Microfiche duplicating apparatus

A microfiche duplicating apparatus including, in combination:

• a. a housing supporting a table defining a work loading station exterior of the housing and a light exposure station within said housing;
• b. a platen carrier set in said table and mounted for movement between first and second positions, said carrier having first and second platens in spaced relationship such that when said carrier is in said first position, the first platen is exterior of said housing adjacent to said work loading station and the second platen is positioned within said housing at said light exposure station, and when said carrier is in said second position, said first platen is positioned within said housing at said light exposure station and said second platen is exterior of said housing adjacent to said work loading station;
• c. a contacting platen positioned in said housing and movable into opposed engaging relationship with that one of the first and second platens positioned at said light exposure station;
• d. a reel of microfiche film mounted in said housing;
• e. a driving capstan means in said housing receiving the microfiche film from said reel for moving successive given lengths of said film to said light exposure station between said contacting platen and that one of said first and second platens positioned at said light exposure station;
• f. roller means in said housing between said reel and driving capstan means for guiding movement of said microfiche film from said reel to said light exposure station, said roller means including a lever having a pair of rollers mounted on opposite ends and being centrally pivoted to said housing, said microfiche film from said reel passing between said pair of rollers;
• and biasing means biasing said lever to a first position such that pulling of the film over the pair of rollers by said driving capstan means swings said lever to a second position against the bias of said biasing means, said biasing means thereafter returning said lever to said first position, a given length of microfiche film corresponding to each of said given lengths being drawn from said reel by said pair of rollers upon return of the lever to its first position so that the driving capstan means in moving said microfiche film through said successive lengths always pulls against the same resistance forces exerted by said biasing means independently of the amount of film on said reel;
• g. a light source in said housing for exposing the given length of said microfiche film positioned at said light exposure station;
• h. cutting means in said housing for cutting said successive given lengths of said film after the same have been moved from said light exposure station to provide exposed microfiche;
• i. film developing chamber means in said housing for successively receiving the cut lengths of microfiche and developing the same;
• and
• j. motor means for moving said platen carrier and driving said driving capstan means whereby a first master microfiche of which a duplicate is to be made may be positioned at said work loading station on said first platen and moved into said housing to effect a contact print with one of said given lengths of microfiche film at said light exposure station when said light source is energized, and whereby a second master microfiche may be positioned on said second platen during the time of exposure to said light source of said first master microfiche and moved into said housing for exposure with a next successive length of microfiche film during which time said first platen is available at said work loading station for removal of said first master microfiche and insertion of a third master microfiche, successive copies of successive master microfiches being made in a similar manner such that the time involved in duplicating a large number of microfiche masters is reduced as compared to the time required if only a single platen for receiving a microfiche master were available.