Abstract: There is disclosed an improved drive circuit for a print element actuator wherein the current applied to the actuator has a fast rise mode which is terminated when a predetermined level has been reached. Current is allowed to slowly decay through the circuit until it reaches a second and lower predetermined level. The circuit is self-timing and self-compensating for variations in voltage or actuator impedance.

Abstract: There is disclosed an envelope hopper for attachment to a printer requiring envelopes. Spring members provided with adjustable throats for permitting passage of a single envelope are biased downward against the upward force of the supply stack for compensating for changes in relative position of the uppermost envelope and the throats during separation from the stack.

Abstract: A new alloy material for use in electrical contacts is disclosed, comprising by weight______________________________________ Beryllium 1-2% Palladium 2-20%; and ______________________________________the balance of nickel.

Abstract: For the retention of a ribbon cartridge (1) on a carrier (2) in a printer or a typewriter or the like, a flexible retaining arm (3) is disclosed. This retaining arm (3) is attached to carrier (2) and stands upright from it. Arm (3) includes a protruding leg (12) underneath cartridge (1) and a tenon (8) adapted to snap back into a recess (7) in cartridge (1) after deflection of retaining arm (3). On its opposite side cartridge (1) is supported with its trunnion (5) in a hole in a fixed retaining arm (6) of carrier (2). Trunnion (5) and tenon (8) are arranged on tilting axis (4) which is parallel to the print line. Upon loading cartridge (1) on carrier (2) protruding leg (12) is biased so that upon removal of cartridge (1) protruding leg (12) urges cartridge (1) upwardly. Retaining arm (3) with its protruding leg (12) is made of spring steel in leaf spring form.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabricating a novel printed circuit structure including a relatively small surface area of flexible material integral with a conventional glass epoxy carrier on which electrical contacts may be formed.

Abstract: A stand (10) is disclosed for supporting a computer display (8) workstation for easy adjustment without tools to a desired position by rotating the stand, tilting a platform (60) attached to the stand and lifting the stand. The stand comprises a six bar (20, 22, 16, 30, 32, 54) pivotable linkage having spring (44, 48, 52) means for compensating for the load, the spring force being adjustable to accommodate changes in load without affecting the spring rate.

Abstract: A printer with improved integral automated cut sheet feeding apparatus including a hopper (10) adapted to attach to bearing members on sheet picker roller (22), shaft (20), hopper (10) also including an upwardly biased sheet floor (58) being adapted to slidingly engage dual function corner restraint members (66) and to cooperate therewith to limit the stack size and reliably feed a single sheet properly oriented without requiring additional alignment means.

Abstract: A technique for accomplishing automated small batch assembly using a sophisticated computer program controlled robot (8) is disclosed wherein the robot work envelope (51) is divided into three independent work areas. Each work area is provided with a port (53, 55, 57) to which a self-contained, task oriented mobile workstation (130) may be attached. Manipulator (10) is controlled to perform the steps associated with the assembly tasks on the mobile workstations in priority sequence.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for exposing circular patterns of light on a photosensitive surface by providing, spaced from the surface, a lengthwise variable light source focusable on the photosensitive surface and rotatable relative to the surface about an axis of rotation passing through the center of the photosensitive surface and the light source. In a modification, the axis of rotation passes through the center of the photosensitive surface and through a point radially offset from the light source.

Abstract: A universal driver tool pivotable into a plurality of angular positions is disclosed for use by a computer controlled robotic manipulator. Improved mechanism for connecting the driver tool to the pneumatic system of the robot is disclosed as is a technique for quickly changing the bit driver by the tool without requiring a complete tool change operation.

Abstract: An improved alignment/restraint station for interposition in an automatic document feed path is disclosed. A unitary structure including back-up rollers and sawtooth restraint members is positioned downstream of the document separation station and transverse to the direction of feed. Adjacent either end of the unitary structure are dual purpose edge alignment members. The unitary structure is moveable into and out of position in the feed path and includes guide members for leading a document over the edge alignment members.

Abstract: A modular envelope feed mechanism which may be used with a cut sheet feeder attachment for high speed printers or the like is disclosed. Envelopes are more reliably fed and separated because they are urged toward a pair of separators at the separation station with uniform force by a pressure plate containing a pivotable member provided with resilient pads positioned in alignment with the separators.

Abstract: A current shunt multiplexed driver circuit in a high resolution multi-wire printhead is provided for use in an electroerosion printer. The circuit can reduce to the number of active devices required per print wire to two times the square root of the number of wires.

Abstract: A drive system for energizing the elements of a fixed bar printer of the type in which a pair of parallel bars, of, for example, resistive material, have a series of first connections to individual bars interspersed by second connections to both bars. By driving a second connection, any one of four elements can be energized by selecting one of the adjacent first connections as a voltage source path. The drive lines which return current are fed by a driver/shift register system having a stage for each drive line. Data is fed to the driver/shift register system serially from a plurality of memories, each of which has a capacity equal to that of the driver/shift register system. The memories are grouped in fours, so that each memory stores data for energizing one of the print bar elements in each group of four defined by a drive connection and its adjacent current return connections. An addressing system controls the sequence of loading and unloading the memories.

Abstract: In a word processing system having a keyboard display for data entry and modification, and a printer with a choice of pitch, the technique is presented for displaying on less than the entire CRT screen a representation of a full page of text being processed. The full page representation is in fact visually proportional to the yet unproduced printed output. The full page representation is made possible by using a 2.times.4 character representation structure to represent an 8.times.16 normal character. Proportionality within the represented data is achieved by displaying particular character representations more than once. The interval between multiply displayed representations is a function of the output pitch with which proportionality is desired and the size of a dot on the CRT screen.

Abstract: A thermal print head includes a pair of parallel bars of resistive material. A first set of lines is connected to one bar at equal spacings, a second set is similarly connected to the other bar. Each line of a third set of lines is connected to both bars between the connections of the lines of the other sets. From each line of the third set there are four resistance paths along the bars to adjacent lines of the first and second sets. Each of these paths can be selected to heat the bars along the selected paths to create marks on a paper sheet or web.

Abstract: In a thermal print head employing a line of print elements, temperature sensing is effected by means of an elongated temperature sensing device positioned in parallel with the line of elements and in heat-transfer proximity thereto. The sensor may be of thermo-resistive material and is coupled to a control circuit to effect energy control of drive pulses to the print elements.

Abstract: A method of, and an apparatus for, constructing a laminated rotor for use in high speed stepping motors or the like. The apparatus consists of a rotatable carousel having a plurality of rotatable work stations each of which is carried to a plurality of operating stations. Lamina are punched from sheet metal stock and brought back into the stock and held in a friction fit. Sheet stock is then advanced to a stacking station where a lamina is forced onto a rotor shaft. The shaft is rotated thereafter in order to uniformly distribute any local metalurgical or planarity inconsistencies in the sheet stock throughout the laminated structure.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus for and a method of decreasing the time duration of playback of recorded speech without distortion. Speech recorded at a normal rate is played back at a higher rate using two variable length buffers in alternating fashion to receive sampled speech segments. Threshold analysis logic circuitry is provided to continually compare the output voltage levels of both buffers and to switch the output between the buffers to a using device when the voltage level of both buffers is approximately zero and of an equal amplitude. In this way output to the using device consists of segments from both buffers joined with a minimum of generated noise and no associated dead zone without regard to any predetermined segment length.