Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ACKGROUND OF lNv~NllON
This invention relate6 generally to reader-filler
machines or loading micro~iche 3ackets~ and more particularly
to ~ machine adapted to handle d.Lscrete microfilm strips and
to optically ~iew the image frame therPon befvre insertion
to facilitate ~evering the strips at the desired junctions.
Transparent microfiche jacket~ housing 16 or 35
millimeter film are currently in widespread use in connection
with the storage and retrieval of informa~ion photographically
recorded on a reduced s~ale. One wel~-known form of microfiche
jacket i~ disclosed in U.S. ~atent 3,23~,Ç55~ the jacket being
composed of two ~ransparent plastic panels in ~uperposed
relation l~m; ~Ated toge~her by parallel xibs which define a
plurality of open-ended ch~nnel~ adapted to accommodate micro-
film strips, each carrying a series of image frame~ of
recorded text and other docwnentation. To facilit~te ~he
insertion of mlcrofilm, slots are cut in one of the panels
adjacent an end ~hereo~ to provide an entry into each channel.
The loaded multi-çh~n~el jacket f~nctions as a micro-
fi~he mas~er from which low ~os~ dupli~a~e~ or reference copies
can be ~uickly made ~y contac~ printing~ u~ing diazo-processing
~e~hn;ques for this purpose. A similar mi rofiche jacket i~
aisclosed in U.S~ Patent 3/866,~48, ~he m~l~iple film~xeceiving
c~nnel~ in ~hi~ in~ance being d~ined by parallel bonding
lines ~o~med ~y ultrasonically fu~ing the pla~tic panels
together~
3~
U.S. patents 37238,655 and 4,167,842 disclose reader-
filler machines for loading and updating a mulki-channel
mierofiche jacket with film chips. Xnsertions are made by
placing the jacket to ~e filled on an inclined platorm that
is ind xible in the Y-direction to regis~r succes~ive jacket
channels with the leading edge of an incoming film web drawn
from a reel, the film ~eing guided in the X-direction along a
~rackway termi n~ting adjacen~ ~he edge of the platform. In
opexation, a ilm ~ection constituted by one or more image
frames i~ advanced into a selected ch~n~el~ the trailing edge
of the section ~hen being severed to form a film chip which
re~; n~ in the channel. The platform is then jn~exe~ to the
nex~ ch~nnel or the next insertion.
Reader~filler mach;nes of the type disclosed in these
paten~s are relatively ¢omplex mechanisms which are designed
for use with microfilm in r~el form, the frames on the film
drawn from t~e reel being optically viewable so that the point
at which the ilm is to be ~evered for insertion in a micro~
fiche jacket can ~e prec~sely determined.
- ~n recen~ year~, complete docume~t microfilming
mach~ne~ des~gned for ofic~ use ha~e ~ecome available, these
copier~ being as sim~le to operate as a conventional of~ice
xexographic copier. Typical of such microfilmi~g machines is
the ta~l~ Model 6~00 m~chine marketed ~y Electro-Op~ical
~echanisms5 Inc~ of Pomona, California~ ~his sel-contained
maChln~ i5 a mlcroilm proce~sor ~ha~ produees a 16 mm ~ully-
processed film s~rip of six inches in length having u~ to 1
images ~hereon reduced to o~e twenty ~our~h the original
document sizeO
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Thus ~he opera~or of the Model 6100 copier, very much
- in the fashion o~ an office xerographic copier, æuccessively
places documen~s of up to 8-1/2 X 14 inches in si~e in the
machine. The machine ~akes reduced-scale pho~ocopie~ of these
docilments on film which is automatically processed, advanced
and cut to yield a single microfilm strip of s~andard size.
.. ~
~nother simplified offi~e microfilm copier is the
'Micle 120~" copler ma~u~tured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.,
. of Tokyo, Japan~ This copier is adapted to microfilm documents
at a high speed (.50 frames per minute), the film roll being
automatically 5U~ into s~rips of 12 frames each, to allow
microfilming in smal~er ~atches. Thi~ results in quicker
accass to required infoxmation and greatly cuts down on wai~ing .
time and film waste.
Because reel-type reader-filler machine~ of the type
disclosed in U.S. patent 3,238~555 and 4,167,842 are mechanic-
ally complex, cum~ersome and expensive, and are intende~ for
use wi~h microfiche jacket insertion on a large scale, such
~ch;nP~ are inappropriate for use with office microfilm
~0 copiers which yield di~crete film s~rips con~ining 12 or 14
frames.
. . .
In order ~o provide a microfilm ins~r~er for strips
o~ the type produced by th~ Fiji Photo and other of~ice
~opier~, ~OS. patent 4,064,67i of Takahishi et al. discloses a
device having a ~a~le for re~; ni ng a microfilm jacket into
which a ~ilm strip is inserted by means of feed rolls. Such
strip~ have eikher a ~lank leader or a ~lank trailer.
~r
'~ In a conventional microf.ilm inserter, the ilm strip
j is ir~t inserted in t~e jacke~ channel and the ~railer i~ then
out along the end of the jacke~ to o~tain a strip of proper
length. Because the channel ent:ry slot is somewhat inset
from the jacket end, ~he cGnventional method of cutting the
, film strip along the e~d of the jacket makes neces~ary an
i additional positional adjustment wherein the end of the film
is pushed inward until it reaches the slot. ~n the Tak~hAShi
patent machine~ the trailer of ~he film strip is inserted as
~ar as the entry slot of the jacket and the leader is there-
after cut off.
The T~k~h~.qhi inserter and other known inserter~ for
f ilm strips are adapted to fill all channels of a microfiche
jacket with micro~ilm ~trips of standard size having 12 or 14
frames. Such in~erters are incapable of loading the channels
with sections cut from stAn~Ard strips for the purpose of pro-
~iding an updata~le microfiche record.
In many instances, a given record may consist of, say,
7 documents to be copiedO The conventional of ice copier
will copy thr2e documents and release a standard s~rip con-
t~;ning 7 fra~es, e~en ~hough it has a capacity of 12 or 14
frames. Hence if the ull ~rip capaci~y is not used, ~he
~txip will have a blank zone. ~ut wi~h a conventional in-
s~rter for stAn~7~rd office copi~r ~trips, the blank zone
cannot ~e excised, for the inserter is capable only o~
ins~rting khe ul~ strip, ~hereby wa~ting channel space and
precluding updating.
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i
An inherent advantage of a micro~iche jac~et as com-
pared to a microfiche card having film f.rames permanently
~onded or incorpoxated therein is tha~ the jacket permits
the record to be updated. ~hus each jacket ch~nnel having a
12 frame capacity can first be partially loaded with a film
section or chip containing; say, 5 frames. At a later time,
an additional film section may be inserted in ~h~ same channel
to update the record.
A reader-filler of ~he type disclosed in U.S. patent
3,872,645has an updating capability, or the film being insertedis
optically viewa~le and it may be s~ver~d at any desired
junction between successive frames. But, as noted previously,
a reader-filler of this type which includes an indexing
mechanism and other complexities is inappropriate for inserting
discrete film stripg of ~he type produced by office copiers.
SUMM~RY OF lNV~'l'lON
In view of the foregoing, the main object of this
inv~ntion is to provide a reader-filler machine for inserting
di~crete strips of microfilm or sections thereof into the
rh~nnels of a microfiche jacket and for optically viewing
the image frame~ thereon before in~ertion to facilitate
severing the strips at ~esired junctions~
More particularly~ an ob~e~ of theinvention is to
` p.ro~ide a machine of the above type in which a selected channel
~ on the ~trip has it~ en~ry 510t ~rought into positive registra-
tion with the track ~xit of a film drive mechanism without
requix:ing an indexing mechanism or o~her complex mean~ or
thi~ purpos~.
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Also an object of this invention i5 to provide a
machine of the above type which makes it possible to insert
into a selected channel of a microfiche jacket a sec~ion of
standard film strip which only partly occupies the channel,
the remaining portion of the channel being available for
future updating of the record.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an
inexpensive reader~filler machine which is simple to use and
which operates efficiently and reliably.
Briefly stated, these objects are attained in a reader-
filler machine adapted to insert a strip of microfilm having
a series of image frames thereon into a selected channel o
a microfiche jacket. The jacket is provided with parallel
channels, with each channel having the same wldth and having
an entry slot adjacent the front end thereof. The machine
comprises a track block having a track for receiving the film
strip and conducting it toward an exit, a film drive mechanism
for advancing the film strip along the track toward the track
exit or to retract the strip, and a table whose front end
is adjacent the track exit for supporting a microfiche jacket
which is shiftable thereon toward the block. A pair of planar
locating guides projects from the block, wîth each guide
having a width substantially e~ual to the width of the channel.
The guides are spaced apart to an extent that when the jacket
is shifted on the table toward the block and the channel
selected to be filled has adjacent channels on either side
thereof, the guides then enter the entry slots in the adjacent
channels to properly orient the selected channel with respect
to the track exit. A means coopera-tes with the block to
slice the film on the track.
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In operationt ~he us2x fiLrst tilts ~he ~able downwardly
with respect to the track exit aIld places the jacket thereon
to cause the guîdes to enter the channels on opposite sides
of the channel to be loaded~ khereby orien~ing the selected
channel wi~h respect to the track ex.it~ ~he table is then
released to cau~e the pressure fLngers to engage the borders
of the selected ch~nnel and to bring the entry slot of this
channel into registration with the track exit~ The drive
m~chanism is then operated to advance the film strip or a
section thereof into the selected channel, the frames on the
strip ~eing optically ~iewable to de~ermine the point at which
~he strip is to ~e severed.
OUTLINE OF DRAWINGS
For a ~etter under~An~; ng of the invention as well as
lS othex o~ect~ and further features thereo~, reference is made
to the following detailed descr.lption to be read in c~njunction :
with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a reader-filler
ma~hine in accordance wikh the invention, as vi~wed from ~he
~0 operatox~s position~
Fig. 2 is a per~pective of the machine looking between
th~ viewing screen and th~ ~ilm--drive mechanlsm;
Fig. 3 is a top plan view of ~he machine;
Fig. 4 is a longit~l~;n~l sectio~ taken through the
~5 machine;
Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken in th.e plane
indicated ~y line 5-5 in Fig. 2 showing ~he opexaking mechanism
fox ~he film~cu~ting blade;
Fig. 6 i~ the same as ~ig. 5, but with the operator
key d~pressed to effect a film-cutting action;
Fig. 7 is a transver~e section taken i~ the plane
indi~ated by line 707 in Fig~ 4 s~owi~g the optical viewing
system,
Fig. 8 illustrates, in perspective r the manner in
which a microfiche jacket is first placed on the do~nwardly
tllted table of the machine;
Fig. 9 shows the microfiche jacket lying flat on the
tilted table with the locating guides inserted therein;
Flg. 10 illustrates ~he relationship of the laading
end of the microfiche jacket lying on the downwardly-tilted
table to a ledge projecting ~rom the film dxive mechanism;
Fig. ll shows the relationship of the leadiny end of
the mic.rofiche jack~t to the ledge when the table is released,
at which point the entry slot of the selected channel lies in
registration with the ~ilm;track exit,
Fig. 12 shows the film strip entering the channel
through the slot; and
Fig. 13 is a trans~erse section taken thxough the
micro~ he jacket i~ the plane indicated ~y line 13-13 in
Fig. 3, appearing wi~h. Fig. 3.
DESCRxPTI~N OF lNv~~ ON
Referring now to Fig5 ~ 1 ~ 2 and 3, there is shown a
reader-filler machine i~ accordance with the invention for
in~sexting a strip 10 Q~ microfilm in~o a select~d channel of a
multi-channel microfiche jacket 11~ Strip 10 i5 of the 16 mm
type produced by an o~fice copier such as ~he "Micle 1200"
and theref~re ha~ a serie~ o image fx~mes 10A, 10B, 10C et~.,
and a blank trailer 10T.
~3
I Microfilm strip 10 is slidably received within the
track 12T of a tra~k block 12 formQd ~y upper and lower plates
12U and 12L machined of aluminum or similar material, the
block being mounted above a film-dri~e mechanism 13 provided
at one ~ide with an operator's k~ob 14. When knob 14 is
turned clockwise5 it advances film strip 10 ~oward a microfiche
jacket lying on a table, countexclockwise rotation effecting
a retraction of ~he stripO
As the image frames on the strip are successively
advanced into the selected chann~l, the fram~s may be viewed by
th~ operator on the shielded ~creen 15 o~ an opt~cal projection
system. The frame images are cast o~ the scr~en by means
including a lens barr~1 16 which is axially shiftable along
a vertical axis by a focusing knob ~7, the illuminated image
from the barrel being directed toward the screen by an incli.ned
reflector 18. The ~creen is provided with a shiftable pointer
19 wnich is set to indicate the poink at which a film cutting
blade operates with respect ~o the film~
Microfiche jacket 11 is.placed on a table 20 which
is pivo~ally suppor~ed and spring b.iased, the ~able being
tiltable relative to the exit of track lOT by means o a
depressible key 21~ Film skrip 10 is cut by means of a
manually-operated key 23 ~hich actuat~s a rocker arm 22
supportlng ~ blad~.
~10
~3~
As best seen in Fi~s. 3 and 4, the drive mechanism for
advancing film strip 10 includes a roller 24 whlch is disposed
within an opening in track 12T to frictionally engage the
underside of the film confined therein. Roller 24 is sup-
, port d on a shaft 25 which carri~es a gear 26. ~nob 14 serves
! to turn a geax 27 on the knob shaft, gear 27 meshing with an
idler gear 28 which engages rolller gear 26, so that w~en knob
14 is turned in the clockwise direction, the film is advanced.
The mechanism for cutting the film includes, as shown
in Fig. 5, a blade 29 detachably coupled to the ree end of
rocker arm 22 whose other end is pivoted on a vertical plake 30.
Rocker arm 22 is operatively coupled by a linked 31 to a
lever 33 also pivoted on plate 30, khe free end of lever 33
having key 23 secured thereto~ ~ bias spring 34 connected
between lever 33 and plate 30 serves to normally maintain
I lever 33 in its raise~ position, thereby holding blade 29
! above the film strip. But when key 23 .is depressed, as shown
in Fig. 6, this acts to swing rocker arm 22 downward to cause
blade 29 to enter a transverse slot 2gS in the rack to slice the
fiim. When k~y 23 is releasedt bla~e 29 returns to its raised
position.
As shown in Figs, 4 a~d 7, the optical projection
system further includes a lamp 35 disposed within a concave
reflector 36 and a condenser plate 37, the light rays passing
~hrou~h a well 12W in ~he ~rack block at a position just in
fro~t of slit 29S in the film slicing station. Thus displayed
on the scxeen is the illuminated image o~ khe rame which is
about to enter the selected channel in the microiche jacket r
the pointer on the screen indicating the ~lade position
relative to the displayed frame.
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i Microfiche jacket 11, as shown in Figs. 3 and 13,
comprises superpo~ed transparent top and ~ot~om panels llA
and llB of synthetic plastic material~ such as polyester film
or Mylar, which are joined together by spacer ribs llR
5 ~ to define parallel channels Cl to C~. Slots Sl to S5 cut
into the top panel adjacent the front end of the jacket provide
a ~ilm entry for each channel.
Table 20 on which the microfiche jacket is placed
is pivotally supported on a bracket 38l as shown in Fig. 4,
and is spring ~iased (the spxing is not shown)O Key 21 for
tilting table 20 is mounted on the ~ree end of a pivoted L-
shaped lever 39 whose other end terminates in a nose 40 which
is received within a ~rap 41 on ~he underside of table 20 at
I the front end thereof. Thus when key 21 is depressed, the
table is tilted downwardly with respect to a ledge 42 pro-
jecting rom the lower plate 12L of the track block just
,' below the ~rack exi~.
As best se~n in ~igs. 8 and 9, projecking from the
upper plate ~ection 12U on either side of the track exit
ls a pair of pressure ~ingers Fl and F2, the advancing film
strip passing be~ween the~e fingers over ledge 42~ Flanking
fingers Fl and F~ are planar locating guides Gl and G2 having
triangu~ar poin~s, ~he guid~s having a width equal to that of
the microfiche jacket channels. Guides ~l and G2 are pre~erably
die cut fxom a flexible metal sheet such as copper and are
so spaced as to lie in registration with the channels on
opposite sides o~ a channel selected ~or film insertion.
Pressuxe ~ingers Fl and F~ axe spaced so as to register with
the ribs ll~ boxdering the selec~ed channel.
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, In order to make a film insertion in a selected channel,
table .20, as shown in Fig. 8, is first tilted downwaxdly by
~, the operator relative to khe tr,ack exit, as shown in Fig. 8.
I Microiche jacket 11 is then held ~y the operatox with its
leading end on the table, the jacket being flexed so that the
remaining portion of the jacket is raised above the tableO
Assuming that the selec ted channel is channel C4, the
jacket is then pushed along the table toward the rear of the
track block so that guides Fl and F~ are admitted into the
respective entry slots S3 and S5 of channels C3 and C5, as
shown in Fig. 9, at which p~int channel C4 is properly oriented
with respect to the txack exitO Because the guides are pointed,
this operation is easy to perform; for as long as a guide
point enters a channel slot at any point~ the guide will then
bring the channel into alignment therewith.
Since table 20 is tilted downardly, the resultant
! relationship i~ that shown in Fig. 10 where it will be seen
,1 that the microfi~he jacket which now lies flat on table 20
; has its leading marg~n extended beyond the front e~d of the
2Q table to abut the rear of lower plate 12L below ledge 42.
Ta~le 2Q is then released~ as a con~equence of which, as
shown in Fig. 11, the surface of the table is now in the same
plane as the floor of track 12T, whereas the leading margin
of the m.icrofiche which ~buts the underside o~ ledge 42 is
now flexed thereby to open entry ~lot S4 in selected channel C
in readiness or insertion. The pressure fingers Fl and F2
are pressed against the ribbed border of kh~ selected channel
to xe5ist displacement of this channel relative to the track.
--13~
~3~'7~
Now film 10, as s~own in Fig. 12~ is advanced by the
drive mechanism for full ox pa.xt:ial insertion into selected
channel C4, the point at which tlle strip i.s to be cut being
det~rm;ned by viewing the optical screen on which the film
. frames are sequentially presented.
Since the severed end of the film strip lies on the
track and is ther~fore displaced from the entry slot o~ the
channel, in order ~o complete insertion ~he remaining portion
of the fi~lm strip behind ~he severed end is advanced by the
¦ drive mechanism to push the cut stxip fully into the channel.
After insertion is completed, the r~; ni ng portion of the
~trip is retracted~ In those instances where all frames on
the strip are inserted in a channel, the rem~-n;ng portion is
then constituted ~y the traile~u In other cases, the remaining
portion may be a blank strip zone plus the trailer.
Both locating guides Gl and G2 are inserted in adjacent
channels opposite the selected ch~nnel when the selected
ch~nnel iS interposed therebetween. But when the selected
ch~nnel is channel Cl or C5, then there is a channel adjacent
only one side, in which eve~t only one guide functions to
effect location of ~he elected channel~
-14-
Thus a reader-filler machine in accordance wi.th the
invention requires no indexing mechanism to align a selected
channel with the film track; and while the alignment i5 carried
out manually, it takes no particular care to effect a proper
. alignment~ And since the machine presents the film frame
on the screen with reerence to a pointer indicating the
~lade position, one can exac~ly cu~ the film at any desired
junction.
While there has been shown and described a preferred
embodiment of a reader~filler machine for i~serting film strips
into microfiche j ackets in accordance with the invention, it
will be appreciated that many changes and modifications may be
made therein without, however, departing from the essential
spirit thereof. T~us while the machine is shown as i~
operates to insert discretè film strips, the m~C~i~e may
be provided with a mounting for a film reel, film drawn from
the reel ~eing conducted along the track.
I
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