Microfiche recorder

Apparatus for recording a multiplicity of images in a rectilinear fashion on a microfiche, the apparatus comprising:

• a support structure, including a flat support surface;
• means for projecting an image onto an image plane which is parallel to the support surface;
• film holding means supported on and movable over the surface adapted to receive a microfiche for exposure of different portions of the fiche to images generated by the projecting means;
• a carriage for movement in a pair of perpendicular directions parallel to the support surface including a carriage arm member having an elongated bar, and means securing respective ends of the bar to the member and orienting such bar in one of the directions, a sled movably engaging the bar for movement therealong in said one direction;
• the sled and the film holding means defining cooperating protrusions and depressions facing in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions for releasably interconnecting the sled and the film holding means and enabling the transfer therebetween of forces acting substantially parallel to the support;
• a substantially cylindrical rod extending in the other one of said directions;
• means for rigidly securing ends of the rod to the structure;
• the carriage arm including bearing means slidably engaging the rod for longitudinal movement therealong in the other direction and for pivotal movements thereabout at least an initial portion of which extends essentially in the Z-direction when the film holding means is supported by the surface;
• means for pivotally biasing the carriage arm about said rod to thereby bias the depressions and protruberances into mutual engagement;
• first drive means for reciprocating the carriage arm along the rod including a first reversible drive motor, in operative engagement with a first cable having ends anchored to the structure, and means mounted to the carriage arm for imparting cable movements to the arm to thereby move the arm and therewith the sled and the film holding means in the other direction;
• and second drive means including a second reversible motor in operative engagement with a second cable having ends anchored to the structure, the second drive means including a first plurality of pulleys mounted to the carriage arm at a location intermediate the rod and the sled so that pivotal movements of the carriage arm do not substantially affect the alignment of second cable sections between the pulleys and the second motor, a second plurality of pulleys mounted to the carriage arm on the side of the sled remote from the rod, and a third plurality of pulleys mounted to the sled for engaging second cable strands emanating from the first and second plurality of pulleys, respectively, to thereby impart motion to the sled in response to the actuation of the second drive motor, whereby operation of the first drive means to move the carriage arm in the other direction results in no movement of the sled in said one direction.

Apparatus for recording a multiplicity of images on a microfiche comprising:

• a structure including a flat support surface, the surface including an aperture;
• means for projecting images through the aperture for recordation on the microfiche;
• film holding means having a side facing the surface and including a pair of opposite, parallel rails projecting from the side towards the surface, each rail including means for engaging edges of the microfiche;
• a carriage;
• means securing the holding means to the carriage so that the side is proximate the surface;
• means for moving the carriage in perpendicular first and second directions which are parallel to the surface;
• a film supply carried by the structure adapted to be severed into individual microfiches;
• means for indexing an edge of the film proximate the surface;
• means for advancing fresh film from the supply over the surface in a downstream direction;
• means for locating the film holding means in a position adjacent the film advancing means in which one of the edge engaging means of the rails is aligned with the indexed film edge;
• means located adjacent the support surface for severing a microfiche which has been advanced over the surface and into engagement with the rails from the film supply;
• means for forming an air bearing between the surface and a microfiche being advanced into engagement with the rails;
• means for biasing film against the side during the exposure of the fiche to images from the image projecting means;
• and means for withdrawing an exposed microfiche in a downstream direction from engagement with the rails for further processing.

Apparatus for recording images side by side on a microfiche comprising:

• means for generating images to be recorded on the microfiche;
• a film holder for presenting different portions of the fiche to the projected images;
• a support structure;
• an arm for movement in a first direction;
• means mounted to the structure for guiding the arm during its movements in the first direction;
• a carriage for movement in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction;
• means carried by the arm for guiding the carriage during its movements in the second direction;
• means connecting the holder to the carriage;
• first drive means including a reversible motor, a first cable in operative engagement with the first motor for reciprocating the first cable, and means operatively connecting the first cable with the arm for imparting movements of the first cable to the arm to thereby reciprocate the arm in the first direction;
• second drive means including a second reversible motor and a second cable operatively engaged by the second motor for reciprocating the second cable, the second drive means including means for anchoring ends of the second cable to the support structure, means mounting the second motor to the support structure, the second cable having first and second strands extending between the second motor and the respective second cable ends, a plurality of first pulleys mounted to the arm adjacent one end thereof and engaging the first strand, a plurality of second pulleys mounted to the arm adjacent another end thereof and engaging the second strand, and a plurality of third pulleys mounted to the carriage and engaging, respectively, the first and second strands;
• whereby the actuation of the first motor causes the movement of the arm in the first direction without changing the relative length of the first and second strands so that no movements of the carriage in the second direction occurs, and the actuation of the second motor causes the movement of the carriage in the second direction by correspondingly lenghtening and shortening the first and second strands.

Apparatus for recording images side by side on a microfiche comprising in combination:

• means for generating images to be recorded on the microfiche;
• a film holder for presenting different portions of the fiche to the projected images, the holder having a side facing the projected images and including a pair of parallel, opposite rail means projecting from the side towards the projected images, each rail means including means for engaging edges of a microfiche;
• a support structure;
• an arm for movement in a first direction;
• means mounted to the structure for guiding the arm during its movements in the first direction;
• a carriage for movement in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction;
• means carried by the arm for guiding the carriage during its movements in the second direction;
• the carriage and the film holder defining cooperating protrusions and depressions facing in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second direction for releasably interconnecting the carriage and the film holder and enabling the transfer therebetween of forces acting in a plane coincident with the first and second directions;
• means carried by the structure and engaging the rail means for supporting the film holder during its movement in the first and second directions;
• a film supply carried by the structure and adapted to be severed into individual microfiches;
• means disposed proximate the support means for indexing an edge of the film;
• means for advancing fresh film from the supply over the support means in a downstream direction;
• means for locating the film holder in a position adjacent the film advancing means in which one of the edge engaging means of the rail means is aligned with the indexed film edge;
• means located adjacent the support means for severing from the film supply a microfiche which has been advanced over the support means and into engagement with the rails;
• means for forming an air bearing between the support means and a microfiche being advanced into engagement with the rails means;
• means for biasing film against the side during the exposure of the fiche to projected images;
• means for withdrawing an exposed microfiche in a downstream direction from engagement with the rail means for further processing including a cutout in the film holder facing in a downstream direction and arranged to overlap a portion of the microfiche held by the holder, means for locating the holder in a withdrawal position, and at least one roller rotatably carried by the structure and dimensioned and positioned to extend into the cutout and to engage said microfiche portion, whereby the actuation of the roller when the holder is in the withdrawal position causes the withdrawal of the exposed microfiche;
• a substantially cylindrical rod mounted to the support structure and extending in the first direction;
• bearing means carried by the arm and slidably engaging the rod for longitudinal movement therealong in the first direction and permitting pivotal movement relative to the rod, at least an initial portion of which extends in the third direction;
• means for pivotally biasing the arm about said rod to thereby bias the depressions and protruberances into mutual engagement and the holder against the support means;
• first drive means including a reversible motor, a first cable in operative engagement with the first motor for reciprocating the first cable, and means operatively connecting the first cable with the arm for imparting movements of the first cable to the arm and to thereby reciprocate the arm in the first direction;
• second drive means including a second reversible motor and a second cable operatively engaged by the second motor for reciprocating the second cable, the second drive means including means for anchoring ends of the second cable to the support structure and means mounting the second motor to the support structure, the second cable having first and second strands extending between the second motor and the respective second cable ends, a plurality of first pulleys mounted to the arm adjacent one end thereof and engaging the first strand, a plurality of second pulleys mounted to the arm adjacent another end thereof and engaging the second strand, and a plurality of third pulleys mounted to the carriage and engaging, respectively, the first and second strands;
• whereby the actuation of the first motor causes the movement of the arm in the first direction without changing the relative length of the first and second strands so that no movement of the carriage in the second direction occurs, and the actuation of the second motor causes the movement of the carriage in the second direction by correspondingly lengthening and shortening the first and second strands.

Apparatus for recording a plurality of images on a microfilm comprising,

• means for projecting an image into an image plane,
• film holding means for receiving a microfilm to be exposed to images generated by said projecting means, a
• first carriage,
• means for guiding said first carriage in a first direction, a
• second carriage,
• means on said first carriage for guiding said second carriage in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction,
• means coupling the film holding means to the second carriage,
• means for moving the first carriage and the second carriage along the respective guiding means in the first direction and in the second direction, and
• means permitting arcuate movement of the first carriage and of the second carriage along with the film holding means in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first and the second directions.

Apparatus for recording a plurality of images on a microform comprising a

• support member defining an aperture therethrough,
• means for projecting images through the aperture and onto the microform,
• microform holding means having portions projecting from one side thereof for engaging edges of the microform, a
• form supply positioned adjacent the support member,
• means for advancing form material from the supply along a path to be engaged by the portions of said holding means,
• means for severing a predetermined length of form from the supply thereof when the form material is engaged by the projecting portions,
• means forming an air bearing for holding said form material distal from said support member as said form material is moved into position to be engaged by said projecting portions, and
• means for biasing said form material against said side of said microform holding means during exposure of the form material to said images.