Film lamina handling
AssigneeJoyce Florence Spence-Bate
InventorsHarry A. H. Spence-Bate, Timothy B. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A film lamina handling and storage device particularly suitable for handling microfiche has a central transfer area formed between upper and lower plates in which a cushion of gas is maintained to support film laminae on the cushion: the laminae may be moved around the area by gas flowing to outlets venting outwardly of the periphery of the plates; stores for individual or stacks of laminae are conveniently situated around the transfer area, the individual laminae stores being at the same level as the transfer area: the transfer area may have copying or other treatment positions.
Claims9
In a film lamina storage and handling device having at least one treatment position where the film is treated, the device comprising upper and lower plates defining a transfer area therebetween at least partially enclosing the treatment position, means for maintaining a cushion of gas between the plates and within a periphery of the plates to support a lamina in a plurality of X and Y positions relative to the treatment position and means for moving the lamina relative to the treatment position the improvement wherein said lamina moving means comprises:
- inlet means for supplying gas to said transfer area at a particular pressure and a plurality of controllable outlets selectively communicable with a pressure, outwardly of the periphery, lower than said particular pressure so as to move said lamina with said gas according to a pressure differential.
In a film lamina storage and handling device having at least one treatment position where the film is treated, the device comprising upper and a lower plates defining a transfer area therebetween at least partially enclosing the treatment position, means for maintaining a cushion of gas between the plates and within a periphery of the plates to support a lamina in a plurality of X and Y positions relative to the treatment position, the improvement comprising:
- a plurality of lamina stores on the periphery of the transfer area, each store being substantially level with a medium level between the plates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.