Abstract: An electrocoagulation printing apparatus comprises a positive cylindrical electrode having a central longitudinal axis extending horizontally and a passivated surface defining a positive electrode active surface, the positive electrode being formed of an electrolytically inert metal; a drive mechanism for rotating the positive electrode about the longitudinal axis thereof at a substantially constant speed; a coating device for coating the positive electrode active surface with an olefinic substance and a metal oxide to form on the surface micro-droplets of olefinic substance containing the metal oxide; and a printing head for forming on the olefin and metal oxide-coated positive electrode active surface a plurality of dots of colored, coagulated colloid by electrocoagulation of an electrolytically coagulable colloid in the presence of a coloring agent, the dots of colored, coagulated colloid being representative of a desired image.

Abstract: An image printing device includes a latent image charge keeping medium including a pyroelectric layer, a thermal head for selectively heating the charge keeping medium according to a signal, and an electrically conductive film disposed to be brought into contact with or to be in the vicinity of a surface of the pyroelectric layer of the medium for being heated by the thermal head, thereby neutralizing charge appearing on the medium due to pyroelectric effect. The device further includes a developer for visualizing with a charged coloring medium an electrostatic latent image formed on the medium, a transfer roller for transferring the developed image onto a sheet of printing paper, and a fixing device for fixing the transferred image on the printing sheet. The conductive layer is applied with a bias voltage from a power source such that a strong absorbing force acts upon charge, thereby efficiently neutralizing the charge.

Abstract: Computer controlled numbering of consecutive business forms is provided for both computer controlled presses and in the form of a retrofit unit for conventional rotary presses. The retrofit unit includes a disk provided with radially oriented metallic strips of predetermined locations on the disk, and mounted on a suitable shaft of the press. The disk cooperates with a stationary transducer mounted, for example, on a stationary press wall to send signals to the control unit to fire the printer.

Abstract: A novel apparatus and method for printing on polymer film while electrically polarizing the film or, in the case where the film has been polarized prior to printing, maintaining the film's electrostatic charge. The apparatus is incorporated into a printer and includes an ink applicator which applies the ink according to selected designs and colors and a heater for drying the ink. The improvement in the apparatus comprises a charging station which forms an electrostatic charge on the printed polymer film, immediately after the polymer film passes through the ink curing station. The method of printing on polymer film comprises applying a selected pattern of ink to the polymer film, heating the polymer film to a sufficient temperature to dry the ink of said pattern and to render the film electrically polarizable, and generating a net surface charge on the film.

Abstract: An apparatus and process in which a carrier image is applied to paper and ink is attracted to the carrier to form a printed image. The process is readily adaptable to the conventional printing methods including offset lithography. An apparatus for carrying out the process of the invention may be retrofitted onto a lithographic printer.

Abstract: A method of gravure printing utilizing electrostatic assist in the transfer of ink from a printing cylinder to a paper web. The potential of electrets formed in dry ink on the web is minimized by operating the last impression roll and cylinder with a DC potential of the polarity opposite that of the preceding impression rolls.

Abstract: An impression roller for an electostatic printing assist system consists of a metal roller core, a relatively thick insulating layer of substantially uniform thickness covering the main body of the core, a relatively thin intermediate conductive layer covering the insulating layer and a relatively thick semiconductive layer covering the intermediate layer. The relatively thin conductive layer is exposed at one end of the roller so it can make contact with a rotary transformer. In a first embodiment of the invention the roller core is tapered at one end and the slope of the tapered end built up with semiconductive material. In a second embodiment there is an annular groove which is cut into the conductive layer to provide improved contact with a transformer. A method of preparing rollers is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for transferring a viscous substance, including the steps of: providing a viscous substance capable of changing its adhesiveness corresponding to the polarity of a voltage applied thereto; disposing the viscous substance between a first electrode and a second electrode; and applying a voltage to the viscous substance plural times, thereby to reduce the adhesiveness of the viscous substance to the first electrode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method for forming an image includes a recording material which changes its adhesiveness in response to the polarity of the voltage applied thereto. Such a recording material can include negatively or positively changeable or inorganic particles, gas-generating solvents, a substance having a gel or sol state, and a dissociative electrolyte. The recording material is positioned between a pair of electrodes. At least one of the electrodes includes an electroconductive member and a pattern comprising an insulating material disposed on the electroconductive member. A voltage is then applied between the pair of electrodes to attach the recording material to one of the electrodes. Also provided is a pressure applicator for transferring to a transfer-receiving medium the recording material attached to the electrode.

Abstract: A method for supplying a viscous substance includes providing a viscous substance capable of changing its adhesiveness corresponding to the polarity of a voltage to be applied thereto; supplying the viscous substance between a pair of electrodes; and applying a pulse voltage between the pair of electrodes thereby to attach to at least one of the pair of electrodes the viscous substance of which amount corresponds to the effective duration factor of the pulse voltage.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for forming an image which includes providing a recording composition capable of changing its adhesivity corresponding to the polarity of a voltage applied thereto between a pair of electrodes. The recording composition has a transfer characteristic having a tendency to change by loss of at least one component of the recording composition. A voltage is applied between the pair of electrodes to attach the recording composition to one of the pair of electrodes to attach the recording composition to one of the pair of electrodes. Any such change in the transfer characteristic of the recording composition is detected during the process. In response to any change in the transfer characteristic additional component is added to the recording composition to compensate for that change.

Abstract: Within the impression cylinder of a rotogravure press and within the roll shell thereof there are provided over the width of the impression cylinder a number of layer packages which can be separately supplied with electrical charge in order to apply electrostatic charges to the impression cylinder surface for the purpose of augmenting printing of a material web. By differently controlling segments of the impression cylinder, there can be accommodated different widths of the material web to be processed. In order to concentrate the electric charge at the actually used region of the impression cylinder and for protecting the zones of the impression cylinder which are not currently being used, there are provided internally of the roll jacket, in axial direction thereof, a number of support elements arranged adjacent one another and braced against a central carrier.

Abstract: In the marking method and apparatus, a printing plate which is mounted to a plate holder is moved horizontally and vertically and set above a workpiece. The printing plate is then lowered quickly until it comes into contact with the workpiece upon which printing is performed and then, based upon a signal from a detector which detects such a contact of the printing plate to the workpiece, the printing plate is further lowered slowly a predetermined fixed distance. Thus, even if the thickness of the workpiece is different from workpiece to workpiece, the pressing-in amount of the printing plate into the workpiece can be constant for different workpieces.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a master having a conductive portion and an insulating portion which form a pattern; an applicator for applying the ink material on the master wherein deposition of the ink material onto the master is different depending on a direction of electric current flowing through the ink material; an excessive ink material remover, contactable to the ink material applied on the master by the applicator, for removing excessive ink material with a voltage applied between the master and the excessive ink material remover.

Abstract: In a method and device for providing a visible image on a magnetic layer, the layer having a magnetic image thereon, the magentic layer is moved at a distance spaced from the top surface of a body of a magnetic fluid. The distance is sufficiently small that magnetic fluid from said body can be attracted to contact portions of said magnetic layer having a magnetic image thereon, by magnetic attraction, while the fluid is not attracted to portions of the layer that do not have a magnetic image.

Abstract: A counter pressure cylinder including an electrostatic printing assist system, with the counter pressure cylinder including an insulating jacket having a conductive coating thereof over which a further coating is arranged having limited conductivity. A primary winding, concentric to an electrically grounded axle or shaft of the counter pressure cylinder, is disposed beside the counter pressure cylinder in a fixed fashion with respect to the printing unit, and a secondary winding is mounted concentrically to the electrically grounded shaft of the counter pressure cylinder at one end face of the counter pressure cylinder in a fixed fashion with respect to the counter pressure cylinder. An electrical connection of the secondary winding is connected to the axle of shaft of the counter pressure cylinder and another electrical connection is connected to the coating by way of a rectifier circuit.

Abstract: A printing composition comprising magnetic particles suspended in a liquid medium also having therein a coloring agent, the relative amounts of the particles and the coloring agent being controlled whereby the color of the composition is principally that of the coloring agent. The composition can be contacted with selectively magnetized portions of the surface of a drum to provide an image thereon and the drum surface contacted with a sheet which abstracts the printing composition. The composition is useful in an apparatus which includes such a drum, equipment for magnetizing, a set up for contacting the cylindrical surface with the printing composition and a mechanism for contacting the cylindrical surface with the abstracting sheet. Magnetographic color printing results.

Abstract: Dual layer, pressure sensitive label sheets for ion deposition printing, use an adhesive on the back of the labels in the form of geometric patterns with narrow, adhesive-free bands between the geometric patterns. The patterns may be hexagonal or diamonds, for example, so that the edges of the die-cut labels will be held down; and the adhesive-free areas may be less than 1/16 inch, preferably in the other of 1/32 inch in width so that with the high pressures encountered in ion deposition printing, curl-free labels with high resolution printing is achieved.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for applying a charge directly to an impression roll (12) which engages a gravure cylinder (14) of an electrostatic assist gravure press, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of placing a plurality of spaced contacts (26 or 54) capable of applying a charge to the impression roll (12) in direct contact with the surface of the impression roll (12), arranging the spacing between the contacts (26 or 54) and the width thereof so that predetermined groupings of the contacts (26 or 54) correspond to approximately the various web widths to be used with the gravure press, and controlling the charge applied by the contacts (26 or 54) to the surface of the immpression roll (12) to minimize the current leakage between the impression roll (12) and the gravure cylinder (14) in those areas of the impression roll (12) where the impression roll (12) directly engages the gravure cylinder (14) without the interposition of a web (22) therebetween.