Contact copying apparatus for reproducing X-ray films and the like

Claim 2

Contact copying apparatus comprising: a first plate; a second plate spaced from, and substantially parallel with said first plate, said second plate having a slot therein; means for feeding through said plates and past said slot a first film of an unexposed, sensitized medium and a second, exposed film of said medium superposed with said first film; means for controlling the rate of feed of said films between said plates; a source of electromagnetic energy spaced from said slot; means for varying the amount of electromagnetic energy passing through said slot; and means for operating said feed rate controlling means independent of the operation of said electromagnetic energy varying means.

Claim 3

The contact copying apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic energy varying means comprises means for varying the width of said slot.

Claim 4

The contact copying apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein said electromagnetic energy varying means further comprises: a material capable of attenuating said electromagnetic energy; and means for moving said attenuating means into and out of the path between said source and said slot.

Claim 5

The contact copying apparatus recited in claim 3, wherein said attentuating material comprises a variable density filter.

Claim 6

The contact copying apparatus recited in claim 3 further comprising means for operating said attenuating material moving means independent of the operation of said slot width varying means.

Claim 7

The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein said feeding means comprises: a pair of pickup rollers juxtaposed on opposite sides of one end of said plates; a pair of delivery rollers juxtaposed on opposite sides of the other end of said plates; and means for simultaneously rotating all of said rollers.

Claim 8

The apparatus recited in claim 6 wherein said pickup roller pair is spaced from said delivery roller pair a dimension substantially less than the length of said first and second films in the direction of feed between said plates.

Claim 9

The apparatus recited in claim 7 further comprising: a first switch electrically coupled to said rotating means, said first switch disposed next adjacent one of said rollers of said pickup roller pair such that said first switch closes to energize said rotating means when said first and second films are therebetween; a second switch electrically coupled to said rotating means, said second switch disposed next adjacent one of said rollers of said delivery roller pair such that said second switch closes to energize said rotating means when said first and second films are therebetween; and wherein said rotating means is energized by either or both of said first and second switches.

Claim 10

Contact copying apparatus for reproducing true copies of X-ray films, comprising: a chamber; a pair of spaced, substantially parallel plates disposed in said chamber, a first one of said plates having a slot therein, said slot having a transverse dimension which is substantially less than the corresponding dimension of said X-ray film; a pair of pickup rollers in said chamber juxtaposed on opposite sides of one end of said plate; a pair of delivery rollers in said chamber juxtaposed on opposite sides of the other end of said plates; means for simultaneously rotating all of said rollers; means for varying the rotational speed of said rotating means so as to vary the feed through said plates past said slot of a first, unexposed X-ray film and a second, exposed X-ray film superposed with said first film and adjacent said first plate; a source of light spaced from said slot whereby movement of said first and second films through said plates and past said slot causes light from said source to pass through said second film and reproduce any information thereon onto said first film; means for varying the width of said slot; and means for operating said slot width varying means independent of said rotational speed varying means.

Claim 11

Contact copying apparatus for reproducing true copies of X-ray films, comprising: a chamber; a pair of spaced, substantially parallel plates disposed in said chamber, a first one of said plates having a slot therein, said slot having a transverse dimension which is substantially less than the corresponding dimension of said X-ray film; a pair of pickup rollers in said chamber juxtaposed on opposite sides of one end of said plate; a pair of delivery rollers in said chamber juxtaposed on opposite sides of the other end of said plates; means for simultaneously rotating all of said rollers; means for varying the rotational speed of said rotating means so as to vary the feed through said plates past said slot of a first, unexposed X-ray film and a second, exposed X-ray film superposed with said first film and adjacent said first plate; a source of light spaced from said slot whereby movement of said first and second films through said plates and past said slot causes light from said source to pass through said second film and reproduce any information thereon onto said first film; means for varying the width of said slot; and means for operating said slot width varying means independent of said rotational speed varying means.

Claim 12

The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein said width-varying means comprises: said first plate including two sections with said slot comprising a space therebetween; and means for moving a first one of said sections toward and away from the other of said sections.

Claim 13

The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein said simultaneous rotating means comprises: means coupled to said rollers of each roller pair together such that rotation of one effects rotation of the other; and an endless belt coupled between one roller of said pickup roller pair and one roller of said delivery roller pair.

Claim 14

The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein said rotational speed varying means comprises: a motor having a drive shaft; a first clutch plate fixed on said drive shaft; a shaft extending through one of said pickup rollers; a second clutch plate fixed to said roller shaft; an idler wheel positioned between and engaging said first and second clutch plates such that rotation of one clutch plate effects rotation of said idler wheel to thereby rotate the other of said clutch plates; and means for moving said idler wheel in a radial direction with respect to said first and second clutch plates.

Claim 15

The apparatus recited in claim 12 further comprising: means coupled to said first clutch plate for measuring an indication of the speed thereof; and means external to said chamber and coupled to said measuring means for providing a visual indication of the measured speed.

Claim 16

The apparatus recited in claim 9 further comprising means for varying the intensity of light passing through said slot.

Claim 17

The apparatus recited in claim 14 wherein said intensity varying means comprises: a variable density filter; and means for moving said filter into and out of the path between said source and said slot.

Claim 18

The apparatus recited in claim 15 wherein said moving means comprises: a frame rotatably supported at opposite ends of said light source, said frame including a cylindrical section with said filter positioned thereacross; a winding mechanism fixed to one side of said chamber; a cable coupled between said winding mechanism and said filter; and wherein rotation of said winding means effects movement of said filter into and out of the path between said source and said slot.

Claim 19

The apparatus recited in claim 16 further comprising means positioned between said filter and said slot for measuring the intensity of light from said source.

Claim 20

The apparatus recited in claim 17 further comprising means external to said chamber and coupled to said intensity measuring means for providing a visual indication of the intensity of said light.

Claim 21

The apparatus recited in claim 9 further comprising a substantially black layer between said second plate and said film.

Claim 22

The apparatus recited in claim 19 further comprising a substantially transparent layer between said first plate and said film.