Automatic feeder for composite copying

Claim 2

In a copying machine having a platen for copying information bearing members including a feeder for serially feeding successively said information bearing members image side down to a copying station, said feeder having first and second paths folded relative to one another for guiding the information bearing members toward and away from said copying station in a non-interferring manner, the improvement comprising: a reciprocable drive means for said feeder having a first motion transmitting member aligned with said first path and a second motion transmitting member aligned with said second path whereby as the drive means is moved in a first direction information bearing members in the first path are driven toward the copying station and as the drive means moves in a second direction information bearing members in the second path are moved away from the copying station, said second motion transmitting member having means to reduce impediment to its travel in the first direction caused by the presence of information bearing members in the second path as it is moved in said first direction.

Claim 3

The improvement of claim 1 wherein said second motion transmitting member includes an extending resilient member which engages the edge of any information bearing member at said copying station during the movement of the drive means in the second direction and pulls the information bearing member away from the copying station.

Claim 4

The improvement in claim 2 wherein the means to freely move said second motion transmitting member in the first direction against the impediment of an information bearing member in its path includes means to deform the resilient member away from the information bearing member in said second path as the second motion transmitting member is moved in the first direction.

Claim 5

The improvement of claim 1 including a supply means and a repository means for storing said information bearing members, said supply means being located adjacent and above said copying station and having an exit aligned with said first path for serially dispensing said information bearing members image side down, said repository means having an entrance aligned with said second path for serially receiving said information bearing members image side down.

Claim 6

The improvement of claim 4 wherein said information bearing members are placed on the copying station and deposited in the repository means by gravity feeding.

Claim 7

The improvement of claim 4 wherein said supply means and said repository means are interchangeable and removably mounted on said feeder.

Claim 8

The improvement of claim 1 wherein said feeder is removably mounted on said copying machine with said copying station overlapping a portion of said platen.

Claim 9

The improvement of claim 1 wherein said first and second motion transmitting members are adapted to move together.

Claim 10

The improvement of claim 1 wherein said information bearing members have rigid bodies and a rearward edge which is the leading edge of the information bearing member as it moves in the second path, said rearward edge being beveled and slanted towards the center of the information bearing members from the bottom to the top thereof and adapted to cam said second motion transmitting member during the forward motion of said reciprocable drive means, thereby permitting unimpeded continuation of the forward motion.

Claim 11

In a copying machine having a platen for copying information bearing members including a feeder for serially feeding successively said information bearing members image side down to a copying station, said feeder having first and second paths folded relative to one another for guiding the information bearing members toward and away from said copying station in a non-interferring manner, the improvement comprising: a reciprocable drive means for said feeder having a first motion transmitting member aligned with said first path and a second motion transmitting member aigned with said second path whereby as the drive means is moved a first direction information bearing members in the first path are driven toward the copying station and as the drive means moves in a second direction information bearing members in the second path are moved away from the copying station, said second motion transmitting member having a beveled edge adapted to cam said second motion transmitting member during the forward motion of said reciprocable drive means whereby interference of said information bearing members is reduced.

Claim 12

In a copying machine having a platen for copying information bearing members including a feeder for serially feeding successively said information bearing members image side down to a copying station, said feeder having first and second paths folded relative to one another for guiding the information bearing members toward and away from said copying station in a non-interferring manner, the improvement comprising: a reciprocable drive means for said feeder having a first motion transmitting member aligned with said first path and a second motion transmitting member aigned with said second path whereby as the drive means is moved a first direction information bearing members in the first path are driven toward the copying station and as the drive means moves in a second direction information bearing members in the second path are moved away from the copying station, said second motion transmitting member having a beveled edge adapted to cam said second motion transmitting member during the forward motion of said reciprocable drive means whereby interference of said information bearing members is reduced.

Claim 13

The improvement of claim 10 wherein said information bearing members have beveled edges adapted to compliment the beveled edge of said second motion transmitting member wherein said second motion transmitting member is moved by the forward motion of said reciprocable drive means in a non-interferring manner.