Apparatus for copying different size documents in a copying machine

Claim 2

Apparatus for driving the illumination exposure system of a copying machine where the illumination exposure system includes means for scanning a stationary document in a first direction and means for returning the scanning means in the opposite direction to a start position after scanning has been complEted, said apparatus comprising: variable, cyclic timing means for determining (1) a first timing cycle required for said scanning means to scan a first sized document and for said scanning means to be returned to its start position and (2) a second timing cycle required for said scanning means to scan a second sized document smaller than said first sized document and for said scanning means to be returned to its start position, said timing means being responsive to a control signal for initiating each timing cycle to thereby initiate scanning by said scanning means and said timing means being nonresponsive to further control signals until each timing cycle is complete, said variable cyclic timing means comprising (a) a spring cutch, the input side of which is connected to a source of rotative power and the output side of which is removably connected to said driving means via said main shaft, and (b) a first control source for actuating said spring clutch to connect the input and output sides thereof, said spring clutch including means for disconnecting said input and output sides thereof after said output side has been rotated through a predetermined angle; driving means mounted on a main shaft responsive to said timing means for driving said scanning means to scan said stationary document; settable control means for controlling the length of time said driving means is responsive to said timing means so that (1) with a first setting of said settable control means said scanning means scans substantially only the length of said first sized document and is then returned to its starting position and (2) with a second setting thereof said scanning means scans substantially only the length of said second sized document and then is returned to its starting position; second control means responsive to said second setting of said settable control means, said second control means being actuated when scanning of said second sized document is complete to decrease the time it takes for said timing means to complete its timing cycle so that the timing cycle for said second sized document is shorter than that for said first sized document, said second control means comprising a second clutch, the input side of which is responsive to said source of rotative power and the output side of which is connected via a speed multiplying means to said main shaft, said speed multiplying means causing the rotational speed imparted to said main shaft from the output side of said second clutch to be greater than that imparted thereto by said spring clutch where the difference in speed is absorbed in the spring of said spring clutch, said second clutch being actuated by a second control signal source which actuates said second clutch in response to said settable control means when said second sized document has been scanned to thereby accelerate the rotation of the output side of said spring clutch through its predetermined angle of rotation while said scanning means is being returned to said start position, said second clutch being deactuated approximately just before said output side has been rotated through said predetermined angle, whereby the number of said second sized documents that may be copied per unit time is greater than that of said larger first sized documents.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 where said second control means causes that portion of the second sized document timing cycle when the scanning means is returned to its said start position to be substantially the same as the corresponding portion of the first sized document timing cycle.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 1 where said predetermined angle is 360*.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 1 where said driving means includes (a) a drive pulley rotatably mounted on a main shaft connected to said output side of the spring clutch, said pulley being connected to said scanning means, (b) a notched collar fixedly mounted on said main shaft, and (c) a pawl rotatably mounted on said pulley, said pawl releasably engagIng said notched collar so that the rotation of said output side of said spring clutch is transmitted via said main shaft, said collar, said pawl and said pulley to said scanning means for effecting scanning of said stationary document.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 4 where said settable control means comprises a lever which is fixedly positionable in (a) a first lever position so that said lever causes said pawl to be released from the notched collar when said first sized document has been scanned and (b) a second lever position so that said lever causes said pawl to be released from the notched collar when said second sized document has been scanned.

Claim 7

Apparatus for driving the illumination exposure system of a copying machine where the illumination exposure system includes means for scanning a stationary document in a first direction and returning the scanning means in the opposite direction to a start position after scanning has been completed, said apparatus comprising: a spring clutch, the input side of which is connected to a source of rotative power and the output side of which is connected to a main shaft; a first control signal source for actuating said spring clutch to connect the input and output sides thereof, said spring clutch including means for disconnecting said input and output sides thereof after said output side has been rotated through a predetermined angle; a drive pulley rotatably mounted on said main shaft, said pulley being connected to said scanning means; a notched collar fixedly mounted on said main shaft; a pawl rotatably mounted on said pulley, said pawl releasably engaging said notched collar so that the rotation of said output side of said spring clutch is transmitted via said main shaft, said collar, said pawl and said pulley to said scanning means for effecting scanning of said stationary document; a lever which is fixedly positionable in (a) a first lever position so that said lever causes said pawl to be released from the notched collar when a first sized document has been scanned and (b) a second lever position so that said lever causes said pawl to be released from the notched collar when a second sized document has been scanned; a second clutch, the input side of which is connected to said source to rotative power and the output side of which is connected via a gear train to said main shaft, said gear train causing the rotational speed imparted to said main shaft from the output side of said second clutch to be greater than that imparted thereto by said spring clutch where the difference in speed is absorbed in the spring of said spring clutch, said second clutch being actuated by a second control signal source which actuates said second clutch in response to said lever releasing said pawl from said notched collar when said second sized document has been scanned to thereby accelerate the rotation of the output said of said spring clutch through its said predetermined angle of rotation while said scanning means is being returned to said start position, said second clutch being de-actuated approximately just before said output side has been rotated through said predetermined angle whereby the number of said second sized documents that may be copied per unit time is greater than that of said larger, first sized documents.

Claim 8

Apparatus for driving the illumination exposure system of a copying machine where the illumination exposure system includes means for scanning a stationary document in a first direction and returning the scanning means in the opposite direction to a start position after scanning has been completed, said apparatus comprising: a spring clutch, the input side of which is connected to a source of rotative power and the output side of which is connected to a main shaft; a first control signal source for actuating said spring clutch to connect the input and output sides thereof, said spring clutch including means for disconnecting said input and output sides thereof after said output side has been rotated through a predetermined angle; a drive pulley rotatably mounted on said main shaft, said pulley being connected to said scanning means; a notched collar fixedly mounted on said main shaft; a pawl rotatably mounted on said pulley, said pawl releasably engaging said notched collar so that the rotation of said output side of said spring clutch is transmitted via said main shaft, said collar, said pawl and said pulley to said scanning means for effecting scanning of said stationary document; a lever which is fixedly positionable in (a) a first lever position so that said lever causes said pawl to be released from the notched collar when a first sized document has been scanned and (b) a second lever position so that said lever causes said pawl to be released from the notched collar when a second sized document has been scanned; a second clutch, the input side of which is connected to said source to rotative power and the output side of which is connected via a gear train to said main shaft, said gear train causing the rotational speed imparted to said main shaft from the output side of said second clutch to be greater than that imparted thereto by said spring clutch where the difference in speed is absorbed in the spring of said spring clutch, said second clutch being actuated by a second control signal source which actuates said second clutch in response to said lever releasing said pawl from said notched collar when said second sized document has been scanned to thereby accelerate the rotation of the output said of said spring clutch through its said predetermined angle of rotation while said scanning means is being returned to said start position, said second clutch being de-actuated approximately just before said output side has been rotated through said predetermined angle whereby the number of said second sized documents that may be copied per unit time is greater than that of said larger, first sized documents.

Claim 9

Apparatus for driving the illumination exposure system of a copying machine where the illumination exposure system includes means for scanning a stationary document in a first direction and means for returning the scanning means in the opposite direction to a start position after scanning has been completed, said apparatus comprising: variable, cyclic timing means for determine (1) a first timing cycle required for said scanning means to scan a first sized document and for said scanning means to be returned to its start position and (2) a second timing cycle required for said scanning means to scan a second sized document smaller than said first sized document aNd for said scanning means to be returned to its start position, said timing means being responsive to a control signal for initiating each timing cycle to thereby initiate scanning by said scanning means and said timing means being non-responsive to further control signals until each timing cycle is complete, said variable cyclic timing means comprising (a) a spring clutch, the input side of which is connected to a source of rotative power and the output side of which is removably connected to said driving means and (b) a first control signal source for actuating said spring clutch to connect the input and output sides thereof, said spring clutch including means for disconnecting said input and output sides thereof after said output side has been rotated through a predetermined angle; driving means responsive to said timing means for driving said scanning means to scan said stationary document, said driving means including (a) a drive pulley rotatably mounted on a main shaft connected to said output side of the spring clutch, said pulley being connected to said scanning means, (b) a notched collar fixedly mounted on said main shaft, and (c) a pawl rotatably mounted on said pulley, said pawl releasably engaging said notched collar so that the rotation of said output side of said spring clutch is transmitted via said main shaft, said collar, said pawl and said pulley to said scanning means for effecting scanning of said stationary document; settable control means for controlling the length of time said driving means is responsive to said timing means so that (1) with a first setting of said settable control means said scanning means scans substantially only the length of said first sized document and is then returned to its starting position and (2) with a second setting thereof said scanning means scans substantially only the length of said second sized document and then returned to its starting position, said settable control means comprising a lever which is fixedly positionable in (a) a first lever position so that said lever causes said pawl to be released from the notched collar when said first sized document has been scanned and (b) a second lever position so that said lever causes said pawl to be released from the notched collar when said second sized document has been scanned; second control means responsive to said second setting of said settable control means, said second control means being actuated when scanning of said second sized document is complete to decrease the time it takes for said timing means to complete its timing cycle so that the timing cycle for said second sized document is shorter than that for said first sized document, said second control means comprising a second clutch, the input side of which is connected to said source of rotative power and the output side of which is connected via a gear train to said main shaft, said gear train causing the rotational speed imparted to said main shaft from the output side of said second clutch to be greater than that imparted thereto by said spring clutch where the difference in speed is absorbed in the spring of said spring clutch, said second clutch being actuated by a second control signal source which actuates said second clutch in response to said lever releasing said pawl from said notched collar when said second sized document has been scanned to thereby accelerate the rotation of the output side of said spring clutch through its said predetermined angle or rotation while said scanning means is being returned to said start position, said second clutch being deactuated approximately just before said output side has been rotated through said predetermined angle; whereby the number of said second sized documents that may be copied per unit time is greater than that of said larger first sized documents.

Claim 10

Apparatus for driving the illumination exposure system of a copying machine where the illumination exposure system includes means for scanning a stationary document in a first direction and means for returning the scanning means in the opposite direction to a start position after scanning has been completed, said apparatus comprising: variable, cyclic timing means for determine (1) a first timing cycle required for said scanning means to scan a first sized document and for said scanning means to be returned to its start position and (2) a second timing cycle required for said scanning means to scan a second sized document smaller than said first sized document aNd for said scanning means to be returned to its start position, said timing means being responsive to a control signal for initiating each timing cycle to thereby initiate scanning by said scanning means and said timing means being non-responsive to further control signals until each timing cycle is complete, said variable cyclic timing means comprising (a) a spring clutch, the input side of which is connected to a source of rotative power and the output side of which is removably connected to said driving means and (b) a first control signal source for actuating said spring clutch to connect the input and output sides thereof, said spring clutch including means for disconnecting said input and output sides thereof after said output side has been rotated through a predetermined angle; driving means responsive to said timing means for driving said scanning means to scan said stationary document, said driving means including (a) a drive pulley rotatably mounted on a main shaft connected to said output side of the spring clutch, said pulley being connected to said scanning means, (b) a notched collar fixedly mounted on said main shaft, and (c) a pawl rotatably mounted on said pulley, said pawl releasably engaging said notched collar so that the rotation of said output side of said spring clutch is transmitted via said main shaft, said collar, said pawl and said pulley to said scanning means for effecting scanning of said stationary document; settable control means for controlling the length of time said driving means is responsive to said timing means so that (1) with a first setting of said settable control means said scanning means scans substantially only the length of said first sized document and is then returned to its starting position and (2) with a second setting thereof said scanning means scans substantially only the length of said second sized document and then returned to its starting position, said settable control means comprising a lever which is fixedly positionable in (a) a first lever position so that said lever causes said pawl to be released from the notched collar when said first sized document has been scanned and (b) a second lever position so that said lever causes said pawl to be released from the notched collar when said second sized document has been scanned; second control means responsive to said second setting of said settable control means, said second control means being actuated when scanning of said second sized document is complete to decrease the time it takes for said timing means to complete its timing cycle so that the timing cycle for said second sized document is shorter than that for said first sized document, said second control means comprising a second clutch, the input side of which is connected to said source of rotative power and the output side of which is connected via a gear train to said main shaft, said gear train causing the rotational speed imparted to said main shaft from the output side of said second clutch to be greater than that imparted thereto by said spring clutch where the difference in speed is absorbed in the spring of said spring clutch, said second clutch being actuated by a second control signal source which actuates said second clutch in response to said lever releasing said pawl from said notched collar when said second sized document has been scanned to thereby accelerate the rotation of the output side of said spring clutch through its said predetermined angle or rotation while said scanning means is being returned to said start position, said second clutch being deactuated approximately just before said output side has been rotated through said predetermined angle; whereby the number of said second sized documents that may be copied per unit time is greater than that of said larger first sized documents.