a sheet conveying structure mounted in said second frame, said conveying structure having means defining an inlet end and an outlet end and wherein the orientation of said conveying structure in said second frame is such that said inlet end of said conveying structure is disposed proximate said outlet of said developing apparatus when said first and second frames are connected together, E. a copy paper storing and feeding apparatus mounted in said second frame, said apparatus having means for feeding sheets of copy paper seriatim from a supply thereof, F. a third upstanding, generally rectangular frame, G. a lithographic press mounted in said third frame, said lithographic press having
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
guide means defining a first inlet into said press for receiving the sheet of master material from said sheet conveying structure,
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
guide means defining a first inlet into said press for receiving the sheet of master material from said sheet conveying structure,
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the developing of the latent electrostatic image is accomplished by passing the master sheet through a developing solution of electrostatically attractable toner particles suspended in an insulating carrier liquid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
guide means defining a second inlet into said press for receiving the sheets of copy paper from said copy paper feeding apparatus, and wherein the orientation of said lithographic press in said third frame and the orientation of said conveying structure and said copy paper feeding apparatus in said second frame are such that said first and second inlets to said lithographic press are disposed proximate said outlet from said conveying structure and said copy paper feeding apparatus respectively when said second and third frames are connected together.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
guide means defining a second inlet into said press for receiving the sheets of copy paper from said copy paper feeding apparatus, and wherein the orientation of said lithographic press in said third frame and the orientation of said conveying structure and said copy paper feeding apparatus in said second frame are such that said first and second inlets to said lithographic press are disposed proximate said outlet from said conveying structure and said copy paper feeding apparatus respectively when said second and third frames are connected together.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
257 words
A method of making multiple lithographic copies of an original document comprising the steps of: A. providing a flexible master copy sheet having a layer of photoconductive material on a conductive substrate, B. uniformly electrostatically charging the master sheet, C. thereafter exposing the master sheet by illuminating the original document from a source of high intensity flash illumination while moving the master sheet through the light pattern reflected from the original document, thereby leaving a right reading latent electrostatic image of the original document on said master sheet, D. thereafter developing the latent electrostatic image by passing the master sheet through a developing solution of electrostatically attractable toner particles suspended in an insulating carrier liquid, E. thereafter moving the master sheet through an orienting zone in which the master sheet is properly aligned, both longitudinally and laterally, with respect to the master cylinder of an offset printing press, after which the master sheet is transferred from the orienting zone to the master cylinder, F. thereafter applying an etching solution to the master sheet while the latter is held to the master cylinder to render the non-image areas of the master sheet hydrophilic and the image areas oleophilic, G. sequentially applying a moistening fluid and lithographic ink to the master sheet during rotation of the master cylinder and transferring reverse reading images to a blanket roll, and H. sequentially feeding copy sheets from a supply thereof between the blanket roll and an impression cylinder to transfer the reveRse ink images from the blanket roll to the copy sheets.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
257 words
A method of making multiple lithographic copies of an original document comprising the steps of: A. providing a flexible master copy sheet having a layer of photoconductive material on a conductive substrate, B. uniformly electrostatically charging the master sheet, C. thereafter exposing the master sheet by illuminating the original document from a source of high intensity flash illumination while moving the master sheet through the light pattern reflected from the original document, thereby leaving a right reading latent electrostatic image of the original document on said master sheet, D. thereafter developing the latent electrostatic image by passing the master sheet through a developing solution of electrostatically attractable toner particles suspended in an insulating carrier liquid, E. thereafter moving the master sheet through an orienting zone in which the master sheet is properly aligned, both longitudinally and laterally, with respect to the master cylinder of an offset printing press, after which the master sheet is transferred from the orienting zone to the master cylinder, F. thereafter applying an etching solution to the master sheet while the latter is held to the master cylinder to render the non-image areas of the master sheet hydrophilic and the image areas oleophilic, G. sequentially applying a moistening fluid and lithographic ink to the master sheet during rotation of the master cylinder and transferring reverse reading images to a blanket roll, and H. sequentially feeding copy sheets from a supply thereof between the blanket roll and an impression cylinder to transfer the reveRse ink images from the blanket roll to the copy sheets.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A duplicating apparatus comprising: A. a first upstanding, generally rectangular frame, B. a copying apparatus mounted in said first frame, said copying apparatus having
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A duplicating apparatus comprising: A. a first upstanding, generally rectangular frame, B. a copying apparatus mounted in said first frame, said copying apparatus having
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A duplicating apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first, second and third frames include means for removably connecting said frames to each other.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
72 words
A duplicating apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first frame includes bracket means secured to said first frame, said bracket means including supporting members extending from said first frame into the space defined by said second frame, said developing unit being mounted on said supporting members whereby said developing unit is supported in said space defined by said second frame when said first and second frames are connected together.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
105 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said lithographic press includes a pair of support plates mounted in said third frame on which said processing instrumentalities are mounted, said plates having lateral extensions located adjacent the upper end of said support plates and which extend into the space defined by said second frame when said second and third frames are connected together, and wherein said guide means defining said first inlet into said press for receiving master material is mounted on said extensions of said support plates so as to overlie said copy paper storing and feeding apparatus mounted in said second frame.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3426678A
Cited
US3648603A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-20 | 1978-07-22 | 1979-01-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-20 | 1982-07-22 | 1983-01-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-20 | 1986-07-22 | 1987-01-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |