Pattern transfer machine

A duplicating machine for transferring a pattern from a moving master sheet to a moving copy sheet, comprising:

• a pair of parallel upper and lower engaged rolls forming therebetween a nip for receiving said master copy sheets in face-to-face contact,
• motor means rotatably driving at least one of said pair of engaged rolls, and
• means mounting at least one of said pair of engaged rolls in yieldable pressure contact with the other roll of said pair of rolls,
• whereby said engaged rolls rotate in counter-rotating directions to thereby feed said master and copy sheets therebetween in face-to-face pressure contact;
• a master sheet supply roll and a master sheet rewind roll mounted parallel to and on opposite sides of said pair of engaged rolls at a point above said nip, whereby said master sheet passes from its supply roll through said nip to its rewind roll in a generally V-shaped path;
• fluid wetting roll means mounted parallel and in closely spaced relation to the lower roll of said pair of engaged rolls at a point adjacent the lower portion thereof and on the same side thereof as said master sheet rewind roll;
• a copy sheet supply roll mounted parallel to said pair of engaged rolls at a point below said nip and also below said fluid wetting roll means;
• copy sheet idler roll means located in spaced relationship between said copy sheet supply roll and said fluid wetting roll means and positioned so as to guide said copy sheet in a generally horizontal line over said fluid wetting roll means in pressure contact therewith and thence into contact with the circumferential surface of said lower roll of said pair of engaged rolls,
• said fluid wetting roll mens engaging a first surface of said copy sheet to locate said copy sheet for subsequent engagement with said lower roll of said pair of engaged rolls and for applying fluid reactive with a pattern carried by said master sheet for moistening said first surface thereof, said copy sheet thereafter engaging said lower roll of said pair of engaged rolls on a second surface thereof which is opposite said first surface,
• said copy sheet engaging said lower roll of said pair of engaged rolls at a point at least 180.degree. upstream of said nip formed between said lower roll and said upper roll engaged therewith;
• and
• a copy sheet rewind roll mounted parallel to and spaced from said pair of engaged rolls on the same side thereof as the master sheet rewind roll and defining therewith a return run of said copy sheet from said nip formed between said pair of engaged rolls with the printed pattern from said master sheet imprinted thereon, said return run of said copy sheet moving in a direction generally parallel to said generally horizontal line along which said copy sheet travels over said fluid wetting roll means.