Abstract: A method of simulating variable rate printing in an ink jet printing system employing a fixed frequency vibrating reed. By varying several printing parameters, a range of quantized values is derived for character size and the rate of character generation.

Abstract: Electrostatic transfer printing in which a latent electrostatic image is formed on a cylindrical dielectrical member by means of a remote glow discharge ion source. The image is then toned and pressure-transferred to a receptor, such as a sheet of paper, which is passed between the cylindrical dielectric member and a transfer roller. Scraper blades may be included to remove residual toner from the cylindrical dielectric member and the transfer roller. Means may also be included to erase any latent residual electrostatic image on the cylindrical dielectric member.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the decoration of bottles and the like at high speeds. Bottles are delivered by an input conveyor to a star wheel, which deposits them sequentially into a continuously rotating turret. The turret carries the bottles past a labelling site, where a label carrier strip is pressed into contact with a bottle surface and a label thereby transferred. The shape of the bottle is maintained during labelling by means of inflation of the bottles through an inserted nozzle. The raising and lowering of the inflating nozzle and the flow of inflating air is controlled by special valving apparatus. The motion of the label carrier strip past the labelling site is regulated by the use of rolls on a shuttle slide, which in turn is reciprocated by a second slide driven by a conjugate cam. This results in an increase of the local velocity of the carrier strip during most of the cycle, and a slowing of the strip during the balance.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for expanding point matrix characters. For each member of a character set there is stored a basic character matrix defining the character in its lowest magnification. A shape code is assigned to each point of the basic character matrix based upon the configuration of blacks and whites in a neighborhood centering on the point. Quantized versions of the shape codes are used as templates for assigning expanded point arrays to each point in the basic matrix. The method is advantageously implemented by logic circuitry for a matrix printer or the like. The user may vary the aspect ratio of the expanded characters, and may design the shape codes to produce a pleasing character appearance.

Abstract: Ink jet printing method and apparatus in which an ink stream is projected from an oscillating structure to a record member which moves relative to the oscillating structure, creating a trace on the record member. The ink jet printer includes a reed head assembly, which comprises a capillary tube, a metal reed attached thereto, and means for inducing macroscopic oscillations of the metal reed and attached capillary tube at a resonance frequency of the metal reed, in a direction transverse to the axis of the capillary tube. An alternative reed head assembly includes a capillary tube carrying a metal sleeve, with the capillary tube as the primary oscillating member. The reed head assembly may include an ultrasonic transducer for inducing microscopic longitudinal vibrations in the metal reed and capillary tube, thereby regulating the parameters of breakup of the ink stream emitted from the capillary tube.