Abstract: An ink jet printing system suited to the making of large scale graphics, such as outdoor billboards, includes an endless carrier for moving a plurality of rigid flat panels, onto which a graphic is to be printed in sections, repetitively past an ink jet printing station. At the printing station each panel moves in purely rectilinear fashion in a direction parallel to its ink drop receiving face so that such face remains essentially at a uniform spacing from the ink jet printing heads of the printing station as the printing occurs. A means for timing the operation of the ink jet heads takes into account irregularities or changes in the motion of the panels past the printing station so that the ink drops are correctly placed despite such irregularities or changes. The ink jet heads can eject relatively large drops of pigmented ink.

Abstract: An automated sign generator produces large scale text on sheet material by means of a cutting tool which is guided relative to the material in accordance with preprogrammed data. The sheet material is supported for movement in one coordinate direction relative to the tool by a feed roller, and the cutting tool is supported for movement in an orthogonal coordinate direction parallel to the roller. Several cutting tools are employed and one of the tools is heated to penetrate through a vinyl sign material that is releasably secured by a pressure sensitive adhesive to a paper release liner. A plotting tool can also be substituted for the cutting tool to plot the sign on plain paper. The sign generator is controlled by a microprocessor and the font from which the sign text is prepared in stored in a ROM memory. A keyboard coupled with the microprocessor is utilized to control the machine operation as well as compose the sign text.

Abstract: An automated measuring scale for making linear measurements includes a guide bar and an index marker that is moved automatically along the bar to predetermined positions commanded by the operator. A manually operated keyboard is provided to enter the position commands, and a digital display illustrates the commands as they are entered. The scale of movement is adjustable for an infinite number of variables, and the index marker can be repeatedly stepped along the guide bar by fixed increments when desired. In a manual mode of operation, the index marker is positioned to any location along the guide bar and the display automatically reveals the marker position in any selected scale.

Abstract: There is provided a method, system and apparatus for cutting a profile, such as a cigar wrapper, from a natural leaf, such as a tobacco leaf, wherein the leaf is spread and supported on a support surface in a random position. Thereafter, a leaf facsimile or image, including the leaf outline and surface imperfections, is developed and at least one cut position for the wrapper is located in an area excluding the leaf outline and surface imperfections. This cut position is recorded and converted to digital data. The wrapper is then cut from the leaf at an actual cut position corresponding to the located cut position determined by the digital data. Also, the facsimile is created by a back lighting arrangement which illuminates color variations and surface imperfections, as well as the leaf outline, so that leaf color variations can be included in the facsimile or image.

Abstract: A portable alphanumeric and symbol drafting device which essentially comprises a mechanically functioning keyboard unit, which is flexibly connected to an electronics package unit. Accordingly, the keyboard unit, which preferably weighs on the order of only two pounds, comprises a singularly useful device for a draftsman, since it allows a string of characters to be most accurately applied upon a drawing surface, by manipulation of only the keyboard unit. The keyboard unit may also include an attachment for mating with a standard parallel-arm drawing device. The keyboard unit comprises a first longitudinal edge, which is used to establish an origin or base line for the string of characters to be lettered and includes a carriage means for supporting a drafting pen in a manner to allow it to be operably controlled for a longitudinal (x-axis) and transverse (y-axis) movement proximate this first longitudinal edge of the housing.

Abstract: A device for cutting a piece of a flat workpiece at a selected location identifiable by two or more binary coded numbers which device includes a cutter, a cutting platen having an upper workpiece supporting surface and a lower portion, a plurality of upstanding, shiftable members, a guiding arrangement on the platen adjacent the lower portion for loosely receiving the members, an arrangement for moving the members in accordance with the coded numbers and a structure for forcing the cutter against the cutting surface. In accordance with another aspect, the shiftable members are movable by binary fluid motors each including a series of axially aligned fluid actuating units having strokes corresponding to binary numbers and an arrangement for actuating certain of these units in the fluid motor to move the shiftable members in accordance with the extended condition of the binary motors.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting cigar wrappers with a selected profile from a natural tobacco leaf, the apparatus comprises a vacuum supporting structure on a leaf receiving member. An arrangement is provided for selecting a cut position on the leaf and oriented with respect to the leaf receiving member and a cutting platen is provided including a leaf supporting surface and an arrangement for creating a vacuum on the surface to support a leaf. The platen is positioned in a known leaf receiving location and a transfer means is provided for transferring the leaf from the leaf receiving member to the leaf supporting surface of the cutting platen. The cutter having the desired profile is provided for cutting the profile from the leaf. The platen is then shifted from its leaf receiving position to a leaf cutting position with the support surface of the platen spaced from the wrapper cutter.

Abstract: A method of making overlay masks for photoetching of printing plates with printing matter utilizes a photoplotter having an optical exposure head to precisely expose a photosensitive film in a predetermined mask pattern. The pattern may include symbols, "knock out" windows for cropping pictures in both grey and color halftones, and line work such as framing for pictures and other printing matter.

Abstract: A device for cutting a piece of a flat workpiece at a selected location identifiable by two or more binary coded numbers which device includes a cutter, a cutting platen having an upper workpiece supporting surface and a lower portion, a plurality of upstanding, shiftable members, a guiding arrangement on the platen adjacent the lower portion for loosely receiving the members, an arrangement for moving the members in accordance with the coded numbers and a structure for forcing the cutter against the cutting surface. In accordance with another aspect, the shiftable members are movable by binary fluid motors each including a series of axially aligned fluid actuating units having strokes corresponding to binary numbers and an arrangement for actuating certain of these units in the fluid motor to move the shiftable members in accordance with the extended condition of the binary motors.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting cigar wrappers with a selected profile from a natural tobacco leaf, the apparatus comprises a vacuum supporting structure on a leaf receiving member. An arrangement is provided for selecting a cut position on the leaf and oriented with respect to the leaf receiving member and a cutting platen is provided including a leaf supporting surface and an arrangement for creating a vacuum on the surface to support a leaf. The platen is positioned in a known leaf receiving location and a transfer means is provided for transferring the leaf from the leaf receiving member to the leaf supporting surface of the cutting platen. The cutter having the desired profile is provided for cutting the profile from the leaf. The platen is then shifted from its leaf receiving position to a leaf cutting position with the support surface of the platen spaced from the wrapper cutter.

Abstract: There is provided a digital device for creating a series of digital signals indicative of the profile in certain surface variations of a natural tobacco leaf. The light intensity characteristic of an emitted light from various locations on the natural tobacco leaf are scanned in succession across the leaf at parallel positions. The light intensity at the various locations creates a digital signal indicative of whether or not the light intensity is high, low or intermediate. The color profile of the leaf could be created by these signals; however, in accordance with the invention, a digital signal is created when the light intensity signal shifts from one value to another. At that time, a transition signal is created which can be combined to form a transition profile of the leaf which is indicative of the actual profile and color variations of the leaf itself. This information can be used for locating a wrapper cutter at the desired position on the leaf for subsequent cutting of the wrapper from the leaf.

Abstract: A motor driven plotter has a plotting head which is translated in two coordinate directions over the work surface of a plotting table. The plotting head is mounted on a first carriage which moves in one coordinate direction and a second carriage is mounted on the first for movement in the second coordinate direction. The limits of both carriages in each coordinate direction are directed by means of a pull cord suspended in a rectangular pattern from the first carriage. A cord portion or segment is intersected and extended by a contact at each limit of travel in the coordinate directions. A switch connected to the cord produces a limit signal when the cord is extended.

Abstract: An apparatus having a table defining a work surface, and a carriage mounted for movement over the work surface in one direction includes a device for precisely indexing a strip of sheet material in the same direction so that various sections of the strip can be operated upon by an instrument mounted on the carriage. The indexing device comprises a bar that is parked at one edge of the work surface while the instrument and carriage are working on one section of the sheet material. The bar is subsequently attached to the carriage above the sheet material for an indexing operation. A plurality of magnets are mounted in the bar and cooperate with a clamping plate placed under the bar and the sheet material to clamp the sheet material between the plate and the bar during an indexing operation. After the indexing operation, the clamping plate and bar are returned to the parking position at one edge of the work surface and the bar is detached from the instrument carriage.

Abstract: A high accuracy drum plotter utilizes a lightweight structurally rigid plotting drum to obtain high accelerations and, correspondingly, high throughput of information. The information is generated graphically on a plotting material which is held on the light weight drum by means of a vacuum system. High accuracy is maintained by providing compensation apparatus for adjusting drum rotation in accordance with plotting material thickness.

Abstract: An interactive graphics system in which plotting, digitizing and other related capabilities are performed is described in which complex graphics may be generated, edited and developed at a plurality of terminals, independently, with a minimum of hardware and in which precision control of the motion of a plotting table at each location is achieved in response to simplified input commands. Additionally, a novel floating cursor is described by which an operator may control the motion of the carriages of a plotting table or other positioning system actuated during plotting on the table, and digitize various coordinate locations with corresponding storage in a central computer of such locations, all by manually positioning the cursor at the desired locations. The floating cursor is connected with an energy sensor and both the cursor and the sensor are mechanically movable relative to or independently of the carriage.