Abstract: An inexpensive manual microidentification system includes a carrier card having the workpiece to be engraved mounted thereon and providing a surface for recording the information engraved on the workpiece; and a simple, inexpensive microengraver formed from a scriber mounted on a ball and socket arrangement, and including a stylus for tracing a pattern to be engraved on a workpiece as well as an elongated spindle interconnecting the two and providing a large mechanical advantage to the motion of the stylus relative to that of the scriber. The carrier card is cantilever mounted adjacent to the scriber; this mounting technique, together with the resilient composition of the card, insures a controlled scribing pressure. The workpiece is held out of contact with the scriber by means of a finger pressing against the card and biased by a spring.

Abstract: Apparatus for reproducing characters from cathode ray tubes wherein a beam is deflected onto alpha/numeric characters occupying a selected area of a font. The beam is deflected by relatively high speed linear vertical strokes which are displaced horizontally by a slower speed stroke advance waveform and each scan is positioned relative to one of the selected areas. The vertical linear strokes of the beam are at a variable rate and the vertical strokes are terminated by time interval pulses at an amplitude corresponding to the area height of the font character. The rate of the strokes is determined by the time interval pulses which in turn are regulated by point size control selection means. A resultant two level output signal representative of the successive selected characters controls another cathode ray tube, the scanning of which is identical to that of the first cathode ray tube.

Abstract: The font strip consists of a dimensionally stable photographic film on which have been developed timing marks and type characters. The font strip is accurately positioned on a rotating drum by guide posts which project through apertures on the font strip. The font strip is secured to the surface of the drum by the engagement of an end plate fastened to one end of the font strip, which end plate projects through pins mounted to the surface of the drum. The other end of the font strip is bent within a hooked end plate which engages a correspondingly tapered hook portion of the font drum. A tensioning mechanism associated with the font drum affords the necessary tension to maintain the font strip on the drum.