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US 4,223,994 AGranted
Typesetting transport mechanism
AssigneeHarris Corporation
InventorsArthur J. Stanton, Meredith T. Raney, Ralph L. Parker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Transport apparatus for a phototypesetting system having input and output film buffers and a gating mechanism for selectively directing the film to either of several output stations.
Claims5
Transport apparatus for use with photocomposition means which, upon receipt of an indication, controllably exposes individual strips of film, said apparatus comprising:
- a first film buffer adapted to receive each of said strips from said photocomposition means as it is produced and for retaining said strip until the entire said strip is produced by said photocomposition means,
- film advance means for grasping the leading portion of each of said strips as it is fed to said first film buffer, for holding said leading portion substantially stationary until the entire said strip is produced by said photocomposition means, and for transporting each of said strips from said first film buffer to a second film buffer upon the completion of each of said strips by said photocomposition means,
- a second film buffer for receiving each of said strips from said first film buffer and controllably feeding said strips into a first output means, and
- first output means for receiving said strips from said second film buffer,
- wherein said film advance means further includes sensor means for sensing when said leading portion is being held by said film advance means, and for then indicating to said photocomposition means that the controlled exposure of said strip may begin.
2 more elements
Photocomposition apparatus, comprising:
- film supply means for supplying a continuous strip of unexposed film;
- photocomposition means for controllably exposing said continuous strip of unexposed film as said film is fed therepassed;
- first film advance means for feeding said film at a controlled rate past said photocomposition means;
- film cutter means located downstream of said photocomposition means and controllable to sever individual strips of controllably exposed film therefrom;
- first film buffer means adapted to receive each of said individual strips of controllably exposed film from said first film advance means and having a storage capacity great enough to permit substantially the entire length of one of the individual strips of controllably exposed film to be held therein;
- second film buffer means for receiving each of said individual strips of controllably exposed film from said first film buffer means and for feeding said strips into a film processor means at a constant rate, said second film buffer also having a storage capacity great enough to permit substantially the entire length of one of said individual strips to be held therein;
- second film advance means located intermediate said first and second film buffer means for transporting said individual strips of controllably exposed film from said first film buffer means to said second film buffer means;
- film processor means for receiving each of said individual strips from said second film buffer at said constant rate, and for processing said film;
- and,
- means for preventing said first film advance means from transporting a said individual strip of controllably exposed film from said photocomposition means into said first film buffer means until after said first film buffer means is clear of film, and for preventing said second film advance means for transporting said individual strip of controllably exposed film from said first film buffer means into said second film buffer means until after said second film buffer means is clear of film,
- whereby said first and second film buffer means will each contain no more than one said individual strip of film at any given time, and that the processing of a said strip of controllably exposed film by said processing means will not interfere with the controllable exposure of the next succeeding strip of film by said photocomposition means.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.