Facsimile apparatus

Claim 2

A facsimile system comprising: a document-carrying drum having at least one surface discontinuity extending parallel to the axis of said drum; means for mounting said drum for rotational motion about said drum axis; means for driving said drum through said rotational motion about said drum axis; a reading head; means for supporting said reading head for movement along the surface of said drum in a direction parallel to said axis of said drum; fiber optic scanning means mounted in a fixed position on said head for detecting the information content on a document carried by said drum; and means for biasing said head toward said drum to allow said head to ride on the document carried by said drum thereby maintaining a fixed distance between said document and said fiber optic scanning means.

Claim 3

The facsimile system of claim 1 wherein said discontinuity comprises a slot for receiving the edge of a document.

Claim 4

The facsimile system of claim 1 wherein said fiber optic scanning means comprises a plurality of fiber optics, at least one of said fiber optics transmitting light to said drum so as to illuminate the information content on said document and at least one other of said fiber optics transmitting light reflected from said document representing the information content of the document.

Claim 5

The facsimile system of claim 3 wherein said means for supporting said head comprises a single shaft, said means for biasing said head toward said drum causing said head to pivot about said shaft into contact with the document carried by said drum.

Claim 6

The facsimile system of claim 4 including drive means coupled to said single shaft for rotation thereof, said head including means engaging said rotating shaft for advancing said head along said shaft.

Claim 7

The facsimile system of claim 5 wherein said means for advancing said head comprises roller means engaging said shaft, said roller means having axes slightly skewed with respect to the axis of said shaft so as tO cause said head to advance as said shaft rotates.

Claim 8

The facsimile system of claim 6 wherein said roller means comprises a plurality of rollers, said head comprising separable portions forming an opening receiving said shaft at the junction therebetween, each of said portions having at least one of said rollers mounted thereon, said head further comprising bias means for maintaining said separable portions in close proximity so as to maintain said rollers in contact with said shaft under facsimile operating conditions.

Claim 9

The facsimile system of claim 7 further comprising release means for overcoming said bias means so as to separate said separable portions and thereby permit said head to slide more freely on said shaft without substantial resistance from said rollers.

Claim 10

The facsimile system of claim 8 wherein said head further comprises stylus means for marking on a copy medium carried by said drum when said system is utilized in the receiving mode, said head further comprising means for cutting the copy medium along a line parallel with the axis of the drum and cutter support means permitting said cutting means to be selectively brought into cutting engagement with the copy medium, said cutter support means actuating said release means to overcome said bias means when said cutting means is brought into engagement with the copy medium.

Claim 11

A facsimile system comprising: a document-carrying drum comprising a substantially cylindrical surface including at least one discontinuity in said surface extending substantially parallel to the axis of the drum for receiving an edge of the document; means for mounting said drum for rotational motion about the axis of the drum; motor means coupled to said mounting means for driving said drum through rotational motion about the drum axis; a reading head comprising fiber optic scanning means including a plurality of fiber optics, at least one of said fiber optics transmitting light to said document so as to illuminate the information content on the document and at least one other of said fiber optics transmitting light reflected from the document representing the information content of the document, said head comprising a surface adapted to contact said document and bridge said discontinuity; means for mounting said head with said contact surface juxtaposed to the document of said drum; and means for biasing said head toward said drum so as to force said contact surface into contact with the document, said head riding on said document during scanning so as to maintain a substantially fixed distance between the ends of the fiber optics and the document including portions thereof adjacent but not received by said discontinuity.

Claim 12

A facsimile system comprising: a document-carrying drum comprising a substantially cylindrical surface including at least one discontinuity in said surface extending substantially parallel to the axis of the drum for receiving an edge of the document; means for mounting said drum for rotational motion about the axis of the drum; motor means coupled to said mounting means for driving said drum through rotational motion about the drum axis; a reading head comprising fiber optic scanning means including a plurality of fiber optics, at least one of said fiber optics transmitting light to said document so as to illuminate the information content on the document and at least one other of said fiber optics transmitting light reflected from the document representing the information content of the document, said head comprising a surface adapted to contact said document and bridge said discontinuity; means for mounting said head with said contact surface juxtaposed to the document of said drum; and means for biasing said head toward said drum so as to force said contact surface into contact with the document, said head riding on said document during scanning so as to maintain a substantially fixed distance between the ends of the fiber optics and the document including portions thereof adjacent but not received by said discontinuity.

Claim 13

The facsimile system of claim 10 wherein said discontinuity comprises a slot for receiving the edge of a document.

Claim 14

The facsimile system of claim 10 wherein said biasing means comprises resilient means forcing said contact surface of said reading head into contact with the document.

Claim 15

The facsimile system of claim 10 wherein the area of the document in optical communication with said fiber optics and the area of the document contacted by the contact surface are on a line substantially parallel with the axis of the drum and the axial discontinuity in the surface of the drum and substantially perpendicular to the motion of the document.

Claim 16

The facsimile system of claim 13 wherein said contact surface comprises part of an arcuate surface of said head juxtaposed to the document on said drum.