Microfiche reader

Claim 2

A microfiche film reader comprising: a film support having a flat surface at one side thereof, a pair of opposed end margins, a slot through the support and extending between the end margins, and means at said end margins for retaining a microfiche film directly adjacent to and in engagement with said flat surface in a position with a portion of the film spanning the width of the slot; a light source on the opposite side of the support in alignment with the slot and positioned to direct light therethrough and through the portion of the film spanning the slot when the film is retained directly on and in engagement with said flat surface; a lens; means mounting the lens adjacent to said one side of the support in optical alignment with the slot and the light source; a continuous spacer secured to the lens mounting means and engageable with the adjacent surface of the film when the latter is in said position, the spacer being concentric with respect to the optical axis of the lens and being movable into engagement with the film at locations adjacent to the sides of the slot for maintaining the film portion spanning the slot substantially taut for the focused projection and enlargement of the image of the film portion by the lens, said lens mounting means having structure for biasing the spacer toward the flat surface.

Claim 3

A reader according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is constructed of Teflon and has a convex, outer, film-engaging surface.

Claim 4

A reader according to claim 1, wherein the spacer means is constructed of a non-smudging, non-staining material having a relatively low coefficient of friction, wherein the spacer includes a rounded surface facing and engageable with the film, and including means for moving the film while contacted by the spacer means relative to the lens means in a plurality of directions for centering different film portions with the lens means.

Claim 5

A reader as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lens mounting means has means for directing a flow of air into the space within the ring.

Claim 6

A reader as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included infrared filter means between the light source and said support.

Claim 7

A reader as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support has a pair of beveled faces on said opposite side of the support and on opposite sides of the slot.

Claim 8

A microfiche reader comprising: a microfiche film holder having a flat surface on one side thereof, a pair of opposed end margins, a slot extending substantially between said end margins, and means at said end margins for retaining the film on the holder in a position with a portion of the film spanning the slot, said retaining means permitting film movement relative to the holder in a direction perpendicular to the slot; means coupled with the holder for moving the same parallel to the slot, whereby any one of a number of film portions can be moved into spanning relationship to the slot; a light source on the opposite side of the holder and aligned with the slot for directing light perpendicular to the film through the slot and a film portion spanning the slot; projection optics; means mounting said optics on said one side of the holder with the optics being optically aligned with the light source and a film portion spanning the slot when the film is retained on the holder; a continuous spacer having a convex, outer, film-engaging surface and carried by the optics mounting means concentrically with the optical axis of said optics, said spacer being engageable with the film along a continuous line thereon and at locations directly adjacent to the sides of the slot when the film is retained on the holder, the spacer being constructed of a material having a relatively low coefficient of friction; means biasing the spacer into engagement with the film at said locations to thereby cause a film portion spanning the slot to become and to be maintained substantially taut, whereby the film portion is automaically flattened and in focus while relative motions between the film and the spacer are permitted to position different film portions in optical alignment with the optics; and means carried by said optics mounting means for directing a flow of air into the space within the ring.

Claim 9

A microfiche reader comprising: a microfiche film holder having a flat surface on one side thereof, a pair of opposed end margins, a slot extending substantially between said end margins, and means at said end margins for retaining the film on the holder in a position with a portion of the film spanning the slot, said retaining means permitting film movement relative to the holder in a direction perpendicular to the slot; means coupled with the holder for moving the same parallel to the slot, whereby any one of a number of film portions can be moved into spanning relationship to the slot; a light source on the opposite side of the holder and aligned with the slot for directing light perpendicular to the film through the slot and a film portion spanning the slot; projection optics; means mounting said optics on said one side of the holder with the optics being optically aligned with the light source and a film portion spanning the slot when the film is retained on the holder; a continuous spacer having a convex, outer, film-engaging surface and carried by the optics mounting means concentrically with the optical axis of said optics, said spacer being engageable with the film along a continuous line thereon and at locations directly adjacent to the sides of the slot when the film is retained on the holder, the spacer being constructed of a material having a relatively low coefficient of friction; means biasing the spacer into engagement with the film at said locations to thereby cause a film portion spanning the slot to become and to be maintained substantially taut, whereby the film portion is automaically flattened and in focus while relative motions between the film and the spacer are permitted to position different film portions in optical alignment with the optics; and means carried by said optics mounting means for directing a flow of air into the space within the ring.