Abstract: A development apparatus for dry toning a latent, electrostatic image on a dielectric surface. The developing apparatus includes a rotating, magnetic brush which picks up dry toner from a reservoir and magnetically carries it past a first region on the dielectric surface to allow it to electrostatically adhere thereto. Residual toner carried past the first region is picked up by an impeller that impels the toner toward a second region on the dielectric surface to simulate cascade toning. Finally, toner that centrifugally escapes the magnetic brush effuses outwardly and is guided toward a third region on the dielectric surface to form a toner cloud.

Abstract: Air assisted document stacking apparatus wherein document items are moved into a directional control channel including a pair of rotatable rollers operating in offset relationship with respect to an elongated drive belt effective to entrain and move said items into a stacker pocket, the latter having means for applying positive air pressure to said pocket so as to move incoming items out of the path of following items entering the pocket and for applying negative pressure to said pocket for closely stacking items together in said pocket by removing residual air from between said items.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for detecting overlapped documents in a document processing apparatus by detecting the translucency of the documents. The disclosed apparatus includes a transport path for guiding documents and drive wheels for moving the documents along the transport path. Four LED (light source) phototransistor (light detector) pairs are located across the transport path. One LED-phototransistor pair is used together with electronics to detect when a document is present. Two LED-phototransistor pairs are used together with edge detection electronics to detect sudden significant changes in document translucency from the immediately previous translucency of the same document as the documents pass thereby.

Abstract: An apparatus forming an incremental motion system is described for controllably moving a load from a first position to a second position in a forward mode to track a moving object field in response to an external reference signal. The apparatus moves the load from the second position back to the first position in a reverse mode. A motor having a rotatable shaft supplies the moving force to the lens shuttle. An optical tachometer having a rotating apertured element fixedly secured to the shaft to rotate therewith generates a signal, upon serving each aperture, in each of the forward and return modes. The signals corresponding to served apertures define feedback signals having corresponding frequencies. A forward control circuit is responsive to the frequency of the reference signal and the frequency of the feedback signal in the forward mode to provide a forward control signal to an amplifier which energizes or drives the motor.

Abstract: An item/document hold and view station for use with high speed item sorting apparatus wherein a diverter is provided for diverting selected items out of the mainstream item pathway and into an open ended receptacle area for visual viewing by an operator and including a pair of eccentric cam members interconnected by a flexible member is operable to move the item out of the viewing station and back into the mainstream item pathway once the item has been altered, changed, corrected or otherwise handled by the operator without blocking or obscuring the data from the operator's view.

Abstract: An apparatus that provides constant illumination in response to an AC input power source having variable magnitude. The input power passes through a full wave rectifier and is then switched by a solid state switching device having conductive and nonconductive states to a passive L-C filter. The output of the filter energizes one or more lamps to provide the illumination. A phase control circuit is responsive to a sync signal from the full wave rectifier and a feedback signal from the output of the filter and controls the phase angle conduction time of the solid state switching device at a repetition rate related to the frequency of the AC input power to provide constant illumination from the lamp.

Abstract: Apparatus for securely locking tractor pin drive apparatus against unintended movement transverse to the movement of the paper being fed by the device comprising a split U-shaped clamping member surrounding an elongated support means carrying the tractor and secured to the tractor body. A flat sided, threaded, bolt having a cam release and locking lever attached to one end and an adjusting self-locking means secured to the other end thereof secures the ends of the U-shaped clamp together. Movement of the lever affords quick cam release of the tractor mechanism with respect to the transverse support by engaging and disengaging the clamp from the support. Adjustment of the bolt alters the degree of clamping force between the clamp and the support.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for detecting document jams in a document processing apparatus by detecting the translucency of the documents. The disclosed apparatus includes a transport path for guiding documents and drive wheels for moving the documents along the transport path. An LED light source located on one side of the transport path illuminates at least a portion of the moving document as it passes along the transport path. A phototransistor light detector located on the other side of the transport path detects light from the LED that passes through translucent portions of the document. Electronics connected to the light detector indicate a document jam when the translucency of a document is generally unchanged for a period of time while the document is between the light source and light detector.

Abstract: A reader/writer credit card modular assembly wherein a T-shaped vertically disposed rail member provides accurate positioning of a credit card relative to a read/write transducer and to a timing track transducer through a reference plane established by means of horizontally disposed pins carried by the rail member. The credit card is vertically supported on the pins which in conjunction with a built-in tool or gauge member adjustable parallel to the card enables accurate preadjustment for a plurality of electromagnetic transducer heads arranged to be moved across the front surface of the credit card effective thereby to read from or write upon the credit card in synchronism with a prerecorded timing track disposed adjacent and parallel to the credit card.

Abstract: The present invention relates to portable, semiautomatic apparatus for aligning and removing solid state multicontact electrical circuit devices, e.g. DIP (dual-in-line package) chips from printed circuit panels or boards so as to prepare the board for new or replacement chip insertion and soldering.

Abstract: A computer terminal for providing a visual display of linguistic characters in response to character data information from an external computer. The computer display terminal can be semipermanently configured in response to externally supplied configuration information. The terminal includes a microprocessor unit formed by a microprocessor, a ROM for instruction codes and a RAM for temporary data storage. A data communications channel interfaces with the microprocessor unit, receives the character information from the external computer, and provides such information to the microprocessing unit for storage in its RAM. A CRT or other display interfaces with the microprocessor unit and visually displays character information stored in the RAM. A keyboard or other input interfaces with the microprocessor unit and provides a means for inputting externally supplied terminal configuration information.

Abstract: An endorser for use in document processing apparatus is provided with a matrix wire printer for printing variable information on documents as they are transported at a controlled speed along a transport path forming part of an endorsing station, and with a rotatable ink stamp driven by a controlled speed motor for printing fixed information on the documents in predetermined relationship with the variable information. A rotatably mounted endorser head assembly comprised of a velocity control member and an interrupted curvilinear platen, in addition to the ink stamp, is drivably rotated by the controlled speed motor to initially intercept and decelerate a document entering the endorsing station, and to thereafter print the fixed and variable information on the document. Deceleration of the document is accomplished by the velocity control member of the endorser head assembly in cooperation with a first biased back-up roller.

Abstract: An ink jet printer having a piezoelectric capillary injector-type droplet generator. The droplet generator includes an integral body having formed within it a single chamber that receives and holds ink under capillary action. A nozzle defined by one or more continuous apertures is formed in the body in communication with the chamber. A piezoelectric crystal actuates a flexural diaphragm that forms one wall of the chamber. The flexing of the diaphragm creates pressure perturbations that force the flow of ink through the nozzle for droplet generation. Also provided are means for damping oscillations of the piezoelectric crystal to prevent unwanted secondary generation of droplets.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive writing stylus and associated circuitry for use in a personal identification system that uses handwriting pressure as an identifying discriminant. The stylus includes a housing, and a cartridge mounted within the housing. A capacitive transducer, preferably a piezoelectric crystal, is mounted contiguous with the upper end of the cartridge and is responsive to axial loading forces in the cartridge caused by contact of the cartridge tip against a writing surface. The transducer outputs a signal related to the time rate of change of the loading force or pressure. The associated circuitry receives the transducer output signal and amplifies and integrates it in successive stages to produce an output signal directly related to the user's handwriting pressure.

Abstract: Tensioning device for use with electromagnetic read/write transducing apparatus wherein a flat elongated band or strip of non-magnetic material is arranged adjacent to a plurality of read/record heads effective to support an item adapted to move between the heads and the tensioning strip and wherein the strip is lever actuated from a relaxed, released condition relative to the heads enabling easy removal and replacement due to wear or breakage into a taut condition and including means to prevent stray magnetic flux from one transducing device from interfering with the magnetic flux of another local transducing device effectively insuring a high level signal output.

Abstract: A microphone is provided for converting the impact force of a moving charged droplet into a corresponding electrical signal. A vertical support member supports a diaphragm in the path of the moving droplet. The diaphragm flexes or vibrates in response to a group of impinging droplets. A bimorph piezo-electric element is in contact with the diaphragm to move therewith and is fixedly secured at its opposite end to an adjacent housing member. The bimorph generates an electrical signal in response to bending stresses created when the bimorph is bent.

Abstract: A self locking door opening device and assembly are provided, the door having an aperture extending therethrough. The assembly includes a grip and a retainer latch. The grip includes a pair of side walls and a base member from which the side walls extend. A top wall interconnects the side walls. The retainer latch comprises a flexible elongated clip having a pair of ends and a central portion. The grip is secured in a locked position by the clip when the clip is disposed in a longitudinal passage defined by the side walls and the top wall. In this locked position the periphery of the door about the aperture is disposed between the ends of the clip and the base member while the central portion of the clip flexes to abuttingly engage the top wall. A pair of projections extend from the top surface of the clip. The top wall of the grip is disposed between the projections and abuttingly engages the projections and the central portion to secure the grip in the locked position.

Abstract: A document sorting system includes a concatenation of document receiving modules, each module having a plurality of pockets and being distinguishable from another module only by its position in the concatenation. A coding circuit is included in each module to generate a unique identifying code for each of the plurality of pockets in the module. The identifying code has a first binary portion based on the position of the module in the concatenation, and a second portion based on the position of the pocket in the module.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for xerographically printing a composite record based on first and second complementary sources of information. The first source of information is imaged onto a photoconductive medium having the property of persistent conductivity to form a conductive image representative thereof. The conductive image is then transferred onto a second photoconductive medium in the form of a latent electrostatic image. The second, complementary source of information is imaged onto the second photoconductive medium, preferably by a scanning laser, as an overlay on the image of the first source. The composite electrostatic image so formed is then developed by the application of toner material and transferred onto a record medium.

Abstract: A keyboard switch is actuated by the depression of a magnetized plunger into the region of a magnetic sensing device positioned at the lower extreme of plunger travel. The plunger is integrally formed of a plastic, magnetizable material and has a central, longitudinal opening that receives and registers with the sensor. The change in magnetic field intensity associated with plunger travel is detected by the sensor and translated into a signal representative of switch actuation.