Film positioning device for microform printing system

Claim 1

A film positioning device for a microform printing system for moving a microfilm in a horizontal plane so that a selected area of the microfilm is presented to a film aperture for recording, comprising a flat base plate, a microfilm carrier slidably disposed on the base plate for holding the microfilm on the base plate, a sliding spacer fixed to the carrier for supporting the carrier at a predetermined distance above the base plate, a film feed means for feeding the film relative to the carrier and a driving means for moving said carrier in X and Y-directions, said sliding spacer keeping said distance between the base plate and the carrier constant during movement of the carrier in X-and Y-directions and where the lower surface of the sliding spacer in contact with the base plate is circular and where said driving means comprises first and second parallel X-directional guide bars extending in X-direction spaced from each other, a main bracket slidable along the first X-directional guide bar, a sub-bracket slidable along the second X-directional guide bar, first and second parallel Y-directional guide bars extending in Y-direction between the main bracket and the sub-bracket, the opposite ends of each Y-directional guide bar being respectively secured to the main bracket and the sub-bracket, said carrier being operatively connected to the Y-directional guide bars and being slidable therealong, a first electric motor which rotates to move the main bracket back and forth together with said carrier along said first X-directional guide bar and a second electric motor which rotates to move the carrier back and forth along the Y-directional guide bars independent of said main bracket.