Platen transport for automatic document handler

Claim 2

In a document handling apparatus for moving documents into copying position on the platen of a document copying machine, the combination of: a flexible document transport belt; a pair of interior support rolls about which said belt is operatively disposed, said support rolls being spaced apart to support said transport belt opposite to and extending across at least a portion of said platen; means for rotatably supporting each of said rolls so that the surface of said transport belt therearound is spaced slightly above the plane of said platen whereby said belt operating run adjacent said rolls is spaced above and out of document driving relationship with said platen; a register edge movable into and out of the document path adjacent said platen; and internal pressure means adapted to force a line portion of said belt operating run downwards towards said register edge into document driving relationship with said register edge when said register edge is in the document path for positively driving documents onto said platen between said register edge and the line portion of said belt thereagainst, normal sag in said transport belt allowing said belt to contact said platen between said support rolls for moving the document across said platen while preventing contact of the platen belt with the platen glass adjacent said register edge.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said internal pressure means is adapted to force a line portion of said belt operating run downward into contact with said platen glass when said register edge is moved out of the document path to provide a driving force between said belt and said glass for driving said document off of the platen.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 2 in which said internal pressure means includes a pressure roll interiorly of said belt engageable with said inside wall of said belt operating run.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 3 in which said internal pressure means includes spring means to bias said pressure roll toward said platen.

Claim 6

In an apparatus for supporting a document transport belt of an automatic document handling device adapted for use with a copying machine having a relatively flat platen surface on which the document to be copied is positioned for copying purposes, the combination of: internal roller means for supporting said belt therearound such that an operating run of said belt is stretched across said platen surface, said roller means including belt support rollers adjacent the side boundaries of said platen surface with said belt operating run extending therebetween across said platen surface; means for rotatably supporTing each of said belt rollers in substantially parallel relationship such that the surface of said belt at the periphery of said rollers is spaced slightly above the plane of the platen surface; a register edge movable into and out of the document path, said register edge being movable into the document path after a document is removed from the platen, movement of a document over the register edge onto the platen and subsequent reversal of the platen belt causing the document to be forced against the register edge and properly located on the platen, movement of the register edge out of the document path and operation of the platen belt in the reverse direction causing the document to be moved off of the platen; and at least one pressure roller disposed opposite said platen surface between said support rollers for contact with said belt operating run to force the portion of said belt riding thereagainst downwardly against said register edge when said register edge is disposed in the document path for driving the document between said belt and said register edge onto the platen, contact of said register edge by said belt preventing contact of the platen by said belt adjacent said pressure roller, the axis of said pressure roller being substantially parallel with the axis of said belt support rollers, movement of said register edge out of the document path allowing said pressure roller to force the portion of said belt riding thereagainst downwardly into engagement with the document on said platen surface to provide driving engagement between said portion of said belt and said document for moving said document off of the platen.

Claim 7

In an apparatus for supporting a document transport belt of an automatic document handling device adapted for use with a copying machine having a relatively flat platen surface on which the document to be copied is positioned for copying purposes, the combination of: internal roller means for supporting said belt therearound such that an operating run of said belt is stretched across said platen surface, said roller means including belt support rollers adjacent the side boundaries of said platen surface with said belt operating run extending therebetween across said platen surface; means for rotatably supporTing each of said belt rollers in substantially parallel relationship such that the surface of said belt at the periphery of said rollers is spaced slightly above the plane of the platen surface; a register edge movable into and out of the document path, said register edge being movable into the document path after a document is removed from the platen, movement of a document over the register edge onto the platen and subsequent reversal of the platen belt causing the document to be forced against the register edge and properly located on the platen, movement of the register edge out of the document path and operation of the platen belt in the reverse direction causing the document to be moved off of the platen; and at least one pressure roller disposed opposite said platen surface between said support rollers for contact with said belt operating run to force the portion of said belt riding thereagainst downwardly against said register edge when said register edge is disposed in the document path for driving the document between said belt and said register edge onto the platen, contact of said register edge by said belt preventing contact of the platen by said belt adjacent said pressure roller, the axis of said pressure roller being substantially parallel with the axis of said belt support rollers, movement of said register edge out of the document path allowing said pressure roller to force the portion of said belt riding thereagainst downwardly into engagement with the document on said platen surface to provide driving engagement between said portion of said belt and said document for moving said document off of the platen.